The thread is now open for discussions and theories.
gifs from honest-mp3’s tumblr
In my opinion, she’s rather a bit old to have an imaginary friend/imaginary lover but I get it. She’s lonely and she created this imaginary guy to cope with stress.
gifs from seawherethesunsets’ tumblr
Was I the only one who was trying to see if he was wearing Calvin Klein or Ralph Lauren brand of skivvies? lol.
Let’s enjoy the show!
Take it from an introvert and socially awkward person, it’s never too old to make an imaginary person to cope with your uncomfortable reality. Mi jung certainly isn’t too old for that lol. I’m loving this show thus far, everyone of the siblings and our Liberation club is so relatable in different ways.
Thank you, @packmule3. I’m looking forward to these episodes.
@wapz, I can relate to it as well. I started out awkward, got social, and have returned to awkward I think. I can certainly remember the sensations we are seeing the actors portray in this drama.
The sibling dreams were so funny. Chang-hee’s train dream of being in a very bling-y bright yellow sports car and Ki-Jung’s dream of being washed by a machine – in fact quite a dishy robot – clearly a man-bot but she had to ask… 😆
“I’m hungry but there’s nothing I want to eat.”
“Then it’s not food you want.”
So Gu has a phone and the father didn’t hesitate, except for a short moment of surprise, to give him Mi-jeong’s number.
I enjoyed this episode. Things are starting to change
I found this episode rather slow but that could just be me. The issue is, I really hope there’s no romance between Mr Gu and Mi Jung. Knowing My Ajusshi, I do believe the writer can make it totally platonic but for now I’m unsure. I really hope it doesn’t go the love heals everything approach. Ki jung seems to be already thinking that and her boss supports this too. All the siblings have very realistic problems so I’m hoping it doesn’t resort to love healing everything in the end.
😂 Freud would have a field day with the siblings’ dreams, @Fern.
A robot to give KiJung a full body wash. She asked it if it’s a man or a woman but it’s clearly male. 🤦♀️😂 A female robot can clean better but a male robot, especially a Japanese designed robot, will have additional features totally unrelated to cleaning. Her ovaries can get recharged.
As for ChangHee, the canary yellow sports car is a sign that he’s ready for a short-term sexual affair.
As for Mr Gu…
I bet the ice cream that he stored away in the freezer🍦 is for MiJeong.
I thought it was cool the way he told her that he already made his decision. “I already started. Earlier today.”
Then their date. 😂 I’ll wait for @nrllee….
He seemed surprised about the ice cream, so I thought the ice cream was a bonus from the convenience store lady. She asked him quite rudely why he didn’t buy 4 bottles at once. He slammed his bills down and didn’t stick around for change. I thought she gave him his change in the form of an ice-cream. He doesn’t seem like an ice cream eater so he will probably give it to Mi-jeong.
Haha. That sports car is what one friend used to call a weenie extender. But that meshes with the Freudian image you suggest. The robot scene was so funny; she looked so chuffed.
😂 Weenie extender. You said it!
I didn’t want to say that he was overcompensating for his feelings of emasculation but yes, weenie extender fits.
I like his new “girlfriend.” I like that she solved his problem with the demanding store owner AGGRESSIVELY. She’s similar to their Seoul friend, the one who had a birthday in Ep 2, but without the baggage of having grown up together.
The date of Mr Gu and MiJeong. 😂 The silence between them would have choked me but it worked for them.
My heart when out to him when he texted her that he had money. Then, he followed it up with, what do you like to eat. And ended by introducing who he was.
Wouldn’t it make sense if he had started with the introduction (this is Mr Gu), then the question (Would you like to eat out), and ended with an explanation (I got paid today)? 😂
But it figures. His world is topsy-turvy anyway.
EDIT:
I just rewatched the store scene. It was their family friend, the girl who had the birthday party, who solved confronted the store owner. My bad!
I meant to wait until after Episode 6 to write about both of them, but a thought just struck me like a thunderclap.
Mr. Gu was paid his weekly wages in cash. He texted MJ that he had some money. The implication is that before he was paid this week, he was short on cash.
Mr. Gu’s current expenses should be relatively small. He paid up front for a year’s lease on his house. His food is provided by his employers. Two to four bottles of soju a night wouldn’t equal his daily wage, would it? He should have some financial reserves. So why is he strapped for cash before payday? Is this a plot hole, or are we getting a hint about why Mr. Gu is living incognito, off the grid? Is he paying a debt? Is he supporting someone?
Inquiring minds want to know.
This may seem to some to be a slow story, because it doesn’t use a lot of action to move the plot forward. It is a character-driven plot. In Episode 5 I felt there was a huge payoff with the following dialogue:
Gu: Are you sure? That you and I will have become different people when spring comes? [A mundane exchange suddenly becomes fraught with meaning.] You said I would if I worshipped you.
MJ: You’ve never tried it, right? In my experience, you change once you do something you’ve never done before. Have you decided to do it?
Gu: I already started. Earlier today.
MJ smiled to herself as she headed to her house. I whooped and hollered in front of my TV.
Mr. Gu’s two successful long jumps to rescue MJ’s hat signaled, in my opinion:
–to others, “I have worth you can’t imagine.”
–to MJ, “You have my attention and are worth my effort.”
–to himself, “The old me isn’t gone.”
Mr. Gu’s feat brought goosebumps to the mother, and CH instantly entered fanboy mode. My first interpretation holds for them. Gu’s confession that he started worshipping MJ with that action confirms my second interpretation.
As for Papa, he’s frequently demonstrated he thinks Mr. Gu has worth: he serves him during their meals. Isn’t it usually the junior that should pour for his senior? Yet I’ve frequently seen Papa pick up a bottle of soju and fill Mr. Gu’s cup. In this episode he also ladled broth into Mr. Gu’s bowl. Papa hasn’t favored his children with such attentions at the table.
Just a random comment:
I’m getting a kick out of Lee Min Ki behaving like a doofus as the character Yeom Chang Hee. I laughed to see his shot put moves with the kabocha squash.
Yes, he has totally gone to 13YO little brother mode. And he told his friends that it was the closest thing to joy that he has experienced in a while.
We’re also getting smiles now from Mi-jeong. Not grins yet, but definitely smiles.
@packmule3, yes it was the family friend, but the good thing about her is she knows Chang-hee, she knows all about his family and economic situation. If the relationship does develop, she won’t get the rude awakening he anticipates from girls who don’t know him well. Also, from what she says, she is willing to pose as his girl friend. She said, ‘it might come in handy’ or something similar when they left to eat chicken feet.
@packmule3, it’s clear that Gu hasn’t texted in a long while, or at least not to someone unknown. His style is definitely sparse or like someone roused from sleep. He said the first things that came into his mind and finally remembered that his would be an unknown number to Mi-jeong.
