HALLYU ZOMBIE DRAMA REVIEW: Bride of the Century Episodes 7-8 (2/2)

Zombie: So jumping right into this week’s discussion… What did you two think of Yi Hyun’s sudden proposal to Doo Rim? Is it just me or was that a little out of nowhere?

 

Tanya: It seemed very rushed and honestly, there is no way that was the right time for it. I get he doesn’t want to lose her, but they have no other relationship other than her pretending to be his sister. That doesn’t really equate to marriage for me.

 

Shai: Can I hug him? I didn’t think he would do it since he’s not one to really rush into things, but it really was out of nowhere and rushed. I do understand that he doesn’t want her to pretend to be his sister anymore and wants the real Yi Kyung to solve her own problems (I agree), but proposing to Doo Rim wasn’t exactly the right way to go.

 

Zombie: I agree. It’s obvious Yi Hyun has some pretty strong feelings for Doo Rim but I honestly can’t figure out how they could have developed so quickly. It’s not like they’ve spent an excessive amount of time together, though I suppose if you think about it, they did spend quite a bit of time living in the same house. Maybe they spent a lot of nights bonding while watching dramas together that we don’t know about. I suppose it’s possible, right?

Tanya: I can understand he feels appreciative for her saving his life and then essentially rescuing his family in their situation. He admires her attitude and willingness to be there for others. Doo Rim represents pretty much everything he has never been around; someone who is honestly selfless.

 

Shai: I guess they did spend a lot of time together, Doo Rim is the only one to truly understand him and is nice to him without any actual motive. I guess he’s close with Yi Kyung, but she has a coldness about her that isn’t exactly welcoming. So Doo Rim’s  kind and warm nature is attractive.

 

Zombie: Like Kang Ju, I think Yi Hyun is drawn to Doo Rim’s warmth. She’s a very loving, genuine person and it would make sense that both men would be attracted to the only bright spot in their very cold and unfeeling worlds. I just wish there would have been a bit more development in the relationship between Doo Rim and Yi Hyun before they decided to throw in his proposal. I might have actually cheered for him if his proposal hadn’t sprung out of nowhere. As it is, I can’t support his feelings for Doo Rim like I can Kang Ju’s. This is the first drama in quite a long time, that doesn’t have me suffering from Second Male Lead Syndrome.

 

Shai: This is also one of the first times I am not suffering from Second Male Lead Syndrome, but I am still rooting for him to not be left alone at the end. Yi Hyun really is way too sweet and kind-hearted of a person to be lonely in the end. He deserves to be truly loved by someone.

Tanya: …Just not his sister’s look-alike, ‘kay?

 

Zombie: I second that. I still think it’s kinda creepy that he’s fallen for someone who looks exactly like his sister, even if they are completely different people.

 

Tanya: That has been my only struggle with his feelings the whole time. I don’t even think they are actually related in any way, but I wouldn’t marry anyone that look like a sibling. My sister is beautiful, but no.

 

Shai: Oddly, I don’t have an issue with that. I think it’s because he can see she’s a completely different person from Yi Kyung and therefore looks different in his eyes.

 

Zombie: It’s not the biggest issue to me but it is still a little odd… Moving on, are either of you finding Kang Ju’s mom, Myeong Hee, more than a little suspicious? As much as I’d like to believe that she had nothing to do with the death of Il Do’s first wife, there are a few things that have popped up as red flags this week that kind of have me wondering…

Shai: I have always found her to be suspicious, I think I mentioned that like last week. Her actions and the way she handles everything just tells me she had something to do with Il Do’s first wife’s death. The the fact that she has the first wife’s diary then her conversation with her mom was odd. Like her mother wanted her to marry someone who would actually love her, but she said it had to be Il Do. If the man doesn’t love you, move on. I think her pleading caused her mother to take action.

 

Zombie: I can see the same sort of relationship between Myeong Hee and her mom as I see with Yi Kyung and Ma Jae Ran (her mom). It’s like mother-daughter schemes are the underlying theme of this entire drama. I wonder if Doo Rim, not having a mom, will be able to undo everything this plotting duos are trying to achieve. I suppose it’s possible, right? If the odd-girl out jumps in and does things her own way, I could see that messing up the plans of everyone else and if you ask me, that’s probably a very good thing.

