Bulgasal: Immortal Souls 불가살 [2021 - 2022]

[mademoiselle]

 

New stills

 

[Tofu]

The Swoon translated teaser means we might get some cast videos later on, right?! 

 

An article on Soompi about Lee Joon, it talks more about his character. 

Lee Joon Transforms Into A Wealthy And Powerful Man With Mysterious Secrets For New Drama “Bulgasal”

Nov 30, 2021 | by L. Kim

 

tvN has released new stills of Lee Joon in the upcoming drama “Bulgasal”!

 

“Bulgasal” is a new fantasy drama starring Lee Jin Wook as Dan Hwal, a bulgasal (a mythical creature that cannot die or age) who was once human centuries ago. Kwon Nara will star as Min Sang Woon, a woman who is repeatedly reincarnated while fleeing the bulgasal, but remembers all her past lives.

 

The new stills show Lee Joon’s flawless transformation into Ok Eul Tae, an extremely wealthy and powerful man whose identity is shrouded in mystery. No one knows his age, the source of his wealth, or who he is, but he appears to have a connection to Dan Hwal.

In one photo, he draws attention with his cold expression. He is on the phone with someone, and his icy gaze and tightly sealed lips hint that something has displeased him. Another photo depicts his madness as his eyes flare with ambition. The corners of his mouth are raised upwards in curiosity, and his gaze is somewhat playful. Ok Eul Tae has elegant taste and a deep understanding of art, and both stills show his bold fashion style. However, behind the glamor is a dangerous man with many secrets, and he exudes an eerie vibe that makes hearts pound.

 

The drama’s producers praised Lee Joon, saying, “Lee Joon changes 180 degrees when the camera is on. He isn’t Lee Joon then but Ok Eul Tae itself. Please look forward to [the way he will] powerfully impact [the drama].”

 

“Bulgasal” will premiere on December 18 at 9 p.m. KST. In the meantime, check out a teaser for the drama here!

https://www.soompi.com/article/1501465wpp/lee-joon-transforms-into-a-wealthy-and-powerful-man-with-mysterious-secrets-for-new-drama-bulgasal

 

 

[mademoiselle]

4 hours ago, Tofu said:

The Swoon translated teaser means we might get some cast videos later on, right?!

Hard to say coz I notice The Swoon did TKA but didn't do RoY. Having said that, we have 2 weeks left for TKA and they didn't give us as much contents as HCCC!

[mademoiselle]

New teaser

 

[Tofu]

BTS of the poster photo shoot:

 

@mademoiselle They haven't shown much of Lee Joon's character in the teasers. I wonder if that's on purpose to keep his identity hidden? 

 

 

[mademoiselle]

26 minutes ago, Tofu said:

@mademoiselle They haven't shown much of Lee Joon's character in the teasers. I wonder if that's on purpose to keep his identity hidden?

But they already told us he's also another immortal so what else is hidden - whether or not he's good or evil?

[Tofu]

23 minutes ago, mademoiselle said:

But they already told us he's also another immortal so what else is hidden - whether or not he's good or evil?

Very true. Not sure why they are not really showing him then. I guess we still have a few more weeks so maybe they will have teasers with him later. 

 

I think I should stay away from the BTS until the drama airs. The video I posted had the BTS for the walking scene with LJW in a hooded jacket. It did not look as cool as it did in the final cut. 

 

[Tofu]

Nara and Jin Wook together at a photoshoot. 

 

[mademoiselle]

The hairstyle... 😓

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

[Tofu]

Let's just pretend that's not how his hair look. 

 

This is for some sort of event but I'm more interested at how colorful they are. 

 

[mademoiselle]

 

 

[mademoiselle]

Teaser

 

[mademoiselle]

New stills

 

[mademoiselle]

New stills

 

[abs-oluteM]

Dropping these new stills here...it actually looks good but I am always concerned when kdramas do fantasy shows.

