'The Red Sleeve' Episodes 7 & 8 Discussion Post

[skidadler.livejournal.com]

Director: Jung Ji-In
Writer: Kang Mi-Kang (novel), Jung Hae-Ri
Network: MBC
Episodes: 16
Release Date: November 12 - January 7

Plot: Set in the 18th century, "Red Sleeve" depicts a love story between King Jeongjo and royal concubine Uibin Sung.

Sung Deok-Im (Lee Seyoung) is a court lady. She gets involved with Crown Prince Yi San (Lee Junho) and he falls in love with her. The crown prince eventually becomes King Jeongjo. He now desires Sung Deok-Im to become his concubine, but she refuses. Sung Deok-Im wants to live her life freely, something that will not be possible as a concubine. She also knows that life of a royal concubine does not generally bring about happiness. Yet, Sung Deok-Im becomes the concubine of King Jeongjo.

You can watch on Viki.

Just like that, we're halfway through the story already.

Source: AsianWiki (Drama info & poster)

Comments

[unnursvana.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed most of the romance in ep 7. The scene with the prince and the guard overhearing the court ladies talking about who they liked in men was hilarious and him trying to steal the orange to give Deok Im was also so good. Then the second half of that episode rolled around and the sort of possession of the lady that holds your affection part kicked in and I was less thrilled about it.

I wasn't super big fan of the ending of ep seven with him sort of demanding her devotion to him because she is his court lady or how he put hands on her throat telling her that he decides her fate. And while she stood up for herself I did feel like the drama sort of brushed passed it in ep 8 a little bit.

Do you think he suggested her being exiled when the Queen was questioning her about the book because she rejected him and he couldn't deal with that? because that's how I read it but maybe he was trying to spare her from a much harder fate because he does care. I do feel like the drama brushed a bit passed that whole plot a bit as well. Overall the romance plot wasn't truly doing for me in ep 8.

The court politics and everything around that is super interesting to me. The head court lady and her sort of secret organizations of court ladies feel super culty and I enjoy it. It looks like this drama is going much darker than most sageuks this year and I really like it.

That head court lady (is that her title?) is to me the most interesting character in this drama. The way she is running this whole thing behind the scenes and how calculating she is is truly fascinating. I love some good political scheming and good secret organizations and good intrigue and this drama has that!. This is the kind of stuff I love love love in sageuks.

[skidadler.livejournal.com]

You have no idea how excited I am to see a familiar face watching this too! I'm like I need more friends to talk about his drama with!

I really enjoyed most of the romance in ep 7
I do, too. The chemistry between Junho and Seyoung is SO. good. I really love that San is so honest and open with Deok-im about his feelings for her. He is so in love with her and it's very cute. The way he smuggled the orange for her is cute. And I love the way that the drama used that as a symbol of his affection for her and they handled the rejection nicely. I always love how Deok-im is so true to herself and isn't afraid to put San in his place.

I wasn't super big fan of the ending of ep 7
I wasn't the biggest fan from the context perspective. And this isn't justifying by any means: San is about 19/20 and has been raised to believe everything belongs to him. It never crossed my mind that he was going to hurt her, I think Deok-im knew that, too. Maybe he wanted to instill some sense of fear? He took the rejection pretty well, but it was when he saw her with her brother that he got really jealous. I wish he would ask her directly rather than assume the worst like he did with the Deok-ro situation. From the acting perspective... damn Junho and Seyoung.

Do you think he suggested her being exiled [...] because she rejected him
Nope. He suggested exile because he knew that the punishment for stealing royal property is a beheading. And because the King was suffering from dementia, he was worried that he wouldn't be able to verify Deoki-m's story. So he was actually protecting her by suggesting exile. Deokim addressed it, too, saying that she was upset that he suggested it but then realized he was doing it for her benefit.

