TSWWTN: TEASER TRAILER 2

THE SCHOLAR

WHO WALKS THE NIGHT

 KIM SUNG YEOL

IS A JIGSAW PUZZLE

Korean Drama: The Scholar Who Walks The Night

Hypnotic stare: Kim Sung Yeol - an enigmatic and puzzling character

Delicious vampire: Phoenix Eyes, Patrician Nose & Cupid Bow Lips

Kim Sung Yeol is a jigsaw puzzle

KIM SUNG YEOL:  A JIGSAW PUZZLE Kim Sung Yeol: The stare of a vampire Much has been said about Lee Joon Gi’s latest fantasy saguek drama, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’’, it being touted as the most highly anticipated South Korean drama of 2015. It is not only because of the drama’s amazing storyline but also because of Lee’s amazing portrayal of his character, Kim Sung Yeol, who can be described as ‘a jigsaw puzzle’. Kim Sung Yeol is made of different pieces of a puzzle and it is difficult to understand him at this point. There are so many sides to him that he has become an enigma. A jigsaw puzzle Does the metaphor aptly describe Kim Sung Yeol? In that drama, “The Scholar Who Walks The Night”, Lee Joon Gi’s fans originally thought that he was a vampire who is ‘pure white’ in terms of character but to their everlasting horror, as depicted in the second teaser trailer, he turns out to be otherwise. There are shades of grey in his character. He is the hero, no doubt, but he is not totally pure. Is he a fallen hero? Kim Sung Yeol has many dark secrets. Everything is not clearly delineated, so who is white and who is black? Scholar in white

THE PROMOTIONAL POSTER

IS KIM SUNG YEOL LIKE A FIREFLY? The 'blue hour' of twilight In the promotional poster, a tall and majestic scholar, Kim Sung Yeol, in his black and grey hanbok, carrying a Korean bamboo folding fan (hapjukseon) in his hands, stands against the hazy backdrop of a rural marshy landscape. He is surrounded by an aura of mystery in the blue hour of twilight. To the French, the blue hour (L'Heure Bleue) is the time of confusion and mystery. There are clouds of fireflies swarming all over the place in the marshes. It is probably late June during the warm summer in South Korea when the adult fireflies abound. It is the hour, when the sun goes down, that’s when the glowing fireflies come out after months of hibernation. Mostly, both sexes glow and their signature glow or light is emitted to attract mates and they live long enough to mate and lay eggs. Fireflies are primarily carnivorous and they eat other fireflies. The fireflies are a fascinating symbol as they are intertwined with the Korean vampire world which is full of mystery and death. Fan art: The scholar surrounded by fireflies Can we compare Kim Sung Yeol, a seductive and shadowy vampire, and also the narrator of the tale, with the firefly? He comes out in the twilight after years of hibernation as a reclusive scholar. He emerges from the shadows with a mission to save the Joseon world from Gwi, the evil vampire.   Kim Sung Yeol, has been trying to attract a mate, Jo Yang Sun, the bookseller. Does he, the firefly, in the process of accomplishing his mission to save the Joseon world, ‘eat’ her, just like fireflies eating other fireflies. Will Kim Sung Yeol go on a killing frenzy during the full moon? Would he actually kill Jo Yang Sun, bite her and then, drink her blood? What about his other beloved, Lee Myung Hee? Does he drink her blood too?

THE BLACK CROWS Besides, the fireflies, there is also a murder of black crows in flight, and some of the crows seem to be circling the full moon. It has been said that there is energy buzz during the full moon time. According to superstitious beliefs, people go crazy when the moon is full. Black is historically symbolic of mystery, death, the occult and the unknown. Many cultures believe black crows hold memories of ancient worlds, beautiful secrets, and crows are friends with death. The vampire scholar: alluring and mysterious Certain legends place the crow in an honourable position of carrying souls into the other side of life. In other words, for these cultures, the crow is an intermediary between life and death. When a powerful human passes out of life on earth, the crow is called upon to take their souls into the afterlife. The crows are significant in this drama as there seem to be many deaths due to the battle of the supernatural creatures of the night.

THE SECOND TEASER TRAILER

Kim Sung Yeol: Intense and alluring dark kohl-rimmed red eyes The second teaser trailer is a huge jumble mess of incidents that are disconnected and disjointed. It is indeed not easy to categorise Kim Sung Yeol or say who he actually is or what he actually represents without recourse to the whole script or drama. Kim Sung Yeol, the scholar Based on the two teasers themselves, it is difficult to trace the sequence of the story or the connection of the characters because the teasers, like the main character, Kim Sung Yeol, are also like cut-out pieces of a puzzle which are all mixed up, and the viewer is compelled to assiduously assemble the pieces of the puzzle. The interlocking pieces do not fall into place easily and it is difficult to decipher the puzzle, the drama and Kim Sung Yeol himself. How do you categorise Kim Sung Yeol, the dejected narrator of his own warped transformation from a human into a vampire? This time, the teaser gives a greater but more horrible insight into the scholar vampire that is disconcerting and psychologically disturbing to Lee Joon Gi’s fans. Kim Sung Yeol’s character seems more complicated than usual. It is really difficult to understand what he is and what he stands for at this point. Is he a white character with grey areas or a dark character with some redeeming features? The scholar in deep thought There is more to the character than meets the eye. To put it in perspective, Lee has always played a white character – the hero, who can do no wrong. This drama, however, is about the thin line and the timeless, constant struggle between good and evil. Has Kim Sung Yeol, the reclusive scholar, been compelled to allow evil to triumph? Lee Joon Gi’s fans have not expected him to play a ‘dark role’ nor to explore the dark side of the human psyche and the psychological depth of a conscience-wrecked vampire. Perhaps Lee has decided to raise the bar for his drama performance and raise his own level of expectations and aspirations.

