When Starlett asked me to write about the “presence of flames” in this kdrama, I immediately thought of the lines from Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “Sonnets from the Portuguese.”
“I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.”
While I’m never going to reach EBB’s level of romance (and my colleagues will thank heaven for that), I think I can do something about Starlett’s request. Here’s her request in full:
During my Google search [yes, we are back there], I also stumbled across a Soompi thread [desperate effort ver. 2] and came across an intriguing observation where fire is involved that I was hoping you can maybe help make sense of – the presence of “flames” have somehow symbolized something growing in the relationship (I might not have them in order)
1. Flame from unscented candle
2. Flame from scented candle lol
3. Clam bake bonfire
4. Flaming motorbike in front of the truck
5. Train bonfire
6. Candles at restaurant during first snow
7. Birthday candle flame (now this last one might be a stretch)Now, and forever will be a fan of your blog.
From one to another,
Starlett
I’ll start with Starlett’s list of 7 flame incidents, and I’ll add 3 more so we can round it up to an even 10.
1. Cooking noodles and roasting beans
From Episode 2:
From Episode 4: (remember this? I joked that a modern-day barista reminded me of a blacksmith in the olden days)
Romantic element: In today’s world of microwaveable food, restaurant dining, and delivery by UberEats, taking the time to make anything from scratch, even roasting coffee beans, is always sign that somebody cares. JungHyuk was willing to put in the effort to attend to her needs, even the unvoiced ones, like morning coffee.
2. Flame from the unscented candle
He misunderstood her request. He didn’t know that there was a big difference between an unscented candle and an aromatherapy candle.
She broke down in front of a stranger and she didn’t like it the feeling. He extinguished the flame so she could cry in private. He told her that “Fortune and misfortune are like twisted rope. So they come by turns. Everything will be fine soon.”
Romantic element: His thoughtfulness is swoon-worthy, especially since he appeared to be irritated by her frivolous phone calls. In hindsight, our low expectations of the taciturn and no-nonsense JungHyuk worked for him. We were delighted by the candle and his presents because we didn’t expect him to yield to her demands.
3. Flame from the scented candle
She re-lived her fear of being alone, but she saw him standing there with the candle. She admitted that he made her heart flutter, and because he did, she waited up for him that night to return from Pyongyang.
Of course, she didn’t know (and the viewers didn’t know until much later) the significance of her waiting up all night for him. We just knew that she had an aversion for waiting for anybody. Only in later episodes was it revealed that the last time she waited for somebody, it had been her stepmother at the beach.
Both of them didn’t return as they promised. Gulp. Talk about history repeating itself…
Romantic element: He ran to find her as soon as he heard that she was left alone in the market –and he made the village ladies’ hearts fluttered.
But when he casually told her that he remembered to get a scented candle this time around, we all swooned. Given Seri’s pride, it was best that he rescued her without fuss and fanfare. He kept it low key.
4. Clambake bonfire
As corny as this might sound, Seri learned to enjoy the simple pleasures of life in this scene.
Clams roasted in an open fire instead of bouillabaisse (this is just seafood stew with tomatoes and herbs).
Soju instead of sauvignon blanc (this is just fruity white wine paired with seafood).
Good company instead of boring dates (they were just probably interested in her wealth and connections).
Romantic element: JungHyuk picked her up from the Colonel wife’s house on his bike and brought her home where his men were preparing the clambake. He stayed in the sideline. He was content to steal glances as she laughed with his squad. He was the one who provided the food, but she provided the entertainment for him.
5. Train bonfire
They had an unannounced train stop and they had to keep warm by a campfire. They looked so romantic together that SungJoon, who was watching JungHyuk remove his jacket to cover up Seri, was moved to share his blanket to his male attendant.
What’s memorable about this scene? Seri and JungHyuk learned that they had been both badly scarred by their past. She shared an Indian proverb, “Sometimes the wrong train takes you to the right station.”
