Also, now that we\’ve had a proper look at Historical!Haru, I can say for sure that he\’s most definitely not in Joseon clothing. Heck, I don\’t think it\’s Korean clothing, period. (No pun intended 😂)
The sleeves, collar and buttons on his robe are nothing like what we\’ve seen on men from the Silla Kingdom, Goryeo or Joseon. I think Historical!Haru must\’ve been a Korean delegate who had been working in China, who later returned to Korea and fell in love with Historical!Danoh.
Period-wise, I\’m going to guess Silla, rather than Joseon, because Historical!Danoh\’s hair and clothing don\’t quite square with what we\’re used to seeing on unmarried upper class Joseon women (short jeogori, or upper garment, with a full chima, or skirt + a long braid and ribbon) like Goo Haeryung.
Of course, I could be wrong about Silla, but I\’m feeling it more than Goryeo just because we can see here in this scene from Hwarang, Sooyeon\’s outfit has a similar cinched waist and modest sleeve to that of Historical!Danoh\’s.
This is pretty different from the type of outfits we saw Soo dressed in throughout Moon Lovers, which tended to have these beautiful, billowing trumpet sleeves.
I thought it was just straight up Ancient China (although I’m not too familiar with its periods ^^”) but now that you pointed it out, I’m sure it is Silla period.
I would like to give the webtoon Writer the benefit of the doubt and say it may be a mix of Silla and Chinese clothing too 😂😂 But yeahhh we might be getting ahead of ourselves 😂
Waah You’ve done your research!!
I don’t know much about ancient korea but from the little Joseon era dramas that I’ve watched I agree that this doesn’t look Joseon era!
I’m sure it’s set in Korea, but I’m still hoping (for the sake of my love for historical accuracy) that there’s some reasonable explanation for why Haru’s costume is more Chinese than Korean, hahaha 😂😂😂
I’m curious about their background or status in Silla era! I want to believe that she’s a princess, but her outfit lack details if she is the one, but also the fabric looks to fancy to be lowly (or probably the author lack in drawing details). Also if she were a princess, she is most likely to betrothed to her siblings.
As for Haru, he is quite fishy since he doesn’t have surname (I believe so), he could be either from China or maybe mercenary? Hwarang members?
I think the chances of her being a princess are pretty high because the set-up would be very classic: royal princess falls for a man that, as princess, she would never be allowed to marry, and they have to fight for their love until they meet their tragic end (or something like that).
Clothing-wise, one explanation could be that she’s outside palace when she’s not supposed to be, and she’s wearing her “normal people” disguise 😂😂😂
I’m convinced that with Haru, there has to be SOMETHING that explains his Chinese-style hair and outfit. Mercenary is a really good guess, and it could explain his scar—injured in battle maybe?
Thanks for doing the research! I have a theory: it’s not any historical period that we know of, just a fantasy historical world somewhere.
At first the clues pointed towards Joseon, with Sae-mi exclaiming “You must be from Joseon!” when Haru aced the Korean test. However, he looks nothing like a Joseon man (no gat for instance). Moreover, Hangul was not invented until the Joseon period, so Haru would not have been able to read it if he came from Goryeo or before; he’d be familiar with Chinese characters. (Otherwise, he’s a geeeeeenius scholar who picked up Hangul quickly because it’s relatively easier). Sloppy writing by the comic writer? I wouldn’t be surprised.
As far as Dan-oh’s appearance, I thought her hair looked a lot like Hae-Soo in MOON LOVERS, and even Haru’s dark robe reminds me of Wang So. For instance, this image:
Is this a coincidence? Two tragic lovers, one of them a time traveler and a water maid, and the other a prince? It’s also a drama that left us raging and clamoring for a rewrite. Could the comic writer be a scarred Moon Lovers fan? (I jest, but maybe not).
In conclusion, I think your Silla guess is a good one, though I wouldn’t rule out alternative-universe Goryeo or even Baekje, which had considerable trade with China and Japan.
oooh, that’s a great theory too, and it would allow the writer to get away with not being 100% historically accurate 😂😂😂
The language point is a really good one too, and I didn’t think of that before! I think with knowing hangul, that’s something that anyone who entered the Secret world would be able to do since I’m sure every character would be equipped with the most basic functions (common language being one of them?).
In terms of Chinese characters, though, I went back to look at the scene and guess what: there WAS some Hanja involved in that test!
If the writer was an angry Moon Lovers fan… 😂😂😂 (I don’t blame them.) But yes, I think Baekje and Goryeo are most definitely possibilities, because there’s so little we know now and there are overlaps between all these eras. I’m excited to see how it all turns out! We’re getting closer now…
Ooooh sharp eyes! I can’t see very well… are the questions on the test in Hangul and Haru answered using Chinese characters?
I actually like your theory that he’s from ancient China. The bamboo flute playing first struck me as something from a Chinese wuxia anyway. He may be a prince who was held hostage for a long time in China and had just returned to the Korean peninsula… Or he’s actually a Chinese envoy. Forbidden love to the max.
I think the questions are a mixture of hangul and hanja, and seem to mostly require answers in hanja!
He may be a prince who was held hostage for a long time in China and had just returned to the Korean peninsula… Or he’s actually a Chinese envoy. Forbidden love to the max.
Yep, this is exactly what I was thinking! He was living/working in China, returned to Korea and fell in love with Historical!Danoh, who loves in him return against the wishes of her family!
Cool, thank you! I guess we’ll find out soon, hopefully!
Tbh I wasn’t expecting a historical sub-plot in EXTRAORDINARY YOU, but if done well it can give the show more emotional depth (and probably wring tears from us).
Apparently my mind isn’t the only one who jumped to ‘Ancient China’ the moment I saw Haru in that outfit. I thought it was simply because I’ve watched too many c-dramas lately, but you’re right that his outfit really didn’t match any of the usual male outfit from sageuk. But anyway, he looks so mesmerizing. 😍😍
He does 😍 I’m a sucker for period clothing (period anything, tbh) so I’m just waiting for us to get more clear shots of the world in Flower/Trumpet Creeper so I can make Historical!Haru my new dp ❤️
Once again, I am avoiding the Beanies tab for fear of Extraordinary spoilers (only had time for Camellia today) but I hope everyone has a good restful start to the weekend today ♥️
I’m looking forward to waking up tomorrow, making some toast and blessing my Saturday morning with some Roswoon 😍
I watched some of my favourite clips earlier today while I was commuting and they just reminded me of how much I actually loved watching the drama every week.
Extraordinary You Ep 7: Seeing Danoh so distraught was heartbreaking. Poor girl! I don’t blame her though. One minute you have Roswoon smiling at you and holding your hand, and the next minute he vanishes into thin air. And then he comes back but instead of directing his swoon-worthy smile at you, he’s giving it to BAEK KYUNG instead? The audacity… (jk)
I’m a Kyung apologist (I know, I KNOW, bear with me) and I’m still holding on to the hope that he will stop with the uncalled for abrasiveness. Like I mentioned in some comments, I think that he’s become so used to lashing out on the stage, that his angry/bad boy/jerk persona has become a kind of second nature that he has to “unlearn” as he spends more time ‘awake’ in the shadow.
It’s also possible that he relies on whatever deep-rooted anger he’s used to feeling because of how much his own set-up makes him angry/upset. He mentioned several times in the episode how wrong it is to him that him and Danoh are just being used by their parents, and I’m sure that the reveal that his mother’s death was just a device to give his character a typical “unfortunate past” must have been absolutely awful for him.
Plus, unlike Danoh/Dohwa/pre-disappearance Haru, who all had some kind of orientation/initiation when they became self-aware—someone to talk them through what was happening/how everything worked—Kyung largely had to figure it out on his own, and may still be finding his feet/deciding what to do now that he has this self-awareness. Again, none of this justifies his bad behaviour! I guess I just feel more willing to sympathise with him this way.
