The thread is now open for spoilers, rants and raves.
Gifs from ahsung’s tumblr
I’m reminded of my aunt.
She loved roses.
From early summer to late fall, when the roses bloomed in their garden, my uncle would cut her enough roses to fill a vase even if it meant getting pricked by thorns. I thought that was romantic.
But she’s been dead ten, almost eleven years now, and he still cuts fresh roses for her when he visits her grave. He says he was willing to do this much for her, every day, twice a day, for all seasons, for the rest of his life. If doing so would have somehow miraculously prolonged her life, the thorns would have been worth it.
So peeling crabs and shrimps for a loved one? Pfft. That’s easy-peasy.
It’s when you have to peel crabs and shrimps while your heart is aching in grief that’s tough.
Enjoy the show.
PS. I’ve banned a handful of people from commenting on HCCCs thread. Don’t try me, okay? I’m mentally exhausted from working three days straight.
Hello @packmule3! Your story about your aunt and uncle is heartwarming, if tinged with some melancholy. Thank you for sharing it. As a millennial, it can be easy to forget that kind of love exists in real life, and not solely in fictional texts.
I honestly thought that scene with Hye Jin and Du Sik eating crab was kind of peak romance. Having grown up in an Asian household, the primary love languages have always been food and acts of love. Those Korean red snow crabs are pretty easy to peel, but the mud crabs that we eat at home are not. Now that my parents are older, I peel crab for them and it’s nice to be able to reciprocate that act of love.
Side note, I don’t know how people can find it hard to peel prawns. The real struggle is deveining prawns without breaking the tract. 😅
I’m finding it harder to sit through episodes of HCCC. I still love all the characters and the subplots, but it’s hard to be patient with Hye Jin and remember that this is her first real Real relationship. Du Sik was slowly opening up to her, and for her to say that she didn’t know him, that he wasn’t who she thought he was… That was super hurtful. What Hwa Jeong said was right – not everyone has the same capacity to open up and not everyone does it at the same pace. Revealing your vulnerabilities in a relationship isn’t a linear process, and I think it took time for Hye Jin to understand that. I think her pulling back and asking for a break was a really ironic step to take because it reinforces Du Sik’s fear – that people will reject him once he shows his true self.
Anyway, thank goodness she redeemed herself at the end of episode 14. But these past few episodes have me largely agreeing with the villagers’ earlier opinions – Du Sik is too good for Hye Jin. I’m not against their relationship, but I’d argue that Hye Jin needs to develop her interpersonal skills to have a more fulfilling romantic relationship.
Hi @pkml3! Thanks and glad that you’ve made it past your busy weekend.
I love roses too and I prick myself to get them from my little garden. The ones I have were planted by my mum-in-law and they are tiny, but still so sweet. I wish they would all bloom at the same time, but I have learnt to be patient so that at least 5 out of the 6 buds have bloomed before I cut the stalk that holds all of them. This means that I have to appreciate the blooms that are fading as well as the ones that are just opening up, and when I think of myself, that’s a apt metaphor!
An off the top-of-my-head thought about Ep 14 … Seong Hyun (Lee Sang Yi) sang beautifully for the village, because they demanded it, and I expected a raucous applause for him when he’d finished, but there was barely a whimper of response at the end!!! Why??? I need to replay that scene. I thought it sounded wonderful.
The almost bromance of Seong Hyun and Du Sik is nice. It’s been more entertaining watching the guys interactions than the OTP’s. Heck, the interactions between Hwa Jeong and Yeong Guk, and between Mi Seon and Eun Cheol seem to catch my attention more too!
@PM3 – what a lovely story. Thanks for sharing. I’m intrigued with you banning some users.
@GB unnie – I also wondered about that song of Dir Ji! Why was there even no applause? I think he sounded great, too. That was weird. I like his conversations with writer Wang and how he realized he was actually ok and is not nursing a broken heart anymore. Did he say he will line up as her suitor? I know he meant work-wise but Writer Wang probably had butterflies when she heard that.
@Welmaris’ plot predictions all came true – at -home birth of Bora’s mom delivered by HYe Jin; romantic feeling of the teacher towards Hwa Jeong. I’m glad the writers did not force that relationship and instead made a a catalyst to get them back together. Hwa Jeong is a great character in this drama – sensible, mindful, caring person so who can’t fall in love with her ( I’m looking at you Yeong Guk!) or want her to be their bestie?!! Looks like the reconciliation is in progress. We’ll see if they decide to get married again.
TBH, I’m not really as curious about Chief Hong’s backstory. I’m just watching to have a conclusion.
@Janey I just rewatched that scene of Seong Hyun singing and yes, he was good, and I thought the audience thought so too from the expressions on their faces, but the applause was miserable, and the subs said “That was not good.” I don’t even know who said that or what it referred to. I expected thunderous applause, especially after they made him sing. It wasn’t even as if he had been clamouring to sing. I just found that scene so weird.
Yes, Seong Hyun did say to Writer Wang that he would start over with her, and join the long list of people out “to court her” (as a writer), then he put her spectacles back on her. A rather intimate act, don’t you think? She was understandably speechless after this LOL.