Little was she aware of life’s ironies. The train scene was an apt metaphor of their romance. They both got on board the “wrong train.” The JungHyuk Express was arguably the “wrong-est” possible train for both of them although it eventually took them both to the right station.
I already brought this up, didn’t I? I pointed out the irony of Seri saying that JungHyuk could do better than Dan, since he ended up with her of all people.
Yes, yes. I know all about lovers bringing up the best each other. (rolling eyes here)
But as I said, the point here was Seri was WORST possible match for JungHyuk given their nationalities. So “woke” viewers should stop whining about the writer leaving in Seri’s “insensitive” comment that JungHyuk could have done better than Dan.
Anyway….
Romantic element: She boarded the wrong train, but she didn’t regret it. If she had to do it all over again, she’d board the same train again.
By the way, why is this shot good? 🙂
To me, it’s because of the use of negative space. The director allowed the whole frame to go dark. And the only bright light was that sliver of light shining on JungHyuk’s cheek. There were also traces of soft light on Seri’s hair but the rest of the space was in the shadow.
The effect produced here was isolation and intimacy like there were just the two of them in the whole wide world. Romantic, right?
6. Goodbye Picnic
He arranged for his squad to have a picnic to celebrate Seri’s departure while he went off to prepare for her departure.
A note on the cinematography: One of my pet peeves is when a poster gushes about cinematography when she’s only actually referring to the pretty landscape. So here, I’ll explain why I like the cinematography.
It’s because of the dynamic composition.
Although it’s a static shot, our eyes are actually “panning” or moving from one side to another.
I’ll explain:
At first sight, our eyes gravitate towards the light source in the frame: the campfire. Then our eyes circle around the guys who are sitting by the fire. We end up looking at Seri who’s standing and the tallest one there. Then we follow her gaze. She’s staring out in the distance to where JungHyuk is standing. (I’ve marked it with the green lines)
See that? The camera doesn’t have to pan around to show us where everybody is. Moreover, while our eyes are moving, our brains are (unconsciously) registering that JungHyuk is the important object here. If you follow the line created by the wheat and the line created by edge of the ground, the lines lead up to JungHyuk. (I’ve marked them in white lines).
So even if he couldn’t be in the “goodbye” picnic with the other guys, he was still the central figure in it.
Now, look at the sky. It occupies half of the frame while Seri and company occupy the bottom half. Seeing the sky covers all, and blankets everybody, we’re reminded that, no matter how sad the parting is, life goes on.
Romantic element: Goodbyes are sad.
7. Candles at restaurant during first snow
They looked like a couple on a date. The first snow completed the picture. But they both knew that nothing good would come of this. She said so herself, “It’s not supposed to work between us. It would be a mess.” He agreed but he added the adjective “big” for intensity, “Yes. That’s a big mess.” And that annoyed her.
Romantic element: At this point in the kdrama, their romance wasn’t so much forbidden as it was hopeless. She was leaving soon, but she was liking that very moment spent with him.
8. Flaming motorbike in front of the truck
She thought he was just casually letting her leave. But when he reappeared, she realized that he’d been planning to protect her all along. The flames engulfing his motorbike made clear that he’d risk his life for her.
Romantic element: This scene had the subtlety of a neon sign in Times Square, New York City. It was obvious that JungHyuk was the modern-day knight-errant on a white horse. He made a promise that as long as she was in his sight, he’d do everything to protect her no matter what.
9. Schoolhouse fire
There was a blizzard outside and they found shelter inside the abandoned schoolhouse. He made the fire and she prepared a kettle of snow to boil into hot water. He asked about her fake marriage. She was worried how his life would turn out to be since she had made a mess of it. They talked about his first love. They passed time just like that.
Romantic element: Personally, I thought this scene was spooky. Being marooned on Christmas Eve with your special someone in an old, abandoned schoolhouse sounded like an introduction of a horror film. I could imagine Jack Nicholson from “The Shining” coming in from the snow.
But Seri and JungHyuk made it look like a cozy retreat. They knew they were in hostile territory and they would eventually run out of places to hide but for now, they were safe together.