Also I haven’t watched anything from Ep 8 or seen any behind the scenes stuff, but Historical Haru and Danoh didn’t actually look like they were in Joseon, judging by Haru‘s hairstyle and clothing. They look a lot more like the kind of topknot and high collared garment worn in China during the Ming dynasty.
The way they’re dressed in the sageuk manhwa actually reminded me of Hwarang, so I think they’re from the Shilla Dynasty(i’m not a korean history expert..)?
I thought of Shilla too, but Haru’s topknot is actually not (to my knowledge) typical of how an unmarried Shilla man would’ve worn his hair (long, half up, half down). It looks more similar to this hairstyle (top left): https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-bd59614904a3e62fbdf429c4ec55e7de
But then again, I’m hardly an expert either and could be totally wrong too 😂
Ok so many people have been wondering why Do Hwa’s personality is the same in the shadow as on stage while Dan Oh’s deviates a lot and like I mentioned in the recap this is totally explainable by Gadis’s theory that characters who are main/supporting have had a more vigorous character development so they have little power however extra characters like Dan Oh and pre-Haru have little (or none in the case of Haru) pre-set personality so they can experience and decide what they truly like for themselves. I think, this explains the best why Baek Kyung is still a jerk even in the shadow and even when he’s aware now!
Honestly I totally expected that Baek Kyung will have a redemption arc and that he’ll actually be nice or “not a jerk” when he’s aware thus making it difficult for us as the viewers to choose between Haru and him and so I am pleasantly surprised that the writer (of the drama 😂) is taking a different route!
Yup, this makes a lot of sense. I wrote in another comment on the most recent recap posted that characters like Danoh and Haru have the freedom to kind of do whatever they want and go wherever they want, i.e. Haru can go to the movies, Danoh can go shopping with Saemi, etc. Kyung and Dohwa, on the other hand, basically do nothing beyond the little bubbles the writer has created for them. I mean, the two of them are (were? sorry Dohwa 😂) supposedly members of A3 together, but we never see them hanging out with each other just for fun, save from those throwaway scenes where they just sat down together, not really actually talking/being friends. They live very one-dimensional lives, so it’s probably a lot harder for them to break out of those moulds.
Camellia Ep 11: I don’t think whoever Hyangmi was talking to in the dark alley was Heungshik. She called him ahjusshi, and when I went back to Ep 3 to check, she called Heungshik by his given name. I’ve seen a few people pitch the idea of co-perpetrators or accomplices, which is definitely plausible. Heungsik could be the underling of whoever Joker actually is.
This could be a reach but might he even have been the person who set off the sprinklers when Dongbaek was in danger? Could it be that he knew Joker planned to murder the aesthetician (maybe they planned it together) but later heard that Dongbaek had gone to the parlour with her, and decided to stop Joker from making a kill that wasn’t planned in case anything went wrong and put their identities at risk?
That could be. Which husband was it that lent HM money and the wife got mad when she found out about it? We never did find out what that was all about.
That was one of the ahjummas’ husband. I don’t think we met him yet. I have a feeling the real culprit is someone we already know though. Otherwise, the show won’t be able to give us that ah-hah! moment. 😉
I want to think it’s someone we know, too, but then again, the killer seems to be one of the older men in Ongsan (going off how Hyangmi called him ahjusshi), none of whom we know that well other than Gyutae and Chief Byun. We know it’s not Gyutae because Dongbaek would never welcome him into Camellia or offer him peanuts on the house. Gyutae and the Chief are also prominent in the neighbourhood, and wouldn’t be able to get away with skulking around in alleyways at night, since they would be recognised immediately and be called by name.
Based on those points, I think it’s more likely to be someone whom we might recognise if he passed by, but someone without any prominent screentime or focus yet.
I think she borrowed money from the husband of the ahjumma who sells rices cakes (played by Kim Mihwa) to pay off whatever debt she owes to that thug Nakho (having not watched ep 12 yet, I don’t think the show has gone into detail about what exactly she needs all that money for).
This scene was exactly what I needed to see yesterday. I came home from work feeling really blue and down on myself – just because I’m that way at times. And even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to even watch a drama I turned on Camelia and saw this.
Then my night was instantly better!!!!!
He was just so badass wasn’t he?
Aw, I’m sorry that you felt that way after work, but I’m so glad you felt better after watching this GOLDEN scene!!! He was badass but still his wonderful adorkable self at the same time. Love ❤️
Well each day is a new one isn’t it?
The other part I liked was how excited he was when Pil Gu said his friends wanted to see him and he was excited thinking it was because he was a cop. Then his face when Pil Gu said, no they wanted to see the drone. But he rose to the occasion like the loving person he is.
lots to think about after Nokdu ep 7… it\’s a race to see who can mobilise against the king faster now—the prince or minister heo.
re: the supposed reveal that nokdu is the son of the king that everyone is looking for—how does this square with what we saw in the previous episode where his dying mother seemed to think he was hwangtae? could this all be a misunderstanding/red herring? it\’s not impossible that there could\’ve been some miscommunication. who gave hwangtae the information that nokdu is the son of the king? I feel like the only person who can actually verify this is yoonjo, who doesn\’t seem to have been in contact with hwangtae for some time now, and still refers to hwangtae and nokdu as his SONS, i.e., he hasn\’t given away who is who.
am I just overthinking this after yesterday\’s mega twist?
that’s exactly what i thought – we see hwangtae overhear his mother saying only “it’s all your fault” to nokdu but not the entirety of what she said which is “hwangtae it’s all your fault”.
For Beanies interested in the history behind what’s happening on Nokdu right now:
(NOTE: COULD CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR WHAT HAPPENS LATER IN THE DRAMA)
The reigning king Gwanghae ruled Joseon from 1608 to 1623. He was the second born son to the previous monarch, Seonjo of Joseon, and his mother was a concubine. His younger brother, Prince Yeongchang, was Seonjo’s legitimate heir, and was favoured to succeed Seonjo. Seonjo’s sudden death meant that Yeongchang was unable to succeed him, which allowed Gwanghae to ascend the throne.
Yulmoo/Prince Neungyang/later King Injo of Joseon was Gwanghae’s nephew (his father was another illegitimate son of Seonjo and a Royal Consort/Concubine). In the mid-1600s, there was a lot of conflict between several political factions (primarily the Northern vs. the Western, though there were internal sub-divides as well), and Gwanghae became more and more unpopular as the monarch.
People (as seen in the drama) began to plot against him and eventually, the Western faction launched a coup in 1623, which resulted in Gwanghae’s dethronement. The Western faction then brought Injo into the palace and crowned him as King of Joseon.
Prince Neungyang was Injo’s royal title bestowed upon him by former King Seonjo, but his birth name was Yi Jong (kind of like how in Rookie Historian, Rim was called Prince Dowon). Yulmoo is actually one of his posthumous names, so that’s where the writers must have gotten it from!
Thank you, that was really helpful as I was quite confused about what’s been going on.
But I still don’t understand where King’s son (presumably Nok-Du or his “brother” Hwang Tae) fits in. Why is the king trying to kill his own son when he should be more worried about his half brother Prince Yeongchang?
Thanks a lot. I just watched the episode and was quite confused but all surprised at all the ginormous twists they came up with in the last 10 minutes of the episode. What confuses me still to date is Nokdu and his relevance to this whole dethroning and crowning a new king scenario.
Oh, that’s a great guess! If I recall correctly, a similar theme of prophecy/fortune-telling cropped up in Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, which was also written by one of the writers of Nokdu! Could it be that one of the court shamans predicted that the King’s son would play a role in his downfall?
That would be my guess because he kept repeating the date like it was something ominous. I wasn’t paying attention the palace politics at all but now I might need to rewatch all those scenes.
Nokdu is based loosely on Crown Prince Yi Ji. King Gwanghae’s only son.
This writer is not sticking with the history “as expected.”
Gwanghae didn’t try to kill his own son and Gwanghae ascended the throne because he was the most capable in all of King Seonjo’s illegitimate sons. The people also did not hate him. When Japan attacked Joseon his father went into hiding in China while the 18 yr old Gwanghae was left to defend the people and rebuild the country.
