The Crowned Clown Episodes 9 -16 Thoughts
Aug. 9th, 2023 11:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iaria+ We got some genuinely beautiful moments between Ha Sun and Haksan in the final episodes. I loved how their relationship developed over the show.
+ Haksan's death was not a surprise and was even completely believable, in both how he was captured and how he reacted. Of course he'd sacrifice himself to protect Ha Sun and the bright future for the country he represented. And yet in the end it was unnecessary and felt unnecessary which gave it this frustrating bittersweet pal, making it even sadder.
There are two ways it could have been avoided.
1) If Ha Sun had sent someone with Hwa-dang to get the letter. He knew how deeply important having that letter, and keeping it from his enemies, was and he knows from experience how dangerous and back stabbing it can be in the palace. If he'd sent Moo-young or Eunuch Jo or any guard with her to get the letter the maid wouldn't have had the chance to get it, and Minister Shin wouldn't have had evidence.
2) If Haksan had only held to the lesson he had just learned. To trust others and to not take all the sins on himself. Trust his king to find a way out. Trust his allies to help. Accept that he didn't have to make decision unilaterally.
+ After spending the whole show relaying on Haksan, and being accused of being his puppet, I appreciated that in the end Ha Sun was on his own in figuring out how to defeat his enemies, succeeded and ushered the country into a new bright future, like he'd promised Haksan.
+ Ha Sun and So-woon were very sweet the entire way through. I wasn't super invested in their relationship but I liked them and I was pleased with their end. The two of them being able to step away from the palace and find happiness together in a simple life is probably the best end they could get.
+ I'm so sad Moo-young died. He survived until the very end only to die for a final fake-out? Boo! Okay, he died exactly as he said he wanted to - protecting his king, but then at the very least they could have let him die as he thinking he'd managed to save him. :( All that said Moo-young/Ha Sun and the journey Moo-young went on in his loyalty were wonderful. I really enjoyed them. Moo-young following Ha Sun from the palace, the way he still called him as if he were still his king, his determination to stay with Ha Sun and Ha Sun so easily accepting - I loved it.
The scene where Moo-young returns to find Ha Sun practicing was a delight. I loved Ha Sun teasing Moo-young about falling for him (and the callback in their final scene), I loved their fight and Ha Sun running away. We never see them practice again but I chose to think that Moo-young kept training him. Ha Sun was determined to learn and grow, why not in this as well? Of course in their final scene Ha Sun stands around not doing anything to protect himself which annoyed me, so maybe not.
+ Eunuch Jo continued to be the absolute sweetest and loveliest. His relationship with Ha Sun was so great from start till the very end. One of my favourite scenes was when he brought the dried persimmons and his very clear desire for them and then equally clear disappointment and dissatisfaction when Ha Sun gave them away to the Queen - only for it to then turn into glee when Ha Sun gave him the second one. The way he pressed Ha Sun's hand when he took it and their smiles at each other, aii they are so adorable. Oh, and Eunuch Jo drawing his own picture for Ha Sun, so sweet.
+ Ho-geol also continued to be sweet. I loved his reaction to getting a scholars robe. His crush on Ha Sun and unbreakable faith/loyalty was adorable. Ha Sun runing over the backs of the students in order to ferry him into the palace was such a great moment.
+ I was disappointed that Yi Heon as a character almost completely disappeared after his death. Moo-young possibly had the biggest reaction in his torn loyalty. While So-woon struggled and almost killed herself over her 'betrayal' it never felt like it was actually over him. In the beginning we got hints of a softer past between them, and that is part of what was used to build Ha Sun and her relationship but then it was seemingly forgotten and I never felt like So-woon mourned Yi Heon or what they could have been. Sure, he was terrible in the end but... idk. I wanted a bigger impact there and there just wasn't. Even the Dowager-Queen who I would have expected to react in rage at losing her chance for revenge against him or feel satisfaction/glee over his ignominious death - didn't? And mostly just turned her spite and hate onto Ha Sun.
+ Ha Sun's response to Minister Shin heckling him about not sending soldiers was brilliant. I loved him giving Minister Shin permission to take all the scholars and lead the expedition himself. That shut them up, lol. And then him shaming all of them for being willing to sacrifice the average people but not themselves or their family. I mean it didn't work long but I very much enjoyed it.
+ Ha Sun catching Minister Shin in his own trap was also great. If Shin hadn't ordered the interrogation Ha Sun wouldn't have been able to turn it around on him. He got too overconfident and misjudged how bold/quick-witted Ha Sun could be.
+ I liked how in the end all the main antagonists ended. Each alone, having failed in their goals and knowing it 100%. There was a lot of satisfaction in it.
+ Even until the end I felt sympathy for the dowager queen. Her desire for revenge was understandable. Honestly I was expecting her to be the one to kill Haksan and I wouldn't have even been mad. That said, in the end she did also seem to want power (honestly also understandable) and her hatred for Ha Sun and So-woon made no sense. Her dying by poisoning after spending so long advocating it for So-woon felt appropriate.
+ In the end the character I felt the worst for was Woon-sim. After so very long she finally heard what she'd always wanted from Haksan, she was going to get her happy ending with the man she loved while their country was finally once again under the hands of a good king - and then he died. I like to think that in her travels she came upon Dal-rae and Kap-soo and joined their troupe, finding family with them.
+ Court Lady Kim did some terrible things but I'm glad she survived, even with her punishment. I wish we'd gotten more of her and her motives and goals. I did appreciate, and I think she did too, that she was the nail in Minister Shin's coffin.
