The thread is now open.
I’ve to make some housekeeping reminders here.
This blog is different from a forum. In kdrama open forums like mydramalist, reddit, soompi, and dramabeans, viewpoints are often treated equally. As long as the poster can give a plausible reason, her opinion favoring, say, the color chartreuse, is given the same weight as the opinion of another poster declaring the lime-green color an eyesore.
This blog, however, is my home.
I’ve often compared it to a front porch. I welcome friends and strangers to sit on the front porch – or as we say in the South “sit a spell” – and discuss dramas over coffee and tea. If one doesn’t like the discussion, she is free to toddle off.
As a hostess, I don’t want to constantly remind guests of my house rules. It’s tiresome for me and you, and it takes away time from my writing. Once I let a poster in, I expect her to be observant of the drama, and to be sensitive to the flow of discussion. It’s a give-and-take. Some like to do research. Some like to give anecdotes. Some like to notice tiny details. Some like to analyze symbols. One poster even likes to compose music.
It’s extremely helpful when the poster is attuned to context, or be able to read between the lines.
Now, I’ve pet peeves. Oldtimers and lurkers know these well. I’m sorry they have to deal with them but it is what it is.
A big pet peeve of mine is the drunken girl/drunken sex tropes. I discussed this at length in “A Business Proposal.” I’ve made no bones about my discontent at the way kdramas normalizing binge drinking. They censor cigarettes and tattoos but yeahhh, it’s hunky-dory to portray girls blacking out in the streets as if that’s less of a personal safety risk than smoking and getting designer tats.
Another pet peeve is fangirling (or fanboying, because it works both ways). Fangirling is not just reserved for the fans of the idol-turned-actor male lead. Sometimes it can be for an actor that’s doing a tremendous job at portraying his character. I believe this is what’s happening with Mr. Gu’s character. Some of us are so taken by the actor Son Seok Koo’s performance that we’re willing to accept his shady character. We suspend our disbelief because we’re expecting a big payoff in the end as a reward for keeping our faith in his intrinsic goodness.
Now, for the most part, I’ve tolerated this fangirling of Mr. Gu. I only step in when I see the need to redirect and explain an issue that shouldn’t have been an issue in the first place, like Mr. Gu’s alcohol abuse.
Feelings are not facts. Even if one feels that Mr. Gu’s drinking isn’t problematic because he doesn’t pose a public menace, it’s a fact that he’s alcoholic.
The script says so. Repeatedly.
And my last pet peeve is strangers telling me how to run my blog. Kindly email me if you want to know my hourly rate for the service of following your orders. I must warn you: I don’t come cheap. 😊
These are my housekeeping notes.
Let’s enjoy the show.
@packmule3, Thank you for reminding us of the house rules here. I would also suggest that commenter, newbies, oldies look at the Welcome section at the top of the blog. Not only is it informative but it is a very witty read. I think it really helps a lot. It is also pretty comprehensive when it comes to contributing.
I think the actor who plays Mr.Gu,Son Seok-Koo, gives a very good performance and uses silence well. I agree with you that the character is deeply flawed and does not seem to be a good guy. We know he’s hiding out and we have seen the what appear to be thugs who found him. So yeah, I’m not holding out much hope for his character. Parenthetically, I broke my own rule and watched a few episodes of Matrimonial Chaos where our actor plays Lee El’s husband (both being in ourcurrent drama), who seem to be in an unconventional relationship. I like her a lot too. I will come back to this drama because Bae Doona and Cha Tae -Hyun are also leads.
@Packmule3, please check your email. I sent you something I hope brings you a smile, or at least an Amen!
This Sunday is Mother’s Day not only here in the USA, but also in South Korea. I’d like to nominate Kim Hyun Ja (played by Kim Sun Young) of Because This Is My First Life for a Best Mom award. I like her level-headed concern for her daughter and how she respectfully expresses it to the man her daughter will marry for convenience. As for a commendable mom I’ve seen in a drama during the past twelve months, I’d pick Wang Joon Hee (played by Jeon Hye Jin) of Uncle because of her commitment to protect her son’s physical and mental health. @Packmule3 do you have a favorite Kdrama mother figure?
So now we know why in episode 6 he was looking at her in that way when her brother attempted the jump- She was raising her voice in the same way she was that night on the train that caused him to get off early. And why he recalled that night when he was about to do his own jump for her in episode 4 while making the decision to worship her. He thinks she saved him. I think CH and his drunkenness should also take credit and maybe he does too which is why he has more patience with him at times like barging in to use the bathroom.
I need to look on dramacool or kissasian to see if maybe there’s another translation to their conversation after he met with Baek.
He lived with Baeks sister who suffered from depression so he told her to get help/therapy and likely broke up with her and then she committed suicide so Baek considers that as Gu killing her?
And Gu called Baek to tell him she died and first asked ‘are you driving?’ and Baek thought it was his own wife meaning he wasn’t as close to his sister??? Or they had lost touch? But he still cares enough to murder Gu over it?
I am glad CH has friends in his life that listen and also point out other viewpoints. If like attracts like, he’s clearly attracted the right friends. I do hope there isn’t a love line with his coworker and I don’t think that’s the direction they’re going.
Why does HyunA attract such crappy men?
I get that MJ is coming out of her shell but she definitely gave Wednesday Addams vibes. The frogs eh…whatever but the whole fingernail exchange was just. I don’t get it.
Her anecdote about the frog roadkill reminded me of GiJeong’s story about severed head. 😂 The sisters have a taste for the macabre.
And MJ’s observation that “it’s bizarre when you see things somewhere it doesn’t belong,” is the key point here.
The banner with the biblical quote from Mark hanging on the wall
Mr Gu in the middle of the road gathering the wood (I noticed the chauffer bowing at him)
MiJeong’s voice jolting him awake
Mijeong turning to look back at him
To him, their encounter would’ve seemed fated in a bizarre way because she was somebody who didn’t belong in his life at that moment.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the beautiful moms here!!! ❤️❤️❤️
I am still not up to return to this drama… grinning while reading your anecdotes is a much better endeavor than having to endure the painful watch 🤭
Yes, the bird on the ground and the man hanging on the tree—I got that and did think it sounded similar to her sisters pick-up girl conversation. Dark and bizarre but still sensical. I was talking more about the part in the office when she told her coworker out of the blue that the nail looked like a dead woman.
Mr. Gu’s line “Got off at the wrong station” suddenly has a new meaning now.
I just finished Episode 9, and found it a rewarding watch. This show is well written, directed, and edited. The attention to detail is excellent. In a previous thread I’d almost commented on the frayed tie-down strap, saying the prop department did well to convince us this business had been in operation a long time. Little did I expect that the breaking of the strap would be a plot catalyst.
The farm Mi Jeong grew up on appears only to grow produce, not raise animals for market. People who do raise livestock for market tend to be unsentimental about their herds or flocks. (I formed that opinion working as a cook on a cattle ranch.) Still, living in a rural area does expose residents to more wildlife, and wildlife mortality. Although hearing about frogs popping while being run over by autos is unpleasant for us, for people who are regularly exposed to it, it becomes part of their existence. Armadillo roadkill is a part of Texas culture (so much so that I, not a Texas resident, am aware of it). After I had a driving holiday on the south island of New Zealand, I almost bought a tee shirt because it summed up my experience: Possums, Nature’s Little Speed Bumps. (For the record, possums are not native to New Zealand; they are hated because they have no natural predators and have been an ecological nightmare since they were introduced. The rumor is New Zealand drivers won’t swerve when they’re in the headlights.) All that to say, I understand Mi Jeong being matter of fact about being exposed to animal deaths as a rural resident. Gu’s shudder in reaction to her story exposes him as having been raised in a city.
It seems to me that Papa sees much, talks little. He witnessed Gu conversing with a man from a chauffeured car, then going off with him from the site of their traffic obstruction. He puts two and two together, and doesn’t need to hear the full story from Gu. But fear of losing Gu, whom he has come to value as a co-worker and companion, leads him to open up a little. He lets Gu know that the life he’s lived, working hard but protecting his home and land, has its rewards.
