[fan fic] Belonging (FAITH)
Nov. 11th, 2012 02:55 pmI seem to make it a trademark with Faith fan fics to have one word titles LOL
This little fic takes place directly after Marked - General rating. Choi Young and Eun-Soo return to the palace.
( 'you have a lot to discuss' - a Goryeo euphemism for making out? )
This little fic takes place directly after Marked - General rating. Choi Young and Eun-Soo return to the palace.
( 'you have a lot to discuss' - a Goryeo euphemism for making out? )
Yup still rambling on it as I am rewatching and reading up on Choi Young and all. Last night, I had an interesting thought. According to the Wikipedia stub Choi Young's grave only showed the first signs of grass growing on jeokbun (적분), which means red grave, in 1979. Before that his grave was grass free and showed only the red burial earth.
Writer-nim is absolutely brilliant and she knows the legend of CY inside out!!! Why? We assume that Eun-Soo is three to five years older than Choi Young who is 30 at the time he kidnaps Eun-Soo (He was 16 when he joined the Red Crescent Moon gang, stayed there for seven years before becoming the Woodalchi daejang and has been in the various king's services for 7 years as well).
If Eun-Soo was born in 1979 that would make her 33 years in 2012, so Choi Young's spirit came to rest over his unjustly demise in 1979 when Eun-Soo, the love of his life was born.
I so love Song writer-nim.
Writer-nim is absolutely brilliant and she knows the legend of CY inside out!!! Why? We assume that Eun-Soo is three to five years older than Choi Young who is 30 at the time he kidnaps Eun-Soo (He was 16 when he joined the Red Crescent Moon gang, stayed there for seven years before becoming the Woodalchi daejang and has been in the various king's services for 7 years as well).
If Eun-Soo was born in 1979 that would make her 33 years in 2012, so Choi Young's spirit came to rest over his unjustly demise in 1979 when Eun-Soo, the love of his life was born.
I so love Song writer-nim.
FAITH re-visited
Nov. 9th, 2012 08:15 amI have started to re-watch FAITH (after two weeks I just needed a fix of our IMJA Couple) and I noticed that the writer Song started out this sageuk as a traditional love triangle thing.
It is such an amazing story and now watching it a second time around I can see much more clearly what writer Song started and then abandoned completely (a love triangle between Choi Young/Queen/King and Choi Young/Eun-Soo/Jang Bin). Thank goodness she saw what amazing characters (and actors) she had to abandon the usual drama tropes and just tell a wonderful love story.
A visible break is noticable from ep 5 onwards. While in ep 4 he is asked (near death) if Daebak Ma-Hee is still in Choi Young's heart he answers in the affirmative only to be saved by Eun-Soo by using CPR (and waking him up through her tears).
Then in ep 5 he tells Ki Cheol that he came for the woman he loves which he actually doesn't say. He says I like the person behind me and will leave with (her). There are two ppl actually behind him ... Daeman and Eun-Soo. And he even admits that he only said that to throw off Ki Cheol and to give a valid reason for the king to appear innocent.
I think the first time he realizes Eun-Soo is more than just an annoying woman who drives him up the walls is in ep 6 when she examines the abdicated Child King. From then onwards he actually memorizes stuff she tells him, even the negative stuff (that she hates him for having blood on him, esp. the Child King's blood etc.).
Eun-Soo on the other hand is only flattered and part of her knows that Choi Young's confession was just a subterfuge, but she is a stranger in a strange land and for all she knows Choi Young is the only person she really knows the longest there and she trusts him ever since he took the stab wound from her. She knows now he wanted to keep his promise or try dying which he almost did - twice. As she knows that he is a legendary hero in the annals of her time she also gets very protective of him.
If writer-nim would have followed her initial idea of the typical jealousy/spurned lover/true love trope, Faith wouldn't have been so epic as it turned out to be I think. It is just a minor detail but made the impact oh so stronger.
Talking about minor details. I have come across a very interesting series of vids on youtube where someone did an alternate version of Faith with footage of The Myth, Bichunmoo and of course Faith. It changes the on-set of why Eun-Soo is called from the Heavens and it turns more into a traditional re-incarnation sageuk kind of thing ... well done, and if the drama would have been made this way, it would have been interesting too, but I'm glad we have the love story we all watched and came to love.
( Under the cut )
It is such an amazing story and now watching it a second time around I can see much more clearly what writer Song started and then abandoned completely (a love triangle between Choi Young/Queen/King and Choi Young/Eun-Soo/Jang Bin). Thank goodness she saw what amazing characters (and actors) she had to abandon the usual drama tropes and just tell a wonderful love story.
A visible break is noticable from ep 5 onwards. While in ep 4 he is asked (near death) if Daebak Ma-Hee is still in Choi Young's heart he answers in the affirmative only to be saved by Eun-Soo by using CPR (and waking him up through her tears).
Then in ep 5 he tells Ki Cheol that he came for the woman he loves which he actually doesn't say. He says I like the person behind me and will leave with (her). There are two ppl actually behind him ... Daeman and Eun-Soo. And he even admits that he only said that to throw off Ki Cheol and to give a valid reason for the king to appear innocent.
I think the first time he realizes Eun-Soo is more than just an annoying woman who drives him up the walls is in ep 6 when she examines the abdicated Child King. From then onwards he actually memorizes stuff she tells him, even the negative stuff (that she hates him for having blood on him, esp. the Child King's blood etc.).
Eun-Soo on the other hand is only flattered and part of her knows that Choi Young's confession was just a subterfuge, but she is a stranger in a strange land and for all she knows Choi Young is the only person she really knows the longest there and she trusts him ever since he took the stab wound from her. She knows now he wanted to keep his promise or try dying which he almost did - twice. As she knows that he is a legendary hero in the annals of her time she also gets very protective of him.
If writer-nim would have followed her initial idea of the typical jealousy/spurned lover/true love trope, Faith wouldn't have been so epic as it turned out to be I think. It is just a minor detail but made the impact oh so stronger.
Talking about minor details. I have come across a very interesting series of vids on youtube where someone did an alternate version of Faith with footage of The Myth, Bichunmoo and of course Faith. It changes the on-set of why Eun-Soo is called from the Heavens and it turns more into a traditional re-incarnation sageuk kind of thing ... well done, and if the drama would have been made this way, it would have been interesting too, but I'm glad we have the love story we all watched and came to love.
( Under the cut )
[fan fic] MARKED (Faith)
Nov. 7th, 2012 05:50 pmSet directly after the ending of episode 24. Slightly M (for mature - not too graphic :P)
( Just re-united to immediately be separated again? )
( Just re-united to immediately be separated again? )
What can I write which is not already written about this episode? An episode that picked up even more speed than the two episodes before and which - given it was the one before last - should have felt rushed with all the things happening and unravelling, but surprisingly it didn't.
It felt as if we were in these rooms, breathing the same air as our OTPs, seeing what they see, and hearing what they hear. What an amazing episode.

