[Drama 2023-2024] Elegant Empire - 우아한 제국 - Mon to Fri @ 7:50 KST

[kboramint]

If JK's "death" happens between Episodes 40-50 then it's not too late to intoduce her Japanese friend and make it believable. Establish the Japanese connection. Introduce her parents in the flashback episodes. The real Hee-Jae could come back to Korea when she finds out that JK is her long lost twin sister and YK is her long lost younger sister. Something she didn't know when they were high school together.

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

[maribella]

YK may not be her sister either. 
 

I just realised that YK is not limping. How did she go from being paralysed to perfect gait?

[LeftCoastOppa]

4 hours ago, kboramint said:

If JK's "death" happens between Episodes 40-50 then it's not too late to intoduce her Japanese friend and make it believable. Establish the Japanese connection. Introduce her parents in the flashback episodes. The real Hee-Jae could come back to Korea when she finds out that JK is her long lost twin sister and YK is her long lost younger sister. Something she didn't know when they were high school together.

 

Episodes 40-50?  We are already well inside the 1 year between the Chairman's death & anniversary - I'd say JK needs to "die" in this weeks - episodes 25-30 - to have enough time to adequately explain the Japanese connection ... or lack thereof

 

1 hour ago, maribella said:

I just realised that YK is not limping. How did she go from being paralysed to perfect gait?

 

So she went from hobbling around with Lollipop girl, to near paralyzed with a walker, to perfect gait ...

 

Only one explanation ... the kdrama IV  

 

 

 

[whome]

Soompi just report that Kim Jin Woo is stepping down (personal reasons) from his role and will be replaced by Lee Si Kang.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1612876wpp/the-elegant-empire-announces-kim-jin-woos-withdrawal-from-drama-lee-si-kang-confirmed-to-take-over-as-male-lead

[liyahsbutterfly]

12 minutes ago, whome said:

Soompi just report that Kim Jin Woo is stepping down (personal reasons) from his role and will be replaced by Lee Si Kang.

 

Holy moly. This is rare to hear about with daily dramas. I hope he's okay.

[LeftCoastOppa]

Wow, you guys ripped on the ML so much he quit - Power to the Daily Threads!

 

[liyahsbutterfly]

19 minutes ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

Wow, you guys ripped on the ML so much he quit - Power to the Daily Threads!

 

 

I mean... it's not our fault he's a bad actor. 

[backstreetboysfan]

“The Elegant Empire” Announces Kim Jin Woo’s Withdrawal From Drama + Lee Si Kang Confirmed To Take Over As Male Lead

 

 

KBS2’s “The Elegant Empire” has announced a change in the main cast.

 

On September 11, the production team of “The Elegant Empire” announced, “After a long discussion with the production team, actor Kim Jin Woo decided to step down from the drama due to personal reasons, and Lee Si Kang has been cast for the role of Jang Ki Yoon.”

 

Set within the entertainment industry, “The Elegant Empire” follows the journey of desperate and elegant revenge by a man and woman who work to find their lost lives along with the truth hidden and justice destroyed due to powerful forces.

 

Lee Si Kang showcased his outstanding acting skills in various fields such as films, plays, and musicals as well as dramas including “A Man in a Veil” and “Bravo, My Life.” In particular, Lee Si Kang will be working with writer Han Young Mi for the first time in 6 years since “Happy Sisters” in 2017.

 

Lee Si Kang shared his feelings through his agency, saying, “I am happy to join ‘The Elegant Empire.’ I will prepare well and do my best to impress.”

 

“The Elegant Empire” airs on weekdays at 7:50 p.m. KST and is available for viewing on Viki.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1612876wpp/the-elegant-empire-announces-kim-jin-woos-withdrawal-from-drama-lee-si-kang-confirmed-to-take-over-as-male-lead

[kboramint]

2 hours ago, liyahsbutterfly said:

 

Holy moly. This is rare to hear about with daily dramas. I hope he's okay.

 

 

You know... since this is a drama about the entertainment industry, I hope they make a joke about why he looks different. He got plastic surgery, yo. 

[marrez1]

whaouhhhhhhh, what's a news, i love Lee Si Kang, i wondered when he will be in new drama, it's good but sad for Kim Jin Woo, he slay on this role of villain ML,   there's surely a very good reason for this replacement, yes, i know it's personal reason

[Lmangla]

6 hours ago, liyahsbutterfly said:

 

Holy moly. This is rare to hear about with daily dramas. I hope he's okay.

yea I really wonder what happened. is it personal or something else? 

phoneix 2020 was a mess where the ML was abruptly written off and disappeared along with second female lead.

is there stuff happening offscreen in this production as well? 

