#The Bride of the Water God

[mezbeleyer]

I shouldn't even dream of us

I shouldn't even keep us in my heart

But yet

Why do I keep.... 

[swiftletinthecloud]

Dramas completed in 2022 ↬ country ☆ South Korea (1/3)

Jirisan ☆ watched: 10/23/21 - 01/16/22

Bulgasal: Immortal Souls ☆ watched: 12/28/21 - 03/18/22

A Business Proposal ☆ watched: 03/14/22 - 04/05/22

The Bride of Habaek ☆ watched: 03/31/22 - 04/10/22

Tomorrow ☆ watched: 04/12/22 - 05/21/22

[kdramahunter]

the bride of habaek

I really enjoyed this kdrama for multiple reasons, first one being the plot and second one being Nam Joohyuk. I truly believe he is a very good actor and is able to portray his characters well.

I've realized I like the main actress but don't really connect with the way she portrays characters, there's just something always missing.

The plot twists can be predictable but overall it's an interesting show, again I can really appreciate a show set around a complex fantasy / sci-fi but it overall revolves around romance, I just enjoy them a lot. It is a good watch and I literally binge watched it in one day.

Plot: 80

Acting: 90

Ending: 80

TOTAL: 83/100

recommend? yes

links:

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[academyofbrokenhearts]

Watching Love Between Fairy and Devil made me understand even better why the live adaptation of The Bride of the Water God failed to keep my interest for more than three episodes.

[quotestrove]

“It’s not that I miss him. I just want some closure.”

Yoon So-ah, The Bride of the Water God

[faithandfairies]

The CEO's parentage in The Bride of Ha Baek/The Bride of the Water God

So...I think Bi Ryeom is the CEO's father. And Nak Bin might be his mother.

It's confusing because they keep speaking about Bi Ryeom in the 3rd person, referring to him as the King of Heaven when talking about his transgressions, I guess to come off as respectable as possible instead of completely accusatory.

And throughout the story Bi Ryeom consistently acts both in the modern world and in the God's realm as if he has nothing to do with anything as well, I'm guessing to save his own skin.

But Nak Bin's situation happens around about the same time as the CEO looks about six years old and he ages like a human so that would have been an actual six human years. And they confirm at that time that Bi Ryeom is the one who basically got Nak Bin killed even while talking about him as the King of Heaven.

And Bi Ryeom himself confirms it to So Ah that it was him who got Nak Bin killed and that he did it for Moo Ra because she was jealous of Nak Bin. He loves Moo Ra and has a very misguided way of showing it.

So he was definitely the King of Heaven when Nak Bin was murdered. And not the next one in line to become the King of Heaven or something as I first believed. It also wouldn't be a stretch to believe that Nak Bin lived in the God's realm for years before she died because they don't give us an exact timeline. She could have definitely given birth to a child in that time.

Another few things that become apparent throughout the story are

Bi Ryeom pretty much wants everything Ha Baek has

He's not above all manner of methods to get what he wants including seduction or coercion if seduction doesn't work. He pretty much tells Moo Ra regarding So Ah that he can make her fall for him. We know So Ah wouldn't fall for him of her own accord, she literally hates the man, but we also know that a God can make it happen regardless given that the first kiss Ha Baek gave So Ah was against her will and meant to be powered by his God power intended to make her fall in love with him so that she would do whatever he wanted, which didn't work because he didn't have his powers.

( Side note about Ha Baek and So Ah: I also think that this is why Ha Baek not having his powers was extremely important to their love story. Because it wouldn't have been a love story without it. They really made it a point to let us know that So Ah was not coerced and not in any way impressed by him. He had to work for her love the old fashioned way otherwise it wouldn't have been real.)

