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2023.03.22 00:19 SecretLongjumping444 Map of Site

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2023.03.21 23:18 VashxShanks [JRPGs on Sale - Weekly Breakdown & Game Recommendations] For 22 March - 2023 - PSN/Switch/Xbox/Steam (+Steam Deck) - Great Sales on Nintendo Switch this week.

Important Notes:

~ PSN ~

  • Most Yakuza games are on big sale (1/2/3/4/5)

(On Mobile please Swipe left/right to see the prices and tags)

Game Price/Link Tags
Final Fantasy Type-0™ HD $7.99 $19.99 Action/Sci-fi setting/Army Battles/Military academy/Dark Story
Final Fantasy VII $7.99 $15.99 Active Time Battle/Sci-fi setting
FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered $9.99 $19.99 Active Time Battle/Sci-fi setting
FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster $12.49 $24.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Expansive skill tree
Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age $24.99 $49.99 Real-time strategy with pause/Fantasy setting/Expansive skill tree/Job (Class) system/Monster Hunting/Loot heavy
Disgaea 1 Complete $19.99 $49.99 Turn-based Tactical/Fantasy setting/Deep character customization/Comedy
The Witch and the Hundred Knight: Revival Edition $5.99 $29.99 Action/Dark Fantasy/Hack n Slash
SaGa Frontier Remastered $14.99 $24.99 Turn-based/Fantasy + Sci-fi setting/Choice Matters/Open World/8 Characters to choose
Star Ocean® Till The End Of Time™ $8.39 $20.99 Action/Sci-fi mixed with Fantasy setting/Space travel/Resource gathering & Crafting/Social link mechanic between party members
Star Ocean®: The Last Hope - 4K and Full HD Remaster $8.39 $20.99 Action/Sci-fi mixed with Fantasy setting/Space travel/Resource gathering & Crafting/Social link mechanic between party members
STAR OCEAN : INTEGRITY AND FAITHLESSNESS $11.99 $29.99 Action/Sci-fi mixed with Fantasy setting/Space travel/Resource gathering & Crafting/Social link mechanic between party members
Star Ocean : Divine Force $35.99 $59.99 Action/Sci-fi mixed with Fantasy setting/Space travel/Resource gathering & Crafting/Social link mechanic between party members
Dark Cloud™ $7.49 $14.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Village builder & management/NPC collectoResource gathering/Dungeon crawling
Dark Cloud™ 2 (Dark Chronicle) $7.49 $14.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Village builder & management/NPC collectoResource gathering/Dungeon crawling
Rogue Galaxy $7.49 $14.99 Action/Sci-fi setting/Space Pirate/Monster hunting/factory management
Wild Arms 3 $7.49 $14.99 Turn-based/Wild West Fantasy/Female Protagonist/Puzzle heavy
Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits $7.49 $14.99 Tactical turn-based/Fantasy setting/Playing through two different Main characters stories
I Am Setsuna $15.99 $39.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/World covered in Snow
Lost Sphere $14.99 $39.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting
Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen $23.99 $59.99 Tactical Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Great World Building/Fan-serivce/Comedy/War & Politics/Lovable Characters/Mystery
Harvest Moon®: A Wonderful Life Special Edition $4.49 $14.99 Action/Farming simulatoModern World setting/Social link system
Valkyrie Elysium PS4&PS5 $29.99 $59.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Female Protagonist/Multiple Endings
Persona 3 Portable $15.99 $19.99 Turn-based/Modern Japan setting/Highschool life simulatoMystery/Monster collectoSocial link system/Great soundtrack
Persona 4 Golden $15.99 $19.99 Turn-based/Modern Japan setting/Highschool life simulatoMystery/Monster collectoSocial link system/Great soundtrack
Persona®5 Royal Ultimate Edition $41.99 $99.99 Turn-based/Modern Japan setting/Highschool life simulatoMystery/Monster collectoSocial link system/Great soundtrack
KINGDOM HEARTS All-In-One Package $49.99 $99.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Crossover of Disney and Square Enix characters
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim $23.99 $59.99 Tower Defense/Sci-fi Japan setting/School life/Multiple Main characters to follow/Visual Novel/Heavy on story & light on gameplay
Digimon Survive $41.99 $59.99 Tactical turn-based/Modern Japan setting/Monster CollectoMostly VN/Multiple Routes & Endings/Anime style/Social Link system
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition $25.99 $39.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Great soundtrack/Full Pixel graphics option/Character skill tree/Gathering resources and crafting
Yakuza: Like a Dragon PS4 & PS5 $17.99 $59.99 Turn-based/Contemporary Japan setting/Yakuza life/Open World/Heavy on Drama and Comedy/Heavy on Mini-games/Class Changing Mechanics
Neptunia ReVerse $22.49 $49.99 Turn-based/Sci-fi setting/Remake of Neptunia Re:Birth 1/Female Protagonist/Comedy/Parody/Fan-serivce
Trials of Mana $24.99 $49.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Hack & Slash/Choose 3 out of 6 main characters/Class customization system/Expansive Skill Tree
Monster Sanctuary $4.99 $19.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Monster CollectoMetroidvania/Pixel Graphics/Expansive Skill Tree/Character customization
Dragon Quest Builders 2 $23.99 $39.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Minecraft-like
Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force $5.99 $19.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Anime style/Comedy/Dark story/Good English dub/Power Ranger Transformation/Fan-service/Dating-sim
Dungeon Encounters $14.99 $29.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Dungeon CrawleCharacter Customization/Very light on Story
Ys Origin $7.99 $19.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Great Soundtrack
Relayer $11.99 $59.99 Tactical turn-based/Sci-fi setting/Space travel/Piloted Mecha/Female Protagonist/Anime art style
World of Final Fantasy $9.99 $24.99 Turn-based/Crossover of Final Fantasy games/Monster CollectoChibi style
Secret of Mana $19.99 $39.99 Action/Fantasy setting/3D Remake/Local Co-Op
SWORD ART ONLINE: Hollow Realization Deluxe Edition $12.74 $84.99 Action/Living inside an MMO setting/Online Multiplayer support/Dating sim/Tiered Loot/Dungeon Crawlers/Boss Raids/Kill & Fetch Quests heavy
Valkyria Chronicles 4 Complete Edition $12.49 $49.99 Tactical Turn-based/Fantasy Sci-fi World War setting/Tactical mixed with real-time elements/Sketch or "Canvas" art style/Build your Army with character customization/Mission based story progression/Army management
Shining Resonance Refrain $5.99 $29.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Dragon transformation/Musical theme/Anime visual style/Social link mechanic
Fallen Legion: Flames of Rebellion $2.99 $19.99 Active Timed Battle/Fantasy setting/Valkyrie Profile combat-like/Choices Matter
DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT $14.99 $59.99 Action Fantasy/Semi-Open World (zones)/Anime story adaptation/Beautiful animations
ONE PIECE ODYSSEY PS4 & PS5 $41.99 $59.99 Turn-based/Anime Adaptation

