ms-interpretation

[ms-interpretation]

“I discovered something important. In this world, the country has a presidential system.”

“Well done.”

[ms-interpretation]

A year ago, I saw something beautiful.

Happy Anniversary to The King: Eternal Monarch!!! 👑🎉

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It feels a bit unreal that it has already been a year since The King: Eternal Monarch started airing. I’ve already written quite a lot about why I adore this show so I won’t add too much now. The show played around with a lot of tropes and story themes which I personally love: time travel, parallel universe romance, mystery, interesting well-acted protagonists who managed to be very human as well as truly heroic, the theme of overcoming human darkness, heroes choosing to do the right thing, complicated characters, complicated female characters, theme of duty, grounded loving human relationships, love (romantic, platonic or familial) as a driving force behind characters’ actions and much more. I also loved the modern fairytale vibe, the mystery elements and the comedy. The longing, comedic and sparkling romance between our leads was a highlight (and acted beautifully by Lee Min-ho and Kim Go-eun). I found their individual characters and their brave actions throughout the show, as well as their relationship, consistently incredibly compelling and fun. The supporting cast was also great and were also able to portray the complicated and at-first-hidden aspects of their characters very well. The cinematography was amazing throughout and breathtaking at times. The show turned out to be a really great escapist drama during a stressful uncertain time and I am thankful for it and for the fun and amazing people I’ve got to know through it. It has been so fun to talk to other fans and people who fell in love with the show and who are still here and/or on the bird app! Thank you all for making this last year brighter!

[ms-interpretation]

The King Eternal Monarch: A visual parallel

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Episode Two

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cr: ohchloe, weibo

Invocation of the Dead

“Oh, shattered name

Oh, the name that parted in the air

Oh, the name without an owner

The name i will die calling

I could not finish the last words i had in my heart”

[ms-interpretation]

[ms-interpretation]

“I was traveling around today, and I realized that you must have been lonely in my world”

“Were you lonely here?”

“It was frustrating not to have something that could prove my identity. Thanks for coming to pick me up.”

[ms-interpretation]

They are both so funny! Someone somewhere on tumblr described (jokingly) their relationship as being ‘Annoyed to lovers’. I love that take, I find it hilarious. I mean just look at Jeong Tae-eul’s face in the first screenshot when she’s just found the talisman. It just screams: “Are you actually serious?” and Lee Gon must know how strange he is coming across and just decides to... roll with it. I adore their dynamic. How Jeong Tae-eul is so straight-forward and Lee Gon so outrageously earnest. Tae-eul quickly becoming quite bothered by him during their interactions early on (wonder why? *cough* *cough*) and Lee Gon being so happy to have finally met her that he just decides to answer basically everything and anything she asks honestly and openly (the exception being his name) even though it makes him sound completely insane is all compelling stuff. In this scene Tae-eul outright teases him a lot. First about the talisman and then about the “monopoly” money. We see her get quite serious however when she asks him about why he told her "I finally get to meet you". She clearly felt his sincerity in that moment and wants to get to the bottom of what the hell is going on. To say that’s she’s taken aback is putting it mildly. She is quite frustrated by this whole situation and about this man in front of her who is seemingly spouting out nonsense, but who is simultaneously seeming to be incredibly earnest. You see her struggle with this paradox in their scene at the chicken place and while they’re in the bamboo forest as well. 

I would argue she feels something between them early on. There’s definitely some outright attraction. After he catches her off-guard with his compliment (”You look better in real life too”) the camera emulates her point of view and lingers on him as she is looking at him (he is hilariously framed in a very attractive manner in that scene). Then Tae-eul undercuts the moment as she tells him he looks like a criminal, however not before taking him aback by asking him why he is staring at her in a certain way (the implication being romantically). Lee Gon is even flustered for a moment in that scene (which is equally as hilarious as it is adorable). Tae-eul undercuts the moment deliberately, I would argue, to re-assert herself after having been flustered (I love her). A person on twitter has written some really great ‘meta-threads’ where they spell out some of the cultural subtext which cannot be fully translated through subtitles. An example is the “Will you continue talking down to me?” exchange. They bicker about how they are addressing each other (which has to do with who’s older and Korean speech levels). This adds to the emotional and somewhat flirtatious subtext of their interaction, an aspect slightly lost on international viewers. I have attached a link to the thread below. Tae-eul later teases Gon about how she might be older than him in episode nine, which can be argued is a fun continuation of their bickering here. I do think that some of the subtext in scenes like these might have been lost on the international audience (of which I’m part) at times due to the need to read subtitles + not having access to the characters’ tone through their use of language. Saying that however I don’t think that dramas should simplify their scripts to cater to international viewers (that would honestly be awful), but it can be worth keeping in mind when watching as an international viewer. Tae-eul is flustered by his compliment here, and then again when he compliments her at the hotel, but being the somewhat “tsundere”-like character she is she quickly hides it by basically insulting him instead. We see later that this slightly thorny aspect of Tae-eul is part of her personality, which at first glance may obfuscate her very passionate and kind character (her taking on KSJ’s bullies and telling him, somewhat rudely, to come back to the dojo springs to mind - I really like her). 

