Dong Mae i jego rzekomy koniec w 22. odcinku
As much as I love Dong mae, I thought the scene falling from the cliff was epic and would have been a fitting death scene. I almost wish they'd left it at that or at least let us suffer in thinking he was dead for at least another week.

The scene of him sinking into the ocean was so beautifully shot

Yes my heart was breaking but to me it would have been the perfect ending to his sad story.
I’m also one of the few who thinks Harry should have died at the end.

I kind of agree. It was so beautifully done and was a noble death, etc. I was kind of shocked and disappointed that it wasn't actually his end. KES better have something even better in store for him!

Yess!! The echoing sound of Dongmae’s sinking sword!!!
In my desperation I was hoping for the sword to do something magical, like making its owner Goblin 2.0 or something, and we get to see 20 episodes of Dongmae as the main lead of KES’ new series, lol ><

Writer Kim finished writing ep. 24 script in July (she didn't attend the press conference in late June because she was focusing to finish writing it). In late June, they were already filming scenes for ep. 20.
The drama premiered on July 7, and Dong Mae didn't even appear in the first week of airing except for a few minute scenes in ep. 2. His screentime in ep. 3 and 4 weren't that many either. So it's hard to say that the reaction to his character was already so hot by that time that they'd be willing to change things like bringing him back to life when the scripts were already done and they're already filming the episodes. Plus his character was faced with a negative press as there were pro-Japanese beautification complaints around that time too.
I don't think his Oyabung slashed him in vital spot like his neck since I think I saw slash mark on his front body instead when he was about to fall into the water. The way I see it, his 'death' scene in ep. 22 was to show the death to Ishida Sho / old Dong Mae who had ties with Musin Society that works for the Japanese Imperial Army during the Japanese Russian War and annexation of Korea?
Like a phoenix that he is (lol) he comes back from the ashes as the new Gu Dong Mae who'd help to fight for Joseon?

Omg. What an awesome, awesome analysis. He is reborn as a new person.

I think Musin boss has a soft spot for Dong Mae and allowed him to live but cannot appear to show weakness to his followers thus 'killing' him. After so many false alarms the show better have a darn good ending for him.

Dong Mae i Hotaru
I’m all for DM and Hotaru since many many episodes earlier. I’m intrigued by their relationship and how the writer leaves the nuances of this relationship open to imagination by viewers. She is truly his one soft spot. We get to see why she’s so devoted to him, but we don’t know why he’s so tender with her. I still have a small hope for them.

Hmmmm. She may be another, secondary, soft spot but Show has shown us, unequivocally, Ae shin is THE SOFT SPOT.

I think the reason why Dongmae was nothing but gentle towards Hotaru is because she very much reminded him of his mom. One thing Dongmae clearly hates more than the word “butcher” is sexual assault, which his mom went through but couldn’t do anything. Dongmae practically killed the two men who were planning an assault on Aeshin the next second after he heard their conversation. He also killed Hayashi who forced Hotaru to sleep with him at Hwawollu.
Dongmae used the same word as how he described the life of butchers in Joseon when he talked about Hotaru to Hina, that she “lived a life worse than an animal”. I see that Dongmae treats Hotaru as one of his own and stood to protect these people like his own family whom he failed to protect as a child.
I was really touched when Dongmae told Hina “By the way, her name is Hotaru” before he started the story. To me that sounds like “Hey, she’s also a person with a name, just like you and me”, not just some mute b*tch, burden or quiet friend like how people previously called her. I love you Dongmae! ><

Po prostu Dong Mae
Yup, Dongmae looks hot with long hair!! But I wish he cut his hair short and dump his kimono for hanbok or western clothing, just like the other boys in the Righteous Army. Ishida Sho died, he doesnt need to be Japanese anymore. The only road available to him was to join the Righteous Army (Aeshin = Righteous Army). It will only confuse everybody if he still dons that kimono!! Come on Dongmae, I cannot see you shot by people who misunderstand you again!! ><

I agree with everything you said except I don't want to give up Dong mae wearing Japanese clothing that gives me peeks at his chest. And I never thought I'd see anyone look so cool running in those types of sandals but... And when he climbed to the top of the building Ae shin was hiding & fighting in, landing like an animae character...

My question is: how did he overcome his opium addiction? He obviously was in an opium den for much of the time - he should have been dead already.

Yes I wondered about that too
But I assumed he was just sheltering there not using opium

He had a smoking pipe in his hand. I wondered how he overcame an opium addiction so quickly, too. My guess is that it was thru the power of television! Addiction doesn't really push the plot forward.

He was probably so badly injured that he had to depend on opium to relieve the pain. He took two years to recover, and another one year to get rid of the addiction. Lol.


No wątpię, skoro operację wyciągania kul przetrwał na żywca, bez narkozy