So we have SH starting over with Writer Wang and Yeong Guk starting over with Hwa Jeong. Hye Jin has also restarted the dating with Du Sik, and Mi Seong and Eun Cheol have started as well. Nam Suk has at least partially atoned for her nosiness by facilitating Yeong Guk’s coming back to Hwa Jeong… a tiny redemption?
The other thing that I thought should have been a bigger deal, but which became a non-event when it was over, was the birth of Yun Gyeong’s 2nd child. There were hardly any congratulations, and no celebrations. No one made a fuss over Hye Jin and we don’t get to see the baby. It was odd because of all these omissions.
I’m guessing that Show is running out of time and that the editing department cut out a lot of scenes that were shot. The priority was that they had to end off the episode with Du Sik getting punched in the face. 😉
Hi packmule! Was waiting to comment on the HomeCha Eps 13&14 Open Thread. But I do understand that we all have lives outside Kdramas.
#JOMO right?! 😉
Willing to wait.
Just like Hye Jin for DuSik. She was pretty pushy in the beginning. But I’m glad that was resolved right away, thanks to Hwa Jeong’s wise words.
And yeah many might want a boyfriend like DS, but that is only if we are a HJ too who can stand by her man. I really hope this one ends on a good note. No surprises please like that confrontation and punch from DoHa in the last ep. Now I don’t know what to think esp since in the earlier eps, DoHa and Writer Wang were talking about making a good buildup and then giving it a bad ending. 😛
My comment went through. Which means I haven’t been banned. 😆
I don’t like Yong Geuk and Hwa Jeong to get back together. They can stay as friends. But She deserves better! Would have been bold for the show to have made it HJ and CH.
All Gongjin villagers backstories nicely tied up, leaving us with DuSik’s for the remaining eps. And who the mystery lottery winner is.
@packmule3, thank you for sharing the lovely story of your uncle and aunt. What a thing to aspire for — a love that lasts a lifetime.
@hotatoes — on peeling crab and shrimp, I get what you mean, it really is a language of love. Our dad did that for us and our mom, and I also do that for loved ones as a sign of my affection. (Agree on your thoughts on de-veining, too, lol.)
Also agree with @hotatoes’ thoughts about finding it difficult to sit through the last few episodes of HCCC. I find that HJ’s actions seem to be written in only to create conflict needed for the current/next episode.
Case in point for this episode, I thought her reaction at the start was too harsh and unreasonable. But this was “needed” so as to fill the time with the tail-end angst/drama. During their reconciliation, when HJ reached the conclusion to wait for DuSik to feel safe and comfortable enough to open up to her (subject to the fair condition that he will not make her wait too long), I thought that that this conclusion should’ve been arrived at much earlier.
Another example, while watching Episode 13, I felt/realized that all the very childish and annoying demands of HJ in Episodes 11 and 12 were placed there only to lay the basis and make DuSik (and the viewers) realize that at the end of the day, fulfilling those petty demands are insignificant if DuSik cannot fulfill HJ’s serious request — that he open himself fully to her.
It feels like Hye Jin as a character isn’t too … real. As though her “puppet strings” are too visible. I feel like she acts only as she does because the writer needs to to accomplish episode goals. Either that, or she is really is an emotionally draining person.
Oh, and additional thoughts 🙂
I thought SH’s song about new love replacing old love (or old hurts and mistakes) nicely ties together all the love stories in Episode 14 (DuSik/HJ; Hwa Jeong/YG; SH/Writer Wang).
I got confused too about the reaction of the folks. I think it was meant to be funny??? Maybe — and this is totally random lol — it would be like if Idina Menzel guested on Friends and her random character was asked to sing, and at the end of the song, everyone was just oblivious to her talent and Joey said, “Meh. That’s not goood.” (cue laugh track) 🤷♀️
On Hwa Jeong and YG, yeah, I guess all that was to be expected. Was I moved? Not really. But I can understand the Show’s writer because it was obvious those were the next steps to be taken given the tone/formula of the show. They were bound to reconcile within the last 3 episodes. 🤷♀️ I must say that I laughed at NamSuk’s “I lied” hehe.
One last — I felt happy for Writer Wang when SH said he will also be one of the many directors to court her. Wooot. 🙌🥰
@packmule3, Just want to say that the story of your aunt and uncle was something I needed to read. That is a real love story that fiction can never duplicate. Thank you.
@Growing Beautifully, I thought the same about the editing. I wondered that about the reaction to SH’s song as well as HJ’s comment about how she didn’t know Du-sik anymore. I can understand the rest; that she didn’t like ambiguity and wanted honesty. I can even understand her need for a little break. I can’t comprehend her comment about not knowing him, because there is nothing about him that had changed. To me THAT was the problem – he didn’t want to change her impression of him so didn’t want to explain himself. But Do-ha has intervened now and the truth will out.
So the woman who came to visit SH was the widow of Du-sik’s best friend and mentor? Is she still in town at the time of the episode’s ending? Surely there will be an encounter between her and Du-sik. Will she have a different point of view from Do-ha?