I so love Eun-Soo and her strength. Willing to poison herself to counteract the poison - what kind of strength and what kind of faith/belief/trust she must have in fate to even considering this? She knows that without Choi Young she is nothing, she cannot live without him. She might survive in her world but that would not be living and she is determined and so composed and so quietly un-heroic for a drama heroine.
We see Choi Young caring, his love and care for Eun-Soo tearing him apart inside and yet he keeps it all in, functions in his duty to the king and tries his best not only to make the best out of the days that remain but also supports Eun-Soo in her decision even if he doesn't like it.
Their love is so epic, so big and yet it doesn't need big confessions and shows of THE LOVE. They quietly love and endure; believing that this is all worth it that there is a chance even if the future looks so drab and insecure.
FAITH. 신의. Shinui - and yet so much more ... faith, trust, belief. These words were the akai ito of the drama. That continuously worked its thread through the drama, through every character's actions and thoughts.
They have to trust their own abilities and keep the faith, believing in themselves as well as their loved ones. Gongmin who has to trust his own judgment and that of his advisors. Who had faith that the ministers will do the right decision for the good of Goryeo and the citizens. Nogook who has to belief that she will have a child one day and live. Choi Young who has to trust the king, believing that despite all he and Eun-Soo will live together happily ... and Eun-Soo who has literally to do a leap of faith by taking the poison to counteract the other poison raging in her body, believing that she will survive, trusting that Choi Young will live well even if the unthinkable happens.
When Choi Young squares off with Ki Cheol at the end of the episode, Ki Cheol inadvertently gives Choi the reason to continue. Not only as a human being who is in love with Eun-Soo (lovers is such a shallow word compared to what Eun-Soo and Choi Young are to each other) but he also gives him the confidence, the faith, to continue as a warrior. He absolves Choi because being a warrior, taking up the sword is to protect his woman. And it is important that in this moment Eun-Soo wakes up, even if the situation for Choi Young looks not too well at that very moment.
All in all a fast paced and insightful episode with lots of little quiet shippy moments which lead to an epic finale.
It felt as if we were in these rooms, breathing the same air as our OTPs, seeing what they see, and hearing what they hear. What an amazing episode.