~ Switch ~

Game Price/Link Tags
Shadows of Adam $7.49 $14.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Retro Pixel Graphics
ŌKAMI HD $9.99 $19.99 Action/Japanese Mythology Fantasy setting/Female Protagonist/Beautiful watercolor animations and art style
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin $19.99 $39.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Monster CollectoOnline Co-op/Resource gathering & Crafting
Collection of Mana $19.99 $39.99 Action/3 games in 1/Fantasy setting/Adventure
Trials of Mana $24.99 $49.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Hack & Slash/Choose 3 out of 6 main characters/Class customization system/Expansive Skill Tree
Legend of Mana Remaster $14.99 $29.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Beat'em up/World Building Mechanic/Open World/Beautifully Hand Drawn/Great Music/Resource gathering & Crafting
STAR OCEAN First Departure R $8.39 $20.99 Action/Sci-fi mixed with Fantasy setting/Expansive crafting system/social link mechanic between the party members/multiple story routes
Final Fantasy VII $7.99 $15.99 Active Time Battle/Sci-fi setting
CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION $39.99 $49.99 Action/Sci-fi setting
Final Fantasy VII Remake $29.99 $59.99 Action/Sci-fi setting
FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered $9.99 $19.99 Active Time Battle/Sci-fi setting
FINAL FANTASY IX $10.49 $20.99 Active Time Battle/Medieval Fantasy setting
FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster $24.99 $49.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Expansive skill tree
Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age $24.99 $49.99 Real-time strategy with pause/Fantasy setting/Expansive skill tree/Job (Class) system/Monster Hunting/Loot heavy
World of Final Fantasy MAXIMA $15.99 $39.99 Turn-based/Crossover of Final Fantasy games/Monster CollectoChibi style
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition $11.99 $29.99 Action/High Fantasy setting/Heavily geared for Online MultiplayeCustom Character
I Am Setsuna $15.99 $39.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/World covered in Snow
Langrisser I & II $17.49 $49.99 Tactical Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Remake of 2 games in 1 bundle/Fire Emblem-like/Multiple story routes and endings
ONINAKI $19.99 $49.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Dungeon CrawleHack & Slash
CHRONO CROSS: THE RADICAL DREAMERS EDITION $13.99 $19.99 Turn-based/Sci-fi Fantasy setting/Choices MatteMultiple Endings/2 Games in 1 bundle
NEO: The World Ends with You $29.99 $59.99 Action/Modern Tokyo setting/Dark Fantasy/Death Game/Read people's minds/Psychic powers
The Alliance Alive HD Remastered $17.49 $49.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Expansive Skill Tree/Character customization
COLLECTION of SaGa FINAL FANTASY LEGEND $11.99 $19.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Character customization
Romancing SaGa 2 $7.49 $24.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Pixel Graphics/Choices MatteKingdom Building/Open World/Party changes with each new generation/Light on story Heavy on gameplay
Romancing SaGa 3 $8.69 $28.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Pixel Graphics/Choices MatteFantasy Adventure/Open World/8 Main Characters to choose 1 at the start/Light on story & Heavy on gameplay
SaGa Frontier Remastered $14.99 $24.99 Turn-based/Fantasy + Sci-fi setting/Choice Matters/Open World/8 Characters to choose
SaGa SCARLET GRACE: AMBITIONS $8.99 $29.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Choice Matters/Open World/4 Characters to choose from/Complex and Challenging Combat system/Light on story Heavy on gameplay
DRAGON QUEST 1 $3.24 $4.99 Turn-based/Medieval Fantasy setting/Great soundtrack/Pixel graphics
DRAGON QUEST II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line $4.21 $6.49 Turn-based/Medieval Fantasy setting/Great soundtrack/Pixel graphics
DRAGON QUEST III: The Seeds of Salvation $8.11 $12.49 Turn-based/Medieval Fantasy setting/Great soundtrack/Pixel graphics
DRAGON QUEST TREASURES $35.99 $59.99 Action/Medieval fantasy setting/Monster collectotreasure hunting/Open-world
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox $29.99 $59.99 Action/Medieval Fantasy setting/Hack & Slash/Fantastic Music/Smooth combat/Boss fight heavy/City Exploration
Earthlock $5.98 $29.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting
Poison Control $4.99 $39.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Hell/Third-person shooteComedy/Dungeon crawleAnime visuals
The DioField Chronicle PS4 & PS5 $29.99 $59.99 Real Time Strategy/Medieval fantasy setting/Military & WaClass mechanics
The Princess Guide $4.99 $39.99 Action/Medieval Fantasy setting/Training a Princess/Tiered Loot/Anime Visuals
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk $19.99 $49.99 Turn-based/Dark Fantasy setting/Class customization system/Tiered loot/Dungeon Crawler
The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince $9.99 $19.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Hand Drawn Art/Stylistic
The Cruel King and the Great Heron $16.49 $29.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Hand Drawn Art/Stylistic
Tactics Ogre: Reborn $34.99 $49.99 Tactical turn-based/Medieval fantasy/Choices MatteMultiple story routes/Class system/Dark/Politics/Remake of the SNES original
Dungeon Encounters $14.99 $29.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Dungeon CrawleCharacter Customization/Very light on Story
Lapis x Labyrinth $9.99 $29.99 Action/Hack'n Slash/Class and Character creation & customization/Dungeon CrawleLooter
KINGDOM HEARTS INTEGRUM MASTERPIECE for Cloud $44.99 $89.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Crossover of Disney and Square Enix characters
HARVESTELLA $41.99 $59.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Farming SimulatoClass changing system/Resource gathering and Crafting
Jack Move $13.99 $19.99 Turn-based/Cyberpunk setting/Female Protagonist/Pixel Graphics/Hacking
The Caligula Effect 2 $29.99 $49.99 Turn-based unique combat/School Life setting/Persona-like/Great Soundtrack/Female and Male Protagonist choice
Saviors of Sapphire Wings / Stranger of Sword City Revisited $29.99 $49.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Anime Visuals/First-person Dungeon CrawleCharacter Customization/2 games in 1 pack
Coromon $11.99 $19.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Monster CollectoPixel Graphics/Pokemon-like
Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 1: [Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered] / [Soul Nomad & the World Eaters] $29.99 $39.99 Tactical Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Demon World/Heavy Customization system/Expansive Class changing/2 games in 1
Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 2: [Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound] / [ZHP: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman] $29.99 $39.99 Tactical Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Demon World/Heavy Customization system/Expansive Class changing/2 games in 1
Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 3: [La Pucelle: Ragnarok] / [Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure] $29.99 $39.99 Tactical Turn-based/Fantasy setting/2 games in 1/Musical/Cute
Disgaea 1 Complete $19.99 $49.99 Turn-based Tactical/Fantasy setting/Deep character customization/Comedy
Disgaea 4 Complete+ $19.99 $49.99 Turn-based Tactical/Fantasy setting/Demon World/Heavy Customization system/Expansive Class changing
Disgaea 5: ALLIANCE OF VENGEANCE $19.99 $39.99 Turn-based Tactical/Fantasy setting/Deep character customization/Comedy
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero $31.99 $39.99 Tactical turn-based/Fantasy setting/Great Soundtrack/Slow Start/Police Force/Story and World building heavy
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III $29.99 $59.99 Turn-based/Great Soundtrack/Fantasy High school life setting/Dating Sim/Story and Lore heavy/Military and War
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV $29.99 $59.99 Turn-based/Great Soundtrack/Fantasy High school life setting/Dating Sim/Story and Lore heavy/Military and War

~ Xbox ~

Game Price/Link Tags
South Park™: The Fractured but Whole™ $14.99 $49.99 Tactical Turn-based/Modern Day setting/Comedy/Mature/Dark HumoNudity/Fart Jokes
Yakuza 0 $4.99 $19.99 Action/Modern World setting/Organized Crime/Comedy heavy/Drama heavy/Mini-game Heavy/Beat'em up/Open World
Yakuza Kiwami (Remake of Yakuza 1) $4.99 $19.99 Action/Modern World setting/Organized Crime/Comedy heavy/Drama heavy/Mini-game Heavy/Beat'em up/Open World
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Remake of Yakuza 2) $4.99 $19.99 Action/Modern World setting/Organized Crime/Comedy heavy/Drama heavy/Mini-game Heavy/Beat'em up/Open World
The Yakuza Remastered Collection (3/4/5) $13.99 $39.99 Action/Modern World setting/Organized Crime/Comedy heavy/Drama heavy/Mini-game Heavy/Beat'em up/Open World
Yakuza 3 Remastered $6.99 $19.99 Action/Modern World setting/Organized Crime/Comedy heavy/Drama heavy/Mini-game Heavy/Beat'em up/Open World
Yakuza 4 Remastered $6.99 $19.99 Action/Modern World setting/Organized Crime/Comedy heavy/Drama heavy/Mini-game Heavy/Beat'em up/Open World
Yakuza 5 Remastered $6.99 $19.99 Action/Modern World setting/Organized Crime/Comedy heavy/Drama heavy/Mini-game Heavy/Beat'em up/Open World
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life $4.99 19.99 Action/Modern World setting/Organized Crime/Comedy heavy/Drama heavy/Mini-game Heavy/Beat'em up/Open World
Yakuza: Like a Dragon Hero Edition $20.99 $69.99 Turn-based/Contemporary Japan setting/Yakuza life/Open World/Heavy on Drama and Comedy/Heavy on Mini-games/Class Changing Mechanics
Valkyria Revolution $5.99 $29.99 Action/Fantasy World WaMilitary setting/Mission based Gameplay
Valkyria Chronicles 4 $5.99 $29.99 Tactical Turn-based/Fantasy Sci-fi World War setting/Tactical mixed with real-time elements/Sketch or "Canvas" art style/Build your Army with character customization/Mission based story progression/Army management
Persona 3 Portable & Persona 4 Golden Bundle $29.61 $39.49 Turn-based/Modern Japan setting/Highschool life simulatoMystery/Monster collectoSocial link system/Great soundtrack
Persona 5 Royal $41.99 $59.99 Turn-based/Modern Japan setting/Highschool life simulatoMystery/Monster collectoSocial link system/Great soundtrack
Ni no Kuni Wrath of the White Witch™ Remastered $29.99 $49.99 Action/Medieval Fantasy setting/Isekai/Monster CollectoBeautiful art style by Studio Ghibli/Beautiful soundtrack/Fairy tale story
Monster Sanctuary $6.99 $19.99 Turn-based/Fantasy setting/Monster CollectoMetroidvania/Pixel Graphics/Expansive Skill Tree/Character customization
Ni no Kuni™ II: Revenant Kingdom - The Prince's Edition $59.99 $79.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Isekai/Base BuildeArmy Battle/Character CollectoBeautiful art style
Soul Hackers 2 $29.99 $59.99 Turn-based/Cyberpunk setting/Monster collectoFemale Protagonist
DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT Legendary Edition $59.99 $119.99 Action Fantasy/Semi-Open World (zones)/Anime story adaptation/Beautiful animations
Scarlet Nexus Deluxe Edition $19.99 $79.99 Action/Post-apocalyptic Sci-fi setting/Choose between 2 Main Characters/Psychic powers/Using environmental objects as weapons
Tales of Arise Deluxe Edition $29.74 $84.99 Action/Fantasy setting/Anime style/Revolution Story/Fantasy setting/anime trope heavy/Social links mechanic between party members

~ Steam ~

There is a spring Sale going on, so there is a separate thread to cover this sale, link here:

https://www.reddit.com/JRPG/comments/11t7fgw/steam_spring_big_sale_2023_breakdown_listguide_of/

~ General Recommendations For Anyone Who Can't Decide ~

First off, I won't recommend big or famous games like Final Fantasy or Persona, this is more for lesser know, hidden gems, or just games where it's hard to find someone talking about them.

[Monster Sanctuary]

This is a solid game, everything in is polished and balanced to make sure you are having fun collecting new monsters and customizing your team through evolution/skill trees/gear and making the best in-sync party you can. Then you add the beautiful pixel art and animation, the challenging, yet not frustrating, platforming, and how the game makes sure you're getting a steady flow of new monsters, gear, and skills as you go through the game from start to finish, and you have a true gem.
If that wasn't enough, they released a free DLC that adds a lot more content and and a whole new zone that is bigger than any zone the game had, and it updates old ones, and adds new mods like a true randomizer and and built-in nuzlocke mode. All of that for less than $7 ? It's a crime not to get it at this point

[Tales series]

You can't go wrong with any of these, I personally would say start with Symphonia for the classic epic fantasy adventure with all the usual classic JRPG tropes. Or go for Berseria for a dark revenge story with a ragtag scallywag group of misfits grouped by fate type of deal. You can start with Vesperia if you want a main character with a chill personality and his companion is pipe smoking dog with. There is also the newly released and critically acclaimed Tales of Arise that comes with a free demo you can try before buying.
No matter which game you choose, this is a solid series if you want action combat, an anime shounen adventure story, with lots of party banter, side-quests, and post-game content.

