Age of Feeling / Inspiring Generation - Episode 19 (A SqueeCap)
I'm so tired I keep looking at the inside of my eyelids and wonder why it's so dark with the lights on (plus I'm somewhat disturbed by what we did over at that WTFParis post), but things have to keep moving, cause KDrama waits for no one (or something like that). Plus, it's been a hard week and I am so ready for hot men! Come at me!
JoAnne: It really WAS a long hard week, wasn't it? And we're in completely different work. But I am very ready for hot men to come at me, as well. Thankfully, I can get my fill HERE. Because real ones, I don't have energy for at the moment. P.S Shinichi had some of his very best looking moments this week, somehow.
Episode 19
Our two boys (Jung-tae and Jae-hwa, that is) just got two very indecent proposals. The first is told to kill Jae-hwa, since he isn't even capable of protecting his people, and the second is sweet-talked by Aoki to become his bedfellow against Hwangbang. Both are reluctant, cause, you know, we have a whole episode to fill! (and the slot for the pic goes to the BEST looking among them!)
JoAnne: Thank you for clarifying which two of our boys you meant, because it could as easily have been Shinichi and Aka because MY AKA IS BACK. Although seriously... if we were hat wearing people, we would need to be taking them off in honor of the unbelievable hotness that is Aoki. What is this man doing off screen that he gets better looking every single time we see him? Can you believe he started out life as a baseball player? I have two thoughts on that: First - I want to see him in those tight baseball pants that end right below the knee. Badly. Second - Thank God that didn't work out. Ok, and yes, Third: I wonder if he kept the pants. You know... for relaxing in, when we are home alone.
I must say, I like what they did with Jae-hwa's character: he is so upright! Only when Aoki promises him 10% of the Il Gook Hwae casino revenues, he starts licking his lips (and anyway, he is so good looking). Aoki also tells him his life is in danger (cause of Jung-tae, of course) and he will be dethroned and killed or both, while his not-quite woman is watching. You tortured small animals when you were a kid, right, Aoki?
JoAnne: There are some really, really, really interesting characters in this drama. I hate it when all the effort is expended on the leads and everyone else is a prop. But we have Shinichi, Aoki, Jae Hwa, Do Ggoo, MO... so many others with so much detail and mystery to them. You just always want to know more.
When Jung-tae leaves Seul Princess' lair, he runs into the OkSoSo-couple. They feel quite safe where they are, as they inform him. Thanks for the info. Do-ggo is also there and Jung-tae tells him to take good care of his bride. He informs JT of two things: One, Ok-ryeon is his singer first before she is JT's girl and two, he is learning Kung Fu these days. So just you wait, Jung-tae? Snort. We could take issue with Do-ggo's degradation to a comic relief, but I won't.
JoAnne: See, again, I think we're being lulled. We MET Do Ggoo as a confusing character - funny, but also very dark. And confusing, because sometimes he seemed ok. And now it's funny all the time and haha what's he doing NOW... and it's easy to forget what he showed us early on.
Arrogant Aoki likens Jae-hwa to a desperate stray dog as he walks away from the Club, but suddenly, his confidence turns into concern. He removes his hat ... and bows. Denkai Doyama has arrived! Shinichi is there, Aka is there, Gaya is there, they are all there! Aoki gets in line behind him and Old Man Yakuza smiles greedily at the sight of Club Shanghai. Before anything else can happen, he orders the whole posse to Il Gook Hwae ... time to clean house!
JoAnne: I have been waaaaaaaaaaiting for this moment. What the hell is going to happen? Papa has nothing to be pleased about, kids.
Inside the Club, Jae-hwa "Hi, Bro's Jung-tae ... who doesn't understand a word. Haha, he is a bit thick sometimes. Cause Jae-hwa is in an exceptionally good mood, Jung-tae wonders whether something good has happened to him. Oh yeah, says Jae-hwa: Mr. Intelligence Director paid him a visit, to partner up with him against Hwangbang. Jung-tae thinks about that for a while and then he says to crush Hwangbang together. Without any of these outsiders. But not with this bro - it's a clear and loud NO.