+ Ae-young didn't get much development but I liked her steadfast loyalty to So-woon and their easy friendship so the fact that she accompanied So-woon out of the palace was nice.
+ Haksan's death was not a surprise and was even completely believable, in both how he was captured and how he reacted. Of course he'd sacrifice himself to protect Ha Sun and the bright future for the country he represented. And yet in the end it was unnecessary and felt unnecessary which gave it this frustrating bittersweet pal, making it even sadder.
There are two ways it could have been avoided.
1) If Ha Sun had sent someone with Hwa-dang to get the letter. He knew how deeply important having that letter, and keeping it from his enemies, was and he knows from experience how dangerous and back stabbing it can be in the palace. If he'd sent Moo-young or Eunuch Jo or any guard with her to get the letter the maid wouldn't have had the chance to get it, and Minister Shin wouldn't have had evidence.
2) If Haksan had only held to the lesson he had just learned. To trust others and to not take all the sins on himself. Trust his king to find a way out. Trust his allies to help. Accept that he didn't have to make decision unilaterally.
+ After spending the whole show relaying on Haksan, and being accused of being his puppet, I appreciated that in the end Ha Sun was on his own in figuring out how to defeat his enemies, succeeded and ushered the country into a new bright future, like he'd promised Haksan.
+ Ha Sun and So-woon were very sweet the entire way through. I wasn't super invested in their relationship but I liked them and I was pleased with their end. The two of them being able to step away from the palace and find happiness together in a simple life is probably the best end they could get.
+ I'm so sad Moo-young died. He survived until the very end only to die for a final fake-out? Boo! Okay, he died exactly as he said he wanted to - protecting his king, but then at the very least they could have let him die as he thinking he'd managed to save him. :( All that said Moo-young/Ha Sun and the journey Moo-young went on in his loyalty were wonderful. I really enjoyed them. Moo-young following Ha Sun from the palace, the way he still called him as if he were still his king, his determination to stay with Ha Sun and Ha Sun so easily accepting - I loved it.
The scene where Moo-young returns to find Ha Sun practicing was a delight. I loved Ha Sun teasing Moo-young about falling for him (and the callback in their final scene), I loved their fight and Ha Sun running away. We never see them practice again but I chose to think that Moo-young kept training him. Ha Sun was determined to learn and grow, why not in this as well? Of course in their final scene Ha Sun stands around not doing anything to protect himself which annoyed me, so maybe not.
+ Eunuch Jo continued to be the absolute sweetest and loveliest. His relationship with Ha Sun was so great from start till the very end. One of my favourite scenes was when he brought the dried persimmons and his very clear desire for them and then equally clear disappointment and dissatisfaction when Ha Sun gave them away to the Queen - only for it to then turn into glee when Ha Sun gave him the second one. The way he pressed Ha Sun's hand when he took it and their smiles at each other, aii they are so adorable. Oh, and Eunuch Jo drawing his own picture for Ha Sun, so sweet.
+ Ho-geol also continued to be sweet. I loved his reaction to getting a scholars robe. His crush on Ha Sun and unbreakable faith/loyalty was adorable. Ha Sun runing over the backs of the students in order to ferry him into the palace was such a great moment.
+ I was disappointed that Yi Heon as a character almost completely disappeared after his death. Moo-young possibly had the biggest reaction in his torn loyalty. While So-woon struggled and almost killed herself over her 'betrayal' it never felt like it was actually over him. In the beginning we got hints of a softer past between them, and that is part of what was used to build Ha Sun and her relationship but then it was seemingly forgotten and I never felt like So-woon mourned Yi Heon or what they could have been. Sure, he was terrible in the end but... idk. I wanted a bigger impact there and there just wasn't. Even the Dowager-Queen who I would have expected to react in rage at losing her chance for revenge against him or feel satisfaction/glee over his ignominious death - didn't? And mostly just turned her spite and hate onto Ha Sun.
+ Ha Sun's response to Minister Shin heckling him about not sending soldiers was brilliant. I loved him giving Minister Shin permission to take all the scholars and lead the expedition himself. That shut them up, lol. And then him shaming all of them for being willing to sacrifice the average people but not themselves or their family. I mean it didn't work long but I very much enjoyed it.
+ Ha Sun catching Minister Shin in his own trap was also great. If Shin hadn't ordered the interrogation Ha Sun wouldn't have been able to turn it around on him. He got too overconfident and misjudged how bold/quick-witted Ha Sun could be.
+ I liked how in the end all the main antagonists ended. Each alone, having failed in their goals and knowing it 100%. There was a lot of satisfaction in it.
+ Even until the end I felt sympathy for the dowager queen. Her desire for revenge was understandable. Honestly I was expecting her to be the one to kill Haksan and I wouldn't have even been mad. That said, in the end she did also seem to want power (honestly also understandable) and her hatred for Ha Sun and So-woon made no sense. Her dying by poisoning after spending so long advocating it for So-woon felt appropriate.
+ In the end the character I felt the worst for was Woon-sim. After so very long she finally heard what she'd always wanted from Haksan, she was going to get her happy ending with the man she loved while their country was finally once again under the hands of a good king - and then he died. I like to think that in her travels she came upon Dal-rae and Kap-soo and joined their troupe, finding family with them.
+ Court Lady Kim did some terrible things but I'm glad she survived, even with her punishment. I wish we'd gotten more of her and her motives and goals. I did appreciate, and I think she did too, that she was the nail in Minister Shin's coffin.
+ Ae-young didn't get much development but I liked her steadfast loyalty to So-woon and their easy friendship so the fact that she accompanied So-woon out of the palace was nice.