[Ni no Kuni] Series

If you're looking for that great Isekai fantasy adventure feel, then these two games are where it's at. Fantastic visuals and great music, coupled with a great art style, a combo that is perfect for a chill and relaxed gaming experience. Especially when talking about the first game, with the help ofStudio Ghibli, they managed to make a truly whimsical world with that Studio Ghibli classic touch.
- Important Note: The games aren't connected story-wise, so you can start with any of them -

[Wrath of the White Witch]

For a the best fantasy adventure feel, while the combat is a hit or miss depending on your taste, don't let that stop you from actually diving into a true fairy tale world, this is the one with the better story in my opinion, so if you want more story than game, this is for you. Still it has a good share of gameplay, from raising and collecting Pokemon-like monsters, to learning and using different spells, not just in combat but for the overworld too.

[Ni no Kuni™ II: Revenant Kingdom]

This one focuses more on gameplay, with a Kingdom builder, Army battles, Heavy loot focus, and even character collector, this is the one to go with if you want more game than story. Still has the great music and he fantastical art style and setting. Add to that a lot of side activities like beating rare monsters, collecting cute creatures to help you in battle, and even going around the world to gather people to help you build your kingdom. You'll never be short on things to do.
Finally, both of them have beautifully draw world that is just a pleasure to walkthrough, made even better with the amazing orchestral soundtrack.

[SaGa series]

Both amazing games for the SaGa series, but for newcomers, it's better to start with RS3, it's closer to how classic turn-based JRPG functions while still retaining what makes a SaGa game. If you found Scarlet Grace to be too challenging for an entry title, then go with RS3. RS2 isn't a bad entry point but it's way less forgiving which may turn some people off the series.

[Romancing SaGa 2]

You played the part of an emperor, where make choices on what to build/upgrade and what weapons and armors to research. You expand your kingdom by freeing nearby cities and towns from the different evil oppressors (Evil Heroes). The more you expand your kingdom the more world you can explore, and the more classes, races, formations, gear, and quests that will be available to you.

[Romancing SaGa 3]

You choose 1 out of 8 characters (4 male/4 female), and play through their own special scenario. After finishing the short prologue, the whole world is open to you to explore and adventure through. Choices drive everything in this game, as is the usual for the series, that even side-quests will have different endings depending on how you choose to tackle or finish them. Find and battle the 4 Sinistrals, join world tournaments, recruit many of the unique characters around the world to your party, from a Wandering Warrior, to A sentient Snowman. Fighting army battles, and play the market stock mini-game. Collect the legendary weapons, unlock power magic, and carve your own legend.
Both games are remastered to have beautifully made pixel art, which is so good that they are alone worth the price of admission.

[SaGa Frontier Remastered]

Where to start with this one, while the 3D character models have aged badly, everything is remastered and looks great. with 8 characters to choose from and play through each of their stories, you'll always have something to do. Not to mention the long list of side-quests and dungeons to explore at your own will. Then you add one of the best soundtracks in the series by Kenji Ito and one of the best open-world universes you can have in a JRPG, where you can travel from world to world, from ancient Japan to a Fantastical world mystics and magic, to the inter-galactic port for spaceships from all around the universe. It's a game any JRPG fans should experience at least once.

[SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions]

You heard a lot about the series, but you never knew where to start ? well wonder no more. Scarlet Grace is one of the best entry titles to the SaGa series.
Everything is tutorialized, a long list of tips and strategies that will be given to you from the start to even the very late parts of the game, to make sure you are prepared for everything the game throws on you. Then you add that it has one of the best and most challenging turn-based combat systems out there, if you ever thought turn-based combat in JRPGs is too easy, this will change your mind as it what can be done with it. Add to that a fantastic soundtrack, and open-world with tons of quests and events to take part, and 4 Main Characters to choose each with their own story and characters to recruit, and you'll find this is a great pick.

[Valkyria Chronicles]

[Valkyria Chronicles 4]

This one is really hard to explain through words alone, but just in case, the VC series is a World War 2 military setting story, where you act as the lead of a squad and take mission to drive back the enemy. The story is drama heavy and the gameplay is tactical turn-based, but it's mixed with real-time third person shooter.
You can also make your own army by recruiting different types of solders, training them and upgrading their gear. From rifles to tanks, this is a game you have to experience to understand.

[Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin]

Wither you're a fan of the Monster Hunter series, monster collection games, or just someone who likes/loves a good and challenging turn-based combat game. Then this is a match made in heaven for you. A great game with lots of exploration, hunting, resource gathering, crafting new Cool looking weapons and armor from monster materials, capturing and fighting with monsters together, and then add being able to play with friends online and you have a really great game on your hand. The animations are great, the monsters are unique and each comes with different attacks and skills both in and outside of battle.
A real gem if you are a fan of any of the above, and has content to keep you playing for days if not weeks.

[ Dark Cloud 1 & 2 / Rogue Galaxy / Wild Arms 3 / Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits ]

These are all great PS2 JRPG ports that are sold for less than $8, and all of them are a steal at that price:
  • Dark Cloud 1 & 2: Amazing series, with a focus on crafting and building your town. An easy pick and a classic.
  • Rogue Galaxy: Another great game, where you play as a space pirate, and a monster hunter.
  • Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits: A very fun game in the Arc the Lad series, and don't worry, it's not related to any of the previous games, so you don't need any previous knowledge. You play the game from two different perspectives of the humans and demons.
  • Wild Arms 3: One of the best titles in an already amazing series. Famous for it's charming Wild west setting and interesting characters, and heavy with some of the most challenging puzzles you'll ever find in a JRPG.

As always, please do add your own recommendations, and let me know if there is mistake or if something was missing, and have a nice day.

submitted by VashxShanks to JRPG [link] [comments]


2023.03.21 18:52 nostone3241 The connection between Freemasonry, Indian residential schools, the Indian wars, the Indian removal act, the Indian act and the Indians-as-Israelites theory.

