I like the notion of how this drama is essentially about tradition versus modernity, a destiny (and dynasty) you're born into versus carving out your own path in life. The four leads (Kim Yunsik/Yunhui, Lee Seonjun, Mun Jaesin and Gu Yongha) are from different stations in life, and are all expected to live out their lives in pretty much the same way their fathers before them have (with the exception of Yunhui, maybe). What sets them apart from the rest of society though, is their fight against what is expected of them. Fighting stereotypes, perhaps? And of course, we know how interesting this can be, especially in a period drama like this, where women hold little or no role in society (more on this later). It's interesting to see how all four leads are forced to confront their fathers (fathers = tradition/old era, children = modernity/new era), and deception plays a big part in this. Kim Yunhui lies about her gender and takes on the identity of her brother Yunsik to enter a male-only university. Lee Seonjun who thinks Yunhui is a man, lies about his love for him/her, and almost ends up in an arranged marriage with a woman he does not love. Mun Jaesin hides behind the mask of the Red Writer, and Gu Yongha pretends he is a noble.
It is highly understandable then, that they should fear the revelation of their lies and disguises, but ironic that the very action of revelation leads to relief, and to what they truly aspire to in life. The things they thought to be matters of personal pride, end up meaning much less in the journey to achieving true greatness. Gu Yongha is not a true noble, but by facing up to his real social status in front of his friends (in what must have been one of the most painfully humiliating moments in the series!), he becomes truly noble, in the sense that he discovers the true strength of his character, and that there is more to being noble than just being, well, a noble. Yunhui is the only female scholar in Sungkyunkwan, but demonstrates more of what it means to be a 'real' man than most of the other male scholars, whose values are at times questionable. Lee Seonjun spends his entire life looking up to his father, but when he rebels and decides to stick up for his own self-imposed principles, discovers what it means to really live by the values his father has imparted upon him. And Mun Jaesin takes on the identity of the Red Writer in the hopes of avenging his brother, but when he finally decides to let go and put friendship first, he finds his true 'brothers'-in-arms. All these then become evidence of the irony of revelation.
I also find it interesting how the roles of men and women are so different. It seems women hold little power and sway in the Joseon period, and you can see this in the way Yunhui, Choseon and Hye-on are depicted in this drama: Choseon the courtesan has no dignity in society, Hye-on is expected to become a submissive wife and have no significant contribution to the workforce other than in the domestic realm of her future married life, and Yunhui is denied an education because she is a woman and women are not required to have an education (they're not even seen as being worthy of any sort of education). The notion of what it means to be a 'real' man is an oft-repeated theme: the drama builds on the premise of the bildungsroman, where the four leads go on a journey of growth and maturity, and they emerge as heroes at the end, but this seems only possible if one is a man. There are no heroines possible in this era, only heroes, and this can most obviously be seen in how overnight, Yunhui is branded a criminal on the basis of gender (when she would have been seen as a national hero if she were but a man). It is thus especially significant that the audience knows from the very start of the drama that Yunhui who pretends to be Yunsik is in fact a woman, and this knowledge makes the scene where she leads the other students to protest the arrest of Seonjun especially poignant and symbolic; that women, too, are just as capable of the very acts of bravery and courage that set one man apart from the other (pun intended).
This, then, is basically a story about pride and prejudice. Pride in one's social standing, nobility, family, education, and power, only for it all to account for nothing because of prejudice against 'the other', who depart from the norm of society. A person can be deemed an outcast just for being in a different political faction, or for coming from a less privileged background, or even for being born as a woman. Very interesting from an entertainer's point of view, very smart from a scriptwriter's point of view, and very relevant if you think about how some things will always remain hotly debated issues, regardless of which century you were born into.
I enjoyed the last episode of the series very much, and there were some very pleasant surprises. I liked how the Jangui chose to fight his own father (symbolic of a fight against his destiny, too?) by protecting Choseon. I like how we are given a glimpse of the future, and a very happy one at that: Yongha is a successful merchant still popular with the ladies (and using that as a business strategy!), and Yunhui and Seonjun are married and both teaching at Sungkyunkwan. My favourite moment was seeing Jaesin chasing the Blue Writer and the encounter that followed: you would have half-expected him to be the Blue Writer himself but no, he's a court officer and this in itself was unexpected and a good twist. And best of all, when he catches up with the Blue Writer, instead of arresting her and hauling her to prison, he reprimands her for her bad writing (enjoyed seeing all the corrections on the leaflet!). It's funny how he seems almost big-brotherly, and chides her for her inferior writing style, and wonders aloud about the sorry state of the current education system. And he still hiccups in the presence of a girl! What a fitting end to the whole drama!
All in all, I was very happy with this series. Good dramas should be like this: thought-provoking, with intelligent storylines and well-rounded characters. It doesn't hurt that the actors (and actresses) are all pretty on the eyes, too! *wink*
Cheers, people! It's time to scout out a new K-drama! :)
