Bridal Mask ep 11

[calixa]

Just starting the ep, but I had to stop and laugh at Kangto posing dramatically on the roof after delivering the bill of sales to the market people. I know your brother didn't do this shit, Kangto! He did his thing and went home! HE DIDN'T STAND ON ROOFTOPS FOR ACCOLADES

Comments

[dangermousie]

Ahahahahaha true re: posting. A lot of stuff about Shunji will fall into place in ep 12.

[calixa]

I'm watching ep 12 now... I still think Shunji's transformation was unrealistic but at least he's still got a bit of a conscience. I liked the parallel drawn between him and Kangto re: hunting Gaksital. Also can't believe how much crying there is in this show... lol.

[dangermousie]

He always struck me as a bit unhinged - there was always something a bit off about his sweetness to me (whih perhaps says more about me than him).

I think his biggest issue is impulse control - he seems to operate on"do something horrible in heat of moment then repent and feel awful and then repeat the circle." it doesn't help that his father is pushing him toward monstedom as fast as he can.

[calixa]

My main problem with it is that it doesn't seem like his brother's death was enough of a trigger for this kind of drastic personality change. I mean, Kangto was originally a sweet kid and he went off the path but his reasons for it were huge (dead father, dead first love and years of toil as a menial worker rendered pointless after his brother was tortured into insanity, poverty, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF). Shunji's mental breakdown seems pretty pathetic next to Kangto's, especially after all those flashbacks of him being kind to all and sundry.

BUT WHATEVER. It makes for good tv especially the whipping scene. OMG. There's something sadistic about it but I love watching Kangto torturedly wandering around crying on the inside whilst pretending to be a bastard on the surface.

[dangermousie]

I think this drama is pushing the idea "join the police = lose your soul ASAP, unless you are Abe." I agree with you, Shunji had less of a reason for a breakdown but hey, it fits nicely with my view that he is weaker than KT.

The whipping scene! *squeals* that was so angstily perfect - poor poor Kang To. Ahh, this drama is shippy heaven for me whih says much too much about me.

Btw, doesn't this thing remind you of wuxia somehow?

Oh, and I always did find Kang San rather selfish, despite his nobility. Look what he let KT go off and do and think. (and I don't think KT and Shunji is a great parallel for the brotherly situation because KT would have never joined the Japanese and would have stopped if he did, the moment he found out KS is Gaksital, but from re moment KT killed Kenji, Shunji would not stop - KT revealing the truth would just lead to his murder).

[calixa]

I think the difference between KT and Shunji is the fact that KT grew up with a close-knit and loving family of honourable people. Whereas Shunji has spent his whole life trying to separate himself from a family that does love him but who are basically murdering racists. When I look at it that way - as a life time struggle - I guess I can accept his breakdown a bit more.

I've never understood why KS didn't tell KT the truth. I mean he was supposedly trying to protect Kangto but he basically let the kid torture himself for years playing a role that didn't bring much reward except monetary-wise. That probably explains the rooftop scene; for the first time in his adult life the people who share his nationality aren't spitting in his face; I'd stop and savour the moment too.

It definitely has a wuxia element to it which is true of a lot of 'masked hero' stories and I really like it.

HUGGING SCENE.

[dangermousie]

The thing with Shunji coming from a horrible family really does make a difference - he would have been steeped in all that horribleness from childhood so no wonder it took a relatively small push - even now, wherever he wavers, daddy dearest puts the boot in.

The only way I can explain KS is that while he wasn't a lunatic, the torture did unhinge something in his psyche - because his method of protecting his little brother by having him sell his soul for a nonexistent reason is insane,to say the least. (not to mention what he did to their Mom).

The hug was mmmmmmm. Though honestly, she must be blind not to see it's KT.