In recent years, television series from South Korea have gained international recognition and popularity. One interesting and captivating theme that has emerged in South Korean television is the uncovering of witches. These shows explore the realm of magic, mysticism, and witchcraft, often captivating audiences with their unique storytelling and vibrant characters. One of the notable South Korean television series that focuses on the theme of witches is "The Witch's Love." This show follows the life of a witch who uses her magical powers to navigate through love and relationships. The show not only showcases the extraordinary abilities of witches but also delves into their struggles, secrets, and hidden identities.
American Horror Story Finale: Was the Supreme's Identity in the Opening Credits All Along?
My, my, what do we think of that American Horror Story: Coven finale?! In my opinion, that was a damn fine ending to a stellar season (by far my favorite!) of the hit show—especially because I did not see that ending coming. In fact, I didn't even [SPOILER] include it as a possibility in my recap of last week's penultimate episode. I watch so much TV that it has become hard for me to be too surprised—not a real problem, I know—so I applaud Ryan Murphy and Co. Anyway, let's move on to discussing everything that went down! Spoilers ahead, of course, so don't keep reading if you don't want to know who is the next Supreme. The episode began with the best opening montage I've ever seen: Stevie Nicks singing "Seven Wonders" while the ladies practiced for the. Seven Wonders. I'd embed a video, but the only one I could find was this crummy version. Boo. Anyway, time came for the actual Seven Wonders ceremony. All the girls passed telekinesis and concilium with flying colors. But when they had to descend to Hell, poor Misty Day wasn't able to bring herself back. Delia tried to save her, but to no
January 30, 2014My, my, what do we think of that American Horror Story: Coven finale?! In my opinion, that was a damn fine ending to a stellar season (by far my favorite!) of the hit show—especially because I did not see that ending coming. In fact, I didn't even [SPOILER] include it as a possibility in my recap of last week's penultimate episode. I watch so much TV that it has become hard for me to be too surprised—not a real problem, I know—so I applaud Ryan Murphy and Co.
Anyway, let's move on to discussing everything that went down! Spoilers ahead, of course, so don't keep reading if you don't want to know who is the next Supreme.
The episode began with the best opening montage I've ever seen: Stevie Nicks singing "Seven Wonders" while the ladies practiced for the. Seven Wonders. I'd embed a video, but the only one I could find was this crummy version. Boo.
Anyway, time came for the actual Seven Wonders ceremony. All the girls passed telekinesis and concilium with flying colors. But when they had to descend to Hell, poor Misty Day wasn't able to bring herself back. Delia tried to save her, but to no avail and Misty died. :( I didn't think she was the Supreme, but I secretly hoped it was her.
On to transmutation: At first Zoe, Madison, and Queenie were able to do it—until Zoe ended up impaled on a wrought-iron fence. Not only is she obviously not the Supreme, but she's dead. Queenie tries to bring her back to life, but fails (meaning Queenie is out as well). Delia and Myrtle ask Madison to do it, but she refuses. Instead, she kills a fly and brings it back to life to prove her necromancy.
Magic
As the Covens died out, and witches stopped using their gifts, the powers got weaker and many disappeared almost all together. Mortis, Vitalis, Concilium, Clairvoyance and Transferal are the most commonly seen of the remaining powers. There have through the generations existed several different variants and mutations but all the remaining powers can be traced back as originating from the seven main powers: The Seven Wonders.
Mortis: Touch of Death
The power to take life is the second most potent power and very hard to control. It originates from the Wonder: Descensum.
Mortis requires skin to skin contact with the victim; the words “Alma, Mortis” are spoken and the victim will immediately feel their body begin to shut down.
Mortis manifests differently depending on the witch casting it; some can only cast it when taken over by a strong emotion, some have no control at all and cast it without intention, some can cast it at will but require more skin contact to do so.
Vitalis: Power of Resurrection
The power to return life to the dead is the most potent power remaining and can be difficult to perfect, often needing much practice. It originates from the Wonder: Vitalum Vitalis.
Vitalis doesn’t require skin to skin contact but some witches find this gives better results. The words “Alma, Vitalis” are spoken before gently blowing on the victims face. It can take a little time for the victim to regain the full function of their body.
Mastering Vitalis successfully is no easy feat and the side effects of being raised from the dead can be dire if it is not done correctly. Zombification, loss of speech or sight can be some of the results of an unfinished or badly executed Vitalis. Luckily it can often be corrected by more powerful Vitalis.
The after effects of being raised back from the dead can give the victim a euphoric high comparable with some drugs; this has resulted in some witches using Mortis and Vitalis on each other to get a kick. There are of course many risks, the longer the victim is under the better the high, but the stronger the witch needs to be in order to resurrect correctly. Mortis from some witches can also result in a bad trip.
Concilium: Mind Control
The power to control another’s mind and by extension often their body. It originates from the Wonder: Concilium.
