[Drama 2013/2014] ♚ Empress Ki (기황후) ♚

[Fandomized Q]

Which episodes are we watching this week? 

[partyon]

@Nodame I'm so glad to see you here! The drama is great, isn't it? I'm planning on watching ep 6 tonight.

 

@faithwalker @Jillia Hmmmm.... Not sure what happened to Jackal's gang. They just kind of disappeared?

 

@Fandomized Q Episodes 6, 7 and 8.

Which episode are you on?

[Nodame]

@faithwalker @Jillia You know that is a great question. I just saw ep 1-2 last night.

 

I don't recall a CLEAR answer to the group she led as Jackal.

I just know after the men were released by Commander (Ki's dad). Then we see scenes of Ki signing up to want to be close to Commander. So not much story explanation at all. I am assuming they parted ways but I feel bad. Without her, how are these men able to get their relatives back? I guess find another leader?

 

(The maknae member who spoke up for Ki while being interrogated by Commandeer was so sweet and endearing. Plus maknae jumping up and down to hold the target and her WHOLE team willing to TRUST her archery skills. It was a bit humorous to see Wang Yo group the complete opposite reaction.)

 

I wish I could say more on it.

 

@partyon Awww thanks always for the warm welcome wherever I see you! 

[Fandomized Q]

@Jillia @partyon

 

 on Ep 3 now. Should be able to catch up before weekend 

[Fandomized Q]

@Jillia I'm usually good at binge watching, so I should be able to catch up. 

 

One of my best friends fell in love with jcw recently so most of my free time was spent on rewatching with her.  Unfortunately she's less likely to watch Empress Ki, else I could've made it work faster and earlier 

 

 

 

[partyon]

@Nodame Sweetie, remember to cast your vote in our Old Evil Dude poll on top of the page.  The poll closes soon.

 

Kamsahamnida!

[faithwalker]

Thanks to all for replying to my question.  I agree that with the introduction of so many new characters, some had to go.  I just wish they had made it a clear what happened to the group, once their leader (the Jackal)  was no longer with them.  

 

I'm looking forward to discussing the next episodes.  Empress Ki is one of my favorite historical dramas.

[partyon]

15 minutes ago, faithwalker said:

Thanks to all for replying to my question.  I agree that with the introduction of so many new characters, some had to go.  I just wish they had made it a clear what happened to the group, once their leader (the Jackal)  was no longer with them.  

 

I'm looking forward to discussing the next episodes.  Empress Ki is one of my favorite historical dramas.

 

Awesome! Glad to have you onboard! I'm in the middle of ep 6 now.

 

Do you watch any other k-dramas @faithwalker?

[Nodame]

Hi Everyone,

 

I miscalculated and watched 1-2 on Monday night and last night 3-4 after catching up on my other real time dramas rotation.

 

Ep 3-4 thoughts

 

-Still think it crazy that no one thinks SeungNyang is NOT a guy 

(Until her dad figures out her true identity. Wow it was touching when she did not want to know her other siblings and just wanted to be by his side . I liked how she wore the rings together and that due to her bathing she had to take it off. Honoring her wishes to hid her gender identity and later seeing her dad being tied up and dealing with the king wang go with his tongue to be taken out --omg I was upset too

 

-The Jealousy of Wang Yoo to Taehwan dealing with SN. 

When SN realized who WY was --the king she was like OMG OMG and reliving her smacking him, pushing him off her checking her wound and embracing her from behind teaching her to play the instrument she was like I am DONE for. WY loving to tease SN when asking her why she is apologizing to him. The sweet hug hello of happiness and wanting to hang out with SN as much as possible. When he dreamed of SN and Bang Shin Woo & Choi Moo Sung (by his side when he dreamt of SN beauty) was like --oh no you love a MAN . Yikes.

 

-Later when TaeHwan interrupted them having a drink as he was growing fond of SN for teaching him combat-archery etc and he also loved to tease SN --massaging/washing his feet, unclothing him to pee etc. Then cheating when they went on the horse ride to tackle her to fall off her horse. Def SN is in these two guys vying for SN (though both do not know she is a female).

 

-Sneaky Yeom Byung Soo taking Taehwan from SN to take credit for finding him and saving Koryo. Glad he was found out by the prince himself by Bang Shin Woo (who remembered SN as Jackal). Later to see him go to Wang Go (was not surprising) . There is no easy way but he is cutting corners. Def glad that SN injured him and to have his men defend him when his medicine was found (uggh)

 

-I managed to find old thoughts about SN and TH and WY triangle

Alot said ep 4 was turning point. The time when SN had to ride back with someone as her horse was lost thanks to TH pranking her and jumping onto her horse. Def thinking of her tempted by both she chose TH.

