Janggeum’s Dream: Episode 48 Commentary

Unexpected Encounter

As I expected from the next episode preview from the end of the last episode, Hwan is one of the good guys. What I didn’t expect was the return of Haeya. Seeing the two side-by-side, they looked as if they could be siblings (or at the very least cousins), and I gather as much to be true by the reactions of the group when Hwan says something about the two of them.

The trio who’d set fire to the house were probably hired help, as was the old woman whose payment was shown in a prior episode. Likewise for the bells man. If the masked man is the one Jeong-ho had talked with, seen in a flashback this episode, a man working with Pansul, and if the assassins undeniably have Janggeum as their target, then this looks to mean Pansul is out to remove Janggeum completely. Either that, or there’s a link with Janggeum’s mother which will be expanded upon in the next episode, in which case things could be working in ways far greater and more dangerous than what Pansul and Lady Choe realize. The man’s voice and sideburns don’t quite match the masked man’s, though.

When the old lady fetches Yeonsaeng and Yeong-ro, I imagine her saying “I’ll let one of you live,” to which Yeong-ro is happy to take the opportunity. Perhaps the old lady offered one of them the chance to leave, although she didn’t actually intend to let one of them leave.

What concerns me is why it took so long for Jeong-ho and Suro to find the girls. Weren’t they following after them? How could they get so far behind?

Again, the suprise of the battle is Haeya’s return. The four warriors made for quite a team, and I think this may have been a longer battle than near the end of the first season. Suro has a good number of scenes, including his impulsiveness getting the better of him (more than once), and his strength showing through when Jeong-ho’s in danger. Poor Haeya learns that no good deed goes unpunished, but she seems to come out of the battle fine enough to check up on Janggeum soon after. The best part of the battle is of course the return of Flops. I may not know if he’s using Taoist magic or amazing skills, but it doesn’t matter. He puts up a good show.

Yeong-ro would probably be proud to hear Suro’s the one who wondered where she is. What I wonder is if she wears her pajamas under her day outfit, or if she carries it around with her, or if the old woman provided the outfit when taking her day outfit to use as part of her disguise to fool Suro and Jeong-ho.

I imagine many things were explained while everyone had their chats, although I didn’t catch any of it. It’s still unknown who locked Janggeum and Yeonsaeng in the ice warehouse, but Hwan’s being there was probably explained. The silk scarf may have been left by Hwan rather than by Suro, after all. I’m not sure about who may have thrown the rock, either, but I gather it was the guy seen with Pansul, which would have lead to Hwan investigating. However, after this flashback is shown, Chang-I says something which leaves both Hwan and Haeya looking down. Maybe because they didn’t reveal that Hwan saw who threw the stone?

The only comment I’ll give on Chang-I and Yeong-ro with how they’re sleeping is that either they were fighting so much they fell asleep mid-battle, or they might actually be becoming friends, just a little bit. Hard to tell with those two.

Come to think of it, where’s Dong-I through all this? If Chang-I were away as well, it would be understandable, but shouldn’t Dong-I be looking over Janggeum as well? Is there a reason he was excluded from this episode, or was he simply forgotten by the writers?

Furthermore, who is the old woman Haeya talks with in a flashback? Here’s still hoping for a DVD release with English subtitles.