@Packmule3, thanks for opening this thread and sharing with us a glimpse of the love between your uncle and aunt. It reminds me I need to be intentional about the languages of love I use with my husband.
The only reason I could imagine for the audience’s limp reaction to Director Ji’s singing is something along the lines of what was shown us in the final episode of HP2: that the singing the TV audience heard is not supposed to be the same as the singing heard in the world of the show. But why would HC3 Writernim do that to Director Ji? Is there a reason advancing the plot dictating he shouldn’t be a good singer? I don’t think so. Note: Since it was an afterparty for the Seaside Grasshopper TV show, members of the audience weren’t just townspeople, but included Director Ji’s crew and the show’s idol singer stars, who I’d imagine would be familiar with audience etiquette as performers. This setup so we could hear actor Lee Sang Yi’s beautiful voice, then turning it into a joke [perhaps an inside joke because LSY’s career includes his being a singer and performing in musical theater] just fell flat. The sudden and inexplicable disconnect between viewer’s reality and show’s reality doesn’t make sense.
I think there are pressures on HJ that we international viewers don’t get, but South Korean viewers might identify with immediately. One is South Korea’s emphasis on status and marrying within one’s own class. I recently watched a couple YouTube videos by a South Korean who has experience living outside SK, so has a wider world view, where she addressed ten things she hates about living in Korea. One of the points she brings up is class consciousness, which is wrapped up in education and employment. These are her opinions; the videos are part 1 (https://youtu.be/Sdyqjk__Vdc) and part 2 (https://youtu.be/iGvKkkipaGg). We see a hint of this when JH and her two female friends, after they finish golfing, have a conversation as they walk up the stairs in the clubhouse. HJ’s friends approve of DuSik in terms of his personality and his good golf skills, but were taken aback by his lack of career position and motivation. They remind HJ that at their age, marriage is always in mind when dating. One friend says to HJ, “You must be in a dilemma. He seems like a great guy, but you still need to be realistic.” Translation: He’s not marriage material.
Although I’m not convinced getting back together with Yeong Guk is in Hwa Jeong’s best interests, I have to applaud actors In Gyo Jin and Lee Bong Ryun for their excellent acting in the scenes when they talk about the reasons their marriage broke down. Their faces and bodies conveyed more than their words. Job well done.
I may have correctly predicted that circumstances would force Yun Gyyeong into home birth, and that Hye Jin would help her, but I otherwise missed the target on this plot development. Instead of drawing HJ and DS back together after a separation, the baby’s birth precipitated their separation. Delivering the baby, holding the baby, seeing DuSik hold the baby…these opened new feelings in HJ. She broaches the subject of children with DuSik, asking if he’s ever thought about how many children he wants and whether he prefers to have a boy or girl at first. DuSik evades answering by saying he hasn’t thought about it (which would make him a rarity, if true), then appears to drift off to sleep (I think he’s faking). Dissatisfied with his non-answer, HJ can’t sleep and wanders over to DuSik’s bookshelves. Leo Tolstoy’s “What Men Live By” is sticking out a bit, so she pulls it off the shelf and discovers the photo of a young family: father, mother, baby. DuSik is angry when he finds her looking at the photo, grabbing it from her.
HJ: I’m sorry
DS: No, I’m sorry. I overreacted.
HJ: Who are those people in the photo? [She can be curious, but HJ isn’t entitled to an answer to this question.[
DS: They’re just some people I know. [He could have said more to diffuse HJ’s curiosity without referring to his trauma.] Let’s go inside.
HJ: Will you keep doing that?
DS: Do what?
HJ: “Just some people I know.” “Just a desk job.” Will you continue giving vague answers? [DS tightens his lips, lowers his chin, breaks eye contact.] I’ve shown you everything. My dad, my stepmom…even my stupidly drunk self. I don’t mind showing my true self to you. Do you not feel the same way? [DuSik looks at HJ, but can’t hold eye contact. He says nothing. Hye Jin sighs and shakes her head slightly.] You see, I was so jealous of Yun Gyeong today. For having someone who vowed to be by her side through thick and thin. [DuSik bites his bottom lip.] You kept your promise about my bucket list wishes. You agreed to do all sorts of things. But why won’t you do the most important one? Why won’t you open up to me about yourself? [DuSik keeps his eyes lowered; his posture is defeatist.] Why is it so difficult for you? [And this is where, in my opinion, HJ crosses the line by inferring the problem is DS’s, not rooted in her expectations.] You see, I really like you. [I’m glad HJ states this clearly.] So I want to know…what kind of life you’ve lived and what’s on your mind. [More silence from DS, but he’s making eye contact with HJ.] I’ve been dreaming of the day you and I become family. [Again, I’m glad HJ is clear about her hopes for their future; DS remains silent, bites his bottom lip again, looks down briefly…and this is when we see KSH’s limitations as an actor.] Say something. Anything.
DS: [lines appear between eyebrows, lips tighten, bottom lip shakes, struggle to maintain eye contact, tears well in eyes, swallows] I’m sorry.