The young prince that was residing in the palace is Gwanghae’s half brother, the legitimate heir to the throne. He was only 2yrs old when King Seonjo died so he was too young to rule.
Injo (Cha Yul-mu aka Prince Neungyang) is Yi Ji (Nokdu’s) cousin. His father was Gwanghae’s incompetent older brother. He eventually
became king after a coup to overthrow Gwanghae.
Injo was one of the worst king in Joseon. During his reign Joseon went through two devastated Manchu invasions.
I don’t know if Gwanghae is trying to protect or kill Nokdu but Nokdu will probably return to the palace and become the crown prince or he will live happily ever after as a commoner with Dong Dong-ju aka Eun-seo.
iirc, Gwanghae’s people did not hate him, but members of the court (yangban like scholars and politicians) who formed the minor Western faction were against his continued rule, despite his attempts to bring them into government. His policies were also seen as immoral and heretical, and many members of court saw his brand of politics as a defiance to certain fundamental principles of Neo-Confucianism, which was the state ideology of Joseon at the time.
Not sure if that’s the story that the drama will stick to when they reveal the exact reasons for the plots against the King, of course, but I’m interested to see how much leeway the writers take with his character/story!
Members of the court were more concern with gaining power for their own political parties than protecting the country and serving the people.
For Gwanghae, his country and his people came first. He remained neutral between China and Manchus to prevent invasions and sufferings of his people.
So what did the Western faction do for Joseon? They put a puppet Injo on the throne and went pro Ming. That’s why the Manchus invaded Joseon not once but twice. Injo went into hiding while people were being slaughtered by the Manchus.
This drama is doing their own thing like this writer’s last drama.
I’m here and thanks a lot. So this is going to be a fictional war of the princes? Since Nokdu didn’t actually exist in history. I never thought they would give us two real life kings in this drama. Well played.
I feel kind of silly thinking this was going to be another set standard sageuk 😂 Still, we can all unite in our mutual feelings of shock and disbelief. Nokdu just got a whole new level of interesting!
I honestly thought this drama would just be rainbows and sunshine. I didn’t even know how badly I needed this plot twist. Absolutely a whole new level of interesting.
Thank you and @kiara for explaining. I read the wiki and still had no clue what was happening. Korean history is more complicated than any makjang daily drama!
ME TOO. I even thought so myself, what a boring role, why did they bother adding a character not from the manhwa if he’s not going to contribute all that much? THEY REALLY SHOWED ME WHERE TO STUFF IT 🤣
I caught up on Miss Lee after falling behind last week. I was instantly reminded of me why I paused: I seriously dislike almost every character. This must be a new record. I’m so close to dropping it.
new display name, new me? goodbye (for the time being) protect choi junwoo. i\’d like to believe that my baby junu is living his best life in a small town with his mum, working on his art, texting ohje regularly and making plans to see soobin on the weekends, and therefore no longer in need of my constant protection *tearful sniffs* live well, my sweet son!
I listened to the Moment at Eighteen ost almost right after I changed my name and I immediately felt this wave of like, OH NO I MISS JUNWOO SHOULD I CHANGE BACK?! but, no, you’re right, Haru is in waaaaay greater need of protection right now, so the name will stay!! Jinmichae better watch out!
After this week’s episodes, JunWoo would totally understand. and root for Haru too! As long as you remember where your bike is parked, you can always come back…
Now that is an idea… Is it time to start wishing for Ong and Roswoon in a drama TOGETHER? And why not throw Jang Dongyoon in as well, just because we can?
There’s also this scene where Haru leads Danoh to the little enclave with (what could be the) flowering trumpet vines (shoutout to my fellow manhwa author @saner! 💘).
Anyone who likes a sageuk knows that flowers are always used to symbolise some kind of love/destiny/fate between the two main characters. We saw this recently with the cherry blossoms in 100 Days My Prince:
Haru also asks Danoh if she knows the place he’s brought her to, but since neither of them have their memories, she says she doesn’t know, and Haru himself admits to Dried Squid Fairy later on that although Danoh is familiar to him, he doesn’t know the answers to any of his thoughts and questions.
So what is this place, you ask?
Why, it’s gotta be our couple’s secret/romantic meeting spot, of course! Where else have we seen something like this? None other than everyone’s favourite fusion sageuk of 2016: Moonlight Drawn By Clouds.
There’s probably more stuff I could add to this post (correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t there a throwaway line somewhere Danoh calls herself a princess?), but it’s already so long, LOL. If you made it all the way to the end, thank you! I had so much fun writing this.
I do think he comes from another Manhwa, as a matter of fact, it is the other one that Jin Mi-chae has “Flower”, it makes sense to me that Haru somehow travelled to this world without knowing and if you realized the lines he says are the ones in Flower, the two Manhwa world are now connected because of him, his character is a main lead in that one and now is forcing his way into Secret, but how did he get here and why? I know he is here for Dan-oh but there is still so much we need to know!
I’m 100% with you on that, and the ‘Flower’ in question is the red flower that keeps blooming around him! I wonder if Flower was something that got shelved after the first volume, leaving the characters kind of floating around, and Haru came into the world of Secret through that weird portal we’ve been seeing. On the other hand, I feel like when Jinmichae talks about things going wrong if the story changes, he seems to be alluding to Haru as well.
Another guess of mine is that Haru’s character in Flower became self-aware and tried to change the narrative, which got him written off (maybe killed off?) in Flower, which then somehow led to him entering the world of Secret. But how? And what about Danoh? Something tells me they definitely knew each other from before the events of the drama, but where and why? SO MUCH still to be answered, and now, Kyung’s really thrown a spanner in the works after the ending of ep 6 😂
I’m herre! Thank you for calling me to this very tasty thread!
I agree that it’s basically (TV version) canon that Haru came from the Joseon period with his artwork, music skill and smashing the Hangul test…but totes failing English.
Joseon love stories are ripe for tragedy and heartache with all the social boundaries and restrictions in place, as well as the strong social adherence to Confucian ideals.
A sad ending might explain why the norigae (great spot!) burned when it touched Haru’s scar – they’re clearly connected.
I wonder if it’s less about Haru changing the story and more his presence reverting the story to his….which seems like it had a very tragic ending and maybe JinMiChae is trying to prevent that ending leaking over to their world?
You often hear about writers wanting to write something light and fluffy after writing heavier things for so long….And death and the promise to meet each other ‘in the next life’ is a very common tragi-romantic trope.
But maybe their love in the previous manwha (especially his love/protective instinct for Dan Oh) was so strong that it’s breaking through pages, worlds and portals…hence the flowers, which bloom more rampantly if it’s been warmer/hotter in the summer.
In this week’s episode see that even if he is aware that changing the scene may result in his pain and disappearance, Haru is still determined to follow his heart…and Eun Dan Oh.
*tears up*
*sniffle*
I don’t think Kyung will have had a hand in Haru’s disappearance…but he seems like the kind of person to find it ironic and have a wry laugh about it (“So I’ve been suffering all this time with my dad because of some writer? If my life is just a joke to them, then I’ll just laugh about everyone’s situation.” His life is a concept [his Dad’s] within a concept [the writer’s]) but I’m hoping having read that Dan Oh doesn’t have much time might soften him….at least slightly? That scene in the hospital gave me hope. He hasn’t had the support to accept it so easily like Dohwa, DanOh and Haru have…
A sad ending might explain why the norigae burned when it touched Haru’s scar – they’re clearly connected.
I would be extremely surprised if it was anything but a sad ending. The norigae must have been a gift from Joseon Haru to Joseon Danoh while they were in love, but something must’ve come between them (war? politics? literal death?).
I do love the idea of their love breaking through the worlds (you’re right, it’s like the ‘in the next life’ trope, but kind of better?). Them falling in love in the Secret world is not something the writer intended, so they’re going to have to keep fighting! I am ready to get hurt again.gif
I don’t think Kyung is responsible for Haru’s disappearance either, though I can see why people are feeling suspicious given how threatening he seemed in that last scene LOL. Dammit, Kyung, here I am, rooting for you against the advice of other people, and you just have to go be all scary in the library. I better get lots of gentle/cute Kyung moments in the next episode as compensation. I saw that three-legged race. I have HIGH hopes.