 

[mademoiselle]

I've watched episode one and is totally confused about the set-up of Bulgasal at the moment 😅

 

Episode one is set in the end of Goryeo period to early Joseon. A mother carrying a baby in her womb was upset her baby is cursed by Bulgasal and will bring bad luck. How she knew this, no one knows (perhaps the Shaman Lady told her so). She decided to hang herself and a baby boy slides out of her and was born. The whole villagers fear this baby and even his father abandoned him. Few years later villagers died mysteriously (attacked) so the villagers wanted to kill the boy (hey, he's the boy playing Lee San in The Red Sleeve). A mysterious woman appeared (Kwon Nara) to save the boy from drowning, as well as blocked the boy and she was stabbed in his stead. The boy was saved by a General and the General named him Hwal (meaning "reborn"), played by Lee Jin Wook.

 

17 years later, the General has lost an arm. He and his soldiers were tasked to hunt down Gwi (monsters). The General was kind to Hwal and treats him like his son. He also married his daughter (Gong Seung Yeon) to Hwal. However his daughter appears to hate Hwal because their son A-Chan is born with illness (blind) and their new born daughter was born still birth. The wife though has a special power of her own. It seems like with touch, she can see a person's past.

 

Tired of this curse and wanting to end it once and for all, Hwal took his family and soldiers to hunt down Bulgasal. There he met the woman who saved him again, she was never dead and remains beautiful. Hwal figured out she's the Bulgasal. Their exchange were distracted by his soldiers and she disappeared. At night, Hwal set out on his own to find her but instead, she came to where they settled down and massacred everyone including his wife and son. She then stabbed him from the back while he was crying over his dead son's body. Hwal was supposed to be dead but something "flowy" flows out of his body through the sword to her and Hwal came to life again.

 

-- End of episode 1 --

 

And it just ended there..! Kwon Nara's Bulgasal appeared to become human after that and reincarnated where Hwal is seeking her out instead to kill her. Everyone reincarnated too it seems.

 

Right now I can only assume maybe the Bulgasal who cursed Hwal isn't Kwon Nara but Lee Joon. But then why did she save him when he was a boy (twice?) and why did she kill everyone back then...?

[Tofu]

I haven't finished episode one yet but that beginning part where Hwal was walking in the lake, the blood looked so fake. 

 

Will be back to comment after I watch both episodes. Please let this be good. 

[Tofu]

Continuing on from @mademoiselle's post, Nara took Hwal's soul and in the process, they swap. Nara became a human and Hwal became a bulgasal. In order for Hwal to rid himself of the curse, he needs to find his soul. To continue living as a human, Nara must find the sword that can kill a bulgasal. 

 

In the modern times, Sang Yeon (Nara's reincarnation) is killed by a bulgasal. Her twin sister (Sang Woon) lives on but does not have the memories of Nara's past life. She only knows that her sister told her she needed to find the sword. 

 

The bulgasal that killed Sang Yeon and their mother looks like Lee Joon even though he was wearing the same clothes as Hwal. 

 

Knowing that Sang Woon is not Sang Yeon, the reincarnation that killed Hwal's family, makes me feel a bit better if the drama decides to make them develop feelings for each other. I don't know if I would enjoy Hwal falling in love with the woman who killed his family. 

 

Lastly, I do think that the world building was not done well. In episode one, Nara kept showing up out of nowhere but it wasn't explained who she is until later. Who and what is a "bulgasal" is also not addressed right away too. I hope it gets better because the cinematography is actually quite beautiful. 

 

-- The little boy that played young Hwal played Yi San in Red Sleeve too. 

[mademoiselle]

@Tofu I think the origin of Bulgasal is one of the mysteries of the plot so the show won't reveal it so easily. Most likely we'll find out through the main leads learning about it themselves. The issue is how are they going to do so if there are no ancient records about it. I honestly expect Hwal to investigate within this 600 years of waiting for "her" to reincarnate.