HJ: [DS did say something, anything, but HJ winds herself up further because she’s unhappy with his response. In my opinion her next words should have been to ask why he’s sorry.] Why are you turning into someone else? Why are you drifting away? Why are you becoming a stranger? I don’t know who you are anymore. I don’t understand you. [The accusatory nature of her words escalates; if she’d calmed down before she spoke, she may have avoided speaking untruths. The DuSik she’d come to know and love had not changed in a moment.]
DS: Me too. [He says nado, which is poignant because we often hear it as the response when someone confesses saranghae / I love you.] I don’t know either.
In Hye Jin’s defense, this difficult interchange with DuSik happened when both were exhausted after being awake all night. HJ was not only sleep deprived, but physically depleted by the rigors of delivering a baby, and emotionally wrung out by facing a challenging and dangerous situation for which she’d had minimal training. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation affects the body the same way drinking alcohol does. After 24 hours without sleep, a person’s body is in the same state as being legally drunk. And after the stress and adrenaline rush of delivering a baby, HJ’s body would experience the let-down effect as her fight-or-flight hormone levels drop from their peak. Just as drunken confessions may expose truth, but shouldn’t be taken too seriously, HJ’s words to DS when she was physically and emotionally fatigued should be taken with a grain of salt.
In the final scene of Episode 13, DuSik muses that he didn’t want to take in the hedgehog because “I think I’m still afraid of saying goodbye.” Where this fits into the timeline isn’t clear.
I will review Episode 14 in a bit, after I’ve eaten an early dinner (since I didn’t have lunch) and gone for a walk. I want a clear head.
@Welmaris, HJ’–s Seoul “friends” gave approval to DuSik only when they found out he was an alumni of Seoul National University, the best in Korea and an avatar of snob appeal. I think we may remember that HJ was a “poor” girl in her college years and used c material goods almost like a tranquilizer to assuage her still present insecurities (see the wedding in the c early episodes).we know that she has a good sense of justice because she will not do any unnecessary procedures and won’t rip anyone off.
@Welmaris, a lot can be explained when we look at cultural differences. In all cultures there are customs that are oppressive. K Dramas do show how constructing they can be. I think that high status doesn’t necessarily equate a free life. And be careful 2hat you wish for…
@packmule3: thanks for sharing something so personal, and hope you managed to get a bit of a break!
@hotatoes & @pandamilktea: peeling mud crabs is also a sign of deep love in my family too! my dad never fails to do it for my mom, and at 67 he’s still doing it!
on this note, i thought the various acts of love/affection played out in the last two episodes were sweet and poignant reminders of “its the thought that counts”, and inspite of their lack, they tried.
1. Nam Suk confronting Hwa Jeong about her feelings and then setting the scene for a reconciliation with Yeong Guk.
2. Geum Cheol buying a durian in the storm for Yun Geong (I’m not sure how easy it is to find durians in Korea, but its a seasonal fruit where I come from and a good one is not cheap or easy to get).
3. Yeong Guk washing up after Hwa Jeong (while he left a trail that pointed to him, he probably did it the best he can, and the pile of dishes was substantial)
4. Mi-seon staking out Eun-Cheol in her bid to stop an “illegal” act (the comic timing was genius, I think I laughed the loudest here – she could have been in some danger if the transaction was indeed criminal, yet she still ran forward to break it up)
5. I-jun accompanying Bora and praying with her (sometimes you just need someone by your side, come hell or highwater, no matter how old you are)
6. Du Sik’s brew for HyeJin (symbolising, what I felt was a commitment to long term happiness with her; the older the alcohol ages, the better it gets- and which he had also penciled into his personal bucket list)
7. Ji PD dropping everything to check on Du Sik after finding out about the relationship issues, and then knocking sense into him (that’s a real bro)
just my two cents!
Some thoughts on Ep 13 and 14
Hye Jin admits her impatience. I believe that just before she announced their taking a couple break, she did want Du Sik to tell her his backstory straightaway.
HJ is also stubborn. I feel it took 2 different person’s words to get her to come around to giving Du Sik more time. One person was Hwa Jeong who reminded her that what is easy for one person can be difficult for another (and who admitted that she had been impatient in her marriage) and the other was her dad, who mentioned that the plants were going to bloom in due time ie, not everyone’s timing was the same.
Unfortunately, although HJ had given DS more time, and he was about to reveal his story, in true drama style, it is of course too late. Circumstances are forcing his story to become public before DS is ready, and before even HJ knows. (As a nit picky viewer I feel it still had better be of sufficient shock value to warrant all the delay.)
Questions that I trust Show will answer:
DS considers himself guilty of some great wrong, as did the widow of his sunbae (who at the wake said that DS should have been the one to die) and as does Do Ha, but is he really culpable?
Will the citizens of Gongjin stand by him regardless? Will an event of the past cancel out all the good he has done in the last 5 years?
Will his story be an added flaw in DS’s history, that HJ and her father cannot accept?
@pm3 what a beautiful story!
Hello everyone 🙂 I am late to the party. I have been lurking around reading posts. I was behind and catching up.
