[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.]
Let’s talk about etiquettes. Every culture has certain etiquettes that people are expected to follow. In a culture like Joseon, following proper etiquette was not only important, but woven into their identities.
Let’s look at some of these from Episodes 19 and 20.
Dong-mae cuts Ae-shin’s Hair
At the end of episode 18, Dong-mae cuts Ae-shin’s hair. This continues to the beginning of episode 19.
Dong-mae is concerned about Ae-shin when he finds out that Lee Wan-ik is looking into her background. The only way he knows how to protect her is to humiliate her in front of the entire town by cutting her hair.
Why is this a big deal?
You’ve seen hints of this throughout the series. Koreans do not cut their hair. To alter what your parents gave you would be a dishonor to your parents. We’ve seen other characters cutting their hair, especially the ministers on the side of Japan. As Joseon accepts Western culture, people make changes to their clothes and appearance.
Dong-mae takes away a part of Ae-shin’s parents, whom she misses. Dong-mae takes away her choice, to decide when and how to Westernize. Dong-mae humiliates her in front of the entire town, a noblewoman, above him and most of the people watching her.
Hina steps in and takes Ae-shin away. Hina says that Ae-shin’s action isn’t going to save Joseon. Ae-shin says she doesn’t know what kind of world Hina has lived in. Everyone is different and values things differently.
“In my world, Joseon, my family, and my hair given by my parents are all dear to me. I do not know how you lived your life, but I’m doing my best in mine. So, please do not patronize me.”
Ae-shin’s grandfather goes to see her after the incident. Her grandfather comforts her by saying even the Emperor has cut his hair. He only cares that she is alive…that’s all that matters.
Disrespecting the Dead
Lee Wan-ik is having a string of bad luck, but he has one last card to play. Lee Wan-ik goes to Lord Go’s house. As the Foreign Minister, he has decided to build the railroad right through Lord Go’s house and he gets his men to break down the walls. Lord Go knows that he doesn’t have much time left, so he prepares what he needs to for his family and servants.
First, he locks Ae-shin in the storage shed, so she can’t go after Lee Wan-ik.
Second, he gathers his servants and tenants to give out rights to the land. He gets them to promise not to sell the land to anyone, but rather pass it down to their descendants.
Third, Lord Go rescues his granddaughter, Ae-sun, from her abusive husband. Lord Go is outraged that a man would use his fist against a woman. He had been watching them for a long time, but he never stepped in before. It’s an issue between a husband and wife, but he has had enough.
Fourth, Lord Go gives tasks to Eugene and Dong-mae. Eugene is tasked with killing Mori and Dong-mae is tasked with protecting Ae-shin. Lord Go says that Lee Wan-ik will be killed by a Joseon person. If Mori dies by Joseon’s hand, it will become a reason to attack Joseon. So, it must be an American.
Finally, he leaves instructions for his funeral to keep it simple, but not turn away anyone wanting to visit.
Emperor’s attendance is not only shocking, but he breaks customs. First, he is in the white mourning clothes. Kings and Emperors do not wear white mourning robes for his people or ministers. They also don’t bow down, part of paying funeral respect, to anyone. The Kings or Emperors only bow when paying respect to previous kings. Lee Wan-ik comments on the Emperor’s behavior, which gets him a whip across his face.
Lee Wan-ik is burning with rage after this incident. He stops the funeral procession and has his men beat up on the people. This is not only breaking Joseon’s etiquette, but it goes against human decency. You don’t have to be Korean to feel that Lee Wan-ik’s action is inhumane.
An important date after the funeral is a memorial on day 49. This is part of the Buddhist practice, which is supposed to help guide the dead to be reborn – continuing the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
Since this is such an important part of the funeral rites, Lee Wan-ik knows that Ae-shin has to show up. He will wait for for day to catch her and the Righteous Army member. If it wasn’t bad enough that Lee Wan-ik disrespected the funeral by stopping the procession, but his inhumanity continues by what happens at the temple.
Japanese soldiers match into sacred ground and kill most of Go’s elders. When all seems lost and Hui-seong is about to face death, he is saved by Ae-shin from the rooftop.
Mori’s Insult
Eugene knows that Mori has the list of the Righteous Army members, so he warns them. The potter, Hwang Eun-san, leaves with his apprentice, but the tavern owner, Hong-pa, remains. She’s protecting her leader, but she is also waiting for Gunner Jang.
When a Japanese soldier takes her at gun point, she kills him and swims back to shore. But Mori is waiting. He shoots her and takes her body. Mori hangs her body off the bridge in the middle of town to see who would show up first.
Mori has broken the etiquette of a soldier by killing an innocents woman. Mori’s cruelty helps Eugene make up his mind. Eugene will kill Mori.
Mori tortures Righteous Army members for information, but no one is talking. Eugene and Jang kidnap Mori and they hang him on the same bridge where Mori hung Hong-pa. There is one more humiliation for Mori. A note from his neck says, “The Righteous Army of Joseon spared the life of a Japanese colonel.” Mori hits his head against the ground from the humiliation. The Righteous Army members kill the Japanese soldiers and save their comrades.
Mori goes to the Emperor and breaks two important protocol: his keeps his weapons on in the throne room and he speaks before the Emperor has given him permission. He wants Jang punished for killing his soldiers and kidnapping him. Emperor tells Mori that Jang was protecting him all night. Mori is infuriated by the Emperor’s lecture and protection of Jang.
The Emperor is powerless, but he says he will not apologize. He is not someone who apologizes. That’s the position of the Emperor. “Hence, I tortured myself for years because of shame and guilt.” The Emperor’s inability to apologize has tortured him for years.
Paying Back for Insult
Ae-shin leaves a red pinwheel for Eugene and money for Dong-mae. She’s going to kill Lee Wan-ik. He is laughing at Mori’s humiliation for trying to catch one girl. He is dismissive of Ae-shin, but he has already dug his grave. He is no match for Ae-shin and she kills him easily. She has paid pack for the insult to her family and to Joseon. Without knowing it, Ae-shin has also fulfilled her mother’s promise to Lee Wan-ik.
Eugene, Dong-mae, and Hina arrive at the crime scene after Ae-shin. Hina tells her servant to bring Doctor Matsuyama. Hina shoots the doctor and makes it look like a murder/suicide. When the news of Lee Wan-ik’s death spreads, no one wants to claim his body. Mori tells Joseon to deal with the Joseon man. Joseon claims that he abandoned Joseon a long time ago.
Minister Lee Jeong-mun has decided to take Eugene’s advice. Time has come for him to fight.
“Your Majesty, I’m afraid too. However, what I fear the most is not even putting up a fight and letting Japan take control of this country. One foreigner told me that you can reclaim what was taken from you, whereas there is no going back once you voluntarily give something away. I suppose in a foreigner’s eyes, it seems like we’re giving everything away without even giving Japan a chance to steal from us. Thus, I will fight. I will show them that it won’t be easy for them to get what they want. I will gladly put up with hatred.”
Joseon will fight and pay back all the insults and oppression. It may lead them to abandon their 500-year-old etiquettes and it may lead to punish those who have broken precious customs. Joseon will need all its fighting spirit as it faces their darkest hours.
Join me next time for Episode 21 and 22: Be a Lion.