K Drama Chat

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 5 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:

• K Drama Chat is featured in this month’s episode of Asian American Life from CUNY-TV! Check us out at the 10:30 mark (see link below).
• The Korean concept of Han, which is uniquely Korean and represents a emotion that is a form of resentment and hatred.
• The geography of Joseon so that we can understand the context of this episode. The Crown Prince starts in Dongnae, which was in the southeast corner of Gyeongsang Province. He was traveling to Sangju, which was in the northwestern corner of Gyeongsang. Dongnae is located in what is now Busan.
• How the Five Armies closed the gates of the mountain garrison of Mungyeong Saejae, aka Joryeong.
• How the Crown Prince wanted to be different from those who abandoned the weak. He blames himself for the deaths of the villagers, but Seo bi and Mu Young see a brave and noble prince who is risking his life for ordinary people.
• How Lord Ahn and his men show up at the pivotal moment when the Crown Prince and his crew are attacked by the village men AND the zombies.
• We learn that Lord Ahn was the prince’s teacher when he was young. Lord Ahn taught him and supported him, but also told him that he had to fend for himself AND fight injustice. Lord Ahn means so much to the prince!
• We learn more about Youngshin and his background. He is probably a member of the chakho, or the elite group that hunts tigers. He used to live in Sangju, but left during the Imjin War and even left his little brother behind.
• The evil Cho Hak ju is conducting experiments on prisoners and a mysterious noble has taken in pregnant, peasant women and is giving them shelter and food! The group includes Mu Young’s wife!
• The Queen Consort declares herself Regent, but we know that Cho Hak ju is now running the country.
• Ryu Seung-ryong, the actor who plays Cho Hak ju.

References

• Asian American Life episode featuring K Drama Chat at the 10:30 mark
• 8 Provinces of Korea during the Joseon dynasty on Wikipedia
• 8 Provinces of Korea, including where Sangju and Hanyang are located
• Crash Landing On You to be remade with Netflix USA
• Mungyeong Saejae - Wikipedia
• There's a uniquely Korean word for rage and regret. So why had I never heard of it?
• Han (cultural) - Wikipedia
• Sexagenary cycle - Wikipedia

.