The songs we featured during the recap:
Coldness by HEO
Romantic by Hee Nam Do
Blue by Bang Kyung Ho
The significance of the show’s opening sequence, including:
The infinity symbol that transforms into a norigae, representing Ban Ji-eum’s endless reincarnation cycle that started 1,000 years ago, when she wore hanbok with norigae.
The red string of fate, symbolizing the deep connection between Ban Ji-eum and Moon Seo-ha across lifetimes.
Water as a recurring motif, symbolizing time, renewal, and the fluidity of life.
The presence of symbols representing Ban Ji-eum’s various lives and her connections to Moon Seo-ha.
The episode’s major plot developments:
Ban Ji-eum’s memory flashback showing Moon Seo-ha with a bloody sword in her first life.
The abandoned building scene where Moon Seo-ha witnesses Mr. Bang’s body fall from above.
The attack on Moon Seo-ha and his emotional breakdown upon learning his uncle ordered the accident that killed Yoon Ju-won.
Ban Ji-eum’s confrontation with her father, who was responsible for the accident.
The reveal that Kang Min-gi, Ban Ji-eum, and Moon Seo-ha were all connected in Ban Ji-eum’s first life.
The chilling cassette tape proving Moon Seo-ha’s uncle orchestrated the accident.
The episode’s emotional climax: Ban Ji-eum playing Remember on the piano and revealing to Moon Seo-ha that she was Yoon Ju-won.
The continued tension between Ha Do-yoon and Yoon Cho-won, with Yoon Cho-won refusing to give up on him.
CEO Jang’s mysterious influence and connection to Moon Seo-ha’s uncle, and her reaction to receiving gladiolus flowers from Hanna.
Thoughts on the episode title, Casting One’s Fate Unto the Dice, and how it reflects Ban Ji-eum’s risky decision to reveal her past life.
The shows we’re watching now.
Exciting rumors that Scarlet Heart RYEO is coming to Viki!
References
Hi again! So I started to listen to the pod early this morning right after it posted, so excited to be mentioned! But after that I promptly fell back asleep, and dreamed of meeting these two nice women and exchanging views on Kdramas. Things were just great until it dawned on me that the women I was talking to might be Son Yi and Joanna. So I asked if they were you guys and both women got REALLY mad and started yelling at me, saying that I ruined their vacation and would be besieged by fans! I apologized and said I didn’t think you were famous enough to be stalked by the papparazi. You guys got even more mad and insulted that I didn’t appreciate the burden of world fame! I woke up laughing!
ReplyDeleteSorry I meant Sung Hee
DeleteHi Ellen, that’s sooo funny! What a crazy dream!!! Though to set the record straight, we would NEVER be mad to meet you!! On the contrary, it would be so much fun. Furthermore, no danger here of being chased by a the paparazzi, at least not yet. BTW, my dreams are always crazy so I can relate. I would love to have heard the transcript of the discussion we had in your dream. Probably would have made good material for the podcast!
DeleteEllen, that is the craziest, most hilarious dream ever! And yes, to echo what Sung Hee said, we would NEVER be mad at you and would be delighted to meet you!
DeleteIt sounds like YOU are the famous one, so we should be following YOU!
I hope you guys do become world famous! Studio Dragon, Netflix and Viki should sponsor this podcast
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful compliment!! Being sponsored by one of those big names would be a second act dream. But on the other hand, we have nice cozy podcast where we can communicate directly with our listeners and that makes it even more special. Thankfully we both have day jobs that can support this labor of love. Though we wouldn't say no if Netflix came knocking...
DeletePersonally, I would love to see Joanna and Sung-hee get sponsored by Kopiko! With a Kopiko break in the middle of the podcast for a burst of energy!
DeleteI would love a box of Kopiko candy shipped to my house every month for my late nights working! I love the stuff! I've even tried the sweet instant coffee and it's good!
DeleteI’m a successful professional writer myself, and have some ideas on this, I’ll send you guys an email.