 

I'm really confused how his soul goes to her. Did she do that or it just happened? She looked surprise herself so I'm inclined to think she didn't suck or steal his soul. Another thing I'm trying to understand is what was Hwal's karma? His past lives did something to Bulgasal Kwon Nara based on her narration. And by killing her he gained more karma. Whatever he did in his past lives must be why he was cursed and reborn each time carrying the karma. There's also a link in terms of scars. Hwal was born with a scar on his hand. Sang Yeon was born with a scar on her where Hwal stabbed her. So, am I right to assume Sang Yeon was cursed by Bulgasal Hwal. But I don't think she was the Bulgasal who cursed him so I'm guessing it was Lee Joon who was aftering him, otherwise it really doesn't explain why she would save him twice. Obviously I don't understand why she massacre everyone else, or was that Lee Joon and she only killed him, his wife and son...?

Is my understanding correct that when she took his soul, she also inherited his karma? Because later on the reincarnated monster mentioned everyone was looking for her (soul) and Hwal said that's because all the monsters he killed wanted to seek revenge on his soul.

Another thing is, do Sang Yeon and Sang Woon share the same soul because the soul is split into half? If Sang Woon doesn't share the soul, how was she able to "feel" danger? Because Sang Yeon die, she said it's her last... does that mean her soul is taken away by Lee Joon? Also it seems like Hwal's wife reincarnated to become Sang Woon's youngest sister.

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

P.S. I don't think the Bulgasal that slaughtered the villagers were Nara.

[Tofu]

Maybe it's a passing of souls? Hwal, as a bulgasal, killed Eul Tae (LJ) who was a human. Eul Tae turned in a bulgasal, Hwal was reincarinated into a human with the scar. Then Sang Woon (will use this name to refer to Nara) comes along and does the same thing to Hwal. 

 

I re-watched the scene where Sang Woon killed Hwal and she was surprised that his soul entered her body. Did she kill him because she thought it would end the curse? What did Hwal do in his past life that was so severe that everyone around him has to suffer bad luck or die? 

 

15 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

I honestly expect Hwal to investigate within this 600 years of waiting for "her" to reincarnate.

I agreed. Hwal heard Sang Woon's thoughts before she disappeared so why hasn't he looked for clues about his past life during those 600 years?

 

I've been reading around it seems like Sang Yeon was born with the memories and scar but it's Sang Woon who has Hwal's soul. There are also speculations that Do Yoon might be A-Chan (Hwal's son) which is why Do Yoon is drawn to Hwal (wants to follow him). 

 

15 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

P.S. I don't think the Bulgasal that slaughtered the villagers were Nara.

I don't think so either. I think Eul Tae was the one behind the killings and maybe Sang Woon killed Hwal to either end the curse or protect the other Bulgasals?

 

Eul Tae, right? He doesn't have facial hair so can't be Hwal. 

 

[mademoiselle]

@Tofu Yeah I'm pretty sure it is Lee Joon. It's too easy to tell from the face shape.

Yeah I've read on weibo that Sang Yeon has the memory of the past but Sang Woon has the soul too.

[Tofu]

@mademoiselle Will you continue this? I think the rating for it is not that bad.

[mademoiselle]

4 hours ago, Tofu said:

@mademoiselle Will you continue this? I think the rating for it is not that bad.

It's not as bad as *cough* Sisyphus *cough* where I just can't with the graphics, acting or presentation of the plot. And I didn't fall asleep while watching like some dramas, so I will keep on for the moment.

[40somethingahjumma]

It's not bad. Nothing especially groundbreaking but Lee Jin-uk was great in Episode 1. Things slowed down a fair bit in the second half of Episode 2. I don't know if there's 16 episodes in this but I'm happy to go along for the ride for now.

 

Visually it's a feast. Hope the storytelling does it justice.

[mademoiselle]

Making

Edited December 23, 2021 by mademoiselle