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| Little kid gets lost in the story - accurate :P |
Hi everyone,
I'm surprised I could finish vol.16 in only 2 parts. Just hope that I didn't miss anything important :-ss In my defense :p there aren't many things happen in the whole volume anyway. To sum up, it's only to make some points clear: that there are 2 different states of So-ryu; Ryu Sang always care for Myo-un, whether Myo-un exists or not; and So-ryu'd do anything to keep Ha-rim alive.
Here are my opinions about the questions posted earlier:
1. So-ryu seems so attached to Ryu Sang?
There is one So-ryu when she's been already lost in time. She can't come back and only Ryu Sang can "see" her, that's why she's extremely attached to him.
Notice Ryu Sang's question about her clothes and she wears those same clothes every scene:
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| RH scans - Vol.14 part 2 |
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| Those clothes of hers. |
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| RH scans - vol.14 part 4. |
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| RH scans - Vol.15 part 3. |
The lost So-ryu is a little crazy due to being lost in time for God knows how long. She always looks for Ryu Sang and follows him. The normal So-ryu (means she still has a physical form and can come back), well, she's quite ok, she still has a sense of right and wrong.
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| Vol.16 p.12-13 (I should have posted this earlier) |
Both Ryu Sang and normal So-ryu are aware of the lost So-ryu. They both resent that lost/crazy girl.
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| Vol.16 part 2. |
Moreover, now I reread through vol.14 to vol.16, I realize why the alternative universes happen. In vol.14, the lost So-ryu just followed everyone all the time without really existing, surely she was envious of them. So in the last few pages of vol.14 and the beginning of vol.15, you can see that she went back to the day Ryu Sang being abandoned by his mother, she changed everything from that point in order to keep him with her.
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| RH scans - Vol.14 part 4. |
Lady Seong isn't the Lady of the Temple anymore but the ship's captain, she rescued Ryu Sang but apparently brought him to the Son family.
Then Ryu Sang grew up, met Myo-un (in Hong Ha-young's life), and fell in love. So when the lost So-ryu came back to find him, she saw him being with Myo-un, she said that she shouldn't have brought Myo-un to this world. Then she changed things again into a world where Myo-un doesn't exist. That was why Ryu Sang said goodbye to Myo-un, he knew it the moment the lost So-ryu appeared.
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| Vol.16 part 1 - Right after this is the kiss scene. |
3. Ryu Sang can "see" So-ryu, but she said Myo-un will find her?
You can see in part 2 vol.16, even when Ryu Sang and So-ryu are kinda friendly, he still doesn't care that much about her, he says he won't go find her even if she disappears. Hence I think, when it happens, maybe only Myo-un will care and will try to look for her.
4. Ha-rim will be the one who kill/destroy So-ryu, but she saved him anyway?
Vol.16 led me to believe that So-ryu (the normal one) would do everything to keep Ha-rim alive (my take is Ha-rim is the one she cares for the most), including changing the world, multiple times. And everyone knows you can't play God without consequences. So Ha-rim will be her undoing, will be the reason she is killed/destroyed in the end.
This is vol.8:
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| JanimeS scans - Vol.8 part 9. |
And this is vol.16, when Ryu Sang realizes:
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| Vol.16 part 2. |
5. Ha-rim likes Myo-un?
Hmm this I don't know, seems more he likes Han-ah to me.
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| RH scans - Vol.14 part 4. |
6. The story focuses on So-ryu so much?
I think as a matter of fact, So-ryu is the one who made this whole story (and some alternative ones) happen, for better or for worse. So it's understandable why things are seen from her point of view most of the time.
****
Getting every thought out of my head feels so great :D
What are your opinions everyone? Please comment I really want to hear!!
Jessie.
