Ending Interpretations
from soompi
pklteam~
I've gone through all of the spoilers, comments good&bad about the ending. At first, I thought that I will choose silent until the end but I can't help but posting some of my thoughts about this ending.happiebb wrote ~
Even though I didn't watch the ending so I don't have a frustration feeling yet. However, I think even if I watch the ending later, I still think the ending somewhat made sense.
Someone mentioned about why SJN won't die with the other guardians or why she's not a phoenix as she was suppose to be. I think I can understand it this way: She never be a "real" "original" phoenix from her last life and now. Why? Because originally "Kiha" was meant to be a phoenix as heaven chose (not Haemosoo chose). Kiha was a phoenix because she's the one who got the red pendant from the firelady, it's more like the phoenix was chose from generation to generation by the former one, it's heaven fate. But when Haemosoo came to earth, he found that Kiha was evil in someway so he thought that he would make the earth better by choosing/transferring the pedant phoenix to someone else that more kindness and goddest. Still, it's his own choice, not heaven choice, and it's really not heaven fate, so even if it for the next life or next other life, heaven won't accept the change that Haemosoo made, so it should be Kiha is one of the guardian, not SJN.
DD died along with other Guadians, I think it made sense in someway. Again, until the end, DD idea of letting earth people to handle their own life still better than god control their fates. Why people have to rely on heaven too much so that they can't stand up their own. That is really a good message he wanted us, the audiances, to understand that we can have our own fate, we're strong enough to fight our own destiny. And because that he's one of the one that not belong to earth, he came from above with the guardian, so he has to go back to where his belong, the same with those guardian, they're not human after all. We shouldn't think of him and those guardian died, we should look at other angle that he returned to where he's belong to and leave earth to where it belong.....
As why SJN was left behind alive. I think DD have his reason. His last life, he chose SJN as one of his guardian (phoenix) because he believed she would be a perfect person to be his guardian. Now, he think that she's the perfect person to guide his son and no one else, that's why he left his son for her to take care but no one else.
Don't you all think deeper on the purpose of why the ending turned out? Despite on all of the sad ending, I don't think the ending is stupid after all. If you're all calm and re-watch it again, I'm sure that you'll agree with me that the ending has to end like that.....if we choose some happy ending or something like nonsense, would you rather be simply happy with rediculous/funny story or you accept the sad/tragic ending with a perfect sense of the story? The choice is yours.
Edit: and also, this drama is more like a "legend" one as its name. So, if some of the events not the same as history, it's still OK, it doesn't have to be the same as history called out. I still can accept it.
think quite a number of people won't agree with me, but... different folks, different strokes dry.gifdramaok wrote ~
i think the ending last night was ok. whether or not DD and the gods lived, the ending was still a logical one. it did bring home the message that DD was not your typical king. he, being the godly king, would obviously want to break the cycle so that humans could live on their own and not subject to the heaven's will. again, the story of the tae wang is not only about his love for a woman and what-knot. so please, take a step back and look at the bigger picture of things. imho, to give a sweet damsu ending would have rendered this just another one of those k-dramas. and it might have taken the attention off the fact that the tae wang's someone who had broken the heaven's cycle and had started the whole thing about humans running their own lives.
now that said, the scriptwriter's original ending is interesting too, no doubt a happier and more hopeful ending, it's got an unusual twist so that it's not like just another typical drama. so in that sense, i think the happier ending can be just as effective. the scriptwriter didn't get sucked into the usual play of events, but allowed herself to write with a free hand. that's nice.
so... i think both endings are good and would have made sense. as you can see, there're some who prefer last night's ending, and some would prefer the scriptwriter's original ending. but it will be hard to say which ending is better, coz they're different. perhaps either way it's shot, there will still be a camp of people who will be unhappy.
and at the end of the day, the PD decides. i don't think we can say he made a bad choice in terms of the ending, just because we prefer the other ending. again, like i've said, i think both are interesting endings, just different. how do you compare something that's different? (although whether PD kim shot his ending as well as he should have, could have, is another story...)
but like how a few of you have pointed out, at least this drama has provoked much thoughts, discussions and all that. that's not so bad. in fact, i consider that a successful wrap-up, as opposed to an ending that we all just say 'oh, that's sweet' and that's the end. from the discussion it's generated, i think the drama is powerful. so, take sometime to think about it, watch it again even... before writing the ending off, and before writing pd kim's decision about his ending off.
some things take awhile to settle. particularly, if you've been one of those rooting for a happy damsu ending, then you might be temporarily clouded by your unhappiness that they didn't end up together. watch it again, with translation if you don't understand korean... give it a chance and see if you really don't like this ending.
p.s. hehe, i do like the idea that they do an alternative ending with scriptwriter song's version. that really would be interesting to watch.
omo i may be the only one. but i LOVE the ending.. it was such a touching ending..
the last 15 minutes of the show had me bawling nonstop...