So two quite quick-witted and unapologetically straight-forward people meet and it all unsurprisingly ends up with them bickering a lot. One of the thing I like the best about their bickering is that it is really equal, neither of them simply “takes it”, so to speak, instead they respond in kind. This creates an air of honest reciprocity between them. Later in the episode stuff gets more serious. Tae-eul gets more and more genuinely annoyed by all the impossible things Gon keeps claiming. After he asks her if there might be a reason for her helping him, she doesn't respond. But she thinks back to that moment later. His lack of a name and the fact that his claims are genuinely insane becomes a bigger issue for her the more they get to know each other (i.e. the more they connect). Her frustration is quite understandable. Her well-honed instincts are basically at war with her rational mind and world-view (and she has started to like him, which makes it all personal). There’s not much Lee Gon can do however. We feel his frustration easily since we know that he’s telling the truth. It all results in their fairly cold goodbye in episode three. Then of course she misses him, and really starts to believe him. Resulting in their quite emotional reunion in episode four. It is so great that in episode five she continues to tease him after she arrives in the Kingdom and finally seeing that everything he has claimed is true. Why? Because it furthers their relationship instead of resetting it. It is also an indication that Tae-eul’s slightly ‘thorny’ attitude is part of her personality and not simply a consequence of her being annoyed with him. She starts to realize just how much she likes him in episode five and six but she also freaks out a little, because she's more emotionally guarded. Which is why after she first opens up, expressing admiration for him and apologizing for leaving him alone, she then states that she cannot compete with a person from his world (expressing some insecurity. I’ll write more about that scene later). Lady Noh’s warning words are fresh in her mind. Back in the Republic however, after missing him and being worried she finally decides to embrace her love for him when he returns. 

Let’s talk about the first mention of the Royal Ancestral Shrine. Lady Noh is referred to here as Tae-eul finds the talisman planted in Lee Gon’s wallet. A talisman which states it purpose as finding love for the recipient. This because Lady Noh is, as she stated in episode one, adamant of finding Lee Gon a Queen so that he can fulfill his duty as King (which entails providing the Kingdom with an heir). This talisman and this mention of the Royal Ancestral Shrine foreshadows this aspect of the plot and is brought up again later in episode 16. Where Lady Noh brings it up, hinting that Lee Gon and Jeong Tae-eul might marry in a year (‘completing’ the Royal Ancestral Shrine as she put it). A very nice person on soompi explained this for me. She also makes Lee Gon bring a talisman with him as he goes off to have a weekend with Tae-eul. Later on they find themselves back in the Kingdom, almost like the talisman (which Lee Gon accepted this time around which indicates his change of heart from episode one) have deliberately brought them back to the Kingdom to lightly push them to move forward in their relationship. One can definitely argue that it’s technically FateKid’s doing. A very good meta which has written about this in particular is linked below, this blog has a lot of really great posts about TKEM. I would highly recommend it. 

Lee Gon’s amused expression in the last screenshot is such a funny beat, especially in addition to Jeong Tae-eul’s disbelieving expression after she’s found the talisman and her subsequent “Good Luck”. I do so love the comedy in this show. It works so well with the quite grounded characters Lee Gon and Jeong Tae-eul are. 

Link one (spells out some subtext easily lost on international viewers): https://twitter.com/jungpilot/status/1304404562896277505?s=21

Link two (talks about FateKid and LG’s and JTE’s future and more): https://bitchesoverdramas.com/2020/06/16/the-king-ep-16-the-happy-ending/

[ms-interpretation]

“Where did you go this time?”

“A parallel universe.”