I assumed that Gu had no phone; at home we never see him looking at it for entertainment as all of the other younger people do and he told Chang-hee that he had nothing else to do except get drunk. He must have been making payments to his phone contract through a currently unused account.
I liked his little move to give Mi-jeong some napkins.
@Welmaris, it may be a plot hole. Or he may have withdrawn a large amount of cash just before leaving his previous life – enough for a year’s rent in the country – and has been depending on his laborer wages since then. As you say, the cost of his soju, utilities and other minor expenses should still be less than a full time laborer salary.
Ep5 thoughts
That leap of faith by Gu
– inspired CH. Yes he fan boyed for a bit but it was the unexpected nudge that he needed. It opened his eyes to possibilities when there was none before. A shift in perspective. The colleague he had never really noticed before was suddenly a prospect. The yellow sports car? I agree it was a weenie extender but it was more so because the fact that his colleague found him appealing was a massive boost to his ego/confidence. He was desirable. Did he take action (as a result) with the Convenience Store owner by asking HyeonA to help him? He must’ve? I didn’t think she could’ve done that all on her own?
– set in motion Gu’s own impetus for change. He took up MJ’s offer. It was a leap of faith. That’s why he seemed so disconcerted. Couldn’t do the dishes. Everything seemed annoying and frustrating. Because that’s what change does to you. A variable has been tossed into his routine and he had to shift to accommodate her. And that was unsettling. His world now has population 2. It’s no longer just 1.
– opened dad’s eyes as to the extent Gu would go for his daughter. I think this was possibly one of the main reasons why he didn’t hesitate when Gu asked for MJ’s number. I liked Gu’s approach here. By asking the dad, he was hiding nothing from him. His intentions were clear from the start. He didn’t secretly ask MJ for her number and then go on a date behind dad’s back. He asked her dad for permission. There was no other reason for him to want MJ’s number.
As for the topsy turvy way Gu’s series of texts were delivered? It was the same with MJ’s approach (written in her Liberation notes diary). She decided to like Gu first. The feelings weren’t exactly there? Although one could argue she may already have had that attraction when she bolted out there to save him in the storm. But it’s not your conventional love line. Much like an arranged marriage. The decision was made first. The promise. And the love/feelings is built on top of that bedrock. Love is a decision. A choice. I always tell my children that. It is not just a feeling. Feelings come and go. And there are countless things you will do out of love which will not be enjoyable. But deciding to do it in spite of how you feel for the other, that’s love.
I was wondering if Gu’s collection of soju bottles in the other room mirrored the mountains. The 7.7billion people that he looked at as he drank (When did CH get this information out of him? 🤔). What trauma could he have experienced to turn his back to the world like that?
I liked
@Fern,
He had a phone bec he checked the meaning of “worship” in Episode….? Goodness! I’m so out of it. I get the episodes mixed up because I’m missing milestones and their meetings and crossings are all mixed in one bland soup. I really should keep tabs of their interactions better. 😖
Yes. His monthly expenses mustn’t be big. Air conditioning. Internet. Cellphone. Electricity. Water. Gas. Nothing much. His internet must be his biggest expense. Unless he owes somebody money…
^not sure why I had the unfinished sentence there “I liked”. Sorry 😂
As for GJ? I think it was intentional that the writer put her there catching Gu and MJ walking home together. She wasn’t there to witness the jump. But she witnessed the possibility of the 2 pairing up. Seemingly inappropriate and improbable as a pairing. But it could well be the nudge she would need to take action with the single dad. If MJ could do it, why not me?
Heeeeyy, I thought you weren’t watching till Ep 6 is out, @nrllee?
I agree I don’t mind that she made a decision to love before she actually *felt* love. Because if she’s going to end up with Mr Gu, an alcoholic, that’s the only way she’ll be able to endure his ups and downs. Even if he goes to therapy, complete recovery from alcoholic dependency isn’t guaranteed.
@nrllee,
That was a funny moment when the Unnie, GJ, caught them walking side by side on the road.
But I don’t care really if the sister knew. Their dad knew first, didn’t he? And he gave Mr Gu his daughter’s phone number? If I were Mr Gu, MiJeong’s dad tacit consent would be all that mattered to me. 🙂
“ Heeeeyy, I thought you weren’t watching till Ep 6 is out, @nrllee?”
@packmule3 I didn’t want to keep anyone waiting and you hinted that you were waiting for me in the comment above. I had a break in social engagements during my travel so I thought I would just watch it. This drama is actually quite somniferous at times? It’s quiet and it’s not ground breaking but it offers the life lessons in little morsels. So I can watch it and know that it’s not going to ruin my mood after or keep me awake at night 😂
What do you think about the date, @nrllee? 🙂
I’m glad Mr Gu didn’t do any mouth-wiping trope, and gave her napkins instead.
@packmule3 I liked it 😂. There was zero small talk. No food sharing or feeding each other 🤢. Silent understanding. But like @Fern I liked the napkin gesture. Like I said, it’s population 2 now in Gu’s world.
Haha. He increased his population size by 100%!!
Good evening, @nrllee. I think Gu is quietly tidy. His house is tidy. Even the empty soju bottles are standing at attention in the spare room in an almost arranged fashion. Sure, he doesn’t shave daily, but he surely gets his hair cut if he has been there since winter. The napkin was a nice gesture, quite cool really, to show that he was thinking of Mi-jeong should she need one – another sign of support, but he wouldn’t invade her space.
The dad likes Gu despite his drinking. The mother said that he appreciated Gu and thought he could do anything well. The father, Mi-jeong and Gu are all very quiet people, so my guess is that Gu is, in the Dad’s mind, son-in-law material. Possibly in the mother’s mind as well – why else would she brag about Mi-jeong being the father’s favourite and how good she was at carpentry?
Like the father, Gu doesn’t show appreciation verbally. After the meal date he asked about compliments. I think that Mi-jeong could have been insulted by his silence or inability to say something like that to her, but I don’t think she was. I think she knows to wait for actions rather than words.
Gu stares at the sky often, not only when he has been drinking. After the date, both he and Mi-jeong looked at the sky for a bit. He can’t be a member of the Cloud Appreciation society – is he looking for a sign?
Another thing that struck me – clearly Change-hee is the mother’s favourite. She says Mi-jeong is the father’s favourite. So Ki-jung, despite being the eldest, is no one’s favourite in the family – not even Mi-jeong’s since she told Gu that she didn’t like her siblings. I liked that the cafe neighbour cheered for Ki-jung to keep going until she got home as though she had been running a steeplechase or marathon. It was a funny show of support. Ki-jung also gets really clever support from the lady manager at her work when the bitchy co-worker makes shady remarks and now from the man supervisor at work.
I’ve been thinking about Mi-jeong’s words in the diary. She feels disappointed in everyone because all others have faults that bother her. I wonder if she will start to see beyond others’ faults and appreciate them as she would like to be appreciated.