SN has awareness to WY but also first a respect as he is the King.  So when she told him by refusing to ride with him, you need to ride in comfort back. She took TH --she is buddy buddy with him but also she was tasked to take care of him. It is true their time together and they REALLY got to know each other well.

 

-TH crying about his dad being dead and wanting revenge.

She saw him fall into poop, hide for his life, make a fool of himself as he cannot win over SN (in terms of combat), and there is NEVER a dull moment.Or his throwing up the whole meal (just to get SN irritated). Even when he interrupted King Wang Yoo and SN together, he wanted SN by his side. SN has seen TH as it his lowest most afraid, he is weak, unskilled in fighting, not entirely DUMB but a pawn in this messy power game.

 

-King Wang Yoo she met initially as a young man who released them to only have them all almost killed (thanks to her mom saving her). Then as a censor undercover meeting SN as Jackal, he could have killed her and when he knew her identity but could not due to his attraction/fascniation with Jackal/SN. But that was later relief when he realized SN/Jackal was his spy and informant. Furthermore when she betrayed King Wang Go (salt incriminating info that should have been burned) to hand over to Bang Shin Woo to later save the King to give the throne to him instead of King Wang Go. I feel for SN she will never feel completely comfortable with WY purely due to his title and position in life. She is not on same social status level. Also she never dealt with a man before to have him handsy and chummy was weird. But I don't feel that lingering attraction awakened in her as in WY.

 

-Man -Yeon Chul and his sons dang Ki se (killed Ki's mom) and Top Ji Hae (long hair) are so ruthless when torturing General Bayan /Baek An and Tal Tal for not killing TH the crown prince. I am glad that TH talked his way out of being killed by General Baek An hedging his bets that he would outlive the dying King in Yuan.

 

So wondering when WY and TH know SN is a woman? I think like Coffee Prince -WY will be relieved he is in love with a woman and NOT a man. LOL. (Still think of that epic speech  about "being a man, alien etc" by Gong Yoo's character).

 

Sad about SN dad, she finally finds him to only spend brief time and see him captured and getting sentenced to have his tongue cut off.

 

Loved how SN was winning over TH (loved it in fact). Their bickeing and teasing building comaraderie. WY wanting to do that and spent time more with SN but she is taking care of TH per his wishes and the wistful looks and jealousy towards TH. I cannot blame you. 

 

 

[partyon]

Alrighty, so I caught up with episode 6 and man was my feeling like this after it was over.

 

So many upsetting things happened. Some thoughts:

• Despite that I understand that oppa really wanted to save himself and avenge his father's death, it still felt pretty upsetting to see him betray Seung Nyang like that. It didn't help to see her father die and all those people forced to become concubines and eunuchs. She must have felt so betrayed because she protected oppa with her life - it even looked like they became friends.
• Glad to see that oppa still has a conscience - he doubted his choice and promised to make it up to her. Still it's amazing to see what a puppet emperor he is. And he seems to have an eye for pretty ladies. Too bad he didn't realize that the man he fell for, is a woman too. With his weakness for women, he might have thought twice about betraying Seung Nyang.
• Oppa also seems to have some sense of empathy. It was nice to see him thinking about the people of Koreyo when he was wondering why they had to provide so many otters to Yuan.
• Danashri is TROUBLE! Took one look at her and I was like
• 
• Too bad oppa can't keep it in his pants....
• Anyone else surprised that oppa is illiterate? Is this common? That a royal person doesn't know how to read and write? What did he do in childhood? Didn't he have any teachers? It's strange....
• Tayeang finding out Seung Nyang is a woman worries me.... I'm scared what he's gonna do or at least attempt to do to her in the next episode....

 

[Sleepy Owl]

6 minutes ago, partyon said:

 

• Anyone else surprised that oppa is illiterate? Is this common? That a royal person doesn't know how to read and write? What did he do in childhood? Didn't he have any teachers? It's strange....
• Tayeang finding out Seung Nyang is a woman worries me.... I'm scared what he's gonna do or at least attempt to do to her in the next episode....

 

I think him being illiterate is related to El Temur. He must have done it that way so it would be either easier to control him or even better make him less suitable candidate for becoming the emperor. Because it is really shocking to see a crown prince being illiterate and not having knowledge about martial arts. It could be at least one of two, but not having knowledge of both means it was intentional. Also Togon Temur became an emperor at the age of 13 so maybe it explains a lot.