I’d like to say that Papa has been on my mind a lot since CH scoffed about his resistance to selling land. First, family-owned land in South Korea is under siege: corporations are buying up more and more. It is highly commendable, in my opinion, that Papa has held together his family, his home, and his land, maintaining his farm despite pressures to sell. And in this episode we learn he had to struggle and scrape to recover from financial disaster after standing surety for someone else’s loan. In my mind, he’s a quiet hero.
Although Papa doesn’t have a lot of lines, as yet, in this drama, I have been touched by his role. He was deeply concerned when his daughter Mi Jeong claimed to help her friend obtain a housing lease. He laid awake at night until he was assured his children were all safely home. He watches Gu’s home until he’s sure Gu has returned safely. This man may not express it verbally, but he values his family and employee. In my opinion, he’s got his priorities straight.
I’m finding it hard to wait until the next episode drops. That’s a sign this show is doing something right.
@Packmule3: again my comment is awaiting moderation. Why? Only WordPress knows.
@packmule3, I wondered if Mi-jeong did see a man hanging from a tree.
She also mentioned a dog on a farm – I would have thought it would be the opposite of seeing things where they don’t belong. Unless it’s a reference to the wild dogs near the reservoir that come into the town at night in search of food.
The whole idea about the wild dogs is bothering me. It seemed like the council workers were going to attempt to humanely cage them as a first resort but we don’t know what will happen if that doesn’t work. Poison? Bullets? We heard from Baek that Gu once had a dog that died and he was devastated, so that must be why he is feeding the strays and why we see him overhearing the discussion about the dogs. I don’t want to overthink the symbolism – who is the dog, which situation is the cage? I guess we’ll see.
It looks like standing surety for loans is a repeated motif in the family, since we now hear that the father did it as well. It explains his distress and anger about Chang-hee’s wish to purchase a car using a loan, as well as MJ’s loan to a friend in the earlier episodes. It also make me think that Gu’s statement that MJ was like her father about claiming her own money back was closer to the truth than even he thought.
Did anyone else feel a bit strange about the mother’s public griping at her husband when they and Gu were eating together? I understand that she is amazed at the non-verbal communication between the two men (partners in a previous life) and that she is grateful that someone (Gu) can replace her in the workshop. She was borderline doting on Gu, yet when MJ tells her that they are dating, she’s not overjoyed and can only stutter ‘Aigoo, aigoo.’
I’ll have to rewatch. So much happened in these two episodes.
@Welmaris, do you think, when Papa was speaking to Gu about the business, he was making a overture to him as a potential son-in-law? That was my impression. The mom must have spoken to him overnight about MJ saying that they were dating. The dad hit the nail on the head about some people doing well enough in that business to golf and drive fancy cars.
I agree with @Fern although @Welmaris gave an interesting interpretation that didn’t occur to me.
Mind you, I haven’t started on Ep 10.
To me, MiJeong’s dad was hinting to Mr Gu that Mr. Gu could take over the business and he could earn enough money to support him, MiJeong, and their future family like it supported him and his own family.
Dad: I might be living like this but there are plenty of people in the sink business who drive expensive cars and play golf. I just made a mistake standing surety for someone. But thanks to this business I managed to pay off that debt and hold into my land and house. If you do this work steadily, you’ll have a good life.
Gu: (after a few moment) I’ll go buy a new rope.
The dad was saying that the business could have been better than what it was if he hadn’t been involved in a bad personal debt. It was a good enough business for a hard worker like Mr Gu.
However, I’m not sure that the mom informed her husband about the news when they both retired for the night. I think he heard MiJeong’s admission himself while was just sitting in the other room, watching soccer. The camera showed him sitting quietly in the room. And this dad tends to ruminate on things in silence.
Anyway….
I think Mr Gu also interpreted her father’s commentary about the business as a roundabout way of inviting him to join the family business. Mr Gu read between the lines, and concluded that the dad had discovered that he and MJ were dating. The only way the dad could have known for sure that they were dating was through MJ.
Hence, when they met later at his place, and after MJ was rambling about a dead bird, a man hanging in the rope, and the finger nail, he brought up the topic.
Gu: (smiling)
MJ: What is it?
Gu: You told them we were dating.
MJ: Mmm.
Gu: Why did you do that? You don’t even know when I’ll leave. This could’ve have passed without anyone knowing.
MJ: (pretending nonchalance) It’s not a big deal for people to date and break up. Why keep it a secret?
@packmule3, You’ll see why Mr. Gu seems gun shy in Episode10. There is a lot to this guy and some of 8t seems nefarious. I don’t intend to spoil this but I don’t think MJ is in for happiness in this relationship. The writer(s) have created a mystery man who is powerful , complicated and may be a bad guy. He calls MJ scary, but the same could be said for him.
I also think that the contrasts between Seoul living and country life are stark. One way this drama presents the contrast is the almost blinding light of Seoul and the extreme darkness of night in the country. There is actual danger to be had in the dark-wild dogs, exploding frogs…
I truly hope that our characters will have true Liberation, although I think Liberation and happiness are not the same.
Yes, the Dad could have overheard the conversation between MJ and her mother whilst watching the footy.
Gosh, Chang-hee is crazy. When we saw the events that made him happy despite Ah-reum I laughed out loud. The fact that Gu would even drive him into Seoul to indulge him was so unexpected to me, because I felt that Gu barely tolerated him. Also the fact that he lets him use the bathroom in his house and Chang-hee made a little shrine to the Rolls key. Surely Gu saw that, too. ‘If you have this car, tell me. If you only have the key, lie to me and say you still have the car.’ I fully expected Gu to say that the car was in someone else’s hands now. Then we see CH is in the truck’s passenger seat clutching the expensive watch, calling Gu ‘Hyung’ and acting totally like a little boy. Then the sexy French song as CH drives by himself.
The ending was a bit dream-like to me, especially the wild geese. Gu’s contact with MJ was to put a hand on her shoulder as he’s standing slightly forward, blocking her as if to protect her/keep her behind him. She didn’t look happy about that. Does she prefer to be the protector?The second part seemed more realistic with him back in the city although his actions suggested that he isn’t fitting in there either. Are either of these his reality or projections/dreams?
I had speculated a few episodes back whether MJ was the woman in the train. We see now that Gu was in an exhausted, near delirious state and her cry to get off made him stumble off as well. I wonder how it came to be that he walked to her home rather than anywhere else?
I also wonder how she would be as his wife in his city situation? To me she is as scary as him if not more so. She might actually fit in well in situations where chit chat is less valued than action.
I liked that during their reunion date, at about 57.25, MJ looked up and scanned the kitchen area. Without missing a beat, Gu gets up, goes into the service area, helps himself to a bowl of pickled something from the fridge and a can of cola. He brings them back to the table for her, sharing the can by pouring a portion into a glass, all without meeting her eyes. He can read her mind, just the same as he can understand her father. Finally he indicates silently that she can have the last portion of his meal. Gosh. Or Aigoo, as the mom would say.
@Snow Flower, I imagine when Gu got on the train after receiving the text from “Sam Sik,” he suspected he was headed toward a confrontation with Baek and possible death, and he no longer cared. He thought he was ready to die. Getting off early, after MJ’s voice roused him from his stupor, was his version of enlightenment 2/3 of the way down while falling off a cliff. He was given another chance to live, even if he didn’t believe he deserved it.
We see and hear repeatedly in Episode 10 that he was physically and mentally exhausted. He was weary of the business struggles. His body was so worn out he could hardly remain standing in the phone booth. Someone close to him had committed suicide, and he’d shut down emotionally. Baek got it wrong when he interpreted Gu’s behavior as uncaring: Gu was numb, and not processing what had happened in a healthy way.
There has been mention of Gu having difficulty sleeping. He curled around bottles on the floor, too apathetic to move them aside. He hurt himself when blackout drunk (or so it is assumed). He didn’t sleep for four days after meeting with Baek because he was so angry. But we saw him drift off to sleep on the couch after he and MJ began their unusual relationship agreement.
@Welaris, Good catch about the abbreviated train journey being like the revelation 2/3 of the way down a cliff fall.
I wonder why Sam Sik changed his name? It seems like there are still people in the organisation who are loyal to Gu.
@Packmule3, in Episode 10, when Gu is talking to Baek the second time, he refers to Papa as “my partner” rather than his employer. That may be a translation issue, but if not, it is a distinction worth noting. Gu does tell Baek that his staying in Sanpo to build sinks is a possible choice he’ll make for his future.
