[PICSPAM/PIMP]: Tae Wang Sa Shin Gi EP 1

[emothy]

Tae Wang Sa Shin Gi, also known as The Legend, and roughly translated as "The First King's Four Gods", is a Korean drama. I'd thought I would introduce you all to it by way of the first episode, which delves into the 'legend' the title refers to:



This is where our story starts, this is the village of Guh Mool, where the tribe of the Turtle-Snake people reside. But it's not pertinent right now; I just enjoy showing off the scenery/special effects. (I've read that a notable amount was spent on the effects when making this).



This guy in the front here is Hyungo, a member of the Guh Mool tribe. He is searching for his lost little ward; can you see her? Can you find Sujini? Did you find her hiding in the tree yet? XD



Sujini interrupts her 'favourite uncle' (and not even her real uncle), telling the boys a story she has never been allowed to hear, the story of the King of Heaven. (I have to say, Sujini appears to be the only GIRL in this tribe, I never see women in the white robes. I wonder how the tribe has survived).



Of course, if a girl bitches about what is bothering her for a while, any weak man will give in. On their way, travelling to Gooknae Castle, Hyungo begins the story...



"It happened two thousand years ago. There was a tribe that worshipped the Tiger. At the head was a fire priestess, whose position was handed down from generations..."



Meet Kajin. This isn't one of her best moments, being that she is currently receiving the power to control fire, and therefore rule the Tiger Tribe-



-but she does have a reputation for being the most badass fire priestess ever, even two thousand years later, in legends told by tribes she was never part of.



Now, if I might take a moment to introduce the Son of God. Yes, seriously. Except, don't take it too seriously. This is Lord Hwanwoong. Upset at the death and destruction in the world, he descended and brought forth laws and order. And three "lesser gods". He created a peaceful nation called Jooshin that he would rule over.



This is Kajin's pissed-off face. Being an all-powerful fire priestess, she was not about to submit to someone else's reign.



But Lord Hwanwoong's people fought back against the rebellious Tiger Tribe.



And, you know, they did manage to stab Kajin in the back. Victory! (Never mind that she is the only one left standing right now).



Kajin's wound is smarting a little, so she cowers in a cave, and gets a visit from... a healing light?



No, wait, it's the Son of God!



Turns out he was late to the party. But he's content to do his Good-Christian Thing and pull the arrow from Kajin's shoulder. And put his healing hands all over her (wound).



Left with a warm cloak and warm, fuzzy memories, we can't help but think, "Oh Kajin, you're so easy!" But I suppose when you stop to think about the various grizzly members of the Tiger Tribe and their big, clumsy hands, maybe you can't blame a girl. It is Bae Yong Jun after all.



Now, if I might introduce you to Saeoh of the Bear Tribe...



"FUCKING MISSED ME!" Kajin says as she sweeps out of the way of the arrow.





Saeoh hesitates when she sees the pure evil in Kajin's scary glare.



She gives up the fight for now, and returns to her tribe to tend the injured. This is classic Saeoh. She missed her true calling by being born thousands of years too early to become a paramedic.





Lord Hwanwoong sees Saeoh being all compassionate and beautiful, and conveniently forgets about the age difference. (He's the Son of God; I'm SURE there's a HUGE age difference ).



He decides the way to a girl's heart, Saeoh's in this case, is to ensure her people are not hurt anymore. And since Kajin is pretty much the world's best assassin right now, she is first on his list. So he confronts her.



And when she responds by attacking-





-he takes away her power over fire, and encases it inside a red orb you will come to know as the Phoenix Heart.





Kajin figures out that attempting to poke a guy with a really sharp, pointy spear doesn't quite say, "I kind of like you a lot", and realises she just may have missed her chance. All of a sudden, fighting doesn't seem so fun anymore. When the Elders of her tribe speak out about her new point of view, Kajin kills them all and heads for the hills; she wants to become one of Lord Hwanwoong's people.





Too bad he's busy bestowing the power over fire on someone else.





Saeoh is having a great time making the flames dance, until the stupid, unreliable power suddenly stops working on her.





Luckily, Lord Hwanwoong is happy to explain how the fundamentals work (and find ways touch Saeoh inappropriately at the same time).





...And another girl loses her heart to the Son of God. Although, I suppose if you're going to fall in love with anyone you couldn't do much better than that!





Thing is, Saeoh gets to have a requited love!



Boy, Kajin, you sure have some shitty timing there.



Luckily for us, she does spurned and insane quite beautifully.



And then she burns entire villages.



And masses die.

Of course this is no mere love triangle story; this is simply the catalyst. This is Sujini's bedtime story for goodness sake! Though, I must say, there's a lot of it I wouldn't be telling to a kid;



The fighting...



Weapons...



Pain...







Blood...









Some general batshit insanity...















And then we get to see those Lesser Gods, FINALLY.



Now THAT'S not so Lesser, huh? Come on, who jumped?



Except, the White Tiger can't restrain the Phoenix on it's own, so Lord Hwanwoong must call in some re-enforcements:



It's okay, he didn't call a bowl into being-





-that would just be the symbol of the mysterious Blue Dragon.



And the Turtle Snake! That's right, Hyungo and his tribe have an invested interest in this story.

Of course, I wouldn't want to get too spoilery (I've already said plenty!); suffice to say at this point things are going down, and Lord Hwanwoong gets involved, breaking out the magical bow and arrow:



And decides to leave Earth, leaving behind the symbols of the three lesser Gods, as well as the Phoenix heart, encasing them in that big old rock:



But he does promise that one day a true King will return, to reunite the Jooshin Nation. And the people will know when he has been born, because the Jooshin Star will hang in the sky.

Fast-forward two thousand years, and we're back with Sujini and Hyungo, on their way to Gooknae Castle.



You see, Hyungo knows that the star was seen near there about ten years ago, and it is time to go searching for the young boy who can restore the peace and prosperity of the Jooshin Nation. This, my friends, is only the beginning...

ALSO, don't forget it comes heavily reccomended by someone other than me! (of course, beware spoilers XD)... And in grabbing that link I just realised we reacted to the Lord-Hwanwoong-Son-of-God thing in EXACTLY the same way, if you ignore that one said "yes" and one said "no" before the seriously. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE REACTION THEY WANTED.