Our Blooming Youth 청춘월담 [2023]

[ktcjdrama]

2 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

Pacing is way too slow...the romance is no where to be seen. What's keeping me here is the scenes where they go out on disguise. 

Same here. I look forward to their scenes the most, and please give us more of the investigation scenes, instead of the palace politics... 

 

2 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

Poor Mad Scientist will be traumatised when he finds out no one is who they claim they are -   his dearest student, Eunuch Go and Scholar Hwan

But being the eccentric person he is, he might also be purely elated when he found out, LOL...

[mademoiselle]

20 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

I still think Chief Han's father is the most suspicious. The preparation for the wedding thing is still a cover. However I think Chief Han is unaware of his father's plans. I really like the final scene of CP and Han trusting each other again. CP already has too many enemies, and his father is not quite on his side. He needs more people he can trust. Someone with a bit more clout like Han. 

But he has that approval face on him of how Hwan handle the whole situation.

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by mademoiselle

[mademoiselle]

 

 

 

[abs-oluteM]

@mademoiselle @ktcjdramaOhhhhhhh scratch whatever theory I have about Chief Han's father. I think by the end of episode 10, the Queen seems to be the mastermind. The confidence she had in telling her son , the GrandPrince that no harm will come upon him seems to indicate that she is the one that plotted all this. And I don't even think she's in cahoots with her uncle (Right State Councilor) - she wants to bring him down. 

 

And the CP's personal guard is also suspicious . He overheard Jae Yi and CP having a meal together in their secret place and now he knows who Jae Yi really is. That expression is not good. So I think he must be working for the Queen? I like that meal scene. Jae Yi is a woman born in the wrong era. I can see why she'd rather be an eunuch all her life then be someone's wife. Anyhow I think this is as much "romance" as we're gonna get , huh. Maybe that's why they call it Our Blooming Youth and not Our Blooming Love 

 

I need more Mad Couple scenes. Not enough of their interactions and involvement with JY and CP

[ktcjdrama]

On 3/7/2023 at 11:10 PM, ktcjdrama said:

and please give us more of the investigation scenes, instead of the palace politics... 

 

I think I jinxed the drama... sigh... ep.9-10 is so full of politics, which the content itself is not at all interesting. Then the flashback way of telling what happened in the past, so confusing that it was hard to follow. I watched at double speed.

 

And... are we looking at a birth secret at the end of ep.10? 

[mademoiselle]

1 hour ago, ktcjdrama said:

I think I jinxed the drama... sigh... ep.9-10 is so full of politics, which the content itself is not at all interesting. Then the flashback way of telling what happened in the past, so confusing that it was hard to follow. I watched at double speed.

 

And... are we looking at a birth secret at the end of ep.10? 

I have to admit I wasn't paying much attention for E10 because I was setting up my laptop. LOL.

 

@abs-oluteM Yeah, what is up with that Queen. All of a sudden she turns evil. Maybe like Under the Queen's Umbrella, her lover is that Song guy! She definitely is very sure of his character. And is that mean he was framed but by whom?

[abs-oluteM]

6 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

@abs-oluteM Yeah, what is up with that Queen. All of a sudden she turns evil. Maybe like Under the Queen's Umbrella, her lover is that Song guy! She definitely is very sure of his character. And is that mean he was framed but by whom?

I also thought that Song guy could be the lover.  Ooooooo @ktcjdramaDon't tell me the Grand Prince is his son? The timeline fits...the boy is about 10 ...and the rebellion and subsequent capture happened a decade ago.  Maybe her uncle framed him to get himself to do something grand for the kingdom and get into the King's good books then. 

[ktcjdrama]

30 minutes ago, abs-oluteM said:

Ooooooo @ktcjdramaDon't tell me the Grand Prince is his son? The timeline fits...

I am 101% sure GP is that Song guy's son. The way the Queen told the GP in tears that he would never send a snake to harm him 

 

Also, it seems that Song guy may not be dead after all. I remember a scene where he was tied up above on the pillar, but his hand moved....? Did anyone else see that?

[abs-oluteM]

1 hour ago, ktcjdrama said:

Also, it seems that Song guy may not be dead after all. I remember a scene where he was tied up above on the pillar, but his hand moved....? Did anyone else see that?

Yes, I think that was in eps 9 or something. Right State Councillor may very well be lying about Song's death too. 

 

It would serve the King right if the Grand Prince is not his son. He's always been so unfatherly to Hwan , and didn't seem genuinely worried about Hwan since he always thought he still had a back-up for someone else to become the CP should anything happen to Hwan.