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While it would definitely have been wrong for the story and it would have screwed up the tone of the episodes a part of me really wants to read a fic (or in worst case scenario write a fic) where Tae-eul suddenly handcuffs Lee Gon here, stopping him from walking away (in a comedic way, similar to her arresting him in episode two). 

I want to see a slightly awkward but sweet and somewhat angst-filled scene where Tae-eul treats him to some food inside the coffee shop and her friends and father just sit there next to them a bit awkwardly - as Tae-eul tries to get Lee Gon to explain what’s going on, basically questioning him but also kinda trying to bribe him with food? And Lee Gon just sitting there, panicking slightly about how to get away, but also just enjoying spending some more time with her? And also being a bit visibly pained about her not knowing him? 

Would such a scene make sense? Haha, not really since JTE wouldn’t just handcuff someone (and for the reasons I mentioned above). But I would like it as a slightly crack-y fic with some angst and comfort as Lee Gon gets to rest for a bit, and perhaps they repeat some of their banter from episode two? I’m glad the show didn’t go there but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what such a fic would be like. 

“Who are you?”

[ms-interpretation]

Thank you so much for translating and posting @accioecho. This chapter was lovely. I have to cite one of my favourite parts:

Tae-Eul’s shooting abilities were incomparable. Gon was no match for her. Sure, when he saw Tae-Eul’s remarkable skills he had first felt a little embarrassed by his poor performance. However that feeling had quickly been replaced by pride.

Gon held the toy against his chest, dimples crinkling, a content expression adorning his face.

“Why do you like that stuffed animal anyway?” Tae-Eul asked when she saw his proud smile.

“Because it’s a lion. It resembles you. Lions are fierce, courageous. And impressive.”

“Ah, I see.”

Her shoulders shook with mirth. They had barely spent half a day together and she had laughed several times already.

Tkem novel 13

Chapter 17 “A joint investigation”

Keep reading

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“I searched for this place in your world. This church is the only place that’s the same in both worlds.”

“Really? Why did you search for this church?”

“This is where my parents got married. My father saw my mother lecturing at a seminar and fell in love at first sight. It was the World Academy of Sciences. My mother was a scientist. 

“So you take after your mother?”

“Yes. My father proposed to her, but my mother was Catholic. So my father studied the religion for six months. He came here every single week.”

“Wow”

“So they got married and had me. But my mother passed away three years later. She had been frail from birth. I don’t remember it but everyone knows it, and it’s my first time sharing this. But it’s nice that you’re the one I’m telling this story to.”

“You’ve turned out great, Gon. We skipped a lot of things. When I was five, my parents ran the Taekwondo center together. My mother was a really popular instructor. But she died of cancer. I’m still wearing my mother’s black belt.”

“You’ve turned out great, Tae-eul”

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“Why would you make such a joke?”

“It’s a joke only I can make. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d be so startled”

I feel like I need to say again just how much I love these characters and their dynamic. After teasing Lee Gon about his romantic lines Jeong Tae-eul starts to say how his ability to make jokes in difficult situations is something which endears him to the people at the palace. The underlying reality being that because he is the orphaned King through traumatic and violent circumstances the atmosphere could justifiably become quite heavy and dark around him - making it difficult and awkward for the people around him. Having your father be murdered by his half-brother who also tried to strangle you as a child, something which is one of the biggest events in your country’s recent history (it being a violent coup attempt), would be a fairly big elephant in most rooms. Lee Gon’s ability therefore to make people feel comfortable through jokes etc. is highly valued and could also be interpreted as a sign of him, despite it all, being quite well-adjusted. Humour is often used as a mechanism to address uncomfortable subjects and realities and can even be a quite cathartic way of doing so. It can however also become something of a defense mechanism, a way of seemingly addressing the heavy reality of a situation without actually addressing it. 