I so love Eun-Soo and her strength. Willing to poison herself to counteract the poison - what kind of strength and what kind of faith/belief/trust she must have in fate to even considering this? She knows that without Choi Young she is nothing, she cannot live without him. She might survive in her world but that would not be living and she is determined and so composed and so quietly un-heroic for a drama heroine.
We see Choi Young caring, his love and care for Eun-Soo tearing him apart inside and yet he keeps it all in, functions in his duty to the king and tries his best not only to make the best out of the days that remain but also supports Eun-Soo in her decision even if he doesn't like it.
Their love is so epic, so big and yet it doesn't need big confessions and shows of THE LOVE. They quietly love and endure; believing that this is all worth it that there is a chance even if the future looks so drab and insecure.
FAITH. 신의. Shinui - and yet so much more ... faith, trust, belief. These words were the akai ito of the drama. That continuously worked its thread through the drama, through every character's actions and thoughts.
They have to trust their own abilities and keep the faith, believing in themselves as well as their loved ones. Gongmin who has to trust his own judgment and that of his advisors. Who had faith that the ministers will do the right decision for the good of Goryeo and the citizens. Nogook who has to belief that she will have a child one day and live. Choi Young who has to trust the king, believing that despite all he and Eun-Soo will live together happily ... and Eun-Soo who has literally to do a leap of faith by taking the poison to counteract the other poison raging in her body, believing that she will survive, trusting that Choi Young will live well even if the unthinkable happens.
When Choi Young squares off with Ki Cheol at the end of the episode, Ki Cheol inadvertently gives Choi the reason to continue. Not only as a human being who is in love with Eun-Soo (lovers is such a shallow word compared to what Eun-Soo and Choi Young are to each other) but he also gives him the confidence, the faith, to continue as a warrior. He absolves Choi because being a warrior, taking up the sword is to protect his woman. And it is important that in this moment Eun-Soo wakes up, even if the situation for Choi Young looks not too well at that very moment.
All in all a fast paced and insightful episode with lots of little quiet shippy moments which lead to an epic finale.
General Thoughts on Faith -. no spoilers
Oct. 31st, 2012 01:11 amOtoke?! What will I now do on Mondays and Tuesdays now that Faith has ended?
What a tour de force it has been. I'd never thought that this little sageuk would grip me as much as it has. If someone had asked me beforehand which drama of this year would become my favourite I probably would have answered with deep conviction Arang & The Magistrate because Lee Jun Ki's first drama after his mandatory military service - YES PLEASE!!! But it didn't turn out this way.
While Arang & The Magistrate was nice and all squishy and good things, Faith just blew me away. Heck, I admit it, Lee Min Ho as Choi Young blew me away. I had severe doubts he could pull off this role, but he did, and brilliantly so. He really has worked on his acting skills and while he is still cute and handsome and all, he is just not a mere model who is acting, but a serious ACTOR!
Oh and Kim Hee-Sun ... my newest girl-crush. I already loved her in The Myth with Jacky Chan and some other dramas but as Eun-Soo she was just heavenly.
This OTP just blew me away. We didn't have big love confessions, we didn't have steamy scenes (which in a sageuk are really really seldom anyway) but these two conveyed so much chemistry, longing and sexual tension with just one look. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!
I hope the series will come out on DVD AND with eng subs AND in region code for Europe and I need it like .. ummm yesterday, despite its costs.
All in all this drama was an amazing ride. It took the audience from amazing highs to the deepest lows and while its directing was flawed and choppy at times, the overall story, its characters and the faith/belief/trust it conveyed throughout the series touched deeply those who watched it. Thank you PD-nim and writer Song In-Na for creating such a wonderful epic.
What a tour de force it has been. I'd never thought that this little sageuk would grip me as much as it has. If someone had asked me beforehand which drama of this year would become my favourite I probably would have answered with deep conviction Arang & The Magistrate because Lee Jun Ki's first drama after his mandatory military service - YES PLEASE!!! But it didn't turn out this way.
While Arang & The Magistrate was nice and all squishy and good things, Faith just blew me away. Heck, I admit it, Lee Min Ho as Choi Young blew me away. I had severe doubts he could pull off this role, but he did, and brilliantly so. He really has worked on his acting skills and while he is still cute and handsome and all, he is just not a mere model who is acting, but a serious ACTOR!
Oh and Kim Hee-Sun ... my newest girl-crush. I already loved her in The Myth with Jacky Chan and some other dramas but as Eun-Soo she was just heavenly.
This OTP just blew me away. We didn't have big love confessions, we didn't have steamy scenes (which in a sageuk are really really seldom anyway) but these two conveyed so much chemistry, longing and sexual tension with just one look. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!
I hope the series will come out on DVD AND with eng subs AND in region code for Europe and I need it like .. ummm yesterday, despite its costs.
All in all this drama was an amazing ride. It took the audience from amazing highs to the deepest lows and while its directing was flawed and choppy at times, the overall story, its characters and the faith/belief/trust it conveyed throughout the series touched deeply those who watched it. Thank you PD-nim and writer Song In-Na for creating such a wonderful epic.
[fan fic] Believing (FAITH)
Oct. 30th, 2012 08:27 pmSmoked too many cigarettes today, cried too many times so I'm exhausted. Written after I have re-watched the last ep RAW. After the live streaming, my mind was too jumbled, too exhausted to form any coherent thoughts, but now I'm calmer, more collected. Something I couldn't forget though was Choi Young's voice over. So I wrote the following.
( Beware vignette contains spoilers for the last minutes of EP24 of Faith )
( Beware vignette contains spoilers for the last minutes of EP24 of Faith )
Keeping the Faith
Oct. 29th, 2012 02:21 pm12 weeks … 12 weeks where those who watched Faith laughed, smiled, cried, shouted and got angry. Today and tomorrow there will be the last two eps and what a finale it will be. Will we be happy seeing our favourite OTP getting their well deserved HEA? Or will our hearts be torn out and all will end in tears? Up till now this little drama series with all its flaws was immaculate as it took us on a journey to 14th century Korea, made us fall in love with characters that evolved and grew throughout the series, made us cry for characters that were killed off. If it ends in tears, this series still is an enjoyment, if it ends in a Happily Ever After than it will be doubly so. Let's have Faith that the staff and writers will give this drama an ending which it deserves.
Keep the faith :)