Besides, having two pairs of boots drying in front of the fire is a picture of domesticity. Symbolically, too, this was a good shot. Two pairs of shoes facing the fireplace could be interpreted as a foreshadowing of Seri and JungHyuk’s forthcoming trial by fire.
10. Birthday candle flame
I don’t think it’s a stretch. Starlett. 🙂
When we look back at her journey to self-discovery, we’ll see that she’s no longer the egocentric woman who was upset that she got an unscented candle instead of an aromatherapy candle.
She’s found unlikely friends who loved her for who she was. And she shared, not only her birthday cake, but her newfound happiness with them. Teaching them to make a wish on her birthday cake, she reversed tradition and started a new one with the guys. They’d always remember that when they returned to their country.
The good thing is happiness doesn’t decrease when it’s shared, just like light doesn’t diminish when a flame lights another candle. Seri has JungHyuk to thank for; he surrounded her with these dependable guys.
Romantic element: As JungHyuk said, he’d always be grateful that she was alive on her birthday.
And I know now, Starlett, why this couplet from Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem popped in my head.
“I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.”
That was how JungHyuk loved her. He loved her from dawn till nighttime. But he also loved her intensely, like the sun, that he was willing to die for her in a burst of flames. And he loved her in the warmth of an evening bonfire, in the flickering light of birthday candles, in the soft glow of scented candles, and in the darkening skies of the day.
Considering that most of these scenes were in the “North Korea” segment of the story, I say that the lack of electricity was creatively used in this kdrama to enhance the romance. 🙂
*******************
2/21/2020 Edited to add this:
I forgot to consider that some of you may not have heard of this EBB’s “Sonnets from the Portuguese” so here the sonnet is in full.
Sonnet 43, “How Do I Love Thee?”
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
I had also explained that line “by sun and candlelight” in another thread, in another forum, six years ago. (Boy, time flies). I’m not plagiarizing myself when I repost my explanation here.
I’d written:
The sun in the poem represents dawn. And the candlelight represents the end of the day. She was saying that she loves her husband (the intended reader of her poem) everyday, for the rest of her life, simply, yet deeply, and intensely, from the minute she wakes up, till the minute she closes her eyes…by sun and candlelight.
Ok, I cried again reading this post. 🙂
Please count me in as two!
Love this! 🙂
JH had me when he prepared the noodles and the freshly made coffee! Swoon! There’s 100 handsome points for him! 🥰
Very nice. Thank you.
Thank you so much for writing this piece. I love this very last paragraph:
“That was how JungHyuk loved her. He loved her from dawn till nighttime. But he also loved her intensely, like the sun, that he was willing to die for her in a burst of flames. And he loved her in the warmth of an evening bonfire, in the flickering light of birthday candles, in the soft glow of scented candles, and in the darkening skies of the day.” If I could frame anything I would frame this to describe JH’a love for SR.
I much prefer the scenary in the first 10 episodes in NK over SK because of the delicate, subtle yet to the point cinematography.
There was so much to look at in the SK landscapes that I was starting to miss the no-electricity and just-nature landscapes.
I have to admit though that I was oblivious to the concept and theme of light and fire, and had an enlightened moment reading your blog. It was a a pleasant surprise and I thank you for that.
I’ve become a new fan and look forward to reading more of your work.
Bravissimo @pkml3 what a lovely write up on the theme of light. I didn’t appreciate this show enough or I don’t have the energy to. I like to think that if I had watched it at another time, I would have given it, its due attention. 🙂
Oh. My. God. Thank you. Thank you for existing and writing and reminding me of how much I enjoy reading, learning and having my light bulb moments.
Reading you gives me so much joy in the middle of sleepless nights.
In the context of the long distance relationship portrayed in the drama, we’re trying not to become a twin City family again so that our child can have the joy of being raised by two opinionated people 🙊 it’s so hard. SR and JH should only have children if they’re ready to make big sacrifices related to their careers (especially for SR).