Whatever the incident – it looks like Du Sik is at fault (or he believes he is), and what next in life when one has done something wrong in life that has caused irreversible harms? The dramas I watched mostly are the stories on the victims’ sides. What happens if it is from the “bad guy” side? How does his life go on? How can he move on from his guilt?
He doesn’t think he deserves to be happy. His way of redemption is to go back to his hometown, helping others by only charging minimum wage. He doesn’t think he deserves to be loved.
The love story- perhaps is the answer to grandfather’s wish that Du Sik doesn’t have to be alone. Or perhaps is to tell us love is not about one deserves it or not. I noticed that Hye Jin is always the one who reached out first and takes the lead. She is the one who kissed him. She is the one who confessed. She is the one who encouraged Du Sik to open up. She is happy to stop their temporarily separation and be there with Du Sik. Not saying she is always right but she seems to do the right things when there is a tricky part in the relationship, when Du Sik doesn’t know what to do. His coping mechanism seems to default to retreat.
Also the actress who plays Hwa Jung. I always ended up crying with her. Perhaps her love is also not about deserving or not. She just loves the ex-husband even though he doesn’t deserve it. After his poor behaviour and after she divorced him, she just never stopped caring for him. Agree with @Welmaris. The pair acting was very moving at those scenes.
I like Lee Sang Yi. His confession scenes with Hye Jin earlier made me cry. The song sang by him in ep 14 perhaps hints the show’s theory on what to do to move on. @Janey @GB I don’t get their response too, it was lukewarm. Unless they want us to focus on the lyrics? If so, they may as well not show us the villagers’ reactions.
@pandamilktea I actually hadn’t thought of it like that, but I do see what you’re saying about how the writers are manipulating Hye Jin’s character to propel the story arcs. I believe that someone as emotionally draining (lol, such an accurate description) as Hye Jin can exist, but it does sometimes feel like they’re undermining her character development just so we can have some drama. That’s not to say that I want her growth to be linear – but it’s become a bit overly questionable/frustrating at points.
@swiss_postscripts Aw that’s sweet of your parents! I like your list about the acts of love in the episode. I think it’s very prevalent in Eastern Asian cultures to show people you love them in these subtle ways. I’ve grown up in a Western culture, so a lot of people I know struggle to reconcile their understandings of typical Western shows of love (lots of verbal reinforcement, physical gestures) with their parents’ lowkey acts of love.
Judging by the Episode 15 preview, I have a feeling that Du Sik was likely involved in a car accident with Do Ha’s father, therefore leaving him a paraplegic. I think that Du Sik’s friend might’ve been in the passenger seat, since the widow blamed Du Sik and wished Du Sik died instead (harsh words). Drivers in Seoul are pretty crazy – there were times when I was in Seoul that they ignored pedestrian crossings with lights! The road statistics in Korea also reflect this. The person standing on the bridge looks like Du Sik, so I guess he fell to a pretty dark place after the accident.
I find it rather contrived that Du Sik is friends with Ji PD’s brother-in-law, and Ji PD works with the son of the man who was injured in Du Sik’s accident, and Ji PD is Hye Jin’s college friend. But hey, that’s dramaland.
@Welmaris, physical exhaustion + sleep deprivation = not good combo for confrontation. Although I think after getting some rest, HJ was able to think things more clearly.
She’s still so clean and well kempt even after delivering the baby!!!! No bloody hands. I remember an old episode of the XFiles where Scully who is already a medical doctor still had a difficult time delivering a baby.
Would have been nice to have some celebration also from the neighbors for the newborn. Like HwaJeong cooking (although she already took in Bora during the night). But then again, they might have thought to give the new mother some time to rest.
DuSik could have made some food, cooked broth for the mom.
Some visit also from Uncle Eun Chol.
In the beginning of Episode 14, we get a sense of how much Hye Jin has changed with a glimpse at her footwear: She’s wearing sandals that look comfortable and practical. (Although knowing Hye Jin, they could be expensive.) We also see during her conversation with Hwa Jeong that her defenses have weakened and her true emotions break through. When Hwa Jeong, being perceptive, asks if anything happened between HJ and DS, Hye Jin does not deny it. She does not hide behind “I’m fine. Everything’s good.” Hye Jin trusts Hwa Jeong enough to reveal the issue that’s the source of friction in her relationship with DS: “He still hasn’t opened up to me.” And knowing DS better than almost anyone else in Gongjin (I think Gam Ri may know him best, of the townspeople), Hwa Jeong shares a different perspective with Hye Jin: “No, you’re wrong about that…I’ve never seen Du Sik happier than he is these days…What may be easy for one person can be something difficult for another. Ever since he was a kid, he was so mature. He only learned how to hold himself back, so he doesn’t know how to open up to people. For a long time, he hasn’t had anyone that he could share his pain with. I believe that you can be his rock, someone he opens up to. Going through both marriage and divorce has enlightened me. I regret being so impatient. I wish I’d told him what I was really feeling for once.”
I don’t think Hye Jin has trouble telling Du Sik what she’s feeling, these days, but I do think she wrestles with impatience.