Omg, I have no idea why all the links and photos have disappeared all of a sudden 😤 If anyone knows why this issue comes about, let me know!
Here’s the original first part of the post:
For starters we’ve got the obvious references from last night’s episode:
Why, yes, I believe Haru is indeed from the Joseon dynasty, as evidenced by his random prodigious ability to play what I think is a piri(피리), or a traditional reed instrument used in classical Joseon court music.
That aside, though, I think we could definitely look at some stuff we’ve seen in the drama so far as clues.
The ornament Haru and Danoh find while they’re on the school trip in episode 4 (or 7-8) looks like it could be the remnants of a norigae (노리개), which was a common accessory used to adorn and decorate women’s hanbok in the Joseon dynasty.
This is the ornament we saw in the show:
And this is a beautiful norigae designed by a contemporary Korean designer, available online:
They don’t look entirely similar, of course, but norigae come in all sorts of designs, and the round centrepiece can be made from cloth, metal (like the ornament in the drama) or a precious stone material (like the one available online, which looks to me like jade). The piece Haru and Danoh find also looks it’s been weathered with age, which would make sense if it had been buried and hidden for a good 500 years.
Yeah it was pretty obvious in episode 6. The Flower Manga Dried Squid was reading, plus him being able to do all these old fashioned things (all of a sudden I might add, why now exactly? convenient to the plot? ahem) without knowing why or how, plus the flower symbolism from before…
It didn’t feel all of a sudden to me, Haru talked to Jin Mi-chae and told him that he’d made his mind about wanting to exist and change his fate along with Dan-oh’s, from that it was clear to me that he was going to be taking actions to be noticed and seen by others, he was trying to stand out and he succeeded at that by getting his name written on his name-tag, being recognized as a character, although it had other consequences later!
No no I mean the sudden flurry of scenes of him doing ancient artwork… lol
I get that it might’ve seemed like it was just him trying to be noticed, but to me it was deliberate directing that said “See look? he’s from the PAST have you noticed yet? here let us do another scene on his skills in case you missed it”…
protect junwoo
October 27, 2019 at 8:07 PM
oof, I’m so close to such lovely even numbers!
protect junwoo
October 26, 2019 at 1:50 AM
Also, now that we\’ve had a proper look at Historical!Haru, I can say for sure that he\’s most definitely not in Joseon clothing. Heck, I don\’t think it\’s Korean clothing, period. (No pun intended 😂)
The sleeves, collar and buttons on his robe are nothing like what we\’ve seen on men from the Silla Kingdom, Goryeo or Joseon. I think Historical!Haru must\’ve been a Korean delegate who had been working in China, who later returned to Korea and fell in love with Historical!Danoh.
Period-wise, I\’m going to guess Silla, rather than Joseon, because Historical!Danoh\’s hair and clothing don\’t quite square with what we\’re used to seeing on unmarried upper class Joseon women (short jeogori, or upper garment, with a full chima, or skirt + a long braid and ribbon) like Goo Haeryung.
Of course, I could be wrong about Silla, but I\’m feeling it more than Goryeo just because we can see here in this scene from Hwarang, Sooyeon\’s outfit has a similar cinched waist and modest sleeve to that of Historical!Danoh\’s.
This is pretty different from the type of outfits we saw Soo dressed in throughout Moon Lovers, which tended to have these beautiful, billowing trumpet sleeves.
Thoughts?
chasingbears
October 26, 2019 at 5:27 AM
I thought it was just straight up Ancient China (although I’m not too familiar with its periods ^^”) but now that you pointed it out, I’m sure it is Silla period.
protect junwoo
October 27, 2019 at 6:57 PM
I thought Ancient China too ‘cos of Haru’s clothing! I still think it could be both, but I could also be overthinking this majorly 😂
chasingbears
October 28, 2019 at 12:47 AM
I would like to give the webtoon Writer the benefit of the doubt and say it may be a mix of Silla and Chinese clothing too 😂😂 But yeahhh we might be getting ahead of ourselves 😂
MeloMe
October 26, 2019 at 5:41 AM
Waah You’ve done your research!!
I don’t know much about ancient korea but from the little Joseon era dramas that I’ve watched I agree that this doesn’t look Joseon era!
protect junwoo
October 27, 2019 at 6:58 PM
yeaaaah, Joseon had a lot of pretty fixed rules/customs re: clothing, so it’s safe to say it’s not Joseon!
wapz
October 26, 2019 at 6:26 AM
I think it’s Silla, the webtoon writer in the drama isn’t that detailed to take it to China 😂
protect junwoo
October 27, 2019 at 6:59 PM
I’m sure it’s set in Korea, but I’m still hoping (for the sake of my love for historical accuracy) that there’s some reasonable explanation for why Haru’s costume is more Chinese than Korean, hahaha 😂😂😂
therevels
October 26, 2019 at 7:30 AM
I’m curious about their background or status in Silla era! I want to believe that she’s a princess, but her outfit lack details if she is the one, but also the fabric looks to fancy to be lowly (or probably the author lack in drawing details). Also if she were a princess, she is most likely to betrothed to her siblings.
As for Haru, he is quite fishy since he doesn’t have surname (I believe so), he could be either from China or maybe mercenary? Hwarang members?
protect junwoo
October 27, 2019 at 7:04 PM
I think the chances of her being a princess are pretty high because the set-up would be very classic: royal princess falls for a man that, as princess, she would never be allowed to marry, and they have to fight for their love until they meet their tragic end (or something like that).
Clothing-wise, one explanation could be that she’s outside palace when she’s not supposed to be, and she’s wearing her “normal people” disguise 😂😂😂
I’m convinced that with Haru, there has to be SOMETHING that explains his Chinese-style hair and outfit. Mercenary is a really good guess, and it could explain his scar—injured in battle maybe?
WishfulToki
October 26, 2019 at 7:26 PM
Thanks for doing the research! I have a theory: it’s not any historical period that we know of, just a fantasy historical world somewhere.
At first the clues pointed towards Joseon, with Sae-mi exclaiming “You must be from Joseon!” when Haru aced the Korean test. However, he looks nothing like a Joseon man (no gat for instance). Moreover, Hangul was not invented until the Joseon period, so Haru would not have been able to read it if he came from Goryeo or before; he’d be familiar with Chinese characters. (Otherwise, he’s a geeeeeenius scholar who picked up Hangul quickly because it’s relatively easier). Sloppy writing by the comic writer? I wouldn’t be surprised.
As far as Dan-oh’s appearance, I thought her hair looked a lot like Hae-Soo in MOON LOVERS, and even Haru’s dark robe reminds me of Wang So. For instance, this image:
Is this a coincidence? Two tragic lovers, one of them a time traveler and a water maid, and the other a prince? It’s also a drama that left us raging and clamoring for a rewrite. Could the comic writer be a scarred Moon Lovers fan? (I jest, but maybe not).
In conclusion, I think your Silla guess is a good one, though I wouldn’t rule out alternative-universe Goryeo or even Baekje, which had considerable trade with China and Japan.
protect junwoo
October 27, 2019 at 7:13 PM
oooh, that’s a great theory too, and it would allow the writer to get away with not being 100% historically accurate 😂😂😂
The language point is a really good one too, and I didn’t think of that before! I think with knowing hangul, that’s something that anyone who entered the Secret world would be able to do since I’m sure every character would be equipped with the most basic functions (common language being one of them?).
In terms of Chinese characters, though, I went back to look at the scene and guess what: there WAS some Hanja involved in that test!
If the writer was an angry Moon Lovers fan… 😂😂😂 (I don’t blame them.) But yes, I think Baekje and Goryeo are most definitely possibilities, because there’s so little we know now and there are overlaps between all these eras. I’m excited to see how it all turns out! We’re getting closer now…
WishfulToki
October 27, 2019 at 7:37 PM
Ooooh sharp eyes! I can’t see very well… are the questions on the test in Hangul and Haru answered using Chinese characters?