[gilaswan]

@ktcjdramaI've actually been following this drama. It did indeed get better from ep 3, and like everyone else - forget the romance. What romance?? No chemistry in that department whatsoever (what's with the dramas recently that purport romance? None of the couples post-AOS have chemistry at all. #jangukchoyeong4eva. Hahaha). Let's just get on with the fantastic four and their crime busting antics! From the poster, is the CP's bodyguard part of the team or not? Now I'm a bit sus with him too... As for the Queen, I'm not sure she's bad per se. She could well be on TeamCP. I'm quite curious to know what she's all about, really. The palace maids also all seem very strange too. I don't trust any of them. 

[mademoiselle]

 

 

[mademoiselle]

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[mademoiselle]

This scene when Hwan decided to stand up for the kid. He was sooooo swoony

Anyway, I don't really think the King intended to depose him. I'm wondering if the King wanted him to experience what truly "not being able to do" something means.

 

That old Master is suspicious. Not sure how he'll play into this but he's likely involved in the grand scheme of things. But I hope that the rebels will realise Hwan is a worthy, trustable future King.

[abs-oluteM]

2 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

Anyway, I don't really think the King intended to depose him. I'm wondering if the King wanted him to experience what truly "not being able to do" something means.

I too think that the King is trying to protect him . It seems to me in this episode that the King is aware of Lord Cho's power and reach. He knows that if Hwan continues to dig into things and meddle into politics that Hwan will be Cho's target and lose his CP position.

 

2 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

That old Master is suspicious. Not sure how he'll play into this but he's likely involved in the grand scheme of things. But I hope that the rebels will realise Hwan is a worthy, trustable future King.

I am now wondering if the whole Bukcheon thing was just a farce that Lord Cho has set up to secure his power. I suspect the so called "rebels" and the rest of the villagers weren't all bad. Maybe the Master and the couple who run the inn are trying to save their village. 

 

This was cute...she doesn't realise what she is doing to his heart

[mademoiselle]

@abs-oluteM It takes so long for their romance to bloom. I keep thinking whether it's going to bloom at all!

[gilaswan]

I’m definitely liking the mystery of the forsaken village. As for romance, what romance? Kdramas seem to be having a dearth of leads with chemistry. Not since Jang Uk + Yeong. 😝 Anyhoo…

 

Slimy Minister Cho clearly orchestrated the history of the uprising. Question is why this village was targeted. As with the question the Fab Four is asking - what happened in the village all those years ago? Why does Min. Cho have such a hold on the Queen? And that body guard - good or bad? Also, anyone find CP’s head lady in waiting mysterious? She never says a word. And Head Eunuch looks like he knows something but so mysteriously quiet as well. And who is the Queen’s head lady in waiting exchanging messages with??

[mademoiselle]

 

 

 

[mademoiselle]

Hahaha the only few times I love the Asian/Korean's rules on seniority was shown in this episode. I just love how all those super old Ministers had to greet the young Scholar Cho because his family status is higher than them .

 

When Section Chief Han bought Jae Yi the ribbons, I thought maybe Hwan and Jae Yi will remain as friends (since there's not really romantic feelings between Hwan and Jae Yi) and it would be better that there isn't going to be any for the sake of the men's friendship. But no, the drama had to give us an internal OS from Hwan re: he would have bought her a hundred ribbons if she tells him she wanted one, and him buying a bracelet too. Argh. I hate this because I'm forseeing a disastrous or unsatisfactory ending for these three. Maybe it'll be an open ending. Ha.

 

Pfft. So in the end, the King didn't really do anything. Hwan seems to figure it out on his own and the King just go with the flow. Although not exactly clear of the King's part, but I am interpreting as he confined Hwan to make Minister Cho thinks he's not supporting Hwan whereas he trusted Hwan will be able to find his way out of this confinement. Side note: This confinement got me wondering if I could handle not leaving my bedroom for a month. Hwan's room doesn't have a bathroom, does that mean he didn't shower/bath for one whole month too?

As for his bodyguard, I think he's the one who communicated with the Queen's maid. I'm not too surprised because he was the closest to Hwan and he is most likely the person to steal Hwan's letter from Hwan. And also close enough to plant that ghost letter while Hwan sleeps. The only thing now is whether or not he will turn to support Hwan.