Yes, @Fern, the woman who came to Gongjin to visit Director Ji is the widow of Du Sik’s college and work sunbae who watched over Du Sik like an older brother. She’s also Seong Hyeon’s older cousin or close family friend (he calls her Noona, asks about Auntie, and had been invited to her wedding but work prevented him from attending). When she says she’s heard about Gongjin from someone, had been meaning to go there, and thinks it’s nice, it doesn’t sound like she’s still harboring intense anger at Du Sik for whatever role he played in her husband’s death. She may still hold resentment…but we shall see.
After Hye Jin and Hwa Jeong talked, and Hye Jin got some rest, she returned Du Sik’s phone call. I can appreciate how HJ handled their first conversation following their tense moments in the morning.
HJ: I see you called. [This assures DS that HJ did not intentionally fail to pick up his call.]
DS: Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t stop you when you left. [This is a roundabout admission of his failure to respond to HJ during their previous conversation.] We should meet. Where are you? I’ll be right there. [He’s concerned. He wants to fix the rift between them.]
HJ: No, I’d rather not see you.
DS: What? [Not what he expected to hear.]
HJ: What if I see you? I know all you’ll say is that you’re sorry. Like you did just now. [My initial reaction hearing this is that she’s being dismissive.] I think we need to have some time apart. [I wondered if she was being punitive.] Not in a way people do as a formality before breaking up. I don’t want to break up with you. [Hooray for clarity.]
DS: Then why…
HJ: It just seems to me you need some time. [This is a statement of what she thinks, not blame.] Time that will finally stop you from being sorry. Time you’ll need to finally be honest with me. [This can be taken as a promise from Hye Jin to accept all of Du Sik, the bad with the good, if he stops hiding behind a mask.] Because we can’t go on like this. [This is her opinion, and a warning she won’t settle for a superficial relationship.] Let’s take our time and carefully think this through. About where we should go from here and what we both want. [I like that she presents this a joint project.] You get what I mean, right?
DS: I do.
HJ: I’ll hang up then. [And Hye Jin has now put the ball in DS’court.]
As I suspected, Show has made closeted lesbian leanings part of Yu Cho Hui’s character. She’s up against cultural prejudices, and risks being put in a mental institution by her own brother for having longstanding homosexual tendencies, even if she doesn’t openly act on them. It may seem to some that Show is being subversive or preachy when YCH says, “I’m not crazy. I’m perfectly fine. How is liking someone an illness?” But the pain on her face and in her words show how marginalized and at risk she feels. Her mother believes her daughter’s homosexuality was a failure of nurture, not a matter of nature. “This is all because I raised you wrong. It’s all my fault!” In her answer, Cho Hui tries to lift it beyond an issue of morality: “It’s not your fault. It isn’t. It’s not my fault either.” Her mother’s response represents the attitude of a majority of the people in today’s South Korea:” No, Cho Hui. This isn’t how you should live your life.” [An article by Crystal Tai from 17 Sept 2018 in This Week in Asia asked in its headline, “Why is South Korea so intolerant of its gay community?” The subheading reads, “A highly conservative society that emphasises traditional gender norms, and rampant gender inequality, contribute to an environment in which 58 per cent of the country is against same-sex marriage.” The article also states that as recently as 2003, homosexuality was classified in South Korea as harmful and obscene.]
I liked Hye Jin’s matter-of-fact way of ending the break she imposed on Du Sik. After practical talk about side dishes she was delivering to him on behalf of her mom, Hye Jin jumped right in:
HJ: Also I’m done thinking about us.
DS: What?
HJ: Chief Hong, you know patience isn’t my strong suit. [That is an accurate realization about herself.]
DS: I do. [Actually, he nodded and made a guttural sound.]
HJ: I moved to Gongjin only after thinking about it for a day.
DS: I’m aware of that.
HJ: I hate it when things are vague. Things that are ambiguous don’t sit well with me. So what I want to say is…Despite our current situation, if you can promise that you’ll someday open up to me, I could wait. I’m not asking you to open up to me right now. All I want is for you to acknowledge the possibility. [She backpedals more and more.] Am I a part of the future you paint? And do you think that you could see a future with me? That’s all I wanted to know. [Not true: She blew up this conflict because she wants to know about his past.]
DS: It’s what I want too, but– [HJ interrupts.]
HJ: Leave it at that. Nothing else matters if that’s what you ultimately want as well. Then we’re good. I’m willing to wait. [But knowing Hye Jin’s impatience, there’s a big asterisk hanging on the end of this assertion.]
DS: Hye Jin [HJ interrupts again.]
HJ: I’ve made up my mind, but I’ll give you some extra time to think. But let’s end the break. You can think while we date. Take your time while we’re together. But don’t make me wait too long. [And there’s the footnote that goes with the asterisk.]
The episode’s ending scene shows Du Sik working on his bucket list regarding his relationship with Hye Jin. For the sixth entry, he writes,
“Make you happy.” But then he crosses it out and writes, “Be happy with you for a very long time.” I suspect this took place after the conversation he had with Gam Ri.
GR: Du Sik
DS: Yes
GR: You and the doctor had an argument, right?