I think the moment Gu asked Papa for MJ’s phone number, Papa suspected Gu had the intention of dating his daughter. He took a few beats to think about whether or not that would be a good idea, then willingly (and without fuss) gave Gu MJ’s number. Papa is no fool. He sized up Gu as a good man for his youngest, the only one of his children who showed any interest in the factory and who consistently helps on the farm.
About Papa, who speaks little and is a salt-of-the-earth character: through hard work he’s preserved and protected his house and land despite financial threat. I imagine his net worth from real estate holdings alone is higher than average for South Korea. He’s a man of vision. He turned rice paddies into the farm we see today, growing varied produce. He diversified his crops, reducing the risks that come with relying on one crop alone.
I did some looking online about agriculture in South Korea, and read that family-owned farms are under pressure. Many small farmers operate at a loss, and depend on government help to survive. The percentage of farms owned by corporations goes up each year. I think Papa must be a shrewd businessman, despite one mistake, to have kept his house and farm and provided as well as he has for his family.
@Snow Flower, thinking further about Gu’s expectation while riding the train to meet his possible end: Gu told MJ he wouldn’t blink if stabbed in the stomach. I figure he meant that he’s familiar with rough types–is one himself–and never far from death in his dog-eat-dog world. However, when he experienced a power outage at his house and heard someone entering, he jumped into defense mode. Knowing that Baek had found him, and Baek blamed him for his sister’s death, Gu was no longer a willing target. He is not inclined to commit suicide by surrendering to Baek’s revenge.
I’ve seen someone here comment about the dated phones shown in this show and added it to the list the costume/set people did correctly. People don’t always have the latest of everything and they don’t repeat clothes instead of something new every day. However, after the the blatant image of 2022 I started to wonder if what we are seeing now is a past timeline and there will be a jump. Was that New Years party actually happening or dream sequence possibility??? I have no clue.
But to add to the time stamps I’ve tried to keep track of
Episode 1 June 21-sibling text. 6/24 MJ to coworker text. 6/28 at 52:30 mark to ex
Episode 2- July 2 to ex at 12:30 mark
Episode 8 august 6-11. In the year 2019 that’s a tues-sun
Episode 8- the group text around 41 min mark is on 8/9 so she gets rejected on 8/10 and 8/11/19 is a Sunday which would coincide with him going to church that day.
Episode 9- we are shown the calendar is now on September. I went to see the game dad was watching while MJ told mom she was dating Gu and happened to see calendar in background. Around the 28 min mark. The order of days looks the way a sept 2019 one would appear.
I think these are accurate. I have zero Hangul knowledge
@birdie,
I was going to comment on the calendar, too. I think the calendar is either showing:
August 2020, or
September 2018.
The first of the month falls on a Saturday.
However, I’m going with September 2018 just because people would have been wearing masks in 2020.
@birdie007, Thanks for your work on the timeline. It doesn’t always seem straightforward.
I’m still trying to figure out Mr. Gu. On the one hand we see his sadness but on the other hand we see him as possibly a high level gangster. They certainly are keeping a lot under wraps. Sometimes we see a spark of kindness but there is a lot of bad seed undercurrent. What do other BODers think?
@Welmaris,
When Mr. Gu referred to “his partner,” I had to think for a moment who he was referring to. 🙂 I like that he thought of MiJeong’s father as a “business partner” because it shows ownership and pride in the job he’s doing at Sanpo Sinks, and the farm. He doesn’t think that labor was beneath him.
He even told Sam-shik to order the sink from Sanpo Sinks. hahaha.
As for the power outage, I think he was acting on survival instinct. Just like MiJeong when she saw the wild dogs going for Mr. Gu and she ran to face them, shooing them away. She had a preservation instinct. This was the third time, right?
The first time was after the bloody nose incident. Mr. Gu was rushed off to the hospital because of his bloodied nose. She went to his house the following day and offered this “worship” deal with him because he wouldn’t have anything to do in the winter, and she didn’t want to see him drunk again.
The second time during the lightning storm. She ran and bodily forced him to enter his house.
Then, the third time was this dog attack.
I just had to give a shout out to these two scenes. I laughed so hard!
CH’s words of wisdom. (I wonder how many takes the actor had to do to deliver those lines, and how the co-actors held the laughter in. I had to Google what a bidet was.)
Episode 9.
I love this feeling.
Feeling spent after I’ve emptied my bowels.
Feeling relieved that I made it without soiling my underwear.
I downed two iced lattes because I wanted to have diarrhea so quickly.
It didn’t seem to work all day. But I suddenly started to feel it on my way back home.
I thought, “I can hold it. I can hold it until I get home.” And when I was almost there, I saw my dad going into the bathroom, I was like, “I can make it. I can make it to Gu’s place.”
And lucky me. You even have a bidet!
My butt felt so good, I felt like I was going to fly. I use that old toilet you crouch over. We have three people going to work in the morning, but only one toilet. My dream is to be like you. Living alone, with a bidet.
…
Though I failed to get promoted, I survived another day without soiling my underwear.
(Mr. Gu’s silence and facial expressions. LOL!)
Epilogue in Episode 10.
CH’s co-worker: What is it? It can’t be a girl. You’re not going to tell me?
CH: A few days ago, I almost died trying to hold in my poop.
I just finished rewatching Episode 9 and took copious notes. Here goes:
Gu sees the church banner hanging on the wall next to their parked truck, and his curiosity shows that he notes, and remembers, MJ’s communications with him.
The four workers “complaining” about their vacation in front of the two who were excluded: they are enforcing the us-them dynamic. Regardless of how chirpy they sound, they’re being mean.
Over dinner, with Papa present, Mama complains to Gu about her husband’s demeanor. She did the same sort of thing nagging GJ about her eyelid injections while at the dinner table with the whole family. She works hard to feed the members of her household, is genuinely concerned for them, and generally appears to be a loving wife and mother, but resentment tumbles out of her mouth. She takes shots when she’s got an audience to maximize impact.
Mama wonders, “How do you two just know what the other needs without saying a word? He just looks around, and you just know what he wants and give it to him. I’ve lived with him for 40 years and I still can’t do that.” But in scenes when we’ve seen Mama and Mi Jeong together in the kitchen, or serving others at the dining table, those two work smoothly as a team without needing to talk.
Gi Jyeong is almost 40 years old. Mama says she’s lived with Papa 40 years. Mama must’ve gotten pregnant right after they married, or…
CH brings Gu alcohol even after having complained about his being an alcoholic. Later we see others being enablers: MJ buying a bottle of soju at the station store, then the store owner lying to try to sell a different, probably more expensive, brand.
MJ now says whatever is in her head and feels lovable: she’s doing less self-editing and more self-acceptance. This relates to how she told Gu she can fight with him, but not others, because she knows he likes her. MJ has also heard the admiration of Liberation Club when she’s shared her writings.
The club coordinator and MJ nod to each other when passing on the stairs, then the coordinator looks like a proud teacher. MJ and Tae Hoon greet each other outside the lunchroom. The Liberation Club is achieving one of the goals outlined by the company: fostering camaraderie.
GJ spends a lot of time talking to her boss about personal matters, even embarrassing ones, without feeling shy when opening up to him. In an earlier episode, GJ had told a friend that more than sex, she wanted a man she could talk to. With her boss she’s comfortably herself, but with Tae Hoon she ties herself into knots. Her boss listens to her patiently, encourages her, and even shares some things about himself. GJ doesn’t realize this is the relationship she earlier wished for.
CH is cut from the same cloth as his siblings, sharing his leech dream with his buddies as they wait in line for lunch.
A Reum doesn’t consider the people who’ve been waiting in line when she cuts in front of her four officemates. So entitled! I’m glad CH later gave her an earful; however, I wish he hadn’t done it in front of everyone else in the office. He could hurt his career, not just her feelings, by developing a reputation for being bad tempered and not a team player.
Did Papa see Sam Sik bow deeply to Gu? We don’t know for sure, but Papa was definitely mulling things over after he finished unloading the truck by himself.
@Welmaris, my word for the mother is bitter, even more than anxious or stressed. I agree about ‘resentful’. I hate public recrimination. Really there’s nothing worse or more awkward; personal embarrassment for victim and as well as feeling embarrassed and angry for the instigator and onlookers.
