[Drama 2017-2018] A Korean Odyssey/Hwayugi 화유기

[cynkdf]

4 hours ago, astrobooy said:

About the hwayugi ost i feel the same it lacks something . LSH mentors LSG so there is some hope for her to sing ost here .  i rly love fox rain . 

 

 

Ot: here are some of lsh and lsg duet from yhy

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TLbY8F9_jdM

 

Lee Sun Hee's OST "Fate" is simply awesome. Maybe she, LSG and Lee Hong Ki will all sing OSTs for this drama?

 

As a stan of Hwang Chi Yeul, I am so excited about his OST.  Here is an FMV:

 

Spoiler

 

A few weeks ago, someone tweeted that OST 3 was going to be sung by HCY but it turned out to be Melomance instead. I was disappointed for  a while until ep 10. I did watch one episode of this drama but since HCY's OST will hopefully be played more often, I will try to catch up. @stroppyse good to see you here. I promise not to spam too much about HCY  

[astrobooy]

Its been awhile since LSG sings ost for his drama tbh the last one is gu family book . i would love to hear his voice in ost but i highly doubt it . 

[astrobooy]

Is that how it works?(death bell) i thought the one who holds the death bell will see/hear the bell when he/she meet the one will kill him/her? I guess im wrong lul.  

 

The possibilty of using the erasing of name in life and death book is possible here . It happens in novel when hell try to collect his soul.

 

"Sun Wukong then defies Hell's attempt to collect his soul. Instead of reincarnating, he wipes his name out of the Book of Life and Death along with the names of all monkeys known to him. The Dragon Kings and the Kings of Hell report him to the Jade Emperor."

[packmule3]

I posted this in my blog but I'll share this with you here.

 

My thoughts on the children's books and suicide.

 

While many people are spazzing on reactivating kisses, I’d like to take the time to commend the very sensitive manner that the Hong sisters handled the theme of suicide in Episodes 9 and 10.

 

Did you see it?

 

I think they could have been a bit TOO subtle that it escaped the notice of many viewers. So let me backtrack here and explain.

 

The bookseller didn’t have a specific name, just a job description. She sold books. The books in these two episodes, especially the children’s books represented escapism from reality, and death, in the form of suicide, is the ultimate form of escape from reality.

 

The bookseller is a demon because she lured the young and the most vulnerable among us, the children, to commit suicide as a means of escape from their hellish lives. Although the bookseller thought she was doing a good thing, to suggest suicide to children who are incapable of discerning right from wrong, and making a mature decision is truly a demonic act. As OhGong said, “Saving the children is protecting them so they can live. You’re just a monster who stole away their to chance to live.”

 

There were four books mentioned in the Episode 9 and, I think, each one of them presented a reason or probable cause for suicide.

For example, the first one, The Sun and the Moon talked about abuse. You can read the entire folktale here: http://asianfolktales.unescoapceiu.org/folktales/read/korea_2.htm.

 

It’s a story about two siblings being menaced by a tiger. The tiger symbolized abuse. The children then prayed to God, “If you want us to live, please hand down a rope.” God did and the children went up to the sky. The tiger also prayed to God, “If you want me to catch them, please hand down a rope.” Again, God did, but this time the rope broke and the tiger fell down. The children were then transformed into the sun and moon.

 

In our story Hwayugi, the little sister was lured to jump off their balcony to her death with the glowing rope. To escape the abuse, she jumped out.

 

The second story, Hansel and Gretel, dealt with abandonment. The two siblings were taken to the woods by their parents and abandoned there to thrive on their own. Starving, they feasted on a gingerbread house which happened to belong to a witch. The witch punished them by threatening to eat the brother first but due to the sister’s quick thinking, she pushed the witch in the oven and burned her to death.

 

In our story Hwayugi, I believe the boy ended up dying of hypothermia inside the curly slide. (That's his shoe which we can see through the clear panel of the slide.)