So continuing the idea that Bi Ryeom wanted to either have everything Ha Baek had and if not destroy what he had, it wouldn't be a stretch to believe that he seduced/coerced Nak Bin and then when she gave birth to his child convinced her that they needed to hide the child so that Ha Baek wouldn't find out. How did Ha Baek not notice a pregnancy? A first time pregnancy often shows late and sometimes even then barely. And at the time of Nak Bin's death Ha Baek is portrayed as a child at times which says innocence. And I think time passes differently in the God's realm. It's possible Nak Bin wasn't gone long enough for Ha Baek to notice. And as long as she didn't give birth directly in his waters it's not a stretch he could have missed it.

I also think Nak Bin was the most likely mother because she was there. Easily accessible. The relatively Young Gods, Bi Ryeom, Moo Ra and Ha Baek, seemed to mostly remain in the God's realm initially. So it would make sense that if one of them had a child she would have been its mother.

Of course, Ha Baek could have been the father and then the child could have been hidden away by Bi Ryeom, doing Ha Baek's bidding either with or without Ha Baek knowing, but that would mean the CEO was wrong when he said that his dad hid him away and came to his cave and abused him. All of this points to Bi Ryeom being his dad not Ha Baek. Given that the minor god mentions in the story as well that The God of Heaven ordered him to hide the child away.

I also think that we get confirmation from the CEO and Bi Ryeom himself that they are father and son. Bi Ryeom hates him, he's the only God that truly hates him and the CEO mentions to So Ah that his father hated him. Bi Ryeom hates him simply for existing because it reflects badly on him and for the murder of his best friend. He tells him this in the modern world, several times over. But also, the CEO is terrified of his father, he just doesn't clearly remember who his father is. Until, I believe, the fight where Jin Geong jumps in front of Bi Ryeom to save him. The CEO flashes back and we're supposed to believe the naked fear on the CEO's face is just about being horrified at himself for attacking Jin Geong. But I think that in the flashback he finally sees Bi Ryeom's face clearly and realizes they are one and the same. That Bi Ryeom is his father.

It's again confusing because Bi Ryeom maintains plausible deniability as well as he can in relation to all situations. When he goes to the cave to get Nak Bin we're told the King of Heaven, him, ordered guards to remove Nak Bin, but at the same time he acts as if he doesn't know why they are there once they arrive. Which I think is meant for Nak Bin, to continue to make her think he was completely on her side. Ha Baek straight up asks Bi Ryeom if he hid Nak Bin while speaking about it in the third person and he denies it. But I think Bi Ryeom did hide her when he realized they would kill her for helping him. Which might not have been what he wanted. But then after his conversation with Ha Baek I think he realized it was either his head or Nak Bin's and he saved his own skin. So they blamed it all on her and made an example out of her so the Gods would not use humans again to do their bidding in that way. Since they are not meant to actually harm humans. I also think this is part of why they came up with the Gods' servant idea. To have an exception to the rule that they could get away with since it was meant as a punishment for humans they feel wronged them.

*of course all of the above becomes less important, given the CEO used to be a god in his own right and actually was demoted as a punishment for abusing his power (I imagine) and therefore his parentage I guess matters less and was more of a means to an end, the end being his punishment, than anything else.

[mirajanefairytailmage]

Rambling About a Show (01/19/2023)

⚠️SPOILER?!⚠️

So, I started this drama on Monday (01/16/2023) and finished it today. This drama was an emotional roller-coaster ride and a half. Also experienced secondhand embarrassment a few times. 🤣

I get that this show was about Habaek. I mean it’s in the title. 🤣 However, that didn’t stop me from being more interested in Shin Hu-ye. I guessed early on that he clearly wasn’t human. Although I wasn’t entirely sure at the time of my guess what he was. It’s fully revealed later on. So, either this drama was predictable with that plot twist, or I read too much into it and jumped to my own conclusion, or it was just a lucky guess. Either way, his backstory had me in tears. I’ve got a migraine from crying so much. What broke my heart the most was the confrontational scene between Biryeom and Shin Hu-ye. It’s the way Mr. Shin reacted to learning that he had used his powers in the past and killed people. Which is why Biryeom hated him so much, because one of those people happened to a close friend to him. I shed even more tears when Yun So-a went to console Mr. Shin. The way she embraced him and told him it’s okay and to stay still. 🥺 That man had worked so hard on not becoming the monster everyone had believed he was. He just needed a reminded that he’s doing good, that it’s all okay. Honestly, they shouldn’t really be mad at him because he didn’t have a choice on how he came into existence.