Thank you for all your insightful posts!! I stumbled across your blog when I started watching CLoY and have loved every single one of your posts..they make me appreciate all the effort that’s gone behind producing this amazing drama!
Aha! So you’re one of the 97%ers who have been lurking here.
Remember: I’m only presenting my interpretation. You can have your own too. Or you can use mine as a jumping-off point. 🙂
I’m glad you dropped by.
Yes, I miss those days when we were tag-teaming on Hotel Del Luna.
But heyyy, at least, you had the energy to continue watching till the end. I haven’t yet started on Ep 16. 🤫 I’m sputtering to the finish line. 🚘 🏁
I don’t think I have ever responded to a forum if this sort and not even sure how I stumbled to this page. But I must say these words:
“The good thing is happiness doesn’t decrease when it’s shared, just like light doesn’t diminish when a flame lights another candle.”
I love those words. The sharing is really what I loved about this story. They shared and gave (even ajummas in the NK village). The thoughtfulness and the simplicity just really touched my heart. Now that I have been enlightened on the use of light and fire, I have to go back and rewatch the whole series😉
Thanks. 🙂 However, I must credit Starlett for the idea. She was the one who told me to write about the “presence of flames” in the kdrama.
Welcome to the blog.
Thanks a lot. I’m pretty sure everyone on the same boat as me of sadness that the show is over.
@packmule3..this is so romantic. One of the most romantic posts on this blog ever, perfect for this month of romance! EBB is one of ny favorite poets and “How do I love thee” one of ny favorite poems, but never in a million light years could I have imagined such an imaginative post on “sun and candlelight”! 💕💕
I’m an empty nester. My husband is currently away on a weeklong business trip. Today is my birthday. How did I celebrate? I replayed the scene with the North Korean birthday song and wished along with the others as they blew out the candles on Seri’s cake. Here’s hoping the next drama we discuss will bring connection and fulfillment to us bitches.
Happy Birthday @Welmaris !
Blessings and many more birthdays to come! 🎉🎂🎁🌺
Silent waters run deep & Jung Hyuk is one quiet man … his love ran very deep.
Harks back to Seri’s birthday scene. Usually a birthday greeting is to celebrate another year but for him, it’s to celebrate the day she was born … that there is a Seri.
Also, the pre-recorded messages he left for her for a year … it answered her wailing question ” What will I do when I miss you so much?”. He still loved her even when he wasn’t there & gave her hope with the edelweiss plant to find each other again in Switzerland.
Yes, your EBB’s lines is a lovely way of describing his love.
I have been obsessed with the poetry of this drama. I have been hugging pillows like a teenager. You just reminded me how absolutely beautiful this drama is. Your poetic post just said it all.
I am so used to American and British tv. My discovery of k dramas like this have virtually taken me away to Korean programs almost exclusively. Mr. Bong was right-let’s hear it for subtitles.
So many wonderful programs-am happily working my way through classics like Secret Garden and Goblin. It’s a veritable treasure chest. Thank you for adding to the joy.
Thanks. Welcome to Bitches R Us.
You reminded me that I have to transfer many of my old “Goblin” posts in soompi over here to my blog. I wrote an awful lot about that kdrama.
Many many happy returns of the day, @Welmaris!
You’re an empty nester? Treat yourself out to a spa day! 🙂 I’m an empty nester too.
When we dropped off our youngest in college, that was it. They didn’t come back home after college; they had job offers before they even entered their senior year. In a way, it was a blessing and their dad and I are proud of their hard work. But I wouldn’t have minded having them home with us for even a few months after their graduation. I was looking forward to them raiding the fridge, shooting hoops, making noise and calling out to me, “Mooooom!! Where’s my white shirt??” like olden times.
My mother used to say that, as we grow older, the days run slow but the years fly fast. But when you’re an empty-nester, time stand stills, as your heart stands still, when you realize the void left by your children.