YES.. Damdeok... he got it!... freedom for the people.. and not by the control of the heavens.
wow i've been so behind on this drama, but i couldn't resist and skipped to see the ending,
and it really blew my mind.. how beautifully they wrapped up he and Kiha's relationship...
yes.. humans error.. to doubt is to human.. but at last.. he apologized and forgave her and forgave himself.
i loved it..
and Hogae, free at last.. he waited for Damdeok to free him..
LOved it.
but LOL can't believe they said he was the 17th king though. ooops..!
and about the original script that Song Jina supposedly put it up on the mbc board.
errr no offense but why did she do that if she did so?
that's like errr RUDE..? kinda puts everyone's effort in distaste.. does she not have any respect for team work?
what is she trying to do? i don't get it.
bling2 wrote ~
when I watch it online last nite and saw the ending I was like ?????? HUH ?????kzt wrote ~
After reading comments, possible original ending scripts, and calming down my heart (alot!) now I just can't resist to comment. The ending is DEFINITELY UNEXPECTED and sort of "AMBIGUOUS", a clear ending is preferable even if it's not a happy one. I too prefer the original ending, if it's true. I do think the original is more of a better closure of an epic fantasy that may open a possibility of another drama project in the present day. I do not expect a damsu happy ending in this drama (I am a DAMSU shipper) as the possibility of them together is almost none since DD has a son with SJ's sister. However, killing off the almost everybody and leaving SJ behind with the son is just unbelievable to me.
I do hope that they will have an alternate ending in the DVD version. That way we can see how's everyone getting on with their lives after the great battle and we got to see sujini being herself again though not together in a love relationship with DD but at least not so miserable as the last nite ending. Dang, the ending is making me 'blur' till now.
On the positive note, I am happy with the whole cast, crew, etc. It was a good drama (exclude the blur ending tongue.gif ) especially it gives BYJ fans opportunity seeing him on TV again and it made me a fan of other actors/actress like EJA,MSR,YTY,LEE PHILLIP, etc.
ps: I don't think lack of money made the PD Kim chose the kind of ending that we saw last nite, lack of time is the more likely scenario. So many injuries and mishaps happened, that drag the production longer than it should.
OMG! I can't believe its over. This episode made me cry, but i was able to hold in the tears.
My opinion about the ending is, I like AND disliked it. Like, because, well the ending ain't as bad as some other endings in dramas. It was satisfying enough to make me approve of how it ended. In a way, he actually sticked to his words about heaven and he went against them. Dislike, because it I thought it was kinda a cliff hanger. Like what happen to the guardians and Dam Duk after he walked into the light. Did they die when he walked into the light, or did they just disappeared somewhere?
What empress me was that Kiha was able to control her emotions and didn't loose control when she turn into black jujak, while Sae Oh did. Does that mean that Sae Oh's emotion was more stronger, thus making the power of fire stronger and then loosing control? Or was it that Kiha was able to control the power more?
Sorry for asking so much. I'm just trying to figure things out. I hope the special is like a special episode that kinda continues to what happen after the war.
Over and all, ALSOME DRAMA! MY FAVORITE DRAMA FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE YEAR!
mj07
I don't really have much time to comment since I'm sneaking online at work, but I wanted to say I agree! From everything I've read I think the drama had a PERFECT ending! Maybe it's because I didn't build it up in my mind as a great romantic storyline and was more interested in Damduk's journey to become king, because despite how much I love DD and Sujini together (and find his relationship with Kiha to be SO tragic) that's not what really hooked me.
DD was fighting against heaven/fate from the very start. For him to give up his life, and the lives of the four guardians (who all would willingly have died for him at any point b/c they loved him so much) makes perfect sense. If not for the interference of heaven, almost none of the tragedy that occurred in the story would have happened. DD's mother would not have hidden out in a field to give birth to him and may have lived. Hogae's mother wouldn't have been convinced she had to do anything to get him on the throne. Even the Hwachun would have had no motivation for all the evil manipulation they engaged in. From the start DD's priority was the people, not fullfilling the wishes of "heaven". He never sought the symbols or their guardians. All those naturally came to him simply because he was always trying to do the right thing. So, for me, the ending seems perfect.
Just a few thoughts.
vizania wrote ~
LOL! I just love your reply since this is exactly how I feel when I think of the actual ending for this fantastic drama. Having been a follower of this drama for the past months, all I can say after watching the final episode is that it had left me with disappointment and extreme confusion. Even if there was a happy or a tragic ending with literally everyone dead (except for Sujini and the little boy - as this turned out to be true), my disappointment stemmed primarily from the inconsistancy that I feel this last episode had provided.