Almost everything makes sense now! So basically, the evil version of So Ryu is trying to keep Ryu Sang all for herself. So does Ryu Sang remember all of the alternative timelines? Thank you so much for posting! :)
ReplyDeleteAlmost everything makes sense now! So basically, the evil version of So Ryu is trying to keep Ryu Sang all for herself. So does Ryu Sang remember all of the alternative timelines? Thank you so much for posting! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so relieved that things finally make sense. Prior to vol.16, I didn't even understand half of the story. Just hope that I didn't interpret everything all wrong and misled you guys :p
DeleteIt seems like in both alt. worlds, Ryu Sang is aware of mostly everything. I don't now what it's gonna be in the main story line. I read vol.17 but it's so ambiguous T_T Have to wait for vol.18 before summarizing vol.17 for sure T_T
Thank you for all your responses too <3
The alt. stories really explains a lot. I am really agree with all of your answers, i thought the same ones as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of the beautiful summaries and conclusion 😊
Again, I'm worried that I might misunderstand things and my answers are all wrong :p because you know how Kim Yeon-joo nim's stories are, they're not easy to get at all.
DeleteI'm so glad having all your comments and support <3 Pls keep discussing with me xD
I think that makes KYJ manhwas interesting, to understand her stories we really need to pay details of her stories and dialogues between characters. She never stop to amaze me about how she can put some tiny details in here and ther. sometimes i feel like a detective that needs to collect clues from the crime scenes lol
DeleteThat's why i'm so happy to have your blog as a place to discuss nabi since it's like a place for all the detectives to tell what they found so they can work together to solve the mystery.
So no worries, even if you had misundertand some things, royal hearts will give us a translation to help us understanding things, though i really think you got the correct things since it is too makes sense to say there is a misunderstanding. (I hope you undertand what i try to say, english is not my native language)
And oh yes i will keep discussing with you, i really love sharing my thoughts about this manhwa, especially with you, and will always visit your blog regularly <3
Thank you for all your support and understanding <3 <3 I hope Royal Hearts will release their update soon too, for everyone to read it fully, and for me to compare some lines in my language to English. KYJ's lines are always so vague, translating may be mistaken, so having 2 versions for comparing is better than 1.
DeleteWhat I love about KYJ's manhwas is they are very well thought-out. Some scenes in vol.1 or vol.2, actually happens at the end of the story, and vice versa. And like you mentioned, the dialogues, they seems so casual when you first read it, but then few volumes later, you come back and read it again, it'll make perfect sense. I learned the trick of noticing the clothes :p after reading Girl Queen over and over again with that perspective in mind. It's an early way to know when that scene actually happens, and what that piece dialogue really means; don't have to wait until the last volume to find out. Yeah exactly, making us be like detectives, KYJ's manhwas are just so cool xD
Thank you again for all. There is hardly Nabi discussion anywhere so I'm really glad you came here <3
Aw, you are so sweet. I am the one that is really glad because you made this blog (: i hope many people will find your blog and leave supporting comments for you (: i am also one of the first reader at felluah blog (actually i also the one who give the first comment there XD) it tooks time before many people show up and left comment but then people just keep leaving comments before we knew it (:
ReplyDeleteI used 2 translation for the queen girl XD. After read all the volumes in my native language, i feel really confused and then found the english scanlation to make me understanding more. And yes, like you said, need to pay attention to all the tiny details to understand the story.
Actually KYJ is one of mangaka that helps me to like korean manhwa, before i just knew hwang miri and han yurang's manhwa, they are really bad (no offense to all of their fans but really the story is kinda repetitive) and KYJ gives a new light to my believes lol. After that i realize i read some brilliant stories from manhwa that i thought it's from japan first.
I'm happy with the pageviews ^-^ But when ppl barely say anything it's like they don't like what they read, it makes me sad/worried =( I found the Felluah blog quite late, still I tried to leave some thank-you comments. The author of that blog said that at a point there were more than 100 downloads but less than 10 ppl said thanks. She seemed upset and now she stopped updating :( That's why I think responding is important.
