"Navillera" - also highly recommended!

Started watching the K-drama "Navillera" with Aimee today and found it incredibly inspirational! 

It's about a grandpa (Park In-Hwan) in his 70s who starts learning ballet from a 20-something young man (Song Kang). So for 50-year-old me to be learning how to draw and paint is no big deal by comparison! 😆

As we say in Chinese, 活到老学到老 (live to old age, learn till old age). 😁

Since I drew canvas shoes earlier on for another K-drama 'Run On', I thought I'd draw shoes again - men's ballet shoes this time round. I took reference from a photo found online.

"Run On" - highly recommended!

Just finished watching the K-drama series "Run On" and fell in love with these purple shoes that one of the male leads (Kang Tae-Oh) gave to the woman he loved (Sooyoung), so I tried to sketch them.

In fact, I loved the entire series a lot as it's all about grace and acceptance cos everyone's unique and nobody's perfect. Also about parental expectations vs embracing each child's dreams and passion. Lots of healing and reconciliation through open and honest conversations too.

It portrays a realistic view of life, love, family and friendship with all the challenges and roadblocks. But as the title suggests, we not only have to keep running, we must also cheer each other on through the ups and downs so we can all get to the finish line!

P.S. the bonus was having an artist as one of the male leads (Kang Tae-Oh), and a film translator as one of the female leads (Shin Se-Kyung). It was so fulfilling to see how they expressed themselves and found solace through the arts.

P.P.S. also quite remarkable that three of the four lead actors (Siwan, Kang Tae-Oh, Sooyoung) are actually popular K-pop singers and they can act well too. So talented!

"Conspiracy in the Court" (2/2) - Foothold vs Stronghold [SPOILER ALERT]

Continuing from my previous entry about this drama...

When the chief of the local police (Park Chul-Min) first receives a bribe from the merchant Yang Man-Oh (Lee Chun-Hee), he has given Man-Oh a foothold by allowing him to smuggle in a ship load of illegal goods. However, as he continues to accept more bribes from Man-Oh, he relinquishes more and more ground to the merchant who can then keep smuggling in and selling off even more illegal goods.

 

At the same time, Man-Oh is sending bribes to other officials including some high-ranking ministers. Gradually, he builds up a stronghold where he has control over all those corrupted officials who have accepted his bribes. So much so that they give him permission to conduct all kinds of illegal activities under their noses.

 

Similarly, if we sin and give Satan an opening to cause a one-time disturbance then it is a foothold. However, if we continue to sin and allow him to gain increasingly more control over our life, then it becomes a stronghold.

If the police chief had come clean after receiving the first bribe and stopped accepting further bribes, Man-Oh would not have been able to gain control over him. By the time the merchant has extended his control over the many corrupted officials, they already find it extremely difficult to stop him and his illegal activities.

In the same way, we need to confess and repent of our sin that gives the devil a foothold and kick him out. Otherwise, if we neglect to do that and the enemy builds a stronghold in us (eg addictions or negative thought patterns), it would take much more effort to remove his control over us.

Read more about "Conspiracy in the Court" - Power vs Authority

"Conspiracy in the Court" (1/2) - Power vs Authority [SPOILER ALERT]

This drama is only eight episodes long but it was so difficult to understand initially due to the fast pace, convoluted storyline and countless mysteries and secrets that were only unravelled much later. So reading the recaps after viewing each episode really helped me to follow the plot.

While I was watching this series, I also happened to learn about the difference between power and authority in a course that I'm attending. And I realised that some of the characters actually illustrated these two concepts really well!

Police officer Park Sang-Gyu (Jin Yi-Han) serves in a small town and his team consists of a handful of scaredy-cats with no martial arts skills whatever to boast of. As the team leader, he's not much better off. In fact, when they confront a group of smugglers at the dock, he backs up and hides behind his team while ordering them to charge ahead, which of course they don't.

As a result of their incompetence, they are entirely knocked out by just one smuggler! So although Sang-Gyu has the authority to enforce the law by virtue of his position as a police officer, he doesn't have the power to exercise his authority due to the lack of ability.

As he is lying on the ground contemplating his next move (of how to surrender!) a master swordsman flies off a nearby rooftop and single-handedly overpowers the smugglers! It turns out that he is Seo Joo-Pil (Han Jung-Soo), Sang-Gyu's good friend and fellow officer from the police HQ in the capital city. 

After this incident, we see Joo-Pil hanging around Sang-Gyu a lot more than before and he helps provide the fighting power for Sang-Gyu whenever he has difficulty reining in the criminals. Unfortunately, midway through the drama, Joo-Pil is killed in an ambush.

Sang-Gyu is promoted - the King himself bestows him with the Royal Sword which increases his authority greatly. However, he isn't deployed more capable men in his team. So even when he wields the Royal Sword before some villains to signal his authority, they scoff at him and easily overpower him and his ragtag team as he can't rely on Joo-Pil's support anymore.