 

6 hours ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

Wow, you guys ripped on the ML so much he quit - Power to the Daily Threads!

 

so will they change the FL if we rip on her enough? she was just as awful, if not more! 

[maribella]

I have a sneaky feeling that the abs brigade has been working overtime for Lee Si Kang.

 

KY or GY is absolutely evil, the actor has been doing an excellent job. How are they going to replace him? Maybe he was in the accident that ‘killed’ JK, got the wrong IV that enhanced his abs and changed his face. 

 

We have seen his face for the present days though. So how is that going to be?

[tulip06]

14 hours ago, whome said:

Soompi just report that Kim Jin Woo is stepping down (personal reasons) from his role and will be replaced by Lee Si Kang.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1612876wpp/the-elegant-empire-announces-kim-jin-woos-withdrawal-from-drama-lee-si-kang-confirmed-to-take-over-as-male-lead

I love Lee Si Kang!

 

we will see some fire abs.

 

But where is today’s episode?

[liyahsbutterfly]

7 hours ago, Lmangla said:

phoneix 2020 was a mess where the ML was abruptly written off and disappeared along with second female lead.

is there stuff happening offscreen in this production as well? 

 

Or like WIAV where Shin Goeun suddenly left. There was seriously some drama offscreen.

[yamiyugi]

So, the good news is that I have finally managed to catch up with all the current episodes (24) as of this writing. This means that the first thing that I should do is partially admit when I am wrong or mistaken. This is in regard to watching the necklace scene again and confirm that @LeftCoastOppa was indeed correct that Flamingo loaned the female lead the money for the necklace so that she didn’t need to sell it. Normally I don’t rewatch a scene because I don’t recall the episode or the time frame when a particular scene happened and I am usually way ahead when it is usually brought up. This time round I hadn’t progressed that far ahead and was just 2 episodes ahead so finding said scene was simpler.

 

Now I guess I should start with why I still don’t fully agree with their assessment. Sure, the guy loaned the female lead the money, but couldn’t he simply have started off with that instead of going on how he will purchase the necklace. One might argue that he was trying to get the attention of both the female lead and the shop dealer so I might be willing to let that matter slide. After claiming that he was going to buy it he places the necklace on the female leads neck and tells her that it looks better on her, and she has no need to sell it. Listen say what one wants but that was him getting way more intimate of sorts with a woman he supposedly hardly knows. The first time round it was pointed out that when she invaded his personal space he could have been momentarily thrown off because she looked just like his dead wife that he couldn’t think straight. But this time round he was the one invading her space and he would have ample time to think this through. Ie walking towards her and all.

 

Mind you after all that he asks her out for a drink something that she was avoiding. (Clearly a part of her ploy which I won’t deny). This then brings us up to the Karaoke/singing scene where he is supposedly remembering his dead wife. Frankly I still think that this is a matter of perspective. This is how I see things played out. Yes, he remembered his dead wife that is not in debate the reason is why. The answer is because the female lead triggered said memory. As it has already been pointed out she resembles his dead wife so that was the first motivating factor, the second was that she was singing the exact same song that the wife/she sung back then. So naturally the memory for him was going to be triggered. I don’t know of any other scenes where Flamingo has been thinking about his Ex-Wife. Please correct me if there are any with time frames so I can rewatch them and add whether I agree with the assessment or not.

 

Frankly I think that Flamingo was merely interested in the female leads bank account and what benefits that could be for him. It was the same when he went after Jackie and it probably is still the same now. The recruitment speech I feel are for a few similar reasons. 1. If he recruits her then any investment that comes from her or her supposedly rich father will be for his company and his so-called project. 2. He successfully steals her away from CEO Na with whom he has a bitter rivalry and bare to see him win/succeed. Naturally the first rule must also apply in this case. For instance, if Na has poor cast/staff etc then he gains no benefits from trying to recruit them, but the female lead has money which can be useful to him thus he needs to recruit her at all costs. Plus, she also resembles his Ex as well. Whether or not that really factors into his decision needs to be seen.

