I’m going to answer you here, @Welmaris so it’s easier for me to find this in the future.

Episodes of this drama continue to get better and better, which is refreshing because some dramas lose momentum and sputter to a finish.

I think the strength of this kdrama is the human element. While it’s expected that viewers connect with Hani, Yu-Yeon, CEO Han, best friend JiEun, and young Scarlett, they also relate to the “bad folks” in the story like the cousin DoYun, Anthony, and the “spy” Seungseok. That’s because the audience see all of them as ordinary people with a good heart. It’s hard to despise anybody even when they do something wrong because they’re basically good people.

As a natural corollary of having an all-good cast, the weakness of this kdrama is the lack of conflict from a veritable antagonist. The role of “bad guy” falls entirely on Aunt JiSook but she feels like a one-note character. Meaning, she exists only to dial up the negativity and escalate the problem. There’s no subtlety or finesse in her evilness. She nursed a grudge all these years because she was passed over by her father, and deprived of the leadership of the company. So she was going to get the company back either by hook or by crook.

When she found out about her brother’s progressive blindness, she didn’t do what normal siblings would do in a family-run corporation: talk about succession and ownership, and plan the business model for the next generation to continue. When you think about this, her “evil” plan didn’t make sense. She wanted to destabilize the company stocks, damage the employees’ morale, and destroy the company’s reputation so she could take over company. What was the point of taking over when the company’s ruined?

There was much I liked in eps. 13 & 14, but what touched my heart the most was the healing of the relationship between Yu Hyeon and his father, Chairman Han. From the beginning we could see they loved each other despite the dad being disappointed in his son’s lifestyle choices, and the son being frustrated that his dad didn’t appreciate what he’d accomplished. Now YH is committed to helping his father and Joa Confectionery through their crisis, no longer seeing the company as competing with him for his father’s affection. Chairman Han may not longer have use of his eyes, but he can see his son’s heart and competence much better now. Those two are finally on the same page. What a blessing for both of them!

Yes, I agree. I also liked how the two reconciled: with YuHyeon scolding and nagging his father.

YH: What the hell is going on? What are you doing here? Damn it. You’re supposed to be on a business trip. Why are you here? I knew you weren’t taking my calls for a reason. You wanted to rest this badly?
Dad: You…Why on earth are you here? How did you know?
YH: I didn’t want to get fired. Are you restructuring the company because I’m close to paying back the debt?
Dad: Restructuring? What are you talking about?
YH: The company took a weird turn ever since you went away on a break. You can’t fire me, you know.
Dad: You aren’t making any sense. Restructuring? That doesn’t make sense.
YH: This look doesn’t suit you at all, so let’s head back to the office.
Dad: (removing glasses) Yu-Hyeon. I’m afraid my eyes—
YH: I know! So what if you have poor vision? You have me, you know. This is when you should make use of your healthy son, Han Yu-Hyeon. (voice cracking)
Dad: (and they hugged each other)

I think for this father-and-son duo, this combative and argumentative style is how they verbalize love. They enjoy sparring against each other, and they aren’t the type to use gentle and soft words.

To me, YuHyeon didn’t like how the company had “stolen” his father’s time and attention away from him when he was growing up. As the only son, he was expected to run the company eventually. So, his aimless, dilettante lifestyle was his way of getting back at his father, and getting the attention he missed out on as a kid.

As it turns out, his certificates were his way of showing development on his own terms, and getting accredited without nepotism. So good for him.

But aside from YuHyeon’s reconciliation, I also like Hani’s family reunion in Episode 13. I thought that was well-done, too. Her mother instantly recognized Scarlett as the young Hani, and didn’t bother with the whys and wherefores. After that, they circled the wagons.

Mom: She’s going to die?
Hani: I don’t understand it either. But if she doesn’t return soon, something bad may happen to her.
Unnie: How can she go back?
Hani: I’m still looking into that. In any case, I know you two are already busy taking care of Seongu, and Grandma. I’m sorry for being a burden.
Mom: Don’t be sorry. Our family’s in danger. When times are rough, we need to protect each other.
Unnie: I told Seongu that she’ll be staying here temporarily due to certain reasons, so don’t worry.
Hani: Thank you. (to mom) To you, too.
Mom: You fool! How could you carry the burden all by yourself every single time? It must have eaten you up every time you did that.
Hani: It’s okay. I’m fine now. I’m no longer alone.

