liddi

@ktcjdrama Yes he knew very early on. I meant when he finally sees her true physical form since at this point, she is still an uncouth male in appearance. I love the detail of how he shielded her from the dripping wax from the candle as she slept during her vigil beside his bedside even before he did know she was female, driven solely by overwhelming gratitude towards the first person who treated him with kindness at his lowest point. His reticence does not bother me as much here as it does when he finally resumes his position as Tushan Jing and his handling of personal affairs, which is a shame because I really loved Ye Shiqi even though I am partial to Xiang Liu. @peperomia The cast were called back for post-production dubbing recently, and if Tan Jianci's guess is to be believed, it might air this year. Worst case scenario is mid-2024. Fingers crossed we don't have long to wait. Do join us in watching though and share your thoughts about what you think of S1. And yes, thus far, iconic scenes and dialogue are pretty much faithful to the novel though some scenes were shifted around, omitted or changed. I do feel though that there seems to be a greater emphasis on Xiao Yao's feelings towards Tushan Jing, at the expense of the details in the novel about hers towards Xiang Liu, and I truly hope this does not carry over to S2 since there are rumours about Xiang Liu scenes being cut or replaced with Tushan Jing. With Tong Hua at the production helm, fingers crossed it does not get butchered.

Feng Long's letter to Xiao Yao, narrated by Wang Hongyi. Haven't found one that is subbed so far... @ktcjdrama The CGI is lacking compared to other productions that I have watched. It reminds me of the poor CGI in Scarlet Heart when Ruoxi and 4th Prince were in the boat on the lake amid the water lilies. From what I hear, the production team recently changed the CGI in some later scenes, though apparently it reverted back to the original within the same day, not sure why. Thankfully, the storyline in both dramas is riveting enough that the less than impressive CGI doesn't bother me anymore. Yes, prepare yourself for more angst down the road, even in this season. Assuming the drama follows the novel closely, which from what I hear, it will, then the heartbreak will be amplified in S2. Even now, so many Yao-Xuan moments just break me - Xiao Liu coping with the torture by retreating into the happiest moments of her young life with ironically the man now responsible for her suffering; and more scenes down the road, especially now that she knows his identity even though he is still in the dark about hers. Rewatching up to Ep7 at the moment, and I am reminded why I truly loved Ye Shiqi during the Qingshui Town arc. Deng Wei really delivers the sweet awkwardness and jealousy of the man whose whole world revolves around Wen Xiao Liu, even before he ever knew what her true form was like. By the same token, A Nian once more grates on my nerves as she did in those early days, though she thankfully redeems herself as the drama progresses. Please do continue to share your thoughts as you watch!

纯甄 Chun Zhen yoghurt brand, an official sponsor of the drama, released a series of love letters from the three male leads to Xiao Yao, beautifully narrated by the actors themselves, including Deng Wei, whose voice was dubbed in the drama.

