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Arthdal Chronicles Part 3: The Prelude To All Legends

a kdrama challenge | 2/6 support characters - ipsaeng (arthdal chronicles)

If there's anything arthdal chronicles does well, it's the deep characters they've invested so much in. There's so many characters one could sit and analyse. Try and understand why they behave the way they do and see humanity reflected in their actions. Its striking. Arthdal chronicles will forever leave me in awe of the social issues they strive so hard to talk about and how to this day its so very prevalent in our world.

Of such characters I guess Tagon and Ipsaeng stood out the most.

I'm not a Tagon fan and frankly I could care less as to what happens with him as long as he is redeemed well or even killed off it wouldn't matter to me. Nevertheless his character is worth analysis mostly because of his extremely confused nature that he himself seems to not be aware of. Tagon had a rough childhood and blah blah. He struggled and saw the only outcome he could coin up. Not the right outcome of course but considering his circumstances I guess it makes sense. Although I mean no other kid would go around killing others in the name of saving them or kill off their mother's people or kill off their own kind simply to survive because they desired acceptance. Well not unless you are as twisted and confused as Tagon is. I think this ep highlights it well. The contradiction that is Tagon but the fact that none of his actions can be justified. Its as simple as saying I understand why you grew up this way but that doesn't make it right. Tagon more or less made his own version of what is right and stuck by it. He's highly delusional. The whole "I dont like to kill" line had me cracking up because its was so ridiculous. Here you've a dude that goes around killing people when he has to, as long as it gives him some sort of a benefit of course and yet he'll say hey I hate killing people but i guess I've no choice. Through Tagon arthdal chronicles clearly depicts the importance of taking responsibility for what you do. Being proactive. That's something Tagon has forever failed to do. He is forever whiny when the outcome isn't to his desired effect and I fail to feel any sympathy for him. Which is what the show expects us to feel I suppose. Honeslty, trying to explain Tagon probably requires careful analysis from ep 1. Maybe I'll do that but I don't care enough about Tagon to put in that effort. Regardless I do enjoy watching what his character represents.

I wanted to hit Ipsaeng with a branch this ep. Mostly because I'm sick of eunseom being treated this way but the fact that it led to that conversation between Eunseom and Ipsaeng makes it worth it I suppose. Like I said earlier, arthdal chronicles is all about the social construct and a completely grey character like Ipsaeng is what this show needed. I still don't trust him but at the same time I kind of do. I think it's already agiven that he's going to become Eunseom's subordinate. Ipsaeng is a finely written character. Frustrating yes but a good character nevertheless. I'm highly curious though. What's up with this Ago tribe? Who the heck is Ipsaeng really and Why'd he become such trash?

Someone better give arthdal chronicles the award for world building. Its magnificent and I'm always left a lot more in awe by the variety they manage to bring kind of like revealing tiny secrets of the world. The ago tribe looked intimidating and not in the cool way the momo tribe depicted themselves. Hard to believe Ipsaeng hails from them. Then there's that Black Tongue? And Children of Shahiti?? I don't know if I got the name right but I was surprised by their entrance. Thought we'd already been introduced to all these unusual groups but nope.

Something tells me they'll end up helping Tagon. The shocked look on that black tongue dude must have meant something. He seemed more in awe than fear. I find it difficult and ridiculous to believe that that dude appeared for 30 secs so very dramatically only to have his head smashed in. Besides Tagon still has much time on the throne. The preview had indicated that much so we know this won't be his undoing. Not yet at least. That's Eunseom's job of course. Plus this only furthers the Aramun thing since he was supposedly an igutu and so is Tagon so the people could easily be convinced that he's aramun reincarnated. All I know is a blood bath is coming (still not over that preview)

My heart hurt when Eunseom was left alone by the two neanthals. WHY ROTTIP WHY you and your principles ugh. I understand why they walked away and I believe they will definitely return to his life but it hurt to have eunseom left alone like that. I guess the show is really trying to tell us how alone eunseom is. He doesn't have his mother's people neither does his fathers people seem to care. He needs to build his way up by himself first. It's why eunseom is the protagonist after all.