@Fern,
Did you understand what ChangHee said about why Mr Gu stares at the mountain? 🤔 It went right over my head.
The 7 billion coins? Not really except it was said that 7 billion was the earth’s population. 7.9 according to the internet. I wondered if the translation was slightly off?
@packmule3 @Fern it was a tad cryptic but I thought CH’s question about if it was possible to find any specific 1won coin amid the 7.7billion stacked up like the mountain was the key? A question as to the significance of 1 person amid the 7.7billion in the world. That’s what I thought anyway. Because the thought would fit with his despondent state of existence. He thought he didn’t matter. Was insignificant. Made no difference whether he lived or died.
Thanks, @nrllee.
I couldn’t make up my mind if it was a reference to:
a. his secret identity. He’s well-hidden that finding him in Sanpo of all places would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
b. his personal problems. His personal problem(s) that led him to live incognito in Sanpo doesn’t amount to a hill of beans when compared to the mountain of problems in the world.
c. his futile life. He can’t move mountains. He doesn’t even have two nickels (or two wons) to rub together.
So now I’ll add yours. 🙂
d. his insignificance. He’s just one in 7.7 billion people.
@packmule3 (a) and (b) would make sense too. He looked like he was running from something/someone in those brief flashbacks? The phone call and someone and him saying that he got off at the wrong stop? Was that providential? A fortunate mistake on his part? He looked well dressed and groomed? Unlike what he is now. But if he is a fugitive, he would be displaying more anxiety? He doesn’t seem to care at all. Unless that’s just a cover? But then why take up MJ’s offer then? That would risk blowing his cover.
@nrllee, I thought it was providential. If he had gone further, t seemed he would have walked into the hands of whomever was looking for him. Perhaps his ticket to a further destination was discovered.
I was beginning to think that perhaps that flashback was a red herring – he wasn’t on the run. But the phone messages at the end of episode 6 make it look like he is hiding away. Gu Ja-Gyeong is one of the names that Change-hee looked up at the beginning of episode 5. He hasn’t told the family in order to protect them. All the same, that’s the name at which the mother looked up and told Chang-hee to stop his guessing.
I’m theorising that he got involved in something shady but not something reported in the press, so it’s probably some underworld or civilian types looking for him rather than the police.
Did you see his chat room texts?
1. He doesn’t seem to be answering texts from anybody.
2. The only one written in Hanggul is Yeom MiJeong’s number.
3. The rest are either written as phone numbers or in English.
Which ties in to his use of dictionary on the internet for “worship” with English translation included.
By the way, a trivia on the soju. The soju companies agreed to standardize the color (i.e., green), size and shape of the soju bottles so they can recycle them easily.
I couldn’t believe it when ChangHee and DoHyun entered Mr Gu’s house to start hauling away the bottles. And I’ve got to hand it to Mr Gu. He dealt with them with more restraint than I could ever imagine. I thought he was going to turn into The Hulk.
The ice cream. 🍦 So he did buy it for her. ❤️
And the ride to the metro. That was cool of him. I thought he wasn’t going to stop to keep up the pretense that they weren’t dating (or “worshipping”). Her dad seems to approve of him.
@packmule3, I think that your ideas a and b are true, but with his mindset, c and d are most likely. B reminds me of Rick’s line in Casablanca, “it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.” although Rick’s intent was to look towards helping to solve a bigger problem.
@nrllee’s idea d meshes with the thought of the current Korean generation who think that there’s no reason to marry or procreate – there’s little hope of being able to provide for a family or to be able to offer them a life that’s as good or better than yours. Chang-hee expressed this when he fretted about dating a girl who would want children. He literally can’t even get off the farm. If there’s already 7.7 (and increasing) billion people it makes little difference. This is certainly true if you are 9-po like Gu and nearly nothing matters at all.
At the beginning of episode 6, Gu seemed to almost be regretting exposing himself with the jump. He must have been sort of a second or third tier athlete and perhaps a dozen years back, else there would have been photos for Chang-hee to see online without deeper searching.
Yes, you were right, right, right about the ice-cream. Gu says he’s nicer when he is drunk and Mi-jeong concurred.
I like that he’s teasing her now. ‘I started worshipping you earlier today. I worshipped you just now.’ And when Mi-jeong asks for a bit more worship, he almost laughed. He’s smiling in this episode. They are certainly on the same wavelength at this point.
@packmule3 yes I did take a quick look at his chat room texts. He left them all unread except for MJ’s. There were a few that texted him multiple times AFTER MJ sent the photo/texts. That’s why they appeared on top of the list above MJ’s.
He mentioned that you needed to be able to run 100m in under 11s to clear the drain. So that would be him. I am wondering if he’s in the same situation as MJ. Where he was tricked into a business deal and he’s now on the run from creditors as a result.
When CH was standing in the ATM line a verse came to mind. Turning the other cheek. Because he literally had to turn around when the man behind him tapped him on the shoulder. I am growing fond of CH. He doesn’t have the filter or subtlety that MJ possesses but his heart is in the right place. I can’t help but laugh at his antics. And his well meaning intrusive act (of clearing up the bottles) did seem to be working in tandem with MJ’s understated prod for change in Gu.
The green light from the room made me laugh. Like an alien encounter. 😂
And yes I like that both MJ and Gu have little smiles now as they cheer each other on. How awkward was the truck ride with dad in between them? 😂.
@nrllee,
Did I say that Mr Gu was cool when he stopped the truck for MiJeong? I don’t think cool is the right word. Probably more like smooth.
He could have slowed down and stopped by her. But nope, he stopped a little further, like he changed his mind at the last second. It was funny because the last time, that time he collected their pay from the cheating old man, she fully expected him to stop but he didn’t.
I don’t think it was an awkward ride. 🙂 At least, MJ and Mr Gu knew that her father was on “their” side. And if I were MJ, I would’ve been over the moon that he did that much for me. My father’s calming presence would’ve been greatly appreciated.
And I like her parting words. They were meant for both her dad and Mr Gu. “I’ll see you later.”
What’s your take about her story about her ex? I can see how it applies to Mr Gu. But I don’t quite get what it says about her former self.
To me, it’s similar to her Unnie’s declaration that she wouldn’t leave her partner’s head behind. Of course, it’s less shocking, and more sentimental. Their friend Hyuna became maudlin afterwards.
The green light from the room struck me funny, too, but for a different reason. It was just as DoHwan described it to be. There was a blinding green light. But I thought it went well with the Christian imagery. It was a religious experience for CH and DoHwan. They started cleaning up with fervor.
I like what Mr Gu said. It’s his shit; he should be allowed to clean up his own shit.
I think CH got his punishment when he landed in the ditch, face down in green vegetation.
Mr Gu definitely was Olympic caliber.
I wonder what he was thinking when he heard MiJeong scold CH, “I told you not to,” and studied her face.