So the beginning of this last episode was the sweet and VERY brief interlude between DD and Sujini with DD saying how he doesn't want to leave Sujini but the man later goes on to committ suicide. So if DD and everyone else died, what happens to the Kingdom? The little boy comes to power at the age of 10 with Sujini as his consort? And the Black Jujak interlude/revelation between Kiha and Sujini is so confusing that it doesn't even make anymore sense. So Kiha (in this lifetime) could control fire - turn it on - but couldn't turn it off. Sujini has the abiity to do both - but she's not the Jujak - and she was born with the mark of the Jujak but in the end she's not...huh? unsure.gif
I think somewhere along the line the people in charge of this drama forgot what was written in the script at the beginning of this story...starting with the character of Hwanung, Sae-Oh, Kajin, and other guardians. I just think that maybe the director should have gone back and taken a look at what was written at the begining of this story to be consistent with the characters, theme, and story in order for there to be a solid ending (either tragic or happy). This drama deserved a solid ending, not ambiguity and not hypothesis from the audience of what was shown.
If there will ever be a remake of this ending, I would wholeheartedly support it. I will say this, though...although the ending was less than stellar, I still love this drama and believe BYJ and the entire cast did a superb job in this fantastic story! I will look forward when this drama come out on DVD.
raiseplus wrote ~
i personally liked the ending because it had meaning.. da whole let da ppl think for themselves.. be independent. i was just surprised that wat i thot would be the ending came true.with DD dieing.. i sorta had da feeling that DD was going to die.. because HONESTLY.. do u expect the same/typical ending to happen? i dont think the writer was going to go off and use the typical happily ever after.. i think da writer did that because she wanted the audience to make up our own opinion and ending.. n argue n blabla talk about it.. n it is working lol..
i dont think the drama was rushed.. if they just took out the useless parts..like da meetings they always had and da whole attack on da gamulchon.. then it would of been a bit more better. i feel for hogae.. such a sad life..
it hit me when the grandpa died.. tat was so sad.. n dat dude thats always with DD he was like a father figure to DD...
da only part i ruined the whole seriousness at da last episode was when kiha and dat hwachon freak kept on switching back and forth.. that just cracked me up like alot!
if u look bak at the whole drama there are so many meaning to each character.. u can actually analyze it..
kiha's idea n her philosophy ,, DD idea, sujini,, n every1..
anachronista wrote ~
Just to chip in with my two cents' worth, I really loved this whole drama up to the end. The end as it aired sucked, but I don't feel to place blame on anyone in view of the fact that both BYJ and PD Kim are in the hospital with illness and injury after wrapping. I think they just did what they could under the circumstances. However, I love the ending as scriptwriter Song originally wrote it, and I think the whole drama will be diminished if they let the ending stay as it is. I hope they can manage somehow to reshoot the end as Ms. Song wrote it and perhaps put it out on DVD with alternate ending choices as many here have suggested. Then we can all be happy. biggrin.gif
I believe Ms. Song released her script to the internet because unhappy viewers were blaming her for the ending. I don't think it was unprofessional or disrespectful of her to do that. A person shouldn't be blamed for something that they didn't do. So much blame, blame, blame going around. That's too bad.
goan wrote ~
After watching the last episode, last night it is mind boggling to me why there is such a huge outcry from the fans ….
I find the episode very engaging and entertaining; in fact I consider it one of the best episodes. Maybe my expectation has fallen a few notches after reading the negative comments and what a pleasant surprise… i
In fact I love this episode. No quarrels with the ending and the pace; in fact I have only good things to say about this episode. It ties up a few loose ends.
I enjoyed the tug-of-war between Kiha and DJR…I was practically holding my breath and in fact, doing the tug-of-war while it is happening…that was fun and cool.
I can relate to the bloody death of DD’s army like General Ko because DD’s army is minuscule compared to Hogae’s (reminds me of the movie Spartacus). DD’s decision to break the bow is understandable.
Not only is he a man but a King who has to make tough decisions. His decision not to kill Kiha shows his resolve not to allow history to repeat itself, thus it proves that he is the master of himself (I like this concept).
The deaths of the 4 guardians are unfortunate but they are just collateral damages.
Even DD walking towards the light makes sense to me; it is a symbol of crossing over.
Thus, I have to totally disagree with those who suggests that the ending should be changed…The show is perfect and compelling; nothing should be changed, period! Sorry for having a totally opposite view from most of the fans.
In my humble opinion, it is a well-crafted drama!
linglins22 wrote ~
my two cents for this drama...
1) BYJ has proven he's above all STARS .. in Korea... in the beginning i wasn't really in to him cause i thought he's "not as good looking"
but .. my mistake.... "BYJ charms you slowly, then it creeps into you until your hooked"
and you'll only not like him because he's hansome but the aura itself.... he's truly a legend...
2) all the other actors have shown their own talent... and nobody was left unnoticed...all characters are important
.. side note... i was actually rooting for a HoGae- Sujini-Damduk triangle...
Hogae's such a bad _s_ but he obviously gained a lot of swooning fans ... suach hot baddier>
>Mr. Creepy (DJR) .. Choi min soo .. whenever i watch him.. reminds me of Minwoo (shinhwa) (he was copying him sevral times during loveletter days) he's really creepy though unlike M...