To be honest, despite loving author 桐华 Tong Hua's works after being introduced to them through the excellent adaptation of 步步惊心 Scarlet Heart back in 2011, I did not approach this drama with much expectations due to the rather disappointing adaptations that ensued (大漠谣 adapted to 风中奇缘 Song of the Desert; 云中歌 Love Yunge from the Desert; Lost You Forever prequel 曾许诺 Once Promised adapted to 上古情歌 A Lifetime Love). It did not help that I was either pretty ambivalent about the cast, or unfamiliar with their works. Yang Zi felt shoehorned into playing similar characters in past fantasy dramas, so I was not sure whether she would deliver the duality of Xiao Yao's character. I first knew Tan Jianci from his early days in Advisors Alliance as Sima Zhao and while he was able to seamlessly portray the change from a hotheaded, warm boy to the diabolical, cruel man of later years, I could not really see him as Xiang Liu. As for Zhang Wanyi and Deng Wei, I have seen them fleetingly in some dramas that I watched bits and pieces of, but not enough to remember them. How wrong I was. All doubts were swept away when I finally did watch and I was a captive audience, often in tears and in awe, impatiently waiting for the next episode to air, filling the days in between with BTSes, moved that at last, there is a worthy adaptation after a 12 year wait. Xiao Yao is arguably the best of Tong Hua's heroines that I've read - saucy, heartbreakingly cynical, fiercely shielding her heart while protecting those she love without reservations, ultimately practical to a fault. The violence and abuse she suffered as a child, the overwhelming fear of being abandoned, the feeling that she would never be prioritised by those who claim to love her, would shape her into the woman she became, encapsulated in her poignant, iconic words to Xiang Liu when they first met: "我只是个被遗弃的人，我无力自保、无人相依、无处可去 I am merely an abandoned person, with no ability to protect myself, no one to rely on, no place to go." She does not trust easily because her trust had been shattered so many times. She hates waiting, because it reminds her of the 70-year wait on Jade Mountain, missing those who never came. She fears being alone so much so that she would risk her life just to alleviate her loneliness. The childhood she should have had was ripped from her, and she grew up too soon. Even before literally all hell broke loose in her life, she would mask her feelings behind a brave front, and later, she hid behind multiple facades, initially because she had no control, ultimately out of emotional and physical self-preservation. Yet despite it all, the core of who she is remains intact - courageous, compassionate, pragmatic - and it is that person that would draw the love of three incredible men, two of whom even while she was physically still the brash, uncouth male physician Wen Xiao Liu. We never have an actual description of Wen Xiao Liu in the book but Yang Zi's portrayal captured the essence of her male alter-ego through the shift in the timbre of her voice and her mannerisms that convinced me far more than physical make-up ever could. Her transition to Xiao Yao was perhaps lacklustre in comparison, but she more than made up for it as she nails the different facets of Xiao Yao - from the devastating moment she mistakes Consort Jing as her mother, to the mischievous girl she should and could be for a time, frequenting taverns and gambling dens with Fangfeng Bei; the fearless sister who would protect Cang Xuan time and time again way before she was equipped to do so even if it meant assassinating her own grandfather; the lover who opens up herself to trust, doing what she hates most - wait - but relentlessly walking away in the face of betrayal. Cang Xuan is a tragic character from the onset. Losing first his parents, then his grandmother, aunt and ultimately Xiao Yao, he understood full well his own helpless position from a young age - bullied and downtrodden by his peers. The promise he made to his aunt to protect Xiao Yao who is different and his inability to do so, first in childhood then when they were reunited, cements his determination to be strong enough to protect all he loved, and we see this as the deciding factor for his actions down the road, even when she is finally restored to his side. The book fleshes out his character early on, describing his ability to draw people from all walks of life, a quality born as much out of necessity as it is inherent, vital in his arduous journey to claim the throne. She is the most precious part in his life, and every choice he makes to keep her safe, especially when he realises her real identity, ironically ends up being the reason that would keep her further and further away from ever considering him as her life partner. In that sense, he reminds me of Scarlet Heart's 4th Prince, who obtained the world but lost the one he loves. What makes him and his relationship with Xiao Yao that much more painful to watch is the fact that had not fate determined otherwise, they should have been the ones who ended up together, loving each other the way they did since their youth, and I would have been perfectly happy. Yet their lives were changed the moment Xiao Yao left for Jade Mountain amid little Cang Xuan's devastated cries, and when they finally met once more, her heart was no longer hers alone, and he was relegated to being just her closest, dearest brother. Through Zhang Wanyi's masterful interpretation especially in the later episodes, Cang Xuan is brought to life, and I ache desperately for what could have been, should have been for him. Ironically, Tushan Jing is not an easy character to root for, at least for me. As Ye Shiqi, I love his quiet adoration for Xiao Liu, whose compassion brought him back from the brink of hell and healed him physically, emotionally and mentally after the horrific years of torture he endured. He is the quintessential gentleman and lover - devoted and indulgent to her; a larger man willing to set aside any thoughts of revenge against his brother, unwilling to allow the vicious cycle of hatred stemming from his own mother's prejudice to continue. However, any goodwill I had for him slowly eroded after he was restored to his identity as Tushan Jing. Despite exacting a promise from her to give him 15 years, hindered by an inferiority complex due to his own physical imperfections especially after Xiao Yao's position was restored, saddled with an engagement he no longer wanted, he continued making promises which he found impossible to keep - his inability to end his engagement when outmatched by his equally wily grandmother and devious fiancée, pushed to a position of clan leader which he did not want. His indecisiveness, bitter tears and pining looks wore thin and frustrated me because out of the three men, the only thing revolving in his mind was love, which is frustrating in itself, as we do not really see the brilliant mind of the Jing in the novel, who is far more than just a lovesick puppy. Visually, Deng Wei is the perfect Tushan Jing and he does a commendable job particularly in the Qingshui Town arc, but not as much down the road, and I have to wonder whether it has to do with the way his character was written in the script, or his delivery. Then there is Xiang Liu. Polarising from the start, he is visually breathtaking and equally brutal, feared by enemies while despised by a fraction of the men he leads, being a demon which they view to be of a lesser status than themselves. Even in those early days, he saw a kindred soul in Xiao Liu, and her unspoken wishes in her description of herself were carved in his heart, long before the lover's bug was planted in him. Unwaveringly true to his principles, he spends his lifetime repaying a debt of gratitude towards the man who saved him and treated him with kindness when he first escaped as a runaway slave, even if it meant waging an endless war and dying for a futile cause, a pledge he made long before she was even born. They both knew that they stood on opposing sides with no future unless one is willing to relent. She is afraid to allow herself to love him while he would never give her a promise that he could not keep. Hence, there is a perpetual push and pull dynamic between them, neither ever willing to openly express their feelings for each other. He keeps her at arm's length, only allowing flashes of his feelings to seep through flirtatious banter as Fangfeng Bei, while quietly setting things in motion, his love letter to her which he masks behind a series of calculated transactions, resolutely never letting her know the extent of his sacrifice. As such, the 37 years he had with her under the ocean are welcome, stolen moments away from cold harsh reality, and I hurt so much for him when the time came for him to let her go, knowing those moments would never come again. I wish their time together during those times could have been depicted as it was described in the book, but I am grateful for what we were given even if it was far too brief, and I am steeling myself for more heartache down the road, knowing how this will end. Contrary to my initial misgivings, Tan Jianci is the definitive Xiang Liu, from the moment we see him on screen to his every movement, perfectly capturing the duality of Xiang Liu and Fangfeng Bei - the micro expressions in his eyes or the infinitesimal shift in his mannerisms, augmented by the fact that he had so few lines. And now, I cannot imagine anyone else as him. I have rambled on far more than I intended and really should stop. Suffice to say this is hands down the best drama I have watched in a very long time, so much so that when the finale to S1 ended, I was left with such a hollow feeling exacerbated by revisits to the novel, reminiscent of my days post-Scarlet Heart so many years ago. Now I can only hope that we get to see S2 soon, seeing the cast have been called back for post-production dubbing, and Tan Jianci himself expecting it to be broadcast within this year. Please let it be so.

