Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 5 of See You In My 19th Life, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Ban Ji-eum, Ahn Bo-hyun as Moon Seo-ha, Ha Yoon-kyung as Yoon Cho-won, and Ahn Dong-goo as Ha Do-yoon. We discuss:

• The songs we feature during the recap:
  • Childhood Kim Jin ah
  • I’ll Embrace Your Past by Ahn Bo hyun
• Our top K Dramas from 2024.
• It’s clear Moon Seo ha has not gotten over the trauma of Yoon Ju won’s death; this saddens and shocks Ban Ji eum and Yoon Cho won.
• Moon Seo ha is developing feelings for Ban Ji eum but he’s not sure how to process them because he doesn’t believe he is allowed to feel love or happiness.
• The beautiful dance scene at the beach!
• Formal vs. informal speech in Korean.
• Yoon Cho won’s shock and amazement at Ban Ji eum’s actions at the vacation home. How did Ban Ji eum know about the doll in the grandfather clock and height guide behind the bookcase?
• When Moon Seo ha, Ban Ji eum goes after him; he rejects her first confession.
• Ban Ji eum’s dream that includes red elements and shaman bells, as well as all the red elements in this episode. Red has many meanings in Korean culture. It can be protective and an omen of bad luck and death.
• The mysterious man who took Kim Ae-gyeong to the hospital and is now working at her restaurant.
• The mysterious woman Hanna, who seems to know that Ban Ji eum was Yoon Ju won in a past life.
• How Moon Seo ha is now on the offensive against CEO Jang, who appears to have mismanaged some money at the hotel.
• The reappearance of Ban Ji eum’s brother, who leads the loan sharks to Moon Seo ha.
• The loan sharks take Moon Seo ha to a tunnel, but Seo ha manages to fend them off, plus he got help from Ha Do jin and Ban Ji eum.
• Yoon Cho won’s call to Ban Ji eum to express her disappointment and sadness at what she thinks is Ban Ji eum’s ulterior motives.
• Ban Ji eum’s fateful decision to reveal to Yoon Cho won that she was Yoon Ju won in her past life.
• Three potential, new K Drama elements: the lighthouse, the sudden lane change while driving, and coughing into a drink.
• What we thought of the title: Am I the Butterly, or is the Butterfly Me?
• The life and background of Ha Yoon Kyung, the actress who plays Yoon Cho Won.

References

• Kim Jin ah on Spotify
• Album: A New Leaf by Kim Jin ah
• TIME Magazine’s Top 10 K Dramas of 2024
• 13 Best K-Dramas of 2024 | Teen Vogue
• 10 Best K-Dramas of 2024, Ranked
• 150+ Dramas Of 2024 (K-Drama Masterlist) | Soompi
• DeemaLovesDrama on Instagram
• Korean Karaoke - Your complete guide to 노래방 (noraebang)
• Are you okay? It’s okay (in Korean)
• Tinnitus - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic.
• The Colors in Korean Life and Culture

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 4 of See You In My 19th Life, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Ban Ji-eum, Ahn Bo-hyun as Moon Seo-ha, Ha Yoon-kyung as Yoon Cho-won, and Ahn Dong-goo as Ha Do-yoon. We discuss:

• Kendrick Lamar’s new song, Reincarnated, where he sings about his past lives!
• The songs we feature during the recap:
  • Sad Memory by Fallin’ Dild
  • Star (organic version) by Colde
• Our male listeners’ opinions of Moon Seo ha; hint: they don’t think much of him!
• Our new K Drama elements: we like the name Bromance and The Person With Mixed Loyalties turns out to be in more shows than we originally thought!
• Whether or not Yoon Ju won told her mom about her past lives.
• Ban Ji eum seems to have conflicting goals: she wants Moon Seo ha to work out on his own that Ban Ji eum was Yoon Ju won BUT he also wants him to fall in love with her as Ban Ji eum so that he gets over Yoon Ju won.
• The jesa tradition of honoring parents and ancestors.
• When Moon Seo ha stays over at Ha Do yoon’s house, it’s clear that they are close friends and Moon Seo ha is able to open up about his feelings toward Ban Ji eum and Yoon Cho won.
• The strong “fan” culture in South Korea.
• How Ban Ji eum’s strategy is working because Moon Seo ha can’t stop thinking about her!
• Ban Ji eum almost revealed to Yoon Cho won that they were sisters; instead, she upsets a tray and breaks a set of teacups.
• The appearance of Ban Ji eum’s brother, who has clearly asked her for money before.
• The drink maekju that we see so often in K Dramas.
• Moon Seo ha’s suspicions that CEO Jang is up to no good and possibly manipulating the MI Grand Hotel’s finances.
• We learn that Moon Seo ha knows that Ha Do yoon meets with the Chairman regularly AND that the Chairman knew Ha Do yoon’s father.
• The mystery of the flowers in the lobby. Who is the woman who swapped them out, and who has swapped them back?
• How Ban Ji eum and Yoon Cho won are destroyed when they realize the extent of Moon Seo ha’s trauma over the car accident and Yoon Ju won’s death.
• The background and career of Ahn Bo hyun, the actor who plays Moon Seo ha.