 

As for Tayeang finding out Seung Nyang is a girl, at least someone noticed it, finally. Although it was the worst person possible too .

 

I'd actually if this had happened 

 

[joccu]

Tanashiri oh she so cocky and so sure of herself.  well what can you do whe you father is el temur. Apple doesn´t fall far off the tree.

 

 

[faithwalker]

9 hours ago, Jillia said:

@partyon

 

Anyone else surprised that oppa is illiterate? Is this common? That a royal person doesn't know how to read and write? What did he do in childhood? Didn't he have any teachers?

 

It's not common. If anything noble people were supposed to be educated people - at least in their field of interest so to speak. Just like women back then were supposed to be educated, but please only in the knowledge about women's values.

 

Since Togon Temür  wasn't first in line to the throne it might be they kept him away from studying. I also think that El Temür might've kept him from reading and studying because knowledge is power. If he can read the scrolls then he might question what El Temür is trying to achieve through him. So my guess is: he just was kept away from learning how to read and such, so he remains inferior to El Temür.

I was very surprised that the emperor is illiterate and that he is not even able to defend himself.  You would think that his father would have ensured that t this was done, as he grew up.  His entire wimpy attitude surprises me.  I wonder how he felt knowing that someone he considers a servant Seung Nyang is both literate and brave!  

[Sleepy Owl]

Alright, being behind in schedule of watching the episodes, I had to somewhat binge-watch the episodes from 3-8, and it was not a bad decision. 

 

If you thought the drama was a bit slow till episode 2 or 3, it starts catching up its pace episode 4 onward. 

 

Note: What I am writing below does contain spoilers for 6-8 episodes.

 

After going all types of trouble, being injured Seung Nyang saves Toghon Temur and smartly delivers him in the palace. Making everyone happy (El Temur and gang because she brought Toghon Temur dead), especially Wang Yoo who was more happy to see Seung Nyang alive. King's got his priorities right I guess.

 

 

 El Temur who had already come to Goryeo to gain much more control over it using Toghon Temur's death as excuse is rather surprised and angry on the uselessness of his sons and the army. Anyway, Toghon Temur still faking to be unconscious is told by "Baek An (the guy who was last on wig line and didn't get the wig)" and "Tal Tal" that Toghon Temur's half brother, who also was the emperor is dead and so he is not the emperor. They instruct him that if he wants to survive and also become emperor, he needs to follow El Temur and prove his sincerity to him.

 

That actually leads to something we can call to be part of "Top 10 Kdramas betrayals". Toghon Temur accuses Wang Yu (the ruler) to have ordered Goryeo soldiers to assassinate him with Ki Jaho being the commander of them. Even though he did it for his survival, and to become the emperor, but I am sure it brought up similar reaction from almost everyone 

 

 

But you can't really blame Toghon Temur, can you? That guy is an utter disappointment for all royals. He is illiterate and a coward guy who can't really defend himself, but with an extremely thick plot armor. Anyway, as a result of all that, Goryeo literally ceases to exist and becomes part of Yuan. Wang Yu gets stripped of his status as the king and is supposed to be taken Daidu. Apart from that, Wang Yu's men are enslaved and also Goryeo is forced to send tributes along with many women as concubines.

 

El Temur asks his sons to treat Wong Yoo as a King and with courtesy as he was the only man he saw with a strong heart like and sort of respects him. But this makes his sons jealous of Wang Yoo supposedly or sort of try not to follow their father's instructions. Well some boys have always been rebellious even after passing their puberty age. This results in them provoking Wang Yoo by ordering to kill the women, who pulls out sword of a soldier, fights a couple of them, gets shot by Tangishi. Seung Nyang is forced to pull Wang Yoo along the way they follow. Tangishi also achieves the feat of becoming rarest of rarest guys who actually could figure out Seung Nyang is a girl. Finally, someone did it, but it was the worst person possible.

 

Episode 7 was much better, Seung Nyang being dolled up for Tangishi. Wang Yoo's 4 loyal followers planning to rescue him and Wang Yoo being injured. We do see some interaction between Tangishi and Seung Nyang who points a crossbow at him but fails to kill him. He tries to rape her only to be being beaten to pulp by Wang Yoo. They get tied up, their followers have a great plan, execute it terribly, get arrested and things only get worse for everyone. Plus the music in episode 7, well I'll leave it to you all comment about it. El Temur's sons really want to kill Wang Yoo, but they can't because of their father. So they decide to send him join "Bayan" at the borders to fight the Turks. So he along with his followers are sent to border while Seung Nyang goes to the capital. Seung Nyang becomes servant, while Wang Yoo reached the camp.