On the other hand, Sang-Gyu's nemesis, the merchant Yang Man-Oh (Lee Chun-Hee) has gathered a great deal of wealth which grants him power over many of the officials including Sang-Gyu's police chief (Park Chul-Min). Although he doesn't have any authority, he bribes these officials who then allow him to conduct his illegal activities without any liability (see my other post about the impact of this corruption). That's why he can openly taunt Sang-Gyu and challenge him to a power contest.

Because of his trespass, the chief has given over his authority to Man-Oh by default. He no longer has any say and instead is at Man-Oh's beck and call. As Sang-Gyu knows about the bribery, he doesn't respect his chief's authority anymore and defies his order of letting Man-Oh and his minions go about their shady business scot-free. 

We are very much like Sang-Gyu in the sense that we have been given all authority by the King of kings over demons and to heal diseases (Luke 9:1), as well as to defeat the enemy (Luke 10:19). However, on our own we lack the power to exercise this authority. We need a helper like Joo-Pil. And God has sent the best Helper in the form of the Holy Spirit so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can perform signs and wonders, and bring people to Christ (Romans 15:19). Not by our own power or might, but by the Holy Spirit alone (Zechariah 4:6)!

We must be careful though, that we do not hand over our God-given authority to the devil. If, like the police chief, we sin against God, then we lose our right to this authority and the enemy will gain control. Rather than allow Satan to have an opportunity to accuse us and usurp our authority in Christ, we need to keep ourselves pure and unstained by constantly cleansing ourselves of all sin through confession and repentance before God (1 John 1:9). 

Read more about "Conspiracy in the Court" - Foothold vs Stronghold

Chasing after 'Happily ever after' [SPOILER ALERT!]

Recently, My Roommate is a Gumiho seems to be doing well in the ratings and keeps popping up in my newsfeed. But I prefer to start watching a series only after it's been completed so instead, I checked out an older one with a similar title and character, My Girlfriend is a Gumiho. 

It's a pretty simple setup where the female gumiho (Shin Min-Ah) and male human (Lee Seung-Gi) fall in love but find out that only one of them can live. It becomes apparent quite soon that the non-human character will be the one to sacrifice herself in order for her beloved to live. How do we know that? It's because the gumiho is led to read the story of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid with the original ending, where the mermaid would rather die and turn into foam than kill her beloved prince. 

That immediately reminded me of Angel's Last Mission: Love which I had written about before. The Little Mermaid was also used in the drama as analogous to the angel's impending disappearance from the world. However, both of these series culminate in happy endings where the couples' selfless love for each other move the respective deities so much that rules are bent and the supernatural beings can return to be reunited with their human lovers.

So the writers chose to go the way of Disney's The Little Mermaid after all. And it seems like that's what the audience wants too. In those series which don't end with 'happily ever after', like Cheese in the Trap and The Third Charm (both happen to feature Seo Kang-Joon - perhaps he has a penchant for choosing unconventional scripts...), the poor ratings and negative reviews tell it all! 

   

Even in shows that try to inject a little more realism and portray the challenges faced by lovey-dovey couples after they get married, such as Like a Fairytale and My Love, My Bride (with Shin Min-Ah again), the convoluted plots somehow still manage to twist and turn into a happy ending. Is this an indication that we are all chasing after that elusive 'happily ever after' in every story? 

And is it a reflection of a deep-seated desire for a happy ending for ourselves in real life too? Could it be that we were made to pursue this? Maybe we have been programmed from creation to look forward to a final ending that is beautiful and triumphant?

Just like how K-drama writers are inspired to wind their tumultuous storylines into satisfactorily positive conclusions, the greatest story ever told also predicts that there will be a joyous outcome to all the troubles we face in this world. If you'd like to know how it will ultimately end, and how to acquire that 'happily ever after' for yourself, just check the Bible for the biggest spoiler alert ever!

"She Would Never Know" (aka "Sunbae, Don't Put On That Lipstick") - some thoughts [SPOILER ALERT]

I have to confess that I only started watching She Would Never Know because of Rowoon. His character in Extraordinary You (which I have an overdue post about, will try to get it done soon!) offered very little scope for him to show his acting skills. So I was curious to know how well (or badly) he would do in the leading role of Chae Hyun-Seung in his latest drama. But as I got into the plot, I became drawn in by the side story of his older sister Chae Yeon-Seung (Ha Yoon-Kyung) and her husband Kang Woo-Hyun (Lee Dong-Ha). 

Some of you may already have read the countless reviews and comments that celebrate the victory of how a same-sex attracted Woo-Hyun found his true identity and was liberated to pursue his deepest desires (for a same-sex relationship). And many of these writers even commend Yeon-Seung for being so supportive and understanding.

Honestly, I find such a narrative extremely disturbing as it is perpetuating the lies that have permeated popular media and culture, and are gradually seeping into mainstream society here in Asia.

Lie #1: Sex is everything!

That's what popular media tells us - if the sex is great, then the relationship must be good. And conversely, if there's no sex (or very little of it) in the relationship, then there's nothing worth saving.