 

The royal attires in this drama bugs me because they are not the prettiest in design or colours. For example, the attire the King wore to the Archery ceremony is just plain hideous! Plus, how is it plausible for the bodyguard to not draw attention when he wears the designated Crown Prince's military uniform while spying on someone in broad daylight... and through to the night? He's in bright red and blue colour for crying out loud!

 

BTS

 

[abs-oluteM]

Eps 12 was probably the best after all the dragging before this. At least we see Hwan coming out victorious - he did a lot of "shoveling" like he said, and found a way to free himself from being confined. I am more certain now that the King is in his own way trying to protect Hwan by being harsh with him. Like Cho said, the king understands his way around the politics of this kingdom. Hwan actually achieved a lot in this episode. He proved that he was a worthy successor and he got the support of the scholars. He also proved to the ministers that his arm is no longer a problem, and cannot be used against him.

 

Apart from that , what made the episode better was seeing the four of them reunite. Honestly Lee Tae Sun who plays Mad Scientist is a scene stealer. I crack up each time he and GaRam appear.

 

@mademoiselle @gilaswan I just wish the writer will be clearer about what she/ he wants about the romance. I can see that Hwan is in love but JY I can't tell. Perhaps she is beginning to feel something after that whole bracelet thing. And understandably, she's  preoccupied with finding out the truth & clearing her own name . Also, I am beginning  to feel a bit bad for Chief Han, and I keep wondering what will happen once her real identity is made known . Actually Jae Yi and his scenes, even if they are not a lot, does have some level sweetness and chemistry to it. 

 

Now the 2 characters I keep going back and forth with is the bodyguard and the Queen. I cannot tell if they are good or bad. Or perhaps they have their own agenda. I feel the Queen doesn't quite agree with her uncle's ways and she of course hates the control he has over her. 

[mademoiselle]

16 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

Eps 12 was probably the best after all the dragging before this. At least we see Hwan coming out victorious - he did a lot of "shoveling" like he said, and found a way to free himself from being confined. I am more certain now that the King is in his own way trying to protect Hwan by being harsh with him. Like Cho said, the king understands his way around the politics of this kingdom. Hwan actually achieved a lot in this episode. He proved that he was a worthy successor and he got the support of the scholars. He also proved to the ministers that his arm is no longer a problem, and cannot be used against him.

So true. So true. He won approvals from the other faction. He's got the respect of the scholars as well, which is important since I have seen in other sageuk where the Sungkyukwan's scholars were able to put pressure on the court/King in political matter.

16 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

@mademoiselle @gilaswan I just wish the writer will be clearer about what she/ he wants about the romance. I can see that Hwan is in love but JY I can't tell.

Yeah, I feel like she/he is teasing or toying with our feelings. And true, it's not yet clear about Jae Yi but I think she likes Hwan. She was quick to explain to him about the ribbons and she was bothered and thinking about whether the bracelet was for her. If she doesn't have feelings for Hwan, she wouldn't be dwelling on this.

16 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

Now the 2 characters I keep going back and forth with is the bodyguard and the Queen. I cannot tell if they are good or bad. Or perhaps they have their own agenda. I feel the Queen doesn't quite agree with her uncle's ways and she of course hates the control he has over her.

I would very much like that in the end the bodyguard and the Queen all decided to join hands with Hwan and defeat the Cho family. Is that a wishful thinking? Haha.

[ktcjdrama]

On 3/15/2023 at 11:28 AM, gilaswan said:

As for romance, what romance? Kdramas seem to be having a dearth of leads with chemistry. Not since Jang Uk + Yeong.

 

On 3/14/2023 at 6:57 PM, abs-oluteM said:

This was cute...she doesn't realise what she is doing to his heart

I think it's because she is used to having boys as her friends when younger, that she never thought much about it. Not until the bracelet thing...

 

On 3/15/2023 at 5:13 PM, mademoiselle said:

Although not exactly clear of the King's part, but I am interpreting as he confined Hwan to make Minister Cho thinks he's not supporting Hwan whereas he trusted Hwan will be able to find his way out of this confinement. Side note: This confinement got me wondering if I could handle not leaving my bedroom for a month. Hwan's room doesn't have a bathroom, does that mean he didn't shower/bath for one whole month too?

It's exactly as you interpreted it. He was pleased when Hwan found a way out of his confinement.

As for the bathroom issue, the bath water is brought inside to him, and they have chamber pots. I have seen those things when younger, growing up with my great grandmother living with us.

 

21 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

it's not yet clear about Jae Yi but I think she likes Hwan. She was quick to explain to him about the ribbons and she was bothered and thinking about whether the bracelet was for her. If she doesn't have feelings for Hwan, she wouldn't be dwelling on this.