The soundtrack which is on repeat, kept me happy over a very busy weekend. Composed by renowned composer 董冬冬 whose body of works include the soundtracks for Advisors Alliance, Ode to Joy, Legend of Fu Yao etc, the songs and instrumental tracks are gorgeous, and scenes play out in my mind and break my heart as I hear the familiar strands... 风起云涌 evoking images of the opening scenes; 九命相柳 bringing me straight back to the iconic moment when Xiao Liu sees Xiang Liu unmasked for the first time; 与你飞翔 reminiscent of when Xiao Liu goes flying with Xiang Liu after Shiqi abandons her in the midst of Xuan's demands for the antidote; the poignantly beautiful 爱之哀叹 which is reminiscent of every YaoLiu aching moment, the devastating 梅林同焚 a testament to Xiao Yao's brutal death and Tushan Jing's resignation to die with her in the burning fires of the Plum Forest; the battle hymn 辰荣士 allowing Xiao Liu to finally understand the reason the Chen Rong rebel army continued to hold out despite knowing it was a futile cause. @40somethingahjumma There are also two versions of 偏爱人间烟火 - the official one used in the drama sung by 胡夏 and 张紫宁, and the promotional version sung by Tan Jianci and Yang Zi a few keys lower, which I personally feel expressed the emotions better despite being not as technically perfect.

Thank you so much! And yes ditto here about loving 檀建次 who brings 相柳 to life, and I cannot imagine anyone else in the role.

@40somethingahjumma Please create the thread. At last, another excellent adaptation of 桐华's works after 步步惊心 after the rather disappointing adaptations in between. Perfect casting across the board, especially 小夭, 玱玹 and 相柳 - the ensemble cast amazed me especially since they were mostly unknown to me or I was previously pretty ambivalent about. I watched it live and love it so much but was surprised that it never had a thread anywhere on this forum. As S2 is possibly a year away, am still trying to get through the withdrawal symptoms of it ending, with the original novel, breathtaking soundtrack and rewatches to keep me company.

Watching this really drives home that the drama has ended. Thank you so much to Kim Eun Hee and the amazing cast for an incredible 6 weeks...

