The Red Sleeve Cuff 옷소매 붉은 끝동 [2021-22]

[abs-oluteM]

We’re gonna get that dance !!!!!! 

Haha this was funny 

 

[Mizv]

Lawd Mercy,   What a merciless end.  I can empathize why so many said the extra episode wasn’t needed. I feel that way partly because watching sorrow end was difficult. I do like happy endings. Not sobbing my eyes out on  a new year day.
 

I ve concluded DI died of broken heart. As she told Court lady Seo and San both have strong hearts. Therefore they have the power to move forward.  Losing her son and close friend,  she just didn’t have the strong heart to move forward. 
 

Thanks to this drama I have gained interest in exploring more historical learning of this Josean (?) period.

 

I admit I have seen JunHo in other dramas but I hadn’t really paid attention.  I finally watched Just between Lovers and can admit now Jun Ho. Really really good!  I look forward to both actors  future projects.

 

One more thing. What rating +19?….. very good marketing. Unless there is deleted scenes?   can’t expect scenes like Nevertheless or Bridgerton, on The main networks.

Edited January 2, 2022 by Mizv

[abs-oluteM]

1 hour ago, Mizv said:

One more thing. What rating +19?….. very good marketing. Unless there is deleted scenes?   can’t expect scenes like Nevertheless or Bridgerton, on The main networks.

ahahah...this was good marketing. It was not even +15 or something . LOL

 

LJH posted on his twitter and IG

Caption :The moment that became eternity 

 

I can't bring myself to watch with subs. 

[mademoiselle]

I'm also dreading to watch them with subs.

 

New stills

 

[ktcjdrama]

Finished with subs.... ep.17 is tear fest for sure. Prepare your tissues. 

 

I never expected that they will tell the story until San's death. The last part of flashback was really a nice touch. I thought I wouldn't shed any more tears as they were wrapping up the story, but the moment the last line was delivered by San and Deok Im, the floodgates opened again. And I had tried to numb myself before starting to watch ep.17, mind you....

 

Give me time to collect myself before commenting more. But I do want to say it now, that this drama really tells the love story of San and Deok Im so very beautifully. I have deep respect and high appreciation for the production team, especially the writer and PD. I would give a standing ovation and multiple rounds of applause.  Big love to the whole cast and production team.

 

[gilaswan]

Gee... i think i shall stop at ep 16, like how it was to end.

[mademoiselle]

I must first complained why is the writer so cruel to have us immediately watch San and Deok Im grieved over the death of their son? Can't we at least have a bit more of their happy times before the doom? Just like Lee Jun Ho said in the BTS, they don't have much one happy family scenes.

 

I think I've used up at least 4 tissues for episode 17. Most of the time I just feel the tears non-stop flowing out of my eyes and down my face. I wasn't even trying to cry for the scene but the tear glands must be malfunctioning at that point.

 

Although The Red Sleeve is ultimately a beautiful sad story between King Jeonjo and Deok Im, it also consists of social commentary in regard to women. It's really really sad and not solely the reason of San losing Deok Im and their children but the emphasis in the last two episodes on the fate of the women in that era — through Deok Im and then further emphasized by Deok Im's friend and Queen Dowager herself. It was particularly upsetting to hear the Queen said she can't get out of these palace walls; she can neither mourn for her brother nor can she attend the funeral.

 

I've always known court ladies must remain single forever when working in the palace but it's still upsetting to watch Young Hee being punished for falling in love. I also forgot to raise the question previously why Deok Im wanted to bring Bok Yeon back to the palace when she has the chance to live more freely? She has to leave due to Yeonjo's death, does it mean she still must remain single too? This is the bit I'm not sure but assume she has to because I remember the saying once a court maid = forever a court maid.

 

As for San, I'm glad the writer changed the lines Deok Im said to him before she died because I was particularly upset when I read the novel excerpt for this part. In the novel, she did ask San to pass her by but she didn't admit she loves him so I felt comforted that the Deok Im told him in the drama. I can't bear seeing San thinks Deok Im never loved him back.

 

I cried again when the handsome guard turned out to be Deok Im's nephew (not that I didn't see this coming especially when he introduced himself to have the surname "Sung").

 

Needless to say the casts did an awesome job in their respective roles. Although it is a sad ending but it was beautifully crafted and wrapped up. The production value of this drama is really high and the production team maintained the same level of quality through to the end.  It's definitely the first drama I'd rate the production value as 10 out of 10!

 

source: ByulE

Edited January 2, 2022 by mademoiselle

[Alice Wonderland]

So they followed the real ending of this. It is so heartbreaking. My eyes hurt from crying too much. Thankfully today is sunday. So I can cry all I want. 😭😭😭😭

 

I'm glad that they give us that symbolic happy ending. San closed his eyes while remiscing his memory of Deok Im. The meaning of forever is when you keep your beloved one in your heart, then it will be forver. I feel so sad, I dont like sad ending but the fact that I can't watch new episode next friday is saddened me the most. Overall, the drama is a masterpiece. All the story narrated and acting are top-notch. It was really poignant. 