3) technical wise.... it was worth the wait and worth the effort of watching... although there were a couple of Ng's but i mean .. this is TV drama...but it looked like a full length movie
thank you to all..
dramaok wrote ~
like i said, i loved the ending. i thought it was totally appropriate givin this is about the great king of goguryeo,
and not a korean jerry mcguire in costume.
r>a bit disturbed by what song jina did. does she think she wrote the harry potter or something? really unprofessional even though she justifies as the ending 'for her'.. blah blah but what she did was open up the whole debate about the ending and everyone sees it in a negative light now because the author herself claimed it wasn't the one she wanted. what an unprofessional thing to do. i mean.... really.. i think it's a shameful way to finish the legacy of the legend. now there's so much backlash agasint the drama, ppl saying this is totally a drama made for Japanese ajoomas and ppl mocking the cast and what not. i'm not even a big fan of bae yongjoon and i feel injust and hurt for him that all this is going on despite all the toil and sweat and blood and tears he put in, not to mention the rest of the staff.. but really enough about my rant..
i hope BYJ has a good shot at wining the grand acting award in a couple of weeks. though i think he's up against a real tough competition.. kim myeong min of White Tower (<-- beautiful haunting performance).. thx everyone! it's been fun! keep the thread going and go join TWSSG fanclub and post your artworks and fanfics! fatsoko wrote~ I'm been silent in this thread but I truly believe that this is the greatest story I've seen. I've been raving about it to my family and friends but they just look at me say, "Sure." I love how HUMAN every character is in this drama. Even the bad guys aren't paper thin. The anguish, the smiles--every emotion isn't overdone but simply adds another layer to the character. I've been reading the spoilers to the ending and the "alternate" ending too. Just watched it actually. Wow. I don't mind "happy" endings but they're easily forgotten. The most you get out of a happy ending is indulgence in closure and pairings. It's usually comedies that pair up everyone. And tragedies that kill off everyone. The Legend was somewhere in between--beyond satirical characters that made you want to gag. Sure, the main characters DID die, but it's only because they were never meant to be on the earth, as humans with those godlike powers. Here, the only tragedy was that everyone wanted a super happy ending. But isn't it happy? People lived. The world will continue to turn. And man can no longer rely on the power of Heaven on Earth to dictate fate. It tries to capture humanity--how bittersweet it is, how experiences leave a mark on your heart. Things can only go so right before they go wrong. People can try and try and try and never get what they want. The ideal is that the ending is happy but since when was this story ever 'the ideal'? It's original and throughout the entire drama, it forces you to think, and asks you, "What is good or evil? How thorough are human emotions?" It makes you see that there is more to life than getting from point A to point B. There are a million steps in between those two points--a journey that few question because it's always, "How does it end?" And the reply is usually a coin toss between, "It sucked. I wish I didn't waste my life on it." or "Good ending." But whatever your opinion on the ending...It should be obvious by now that the Legend is a masterpiece. I thought the ending was perfect. It was satisfying. I think that if the alternate ending was used, it would have drifted from the essence of The Legend. A few parts could have been more elaborated (like with HoGae) but other than that the ending only emphasized that "This is what legends are made of." A bit of myth, lessons, sacrifice and life. And...for those DamSu shippers shaking their fists in fury...were you listening to the ending? What Dam Duk said...it was so inspiring. If they had showed the characters reincarnated AGAIN or Dam Duk "came back to life" AGAIN to be with Sujini, I'm not sure what I would say. Probably "Overkill." LOVE this drama. Will cherish its meanings and characters with me for a long time. --fatsoko Pyoungsang wrote ~ Having finished EP24, I thought the ending was alright ... if ambiguous. I like to think that the guardians just felt a little pain and became normal mortals then dying ... just because I like them so much. Beside, how would Dal Bi raise the twins by herself? I also don't equate DD walking into the light as him dying at that moment. I prefer to think that he and Kiha and SJN are having a good laugh somewhere with Ah Jik running around. I did really like his speech at the end ... that he trust people ... that people should not have to taken care by the heavens. A very humanistic speech. I love he admitted that he did not truly trust Kiha and asked for forgiveness. I love the DD character. I do feel like some of the events didn't quite flow as I couldn't tell how SJN got to the main Hwa Cheon base. But reading what was supposed to be shown but couldn't be shown because of the state of the staff and actors, I can fully understand what happened. It was lovely show. I actually didn't like the "original" ending as it was supposedly written by Song Ji Na better ... I thought it was a bit cheesy. I like the ending fine as it is. I'm just picturing all the guardians and DD having a big party after the battle enjoying themselves with their friends like Ba Son and Dal Bi. I love the friendship between the guardians and the king and his followers. I feel good about the ending. Why? Because you can interpret the way that you want to!!! Cerise wrote ~ The last episode was amazing. OMG! It's really ended, though. What meaning will be for my Wednesdays and Thursdays now? sad.gif This was a real GREAT drama. The acting and directing is superb. I don't care for the minor mistakes here and there. Personally, it looks perfect to me. I hope all the injured actors and staff to recover real soon. It's really heartbreaking to see BYJ hurt and on crutches. I'm looking forward to see what each actor has next in their agenda; especially, the new faces, EJiAh and Philp. fatsoko wrote ~ I left a comment here yesterday after reading the spoilers. Well, I watched the last episode last night and I think...my opinions have changed. I still love the ending...but I agree that more could have been done. This may have already been addressed but... About the last