[Drama 2019] The Joseon Romantic Comedy: Tale of Nok-Du, 조선로코: 녹두전

[Ameera Ali]

@elan1 All I am thinking now is 

 

Who need door 

 

* thanks god the window isn’t high or will take nokdu all night to climb to the bed   Our girl isn’t Rapunzel after all 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lightbringer06]

Haha.. just finished the episode with subs. I gotta admit this episode is really emotional and sad, and a bit serious. I also didn't feel much the politics everyone was like worrying about as I was watching it. I was like crying the whole episode. True, we have YM plotting treason, becoming greedy and ambitious. But after watching it, I feel like this drama isn't just about that. It's about RELATIONSHIPS, mending, breaking and building relationships.

 

* The King and Heo Yoon - I really feel for the King in this episode. Despite the doubt he had that his best friend might be doing something behind his back, he just didn't believe it immediately. But now that YM just blabbed his stupid liar mouth, there's no going back. Indeed, Heo Yoon is planning to replace him (which I still don't know for what reason) as the king, but their relationship is just heartbreaking to watch too when the King felt so betrayed.

 

* Dong Joo and Yulmu - A broken relationship now that DJ is already aware of who YM truly is. She may have not had any feelings for him, but she had always been civil to him at least. Esp. the fact that he always maintained the previous house DJ used to live in (I'll give him that). 

 

* King and Dong Joo - I really love the conversation/moments between ND, DJ and the King from the previous episodes. And how DJ advised the king at first to sleep beside a loved one when he can't sleep. The king did try to do so but withdraw on a second thought. And then they meet again in this episode, and DJ reminded him that perhaps his wife is just waiting for him to reach out again. A complicated relationship they have because what will happen when DJ learns the truth that he's actually the king.

 

* King and Queen - Per DJ's advise, he did reach out to the queen, who was very much willingly when she smiled to the king.

 

*King/Queen and Nokdu - Another complicated one. I feel so sorry for ND for how he found out he was the King's son and how he found out who the king is. The conflict and struggle he must be feeling inside when his own real father is trying to harm his foster dad. How much lost he is. And that scene with the Queen too... him meeting his mother is quite heartbreaking too. We have this idiom in our language called "lukso ng dugo" (which I'm not sure what the accurate translation is to English, but it basically means like a recognition of a blood or just like when an adopted child meets his/her own biological parents, it's that feeling of familiarity towards them). And I think that's what the Queen felt when she turned around and looked back at ND.

 

* Nokdu and Dong Joo - I don't think I need to say much about this because I think now, they are officially a couple . I mean, after all that smooching under the rain  . What I want to happen now is for them to be honest with each other and open up what actually they've been up to. I know that DJ finding out ND is the king's son is another conflict we have to look forward to but I just hope that it won't be a reason for DJ to go away, AGAIN. 

 

So I don't think this is just about politics. It's so much more if you actually watch it carefully.

 

And that plague, this means DJ and ND are both contaminated. I wonder if this will play an important part again. Oh god... hope not... both ND and DJ have a lot on their plates already so a plague? Jinjja?? But if they're gonna use it for a more romantic scene leading to a bed scene, who am I to complain? 

 

Lol..idk if I'm making any sense, it's already 3:30 am and I need to sleep. HAHA... 

 

[Latte_Anyday]

Nok Du finds out more on his birth secret but is torn between his duty for the King, while protecting his foster dad. Poor Dong Joo... good thing Nok Du found her in time. 

 

LoL at the female warrior when she saw Nok Du in women's clothes, Are you still pretending to be a woman?

[Ameera Ali]

 

 

isn’t the time to show off at all 

@jeonghyang What a cheap broom 

 

 

[noor1]

They should have ended filming in August - the problem with filming at the same time as actual airing is that the product / end result gets influenced more by viewers (girls?) than what the story is about, and goes slow.  

 

Since YM has already been declared as the next king (Injo, and everyone knows how he came to power), it leaves very little options for how the story will go for the lead pair and the king, kiss or nor kiss, bed scene or no bed scene, reconciliation or no reconciliation - even though these are being handled ridiculously too (it's too much of going round in circles without any actual progress).

 

I feel the drama has gone childish like it's written for 14-16 year old girls (I know it's based on a webtoon but it is prime time drama!) I thought it really weird that a forty-something man (king) was waiting around swings on girls' invitations and has not been around the queen (or any other woman, it seems) for 20 years. If he didn't trust or like the queen, then why keep her or go to her after 20 years, after marooning around swings?!! But now it seems the king will get redeemed in the end, after first trying to kill everyone and then knowing about his son ND (if he is really his son), and about the rebellion by YM a bit late, and will most probably tell ND and DJ to run or escape - leading to a fake death by ND and a widow-like suicide (by a pregnant?) DJ - so that YM does not come after either of them. Unless ND ends up in yet another widow's village and lives for the rest of his life in drag with DJ! YM will live as an ineffective, powerless, unhappy, lonely ruler. His right-hand man has to die in the fight with the female assassin.