 

I need to get some happy pills, gosh my new year was filled with grieves.

[ktcjdrama]

1 hour ago, gilaswan said:

Gee... i think i shall stop at ep 16, like how it was to end.

It's really perfectly fine to stop at ep.16. Really... 

 

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

Most of the time I just feel the tears non-stop flowing out of my eyes and down my face. I wasn't even trying to cry for the scene but the tear glands must be malfunctioning at that point.

This was me too. I woke up this morning and immediately look for ep.17, and literally washed my face with tears. I had to pause a couple of times to go wash off the tears on my face. 

 

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

As for San, I'm glad the writer changed the lines Deok Im said to him before she died because I was particularly upset when I read the novel excerpt for this part. In the novel, she did ask San to pass her by but she didn't admit she loves him so I felt comforted that the Deok Im told him in the drama. I can't bear seeing San thinks Deok Im never loved him back.

Same here. I was rather upset when on her dying bed, she told him to not acknowledge her if he ever see her in the next life. I thought how mean that is... poor San, especially when he asked do you not ever love me even just a little bit? I'm glad that she told him that staying by his side was a choice she made. But still rather mean for saying out loud that she prefers not to be with him in the next life, but live her life as she wants. It's like telling him, "okay, this lifetime is it, I'm not going to give you more than this, it's not forever and ever for us, it's not going to always be you and me". But again, the beautiful ending saved it. I was able to forget that mean thing she said. 

 

 

[abs-oluteM]

Look at this , I feel so sad to say goodbye...

 

[Mizv]

 

[Mizv]

 

[abs-oluteM]

Eps 16

I am glad that right to the end, San never forced himself on her and still gave her an opportunity to leave should she not want to be his concubine. I am glad she responded on her own will , and she was not being coerced. I do think that the PD / writer (novel & script) understands that their targeted audience Gen MZ would not be able to accept her being forced to sleep with him. For me,  it emphasised San's true affections and respect for her. 

 

Their "married" life gave San the happiness & contentment he had always longed for. I love that he wanted to be with her every single second he could and it was clear that even if she wasn't the official wife , she owned his heart. I belived she knew that though it was hard for her to share him with other women. 

 

They weren't kidding when they said that this was a mournful court romance.  Deok Im's narrations were always tinged with sadness even when it was a sweet or romantic scene. I understand her heart and where she was coming from. In fact how she felt , was similar to how the Queen Dowager or San's mother felt too. This palace ( and her new status)  was nothing but a prison where they had no freedom to do as they please. It was a soul numbing place in a sense. I felt for her when San went to see his official Queen on the day he found out she was pregnant. He as the King was obliged to look after the feelings of the Queen too. It was sad but in a sense perhaps, ensuring that the Queen did not become bitterly jealous was also a way to protect Deok Im. 

---------------

 

I agree that this show is really top notch. It has been a long time that I have lingered over a drama like that . I am usually quite happy to move on given that I watch so many at once. This drama got me truly emotionally invested.

 

I know a lot has been said about Lee Jun Ho. I have to say I agree with all the praises for him. It was 100% immersion and I cannot see anyone else play this role but him. But I must also say that Lee Se Young was fantastic in bringing Deok Im to life. I read a number of Naver articles that praised her for her stable vocalization & pronunciation, expressive eyes, delicate inner acting. They call her the Queen of historical - something I quite agree with as she was so good in The Crowned Clown.

 

This show also had some social commentary as @mademoiselle mentioned. In fact an interesting article on Naver pointed it out too. I put an extract here:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[abs-oluteM]

This was so funny !

 

[mademoiselle]

 

 

[ktcjdrama]

Is this a new OST? @mademoiselle Don't remember hearing it before. Very nice  Her voice suits the song so well too...

My only complain is why do they need to include the still of San and Hwabin in the clip 

[mademoiselle]

@ktcjdrama Yes, new OST.

 

By the way, I found this which you will be interested worth a read. Might require tissue paper though.

https://wx3.sinaimg.cn/large/006bBNAply1gxvwbupn57j30n7cmme82.jpg (Alternate link - chinese)

 

source: weibo

 

I'm still reading and up to...

 

Deok Im was with San for 5 years and she was pregnant 5 times.

 

1780 - Miscarriage

1781 - Miscarriage

1782 - First son

1783 - First princess

1784 - Son became crown prince

1785 - 1786 - pregnant

Edited January 3, 2022 by mademoiselle

[ktcjdrama]

4 minutes ago, mademoiselle said:

By the way, I found this which you will be interested worth a read. Might require tissue paper though.

I can't access it. Got a 403 Forbidden message... sigh...

 

[mademoiselle]

4 minutes ago, ktcjdrama said:

I can't access it. Got a 403 Forbidden message... sigh...