episode. I was disappointed not with the ending but with what led to the end. It should have been one hour longer at least. I felt like a lot was crammed into the first thirty or so minutes, with information gaps—rushing I guess. The pacing was really…different from the other episodes. I get that he found Sujini but her…coming back with Dam Duk was too…easy. The welcome reception and reaction to Sujini WITH A KID was really downplayed. No one seemed shocked. I guess…with this final episode, I feel like it transformed into less about the characters and more about the plot and the bigger picture too fast. The transition between these two views kind of could have been better. I noticed that a lot of viewers have been disappointed about the scene between Dam Duk and Ho Gae. I thought it was a bit ehh too when I read the summary but after I watched the battle scene, I’m glad that the director cut it like he did. In a battlefield, there is no time for sentimental words. Every moment is pure adrenaline. The moment when General Go MooSo died was frozen for a few battle seconds but when Dam Duk speared Ho Gae…I felt that moment of seconds trapped in eternity. And also, with closure…do you think it would have made sense for them to speak to each other like old friends? Eight years have passed between them. They haven’t been on friendly terms for another decade. War changes people. Words become hard to justify when they seem so futile in a relationship like Dam Duk and Ho Gae’s. Don’t you think? Example. No matter how many times DD could say sorry, does that help change Ho Gae’s mind about his mother’s death? Those two speak with actions to each other, with the emotions they exchange with their eyes. During this scene, DD…you see resolution in his eyes. He knows that that day is a day of death. He sees his mentor fall, his men, Ho Gae. He looks around him and all he sees is a sea of death and there is regret in his eyes. Remember when he spoke about how being king was? How…in the end, the decisions were up to him and in the end, he always regretted it so much? His Dam Duk vision changes to King vision and suddenly, he feels so detached from the world. Overall, I really did like the ending ending, but the events in total were really sloppily thrown together. Half of the scenes were really good and comprehensible and the other…needed work. I've been dissecting it ever since I watched it yesterday, trying to justify the way the story has been told. I think that it was...poorly edited or something. All of the previous episodes were fantastic but 24...Ah...it's frustrating me. I hope they do re-edit it to clean up the transitions. My little mind is just frustrated at how the climax...didn't really feel like a climax. And how...DD was so...all powerful. I thought...wow. That evil Elder was just obliterated. I wanted to see...just a little more of that 'invincible' Elder have some slight advantage. Didn't anyone feel like there was omitted information that would have really helped? The boy being kidnapped by one of their own felt like...the writers/director just needed SOMEONE random to kidnap the kid for the sake of moving the plot. Right now...I just need some time to chill. I loved the ending message...but I'm still trying to figure out...how everything came together. ...and yes. I did notice the short clip of Moon SoRi with her wires showing/without CG at the end. That really surprised me. God. Now I sound like I hate the ending...I don't. I loved it. I just can't come to terms with what happened before it. Anyone feeling my aggravation? --fatsoko jtranla wrote ~ As for the ending, I am fine with it given all the accidents the filming crew experienced near the end of the story. I just think for us to get what we all want, then BYJ would have to endure more pain with all the extra shooting time. I believe throughout the story, PD and the writer have put out hints that heaven's power will be returned to heaven...especially when it was revealed that breaking the sword handle would kill all the symbols and their powers and the King's heavenly power...I am optimistic that they can go on living as mortal human beings without heavenly power...if the subbing comes out differently...then I can still have my own fantasy ending. I just hope that BYJ, PD, and other actors who were injured during the filming of this drama will have a full and speedy recovery. I have not seen the 2nd special, but reading and seeing the screen caps makes me cringe and feel bad for all of them. They are such devoted and dedicated professionals. I hope we get to see BYJ again soon in another project that would not require him to do so much stunt work...I love his acting. vicky wrote ~ I just finished watching ep 24, and it totally did not make any sense, as in, it did not tie up the story at all. Maybe it tried to, but it failed miserably. So i thought maybe someone here might have grasped the essence of the ending which i might have missed... so i started reading some posts and realised that the one that went on-air wasn't the ending the script-writer intended for. after reading the "original" ending, it was what i was looking for. i could just imagine the scenes in my head as i read, and the story would have ended beautifully, fit for such a mega-production. As for the sript-writer, there seems to be some views about her being un-professional. But imagine: you toiled on a script for 3 years or more, working towards a sensible ending, only to find the ending changed not only to something that is against your wishes, but to an ending that does not make any sense whatsoever. Professionalism aside, i was glad she posted the script, coz it justified what the story should have been. As a viewer, i have at least gained a sense of closure regarding this drama. Also, i thought bringing the story to a modern-day setting (in the original script), albeit a bit abrupt, was a pretty smart and refreshing move (plus i liked the ending message ^^ ). Being a regular TV-watching person, i don't really look at the script-writers or pds etc, simply because if a drama is good, i'd watch. So i can't comment about anything in that aspect. But seriously, whoever that ordered the change in ending should take responsibility. If the ending was not changed, it would not have prompted the script-writer to post, nor viewers to feel... lost (I was still looking for the ending after watching it...). And if this supposed "open-ending" was intended for future series, then my comment would be, "It ain't worth it." Overall, great work to the entire cast and crew!