Your speculation that the parents may have married quickly is a good catch. It may be reflected in the fact that Change-hee is the mother’s favourite and Mi-jeong is her father’s favourite. Ki-Jung, despite being the eldest and beautiful, is the favourite of neither parent and she seems very needy to me. Frankly, if I were a co-worker, after her last scenes I would be worrying about her mental health. She seemed just a breath away from a breakdown. I think that the way her boss quickly followed her out of the bar and the look on his face means not only is he concerned for her, but also attracted to her. His current girlfriend is correct to worry. (I wonder why KJ told her that he didn’t give her any lottery tickets. He gave her 10 at once.)
I wondered also if Mr Yeom saw Sam Sik bowing; it wasn’t clear. He did see the nice car and perhaps recognised that Baek was wearing golfing clothes – hence his remarks the next day. I thought that him watching for Gu to come home was a mix of anxiety for Gu’s safety and anxiety for Gu’s stability in his business and family.
Again about religion: I kept thinking about Gu’s statement to Mi-jeong that she keeps making things worse. It seemed inappropriate to me when he said it. On first viewing it seemed like a passive-aggressive reaction to her – an effort to keep her distant by shifting blame. But rather is his statement related to the Christian religious motifs in the story?
@packmule3 mentioned a ‘hyperactive guilty conscience.” Gu might feel he needs to allow penance to be inflicted in order to be absolved and MJ is preventing it? Is it why he stayed outside during a lightening storm, drunkenly sits with his back to the wild dogs, sits and works in the hot sun when he’s not even being paid for it, puts up with CH’s invasive behaviour, leaves his door open even to Baek, etc., etc. And he feels angry and scared that MJ is interfering in this natural path of his, wherever it may be leading him.
We see that from MJ’s point of view, self-inflicted or passive penance isn’t the way forward and she is unwilling to accept blame for Gu’s inability to feel absolution. She almost returns his early words to her – the ‘sort out your problems’ response he gave about her debt. This tells me that she thinks that if he wants some resolution, he should take action rather than let punishment find him. This coincides with the quote from Mark he sees under the ‘Something Good…’ banner. “Take Courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.” If we assume he is a Christian by his cross and we can assume that he recognises the quote. He can have those words in mind as he visits Baek in his Den of Iniquity. (Gosh, wasn’t that place hideous inside?)
(Actually, that cross looks as though it could be worn by a woman as well – small and seems to be set with stones. It made me wonder if it had been his girlfriends? It or the chain it’s on is always visible in his current life. But that’s just my mental tangent.)
BAEK AND GU
Baek’s little sister was Gu’s girlfriend.
Baek accuses Gu of hiding, putting on a show, and acting broken. Baek is cynical. In his view, Gu isn’t capable of sincerity. When Gu called Baek to inform him of his sister’s death, Gu’s first concern was that Baek get to a safe place (not be driving) before hearing the news; in Baek’s thinking, this was an act, not Gu’s valid concern for Baek or others on the road who might be imperiled. Baek expected Gu to display grief, not allowing for Gu to process loss differently than him.
If it isn’t how he would do it, it’s wrong and suspect…according to Baek.
“You have no idea how frustrating she could be, do you? Of course not. She’s your little sister.” I believe Gu said this to Baek as a challenge. If Baek and his sister were raised in the same household, Baek was likely very aware of his sister’s moods and behavior. It is hard on the whole family when a member suffers from a mental illness. Baek may have harbored resentment of his sister since they were children. He does not seem a patient, forgiving sort, and may have been relieved someone else took responsibility for her. When Baek’s sister committed suicide, her boyfriend, Gu, became a convenient scapegoat for all Baek’s negative feelings, failings, guilt, etc.
Gu shared with his girlfriend the story he’d seen on TV about the jump survivors because he wanted her to get therapy. He wanted her to find her enlightenment safely, not 2/3 of the way into a fall. But in Baek’s twisted way of thinking, “You told her that because you wanted her dead, didn’t you? She was already vulnerable, and you encouraged her, didn’t you?…You bastard. It’s you that killed her, but I can’t sue you for it. Saying you told someone to die won’t fly in court. What do I do then? I’ve got to kill you myself.”
Gu calls out Baek’s bullshit: “Come on. I didn’t hide that hard, okay? I waited with my door open, but you never came. (Remember Du Hwan’s observation that Gu’s drinking pattern looked like a Neighborhood Watch sentry?) You were so quiet after taking all of my business. You don’t care about that at all.”
Baek wanted to use the death of his sister as an excuse to eliminate a business rival.
The whole time Gu walked 10km from his meeting with Baek to Sanpo, Gu was defenseless, but Baek made no move to kill him. He probably believed Gu had become inconsequential.
When Gu opened up to MJ, telling her the most painful aspect of his past, the pain that derailed his life, she listened quietly. She then asked who had jumped. Gu answers, “The woman I used to live with.” Unless there’s an issue with subtitles, I find this oddly conveys both intimacy and distance. Living with someone implies a close relationship, yet “the woman” seems more removed than “my girlfriend” or “my lover.” I can imagine Mr. Rochester describing Bertha Mason in such a manner to Jane Eyre.
Regardless of the true reason behind it, Baek’s blame had the effect of reinforcing Gu’s own sense of guilt. Gu parrots Baek when talking to MJ: “Yes. I was telling her to die. It was so…frustrating to see her suffer so much.” Does Gu really believe he was responsible for the woman’s death because of words he spoke to her? Does he believe his feelings of frustration were perceived more clearly than his plea she get help? That could be why Gu became a man of few words.
Gu fears his words, his feelings, have the potential to harm MJ as well: “I’ll stop if you tell me to. The worshipping…You can take it back.” He may fear that MJ is depressed, and vulnerable to self-harm. He’d be even more afraid if he knew of MJ’s conversation with Hyeon-A where she mused about people stepping off high rise buildings just because they can.
@Fan of TKEM, I know!🤣🤣🤣
And then how he was about the car. He’d go into Gu’s bathroom and wrap it tenderly in tissue as though he was putting it to bed or into a shrine next to the watch.
@Welmaris, everything you wrote about Baek and Gu seems valid to me. Baek’s interpretation of Gu’s emotions at the time is warped and not perceptive. I was thinking that while it might be good for Gu to correct some misconceptions Baek had about him, he hopefully understands that if he shows Baek that he still has power, Baek may want to make the first move. He can’t use his sister as an excuse any longer, however. It was pretty clear that he wasn’t bothered so much once he had taken over Gu’s holdings.
@Fern and @Fan of TKEM,
I guffawed when CH’s head popped up beside Mr Gu’s on the pyung sang. 🤣🤣 What a way to defuse the tension!
To me, Changhee is the philosopher of mundane things. He gets his spark of wisdom from the oddest things.
Remember the bank episode in Ep 6, when he let another customer cut in line? He realized that he wanted to become like a “drizzle” to the world, making people feel better in a small and unobtrusive way. 🌦
And now, his poop inspired him.
Sure, and what would Freud make of that one?
@Fern,
Freud would’ve found Koreans’ obsession with 💩 poop very…stimulating. Lol.
I wanted my hubby to try the poop bread sold in the streets but he was repulsed by it. 🤢 Me? After watching kdramas, I wasn’t shocked. I wasn’t wild about the filling — red bean paste. I’d eat it though if it had Nutella. I eat anything smeared with Nutella.
So it’s not just Chang-hee?
That’s so funny. I’ll have to look the bread up online. Okay. I’ve seen that. It will arrive in Devon in 3-5 years.
Gu told MJ he doesn’t know how to worship. Then he gets a master class from CH. I roared with laughter watching the scenes unfold about the Rolls Royce key and car. Lee Min Ki was pitch perfect in his portrayal of the emotions pulling CH this way and that: fear of disillusionment and intense hope. CH groveled with relish. And when his dream was realized (the yellow convertible sports car forgotten)…the kneeling, the caressing, the panda hug! What a way to subvert love scene tropes!
@Packmule3, I love Chinese red bean buns, baked or steamed. I also like to have red bean in Hawaiian shave ice. There’s so much sweeter added when the paste is made that its taste and texture remind me of brown sugar.
