The Bridal Mask Hangover

Hello out there, before we start, we would like to introduce ourselves

Dpmrs (a.k.a. dapinaymrs) is from SE Asia. She initially was drawn to anime in her teens but has branched out to Korean and Japanese dramas. She is fascinated by world history and culture in general.  

San (a.k.a. fuyushita_risou) is a long time drama lover, and cherishes not only  the entertainment by them but also likes researching the background of the stories. She is fascinated by Southeast Asian culture and history.

 
San: So, today Dpmrs and I want to talk about the drama Bridal Mask. Not only do we want to talk about the drama itself, but we want to focus on the time, characters and background in which Gaksital played because we both were really captivated by it.

Dpmrs: The Bridal Mask has long been ended but I found it hard to move on especially in the first several weeks.

San: Why did you get so addicted?

Dpmrs: Where do I start? I was hooked to everything about it. The characters, the contradictions, the era that it was set on. I haven't watched any Korean historical drama that dealt with Japanese resistance before and Gaksital captured that 1930s to 1940s feeling...
When you started watching, did you have certain expectations about the events that were portrayed in the drama?

San: No, not really, I always start with my drama-research while I watch the drama. But after I read the summary of Gaksital and knew that it plays in the time while the Japanese colonialized Korea I was really excited how the director would portray the Japanese, since it was a time when the whole mankind went kind of crazy. Hitler was on the rise in Germany together with Mussolini in Italy and Nationalism and Fascism weren't only a European problem it also conquered to Japan.

Dpmrs: That's bringing the picture to a worldwide scale—awesome. I only remembered in History class, we discussed the Japanese slogan in World War II: Asia for Asians. I don't know if that rings a bell with Hitler's slogan.

San: Pretty much. The nazis stated Germans were the ruling race. 

Dpmrs: Yes that is similar to the Japanese way of thinking at that time. They really had that mindset going on. They wanted to conquer the rest of Asia. 

San: Yeah that's why I would call the Japanese at that time damn nazis. They didn't differ much from the Germans. It didn't take long till they worked together. Did you learn in history class about the Colonialization of Korea?

Dpmrs: Nope, we didn't. That was why I was kinda surprised to learn that Korea was a former colony of Japan and that in the 1910s they had a treaty where they annexed Korea to Japan.  I mean I knew Korea would be a point of interest for Japan being in proximity and all but the extent of it, I didn't know. What I discovered was that Korea and the Philippines had a lot more in common in terms of history especially with Japanese colonization. A lot of issues were tackled there--

San: Like the comfort women? --

Dpmrs: Exactly. The Japanese at that time were known for their violence and they didn't discriminate. Being a 'comfort' woman was one of the most devastating experiences that the  Filipinas in the 1940s had to go through.

San: How do you as a Filipina relate to Bridal Mask joining forces with the Korean liberation forces that were fighting against the Japanese to gain their freedom? 

Dprms: Of course we didn't have Gaksital (how awesome that would have been lol) but we had HUKBALAHAP (People's Army Against Japan - literal meaning) working with the people. And the people's discontent was widespread so the atmosphere was similar to that of the people in the town market in the drama. You can see they wanted to fight but they weren't as organized until Gaksital joined forces with Teacher Yang Baek and Dong Jin. I was wondering how you could relate to that, though?

San: I had a really hard time watching it. You know, since I grew up in Germany I have always been confronted with the guilt my country had as a perpetrator state. So watching the Koreans how they were treated from the Japanese made me feel like I was seeing the nazis torturing Jews and all the other victims. I felt so sad for them and really hated my origins.

Dpmrs: It must have been hard for you to bear that kind of feeling, :( Of all the characters then, who do you relate to the most? 

San: Clearly to Shunji.

Dpmrs: Oh, I thought you were going to say Kangto! 

San: No, because he was like a French spy XDD

Dpmrs: Ohh~~but I am not sure what that exactly means :D

San: In terms of the fact that he fought against culprits, standing on the other side, but Shunji was like most Germans.