Well, after being married for almost 25 years, I can tell you that sex is NOT everything in a marriage relationship! There are so many times and seasons in a marriage where sex hardly features at all, like when you're having a baby, or feeling sick, or drained after a day of work and running after the kids, and of course there's always that one week or so each month where sex is off-limits.

If sex were everything, then no marriage would be able to survive all these sexless times and periods (pun intended). But the fact that marriages have lasted and even become stronger only goes to show that the husband and wife relationship is based on so much more than just sex.

Trust, open communications, love and care for each other, supporting each other through tough times, partnership in building the family, and more. These are the qualities that help to strengthen a marriage and they are also the indicators of whether the relationship will survive and we can grow old (when sex drive is almost zilch) together till death do us part.

In fact, Yeon-Seung and Woo-Hyun had all these in their relationship even though Woo-Hyun wasn't physically attracted to her. After all, she was the one who helped him to come to terms with and accept his own sexual orientation. Contrastingly, Woo-Hyun's relationship with the man who had awakened his same-sex attraction, Chef Ryu Han-Seo (Choi Jung-Won), had none of these factors. So his relationship with his wife was much healthier than the one he had with his former lover.

Lie #2: Same-sex attraction trumps everything else!

Nowadays, if we do not allow someone with same-sex attraction to fulfil their sexual desires, we are labelled as bigots. And it has reached the extent where the same-sex attracted person should be allowed to ignore all other responsibilities and commitments, otherwise we would be seen as bullies trying to repress their sexuality and identity.

Again, we need to understand that we are not defined solely by our sexual identity. There's so much more to a person than their sexuality! And that includes the roles and responsibilities we each bear in our families, workplaces and society at large. So for instance if you're married, it would be adulterous to have a sexual relationship with someone other than your spouse.

In Woo-Hyun's case, he decided to divorce Yeon-Seung in order to pursue his same-sex desires. If he were not same-sex attracted and had left his wife to pursue another woman because he is no longer attracted to his wife, he would be condemned as being unfaithful. So it doesn't make sense that just because he's same-sex attracted, then his infidelity is justified. He had married Yeon-Seung willingly and without coercion, so he should be expected to fulfil the lifetime commitment that he had made, regardless of whether his sexual desires are for another man or woman.

Lie #3: The kids will get over the divorce.

Moreover as a father to a young child, Woo-Hyun also has to bear the responsibility for his daughter’s welfare. And divorce is never good for the kids! They won't ever get over it either. The destructive ramifications of divorce are life-long. 

The saddest part about all this is that the kids are often too young to be able to express the hurt and pain that they experience. I just read a well-written sharing by an adult of her difficult journey through her parents' divorce and the growing up years, and even through to adulthood.

I was particularly struck by what she said here:

The parents are supposed to be the ones who sacrifice and accommodate in order to support their children, not the other way around! The world has pretty much turned upside-down. Such warped values which promote the selfish pursuit of one's own happiness above fulfilling parental responsibilities are resulting in an entire generation of damaged, orphaned souls. 

Anyway, this has turned out to be a much longer rant than I had imagined. So let's be aware of the lies that are being reinforced when we consume popular media so we don't get sucked in or worse, even start living them out in our own lives.

If you're interested, here's an earlier post on the Brangelina divorce.

Pain and Suffering - a Park Hyung Sik special

Confession: I fell in love with PHS' acting in Strong Woman DBS, which I wrote about some time ago and have been following his dramas ever since. (If you'd like to see more of his superb acting skills, make sure you catch Juror 8 and Two Lights: Relúmĭno too!!)

Anyway, here are a couple of quick thoughts from Suits and Hwarang...

This was one of the most moving scenes from Suits for me (apart from the two farewells to grandma).

It reminded me of Someone I know who also bore our pain (Isaiah 53:4) and is now our Advocate before the Judge (1 John 2:1).

Also when we intercede for others, we need to empathise with their pain and not give up pleading for them.

As for Hwarang, I was reluctant to watch the series as I suspected it was merely a ruse to cash in on the cast of male idols' popularity. And unfortunately, I was right! The plot was predictable and the acting mostly over the top. 

The only saving grace, and the reason why I succumbed to watching it all the way through, was PHS' eyes. They expressed all the different emotions he had so well, from anger at the injustice faced by the poor and weak, to the longing for his love interest, and the self-doubt over his ability to be a good king.

In this particular scene, his teacher assures him that he does indeed have the qualification to reign as his desire has always been to become a suffering king. 

It reminded me of our suffering King who bore our pain, even to death on the Cross, in order for us to be saved. That's why He deserves all our worship and adoration! 🙌

And for this, it made the time spent on the drama worthwhile. 😆

P.S. Another saeguk about a Christ-like figure monarch is "Love in the Moonlight". It had a much stronger plot, so much so that it got TWO entries in my blog! Read on to find out more...

Part 1

Part 2

P.P.S. Just for fun 😆

Valentine's Day Special with Kim Seon-Ho [SPOILER ALERT!]