Bamidele wrote ~
Wow there is still a big discussion on the ending...well I will just put in my two cents after reading the latest comments on the PD and the writer.
To be honest I think they are both at fault, the writer should have waited to post the document or at least done it in a way not to create such a stir. However, if people are saying that this is a TEAM effort, how would you feel as the writer if the PD just decided to do an ending without your consent. Regardless, of who has the final say in a team effort everyone's voice should be heard before a decision has been made. I really think that if they had stayed team oriented at the end we could have had the best of both worlds with the original script ending and the one that was shown.
The later part of the original adds that fantasy element that would truly have made this drama unlike any other. I mean the whole concept of The Legend is that the stories go on, and wouldn't it have been interesting to think that things that happened far off in the past still have places in the present? It makes me think, wow what an interesting way to end it, telling us that the story keeps going on and lets see how far it can go.
As far as the Damsu stuff, the only thing in the original one is that everyone gets to live, and I am a happy camper about that. But when reading the script, it felt more complete and made more sense that DD was telling the heaven's that man makes mistakes, learns from them, and moves on to a brighter future. We are human because we make mistakes, but we still need the choice to make those decisions and not be guided by the heavens. DD was telling the world that we have the right to make choices, we have the right to live out lives, and we have the right to go after our believes. If the heaven's have a say it will be when our life on earth is gone and then we face our heavenly judgment. That is kind of how I saw the ending of the original. I mean it really is your perception and interpretation at the end of the day.
With the one that aired, my biggest complaint is the timing. I understand there was a lot of mishaps, but being strong all the way to the end and not just giving up on the last episode would have been ideal. Why put all that effort, if you are just going to go half-way at then end? People remember the beginning of the journey and the end of it the most so I felt that it was lacking. It was more of a time element and had nothing to do with anyone's acting in my opinion. They just needed to clarify and explain things more, and then it would have made more sense.
Lastly, as far as the ending goes it is again based on what you took from the drama and your perception of what the show was all about. The PD left it open for you to decide within yourself how the story ends. Isn't that what Legends are all about? There is that sense of mystery and that things may not always be what the seem. With Legends the story gets handed down and changes over time to become something different for all types of people. That is what I got from the ending. This was a story of a man who became a king and who....(the rest is up to your imagination).
monoceros wrote ~
i just finished legend... (what an amazing series) and i just read the alt ending... which i didn't feel was tremendously different from the real ending... however, i think there were some differences that i thought were important
1) heuk gae dies, not go woo chong
2) sentimental scene, an explanation of the misunderstanding between ho gae and dam deok
3) the futuristic epilogue (tae wang lives on)
4) suzini putting out kiha's fire
5) near death of damdeok (blood pouring out of his mouth? that's intense) but only near deaht,
So I described what I felt about each different scene's importance, and impact on the real ending in the corresponding numbered descriptions below.
1) okay, so #1 was hardly important, it just means more screentime for heuk gae, who i don't like that much anyway.. i guess it's kind of sad that he dies for suzini, but he's not a character we know so well, because he entered in the latter half of the story... and he rarely says anything, im thinking it was the intention of the pd to have at least 1 great loyal warrior die just to make it more believable and sad.. i don't care about this.. i guess heuk gae's death was kind of more dramatic than go woo chong which makes a little bit bettter (surprising I didn't cry in this episode.. i was really expecting to, and actuall kind of hoping to too)
2) this i thought was critical. if they had incorporated this scene, they could've wrapped up the relationship, because actually, despite the fact that dam deuk and ho gae were always enemies, they also always had that attraction going on (at least, I believe) and I know dam deok always regretted his decision. i always thought this would be a very poignant scene. I would've really liked this if they put this in because in the real ending, it was too unclimatic for ho gae just to die because he kills go woo chong. They never even resolved their hate.
