THE MOST SPECTACULAR SCENE
The Battle
Between
Kim Sung Yeol and Gwi
(Episode 6)
Honorary Ambassador for Ritz-Carlton: Lee Joon Gi is classy and charismatic
matches the hotel's brand image
Kim Sung Yeol: sexy vampire
Lee Joon Gi: Sad vampire
Kim Sung Yeol: Handsome vampire
Lee Joon Gi: Ritz-Carlton Hotel is impressed by
Lee's consistently bright personality and modesty
Lee's consistently bright personality and modesty
THE MOST SPECTACULAR SCENE
Have you ever thought of visiting a country after watching a particularly superb scene in a TV drama or movie? It is known that many travellers or tourists have been touched by such a scene and it has inspired them to head off or to move to that country.
Pic 1: Dawn is breaking: Kim Sung Yeol's head is framed by sunlight
Pic 2: Gwi is shocked by the appearance of the rising sun Pic 3: Furious mien - Kim Sung Yeol fights Gwi Pic 4: Pain registers on Kim Sung Yeol's face when he is stabbed by Gwi Pic 5: Kim Sung Yeol is slumped on the ground. Notice the beautiful sunrise
But if you haven’t, you might after watching Episode 6 of the saguek vampire drama, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’. There is a very impressive sequence in the episode that greatly captivates the viewers’ attention and is going to stay in their minds for a very long time.
Many years from now, viewers may not remember any of the scenes of the dramas that they have watched, but one can be sure that the viewers of ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’ would definitely remember at least one of the scenes in that vampire drama. One particularly memorable and spectacular scene that viewers would probably watch transfixed is the scene when Kim Sung Yeol the lead character played by Lee Joon Gi, fights against Gwi, the evil vampire played by Lee Soo Hyuk in the blue hour of twilight near the edge of a cliff.
The blue hour or ‘L'heure bleue’ (French) is the period of twilight each morning and evening when the indirect sunlight takes on a predominantly blue hue. For the French, the blue hour is a time of confusion and mystery, since it is impossible to determine whether it is really night or day.
In that sequence, the viewers get to see the breaking of dawn. The stunning long shots shown above include the ethereal and otherworldly scenes as the sun breaks with Kim Sung Yeol silhouetted against the rising sun, and Kim Sung Yeol sprawled on the ground against the dramatic colours of the rising sun. The fight scene is the most visually stunning and jaw-droppingly beautiful sequence since the start of the drama. There are other scenes which are beautiful but cannot be compared with his one.
The lush views of the Jeolla countryside landscape dominate the screen with the rising sun at dawn in the background. This is an artfully composed scene, which is shot during the magic hour and is reminiscent of certain beautiful paintings. It can be considered a cinematographic masterpiece.
The spectacular sunrise produces a dreamlike state with its soft and warm light that frames Kim Sung Yeol as he lures Gwi to the precipitous cliff's edge. There is certainly a time constraint in the filming of the sequence so those moments are quite precious. The photography is awesome and the colours of the sea and the sky are breath-taking. The scene is a feast for the eyes.
And that scene is the most riveting battle scene so far in terms of the tension, confusion and enormous anxiety that it rouses in the viewers. It is intoxicating and blows their minds!
When the scene first comes into view, the viewer sees the merging of the sea with the sky in ethereal blue light. As the day grows lighter, Kim Sung Yeol’s head is framed by weak sunlight of various pink tones.
The scene is picture-perfect with the pink sea and the glittering pink water. As the sun rises, it is flooded with pink colour and blends with the pristine light pink earth and the light pink cliff face. The camera showcases the stark beauty of the magnificent sunrise. It has to be noted that the beautiful scenery is contrasted with the ugly cruelty of Gwi, the demonic vampire.
Avoiding the Sun: The Battle of the Vampires - Kim Sung Yeol v. Gwi
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Prior to this sequence,Gwi has been trying to track down Jo Yang Sun because Gwi guesses that she has in her possession Crown Prince Jung Hyun's diary which contains his perfect plan to destroy him.
A diary that is similar to that belonging to
Crown Prince Jung Hyun (120 years ago)
In the hope of retrieving that diary, Gwi rounds up a huge group of booksellers and massacres them when they refuse to divulge or reveal the whereabouts of Jo Yang Sun. The corpses are dumped into a mass grave, and to remove any evidence of the crime, the Prime Minister orders that the bodies in the pit be burnt.
Gwi kills a court lady and threatens the King and the Prime Minister
The captive booksellers are killed mercilessly
Rampage killings: Gwi runs amok
Full of Evil: Lee Soo Hyuk plays the good looking but demonic vampire
Gwi walks the night to ferret about his prey, Jo Yang Sun, and he almost catches her except that she is protected by the necklace with the locket made of hawthorn or ‘sansa’ wood which is given to her by Kim Sun Yeol. The hawthorn has the effect of removing her personal scent and warding off wild beasts, evil spirits and vampires.
Jo Yang Sun with her locket made of 'sansa' or hawthorn wood
Hawthorn tree with white flowers
Hawthorn tree with red flowers
Thorns of the hawthorn tree
white hawthorn flowers
'sansa' or hawthorn flowers
'sansa' or hawthorn wood
‘sansa’ or hawthorn wood
'sansa' fruits
 
Hawthorn powder
Chinese Haw flakes made from the 'sansa' fruit
Kim Sung Yeol appears in the very nick of time to help her escape but Gwi is not giving up without a fight. The only way for Kim Sung Yeol to match wits with Gwi and to outwit him is to lure him away from Jo Yang Sun, so he plays a cat-and-mouse game with Gwi. Kim Sung Yeol’s intention is to manipulate and distract Gwi from his target.