KIM SUNG YEOL IS GOING FOR THE JUGULAR THE KILLING of JO YAN SUNG Brace yourself for the attack of the vampire scholar! Kim Sung Yeol is going for the jugular. It is going to be more than just chilling for the next few weeks starting on 8 July 2015 when the drama, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’ begins airing. That indecipherable vampire is set to sink his teeth into the young woman, Jo Yang Sun, whom he claims to love. There is a brutal exhibition of power over the defenceless young lady. Is there a cryptic message that ‘love is death’? Kim Sung Yeol and Jo Yang Sun After watching the whole teaser-trailer, one shudders. There is a different spin to the tale. Lee Joon Gi is an expert in fleshing out the evil characteristics in the complicated, puzzling, eerie and chilling character of Kim Sung Yeol. Jo Yang Sun: an innocent and naive but pretty bookseller There are struggles between good and evil on many planes, including the spiritual one. One is fascinated by Lee’s inherent talent to show the triumph of evil over the good as he personally struggles with moral issues and his personal demons. He goes straight for the jugular. Literally. Vampire Kim Sung Yeol In one of the scenes in the teaser trailer, Kim Sung Yeol is seen to be determined in his resolve to stab his beloved, Jo Yang Sun. Will viewers be able to detect the split second of Kim Sung Yeol’s indecision in the drama? The teaser moves so fast that before we know it, Kim Sung Yeol has lurched at her with his dagger. Kim Sung Yeol: Stabbing his beloved to save her Kim Sung Yeol’s face tightens tautly. His vampire eyes are unflinching and burn mercilessly as he determinedly stabs Jo Yang Sun while she is unconscious and leaning against a tree in the moonlight in the woods. The viewers are stunned but they soon learn that it is the only way to confuse Gwi, the evil vampire who was chasing them, and to save Jo Yang Sun. Kim Sung Yeol saves Jo Yang Sun: a vampire in love Kim Sung Yeol must be embroiled in some secrets or issues that  viewers are unable to understand at this point and each horrible case involving him brings fresh insights into the workings of his character. His character is too complex to unravel; he is an absolutely terrifying enigma! 'Beautiful' Kim Sung Yeol: Intense, dark kohl-rimmed eyes But in the teaser trailer, the intense, dark kohl-rimmed eyed Lee Joon Gi looks absolutely gorgeous in his hanbok.

SUCKING THE BLOOD OF HIS FORMER LOVE LEE MYUNG HEE  Kim Sung Yeol  and Lee Myung Hee, his first love  In a night scene, Kim Sung Yeol is holding onto Lee Myung Hee and struggling internally with his painful emotions. Gripping her tightly, the vampire-beast Kim Sung Yeol is crying wretchedly and savagely sucking her blood.  Lee Myung Yee sacrifices her life: Pain and suffering The 'becoming' is complete: Kim Sung Yeol  is forced to suck his beloved's blood We shudder as his eyes squinch in suffering. With all the bile and shock that it is going to stir up, it makes for an earth-shattering experience for viewers. Kim Sung Yeol: distraught and teary-eyed vampire Then suddenly, in another scene, the viewers are brought into the bright daylight and Kim Sung Yeol is tugging desperately at her ‘chima’ or outer skirt of her hanbok. His wretched face is full of pain and his mouth is full of the fresh blood. Is Kim Sung Yeol on the edge of a meltdown or a total breakdown? One can see the trauma on his face! Vampire with a tortured soul, shields himself from the sunlight In another scene, Lee Myung Hee now in her new character, Choi Hye Ryung, the Crown Prince Lee Yoon's consort, is shown to be emotionally cold and there is a resolute, indifferent look on her face. She is with Gwi, the evil vampire and she is there to do his bidding. Despite her emotionless facade, she looks beautiful and graceful in her ‘plum and sapphire-blue' hanbok with its fine decorative embroidery. Lee Myung Hee, now reincarnated as Choi Hye Ryung,  in Gwi's cave hideout: emotionless face

Tension among the viewers mounts   high. Fear escalates and rises sharply. Those tense feelings keep one on the edge of one’s seat. There are some horrible issues that resonate about one’s fear of vampires and otherworldly creatures. The hanbok: The seductive vampire in his splendid robes Lee Joon Gi is a consummate actor. Many have been taken by surprise by his portrayal of a vampire on the verge of a mental breakdown. It appears Lee Joon Gi’s job is to make viewers, especially his legion of hardcore fans and new fans, scream. There is, probably, no end in sight to all the killings and biting. Those moments are like an emotional bomb or a minefield of emotions about to explode. The beautiful vampire There is a rift in the expectations of Lee Joon Gi’s fans but whatever their feelings are, they will love his extraordinary and unique portrayal of the vampire scholar. A relationship that is full of tension and restraint The public and fans probably cannot wait to watch the amazing drama which is expected to be a blockbuster! The actors and actresses in the drama (from l to r) Lee Joon Gi, Lee Yu Bi, Max Chang Min, Lee Soo Hyuk, Kim So Eun