Dpmrs: Could you say then that Shunji is your favorite character in the series?

San: No, because I can relate to him XDD It might sound confusing but in the beginning, Shunji never wanted to hurt people. Well, he still grew up with the cultural background the Japanese had at that time, like we said before, being part of the ruling race and all but he turned into a monster, even if it was just because he wanted to protect something. Most Germans were like that. They accepted Hitler out of fear something could happen to their families. Maybe some had fun gaining power like the Kishokai, but in general, people were afraid, just watched what happened and became a part of the whole thing. But being part means that you become a culprit. So that's why I don't like that I can relate to Shunji.

Dpmrs: Ah but Shunji is my favorite character in the Bridal Mask.

San: Really? 

Dpmrs: This would really seem awkward, but he is. Not because he is part of that ruling class mentality or what not. But when I see this character transform himself from the innocent school teacher to a monster (really is a befitting word for him), I just feel for him. Kangto had already resolved his contradiction early in the series and found his convictions lie on the other side of the fence from Shunji. But Shunji was tormented all the way to the end. Yours then is Kangto?

San: Yeah, he did such a great thing, at the beginning, I hated him a little. Well, I understand why he did those things. But I was fascinated by his courage to change what happened to his people. I thought that there should be more people like him. And I always wished through the series that Shunji would change, that he would understand the Koreans and turn his back from his stupid, imprinted beliefs because he had to know what he did was wrong. But in that way, the writers portrayed Shunji, as a part of the Japanese in a really realistic way.

Dpmrs: I feel that way, too.

San: What did you think about our third main role Mok Dan?

Dpmrs: Uhmm...what's the next question?? lol

San: Ahh, another Mok Dan hater, then? XDD 

Dpmrs: Well, for me, I'm just grateful the writers didn't make her the center of the universe. 

San: Hmm, I liked Mok Dan, I think she had a crucial part in the whole story. From the beginning, she portrayed, in my opinion, the clear-minded rebel side. Unwilling to accept the colonization of her country. She was the only constant character in the drama who stayed true to her beliefs. But I am willing to argue about Jin Se Yun's acting ability on how she portrayed Mok Dan.  

Dpmrs: What I saw was that Mok Dan was instrumental to Bridal Mask and Dam Sa Ri working together, and that led to deeper connections with the lib movement. As an afterthought, Mok Dan was someone who Kang To and Shunji loved or wanted - like Korea in the between two opposing forces. 

San: I think that's a really good metaphor.

Dpmrs: Thanks. :) But yes, I would agree with you, there were a whole lot of interesting characters in The Bridal Mask that gave life to the drama.

San: Definitely. Also, Ra Ra did a really good job. But I must say that - if the actress wasn't so awesome - I would have disliked her character. Her craving for power made me sick. She would have been better off being a Japanese than a Korean. 

Dpmrs: I can't put a finger on it. I can't say I hate her, I can't say I like her either. Ra Ra for me was difficult to understand. It's like she lost her Korean identity and would rather stick to being a Japanese even though she clearly saw her roots.

San: Yes, she was a real traitor. She resembled the count a lot. But there were many Koreans like that at the time. Also, the Japanese used it like that to dominate the Koreans. They had a hard time controlling the Koreans, so they used them against each other to hold their power.

Dpmrs:  Ra Ra's family was part of the Korean monarchy, right?  It's just a small detail but really the aristocracy or well-off people are usually the ones who hold on to the ruling clique because they were the ones who had property and wealth to cling on to.

San: But I believe it wasn't like that in Korea because the Japanese took from everyone. and they stripped of the power of the aristocracy by deposing the king. If you conquer a "2nd Class race", every one of them is the same. The aristocracy in Korea was the Yangban. The classes were already abolished in 1896 through reforms. Simultaneously in that time, Japan got a grip on Korea. Between the reforms and the annexation, many things happened and all the social classes were mixed. 