 

Spoiler

 

The third story, The Little Match Girl, is perhaps the most tragic. It represented the loss of a loved one and despair. The girl wanted to rejoin in heaven, the only person who loved her all her life, her grandmother. To prolong the vision of her grandmother, she lit all her matches. She was found frozen the next day with a smile on her face.

 

In our story Hwayugi, the young brother saw a vision of his dead sister and wanted to follow after her.

 

The fourth story, Peter Pan, depicted loneliness. Wendy and her brothers were lonely and dreamt of high adventures with Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up. In Neverland, they played with the Lost Boys, or the outsiders. The reason SunMi chose this book is obvious. In her young life, she was always lonely.

 

In our story Hwayugi, the young SunMi stayed in the library where she had friends. The grown-up SunMi reassured her younger self that in the current world, she wouldn't be alone. 

 

Abuse, abandonment, depression, desolation, and loneliness are all possible reasons for a young child to believe that a separate peace and relief can only be available to him in death. SunMi came in the nick of time to save the boy who was playing with matches from killing himself in a fire.  She hugged him and said that he couldn’t kill himself.

 

 

Same with her assistant Hanjoo. He also hugged the same boy in comfort, and told him that his sister would feel terribly sad if he were to join her (that is, commit suicide). Hanjoo also told the boy that although he couldn’t promise to do everything for him like a mom and dad, he and the other adults would guide him to grow up courageously. His sister's soul appeared right there with him.

 

 

That is how I think the Hong sisters delved into the issue of suicide.

 

While these two episodes definitely gave us the opportunity to go gaga over the budding the romance of our OTP, let's not overlook the seriousness and gravity of the metaphor of the bookseller.  She was suicide. 

 

It’s the grown-ups’ fault that the children feel like suicide is the only viable solution available to them. The grown-ups created this monster.  However, suicide is the real evil because it offers a false and empty illusion of escape from the harsh reality of life. That's why OhGong showed no remorse in beating up the bookseller and couldn't wait to leave her bookshop.

 

 

credit: tvnsatsundrama

 

My 2 cents.

 

source: http://bitchesoverdramas.com/2018/01/30/hwayugi-on-childrens-books-and-suicide/

 

Tagging: @stargazer187, @YourHighness . @nearsea @phikyl @WildDivine69 @nonski @CamelKnight (lol, okay, will wait for you to get started on this. It's a combo of your favorite Master's Sun and my fave, Gumiho.) @cleoLsg @lavender2love (are you feeling better?)

[Rin90]

Hello monkey's lover..  Kekekeke... Ottokae, saturday feel so loonggg 

Yuyu... 

Spoiler

If anyone happen to have KakaoTalk (the group that sunmi create for zombie 

ㄱㄱㄱ please join me in group chat https://open.kakao.com/o/gbH50zG

사 랑 헤 

 

 

[Anna Tan]

29 minutes ago, packmule3 said:

 

That is how I think the Hong sisters delved into the issue of suicide.

 

While these two episodes definitely gave us the opportunity to go gaga over the budding the romance of our OTP, let's not overlook the seriousness and gravity of the metaphor of the bookseller.  She was suicide. 

 

It’s the grown-ups’ fault that the children feel like suicide is the only viable solution available to them. The grown-ups created this monster.  However, suicide is the real evil because it offers a false and empty illusion of escape from the harsh reality of life. That's why OhGong showed no remorse in beating up the bookseller and couldn't wait to leave her bookshop.

 

credit: tvnsatsundrama

 

My 2 cents.

 

source: http://bitchesoverdramas.com/2018/01/30/hwayugi-on-childrens-books-and-suicide/

 

Tagging: @stargazer187, @YourHighness . @nearsea @phikyl @WildDivine69 @nonski @CamelKnight (lol, okay, will wait for you to get started on this. It's a combo of your favorite Master's Sun and my fave, Gumiho.) @cleoLsg @lavender2love (are you feeling better?)