@Welmaris,
I thought snow-cone and slurpee were ambrosia on hot summer days. But after tasting the Philippine shaved iced dessert (I forgot the name! @agdr03 must have told me a dozen times already), I never looked back.
I think it’s the best because the red bean isn’t the dominant ingredient. There’s banana, custard, tapioca pearls (IIRC), and purple yam ice cream in the mix.
Philippine shaved ice dessert > Korean red bean shaved ice dessert (pat bingsoo?)
Is the Hawaiian shaved ice with pineapple? I’ve to be in the mood for pineapple.
You just gave me an idea! Maybe instead of having the regular ice cream-and-toppings buffet table, I’ll serve a Philippine shaved ice dessert at our Fourth of July barbecue. Have to get my hands on the real recipe first. 👍
I love th8s thread and especially liked the whole bidet segment because it added a little comic relief to this drama. Lee Min Ki certainly can star in a comedy. I’d love to see him do a spit take and from what I’ve seen here he could do physical comedy.
Anyway, the bidet segment remind3d me of my youth. When I was 23 I took my first plane ride, a Pan Am youth fare to Paris and then went on to Madrid by railroad. In Madrid I stayed at a hotel in an office building where my room had a toilet and a bidet. I had zero idea what it was, but soon found out after spending a night tapas bar hopping with a group of hair stylists from Bourdeaux. The next morning I had a bad case of intourista and learned about the glories of bidet use. I realized I couldn’t flush it so I did not make the mistake of using it as a toilet. This happened during Francisco Franco’s rule, so it was a long time ago, when young single foreign women were thought of as fair game for sexual assault. I was lucky no real harm came to me.
In our drama, I would think that it would provoke suspicion for disheveled Mr. Gu, who is seemingly poor, to install a bidet in his home he also has a leather couch. I know he’s secretive, but g I ven how small the town is, wouldn’t there be Goss I p about him?
@packmule3, Is it halo halo?
😂 Yes, CH’s groveling for the Rolls-Royce was a hoot to watch. “I will die if you tell me that it’s just the key you have. I really want to live as a saint for a while. Even if you don’t have the car, please say you do.”
😂😂 He was begging to be lied to should Mr Gu wasn’t really in possession of a RR.
I thought Mr Gu was cool too when he said, “Listen. I just came back from Seoul. And you want me to back?”
It’s funny that his sister wouldn’t even ask so much as a diamond from Mr Gu, but he was already asking for the Rolls from him.
By the way, a little bit of trivia. The hood ornament of the RR is called, fittingly enough, the “Spirit of Ecstasy.” It’s a statue of a woman about to leap into the air.
CH was definitely ecstatic when he saw the vehicle.
Halo- Halo ☺️
Yes, it has a bit of everything. 😋
Between this and patbingsoo, I’m in heaven.
I like halo halo better than the patbingsoo because the variety of ingredients blends well together. And even when the shaved ice has melted, I like the taste of the remaining liquid. It doesn’t like water or cow’s milk. I don’t think it’s soy milk either. It tastes more like coconut milk, @agdr03?
It’s evaporated milk ☺️
Filipinos have an attachment with evaporated milk. 😁
@OAL, in Hawaii where you buy shave ice, you can choose your toppings. There isn’t one set recipe: the only constant is…shave ice! I think Chinese, Taiwanese, and South Korean offerings are similar, based on what I’ve seen in dramas.
I bought an ice shaver because I couldn’t get my blender to chop the ice satisfactorily. I also bought three types of syrup: coconut, mango, and passion fruit. I add a dollop of red bean paste, snow on top (a drizzle of condensed–not evaporated–milk), and a sprinkle of li hing mui powder (salty dried Chinese plum). If I’m feeling really decadent, I’ll add a scoop of ice cream before the red bean paste. I’ve read that people like to add fruit. My version of that is to line a bowl with banana slices, then stick it in the freezer until I’m ready to assemble my shave ice.
Oops, my shave ice reply should have been to @Packmule3.
@agdr03, I have read that people freeze milk instead of water, then shave those cubes. I haven’t tried that yet myself. I imagine any type of liquid milk would work.
😂😂😂 No, @Old American Lady!!!
The European old-style bidets are different from the Japanese and Korean modern bidets.
The Spanish, Portuguese, French bidets are just for washing the butt and genitals. We can’t defecate in them because as OAL said, there’s no big drain/hole to flush down the feces.
The bidet is an extra seat beside the toilet 🚽 so after you wipe yourself with toilet paper, you move to the bidet to clean up more thoroughly.
But the Japanese and Korean style of bidets are two-in-one. I guess, because space is limited in the bathrooms, the bidet is built into new system. The fancy ones are automated and have lots of features, like you can control the water pressure coming from the hose. Other features include dryer, deodorizer, a heated seat, and so on.
I find the bidet technology amusing because it wasn’t so long ago that they were using the “squat” style of toilets — you know, just a ceramic potty on the ground, and you squat over it. In fact, there are still restrooms with the squat toilets in SK. From what I was told, the older generation believes squatting is better for bowel movement.
I guess in Changhee’s family, the guys use the outhouse with the old squat style toilet while the women use the Western style toilets. That’s why he likes to use Mr Guy’s bathroom.
But if I were Mr Gu, I’d find it all absurd. ChangHee was essentially using his house for pooping. Ugh. I wouldn’t want to share bidets with strangers.
Ahhh. I thought it was coconut milk, @agdr03. 😂😂 So I guess I like the taste of condensed milk, too.
@Welmaris, Lots of cultures have shaved ice traditions. In New York’s Puerto Rican neighborhoods there are street vendors who sell shaved ice with grit syrups and coco helado.
As for Halo Halo we now have a great proliferation of the Phillipine fast food restaurant, Jollibee where you can get the Halo Halo dessert as fast food. They are all over New York and New Jersey. Soon one will open in Times square.
@Packmule3, be careful when you’re buying your shave ice supplies, as evaporated milk and condensed milk are different. Evaporated milk isn’t sweetened, but condensed milk is. Evaporated milk is a thin liquid, but condensed milk is thick.
@Welmaris, I believe we call that ice candy. You make your own flavours, like chocolate, mango etc then you freeze it and have it when it’s solid.
My favourite one would be the red bean ice candy. ☺️
So funny #packmule3. I have seen the Asian bidets and would love to get one of them.
But wow-you remind me of that old movie, The Swimmer with Bury Lancaster-but instead of pools, you’d have the guy using bidets.It could be called The Sh….r. what nerve.Miss Manners would have lots to say about this,
Yes you do. 😁
Are you familiar with the Sunflower biscuits in the Asian stores? We dip that in condense milk. 😁 Of course, eating it in moderation yeah. 😂
I love the BoD community, where we can swing from subject to subject without missing a beat: poop bread, bidet comparisons, shave ice ingredients, and the Rolls Royce hood ornament. My eclectic friends, you light my life!
Speaking of Rolls Royce, that car was a tank. Gu must have a lot of trust in CH, or really not care anymore about his possessions from his past life. I’d think without prior experience, CH would have trouble estimating his perimeter while operating such a big vehicle. As he was pulling out of the parking garage, I cringed in fear he’d miscalculate and scrape the side of that very, very expensive car.
What? Awaiting moderation again? @Packmule3, I wonder what I said this time to earn the dubious honor.
Oh! Thanks for the heads-up, @Welmaris. I was thinking of “condensed” milk because that’s the kind I used for the Philippine fruit salad.
I tried to make this mango with coconut milk and sago for dessert, but I think I overcooked the sago pearls because it came out as one small blob. 🤦♀️ When I strained it under cold water (thinking it would separate into small “pearls”), the whole thing just disintegrated and slipped through the strainer. 😢
I ended up with mango slices.
I’m saving the coconut milk for another day.
I don’t know what triggered it. It was fine to me, too. But I approved it already.
Is Sunflower like saltine crackers except bright yellow in color?
Haha. No way. You dip it in condensed milk???
Thanks @Packmule3, for the comment approval and for the hearty laugh you just gave me. I imagine you had a few choice words to say during that fiasco.
Yep. Those ones. I sent you an image of it.
It taste good with the condense, salty and sweet. 😁
Same here, @Welmaris.
I admired Mr Gu for letting CH drive off with the RR just like that.