Dpmrs: When the Japanese invaded the Philippines, everything was taken and done by force. They abolished the government set up by the US, put up their own 'sponsored' government and had their own Filipino puppets sitting there. The choice was to obey or face their wrath, be stripped of everything that they had and be killed.
Needless to say, the Filipinos were treated as slaves in their own country, so much less than 2nd class citizens. The Japanese were so violent that they earned so much hatred and fear and only a few of those puppets clung to them. One of the worst things that ever happened was the Bataan Death March where about 60,000 Filipinos and some 15,000 US prisoners marched to Bataan after their surrender.

San: That's really similar to Korea. Most Korean Officials who had power at that time did everything to preserve the independence of the country. There were many higher officials who killed themselves after the annexation. For example, after the Japanese dissolved the Korean army, the generals couldn't live because of the shame and committed suicide. After the annexation, there were Koreans who worked as officials but they were outnumbered by the Japanese. Like Kangto in the Jongro police station. Koreans worked for the state just to earn money and get through life. I think they did great in portraying the life of the Koreans at that time in the drama. From the things I've read about it, it was really realistic.

Dpmrs: Yes those scenes had an accurate feel of the era. There were so many memorable scenes in Gaksital that I'm sure people were drawn to. What is the most memorable scene in the drama for you?

San: Oh. My. God. You know that this question can't be answered easily, right?

Dpmrs: Mian :D

San: I have at least two, I think. The first one, was as Shunji took away the mask because the director and the screenwriter did an awesome job in an artistic way. It was like you were watching a painting.The other scenes that will always linger with me, when I think about the drama, are the torture scenes. They made me scream and cry. As Kang To had to go into the nail cage. I had to jump up from my seat and look away, I was just too shocked. I couldn't watch it. It hurt so much. Ahhh, even remembering is hard. 

Dpmrs: Too painful. TT__TT

San: Yeah. Of all the dramas I know, Bridal Mask was the cruelest I've ever watched. Could you cope with the torturing scenes?

Dpmrs: I was numb. I had two friends who were similarly involved like Dam Sa Ri. God rest their beautiful souls, they died on the battlefield. Both of them were riddled with bullets and the second one was tortured. I cannot even begin to think what could have happened - it's just too difficult to imagine.

San: TT.TT I am so sorry to hear this. I have never met people who had to go through such experiences. I am a well-off western girl living in a nearly democratic state. Never had I to worry about my loved ones being in danger because of war or such. 

Dpmrs: I think it's not the torture scenes but the rebels' attitude towards the situation. So similarly, Dam Sa Ri's comrades have this "I can sacrifice" mindset just like my friends. They were ready to endure hardships because ultimately they are doing something for the greater good. This is why I felt sad when Dam Sa Ri and all of his comrades who were with him since the Annexation commemoration bombing, died. They endured and they were ready to die. TT___TT

San: You know, this is something I can't even imagine. How much courage you need to endure something like that, to have such a great belief to give up your life. I really admire such devotion. Well, not in every situation, but if you can't find any other way, to get your freedom back, then it's something really admirable. Every German will ask himself the same question at one point: What would I've done if I lived while Hitler ruled. Would I have done the same or would I have found a way to prevent it and done something against it? So many of my friends and classmates told me they wouldn't have reacted like the people back then, that they were different. But in reality, I will never be able to answer the question. I know I am a courageous person. I am not afraid to tell people what I think and to change things I can't stand. But if I have to imagine that I would have grown up in that system/or regime without the knowledge I have now, I am unable to answer that question.

Dpmrs: It's hard to be theoretical and we will never know that because we aren't in that situation.

San: But it's really creepy to think about and even harder to admit that it is more probable that I would have done the same as all the other Germans, or rather the Japanese in that drama... today we get really deep, huh? What is your most memorable scene from Bridal Mask?

Dpmrs: It's hard to say that really. It's part of history and we should view it in retrospect. Pick the lessons and move forward. For me, out of all those scenes that get replayed in my mind, they always come back to two. 

San: The magic number for both of us XDDD it can't be just one scene.