 

Tanya: Women are evil. We all know this, but this drama does it well especially since it’s the conglomerate level. It’s not just the petty mother-in-law stuff we normally see and it pushes the drama forward.

Shai: I can see that theme too and it isn’t just your average evil mothers in dramas, but these women are seriously scheming with people’s lives on the line. I think since Myung Hee doesn’t have a daughter, she’s sort of filling that role with Roo Mi, whom she wants for her son. I do have to wonder, did Il Do’s mother scheme with Myung Hee and her mother to kill off the first wife so she can be the second one?

 

Zombie: I’m not sure. At this point, I can see Myung Hee and her mother plotting the first wife’s demise but not Il Do’s mother. After all, Il Do, when was talking to Doo Rim, told her that his first marriage was a happy one, blessed by everyone involved. That makes me think Il Do’s family was supportive of his first choice and it was Myung Hee and her mother that wouldn’t idly sit by and watch Myung Hee’s “position” be taken by another. Though where these crazy women get off, claiming someone as their own when the man involved obviously has no feelings for them, is beyond me. Roo Mi is the same way and I cannot support her any more than I can support Myung Hee. I don’t like conniving women who think they’re entitled to someone’s love.

 

Tanya: While all that is true, and I’m certainly not condoning it, if they weren’t entitled b*tches, Doo Rim and Kang Ju wouldn’t actually be in love. I guess the evil justifies the story in this case. It all sucks, and yes, Myung Hee is projecting her life on Roo Mi and Kang Ju, but it is seriously the fuel here. I am certain that neither evil will prevail here though. They just have to put everyone through the ringer first. This curse needs to backfire on evil mothers.

 

Shai: Well I remember Il Do saying he was suspicious as to why his mother approved of his marriage without a fight, so maybe she believed in the curse.

 

Zombie: That is true. This is all very interesting… It’s hard to really get what’s going on because everyone seems to have something they’re scheming. Even Il Do… It’s obvious he wants to learn the truth about his first wife’s death despite the fact it happened 30 years ago. Maybe he wants to uncover the truth so he can disprove the family curse theory? It’s just a thought but maybe if he can prove her death was planned, he can free the family from the rumors of a curse and therefore free Kang Ju from it as well, leaving him the opportunity to marry for love, without worrying about whether she’s gonna die right after the wedding.

Shai: I don’t think Il Do actually believes in the family curse, and it seems that he’s tried to find out what really happened for a while but got nowhere. Now that Kang Ju may suffer at the hands of his mother and a possible curse, I think this gives him a new push to actually uncover the truth. He already told Kang Ju that he knows exactly why he broke off the engagement and he doesn’t have to do that so Papa Choi is trying to save his son and family.

 

Tanya: I think that Do Il is afraid the evil that ruined his life, whether ghost or horrible women, is going to be exactly what happens to Kang Ju. He’s trying to prevent it that fate from happening, but I wonder if there are just too many player on the other end to keep him from being successful. Maybe Kang Ju can talk some sense into our ghost, Sung Joo Shin, although I’m still wondering why she gave Doo Rim the bracelet. Sung Joo Shin said it’s lucky, but it is to save Doo Rim so Yi Kyung actually ends up being the one affected or is it actually because she wants to hurt Doo Rim and now she’s a target?

 

Shai: I honestly don’t know what Ghost Lady’s motive is now. She gave Doo Rim the bracelet again and said it’ll bring her love and luck or something like that so now I’m wondering what her angle it. It’s pretty obvious she’s working against the evil mothers who don’t mind sacrificing a life and she has been there for Kang Ju since he was kidnapped. She told him he hold the key to this issue and it’s up to him to solve it. What does he have to do in order to prevent anything bad happening to his first wife? I really wish she’d expand on that, but apparently Kang Ju knew just what she meant. Though episode 9’s preview shows another plan in the works.