DS: Unbelievable. I see that everyone in Gongjin knows. Even the neighborhood dog would know.
GR: Just go tell her that you’re sorry and give her a hug. [This is not what HJ wants; she’s taking a stand for depth in their relationship, and will not be placated by a superficial apology. That said, knowing when and how to apologize in a relationship is important.] What if she gets tired of waiting and ends up giving up on you? [A nudge toward action, but HJ has promised DS she’ll wait for him to be ready. All along, HJ has been reassuring DS that she’s not giving up on their relationship.] This kind of relationship isn’t easy to come by, so you must do your best not to lose it. [Yes, good relationships require mutual effort.] Du Sik. I love how you now have Dr. Yoon by your side. [The Granny Gam Ri seal of approval.] How you help others is admirable, but you must live your own life too. Eat a lot of good food and be happy. Seeing you happy will make me happy and also make Dr. Yoon happy. [Although Hye Jin had to be schooled by Hwa Jeong to learn that Du Sik is happier now than in the past.] I’m sure everyone in Gongjin thinks the same way.
DS: Halmoni (Grandmother), am I allowed to do that? [I guess from this that Gam Ri knows about Du Sik’s trauma and sense of guilt.]
GR: Yes, of course. You deserve it. I know these past years haven’t been easy for you. [Perhaps the past years of living a simple life in Gongjin, tending to other’s needs, have been about DS’s redemption.] Don’t worry about other things now [don’t let the disappointment, trauma, and guilt in the past control the present and future], and only think about yourself.
Gam Ri is giving Du Sik permission to love himself. She signals that the walk sign is green, and Du Sik should step onto the big road of his happy future. Of course, we know lurking just out of sight is the figurative truck of doom.
@CheekyChu, Hye Jin’s clothing and bedding were far too clean after delivering both a baby and the placenta, weren’t they? I’d think that the clothes Hye Jin was wearing, what Yun Gyeong was wearing, and all the bed linens (if not the mattress itself) would need to be professionally cleaned, if not tossed. Also, if this were a real-case scenario, Yun Gyeong and the baby would be taken to be checked out in a hospital as soon as the roads were open. To be honest, if she and her doctor knew the baby was that close to full gestation, and there was a typhoon predicted to hit the region, Yun Gyeong would likely have been told to check into the hospital early. But in Kdramaland, such common sense doesn’t prevail.
When I look back over the conversation Gam Ri had with Du Sik, and remember that Gam Ri took in Du Sik when he was in middle school and his grandfather died, I suspect Gam Ri imparted a lot of her ways of thinking to Du Sik. Eat well! Be happy! Say you’re sorry! Don’t slack! Gam Ri is no fool, but she’s distilled her life into simple truths. Du Sik retreated into those simple truths when he needed to heal from his wounds.
@Welmaris, one thing that keeps bothering me when Gam Ri says she’s happy for Du Sik, is that she’s now prepared to ‘leave’ at any time. It sounds like a foreshadowing of her own death, as if with HJ’s love for DS, Gam Ri has nothing left to wish for, and so can let go sooner rather than later.
I too believe that the number 1 person to whom DS revealed the stories of him and his grandpa was Gam Ri.
@GB, I wouldn’t put it past the show if Gam-ri passes on — she has said that statement a couple of times already, if I’m not mistaken? I keep hoping it’s just her usual giving/selfless self talking, or it’s just typical “grandmother expression”, but yeah, her death is not outside the realm of possibility.
But the show being a generally happy show, I really really hope the writers not only give each character a happy ending, but, well, also keep everyone alive. 😝🤞🙏
@CheekyChu, I must have missed it — whose brother is Eun Chol?
Oh and on Cho Hui, I hope the show gives her her own happy ending, too. I hope her role and development haven’t already ended in Episode 14, where she acted as the voice of reason that re-stressed to YG that his relationship with Hwa Jeong is special.
She seems to be at home in Gongjin, so I wouldn’t want her to leave and have an open-ended ending. I hope the writers give her storyline a nice ending, too. Teach deserves to be accepted (IF she comes out, but more likely the show doesn’t have time anymore for this side story), and to be happy.
@pandamilktea Choi Eun Chul the policeman and Choi Geum Chul the hardware store owners are brothers 🙂
@Welmaris. Yes, too clean. Even her hair was neatly in place. IDK why they didn’t bring Gamri instead of just calling her. You don’t instantly learn how to deliver a baby over the phone.
Perhaps, it is implied that they brought the mom and the baby to a hospital after. And that somebody cleaned up after them, after HJ went over to DS’s. (Pyo Mi Seon? 😛 ) After all, they have already served their purpose in the journey of HJ-DS.
@Welmaris You are so right about how bloody childbirth is. HJ’s clothing. Linens.body would be covered. The delivery of the placenta is just strange-apmist an afterthought. But it’s huge.And given her training I found it strange that HJ didn’t take sanitary measures-glives, masks, gowns, hairnets, antiseptics. And post childbirth the mom is thoroughly cleaned. So drama land made childbirth look totally unrealistic in a drama that purports to be about real everyday life.Talk about sanitizing when these dramas always talk about poop-LOL
@CheekyChu, oooh. Thank you! 😊
@CheekyChu, I also missed that connection. Great catch!
