[Spoiler alert: If you have not seen Mr. Sunshine, the article below contains spoilers. Please stop reading now if you do not want the details to the episodes.]
Just as the moon blocks the sun’s light, we expect to see Joseon covered in darkness before shining brightly again. So, our theme for this post is eclipse.
Let’s take a look at some of these moments.
Japanese Army lands in Joseon:
We have seen the foreshadowing in previous episodes – not that we needed it. The Emperor goes into a panic when he imagines the entire Joseon court filled with Japanese soldier with the Imperial flag.
It doesn’t take long for the Japanese Imperial army to land in Joseon. This is when we see Mori Takashi for the first time since Episode 2.
Japanese soldiers arrest an American teacher and they also show up at Lord Go’s house to take Ae-shin in for “questioning”. When all seems lost, Eugene rides up on his horse like some shining knight. He steps in and rescues Ae-shin before the Japanese soldiers can take her.
Despite Hina’s small rebellion to have welcome signs in English rather than in Japanese, the Japanese Imperial soldiers are having a grand time at the Glory Hotel. Hina understands what these soldiers are capable of doing, so she makes sure that all her female servants are out of sight. Hina doesn’t hesitate to teach a lesson to the drunk soldier for his bad “behavior”. Hina may be using her Japanese name, but she is still a Korean. You see the fire in her eyes – her will to protect herself and pay back for the insult on Joseon.
Eugene asks Hui-seong about Mori because Eugene is actually clueless about his ex-neighbor. Hui-seong tells Eugene that people with the name Mori are the second most influential family in Japan after the Imperial house.
“The Mori family support the Seikanron. It’s a movement led by the conservatives in Japan. The supporter of the Seikanron believe that subjugation of Joseon will help Japan retore peace and order in the country.”
-Hui-seong
Hearing the explanation and the comment Mori made at Lord Go’s house, he knows that Mori Takashi belongs to that family. This is a major problem for Joseon. Eugene says that if Mori is in Joseon, war may break out soon. There is darkness coming.
If there is darkness, eclipse is soon followed by the light. It’s hard to image there being light at the end of the tunnel, but not all is lost.
Eugene was approached by Il-sik and Choon-sik at the pawn shop. They want to help out the noble young men who want to enter the Royal Military Academy. Eugene confronts Joon-young with the truth – he knows that Joon-young entered the academy with forged documents, because he is the one who signed it – and offers him real mentorship. Why? Eugene’s favorite answer: “Because I can”. Eugene doesn’t know Joon-young true intent, but he sees real potential in the young man.
Joon-young and his friends were victims of Lee Wan-ik’s cruelty just like Ae-shin. When you are faced with a great adversary, you must strive to become just as great or even better. There are so many stories similar to Joon-young and Ae-shin. They are the hope for Joseon’s future. Rather than giving up in the face of tragedy and hopelessness, they rise and fight another day. This is why Mori is concerned about the Righteous Army.
Lee Wan-ik and Mori meet over a meal. Lee Wan-ik is bragging to Mori about how he has handled the Koreans so well. He calls them simple and easy to control. Mori knows better. He says that Joseon had been attacked repeatedly by China and Japan in the past. Joseon had survived these attacks because the commoners always came to the rescue.
“The descendants of those who were members of the Righteous Army in 1592 joined the organization in 1895. Then children of those who were in the Righteous Army in 1895…What do you think they’d be up to now?”
-Mori
Lee Wan-ik snorts that this comment and asks how he can still be alive if the Righteous Army is that powerful.
“That’s the problem. It means that they don’t want to relieve their anger by killing one traitor because they are aware of the consequence it may bring.”
-Mori
In other words. The reason Righteous Army is a dangerous organization is that they are not satisfied with just revenge. That’s not their goal. Their goal goes far above that and they make moves based on their overall goal – independence and safety of Joseon. That is why Lee Wan-ik is still alive. Not because they can’t get to him, but they have bigger fish to fry.
Lee Wan-ik’s hubris is what will get him in the end. He may be calculating and cruel, but he is also over-confident and doesn’t care to listen to others. Mori quickly sees Lee Wan-ik for what he really is.
This doesn’t mean that Lee Wan-ik will sit and do nothing. He may not have liked what Mori said, but it does plant a small seed of doubt in his mind. This is why he tries to get the list of Koreans living in Yuakucho, Tokyo in 1875. Something about Ae-shin reminded him of the woman he shot 30 years ago.
Lord Go’s Protest:
Lord Go has sent men all over Joseon to deliver his letters that the post office collected and burned. The letters had the desired affects as scholars gather at Lord Go’s house. The younger scholars plead with Lord Go to sit back and let the younger men take the lead. Lord Go says that he has to be the one to lead because the protest has to have meaning.
Lord Go has every intention of being arrested. Why? Because people are clueless to what is happening. Only with his arrest will people find out what is happening in Joseon. Lord Go is that well-known and respected. Remember when Ae-shin says that there isn’t a man in Joseon who doesn’t know her. That’s all because of her grandfather.
Lord Go and his fellow scholars start the protest outside of the palace gate. They all have their hair down and in white clothes. People watch and conversation spread. What would cause Lord Go and other scholars to make such a drastic move?
This what Lord Go is counting on. When people are gathered, he starts the protest for all to hear.
“If they take our supplies, it’s obvious that the next step will be to invade us. Why is the king of Joseon taking the side of the Japanese? Joseon has a history of 500 years. What is happening now will become part of your legacy. Your Majesty, must you go down a path that will lead to the destruction of your dynasty?”
-Go Sang-ho
The pro-Japanese ministers are arguing for Lord Go and other scholars’ arrest. The Emperor has little choice, but the choice to arrest Lord Go is out of respect and protection. The Emperor also knows that arresting Lord Go will cause an uproar in the people. This is exactly what he wants. He, the Emperor, may be powerless, but Joseon people still have power. He is counting on their rage.
When the palace guards come out to arrest the protesters, Hui-seong rushes to write his first editorial.
3/21/1903 Special Edition
Today, Go Sa-hong and his fellow scholars who were requesting a ban on the nationwide circulation of Dai-Ichi Bank’s notes at the palace were sent to jail as per His Majesty’s order…
-Beginning to Hui-seong’s Editorial
The newspaper circulates everywhere. Anyone and everyone who can read Hangul not Hanja will know of this event. Hangul is the alphabet that Sejong the Great invented, but it’s Hanja, Chinese characters, that the aristocrats were still using even during this time. Hangul was more commonly used by the commoners, so Hui-seong decided that his paper would be in Hangul. This is Hui-seong’s rebellion against his aristocratic class, but he genuinely wants the common people to know what was happening.
So, even in the darkness of arrest, resistance spread. We see Joseon people refusing the Dai-Ichi Bank’s notes everywhere. Power of the people is greater than that of the Emperor.
There are more scenes from these two episodes that show both the darkness and the light. We see Hui-seong devastated by the end of his engagement, but he is motivated to do something for the first time in his life. Dong-mae almost dies after getting shot by the Righteous Army member, but he comes back with the determination to save Ae-shin. Even if she doesn’t see it that way.
As we move closer and close the end of the Joseon Dynasty, we will see the spirit and the drive of the Korean people. It will take great determination and resolve for what they are about to face.
Please join me next time for Episode 19 and 20: Etiquettes.