And i like the fact that dam deok doesn't kill ho gae because he can, but because ho gae lets him... i mean.. dam deok can't be good at everything, and ho gae was always good at fighting... and finally,, THIS IS THE SCENE! i mean, i know that the hate between ho gae and dam deok really declines after a while when hwa chun takes over the scene again, but isn't this supposed to be a very anticipated scene? fight to the death (finally) between ho gae and dam deok? Dam Deok definitely wins but how? I wasn't even so sure that ho gae was going to die, i thought he would've dided later, for kiha or something, and it would be a touching scene where .. either he saves kiha and kiha regrets bitterly, or he saves dam deok..
so basically, i thought the real ending was unsatisfying and the alt one would've been better heree. oh, and also, in the real ending, dam deok just says.. "now i see that i've made a mistake in misunderstanding you." but since ho gae didn't tell him that it was misunderstanding.. how did he know it was a misunderstanding? and even if he sensed it from the pheonix, why would he believe it now? so i thought this scene was rather necessary to support the later scene where dam deok apologizes..
and this line is cool: Hogae: Your father killed himself, just like my father.
He wanted you to become that fu-cking king.
They didn't ask us what we wanted, and died as they wanted.
as well as this one: Damdeok: Why didn't anyone tell me, why!!!
Hogae: (on his knees, even smiling,) Becuase you are the king of Jyooshin.
and didn't we all know ho gae had it in him somewhere? he was good right? good because he always was, but later had to change because of tragic events. this scene would've put ho gae in that light. the tragic figure, not the lovesick evil doer
3) about the "tae wang living on.." it's interesting I guess.. and a very epiloguy type epilogue, but personally, i think its kind of ridivulous. it's hardly applicable to our age. i mean, of course we have wars and famine and everything, but first of all, its impossible because the symbols are all gone, if it must restart then it should restart with hwanhwoong, and secondly, its contradictory.. i mean.. isn't man supposed to be free from heaven now? So what are tae wangs and guardians doing in our time? it defeats the purpose...although i guess it appeals to the sentimental and regretful feelings of the audiences who are sad this must come to an end, but im personally very glad that this did not get put into the ending.
4) I think this was an important part, because suzini .. isn't she supposed to be the black pheonix? okay, i never got it in the first place, why she was black pheonix if black pheonix came from real pheonix, but i accepted it, and i felt kind of cheated when it turned out she was ntohign even though previously she had the power to wield fire. So actually, it's not so important that kiha gets her first put out, as much as it is that suzini.. contributes to the resolution of the ending.. i mean.. suzini was one of the most important characters in the beginning, the drama started with her.. she was supposed to be.. IMPORTANT but then she just becomes.. a protector of a child.. and you know.. that sister relationship between suzini and kiha could've been more dramatized and this would've been it!
and lastly, i like this:
Kiha looks at the child, who is sleeping on Suzini's lap.
Damdeok watches Kiha. Kiha smiles to him.
Suddenly, flame surrounds Kiha and Kiha disappears.
As Kiha disappears, Damdeok's sillhouette that is standing up is visible.
With that light, the child opens his eyes and looks at Damdeok.
wouldn't that bave been rather poignant? and peaceful and it concludes dam deok and kiha in a very serene and touching way. What a good bye that would've been.
as it was, kiha's "good bye" .. i mean, what farewell? the scene doesn't even show her dissipating or anything... the light around her just gets dimmer and then dam deok leaves and that's it..
5) honeslty, im not sure i was up for dam deok's near death with blood coming out of his ears and stuff, and then getting revived after kiha dies. i suppose i like this ending better , although the idea of dam deok leaving for heaven wasn't that terrible. not that im biased, but i think it's better if dam deok lives, just because in the alt ending, he lives until he's 39 and it's more conclusive, leaving for heaven was kind of strange since..isn't he supposed to die? im not too sure, i think i would've liked it more if dam deok lives just because it places the spotlight on suzini and kiha and it's cyclic... because i like the suzini kiha scene so i like this aspect of the plot, since this leads to that.. (sorry if that's confusing) and i thought it was cute that they had a little scene with him fighting his son...
But that's that. I suppose I would've like the real ending more, minus some parts, but honestly, i don't think the pd purposely cut them out so much as.. he did for the sake of saving time. ep24 was way overtime. if he had included the extra scenes (i mean, he even cut short of kiha's death, and didn't explain what happened to the guardians...) probably because they had no time. and he was angry at the writer because it makes the audience unhappy to see that there could've been a better (IMO) ending... (actually im not all that clear on the pd-writer tiff myself, but i think i have an idea)
so don't be so pissed guys. i would've liked the alt ending a little better, but i think the pd did what he could in his limited time.. i was just a bit unsatisfied with tying up of the relationship ends and the fact that they didn't even talk about what happened to everyone after his death.. but whatever.. what can we do? im sure they did the best they could with the resources they had...
as for the romance.. well.. this was never a very romantic series (although some lines were classic!) but it was impossible to be romantic.. in order have romance in the end, dam deok would have to choose between kiha and suzini, and if he picks kiha, then everyone wonders... what about suzini who he just confessed to recently? and if he chooses suzini, then he has just wronged the woman he wronged.. plus she bore his son. so then he would be really guilty. i mean, the only way i see romance in here is if he saves suzini or kiha or lets them kill him or something... or kissing suzini after kiha dies or something.. but those was impossible for the reasons i said above. it would be a terrible wrong to either side if he had to make a choice. so.. if you can satisfy both sides? what do you do? go to heaven.
