songdou

[songdou]

family background cannot change one’s wishes but it can traps a person’s way of living. li yishan once said that washing feet in the spring and sipping tea while admiring flowers are indecent actions that ruin the scenery. but i do that every day. i feel happy and comfortable. but this happiness is not allowed by those prestigious families. the infinite glory from the prestigious families is a prison for me. love, marriage, and fame are a burden. 

i don’t want to be a virtuous woman; i only wish to breeze with the wind, hold the wine, and enjoy it.

— dou zhao, blossom (2024)

[songdou]

do you remember anything from your past life? who could possibly remember that? when i read the stars, i can only see the present. i don’t claim to know everything. is everything in life destined? will what’s meant to happen, happen? have you heard of planetary movements? as the stars shift, so do people. if everything were truly fated, why would you be worrying here? it’s because life is full of uncertainty that it’s so fascinating.

— dou zhao & ji yong, blossom (2024)

[songdou]

the juxtaposition of dou zhao and the empress in blossom (2024), and the identity of women in ancient china

throughout the last few episodes, we get to see more of the empress' backstory and what had lead her to commit treason; we see that she is clearly the backbone of the emperor, spending late nights working behind the scenes when the emperor was sick. and on one evening as she brings medicine for the emperor, she overhears him say that she is to be buried when he passes, in order to prevent her future involvement in politics. i find this interesting because we are presented with a main character, dou zhao, who is a strong and capable woman and has been able to make her own choices throughout her life despite consequences, solely because she has been able to prove herself time after time that she is as capable as a man. in the end, we are presented the empress as a "villain" behind the grand scheme, but she, too, is a woman who has been long suppressed by the misogynist standards towards women during that period. of course, that is no excuse for her actions, but makes you think about the stark contrast between these two characters, and how they deal with the challenges they face. during dou zhao and the empress' last meeting, the empress says,

every time i see you, i see myself before entering the palace.

dou zhao replies, without a second of hesitation,

no, we're not the same. i trust the person i love in this life.

does she mean that the empress does not trust the emperor? or perhaps she does not even love him? i believe that it is the former, that she had loved the emperor once, but felt that he did not love her enough to stand up for her, to see her for her own worth, to see that she is her own person. she did not trust him as he did not trust her; trust, which is the foundation of dou zhao and song mo's unwavering love. when dou zhao is waiting outside for song mo's decree after they set off explosives, her and the empress briefly converse:

you’ve done more than enough as a wife. you should consider yourself. divorce song mo and return to the dou family. your fifth uncle can keep your family safe, and i’ll keep a position for you. becoming the wife of a guilty official or a noble lady is an easy choice.

who i choose to be isn’t about whose wife i am or daughter i am. it depends on who i am. a person with integrity walks their own path. i’ll be waiting here until song mo comes out.

in the end, i find it fascinating how the reason behind the actions of our "villain" character is a woman who has had to face the consequences of misogyny her whole life to the point it has suppressed her entire identity, to come around full circle and have a main character who has, countless times, proven herself over and over again that her identity as a woman has nothing to do with the men that she is connected with; she is her own identity. thank you blossom for showing that women can be strong; women can be vulnerable; but regardless, they are the one in charge of their own destiny.

[songdou]

Blossom 九重紫 (2024)

[songdou]

Ah, so that's Dou Zhao.

Blossom 九重紫 (2024)

[songdou]

Blossom 九重紫 (2024) Dir. Zeng Qing Jie – Ep. 24

[songdou]

Blossom 九重紫 (2024) Dir. Zeng Qing Jie – Ep. 20

[songdou]

Blossom 九重紫 (2024) Dir. Zeng Qing Jie – Ep. 19

[songdou]

SAINTSHIN + ‘LOVE’

HIGH SCHOOL FRENEMY (2024)

[songdou]

Shin, come with me.

[songdou]

Wait for me, I’m all soaked. No.

HIGH SCHOOL FRENEMY | EP16

[songdou]

I'm glad though. I got to see you when I woke up. It's what I've wanted all my life.

[songdou]

I'll stay just like this until you agree to be my friend.

HIGH SCHOOL FRENEMY | EP6

[songdou]

Han Sun Hwa and Um Tae Goo for Cosmopolitan Korea June 2024 promoting upcoming kdrama My Sweet Mobster.

[songdou]

all about lily chou chou (2001) photobook

via dirt_fruit3s on instagram

[songdou]

Pyramid Game (2024)

[songdou]

A SHOP FOR KILLERS + hugs