Episode 7 Title: To Trust and To Understand
In this kdrama, the title hints at the message of the story, and in this particular episode, the Beginning and Ending served as pretty bookends to the theme: to trust and understand.
It’s not all about pretty rainbows and cinematography, you know. The “beautiful backlit glow” had a significance to it….
Like this:
At the lobby, ChiWon was beginning to understand her and her situation as a juggling assistant. Then, in the end, at the restaurant meeting with her mother, he was finally learning to trust her. The trust came with the understanding of her — as a person and individual, and not as a caricature or an impression.
I find it noteworthy that the ChiWon met the her mother at the restaurant (isn’t it?) where she was attacked by her Misery, the ex-boss’s wife on suspicions of having an affair with the boss. Previously, CW didn’t care to listen to her explanation of that humiliating scene.
I also like the contrast between the lobby and restaurant encounters. Did you notice?
When Yoon-Yi walked out of the elevator, she appeared wretched and dispirited.
In her eyes, the sunlight created for ChiWon an aura of an avenging angel, as if he was St. Michael the Archangel, slayer of evil bosses in elevators.
Of course, his stance added to the imagery. He strode steadily towards her, and the purposeful air about him must have given her much-needed reassurance and solace. She was safe because he was trustworthy. He was different from her previous employer.
In contrast, observe the restaurant scene. YoonYi’s mom was in combat mode, frankly distrusting his intentions towards her daughter. But he was neither insulted nor offended. He understood her maternal concern, so he carefully considered his answer to her query. When YoonYi half-tumbled, half-skidded into the restaurant (unlike his confident walk in the lobby), he looked at her with understanding. And amusement.
He knew that she was there to rescue him from an embarrassing situation with her mother — just like he had rescued her, without her knowing it, from future mistreatment from her ex-boss.
That’s why he trusted her and he reiterated to her mother that, “Yes, she’s someone I want to trust.” To YoonYi, he was a trustworthy person because he was a decent and upright person… despite his gruff exterior. To ChiWon, she too was a trustworthy person, because her curious mix of blunders and efficiency, clumsiness and calmness, bewilderment and eagerness revealed her very much sincere heart.
ChiWon hated that conniving woman he once thought she was. (Side-eyeing Meaghan Markle here. lol) But he was beginning to love who she really was behind the professional mien.