I am not surprised by the chemistry displayed between Yeo RI and Kang Cheol. After all he did stalk/follow her for many years. In a sense he may even know her better than she knows herself. He probably knows all her qualms and nuances by heart. I am invested in how these two will develop their relationship over the course of the story....

I’ve already made clear, last week, where I stand: Yeo Ri should, without a doubt, choose the imoogi. But, listen, I totally understand why she is torn, because Gab is an archivist.

As someone who worked in archives to support himself through grad school, I totally get it. If I had a dollar for how many women described me as “smexy”when I was an archivist (as a DB commentator described Gab this weekend) I wouldn’t have more dollars than I do now, but I would know that I SHOULD have. A LOT of dollars. In fact, I think all archivists are smexy!

So obviously, I understand why Yeo-ri believes the archivist is “THE ONE.” Who, but archivists, know how all relationships should be “acid-free” and how love is best “filed away” to be preserved forever!

But, I have to admit, Gab was/is boring, and even as a kid he was a bit hard to take. I don’t understand Yeo-ri’s love, especially when a much more charismatic Kang Cheol is before her. Only Kang Cheol really knows her. Of course, I know well that at the end of the show, we will have Kang Cheol soaring away in the sky as a dragon and Yeo Ri and Gab embracing. But it doesn’t mean I’ll embrace Yeo-Ri’s relationship with Gab!

The only consolation for me: this show recognizes archivists as “smexy” even when they are nearly dead and swallowed by the Colossal Shadow! (In other words, when they are in their late 60s.)

this drama is actually really good. it's not prestige television, but it's very gripping & entertaining in a pulpy horror/adventure kinda way. I thought the first 2 eps were good, if a little low energy, but eps. 3 & 4 were genuinely so riveting, I was glued to the screen!! i hope they keep up this energy.

Gang-cheol is so goofy and badass at the same time. in a drama that's otherwise very grim, the sheer joy and rapture he has with food (same bro). it's nice to Yeo-ri see slowly begin to see him as not totally selfish and antagonistic.

Yeo-ri is also so cool! she's competent, brave and willing to do the right thing while not going too far...

is it weird that I wanted to see a friendship form with Yeo-ri and the well ghost?? god, fuck that prince, I hope she drowns him... poor lady was about to let go of her rage and sorrow... period dramas rarely dwell on the consequences of a society where the 1% ruled like gods and could anything they liked with the common people.

I continue to enjoy this show! I really like Kang-cheol and Yeo-ri, and I know which ship I’m on. 🥳 (Sorry Gab!)

The backstory of the well ghost was unbearable and enraging. I hope she will be able to find peace in the end.

Plus, my heart suddenly broke at the very short scene when “Gab” was bickering with his mum, and after he left she got all teary-eyed and said “I wish we would have been open with each other and gotten close like this earlier…” SOB. 🥺😭 (I dunno why that got me so badly!)

Hmmm, and in the end I was wondering: did Yeo-ri end up fixing the King’s glasses? Telling his servant he should keep them close (for protection) made no sense to me since she took out the spirit ward stone… 🤔 I guess they just didn’t show she put it back?
About time she found her original spirit ward stone again. I wouldn’t even be surprised if it was found along with both of them at the bottom of that cliff… 🤔

I must be the only one thinking
1) Yeo ri has no appeal to me
2) Kang Cheol was kind of abusive and thus not good romantic interest
3) she should confuse gratitude with feelings towards gab
4) the spirit is not scary or convincingly a threat to anything, just let the royals roam about it is not like they can ever leave the palace.

but YSJ is a mad hatter, that much I admit. I almost expect him to grow mushrooms out of his nose.

I'm having a great time with this show! (Despite being quite on edge due to CatMan's presence in another fantasy show... At least he seems like the least supernatural part of it.)

I was worried I'd feel conflicted about Gab getting erased but it turns out that A. he was pretty mid to begin with and B. he died fair and square early on! Reservations: gone. I'm super here for Kang-cheol's chaotic character, his undying wonder at how good food is, and his budding relationship with Yeo-ri. I love that we got a reveal that he's been a force for good in her life, and I wouldn't be surprised if most of the misfortunes he "caused" turned out to be exaggerated or not actually his doing. The grandmother's death is the most insurmountable one, but we didn't see any evidence that he was even there, so I'm withholding judgement until we get another flashback.

Queen Dowager is in so far over her head already! They've mentioned a few times that there are generational wrongs that attract evil spirits to innocent children; who wants to bet it was something in her generation that let the Colossal Shadow into the palace? She's obviously familiar to a certain extent. And how refreshing is it to have a King and Queen who seem like decent people, who have a good relationship with each other, and who are solid parents? It's wild how rare that is!

I love this show because stuff actually happens. The ghost reveals her reasons for seeking vengeance and Yeo Ri helps her do something about it. The King realizes his son was possessed by an evil spirit, and that spirit probably possessed him as well. There's a big intense forest sword fight. The King now knows that Gab is not Gab, but that he probably needs his and Yeo Ri's help, even as he follows through with their banishment.

Plus, the Colossal Shadow is still out there wreaking havoc.

As for the romance, I do fear that Yeo Ri will ultimately end up with Gab, precisely because he's a) still alive and b) a good person. At the same time, her dynamic with Gang Cheol is more interesting, although of course, she has yet to develop anything resembling affectionate feelings towards him. His jealousy, on the other hand, is already present and quite hilarious, too.

While the real Gab might've been Yeo-ri's first love because he always stuck up for her as a kid, I think he did it more out of a sense justice than a reciprocated crush. It seems he had this inflexible, moral character his whole life, which may have been one if the reasons he was always so formal with his mother. Like some other commentators wrote, it was heartrending to see Gab's mom moved to tears just because Kang-cheol acted in a bratty and childish way.

Things I liked this thus far:
- Yeo Ri's shaman dance and attire, she looked beautiful like a ballerina. The question remains where and how she found the tools because that was a pretty big box she was carrying. Probably she bought them.
- The acting of the little crown prince, specially the eyes. His face changed and almost did not recognize him when he was learning with the king afterwards.
- Nobody is talking about the king but we have a hot one here. Although our long hair (tail) incredible smexy hero/villain only graced our eyes for 2 episodes, I am enjoying Kim Ji-hoon very much, the royal robe suits him very well.

I have a few more but unfortunately I have to see a patient in pain and will continue later.

I find that Yook Sung Jae has good Kim Young Kwang expression, particularly when he is smug.

The bad prince is almost too bad.