 

Unless the drama wants ND to die totally and for real - because that can happen too, webtoon or no webtoon! And he did tell DJ to stay by his side till the chickens grow, so maybe that's when they'll part! 

 

I don't see any good coming out of where this story is headed (lack of comedy is the least of its problems - ND is a military man, but he can't possibly be part of king's men who fight YM's men, because everyone knows Gwanghae exiled and YM will never let ND survive.) I think they should have kept it a fantasy instead of naming real-life character because now the writers can only choose a few options instead of letting the story explode. 

 

The best thing from the episode was the well scene, the way it was shot (as brief as it may have been), the flower path shot, YM being consistently a bad egg (very good acting, especially his cold-blooded responses to DJ), and the scene between ND and the queen. And I don't care about what happens to the king or his feelings and this entire episode was about him.

 

What didn't happen but should have happened is Hae Yoon losing his head - I don't know why the king let him live. 

 

DJ is such a strong woman who doesn't beat around the bush about anything, and for her to be reduced to just a yes/no bedding partner for ND or be around king to give him suggestions on sleeping partners - maybe it's a device to keep fans happy or to lead to a plot point of being pregnant by ND while married to YM! I don't know, but it's all very ridiculous and immature - there was such a great scene when ND talks to DJ about feeling lost, but DJ just shrugs and ahems and they walk on to a disney-version flowery path! I think ND and DJ were closer as girls than they are as boy and girl, no matter how much they sleep together. 

 

I feel sorry for ND's adoptive father and brother because they will lose no matter what happens, even if everyone else lives. 

 

Edit: I just feel it's a shame that the entire lives of ND and DJ have been predetermined by acts not in their control (accidents of birth and consequences of other people's actions), and there's nothing they can do in the drama to rise above it even in future - these two have so much potential to be so much more in life - ND as a military man / prince / king, DJ as a noblewoman who could be a great strategist/ confidante to a king, even a passionate, open wife - right now he's a lost boy-man skilled to do a job he cannot do in future and she's a comfort woman for 3 men - even when they make it out alive, they will hide forever, raising chickens or something, because of what they were born into and who they decided to be with.  

[elan1]

Ep.19 4.6% Ep.20 6.4%

 

this is ridiculous  knetizens needs some explaining to do. 

 

1 hour ago, noor1 said:

They should have ended filming in August - the problem with filming at the same time as actual airing is that the product / end result gets influenced more by viewers (girls?) than what the story is about, and goes slow.  

The first 8 episodes were already written when they started filming. 

 

1 hour ago, noor1 said:

Since YM has already been declared as the next king (Injo, and everyone knows how he came to power), it leaves very little options for how the story will go for the lead pair and the king, kiss or nor kiss, bed scene or no bed scene, reconciliation or no reconciliation - even though these are being handled ridiculously too (it's too much of going round in circles without any actual progress).

I think the show emphasizes on family and relationships. I’m looking forward to the heart-breaking reunion of nokdu and his parents. It’s a fiction work so there’s a possibility he won’t be king or he will become king like in real life but the drama will uproot him out of power quickly. I feel like the possibilities are endless cause this show has been pretty unpredictable and turned many drama tropes inside out. 
 

1 hour ago, noor1 said:

feel the drama has gone childish like it's written for 14-16 year old girls

I’m think it was always meant be a sweet ride where you don’t have to think too much but still everything that happens is mostly logical and natural. I’m just thankful it’s not a straight-laced serious political saeguk because I found those heavy and boring at times haha 

 

1 hour ago, noor1 said:

thought it really weird that a forty-something man (king) was waiting around swings on girls' invitations and has not been around the queen (or any other woman, it seems) for 20 years. If he didn't trust or like the queen, then why keep her or go to her after 20 years, after marooning around swings?

It’s called being a child at heart, even senior citizens from time to time shows child-like tendencies. People have a hard time taking initiative to repair relationships, they often need a push or catalyst.

 

1 hour ago, noor1 said:

But now it seems the king will get redeemed in the end

Every event there are many perspectives, so it will be interesting to see how the events unfolded in his eyes. I have a feeling that he’s going to die later on in the series. 

 

1 hour ago, noor1 said:

Unless the drama wants ND to die totally and for real - because that can happen too, webtoon or no webtoon!

This show has been promoted as a happy dream. No way will they axe off the main character. 

 

1 hour ago, noor1 said:

DJ is such a strong woman who doesn't beat around the bush about anything, and for her to be reduced to just a yes/no bedding partner for ND or be around king to give him suggestions on sleeping partners - maybe it's a device to keep fans happy or to lead to a plot point of being pregnant by ND while married to YM! I don't know, but it's all very ridiculous and immature - there was such a great scene when ND talks to DJ about feeling lost, but DJ just shrugs and ahems and they walk on to a disney-version flowery path! I think ND and DJ were closer as girls than they are as boy and girl, no matter how much they sleep together. 