Dpmrs: Yes it is! :D The first one is Shunji's reaction to what Kang To said - which was something like, 'Fine, kill me so I won't have to feel guilty and carry that burden.' Why this: Shunji was already a monster but after hearing that there was a brief flash of the old Shunji and old Kangto (bffs) and how he transformed - and like I said how he is still tormented till the end.

San: The friendship of those two was a real disaster. Both standing on one side of a wall unable to cross it. The side determined by birth, so unjust. What was your other scene?

Dpmrs: The one scene that I cannot wipe out of my head was when Teacher Yang Baek peeled a boiled potato and fed it to Kangto. I am sure that people in Korea are very particular about being respectful with the elderly and should always remember his or her filial duty. When Teacher peeled a potato, it was an honor that the Teacher was doing this for Kangto. Teacher is thrice older and a revered person in the independence movement and yet he has no airs peeling a poor man's potato to Kangto. 
Potato is originally grown in Latin America and is known as a staple crop and remedy(?) for widespread famine. I don't know the history of potato in Korea as well but there is a similar crop here--the sweet potato--which is the symbol of poverty and hunger. It can grow on any kind of land, even on poor, rocky soil. So it's a root crop known to all Filipinos. In the old days (even now), if you were hungry, all you need to do is dig up your backyard patch of sweet potatoes, boil them, peel them and eat them.

San: For Europeans, potatoes are still important. I can't speak for Americans but we still remember that potatoes helped the Irish to get through a time of hunger in the 19th century. When my family had a hard time after my parents got divorced and we didn't have so much money, for a long time my mom only bought potatoes because they were cheap and fed us. Even now, as a student, my friends and I often cook potatoes because they are affordable.

Dpmrs: I'm glad you made it through rough times, too. In the drama, when Kangto ate it, he was taken back to the past when he was a rickshaw puller and his hyung and mother were still alive. He was reminded of rough times and at the same time, it was a reaffirmation of why he wears the mask and holds on to his principles.

San: You really picked out scenes that were really inconspicuous for me. But it's great to see it from your point of view. I have a last question for you which I am really curious about. Your country was colonized for a long period of time. Is there still something that lingers till today, like anger or grief about it? It's so hard for me to imagine what it feels like. And I was always questioning myself while watching Bridal Mask, how Koreans feel about it. It has always been Europe colonizing other countries. (Do you know how much I hate western history...) Even today, we still take from Africa or other "third-world" countries, even though we don't call them colonies anymore, we western people wouldn't be able to live in such wealth if didn't take advantage of others.

Dpmrs: I carry neither hate nor grief - towards the people of the colonizing countries. What I'm saying is that is history. Personally, I look at it as something that the whole human race has reached, and with this history, we have what we need to move - where to is something we all need to figure out.

San: We totally are deep today. XD 

Dpmrs: Yes, we are, aren't we?:D 

San: But yes, I too believe that living in today is more important than yesterday. What I've learned from watching historical dramas or movies is to change the present if you have the possibility to do so. Watching something like Bridal Mask gives me the courage to do so and not just stand there and let unjust things happen.

Dpmrs: Yes that's right. History continues to move forward. There will be more feelings of grief or anger. Just like in Gaksital, the people kept on fighting against Japanese rule. Rather than just venting them out, these feelings can be channeled to a higher resolve or a clearer objective. Some people think Gaksital's ending was rather unsatisfying. But for me, it was reasonable and rather realistic. It still depicts the continuing struggle and indeed Korea's independence movement still had a long way to go.

San: Yeah I too was really satisfied with the ending and I think it would be a nice idea if the readers now would enter our discussion. After all, you, MDL users, read till here, I am pretty interested what you thought about Bridal Mask. What were your favourite scenes and what emotions did they trigger, what did you think about the characters and what will stay with you in your daily life?

Dpmrs: Readers, tell us, what's your Bridal Mask hangover? We'd love to hear from you! 

All images are from the drama and were taken from various sources: Tumblr, FB, blogs and so on...