Welcome to fun chat time! This week we covered 4 episodes as I was not able to get to chat with Lore Unni last week. While we were both on the verge of calling off our relationship with the show, Jae Rim aka Mo Il Hwa swooped and piqued our interest once again! Without further delay, SFDCT:
ExtraKun: So I held off as long as I could, but this show had really made me lose interest until Mo Il Hwa showed up kicking a** left and right!
Lore: I screamed – literally screamed in happiness when Soo Soo bumped into Il Hwa. I was so freaking relieved to see him….until the writer made a mess of why he was in Shanghai to begin with. But I was still happy to have him back. I was just not buying his sudden “I was a wanderer; why not get involved in a gang war with my ex-homie Jung Tae? Makes sense.”
ExtraKun: I knew it. I hate to say I saw it coming but Il Hwa is the type that is all about his best interest. I love that about him– if Jung Tae can’t help he hinders and Il Hwa? Boo? I am about what you are about! I finally found my purpose in this show. I love me some Soo and sexy Ninja, but their minds are clouded with Gaya and I ain’t got time for that!
Lore: I agree – Il Hwa is the type to really go after his best interests. However it still seemed a bit off that his best interests suddenly involve the Shanghai Club. I don’t know, maybe it is just me, but it seems like that would be a bad place to be. Ha- Soo and ninja are too far gone with Gaya. Completely agree!
ExtraKun: For rebuilding his nest? I think it is the best location. He said he was making a comeback and I believed him. But let’s back it up shall we? Episode 13… Lore unni, I was on the brink of calling it quits with this show. Jung Tae is kind of a jerk, Gaya’s face has started to annoy me, and Ok Ryeon is a dumb a**!
Lore: Unni agrees. I was seriously so close to sending you a message that read “Yeah- Age of Feeling is making me hate life. Must drop now. Must drop now” But I managed to hang in there (somehow) and I am kind of glad that I did. Best to see the trainwreck run its course. Episode 13 was really a low point. Gaya and her “trust me Jung Tae”, Ok Ryeon and her Ok Ryeon-ness, Jung Tae just being Jung Tae.Okay, maybe hate life is toooo strong of words. But ep 13 really made me question why I was watching this show.
ExtraKun: I mean Jung Tae and Gaya with this I killed your daddy, your daddy killed my daddy, maybe your daddy didn’t kill my daddy, I have faith you will find the person who killed me daddy, your daddy said this, my daddy said that, believe the reason I killed your daddy… Confused yet? I felt 20 minutes of my life was thrown away on that foolishness!
Lore: Exactly! It was all daddy killed this guy, I had to get revenge, nope I was wrong but you should get revenge now, so trust me even if I don’t trust you. Aish! I am pretty sure that summarizes Ep 13- a lot of foolishness. So what happened in Ep 14 (no literally, I need to remember)…
ExtraKun: Was that the episode Jung Tae fought the cops because the French and the Chinese were oppressing the Joseon people? Can I just say something that might make me gain a lot of enemies?
Lore: Go for it. Unnie has your back.*prepares best ninja stance while trying not to fall over…Why do they make this look so effortless on the telly?*
ExtraKun: Joseon people aka refugees, I am mad at you. Why do you have to have a savior like Jung Tae for you to rise and fight? I’m sorry but why should I (in this case Jung Tae) help or protect you when you are not even trying to protect yourself! When that one man said he been there for 20 years and this is the first time he has had a glimmer of hope I said, “WHAT?! what have YOU been doing?!” *gracefully steps off soapbox*
Lore: Good point. One thing that got to me was the overall fight for the Joseon street. Everyone is struggling to gain control, but no one can really understand that the control is in the residents hands (otherwise why is everyone trying to get on the good side of the people). Yet no one says it, and the people don’t really back it up. If they stood up for themselves they could be in control….not one of the gangs that fight for the streets. I mean, I get that they are refugees. They do not have legal status in Shanghai. They have been kicked out of Joseon. But still – stand up for yourselves! And realize that as a population you are stronger than the gangsters! Oh my gosh. I think we just became saviors to Shanghai. 
Ummm…does this mean we get the Shanghai Club? Can we have someone kick a** play opening night?
ExtraKun: Hell Yes! I need a form of Suju and 2pm to perform on opening night and a T.O.P. on my arm or GD—both! LOL! Great minds!
Lore: I am inviting Exo. SuJu is definitely attending. And I want some LeeSsang action in the club too. We need all of Big Bang as well.
ExtraKun: LeeSsang!!! Holla at ya girl *trying to keep my “hood” voice down*
Lore: Heechul should MC – and he needs to have a few cocktails first so it is extra interesting. I never knew saving Shanghai could be soooo rewarding! Suddenly I hate Jung Tae’s Appa a little less….Appa knew where it was at. Oh, and it is not a club without Gil and Gary. LeeSsang Luv!
ExtraKun: LOL! Wait Heechul?! I might need to be single, sexy, and free that night! We are always making that M-O-N-E-Y!!! Back to the show. I think Episode 15 is where it got interesting. It was the first time I think that perhaps Aka was not the one who killed Jung Tae’s Aboji. I think it was the Chinese gang, what is their name or sect called?