Another scene that really stuck out to me was when Yun So-a took Habaek to the bridge and explained everything. At one point she says what she was thinking that night. ‘Why didn’t God save any love for me, when there’s so much love in this world? Why did God leave me out? Why does God only hate me?’ That had me in tears to be honest. I’m an emotional mess because of this show. Poor Yun So-a had to deal with a burden because of her ancestors. Well, her ancestors and apparently Biryeom. He told her he’s the reason for it all. Rude! I honestly felt bad for Yun So-a and all the hurt, pain, and trauma she had to endure. Also felt bad because she had to deal with how much of a pain in the ass Habaek could be. 🤣 I don’t hate him. He just irked my nerves sometimes, that’s all. 🤣

[asiandramabitch]

[thepixelelf]

I want to write a full jeong/han fic sooooo bad

[fancylala7]

[ofliterarynature]

2023 Reading Wrap Up: Favorites from the First Half

Not to sound like a broken record, but I can't believe we're already halfway through the year! (and even further, given how late I'm posting this lol). I've read an ungodly amount of books already, and while I try my best to shout out my favorites as I go or in my monthly wrap-ups, I don't always succeed. So Here I Am, to do a little more shouting about the 10 most memorable books or series I've read so far in 2023!

The God of Endings by Jaqueline Holland

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

Sword Stone Table ed by Jenn Northington & Swapna Krishna

Sea Hearts (The Brides of Rollrock Island) by Margo Lanagan

Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld & Alex Puvilland

Will Darling/Lilywhite Boys by K.J. Charles

Lord Peter Wimsey by Dorothy L Sayers

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein

More discussion below the cut!

The God of Endings by Jaqueline Holland had me entirely engrossed. It's slow and moving and dark, with it's own take on vampirism, with any number of the associated content warnings. All the content warnings actually (but harm to animals, harm to children, and domestic abuse are some of the big ones. Does the Nazi murder make up for it?). Best described as The Historian meets everything I wanted from The Invisible Life of Addie Larue but didn't get.

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez I have, in fact, already yelled about a bit. It was so good! Think A:TLA meets The Raven Tower and The Hundred Thousand Kindgoms, and queer! The thing that really blew my mind was the second-person narration, which is always a swing, and I think this nailed it! I loved how it worked with the story and frame narrative, and let me tell you, on audiobook parts of the story felt positively haunted. I won't say it's the perfect novel (I'm a little eh about the last third), but that in no way dampens my enthusiasm. cw for ritual cannibalism.

Sword Stone Table ed by Jenn Northington & Swapna Krishna is an anthology of Arthurian re-imaginings with about a 1-in-3 success rate (for me anyways. is that good for an anthology?) that snuck onto this list purely on the strength of Mayday by Maria Dahvana Headley. I just yelled about my love for unusual narrative structures, so when I tell you that this is a retelling of the Arthurian family drama set in late 19th century America, told only through found objects, newspaper clippings, and manuscript exerpts? I had *such* a great time trying to puzzle things out with my half-remembered memories of the lore (heavily corrupted by the show Merlin, lol). Additional shout-out to Spear by Nicola Griffith, which didn't make it into the collection due to length but was also amazing!

Sea Hearts (aka The Brides of Rollrock Island) by Margo Lanagan was an absolute surprise, for several reasons. For one, I own both a physical and digital copy under different titles and didn't realize it until I was cleaning up my goodreads account! And second, the Brides cover is an absolute travesty and is entirely the wrong vibe - this may be YA (technically?) but it doesn't read like it! Sea Hearts is the story of a small island community with a history of summoning wives from the sea, a tradition only whispered about until an outcast young woman revives the practices to sow discord and revenge among the community members we follow. Incredibly moving and sorrowful, this is for fans of literary, historical, and speculative fiction.

Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld & Alex Puvilland. This graphic novel is about a city hit by an unknown disaster that has killed or mutated everything and everyone who wasn't able to evacuate in time. Our main character sneaks back in to take pictures to support herself and her little sister, and while I have some reservations about the larger plot, the art of the Zone is GORGEOUS. Sketchy, eerie, hauntingly beautiful, I loved it, enough that I have no regrets. I could see this making a great comic series or animated show instead.

Major, heartfelt shout-out to K.J. Charles, who absolutely saved my sanity for a few months there. My brain was in a weird spot for a few months and I burned through a good chunk of her backlist, so it's absolutely necessary to name drop a few of my favorites. The Will Darling series, a 1920's spy adventure/gay romance, did not immediately win me over, but exposure makes the heart grow fonder? I don't think they say that, actually, but I love a competent dumbass, and when I finally picked up on the crossover with Charles' England duo, I absolutely cackled. I can't wait to reread these! Any Old Diamonds of the Lilywhite Boys series did catch me immediately, even if I managed to read it out of order with one of it's prequel series. Jewel thieves, a heist, revenge, family drama, what's not to love? I loved every single book and novella in this series.

Lord Peter Wimsey (series) by Dorothy L Sayers. This has been a work in progress since 2022 and has consistently made my favorites lists, but truly, she saved the best for last! Murder Must Advertise was stellar, but everyone who said the Harriet Vane novels were the best is absolutely correct. I don't know why I love them, other than that they're wonderfully complex mysteries, but I do. I definitely need to find another long mystery series for my mental health or else I'm going to start these from the beginning again (I still need to read the short stories after all).

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green. I'll be honest, I didn't write a review for this at the time, and my memory for non-fiction is terrible. But I loved this book, I love John Green, and this was fantastic on audio. Thank you John for putting hope and goodness and beauty into the world.

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff was a beautiful little book for the book lover. It's a collection of letters between the American author and a used-book seller (and family and associates) in London in the 50s and 60s. Its funny, it's friendly, it's lovely, but there's also an underlying tension that builds throughout from the repeated invitations to the author to come visit, and the book copy saying that THEY NEVER MEET. It about killed me, and did make me cry. For further reading you can also check out the author's related memoirs, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street and Q's Legacy.

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein. Frankly, I'm impressed by my nonfiction choices so far this year. This one is what it says and it HURT. SO. MUCH. I am absolutely a generalist and it's made life frustrating, so reading this was both extremely comforting but also enraging, because society doesn't need another reason to suck. Alas.

[missshoujo]

4 manga with a history theme

Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii

Otoyomegatari

Bride of the Water God

Vinland Saga

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"Pa," Randall began, just as surprised as Emily was by what his father said, but before he could say anymore, Wilhelm raised his hand to stop them both, saying gently, "I know, lad, I know. I remember what you said the other night about you being engaged, and...you both have our blessing-both Junie's and mine."

"We want our son to be happy," June said, giving a tender smile in turn. "And we want you to happy too, Emily, and we've seen for ourselves that you two are at your happiest together, and...it would just be wrong of us to keep you apart! We know that now, and so, if being together makes you happiest...well, then who are we to argue?"

Like any parents, they wanted to ensure the safety and happiness of their child, and it was very clear to the Paces that not only was Randall happy with his bride-to-be, he was also safe with her-and the same could be said of Emily; she felt secure enough around their boy to confide her true nature to him, and was very clearly over the moon to be with him. To try and keep them apart as they did before...it would deeply unfair of them.

"And even beyond all of that," June confessed shyly, speaking now to Emily. "We...we'd like you to have not just our boy in your life, but us as well, if you'd permit it. Wil and I...we can't imagine what you've been through, and how lonely you must've been, and for so long, and...we'd like to change that, and be a support to you, if we can."

[quotestrove]

“I got to see people preparing for goodbyes and what gets left after those goodbyes.”

Yoon So-ah, The Bride of the Water God