 

Episode 7 also introduces a new character. Danashiri, El Temur's daughter who is supposed to marry Toghon Temur. 

 

 

Now don't get fooled by the beautiful and innocent looks of this lady. She is trouble, a spoiled brat... but beautiful and cute. An interesting character who from the start shows to the Dowager Queen that she is not the type bride who'll follow her instructions and traditions, just because she can't eat whatever/how much she wants and can't sleep for more hours. But, what else can you expect from El Temur's daughter? And well, Dowager Queen, let's say is a simple woman, who in reply sends her incense in a beautiful bowl, which actually will make it hard for Danashiri to get pregnant. Palace, its ladies and conspiracies can't really be separated I guess. 

 

Episode 8 makes us see some court servant ladies trying to bully Seung Nyang. Some people like to live their lives dangerously, don't they? Yes, you are guessing right about happened next, so I need not write about it. While Seung Nyang is busy with her duties as servant, stealing a small knife from kitchen, practicing throwing it, Wang Yoo is busy working as a laborer, getting attacked, seeing many Goryeo men killed because well, that's gonna when you don't have weapons. Seung Nyang plans to assassinate Toghon Temur in his marriage only to be interrupted by our Tangishi, who looks to have a thing for girls who reject him. Toghon Temur drinks a lot in his first night with Danashiri and literally sleeps with her, rather than sleeping with her. 

 

Wang Yoo is asked to fight Yom Hyung Soo if he wants to be commander of Goryeo people. Seung Nyang gets caught with a knife in her possession. Toghon Temur is asked to sleep with a Goryeo concubine as asked by his mother. Dowager Queen to me seems to be running matrimonial agency in palace, talks about marriages, instructs on how not to make your wife pregnant, chooses another girl to give birth to your child. She to me is actually having fun doing all this. 

 

Episode ends with Seung Nyang and Toghon Temur meeting. Will he actually be able to recognize her? I don't think so. This guy could not even figure out she was a girl.

[partyon]

Chingus, please vote in the Sageuk Poll!

 

[Sleepy Owl]

Did they really borrow the armors used in Jumong?

 

NOTE: Look at the right side image.

 

 

 

The blue one is definitely the same though .

 

 

[Sleepy Owl]

12 minutes ago, Jillia said:

OMG, @Sleepy Owl! It definitely looks the same... only slight differences.

 

Right? The moment I saw it in that episode I was like did they just steal Daesu and Jumong's armors? 

[joccu]

@Sleepy Owl well mbc produced both so it is possible.  

[Sleepy Owl]

7 hours ago, joccu said:

@Sleepy Owl well mbc produced both so it is possible. 

I really didn't think that way. 

[partyon]

I have now watched ep 7 and ep 8.

 

Suddenly, everyone knows SeungNyang is a girl (except for oppa, of course)!

 

Nyang looks beautiful in her clothes and hair. It wasn't a surprise to see Tayeang falling for her pretty much in 30 seconds. Too bad he's an evil dude.... who apparently has a blood hound's sense of smell. I lost it when he smelled her!

 

We finally got to meet Danashri properly. I just can't with her. The way she disrespected those maids by calling them Mutt-face, Porker, etc. was just unforgivable.

She's certainly her father's daughter, isn't she? So glad that oppa was able to resist her PATHETIC attempts at wooing him (even though I have a feeling he won't be able to resist her down the line....)

Anyone surprised to learn that oppa is a virgin? I was like, he didn't go to school and he doesn't have any "fun", what does he do all day.....?

I did laugh when he said that he had felt aroused by a man.... The look on his eunuch's face.... lol

 

We saw the king dispatched to the border. Looks like he has to fight for his life there. Glad to see that he has at least a few people on his side. Since he's the ML, we all know he's gonna prevail - hope they kill off the Yom guy finally. I've had enough of his evil grinning....

 

Ep 7 music was HORRIBLE !! HORRIBLE !! HORRIBLE !!

Suddenly out of nowhere, a 70s guitar riff comes up. I was wondering if I was watching the right drama?

 

One thing that I am wondering about, is when did the king and Nyang fall in love with each other? Even in ep 7 they were crying and promising loyalty to each other. I was like, when did this romance happen....?

 

Did I miss something?

 

Ep 8 was left with a cliff-hanger. Will oppa finally realize his SeungNyang is actually Nyang, or will he believe her lies?
My bet is on the fact that he will be clueless. As clueless as he's been so far in this drama...