I said in one thread that if I were to compare the kdramas I’m watching this month to food, then:
“LUCA” is an ethical-sourced veggie salad with tofu with sriracha vinaigrette.
“River Where the Moon Rises” is jjajangmyeon with all the black noodles sticking together in a clump.
“Sisyphus” is deep-dish, supreme pizza, and soda.
“Hello, Me” is gourmet popcorn: butter, caramel with peanuts, and kettle corn.
It seems I wasn’t off-base because snacks are an integral part of “Hello Me.” The male lead, YuHyeon, is the only son of the CEO of a food company specializing in snacks.
Here are a few notes for this episode.
1. The kindness and patience of the older Hani towards her younger self
Listening to the voiceover of Hani, I wondered if I would be as understanding to my younger self as Hani was to her bratty 18-year-old self. Most probably not.
Young Hani: I saw you getting down on your knees and begging! You have no house, money, or pride. How dare you give me such a miserable and humiliating future? What kind of a life did you live to turn out so pathetically?
Old Hani: (slapping her)
Young Hani: Did you just hit me? What for? How dare you hit me?!
Old Hani: I…I also hate my life and wish I were dead. I’m well aware that my life is screwed!
Young Hani: Then die! Forget it. I doubt you even have the courage to, so I’ll do it for you. Now, that I know my future, what hope do I have in life?
Old Hani: (just staring at her)
Young Hani: (stomps off)
Old Hani: (voiceover) I didn’t stop you from leaving because I thought you’d be better off resenting me instead. It would hurt less than you hating yourself after knowing the truth.
I like this scene because:
one, it showed the internal conflict that Hani had. I see the argument between the younger and older version of Hani as the conflict between her “id” and her “ego.” Her “id” is that unconscious part of her personality that’s childish, impulsive, headstrong, and pleasure-seeking. Her “ego” on the other hand, is the realistic side.
two, it brought home how much Hani loathed herself that her younger version would opt to kill herself rather than to live miserably in the future.
three, it’s a revealing moment when she slapped her younger self. Hani was basically slapping some sense onto her own self. Despite being full of self-hatred, she wouldn’t allow herself to sink to this level of rudeness, discourtesy and contempt.
four, she showed compassion to herself. She didn’t want her younger self to go through the same guilt and self-hatred she felt when she caused her father’s death. To me, if there’s any good that came out of her father’s accident and death, it’s that she learned to reject her self-absorption and to consider someone’s welfare before hers. She had to learn the hard way, unfortunately.
2. Strangers helping strangers out
First, there were the gangster-looking men who grabbed her because they thought she was about to jump off that bridge and commit suicide. Then, there was the Shaman who called himself Jobseu (after Steve Jobs) scolded the young Hani for having a temper tantrum.
Young Hani: (whining) You promised to help me go back? (jumping up and down) You have to send me back?
Shaman: How dare you! How dare you cause a scene when you’re neither a human nor a ghost? (approaching them) You were born with so much luck. How did you end up living such a misfortunate life?
Young Hani: What do you mean?
Old Hani: (looking at her) Hye, don’t respond. He’s either one of two. He either wants us to join a cult or give him money. Let’s go.
Shaman: You’re two individuals with the same fortune. My goodness, how strange. If you’re not a ghost, it means you’re both the same person. If you need help, come with me.
One of the comedic strengths of this kdrama is that even the side characters are wacky. They help set the tone of the Hani’s absurd world where nothing is as it seems. The gangsters turned out to be real do-gooders, and the shaman turned to math formulas for incantation spells.
It’s not sure whether the Shaman’s recommendation to do a rainy-day ritual will actually work in getting the young Hani back to her own dimension. But for the purposes of the story, both Hani and Yuhyeon have a set deadline for their transformations and reversals. Hani has until the next rainy day to regain her old confidence and survival instincts from her old self. Meanwhile, Yuhyeon has 100-days to show his skeptical father that he can be gainfully employed.
3. Scarlett
I like young Hani’s choice of name, Scarlett. Scarlett is the lead female character in that epic movie, “Gone With the Wind.” That title means to disappear or vanish completely, and it’s applicable to the old version of Hani because she lost her bold personality she used to have as a teenager. To me, two people died on that night of the accident: her dad, and her young self. Her intrepid spirit was “gone with the wind.”
To me, Scarlett is an appropriate name for the younger version of Hani.