@peperomia Oh, looks like we have different interpretations. From my understanding, a spirit latching on to a human meant that it took over the physical body of the person, and Sanyeong was the first person Hyangi latched on to. The list the shaman gave Haesang's grandmother was as follows: 붉은 댕기 Red hair accessory 푸른 옹기 Blue pottery 흑 고무줄 Black rubber band 초자병 Glass bottle 옥비녀 Jade hairpin 李香伊 Lee Hyangi From what the shaman told Haesang's grandmother, they only needed the correct 5 items and the name to banish the spirit. However, if the spirit ever latched on to a human, they would need to burn the finger to get rid of it. In other words, Hyangi had not latched on to a human yet, but in the eventuality that she did, that was the method that was required. As such, Haesang's grandfather was merely possessed by the spirit. The same went for his father, and Prof. Gu after that. Still, even with just mere possession, the fact remained that they all only had 4 out of the 5 items, so the sealing ritual they did would have failed anyway even if they knew the correct name. The real jade hairpin had been buried with Hyangi's remains, undisturbed all this time. Was that a deliberate act on Haesang's grandmother's part, to doubly ensure the spirit she went so such great lengths to obtain, would not be banished? Perhaps. Anyway, just my two cents

This. Exactly. Ultimately, while Haesang and Hongsae's efforts led to the discovery of the 神体 (item where the spirit truly resides), it was Sanyeong and her will that saved her. At the end of the day, they were all cogs in a wheel working in tandem, without whom Hyangi would not have been stopped. Everyone, including Prof. Gu and Haesang's mother only ever had 4 correct objects. The diabolical twist is that there were two red herrings - the name, and the hairpin part. The one they sealed was the part lodged in Choi Manwol's chest during Hyangi's final struggle to stay alive, while the real part was the one buried with Hyangi in the underground basement in the Yeom residence, which was never revealed nor sealed. As such, even if anyone found out the spirit's real name, they would never have had access to the real hairpin that was required to banish her. As for the 6th item, it would only have been required if Hyangi latched on to a human, which she ultimately did with Sanyeong.