[skidadler.livejournal.com]

I am so in love with this drama. The chemistry between the Lees is just SO good. MBC Best Couple, please. This is also the highest rated MBC drama SINCE 2018 (7 - 10.7 and 8 - 10.5)

Episode 7
- Lee Junho, you didn't need to be this hot, sir. You worked hard for that body, I’m proud of you. Now eat.
- Aw, she is as affected by my boy as he is affected by her
- LOL not San having his book opened upside down and then thinking about being in the bath with Deok-im
- Hahaha, “He’s working so hard.”
- Wants to punish the court ladies until he sees Deok-im
- “I like the Crown Prince.” OMO
- Nooooo he runs off to squeal because he’s so happy
- Even the Queen wants Deok-im to be her court lady
- San talking about his father to Deok-im is both sweet and heartbreaking. He loves his father so much even with how everyone perceived him
- Uh oh, the King is forgetting things
- SHE FOUND HER BROTHER!
- I love that San knows Deok-im’s schedule and is all, “Where is she? She’s sick? How sick?”
- And then rushes to see her the next day to check if she’s still sick… my lovesick kitty
- No, Lady Jo! Don’t force Deok-im to do what she doesn’t want to do
- “Must nip it in the bud.” Oh oh, Deok-im
- “Do you know how much the court ladies love oranges?” Immediately hides it.
- *Orange goes missing* “I ate it.” “Including the rind?” LMAO
- “I’m doing what I like, in my favorite place, with the person I adore.” *hands her his smuggled orange* I appreciate that San is very honest with how he feels about Deok-im.
- It’s sad that they like each other but Deok-im has her own wants and needs and even a compromise during that time is nearly impossible, so she rejects him.
- “Are we truly talking about the orange?”
- Nooo, head guardsman heard the rest of the convo where Deok-im says they all have to adore San as his subjects… if a smile could kill, San’s nailed it
- “I’m scared. I feel chills running down my spine. I wonder why?” LMAO SIR
- Proceeds to go shoot arrows to manage his anger… I respect this
- Blah blah palace politics
- A shit, Lady Jo also suspects his dementia
- “Find yourself a woman who will stay by your side.”
- Oh, no… that’s her brother, San! Don’t misread it.
- San, you’re so honest about your feelings for Deok-im but you won’t even ask her directly.
- Love isn’t about possessing/owning everything about someone else… it’s about sharing and San, at 19/20, doesn’t understand that at all…
- SAN! NO!

Episode 8
- I had a feeling he wouldn’t hurt her but wanted to instill some kind of fear and… respect? But don’t be a dick just because she won’t give you what you want
- Junho and Seyoung are so good against each other, my lord
- So confirmed Gramps has dementia
- Lady Jo getting desperate and is begging Deok-im to become San’s concubine
- HOLY SHIT… what the fuck is she doing with Lady Park. Christ that is DARK.
- Oh no… Deok-im never threw out that one page from the banned book
- Ahhhh, they found lady Yeongbin’s book the King gave her
- Does Lady Jo not realize that something bad happening to Deok-im means she won’t have a puppet
- I love that her friends knew the person to go to for help
- Who of course literally comes running in because… of course
- So proud of Deok-im fighting for herself, I love herrr
- Even in a corner, San will always do his best to protect her
- The fact that San and Deokim know each other so well that they can just communicate with their eyes is… ugh
- Oh man, this scene… everyone did so well and now San realizes that Deok-im was the young court lady he met years ago
- Protect my baby, says Gramps
- Lady Jo is scarier than any other sageuk villain… scarier than Gramps in King’s Affection, too
- No, what the fuck are you doing with my Lady Seo… Of course, she’s going to blackmail her to get Deok-im to become San’s concubine…
- Oh shit… this revelation about Lady Jo… it all makes sense why she’s so desperate to get rid of San and that she was behind the rift between Prince Sado and the King
- LOL and then there’s all the ministers still trying to go against San
- I love Lady Hyebin…
- “My name is San.” AHHHHHHHH