American Perspectives: "Going in as a eunuch!" Our Blooming Youth Ep. 3

Here comes the grumpy Crown Prince! Clear the way!!

"Our Blooming Youth" is beginning to get funny, which I appreciate. I really don't like a 사극 that's intended to be serious, but it's only 1/2 way developed. Compared to the older, pre-2015 사극 (which I prefer, in spite of my criticisms of 주몽, 광개토, 대조영), the current fusion 사극 lean toward the fluffy and superficial side. Because of that, humor always works in favor of the fusion 사극. I prefer the older, pre-2015 사극 where the women are unapologetically stronger without constantly, verbally reminding us of this (which I find prevalent in the fusion 사극, and indicative of an American target audience, as we American women tend to lean toward needing constant reassurance, and please don't get me started on that rant. Needless to say, the validation seeking of the American woman drives me nuts)!
So, what made "Our Blooming Youth" funny today? Many things. The Monkey Paw Guy, who I now know is named 김명진, never disappoints. Not only is he funny, he gets after 민재이 for looking down on people who handle dead bodies, and for looking down on the 한글 writing system. I like how he is the eccentric rich kid. Not necessarily little rich kid trying to be rebellious (those people drive me nuts. Heck, a lot of people drive me nuts).
What else was funny? 민재이 beating the Crown Prince at his own game. He said she had to find her way into the Eastern Palace, and so find her way she did! She disguised herself as a Eunuch (slightly more believable than a common man), and acted favorably toward his sister. It was funny because he wasn't expecting it, and he looked completely cornered. Which was well deserved because I still think he's a jerk. Yeah, he had a troubled past, but if they had written that a little better, I'd be more empathetic. There's a fine line between someone struggling with a troubled past, and someone who is simply a jerk. Right now, the Crown Prince is a jerk.
I found it most interesting to hear an alternative perspective that the Right State Minister and his allies may be training the Crown Prince. In order to be a strong king, it's important to have support from the ministers. I can't help but think of "Scarlet Heart" when 왕소 married 연화 in order to have any authority as king. It's definitely another way of looking at it because we most certainly don't want the Crown Prince to end up as a self serving tyrannical king, but it also opens up the doors to the ministers training him to serve their own self interests. I actually don't have a problem with this kind of system, as it is a means of checks and balances, and it keeps the king from doing whatever the hell he wants. It actually isn't much different from the system we have here in the United States. The Trump years were most certainly challenging, but it could have been much worse without our own system of checks and balances.
More likely than not, the Crown Prince will probably change his ways thanks to 민재이, and become a wise and honorable king, loved by all the land. If well written, it will be good. If not well written, it will be another predictable trope that has been scene in countless 사극. What I've learned from watching "Love Between Fairy and Devil" is that the difference between an excellent drama and something that would be considered trope ridden is how well it's written and assembled. It's also about balance. I'm not saying rigidly equal, but definitely not a lopsided narrative. This show does get better with each episode, so I'm getting less and less concerned about the tropes.
***Correction: it’s 가람, 민재이’s servant who is working for Monkey Paw guy, and not 민재이. They’re personalities are so similar that it was hard to keep them straight. Or, it was hard to remember 가람. Episode 4 is when they’re personalities start becoming distinct.***