Janggeum’s Dream: Episode 41 Commentary

Disappearance of Jang Suro

With Jang Suro appearing at the end of the episode, it would have been better not to have shown him in the last “next episode preview”. It’s not worth the spoiler to have included it to build anticipation as he hardly shows up in the episode, appearing only long enough to show his confusion of who the kids around him are.

Poor Yeong-ro probably blames herself for the loss of Suro. She and Dong-I both have reason to be very close to him. This time around, probably the first time ever, Yeonsaeng isn’t the one with the most tears and loudest wailing.

It would be nice to know what the amber-looking item the dagger girl was taking from the tree, and what she was taking it for. And why are the men chopping down the trees? It can’t be simply to build a wooden vacation cabin to spend their summers in.

I take it the large tree is one where ones thoughts and prayers are heard. The scene might have been more powerful if they didn’t use the same images for repeated visits to the tree. That, and it would have been more powerful if I knew what the characters were saying, but I’m used to that. The scene reuse really ruined it for me. The background song is nice, however. Hopefully it’s on the soundtrack CD.

Another book finds its way to Jeong-ho. The title of this one was not visible. Jeong-ho and Hwan definitely have a silent rivalry going on. I probably wouldn’t suspect Hwan as much if he wasn’t such a suspicious person.

There’s a scene with Lady Han which goes into a flashback of when Sin-ssi was sick. The young queen’s father is lying in bed, his wife and daughter watching over him, a scene I don’t recall. Did I miss an episode somewhere along the way? The book is the same as Jeong-ho used to free Janggeum after she returned late from Sin-ssi’s house.

When saving the prayer tree, Janggeum and Chang-i have no problem using sticks and stones to their advantage. As long as ammunition was raining down on the men cutting the trees, they could have taken up the rocks and returned fire. Poor, adorable Yeonsaeng, does she expect to scare the men away by swinging a twig around?

The preview for the next episode shows the amnesia-bound Suro holding the dagger girl in his arms. Things of course won’t work out for them if they’re a couple, as he’ll get his memory back, then he’ll have to leave. But, in the meantime, what will happen with Dong-I and Yeong-ro? Probably nothing, but hopefully Dong-I at least is keeping his training up. He’s shown he has what it takes to become as great a soldier as Suro is.

Do the royal court lady apprentice hanboks have a pocket inside the shirt? I can’t imagine how else Janggeum would have the pouch inside her shirt, unless her belt allows her to carry something inside her undershirt without fear of it falling out.

Somehow, Suro looks very different. He’s been seen without his handband before, but this might be the first time he’s seen wearing his hair in a braided ponytail. That and a casual, common-style hanbok give him a very civilian look.