 

In regards to the Eun-Ha situation and whether or not he was responsible for getting her pregnant can possibly be a misunderstanding. I didn’t respond to that earlier because I hadn’t watched the episode itself. After watching it my thoughts in regards to it are as follows. Na is accusing him due to what he may have understood or by the question that he may have asked Eun-Ha. For instance, when he discovered her state, he may have simply asked who was responsible for that. She may have replied that it was Flamingo. Now he would therefore simply assume that he was the father. What she may have meant that Flamingo was indirectly responsible for said state. Ie she went to the function where the sleazy politicians were and due to one of them she ended up getting pregnant. So she blames Flamingo because if he never sent her she wouldn’t have ended up in that state. Then again Flamingo may have been totally innocent in regards to that as well assuming we want to either redeem him or CEO Na buries the so called hatchet with him.

 

In this case Flamingo may not have even been aware of her being sent to said events until she sent him the incriminating video. We know for instance that the actor working under him had a bad habit or providing female actress/girls for writers and directors so that he could get a better role. So even in this case he could have done the same but told them that these were direct orders from Flamingo. They probably believed him without verifying the facts and ended up in said situation. Regardless Flamingo can’t be totally blameless because he didn’t do anything to protect his staff and even tried to burry the secret after finding out. So, he is in a way responsible for Eun-Ha’s state. That part is debatable though.

 

Someone wondered about the item that the grandfather and former CEO gave to his granddaughter SooA and if it could be important. The answer is yes, it is very important and in case someone missed what it was due to perhaps fast forwarding said episode or scene let me explain what and why. Apparently, that is not only his ear piece but it also has a hidden camera inside it. (Probably an error in translation because as advanced as Korea is I find it hard to place a camera inside an earpiece. How does it record visual data unless it operates when it is outside). I would think that it is a simple recorder though. Only the old actor (the one who is now working at Na Entertainment and Top Know Ajjuma’s Ex Husband) is aware of this fact. Anyway, this recorder probably has evidence proving that Flamingo was the last person to see his father before the Female Lead went to wake him up for dinner. His conversation would definitely be recorded where he was blaming his father for his current situation and not trusting him over his wife. As for him attempting to kill him needs to be seen. But it could certainly help clear the female lead. Assuming that she gets her hands on the recording first. But we all know how drama rules follow in these circumstances.

 

Now moving on to theories and predictions or hopes. Jackie needs to go behind bars or the loony bin. She not only has an ego problem, but I further suspect that she is a murderer. Now I will admit that I have no evidence to back this claim but let’s see why I suspect this. We know that she was adopted and that her adopted parents have passed away now. I feel that she may have been responsible for that. Why you may ask. Well for starters she has the motivation for doing so. If we go by her memories, we see her alone in her room as a kid and crying when her stepfather enters said room and shuts it. I suspect child abuse or molestation on his part. This is ample reason for her to not only hate him but to get even with him when she is capable. She also goes in one episode of how nice it would have been for Flamingo’s father to die like her adopted parents. Now this could be a totally innocent remark out of frustration or evidence of her crime. Even if it was indirect. Take your pick again.

 

The Corrupt Assemblyman also needs to go behind bars along with Flamingo. He is also probably the reason for Flamingo joining the Dark Side. He took advantage of a vulnerable young man who needed a father figure or needed to make his mark. Think about this way he needed Jackie’s funds for his own gains but as long as she was with CEO Na that couldn’t happen. Na wasn’t someone that he could control. But Flamingo on the other hand he could influence and gain from him. So he suggests that he needs her and that Jackie would be much better around Flamingo. He has made it seem like if he gets into the Presidency that he can further support Flamingo and his ambitions. Be it to build his super media empire/city. He knows that if that project succeeds then he has more money to line his projects even in the future. Will he be true to his word. Highly unlikely. As all villains he will use Flamingo until he proves useful and will gladly discard him the moment, he realizes that isn’t the case anymore. Take for instance what he did to his old time friend. He let Flamingo fire him. Regardless of the reasons.

 

Flamingo also needs to serve time for his crimes as well. Stealing from the company funds to fund his secret project, not protecting his staff when he discovered them being exploited and trying to hide said fact and evidence and for the attempted murder of his father among a few things. I am actually going to be interested to discover his mothers reaction when all these things are brought to light in regards to his actions. How will she try and blame the female lead for this.