I also think so. She just doesn't know it yet. But we do, hahahaa....

 

 

[mademoiselle]

 

 

[mademoiselle]

 

 

 

[mademoiselle]

5 Close Calls In Episodes 11-12 Of “Our Blooming Youth” That Had Us Nervous

 

“Our Blooming Youth” sets a slower pace this week by putting two major characters out of circulation. Lee Hwan (Park Hyung Sik) and Min Jae Yi (Jeon So Nee) have traced the source of their respective mysteries to the quelled rebellion in the village of Byeokcheon 10 years ago as well as its dead leader, a man named Song (Yoon Seok Hyun). But just as they begin their investigation, an act of courage throws a massive spanner in the works. And Hwan and Jae Yi’s greatest obstacle is one they couldn’t have predicted.

 

Warning: spoilers for episodes 11-12 below.

1. Myung Jin and Hwan rescuing a child from the Minister of Justice

Hwan and Jae Yi pay a visit to Kim Myung Jin (Lee Tae Sun) and Ga Ram (Pyo Ye Jin) as they all try to figure out the meaning behind the burnt peony petals the dead shaman was using. Myung Jin is certain that his teacher, the monk Moo Jin (Jung In Gyum), will have an answer. However, Moo Jin seems to recognize Hwan and evasively says that the petals mean nothing. They’re interrupted by a child who steals from the inn they were eating at and races onto the road, managing to smash an expensive porcelain jar belonging to Jo Won Oh (Cho Jae Ryung), the Minister of Justice.

 

Spoiler

As a member of the Jo family and a relation to Jo Won Bo (Jung Woong In), Won Oh immediately throws a public fit, beating the child and vowing to throw him in prison for 200 years. Surprisingly it isn’t Hwan who steps in first, but Ga Ram, who can’t stand seeing a child treated this way. When Won Oh attempts to hit Ga Ram, Myung Jin steps in front of her and orders Won Oh to stop, which makes you wonder how much Myung Jin knows. But as the Minister of Justice, Won Oh has more power than everyone assembled in the marketplace. Everyone except Hwan.

Spoiler

Jae Yi tries to stop Hwan for some strange reason, seemingly out of fear that his out-of-the-palace jaunts will be discovered, but Hwan steps in. Won Oh goes pale upon recognizing him, and after engaging in a good bit of sophistry with him, Hwan is able to turn the tables and save the child. But just as Hwan starts to eschew his father’s teachings on ignoring everyone and rising to the top, his compassionate nature could put an end to his present power for good.

2. Hwan’s argument with the King

Spoiler

Jo Won Bo is not pleased at Hwan stepping in and making one of his lackeys look stupid. When you add to that a few threats from the mysterious rebel force hiding in the capital, he’s on edge to hide whatever he did to crush that rebellion in Byeokcheon 10 years ago. Under the guise of proposing measures to rout the remaining rebellions, he petitions the King (Lee Jong Hyuk) to order that no one from Byeokcheon, its surrounding areas, or even related to it, should be allowed to take the civil servant exam or work in the Palace. This essentially forces those people into low-wage positions and denies them the possibility of using education as a means to better their lives. This also means that the people, eunuchs, and maids, who already worked in such positions, are kicked out of the Palace despite their pleas.

Spoiler

The Queen (Hong Soo Hyun) is aghast at these measures and tearfully gives her seamstress a jeweled hairpin to provide for her life outside the Palace. The King knows what Won Bo is up to but believes that he has no choice but to comply, else Won Bo will use his clan’s power to oust him. So when Hwan shows up to protest these inhumane measures, the King grows furious. He asks his son if he really believes him so weak a king to bow to Won Bo. And in a powerful moment, Hwan says that he had followed everything his father said to the point of nearly destroying his friendship with Han Sung On (Yoon Jong Seok), but that just made him more ashamed of himself.

Spoiler

xiaolanhua

xiaolanhua

He weeps, asking his father why he asked him to perform actions that would only make him ashamed of himself. Outside, Won Bo overhears everything until Jae Yi boldly calls out that he is present. He cackles knowing that the King is going to have to choose between satisfying the Jo clan and earning his son’s respect. The King’s answer is swift and certain: Hwan is to be confined to the Eastern Palace.

3. Hwan’s confinement.

The punishment is practically unheard of. Hwan can no longer perform any of his duties and must remain in his room with only one eunuch allowed to visit him. Naturally, that’s Jae Yi. The two spend a full month in there, with no one’s company but each other’s. After two weeks, Hwan weeps at the realization that he has been all but deposed. The King won’t withdraw his command for fear of looking weak, so someone has to force him to withdraw his command.