JoAnne: How would a country bumpkin less than a month in Shanghai know English? This time I can't make a joke about him being not so bright, it wouldn't be fair. Jae Hwa. Jae HWA. He's begging you. I know. There's really no chance that two underdogs could take on HwangBang and defeat it, especially since it would mean Il Gook Hwae would REALLY be after you now... but still. I'm heartbroken that the bromance could end before it really begins.
At Il Gookie headquarters (excuse me if I abbreviate this thing from now on), Denkai has Aoki tell Gaya and Shinichi about their plans to create counterfeit money next. Cause the things with the drugs ain't working? Or have you forgotten, show? Last week? All about Opium? He then starts this chilling speech about the bombers and the war that is coming, but before that, they need to take Bangsamtong. Nobody knows why, but hey, who cares! Gaya gets scolded for sitting idly on her ass for a month, and for letting Jung-tae into her room plus for setting a fire. Oh. Wow. She looks at her grandfather and says boldly: "It's probably because I love that Joseon guy". *gasp*!
JoAnne: Death wish.
Gramps is all: wuuuut did you just say? and she says she was so immersed in that love she forgot everything around her. Aoki and Shinichi look as if they might die on the spot from anxiety. Is she trying to rebel against him? Denkai wants to know, but she just says: I guess now you will order my death like you ordered my mother's, right?
JoAnne: Her two men. They love her, truly. I do, too.
Denkai asks, calm, but so-not-calm, whether she really loved a Joseon bastard, at which Shinichi starts imploring her not to answer, but he is completely ignored, as Denkai puts his (completely blunt) sword at Gaya's neck. He repeats his question, and she says oh yeah. I have had him in my heart for a very long time. Kill me already - give Shinichi the order! Oh dear, the look on Shinichi's face is killing me .... :(
JoAnne: Seriously, his panic was like a living thing you could see in the room. He was absolutely frantic with worry.
Gramp's is heartbroken too ... he asks Shinichi whether she is telling the truth. Of course not! says Shinichi, bowing down deeply, she is making the whole thing up, in order to punish him for her mother's death (that is ... not very logical, Shinichi, but I guess you're under a lot of pressure right now).
JoAnne: Remember when he had no feelings and his face never changed and we couldn't really tell what his deal was?
"Kill her, Shinichi", says Denkai. (fuck you Grandpa)
But Shinichi is awesome (didn't I always say so??!)(yes). No, he says. He will not. He is not Denkai's sword, but Gaya's. Then, Shinichi has to die first for disobeying his order, says Denkai and swings ... but Shinichi blocks the sword (still sitting down, oh dear he's cooool ... I feel a Shinichi post coming on!!). He can only be killed by Gaya, says Shinichi - he will not die by another hand. Denkai puts up the sword again, but Aoki gets up and stops him, quite sensibly telling him to calm down. War is at their doors, they need their strength - and Gaya is important.
JoAnne: Shinichi was awesome here, but so was Aoki. And I really feel, for the first time, that the two men have a sort of grudging partnership and even affection or concern for each other.
Just demote Gaya for now - punish her later. He will carry out the punishment. He raises the sword and CUTS Shinichi's left shoulder. That must be totally terrible, because Gaya goes hysterical ("the bleeding won't stop!"- uhm, he has just been cut a few seconds ago, woman!) and Aoki says his life as a swordsman is over - he is herewith banished from Il Gookie and declared outlaw. Anyone who sees him can or even should kill him. Hey! Not nice!
JoAnne: No, it's a ruse. I know it. I mean, yeah, I think he severed something important and Shinichi is no longer a swordsman, but the rest of it I think... I am pretty sure he has a plan. It might even be THEIR plan. And how awesome was it that Gaya finally had to cop to the fact that she DOES care about Shinichi?
After Gaya has helped Shinichi out of the room, Denkai gives Aka the order to bring Shin Jung-tae before him. Hold it! Says Aoki - he has a plan. Let's assume that is NOT good for everybody we like, right? Oh, but we also like Aoki. And Aka. Hey, that's a good thing! Cause whoever wins this tug-o-war, we will be happy in the end!