@Fern,
I know they’re teasing each other with words…
MJ: … I don’t care if you don’t know how to write Hangul or you don’t know your ABCs. I won’t tell you to stop drinking either. And I’m not going to cling to you. I’ll be done once I feel whole.
— What do you make of that statement?
Gu: (grinning) That’s so cool.
MJ: (smiling too)
Gu: I just worshipped you.
MJ: Why don’t you keep going? I don’t think that was enough. (sips drink like she’s Kermit the frog sipping tea)
But I don’t see a sizzle yet.
If this was an American show, or Hollywood, then yeahhhh, I’d consider this kind of banter as a prelude to sex. Like verbal foreplay. And I would’ve expected Mr Gu to take up her challenge, go over to her side, kiss her, make out and bring to the bedroom.
But here? They just continued to drink. 😂
To me, they’re just teasing each other because they’re trying to be *comfortable* with each other. They haven’t reached the stage to be passionate about each other. They’re not dying to be in each other’s arms yet.
Btw, that beginning of that ice cream scene was weird to me. Why were they sitting in different places with that door panel in between them? She was sitting at the dining table, while he was sitting on the couch in the living room?
She was comparing herself to a cattle being herded.
Gu: A cattle drive. (Pause) You must have seen it before.
MJ: A few times as a kid.
Gu: (stares at her, then goes to the fridge. He puts the ice cream cone on the table)
MJ: Ice cream?
Gu: I bought it because I was drunk. When I’m drunk, I’m more human than I am when I’m sober.
I think he bought the ice cream as an apology.
Remember in Ep 5, when he was at the store, he was getting impatient with the clerk. She was lecturing him about buying two bottles when he should have bought four.
I think he was in a hurry because he was trying to avoid meeting MJ at the station. But he failed. So he was angry with himself and turned away, ignoring her. MJ chased after him.
MJ: (trying to converse with him) Did you have dinner?
Gu: I didn’t feel like it.
MJ: What are you doing later?
Gu: (seeing her dad) What can I do with your whole family around?
Then she let him go on walking.
If you notice, he only bought two bottles. He placed two bottles on the coffee table (or soju table for him).
Later that night, he went back to the store again, and stood outside her house. He bought two more soju bottles and the ice cream.
But if you notice, on the table, he already had THREE empty bottles of soju out. This tells me that he actually did three trips to the store that night.
Was this a production error? At 49:24, it’s clear that he has five bottles.
I’d like to think that he was making an effort to stop drinking for her.
First trip: he was trying not to be seen by her.
Second trip: he only bought one bottle.
Third trip: he bought two bottles, and an ice cream cone for her.
@packmule3, in MJ’s statement, ‘…I won’t tell you to stop drinking either. And I’m not going to cling to you. I’ll be done once I feel whole.’ It’s interesting. She doesn’t want to change him, judge him or compete with him. She had also said that it’s arrogant for Chang-hee and the friend to try to change him. She is wise in that way – making someone change never works as well as the person deciding to change on their own. I don’t think that she will feel whole until he does as well – that was her ideal – that both would be different in the spring.
But I also think that she anticipates that he might need or want to leave first which is why she is saying she won’t cling. Conversely if she is satisfied that she is whole, she may be the one to stop the relationship first, like a patient of a psychologist perhaps. A bit cold as a decision and also perhaps unrealistic. But in short, whoever leaves first shouldn’t feel guilt.
I think that before the ice-cream scene at his house started, MJ had just finished apologising to Gu for her brother and his friend invading his private space. Gu was speaking about letting them get too close, as though it was his fault. He spoke about how hard it was to deal with people’s gibberish.
Then MJ spoke saying that she was like that, but her words seemed to take another tangent particular to her – about her alienation and depression as a child and how, even at 8 years old, she felt that her life could be complete and done without regret. I felt as though they were both speaking about themselves *to* each other rather than with each other, if you understand what I mean.
I was surprised about MJ sitting in the kitchen in the first scene at Gu’s house. I can only guess that she didn’t want to share the sofa with him – not so close yet – and he didn’t offer to bring a chair into the living room area. The next time she is in his house, she sits across from him still in a dining chair, with her legs folded on the seat. It would be uncomfortable for me, but she seemed to be fine. I think it’s a way for the director to show the slow progression of their relationship.
I think a lot of people are in this for Son Seok-koo and rightly so, but imo Kim Ji-won is far better here than she was in in Lovestruck in the City. She is doing really well with lines and emotions that could be very hard to deliver.
Gosh, CH’s fall into the culvert: MJ doesn’t first ask if he is hurt or even dead. Negative criticism and blame seems to be a default position in MJ’s family, harking back to the mother’s comments about the older sister’s eye bruises. This is very different from the unconditional support/worship she proposes to give Gu. It will be a hard habit to break.
1. The ice cream. I think he was impatient because he knew she’d be coming out soon and he wanted to buy the ice cream then to give to her- But he chickened out. then felt frustrated when he saw her and huffed off. That night after drinking he bought the ice cream he wanted to earlier but couldn’t.
I really liked when he decided to stop the truck and let her ride with them. It’s like after going through the ice cream situation and saying what could he do with her family always around, he finally just went all in and decided to not hide anything about their relationship- whatever it is at the moment.
2. I would’ve been upset about the bottles and actually expected CH to be more understanding once Gu said he wanted to clean up his own shit. CH surprised me when he didn’t immediately realize his mistake. I’m glad he’s a character in this show and I can’t imagine anyone else but LMK playing him.
3. I liked the older sisters convo about apologies. I wish she would’ve had an interaction with his daughter already. I know it’s coming.
4. I don’t know how I feel about MJ’s monologues. I’m an introvert but she’s the character I understand the least. When they were walking home and she was talking about how she dislikes her siblings and there’s always something she doesn’t like about someone, well yes, they’re human. I feel like she needs to do more reflection on her own self. The the monologue about cattle, eh, it just didn’t stick with me. I’d rather hear about picking up heads and realizing how to adjust to your surroundings vs adjusting your surroundings and drizzles.
5. I still think all my romance pairing predictions will happen—I fully expect romance for all siblings. I’m not anticipating a my mister probable platonic soul mate relationship
6. Confirmed athlete. Maybe a situation where he competed for USA instead of South Korea? Or a doping accusation. CH called his name out, was there not a picture or headline by his name in his search list?
7. The way Gu looked at MJ when she called out to her brother. I think he realizes like the friend does that when she speaks it’s important. Has he ever even heard her say anything to either sibling? Probably not much. She had previously told him she disliked her siblings but she yelled out to CH not to do it and I think he recognized it as concern. And the way she berated him afterwards. I think he knows she loves/likes her siblings more than she thinks she does. Or that’s what I’m telling myself. And also I think he noticed she never called out to him to stop and concluded that she’d had complete faith in him and didn’t doubt him
I think the way MJ and Mr Gu were sitting in different scenes are supposed to show their progress. The ice cream scene, they were in the same room but not face to face. If you recall during the first meeting of the liberation club, MJ’s colleague lamented that sitting face to face is uncomfortable and feels aggressive. The three members were comfortably side by side. The next time MJ is at Mr Gu’s we see them both sitting face to face at the table. Mr Gu was comfortable in his environment with his usual soju, the only difference was MJ is now a part of the picture. They’re making progress but nothing drastic yet which is realistic because miracles don’t happen overnight. They’re opening up to each other by confiding about things they don’t talk about with other people.
