Without love for the people and concern for the nation
It is not poetry
Without an ache for our era and outrage at the world
It is not poetry
Without striving for good and guarding against evil
It is still not poetry.

The only good thing about having finished Sungkyunkwan Scandal is knowing how it all turns out.
T_T
The next best thing is the idea that there will probably be knock-offs that at least have ninjas, classical stage dressing, and men in funny hats....
The screenplay of this one is of the inimitable kind that manages to work the necessary tropes without falling prey to them. Check-check-check on the cross-dressing romance story elements, but none of them are props. They are all working members of a really well-told story.

I spent most of the show pretty sure that the Left Prime Minister was *capable* of being a snake, but not sure he would be. And they didn't actually betray the characterization of him set up in the beginning, of a man of steel who admires the ideals youth have, but has been tempered by long service at the top.
They redeem the only fairly major character who seemed like a cliche villain.
And though they had an epilogue scene, it was neither too sweet, nor contorted any of the characters.
The one thing I could have asked for more of (though considering the actual participants, I wouldn't) was slightly hotter romance scenes. But the period, as well as the characters, make that unlikely.
Which is why I'm going to go watch a Taiwanese show now...

It is not poetry
Without an ache for our era and outrage at the world
It is not poetry
Without striving for good and guarding against evil
It is still not poetry.

The only good thing about having finished Sungkyunkwan Scandal is knowing how it all turns out.
T_T
The next best thing is the idea that there will probably be knock-offs that at least have ninjas, classical stage dressing, and men in funny hats....
The screenplay of this one is of the inimitable kind that manages to work the necessary tropes without falling prey to them. Check-check-check on the cross-dressing romance story elements, but none of them are props. They are all working members of a really well-told story.

I spent most of the show pretty sure that the Left Prime Minister was *capable* of being a snake, but not sure he would be. And they didn't actually betray the characterization of him set up in the beginning, of a man of steel who admires the ideals youth have, but has been tempered by long service at the top.
They redeem the only fairly major character who seemed like a cliche villain.
And though they had an epilogue scene, it was neither too sweet, nor contorted any of the characters.
The one thing I could have asked for more of (though considering the actual participants, I wouldn't) was slightly hotter romance scenes. But the period, as well as the characters, make that unlikely.
Which is why I'm going to go watch a Taiwanese show now...