DeleteWow we have a lot of common thoughts :D I don't like Hwang Miri's and other alike manhwas either (sorry fans T.T), even though they're quite popular. I tried reading 2 or 3 series but never finished one. Stereotypical and uninteresting T.T That's why I didn't think so highly of manhwas at first. Then one day I found Goong, Bride of the Water God, and Girl Queen. They changed my opinion. Sure they have their weak points but the premise is very creative, the story is well-developed, plus the loveline is so romantic :") I fell in love XD I bought Nabi vol.1 the moment I saw it in bookstore, without knowing anything, only because I believed in the author. And never was I so right. Nabi has become one of my biggest love <3
Can you tell me other manhwas you like too? I always want to read brilliant stories :D
Ah i feel you, i was a blogger before and it sad me when there is no comment at all, but before i knew it, there are a lot of comments to my blog when i didn't expect them, so i hope you will get that experience soon ^^
DeleteI've read before that hwang miri and han yurang actually not a person, they actually are a group of people which drawing the manhwa with strict deadline, that's why it explain why they can publish so many volumes in a short time and that's why the quality of story is not that good. After knowing this, i never touch their comics anymore.
i've read all the manhwas that you stated before, they are my favorites <3 BOTWG drawing is really breathtaking. The other manhwa that i like are Four Daughters of Armian (i thought this is a Japanese manga before), Princess (still ongoing), and Absolute Witch. I believe there is no scanlation for FDOA so i hope your country already published the manhwa, since this is an old manhwa. I hope you will like the story of my manhwas' suggestion :)
Yes I'm trying to keep up with comments now ^^'' So glad because I really love to discuss about Nabi.
DeleteOhh that explains everytime I go to check the "new series" shelf in bookstore I find one of HMR/HYR. I always think like "What? That author draws new series like chickens lay eggs, everyday." LOL I don't like that type of producing a series either T.T
A quick search on google tells me that all of your suggestions were published in my country. Well, my country, the quantity of comics being published will surprise you. Yet the quality is another story LOL. FDOA was published like 8yrs ago, only to vol.10, I saw some pics and the translating and editing is a nightmare T_T will also be a challenge finding it now. Princess and AW look a lot better. I'll try reading them soon. Thanks so much for your suggestion ^.^
LOL your description for HMR/HYR with chicken-egg so on point.
DeleteWow, your country amaze me with the quantity of manhwa titles that it's already published. My country only focused to mainstream manhwas with a lot of fans, so i can say i'm quite lucky to havr girl queen published in my country.
If i'm not mistaken FDOA is completed at volume 17, is that mean your country would stop publishing the manhwa in the middle if there is not a good sales?
But you can always find a quite good scan for absolute witch and princess (i really love kingdom intrigue story but this one is too long actually, already on 3rd generation, and the story still very far from finish)
Oh my country has only applied the "Berne Convention" strictly since 10 years ago. Before that, small agencies and publishing houses just published whatever they found T.T mostly from Chinese raws. They stopped whenever they wanted too, because the sales wasn't good or they couldn't find complete raws. I'm so glad the situation has changed and we have legally licensed books with proper translating/editing now. Still, it was a big part of my childhood, and even it was wrong, it brought a lot of old and rare series to me, which I can never find online or can never hope that they'll be licensed now. For example, we have all Michiyo Akaishi's series, finished ^.^ she's one mangaka I really like.
DeleteYeah I read about Princess, long, unfinished, and many dramas. Should I wait few more years until it's finished LOL. In the meantime I think I'll try AW first. Thanks again for your suggestions ^.^
I am extremely impressed by your ability to understand this story. I understand nothing. Reading your post has helped me a bit.
ReplyDeleteI love thought-provoking stories, trying to understand them is a very interesting job. Glad that my posts could help even just a bit ^_^
DeleteLate comment, I know, but I was browsing your blog. Regarding the question about Harim liking Myo-Un, I had some thoughts posted here at RH's site: http://royalhearts.net/nabi-vol-15-part-3-tale-of-felluah-vol-4-part-3/#comment-2162423495
ReplyDeleteI don't know yet if I would say it's romantic feelings, but there is a degree of fondness for Myo-Un. Harim is my favourite character, and I've been reading every scene of his as closely as possible. Choosing to go with Myo-Un speaks volumes--making a decision of his own for once.