The contrasting scenes of MJ and Mr Gu on the bus or walking similarly are metaphoric to their relationship’s progress. At the very beginning, MJ was sitting at the front Mr Gu at the back, the camera angle showed the pole dividing them. When Mr Gu went to buy a mop and fetched MJ from the station, on their bus ride home they were sitting almost in the same row but not side by side and the poles were behind them. In the preview for the next episode they sit side by side on the bus, having become closer, however the pole is the divide again shadowing obstacles.
What’s everyone’s take on the scene where the manager discovered the air tickets at the printer?
Oh and
8. I hope next weeks episodes include him trying to remain sober and back in top athlete shape. Preferably shirtless.
@birdie007, 🤣🤣🤣
Good catch on the seating arrangements both with Gu and MJ as well as with the Liberation Club. When they were looking at MJ’s diary they were sitting around a table rather than side by side. It was a largish table and they were well spaced, of course.
Apologies, the last was to @Dreamer205.
Gu may have competed for the USA, but possibly for GB, Canada or Ireland as well. There’s a lot of competition in the top tier for USA. Or he competed as a athletic scholar in any of those countries.
“ What’s everyone’s take on the scene where the manager discovered the air tickets at the printer?”
@Dreamer205 I thought it was MJ realising that the other girls decided not to include her in the trip? I forget. Did they ask her? Or did they just leave her out? Initially I thought she left them in the copier on purpose to get them in trouble but I watched that scene again and she didn’t know the manager had come in after her to the copier. She left the itinerary/tickets there because she assumed one of the girls would pick it up later. I think her reaction mirrored that of CH. She continued to be nice to the girls in spite of it? Just like CH turned the other cheek and was kind to the man behind him in the ATM queue.
@packmule3 I didn’t count the bottles 😂. And I had that thought too when he stopped the van the second time. A nice surprise for MJ because he just drove past the first time. Everything about their relationship is odd 😂. The way she seemed to imply that she liked him yet didn’t have any expectations of him other than “for him to worship her”. Honestly the closest example of that for me is the KPop-fan idol worship. Where the fan idolizes the KPop idol but the idol expects nothing from the fan other than for the fan to cheer them on, give them strength and reason to continue with their careers. There’s no romantic “attachment” as such? The story about her ex I didn’t pay much attention to. Was she implying that it was toxic? She mentioned she wanted him to fail in the business so she could feel the need to provide him with love to support him? So not a love that wanted the best for the other person but more about herself and how she felt? Something like that? 🤔
@Dreamer205, regarding the airplane tickets in the printer, MJ already knew that she hadn’t been invited. The other girl (photography club one who tries to be helpful to her) asked her about it. MJ replied with a question: Do you think going on the trip would make her happy? She seemed fairly cool about it on one hand because she didn’t like small talk. On the other hand, she may have felt excluded. One of the girls had been closer than the others with her, and because MJ seemed bothered by their trip chatter and especially by the question of bikinis. It seemed a bit like her childhood being relived all over again.
I don’t think that she left the tickets in the printer vindictively so the boss would find them. I think she left them there both because they weren’t hers and because she wasn’t going to do the travelers any favours by delivering them – why should she get involved? But she may have felt just a bit good about them getting busted. She did keep her face very still when the boss was scolding, when a more normal reaction might be dismay or surprised/shocked empathy. I’ll have to look at the other employees to see how they reacted compared to her. She is a very complex character.
@nrllee
I think MJ would have caught on that the girls were planning their vacation when they were discussing bikinis. No I don’t think they extended an invitation to her. Yeah I wasn’t sure if it was deliberate or not. I thought we were seeing a mean streak in MJ but I think you’re right. She couldn’t have predicted that the manager would walk in right after. She probably left the documents there because passing them to the girls would be openly declaring that she knows they’re leaving her out and make things awkward.
@Fern
True that. The liberation club is making progress too. 🙂
I think she did feel a bit good when they were being called out by the manage. That’s why I wasn’t sure if it was deliberate. I had to go back to watch the scene again. It’s more like her passive character to feign ignorance to keep the peace. She continued with the pretense (like she wasn’t bothered) by being nice to girl next to her. I thought it was odd that she tried harder than usual. Maybe Mr Gu’s reply put her in a good mood and gave her the ammunition needed to to deal with the office politics.
@Dreamer205, I feel in two minds about MJ’s response to the girls. The manager called them out and shamed them publicly. Then he asked Mi-jeong why she wasn’t going, which was pretty insensitive as well. She said nothing, so I think that they felt guilty about that. Like her brother, I think she could feel a bit charitable to someone who was having worse luck than her (for a while). The four girls hung around the office at lunchtime for a minute, as though they had something to say to her, but then the one who had been closest to her left quickly and the others followed. When the four girls were whispering in the hall before going to lunch, MJ passed them and greeted them with a smile, but we see that as soon as she turned away from them her face got serious again.
She ate with the girl who was in only one club. The girl said that she was relieved that the temporary workers had the same lanyard as the permanent staff because even the shop staff know and react differently. MJ said that she wouldn’t have been asked even if she was a permanent employee – because she didn’t own a bikini. I think she is done with them.
This is one way I know this drama will stick in memory for awhile: we’re finding many points to discuss. I’m loving these conversations. Over in the First Impressions thread @SnowFlower brought up Faulkner and Chekhov, and I discussed why the stored bottles make me think of an art installation. Is this cinematic literature, or literary cinema? There may not yet be a term for it, but this drama shares many aspects with good literature. The director and cinematographer artistically convey mood with camera angle, color palate, etc. in a way a good writer uses descriptive phrases to bring us into a character’s world.
Yes, @Fern, in Episode 6 we got a good clue about the politics in MJ’s office: both she and the other woman not included in the Guam trip are both temporary workers, which means a fixed term of two years or less. I assume the four women going on the trip are all employees with permanent employment contracts. As seen in the Kdrama Misaeng: Incomplete Life, there’s a hierarchy among company employees with part-time workers at the bottom, temporary workers slightly above them, and permanent employees at the top of that heap. Above them would be management.
@Welmaris, that is so true. I shall have to check out the First Impressions thread. I was struck by the way the bottles were placed upright and in straight lines. Each time I re-watch a segment, I get something else out of it. I haven’t had any updates from the First Impressions thread – I wonder why.