It’s best to keep busy. 🙂
@Happy birthday, @Welmaris!💕
Love the light theme. I thought it was explicit in the drama – when young SEri is on the beach she prays for the sun(light) to come up. Her memory of the event (she repeats it a few times in the drama) was that her mother never came back but also that the sun didn’t rise. Her life after that was eternally dark. There was no sun (warmth, love, gravitational centre to her universe). The moment she fell in love with RJH was when he appeared with the candle at the market. He became her light and her sun, her love and the centre of her universe, without whom she cannot survive (there can only be one sun). Her face said it all. I must look back and see who is lighting all the fires/flames/candles.
If anyone is interested I thought RJH realized he was in love with SEri when he followed her and Gu through the night streets and park in NK – a bus passed and obscured his view and he thought he’d lost her and felt a pang. On the bus was written “I love you so much”. (Well it said “my country, I love you so much” but it was the love bit that was deliberately placed there by the director). Imho that was when he became aware of his love for her. Aw. Just my opinion on the craftiness of the writer. So well thought out. But I’m sure others read it differently.
This post made my day! I had not thought about the significance of fire/candles until I read that comment by @Starlet, but your post summarized it beautifully. As I prepare to re-watch the entire series, I plan to pay more attention to these moments. The moments where they slowly fall, and realize they are, in love. Subtle, yet deep.
And my sincere thanks to Bitches R Us for introducing me to EBB. I had no idea who she was, but I feel I have discovered a treasure chest full of pearls.
I don’t know a lot of love poems, but Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s is my go-to poem.
Here’s the complete Sonnet 43, “How Do I Love Thee?”
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
I’d explained that line “by sun and candlelight” in another thread, in another forum, six years ago. So I’m not plagiarizing myself when I repost my explanation here. I’d written —
The sun in the poem represents dawn. And the candlelight represents the end of the day. She was saying that she loves her husband (the intended reader of her poem) everyday, for the rest of her life, simply, yet deeply, and intensely, from the minute she wakes up, till the minute she closes her eyes…by sun and candlelight.
🙂
@Smartie I loved your post 🙂 I was wondering about when their affection for each other started 🙂
@packmule3 thank you for introducing EBB. I’m getting dangerously used to learning from you.
@Welmaris your post made me tear up a bit thinking about my mother. We are a young family who left our parents only few years back. I hope my mom remembers she still has all of me when she sits alone and I don’t come home to her anymore. I hope you had a nice time relaxing on your birthday 🙂
@agdr03, @packmule3, @arihsi, I appreciate your kind words for my birthday. It was quiet, but filled with lots of love sent electronically by family and friends. My heart was warmed until I spoke on the phone last night with my younger daughter, who told me she and her long-term boyfriend have mutually agreed to end their relationship. There are now cracks in my mom’s heart and I want to dash to her side, but we’re 1200 miles apart. @Arihsi, even though both my girls are into their third decades, I’ll never lose my mama bear fierceness when it comes to protecting their health and happiness. And don’t forget to call, visit, and hug your mom when you can, @Arihsi. My mom was one month shy of 98 when she passed away in 2018 after breaking her hip. I know she led a long, full life, but I miss her (and dad, who died at age 94 in 2016) more deeply than I imagined I would.
On a brighter note, @Arihsi, I was wondering if the hsi in your tag is part of a Chinese name. It is the first character of my husband’s name, and one he shares with his eight siblings as their generational name.
Had to learn that poem off by heart at school. Part of the curriculum. (“Soundings”??) Funny how I remember it and cannot recall a word of Lycidas!
Beautiful @packmule. Thank for highlighting this gem.
Presume you all know EBB was dying (she ailed for years) when she wrote it so the last line has particular poignancy.😭
Another awesome post, thank you very much @packmule3 <3 <3 <3
Your post is beautifully written and definitely brightens my weekend.
I love that you brought up EBB’s poem and the very essence of it. RJH’s and SR’s love for each other is like “everyday’s most quiet need”, like having a sun which brings light and warmth and gravitational center to their universe (i.e. balance) everyday (quoting @Smartie), “from dawn to nighttime, in the warmth of an evening bonfire and in the flickering light of birthday candles, in the soft glow of a scented candle, and in the darkening skies of the day”. They’re lucky to have such kind of love in their life.
