REVISED VERSION (less typos and extended comment)

@kodra, I just re-watched EP 20 for the third time today … what a brilliant episode! Regardless of the outcome in EP 21 and if that were «scraps of the cutting table» as some said, to elaborate on the various relationships from this drama by extension with another episode is worth it in my view.

There are several scenes I want to hint at (without wanting to spoil for people who read this and have not seen EP 20 yet), but here are two in particular :

1) the interaction between King and Jang Hyeon, then including Ingguldai:
mimic and gestures of the actor portraying the king are excellent when he and the interpretor are alone. — When it is the three of them the whole dialogue points to the fundamental problem of the times and the ultimate humanity which even the Qing dignitary shows now. It reminded me of the scene where Hong Taiji asked why they loved that king so much …. (That was outside his tent in the war camp outside the fortress).
And then he later commented to his daughter that their people ought to learn that … (he had said so before in his throne room, too)

That links to the storyline around 2) the emerging clear ideological and humanitarian frontline between Lee Jang Hyeon and Nam Yeon-jun, his father’s disciple. Isn’t that a fantastic dialogue? And then Jang Hyeon’s statement … I fully agree, the writer makes a clear political (and social) statement here, one that reverberates into today’s time!

I am reading at the moment a selection of accounts on Korea’s history and in one of them, there is the statement that Korea, with all its tragedies, has prevailed because of its Buddhist and Neoconfucian heritage, which are —so to speak— in the DNA of the peoples. Isn’t this dialogue something to really savour … alongside this comment?

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    I don’t think it was “scraps of the cutting table” but then again, I am not troubled by many things others are and other issues are important to me when watching and loving a drama. I think she gave a great ending, one that was planned from the beginning because of the way she set it up already in previous episodes, preparing us for it. But one that will be trashed here, for sure 🤣
    On the humanity subject, I believe that is more about the inhumanity of King Injo more than the humanity of Qings. They (the higher ups) made enough money off of them already up to that point and with them winning over mings and moving their headquarter in Beijing I believe they did not see the use of keeping them hostage any longer. Which superpower were the joseons side with from then on? I would not agree to see this as an act of humanity after all they did to joseons and ming and is like saying that how great is the USA, for example, for being charitable with the refugees after distroying a country to get all the resources. They were great diplomats and great for their people. Also, let’s not forget that when Joseon came to power it was led by a general and his fighter son just like the Qings and probably many of new empires. And, as time goes on, people forget what they fought for and become ruled by these used up kings for a long time until their dinasty eventually ends. And it happened later to the qings, right? I think it was just a statement that he regarded non fighter rulers as unworthy of being loved by his people because, well, he was one. But maybe I missing something and hope you will explain it further.
    About point 2, I am fully in agreement with you.

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