A few weeks ago, my sister, who is a fan of K-pop and Korean series, suggested that I watch a Korean historical drama. She promised me it would not be cheesy and that it deals more on political issues rather than the love story. Although I like watching romantic comedies, nothing really ever beats those productions that portray real and relevant societal issues. So I decided to give it a go.
Owner of the Maskis set during the Joseon dynasty, particularly in the 1700s. Before the Crown Prince was born, his father made a deal with an organization called Pyunsoo hwe in order to become king. The group helped assassinate the rightful heir to the throne. In exchange, the new king had to be a puppet of the group. When Crown Prince Lee Sun was born, he was poisoned. The leader of Pyunsoo hwe had the antidote, but in order to get it, the king had to promise to create a bureau that will privatize water all over Joseon.
After that, the prince was made to wear a mask so that the people will not recognize him. The king ordered this to protect his son from Pyunsoo hwe. When the Crown Prince became a teenager, he went outside the palace to discover the dark history of his father and ended up knowing the problems of the people. The series is about his quest to liberate Joseon from the corrupt organization and to finally be free of his mask.
The series was filled with surprising plot twists, betrayal, and politics, and it makes you think about society and the forces that motivate people to do good and evil.
Here are some of the things I learned from the show. There are spoilers here, so if you want to watch the show first, do so.
A life lived with purpose is a life well-lived.
There’s a reason why I’m drawn to the royal bodyguards in Korean dramas. They are willing to risk their lives and the lives of their families in order to serve and protect their masters. They are people who are always true to their word.
In Owner of the Mask, Lee Chung Woon is the Crown Prince’s bodyguard. On the night that the king was assassinated, Chung Woon chose to protect the prince, leaving his father to fend for himself. He knew that his father would die that night, but he pushed through with his duties because he knew it was the purpose of his existence. Throughout the series, he was never disloyal to his master. He has a role to play for the future of the country, and for that, he was willing to die.
True love doesn’t wait for rewards or acknowledgment.
My favorite character in the series is definitely Kim Hwa-gun, the granddaughter of the leader of Pyunsoo hwe. She was supposed to follow her grandfather’s footsteps, but she chose to defy her family for the love of her life. She risked and lost her life to burn down the root of the power of her grandfather’s organization. She died happy, knowing she was able to live her life protecting and helping the man she loves.
She didn’t even ask to be loved back. She told the prince he could marry the woman he chooses. All she wanted was to be by his side as he is trying to make the nation great. (If that isn’t martyrdom, I don’t know what is.) She is a rational, smart, and cunning woman who gave up everything in the name of love.
Sensible men look deeper when it comes to choosing life partners.
Here’s a fact. There are lots of beautiful women in the world. No matter how pretty you are, there will always be someone prettier. But not all are practical and kindhearted and smart. A foolish man will wish for a trophy wife, a beautiful woman he can show off to his friends. But wise men look for women who can think for themselves and who can support him and the family during hard times. These women are tough and are not easily broken when troubles come.
In the series, the Crown Prince fell in love with Han Ga Eun, the daughter of the deputy magistrate. Although she was well-off, Ga Eun respected the commoners and went under the tutelage of Master Woo Boo to learn medicine. She was a strong woman who had a heart for the people. Even after losing her father and witnessing the execution herself, she still managed to be the rock of a whole town forced to go to the wilderness to starve. Through her leadership, the townspeople were able to lead normal lives and trade with other localities despite starting with barely nothing. This kind of woman fits to be ruling beside a just king.
The world can make you a monster.
Dae Mok, the leader of Pyunsoo hwe and the main villain of the story, wasn’t always the evil person who caused thousands to suffer. He was one of those people who had enough of the injustices. He got tired of being powerless, so he did everything he could to change that. Along the way, he forgot who he was and why he was gaining power in the first place. In the quest to defeat the monsters of society, he became a monster himself.
When the Crown Prince captured Dae Mok, I didn’t expect the former to apologize. He asked for forgiveness because the world was of such circumstance that made him corrupted. We came into this world knowing nothing. The realities that we face change us, depending on how we react to the challenges life throws at us. Some emerge better. Others don’t fare so well. Everyone faces different problems and experience different things. That’s why even the most evil villain could have an excuse.
A good leader can make a nation great.
After the prince apologized to Dae Mok, he uttered what to me was the most painful sentence in the series. While he was waiting for the poison to kill him, he told the Crown Prince (who was already the king then) the following words: I wish I had a king like you a little sooner.
If the country were not full of corrupted officials back then, Dae Mok wouldn’t want revenge. He wouldn’t have caused the people to suffer. He would perhaps be living a happy life that was in service to the welfare of his country.
Time and again, history has told us stories of great rulers who made their nations prosperous. A sound leader who has the heart to serve inspires the people to achieve greatness. From such a leader, the laws would benefit the majority, and the punishments would be just.
Crown Prince Lee Sun was such a leader. After reclaiming the throne and ending Pyunsoo hwe, he forgave his enemies and gave them a chance to be better citizens. The people of Joseon saw in him the hope for a better future.
OoO
Overall, Emperor: Owner of the Mask was a good drama to watch, even though it has forty episodes. If you’re into historical drama that is bombarded with political intrigue and a little bit of science, you may want to give this a go.
If you’ve seen the series, comment below who your favorite character is and why 😊
It's a Ping Thing 