Why worry about something that may or may not happen? Haha I don’t worry about her being relegated to the role of a bed warmer. 
 

Slowly they are opening up to each other. It takes time but there’s ample progress 

[rocher22]

Finally a heroine that doesnt stand still with her hands down, one that hugs

the man she loves and wants to kiss. 

 

And the kiss happened in the right moment , to give them the strength for

whats waiting for them. 

 

 

 

   

[herina_90]

Havent watched the full ep with subs, but I do appreciate the attempts by the writer to try and tie storylines together with most things a consequence of what the characters chose to do - getting chased and falling into a well is linked to DJ's previous attempt to enter the palace through the gambling den - or to make things even a little different, like rather than ND having the half moon pendant all his life, it was shoved to him by Minister Heo's guard, and DJ not willing to stay captive in YM's house and told him to kill her if he wanted to control her. At the very least, she knew why he forced her to leave but isn't just going to sit there and do nothing about it. 

 

And yes for ND trying to beat the noble idiocy troupe and telling her to just let their hearts do what they want! They are alive and together now, and they never know what will happen next so they should just enjoy the now! Don't mind the ratings - I'm just glad there is a group of us who enjoy the drama here and can spazz together when we get our OTP/romcom scenes!!

 

 

[kaqueski]

I LOVE THE KISS SO MUCH  IVE BEEN REPLAYING IT especially the second one when DJ is the one who has not have enough 

 

[uglypearl]

 

 

 

 

[vangsweetie637]

@jeonghyang ROTFL!! Your “wet” analysis!!! 

 

 

That kiss deserves more than simply my ‘stare’

 

 @Sky8lue @lightbringer06 @Ameera Ali

 

i know they wont give us the kiss BTS. So might as well keep our imagination sharp with the kiss we got today!  

Every time i watch that kiss (RAW and subbed), this was me:

 

i have nothing to hide 

[jstgt1501]

6 hours ago, lightbringer06 said:

Haha.. just finished the episode with subs. I gotta admit this episode is really emotional and sad, and a bit serious. I also didn't feel much the politics everyone was like worrying about as I was watching it. I was like crying the whole episode. True, we have YM plotting treason, becoming greedy and ambitious. But after watching it, I feel like this drama isn't just about that. It's about RELATIONSHIPS, mending, breaking and building relationships.

 

* The King and Heo Yoon - I really feel for the King in this episode. Despite the doubt he had that his best friend might be doing something behind his back, he just didn't believe it immediately. But now that YM just blabbed his stupid liar mouth, there's no going back. Indeed, Heo Yoon is planning to replace him (which I still don't know for what reason) as the king, but their relationship is just heartbreaking to watch too when the King felt so betrayed.

 

* Dong Joo and Yulmu - A broken relationship now that DJ is already aware of who YM truly is. She may have not had any feelings for him, but she had always been civil to him at least. Esp. the fact that he always maintained the previous house DJ used to live in (I'll give him that). 

 

* King and Dong Joo - I really love the conversation/moments between ND, DJ and the King from the previous episodes. And how DJ advised the king at first to sleep beside a loved one when he can't sleep. The king did try to do so but withdraw on a second thought. And then they meet again in this episode, and DJ reminded him that perhaps his wife is just waiting for him to reach out again. A complicated relationship they have because what will happen when DJ learns the truth that he's actually the king.

 

* King and Queen - Per DJ's advise, he did reach out to the queen, who was very much willingly when she smiled to the king.

 

*King/Queen and Nokdu - Another complicated one. I feel so sorry for ND for how he found out he was the King's son and how he found out who the king is. The conflict and struggle he must be feeling inside when his own real father is trying to harm his foster dad. How much lost he is. And that scene with the Queen too... him meeting his mother is quite heartbreaking too. We have this idiom in our language called "lukso ng dugo" (which I'm not sure what the accurate translation is to English, but it basically means like a recognition of a blood or just like when an adopted child meets his/her own biological parents, it's that feeling of familiarity towards them). And I think that's what the Queen felt when she turned around and looked back at ND.

 

* Nokdu and Dong Joo - I don't think I need to say much about this because I think now, they are officially a couple . I mean, after all that smooching under the rain  . What I want to happen now is for them to be honest with each other and open up what actually they've been up to. I know that DJ finding out ND is the king's son is another conflict we have to look forward to but I just hope that it won't be a reason for DJ to go away, AGAIN. 

 

So I don't think this is just about politics. It's so much more if you actually watch it carefully.

