I must write this quickly in order to begin Episode 4 before this weekend.

1. The flashback

Do you recall that old saying that life flashes before your eyes just before you die?

Well, when HaeIn was about to be gored by the boar, what flashed in her mind was the day HyunWoo took her on a walking tour of his “kingdom.” This was early in their relationship because HyunWoo was still clueless about her being a chaebol. He thought that she was deprived because it was her first time to eat ice pop. To her horror, he mistook her haute couture for pauper’s rags. Then, he assumed that she was pretending to be rich out of pride, so he reassured her.

HW: You don’t have to pretend with me.
HI: Trust me. I’m not that poor. Really.
HW: You should trust me instead. I give you my word. From this day on, I’ll let you enjoy all the things you couldn’t enjoy in life.
HI: (muttering to herself) That won’t be easy.

Hmmm…there are various interpretations to her aside. One, she had been indulged all her life so it would be difficult to find something she hadn’t once tried out before (except for the cheap ice pop). Two, she had an expensive taste so it would be difficult for him to afford what she was accustomed to in life. And three, she was raised with duties, responsibilities, and expectations of a chaebol so it would be difficult for them to just enjoy life and live in a carefree manner.

HW: Didn’t I tell you that my apartment was leased?
HI: You did.
HW: But there’s more. To be honest, I save two million every month.
HI: (wondering why that’s such a big deal since two million won is just about $1,500)
HW: Don’t look at me like you don’t understand. I’m not bragging. I’m saying it’s okay.

Then, what he said next surprised her even more.

HW: I don’t care if your family has debt.
HI: (laughing at the thought of her family in debt) If we have debt?
HW: Even if there’s more than that, I really don’t care.

He was trying to cover all his bases here. He meant that no matter what dire situation she was hiding from him – be it financial woes of her family or an even worse circumstance – he didn’t care. They could weather the problem together.

HI: (turning serious)
HW: Because I’ll be by your side.
HI: You’ll be by my side?
HW: Mmm. I’ll be there for you.

Actually, what he said was more succinct.

HW: Because I’ll be with you.
HI: You’ll be with me?
HW: “Dangsinirang gachi.”

Dangsinirang = with you; Gachi = together

If ever they created a family crest, it could be their motto: “Dangsinirang gachi.” “Together with you.” Or simply put, “With you.”

To me, that’s the significance of the flashback. HyunWoo was the last person on her mind when the wild boar was charging at her because she truly believed they would be together forever. In the face of death, when she was about to die alone, all she could think of was him and his promise. Sure, part of her could have been wondering where in the hell he was in her hour of need. But a big part of her must have placed implicit faith in him to appear out of nowhere to save her…because he vowed to do so four years ago.

Thus, if you ask me if she still loves HyunWoo, despite their strained relations, I say yes. Of the two, she’s the more gullible one, the more susceptible one. HyunWoo only has to show her a small concession, and she’ll fall for him hook, line, and sinker.

2. HaeIn’s definition of love

It shouldn’t escape our attention that her definition of love evokes his long-time promise to her.

In her dinner meeting with the 2nd Male Lead (2ML), she revealed what love meant for her.

2ML: What kind of person is your husband?
HI: This is random.
2ML: You were always cold and suspicious of others. So I was curious about the person you chose to marry.
HI: Let me think. It feels like you’re hoping I’d bad-mouth him. But you’re wrong. He’s a good man. You saw how he jumped in to save me in that dangerous moment.
2ML: You’re wrong. I saw him hesitating. He hesitated to save you.

Ha! If I were defending HyunWoo, I would say that his hesitation must be viewed positively, instead of negatively. Sure, he “paused” for a moment. But that was needed to assess the situation and determine the best way to save HaeIn. He could have attempted to shoot the boar from the distance but if he missed the boar’s weak spot, HaeIn would assuredly get gored. Thus, he decided to stand in front of HaeIn and take the direct hit should the bullet fail to stop the animal charging at them. HyunWoo’s hesitation wasn’t a sign of indecision or reluctance to come to HaeIn’s aid as the 2ML insinuated. On the contrary, it was a sign of his prudence and determination to save her.

HI: That’s the difference between you two. You were watching him at that moment, but he was watching me.
2ML: You actually believe that he loves you.
HI: Yes, I do. I don’t know what love means to you. But to me, it’s not about being happy and whispering sweet nothings. Love is when you endure the pain together. When you choose to stay instead of running away. Even if they have a debt or something more than that, you still stick together. That’s love. And he’s doing just that.

