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Podcast Review of Season 2, Episode 3 of Kingdom

Listeners, we apologize that Joanna’s audio is not as good as it normally is. She was traveling and had to record this episode on her phone. Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 3 of Season 2 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss: The timeline of the queen’s evil plan to get a baby boy. We have differing opinions about when it all began! We also disagree about when we think Mu Yeong started spying on the Crown Prince for Cho Beom Il. What happened three years ago when Cho Hak ju asked Lord Ahn to take the patients in the Sumang Village leper colony, kill them, and turn them into zombies to fight the Japanese army.  Lord Ahn agreed to the plan but he has regretted it ever since. How this show is an exploration of the lines that we cross and don’t dare cross to protect our families
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Podcast Review of Season 2, Episode 2 of Kingdom

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 2 of Season 2 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss: How this episode is full of betrayal: someone betrayed the Crown Prince, Cho Hak ju betrays Lord Ahn, and the Queen Consort betrays her father and the rest of the Haewon Cho clan How Seo-bi violated our rule of never opening mysterious chests without knowing that what’s inside is a friendly person or a cute, furry animal. How the Crown Prince must kill his zombie father, thereby honoring his father’s words to him from so long ago: Stay alive! We learn more about what happened three years ago and we learn that Lord Ahn has deeply regretted his decision to create zombies ever since. Cho Hak ju had Lord Ahn killed, something that the soldiers do with hesitation, given that Lord Ahn is a national war

Podcast Review of Season 2, Episode 1 of Kingdom

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 1 of Season 2 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss: The Kingdom wiki that Joanna discovered! How we start to learn what happened in Sangju three years earlier and the roles that Cho Hak ju and Lord Ahn played. We wonder if Lord  Ahn has regrets over his decisions at the time. Deok Sung’s act of sacrifice and how Young shin gave him his dignity by killing him. The Crown Prince’s suspicion that Mu Young is the traitor working for Cho Hak ju. The moral dilemmas in this show that ask us just how far we’ll go to save our loved ones. How Seo bi and Cho Beom Pal make it to Mungyeong Saejae and are given shelter because Cho Beom Pal is a member of the Haewo Cho clan. We also find out that Cho Beom Pal is now the heir to the clan. The palace guards a

Podcast Review of Season 1, Episode 6 of Kingdom

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 6 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryon as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss: How Season 2 of Kingdom dropped at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic - crazy! The power struggle between Chief State Councilor Cho Hak ju and the Queen Consort. How Lord Ahn put himself squarely in the Crown Prince’s camp when his archers shot the palace guards. How the Crown Prince seems like a new person. He’s determined and confident when he strikes down the chief palace guard. Who might be the traitor among the Crown Prince’s companions? The thousands of people amassing at the southern gates of Sangju. The magistrate doesn’t want to let them in, but the Crown Prince decides that the magistrate is NOT the person to make that decision. The Crown Prince’s plan to protect Sangju by taking advantag

9.1.5 - Podcast Review of Season 1, Episode 5 of Kingdom

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 5 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring  Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss: K Drama Chat is featured in this month’s episode of Asian American Life from CUNY-TV! The Korean concept of Han, which is uniquely Korean. The geography of Joseon so that we can understand the context of this episode. The Crown Prince starts in Dongnae, which was in the southeast corner of Gyeongsang Province. He was traveling to Sangju, which was in the northwestern corner of Gyeongsang. Dongnae is located in what is now Busan. How the Five Armies closed the gates of the mountain garrison of Mungyeong Saejae, aka Joryeong. How the Crown Prince wanted to be different from those who abandoned the weak. He blames himself for the deaths of the villagers, but Seo bi and Mu Young see a brave and noble

9.1.4 - Podcast Review of Season 1, Episode 4 of Kingdom

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 4 of Season 1 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss: Recent comments from our listeners, including Shine, who has attended many K Drama star meet and greets in Manila. Shine says it’s common for fans to walk up on stage to say hello to stars at the end of these events. The Hero’s Journey framework, which was researched and popularized by writer Joseph Campbell, who researched thousands of myths, stories and legends from around the world. He came up with what he called the monomyth or the Hero’s Journey, which he says is basically the template for so many of our myths and legends. How exciting it is to map Kingdom to the Hero’s Journey.  We think the Call to Adventure has happened The Crown Prince at first tried to refuse the call Mu Young is clearly