References

• Korean Dating: Customs and etiquette for relationships
• South Korea's Popular Somaek Cocktail Combines Beer And Soju - Tasting Table
• Fallin’ Dild on Spotify
• South Korea: Supreme Court ruling a historic victory for same-sex couples - Amnesty International.
• Jesa: The Korean Ceremony Commemorating Ancestors
• Fandom culture in South Korea - Wikipedia
• Kendrick Lamar’s Reincarnated
• Korea's Family Registration Law | The Law Office of Jeremy D. Morley

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 3 of See You In My 19th Life, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Ban Ji-eum, Ahn Bo-hyun as Moon Seo-ha, Ha Yoon-kyung as Yoon Cho-won, and Ahn Dong-goo as Ha Do-yoon. We discuss:

• The songs we featured during the recap:
  • Piriri by Go Go King
  • Down by Jo Yu ri
• Ban Ji eum’s sad realization that the loved ones she left behind are still suffering over her death.
• One person who is no longer sad is Kim Ae-gyeong, who was Ban Ji eum’s niece during her 17th life. Kim Ae-gyeong is no longer alone and she’s had 15 or 16 wonderful years with Ban Ji eum.
• Jesa, the practice of honoring ancestors and parents, by offering food and drink at an altar with photos of the deceased.
• The amazing scene under the stand of cherry trees, during which Ban Ji eum tries to comfort Moon Seo ha.
• Moon Seo ha plays Remember on the piano, the song that Yoon Ju won says she composed during a past life, and that Moon Seo ha should learn to play when he’s missing someone.
• Ban Ji eum’s confession to Moon Seo ha on his birthday. She didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to share her feelings AGAIN.
• Ban Ji eum’s mysterious comment that perhaps she was reincarnated right away because she was murdered.
• Ha Do yoon’s altercation with Lee Ji seok, the son of the Chairman of Daehwan Group. He insulted Ha Do yoon and stepped on his phone. Moon Seo ha defends Ha Do yoon.
• Who is the mysterious woman who replaced the flowers in the lobby with gladiolus?
• Moon Seo ha’s rejection of Yoon Cho won’s arrival for her interview to do the landscaping at the hotel.
• Yoon Cho won’s confession that she loves Ha Do yoon over dinner with Ban Ji eum.
• Ban Ji eum takes Yoon Cho won to her parent’s home after a tender taxi ride during which Ban Ji eum feels very sisterly toward Yoon Cho won.
• The reason Ha Do yoon didn’t want to see Moon Seo ha is because he and his brother were preparing a jesa ceremony for their brother.
• The reunion between Ban Ji eum and Yoon Ju won’s mother that happened in Ban Ji eum’s imagination.
• When Moon Seo ha sees Ban Ji eum swaying and hugging herself, he approaches, sees she is crying, and says “noona” when Ban Ji eum calls him Seo ha ya.
• A possible new K Drama element: a person with conflicting loyalties!
• More information about the amazing Shin Hye sun, the actress who plays Ban Ji eum.

References

• A Poem Called You by Jo Yu ri
• Jesa - Wikipedia
• ‘Tingle of Scar, Your Face and My Dumb Love’ | The DONG-A ILBO
• Traditional Korean Funeral Service - Guide and Customs

Comment on this episode on our website at KDramaChat.com!

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 2 of See You In My 19th Life, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Ban Ji-eum, Ahn Bo-hyun as Moon Seo-ha, Ha Yoon-kyung as Yoon Cho-won, and Ahn Dong-goo as Ha Do-yoon. We discuss:

• The songs we heard during the recap:
  • Horo by Go Go King
  • Star by Colde
• How we rewatch the first few episodes of a show to truly understand the show.
• Comments from listeners on the blog.
• The differences between transmigration, regression and reincarnation.
• We wonder why Ban Ji-eum says her 18th life is her most memorable and why she remembers her memories from her previous lives
• How Ban Ji-eum finds Moon Seo-ha in trouble, grabs his hand, tells him to run and then later asks him to marry her; she does this as a 9 year old and now as a 24-year old.
• The 3 proposals in the show: 1 by Moon Seo-ha and 2 by Ban Ji-eum
• We learn a lot about the relationships between the character through Lee Ji-seok, the son of the Daehwan Group Chairman.
• Why Moon Seo-ha ultimately gave Ban Ji-eum a job at the hotel.
• How Moon Seo-ha remembered Ban Ji-eum from his past and how he kept the handkerchief that she had used to tie up his bleeding hand.
• How Ha Do-yoon seems to be a spy for Seo-ha’s father, the Chairman of MI Group.
• The many encounters between the sisters in this episode and how Ban Ji-eum wonders what Yoon Cho-won’s feelings are toward Moon Seo-ha.
• How the MI Grand Hotel CEO Jang Yeon-ok was having an affair with Seo-ha’s father when his mother was sick!
• When Moon Se-ha lays the flowers at the grave of Yoon Jo-won, Ban Ji-eum, for the first time, realizes the pain of the people she has left behind during her many lives.
• The many K Drama elements in this episode, including the many flowers we see and the wrist grabs.
• Our 2 new elements: the gay teasing element, and the long wait for love.
• The amazing Park So-yi, the young actress who plays a young Ban Ji-eum; we love her!

References

• The Difference Between Transmigration, Regress and Reincarnation
• Go Go King on Spotify
• Colde on Spotify

Comment on this episode by going to KDramaChat.com

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 1 of See You In My 19th Life, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Ban Ji-eum, Ahn Bo-hyun as Moon Seo-ha, Ha Yoon-kyung as Yoon Cho-won, Ahn Dong-goo as Ha Do-yoon, and Cha Chung-hwa as Kim Ae-kyung. We discuss:

• The songs we featured in this episode:
  • Remember by Kim Jin ah
  • Silence by Sunwoo jung-a
• The reaction of our listeners to our choice of show for Season 10
• The characters we first get introduced to: Ban Ji-eum, Moon Seo-ha, Ha Do-yoon and Kim Ae-kyung.
• The concept of reincarnation.
• The Korean concept of inyeon, which roughly translates to providence or fate.
• The three elements of flamenco.
• When Kim Ae-kyung began to believe that Ban Ji-eum was the reincarnation of her uncle.
• The story of how Yoon Ju-won met Seo ha, got to know him, and died on his birthday.
• Ban Ji-eum’s mission to see if Moon Seo-ha is alive and ultimately be with him.
• The ages of our characters in the different timeframes.
• The importance of pools to Moon Seo-ha.
• How Ban Ji-eum finally meets Moon Seo-ha at the MI Grand Hotel and later applies for a job.
• Ban Ji-eum’s audacity in asking Moon Seo-ha if he would date her.
• How we have so many K Drama elements in this episode!
• The shows we’re watching now.

Season 10 is off to a great start! Thanks for listening!

References

• Sunwoo Jung-a on Spotify
• Kim Jin-a on Spotify
• On Reincarnation
• The Symbols of Longevity in Korean Art and Culture – ArtinKo
• The Turtle Ship - NCTAsia
• Past Lives: This untranslatable Korean word for eternal love has ancient Buddhist roots

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 6, the finale, of Season 2 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryon as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:

• How we appreciated the listeners who sent in their recommendations for Season 10 by sending us voice recordings, and sending us emails or messages.
• How the Crown Prince showed himself to be a different kind of leader when he refused to sacrifice the soldiers to save himself.
• The plan to lure the zombies to the lake by the rear garden is a risky one because the timing has to be just right. In the end, the Crown Prince pounds on the ice with his hands and then uses the zombie giant to finally break the ice.
• The miracle that allowed the Crown Prince and a few of his men to be saved when they fell in the water.
• The amazing Seo-bi, who manages to escape the main hall with the baby prince by using fire and her wits.
• When the Crown Prince and his men open up the palace gates, the Head Scholar says the baby prince must be found and killed so there won’t be chaos in the country.
• When the Crown Prince finds Seo-bi and the baby, Seo-bi assures him that the baby won’t turn into a monster. The prince makes the important decision to save the baby, name him the legitimate heir, and erase himself from the history books. We discuss WHEN and WHY the Crown Prince decides to do this.
• The amazing cinematography during the battle at the lake and when the Crown Prince walks away from the throne.
• In the future, we see that the country is freed from zombies once Spring comes, and the young king is being prepared by his wise teachers and guides.
• The Joseon Dynasty annals, which are so detailed, and from which so many historical K Dramas draw inspiration from.
• The Crown Prince, now just Lee Chang, along with Seo-bi and a few soldiers, continue to look for the origins of the resurrection plant. They come across the plant in other parts of the country, and then find zombies! Who is behind the continuing spread of this plague?
• The ending of the show shows the mysterious figure of a woman and a worm snaking across the young king’s face.
• The K Drama elements we saw in this episode, including crying, and protecting someone at personal cost to yourself.
• The addition of two elements to our list: a water scene and asking someone to speak casually to you.
• Mapping Kingdom to the stages of the Hero’s Journey framework. Turns out the show is quite true to the framework!
• Our final thoughts about this amazing K Drama!
• The decision-making process that went into the show that we will recap and analyze in Season 10 of K Drama Chat! (You have to listen to find out the show!).