JoAnne: Aoki is really pushing things with Denkai... he has balls of steel, this one. As for being happy no matter what, I'm not so sure about that really. 'Happy' requires shirtless Jung Tae, Jae Hwa, Aka, Aoki, Shinichi, possibly Do Ggoo, and yes, of course, Mo, all doing martial arts together in the dewy morning grass outside my bedroom's French doors while I drink coffee and eat croissants and observe. Each morning, one of them will be chosen to 'freshen up' in my room afterwards. THAT's happy.
Princess and his Black Knight are quite thrilled to hear about the rebellion inside Il Gookie - but less thrilled about the unknown strategic plan Denkai has and wants to implement. Oh great, it's another thing everybody wants now!
JoAnne: AKA! He always looks sad.
Oh no ... Jae-hwa has gone to the dark side! Aoki is at the Club, and Jae-hwa is all paranoid about Hwangbang plus Jung-tae trying to oust him from there. Jung-tae isn't on board (surpriiiiiise) and Jae-hwa says alright, you're no longer my bro and tomorrow at 6, we fight. That is ... like a duel? The winner is ... the Master of Bangsamtong.
JoAnne: Probably just until the next thing someone says will determine who it is, though.
kakashi: Yes, like a top secret fortune cookie recipe!
Jung-tae steps outside ... and picks up a huge, dangerous shadow right away! It's Aka. He tells Jung-tae to follow him (if he doesn't want people around here to get hurt). They walk outside the city (it's pretty there!) - and they fight! What else. (I honestly thought they were just going to talk and there'd be a big twist. Sigh.) Jung-tae hits Aka a lot, but obviously, that feels like hitting a wall ... and Aka says he isn't quite as good as his father. That's not enough for becoming Bangsamtong's owner. He'll take 10 hits by him without defending himself - if he can't make him fall, he'll be killed. Aka counts to 9 ... it's Jung-tae's last chance.
And .... BANG comes the iron fist! Aka slowly falls to his knees ... and Jung-tae thinks it's over. But Aka grabs his hand and throws him off a wall. (But he didn't kill him!) He then follows the groggy boy down and lifts him off the ground. Jung-tae hits and hits and hits Aka, but he is like a rock indeed. And then, he starts squeezing Jung-tae who is suddenly confronted by Jae-hwa, who swings and ...
... it's a nightmare! Jung-tae is hurt and at the Doctor Lady's. And it's Mo next to him! I get distracted by Yummy Tummy, Yummy Nipples, hmmmmm .... but this is serious. So Aka, the one who cannot feel pain, left Jung-tae alive. But Jung-tae's shoulder is dislocated. He cannot fight tomorrow, says Mo. But he must, says Jung-tae, who has the stupidity bred by too much honor so many heroes have, because it's already been announced. Just listen to Mo. Go to the sauna together!
JoAnne: Aka was never going to kill him, then. If that's the case, why didn't he just dislocate the shoulder and move on to those shirtless martial arts exercises I've been waiting for for oh, 14 episodes?
But first, back to Jae-hwa, who has just ordered Chigi-Chigi to get his "toe nail". That's nothing good, it seems, but something he wants to use on Jung-tae. Come on, Jae-hwa! You're better than this!
JoAnne: Toe nail? I'm now grossed out.
At Seulrak, where Ok-ryeon and her constant shadow Soso get fed by Papa Seul, Ok-ryeon sees the tattoo she saw the night of the massacre on a man. Crisis mode! Sigh ... these women. Save money, show, send them to ... America or something! Yaaaawn. They decided to go inform Bangsamtong people, but no. Their room is guarded. It seems one of the Mongolian hoodlums is recognizing Okkies hair thingy. Sorry to say, but I couldn't care less. You don't get a picture, girls.
JoAnne: Or a comment.
Jae-hwa's "toe-nail" has arrived. We don't see what it is, but it's plastic that should look like metal. Lady Doctor makes an entrance and slaps her "man". Let's stop here, is what she says. He promised her he wouldn't use the metal stuff again (the toe-nail, I suppose, which is totally not a toe-nail but something completely different, subbers), be a honorable gangster. But he cannot go back to being good: he has too much to lose. Sorry, woman. Your character is still pointless and now we're running out of episodes.