I wasn't really planning to do a V-day post, cos cliched much? Plus I've already written an ultra-sweet post some time ago on the topic of love. But while I was cooking lunch and boiling soup stock for dinner, inspiration hit me and so here goes…

First of all, hands up if you're #teamjipyeong or a fan of Kim Seon-Ho - cos I am! Along with millions of others around the globe, we noticed his charming dimpled smile in Start-Up and couldn't help but be drawn in by his superb acting skills (probably due to his stage experience). Many of us have also gone on a trek through k-drama archives to watch his previous works, like Catch the Ghost. 

So while ruminating on what love meant for the KSH characters in these two series, I realised that to both Ji-Pyeong in Start-Up and Ji-Seok in Catch the Ghost, love meant laying down one's life for the one you love. 

 

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 

John 15:13

 

In Ji-Pyeong's case, it's at the point when he realises that he hadn't been willing to give up his status and successful track record for Dal-Mi (Bae Suzy) where he concedes defeat to his rival Do-San (Nam Joo-Hyuk) who quit his well-paid Silicon Valley job to help Dal-Mi fulfil her dream.

On the other hand, Ji-Seok, who was initially reluctant to risk his own well-being for his new partner, Ryeong (Moon Geon-Young) reaches an epiphany when he confides to his mother that he would do anything to protect Ryeong as she is precious to him. 

Love bears all things, ... endures all things. 

1 Corinthians 13:7

However, it's not only in the life-threatening cops and robbers chase scenes that Ji-Seok displays his selfless love. We already found out early on in the series that he had foregone brilliant prospects in the police force for a mundane job as a subway police chief, in order to not only pay for his mother's nursing home bills but more importantly to ensure that he would stay unharmed and alive as he was the sole family member left to care for his mother.

He even has to disguise himself as his late father when visiting her because she is suffering from dementia and thinks of herself as her 17yo self who's being courted by her husband-to-be. He does all this without complaint despite the fact that she doesn't remember him at all and addresses him as ahjussi (uncle) whenever he appears before her without his usual get-up.

Which brings me back to making lunch and boiling soup stock... for I put in the effort to prepare my children's favourite dishes regardless of how much I dislike cooking because of my love for them. This same motivation is true for mothers who sacrifice promising careers to be stay-home moms as well as those who work full-time jobs to provide for the family while also playing the role of homemaker after work. It is in the willingness to lay down your life, by putting the needs of your loved ones before your own, that true love is shown. 

Love keeps no record of wrongs.

1 Corinthians 13:5b

Although Ji-Seok is willing to put his life on the line for Ryeong, it is hard for her to accept his affections. The turning point comes when he defends her before her colleagues. They blame her for her sister's abduction by the serial murderer as she had abandoned her autistic twin on the train. Ji-Seok understands that it was a momentary slip as she had reached breaking point after having been the lone caregiver for her sister since they were 10yo. It is this act of grace that finally convinces Ryeong of his love for her.

Their love is not an inward-focused lovey dovey thing though, as they continue to fight the baddies and save the world together after they start dating. In fact, Ji-Seok becomes braver and more dynamic as a leader by drawing on the strength that Ryeong gives him. In addition, even those colleagues who had previously bullied her are so inspired by her sacrificial love for her sister that they also spring into action readily when called upon to help her find her missing twin.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 

Hebrews 10:24

So let us also take our inspiration from Christ who first loved us and gave His life for us, and go love our neighbours as ourselves. And may His love that flows through us not only lead others to know Him but also be willing to lay down their own lives to love others. After all, that is the real meaning of Valentine's Day!

Free Will vs Predestination (Part 1/3) in "Angel's Last Mission: Love" [SPOILER ALERT!]

I was drawn to the storyline of Angel's Last Mission: Love about a ballerina, Lee Yeon Seo (Shin Hye Sun) and an angel, Kim Dan (Kim Myung Soo) - arts and religion, a perfect combination! And indeed it didn't disappoint, for although I don't quite agree with the portrayal of God in the drama, it did give me lots of food for thought on the issue of free will vs predestination as well as other stuff like true love, destiny and purpose.

Yeon Seo, a top ballerina, was blinded in an accident during her last performance. Bitter and frustrated at not being able to dance again, she takes it out on the people around her. Dan inadvertently saves her life when she's caught in a car accident. However, God punishes him for going against His plan, which was for Yeon Seo to die in the accident. Dan is assigned a mission (in human form) to teach Yeon Seo how to love again before he can return to heaven.

Free Will vs Predestination

Predictably, Dan and Yeon Seo fall in love with each other. Sadly, Yeon Seo discovers that Dan will be dissipated into dust as a consequence of falling in love with a human (instead of loving only God). Furthermore, God sends a prophecy to Dan that Yeon Seo will also die soon as that was her destiny all along.