Speaking of bottles: I was so shocked when Chang-hee just let himself into Gu’s house. I was sure he was going to find MJ’s letter from the bank. Then he got his friend to start cleaning the bottles out, as though he had the right. His family wasn’t even the landlord of that house. It made me reflect that perhaps personal space is different somehow. That disorder is less tolerated in the society and that they felt compelled and right to correct it despite it being an invasion of privacy- something like that. Also since Chang-hee had been in the house before, Gu somehow felt responsible for his entrance again – he had let them get too close. Was that like giving implicit permission?
Re-watching the bottle scenes:
In the scene in episode 6 when Gu and the father return in the truck to see Change-hee and his friend with bags of bottles in the garden, Gu immediately knows what has happened. So does the father. He looks at Gu to gauge his reaction and he keeps an eye on things as he gets out near the workshop. I think he was expecting Gu to explode (as I was, tbh) and thought he should be nearby in case things get out of hand. But after Gu sold the bottles to the junk dealer, he has bought two cans or cartons of something which he gives to the neighbor for him and his friend (Chang-hee). Has his anger actually gone and has he forgiven them for trespassing?
@Fern did it not look like a shrine to you? Homage to alcohol his god. He said he could’ve moved the bottles to sleep but instead he opted to contort his body around the bottles, it had that much power over him. Frankly I wonder if MJ’s gentle prodding would’ve been enough to spur him to get rid of them and for him to start to “clean his own sh*t”. CH’s intrusion was uninvited but I feel it was necessary. It exposed his shame. And kickstarted the process to acknowledge the problem.
@nrllee, you must be right. As much as I dislike the idea of his privacy being invaded, it needed that as a catalyst. MJ is too easygoing about his drinking. I like your shrine analogy. It reminded me of empty trophy bottles of wine that lined the sills of a small porch when I was at Uni. I had a very sociable French housemate. It had nothing to do with me. 😂😉
Ha! I just found the funniest Easter egg in Episode 3 starting at timestamp 4:14. What do you see laying on the floor in front of the door?
I must commend Art Direction department for how they’ve put together the home the family share. It isn’t dirty, but it is a bit cluttered. Well lived in. Many touches make it look old-fashioned and the opposite of chic: giant wooden fork hanging on the wall; covers on just about everything that can be covered, including fans, dining chair backs, tissue box, door knobs, refrigerator handles, etc.
I’ve gone through all episodes so far and compiled all of the conversations between MJ and Gu about worship. First, THE conversation, which Directornim gave us in pieces over two episodes.
MJ: Why do you drink every day?
Gu: What else would I do?
MJ: Should I give you something to do? Should I give you something to do other than drink? Worship me. I’ve never felt whole before. One asshole after another…Every guy I’ve ever dated was an asshole. So worship me and make me feel whole. It’ll be winter soon. Nothing survives when winter comes. There will be nothing to see sitting there and no work at the factory. If you drink all day, you’ll only feel like crap. It’ll be like hell. You have to do something. I want to feel whole for once. So worship me. Love isn’t enough. Worship me. [End of what is shown in Episode 2]
[Shown in Episode 3, toward beginning. While walking to the market, Mr. Gu is remembering the conversation. Most is replayed, then we see more.]
Gu: Go home. Go home and sleep.
MJ: You have nothing to do anyway.
Gu: Do you think I want to do anything? Do you know my name? Do you know anything about me? Why do you think I’m living quietly in this countryside…without telling anyone my name? I don’t want anything to do…with anyone. Not a thing.
[A short while later in Episode 3 MJ, over drinks with her colleagues, is telling them why she doesn’t want to go home. We get more memory of the conversation that night.]
Gu: You lent a guy money, didn’t you? Guys can be sly as a fox too. He saw that you’re the kind of woman he could borrow money from, screw over, and get away with it. So stop avoiding it and deal with the problem at hand.
MJ: Once that jerk’s paid all the money back, will my life be fine? I think it will still be the same. I’ll still have never felt whole in this crappy life with these crappy people acting like they’re so great and just talking away thoughtlessly. How they talk…
Gu: Sorry. I’m an asshole, too.
[Toward the end of Episode 3, as she’s commuting, MJ is musing about her relationships with assholes when she remembers more of her conversation with Mr. Gu. It seems to be near, or at, the end of their exchange.]
Gu: What about you? Have you ever made anyone feel whole?
Here are additional conversations in which refer back to the one that night.
[MJ talks to Mr. Gu as they’re taking a break on the farm.]
MJ: Do you want me to worship you? It seems you’ve never felt whole too. Let me know if you want me to.
[As Mr. Gu is retrieving MJ’s blown-away hat, we hear a voiceover.]
Gu: Are you sure? That you and I will have become different people when spring comes?
MJ: I’m positive.
Gu: How do you worship someone?
MJ: You cheer them on. You tell them they can do anything and that everything is possible. You cheer them on.
[As of this moment in the show, we viewers have not witnessed this conversation take place between the two of them. When we do see it, only the first two sentences are the same. Through Episode 6, I haven’t found a scene where this conversation happens word for word. So where did it come from? Why is it out of sequence? Is it from Mr. Gu’s imagination?]
[MJ buys soju for Mr. Gu while at the market to buy bug spray for her father. She gives it to Mr. Gu as a gift. As MJ walks away, Mr. Gu continues their present conversation in a different vein.]
Gu: Are you sure? That you and I will have become different people when spring comes? You said I would if I worshipped you.
MJ: You’ve never tried it, right? In my experience, you change once you do something you’ve never done before. Have you decided to do it?
Gu: I already started. Earlier today.
[MJ is out for drinks with GJ and Hyeon-A. She’s sent three texts to Mr. Gu with no response. She texts again.]
MJ: I can’t help but wait for you to text me back. But I won’t let [it] get to me and do the same to get even with you. I’ve always tried to silently get even with my ex-boyfriends. I’m done with it. I love that I don’t have to measure your affection. All I need to do is worship you. I love it.
[MJ and Mr. Gu are sitting in the living room of his house. Mr. Gu talks about how his collection of soju bottles grew.]
MJ: I’m not going to ask you what happened. I won’t ask you where you’re from. Or why you moved here and keep drinking the days away. I don’t care if you don’t know how to write Hangul or you don’t know your ABCs. I won’t tell you to stop drinking either. And I’m not going to cling to you. I’ll be done once I feel whole.
Gu: That’s cool. I just worshiped you.
MJ: Why don’t you keep going? I don’t think that was enough.
@Welmaris, thank you for the conversations.
In a way the ‘worship’ reminds me of a relationship between a patient and a non-judgmental psychologist. One character speaks as freely as they can about events, feelings, ideas and the other lets them talk; listens, sometimes repeats back without judging, but supports with a few words to show they are listening, texts, photos.
@welmaris. Thanks for the compilation. 👍
@Fern
They probably did feel slightly guilty about the public reveal. They were certainly surprised when she made an effort to speak to the girl next to her. I thought the manager was an insensitive jerk right from the beginning.
