An American Review: Hwarang Episodes 5 And 6

Sarah Smith

January 5, 2017

After the premier of the first four episodes of ‘Hwarang’, people were upset that the show was a “flop”. Their claims that the show was too slow, or too similar to other historical dramas came in the masses, but episodes 5 and 6 didn’t disappoint. For those who decided to stick around for more, they were greeted with two action packed episodes, giving them new characters and deeper plots to engage in.

In episode 5 viewers are taken into the sacred city of which Hwarang will call home. Their ceremony has ended, and now it is time for room placements. For whatever reason, their mentor decided to get them drunk before they picked room placements, which caused for a rather controversial decision among the higher ups. While it was questioned the reason behind their drunken welcome into the Hwarang, it made for a hilarious scene for the viewers. Everyone, aside from the king, got extremely drunk. While staggering up to the front, they had to draw from a box a card in which would tell them who they would be rooming with.

As well as being drunk, the hostile mix of royal youths began to get into arguments, which led into physical fights. The most interesting part of this hilarious scene, was the development the friendship of Moo Myeong the king. These two had been through a lot together up to this point, and earlier that day showed up late to the ceremony due to a predicament they were tied up in. When episode 4 ended, the three main characters were cornered by thugs, and in episode 5 we see what happens to them. Tied up in a meat processing building, the two hang from the ceiling late for their ceremony. The two team up, working together to rescue Aro, which ends in success. Even though they show up late to the ceremony, they do conclude the members and go about the rest of the ceremony. Later that night, Myeong and the king are outside after everything had happened. Myeong had gotten into a fight, as he was still drunk, and the two have an interesting conversation.

While on their way back to their room, a new character is introduced and he is quite the character. How Yeo Wool is described as a mysterious guy with a vulgar tongue, and this is apparent his first few seconds on screen. He likes to sit in the background, watching the fighting happen before him. Saying so himself, his hobbies are, “watching fights and fires.” He gets a kick out of it, and always adds in his comments as he watches. This episode doesn’t explain much about his character, other than “rumors of loving men” being enough for him. He even picks out a funny pairing to begin to ship, and they do not like it one bit.

This takes the episodes into the developing relationship between Sooho and Banryu. These two get drunk, fight, fall asleep together, wake up and fight some more. Sooho finally grows tired of this, and begins to calm down. Throughout both episodes, Sooho even steps in to break up fights Banryu starts, showing that he is starting to mature. Of course Banryu grows more agitated, and begins to pick on Myeong, making his sister a popular person on campus. Due to his crude comments about Aro, the rest of the guys follow his antics by repeating things about her. This causes a rift between the king, Myeong, and the guys, especially Banryu.

Because everyone continues to fight, they continue to get injured. This calls for someone to recruit Aro as the Hwarang physician, and this does not go over well with Myeong. When he learns of his sister’s new job, he grows worrisome knowing how the guys have been speaking about her. She insists she’s better there with him, since he can protect her. He finally, and reluctantly, agrees for her to stay. This also gives her an opportunity to teach him the characters that he does not know. She worries that his lack of reading and writing abilities will draw negative attention to him. The two begin nightly lessons, which catches the attention of the king.

The king goes to Aro asking for lessons as well, to get closer to her. She doesn’t believe that he can’t read or write, but teaches him anyway. Without her brother in the ending scene, she’s alone with the king, and she draws each character out for the lesson. This is to show the character as what it represents, and not what it means. Since the characters look like the word they represent, learning with pictures is best. The king requests she draws him the symbol for king, in which she does. She represents the character (王) with birds. She explains why she uses a bird to describe this character. She pity’s the faceless king, saying that he had no decision of becoming king on his own. The queen has no intentions of stepping down, and it is up to the bird to become strong on his own and fly up to the top. He is like a bird that is fallen from his nest, and needs to reclaim his home. This makes the king emotional, causing for a very plot twisting ending to episode 6.

What did you think of this weeks episodes of ‘Hwarang’? Be sure to watch ‘Hwarang’ Monday’s and Tuesdays! Let us know in the comments below!

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Edited By: Sarah Smith

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