JoAnne: She allows for additional exposition on Jung Tae, who actually loves the woman and is at least partially driven by a desire to please her.
Jung-tae goes into Karate Kid mode with Old Man Fly again. He hears about Jae-hwa's Metal Claws. Lol, show ... you just make up stuff as you go along, right?! Old Man Fly teaches him another weird technique in order to beat the Claws. Hahaha, I am truly amused by this random randomness that is random.
JoAnne: It's the strangest mix of serious and funny but it doesn't really feel jarring, at the same time, it's just... could it once in a while be something that is NOT an obscure and clearly made-up on the spot fight technique?
Seul teaches us and Baek-san a lesson about the gambling habits of the Chinese, in comparison to the Koreans. And since Jae-hwa is quasi Chinese after living in Shanghai for so long, he will enjoy this fight like a Chinese. Jung-tae on the other hand will not be able to enjoy: so he is risking his life. Beating someone who is enjoying himself is very difficult, says Seul. But Baek-san isn't so sure. Yeah, fine. Can we get to the fight already?!
JoAnne: I'd actually rather watch Ok-Ryeon and So-So than these two.
HOT training sequence with Jae-hwa!
JoAnne: There is also a punching bag on a stand in the dewy morning grass outside of my bedroom veranda.
I get distracted by WTF Paris on my OTHER computer at this moment (sorry, am downloading stuff that I can gif), so I miss bits about Ok-ryeon and Soso ... they flee it seems? (They flee.) Oh, but they don't get very far. The Mongolians are already there and draw swords. Oh, but here comes MO! Hehehe, I now have Song Jae-rim in front of me and to the right of me, where my other computer is. Anyway, Mo and minion disarm the Mongolians - who request to be killed. I will kill you, says Mo, but not now.
JoAnne: Did any Chinese man ever in the history of ever accessorize the way Mo does? (looooool)
SoMo interaction! Come on, show, we're running out of time ... we all WANT this to happen, so give it to us!
JoAnne: Is it just me or did you kinda feel it too, that he is very aware of So-So? What an odd pairing. I so want it to happen.
There's some kind of doomsday feeling at Jae-hwa's - and to a lesser extent, at Jung-tae's too. Mo comes in! With the Mongolians. Jung-tae loses it temporarily, but that's good, because we get another good look at the Yummy Nipple Tummy. And Mo's profile. Oups, see where my priorities are right now? It's the doing of the RimBug.
JoAnne: Appearing this evening in a special engagement for one night only: Mo and the Mongolians, accompanied by Jung Tae's Yummy Nipple.
JoAnne: Will you look at that. Will you just LOOK at that. I bet his skin is warm.
Gaya is practising with her blunt plastic blades as Aoki comes in, cracking some joke about her ferocity. He told her he would help with her revenge, she says ... will he also help if this revenge is targeted at his own father? His answer will never change, now or in the future, he says. But ... he has a request in return. What would that be? What if it were her that he wants? Awwwwwwwwwwwww. Look at that hopeful, vulnerable face!!
JoAnne: Squee for that declaration of loyalty and love - that no matter who or what or where, his answer will never change. There is something VERY sexy about a strong, disciplined, driven man who is so gutted by love that he can look like that at only one woman in the world, no? Especially when he just heard her confess that she loved another man? He would STILL help her, and still accept her, whatever there is of her to give. Usually that comes across as just wanting to win, or possess. But I don't feel like that here. I feel like he loves her and he just wants to be with her.
Comments
We're moving at snail's pace, but that just gives us more time to ogle the scenery. Oh, so many beautiful, beautiful men! What else can I say? Well, poor Shinichi for one ... so loyal and now so probably soon dead! I am proud he made it that far. Aoki was awesome too, confessing and all ... Mo is just the coolest anyway though he serves absolutely no function anymore except for being cool. As for Jung-tae and Jae-hwa ... boys will be boys. Can't wait for that fight to finally happen and lol at The Claw.
JoAnne: Jung Jae Hwa: Freddy Kreuger's great-grandfather. That thing is horrific, how can he use that on Jung Tae???? My internal logic is not working, because I'm glad things are going slow because I'm enjoying the journey and I don't want it to end. However, the episode list is finite, so being slow now might mean being rushed at the very end, which is well nigh upon us... and that would not be good.