There is another scene I can’t fully grasp; when MJ went to buy insecticide she was mumbling as if trying to convince herself: “I’m a great person. I won’t ask to be loved.” She was disappointed in the lack of action and attention from Mr Gu. Is she associating his attention with love? She won’t ask to be loved as in she won’t beg for his attention? I am really curious to know what everyone thought of this scene. 🙂
@Dreamer205, I found it strange too. I’m still trying to figure out her philosophy. She won’t ask to be loved, but has just bought Gu soju without him asking. Her mantra reminded me of her hometown friend who said something about that during the drinking scene in her basement flat in episode 4. The friend described her own behaviour in a tipsy rant:
“Love me.”
“I’ll love you back”
“Love me more.”
“I’ll love you more, too.”
“I don’t need any presents or surprise events. Just give me love. I’m still hungry. Give me more. -Jeez, all of the love in the world wouldn’t be enough for me.”
Then she speaks directly to Mi-jeong:
“Mi-jeong, don’t ask for love like me. You’ve found someone, right?
Just give him everything, okay?
Give him everything like a warrior. Just set off an explosion with your love. Never ask for love like me.”
It seems that Mi-jeong has tried incorporating her friend’s advice. I think you are correct that she was used to associating attention with love due to her alienated childhood and having a boyfriend who treated her badly. Another way of saying it is ‘I’m a great person, (I deserve to be loved) I won’t ask for love.’ It’s a self-affirmation of her worth. She said in episode 6 that she didn’t fully support her boyfriend’s business after he became successful beyond what was comfortable for her. But if she follows her friend’s advice and doesn’t ask for love, yet still loves/gives a partner everything, perhaps she thinks she can’t blame or abase herself if the love doesn’t materialise or last? Like being a martyr for love in a sense, perhaps the loving is more valuable than being loved. At least Gu has set her straight about the ‘worship’ being mutual and it doesn’t seem that he will be gullible and fulfill her whims if he has another opinion.
Hahaha. You made me look, @Welmaris! It’s a sunny-side up egg like Seoul and Gyeonggi province.
Nice! You’ve got your hawk eyes, Welmaris!
Thanks for this, @Welmaris.
I’m also making a list but I’ve done only up to Episode 4. Looking for screenshots now.
@Dreamer205 @Fern I think she was repeating it as a mantra. She’s trying this new novel way of approaching a relationship. She has to “unlearn” all the social norms and previous expectations she had in the past. When she started her walk to get the insecticide, she looked over to his house and then muttered, “I am sad. Why am I sad?” She was dealing with the disappointment of his blowing hot and cold. Because she then muttered, “he always holds back. He takes one step forward and then falls back.” And so she had to repeat to herself that she was great just as she was, she didn’t need being loved by him to be a validation of that. Just because she had decided she was going to now just adopt the “worship” model in their relationship doesn’t mean she won’t slip back to old thought patterns? So she was just trying to psych herself and remind herself of what she had decided to do. And it worked to a certain extent. When she bought her ice cream and the soju bottles, she was visibly happier. In a better state of mind. And then she slowed down when she spied him coming out so they would have that chance meeting and she could pass him the soju she had bought for him. That’s how I interpreted the scene.
@Fern
Good to know I wasn’t the only one. It does make sense that she has been trying to incorporate her friend’s advice and thinking of Mr Gu at that moment. Even though she was impatient for the next step forward she won’t outrightly bring it up. She did create an opportunity for interaction by buying Mr Gu soju. Interesting note about being a martyr for love or in her friend’s term, a warrior. Mr Gu definitely gave her a dose of reality and hopefully some more.
@nrllee
At the end of episode 5 when she wrote in her journal she seemed to have made up her mind about sticking to that approach. You’re right about MJ trying to “unlearn” and not go back to old patterns in a relationship.
Her un-learning will be interesting in terms of K-dramas. The trope is miscommunication, paybacks, revenge, love/hate relationships. This drama is refreshing because it’s showing different possibilities.
Oops, have to run halfway through my thought.
I think that after her previous experiences, Mi-jeong is working towards an unselfish love, similar to the love mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 in the Christian Bible’s new testament.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” I don’t know that her family is Christian or even religious, so I don’t think this is an inspiration for her, but rather a feeling that coincides with this verse
Chekhov’s Gun
“One must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn’t going to go off. It’s wrong to make promises you don’t mean to keep.” Anton Chekhov
Chekhov’s gun is a dramatic principle that states every element in a story must be necessary: if it isn’t, the author should remove it.
TRIGGER WARNING: The following involves the topic of child sexual abuse.
Per RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network),
https://www.rainn.org/articles/warning-signs-young-children:
“Child sexual abuse can include sexual contact with a child, but it may also include other actions, like exposing oneself, sharing obscene images or taking inappropriate photos or videos of a child. These crimes can have a serious impact on the life and development of a child, and often continue to impact them later in life.”
Why am I bringing up this subject? I have developed the suspicion that Mi Jeong was a victim of sexual abuse as a child. Here is what led me to this worry.
[Episode 1, timestamp 56:40. The neighborhood friends are barbequing.]
CH, talking about MJ: She had no one her age and played with the village idiot, didn’t she? With Dumbo.
Du Hwan: Don’t call him Dumbo. He’s over forty now.
Jung Hoon: Forty? Probably more like fifty.
[While the three men are talking, MJ is in the foreground of the camera shot. Her face is turned away from the men. If she’s now in her late 20s or early 30s, this man must be one to three decades older than her.]
Episode 6, timestamp 20:40. GJ and MJ have met for drinks at GJ’s request.
MJ: Stop staring.
GJ: Hey. I’m the one who decided to love just anyone. You literally picked just anyone. Hanging out with Dumbo as a kid made you develop terrible taste in men…
[That the Village Idiot, or Dumbo, has been mentioned twice amplifies his significance. This detail needs to pay off before the end of the story. I also find it disconcerting that GJ judges MJ’s childhood behavior through a sexual lens.]
An organization recommended by RAINN, Stop it Now!, provides a tip sheet listing warning signs of possible sexual abuse in a child’s behaviors.
https://www.stopitnow.org/ohc-content/warning-signs-possible-abuse
As well, RAINN lists behavioral signs that may be exhibited by children that have been sexually abused, but cautions that spotting the signs may be difficult. One sign alone may not indicate a cause for worry, but several signs may be red flags. As RAINN cautions, “Listen to your instincts. If you notice something that isn’t right or someone in a child’s life is making you uncomfortable—even if you can’t put your finger on why—it is important to trust your gut…”
When MJ was a child, her mother noticed behavior than was puzzling.
[Episode 4, timestamp 1:59. Over a meal at the kitchen table, Mom is talking to Mr. Gu. MJ is eating with them.]