Concilium varies slightly depending on the ability and strength of the caster. Eye contact with the victim is always required and the words “Alma, Concilium” are followed by instructions i.e. “Alma, Concilium. Slap yourself” or a more complex variant could be “Alma, Concilium: Go make me a cup of tea”. The strength of the caster versus the strength of the victim is relevant when using Concilium: a stronger witch might be able to resist a Concilium by a weaker witch. Even a weaker witch might snap out of Concilium mid-tea brewing. Concilium might leave a victim feeling confused and disoriented or have them trapped, fully aware of their actions but unable to stop themselves.
A good indicator that Concilium has been used is the sharp but temporary headache that often follows a longer Concilium exposure. If the victim is being exposed to Concilium repeatedly or has been under Concilium for some time this can even lead to migraines, nausea and vomiting.
Clarvoyance: Mind Reading
The power to read anothers thoughts. It originates from the Wonder: Clarvoyance.
Clarvoyance and Concilium have a lot of similarities; both vary slightly depending on the ability and strength of the caster and both require eye contact with the victim. Clarvoyance however is much harder to break if there is also skin contact between the victim and the caster. The words ‘Alma, Clarvoyance’ are spoken and the victim will start speaking their thoughts aloud; sometimes they do not notice themselves doing this, sometimes they do but cannot stop themselves.
As with Concilium the strength of the caster versus the strength of the victim is relevant; a stronger witch might be able to resist or break the Clarvoyance of a weaker witch.
Transferal: Shifting injury to others
The power to transfer pain and injury onto others. It originates from the Wonder: Transmutation.
Transferal requires that the caster has eye contact with their victim throughout the Transferal and loss of eye contact breaks the Transferal, but will not undo the damage already transferred. The caster establishes eye contact, says the words “Alma, Transferal” and then causes damage to their own body in some way i.e. slaps their own face or stabs a fork in their hand. The victim feels the pain in the casters place and will also sustain the damage to their body even after the Transferal is broken.
It is harder for a weaker witch to break the Transferal by a stronger witch, but the Transferal can be broken by a third person breaking the eye contact between caster and victim.
The show not only showcases the extraordinary abilities of witches but also delves into their struggles, secrets, and hidden identities. The main idea of "The Witch's Love" is to explore the complexities and powers of witches in a contemporary context. Another popular South Korean series that deals with witches is "The Master's Sun.
The Seven Wonders
Every Supreme of every Coven has gone through the trial of The Seven Wonders and proven themselves to be the most powerful witch in their Coven: able to command all seven powers. Only one is chosen and the other candidates are eliminated round by round. It is possible to die during the trials. You only enter the trial once in your life, if at all. Entering the trials can be a way to speed up the reveal of your powers but it can be a high price to pay; even if you survive the trials you cease to develop anymore powers afterwards. There is no known knowledge avaliable to explain why this happens. Nor to explain why every recorded attempt of a witch to retake the trials has ended in death.
" In this show, the main character has the ability to see ghosts, and through a series of events, she becomes entangled with a wealthy businessman who is haunted by spirits. The show intertwines elements of horror, romance, and comedy, as the two characters work together to uncover the mysteries surrounding the ghosts they encounter. The main idea of "The Master's Sun" is to explore the supernatural world of ghosts and how witchcraft can be used to connect with and help these lost spirits. These South Korean television series that revolve around witches have captivated audiences not only in South Korea but also around the world. The unique storytelling, engaging characters, and exploration of magical themes have contributed to the universal appeal of these shows. Whether it is the exploration of love, relationships, or the supernatural world, these series offer a fresh and captivating take on the witch theme. In a world where magic and mysticism continue to captivate our imagination, these South Korean television series provide a delightful escape into the realm of witches and their extraordinary powers..
Reviews for "Exploring the portrayal of witches as protagonists in South Korean TV shows"
1. John - 2 stars
I was really excited to watch "Uncovering witches" as I am a fan of both South Korean television series and supernatural themes. However, this show fell short of my expectations. The storyline was confusing and lacked depth. The characters were poorly developed, leaving me feeling disconnected from their journey. The pacing was also incredibly slow, making it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, I was disappointed with "Uncovering witches" and would not recommend it to others.
2. Emily - 1 star
"Uncovering witches" was a complete letdown for me. The premise seemed intriguing, but the execution was poor. The acting was subpar, with many scenes feeling forced and unnatural. The special effects were also lackluster, failing to create a sense of magic or wonder. Additionally, the dialogue was cliché and lacked originality. I found myself cringing at the cheesy lines throughout the series. Overall, "Uncovering witches" didn't live up to the hype and I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on it.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Uncovering witches," but unfortunately, it fell short in several areas. The storyline felt disjointed and poorly structured, making it difficult to follow along. The character development was minimal, leaving the protagonists feeling one-dimensional and unrelatable. The pacing was also inconsistent, with some episodes dragging on while others felt rushed. Additionally, the CGI effects were low-quality, often appearing cheap and unconvincing. Overall, "Uncovering witches" lacked the substance and quality necessary to capture my attention and I cannot recommend it.