I actually like your theory that he’s from ancient China. The bamboo flute playing first struck me as something from a Chinese wuxia anyway. He may be a prince who was held hostage for a long time in China and had just returned to the Korean peninsula… Or he’s actually a Chinese envoy. Forbidden love to the max.
protect junwoo
October 27, 2019 at 8:06 PM
You can see it a bit better here:
I think the questions are a mixture of hangul and hanja, and seem to mostly require answers in hanja!
Yep, this is exactly what I was thinking! He was living/working in China, returned to Korea and fell in love with Historical!Danoh, who loves in him return against the wishes of her family!
WishfulToki
October 27, 2019 at 8:30 PM
Cool, thank you! I guess we’ll find out soon, hopefully!
Tbh I wasn’t expecting a historical sub-plot in EXTRAORDINARY YOU, but if done well it can give the show more emotional depth (and probably wring tears from us).
gadis
October 27, 2019 at 3:38 PM
Apparently my mind isn’t the only one who jumped to ‘Ancient China’ the moment I saw Haru in that outfit. I thought it was simply because I’ve watched too many c-dramas lately, but you’re right that his outfit really didn’t match any of the usual male outfit from sageuk. But anyway, he looks so mesmerizing. 😍😍
protect junwoo
October 27, 2019 at 7:15 PM
He does 😍 I’m a sucker for period clothing (period anything, tbh) so I’m just waiting for us to get more clear shots of the world in Flower/Trumpet Creeper so I can make Historical!Haru my new dp ❤️
protect junwoo
October 26, 2019 at 12:43 AM
His little she\’s on my mind whisper 😍
protect junwoo
October 26, 2019 at 12:07 AM
A3 who?? Petition to officially start calling these dorks our E3 ♡
protect junwoo
October 25, 2019 at 9:34 AM
Once again, I am avoiding the Beanies tab for fear of Extraordinary spoilers (only had time for Camellia today) but I hope everyone has a good restful start to the weekend today ♥️
I’m looking forward to waking up tomorrow, making some toast and blessing my Saturday morning with some Roswoon 😍
MeloMe
October 25, 2019 at 1:13 PM
Also stay away from youtube that is if you watch a lot of Extraordinary You clips
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 8:19 PM
I miss Rookie Historian 🙁
rue
October 25, 2019 at 6:29 AM
Me too
protect junwoo
October 25, 2019 at 9:30 AM
I watched some of my favourite clips earlier today while I was commuting and they just reminded me of how much I actually loved watching the drama every week.
rue
October 25, 2019 at 12:13 PM
I know hey. It was just so stinkin’ cute
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 9:05 AM
Extraordinary You Ep 7: Seeing Danoh so distraught was heartbreaking. Poor girl! I don’t blame her though. One minute you have Roswoon smiling at you and holding your hand, and the next minute he vanishes into thin air. And then he comes back but instead of directing his swoon-worthy smile at you, he’s giving it to BAEK KYUNG instead? The audacity… (jk)
I’m a Kyung apologist (I know, I KNOW, bear with me) and I’m still holding on to the hope that he will stop with the uncalled for abrasiveness. Like I mentioned in some comments, I think that he’s become so used to lashing out on the stage, that his angry/bad boy/jerk persona has become a kind of second nature that he has to “unlearn” as he spends more time ‘awake’ in the shadow.
It’s also possible that he relies on whatever deep-rooted anger he’s used to feeling because of how much his own set-up makes him angry/upset. He mentioned several times in the episode how wrong it is to him that him and Danoh are just being used by their parents, and I’m sure that the reveal that his mother’s death was just a device to give his character a typical “unfortunate past” must have been absolutely awful for him.
Plus, unlike Danoh/Dohwa/pre-disappearance Haru, who all had some kind of orientation/initiation when they became self-aware—someone to talk them through what was happening/how everything worked—Kyung largely had to figure it out on his own, and may still be finding his feet/deciding what to do now that he has this self-awareness. Again, none of this justifies his bad behaviour! I guess I just feel more willing to sympathise with him this way.
Also I haven’t watched anything from Ep 8 or seen any behind the scenes stuff, but Historical Haru and Danoh didn’t actually look like they were in Joseon, judging by Haru‘s hairstyle and clothing. They look a lot more like the kind of topknot and high collared garment worn in China during the Ming dynasty.
joongkicookie
October 24, 2019 at 9:39 AM
The way they’re dressed in the sageuk manhwa actually reminded me of Hwarang, so I think they’re from the Shilla Dynasty(i’m not a korean history expert..)?
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 6:33 PM
I thought of Shilla too, but Haru’s topknot is actually not (to my knowledge) typical of how an unmarried Shilla man would’ve worn his hair (long, half up, half down). It looks more similar to this hairstyle (top left): https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-bd59614904a3e62fbdf429c4ec55e7de
But then again, I’m hardly an expert either and could be totally wrong too 😂
MeloMe
October 24, 2019 at 9:47 AM
Ok so many people have been wondering why Do Hwa’s personality is the same in the shadow as on stage while Dan Oh’s deviates a lot and like I mentioned in the recap this is totally explainable by Gadis’s theory that characters who are main/supporting have had a more vigorous character development so they have little power however extra characters like Dan Oh and pre-Haru have little (or none in the case of Haru) pre-set personality so they can experience and decide what they truly like for themselves. I think, this explains the best why Baek Kyung is still a jerk even in the shadow and even when he’s aware now!
Honestly I totally expected that Baek Kyung will have a redemption arc and that he’ll actually be nice or “not a jerk” when he’s aware thus making it difficult for us as the viewers to choose between Haru and him and so I am pleasantly surprised that the writer (of the drama 😂) is taking a different route!
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 6:28 PM
Yup, this makes a lot of sense. I wrote in another comment on the most recent recap posted that characters like Danoh and Haru have the freedom to kind of do whatever they want and go wherever they want, i.e. Haru can go to the movies, Danoh can go shopping with Saemi, etc. Kyung and Dohwa, on the other hand, basically do nothing beyond the little bubbles the writer has created for them. I mean, the two of them are (were? sorry Dohwa 😂) supposedly members of A3 together, but we never see them hanging out with each other just for fun, save from those throwaway scenes where they just sat down together, not really actually talking/being friends. They live very one-dimensional lives, so it’s probably a lot harder for them to break out of those moulds.
MeloMe
October 25, 2019 at 4:47 AM
Yess!! its like how in the latest episode dried squid fairy says that its worse to turn into an extra with a setup from a mere nameless extra!!
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 8:33 AM
Camellia Ep 11: I don’t think whoever Hyangmi was talking to in the dark alley was Heungshik. She called him ahjusshi, and when I went back to Ep 3 to check, she called Heungshik by his given name. I’ve seen a few people pitch the idea of co-perpetrators or accomplices, which is definitely plausible. Heungsik could be the underling of whoever Joker actually is.
This could be a reach but might he even have been the person who set off the sprinklers when Dongbaek was in danger? Could it be that he knew Joker planned to murder the aesthetician (maybe they planned it together) but later heard that Dongbaek had gone to the parlour with her, and decided to stop Joker from making a kill that wasn’t planned in case anything went wrong and put their identities at risk?
Ms. Rabbit 🐇
October 24, 2019 at 8:51 AM
I also think Heungshik is a red herring. He may also be totally innocent and genuinely love to feed strayed cat. Someone else poison the cat food.
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 9:10 AM
Yeah this is definitely completely possible too! We’re still only halfway through, so anything could happen.
miss h
October 24, 2019 at 9:21 AM
That could be. Which husband was it that lent HM money and the wife got mad when she found out about it? We never did find out what that was all about.