Both Dan and Yeon Seo feel miserable and attempt to reverse each other's impending death without letting the other know - Yeon Seo by offering God her life (through taking a bunch of pills) in exchange for Dan's, and Dan by trying to kill the person who's after Yeon Seo's life. But they both fail and when they each find out what the other was trying to do, they even get into a fight. It is only when they both come to accept God's plans rather than rebel against Him, that they decide to make full use of the time left and could enjoy each other's company again.

Interestingly, their turnaround was due partly to the advice of another fallen angel, Ji Kang Woo (Lee Dong Gun). Kang Woo had a tragic story himself where he had also been in love with a human, but the girl was killed by an archangel under God's orders (ouch! this is where I obviously disagree with the characterisation of God in this drama!) and he becomes a human as punishment for disobeying God. He lived every day filled with resentment against God and even wanted to break Dan and Yeon Seo up.

However, he eventually realises that instead of staying angry with God, the best thing to do would be to live life to the fullest and use his God-given artistic talent to shine. And that is what he counsels Yeon Seo to do - instead of wasting her energy in fighting against God, she should give her best performance in the upcoming ballet production as an offering to Him.

True Love

Yeon Seo (oops! forgot to mention she's regained her sight by now) agrees to dance in her company's production of Giselle. Before it opens, she writes a letter-prayer to God asking Him to pardon Dan should He find her dance offering acceptable.

A parallel is drawn between Giselle, the story of The Little Mermaid (which Dan and Yeon Seo often read together), and Yeon Seo - Yeon Seo takes a stab for Dan then returns to stage for the final dance where Giselle sacrifices herself for her beloved. All the while, Yeon Seo is praying that God will find her dance sacrifice pleasing and allow Dan to live. At the end of the dance, she collapses from the loss of blood and slips into a coma. 

There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for another (John 15:13), so Dan has completed his mission in helping Yeon Seo be able to love others again. Furthermore, here we see a reflection of Jesus' sacrificial love in Yeon Seo.

God's Will

Nevertheless, Dan is summoned back to heaven despite Yeon Seo's best intentions. However, God is sufficiently moved to allow Dan to continue watching over Yeon Seo as an angel (ie invisible to her) instead of turning him to dust. And because Dan chooses to accept this fate rather than continue fighting against God's decision, God heals Yeon Seo and awakens her from the coma.

Just like how Kang Woo accepts God's will and is able to go on living a productive life, Yeon Seo also does what she was meant to do all along - run the ballet company and bless the community through dance.

Herein lies a valuable reminder for us too - that the question is not whether our lives are directed by our free will or predetermined by God. Instead, our focus should be on seeking to know God's will and then submit willingly to His will. For His plans are to prosper us and not to harm us, and His plans give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

So after a period of both of them quietly living out God's purpose for their lives (perhaps it was a test from God after all, to see if they would yield to Him), Dan becomes human again and the lovebirds are reunited.

Similarly, we need to submit to God's will and purpose for our lives, and wait patiently upon the Lord. No matter how bad the circumstances may get, remember that He will make all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

[There is another kdrama series and a recent movie that have also got me thinking about the issue of free will vs predestination. I hope I'll be able to finish writing about them soon... so look out for the entries!]

"Memories of the Alhambra" - augmented reality and the spiritual realm [SPOILER ALERT!]

With all the hype over Crash Landing on You and its lead actor Hyun Bin, I thought I'd better get down to writing this long-overdue entry on Hyun Bin's previous drama - Memories of the Alhambra.

It co-stars one of my favourite female actresses Park Shin Hye and the title is taken from the hauntingly beautiful guitar piece Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco Tárrega which is featured prominently throughout the drama. These were reasons enough for me to continue watching the series even though the blood & gore level was a notch too high for my comfort. Perhaps the highly realistic fighting scenes and special effects could've been part of the reason for its popularity. Anyway, I'm glad I stuck with it till the end as it led me to formulate the following thoughts.

The Two Worlds

The story revolves around a computer game which utlises augmented reality (AR). A player logs into the game by putting on customised smart contact lenses in order to see the AR non-player characters (NPCs), weapons and special items. They simply remove the lenses to exit the game. To someone outside the game who can't see the AR, players fighting against NPCs look like they are waving around madly in the air. But to the player, the AR as depicted in the drama is so real that they feel like the NPCs and weapons are physically there, so much so that they even experience actual pain when they are injured in the game. However, once they logout, all their in-game injuries would vanish.

In our real life, there are also two worlds or realms that exist - the physical and the spiritual. As in the drama, not everyone is able to see the spiritual realm unless God has opened our spiritual eyes (like putting on the smart lenses to see the game world). That was why Elisha had to pray, "Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see," before his servant could see "the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." (2 Kings 6:17)

Just like the battles between the players and NPCs in the game, there is also an ongoing battle in the spiritual realm which impacts the physical realm and vice versa. We get a glimpse of this spiritual warfare between the heavenly armies and the demonic forces through the description by an angel in Daniel 10. However, unlike the virtual weapons used in the game, our weapons are prayer (and sometimes fasting). With the authority that God has given to us through Christ, we are also able to drive out evil spirits as Jesus has demonstrated (cf. Matthew 17:20-21, John 14:12-14).