Keep the faith :)

Faith ep 22 ...
So near and yet so far. Only two more eps to go and in a span of two hours (two eps) the whole drama has turned around on its head. And I'm a loss for words. I feel numb and desolate, my heart and mind aches for these two ppl as well as the tough choices they are still facing ahead. Only one drama/series has reduced me to such an extent and that was the epic love story of Aeryn Sun and John Crichton in Farscape, and they even were dysfunctional to a huge extent. Here in FAITH, we have a couple that is destined to be, it MUST be, because they are so functional, so compatible, so wonderful together.

( read more )
So near and yet so far. Only two more eps to go and in a span of two hours (two eps) the whole drama has turned around on its head. And I'm a loss for words. I feel numb and desolate, my heart and mind aches for these two ppl as well as the tough choices they are still facing ahead. Only one drama/series has reduced me to such an extent and that was the epic love story of Aeryn Sun and John Crichton in Farscape, and they even were dysfunctional to a huge extent. Here in FAITH, we have a couple that is destined to be, it MUST be, because they are so functional, so compatible, so wonderful together.

( read more )
Faith ep 22 ...
So near and yet so far. Only two more eps to go and in a span of two hours (two eps) the whole drama has turned around on its head. And I'm a loss for words. I feel numb and desolate, my heart and mind aches for these two ppl as well as the tough choices they are still facing ahead. Only one drama/series has reduced me to such an extent and that was the epic love story of Aeryn Sun and John Crichton in Farscape, and they even were dysfunctional to a huge extent. Here in FAITH, we have a couple that is destined to be, it MUST be, because they are so functional, so compatible, so wonderful together.

( read more )
So near and yet so far. Only two more eps to go and in a span of two hours (two eps) the whole drama has turned around on its head. And I'm a loss for words. I feel numb and desolate, my heart and mind aches for these two ppl as well as the tough choices they are still facing ahead. Only one drama/series has reduced me to such an extent and that was the epic love story of Aeryn Sun and John Crichton in Farscape, and they even were dysfunctional to a huge extent. Here in FAITH, we have a couple that is destined to be, it MUST be, because they are so functional, so compatible, so wonderful together.