Try this: https://i.ibb.co/4mvDKSG/006b-BNAply1gxvwbupn57j30n7cmme82.jpg

 

FMV - Lee Jun Ho x Lee Se Young

 

[Mizv]

 

[gilaswan]

I finally scrubbed through episode 17. It was quite draggy IMO - a lot of long panning shots of sad faces. It does look like that add-on episode was really just an add on. The way Ep 16 ended, it seemed like it had been shot to be rounded off in that manner with a happy ending. My guess is the decision to have an add-on episode was to give that historical round up since everyone was really enjoying the history of this story. It must have been truly unique for the time, for a man of noble birth to be so singularly devoted to a woman, and one who truly had no political associations. Someone who was in it only for relationship's sake.

 

Their love story nevertheless, was a very sad one. I think becoming his concubine literally killed her. Her life after accepting San's "proposal" (if you could even call it that) was literally a cycle of getting pregnant and recovering, and getting pregnant again. It is just very tragic that none of her children survived. I think those frequent losses plus the limits to her freedom for the sake of San was what eventually led to her death. The actors in the show definitely portrayed all those subtleties in their relationship very well. She loved him, but to say she loved her freedom more than him would also not be true, because (at least in the portrayal of Deok Im's character in this show) she gave all of that up to accept him. When told she could reject him, but then that would mean never being able to see him again (cos likely for her sake he would banish her from the palace), she chose him. She literally gave away her freedom (to be banished to live outside the palace walls - if that's not freedom for her, what is?) 

 

One thing of curiosity for me in the show though - why did the Queen Dowager covet her so much too? Did she really want to do her in with Hwabin, or was she trying to find a way to "take" Deok Im into her service?

[abs-oluteM]

24 minutes ago, gilaswan said:

One thing of curiosity for me in the show though - why did the Queen Dowager covet her so much too? Did she really want to do her in with Hwabin, or was she trying to find a way to "take" Deok Im into her service?

I do think that the QD had always had a soft spot for Deok Im . I remember in earlier episodes , she had always wanted to have Deok Im in her service. She was intelligent and had her own mind. QD appreciated that she was someone who would give good counsel and be a good companion. It wasn't only the lives of those in with the red sleeves that were imprisoned in this palace. It felt like every woman there lives a life bound by rules & expectations.  Life would be a lot better if QD can find someone she could trust. 

 

I don't actually think she wanted to really harm her in that Hwabin situation. If she did , she would not have hinted to San to come to Hwabin that night...she was in a way using the situation to free her own brother ( who was exiled). She knew that San would never let any harm come in Deok Im's way. 

[abs-oluteM]

Their film making always made my day. These two had so much fun together.

 

And this was also such a cute one...Deok Ro's fan girls!

 

[mademoiselle]

@abs-oluteM Deok Ro's fangirling photo session has a follow up which was the actress playing Deok Im's friend who had a crush on Deok Ro. She post an IG story with the caption "Why wasn't I there?" signifying and joked that she's upset

 

 

Edited January 4, 2022 by mademoiselle

[mademoiselle]

I'm not a big fan of watching concubines fighting over a King/Emperor so I really appreciated that The Red Sleeve does not include the bitchy inner palace politics between concubines or San's Queen. Hwabin's scene touched on this just enough and I'm glad there was no more. Note: In real history, she lived the longest compared to all other Jeongjo's concubines. *Gasp*

 

Not sure what type of person the Queen is however based on record, she has married San since he was 10 (they are two years apart) and have no children for 20 years until Deok Im came along.

 

To share a bit more about the translated excerpt I've read yesterday (per real history, not novel/drama):

 

As Korean shared the similar culture as Chinese, you will notice that in history or family register, the full name of the women (wives of the family) were never recorded. Only their Family Name is recorded. However, Deok Im was the only concubine of Jeongjo had record of her full name which hence believed she's a significant person to Jeongjo (especially Jeongjo wrote something about her).

 

In addition, Deok Im isn't the "official" wives, there was no need to choose an auspicious date for "Happang" unlike the Queen and Royal Noble Consort so Jeongjo can visit Deok Im whenever he likes, which probably explain why she easily got pregnant all the time 😅

 

The excerpt also highlighted that usually the court decides on the title to give to the Royal Concubine. However, Deok Im's title was solely decided by Jeongjo. The court initially suggested "Su" and this title was later given to the next concubine after Deok Im.

 

The place Deok Im resides is said to be only one level (rank?) lower than the King's and is close to Jeongjo's office. 😏 Also, only after reading this excerpt that I learnt there's ranking to the residences the royal stayed too!

 

And after a year of Deok Im's death, Jeongjo took a new concubine but it isn't until 4 years later that the new Royal Consort Su (Su-bin) gave birth to King Sunjo.

 

Another thing worth noting was that Jeongjo built a big East Palace when Deok Im's son was born and made him a crown prince at age of 2. There was some other things he did too but I don't understand what that was. In contrast, he didn't make Sunjo a crown prince until he was 11 years old* and did not go to the extent of doing anything extravagant for this prince. *It was considered strange of Jeongjo to wait this long since he's literally heirless at the time and Sunjo was his only heir.

 

-- I think that's about as much as I could remember what I've read --

Edited January 4, 2022 by mademoiselle