The Bug

After the story has been set up, the plot quickens with the discovery that there is a bug in the game. The glitch first started when two players were involved in a violent act while they were within the range of the special NPC Emma. In the game, Emma plays the guitar while keeping peace. Any virtual weapon brought within her range will disappear. But when a player used a real knife to stab another player while they were in the game, it causes an error in the programme as Emma cannot tolerate any violence. The bug upsets the world of the game, leading to the physical death of any player who is killed in the game, and these dead players turning into NPCs that keep coming back to battle live players.

In a similar fashion, sin came into the world when man went against the 'algorithm' set by God (i.e. not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). And since God is perfect and holy, He cannot tolerate any sin. Hence sinful man was separated from God. The presence of sin in the world also led to the fall of creation, where things no longer operate according to God's design just like how the bug caused things to go awry in the game.

The Christ-like Figure

That's where Yoo Jin Woo (Hyun Bin) comes to save the day (or the game, in this case). For some unknown reason, he is the only player who doesn't need the smart lenses anymore. He gets logged into the game whenever he is in the game zones (initially restricted to Granada in Spain but later expanded to include areas in Korea). So at any time, he could be in the real world as well as in the game world simultaneously. This reminds me of how Jesus was fully human and fully God when He was born into this world.

Although Jin Woo didn't create the bug, he finds out that he is carrying the bug and is the only one who can get rid of it. He has to hand a special item, the 'Key to Heaven', over to Emma in order for her to kill him and destroy the bug in him. The game developer had based this on an actual legend about the carvings on the Gate of Justice at Alhambra that when the 'Key of Heaven' is united with the 'Hand of Fatima' (represented in the game by Emma's hands), the world would end. So once the bug is removed, the entire game world would reset and restart bug-free.

In comparison, Jesus also wasn't responsible for sin coming into our world yet He was the only one who could free us from sin and open the door to heaven for us. He differs from Jin Woo though, in that Jesus was completely free from sin whereas Jin Woo was carrying the guilt of having killed his former-friend-turned-nemesis in the game and causing his actual death.

Nevertheless, Jin Woo willingly sacrifices himself in order to save the game just as Jesus redeemed us through His sacrifice on the cross. This analogy is hinted at none-too-subtly as Jin Woo enters a Catholic church building (even though the whole premise was based on an Islamic legend) and faces Jesus on the cross (above the altar) while awaiting the final meeting with Emma that would seal his fate.

Interestingly, Memories of the Alhambra is written by Song Jae Jung. She also wrote W - Two Worlds which featured a Christ figure too (as written about in a much earlier post). And just like how Christ's resurrection was reflected in W - Two Worlds, there are clues in the finale that Jin Woo is also resurrected in the game world and lives on to help new players destroy their enemies. Nevertheless, he is only visible (and only as a shadow) to some players especially those who believe that he's still alive. In the same way, Jesus is alive and He has sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper (John 14:26). He can't be seen with physical eyes but those who believe in Him will be able to experience His very real presence.

So, in conclusion, we know that we are engaged in a very real spiritual battle despite not being able to see it with our physical eyes. Yet we also have full confidence that God is fighting for us and that by virtue of His saving work on the cross and His resurrection power, we have the victory!

For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. (Deuteronomy 20:4)

Love in the Moonlight (or Moonlight Drawn by Clouds) [Spoiler Alert!!!] - part 2

In my previous post on this series, I focused mostly on the relationship between Crown Prince Lee Yeong and his love interest Hong Sam Nom/Hong Ra On. In this post, we will look at two other key characters and a few overarching themes.

Kim Byung Yeon (Kwak Dong Yeon) and Kim Yoon Sung (Jinyoung)

Devotion
All the servants in the palace leave their families to serve the royal family. From the very first day, they are told that their aim is to protect the royal family with their own lives. In return, all their needs are provided for - food, clothes, housing, training etc. In the same way, we are called to lay down our fleshly desires and even our lives to serve our King. When we do, He will provide for all our needs as well as take care of our families.

"Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - along with persecutions - and in the age to come eternal life." Mark 10:29-30

To the death
The Crown Prince's bodyguard Kim Byung Yeon is also his best friend. Although he is secretly conspiring with the rebels, he's actually motivated by the Crown Prince's ideal of a world where everyone would be seen as equal regardless of class and rank. Ultimately when it comes to a point where he has to choose between the rebel movement and the Crown Prince, he proves his loyalty to the Prince by being willing to die in his place. Because of his sacrifice, the Crown Prince and the rebels are reconciled and they work together to build an ideal kingdom after his acsension to the throne. Byung Yeon is also saved from the brink of death by the Prince and lives on to witness the genesis of the new world.