CLOY has a very heart-warming feel from the very beginning. I think a big reason is the fires/flames theme. Thank you for connecting the dots and bring them all into perspective. The clambake and bonfire scenes are my most favorite scenes in CLOY. I didn’t really know why I like them that much – now it all makes clear sense to me.
@packmule3: sorry that this post is off-topic and sorry for my ranting but since @Smartie has brought this point up, I’d love to talk about it here.
@Smartie: “If anyone is interested I thought RJH realized he was in love with SEri when he followed her and Gu through the night streets and park in NK – a bus passed and obscured his view and he thought he’d lost her and felt a pang. On the bus was written “I love you so much”. (Well it said “my country, I love you so much” but it was the love bit that was deliberately placed there by the director). Imho that was when he became aware of his love for her. Aw. Just my opinion on the craftiness of the writer. So well thought out. But I’m sure others read it differently.”
Thank you for bring this scene up. It’s one of the scenes I’ve kept coming back to and I like it very much as there’s so much going on in that one scene.
Previously, he is in constant denial of his love for her (his refusal in the bike scene that he actually is worried about her, he outright turned down her request to take a photo with her as there is no need for them to keep a momento of each other). He’s just fixed his wedding date with his fiancee of 10 years and made up his mind to honor a long-standing promise. As SR & GSJ walked and talked and SR turned with smile with GSJ, RJH tagged along and looked from across the street. The writing on the bus is also a reminder of the reality that how much he loves her (yes, the director’s craftiness) and that their love is headed for a seperation for sure. SR is going back to South Korea soon and will probably be dating a guy like GSJ.
I agree that this is probably the scene where it hit RJH hard that he has fallen in love with SR, how much he cares about her and how strong is his wish to protect her. That he feels a pang when she’s out sight and he thought he’s lost her is even surprising to him (and to us as audience).
There’s a sense of longing, jealousy, hopelessness, desperation, and at the same time, so much love, care and tenderness, of suprise at how hard it is to let her go, and seeing his love getting out of hands. I even think he realizes how pretty she is when she smiles (I think that her smiles are particularly pretty in this scene). There’s a sense of hopefullness and happiness at love just spring up, and at the same time, a sense of a deadend and seperation.
Hats off to the writer and director !!!
@Welmaris my name is of @packmule3’s invention. Those characters do not appear in my real given name 🙈 I wrote her a whinny email some years back about not having an internet name, not commenting on public forums because of fear of internet bullying and so on (it was a very lengthy email, now that I think about it). She was very kind as she usually is and bestowed upon me this name. 😌 I still have only this internet name and still don’t comment on any other forum apart from this.
Thank you for sharing your experience as a mother. I am a mother myself now and it’s a bumpy ride. Very different from my expectations.
So many fires!
A real cave-age atmosphere!
About the wine “Sauvignon blanc”.
The main characteristic is not only to be “fruity” but also to be “dry”.
Like the white wine of the muscadet type, or “bordeaux entre deux-mers”.
“Dry” means that the wine is not sweet, it is raw.
Conversely, a “mellow” white wine is sweet. (example: Sauterne, Pinot.)
I never thought I’d see in a kdrama something accurate about wine.
Indeed, seafood is accompanied by a dry white wine!
I would even say that it’s criminal to drink anything else with it.
Soju is slightly sweet (the feeling of sugar depends on what you eat when you drink it).
Drinking soju with clams is totally UNACCEPTABLE!
If I had been a North Korean officer, I would have sent the whole team to a detention camp for such an unforgivable act!
In Bordeaux, we don’t joke about wine… >-<
But Wenchanteur, she likes sweet wine. That’s the point. With her high society friends, she knows well that dry was the “right” pairing for seafood.