 

Now someone has brought up the Puppy actor and his mother. I think someone mentioned that she may have been the mother of Jackie and her sister as well and perhaps someone else as well. LoL she must have been really busy to do so. Okay while that may be entirely possible, I have a theory regarding her as well. Mine is as follows. Puppy actor is the corrupt politician’s kid instead. It is therefore the reason why his mother doesn’t want him to become an actor. If he becomes famous, it is only going to be a matter of time before reporters try and dig into his background and discover who is actual birth father is. She may have either promised to live quietly or is in hiding so that he doesn’t discover her son and try and harm them. This does mean that Puppy Actor can’t be paired with Lollypop girl. Whether this is good news or bad news depends on each particular viewer.

 

I do have other questions though. Jackie was adopted but more importantly than that she was also the twin sister of Eun-Ha. So how did Na discover her. Normally we all have a birth secret and what not. For instance, I suspect Puppy Actor to be secretly the son of corrupt politician and he matches certain K-Drama criteria rules for that. But I will get into that later on if necessary. But when we have Eun-Ha she was supposed to be an orphan that is the reason why nobody was representing her at the funeral except for CEO Na. I think either the female lead or her sister mentioned this fact as well. It is also why Jackie can do what she wants because nobody has yet realized her connection to Eun-Ha. If Eun-Ha was aware of the fact that her sister was adopted why didn’t she try and make contact with her later on.

 

I can perhaps understand her not telling about her sister getting adopted as it was too painful yet sharing something with Na as she was quite close to him. But this mean that she knew who exactly adopted her and that is how Na managed to trace her. Otherwise, how did he find someone that wouldn’t be found so easily. Also how do other people know that Jackie was adopted? For instance, Top Knot Lady brings up this point when she was throwing a dig at her. She goes that is the reason that she was abandoned by her birth mother and adopted because they could sense just how terrible of a person she was and didn’t want anything to do with her. How come Flamingo’s mother didn’t bring this up as an issue. Granted she was blinded by the money that Jackie was throwing at them but usually in these shows this point is almost always brought up.

 

How could the female leads team be so dumb that the can’t realize that Flamingo could have been responsible for the sister’s accident until recently. Think about it. The sister apparently had evidence in her car that she was to hand it over to the prosecution to prove her sister’s innocence. She is lured to a basement and fortunately survives an accident. This was clearly an attempt at her life that we viewers know about, and I can understand her thinking that it was a simple accident. But after that she should have considered the following things. Any evidence at foul play was conveniently missing such as no CCTV footage, the person that contacted her didn’t do so again and finally her own evidence went missing. The last part is the most important. Why would anyone want to take said evidence as it would be of no use to them. That must mean that only the guilty party could be involved in said accident and all.

 

Oh well I think that I will end my post over here for the time being. So all of you take care while I get busy with a few other things. When I recall what else I want to add I will do so. Also when are we going to get to the present time. I feel that is when the show is going to get interesting. Also what is wrong with the outfits that Jackie likes to wear. It almost makes her look like ----- . not only that but the way she likes to throw herself into her husbands lap regardless of the place like his work and whatnot makes me trully wonder just how stable she is. She even tends to call him baby in public at times. Seriously….

[kboramint]

29 minutes ago, liyahsbutterfly said:

 

Or like WIAV where Shin Goeun suddenly left. There was seriously some drama offscreen.

 

I have a feeling that Gyul Wool (Shin Go Eun) was suppose to come back 10 years after and introduce herself to Seo Tae-Yang, like it's the first time they ever met.  

[tulip06]

But do we get an episode today or not?

[maribella]

@yamiyugi there is no need to convince that the ML is scum to @LeftCoastOppa, he has declared that he had changed his mind.

1 hour ago, liyahsbutterfly said:

 

Or like WIAV where Shin Goeun suddenly left. There was seriously some drama offscreen.

Like what?

[kboramint]

1 hour ago, tulip06 said:

But do we get an episode today or not?

 

Today's episode did come out. 

[liyahsbutterfly]

2 hours ago, maribella said:

Like what?

 

I posted about a lot of the controversy on the WIAV thread, but there was blatant favoritism between the main actresses. Example: Lee Chaeyoung hogged the screen time. Nothing against her, I blame the writer and director for that.

 

2 hours ago, kboramint said:

I have a feeling that Gyul Wool (Shin Go Eun) was suppose to come back 10 years after and introduce herself to Seo Tae-Yang, like it's the first time they ever met.  

 

I do too.