 

Thanks for providing the perspective on the children and different story. I was wondering what that demon represents. She looks too decent to be a demon. That makes me realised that not all evil thoughts are outright evil in nature; it could be under the guise of good intentions. To the children, it might be good to escape the terrible happenings in their lives but the price to pay is death. Thanks for enlightening me!! 

[haymochi]

@packmule3 so happy to see you here!!! I always love your insights and deep description of every story 

[rocat]

The only indication that OG’s love might be real is the sacrifices he is making for SM, like letting her have her ordinary  human life she wanted so much and withstanding the pain that the GGG inflicts on him. 

 

Otherwise, everything he does and love he feels can be easily attributed back to the bracelet. Even the scene where they argued their goodbyes, he is being petulant. One can see that as them testing the other to see who would buckle and confess first but isn’t that typical of pple in love and don’t want to be the first to come out with it? 

 

So so exactly how much pain can the GGG inflict? Does it make them have love spats and act like they did when SM ran out of her office to bid her final farewell? Or is it more contractual like at the very start of the show?

 

If the intention was to build their relationship so the switch was made so gradual, I hope they will at least explain later what the heck happened and when it did.

 

Confused.

 

[realistic2280]

Just finished Ep10 sub episode...

 

I guess regardless  of what happened, the bookseller intention seemed good, ie, to save those tortured children from misery on earth. If you put yourself in that shoe, being young and clueless, death is probably the only way out from poverty, hunger and abuse since children doesnt know their rights and doesnt have protectors except the families they are with. Twisted, but I guess, sometimes, life is like that. We may think its evil but from the children's perspective, it could be their saviour.

 

Anyways, as others have mentioned, OG should probably know SM's heartache whenever he made callous remarks because of the GGG, yet, he doesnt, so WHAT is the use of GGG, if it doesnt seemed to know what to do. I think the writers either forgot what the characters said earlier or just ignore GGG power since its is just a placebo. haha. - a placebo to confused, place by god?

 

We are half-way thought the show and hopefully no more push and pull love line between our main leads - i wonder what stories to fill in the next 10 episodes -

 

a. Ma Wang's love story

b. SOG's betrayal story (him caged for 500 years)

c. Buja's reincarnation if possible?

d. SM's world saviour

e. Ma Wang becoming Deity while SOG and SM will have a happy ending chasing ghosts on earth... ha

 

So that's about 10 episodes, any other theories?...

[ForgottenSoulx]

What's everyones fave scene mine is this.

 

 

 

when he looks at the camera.. chills and the line he will destroy worlds for samjang. 

[haymochi]

I think from ep 10, it's clear to OG that he loves the human Jin Sun Mi. He is dying to beg her to come back...

with the Bookseller disguising as Sunmi. At one moment he seems so happy and hopeful that she came to look for the book=she still wants him.

 

The spat they have is typical lovers spat. Oh Gong is waiting for Sunmi to beg because he is the one who have been very vocal  about his love. He on the other hand needs some clue from her.

 

in the end thy both want to be with each other. GGG is just a mere bracelet to symbolize it. Their conversation in the library said it all

 

The problem now may be the bell of death. Neither one of them will want to cause harm for each other

 

*regarding the bookseller, i kinda understand her. With this hellish world i wonder if a demon like her exist. Someone that would take my childhood soul and just lock her in a happy fairytale 

[libra22]

 

 

 

[Leejea Jin]

20 hours ago, enigmatic_zephy said:

less.. goblin reached 8% by ep 4.. and 12% fairly quickly..

 

hwayugi 7ish @ ep 10

oh thanks hope the ratings will go up

[briseis]

 

The Bookseller's shop scenes were filmed at Paju Book City (open library)

Spoiler

source: mengnews

[libra22]

Lee Se Young update for instagram

 

 

[whichwitch42]

     Ordinarily I just lurk, basking in the fun everyone has analyzing these shows.  I have to admit to being confused about the confusion re. whether SOG's feelings are real or not, however, so I figured I'd de-lurk and put in my own two cents. 

    If we go with the original Journey to the West template, of course his feelings are real; they always have been.