My name is Thomas Saul, I am a member of the Skatin Nations tribe in British Columbia, Canada. I am of Salish, and European descent. I began this project around May 2021 when news broke about the Kamloops residential school where the remains of 215 children were allegedly found. As a teenager I briefly Attended Norkam secondary in Kamloops, and have friends and family who still live in Kamloops, so this hit close to home. Upon my research into The origin of this residential school I found that Israel wood Powell, a Freemason, was the Indian Superintendent at the time it was built. Four generations of my family attended residential schools, some in Port Alberni and some Mission City, so naturally I wanted to know more. I have come to the conclusion that Colonisation, Freemasonry, and residential schools go hand in hand. Its a Fact, both the United States and Canada would not exist without Freemasonry, Therefore many Freemasons played a leading role in the genocide of Indigenous Americans. “Freemasonry, as it exists in various forms all over the world, has a membership estimated at around 6 million worldwide.”
Genocide: The UN definition, which is used in international law, states that genocide is: "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group," as such:(a) "Killing members of the group;"(b) "Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;"(c) "Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;"(d) "Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;"(e) "Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."
The supreme governor of the Church of England is the head of the Church of England, a position which is vested in the British monarch. The father of the Royal Proclamation of 1763 King George III was not a Freemason, George III had announced that the colonies would no longer seize Native lands or purchase them without treaties. Starting in 1763, no English settlers could legally travel through or acquire land west of the Appalachian Mountains. The proclamation specifically stated that Native Americans had been subject to “great Frauds and Abuses” and that their sovereignty should be protected. Freemason Thomas Jefferson in his list of 27 grievances accused the king saying “He has excited domestic Insurrections among us, and has endeavoured to bring on the Inhabitants of our Frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known Rule of Warfare, is an undistinguished Destruction, of all Ages, Sexes, and Conditions.’’ Thomas Jefferson did this to build support for the revolutionary act that the Declaration of Independence would represent. It was suspected that the Freemasons were behind the Boston Tea Party, the American War of Independence, the french revolution, and Napoleonic France triggering British prime minister William Pitt’s, the Unlawful Societies Act of 1799 where he aimed to see Freemasonry abolished. Some Freemasons addressed Pitt explaining how vast their membership is and its connection to Royalty and As a result, Freemasons were excluded from the Act, but lodges were obliged to return a list of members to the local Clerk of the Peace every year, which are recorded in the Quarter Sessions.1. King George IV reigned from the death of George III until 1830, he was the first of many British Freemason kings and was the head of the Anglican church. William IV, Edward VII, Edward VIII, George VI were also masons. In the 209 years since the Union of the Premier and Ancient Grand Lodges to form the United Grand Lodge of England, a member of the Royal Family has been its Grand Master for more than 150.
A Freemason warrant of constitution is the Document which authorizes or gives a Warrant to certain persons therein named to organize and constitute a Lodge, Chapter, or other Masonic Body. The first Warrant for a military Lodge was issued by the Grand Lodge of Ireland in 1732 to the First British Foot Regiment. Within a few years the Grand Lodge of Scotland and both the Grand Lodge of England, Modern and Ancient were issuing Warrants to military Lodges. In 1733, 18 men gathered at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern on King Street in Boston and organized the first Masonic Lodge in North America. The first record of a military Lodge Warrant being issued in the new world happened during the French and Indian Wars. It was issued by the then Provincial Grand Master at Boston to the 28th British Foot in an expedition against the French at Crown Point. Edward Cornwallis became founder in December 1748, of a military Lodge in his regiment, the 20th. Foot, No. 63, on the registry of the Grand Lodge of Ireland. The warrant was issued to Lord George Sackville, Lieut. Col. The Hon. Edward Cornwallis and Captain Milburne. When in 1759 this famous regiment gained new honors at the battle of Minden, that name was immediately adopted as the name of the lodge. Cornwallis’ second lodge was founded in Halifax early in 1750 or possibly earlier, under a “deputation” or dispensation from Major Erasmus James Philipps of the 40th. Regiment at Annapolis Royal, Provincial Grand Master for Nova Scotia under Henry Price of Boston. Of this lodge, known as the First Lodge, Cornwallis was the first Master. Cornwallis In October 1749, issued an order that came to be known as the Scalping Proclamation. His government would pay a bounty to anyone who killed a Mi’kmaq adult or child in a bid to drive them off mainland Nova Scotia.
Sir William Johnson, an agent for the British Indian Department met Joseph Brant, a 9-year-old Mohawk boy while doing a land deal with Joseph's father King Hendrick. Sir William eventually started a common-law relationship with Joseph's sister Molly giving him incredible power over her tribe. Johnson groomed young Joseph Brant to become a loyal warrior and eventually leader of the six nations tribe. At 13 years old Joseph accompanied Johnson on his first tour with the military. Missionary Samuel Occham, a student of Eleazar Wheelock (father of The Great Awakening) procured a 19-year-old Joseph Brant to attend Moore's Indian charity school in Lebanon Connecticut with the blessings and charity of William Johnson. Freemasons Benjamin Franklin and Benedict Arnold had also donated money to Wheelock’s cause. William was the British Crown's first superintendent of Indian Affairs for the colony in 1756 and Joseph Brant was appointed as a captain in the Indian Department. Many Freemason colonists were high-ranking military who waged many wars on the Indigenous American population, scientists say so many Indigenous people were killed as a result of colonization it caused a mini ice age. After the North American wars, many Freemasons took positions as Indian agents helping to remove and segregate the native population. Anyone who wanted access to the six nations had to go through Indian agent Sir William Johnson and his family which includes the Brant family and the Kerr family through various marriages. At one point Johnson proposed that the moor's Indian Charity School move from Lebanon, Connecticut, to Johnstown but it never happened. Eventually, Johnson withdrew the support for Wheelock. In a letter Wheelock had suggested to Lord Dartmouth "The Nations will not make war with us while their Children, and especially the Children of their chiefs are with us” Dartmouth college claims that In 1766, Johnson was invited to join the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG), the largest and most influential Anglican missionary society in the 18th-century British-Atlantic world. He began working to place Anglican missionaries like Freemason and bishop Charles Inglis, rather than Congregationalist and Presbyterian ones, among the Six Nations. I believe Moore's dubbed “the great design” was the original model for the Mohawk Institute and the Canadian residential school system.
On April 10, 1766 Sir William Johnson was raised to the position of Master Mason of St Patrick's Lodge No. 4 where many Freemason Indian agents like John Butler, Guy Johnson, Sir John Johnson, William Johnson Kerr, Christian Daniel Claus, Gilbert Tice, George Croghan and A protégé of Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, Rev. Samuel Kirkland attended. In 1770 Johnson's fellow St Patrick's lodge Freemason Rev. Samuel Kirkland coincidentally parted ways with Wheelock and Moors charity school. Eventually Kirkland founded the Hamilton-Oneida Academy as a boys' school in central New York. In 1776 Joseph Brant was initiated into the Freemason fraternity in London England where it is rumoured a benefactor of Moors charity school king George III gave Brant his masonic apron. When Brant returned to Canada he became affiliated with Lodge No. 11 at the Mohawk village on the Grand River, of which he was the first Worshipful Master, and later affiliated with Barton Lodge No. 10. Joseph Brant invited fellow Freemason and grandson of Eleazar Wheelock to be a minister to the Mohawk. To Joseph It was imperative that Freemason Rev. Davenport Phelps was made minister of the Mohawks, so he reminded the Bishop, through Sir John, of the pledge which the Archbishop of Canterbury had made to him in the presence of the King, that whenever the Indians, by the erection of a church, should be ready for religious instruction, he would do all in his power to supply their wants. A Freemason named Rev. Robert Addison helped make this happen. Mr Addison, a relative of William Johnson, had been minister to the Six Nations and Joseph Brant and Freemason John Norton were his translators. Freemason Reverend Davenport Phelps and Jarvis Wheelock, the brother of Eleazar, were invited to Canada and granted land by Freemason and founder of the family compact John Graves Simcoe, the man behind the Simcoe patent. Mrs Simcoe in her Diary says, “In April of the following year Mary Brant (sister of Freemason Joseph Brant and common-law wife of Freemason Indian agent Sir William Johnson) successfully prescribed a favourite Indian remedy, the root of sweet flag (acorus calamus), for Governor Simcoe, who had been extremely ill with a persistent cough. The medicine relieved his malady “in a very short time. This brought the Brant family and Simcoe family close together. Davenport Phelps became the Worshipful Master of The Barton Lodge under Freemason William Jarvis and he was the first chaplain at the Mohawk Chapel. Davenport was the leader of many Indian agents who were members of The Barton Lodge. I suspect Davenport's mission was to help with the so-called Indian problem.
Chief Joseph Brant has been accused on many occasions of selling off land for his own enrichment and in a lot of cases he sold land to Freemasons. He granted 999-year leases to many families, the Nelles, the Young’s, the families of Adam Young UE, his three sons, Lieutenant John Young (Indian department) UE, Sergeant Daniel Young UE, and Private Henry Young UE, along with Captain Henry William Nelles UE and his families (Rev. Abraham Nelles). Many of these Indian agents were members of The Barton Lodge. Both Captain Henry William Nelles UE and Adam Young UE, fourth great-grandfather of Robert Collins McBride UE, were also the first Freemasons to settle in Haldimand County. Freemasons Robert Kerr and Rev. Robert Addison, William Kennedy Smith, also had land there. "There were very few outright legal sales of our land; 90 per cent of the leased land has never been paid for or paid to Six Nations," according to a research document prepared by Six Nations. Many Freemasons were involved with the Simcoe patent and the Haldimand Proclamation. Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe stated that the Indians could not lease their land since British subjects could lease land only from British subjects. Freemason William Jarvis signed the Haldimand proclamation, Freemason Thomas Ridout surveyor-general was behind the Ridout survey, Freemason Sir Peregrine Maitland lieutenant governor informed them that they had no title to the northern part of the grant, Freemason John Butler acted as an agent of purchase on behalf of the government, Freemason chief John Brant) and Freemason Robert Johnson Kerr finally went to England to lobby on behalf of the Six Nations.
Freemasons King George IV, and King William IV, reigned from January 29 1820 to June 20 1837. The idea of residential school was brought forward by the Freemason Governor of Upper Canada, Sir Peregrine Maitland, within the context of a proposal he made in 1820 to the Colonial Office "for ameliorating the condition of the Indians in the neighbourhood of our settlements." Maitland's proposal contained most of the civilising concepts and techniques that would be adopted in the next three decades. The American Freemason, President Andrew Jackson succeeded in pushing the Indian Removal Act through the United States Congress in 1828 leading to the trail of tears. John Brant solicited help from the New England company to build the Mohawk institute, the first residential school in Canada. The mohawk institute operated from 1831 to June 27, 1970. John Brant appointed Rev. Abraham Nelles son of Freemason Robert Nelles as principal of the Mohawk Institute. Abraham after over 30 years was succeeded by Freemason Robert Ashton. Oronhyatekha aka Peter Martin was also a Freemason and played an important role in the development of the Mohawk Institute. The Arthur of the Historical sketch of the Barton Lodge, No. 6, G.R.C., A.F. and A.M., says “the name of Brother John Brant is connected with important events in the history of Canadian Masonry.” John Brant is responsible for the formation of at least 12 residential schools in Ontario, while Freemason Israel Powell the superintendent of Indian affairs in British Columbia Powell “was able to boast that the government had established seventeen Indian schools, one for each year in office.”. Powell sought to establish several boarding schools across the province and particularly pushed for creating a school in Kamloops to address communities in the province’s interior.The school opened in Kamloops in 1890 and became one of the largest residential schools operated by Indian Affairs. The Freemason Organisation is vicariously liable for all abuses in those residential schools.
In 1837 a Rebellion in Upper Canada was led by William Lyon Mackenzie, who was a fierce critic of Simcoe’s Family Compact, an elite clique of businessmen and many Freemasons. Mackenzie opposed a system of land grants that favored settlers from Britain. Many Freemasons such as William Botsford Jarvis and Sir Allen Napier Macnab who was Joint premier of the Province of Canada helped stop this rebellion. Sir Allen Macnab was succeeded by Freemason Sir John A. Macdonald as Joint Premier. This Rebellion of 1837, this triggered the 6th generation Freemason Lord Durham to write The Durham Report, he was appointed governor in chief of British North America. In his 1839 Report on the Affairs of British North America, he recommended that Upper and Lower Canada be united under a single Parliament, with responsible government. In 1863 a steamboat named the Brother Johnathan) carried smallpox from San Francisco to British Columbia killing 1/3rd of the Native population. Many Freemasons like Thomas Harris the first mayor of Victoria, Israel Wood Powell who served in the Victoria Rifle Volunteer Corps which was established to protect the colony from the indigenous population, Amor De Cosmos who was the extremely racist editor of The Daily British Colonist, and Ronald J. NcDonell clerk for magistrate Pemberton who forced The Nuu-chah-nulth to leave their camp, escorted by two gunboats. There are many many more who may have purposefully mishandled the smallpox epidemic of 1863. British freemason Edward Jenner created the life-saving smallpox vaccine but on the other hand Freemasons Jeffrey Amherst and Col Henry Bouquet have been accused of distributing smallpox contaminated blankets to their enemies.
As early as 1866 Israel W. Powell, with his colleague Amor De Cosmos, had proposed confederation with the Canadian colonies. Israel Wood Powell, Superintendent of Indian affairs also outlawed potlatching an indigenous ceremony In British Columbia. Following the Lord Durham’s report, Freemason Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon proposed The British North America Act, 1867 Under section 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867, the federal government has exclusive legislative authority for "Indians, and Lands reserved for the Indians." Of the 36 Fathers of the Canadian confederation, 11 were Freemasons. One being Freemason Sir John A. Macdonald, He was named by the United Grand Lodge of England as their Grand Representative near to the Grand Lodge of Canada. Sir John A. Macdonald took a page from American Freemason Andrew Jackson's book by removing the Indigenous people from their land. He was proud that he was able to subdue the Indigenous people with less blood shed than his American brethren. One Of Macdonald's Legacies is the Canadian Pacific Railway which displaced many tribes across Canada. Sir John A. Macdonald's campaign promise in the 1870s was that he would have a railway built that would link the country from coast to coast. Freemasons Richard Marpole, Sir Sandford Fleming, Sir George J.A. Bury And the Chinese Freemasons of Vancouver and Alberta made Macdonald’s promise come true. As quickly as the railroad was laid Freemason lodges were erected. Louis Riel a Métis hero, led two resistance movements against the Government of Canada and its Freemason Prime Minister, John A. Macdonald. Riel sought to defend Métis rights and identity. The Wolseley expedition was a military force authorized by Sir John A. Macdonald to confront Louis Riel and had been dispatched to Red River under Freemason Colonel Garnet Joseph Wolseley. Another of Mcdonald's legacies is the North West Mounted Police. Macdonald established the N.W.M.P in 1873 which boasted 750 Freemason members in its time. He claimed that “it was intended to have a body of mounted rifles to protect the people from the chance of an Indian war.’’ Meanwhile, The Pacific Scandal, the first major post-Confederation political scandal in Canada, Sir John Macdonald and senior members of his Conservative Cabinet were accused of accepting election funds for the contract to build the C.P rail.
The near completion of the railway allowed troops from eastern Canada to quickly arrive in the territory causing Riel to surrender to Canadian forces. The NWMP barracks was where Louis Riel was detained after his arrest in 1885 for leading the North-West Rebellion. Many Freemasons were involved in the defeat of Louis Riel. The RCMP museum had a display of the noose which hung Riel. Macdonald said this about Riel "He shall die though every dog in Quebec barks in his favor." John A. Macdonald is also one of the fathers of the Canadian Indian act First passed in 1876. In 1879 Freemason Nicholas Flood Davin wrote the Report on Industrial Schools for Indians and Half-Breeds, otherwise known as The Davin Report. An amendment to the Indian Act in 1894 under Freemason Prime Minister Sir Mackenzie Bowell, made attendance at day schools, industrial schools, or residential schools compulsory for First Nations children, resulting in over 100000 Indigenous children being forcefully removed from their families by Indian agents and the RCMP. From 1740 to 1896 The Mexican government's response to the various uprisings of the Yaqui tribe have been likened to genocide particularly under Freemason Porfirio Diaz. Due to slavery and massacre, the population of the Yaqui tribe in Mexico was reduced from 30,000 to 7,000 under Diaz's rule. One source estimates at least 20,000 out of these Yaquis were victims of state murders in Sonora. It was during this period of the conflict that the United States Army fought the last battle of the American Indian Wars, the final battle being the Wounded Knee Massacre December 29, 1890, and in the subsequent Drexel Mission Fight the next day. In recent history the statues of Freemason John A. Macdonald, Freemason Edward Cornwallis, Freemason George Washington, Freemason Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Freemason Robert E. Lee and Andrew Jackson have all been vandalized but no mention of their affiliation to the Freemasons in the news. We can't point fingers at the church or government without first confirming whether or not the accused are Freemasons. The Order of the Eastern Star, Job's Daughters, and Rainbow Girls are masonic fraternities for women such as the daughter, widow, wife, sister, or mother of a Master Mason. All masons will cry out that Freemasonry has nothing to do with what an individual member has done, yet they all praise these men and prop them up as heroes. Freemasons claim to have superior morality compared to the average person, that they are the most honorable men on the planet, yet they refuse to acknowledge their members role in the genocide of the Indigenous Americans.
You may believe Freemasons are irrelevant nowadays but that is far from true. Winston Churchill is regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century. Churchill was initiated into Studholme Lodge No. 1591 on 24 May 1901. He said of the Pashtun people “all who resist will be killed without quarter,” Pashtun territory was occupied by the British in 1848 and divided into two areas. Winston Churchill's policies caused a famine that claimed more than 3 million Indian lives during the The Bengal famine of 1943. President Harry Truman, known as one of the most dedicated men to have joined Masonry on the morning of August 6, 1945, ordered an American B-29 bomber to drop two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians. John Edgar Hoover, more commonly referred to as J. Edgar Hoover, was an American attorney and director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Hoover was raised on November 9th 1920 in Federal Lodge No. 1 in Washington D.C. In 1919 Hoover became the head of the Bureau of Investigation's (predecessor of the FBI) new General Intelligence Division. The division was also called the Radical Division because it was the task of the division to find radical elements in American society to monitor and disrupt their activities. The Duke of Kent was initiated as a Freemason in Royal Alpha Lodge No. 16 in London on 16 December 1963. The Duke of Kent, is now UGLE’s longest-serving Grand Master. The Duke’s brother, Prince Michael of Kent, is also a Freemason and is Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, and Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex. On 6 March 1953, HRH Prince Philip progressed to the Second Degree of Freemasonry, before advancing to the Third Degree on 4 May 1953.
I encourage those who have been affected by the actions of Freemasons to begin a class action lawsuit against this organization in what ever country, state or province you live in and hold Freemasonry accountable for genocide. The first thing a Freemason will say when presented with this evidence is you don't know how masonry operates, that the lodge is not responsible for individual members actions. That is exactly what the Catholic church said before the Canadian Court of Appeal on July 28, 2020 had found the Archdiocese vicariously liable for abuses committed by a civilian employee. I witnessed countless people stand up against the Catholic Church for what they have done and the Pope came to Canada and apologized. Now it's time to turn your sight toward Freemasonry. You must understand that all Freemasons on the American contenent have greatly benefited from the genocide of Indigenous Americans.
“ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's acceptance of an inquiry's finding that Canada committed genocide against Indigenous people could have tremendous legal impact if a court ever weighs Ottawa's responsibility for crimes against humanity, experts say.”
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/trudeau-s-acknowledgment-of-indigenous-genocide-could-have-legal-impacts-experts-1.5457668
"I didn't use the word genocide because it didn't come to mind but I described genocide," Pope Francis told reporters on the papal flight from Iqaluit to Rome on Friday.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/pope-francis-residential-schools-genocide-1.6537203
“The very word "secrecy" is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths, and to secret proceedings. We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweighed the dangers which are cited to justify it.”
President John F. Kennedy
“President Kennedy issued an Executive Order prohibiting use of facilities on military bases by groups not integrated. The result was to bar Masonic lodges from using the bases.” Masonic Parallels with History - A Chronology of General and Masonic History by Alphonse Cerza. themasonictrowel
THE MILITARY AND FREEMASONRY
Freemasonry in Nova Scotia
Freemasonry at the Two Sieges of Louisbourg 1745 and 1758
Freemasonry in Quebec
Sir William Johnson, the Brant family, the Kerr family and the British Indian Department
MOOR’S INDIAN CHARITY SCHOOL
Mohawk Institute (Mush Hole)
The rebellion of 1837
Manitoba Freemasons
Saskatchewan Freemasons
North-West Rebellion
Provincial Premiers Alberta masons
The Canadian Pacific Railway
Smallpox epidemic of 1862
British Columbia Freemasons
Freemason Prime Ministers
American Freemasons and the genocide of the
Indigenous peoples.
Spanish Freemasons
Royal Freemasons
300 Years of Freemasonry Celebrated at Royal Albert Hall Global Event
Freemasonry according to Masons.
The Fourth Council of Toledo Canon 60 and Indian Residential Schools
Sources
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQ4QiANX3BnEdEwD94FXfh1Nkg_RJ-XN5UhN0_gLX10isR2i08xUziA9ZX7sErUMdp4PTKKPhP0P7F2/pub#h.fpjzhjnusgk1
submitted by nostone3241 to u/nostone3241 [link] [comments]