CH reminded me of my brothers. They were trying to sneak off with the Volvo one night so they rolled it down the driveway. They misjudged the acceleration and direction, and the vehicle ended up in the ditch at the bottom of the driveway. 🤦♀️😂😂
Same thing with ChangHee. I was worried that he’d have a heavy foot on the gas pedal and rear end somebody, and cause more trouble than what it was worth.
The top bidet would be the Japanese one. I can still remember seeing my youngest smiling face after using it when we were there in 2018. He was so fascinated he told me how it works and what buttons does what. 😂
@OAL, we love our Jollibee. We are supposed to get our first store here later in the year and my boys will be a very hard critiques on them. They remember the taste in Philippines so I hope it’ll be the same. 😁
The brother leaving with his car made me wonder about his background. Did he come from money and since it was always there he never had the desire for it. Or did he hunger for it and then end up resenting it? Or was it something that just came with the power he attained and the trappings just keep with the power. When he went to the car, he had to search for where he’d even parked it so it seems like he wasn’t even attached to it even when he owned it and used it. Or maybe he just had a driver and didn’t bother keeping track. He didn’t seem too concerned with his watch that I am sure was comparable in value to the car. I think it’s funny that he could give everything up without a backwards glance….except for the bidet. And also the conversation in the first episode when CH basically begging his father is basically begging his father for a car seems extra funny/pitiful now. I imagine Gu had a very hard time keeping from rolling his eyes while eating
Based on estimates of this drama’s timeline floated previously, I looked up 2018 models and determined that Gu’s car is a Rolls-Royce Ghost. His looks to be the Black Badge package. “Black makes everything cooler. This is an array of themed additions intended to counteract some of the potential fuddy-duddiness of a high-dollar large-luxury sedan.”
You can read more of a comprehensive article about this make and model in Kelley Blue Book, an authority on car values. https://www.kbb.com/rolls-royce/ghost/2018/
Gu had his car key in his possession when he ended up in Sanpo, which suggests he wasn’t chauffeured. “You’re the rare Rolls-Royce customer who prefers to sit up front and drive. The Ghost doesn’t feel like trying to sail a boat around corners; it’s actually enjoyable and engaging, yet still super-comfortable and ultra-classy. Those who prefer to retain a chauffeur should consider the long-wheelbase variant.”
I suspect CH has limited knowledge, despite now claiming that Rolls-Royce is his dream car. There’s no such thing as production Rolls-Royce. “Part of the charm involved in buying a Rolls-Royce is the broad scope for personalization. Virtually every car that leaves the Goodwood factory in the south of England is a one-off. What the customer wants, the customer gets. For a price, of course.”
As for the Ghost’s power, “Even in a car that’s nearly 18 feet long and weighs around 5,600 pounds, a twin-turbocharged 6.6 liter V12 engine making 563 horsepower is always going to be entertaining.” “If the driver was so inclined, even a regular Rolls-Royce Ghost can sprint from standstill to 60 mph in a mere 4.7 seconds. Given the Ghost’s less-than-ethereal heft, that’s quite an achievement.”
In the USA, the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of a new 2018 Rolls-Royce Ghost starts at $315,000 before options, destination charge, and tax. “Make sure the checkbook is primed and there’s enough ink in the pen. The many and varied options for the 2018 Ghost can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the final tally.”
I think for CH, ignorance is bliss. He knows he’s behind the wheel of an expensive piece of machinery, and that’s all that matters to him. I think if he knew its full value, he’d be terrified rather than elated. I would be.
@packmule3, And those Korean parking garages and parking lots are notorious for their narrow spaces.See The Producers with Gong Hyo Gin and get door scrape with Kim Soo Hyun family car. There are more examples that don’t come to mind. Ouch!
What do you think about that divorced dad Cho TaeHun and his noona?
I disliked GiJeong for crying like that! She had no pride; she lost her dignity. Does she even know why she likes the guy? She’s more infatuated than anything.
But I thought Cho TaeHun was not any better. He was an adult yet his noona treated him like a teenager who couldn’t think for himself. If he had tolerated such interference during his marriage, then I’m not surprised that the wife divorced him.
The noona had issues, too. I get that she doesn’t want her brother to get married again. But does she have to continually harp about her sacrifice for her niece? Why must she always bring it up that she’s a noble aunt who’ll devote her entire life to taking care of her niece until the day she dues?
I don’t like her passive-aggressiveness.
@Packmule3, I think the story starts to guide viewers’ thoughts about Tae Hoon’s family situation as far back as the scene where GJ and her friend are griping about going to the mall, that they become angry with other women: those who have money, husbands, family, beauty, etc. [And these may be the same feelings that fuel CH’s anger at AR.] GJ asks, “Will the family you have be the same as the one you came from?”
Next we see Yu Rim (Tae Hoon’s daughter) get off her school bus, met by her older aunt, Hui Seon. As they stroll home with the aunt talking, YR asks why she’s always saying “auntie did this” and “auntie did that.” HS’s response: “Just in case people think I’m your mom, and that makes you upset. You’re mom’s much prettier than me, you know?” This answer bothers me because the adult is trying to blame the child for the wall the adult has chosen to build between them. She gaslights her niece by making it all about protecting the child’s feelings. But I suspect both Hui Seon and Gyeong Seon, raised by an aunt in Sanpo after their parents died, have issues from their own youth that they’re projecting onto Yu Rim.
In the next scene, which you mention above, a drunken Gyeong Seon starts talking about her sister and herself in comparison to their aunt. Tae Hoon shuts her down, so I suspect they hear these complaints often from Gyeong Seon. We’ve previously heard GS complain that the food her aunt fed her siblings and her was substandard, in her opinion, and she believes the immediate family members ate better than them. She suspects her aunt who took them in was less than loving. She overcompensates, and pushes guilt onto Yu Rim: “Aunties are all you’ve got. Your aunties have decided to give up on being women…” I understand that Tae Hoon is in a tight spot as a single father, but I believe living with his sisters is putting Yu Rim into a toxic environment.
I imagine GS fears that TH will take YR away if he remarries, so is defensive and jealous at the thought the he might enter into another romantic relationship. “What about me? I’m an auntie. And I’ll be forty very soon!” When she starts howling like this, YR stops eating her snack, sets it on the table, and leaves the room. This kind of emotional blackmail must be hard for her. Her aunties have issues they need to deal with, their own lives to live, yet are hiding behind YR and blaming her for it.
Thanks for putting all the pieces together, @Welmaris. I’ll repost this on its own thread in a while. 🙂
I mention in my comment above the anger CH harbors for AR. I think his colleague is on target, that CH is not just annoyed by AR’s incessant talking, but infuriated by her because of their economic disparity. AR is rich and acts entitled. CH would like to be wealthy and entitled, but since he doesn’t have what he wants in life (a car, for one thing), he’s resentful. The words CH’s friend speaks strike home, and CH leaves the restaurant in a huff.
CH goes outside, which is Gwanghwamun Plaza, and gazes up at the statue of Admiral Yi Sun Sin. When his other friend collects him to go, CH says, “I’m not even some hero trying to save his country. Why do I feel so ashamed?” What’s that all about? According to Wikipedia, “Admiral Yi fought in at least 23 recorded naval engagements, all against the Japanese. In most of these battles, he was outnumbered and lacked necessary supplies. He nonetheless won battle after battle.” CH is ashamed that he lets AR and her financial superiority repeatedly defeat him emotionally.
I can imagine Mr. Yeom Sr. and Mr. Gu starting “Sanpo Sinks and Bidets.”
🤪 Good one, @Snowflower! 😂😂
About MJ’s list of things that look different out of context: I believe what she picks as examples are influenced by the problem of suicide in South Korea.
From a Wikipedia article on Suicide in South Korea: in 2012 suicide was the fourth-highest cause of death among South Koreans. Suicide in South Korea occurs at the 12th highest rate in the world. (The countries with higher rates are: 1) Lesotho, 2) Guyana, 3) Eswatini, 4) Kiribati, 5) Micronesia, 6) Suriname, 7) Zimbabwe, 8) South Africa, 9) Mozambique, 10) Central African Republic, 11) Russia.)