Ms. Rabbit 🐇
October 24, 2019 at 9:28 AM
That was one of the ahjummas’ husband. I don’t think we met him yet. I have a feeling the real culprit is someone we already know though. Otherwise, the show won’t be able to give us that ah-hah! moment. 😉
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 6:21 PM
I want to think it’s someone we know, too, but then again, the killer seems to be one of the older men in Ongsan (going off how Hyangmi called him ahjusshi), none of whom we know that well other than Gyutae and Chief Byun. We know it’s not Gyutae because Dongbaek would never welcome him into Camellia or offer him peanuts on the house. Gyutae and the Chief are also prominent in the neighbourhood, and wouldn’t be able to get away with skulking around in alleyways at night, since they would be recognised immediately and be called by name.
Based on those points, I think it’s more likely to be someone whom we might recognise if he passed by, but someone without any prominent screentime or focus yet.
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 6:16 PM
I think she borrowed money from the husband of the ahjumma who sells rices cakes (played by Kim Mihwa) to pay off whatever debt she owes to that thug Nakho (having not watched ep 12 yet, I don’t think the show has gone into detail about what exactly she needs all that money for).
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 7:47 AM
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 12:53 AM
(avoiding the Beanies tab for now so I don’t see Extraordinary Spoilers, but I just wanted to post my favourite moments today from Camellia Ep 11)
I LOVE THIS MAN WITH MY WHOLE HEART
taekkielove
October 24, 2019 at 1:18 AM
Awww…I love him too❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 2:42 AM
He was just outstandingly lovely this episode 🥰
Lucy🦋 | Hyun Bins First Love
October 24, 2019 at 2:26 AM
Me too me too me too!!! ♥️
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 2:43 AM
I’m going to remember this scene as a highlight of Kang Haneul’s career 😍
happiness
October 24, 2019 at 5:20 AM
THIS SCENE WAS JUST FANTASTIC, THE MUSIC, THE WALK, KANG HANEUL 💗💗
leeboo
October 24, 2019 at 5:50 AM
He’s in Heirs.
stpauligurl
October 24, 2019 at 6:01 AM
This scene was exactly what I needed to see yesterday. I came home from work feeling really blue and down on myself – just because I’m that way at times. And even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to even watch a drama I turned on Camelia and saw this.
Then my night was instantly better!!!!!
He was just so badass wasn’t he?
protect junwoo
October 24, 2019 at 8:05 AM
Aw, I’m sorry that you felt that way after work, but I’m so glad you felt better after watching this GOLDEN scene!!! He was badass but still his wonderful adorkable self at the same time. Love ❤️
stpauligurl
October 24, 2019 at 8:35 AM
Well each day is a new one isn’t it?
The other part I liked was how excited he was when Pil Gu said his friends wanted to see him and he was excited thinking it was because he was a cop. Then his face when Pil Gu said, no they wanted to see the drone. But he rose to the occasion like the loving person he is.
Chandler
October 24, 2019 at 8:20 AM
Same!
Also, I absolutely loved Pil-gu walking proudly from the game with both Yong-shik’s sunglasses and grandma’s bling on. Haha, so cute!
protect junwoo
October 23, 2019 at 7:36 AM
They’re just so DARN CUTE!!!!!!!
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 10:16 PM
lots to think about after Nokdu ep 7… it\’s a race to see who can mobilise against the king faster now—the prince or minister heo.
re: the supposed reveal that nokdu is the son of the king that everyone is looking for—how does this square with what we saw in the previous episode where his dying mother seemed to think he was hwangtae? could this all be a misunderstanding/red herring? it\’s not impossible that there could\’ve been some miscommunication. who gave hwangtae the information that nokdu is the son of the king? I feel like the only person who can actually verify this is yoonjo, who doesn\’t seem to have been in contact with hwangtae for some time now, and still refers to hwangtae and nokdu as his SONS, i.e., he hasn\’t given away who is who.
am I just overthinking this after yesterday\’s mega twist?
Ms. Rabbit 🐇
October 22, 2019 at 10:27 PM
I had exactly the same thoughts.
Peridot
October 23, 2019 at 12:33 PM
I’m still holding onto that hope.
🙂
rookie bean
October 23, 2019 at 10:32 PM
that’s exactly what i thought – we see hwangtae overhear his mother saying only “it’s all your fault” to nokdu but not the entirety of what she said which is “hwangtae it’s all your fault”.
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 5:51 AM
is it time already to change my screen name to protect nokdu? 😂
Ms. Rabbit 🐇
October 22, 2019 at 6:13 AM
You have to protect them all! 😖
Saner
October 22, 2019 at 6:39 AM
You need to set up a Virtuous Protective Noona Squad at this rate! 😂😂
latebloomer
October 22, 2019 at 7:02 AM
Nah, Nokdu can defend himself. His dream was to be a soldier.
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 4:19 AM
For Beanies interested in the history behind what’s happening on Nokdu right now:
(NOTE: COULD CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR WHAT HAPPENS LATER IN THE DRAMA)
The reigning king Gwanghae ruled Joseon from 1608 to 1623. He was the second born son to the previous monarch, Seonjo of Joseon, and his mother was a concubine. His younger brother, Prince Yeongchang, was Seonjo’s legitimate heir, and was favoured to succeed Seonjo. Seonjo’s sudden death meant that Yeongchang was unable to succeed him, which allowed Gwanghae to ascend the throne.
Yulmoo/Prince Neungyang/later King Injo of Joseon was Gwanghae’s nephew (his father was another illegitimate son of Seonjo and a Royal Consort/Concubine). In the mid-1600s, there was a lot of conflict between several political factions (primarily the Northern vs. the Western, though there were internal sub-divides as well), and Gwanghae became more and more unpopular as the monarch.
People (as seen in the drama) began to plot against him and eventually, the Western faction launched a coup in 1623, which resulted in Gwanghae’s dethronement. The Western faction then brought Injo into the palace and crowned him as King of Joseon.
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 4:23 AM
Prince Neungyang was Injo’s royal title bestowed upon him by former King Seonjo, but his birth name was Yi Jong (kind of like how in Rookie Historian, Rim was called Prince Dowon). Yulmoo is actually one of his posthumous names, so that’s where the writers must have gotten it from!
cherry 🍒
October 22, 2019 at 4:36 AM
Thank you, that was really helpful as I was quite confused about what’s been going on.
But I still don’t understand where King’s son (presumably Nok-Du or his “brother” Hwang Tae) fits in. Why is the king trying to kill his own son when he should be more worried about his half brother Prince Yeongchang?
wapz
October 22, 2019 at 4:38 AM
Thanks a lot. I just watched the episode and was quite confused but all surprised at all the ginormous twists they came up with in the last 10 minutes of the episode. What confuses me still to date is Nokdu and his relevance to this whole dethroning and crowning a new king scenario.
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 5:02 AM
@wapzy @cherryinbloom that’s the aspect of the drama that probably isn’t rooted in history, so I’m wracking my brain now to figure it out too.
I can’t imagine why a son would be bad, unless that son perhaps posed some threat to the Gwanghae’s reign? But then again, why? I’m stumped!
firefly
October 22, 2019 at 5:11 AM
There must be some prophecy surrounding his birth that made him a bad omen. That would be my guess.
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 5:24 AM
Oh, that’s a great guess! If I recall correctly, a similar theme of prophecy/fortune-telling cropped up in Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, which was also written by one of the writers of Nokdu! Could it be that one of the court shamans predicted that the King’s son would play a role in his downfall?
firefly
October 22, 2019 at 5:31 AM
That would be my guess because he kept repeating the date like it was something ominous. I wasn’t paying attention the palace politics at all but now I might need to rewatch all those scenes.
FlyingTool
October 22, 2019 at 7:51 AM
Yes, the current king has shown himself to be very superstitious.
MeloMe
October 22, 2019 at 11:40 AM
Ok so I haven’t gotten around to watch the latest episodes yet but maybe it’s not actually a son but our heroin, a daughter!?
kiara
October 22, 2019 at 5:53 AM
Nokdu is based loosely on Crown Prince Yi Ji. King Gwanghae’s only son.
This writer is not sticking with the history “as expected.”