Apt enough, before finishing what she was going to say Jeong Tae-eul first stops herself and then Lee Gon (quick-witted as he is) finishes her sentence with the joke about how his romantic lines are the reason people commit treason. Tae-eul who simply feels the actual reality of the situation too much reacts very strongly (note: this does not mean that if she had laughed with him she should have been interpreted as caring less. It’s also a question of how differently people may be able to talk and feel about dark events that either they or their loved ones went through, it’s not a matter of caring less or more). Tae-eul is here simply too pained by what Lee Gon has gone through and therefore reacts strongly. She then explains what she was actually going to say and Lee Gon, who seems to me to be very touched by her reaction, apologises for upsetting her while explaining how he is the only one to be able to make such a joke. Again because the reality of it all is truly awful and only he, the lone survivor left to fulfill the duty his father was arguably killed for, can therefore make light of it. Tae-eul’s strong reaction actually makes Lee Gon drop this facade, which is made up of jokes like these and which exists (I believe) mostly to put the people around him at ease. Something necessary and simply kind of him to do as the King of that country for which his father was murdered. I would also interpret it as being something of a defense mechanism. Tae-eul’s reaction, understandable as it is, as she is someone who loves him deeply and is aware of the pain he has gone through makes the depth of her affection for him known through her concern. She even expresses that she struggles with how to be there for him since she really wants to be. This makes this moment in my mind truly touching. She want to be someone who is there for him, the man who has been saddled with the heavy destiny of facing the darkness which made him an orphan. This becomes quite literal as she goes after him in episode 15, which results in how they both in episode 16 defeat Lee Lim, the cause of all that darkness and terror. 

[ms-interpretation]

“Why would you make such a joke?”

“It’s a joke only I can make. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d be so startled”

I feel like I need to say again just how much I love these characters and their dynamic. After teasing Lee Gon about his romantic lines Jeong Tae-eul starts to say how his ability to make jokes in difficult situations is something which endears him to the people at the palace. The underlying reality being that because he is the orphaned King through traumatic and violent circumstances the atmosphere could justifiably become quite heavy and dark around him - making it difficult and awkward for the people around him. Having your father be murdered by his half-brother who also tried to strangle you as a child, something which is one of the biggest events in your country’s recent history (it being a violent coup attempt), would be a fairly big elephant in most rooms. Lee Gon’s ability therefore to make people feel comfortable through jokes etc. is highly valued and could also be interpreted as a sign of him, despite it all, being quite well-adjusted. Humour is often used as a mechanism to address uncomfortable subjects and realities and can even be a quite cathartic way of doing so. It can however also become something of a defense mechanism, a way of seemingly addressing the heavy reality of a situation without actually addressing it. 

Apt enough, before finishing what she was going to say Jeong Tae-eul first stops herself and then Lee Gon (quick-witted as he is) finishes her sentence with the joke about how his romantic lines are the reason people commit treason. Tae-eul who simply feels the actual reality of the situation too much reacts very strongly (note: this does not mean that if she had laughed with him she should have been interpreted as caring less. It’s also a question of how differently people may be able to talk and feel about dark events that either they or their loved ones went through, it’s not a matter of caring less or more). Tae-eul is here simply too pained by what Lee Gon has gone through and therefore reacts strongly. She then explains what she was actually going to say and Lee Gon, who seems to me to be very touched by her reaction, apologises for upsetting her while explaining how he is the only one to be able to make such a joke. Again because the reality of it all is truly awful and only he, the lone survivor left to fulfill the duty his father was arguably killed for, can therefore make light of it. Tae-eul’s strong reaction actually makes Lee Gon drop this facade, which is made up of jokes like these and which exists (I believe) mostly to put the people around him at ease. Something necessary and simply kind of him to do as the King of that country for which his father was murdered. I would also interpret it as being something of a defense mechanism. Tae-eul’s reaction, understandable as it is, as she is someone who loves him deeply and is aware of the pain he has gone through makes the depth of her affection for him known through her concern. She even expresses that she struggles with how to be there for him since she really wants to be. The fact that he is surprised by her reaction is revealing, since he and the people around him are probably used to him talking like this and he is therefore taken aback by her reaction. This makes this moment in my mind quite touching. She want to be someone who is there for him, the man who has been saddled with the heavy destiny of facing the darkness which made him an orphan. Tae-eul is someone with her own emotional edges and it makes perfect sense that she struggles. As we see during the drama her own skills and approach is part of how she together with Lee Gon takes on Lee Lim. She investigates leads, uncovers aspects of LL’s operation and like the fierce warrior she is fights and gets away when she is kidnapped. Her having a more emotional side doesn’t take away from that but rather makes her a more fully fleshed-out character. She wants to be there for him and this even becomes quite literal as she goes after him in episode 15, which results in how they both in episode 16 defeat Lee Lim, the cause of all that darkness and terror. 

[ms-interpretation]

“By the way, I hope we end up in Joseon or the late Joseon period next time”

“Why that period?”

[ms-interpretation]

“There’s someone I like but his past is so dramatic. He’s a victim of treason.” 

“I guess you were troubled, since Song Jeong-hye will have the face of my mother, right?

“I thought that maybe you’d want to see her.”