It took me a while before I actually let go of #TheMurkyStream.
I took my sweet time to finish the remaining 2 episodes last Oct 17 because one) I know I would miss #Rowoon after this, 2) I couldn’t bear to see the bloody scenes and him getting hurt every time, and 3) I didn’t want to say goodbye just yet to one of the most moving and unforgettable historical dramas I’ve ever seen.
TMS is not your usual good vibes-feel good k-drama. No usual elaborate opulent royal palace set and costume design, this is a gritty portrayal of the lower classes and how they lived during that time. This is so raw, so real, so murky. I knew from the start that we may not get a happy ending, as the drama shows that dark lawless side of the Joseon era (1392–1910) along the Gyeong-gang River (now the Han River), specifically focusing on the area around the Mapo port. This location was the economic hub of the kingdom, where merchants, outlaws, and officials converged, creating a backdrop of wealth, power, and corruption.
Rowoon reportedly turned down multiple other acting projects to dedicate his time and energy to prepare for this drama before his military enlistment. He is said to have performed a significant portion of the action sequences himself, demonstrating his commitment to the physicality of the role; and underwent a demanding transformation, studying his character's lines to show a different side of himself. He lost 8kg and adopted a "stray cat physique" with a beard and ragged clothes to match his character, Si-yul. While his Calvin Klein ads showed a pretty Rowoon with visible 6-pack abs, Si-yul was dirty, wild and unpolished.
Who doesn’t dream of a beautiful world? Here, three individuals dared to dream differently to brighten up a murky world and live like humans at a time when the poor and common people struggled to survive.
• Jang Si-Yul, played by Rowoon (#DestinedWithYou #ExtraordinaryYou #TheKingsAffection), a decent man who hides his past and becomes a bandit / ruffian.
• Choi Eun, played by Shin Ye Eun (#TheGlory #RevengeofOthers), a smart merchant and a lady of principle and righteousness, and
• Jung Chun, played by Park Seo Ham (#SemanticError), an educated man who dreams of becoming an honest government official.
• If this is Rowoon’s last drama before he entered the military last Oct 27, this is Seo Ham’s first since his discharge in 2023.
But how can you win, how can one try to stand up for what is right when everyone else does not follow law and order, and at every opportunity would kill, steal, cheat, hurt others? Where the norm is to deceive, betray, take advantage of the ones who can’t fight back. Where greed, abuse of power, and unfair practices are rampant.
Even so, TMS doesn’t tell us to remain silent and let evil and darkness prevail. TMS doesn’t stop us from thinking good, doing good even if everyone else does otherwise.
Instead, in its subtle nuances, even if it hurts, even if it kills, TMS upholds the human dignity, that no matter what, deep inside every single person, there's a spark of undeniable worth—a human soul with its own story. It doesn't matter where they're from, what they look like, or what they've done. That value is built in. This means we all deserve to be treated fairly, like equals, and to be respected for who we are, not judged by things like our background or gender.
Every person also has the right to steer their own life and make their own choices. No one should have that control taken away from them. And we all deserve to be treated with kindness and care, with the security of knowing we won't be mistreated or abused. Ultimately, our shared humanity connects us all, and it's our job to honor that connection in our everyday interactions.
‼️Spoiler Alert: one of the three protagonists didn’t make it to the end. 😭
TMS may not be a drama that everybody would enjoy watching, but it is sincere, and strong, and beautiful. And tears will fall, I tell you. No matter how murky this stream called life can be, and everything that we hope for and dream of may not always be possible, we just have to keep on rowing harder for a good world, and never stop.
All nine episodes of TMS are streaming #Disney+PH
#BuhayKPam