jelen wrote ~
I have been visiting this site for the past 4 weeks now and it was quite a journey trying to know DD of TWSSG and BYJ. This is the first time I followed a kdrama from the start of production, promotion till the last curtain fall. I cannot say in word my exact feeling for this drama because I feel that there is no appropriate word to describe it. It is AWESOME for a TV drama. You can really see the effort, sweat, time and talent the actors, director & crew has poured in this project. The director once said that this drama “ WILL MAKE BYJ rather than BYJ WILL MAKE THE DRAMA”. After watching TWSSG, I understand what he means. This drama has make BYJ’s star more shining. I guess all of us will remember this drama for a long time.
My humble opinion of the ending is: I like it though it left me hanging in the air. I actually expected it because DD as the Great King has to chose his people over the woman he loves or even this family. A lesser person cannot do it but because he is the king, He has to do it.
On the other hand I also have a version of a HAPPY ENDING for this drama: When DD walks into the light, another figure will meet him, putting his hand on DD’s shoulder and a voice saying “ My son, go back to your people , and live a happy life, etc. etc. etc. (I am not very good with word, sorry guys, what I want in the dialogue is that the heaven agreed with what DD did but his mission on earth is not yet finish so he has to go back.) DD will walk back to earth while the bright light is fading. END.
Hope it’s not corny!!
ripgal wrote ~
I just finished the drama.. and my it was a very meaningful experience. I loved the fact that it didn't focus so much on romance, and instead showed how DD matured amidst his reign when he was King. What I loved most about The Legend was the emphasis it made regarding relationships between the King and his subordinates..it made be bawl all the time when the DD or his subordinates sacrifice for him.
I wasn't that disappointed by the ending. Altho many things were left unresolved..but at least it managed to convey the message that humans can actually control their own fates without having to rely solely on heavenly powers. It's the determination inside us humans that makes what we are... was a tad bit disappointed that they didn't address the part whether SJN or Kiha was the real Jujak and why.. and also it was a pity that SJN and Kiha didn't have a sisterly moment together. It would have been better if they had given a short 1-2 mins convo between SJN and Kiha..but yea..I guess it can't be changed now.
Lastly, on the character portrayals. All of them were very impressive.. esp BYJ. He was really good as DD..and I can't imagine any other person playing his character. He totally captured the essence and aura of a King. Same goes to the others..all of them made this drama so successful and memorable. KUDOS to the casts, director, and writer for presenting this wonderful masterpiece...it's definitely one of the best dramas I have seen this year.
And oh...I saw the pics of BYJ's painful expression while filming the last Ep. I'm amazed with his pain tolerance.. with all the injury and the pain, he still managed to put on such a convincing performance. I really applaude him for his determination and hard work.. I hope he's recuperating alright now.
Once again, thank you for everything ppl. Altho I'm not a regular here, reading some of your comments had me entertained and amused.. I will definitely remember this drama..
THE LEGEND RAWKZ!!!!
liezle wrote ~
i think the real common denominator is the way the ending was executed. given the circumstances that surrounded the filming specially in the last 3 months i think everyone thought to do what's the best for the drama.
for the damsuers who had so much hope for damsu romance have you noticed that even in the script that was posted by song ji na, she didn't write that both got together? what she clearly wrote there was that she still keeps on drinking. and what does this say to us?
with regard to hogae-damdeok encounter, i like what was broadcasted. their expression said it all. had song ji na didn't post that script i think that most viewers would have been satisfied by what was aired. and since there's the script to be compared with, then people tend to want to see the longer version of that scene.
during the battle scene, though it was short, it made my heart stop for a while. the death of heukgae and gen koh saddened me. a feel for dd's lost of a dear dear friend who almost could have been his father.
now that legend is over, it will now become a legend. it won't be just a drama that viewers saw and will forget. it's a drama that will be embedded in everyones mind [for it's content, grandiose production, great acting by actors, controversies, injuries, etc.], a drama that created intelligent discussion, drama that has depth, a drama that captured the essence of a true leader and a drama that conveys a message that we human can control our own fate.
ahndee wrote ~
I wonder if there's going to be another drama similar to TWSSG. I think TWSSG really brought korean dramas to a new level.fatsoko wrote ~
I had to hit this thread once more. I've commented a couple of times before, about the drama as a whole and the ending that everyone seems to have taken sides on.
Last night, I watched it with those wonderful S2 subs last night and it completely filled in all of the gaps for me. I'm sooo grateful to those subbers. They really did a wonderful job with those subs. All of those things that I missed before I understood now. I can say now that I'm satisfied. At first I thought the pacing was strange but after going back and rewatching 22, 23 and 24 with subs I can see now how wrong I was. I feel like such a mind changer but...really. Those subs were...they made my day.
Thank you. Wonderful work.
--fatsoko
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