It is finally ended. And what a ride it has been, gripping all the way to the end, delivering in every way. Through it all, how gratifying it is to watch our trio exhibit tenacity, vigilance and sharp instincts honed by past experiences as they go head to head against the sly, malicious spirit who had been stringing them like a puppet all this while, and this even extends to Sanyeong's mother, who instinctively realises the seemingly bright, filial girl in front of her is not her daughter. I love that no one person is irrelevant, and each one of them provides an integral piece to the puzzle that would finally stop Hyangi - Haesang's realisation that the sealing ritual Hyangi was so eager for him to complete would destroy the shadow that Sanyeong had become; Hongsae figuring out that Hyangi's powers are limited by her physical form; Sanyeong finally understanding the power she now wields as the shadow. While it appeared Hyangi had the upper hand, having manipulated everything and everyone to finally achieve her goal of living once more, how the tables are turned, with the unexpected limitations she now face in the physical body she has stolen. This extends to the ingenuity with which she is finally taken down - when she realises too late that her very act of stealing Sanyeong's life and consigning the latter to the mirror world, would prove to be her downfall. She underestimated the mettle of the girl she tried to steal from, her courage and strength that allowed her to break free even when all seems lost, and it is ironic that because Sanyeong was trapped as Hyangi's shadow, she in turn gained the power that forced Hyangi to put an end to her own existence, just as she had done to so many other victims in the past, be it of her own volition or otherwise. Brilliant. Knowing the location of the 5th item, we now understand the reason Haesang was earmarked from the start. He was the only one with free access to the Yeom residence. Without him, the jade hairpin would never have been recovered, and Hyangi would still be forced to live as a malevolent shadow. The epilogue as the dust finally settles is beautiful and poignant. The bonds that were formed between them remain strong and have grown even more precious. Still, I began to tear up as I watch Sanyeong feeling her way about the café, preparing herself for the inevitable day when she will lose her sight, knowing that there is no miracle cure, last minute reprieve, and that she will have to face her looming fate which set her father and her at first, down the path of no return. And I teared up again in the end, when in the midst of her unadulterated joy at the fireworks festival, her sight begins to fail, perhaps permanently this time, and she remains bright and determined as she promises herself that she will strive to survive, no matter the setbacks that life sends her way. It's thus that in true Kim Eun Hee fashion, Revenant closes on a note that is positive, but never sugar-coated for all the characters we have come to care for over the brief 6 weeks, characters whom I miss already. Much as I love the drama, there are loose ends which are not clearly resolved. There is no doubt Hyangi was the intended child all along, while Mokdan was to be the red herring for anyone who wish to destroy the juvenile spirit, hence her finger too being cut off. Still, I am not as certain that the happenings that surrounded her family was planned by the shaman from the start. There was no way they could have known she would sacrifice her sister in her stead, nor that she would lose first her mother, then her father and brother. Nor could they have anticipated that she would try to save her sister. It felt that too much was left to chance, when we know just how much was at stake. I still do not understand why she did not try to stop Hongsae from uncovering her name from the education authorities, when Det. Seo lost his life because of that knowledge. When we think about it, the ritual would never have worked even if they knew her name because the 5th item retrieved from the shaman during her arrest, and used by Prof Gu and Haesang's mother, was another red herring. As such, why the secrecy, seeing she was never in any real danger. The moment the real 5th item is recovered, she would have switched places with Sanyeong, so the knowledge of her name would not have made a difference either way. Likewise, how did Prof. Gu end up being possessed, when Haesang's grandmother bribed him and sent him packing? We know that the spirit had the power to latch on to a human. Was it due to his exposure to the camera which Chiwon brought along with details of the shaman? Yet, the camera was never an item that was integrally linked to the spirit. If so, how did he manage to summon the spirit? Also, how did he get his hands on the 5 items if those had disappeared in 1995 after Haesang's mother died trying to seal them? Then there is the question of killing of the second child - both Haesang and Sanyeong's unborn siblings. Initially I thought Prof. Gu tried to sacrifice his second child in an effort to summon a juvenile spirit of his own. However, that was not the case since he was already possessed when the second child was killed. If so, does it then mean that this was all Hyangi's doing, her bitterness over her own fate as a secondborn causing her to kill other secondborn children like herself? Last but not least, Haesang's grandmother's death being ruled a suicide also seems a little convenient after all the incriminating evidence pointing Sanyeong to being at the scene of the crime. Unanswered questions notwithstanding, Revenant is Kim Eun Hee back in excellent form, her breathtaking tapestry of characters, lore and mystery interwoven to create a story that is vividly brought to life by brilliant ensemble performances, particularly from Kim Taeri who embodies every aspect of Gu Sanyeong and Hyangi's duality. And now my weekend viewing feels that much emptier without another week of Revenant to look forward to.

@ktcjdrama You are absolutely right - thank you for finally setting my head and eyes straight! The names are at the bottom of the column, but not visible. Hence the names Hyangi and Mokdan are valid after all. Gosh... all that painstaking effort barking up the wrong names My only consolation is that I figured out their birthdates Glad I wasn't the only one who was questioning the stretches in logic. Fingers crossed it is all explained well in the finale. Have not watched yet but will be back after I do so. @Chocolate I agree about her crush on the art teacher. Wonder whether he is the same one she later killed in 1973 for publishing the artbook "Understanding Art"? Have anyone watched the last episode? Am holding it off till tomorrow.

