La Gata

Read my post again, please. I never said the Korean drama is based directly on the original Spanish novel.

I know it's an epistolary novel, I read it. It's called 'epistolary' because 'epistola' is Latin for 'written message' or 'letter'. To me this is a genre like any other, it will be enjoyable if well written as in this instance, I did enjoy the witty repartee and didn't find it difficult to read. Nevertheless, this detail is not relevant to the discussion. I was answering your OP by indicating the so-called 'original Korean story' does acknowledge the novel.

In other words, this drama originates from the Korean drama 'Untold Scandal', which originates from the French novel 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses', which in turn originates from the Spanish novel 'El Burlador de Sevilla'.

It says 'story, not novel, but I agree it's badly worded. If you follow the link to the 'original' Korean story you'll see it acknowledges the script as being and adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons.

Aside from that, Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Choderlos isn't original either, it's based on the Spanish novel 'El Burlador De Sevilla' and its immortal archetype Don Juan, which was written 150 years earlier.

Oh, don't worry, you didn't at all. You only portrayed yourself as an ignorant yokel.

Moreover, that couldn't possibly be your opinion because you haven't read the novel. You didn't even know the novel is a classic piece of French literature written in 1782. Take this opportunity to educate yourself instead of doubling down on your boorishness.

Calling a classic piece of French literature a 'shitty delinquent novel' says everything about you.

In fact, Pierre Choderlos did not come up with the original idea in his novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, which is based on the Spanish novel 'El Burlador de Sevilla' written by Tirso de Molina in 1630. Its immortal archetype 'Don Juan' is mirrored by the character Vicomte de Valmont that Choderlos wrote 150 years later.

In any case I'm very much looking forward to this series, as I really like Ji Chang Wook as an actor.

I c couldn't agree more, overrated and overpraised. If we are going to go into comparisons, POJ is vastly superior in direction, camera work, editing, consistency of storyline, characters development, originality, acting from MC and main support characters, OST and general entertainment value. All that is not to mention that some scenes in TRTS have been lifted almost intact from POJ.

I also agree that The First Jasmine is a superior quality drama to this one, as are Key To The Phoenix Heart and Blossoms of Power.

Which is one of the many reasons why I find the storyline absurd, it paints itself into a corner for no reason whatsoever.

Aside from that, there was a third option: The emperor rethinking his strategy, for several reasons.

1)He knows he's gone too far and it's not in his interest to lose his right hand man.
2) The very plot line from the salt traders getting infuriated by Madam Wu's murder to being placated by Mo's execution makes no sense whatsoever, Mo doesn't even stand accused of murdering her.
3) The very likely prospect of the Northwest army rebelling because of the murder of their general is much more serious than all scenarios derived from the emperor back pedalling from having Mo executed by anybody, let alone asking Zhao Ling to do it himself.

It's bollocks.

I'm also watching those two, need to catch up with PS.

Not in my view. I have watched every single episode up to 31 without skipping a single scene or dialogue line and I have also rewatched a few of them as they were being released. I started with an 8.5 in the early eps, upgraded it to 9 at some point in the 10 to 20, downgraded it to 8.5 on 21, upgraded it again to 9 on 24 and just downgraded it to 7.5 on 31 (I should have done it earlier, but I was hoping the plot would straighten itself). Seeing the storyline spiralling down into absurdity makes me think I will actually struggle to keep this last score without downgrading it any further. At this point I intend to watch 32 to 36 just because I got all the way here, but I cannot guarantee I'll finish it.

For clarification purposes, this is not because I don't like the way the story is going, I don't have a problem with gritty/heartbreaking/sad/unfair developments as long as they make sense. This storyline started limping in the third part of the drama and has gone from illogical to downright absurd.

And I have explained my reasoning in my opening post, I'm not going to explain it again. The short version: Zhao Ling should have refused the emperor's order at the cost of his own life if necessary, that's it.

You'll have to forgive me for considering my own reasoning better thought out than those explaining the 'political move'. That's unless you suspect me of being mentally impaired for not agreeing with you.😏

Literally people here are agreeing with me, see above.

Wow...

I did finished 31, DO NOT CARRY ON READING IF YOU DON'T WANT THE SPOILER.

Mo is in a coffin, so that's him done. Zhao Ling did indeed behead him.