( read more )
Faith ep 22 has ripped me open and leaving only a shell. I'm still too numb and desolate yet calm and consoled. What an amazing journey, what amazing loves and couples. A story is truly epic not for the grand battle scenes or the grand gestures, nor the greatest love stories ... a story that touches the heart, touches the soul of the audience .. that is truly epic.
Next week we will see the last two eps ... we have to keep the faith.
Next week we will see the last two eps ... we have to keep the faith.
Faith ep 22 has ripped me open and leaving only a shell. I'm still too numb and desolate yet calm and consoled. What an amazing journey, what amazing loves and couples. A story is truly epic not for the grand battle scenes or the grand gestures, nor the greatest love stories ... a story that touches the heart, touches the soul of the audience .. that is truly epic.
Next week we will see the last two eps ... we have to keep the faith.
Next week we will see the last two eps ... we have to keep the faith.
The road ahead
Oct. 21st, 2012 09:50 amI will probably re-watch ep 1 & 2 today ... Our Imja couple has sure come a long way.
From this ...
To this.
Such an amazing difference and what a great journey over the past 10 weeks.
I have to admit that when I saw LMH playing General Choi I was not amused, I didn't think he could pull it off, especially as he was to be paired off with Kim Hee Seon, who is a good actress. But then I fell in love, not LMH, but his portrayal of Choi Young and I can't imagine anyone else playing our beloved Daesang now. I heard that two years ago, when FAITH was first in production, Lee Jun Ki was also considered to play CY, but due to his military service that fell through. I might have fallen equally for that General now, but still it wouldn't be the same :)
Only four more eps to go ... I fear for my Imja couple.
From this ...
To this.
Such an amazing difference and what a great journey over the past 10 weeks.
I have to admit that when I saw LMH playing General Choi I was not amused, I didn't think he could pull it off, especially as he was to be paired off with Kim Hee Seon, who is a good actress. But then I fell in love, not LMH, but his portrayal of Choi Young and I can't imagine anyone else playing our beloved Daesang now. I heard that two years ago, when FAITH was first in production, Lee Jun Ki was also considered to play CY, but due to his military service that fell through. I might have fallen equally for that General now, but still it wouldn't be the same :)
Only four more eps to go ... I fear for my Imja couple.
The road ahead
Oct. 21st, 2012 09:50 amI will probably re-watch ep 1 & 2 today ... Our Imja couple has sure come a long way.
From this ...
To this.
Such an amazing difference and what a great journey over the past 10 weeks.
I have to admit that when I saw LMH playing General Choi I was not amused, I didn't think he could pull it off, especially as he was to be paired off with Kim Hee Seon, who is a good actress. But then I fell in love, not LMH, but his portrayal of Choi Young and I can't imagine anyone else playing our beloved Daesang now. I heard that two years ago, when FAITH was first in production, Lee Jun Ki was also considered to play CY, but due to his military service that fell through. I might have fallen equally for that General now, but still it wouldn't be the same :)
Only four more eps to go ... I fear for my Imja couple.
From this ...
To this.
Such an amazing difference and what a great journey over the past 10 weeks.
I have to admit that when I saw LMH playing General Choi I was not amused, I didn't think he could pull it off, especially as he was to be paired off with Kim Hee Seon, who is a good actress. But then I fell in love, not LMH, but his portrayal of Choi Young and I can't imagine anyone else playing our beloved Daesang now. I heard that two years ago, when FAITH was first in production, Lee Jun Ki was also considered to play CY, but due to his military service that fell through. I might have fallen equally for that General now, but still it wouldn't be the same :)
Only four more eps to go ... I fear for my Imja couple.
What? Me?
OMG!! OMG! OMG!!!

I so loved this episode. I watched it like ... three times already twice RAW and now with subs.
But I feel so bad for Gongmin and Nogook. They are so in love, so wonderfully functional and it was heart breaking to see Gongmin crumbling down, remembering how he proposed to his queen and all the little happy moments he had with her. But it was essential for him to go through this agony (not necessarily her losing the baby though). Gongmin now knows how much he put Choi Young through when he used Eun Soo as a pawn.
( read more )
OMG!! OMG! OMG!!!

I so loved this episode. I watched it like ... three times already twice RAW and now with subs.
But I feel so bad for Gongmin and Nogook. They are so in love, so wonderfully functional and it was heart breaking to see Gongmin crumbling down, remembering how he proposed to his queen and all the little happy moments he had with her. But it was essential for him to go through this agony (not necessarily her losing the baby though). Gongmin now knows how much he put Choi Young through when he used Eun Soo as a pawn.
( read more )