What a gripping episode with so many twists and turns! My heart was in my mouth throughout... from the incessant banging that dogged Haesang and Hongsae, to the near death of Sanyeong's mother, leading up to the discovery of the final item and what it entailed. That last scene with Sanyeong's mocking smirk as her shadow is no longer that of the spirit is chilling, indicating that she has fully taken over and assimilated herself into Sanyeong's physical self. Does that mean that the shadow is now Sanyeong, with Hyangyi having taken over her physical body? So many unanswered questions. The names on the household register are clearly different from what we see in the school records, so which is which? I am still inclined to trust the household register since the spirit went to great lengths to ensure it was destroyed. We also see the name and department of the man Hongsae was talking to when the spirit appeared outside his car, as well as hearing someone screaming through the phone for them to open the door. If she truly wanted to keep her name a secret, why would she not stop the records from being released to Hongsae, seeing she could tell where he was going from the phone contact details? Yet, her classmate clearly referred to her as Hyangyi when recounting what happened in the past. So which is it? It is also interesting to see that Hyangyi's assessment paints her as bright, cheerful, high self-esteem, responsible and competitive, which I can't seem to equate to the self-serving girl, yearning for a better life, wanting the drudgery of her current existence to be gone. It is chilling to see how easily she moved on after tricking her younger sister to take her place, only recanting when she lost her entire family. One more thing. The shaman actually singled her out from the start, marking her as the chosen candidate for the juvenile ghost. How is it then that she never sought her out when Mokdan showed up with the hair accessory instead? She would surely have known that was not the girl she handpicked. If so, why continue on the preparations with Mokdan? If Hyangyi had not shown up at the doorstep with the money, would she have attempted to use Mokdan instead? Knowing the requirement she herself spelt out for secondborns, I can't imagine she would have settled for the younger child. Or was she laying everything in place to fuel the desperation, fury and grasping survival instincts so needed to successfully create a vengeful juvenile spirit by stripping away everything, every sliver of hope Hyangyi had in her brief life? Another thing I cannot understand is why Mokdan was present during the selection anyway? The shaman clearly asked for the gathering of the secondborns, so by right, she need not have been there. Why then was she? I understand the significance of the hair accessory that marked her fate, the black band which her mother killed herself with, the glass bottle which embodied her passion for art, and the broken jade hairpin which she used to try and survive before she died. However, I still cannot see how the broken blue pottery piece comes into play. Mokdan's body was returned on 24Jun1958 and presumably placed in a blue jar and hung from the Deokdali tree. By then, her entire family was dead and Hyangyi was already imprisoned. So who received the body and performed the rites? Also, who recovered all these items? Was it through her instructions? Last but certainly not least. How did Chiwon know to contact and admit the possessed Sanyeong at the hospital to deliver the final punishment to Haesang's grandmother? Is he working in tandem with the spirit now, and has a new pact been made since the old one with Haesang's grandmother is now void? I don't believe we have all the pieces yet. Knowing now that the spirit's grasping will to live, it appears she wants to resume her life which was cut short through Sanyeong's physical body. Was that why she bided her time, making the unholy pact with Haesang's grandmother, and waited until the perfect host was available? In the preview, Haesang was seen burning paper with the name Lee Hyangyi 李香伊. Did the ritual fail yet again because despite having all 5 correct items, the name is still wrong? If so, I wonder whether we would find that the scene of the two men tearing the Yeom residence apart looking for what they missed, would end up with clues that point to the spirit's real name after all? Or am I barking up the wrong tree (and name) yet again? We shall see. Can't believe that 6 weeks have flown so quickly, and the drama finally ends tonight. Please continue to exceed expectations, and deliver all the way to the end, tying up every loose end.

Another soundtrack dropped today! Part 4: Sunwoo Jung-a - Breath

It is probably useless effort which would be all cleared up in the last 2 episodes anyway, but after finally unravelling the timeline in my head and peering at the household register that Detective Seo lost his life for, I can make out the following: The name of the original victim was not even Lee Mokdan 李木端, as everyone, including Prof Gu and Haesang's mother thought. Her real name was Lee Gangdeok 李强德, the youngest of 3 siblings, born 29 Dec 1949. I can't make out the name clearly as it looked very similar to Lee Gangdeok, but from what I believe, the secondborn and the spirit that has been tormenting so many appears to be Lee Gangyi 李强億, born 3 May 1943, which means that she was 15 when she died. To avoid confusion, I will still refer to the first child as Mokdan. Mokdan was killed somewhere between 7-24 Jun 1958. From my research, there was a full moon on 29 Jun 1958, which should be the date that Gangyi was killed after being starved for 7 days - thus putting her in the household before Mokdan's body was returned. Based on memory flashbacks from the glass bottle, she went to the Yeom residence with her belongings wrapped with a cloth and the glass bottle with red powder in hand. My guess is the shaman realised that Mokdan wasn't the 2nd child after all when the ritual failed, and the family were told to send the real secondborn to the household so that the ritual could be completed and the possession could take place. As for the 1959 yearbook which contained Gangyi's dark drawing of the moon (and very likely her name and photo as well), my only explanation is that it included photos from previous years, seeing she was already dead by then. Was she a part of the art club in middle school, hence the display of her drawing in the photo? Was the red powder in the glass bottle part of her art tools which she happily brought to the Yeom residence that fateful night, hoping to gain approval and acceptance by showcasing her work? Is that why we keep seeing similar drawings upon drawings once her hold on the possessed becomes stronger? The jade hairpin is the last of the 5 items, which she is deliberately manipulating Haesang and Sanyeong to retrieve. Is it really for self-preservation that she has set everything in motion? Or does she perhaps too want to finally be free? Assuming all 5 items were in first, Haesang's mother then Prof. Gu's hands, and these were all buried where her previous victims died, could it be somewhere in the middle school where Shin Seungju committed suicide after all? While I still do not see the significance of the Hungry Ghost realm apart from pointing it in the direction of Kim Ujin, I can well believe if it was revealed that the evil old woman is herself possessed by a hungry ghost, with her insatiable greed the root of all the terrible things that had unfolded over the years. I cannot imagine that the juvenile spirit would not go after Haesang's grandmother in the end, the woman whose lust for money was the reason she died so terribly and spent the last 60+ years as a vengeful spirit. I just hope that our trio and Sangyeong's mother will make it out alive at the end of it all. KEH-nim, please be kind.