Mom: I’ve never heard him [the father] compliment anyone other than Mi-jeong. She’s always been his favorite, you know. He always glares at me when he sees the drawers I make, but he never complains about her work. She could install moldings and use every machine since she was in third grade. [The average age for third graders in South Korea is 9/10.] And she was quite good. Look. That’s her at the workshop when she was little. Her siblings would always toss their book bags and run outside after school, but she’d go to the workshop even before doing her homework. I guess she found it fun. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so into it.
Here are some other signs that might apply to MJ:
— Not wanting to be left alone with certain people or being afraid to be away from primary caregivers, especially if this is new behavior.
MJ’s childhood devotion to working in the factory with her father set her apart from her older siblings. MJ may have sought her father’s presence for security. According to CH, his sister had played with Dumbo; according to Mama, by third grade MJ spent all her afterschool time in the factory. A change in behavior is suggested by these dissimilar memories of her childhood.
— Overly compliant behavior.
When we watch scenes of life within MJ’s home, she’s the only sibling who’s helping her mother in the kitchen or washing dishes. She is also consistent in helping on the farm. She may truly be a helpful person by nature, or she could be eager to please her parents to avoid rejection she fears if they discover her “shame.” Victims often are made to believe they’re at fault.
— Overly passive behavior.
MJ’s frequent response when someone says something hurtful is to smile and remain silent. She does this when socializing with her office workers. She also does this with her hometown friend Hyeon-A.
— Keeping secrets.
[Episode 5, timestamp 1:02:25. MJ is answering Mr. Gu’s question, “Why don’t you have anyone you like?” She must’ve talked about the contents of her club diary during their date.]
MJ: …I think my mom thinks she’s unhappy because of her kids. So I say this when something bad happens, “It’s fine as long as Mom doesn’t find out.”
— Sudden mood swings: rage, fear, insecurity, or withdrawl.
[Episode 4, timestamp 6:03. CH is talking with Mr. Gu on his pyong sang.]
CH: You’ve got to be careful with Mi-jeong. She has a temper. It’s scary when she loses it. I mean, she’s… How should I put this? The thing about kids who can’t fight is that they don’t know when to stop. Gi-jeong and I fight all the time, but we still make sure not to cross the line. But with Mi-Jeong, if she gets angry, she’d just kick you right off of a cliff, if you know what I mean. She just doesn’t think. She doesn’t care about the consequences.
— Self destructiveness.
As an adult, MJ engages in both active and passive suicidal ideation.
[Episode 4, timestamp 33:05. MJ and her hometown friend Hyeon-A are at a food stall in Seoul.]
MJ: People who live in tall buildings like that must be mentally strong. They could end it all in one step, but they don’t. Not because their lives are hard, but in the spur of the moment. They can end it when they feel like it. [Thinking about ways to die is considered active suicidal ideation.]
[Episode 4, timestamp 54:08. MJ is at home during a thunderstorm, thinking.]
MJ: People are scared of thunder and lightning, but strangely I find them calming. “The world might finally come to an end…as I wished.” It feels like I’m stuck, but I don’t know how to get out. That’s probably why I hope everything ends all at once. “I’m not unhappy but I’m not happy either.” “I wouldn’t care if the world ended now.” [This is passive suicidal ideation.]
— Depression, anxiety
Clinical depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest. It can make a person feel like life isn’t worth living. There’s a range of anxiety disorders that interfere with everyday life. MJ is obviously suffering from depression, but may also have social anxiety disorder. She pinpoints an age when she wanted to give up on life. It happens to coincide with when she started working in the factory; she was an expert by third grade [age 9/10], and developing expertise takes time and practice.
Episode 6, timestamp 40:40. Mr. Gu and MJ are talking in his house.
MJ: …Our of the 24 hours in a day, I only feel okay for about a couple. And it’s not like I even feel good, I just feel okay. I just try to get through the rest. It’s been like that since I was little. When I looked at the kids running around happily, I was upset even at that young age. “What are they so happy about?” “Why am I not happy like them?” “I eat and sleep. Eat and sleep.” “Why do I have to waste such a long amount of time?” I’d be perfectly okay if I only got to live 8 years instead of 80…
If Show is not going in the direction of a such a reveal about MJ, I’m curious what significance the Village Idiot will play in the plot.
@Packmule3, my comment is awaiting moderation. It focuses on a sensitive subject. I’ll understand if you don’t want it showing up here. I’ll also send you a copy by email.
I approved it. 🙂
@Welmaris, that is really plausible given Mi-jeong’s reactions. It would also fit in with her passive actions in regard to her ex-boyfriend and the look on her face when her mother mentioned her work at the factory. Her mother decided it was because Mi-jeong liked it, MJ’s face at that moment made me think it was because of something else like lack of friends.
Part of me wants something like this to explain her mental state. If it’s so, I would prefer it not be blamed on a person with a mental deficiency. As a group they struggle to be accepted in SK and elsewhere.
That’s a plausible theory @Welmaris. I guess the other option (less confronting) as to why she would play with the village idiot is that she always felt different? She mentioned she didn’t feel like normal kids. She would be just as happy to have died at 8 as at 80. She felt like an outcast and so she bonded with Dumbo because chances are he was an outcast too. Like attracts like. Gu similarly was an outcast so she gravitated towards him. She never seemed to complain. Her mom folded clothes for the 2 older siblings and left her to do her own. She just went with the flow. Compliant. With no will of her own. Swept aside. Left to her own devices. Flying under the radar. Without a voice of her own.
@nrllee, @welmaris, @packmule3, IF M-J was abused as a child, I really hope that it was someone who believed that they could use ‘Dumbo’ as a screen or someone who could be framed for the crime and that MJ used avoidance to protect both of them. I hear so much about abuse in post-adoption groups that it makes me queasy to think that this drama might head in that direction.
I had thought that the case was as outlined by @nrllee above, but it could easily fit in with @Welmaris’s theory given the warning signs she mentions.
I ended Episode 5. I focused more on Lee Min Ki (actor Yeom Chang Hee). I like this guy because he’s very talkative. We always know what he feel. He attract so cute girls, wow! The previous one was cute, the new one so much too. There isn’t need a lot to make a potential love story believable. Here, the discussion in the bar, then when they say goodbye in the street. This feel live. Maybe you lived a situation like that?
I was a bit lost in the middle of the episode. Tired. The slow pace make I can’t watch this drama tired. It’s difficult to stand on the whole because as soon as a scene is weaker, I feel it loud.
I quote another good line among many “the only way to surpass yourself is to do something you never did”. Later, with surprise, we get M. Gu answer “it’s what I did just before” (he was talking about the Jump). With these 2 lines I was “Wow!”.
@Wenchanteur,
Yes, that was a super line. Gu is cool. Mi-jeong already knew that he jumped over for her sake, but his reply confirmed that he actually joined her ‘worship’ project. I actually had to go back to @Welmaris’s quotes above to admire it again.