2023.03.21 13:23 plainenglish2 “Mr. Queen” (historical and cultural backgrounders for international viewers, with references to other K-dramas)

“Mr. Queen” (historical and cultural backgrounders for international viewers, with references to other K-dramas)
https://preview.redd.it/c457fbhcu2pa1.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a0dca102a3c06acfe92c85fac05b2feb05f86cd
Index: Introduction; K-dramas are meant first (or primarily) for Korean viewers and only second for international viewers; A. The historical figures who were fictionalized in this drama; the rivalry between the Andong Kim and Poonyang Jo clans and “sedo politics” (royal in-law politics); lawsuit filed by descendants of a historical figure against “The Princess’s Man”; connections of “Mr. Queen” to “Moonlight Drawn By Clouds” aka “Love in the Moonlight” and to “Kingdom” Season 2, Ep. 4; B. Eps. 8 and 10: Persecution of Catholics during the Joseon Dynasty; the only K-drama I’ve seen that depicted the Catholic persecution in Joseon Korea is “Yi San, Wind in the Palace” (2007); C. Ep. 8: Korean seesaw (“neolttwigi”); D. Ep. 12: Surit-nal (Dano Festival); ceremonial robes and head gear of Joseon kings; E. Ep. 14: Ice as a valuable commodity during the Joseon Dynasty; F. Ep. 14: Donghak (religion, movement, peasant revolution); G. Ep. 16: Difference between “Jo” and “Jong” in the posthumous (temple) names of the Joseon kings; the Joseon kings’ royal portraits and dramas such as “Painter of the Wind” and “Saimdang”; H. Ep. 16: Secret Royal Investigators during the Joseon Dynasty; secret royal inpectors as depicted in “100 Days My Prince” and “Under The Queen's Umbrella”; I. Miscellaneous notes: Ep. 11: the fight with fans as weapons; “jangot” or head covering for noblewomen during the Joseon Dynasty ; the beautiful bridge across the pond in Ep. 1 and other episodes

Introduction

K-dramas are meant first (or primarily) for Korean viewers and only second for international viewers. Just like in other dramas, the historical, cultural, and political references in “Mr. Queen” are well known to the Korean viewers. On the other hand, we, the international viewers, must dig deep into Wikipedia and other sources (or post questions in forums like this) so that we can understand what’s going on.