I agree that he definitely felt something for Hanah; there was a kind of connection, and even though he inherited some type of power from her, I like to think there is a psychological aspect to his pretending to be her sometimes (even if just to keep the memory of her alive).
Ugh, I miss Harim so much, lol. I hope we can get back to the main story. I don't mind Syo-Ryu and I get what these alternate universe side stories are showing, but it seems like too long a detour from the main narrative. (Although maybe it won't seem as long when I read everything together at once when the series' translation is complete.)
Anyway, thanks again for this blog!
I read all comments at RH's site, and that discussion of you guys was one of the reason I created this blog you know ^^
DeleteI agree that Ha-rim has always been fond of Myo-un since Nabi The Prototype. He never wanted to kill her. In one early volume when he came to ask So-ryu: "The Lord wants to kill the Hong heir, but I won't do it if you tell me not to". So half of the reason is he thinks So-ryu doesn't want that either, but I believe the other half is for himself. I mean he killed Lady Ho-wol, he was ready to kill Ryu Sang, but he never tried to harm Myo-un. What was it for if not for himself right?
There's definitely an emotional aspect to his pretending to be Han-ah. Wow you're really a fan of Ha-rim for realizing that ^^ I only know because I read vol.18 :p Regardless, even before vol.18, I still felt more Han-ah than Myo-un in the Ha-rim's romantic feelings department. Because of the scene in this post, and because I felt he treats Myo-un the same way he treats/treated So-ryu - protecting a Lady.
Ok SPOILER ALERT :p I thought that Ha-rim chose Myo-un and "abandoned" So-ryu now. But in vol.18 he'll try very hard to save So-ryu and still treat her the way he always did. So his feelings is more complicated than we supposed. I'll try to post many scenes of Ha-rim in vol.18 too, as he's the character I'm curious about the second most, after So-ryu. Now Ryu Sang's and Myo-un's feelings are settled, I want to know if So-ryu will be killed or not, and which path Ha-rim'll choose to live his life.
Yeah the AU story seems so long cause we have to wait for the scans. But the whole series is 20 volumes at least so 2 volumes will be justifiable in the end.
The way Harim treats Myo-Un after their initial confrontations is so fascinating to witness - how he observes her, apologized only to her, how angry he got at that one guard over the implication of sexual harassment, etc. And yeah, that's why I said I didn't know if I would call it romantic feelings just yet, but it's not impossible, either (that's my shipper side talking, lol, as a retired fan fic writer, I used to make unlikely ships work out). All viewpoints are valid and make for interesting discussions! :)
DeleteAh, I had a feeling he wasn't completely done with So-ryu - it wouldn't have made sense to his character if he completely disregarded her after serving her for so long.
I can't wait to read more! I wish Nabi had more fans, or at least more international recognition. I've asked two North American comic companies (the ones that license manhwa, anyway) if they would ever consider licensing more of Kim Yeon-joo's works for North America, but they never responded. ;; /sighs/ Oh, well, I tried, lol. Hopefully, it will happen someday, because I'd love to own this beautiful series.
Bring on the spoilers! I always end up reading spoilers, anyway, because I'm so impatient, lol, even though I am content to wait for translations from people/groups. I've got this blog bookmarked. :)
You're right that it's not impossible. Maybe I just choose to turn a blind eye LOL because I pity all the characters with unrequited love so much that I never want to see one. (For instance, I'd be very sad/angry/homicidal >"< if the story turned out that So-ryu liked Ryu Sang. Thank manhwa's god it didn't). Therefore, I don't want Myo-un in this case, of course she is meant to be with Ryu Sang, it'd only be heartbreaking to read. I'd rather want him to have feelings for Han-ah. (oh wait... Han-ah is dead...)
