Holy shit. I am SHOOK AF at this show oh my god. It's traversing so many issues with such stunning sincerity I'm really impressed. Obviously this show does not reflect "historically accurate norms" but set against Joseon era, I'm shocked at how well they explore themes of classicism and feminism. Gae Ddong's status as a slave should not afford her any freedom nor power, yet the privilege of power is something she crosses over easily simply by knowing her own self worth. She didn't take power with brutality and violence, she wasn't given power and had to be beholden to someone for the gift of power, Gae Ddong understood that she had it all along. Power is not something you can take, it's something you have. Statesman Yun giving Gae Ddong his daughter's name was a gift of love, not a power play. Meanswhile the King seeks to attach his entire identity and self worth to the idea of a person. Hoon did not believe in love but it was not romance that he had to learn, it was a lesson in being able to care for something even though it might bring you grief and pain. It's such a great way of showing people as their honest selves. Once you strip away imposed roles and the frills, people only just have themselves and how much they love themselves is how much they can love other people.
I also love Statesman Ma's candid acknowledgement of Hoon's inability to know when to stop. I love that he's still trying to "take" power and struggles to keep above his enemies. No one player has all the cards, everyone is just struggling. Gae Ddong is the only one who is free of these plagues. She cursed her misfortune but really, her one thing was to find her brother and now she is free.
They also dip into ideas of gender, class and trauma and I'm like "thank god SOMEBODY did it!" - the way period pieces portray violence is like, nobody ever is affected by it (the actual violence itself, not just losing somebody) and for Young Soo to be the one is just the best.
I love, love LOVE it when characters arcs reflect bigger themes and concepts and their stories are what drives the narrative. Ugh love it so much I want to write a goddamn report about this show.