TWSSG - Ideal vs Reality

TWSSG is by all means a grand work. It is made with nice combination of myths and historical facts. It is also an exemplified combination of ideal and reality. One needs to hold a balanced attitude to deal with the ideal and reality.

Ideally as director Kim planned, the drama would only be aired after the shootings are completed. The reality is, the script was modified and delayed, accidents and injuries happened to the director and main actors, the script was not available to the actors/actresses a week before the shooting for the ending episode, and the last episode shooting was completed only 3 days before it was aired.

Ideally HRH will complete his Taewang project safely. In reality, he got injured with broken finger, neck injury, knee injury.

Ideally the drama will be produced with meticulous quality since both the director and the main actor BYJ are perfectionists. The reality is, both of them got severely injured, the last episode broadcasted had a feeling of being rushed. Here is a snapshot of Kiha in the air. She was supposed to be on fire, but at this shot, the fire was diminished, leaving the safty wire shown too obviously. I hope this is corrected in the final version going out to the world.

Ideally Damdeok should learn from Kiha or Hogae (the only two who knew the truth) that Kiha did not kill his father. That would make more sense when Damdeok apologize to Kiha for not trusting her. The reality is, the viewer has to lean on one’s own imagination to connect the dot. Who told him and how and what was his reaction, this is an important section not to be omitted. I hope there is an updated version with this part added.

I like the way Damdeok forgave Kiha. After all she was his first love, and his son’s mother. It makes sense that he would forgive her especially after he learned that she did not murder his father. But what about his love to Sujini? Ideally, after he broke the heaven’s bow, before he turned around and going towards the glowing megalith, Damdeok would give more time to look at Sujini and his son with more passion and affection, even a hug would be better. In reality, he only passed her a glimpse, director Kim, I think only 3 more seconds will do the justice to her years of loyalty and love to the king and his son.

Ideally all four gods’ symbols would wake up for the sake of the Jyooshin king’s life. In reality, the long awaited Joojak did not get time to wake up to save the king’s life. According to the scriptwriter, the four scared symbols not only have the roles of assisting the Jyooshin King, but also represent the four essential qualities that a great king should possess. Turtle Snake represents Wrath to darkness. Blue Dragon represents Mercy. White Tiger represents Pure Courage and Phoenix Heart represents Passionate Love. The first 3 sacred symbols woke up and saved Jyooshin king’s life in the corresponding crisis. It also demonstrated that Damdeok possessed the qualities of justice, mercy and courage. However, in order to become a real king, Damdeok must also acquire the ability to love. At the beginning of the episode 24, Damdeok revealed his passionate love to Sujini, at the end of this episode, Damdeok forgave Kiha, these are all proof that he has completed his trial as a real Jyooshin King. The only regret was the scence of Joojak waking up was not shown to complete the Jyooshin King and Four Gods journey. This may become a biggest regret of this drama for rushing at the ending, and it may be difficult fix to the current cut.

Ideally I would like to see Julno elder Heukgae died from a more glorious cause, rather than falling off the horse and killed by a regular Hwachuan nimja. Ideally I wish General Kao did not get killed either. In reality, the current ending lead me to think that Heukgae was too old to fight this fierce war, that he fell off the horse caused by fatigue, killed by “nimja”, m dear poor Heukgae, he is so adorable. As for General Kao, I guess he has to die before Damdeok to fulfill the conversation between the two in episode 14. In there Damdeok promised General Kao that he would not die before the general, in order that the general can fulfill his promise to the late king to protect the life of Damdeok. So here goes our beloved General Kao.

Ideally even if all the four symbols were destroyed, none of the four guardians lost their lives, neither did Taewang die at the breaking of the heaven’s bow. After all these years of fellowship, loyalty and fighting for the king between life and death, they don't deserve to die just because the symbols were destroyed. In reality, the ending did an excellent job of making it ambiguous, only if in the previous episode, it was not explained too clearly that the guardians and the king himself would die at the breaking of the heaven’s bow. And if between the scenes of Taewang entering the glowing megalith and the scene of real life Taewang’s monument, it would be ideal to show the green sacred tree symbolizing peace is back on earth, after years of war. This will also dismiss the interpretation that Taewang died at that moment of merging into the megalith and the megalith turned into a grave stone.

Ideally more clips of ordinary people, (may or may not including the ex-guardians of the four symbols), living a peaceful life in the city or on a green pasture, be shown during the narrator announcing the chronological achievements of Taewang. In reality? A few clips of quiet city and pasture were shown to suit the intention but can be more lively with showing some of our familiar faces such as Dalbe’s twins playing with Joomuchi and that street performer telling glorious stories of Taewang to the folks on the street.

Peace on earth, that's Taewang's ideal, isn't it?

Read in TWSSG special 2, YJ said TWSSG was a great work with a few discontents. This is exactly the reflection of the ideal and the reality. I would say YJ ssi and the TWSSG crew, you did a fantastic job, especially under unexpected difficult conditions. There may be dissatisfactions to this grand project, but this is the nature of the reality. I am all satisfied to see that you achieved your goal with determination and your health is recovering day by day. Cheers!