The Wrath of a Vampire
Firstly, he uses delaying tactics to confuse Gwi and to stall for time, hoping for dawn to come and the sun to rise in order to trap Gwi.
Seondly, Kim Sung Yeol hopes that Gwi would be so busy trying to defeat him that he loses track of the time and falls for Kim Sung Yeol’s trick.
Kim Sung Yeol: ferocious and menacing
The strategy is remarkable proof of Kim Sung Yeol’s analytical genius, mental sharpness and intelligence. He knows exactly where Gwi’s weakness lies, that is, Gwi cannot withstand sunlight and has to live in the dark. In contrast, Kim Sung Yeol himself has absorbed Hae Seo’s power of being able to withstand the sunlight.
The two vampires cast loud taunts at each other as they do battle. As Kim Sung Yeol tries to prolong the deadly cat-and-mouse game, Gwi inflicts him with wounds. Their battle brings them to the edge of a cliff.
Handsome long-haired vampire
The battle of the vampires
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At first, the viewers are totally unaware that Kim Sung Yeol is blocking the rising sun with his body. This is because they are too engrossed in the exciting battle of the two titans.
Moreover, the viewers are very concerned about the dangerous cliff’s edge and fear for both fighters despite the fact that they would like Kim Sung Yeol to throw Gwi off the cliff. Nobody wants any of the actors to plunge off the sheer drop of the cliff. It is so dangerously near. One’s heart beat fast as they fight, thrash, jump and run near the vertiginous drop into the valley below. In the hand-to-hand combat, Kim Sung Yeol is no match for Gwi. When Kim Sung Yeol bends and dodges the blows of Gwi, the awesome sun suddenly looms large and the magnificent light blinds Gwi and also the viewers.
Having understood the weakness of Gwi, Kim Sung Yeol has successfully lured Gwi to the cliff’s edge to weaken him. When the rising sun appears Kim Sung Yeol swiftly lunges at Gwi with his dagger made of ‘sansa’ or hawthorn wood, and with a ferocious sweep of his hand, he thrusts it into Gwi’s chest.
Daggers made of hawthorn or ‘sansa’ wood
The short, carved dagger is made of hawthorn or ‘sansa’ wood. Hawthorn is the traditional choice of wood because of the belief that the owner is protected by the wood. Hawthorn or ‘sansa’ wood is supposed to have the power to weaken a vampire, and also erase a person's scent.
But Kim Sung Yeol realises too late that even in Gwi’s weakened state, he, himself is no match for Gwi. Gwi is still stronger than him. The reason for Kim Sung Yeol’s lack of strength is he is a vampire with a human heart, and he has not been drinking human blood for some time.
Although Kim Sung Yeol has figured out a way to attack and to subdue Gwi, it is unfortunate that his plan has gone awry and his strategy has backfired. He is heavily injured when Gwi is able to quickly remove the dagger from his chest and ironically, plunges Kim Sung Yeol’s dagger into the owner’s abdomen. Gwi not only ruthlessly slashes Kim Sung Yeol but also rotates his palm to twist the dagger deep into his body and to viciously drive it in. Gwi causes so much trauma and excessive bleeding that Kim Sung Yeol is stopped in his tracks. It is a very shocking and gory experience for the viewers to witness such a savage, diabolical and heinous but very effective combat tactic. Viewers feel devastated for Kim Sung Yeol.
Anguish and pain
Determined to fight Gwi
Gwi swiftly flees the scene. Vampires, like Gwi, lie dormant during the day because of their extreme sensitivity to the ultra-violet rays of the sun. But Gwi has the advantage of having supernaturally fast-healing abilities which makes him a dangerous enemy. The supernatural physical attributes of Gwi are not to be taken lightly.
Kim Sung Yeol is a different type of vampire, being a vampire with a human heart, and a vampire who doesn’t drink as much blood, so he is not strong to challenge Gwi.
Luckily for Kim Sung Yeol, he is able to escape from the clutches of Gwi. In his weakened state, he is found by Jo Yang Sun who helps him. Will our hero survive his injuries? Definitely. But what’s going to happen to him? 
Kim Sung Yeol is found by Jo Yang Sun
Kim Sung Yeol does not want her to be around him
Will she discover his secret?
Fear in his heart
Jo Yang Sun stays on to assist him
What about Gwi? It is too late for him to return to his hideout and sanctuary. He watches the rising sunlight in dismay. What would happen to him?
This is what the viewers are curious to know. Well, if anyone is curious, they should watch the rest of the drama. |
THE FIGHT SCENE
The Battle of the Vampire Titans
The fight scene between Lee Joon Gi and Lee Soo Hyuk in Episode 6 of ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’, is spectacular. As always, Lee Joon Gi dominates the scene, this time with his sangtoo being unravelled and his bloodied handsome face framed by his long hair. Lee has the gift of shocking viewers, this time with his animalistic ferocity, gruff and throaty growls, menacing and abrasive looks, and the ugly baring of his vampire’s fangs. Lee Joon Gi’s acting never fails to astound and amaze the viewers.
Lee Soo Hyuk seems more alive now and shows a lot more passion in this sequence. His acting has improved significantly since the start of the drama.
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The production team, the director, cinematographer and scriptwriters have done a brilliant job in contrasting the pastoral beauty of the countryside and the beautiful sunrise with the horrific act perpetrated by the evil character, Gwi as vividly seen in the horrific but exciting iconic scene of Episode 6.
Lee Joon Gi with the director Lee Soon Joon
They and the two actors, Lee Joon Gi and Lee Soo Hyuk must be congratulated for producing such a magnificent scene. |