ReplyDeleteEllen, we look forward to it, thank you!
DeleteWas Seo-ha kinda cool in this episode!? I mean, he was going through some stuff, but he actually seemed to act pretty cool. I don’t know how to feel about that.
ReplyDeleteSo the piano song was Je-eum’s way of doing her big reveal. Smart. It reminded me of the song in CLOY and how it was used. I wonder if any other K Dramas have used this? Could it become an element!? TBH, I don’t think it is.
One of the things that struck me about this episode is that it seemed to touch on the concept of Confucian family values – at least on Seo ha’s part. This is something that I totally did not understand when I first started watching K Dramas and, as a result, I had a hard time understanding why certain characters were acting the way they were. While filial piety is probably the most dominant aspect of Confucian family values, family reputation is another very important factor. The reason this comes into play is when Seo ah discovers that Ji-eum’s father is the one who caused the accident and killed Dong goo’s father, he is devastated not so much because he can’t forgive HER, but because the actions of her father reflect on her almost as if she herself was responsible for her father’s actions. (I think this is an accurate description of these values, but other commentators let me know if you think this right). As an American, this does not really seem that big a deal to me. Most westerners, and in particular Americans, do not think that the actions of a parent reflect on the child, and vice versa. Maybe this exists in some small degree in certain types of western families, like old money elites or very conservative religious families. But on the whole, we Americans think you are only responsible for your own actions. The idea that your children and your parents’ actions reflect on you equally in eastern societies was really hard for me to wrap my head around. I now am aware of it – even if don’t really get it – and I think that has helped me understand some of these K Drama plot points.
In this episode, both Ji-eum and Seo-ha reject this Confucian family value. I think its easier for Ji-eum to do it because her family is trash, and she’s already had like ten plus families in her many lives. Then we see Seo-ha reject these values in a way by burning the evidence of Ji-eum’s father’s involvement in the murder. Now I’m not sure exactly what Ji-eum was thinking when he first found out. My guess is his initial reaction was influenced by this Confucian family value and he thought how could he be in love with someone who’s father killed his first love and his friend’s father? But I think there was a change in him when he saw how Ji-eum dealt with her father when he showed up at the hotel. She clearly was NOT influenced by Confucian values, and I think something switched in him and he thought that if she’s not going be held back by those values, neither is he. I could be wrong here. Just one white American guy’s attempt to understand it. I’d be curious what others think.
Few other thoughts:
Agree. Ji-eum’s first outfit with the white pants and blue blouse was on point!
How long would it take you to find a cassette player in your home!? I find it hard to believe Seo-ha had a cassette player in his personal possessions! He’s 30, not 50!
Loved Han na dropping off those flowers! If I was reincarnated, I would spend most of my time just messing with my enemies’ heads! Probably some of my friends as well….
Agree with Joanna about Cho-won. Move on girlfriend!!!
Ok. That’s all I got for now. Gotta go! My sisters is here to clean my apartment and cook for me!
Malcolm, thanks for your wonderful and hilarious insights!
DeleteGlad you agree with me that Cho won needs to move on! She needs to bring that sweet smile to someone else!
Yes, Moon Seo ha is turning into a cool guy. In episode 9, he gets even cooler and even smiles and goes on an adventure! Wow!
The song is definitely an interesting element. We're calling it the device that connects people across time and space because it connects several of Ban Ji mum's lives and it connects her to Moon Seo ha! It's such a clever way to do a reveal.
As for Confucian values, I think they are a mystery to most Westerners because of our belief in the individual. In most of Asia, your identity is so tied to your family. It's where you came from, it's where you get your value from. I think it was brave of both Moon Seo ha and Ban Ji eum to break with their families and I agree it was because their fathers were so awful.
BTW, I have an old, yellow radio with a cassette player in my basement. I don't even know why I still have it, but it's there. It wouldn't take me long to find it. Haha. But I'm old and Seo ha is like 31 or something. How does he even have a tape player?
Gotta go clean my house and cook for my boys!