We as soldiers in the army of God should similarly not be put off by suffering and even death as we fight to build His kingdom on earth. No matter how much pain we may have to bear or that we may have to die for the gospel, He will raise us up to live with Him in the new heaven and new earth one day (Revelation 21). I am reminded too of how the blood of martyrs have watered the ground and readied it for the gospel seed to grow and bear fruit, bringing reconciliation between man and God.

"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Matthew 16:25 

The other Kim
Contrastingly, Kim Yoon Sung, the Crown Prince's childhood friend had broken off their friendship and lost his way due to the power-grabbing schemes of his grandfather, Prime Minister Kim. In addition, he and the Crown Prince also become rivals in love. As a result, he keeps wavering in his loyalties, and sadly he doesn't live to see the coronation of the new king.

God has given us this grace period to make up our minds as to whether to receive His gift of salvation and to live our lives for Him. However, it would be too late when the time is up - either when we die or when He returns. So let's not waver nor be double-minded like Yoon Sung. Make the decision today to commit ourselves to Him!

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. Titus 2:11

Already but not yet
In order to lighten his sickly father's burden, the Crown Prince agrees to act as Prince Regent and be given full power and control. Unfortunately, many power-hungry ministers are not happy and try to dethrone him. They resort to poisoning him and think he's a goner for sure, but he is actually hiding his recovery from everyone. When he rises again from his bed, he does not take down all the corrupt ministers at once. Instead, he prepares for his eventual victory over them quietly by gathering evidence against them. Then in the midst of their gloating, they are vanquished one after another.

Just as how the Prince Regent is given complete power, Jesus was born the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is sovereign over all. Yet sin and evil are still operating in the world, just like those greedy ministers plotting against the Prince Regent. Then when Jesus died on the cross and was buried, those who persecuted Him thought they were rid of Him once and for all. Little did they know that on the third day, He would rise again! And even though right now it appears as though sin and evil are running rampant, He is still at work and one day He will return to eradicate them entirely from the world.

At that time the Lord will punish the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens above. He will also punish the kings on the earth below. The Lord who rules over all will rule on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. The elders of the city will be there. They will see His great glory. His rule will be so glorious that the sun and moon will be too ashamed to shine. Isaiah 24:21, 23 (NIRV)

Truth shall prevail
The detractors led by Prime Minister Kim use all kinds of tricks and deception to frame and harm the Crown Prince and his followers. But rather than follow suit, Lee uses the truth to expose them and their lies, and to set Hong Ra On free from the false accusations they had piled up against her.

Jesus also knew about the plot against Him, and He hinted during the Last Supper with His disciples that one of them would betray Him. In fact, He knows everything that we have ever said and done, even our every thought! On the Day of Judgment, we will have to face the charges for every sinful word, act and thought. Yet, He offers the Way out for us and reveals Himself as the Truth that gives us Life. So all we need is to accept His Truth and we shall be set free from all our wrongdoings!

"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known." Luke 12:2

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32

Kisaengs and gamblers
Lee Yeong's late mother had taught him not to be too high up that he can't hear the people. So he makes it a point to get close to the commoners by roaming around town incognito. He even hangs out with kisaengs and gamblers, who were the lowest of the low, the outcasts of society. Although the ministers criticise his behaviour in court, he explains that it is only by doing so that he can hear the truth about all that's happening in his kingdom.

Similarly, Jesus hung out with prostitutes and tax-collectors - those despised by society. He valued each person and saw their need for salvation regardless of their background. It is comforting to know that He will not despise us despite our family background, upbringing, educational level, status, and any other trappings of society. It also means that we have to value others as He values us, and not hesitate to share His love with them regardless of where they are and where they have been.

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples. Matthew 9:10

Wheat and chaff
When Lee takes the throne, he gets rid of all those who were against him and promotes those who stayed faithful to him throughout all the tough times to rule with him. When Jesus returns to take His place as Ruler of the world, He will also remove those who deny Him and raise up those who remain faithful till the end to rule with Him.

"Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn." Matthew 13:30

"He who overcomes, and he who keeps my deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations." Revelation 2:26 (NASB)

The New World 
After his coronation, Lee sets out to establish a new world where all men are equal. He had been taught by his late mother who was inspired by Catholic teachings, to treat every person as equally worthy of attention.

The new king mingling incongnito with his subjects (left), with the former rebels looking on (right).

In God's kingdom, there is also no distinction and every individual is precious and loved by God. Therefore, we need to build His kingdom through acts of justice - reaching out to the poor, the needy and the oppressed, offering opportunities to the marginalised, and giving a voice to the voiceless.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free." Luke 4:18

Saimdang, Educational Reforms and the Class Divide

I know I promised there would be a second part to Love in the Moonlight in my previous post, but I just had to interrupt the series with another saeguk (period drama). That’s because soon after I had finished watching Saimdang: Memoir of Colours just last week, an online storm broke out over two issues which I realised were addressed in Saimdang. [Before I forget, you can watch the series legally (ha!) on Netflix.]

