Janggeum’s Dream: Episode 37 Commentary

Accused

For a good third of the episode, I’m quite confident I understood what was going on. Then, things went confusing every which way.

Initially, I gather Janggeum is being punished for being out late. This includes Lady Eun giving notice to Yeonsaeng rather than Janggeum in class. As for Janggeum being lead away, bound by rope, this surely has something to do book which exchanged hands, although I can’t figure why, nor do I understand the importance of the book Yu had Jeong-ho and the others seek in the library. In the end, there’s something about Lady Han, perhaps under the condition that Janggeum be demoted. Does this mean Lady Han will be out of the library now, or will she still be in there while Janggeum drops to orchid class? Lady Choe has to be smiling cheek to cheek right now.

Continuing her strictness, Lady Eun seems to feel keeping the girls awake and gathered together will lead to someone telling where Janggeum is. That’s what I took from it. If Janggeum snuck out without revealing her destination, then Lady Eun could wait until she, herself, became too tired to remain awake. If something had happened to Janggeum as did in the icehouse, no one would get to her in time.

Things have improved for Suro this episode, as he wasn’t once the victim of the writers trying too hard to get in a few cheap laughs. Hopefully this is the start of a trend of his character. Even though he had no chance of a future with Janggeum, I’d still like to see his efforts to give her the gift be treated with at least a little more seriousness.

So, who is this guy in red who gives the book, and who is the guy in red and blue who takes it? The former is the one who stayed with Jeong-ho after Jeong-ho was hit with a rock. The latter looks to be in a position of law-related authority. Jangho either doesn’t like the lawman, or doesn’t like that he’s holding that book. Whose scent might she smell on it? I’ll have to keep my eye on this lawman, seeing if he appears in later episodes. He’s especially suspicious because I can’t see through his hat. What’s he got to hide up there? Maybe someone didn’t tie his topknot properly today.

My best guess about the book might be that it’s the one Janggeum wrote in at Sin-ssi’s house, but how would it have made its way back to the palace? I don’t expect the old lady living with Sin-ssi would be up to foul play.

Whatever Yeong-ro said to Eunbee about Janggeum and Geum-yeong, it really struck a cord with Geum-yeong. Lady Choe might be glad to have Janggeum out of the way, but Geum-yeong only just yesterday have that rivalry reinvigorated within her, that rivalry only Janggeum can provide.

I don’t know what Yu knows or why the book he recommends is of use. Perhaps it tells the method of making medicine which Janggeum used in the prior episode, which would show the purpose of the items in the white package she carried with her upon her late-night return? It would be nice to know, as well as to know why the Jeong-ho and the others checked with Lady Han, then Jeong-ho went to King Jungjong.

What I want to know is this: if Suro can lift a tree, derooting it completely, why does he struggle to lift Dong-I over a wall? While not the same, Jeong-ho is able to yank Dong-I swiftly from view. Either Suro’s been slacking off, or that tree in a series one episode must have been…a prop. Could Suro have been setting out prop items all along to showcase his ability? Has he been a fraud all along? Nah.

At the jail cell, Janggeum seems happy to see even Geum-yeong came to visit. Surprisingly, Yeong-ro also looks sad to see Janggeuum’s situation. Thankfully she wasn’t happy to see what had happened. The screenshot of their visit makes it look as if the other girls are the ones in jail, doesn’t it?

Knowing nothing about what Jungjong and Jang Gyeong speak, I can only make assumptions. I gather Jang Gyeong is trying to get something out of Jungjong, but he is stern in his response, uncooperative. The reaction on Jang Gyeong’s face suggests this much. Eventually he says something satisfactory, to her liking, Jang Gyeong giving a sigh of relief. However, Jeong-ho looks off to the side. The chima shirt on the cliff, he has to be thinking about this. Maybe Jang Gyeong is not related to Jungjong, and is hoping for marriage to mutually benefit both Chosen and the lands Jang Gyeong’s palace has rule over. Either this, or they’re ordering pizza, and Jungjong is firm that there will be no garlic on the pizza. Jang Gyeong’s sigh might be thankfulness when he agrees for sliced black olives on the pizza. I can see the conversation as going either way.

After Janggeum’s release, Jeong-ho says some words about Sin-ssi. This is the first time I’m clearly hearing her name spoken. He pronounces her name as “Shin-shi”. I’ll continue to write “Sin-ssi” for her name, as the hangul is “신씨” (sin ssi). Even if you cannot read Korean, you can see the ㅅ character (the “s” sound) once in the first character and twice in the second, as well as the ㅣ character (the “i” sound) once in both characters. The final piece, “ㄴ”, is the “n” sound. ㅅㅣㄴ ㅅㅅㅣ. 신씨. See how simple Korean writing is?

Although I don’t know what importance the book has, Janggeum gets quite a talking to over it by Jang Gyeong. Is this part of a plan by Lady Choe and Pansul, or is this completely coincidental? If Jang Gyeong is trying for a union with Jungjong, certain for political reasons, then demoting Janggeum could be an easy way to show her her place. It might not be known that Janggeum and her friends were the ones who put the chima skirt on the rock, though.

The next episode shows more new characters are about to appear, as well as Janggeum’s demotion to orchid.