Spoiler

Hearing whispers of Hwan’s confinement, Myung Jin and Garam spread rumors to all the scholars in the capital that Hwan is not only fine, but that he’ll be attending the archery contest being held by the scholars soon. As Hwan wasn’t able to attend the previous ceremony owing to his shoulder injury, it’s the perfect spot to showcase his return.

Spoiler

Desperate, Hwan reaches out to Scholar Jo (Cha Seo Won), a powerful member of the Jo clan, who doesn’t share their greed. He also happens to be the head of the scholars’ group. The next thing we know, all the capital’s scholars are protesting to the King, demanding that Hwan attend the archery ceremony as they need his photographic memory to restore some of their library’s books. The mass petition and the fact that it’s headed by Scholar Jo is all the excuse the King needs to order an end to Hwan’s confinement. And as Hwan attends the ceremony and hits bullseye after bullseye while hearing no end of compliments on his photographic memory, he realizes that his father wanted him to figure a way out of his situation himself. The King knows that he’s a puppet, but perhaps he can buy some time for his son to gain power and friends so that his son won’t be one.

4. Jae Yi and the Queen being cornered by Jo Won Bo

Spoiler

Jo Won Bo has known the identity of “Go Sun Dol” for some time now but hasn’t acted on it. Yet, that doesn’t mean he’s going to let it go. When he was blatantly eavesdropping on the King and Hwan’s argument, Jae Yi dared to announce his presence to Hwan, who was able to kick him out before he overheard more. So, Won Bo’s on the warpath now, and when he sees Jae Yi ferrying secret letters from Hwan to the outside world during his confinement, he wastes no opportunity grabbing her by the collar. He tells her that he knows she’s not Go Sun Dol and is about to forcibly take Hwan’s letter from her when Sung On intervenes and chases Won Bo off.

Spoiler

Honestly, the lengths to which this man is willing to go is terrifying. He does the same to the Queen when she gently pleads with the King to end Hwan’s confinement. What this show has done with the Queen’s character is just incredibly refreshing. She isn’t an evil stepmother by any means and seems to genuinely care for Hwan and for the people of Joseon. He doesn’t even know that he has a potential ally in here. Sure, she’s keeping secrets, but here’s hoping they aren’t ugly ones. Still, Won Bo flies into a rage when he hears that the Queen dared to plea on Hwan’s behalf and nearly strangles her. Yikes.

5. Jae Yi remembering Tae Gang

Spoiler

Jae Yi has been trying to remember what happened that fateful morning her family died for some time now. Her memory has been clouded, both by trauma and apparently by some invisible truth that she’s still trying to recall. She’s been getting bits and pieces back, like the presence of peony petals being burned and Shim Young (Kim Woo Seok) coming to the kitchen that day. But nothing concrete comes of either. The identity of the messenger who purported to be from Hwan could be her biggest clue. After all, that messenger not only killed the real person Hwan sent with a wedding gift, but they also brought a copy of the ghost-sent letter, which Hwan absolutely didn’t send. Thus, whoever it was would have to be related to the murder and mayhem plaguing the capital.

Spoiler

And just as Jae Yi’s all but given up, she finally remembers who it was: Tae Gang (Heo Won Seo). She flees to warn Hwan. Finding him with Tae Gang, she takes Tae Gang’s sword and puts it at his neck! She’s utterly furious, and Hwan is utterly bewildered. And next week will tell us where this confrontation will go!

Spoiler

 

Tae Gang’s been acting increasingly sketchy throughout the past couple episodes. He seems to care about Hwan and helped investigate the Byeokcheon rebellion while Hwan was confined. But he also has an agenda that we aren’t privy to. Hwan would be devastated if his own bodyguard turned out to be the murderer of Jae Yi’s family, but the possibility remains far too alive.

kdramashii

kdramashii

kdramashii

Despite the 20 episode run and Hwan and Jae Yi having been placed in every form of romantic situation (a month-long confinement!), these two have almost no romantic tension, with the bulk of the interest on Hwan’s side rather than Jae Yi’s. They certainly challenge each other to be better and do more, but some of that initial slow burn seems to have fizzled out. With eight episodes left to go, here’s hoping they bring back the sizzle!

 

source

[mademoiselle]

 

Spoiler

https://twitter.com/CJnDrama/status/1638057983241498625?s=20