Listeners, we want to know what you think of our choice for Season 10! Please comment on the blog at KDramaChat.com!

References

• Royal Portraits in the Late Joseon Period
• Jeonju During the Joseon Dynasty
• Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty - Wikipedia
• CLOY: The Real Ending

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 5 of Season 2 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:

• Joanna’s trip to Italy during the week of Thanksgiving and her Italian language journey.
• Sung Hee's Korean language journey.
• How the Crown Prince asks the soldiers from Mungyeong Saejae to remain loyal to him, even though their families are about to be executed.
• How the military training commander appeared to have betrayed the Crown Prince by telling the palace that the Crown Prince was at the Scholarly Institute, but in reality, the military training commander had shared Lee Seung Hui’s medical journal with the Minister of War and lured the palace guards to the Scholarly Institute where the Crown Prince would NOT be.
• Meanwhile, the Crown Prince arrives at the palace, lets his presence be known, and locks all the gates of the palace, thereby shutting out the Queen’s guards.
• How the Crown Prince, in his mourner’s outfit and peasant straw hat, looked so noble and kingly as he strode into the palace.
• How Cho Beom Pal could not bring himself to order the execution of the soldiers’ families, but he is saved by the arrival of the Crown Prince, who orders the prisoners freed.
• We speculate about whether or not the Crown Prince intends to take the throne.
• How the tide turns in favor of the Prince, as more people switch over and swear their loyalty to him, including the Minister of War, the former commander of the Royal Commandery Division, and the court ministers.
• How the Queen Consort does not seem bothered by the arrival of the Crown Prince. We speculate about her state of mind and think she’s about to burn the palace down because she knows she’s lost to the Crown Prince and she will either be banished or executed.
• The Queen’s head court lady releases the zombies from the dungeon, thereby instigating a killing spree and the creation of a zombie horde in the palace.
• The Crown Prince and his men put up a good fight, as do others in the palace, but they can’t fight against the zombie horde.
• The episode ends with the Crown Prince and a few men on one side of a gate, with hundreds of zombies banging on the other side. Seo-bi, meanwhile, is locked in the main hall with the Queen, the baby Prince, and a few soldiers.
• We list the shows that we are considering for Season 10 of K Drama Chat.
• 5 listeners shared their favorites via audio and we share them on the podcast!

References

• Baekjeong - Wikipedia.
• Seal of the Emperor: The Symbol of the Korea Empire

Comment on this week’s episode by visiting our blog at KDramaChat.com!

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 4 of Season 2 of Kingdom, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon as Crown Prince Yi Chang, Bae Doona as Seo-bi, Ryu Seung-ryong as Cho Hak ju, Kim Sang-ho as Mou Young, Kim Sung-kyu as Yeong shin, and Kim Hye-jun as the Queen Consort. We discuss:

• We learn the story behind the beef pancakes and how the Crown Prince asked for Mu Yeong’s loyalty to the very end in return for allowing Mu Yeong to steal from the royal meals.
• How the amazing Seo bi saves Cho Hak ju by figuring out that the zombies are afraid of water.
• The meaning of the tolling of bells in Korean culture.
• The Crown Prince makes it to Naeseonjae and saves Mu Yeong’s wife. Later, Young shin guides Seo bi to the Scholarly Institute to care for Mu Yeong’s wife.
• Cho Hak ju visits his daughter, the Queen Consort, and asks Seo bi to check the Queen’s pulse. Seo bi confirms that the Queen did not deliver the baby boy in her arms.
• Cho Hak ju says the Queen must die for her treachery against the Haewon Cho clan and the nation, but the Queen has other plans because she poisoned her father and he dies!
• We learn that the Queen and Cheo Bom Il conspired to fake the Queen’s pregnancy when she miscarried. They vowed to keep the fake pregnancy a secret from their father.
• Turns out the Queen is the scariest person in the palace!
• The Queen throws Seo bi into the palace dungeon and tells her to keep studying the zombies.
• The Crown Prince visits his uncle on Ganghwa Island and asks Young shin why he continues to be loyal to him, the Crown Prince.
• We have a new K Drama element: when a character asks another character to stay with them. In this episode, the Crown Prince asks Mu Yeong to stay with him until the end, and the Queen asks Cho Beom Pal to stay with her and her baby boy.
• The different types of palace guards, their training, and how they were picked.
• We’re looking for suggestions for Season 10 of K Drama Chat!

References

• Joseon Army - Wikipedia.
• Wanggung Sumunjang - Wikipedia