Zombie: Remember, Joo Shin told Doo Rim, when she gave her the bracelet, that she would be responsible for whatever happened once she put the bracelet back on. It seems to me that she’s giving Doo Rim fair warning that whatever happens from here on out is going to be, at least in part, up to her. Joo Shin told Kang Ju essentially the same thing when she told him that what he chose to do from this point on, was going to determine the outcome of his future. She flat-out told him that he holds the key to his future and how he goes about things from here on out, is what’s going to shape his future. What I find interesting is that Joo Shin never actually said that Kang Ju would have to sacrifice his first love. Kang Ju interpreted what she said to mean just that but really, he may be reading a lot more into what she said than is actually there.

 

Tanya: It’s true! She doesn’t say that, just that he will have to sacrifice to become the head of the house, which is why I think all these women have gone nuts and are taking it too far. The first incident happened and then they all took crazy pills and added to it, making it their curse.

Zombie: And here’s another thing about Joo Shin and all of her warnings… She’s not telling anyone anything beyond what is completely obvious and true for us all. We all hold the keys to our own destiny. It’s what we do with what we’re given, how we react in different situations, that determines what our future becomes. Telling Doo Rim and Kang Ju that they’re going to be responsible for whatever happens next is really a no-brainer. Of course they’re responsible! We all are! Way to state the obvious in the most mysterious way possible, Ghost Lady!

Shai: Maybe that’s the point and especially why she makes everything seem all mysterious and complicated. Perhaps she wants Kang Ju to think for himself for once and take his own life in his own hands. Yes his family found Yi Kyung for him and then her family found Doo Rim to be a replacement sacrificial lamb, but what’s going to happen once he finds out? What if it really isn’t his destiny to run the company or something? I think Ghost Lady is pretty much telling both of them to fight for your love and to live your life for yourself and not others. Both of them have essentially been doing just that. Does this make sense because it did in my head 5 minutes ago.

 

Zombie: I get what you’re saying. I just think it’s sad that it takes a ghost to get these people to start living their lives for themselves. At least Kang Ju seems pretty determined to live his life his own way, rather than be pressured to live under his parent’s thumb. He flat-out told his parents he didn’t want to live like they’re living and to that I say, “Way to go!” It’s not every day you see a chaebol’s son stand up to his parents and get away with it!

Tanya: I think that’s part of why Joo Shin came to Kang Ju as a child. As far as we know, he’s the only one that has had interaction with her directly other than her actual threats about “You’re going to die” to Yi Kyung. He is the only one that she’s actually tried to ‘save’ from his world, especially when that world came after him when he was little. She’s trying to help him and it give me major feels.

 

Shai: I think Kang Ju may be the first one to actually listen to her. She’s been around for years so maybe she’s tried this tactic before and they disregarded what she said and did what they were told, so she let this “curse” rumor spin out of control and let the family spin this all out of control. Now this time she decided a different approach and decided to be a friend first then give him a warning about what to expect from his position. This way he’ll listen since he trusts her and what she says, he obviously doesn’t believe someone as kind as her would kill people so he’s taking heed to what she’s saying.

Zombie: Unfortunately, the way he’s interpreted all of her warnings has led to some pretty depressing heart-ache for both him and Doo Rim. Why must these people always resort to leaving the one you love as opposed to running toward them? C’mon people! If you love someone, you stick with them, not abandon them!

 

Tanya: Maybe that’s Joo Shin’s point. If you aren’t going to stick with the person you love, it’s not worth them being around.

 

Shai: Yes, he did break off his engagement that his parents put together. He’s now thinking for himself and trying to protect her. I saw stills from the next episode and it should prove to be happier as I see he’s actually doing something he wants to do. So I think that was part of the point: He broke the engagement that was built on business and money and will go back because of his own feelings.

 

Zombie: Now if only he could learn the truth about Doo Rim’s real identity… I’m hoping that moment comes soon…

 

Now it’s your turn to tell us what you’re thinking… What do you think Joo Shin’s motives are when it comes to Kang Ju and Doo Rim? Is she trying to help them or hurt them? What do you think about all of the plotting and scheming mothers and daughters? Could it be that they’ve brought this “curse” upon themselves? We love to hear all of your thoughts and theories so be sure to share them in the comments below!