CH has said that nothing exciting happens in Sanpo except flooding and old people dying. Wikipedia says, “An extremely high suicide rate among the elderly is a major contributing factor to South Korea’s overall suicide rate. As people age, certain sociopsychological factors such as income decline due to retirement, increased medical costs, physical deterioration or disabilities, loss of spouse or friends and no sense of purpose increases the risk of suicide. Many impoverished elderly kill themselves as to not be a burden on their families, since the South Korean welfare system is poorly funded and the tradition of children caring for their parents in old age has largely disappeared in the 21st century. As a result, people living in rural areas have higher suicide rates.”
Why would a pink fingernail to remind MJ of the body of a dead woman? The rounded shape may tie in with her wondering why dead animals and humans tend to be belly up. A human corpse will start to bloat 3-5 days after death, as internal organs decompose.
As for a man hanging from a tree, per Wikipedia: “A study by Subin Park et al. states that a major reason for the general upward trend in the South Korean suicide rate from 2000 to 2011 was the increase of suicides by hanging.”
Gossip flies fast in rural communities, and I suspect word would get around if a dead person is found. What do people do when they hear such information? They gather at the site and rubberneck. I believe it is possible that MJ, with her own eyes, has seen the body of a dead woman and a man hanging from a tree.
What is shocking about seeing a dog on a farm? Since the Goryeo Dynasty, some people in Korea have consumed dog meat. Although the practice has never been mainstream, and is declining, it is not illegal in South Korea to eat dog meat. Article 7 of South Korea’s Animal Protection Act does not explicitly prohibit the slaughter of dogs for food, but does prohibit killing animals in a brutal way. In June 2018 a municipal court in South Korea ruled that killing dogs for their meat was illegal. In 2021 the last major dog meat market in South Korea shut down. Humane Society International, working cooperatively with dog farmers since 2015, has closed down 17 dog meat farms: of those, four were in Gyeonggi-do. https://www.hsi.org/news-media/closing-south-korea-dog-meat-farms/. It could be that when MJ mentioned dogs looking out of context on a farm, she was referring to dogs treated as livestock. https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2022/05/281_276390.html?WA
I had assumed that the bidet in Gu’s rented house was installed by the landlord because how could Gu ever have had that plumbing done without absolutely everyone in that little community knowing? He has NO privacy. But it’s a drama and it fits with the theme. It’s such a contrast to the squat toilet in the Yeom family’s home. Apparently those were still the norm in the 70’s.
In the drama “Hello, Me” the 17yo Ban Ha-Ni (time travelling from 20 years before) uses her aunt’s toilet and ends up shrieking because she pushed the wrong buttons and got sprayed. In a show I watched, a couple’s apartment doesn’t have a bidet. The man is disappointed and orders one because he says it’s hard to live without it once you are used to it. The combo toilet-bidets must be fairly common in middle class+ households and/or a selling point in new builds. “Ownership rate of bidets South Korea 2019, by age group…That month, around 54 percent of respondents aged between 50 and 59 owned a bidet.” statista.com
An article I read said that in Japan bidet toilet use is so widespread that they are even available in public places: offices, airports, etc. I can’t imagine using a bidet used by random people; germs, disease, infection, etc.
@Welmaris, thanks for the research into my musings about whether MJ had seen someone hanging from a tree and why a dog on a farm would be incongruous. Often farmers in isolated places have a guard dog as sort of a burglar alarm and deterrent as much as a pet and I thought it might be a common sight in Korea, even with the existence of dog farmers. I suppose among farmers who are struggling, a good-sized dog is certainly another mouth to feed. It could be another reason they are rare and also why there are strays about.
TBH, finding a nail or hair extensions abandoned on the ground or floor is rather repulsive to me – even false nails.
@Fern, I have been to some parts of Japan and the use of bidet toilet is wide spread. Every toilet that I had visited in Japan has a bidet installed. My current workplace, not in Japan, too has bidet toilet in every WC and the use of the bidet seems popular too. Is it really unhygienic to use the bidet in public toilet?
Yes, @Fern. The bidet is everywhere in Japan, even in airports.
Although I wouldn’t use them in airports because I’m worried about “backsplash” i.e., I can’t be sure that the water spraying the previous owner’s butt didn’t splash back onto the bidet. lol.
But I don’t mind the bidet in my hotel room. It’s fun exploring the buttons on the bidet control panel. There’s even a sound button. A sound button is what you press when you want to make a distracting noise inside the bathroom (like loud water) to disguise the farts that you make. hahaha.
When you think you’re about to make a loud explosion of gas, just cover the noise up by pressing the sound button. It’s like noise cancellation.
I’m always disappointed that the bidet makers haven’t thought of adding the ending of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” — the one with the cannons — for sound effects.
https://youtu.be/6fEtKlUC1S8
The 1812 Overture would be perfect.
Also John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom Boom.
@Feifei, I think there has always been a debate about public toilet seats in general,especially in women’s rooms. It boils down to, forgive me Shakespeare to sit or not to be sit. So I think the same argument can be my ade for public bidet use. To take it further then perhaps we shouldn’t swim in public pools(even with chlorine use) or go to public baths where people use common facilities when naked. Again, it’s personal choice. When I think of Japan or the Scandinavian countries, I have been conditioned to think they are places with great personal hygiene, so I probably wouldn’t have a second thought about using a public bidet. In other places not so much. So cultural norms play into all of this. And to take it even further, does one judge a restaurant by the cleanliness of it’s restrooms. And do you wash your hands after you use the facilities. And do men have the same concerns as women, having stalls in men’s rooms…
Mundane but profound questions in these times of Covid..m
@Feifei, probably it is safe enough. Otherwise people in countries where they are so popular would have a very high incidence of illness or infection of their bottom areas and I’m pretty sure that is not the case. Also, if there is no toilet paper provided and you are expected to use the bidet function to wash and dry, you have no choice. They are probably made to be self-cleaning if maintained well.
I noticed the problem @Old American Lady mentions with the toilet seats especially in the U.S. I used to live there but now live in the UK where it is NOT a problem because women sit on the seat as they are meant to. No drips for the next person to avoid. Simple, right?
As @OAL mentioned, public restrooms and swimming pools were off limits during the COVID lockdown here. I’m not sure how valid the restrictions were – it probably depended on the amount of ventilation and proximity of others.
@Fern, if the house Gu is renting already had a standard sit toilet, then converting it to a bidet is easy. We’ve installed bidet kits on two of our toilets. We ran wiring and placed outlets close to the toilets so we wouldn’t have to use extension cords. Gu may have been able to do such electrical work himself. The rest of installation consists of taking off the old toilet seat, putting on the fancy new one, connecting the bidet hose to the water supply line with a T valve, and plugging in the electricity. Our bidet controllers are like remotes, and we hung them on the wall. Some bidet conversion kits are designed with an attached control arm as we saw in the show.
As for using bidets in public restrooms, I had no problem doing so when in Japan. None of the bidet plumbing touches the body: the ones I’ve used had water and air nozzles that extend when needed and retract when not.
@Welmaris, I think I noticed a separate bidet apart from the toilet in Mr. Gu’# house. Given his skill set, a I have no doubt that he could install his own plumbing. I even think that he could have c done it in daylight given the fact that everybody, including the Mom is busy with work. The man probably also has access to a stash of money (and not from bottle deposits). I am waiting to see how the mystery of Mr. Gu plays out. We sense that he was powerful and seems to also be involved in nefarious activity. Perhaps he will have a redemption arc. I also think we could see him go to prison and then see a time jump where our adored lady waits for him to be released. And I also could be all wrong. I do know that Iam hooked on the layers and nuances of this drama.
GU’S COATS
There’s a detail I want to make sure we all catch. When Gu is on the train and mistakenly gets off at Dangmi Station, he’s wearing a well-tailored coat of brown twill fabric. It looks stylish and warm.
At the end of Episode 9, there’s a flashback in which Gu is walking past the sign for Du Hwan’s cafe. He’s carrying a few items–probably bottles of soju–in a black plastic bag. It is snowing, but he’s wearing an uninsulated blue canvas coat. He looks cold. CH and MJ pass him, and they’re bundled in the winter coats they’d worn the night Gu got off at Dangmi Station after them. What happened to his warm winter coat? Did he sell it to get money for buying booze? He may have been short on cash after paying up front for a full year of house rental.