I don't know who's more devoid of any moral principle, whether the emperor or Zhao Ling. At least Yu Ge Lao is consistent in his cynical approach to life and Madam Yu knows she lost her way at some point and cannot turn back.

I see comments feeling so sorry for ZL after what he 'had to' do and being shocked at FTY for not being more supportive.

ZL didn't 'have to' behead his best friend and mentor. He could have refused and offer his own life to the emperor instead. He just complied with the emperor's order.

So, where does he draw the line? In a scenario where instead of Mo it had been FTY whom the emperor needed to use as a scapegoat in order to placate the salt merchants, would ZL also comply and behead her? What about his own children? If in future the emperor needs to scapegoat ZL's son or daughter 'for the sake of the realm', would he also 'have to' do it or would that be going too far with his compliance to the emperor? Then, what is the difference here, is it just ZL's personal degree of affection towards his best friend/his wife/his children? Does his moral compass not enter the equation?

I not only can see why FTY wasn't that supportive of him, but I would also be fearing for my own safety if I were her. A man who can behead his best friend whom he knows to be innocent on the emperor's order is not to be trusted.

If it had been Yu Ge Lao doing this it would have been seen as an act of ultimate betrayal and sheer villainy, but because it is the ML we should be sorry for him and to hell with protecting those he cared about. I call bullshit on this.

No kidding.

ZL didn't 'have to' behead his friend and mentor. He did it to comply with the emperor. A man of principles would have refused and offered his own life to the emperor instead. This makes ZL into just another immoral character, and all his trauma and pain is no justification.

I love ADWAD, what a witty parody of cdramas it is. I've watched it 3 times. The 3-way stabbing start is brilliant. The bts shorts are hilarious, it took several takes for all three actors to be able to keep a straight face at the same time. 😂

That whole scenario is beyond absurd. The Anzhou merchants were enraged by the murder of Madam Wu, but somehow they wouldn't accept the evidence handwritten by Madam Wu herself? So the emperor decides instead to murder a key general for the defence of the Northwest border and personal friend instead of taking advantage of the situation to investigate further and bring the Yu down? And the merchants are somehow satisfied with Mo's execution but don't give a damn about finding Madam Wu's killer?

The grandma's mausoleum absolutely is the go-to excuse for the emperor every time he wants to get ZL to do something he doesn't like. This is at least the fourth time the emperor has come up with the grandma and the mausoleum. At this point I think the writer was just copying and pasting.

Again, there would have been no reason for Mo to accept his death if FTY had given the evidence to ZL in time instead of sitting on it until late in the evening and then mentioning it casually at the end of the conversation. Once Mo's innocence had been established the investigation should have concentrated on Madam Wu's murder, which is what the salt merchants were enraged about.

I've watched enough cdramas to know troops rebelling because their general was killed is in fact a frequent trope, not getting all of their salt and grain supply being further reason for it. Of course it would have been easy for Mo and Wang's armies to rebel in the Northwest, who would stop them? As soon as they started marching to the capital the border would be left undefended and the enemy kingdoms would invade. This would be a much more perilous situation for the emperor than the salt trade, Madam Wu's murder and the damned mausoleum put together.

The script has gone downhill and it's affected the acting too. Ding Yu Xi's performance at the beginning and middle of the drama was vastly superior in my view, he stopped convincing me a couple of episodes ago.

Today's episode was absurd too.

1) FTY is delivered proof of General Mao's innocence. Does she run to show it to ZL? Dos she even send an urgent message to him to let him know? Of course not. She just waits for him to get back home in the evening, then she tells him in a 'by the way' fashion when it is too late.

2) ZL doing what he did is over the top even for makjang. What would have been in keeping with his character would be refusing to comply with the emperor's order and follow his principles even if it enraged the emperor and cost him his life. Or just resign.

3) The emperor using his 'I can't let my grandmother do her musoleum' as an excuse to literally get away with murder is absurd. On top of it, making General Mao the scapegoat was absurd too, what about his army? Wouldn't they rightfully rebel? Isn't this army essential to defend the border? It makes even less sense considering the emperor could have just let ZL investigate Madam Wu's murder and bring the Yu down, which is what he wanted anyway.

The plot has gone makjang and a half, to the point that I'm tempted to drop this drama.

😂

Thank you.👍

Specsavers.