JoAnne: It really WAS a long hard week, wasn't it? And we're in completely different work. But I am very ready for hot men to come at me, as well. Thankfully, I can get my fill HERE. Because real ones, I don't have energy for at the moment. P.S Shinichi had some of his very best looking moments this week, somehow.
Episode 19
Our two boys (Jung-tae and Jae-hwa, that is) just got two very indecent proposals. The first is told to kill Jae-hwa, since he isn't even capable of protecting his people, and the second is sweet-talked by Aoki to become his bedfellow against Hwangbang. Both are reluctant, cause, you know, we have a whole episode to fill! (and the slot for the pic goes to the BEST looking among them!)
JoAnne: Thank you for clarifying which two of our boys you meant, because it could as easily have been Shinichi and Aka because MY AKA IS BACK. Although seriously... if we were hat wearing people, we would need to be taking them off in honor of the unbelievable hotness that is Aoki. What is this man doing off screen that he gets better looking every single time we see him? Can you believe he started out life as a baseball player? I have two thoughts on that: First - I want to see him in those tight baseball pants that end right below the knee. Badly. Second - Thank God that didn't work out. Ok, and yes, Third: I wonder if he kept the pants. You know... for relaxing in, when we are home alone.
JoAnne: There are some really, really, really interesting characters in this drama. I hate it when all the effort is expended on the leads and everyone else is a prop. But we have Shinichi, Aoki, Jae Hwa, Do Ggoo, MO... so many others with so much detail and mystery to them. You just always want to know more.
JoAnne: See, again, I think we're being lulled. We MET Do Ggoo as a confusing character - funny, but also very dark. And confusing, because sometimes he seemed ok. And now it's funny all the time and haha what's he doing NOW... and it's easy to forget what he showed us early on.
JoAnne: I have been waaaaaaaaaaiting for this moment. What the hell is going to happen? Papa has nothing to be pleased about, kids.
JoAnne: How would a country bumpkin less than a month in Shanghai know English? This time I can't make a joke about him being not so bright, it wouldn't be fair. Jae Hwa. Jae HWA. He's begging you. I know. There's really no chance that two underdogs could take on HwangBang and defeat it, especially since it would mean Il Gook Hwae would REALLY be after you now... but still. I'm heartbroken that the bromance could end before it really begins.
Then, he apologizes, says Jung-tae ... he might have to dethrone him. Shit. Jae-hwa walks through the streets of Bangsamtong, where people are
mourning their loss. The woman attack him and blame him for what has
happened, wailing pitifully. Double shit. Bromance is over.
JoAnne: This is so sad....b ye bromance, and really, Jae Hwa, he doesn't deserve that anger.JoAnne: Death wish.
JoAnne: Her two men. They love her, truly. I do, too.
JoAnne: Seriously, his panic was like a living thing you could see in the room. He was absolutely frantic with worry.
JoAnne: Remember when he had no feelings and his face never changed and we couldn't really tell what his deal was?
But Shinichi is awesome (didn't I always say so??!)(yes). No, he says. He will not. He is not Denkai's sword, but Gaya's. Then, Shinichi has to die first for disobeying his order, says Denkai and swings ... but Shinichi blocks the sword (still sitting down, oh dear he's cooool ... I feel a Shinichi post coming on!!). He can only be killed by Gaya, says Shinichi - he will not die by another hand. Denkai puts up the sword again, but Aoki gets up and stops him, quite sensibly telling him to calm down. War is at their doors, they need their strength - and Gaya is important.
JoAnne: Shinichi was awesome here, but so was Aoki. And I really feel, for the first time, that the two men have a sort of grudging partnership and even affection or concern for each other.
JoAnne: No, it's a ruse. I know it. I mean, yeah, I think he severed something important and Shinichi is no longer a swordsman, but the rest of it I think... I am pretty sure he has a plan. It might even be THEIR plan. And how awesome was it that Gaya finally had to cop to the fact that she DOES care about Shinichi?