Gwanghae didn’t try to kill his own son and Gwanghae ascended the throne because he was the most capable in all of King Seonjo’s illegitimate sons. The people also did not hate him. When Japan attacked Joseon his father went into hiding in China while the 18 yr old Gwanghae was left to defend the people and rebuild the country.
The young prince that was residing in the palace is Gwanghae’s half brother, the legitimate heir to the throne. He was only 2yrs old when King Seonjo died so he was too young to rule.
Injo (Cha Yul-mu aka Prince Neungyang) is Yi Ji (Nokdu’s) cousin. His father was Gwanghae’s incompetent older brother. He eventually
became king after a coup to overthrow Gwanghae.
Injo was one of the worst king in Joseon. During his reign Joseon went through two devastated Manchu invasions.
I don’t know if Gwanghae is trying to protect or kill Nokdu but Nokdu will probably return to the palace and become the crown prince or he will live happily ever after as a commoner with Dong Dong-ju aka Eun-seo.
Who knows what changes this writer will do.
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 6:14 AM
iirc, Gwanghae’s people did not hate him, but members of the court (yangban like scholars and politicians) who formed the minor Western faction were against his continued rule, despite his attempts to bring them into government. His policies were also seen as immoral and heretical, and many members of court saw his brand of politics as a defiance to certain fundamental principles of Neo-Confucianism, which was the state ideology of Joseon at the time.
Not sure if that’s the story that the drama will stick to when they reveal the exact reasons for the plots against the King, of course, but I’m interested to see how much leeway the writers take with his character/story!
kiara
October 22, 2019 at 6:43 AM
Members of the court were more concern with gaining power for their own political parties than protecting the country and serving the people.
For Gwanghae, his country and his people came first. He remained neutral between China and Manchus to prevent invasions and sufferings of his people.
So what did the Western faction do for Joseon? They put a puppet Injo on the throne and went pro Ming. That’s why the Manchus invaded Joseon not once but twice. Injo went into hiding while people were being slaughtered by the Manchus.
This drama is doing their own thing like this writer’s last drama.
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 4:58 AM
Comment was deleted
firefly
October 22, 2019 at 5:09 AM
I’m here and thanks a lot. So this is going to be a fictional war of the princes? Since Nokdu didn’t actually exist in history. I never thought they would give us two real life kings in this drama. Well played.
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 5:26 AM
I feel kind of silly thinking this was going to be another set standard sageuk 😂 Still, we can all unite in our mutual feelings of shock and disbelief. Nokdu just got a whole new level of interesting!
firefly
October 22, 2019 at 5:29 AM
I honestly thought this drama would just be rainbows and sunshine. I didn’t even know how badly I needed this plot twist. Absolutely a whole new level of interesting.
blnmom
October 22, 2019 at 8:49 AM
Thank you and @kiara for explaining. I read the wiki and still had no clue what was happening. Korean history is more complicated than any makjang daily drama!
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 3:54 AM
NOKDU EP 6… THAT REVEAL THO… how silly I was commenting on last week\’s recap that Yulmoo seemed totally unimportant 😂
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 4:00 AM
Now I’m grateful we didn’t end last week on that mind-blowing twist!!! Small mercies 😂
firefly
October 22, 2019 at 5:10 AM
If don’t cancel again tonight then yes small mercies.
wapz
October 22, 2019 at 4:43 AM
And I thought his acting was quite sub par untill he turned full on crazy.
firefly
October 22, 2019 at 5:10 AM
I want to kick myself for thinking he was just another lovesick puppy second lead.
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 5:28 AM
ME TOO. I even thought so myself, what a boring role, why did they bother adding a character not from the manhwa if he’s not going to contribute all that much? THEY REALLY SHOWED ME WHERE TO STUFF IT 🤣
loveblossom🌸
October 22, 2019 at 6:21 AM
LOL yeah I feel like a fool. 🤦
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 10:32 AM
I caught up on Miss Lee after falling behind last week. I was instantly reminded of me why I paused: I seriously dislike almost every character. This must be a new record. I’m so close to dropping it.
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 5:21 AM
new display name, new me? goodbye (for the time being) protect choi junwoo. i\’d like to believe that my baby junu is living his best life in a small town with his mum, working on his art, texting ohje regularly and making plans to see soobin on the weekends, and therefore no longer in need of my constant protection *tearful sniffs* live well, my sweet son!
13infamyss
October 18, 2019 at 6:21 AM
Dear Protect Beanie, looks like you travelled from one drama to another too 👍🏼 Proud of your boy choices to protect.
13infamyss
October 18, 2019 at 6:21 AM
Don’t go forgetting your memories now. Have them all intact. We cannot afford a beanie having tropey amnesia too.
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 6:57 AM
If forgetting means getting stare into Roswoon’s dreamy eyes… maybe amnesia isn’t so bad 😍
Sa
October 18, 2019 at 6:21 AM
oh nooo, I enjoyed seeing jun woo reminders thru your display name. but, farewell jun woo. I think he *will* be happy somewhere. and, hello haru!
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 6:55 AM
I knooow, every time I listen to the Moment at Eighteen OST, I’ll be thinking of Junwoo and missing him. At least he’s still my display pic 😆
Sa
October 18, 2019 at 10:59 AM
I heard the OST again yesterday after a few weeks and so many feels all over again 🥺🥺
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 8:29 PM
It just puts you in that mood where you’re reminiscing 🥺
KSKalways
October 18, 2019 at 6:36 AM
what a cutie!
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 6:56 AM
me, or Junwoo? 🤣😉
KSKalways
October 18, 2019 at 10:14 AM
both 🙂
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 7:50 PM
😍
Saner
October 18, 2019 at 7:54 AM
Haha, I noticed your name change and came straight here to comment! Uri Haru needs all the protecting he can get! *grabs Weapons Grade kimchi*
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 8:02 AM
I listened to the Moment at Eighteen ost almost right after I changed my name and I immediately felt this wave of like, OH NO I MISS JUNWOO SHOULD I CHANGE BACK?! but, no, you’re right, Haru is in waaaaay greater need of protection right now, so the name will stay!! Jinmichae better watch out!
Saner
October 18, 2019 at 9:29 AM
*puts warm and comforting hand on shoulder*
After this week’s episodes, JunWoo would totally understand. and root for Haru too! As long as you remember where your bike is parked, you can always come back…
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 10:42 AM
Now that is an idea… Is it time to start wishing for Ong and Roswoon in a drama TOGETHER? And why not throw Jang Dongyoon in as well, just because we can?
Saner
October 18, 2019 at 2:14 PM
😍😍😍😍 A trio of sweeties being adorable – ack, my teeth couldn’t take it!
This comment has made me realise I’m officially in noona territory though…😂 🤣
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 1:28 AM
Extraordinary You theory/guess: Haru and Danoh came from a historical (probably Joseon?) romance manhwa.
(For some reason all the images/links disappeared 😩 Reposted in full in the comments!)
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 1:31 AM
There’s also this scene where Haru leads Danoh to the little enclave with (what could be the) flowering trumpet vines (shoutout to my fellow manhwa author @saner! 💘).
Anyone who likes a sageuk knows that flowers are always used to symbolise some kind of love/destiny/fate between the two main characters. We saw this recently with the cherry blossoms in 100 Days My Prince:
Haru also asks Danoh if she knows the place he’s brought her to, but since neither of them have their memories, she says she doesn’t know, and Haru himself admits to Dried Squid Fairy later on that although Danoh is familiar to him, he doesn’t know the answers to any of his thoughts and questions.
So what is this place, you ask?
Why, it’s gotta be our couple’s secret/romantic meeting spot, of course! Where else have we seen something like this? None other than everyone’s favourite fusion sageuk of 2016: Moonlight Drawn By Clouds.
There’s probably more stuff I could add to this post (correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t there a throwaway line somewhere Danoh calls herself a princess?), but it’s already so long, LOL. If you made it all the way to the end, thank you! I had so much fun writing this.