 

And that plague, this means DJ and ND are both contaminated. I wonder if this will play an important part again. Oh god... hope not... both ND and DJ have a lot on their plates already so a plague? Jinjja?? But if they're gonna use it for a more romantic scene leading to a bed scene, who am I to complain? 

 

Lol..idk if I'm making any sense, it's already 3:30 am and I need to sleep. HAHA... 

 

I totally agree with you, and tbh honest I like also those parts that are serious and heartbreaking, I cried when the King felt betrayed by the one he considered his friend, I understood a bit more all the pressure and loneliness he must feel T___T anyway...

 

And the end of the episode, I was at work when I saw the spoilers, I almost jump from my desk xD oh gosh I didn't expect two kisses and these were so sweet  thanks PD nim for hearing us!!!  and now that scriptwriter is making our wishes true we can expect that /coughs/  bed scene /coughs/ right? :3 

[Jemrie]

 

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

---------

DC

 

[Mapleoaks5]

I must have missed this somehow, but why did/does the king want his own son dead???

[petunia]

We finally got the deep kiss monday we deserve. These two know how to kiss and dongjoo grabbing nokdu by the neck. She just can't keep her hand off him. My replay button is about to break but I'll be re-watching this scene for a long long time. If they won't release the making video for this scene I'll sue. We deserve the full making videos. 

 

34 minutes ago, Mapleoaks5 said:

I must have missed this somehow, but why did/does the king want his own son dead???

To my knowledge it hasn't been revealed yet. 

[Breeze]

New stilll cut 

 

 

 

 

[valNK]

(Edit post bcs the still cuts are already updated )  

Our pretty Kim So Hyun BTS

 

But this...Aigoo 

 

I've just realized that we only have 3 weeks left for our OTP. I'll have a serious withdrawn syndrome.

[ChunSungIm]

21 minutes ago, Mapleoaks5 said:

I must have missed this somehow, but why did/does the king want his own son dead???

 

the same question about dong joo family ties with goverment,why dong joo hates the king so much and want revenge her family mascare ? is she was from noble family ?

[petunia]

3 minutes ago, Breeze said:

New stilll cut 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So she finally enters the palace? First smooching now back hugging. The skinship in this drama is making my throat hurt. Good to see dongjoo becoming more proactive in the palace politics. I liked how she told off yulmu and we finally know that she knows his family history and true nature. You can't fool dongjoo with your sweet lies and manipulation this girl is too smart and fearless for that. the deepning relationship between her and king will make it harder for dongjoo to kill him later. From what I know of his history he doesn't die but gets deposed. Everyone should reconcile and go live far away somewhere as a family. The king, queen. nokdu, dongjoo, vice curator, master and aengdu. One big happy and comedic family. Let yulmu sit on the throne and be miserable with his politicking. 

[vangsweetie637]

Awww that back hug!!!  finally we are seeing the two of them showing more of their affection! This is the calm before the storm. We got a sweet and deep kiss! This means soon, there will be separation! Hell is going to break loose when the truth of both their identity is revealed. I hope by then, both of them have grown stronger together. Please no noble idiocy or leaving each other. Can’t we have a couple who is strong together no matter what..? We need more hugs and sweet gestures and even kisses. Both of them needs to help each other heal. 

 

YM is annoying me with his smirks. His character is really frustrating me because from his intentions, he seems to be just plain evil. Now i wonder if he will really be able to kill DJ when the time comes? He said he is fullfilling one of DJ’s wishes. So does that make it the reason for him to be evil? I really don’t know his intentions. He is just plain evil in his mind.

 

YM!! 

 

 

 

Hmm..I dont have too many problems with the political aspects of this drama. We need it to understand the core problems of why the past happened. I just want it to come faster. It is dragging the tension. At least give us new hints on why so many people had to be killed in the past. The king seems like a nice and wise guy when he is not playing King. Yet, it feels like he is scared of something. Is it possible that he doesn’t want to lose his throne to his son? Or is a prophecy we have yet to hear about? Or is it just simply fear of being overthrown one day?  It is episode 10 but we still have yet to find out the reasons. No hints have been given except the facts that he ordered his son to be killed. But seeing this is 16 episodes, i am sure we will find out in episode 12-14. Somewhere around there. 

 

@lightbringer06 i think the tight hug in the well doesn’t count for us since it wasn’t reciprocated haha. But it made me flutter when he hugged her in the well lol. What made me flutter more is how DJ pulled him for another kiss and he responded by hugging her closer too. Does this count as our tight hug? Probably not since both our expectations for these two are pretty high 

 

2 hours ago, Mapleoaks5 said:

I must have missed this somehow, but why did/does the king want his own son dead???

We have yet to find out the reasons too. All we know is he ordered the kill. 
 

@stroppyse omo!! your translation made the ending scene even sweeter for me!  I have always liked ND’s persistence towards DJ. This is one characteristic of his that I admire.