For example, some people who have seen “Mr. Queen” said that they couldn’t stand the court politics or the infighting between the different factions because the drama didn’t provide any context. Well, the court politics and the infighting between the different factions happened between the Andong Kim and Poonyang Jo clans, which are well known to Korean viewers and thus, no context was necessary.

When “Saimdang” was first broadcast in 2017, I joined the on-air discussions of the drama in the Soompi Forums. In that forum, whenever I had questions about the drama, I had two go-to persons: for questions about Korean language, culture, and history, I asked “gerrytan8063”; whenever I had questions about Chinese characters used in the drama, I asked “liddi.” I haven’t joined the Soompi discussions after I found reddit, and so I don’t know if “gerrytan8063” and “liddi” are still active there.

Where can we turn to when we, as international viewers, have questions about Korean language, culture, and history as they relate to K-dramas? There’s Quora, of course; “bodashiri” in Tumblr has a form in his website where he/she says, “Ask me anything.” Also, since 2012, the “Annals of the Joseon Dynasty” is being translated in English, with the project supposed to be finished in 2034. Certain portions of the English translation are available online, as you can read in “Globalization of Korean history” from the official Korean government history website.

Oh, maybe we can also use ChatGPT in learning about the historical, cultural, and language issues that we come across in K-dramas.

The very first K-drama that I watched in full was the 2014 blockbuster “My Love From The Star” starring Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Soo-hyun. In this drama, I first heard the term “Joseon Dynasty” and learned how the dynasty heavily influenced what Korea is today.

Before “My Love From The Star” however, I had seen one or two brief scenes from the 2003 blockbuster drama “A Jewel in the Palace” (aka “Dae Jang Geum”) starring Lee Young-ae. Sometime in 2005 or 2006, “A Jewel in the Palace” began sweeping the Philippines. Every night at around 6 o’clock, the streets would become empty, with people shouting to each other as they rush to their homes, “Jang Geum na!” (in English, “It’s Jang Geum time!”). Since that time, “A Jewel in the Palace” has been broadcast in the Philippines five times; that’s how popular it is among Filipinos.

I watched “A Jewel in the Palace” in its entirety only in 2015. Since then, I’ve seen each episode around four or five times already; whenever I feel depressed, I rewatch Ep. 6 where Jang Geum was exiled to the herb garden outside the palace. Needless to say, Lee Young-ae is the love of my life. Next to Lee Young-ae, I love Han Hyo-joo (“Dong Yi”), Han Hye-jin (“Jumong”), Han Ga-in (“The Moon That Embraces The Sun”), Moon Chae-won (“The Princess’s Man”), Park Shin Hye (“The Royal Tailor”), Shin Se-kyung (“Six Flying Dragons”), Park Ha-sun (Queen In-hyun in “Dong Yi”), Nana (“Into The Ring”), and Go Ara (“The Joseon Magician”), in that order.

A. The historical figures who were fictionalized in this drama; lawsuit filed by descendants of a historical figure against “The Princess’s Man” (Soompi); the rivalry between the Andong Kim and Poonyang Jo clans and “sedo politics” (royal in-law politics)

The main characters in “Mr. Queen” are So-yong (Queen Cheorin), played by Shin Hye-sun, and King Cheoljong, played by Kim Jung-hyun. Some of the secondary characters are Queen Sunwon (Grand Queen Dowager) of the Andong Kim clan and Queen Shinjeong (Queen Dowager) of the Poongyang Jo clan.

“Mr. Queen” is fictional, with the following genres: historical, comedy, time travel, and body swap. But its characters and background events are inspired by historical figures and events. For example, the lead character (King Cheoljong) and his background facts — growing up destitute on Ganghwa Island, puppet of the Andong Kim clan, relatives persecuted as Catholics, etc. — are all based on history. Also, the conflict between the Andong Kim clan and Poonyang Jo clan is historical.

King Cheoljong in “Mr. Queen” is a highly fictionalized character that’s different from the historical King Cheoljong. The drama portrays him to be secretly plotting to establish himself as a strong ruler against two warring political factions — the Andong Kim clan (led by Grand Dowager Queen Sunwon) and the Pungyang Jo clan (led by Dowager Queen Sinjeong).

A-1. Historical figures who were fictionalized in “Mr. Queen”:

(1) King Cheoljong

The 25th king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea (25 July 1831 – 16 January 1864), he was a second cousin to the heirless Heonjong of Joseon, as well as a great-great grandson of Yeongjo of Joseon. He was chosen to become King by Senior Dowager Queen Sunwon (King Sunjo’s widow) and the powerful Andong Kim clan because he was illiterate and thus easy to manipulate.
Cheoljong ascended to the throne in 1849 at the age of 19 after King Heonjong died without an heir. As a distant relative of both the recently deceased king as well as a descendant of King Yeongjo, Cheoljong was selected for adoption by the Senior Dowager Queen Sunwon (King Sunjo’s widow) at the time and to allow him to ascend to the throne. The future Cheoljong was found on Ganghwa Island where his family had been in exile since the Catholic Persecution of 1801.
When the envoys (dispatched in order to seek for the future king) arrived on Ganghwa Island, they found the exiled remnants of the royal clan barely surviving in wretched poverty, and in the midst of that degradation, 19-year old Yi Won-beom was proclaimed King. Though from the start of the Joseon Dynasty Korean kings had given top priority to the education of their sons, Cheoljong could not even read a single word on the notice delivering congratulations to him on his elevation to the royal throne.
As part of the Andong Kim’s manipulation of Cheoljong, in 1851, the clan married Cheoljong to Kim Mun-geun’s daughter, known posthumously as Queen Cheor’in.
Cheoljong died at the age of 32 in 16 January 1864 (by suspected foul play by the Andong Kim clan, the same clan which made him king), without any surviving male heirs. Once again, it became necessary to search far back in the Yi lineage to find a candidate for the throne.

The only surviving [cropped] image of King Cheoljong
(2) Queen Cheorin: wife of King Cheoljong, also known as Queen Dowager Myeongsun (27 April 1837 – 12 June 1878).

Queen Cheorin belonged to the Andong Kim clan.

(3) Grand Dowager Queen: Queen Sunwon (8 June 1789 – 21 September 1857), also known as Queen Dowager Myeonggyeong, was the spouse of Sunjo of Joseon. She served as regent of Korea from 1834–1841 and from 1849–1852.

(4) Queen Dowager: Queen Shinjeong, also known as Queen Dowager Hyoyu, (21 January 1809 - 4 June 1890) was the only wife of Crown Prince Hyomyeong of Joseon and mother of King Heonjong of Joseon.

Queen Shinjeong belonged to the Poonyang Jo clan.

A-2. “Mr. Queen” was criticized for distorting history. Among the things that was criticized is the drama’s portrayal of the Queen Dowager (Queen Shinjeong in history) as being heavily involved in shamanism.

From “Descendants of Sin Sook-joo sue The Princess’ Man” (Soompi): “According to the Seoul District Court, 108 descendants of old Sin claimed a damage suit of KRW 3 billion [2.2 million US dollars] against the broadcasting company and the writer for negatively distorting the image of their ancestor Sin Sook-joo from the Chosun era.”

This lawsuit was filed in 2011; I couldn’t find any information about what happened to this lawsuit.

A-3: Andong Kim clan, Poongyang Jo clan, and “sedo politics” (royal in-law politics)

From New World Encyclopedia:

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Andong Kim clan, who had provided the Joseon state with several queens, had seized power almost everywhere in Korea. The social stagnation that resulted was a breeding ground for unrest. Corruption and embezzlement from the treasury and its inevitable exploitation were taken to extreme levels, and reached staggering proportions. One rebellion after another was accompanied by natural disasters.
The only aim of the Andong Kim clan was the preservation of their influence. Their fierce campaign to dominate the royal house had led to a situation in which almost all of the representatives of the royal family fled from Seoul. When the royal family produced intelligent and appropriate candidates for the accession, they were either accused of treason and executed or sent into exile, so when Heonjong died, leaving no son, no acceptable candidate could be found to succeed to the throne.

From “Exactly how much power did the Andong Kim Clan have in the Joseon court? How did they attain such power?” (Quora, by Michael L. Best) :

“How did the Andong Kim clan attain power? By intermarrying with the royal family, enthroning young and easy to control men as king, purging political rivals, and, very likely, killing off any king when they begin to threaten their power.”
“After Queen Jeongsun stepped down [in 1805 as regent of King Sunjo], Queen Sunwon’s father, Kim Jo-soon, began to make his move. Kim Jo-soon, who at that time was already of high rank within the royal court, began to purge all his political rivals to help secure the position of his family and political faction. At the same time corruption in the civil service examination increased, likely in the form of bribes to the Kim clan.”

The term “sedo politics” (royal in-law politics) describes the period 1800 to 1863 when national politics in Joseon was exclusively led by a few powerful royal in-law families, most notably the Andong Kim and Poongyang Jo clans.

From“Collusive Oligopolistic Politics: Sedo and the Political Structure of Early-Nineteenth-Century Choson Korea” by Tae Yeon Eom (2012 thesis, University of British Columbia):

In contemporary Korean historiography, the reign periods of King Sunjo (r. 1800-1834), King Hŏnjong (r.1834-1849), and King Ch’ŏlchong (r. 1849-1863) are generally called “The Era of Sedo Politics” in Chosŏn Korea (1392-1910). In contemporary Korean historiography, the political theme of sedo predominated after the death of King Chŏngjo (r. 1776-1800), when national politics was exclusively led by a few powerful royal in-law families, most notably the Andong Kim and P’ungyang Cho clans, for sixty-three years. Obviously, those two major clans enjoyed extensive political authority and high social status in the nineteenth century.