Happy Friday Everyone! 😆
(gif credit)
azzo
October 18, 2019 at 1:46 AM
I do think he comes from another Manhwa, as a matter of fact, it is the other one that Jin Mi-chae has “Flower”, it makes sense to me that Haru somehow travelled to this world without knowing and if you realized the lines he says are the ones in Flower, the two Manhwa world are now connected because of him, his character is a main lead in that one and now is forcing his way into Secret, but how did he get here and why? I know he is here for Dan-oh but there is still so much we need to know!
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 1:53 AM
I’m 100% with you on that, and the ‘Flower’ in question is the red flower that keeps blooming around him! I wonder if Flower was something that got shelved after the first volume, leaving the characters kind of floating around, and Haru came into the world of Secret through that weird portal we’ve been seeing. On the other hand, I feel like when Jinmichae talks about things going wrong if the story changes, he seems to be alluding to Haru as well.
Another guess of mine is that Haru’s character in Flower became self-aware and tried to change the narrative, which got him written off (maybe killed off?) in Flower, which then somehow led to him entering the world of Secret. But how? And what about Danoh? Something tells me they definitely knew each other from before the events of the drama, but where and why? SO MUCH still to be answered, and now, Kyung’s really thrown a spanner in the works after the ending of ep 6 😂
Saner
October 18, 2019 at 3:18 AM
I’m herre! Thank you for calling me to this very tasty thread!
I agree that it’s basically (TV version) canon that Haru came from the Joseon period with his artwork, music skill and smashing the Hangul test…but totes failing English.
Joseon love stories are ripe for tragedy and heartache with all the social boundaries and restrictions in place, as well as the strong social adherence to Confucian ideals.
A sad ending might explain why the norigae (great spot!) burned when it touched Haru’s scar – they’re clearly connected.
I wonder if it’s less about Haru changing the story and more his presence reverting the story to his….which seems like it had a very tragic ending and maybe JinMiChae is trying to prevent that ending leaking over to their world?
You often hear about writers wanting to write something light and fluffy after writing heavier things for so long….And death and the promise to meet each other ‘in the next life’ is a very common tragi-romantic trope.
But maybe their love in the previous manwha (especially his love/protective instinct for Dan Oh) was so strong that it’s breaking through pages, worlds and portals…hence the flowers, which bloom more rampantly if it’s been warmer/hotter in the summer.
In this week’s episode see that even if he is aware that changing the scene may result in his pain and disappearance, Haru is still determined to follow his heart…and Eun Dan Oh.
*tears up*
*sniffle*
I don’t think Kyung will have had a hand in Haru’s disappearance…but he seems like the kind of person to find it ironic and have a wry laugh about it (“So I’ve been suffering all this time with my dad because of some writer? If my life is just a joke to them, then I’ll just laugh about everyone’s situation.” His life is a concept [his Dad’s] within a concept [the writer’s]) but I’m hoping having read that Dan Oh doesn’t have much time might soften him….at least slightly? That scene in the hospital gave me hope. He hasn’t had the support to accept it so easily like Dohwa, DanOh and Haru have…
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 5:41 AM
I would be extremely surprised if it was anything but a sad ending. The norigae must have been a gift from Joseon Haru to Joseon Danoh while they were in love, but something must’ve come between them (war? politics? literal death?).
I do love the idea of their love breaking through the worlds (you’re right, it’s like the ‘in the next life’ trope, but kind of better?). Them falling in love in the Secret world is not something the writer intended, so they’re going to have to keep fighting! I am ready to get hurt again.gif
I don’t think Kyung is responsible for Haru’s disappearance either, though I can see why people are feeling suspicious given how threatening he seemed in that last scene LOL. Dammit, Kyung, here I am, rooting for you against the advice of other people, and you just have to go be all scary in the library. I better get lots of gentle/cute Kyung moments in the next episode as compensation. I saw that three-legged race. I have HIGH hopes.
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 2:10 AM
Comment was deleted
reijeanne
October 18, 2019 at 2:10 AM
I saw pics in twitter of sightings of them filming in historical clothes.
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 2:14 AM
Omg, I must have missed out on those! Well, that’s certainly very telling indeed 👀
reijeanne
October 18, 2019 at 3:23 AM
I should keep away from Twitter coz I just saw some major spoilers BUT Im so hungry for Extraordinary You contents 😣
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 2:20 AM
For anyone else who hasn’t seen it, I think this is it! You can see whom I’m assuming is Kim Hyeyoon dressed in what looks like hanbok!
https://twitter.com/squishqua/status/1184875823561506816?s=20
13infamyss
October 18, 2019 at 5:56 AM
Thank you very much!
Saner
October 18, 2019 at 3:02 AM
LE GASP! *clutches pearls in excitement*
13infamyss
October 18, 2019 at 5:57 AM
Omoooooo! We love star crossed lovers! Damn tropey! We take them as they come!
protect junwoo
October 18, 2019 at 2:12 AM
Omg, I have no idea why all the links and photos have disappeared all of a sudden 😤 If anyone knows why this issue comes about, let me know!
Here’s the original first part of the post:
For starters we’ve got the obvious references from last night’s episode:
Why, yes, I believe Haru is indeed from the Joseon dynasty, as evidenced by his random prodigious ability to play what I think is a piri (피리), or a traditional reed instrument used in classical Joseon court music.
That aside, though, I think we could definitely look at some stuff we’ve seen in the drama so far as clues.
The ornament Haru and Danoh find while they’re on the school trip in episode 4 (or 7-8) looks like it could be the remnants of a norigae (노리개), which was a common accessory used to adorn and decorate women’s hanbok in the Joseon dynasty.
This is the ornament we saw in the show:
And this is a beautiful norigae designed by a contemporary Korean designer, available online:
They don’t look entirely similar, of course, but norigae come in all sorts of designs, and the round centrepiece can be made from cloth, metal (like the ornament in the drama) or a precious stone material (like the one available online, which looks to me like jade). The piece Haru and Danoh find also looks it’s been weathered with age, which would make sense if it had been buried and hidden for a good 500 years.
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
October 18, 2019 at 3:06 AM
Yeah it was pretty obvious in episode 6. The Flower Manga Dried Squid was reading, plus him being able to do all these old fashioned things (all of a sudden I might add, why now exactly? convenient to the plot? ahem) without knowing why or how, plus the flower symbolism from before…
azzo
October 18, 2019 at 3:29 AM
It didn’t feel all of a sudden to me, Haru talked to Jin Mi-chae and told him that he’d made his mind about wanting to exist and change his fate along with Dan-oh’s, from that it was clear to me that he was going to be taking actions to be noticed and seen by others, he was trying to stand out and he succeeded at that by getting his name written on his name-tag, being recognized as a character, although it had other consequences later!
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
October 18, 2019 at 3:17 PM
No no I mean the sudden flurry of scenes of him doing ancient artwork… lol
I get that it might’ve seemed like it was just him trying to be noticed, but to me it was deliberate directing that said “See look? he’s from the PAST have you noticed yet? here let us do another scene on his skills in case you missed it”…
protect junwoo
October 15, 2019 at 4:24 AM
Does anyone know if Nokdu is airing this evening?
moondane
October 15, 2019 at 4:50 AM
Wondering the same thing! Did it air though?
Johahaeyo
October 15, 2019 at 5:34 AM
It has been postponed because a baseball game yesterday. I’m not sure if it is airing this evening!
SuShin
October 15, 2019 at 6:58 AM
According to soompi
We’ll have 1 hr of NokDu tonight.
Source: https://www.soompi.com/article/1359133wpp/jang-dong-yoon-protects-kim-so-hyun-during-tense-crisis-in-the-tale-of-nokdu
moondane
October 15, 2019 at 11:38 AM
At least we still have 1 day airing for this week phew
protect junwoo
October 17, 2019 at 12:27 AM
I’m so sad we missed out on one episode 🙁 But looking forward to returning to our usual schedule next week!
protect junwoo
October 14, 2019 at 8:37 AM
I hope that everyone is safe and well tonight. You matter. You are not alone in this world ♥️