Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo Part 2
All of the stages of grief.
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This is the third time I've watched MLSHR and each time I've watched it I experience something different. It's not my favorite drama of all time but there must be something very entertaining about it. The first time I watched it, I eagerly awaited for subs each week and when it was over I was desperate for more. I kept thinking, there must be a season 2, or a movie, or that an alternative ending will be released at some point. When updates about possible additions to the story stopped coming in, I watched the entire series over again to tide myself over. The second time I watched it, I noticed details I hadn't the first time. There were so many little moments between Chae Ryung and the 9th prince, for example, that foreshadow their roles in the story later on. But these little moments were completely meaningless to me the first time; I didn't even notice them. It gave me appreciation for how well planned the drama was, as often times Korean dramas that aren't pre produced feel lost halfway through. I watched MLSHR for the third time recently because I decided to watch the Chinese version and then of course I felt the urge to watch the Korean version again. The main thing I felt the third time was pity for the 8th prince, Wook. He was forced to give up his love for Soo and become a coward because of his sister's greedy actions. And then when he decided to throw his entire weight behind becoming king, because he no longer had a love to protect anyways, he repeatedly got thrown away and missed every opportunity. He wanted Soo and he wanted to protect his family by becoming king and got neither.
The second thing I realized after watching this drama for the third time is that I'm certain the ending was set up for more of the story. And it breaks my heart because had the drama been more popular and more successful, maybe this could have happened. However, it's extremely unlikely that there
will be a second season or anything else. Despite knowing this, I noticed that when Ha Jin is waking up from one her Goryeo dreams, one of the scenes they show is So riding his horse in the first episode with the eclipse as the backdrop. I didn't think much of this before, but I'm realizing now that when Soo was transported to Goryeo through an eclipse, there was also an eclipse in Goryeo that she entered through. We see that So is witnessing the eclipse as he's riding to Songak at the same time that Soo comes up from the Damiwon bathing area. Now think back to the scene of So right before we go back to Ha Jin in modern time. He witnesses another eclipse. This is the eclipse that he will enter into Ha Jin's time with, which takes us to the scene IU teased on her instagram months ago of someone handing Ha Jin a tissue. Because So will enter the body of one of his reincarnations in the future, he will still have all of his memories from Goryeo and of Soo. He can find her in modern times by entering the eclipse and because he would remember her.
I know people try to avoid comparing the Chinese version to the Korean version of Scarlet Heart, but watching the Chinese version can give so much more appreciation for the Korean one. I admittedly failed to finish the Chinese version. It was too long. The longest drama I've watched is 24 episodes long (*Jealousy Incarnate*). And there were so many things that distracted me from the story. There was the awful dubbing, the confusing political wishy- washiness of all the princes, and all the creepy characters. There were a lot of creepy characters in the Chinese version, including the 8th prince. The overall quality of the Chinese version was better, but there were a lot of things that the Korean version improved on. I like the representation of the 4th and 8th princes a lot better. You understand why So is cruel and why he acts the way he does. This cannot be said for the 4th prince in the Chinese version. Also, in the Chinese version the 8th prince always had dark ambition for the throne, but just hid it for most of the story. In the Korean version Wook had actual character development.
I think another reason I watch this drama time and time again is the romance. It's slow to develop, but that' s what makes it so statisfying. So transitions from wanting to kill Soo to trusting her to falling in love and never letting her go. And their reasons for loving each other are so clear. That's not the case for the Chinese version. When So shields Soo from the rain, she is doing a kneeling protest to prevent a loved one from dying. When the 4th prince shields Ruoxi, she's been punished for making a request on behalf of another prince. When So shields Soo from the arrow, he must betray his plan to act as though he no longer loves her so that her life won't be used as bait. When the 4th prince shields Ruoxi from the arrow, it was shot by a child on accident.
The Korean version was by no means perfect. The editing was noticeably awkward in some places. Much of the ost betrayed the drama by giving it the mood of a frilly youth drama, which at it's heart it wasn't. IU received a lot of hate for her acting, which I think was undeserved. Just watch her last scene with court lady Oh in episode 11, and you can see the has the ability to convey emotions well. There were many other scenes in later episodes that show she grew as an actress throughout the series. And Lee Jun Gi 's acting was utterly incredible.
People started to become upset with the ending when Soo left the palace and married Jung. I think that saying that Soo left So because of noble idiocy is a poor interpretation of the story. It's not 100% clear why she decided to leave, but doing so to help So become a better king was never one of the reasons. Soo witnessed many deaths in Goryeo, but Chae Ryung is the straw that broke the camel's back. Lady Hae and court lady Oh were mother figures for Soo, but Chae Ryung was like a little sister. Soo took care of Chae Ryung. After all of So's cruel acts towards his brothers, Soo couldn't bear it any longer. And then there's the fact that Soo might have somehow been aware that she was pregnant. Her dying wish was to keep her daughter away from the palace; death, punishment, and isolation. That seems to me to be far more than enough to drive Soo away from So and the palace, even if she still loves him.
It's impossible not too feel sad for the main couple. So is left alone in the world without a friend, like he has been for most of his life. But my heart really breaks for Soo at the end. When all of her memories come back in the gallery, the daebak moment Soo had when she met king Tae Jo for the first time was gone. She wasn't amazed by the fact that she witnessed and lived ancient history. She was mourning over the loss of her lover who's now much more than an historical figure. She remembers So, but it's too late because he died a thousand years ago. All she can do is cry and apologize to his painting. And after everything she's been through, how can she possibly go on with her life? How could anyone? I'll just keep believing that So would have jumped into another eclipse and found Soo in the present time.
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