Will post my thoughts later... but first, another soundtrack dropped over the weekend: Part 3: Lee Bada - Door

Really enjoying the drama too - just wish I had the time to sit down and properly ruminate over it but real life has been demanding so much of my time these days, making it pretty much impossible to focus as much as I would like to. Ep9 was such a treat to watch - a masterclass in strong performances throughout. My heart shattered particularly when Hongsae begged Haesang at the wake to tell Detective Seo that he was desperately sorry if he saw him - Hongsae breaking down as Haesang watched him in mute devastation, his own grief mirrored by the young man's repeated self-recriminations. Tears. And Kim Taeri - the myriad of emotions and nuances captured from one moment to the next - even as she portrays the spirit's mercurial moods interspaced with Sanyeong's mounting desperation, reaffirms Kim Eunhee's repeated praises for her leading lady. We have been getting hints even before this that the spirit might not be Mokdan - but I don't understand yet why Sanyeong was able to follow Mokdan's path to tragedy in her visions, which led her to the Yeom residence. We saw Haesang's grandfather being possessed upon the killing of the child under the blue cloak as the villagers celebrated their ill-begotten gains outside. Does that mean there were two juvenile spirits, Mokdan being the first which then possessed Haesang's grandfather, while the 2nd is the one that currently torments Sanyeong? From the yearbook, the current spirit was still alive in 1959, so it could not have been Choi Manwol who summoned her since the shaman died in 1958, killed by the one that possessed Haesang's grandfather. Who then summoned the 2nd spirit? All roads probably lead back to Haesang's terrifying grandmother. Did she have another juvenile spirit created for her own personal lust for power and wealth? And what is the secret behind the camera that keeps showing up - first in the Yeom study, then in Prof. Gu's residence? Why is the picture of the Hungry Ghost realm significant? Can't believe we have only 3 more episodes left. Please remain strong to the end.

Soundtracks released to date... Part 1: ALi - Demon Part 2: Dasutt - Empty Night

@Chocolate Yes, I've been following the series faithfully every weekend, but unfortunately haven't been able to sit down and ramble about it due to real life demands. Hopefully that lets up soon and I'll be able to write more! Where more than a year ago, my weekends were spent climbing mountains (and chasing spies), this time, I am investigating vengeful ghosts (in broad daylight) with my mum Am enjoying it a lot, and very pleasantly surprised that it has minimal gore (is it because it's on SBS rather than say OCN or tvN?) without letting up on the dread and creepiness. Concur with what you said about pacing and plot, brisk without any unnecessary fillers in between, keeping me in its thrall and protesting when each episode ends, and not forgetting strong performances from the ensemble cast. Totally did not expect to see the adorable little Kang Byul of Law School as the tragic victim from 1958, and very possibly the malevolent spirit that has latched on to GSY. That being said, I don't find Jirisan to be the weaker drama in comparison, as the human element is far more pronounced in that drama, making me care very quickly for the characters. In contrast, as of now, Revenant has not really given me emotional resonance of a similar scale, with my focus predominantly on the urgency of unveiling the truth behind the spirit and stopping the trail of blood it leaves in its wake before more fall victim to it. With us nearing the halfway mark, we shall see whether I feel differently this week. Fingers crossed!

