This time on “Would I Date Him?”I reflect upon one of the leading men from the series My Country: The New Age.
Our candidate: My Country: The New Age’s Lee Bang Won aka Prince Jeongan, portrayed by Jang Hyuk, is leader that fights for his father and then for the throne. He is on guard, dealing with the brutal acts he committed to support his father. Bang Won’s father becomes threatened by his son and won’t acknowledge his efforts nor worth. Bang Won is forced to pursue his own path.
Jang Hyuk is my favorite actor and the top of my cadres of cuties. I first fell for him in Chuno.
Background. Bang Won is one of many sons and serves his father well advancing him to the throne. But once daddy dearest is on the throne, he emotionally distances himself from Bang Won and overtly favors other sons. Eventually Bang Won realizes his father is an impediment to the country he envisions establishing.
His pluses:
VISIONARY. Bang Won’s vision was a country of the abandoned. He was emotionally abandoned by his father. The men that supported him were either physically, emotionally, or socially abandoned. Bang Won wanted a country that was inclusive for all, not just those privileged by birth.
DECISIVE. Bang Won made choices and followed through, committing himself to obtaining his goals. When he spoke, people listened.
LOYAL. Bang Won was loyal to his father, expending time and energy to put him on the throne. Bang Won had a core group of supporters that were loyal to him.
His minuses:
CRUEL ACTIONS. Bang Won killed, per his father’s wishes. Bang Won did terrible things to try and satisfy his father, but to no avail. Bang Won evolved past doing his father’s bidding and did plenty of dreadful acts that he justified as necessary to create his country of the abandoned.
LOYALTY HAD EXPIRATION DATES. While Bang Won was loyal to his father, when he realized his father would not allow him to gain the throne to achieve his vision, Bang Won’s loyalty to his family ended. When Bang Won was done with the support of Seo Hwi, he ordered him killed.
Is he my next date?
👎 Bang Won is a guarded man, used to derision not support. Would he be open to a emotional relationship or just a physical encounter? Is Bang Won the kind of man you’d really date? Unlikely that dating would be a priority for Bang Won. His vision didn’t appear to include love from a good woman. He might be more of a love and leave kind of guy.
Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.
amusings 
Bang Won,
I would never date you, even if you are played by Jank Hyuk ( or Yoo Ah In, for that matter). You are only to be admired and feared from a safe distance.
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LoL, safe distance indeed!
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Date him? He’s played by Jang Hyuk – you already know my anger. But:
“When Bang Won was done with the support of Seo Hwi, he ordered him killed.” What?! *double-triple take* Did I fall asleep on that part too?!!! Was that in Ep. 15 or 16? I gotta go back and watch again.
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typo: “anger” should be “answer”
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Episode 16 recap “Fan in hand, Bang Won decides the death toll. He burns the fan and tells Tae Ryeon to kill them all.”
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Thanks, kjt. I thought Hwi was not included in that but you’re probably right.
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But historical Bang Won was a doting father to his children and he rose to his position with help of his loving wife(whom he trusted a lot). So it’s not a bad idea to get married to Bang Won although just dating him may not be best idea.
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Appreciate the insight. This series did have one scene of him lovingly watching his child sleep. And I don’t want to think of him alone and without love.
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Well, he did kill his wife’s brothers…
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I wonder what his total body count was in life.
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@KJT Must have been very high but the person he hated most was his stepmom. After his coronation he ordered to remove all of decorative stones from her tomb and used them for construction of a bridge so that he could symbolically stomp on her. Her presence made deep psychological impression on him.
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@Tross. Wow. How interesting! Thanks for the info. I wish I could read more about the real Yi Bang won other than what Wikipedia has but my Korean reading level is even worse than my speaking.
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@snow flower
Going by existing historical records it would be nearly impossible to find a royal or even regular soldier who didn’t have blood of innocents in his hands. BW rose to the power in chaotic time where it would have been hard to tell friends and foes apart. Anybody with considerable power or influence would have been dreaming of creating a new dynasty.
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@Tross – In sure you’re right but I think even Yi Sang gye (even in real life) never expected his son would kill one of his siblings! I know it was common for royalty, especially in ancient cultures that had multiple children by multiple wives, but (I’m imagining) that the Yi’s, not having been born to the throne but rather raised in a “normal-regular” family, Genetal Yi could not believe it could happen.
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The general was a hypocrite! The royals always attacked their siblings first because they were their rivals for the throne. Family was always to be in check. This is seen in all royals of all cultures. Of course its dramatized here but the general’s “shock” might be because he wasn’t a true royal so he didn’t expect Bangwon to behave just like most of his predecessors? But nah! The general made horrible bloody decisions too, like betraying his own soldiers by abandoning them on the island so his holier than thou attitude was annoying.
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@Snow Flower – is that a pro or con?
*sorry. I couldn’t resist* 😁
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I meant it as a con, but then I thought that I did not know the whole story. Maybe the in-laws were really plotting against BW.
Unfortunately, fratricide has been very common among ruling families across cultures, so BW is not that different from many historical figures. At least he was a very capable king and the father of Sejong the Great.
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I refuse to answer this question! I love Bangwon too much and I know I’m wrong! Lol
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😊
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