I’ve been thinking a lot about why HJ is pushing DS so hard to open up about his past, and it finally dawned on me: it’s because she doesn’t want to repeat a damaged relationship like she has with her father. By his own admission, after HJ’s mother died, HJ’s father descended into grieving alone, drowning his feelings in alcohol, leaving the young child HJ to pick up the pieces if her life alone. She had no company in her grief, and it was compounded by having to take care of her father and herself when he drank to excess. I doubt when he was sober he spoke with HJ about their immense loss. The tragedy and her trauma were swept under the rug. And in the silence that surrounded her mother’s death, HJ and her father drifted apart emotionally, and he became like a stranger to her. We see it in their stilted conversations on the phone and in person. Those words HJ spoke to DS that were hurtful and seemed an overreaction at the moment were long-repressed words from HJ’s heart to her father. I don’t think HJ, herself, is aware she’s transferring: all she knows is she fears being alienated from someone she loves.
When HJ and her father had their confrontation in Gongjin about DS being an orphan, and HJ brought up the death of her mother, it may have been the first time she and her father had raised the subject.
Annyeong,
@PM3, thank you for that beautiful story of your uncle and aunt. truly romantic. most of the romantic things i see are either in Hallmark or dramaland, haha. so this is a sweet true to life example of an act of love beyond death. like @welmaris said, a reminder to be intentional in speaking the love language of our partner.
we’re honing in to Chief Hong’s past mystery with a bang. ouch. Just when he’s about to tell HJ all 😢… plus HJ’s offer in Seoul. hmmm. wonder if this will drive her to leave Gongjin???
@GB,
i feel the same way. i did enjoy the interactions between the guys (bromance), hwa jeong and yeong guk reconciliation (very moving indeed/great acting by both actors), miseon and eun cheol blooming romance (no rule book in dating).
i was weirded out too when nobody applauded Seong Hyun’s performance. i felt like they pranked him. i loved his voice. i felt like the song spoke his heart… and hopefully that he’s ready to move on to a new love 💕
yea, how come there was no hoopla about yun gyeong’s child birth either. like some here have noticed, i was weirded out too how the aftermath was not so messy as it should. actually when i saw her on the bed… i felt bad for HJ’s bed. eeeks.
@janey,
i realized also when the teacher turned down yeong guk that she had feelings toward hwa jeong instead. did not see that coming. and i wondered how she would reveal that… but like you said, it was more a catalyst for the reconciliation of the couple. i think she was happy enough to be close to Hwa jeong again. that she’s happy for the couple, for their happiness.
i am also curious about the users that are banned from this blog 😱
@welmaris,
i noticed HJ’s sandals too. how unusual of her to wear them. but i also guess it might be on the expensive side. they look like expensive leather 😁
i am glad that HJ was able to confide in Hwa jeong. to be vulnerable enough. and Hwajeong’s advise was an encouragement for HJ to be Dusik’s rock. i think we all struggle with impatience though, just like HJ and Hwajeong.
i also like how Gamri advises Hong and passing on her “simple truths,” that truck of doom has come. i want to laugh, but i can’t. i’m afraid for Dusik. 😭
@hotatoes,
dramaland is indeed a small world… if Ji PD’s brother in law and employee are both related to Hong’s past. oh my my. i’m waiting for Ji PD’s sister to meet Hong. nothing on the preview. hmmm
@swiss_postcripts
i like your list…
i did like Bora and iJun praying. those two are so sweet.
i also like Dusik’s bucket list – for HJ and him to be happy together. yes. this will be the sweet ending to this Kdrama.
HJ got advises from HwaJeong and her dad. Dusik got advise from PD and Gamri. awww, they’re both covered. i wasn’t too worried about the break up but glad it was short. i think it was necessary for them to move forward and level up their relationship. Dusik has been playing it safe all these time. it’s time to face the music.
Poor Dusik. just because he was the only one that came out of the past unharmed, he gets the brunt of the blame. i’m still hoping for a happy ending for Dusik and the whole town of Gongjin.
@Welmaris
Now that you’ve mentioned all the words HJ wanted to tell her Dad, yes this drama also allowed her to confront all those repressed feelings. She also didn’t have anyone to confide in at that time. Pyo Mi Seon was her only friend. That’s why she went to Gongjin in HS when her Dad had new GF. And to Gongjin again on her Mom’s birthday.
In the early eps, she finally was able to articulate her thoughts on her Mom’s passing; that parents should live healthy for their children.
In uni, she passed up on a relationship with SH because she also kept silent about her feelings. And it took her a long time to move on. That’s why when it came to DuSik, she had to tell him right there and then.
@HK_Lady Oops I meant to say Ji PD’s cousin-in-law. Yes I look forward to seeing seeing Du Sik meet with Ji PD’s cousin, as it seemed like she no longer resents him like she did during her husband’s funeral. The way she talked about knowing someone who came from Gongjin seemed mostly detached, even a bit nostalgic.