Lore: Hwangbang is what the Chinese gang is referred to. I am actually pretty curious about what happened 20 years ago (with Gaya’s Mom in Shanghai). It seems that everything is tied back to that time and place. Jung Tae’s Dad, Gaya’s parents, and from what ninja said there was a gang war between Hwangbang and Ilgookhwae. It seems like all of our answers lies here. I think ep 15 finally brought that reality together – that the answers to our current situation were born of what happened 20 years ago. That said, it was a bit frustrating that it took 15 episodes for that to come together. I feel like we could have cut out a lot of the back story of a young Jung Tae and gotten to this reality faster (and the show would have held up better). Just my opinion.
ExtraKun: That is the story I wanted to see! The one from 20 years ago. And totally! This could have been done in 16- 18 episodes if we would have cut the crap sooner. I am really irritated because all that back story is moot in comparison to what is currently taking place. We have no back story on the people we met and Shanghai and I am far more invested in them that I will ever be with Jung Tae or Gaya and their sad stories. 15 finally made me feel like we were moving somewhere. Jung Tae seems like he getting his sh*t together (in a manner of speaking) and wised up about what is going on around him.
Lore: Agree- maybe it is because the writer changed, but a lot of what we were given in Jung Tae’s back story were either A. ineffective in terms of tying into current motivations or B. dropped from the story all together (and that other guy that helped me escape died too). All of which makes this story feel really disjointed. It is great that we are finally getting somewhere, but I can’t help but… think of all the time we wasted getting there (wasted because it apparently had little bearing on where the story was going). I think four back story episodes that made Gaya and Jung Tae’s romance seem believable, introduced us to Il Hwa, gave us the players of the Yakuza sector, and mentioned Shanghai would have worked a heck of a lot better.
ExtraKun: It would have saved us a lot of time a frustration that’s for sure.
Lore: In regard to Jung Tae – he is starting to figure somethings out, which is great. Yet it is annoying me that we never really see his planning or motivations. I mean, we get to see him kind of figure it out, but then bam – he is asking to be the adopted son of Gangster #1. I would have liked to understand a little more of how he figured that out (from his perspective). We are watching him go…through the motions without seeing his ah-ha moments or his growth into actually being able to reason things out.
ExtraKun: His ah- ha momo was when Shinchi was fighting second leader. The way he hit him led him to believe that the Chinese must be responsible for daddy’s death. It seems crazy that he knows more about the customs of becoming an adoptive son and all that comes along with it, and that is what is annoying me. But I get what you are saying. There is no continuity or reason for Jung Tae to be as enlightened as he is except for the fact that he is his father’s son.
Lore: Yeah, he recognized that the Chinese were responsible for his Dad’s death, which was an ah-ha moment. Yet we have seen this guy act like a moron for 14 episodes, and now he can strategize with the best of them? I think that is what I am missing, seeing some logic behind his sudden abilities.
ExtraKun: You are right. So now the Shanghai Club is set to open in 16 with Jung Jae Hwa as the acting owner of the club, Aoki (Soo) is now in Shanghai trying to kill Jung Tae to get away from Gaya, Il Hwa is planning on fighting Jung Tae for rights to the Shanghai Club. Did I miss anything?
Lore: Il Hwa is also now stuck in between killing Jung Tae and bringing down the wrath of the Hwangbang. Oh, and Ok Ryeon is now a singer in the Shanghai Club. I have a feeling s**t is going to hit the fan in episode 16, and I can’t wait (does that make me a bad person)?
ExtraKun: No, you are not a bad person girl! I need things to blow up so I can be entertained! This is what I have been waiting for all along. I didn’t mention OK Ryeon because she makes my blood boil with her obsession with Jung Tae. I don’t like when girls are purposefully silly- you know Jung Tae likes Gaya. Even if he is kissing you and whispering sweet nothings in your ear, you deserve better than that girl! Don’t be someone’s sloppy seconds!
Lore: Ohhhh explosions! Yep, I am game. So, any other things to discuss before we do parting thoughts?
ExtraKun: I think that sums everything up- parting thoughts: Mo Il Hwa- I am your ride or die! Whatever you decide to do (good or bad) I am in your corner. Jung Tae- *sigh* glad you are getting the light shed on some things but I still do not care about you on a whole… I don’t think that will change. Chinese gang- You all are shady, what is really going on. Sexy Ninja- You look like you worked on your street fighting a bit. I liked it a lot. Show *Sigh* I like that we get to see different fighting techniques, that is your gold star for the week!
Lore: Jung Tae- Did you finally take that anti-stupid pill? It seems like it. Ok Ryeon- Yeah. You should probably just find something else to do. Gaya- I have a feeling your story is not going to end well. Gangs of Shanghai- Time to bow down to the people. Club Shanghai- You would look better on fire with a bunch of ninjas and gangsters fighting around you. Show- Thanks for getting somewhere, too bad.. it took too long.
Lore In Stone Cities 