There! Do you hear it? Her words echoed his. She was repeating what he told her four years ago because she had come to realize that was what love meant for her.

His words left a deep impression on her.

source: kdramaladies’ tumblr

3. Her need for cuddling

I thought this was a heartbreaking moment. She had a close brush with death that afternoon, so it wasn’t unexpected for her to want some sort of physical comfort from him that night. She waited for him to turn in for the night. But he, on the other hand, was full of trepidation at the thought of spending the night in the same room with her. He delayed going up to their bedroom as long as he could.

HI: Are you sleeping?
HW: Not yet. The bed is small. Is this queen-sized?
HI: It’s a king.
HW: It feels too small to be king-sized.

I agree. My hubby and I are big people, so we sleep in a king-sized bed. That bed looked like a queen.

HI: There was a time when we slept together on a single bed.
HW: When?
HI: Don’t you remember? On my first visit to Yongdu-ri.

Another flashback.

Frankly speaking, if I were HaeIn, I would’ve been upset that he didn’t remember that first time, though. The thing is, women rarely forget details like that.

HW: By the way —
HI: What?
HW: How did we even manage to sleep on that bed?
HI: We cuddled.
HW: Oh. Did we cuddle?
HI: Do you want to cuddle if the bed is too small?
HW: (startled) I’m okay. It’s not too small. I have some room.

Again, if I were HaeIn, I would have been insulted by his action. He was kicking his legs to convince her that there was plenty of space.

HI: Really?
HW: Mmm.
HI: Then, do you want to cuddle nonetheless?
HW: (turning around to see her facing him)
HI: (after a long pause) I’m just kidding. Don’t be so scared.

She was obviously trying to save face.

To me, cuddling is a way for couples to be close to each other, without the “skinship” turning into a sexual encounter. HaeIn wanted a sense of closeness, security, and that warm, fuzzy feeling of being in his arms. By suggesting that they cuddle, she was opening herself up to rejection. She was vulnerable to his rebuff. Out of consideration for her feelings, the least he could have done was to temper his reaction. He didn’t have to look like she had asked him to donate his kidney to her.

That’s why this was a heartbreaking scene for me. They were together in that queen-size bed but they could have been separated by the Himalayas from the way he responded to her invitation.

4. The dog incident

The dog incident was incorporated in the plot to show (“Show, not tell”) viewers that the 2nd Male Lead was a veritable psychopath.

Let’s also not overlook that he kept secret that he was originally from the neighborhood. (Hmmm…What else is he hiding? Did he kill his parents?) The groundskeeper remembered him, and another incident about a dog that he killed.

Police: Why would you kill someone’s precious dog?
Man: I won’t let this pass. Do you know how much he cost?
Woman: I’m sorry. (to the boy) Apologize to him this instant.
Boy: What makes a precious dog any different? Then would it be okay to kill a normal dog?
Groundskeeper: (aghast) What’s wrong with that kid?
Groundskeeper’s wife: What’s he saying?!

The 2ML posed the same question to Hyunwoo.

2ML: By the way, why can’t I kill it?
HW: You heard him. He doted on the dog. The dog is like family.
2ML: I see. In that case, is it okay to kill abandoned or stray dogs?
HW: (no answer)
2ML: (scoffing)

What a weird argument!

First, the 2ML tried to apply false logic here. This is the fallacy of the inverse, whereby he was arguing that:

If P, then Q.
Not P. Therefore, not Q.

If dog is a family dog, then not okay to kill.
Not a family dog, then okay to kill.

Just so you know, this is an invalid argument.

Second, logic didn’t have to be applied here but humanity. The 2ML totally missed the point that he must not kill animals out of amusement, curiosity, cruelty, mental exercise, or depravity.

By the way, this screenwriter is known to write really unhinged villains with no hope for redemption.

5. The non-family members are all suspicious.

In the first episode, I thought HaeIn’s family was dysfunctional. But I’m beginning to see that the non-family members are even more flawed and dangerous than the family members.

The mistress is up to no good and is plotting something. I’m sure she had a hand in the wild boar incident to make the Chairman dependent on her “wise” advice.
The matchmaker was involved in the wild boar incident. She was on the phone with somebody, wasn’t she?
The sister-in-law is two-faced.
The 2ML is psycho.

And even HyunWoo has an ulterior motive not to divorce HaeIn. Tsk tsk tsk. 

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Will finish tomorrow. Got to sleep now.