    In Journey to the West (Anthony Yu's revised translation, which is long and highly footnoted and very cool for people who are hopelessly curious about everything but don't read Chinese–yet– like me), the GGG was really just a catalyst to get Sun Oh Gong back on the path towards enlightenment, which was his intended destiny all along.  Two people had the key to make it work: the monk [Xuangzang/Sam Jang] and the bodhisattva Kwan Yin who was in charge of the GGG to begin with (well, three, if you count the buddha who originally gave the GGG to the bodhisattva). Both Kwan Yin and "Sam Jang" used the GGG to control SOG when he refused to control himself– but by the end, he had mastered self-control and attained enlightenment, so that he could no longer be bound by the GGG.
     By this light, SOG's feelings have been real all the way along (they have been since JSM freed him from the prison). His sense of self-preservation (okay, his bad temper, which was one reason he ended up in prison to begin with) prevented him from acknowledging those feelings at first, but through the course of the series we've seen him come to terms with the idea- mostly because of the GGG.
     The GGG, whether in the classic story or in the current drama, is a means of controlling SOG's bad temper until he learns to control it himself. The more he acts in harmony with his own true nature, the less the GGG will need to work.  Eventually, as we saw glimpses of in episode 10, the GGG will have no control over him because he will be acting in complete harmony with himself. The fun part for me is seeing how the characters may not even know that this is happening, not consciously, but are using the GGG as an excuse to do what they want to do anyway. (It's like a kid telling friends "I can't go to the party my parents will kill me" when they don't have the courage yet to say "not my thing, no thanks".)
.... so no need to worry about whether or not the feelings are real. They are. Always have been. There's a lot for the Hong sisters to play with in that dynamic, still, but I've learned to trust the writers. They're not gonna screw that up– it's one of the founding premises of the whole story.  <picks up popcorn and goes back to lurking>

[ladysaotome]

I forgot to ask this last week but did anyone notice and have any thoughts on how OG was wearing a shirt/scarf almost identical to SM's in the jealous kiss scene? It felt very intentional to me.

 

 

 

[chunkyung_8690]

43 minutes ago, ladysaotome said:

I forgot to ask this last week but did anyone notice and have any thoughts on how OG was wearing a shirt/scarf almost identical to SM's in the jealous kiss scene? It felt very intentional to me.

 

 

 

yessssss I've noticed that too. I think they wanted to show that Oh Gong and Jin Seon Mi are a couple, whether they are realising or not. Couple will tend to wear couple clothes or similar accessories that will show the public they are an item. 

 

[chunkyung_8690]

3 hours ago, libra22 said:

 

I wonder whether the upcoming episode will tell us the backstory of SOG, judging from the BTS photo..or will there be a more powerful demon that is linked with  saryeong / death bell..? aaa..Tbh, I want them to have at least more  love dovey scenes after the last kiss on episode 10...pleaseee writer, so that I can face the angsty part  bravely 

Edited January 30, 2018 by bebebisous33
don't quote videos and pictures. Remove these next time

[briseis]

“Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice…”

There has been a lot said about Oh Gong’s bipolarity, particularly regarding his feelings for SM and his behaviour towards her; it’s an integral part of his character on so many different levels. In fact, his bipolarity is the manifestation of how complex and complicated his character is. His friendship with General Frost is one of the most glaring examples because the General is literally OG’s polar opposite, be it his personality or his powers. Oh Gong was born in a vulcano and he hates cold, yet he is BBFs with a guy who is cold personified.

It’s actually interesting to look at the two men who OG consideres his friends (I left SOJ out because he is probably the closest thing to family OG has ever had) because the second person is Ma Wang and whereas General Frost’s is OG’s opposite, there are hints that he became friends with Ma Wang because they are, in fact, very similar. It explains their petty fights and frenemy-like animosity because deep down they see each other reflected in the other person. It isn’t diffficult to imagine that Ma Wang in his youth would be as reckless and wild as Oh Gong.