Notes:

(1) Queen Shinjeong was portrayed by Chae Soo-bin in the 2016 hit “Moonlight Drawn By Clouds” aka “Love in The Moonlight." Queen Shinjeong’s husband Crown Prince Hyomyeong (King Munjo) was portrayed by Park Bo-gum.

(2) In Season 2 , Ep. 4 of “Kingdom,” Crown Prince Lee Chang visited in Ganghwa Island his distant relative Prince Noseong, an impoverished member of the royal family. The drama portrays Prince Noseong as a lowly fisherman but who’s a well-read man. This character was probably based on King Cheoljong (1831-1864), the last puppet king of the Andong Kim clan. Unlike the drama, however, in history, King Cheoljong was illiterate, which made it easy for him to be controlled by the Andong Kim clan.

“Kingdom” Season 2, Ep. 4
B. Eps. 8 and 10: References to the persecution of Catholics during the Joseon Dynasty

B-1. In Ep. 8, at around the 43:00 mark, Bong-hwan (Queen Cheorin) remembers what he learned in history classes about King Cheoljeong; among other things, he remembers that King Cheoljong’s “grandmother and aunt got killed by getting baptized.”

In Ep. 10, at around the 46:57 mark, the Royal Chef tells Queen Cheorin (Bong-hwan) that he lives alone because all of his family were killed in 1839. Queen Cheorin (Bong-hwan) then recalls that he was referring to the “Gihae Persecution.”

B-2. Some of the well-known persecution of Catholics during the Joseon Dynasty were the Sinyu Persecution of 1801, the Gihae Persecution of 1839, the Byeongo Persecution of 1846, and the Byeongin Persecution of 1866.

Relevant discussions:

From “A Brief History of the Catholic Church in Korea” (WSJ) : “The Sinyu Persecution - In 1801, more than 300 people were killed as the ruling Joseon Dynasty, under newly ascended King Sunjo, staged a clampdown on the Catholic Church in Korea, ostensibly because the religion clashed with ideals of Neo-Confucianism and threatened the social hierarchical system. Yi Seung-hun was among those executed.”

From “Korean Catholicism marked by volatile history“ (Korean JoongAng Daily) : “Catholic believers suffered numerous rounds of persecution - the Sinhae Persecution (1791), the Sinyu Persecution (1801) and the Byeongin Persecution (1866) to name just a few - with about 10,000 missionaries and believers killed over a century.”

B-3. The only K-drama I’ve watched that depicted the persecution of Catholics during the Joseon Dynasty is “Yi San, A Wind in the Palace.” In Eps. 60-61, the brother of FL Sung Song-yeon and his fellow Catholics were blamed and arrested for an assassination attempt against King Jeongjo.

C. Ep. 8: Korean seesaw (“neolttwigi”)

In the early part of Ep. 8, Queen Cheorin and her attendant play on a “neolttwigi” (Korean seesaw).

2nd photo from National Geographic by W. Robert Moore, circa 1931
From Folkency: “Neolttwigi (lit. jumping on a board) refers to seesawing, a traditional entertainment practiced mainly by women during the Lunar New Year season. A large rectangular board is supported in its middle by a round hay bundle and two players take turns pushing hard on their end of the board with their feet in order to make the other end spring up.”

It is thought that Yangban women developed “neolttwigi” to see over the walls that surrounded their homes, as women in traditional Korea were rarely allowed out of their living compounds, except at night. (Wikipedia, citing Rodney P. Carlisle, Encyclopedia of Play in Today’s Society, Volume 1)

D. Ep. 12: Surit-nal (Dano Festival); ceremonial robes and head gear of Joseon kings

In Ep. 12, King Cheoljong presides over the Royal Banquet during the celebration of the Surit-nal (Dano Festival). His ceremonial robe is called “gujangbok,” while the head gear is called “myeonryugwan” (The Talking Cupboard) .

https://preview.redd.it/kpaoer4z13pa1.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9a1e536f919350963e9de1ecd4fbf2ba20d6cfa
The robe and head gear were worn by the King and the Crown Prince during special events; with the head gear, the more the number of strings, the higher the rank. The jade object that he’s holding is called the “hol” (or “okgyu” depending on the type of jade used to make it.

E. Ep. 14: Ice was a valuable commodity during the Joseon Dynasty.

In Ep. 14, the Grand Queen Dowager tells Queen Cheorin (Bong-hwan) that ice is a valuable commodity in Joseon.

From “Summer on ice: How ice became an essential part of summer life in Korea” (Korea Herald):

During the Joseon era (1392-1910), ice was a national asset under the control of the king, and accordingly, a luxury for noblemen.
Harvested from rivers and ponds in the winter, ice blocks were stored at facilities called “binggo.” They were used for ancestral rituals, for medical purposes and to keep food cool. Seoul districts Seobinggo and Dongbinggo have their origins in the history of ice storage.

From “Keeping food cool, the ancient way” (Korea JoongAng Daily) : “Since the year 505, or the 6th year of King Jijung’s reign, until the arrival of freon and electricity centuries later, Koreans used stone bunkers to store blocks of ice throughout the year. These seokbinggo, literally “stone ice storage,” were located around the country. Local governments sometimes delivered ice to palaces, but mostly used ice as a means to prevent special local products from spoiling on the way to a palace.”

From “Feeling the heat: The luxury of ice” in Joseon (Korea Times) by Robert Neff:

The Korean government maintained two large ice storage facilities at Seobinggo and Dongbingo, where huge slabs of river ice (nearly two meters long and about 12.5 centimeters thick) were covered with straw and preserved throughout the year. Court officials and others who possessed “bingpae” ― an ice ration card ― were regularly able to obtain a certain amount of this valuable commodity (based on their rank) for their own use.
The common people, however, had to either purchase ice on the black market or from ice merchants. The black market ice ― obtained illegally from one of the government ice storage facilities ― was probably considered to be safer but much more difficult to obtain and so most people had to rely on local ice vendors.

Notes:

(1) “The Grand Heist” is a 2012 South Korean historical comedy film about a gang of 11 thieves who try to steal ice blocks from the royal storage, Seobingo, during the last years of the Joseon era.

(2) In Ep. 9 of “A Jewel in the Palace,” crisis hits as Lady Han falls sick and Jang Geum, with Keum Young, is left to prepare the food for the king and his entourage in the royal hunt. When the Head Eunuch tells Jang Geum and Keum Young that the king wants cold noodles, he asks them if they brought ice with them. (When I first saw this scene back in 2015, I thought, “What’s the big deal with ice?”)

(3) In Ep. 2 of “The Tale of Nokdu,” Yul Mu prepares for Dong Joo a dessert for breakfast. The gisaengs around him become awestruck after the package that his bodyguard brought turns out to be a small block of ice.

What Yul Mu prepared for Dong Joo is similar to “patbingsu” (“bingsu).” Bingsu was introduced to Korea during the Japanese colonial period, but according to “Snowy delights and variations on bingsu” (Korea Herald) , shaved ice treats existed even during the Joseon Dynasty.

https://i.redd.it/n78c477zy2pa1.gif
This is a bit off-topic, but notice two things after Yul Mu’s bodyguard finishes chopping the ice into smaller pieces:

(a) Before sheathing his sword into the scabbard, the bodyguard makes a downward slash with his sword and with a quick wrist flick; he did this to get rid of the water that may create rust in his sword. A swordsman also does this after slashing an enemy; blood may also cause the sword to become rusty.
(b) The bodyguard sheaths his sword into the scabbard with the bladed side up. Why? Two reasons. One, if the bladed edge is sheathed with the bladed edge down, gravity will pull the blade down into the scabbard, causing the blade to become dull. Two, it seems that when a sword is sheathed with the blade up, it’s easier to unsheathe the sword and quickly attack an enemy.

(4) In Ep. 7 of Mr. Sunshine, Ae-shin and her servant Haman enjoy “patbingsu” (“bingsu”) in the French bakery.

F. Ep. 14: Donghak (religion, movement, peasant revolution)

In Ep. 14, the ministers threaten King Cheoljeong that if he does not order the execution of Dam Hyang (the little girl who saved Queen Cheorin from being poisoned), they will consider him as a supporter of the “Donghak” religion and its followers.

From Wikipedia:

Donghak (lit. “Eastern Learning”) was an academic movement in Korean Neo-Confucianism founded in 1860 by Choe Je-u. The Donghak movement arose as a reaction to seohak (“Western learning”), and called for a return to the “Way of Heaven.” While Donghak originated as a reform movement and revival of Confucian teachings, it gradually evolved into a religion known today as “Cheondoism” in Korea under the third patriarch.
Choe was alarmed by the intrusion of Christianity (Catholicism), and the Anglo-French occupation of Beijing. He believed that the best way to counter foreign influence in Korea was to introduce democracy, establish human rights and create a paradise on Earth independent of foreign interference.
In 1892 the small groups of the Donghak movement were united into a single Peasant Guerrilla Army or Donghak Peasants’ Army. The peasants worked in the fields during the day, but during the night, they armed themselves and raided government offices and killed rich landlords, traders, and foreigners. They confiscated their victims’ properties for redistribution.
Choe Je-u was executed as a criminal by the government. The movement was continued by Choe Si-Hyeong (1829–1898), who systematized its doctrine. He too was executed.