I think that’s one reason why this drama is uplifting. It reinforces our belief in family coming through for you in your hour of greatest need.

I also like how adult Ha Ni’s care and kindness is having a positive influence on her old friend Ji Eun, giving JE courage to speak to both her mother-in-law and husband and urge them to stop their destructive behavior. She’s quiet, but has backbone.

Yes, JiEun has no problem speaking up in a professional setting. But with Dohyun’s overbearing mother, she becomes quiet like a mouse. This is because:

a) she didn’t come from a privileged background like Dohyun, so she deferred to her mother-in-law, and

b) she lost her mother when she was young, and she was unconsciously looking for this motherly love from Dohyun’s self-centered mother. She tried too hard to please her mother-in-law, thinking she’d be accepted as a daughter.

To me, Hani’s words of advice sounded kind and temperate because, to begin with, JiEun framed her problem in a gentle and moderate way. JiEun didn’t make herself out to be a victim of her mother-in-law. Her question was neither accusatory nor resentful. So Hani’s response came out neutral, too.

JE: By any chance, if it seems like someone you know is doing something wrong, what would you do?
Hani: Does that person mean a lot to you?
JE: (nodding) Mmm.
Hani: Then, you should tell that person to stop before they ruin themselves.

Note: Hani’s first concern was for the person who did something wrong, or the offender. She didn’t consider the people who were on the receiving end of the offense. Had she known that the targets of DoHyun’s mother’s wrongdoings were JiEun, YuHyeon, and her own self, I wonder if her answer would have been so considerate.

Anthony’s trouble seems ripped out of recent headlines, but the arc of his character’s story in Hello, Me was set long before the recent sinking of a certain Kdrama star’s career due to allegations of his being a school bully. I did find it heartwarming that young Ha Ni felt compelled to comfort Anthony, knowing he’s a softie inside despite his gruff exterior; knowing that Anthony was guilty of bullying and lying about plastic surgery, she still chose to be a friend to him. My guess is that when she returns to her own time, she’ll be a bit kinder to Yang Chun Sik and a positive influence on him and his future.

I agree with you, Welmaris. Young Hani did well when she visited him after the bullying news and voiced her opinion on the situation. She just didn’t abandon him.

It would be interesting to see how the writer would handle this subplot considering the recent accounts of school bullying by celebrities. If I have my timeline correct, the issue of school bullying in South Korea came out in the forefront when two volleyball players on the national women’s team were dropped from the tournament after reports of school bullying surfaced. They were twin sisters.

Here’s the link: CNN: volleyball players

I think the young Hani/Scarlett and Anthony got along pretty well. There were a couple of scenes I felt squeamish about their relationship although I know that Anthony only saw her as a precocious kid. Hopefully, when the young Hani returns to her timeline, Anthony will view this brief moment of time as closure to his unrequited love from high school.

There are a couple of style choices now being made by this drama that irk me. Why must Chairman Han wear dark glasses now that he’s lost his eyesight? And why must he ride in a wheelchair? The director either doesn’t trust us to believe, or the actor to believably portray, the degeneration of the character’s sight. In my opinion, use of the dark glasses and the wheelchair to signal blindness is lazy filmmaking. In real life, if Chairman Han had a degenerative condition leading to eventual loss of his vision, long before he went fully blind he would have been started occupational therapy to help him develop coping skills.

🙂 I’m glad you noticed that.

Me? I only noticed the trivial stuff like YuHyeon’s coats. He dresses like a model because he was one before he became an actor.

His coat in Episode 13 made him look like a Glad trash bag, though.

lol. I’ve a coat like this so I know exactly how ugly it LOOKS in the light. When I look at it now, hanging in my closet, I can’t imagine what I was thinking of when I bought it.