Although the series hadn't done so well in terms of its domestic ratings, I personally loved it for the breathtaking beauty portrayed through the magnificent scenery, the exquisite paintings, and even the painters' creative process. I also liked that there were strong female characters - Saimdang herself (Lee Young Ae, from the well-loved Dae Jang Geum aka Jewel in the Palace), and her childhood-friend-turned-nemesis Hwieumdang (Oh Yoon Ah) - and the redemptive element in their relationship. Towards the end, Hwieumdang repented of her scheming ways and saved Saimdang from her villainous husband's plot to kill Saimdang, Saimdang not only forgave her but healing and restoration came when Saimdang cared for Hwieumdang's children when she was in exile.

In fact, the entire series is an extended lobby for gender equality, with both Saimdang and her daughter Mae-chang fighting for recognition of their artistic talents in the royal court. With a bit of research, I found that the historical figure Sin Saimdang, on whom the drama is loosely based, was a bit of a non-conformist herself. She pursued her artistic and literary passions even though it was practically prohibited of women born in nobility. Not only is she one of the very few female painters recorded in Korean history, she is also revered as a model for all mothers. Both she and one of her sons, Confucian scholar Yi I, are commemorated on the ₩50,000 and ₩5,000 notes respectively.

Now, let’s talk about one of the recent uproars on local media. The Ministry of Education is revamping the examination structure in schools by reducing the number of exams students will take in their school career so they can be encouraged to develop a love for learning. There has been applause as well as opposition to the move. No matter what top-down changes are made, ultimately it’s the attitude on the ground, of parents and even students themselves, that must shift before real change can occur.

In the drama, Saimdang withdrew her son Hyeon-ryong (based on the real life Yi I) from the most prestigious school in the city even though he had passed a very difficult admission test. She had discovered that the parents and the students were fixated on results and student ranking, so much so that Hyeon-ryong was beaten up by Hwieumdang and her son after Hyeon-ryong ousted the boy from first place. The headmaster had tried to introduce creative teaching strategies to get the students to develop a sense of curiosity and learn through self-discovery. However, the parents went up in arms and demanded that he revert to the traditional rote learning methods. Furthermore, Saimdang overheard Hyeon-ryong cornering the teacher in class with his trick questions. Once they got home, she reprimanded him for showing off his intelligence by trying to outsmart the teacher. She emphasised the need for good character above talent and intelligence, and concluded that she would teach him herself at home.

Meanwhile, Saimdang’s eldest son Seon confided hesitantly in her that he would like to become a blacksmith instead of continuing with his studies, but was worried that she would feel ashamed of him. To his surprise, Saimdang encouraged him to find his own path and not feel burdened to follow what society expected of him. She elaborated on how the many different occupations are equally important and all help to contribute to the community in their own ways. Subsequently, Saimdang set up a school in their village which welcomed children of all social classes and abilities and every child was encouraged to develop their unique talents. The children had so much fun learning and exploring together that some of the students from the top school even ‘dropped out’ with their parents’ blessings so as to join her school.

The other contentious topic has been about the class divide in Singapore. Accusations are rife online of how there is a lack of social mixing in the community while elitism is being promoted in schools, and the welfare of the lower classes is being ignored by the government. Again, regardless of whatever policies and welfare programmes there may or may not be, we need to have people who will be counter-culture and make attempts to cross the divide and blur the lines separating the different classes for social stratification to be torn down.

Whereas the servants in other households were treated as nameless and faceless almost sub-human creatures, Saimdang regarded her servant girl Hyang-i as one of her own children. Hyang-i would be included in family discussions with her opinions taken into consideration, she sat together with the family during meals, and everyone chipped in with the housework rather than order her around for every little task. (Hyang-i is at the far left and far right of the pictures below.)

After a boy tried to rob Saimdang, she followed him home as he said he needed money to buy medicine for a sickly grandfather. This led to her discovery of a group of starving gypsies living in caves near her paper mill. She immediately cooked some food and fed them, then invited them to work in her mill with the promise that she would split the earnings equally with them. Despite her noble background, she lived and worked among them, and was the first to start every morning and last to pack up at night. She was always polite and respectful, even though the gypsy boy had tried to rob her and some of the other gypsies had initially been suspicious of her and spoken rudely to her.

Saimdang also influenced others to look beyond class distinctions. For instance, she involved her children in the work at the paper mill and in the process, they learnt not to judge anyone based on their class or background. Another noblewoman joined her at the mill to cook and serve food to the workers. The policy at the mill was that whoever had done some work would be given free meals. When the crown prince visited the mill incognito together with another nobleman, they even offered to wash the dishes in order to be able to eat with the workers!

So let’s take a leaf from Saimdang’s book. Rather than point fingers at the government or at society about the ills of the education system or the widening class divide, remember that change really starts with individuals - you and me - who dare to live and act according to our beliefs, whether it’s to focus on character-building, promote a love for learning or bridge the social gap. And sooner or later, there will be a ripple effect as more and more people are affected, and that’s when culture shifts.

References:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_Saimdang

2. "Women, Gender and Art in Asia, c.1500-1900" edited by Melia Belli Bose