For one, Scarlett was a spoiled teenager in the movie. The young Hani, too, was spoiled and narcissistic back in high school. She was determined to have her own way no matter what. Ordinarily, determination is an admirable quality to possess, but in the young Hani’s case, her strong will proved to fatal. She had skipped class to attend an audition. When her mother discovered her truancy and brought her home from the audition, she rebelled. She bolted out of the taxi, causing her father to chase after her in traffic. He got hit by a truck (yes, that truck of doom).
For another, Scarlett was great at adapting to crisis. Likewise, the young Hani could make lemonade out of lemons. However, this resiliency takes on a negative quality whenever she manipulates people to her advantage. I find it infuriating to watch the young Hani whine, complain, and denigrate her older self, when it was her youthful recklessness that created her current situation.
That said, I know that Hani will need to find her old self again. If she can only regain a bit of her self-centeredness and her manipulative streak, then I think she’ll quit being the doormat and improve for the better.
4. The keychain and the necklace
YH accidentally dropped his worldly possessions – or what he called his “limited editions” – on the ground, and Hani spotted a keychain she lost before.
She claimed it as hers, and YH realized that she was the girl who rescued him from the bully Anthony when they were children. Back then, Anthony had taken a necklace from him that was shaped like a smiley face, so he could give it to Hani. The young YH cried that his mom had given it to him. My mom gave that to me!” Hani came, knocked Anthony down, and return the pendant to him.
Hani: It’s a smile pendant. How pretty.
YH: My late mom made it for me. She said I looked the prettiest when I smiled.
Hani: I see. Then you should wipe those tears and smile for her again. (he did) You really have a beautiful smile.
When he asked for her name, she called herself, “Superman!” and she left. After she was gone, YH saw that she’d dropped her keychain and he kept it ever since then.
Yes, I know “fated since they were children” is a trope, but I still like this scene for the following reasons:
a. This keychain was something he considered a “limited edition” like his other name brand items.
b. His smile pendant was a precious keepsake from his dead mother. Similarly, her keychain was a precious keepsake from her dead father.
c. I don’t know if the viewers noticed this, but she was wearing a gold pendant with a smiley face too when YH returned her keychain. I like the connection.
5. Rivalry between Yuhyeon and Anthony
I thought that it was hilarious when Anthony bought YuHyeon’s limited editions in a shady deal. They were both wearing masks and using pseudonyms to conceal their identities. I’m sure there’ll be a hilarious contretemps in the future involving the watch since YuHyeon’s initials are engraved on it.
It’s also funny that after all these years, Anthony still covets YuHyeon’s trinkets. From the smiley-faced necklace, he’s moved on to his designer watch.
Given that bad blood existed between these two men since they were young, we know that they’ll eventually be competing for Hani’s feelings. But I’m really not invested in the love triangle as I am with the relationship between Hani and her younger self. I think two actresses are doing a fine job of mimicking each other but at the same time, acting according to their respective age and character.
In sum, I can see that I like this drama in the same way I liked “Zombie Detective.” It’s not the first of its genre — in fact, I’m watching another back-to-the-past plot in the other drama (Hello? “Sisyphus”). But the story is uncomplicated but quirky.
Although I’m caught off-guard by the chain of events, the episodes are cohesive as a whole. The conflicts flow naturally into the next, and they don’t appear forced. Of course, the accidental meetings and antics of the side characters spin our female characters, Hani the older and Hani the younger, into a new direction. But their circumstances are plausible and entertaining enough to keep me interested in the next episodes.
I hope you can join me and @Growing_Beautifully in the Open Thread.
Hi @pkml3! Wow, you managed to make time to review Episode 3!! I like the occasions when Antony and Yu Hyeon brush up against each other. They unfortunately bring out the weak parts of each other’s personality. Antony becomes more mean, and Yu Hyeon more cowardly when they were kids, but as adults both are just as petty and competitive. However things will soon be looking up for Yu Hyeon, because not only is his history with Ha Ni more positive, he’s also taller than Antony LOL.
Yes, I like how the the homemade articles are the one of a kind, collector’s items, and how once again it’s over trinkets that Yu Hyeon and Antony encounter each other.
Except for Ha Ni mistakenly thinking Yu Hyeon hired himself out as a gigolo, Antony will never have a chance with her, once Yu Hyeon acts on his childhood hero worship of ‘Superman’ and decides to charm H Ni. Anyway Antony had already treated her so badly over the poop photos that weren’t LOL. And he didn’t recognise her or like her at all, so if he wants to form the 3rd wheel, it may be only out of contrariness because he does not want Yu Hyeon to ‘win’.
