Jo Hyun Jae

Yeon Ka-Mo is, of course, Seo Dong’s mother and Princess Sun-Hwa is the love of his life, later his Queen when he is King.

Jang (Seo Dong) once said to Sun-Hwa: “My mother’s dancing is the best; yours is second.”

I have great respect for Yeon Ka-Mo, not just because she is Jang’s mother, but also because I am moved by her greatness.  I can’t forget when I first see her in the drama, she is one of the palace dancers in the Haneulchae (Academy).  She is very pretty, but her dancing makes her appear out of this world.  The way her flowing white robes seem to float in the air when she moves, and the way she lowers her head to peek at her lover — all these scenes are most memorable.

She is originally full of happiness, with a man she loves, and they are even secretly engaged.  But destiny seems to make fun of her.  She forgets she is in the palace, and cruel reality ruins her happiness.  She leaves the palace — for her son.  I thought she would just disappear, but you see how she fares?

For her son Jang she endures all kinds of hardships and near-homelessness.  Time flies; her beauty is no more.  But she never complains.  She teaches her son to read: he does not listen and she punishes him with a smile.  She is tortured by the authorities; her feet are mangled.  Jang administers medicine and tears roll down his face (his mother’s physical pain is the pain in his heart.)  But she laughs it off — “It’s all right.”  Jang complains: “Mother, how come you can still laugh after you have been beaten?”  She smiles to herself: for Jang she would do anything.

Even though she loses her chances of happiness with the good Doctor, even when she is in the midst of her dark days, she still has not lost her love of life.  She tells Jang that the Doctor is the love of her life, the person she respects most in her life.  She cries for him, for love, for heartache. 

From Jang we know mother and son only have each other, but their life is rather poetic.  She teaches Jang to read but never forces him.  She makes good food for him; she dances for him.  Jang says: “The happiest time of my life is when my mother dances and I sell sweet potatoes.”

The one who dances second best is the Princess.  She dances like a butterfly in the wind, and her beautiful smile is so alluring.

The following scenes are the most memorable:

1.  The appearance of the adult Princess, in purple, wearing a gold crown, the head ornaments dangling with her dainty steps.  Her smiling face is full of the promises of love; she seems to be listening to that “Seo Dong Yo” folk song sung by the street kids who sell sweet potatoes.  The Princess’s appearance is breathtaking, so bright and sweet.

2.  That scene when she tricks Seo Dong into believing she’s bitten by a snake and finally sees him smile again — a memorable scene.

3.  In the night the Princess walks round and round the pagoda, waiting for Seo Dong who never appears — I can see her resoluteness..

4.  When the Princess abandons her status and walks out of the palace doors — I admire her determination.

5.  In a foreign country, starting all over as a merchant is not easy, but the Princess chooses to play this card — I marvel at her wisdom.

6.  In a world of snow, that snowman is smiling.  The Princess makes a snowman (also congee for Jang) and they play and chase each other.  She also blackens his face — I see a mischievous and witty Princess.

7.  She finally gets to be Queen, but her father violates the treaty.  The Princess’s heart is full of contradictions — isn’t she her father’s favourite daughter?  Can a Princess only be a pawn in the game of chess between countries?  Her heart is cold; she cannot face her husband the King.  Everybody in Baekje thinks she should be put to death.  Jang cannot forgive her father; Jang goes to fight her father.  The Princess’s heart is full of warmth — that is Jang’s love for her; disappointment — her marriage did not bring peace between the two countries; and worry — the two persons nearest and dearest to her are fighting each other.

Lee Bo-Young’s acting is convincing — she is the most beautiful and lovely Princess in my eyes.  When I see how much she gives of herself for Jang, how can I not like her?

I am now re-watching the DVD version of “Seo Dong Yo” — it’s the happiest thing.

(Translated and adapted from the Chinese article by cuinanshan on johyunjaeChina on 2007.3.25)