DeleteNabi isn't popular internationally at all. If I'm not mistaken it was licensed in UK, France, and Italy but was dropped after like 5 volumes due to the low number of sales. Same in my country, started with 5000 copies (my country is small), gradually decreased to only 1000 now :-s I doubt that they can even make some profit with 1000 copies. There goes my hope for other KYJ's works in the future :'( It's not a series for mainstream audiences I guess. But to me, it's just breathtakingly beautiful, and perfect!! Why don't ppl get it ><
Thank you for your so nice gesture btw :p
Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of unrequited love, either, but sometimes it's tragically beautiful in a way.
DeleteTo be honest, I interpreted some scenes as So-ryu wanting Ryu-sang in a way because he was the only one who could see her when she "became air," so to speak (and even in the recent chapter you shared, Han-ah spoke of it her needing Ryu-sang and Isana, most likely because they are among the few people who have acknowledged her differently than others have). Not all desires are necessarily romantic, but after all she's been through - to have somebody who can see her like that, it's no wonder she became preoccupied with him in a way--like she needed him to affirm her existence during those times she wandered through Time. It's a very grey area, which I like. So much is open to interpretation.
Yeah, I know. For example - Bride of the Water God wasn't nearly as well-known as it is now in international circles, thanks in part to it being licensed in more countries, and it's not really a mainstream series, either (one of its top selling points is the gorgeous artwork, too bad the plot suffers). I was hoping the same could happen with Kim Yeon-joo's works, eventually. But the international market for manhwa can't hold a candle to the market for manga, so my hopes may never come to pass. ;; Just have to hope that more people will read it now, and maybe a demand for it will grow. They are missing out on a wonderful story!
Whoops, sorry for rambling.
I like what you said about not all relationships are necessarily romantic. I ship So-ryu and Isana much xD because I think they'll make a cute witty couple. And you're so right about Isana seeing and treating her differently. Not her father nor their noble status, not her astonishing beauty, he calls on her behaviors. If they could get married, he would give her a normal life, and treat her like a real human being - which she once told Han-ah that she appreciated Han-ah so much for that.
DeleteI like to see that kind of 'relationship' she has with Ryu Sang too. He tries so hard to hate her, yet still can't keep from talking to her from time to time. Which is very interesting IMO, when you consider the fact that he hadn't said a word to Myo-un in 10 years - the girl he loves. It makes me think of that kind of friendship, you know, with a person you butt heads with so much, everyone thinks you guys hate each other, while in fact that person is who can see and know about some of your most difficult moments, and never be afraid of the thorns you try to cover yourself with. Ryu Sang, he treats her like dirt generally. So-ryu, she's just being So-ryu, never does anything to ease his hatred for her sometimes, never tries to be helpful or friendly, and she never lets him win easily - which I like the most, since I think other people endure his arrogance so much, always think of him as a big brother or a leader and let him get away with his personality. I really like having someone who can virtually kick his arrogant butt sometimes xD In another life, they could pretty much make an equally trustworthy friendship.
Sorry I'm ranting about So-ryu too :p I just like to witness the way she is with other people. She's kind of harsh towards all the guys don't you think? Isana, Ryu Sang, Ha-rim. Yet she's very soft and nice to the girls, Myo-un and Han-ah. I like that.
Sorry for the delay in replying! Life and work got in the way. Anyway, I thought So-ryu and Isana was cute, too (I tend to multi-ship, lol)! I would've liked a slow romance from them, too, Felluah-style. :D But I guess he's going to continue to wait for that one girl whose name escapes me (the one from The Door).
DeleteI was thinking again about why So-ryu is drawn to Ryu Sang - he's like the bad boy type. All other men (and people in general) did whatever she asked, served her out of loyalty and fear of her father, sugarcoated things for her...but Ryu Sang is havin' none of that. He's real, he doesn't owe her a thing, and could care less about her status. Yet, as you said, he still talks to her, like any normal human would to another, and it's like she's able to breathe again, just having another person to treat her like a human being, because she was beginning to her doubt her own humanity...ugh, why is Nabi so GOOD.
And yes, I never thought about that - how he would so easily talk to So-ryu, but barely speaks to Myo-un. So much history between those two, and like you said, she knows Ryu Sang better than anyone; there will always be that connection, come what may. With Myo-un, he has to face things about himself that are more difficult.