That’s why she surprised herself when she discovered that she liked that soju with her clam. She said, “Oh. I’m in a bind. I only drink Sauvignon Blanc I eat seafood. (sips) Did you put sugar in this, Ju Meok? This is sweet. (then later) Why is it so sweet? How could it be sweet?”
As a matter of fact, when she said that, I frowned and made a mental note: “Then why on earth were you drinking sauvignon blanc with your bouillabaisse? Sauvignon blanc is dry.”
And then I figured she was going after the fruity elemental of the wine. It’s similar to how I don’t like sweet wine but I don’t mind Reisling for dessert because I want that apple-y, peach-y aftertaste with my creme brulee — and my brothers tease me for being a wine philistine because I should go with Sauternes.
With Seri, she’s been told that “A goes with B.” In her chaebol world, she would know that soju is unacceptable. But if she was stripped of these pretensions and just went with her real taste buds, then yeahhh…soju works for her.
For me, it’s not a question of social convention.
It’s really a matter of taste.
To drink anything other than a dry white wine with oysters would totally disgust me.
That reminds me of one thing, if the writer really respected that:
It means that when Se-Ri eats seafood, she doesn’t drink Sauvignon Blanc out of taste, but out of social convention.
The proof is that she can drink Soju, she finds it just as valid.
OMG! OMG! OMG!
This snobbish woman has no sense of taste!
She could drink orange juice while eating Roquefort cheese!
She’s the type to drink red wine as an aperitif! Horror!
Hmm… (chuckles) She does have a sense of taste about clothes, though.
And a great sense of taste about men. ^^
Pour moi, ce n’est pas une question de convention en société.
C’est vraiment une question de goût.
Boire autre chose qu’un vin blanc sec avec des huitres me dégoûterait totalement.
Cela me fait penser à une chose, si la scénariste a vraiment respecté cela :
Cela veut dire que lorsque Se-Ri mange des fruits de mer, elle ne boit pas du sauvignon blanc par goût, mais par convention sociale.
La preuve, elle peut tout à faire boire du Soju, elle trouve ça aussi valable.
OMG ! OMG ! OMG !
Cette femme snob n’a aucun sens du goût !
Elle pourrait boire du jus d’orange en mangeant du Roquefort !
Elle est du genre à boire du vin rouge en apéritif ! Horreur !
Hum… Elle a tout de même le sens du goût concernant les vêtements.
Et un sacré sens du goût concernant les hommes. ^^
Christmas in February, my fluttering cloy heart has finally found closure. That EBB connection deserves a mic drop.
Thank you. ❤️
This Happy Madness
Song by Stacey Kent
What should I call this happy madness that I feel inside of me
Some kind of wild October gladness that I never thought I’d see
What has become of all my sadness all my endless lonely sighs
Where are my sorrows now
What happened to the frown and is that self-contented clown
Standing grinning in the mirror really me
I’d like to run through Central Park carve your initials in the bark
Of every tree I pass for every one to see
I feel that I’ve gone back to childhood
And I’m skipping through the wild wood
So excited that I don’t know what to do
What do I care if I’m a juvenile I smile my secret little smile
Because I know the change in me is you
What should I call this happy madness all this unexpected joy
That turned the world into a baby’s bouncing toy
The gods are laughing far above
One of them gave a little shove
And I feel gaily, gladly, madly into love
P.S. “And I know now, Starlett, why this couplet from Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem popped in my head.
“I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.”
This line ~ I love thee to the level of every day’s most quiet need ~ brought me full circle to your post Crash Landing on You: Eps 1 and 2 First Impressions on how JungHyuk took care of Se-Ri’s “most quiet” needs from the very beginning.
For real this time – done and on to the next one!
This was such a beautiful romantic lovely post ❤️
I love this post. I noticed the fire imagery throughout the show but did not think to connect in this way! It works particularly well in the NK scenes because it gives almost a chiaroscuro effect to their budding romance. The other sonnets from EBB’s Sonnets from the Portuguese use a great deal of fire/light and dark imagery too (including Sonnet 22). Looking forward to your post on the ending/overall rating!