True about the homemade items. I’ve kept my sons’ paper flowers and picture frames that they made in kindergarten for Mother’s Day decades ago.
You’re right. The tall guy beats the shorter guy in kdramas. 😂
Which reminds me…
The male lead in Sisyphus is rather short at 5’6. I think he’s shorter than Siwan (“Run On”) guy and I described Siwan’s height as the “fun size” (as opposed to the regular size). 🤪
@GB and PM3,Justlooked up Cho Seung-woo of Sisyphus-he’s 5’8″, but where I know him is fromwatching YouTube videos of musicals that Jeon MiDo starred in while I watched Hospital Playlist. Shevwas his Lara and he eas the titular Dr. Zhivago and they were the stars of Sweeny Todd. Their duets are just beautitul. So if you want some delightful music,check bothofthem out in YouTube. Both,ofcourse,are award winning,veteran musical theatervperformers,whose names assure that these plays sell out.
Hello Me is a spot of joy in my K Drama viewing. There is so much that I love from Ha Ni’s bond with her Dad,Yu Heon’s Dad’s true love for his son(his love is soft tough love) to HaNi’s being Yu Heon’s creditor. I keep thinking about A Comedy of Errors-one of the great comedy tropes of all time. To me, the K Drama journey is most of the fun. I’m invested in Ha Ni, the older and the younger. I know the truck of doom was the cause of HaNi’s change of personality. A great trope in K Dramas is how children believe they are the cause of their family misfortune-so grounded in real psychology. Hello Me shows this and may be helpful to some viewers whose children may need grief counselling. The guilt factor is very well played.
I also love the dance protest at the snack company. The older Ha Ni might not have been expected to bust a move, given her inhibitions. But, she qnd her younger self look great! And I love that our Chairman actually chose to have a conversation with tne older HaNi. It is also fun to see how unchairman-like he looks. He is not a sharp dresser or speaker, unlike his son. For Ha Ni, he is not scary and ultimately, tneir conversation is heartfelt.
Thank you so much for this thread. I’m enjoying this drama so much that I’m glad I have a place to express my joy.
@Old American Lady, my impression from the post-protest conversation between older Ha No and Yu Hyeon’s dad is that she wasn’t aware of his identity. She probably doesn’t know that her being rehired by Joa Confectionery and assigned to the headquarters was a result of that conversation, since news of her reemployment came via corporate minion. I suspect the reveals to her of this man’s role in the company and his relationship to Yu Hyeon will happen amidst much drama and comedy.
I’m getting the impression that strangers suggesting rituals is a trope. I’ve recently seen it in at least two other Kdramas, and such a situation is usually played as if the one offering to organize the ritual is a con artist. In Lovestruck in the City, a woman positioned herself in a restaurant so she could swoop in on sad, lonely patrons, offering to provide them company at their table and listen to their woes. The answer to the sad patrons’ problems was always to hold a ritual, from which she planned to benefit financially, I suspect.
Last night I finished an episode of SKY Castle that featured snacks as a sort of panacea, but in a much darker way. Middle schoolers that were stuck until late at night studying at a supplemental academy used their 30-minute dinner break to steal bags of snacks from a nearby convenience store: not to eat, but to take to the roof of the academy building and stomp on, tossing handfuls of crumbs in the air like confetti. They weren’t caught and punished because one of the moms visited the convenience store owner with one of those thick white envelopes, and while she watched, all the security footage of such incidents was erased. The mom described this behavior to an aghast neighbor who’d witnessed it as a game that helped the students burn off steam. The students didn’t know that a parent was acting as their fixer. The aghast neighbor feared the students’ behavior would escalate and their moral compasses would be negatively impacted if they didn’t suffer the logical and legal consequences of their actions. I suspect I’ll see exactly that in the next episode.
I am liking Hello, Me! well enough to continue, and look forward to watching Episode 4 tonight. Although older Ha Ni is viewed by many, including her younger self, as a loser, she’s a hard worker, has a solid grasp of right and wrong, and is kind-hearted. Younger Ha Ni is self-centered, but comes to the rescue of underdogs when she sees them being bullied. Younger Ha Ni loves her grandma dearly, and grieves to learn she suffers from dementia; she also is protected by older Ha Ni from learning that her relationship with her grandma is broken by the death of her father.