At the end of Episode 10, we have a time jump. It is midnight, New Year 2022. We see a man exiting a glitzy establishment as people party. He descends the curved staircase, which we recognize as belonging to the room salon where Gu confronted Baek. He is dressed in gangster chic with a flowered shirt, crisply creased pants, polished leather shoes, and wears a tailored long coat in black. As he stands outside the building, looking up at the falling snow, we see that it is Gu.
Note: Per an article in The Korea Times on 2021-05-03, “room salons” is a Korean term to describe bars with private rooms for hostesses to entertain customers.
yup @Wlmaris, I noticed his ats and he night club. We have seen these hostess rooms before in K Dramas, Just Between Lovers comes to mind. These rooms always seem like code for prostitution. Mr. Gu’s mysteries just keep on coming. I also must say, coming from shallow island that he rocks a good suit. (If you watch Matrimonial Chais(on Viki), he is paired with Lee El and teased with Bae Doona and looks very handsome in this white one.)
@Welmaris, 😂. A bidet toilet seat sounds like something I could ask my husband to install if I weren’t afraid that the electric work would widow me.
As to his coat, I wondered if he only wore it to go to rent the house and then stored it and the other clothes he wore as he stored his car key and watch, perhaps to hide himself from identification by Baek, perhaps to become an anonymous person to the locals. I noticed that both he and MJ closely checked each other out as they passed. She looked particularly pretty in her hood.
@OAL, as a fellow Shallow Islander I do agree that Mr. Gu rocks a suit. However, I kind of prefer his sweaty t shirt look.
@Welmaris, I noticed Mr. Gu’s coats too. When he got off the train at the wrong station he was wearing a camel colored coat. But when he saw MJ the next day (?), he did not have it anymore. It is possible that he sold it. I am curious about how he met Mr. Yeom and got the job at Sanpo Sinks.
@Snow Flower, Heartily agree with your about Mr. Gu’s sweaty look too. The character has a certain kind of charisma that is irresistible. It could be the bad boy mystique, but it is still unclear that he is bad. He may have mitigating and aggravating circumstances a nces(legal terms of art) that explain his past behaviors. This drama is full of complex characters.
@Welmaris, I hope we find out how Mr. Gu and Papa Yeom met and came to work together. I want to know how that connection was made.
I also am thinking about how the Yeom siblings are prisoners to their work schedules and commutes. I recently read that due to Covid the practice of company dinners(a form of hoesik) was starting to be in disfavor, especially by millennial. I think that’s why MJ’s company has clubs. However, the sibs don’t have the opportunity for a social life in their hometown and due to their work, are prevented from seriously dating in Seoul because of the very limited time rhey have available.
@OAL, if you are in a mood for a good political thriller and want to see more of Son Seok Gu wearing a suit, I recommend Designated Survivor: 60 Days.
@Snow Flower,I love po,itical thrillers. I think this is the one starring another of my favorites, Ji Jin-hee. I have meant to put it on my list but will definitely do it with your recommendation.
@OAL, Ji Jin Hee also looks great in a suit! Designated Survivor:60 Days was my introduction to Son Seok Gu back in 2019.
We are given the reason why Gu ends up back at the glitzy room salon business (room salon is another Korean term for hostess/host bar). During his confrontation with Baek in Episode 10, Gu says, “I’m a little busy these days, making sinks and stuff. [“And stuff” could be Gu’s relationship with MJ. Baek would have leverage if he knew Gu cared for a woman, so Gu only makes a veiled reference.] I’ll come back if I decide to. Do I decide that I like making sinks and want to leave this world behind, or do I decide that this is the world that I need to conquer? It’s one or the other. I’ll be back after I make the decision, so just wait. If you keep lurking around and pissing me off, I will come back for good, so just wait quietly.”
At the end of episode, we see Gu moving at ease through the room salon. It looks like he conquered that world by New Year’s 2022, so I suspect Baek didn’t wait quietly. I predict we will see an escalation of confrontations between the two, with Baek the eventual loser (at least by New Year’s Eve). When we see Gu exit the room salon business, he stands looking up at the falling snow while remembering some words from MJ’s proposal, words that partially reveal why she asked Gu to worship her. “One asshole after another…Every guy I’ve ever dated was an asshole.” At that time, Gu had responded by telling MJ he, too, is an asshole. Now he looks almost wistfully to his left, then starts walking in that direction. I wondered what he was looking at. Then I reviewed the episode, and saw that was the spot where Gu parked the Sanpo Sinks truck when he came to confront Baek. Perhaps he’s thinking about the life he had in Sanpo. He may be regretting being one more in a line of assholes in MJ’s life. I think we need to get ready for MJ and Gu to have an unpleasant breakup.
Gosh @Welmaris, Say it isn’t so! Alas I think you’re right. One thing going for Gu is that he is self-aware. So many a..holes think nothing of their behavior. We do see, inGu’s drunkenness and isolation, beha iors that he seems to be trying to use toblunt what is probably a guilty conscience. Nevertheless, I’d love to know Gu’s back story.He has construction skills,carpentry skills, knows his way around tools. We see him associated with what looks like criminal enterprise. He is not stupid. He had a prior, imperfect romantic relationship. He obviously became wealthy. We also see that he has some affection for MJ. As this isn’t a romcom, we know, even without Gu’s baggage, the prospect for a smooth relationship for Gu and MJ are slim. MJ has been forewarned. She has let down her guard but not entirely. Like you, @Welmaris, I think it will help us to prepare for their inevitable ugly break up. In addition I think Gu will also break Papa Yeom ‘s heart.
When I heard Gu tell MJ that the person who jumped to her death was the woman he lived with, his way of describing her made me wonder if he ever loved her. Maybe he was pressured into a relationship with her, as offspring of royals were married off to strengthen alliances. Baek was powerful in the organization, she was his little sister, so Baek’s rival was hooked up with her to help maintain peace among factions. As a loyal underling to Chairman Shin, Gu agreed to the arrangement. That could be the scenario.
Baek considers Gu responsible for his sister’s death, and claims he wants Gu to pay with his life. I suspect Baek would not take it well if he learned Gu was fond of another woman. Baek’s reasoning is so twisted, MJ might be in danger from him. But Baek’s commitment to avenging his sister’s death doesn’t seem too firm. So far, despite Baek having opportunity to find and kill Gu, he preferred putting his attention and energies into taking over Gu’s business. Learning about MJ might tip him into action.
What about Gu’s business? When he was talking to his hyung from the payphone, and his hyung was at the bar, we saw that man taking stacks of money from a secret stash. During his conversation with Gu, he said, “Damn it. It’s not just us who’s been taking money on the side. He’s raked in even more dough than us. He must want to get rid of us and keep it all to himself. Chairman Shin must know that. So why? Why do you think he’s doing nothing? I’m sure he’s waiting. He’s waiting for us to take down Baek. Listen, Ja-gyeong. Let’s get him. Come on, we can take him down together.” I wonder if Gu was fully aware of all the money his hyung skimmed and hid. Gu ended this conversation by telling his hyung, “I’m…completely exhausted.” I suspect he meant his exhaustion stemmed from far more than his physical tiredness after being up all night. [He arrived in Sanpo on the last night train; it is daytime when he’s talking on the phone in the booth.]
During his confrontation with Baek in the room salon, Gu says, “I wasn’t able to sleep for days [after talking with Baek after Baek found him on the road]. I was too angry. I thought about what made me so angry. You think I’d put on a show? Why do I have to act like I’m broken? Tell me [Gu actually said, “Huh?”]. I’m taking a break. For 15 years, I listened to the drunks yapping and singing in basements like this. [Papago translates the word as underground. I questioned basement, since Gu climbed stairs from ground level to get to Baek. I wonder if this is a reference to the underworld of organized crime.] Then I went home to… I was practically a dead man walking. I was barely alive.” Gu did not finish his sentence about his home life, but we know he lived with Baek’s little sister. For the whole 15 years? We don’t know. But his home situation contributed to his being barely alive before he ran away from that world.
In a typical Korean drama there has to be a break up around Episode 12, so that the OTP has 4 episodes left to figure out how to get back together just in time for the grand finale. MLN is not a typical drama though, so nothing is certain. I do hope for a good ending, maybe not conventionally happy, but at least hopeful.