Related resources: “Gov’t to commemorate Donghak Peasant Revolution for 1st time” ; “Korea celebrates 125th anniversary of Donghak Peasant Revolution in 1894 (2020)”

G. Ep. 16: Difference between “Jo” and “Jong” in the posthumous (temple) names of the Joseon kings; the Joseon kings’ royal portraits and dramas such as “Painter of the Wind” and “Saimdang”

G-1. In Ep. 16, during the Royal Portrait painting session, Queen Cheorin wonders about the difference between between “Jo” and “Jong” in the posthumous (temple) names of the Joseon kings. The subtitles say that “jo” is added to the name of a king who’s honored for doing something great; on the other hand, “jong” is added to the name of a king who’s honored for his virtue. Well, this is just one of two reasons for the difference.

The website “dramasROK” in its in-depth article cites Korean historian Sul Min Suk who gives two reasons for the difference:

(1) Relationship of the king to his predecessor:

“If the successor was the king’s son – or next in line to the throne – then that king was given a posthumous title ending in JONG.
“BUT if the king was not next in line to the throne and started a new line within the Yi dynasty then his posthumous name was JO.”

(2) “The ending JO was given to the founder of the dynasty – Taejo – for great achievements establishing a new dynasty. And then his descendants were supposed to be named JONG. So in a way, the title JO could be considered superior to JONG. And from now on this was the case. JO was seen as a more elite title to JONG. It started with King Seonjo…”

Relevant discussions: Why was King Sejong named "Sejong" instead of "Sejo"? and “Rulers of the Joseon Dynasty and KDrama Interpretations”

G-2. The Joseon kings’ royal portraits and dramas such as “Painter of the Wind” and “Saimdang”

Only seven portraits of five Joseon kings remain today as the others were destroyed during the Korean War (1950-1953). These surviving portraits are those of King Sejong, King Yeongjo, King Jeongjo, King Cheoljong, King Gojong, and King Sunjong. You can view these portraits at the Royal Portrait Museum in Jeonju, Korea.

https://preview.redd.it/0nxhjw1ez2pa1.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51dd5a7e7da44d8ca156664e85c355c1b13dbc6c
For a more detailed depiction of how the Joseon kings’ royal portraits were drawn according to strict standards, you can watch “Painter of the Wind” (2008; Eps. 10-11) and “Saimdang” (2017; Ep. 22).

H. Ep. 16: Secret Royal Investigators during the Joseon Dynasty; secret royal investigators as depicted in “100 Days My Prince” and “Under The Queen's Umbrella”

H-1. In Ep. 16, King Cheoljong sends his trusted man Hong as a secret royal investigator to the most corrupt place in south Joseon. In his confrontation with a nobleman in a gisaeng house, Hong displays his “mapae.”
From “Amhaeng-eosa - secret royal inspector in Joseon Kingdom”:

“They were undercover officials directly appointed by the king and were sent to local provinces to punish corrupt officials and comfort the sufferings of people while traveling incognito. The amhaeng-eosa system was one of the most excellent inspection systems in the world, the likes of which is very unique and hard to find in other countries.”
The “mapae” was the badge of the secret royal inspectors, and the number of horses carved on it indicated the number of horses that they could requisition from the royal stables (“saboksi”) in pursuit of their assignment. The secret royal inspectors also used the “mapae” to summon soldiers.

The book “Corea, The Hermit Kingdom” (1888) by William Elliott Griffis states several interesting things about the secret royal inspectors. They were called “The Messengers on the Dark Path,” and to prevent them from abusing their powers, they were secretly monitored by a “yashi” or “Night Messenger.” Griffis states:

“An E-sa, or commissioner, who is to be sent to a distant province to ascertain the popular feeling, or to report the conduct of certain officers, is also called ‘The Messenger on the Dark Path.’ He receives sealed orders from the king, which he must not open till beyond the city walls. Then, without even going to his own house, he must set out for his destination, the government providing his expenses. He bears the seal of his commission, a silver plate having the figure of a horse engraved on it. In some cases he has the power of life and death in his hands.
“Yet, even the Messenger of the Dark Path is not free from espionage, for after him forthwith follows his ‘double’ the yashi or Night Messenger, who reports on the conduct of the royal inspector and also on the affairs of each province through which he passes. The whereabouts of these emissaries are rarely discoverable by the people, as they travel in strict disguise, and unknown.
“This system corresponds almost exactly to that of the ometsuke (eye-appliers), for many centuries in use in Japan, but abolished by the Mikado’s government at the revolution of 1868. It was by means of these E-sa or spies that many of the Corean Christians of rank were marked for destruction. The system, though abominable in free countries, is yet an excellent medium between the throne and the subject, and serves as a wholesome check on official rapine and cruelty.”

H-2. Secret royal inspectors as depicted in "100 Days My Prince" and "Under the Queen’s Umbrella":

In Ep. 7 of “100 Days My Prince,” a royal secret inspector (“Amhaengeosa”) saves Yul and Hong-shim from the corrupt magistrate and Master Park. Hong-shim previously recognized that the man sleeping in her father’s room was a royal secret inspector because he was holding a “yuchuk” (a brazen ruler that inspectors used for several purposes, including making sure that the measurement system for taxation was correctly followed).

https://preview.redd.it/fp2wmm7kz2pa1.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dbb8423675f5ae42963be7a4c1843021afde71bb
In Eps. 8-10 of “Under The Queen's Umbrella, as part of the contest, the Grand Princes and the princes disguise themselves as “secret royal inspectors” (“amhaeng-eosa”) in pursuit of the assignments given by King Lee Ho. In some scenes, you can see the inspectors’ seal (badge) and tool: the “mapae” and the “yuchuk.”

I. Miscellaneous notes: Ep. 11: the fight with fans as weapons; “jangot” or head covering for noblewomen during the Joseon Dynasty ; the beautiful bridge across the pond in Ep. 1 and other episodes

I-1. Ep. 11: During the festival, King Cheoljoeong and Kim Byeong-in fight using fans as requested by the Grand Queen Dowager. While they’re using ordinary fans, there’s actually a martial art system using a fan as a weapon.

https://preview.redd.it/xifgh51b23pa1.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58765eca5345effd9c2f3bbc9d82699a523d54f2
From Wikipedia: Tessenjutsu (Japanese; lit. “iron fan technique”) is the martial art of the Japanese war fan (tessen). It is based on the use of the solid iron fan or the folding iron fan, which usually had eight or ten wood or iron ribs. The use of the war fan in combat is mentioned in early Japanese legends.

In Ep. 11 of “Saimdang,”Lee Gyeom fights off Min Chi-hyung’s men using his fan.

Related resources: War Fan Tessen Techniques and Why Samurai Carried and Fought with Fans Made of Metal

I-2. “Jangot” (alternative spelling ”changot”): similar to the outer jacket of a hanbok but with a collar and a ribbon for tying both sides; according to the principles of the Joseon Dynasty’s Confucianism, women were ordered not to show their face to men, so they would cover their faces in many ways while going out. (Wikipedia)

https://preview.redd.it/r06c2mioz2pa1.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=975e4ba5fdaafc0a05a793fdc61010abc336fdbd
From “Veiling of Korean Women: The Neo-Confucian Influence in Comparison to the Veiling of Muslim Women” by Hye Ok Park (Claremont Graduate University, Department of History) :

Different types of veils
“There were several different types of veils, Sseugae, worn by Korean upper-class women: Nuhwool, a black sheer silk framed veil to cover from head to waist (Figure 3), Jangot, a head and face-covering in the shape of overcoat, usually made of green pure silk with purple collar and chest straps to be tied at the chin (Figure 4), and Sseugae chima or shorter Jangot, worn by the lower-ranking upper-class women (Figure 5).
“Lower-class common women were not subjected, or allowed, to wear any headdresses except for the purpose of protection from weather, hot or cold, in which case they wore a simple square piece of cloth, called cheoneui, folded in half diagonally and tied in the back of the head. It was common that they did not wear anything to cover their heads or faces when they went out on their own or accompanying a noble woman as seen in Figure 1 above.”

I-3. The beautiful bridge and pond shown below are used as the location for several scenes in “Mr. Queen”, starting with Ep. 1. This bridge is located in the Gungnamji Pond (Historic Site No. 135) in Seodong Park; it is Korea’s first artificial pond and was created by King Mu from the Baekje Dynasty. The bridge and pond have been used in other dramas such as “The Flower in Prison,” “The Joseon Gunman,” and “The Tale of Nokdu.”

https://preview.redd.it/mloxzq7tz2pa1.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e015dccd9623cffb9b1abe21f33158f999ff054
Notes:

(1) In digging up the historical and cultural backgrounders of the K-dramas that I watch, I rely on English language resources on the Internet. I don’t speak or read Korean, and so I can’t search through Naver. Those of you who read Korean or are more knowledgeable about Korean culture and history should correct whatever errors or omissions there may be in this discussion.

(2) Other discussions that I have posted on the historical and cultural backgrounders of K-historical dramas:

“Hotel Del Luna” (some cultural backgrounders for international viewers)
“The Princess’s Man” (award-winning 2011 drama starring Moon Chae-won and Park Si-hoo)
“The Flower in Prison” (blockbuster 2016 drama starring Jin Se-yeon and Go-soo; 34 of its 51 episodes reached more than 20% viewership)
“Jejoongwon” (2010 historical-medical drama starring Han Hye-jin, Yeon Jung-hoon, and Park Yong-woo; Dramabeans ranked this drama as number one in its review of 2010 dramas)
“Chinilpa” (mini history lesson from "Chicago Typewriter")
Historical paintings depicted in "Saimdang, Light’s Diary"
Historical backgrounders for “The Red Sleeve” (2021) and “Yi San” (2007) with parallels and differences between these dramas

(3) This discussion is rather long and may be a bit boring for those of you who don't like history. If you got tired reading this discussion, you can energize yourself by listening to Band-Maid’s performances during their 2022 USA tour. Band-Maid is an all-female Japanese band that mixes genres such as rock (hard, progressive, punk), metal, pop, jazz, and blues. Listen for example to “Freedom" (anthem; watch out for the drum solo); “Daydreaming" (power ballad; watch out for the lead guitar solo); “Wonderland” (rock-jazz-blues).
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