Does anyone have any idea what time is it supposed to air on Disney+? I've been scrolling over the past 30mins but no sign of it anywhere

@Chocolate This is not a genre I enjoy (then again, I said the same thing about zombies in Kingdom, and see where I ended!). Am not familiar with the director (didn't watch VIP), but will definitely check it out because of KEH, whom I trust to make it far more than mere gratuitous horror, not to mention the strong cast. Keeping fingers very crossed that this will be yet another of her works which I love. Just one question. How much of it will I be able to watch and analyse if I spend most of my time hiding behind my hands and peeking through my fingers? Incidentally thanks for reminding me... just as I previously subscribed to iFlix for Signal, Netflix for Kingdom and iQiYi for Jirisan, I have just subscribed to Disney+ Hotstar for Revenant

And the doors are thrown wide open for S3, with Im Siwan as the caretaker of the 3rd village with the merry-go-round! No disappointment all the way to the end after an initial rocky start in the season for me... leaving me with tears aplenty, even more attached to characters that I knew from S1, and those that I have come to care for and love in S2, especially Capt Kang, whose fate feels so much more cruel, considering she has seen so many come and go, and she is still inexplicably in the village even though her physical body has been recovered. The one comfort I have for her is that she has Alice, though for how long. And as the doors are thrown wide open for S3, we see another OIY-like soul is drawing JPS, while Jong-A now can see souls though she is not aware of it, Wook continues to receive visions, this time of the new village, and Noh Yong Gu remains at large, and would very likely continue to be the threat in the new season. I also don't understand how Hyun-ji's treasure box could materialise in the real world, yet mysteriously disappear after it is left at the columbarium. Also, with OIY getting flashes of memories from his past with our intrepid trio, will he finally remember all and become the 4th member of the team? Questions questions. Please don't make the wait to S3 too long!

@abs-oluteM Sorry for the silence as real life is beckoning with a vengeance! Watched and cried over Ep7, but hadn't been able to continue since then. Scrolling furiously past the discussions for the moment, but hopefully will be able to catch up sometime in the near future...

Am a little ambivalent about this week's offerings, particularly in terms of pacing. Not sure whether it's because I was watching it in the midst of the flurry of festive activities around me, but I find the storyline dragging its feet again in Ep4, especially with Bora, her kidnapped mother and the possibility of her being Wook's child. It could well be intentional, and the focus of the drama is now expanded to include all missing people - dead and alive. Nonetheless, the fact that we are seeing it in a context that I have associated to missing souls has thrown a spanner in the works for me as far as the delivery is concerned, and for now, I see it as detracting from the original focus of the narrative. Perhaps I will feel differently with subsequent episodes. Not to say that everything was a disappointment. Ep3 hit the right notes - a father who allowed his grief to widen the gulf between them after their loss, the children coping in their own way as they miss the mother whom they lost too soon and resenting each other because they did not understanding the coping mechanism each of them used to shield themselves from the pain. I teared up with MSJ and MYW as they finally realise the misunderstandings that had driven a wedge between them, knowing that there is no more opportunity to ask for forgiveness, just as I ached for OIY and Captain Kang, seeing the boy disappear, with the discovery of his remains. Captain Kang, who has been in the village for almost 30 years... with no way to leave, maintaining memory room, as much for herself as it is for the souls who had come and gone. We learn a new rule to this universe, which is that any item given away by a resident, will remain intact even after that person is gone, and this is why MSJ's nametag remained, and JPS finally got to see his Hyun-ji's treasure chest. Still, not everything is rosy in the new village. While appearing kindly, Headmaster Jung seems to be hiding a few secrets of his own, and I have to wonder whether he is indeed, who he claims he is after all, which would explain why he refuses any offers to contact his family. If so, who and where is the real Headmaster Jung? Was he killed by the one claiming to be him? For his wife to be able to continue claiming the pension payments, his body has to be hidden. Why then is he not at the village, unless he is in another similar village elsewhere? By the end of the week, we are left with more questions than answers. We are also still no closer to knowing what happened to OIY, though the blond man must be his killer, since he is in possession of his ring. Likewise, who is the masked man who is the mastermind behind the drug activities? What are Moon Seyoung's ties to these people, that the henchman would keep her locked up. He doesn't appear to want to harm her yet, but I have to wonder why he is doing what he did, when he is involved in Choi Jung-a's kidnapping and murder. Last but not least, Wook has visions through his dreams of someone (himself?) being kept on a drip (drugged?) and locked up in a room. How does that work? Does Wook now have powers that transcend just seeing dead souls, since those in his vision are clearly still alive? Questions questions. It is early days yet with 10 more episodes to go. Hopefully, the kinks that bothering me thus far will be ironed out or justified in the end. Fingers crossed! And if I don't get the chance after this, wishing all a very marvellous, safe and healthy 2023!

The cast hears the stories and heartfelt cries of real parents whose children are lost... Pray that they will be reunited with their children soon...