JoAnne: Aoki is really pushing things with Denkai... he has balls of steel, this one. As for being happy no matter what, I'm not so sure about that really. 'Happy' requires shirtless Jung Tae, Jae Hwa, Aka, Aoki, Shinichi, possibly Do Ggoo, and yes, of course, Mo, all doing martial arts together in the dewy morning grass outside my bedroom's French doors while I drink coffee and eat croissants and observe. Each morning, one of them will be chosen to 'freshen up' in my room afterwards. THAT's happy.
JoAnne: AKA! He always looks sad.
Oh no ... Jae-hwa has gone to the dark side! Aoki is at the Club, and Jae-hwa is all paranoid about Hwangbang plus Jung-tae trying to oust him from there. Jung-tae isn't on board (surpriiiiiise) and Jae-hwa says alright, you're no longer my bro and tomorrow at 6, we fight. That is ... like a duel? The winner is ... the Master of Bangsamtong.
JoAnne: Probably just until the next thing someone says will determine who it is, though.
kakashi: Yes, like a top secret fortune cookie recipe!
JoAnne: Aka was never going to kill him, then. If that's the case, why didn't he just dislocate the shoulder and move on to those shirtless martial arts exercises I've been waiting for for oh, 14 episodes?
JoAnne: Toe nail? I'm now grossed out.
JoAnne: Or a comment.
Jae-hwa's "toe-nail" has arrived. We don't see what it is, but it's plastic that should look like metal. Lady Doctor makes an entrance and slaps her "man". Let's stop here, is what she says. He promised her he wouldn't use the metal stuff again (the toe-nail, I suppose, which is totally not a toe-nail but something completely different, subbers), be a honorable gangster. But he cannot go back to being good: he has too much to lose. Sorry, woman. Your character is still pointless and now we're running out of episodes.
JoAnne: She allows for additional exposition on Jung Tae, who actually loves the woman and is at least partially driven by a desire to please her.
JoAnne: It's the strangest mix of serious and funny but it doesn't really feel jarring, at the same time, it's just... could it once in a while be something that is NOT an obscure and clearly made-up on the spot fight technique?
JoAnne: I'd actually rather watch Ok-Ryeon and So-So than these two.
JoAnne: There is also a punching bag on a stand in the dewy morning grass outside of my bedroom veranda.
JoAnne: Did any Chinese man ever in the history of ever accessorize the way Mo does? (looooool)
JoAnne: Is it just me or did you kinda feel it too, that he is very aware of So-So? What an odd pairing. I so want it to happen.
JoAnne: Appearing this evening in a special engagement for one night only: Mo and the Mongolians, accompanied by Jung Tae's Yummy Nipple.
Gaya is practising with her blunt plastic blades as Aoki comes in, cracking some joke about her ferocity. He told her he would help with her revenge, she says ... will he also help if this revenge is targeted at his own father? His answer will never change, now or in the future, he says. But ... he has a request in return. What would that be? What if it were her that he wants? Awwwwwwwwwwwww. Look at that hopeful, vulnerable face!!
JoAnne: Squee for that declaration of loyalty and love - that no matter who or what or where, his answer will never change. There is something VERY sexy about a strong, disciplined, driven man who is so gutted by love that he can look like that at only one woman in the world, no? Especially when he just heard her confess that she loved another man? He would STILL help her, and still accept her, whatever there is of her to give. Usually that comes across as just wanting to win, or possess. But I don't feel like that here. I feel like he loves her and he just wants to be with her.
Comments
We're moving at snail's pace, but that just gives us more time to ogle the scenery. Oh, so many beautiful, beautiful men! What else can I say? Well, poor Shinichi for one ... so loyal and now so probably soon dead! I am proud he made it that far. Aoki was awesome too, confessing and all ... Mo is just the coolest anyway though he serves absolutely no function anymore except for being cool. As for Jung-tae and Jae-hwa ... boys will be boys. Can't wait for that fight to finally happen and lol at The Claw.
JoAnne: Jung Jae Hwa: Freddy Kreuger's great-grandfather. That thing is horrific, how can he use that on Jung Tae???? My internal logic is not working, because I'm glad things are going slow because I'm enjoying the journey and I don't want it to end. However, the episode list is finite, so being slow now might mean being rushed at the very end, which is well nigh upon us... and that would not be good.