Young Yu Hyeon says his mother gave him the smiley face medallion to remind him that he looks better when he smiles. The actor who plays older Yu Hyeon has a notable, bright smile: great casting!
Another trope to add to our list: Necklace ripped from someone’s neck, yet chain and clasp unbroken so that the necklace can be put back on with no problems. Also, the wearer’s neck isn’t traumatized by the brute force yanking off the necklace, no matter the thickness of the chain.
Hello, all! I’m enjoying this show—more than any other of the new releases I’m watching.
I just read this blog post (link below) and now I think I know why I’m so thankful for this page. It helps me answer these questions and not “is he a hot oppa?” “Do they have good c-word?”
I think you may enjoy this post and also the link included with Auden’s 5 possible verdicts for an adult reader (or drama watcher).
Happy watching and discussing all you critical thinkers and art appreciators 😉
https://modernmrsdarcy.com/three-questions-to-ask-yourself-when-you-finish-reading-a-book/
@Welmaris,Watched the next episode and thought of you. The convenience store scene with Chairman father, sonand old Ha-Ni was a hoot. No reveal here but so tantalizing. The Chairman is probably the first likeable chaebol I’ve seen in K Dramas. He doesn’t wear power suits. He’s plain dpoken and he seemd to be, ahem, kind. And I love that Ha-Ni mfound her coordination during morning exercise(a real hoot watching her team). And Anthony! Waiting to see if he and young Ha-Ni interact. The show is teasing this too-Young Ha-Ni in her kelp costume. Will be interesting when they meet. Looking forward to seeing how this drama will handle this. I think this drama has so many small pleasures. It has become a go to for me. It’s a great stress reliever.
@birdie007, I’ve been in several bookclubs. In one, a member is my friend, who is a college librarian. One way she has told us to drop abook we as individuals are not enjoying(as we are reading for pleasure) is to stop reading at the page that mirrors your age. If you’re young that’s fine. But the older you get, the more you have to invest in the book. I like the Auden questions. I think they help to organize one’s thoughts. When I’ve read for information(non-fiction), I’ve found thst the clearer the writing, the more I’ve learned. It’s not thatI don’t appreciate big words-I love language and have a group of friends who share puns(don’t look badly at me). But I find that authors who use words that are only meant for the intellectual elite and don’t make ideas universally available, have no interest in people who don’t have the credentials they deem necessary for understanding. There are some areas where language is specific. An example is scientific writing where ine has to be exacting. And all professions have jargon that practitioners must learn-jargon alsoadds mystery to the lay person. However, for pleasure reading,Auden’s question number 3 says it all. I also have favorite authors and themes. I think my classic favorites are Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. They both pull at my emotions and Austen can be downright funny. And I also like certain themes like historical fiction, some science fiction, some fantasy, a little mystery, romance but not the one’s with muscle men on the cover (Helen Huong is a recommended author-she’s on the spectrum and writes romances about people on the spectrum. I’ve read her books in one sitting).I alsonowknow that people drop K Dramas. I’ve been reluctant to do this but with binging, I’ve learned to fast forward repetitive and tedious parts. Thanks for the food for thought.
@pkml3 @Old American Lady… oh I missed your posts!
Thanks so much @Old American Lady for the information on Cho Seung Woo’s singing. I went to YouTube and found Sweeney Todd. I also found a young CSW singing when he was still in the military. He seems to have sung a couple or more songs in English while wearing a uniform!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjjwUNGjLBo
His speaking voice in dramas sounds so different from his deep singing voice. Loved it!
I agree with you that this show is a bright spot of drama viewing. I’m thoroughly enjoying how everyone who knows each other gradually come together in surprise and figure out who knows whom, and in which capacity.
It’s such a joke that the real father and son, Han Ji Man and Han Yu Hyeon pretend to be unrelated, while the 2 Ha Nis are fake mother and daughter.
The repeated motif of Young Goo and Il Goo continually popping up in Ha Ni’s imagination to beat world records is such a hoot. I wonder why those 2 continue to stay with Ha Ni as much as they do. Their main relationship to her is that they sold the snacks she loved.
I like how adult Ha Ni and CEO Han seem to meet up over snacks or chat about snacks. It’s because of her love for them that she obtained the job in the product development department. It will actually be a suitable department for her, once she gets her footing and can start making suggestions or sharing how they make her feel, the way she did with CEO Han.
Anyway, this will be going past Episode 3, so I’ll stop here. I’ve still got Ep 6 to watch. I expect that it will be a blast.
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