Yes!! Those very qualities of So-ryu's is what makes her such a great character. :D Kicking Ryu Sang's butt, lol, yep, in another world, another time, they'd be good friends.
All of Nabi's female characters are wonderful. They're strong and weak, noble and flawed, quiet and loud, etc. I love a series with a good female cast. :)
No need to apologize! I'm so happy to discuss Nabi after having to fangirl alone, because there was no active community and barely any fans. I agree, harsh to the guys, kinder to the girls. :3
Don't worry. Real life gets in my way too. Can only steal an hour here and there =(
DeleteI don't want Isana to wait for the girl in The Door T.T Poor So-ryu needs someone to love her T.T And seems like the author has no intention of bringing that girl back, unlike Seong and Gyeom. Let keep it this way author-nim ~~
You know what first made me crazy in Nabi was Ryu Sang and Myo-un's relationship. It was so complicated I wasn't even sure that he liked her, until the scene he cried when he thought she was dead. He just basically ignored the girl. Then the way he's with So-ryu now... ugghh. Ryu Sang why do you have to make all your relationships with everyone so difficult?? >_< But it's his cute point I guess, haha.
Yes! Nabi has a wonderful cast of characters! Since forever is there a series in which I like EVERYONE and read carefully every scene. Normally I always skim some parts of a series with the characters I don't like/care. But not this. Those who don't know about or don't get this series are really missing out a great story!
I've been fangirl-ed Nabi alone for so long too. So happy I can talk to other fans now <3
Yeah, I can barely remember that girl, and the idea of So-ryu and Isana is more appealing.
DeleteSeong and Gyeom was so sad. ;;;; But I love how Gyeom went out with a bang - her proclaiming that she had killed the king and how she was laughing while running away to save the other two was quite a scene.
It's a refreshing view compared to instantly sappy romances! I was rereading Nabi the Prototype, and thinking about how Ryu Sang was such a little brat, lol (although it tugged at my heartstrings when he was crying by himself in the bamboo forest, poor baby), and he's still a bit bratty now and then, but he's coming into his own. :3
Agreed, it's not often when we find a series in which we like every character. That's the mark of a well-done story, I think! To make us care about the characters while maintaining a complex plot - that's what I love the most in fiction.
Not only that I like Isana and So-ryu as a couple, but also I couldn't "get" the story of The Door. I never like novellas in general, same here, it just isn't on the same page with the main story. I mean, Isana liked her because she's pretty, she was hesitant to kill him because he's so gentle. I got that. But what else? She didn't do anything else to/with him, not even talk to him. while at least he tried to share some of his feelings with her. So what could he possibly know about her to like her, besides her appearance? '_' Ehh I just don't get that.
DeleteSeong and Gyeom... :( Seong is in constant regret now that he let her go. Poor guy. And yes, she's one hell of a girl! Is it too much to hope that they can meet again in the end.
Ryu Sang is always a jerk now and then LOL. I worry for Myo-un's future, like even when they're in love and can live happily together and so on, but the only way he knows to show his affections is saying all the mean stuff and making girls cry LOL. Myo-un, I really feel for you :))
I agree, the slow and subtle romance is soooo nice, and because it's rare it's somehow sweeter. My poor heart feels like almost dying every time KYJ-nim shows a little romantic scene in her works >< And yeah, her plot is always complex, even a seems-so-simple story like Felluah has become complicated now, I love that so so much <3
Okay, found this post again, lol, it got lost in the archives.
DeleteI totally agree - she wasn't interesting enough for a character, and nothing greater developed between them. If she returned in the Nabi story line, it would be cliche and only to match everybody up. :/ Whereas Isana and So-ryu know each other a fair bit, and I love the idea of a growing romance similar to Arthur and Orthez's own. ;~;
I'm sure Ryu Sang will mature after awhile and not be so tsundere-ish, lol.
Sweeter, indeed! And one really treasures those gems of romance KYJ shows now and then. It's not full of make-out sessions or fan service - it's all about developing human emotions and not instant gratification.