I’m too lazy to edit the original thread here: Love Next Door: Ep 5 On the Onggi so I’ll just make a new one. I’ll try to get this quickly because tomorrow we’ll have the new installment.
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I previously noted that some settings in this kdrama seemed to have been chosen to reinforce a key point, like the jungle gym, the bedroom, the swimming pool, and the Namsan Tower. In this episode, the highlight is the “jangdokdae” or the yard where the big earthenware vats called an “onggi” are stored.
SeokRyu (SR) can’t sleep so she goes exploring around the big residence and studio of SeungHyo’s ex-GF. SeungHyo (SH) runs into her at the jangdokdae.
SH: Why are you out here this late?
SR: I should ask you the same thing.
SH: I couldn’t sleep so I came out. I saw something white moving outside.
My comments:
a. Well, he can’t fall asleep because he’s probably still bothered about what his ex-GF had confessed earlier. She told him that she broke up with him because she’d found his love for her to be unacceptably lukewarm. It was only that day, while they were making the new doenjang paste, that she saw him “irritable and not generous,” “pathetic and immature,” and “always looking at [SeokRyu’s] direction.” He behaved so out of character and so out of sorts because SR was around that his ex-GF soon figured out that he’s been in love with SR all along. I guess there’s truth to the old folks’ saying that men *go back* (remember the theme of this episode?) to acting like a child in front of women they like because they want to be accepted/loved unconditionally.
b. SH is teasing SR to get a rise out of her. She’s wearing a large, striped shirt (not all-white), so she looks like a ghost to him.
SR: That’s because you didn’t eat dinner. There’s some dough left. Do you want some kalguksu?
Meaning, she thinks he’s hallucinating and seeing things out of hunger.
SH: Later.
SR: Yah. You got the stain out of my shirt. What did you use?
SH: Rice and vinegar.
Then, he glances at her. I don’t think he intended to tell her that he cleaned her shirt that afternoon. The truth just slipped out and he feels a bit sheepish that she discovered his good deed for her.
SR: (snorting) How kind and thoughtful of you.
SH: But why do you keep opening those lids?
SR: I’m looking for treasure. I heard one of these has soy sauce that’s been aged for 100 years.
And here comes the metaphor…she’s looking for a treasure (wink wink).
SH: Soy sauce? Why are you looking for that?
SR: I’m curious. I wonder what soy sauce looks like after being aged for 100 years.
His love for her is like a 100-year-old soy sauce: fermenting inside of him; hidden from others; concealed for so long.
SH: Still, there are so many jars here. It’ll take ages to open them all.
SR: I’ll open them, so mind your own business.
SH: (peering over her shoulders) How is this soy sauce different from others?
SR: One of the ladies said it’s darker and smells richer.
Just like his love for her. It’s deep, intense, sublime.
SH: It’s still just soy sauce. How will you remember what you’ve opened if you search randomly like this. You take that side, I’ll look here.
SR: Why are you helping me?
SH: (turning to look at her)
SR: You’re always trying to bite my head off these days.
SH: When did I do that?
SR: All the time! You pick fights with me and get irritable for no reason. You’re always scolding me.
SR doesn’t realize it yet but she’s becoming more attuned to him and his feelings. In particular, his mood swings affect her. Whereas she can ignore his bad moods before, now she’s reacting to them.
SH: Jeez. You’re being ridiculous.
SR: You wait and see.
Then, he goes opening the lids while saying the contents.
SR: (exclaiming) It’s soy sauce!
SH: What? You found it already? Hey, it does look a little darker.
SR: It’s amazing.
SH: What is?
SR: This jar. It’s filled with the night sky. It’s so dark. It’s sparkling.
She finds not only black soy sauce but also a reflection of the full moon floating on the black surface.
SH: Yah. I thought you were looking for soy sauce. What’s with the poem?
Veteran viewers of kdramas know that a full moon is always an occasion for the screenwriter/director to segue into love. This scene is no different. The full moon is a metaphor for SeongHyo. He’s obviously a full moon to SR’s brilliant sun. She always brightens up his life; he’s always gazing at her. Then, when she smiles, he smiles. Just like how the moon shines brightly because it reflects the sun’s shining brightly, too.
SR: Spicy noodles. Wild chives and soy sauce. And perilla leaves.
SH: Why are you suddenly talking about food. Are you hungry?
SR: (laughing) Hey, Choisseung. I think I found it.
SH: Yeah. This is the soy sauce, right?
He doesn’t get what she’s saying. She means that she’s found her inspiration from the onggi. She has an idea now what she wants to do in the future.
SR: I mean, a dream doesn’t have to be grand or elaborate.
Her remark harks back to what the ex-girlfriend shared with her earlier about her decision to make onggi jars. The ex-GF admitted that the vats had looked so “crude and ugly” at first. She originally wanted a food storage that was more “elegant, like celadon or porcelain.” But then, she learned to appreciate the beauty of an onggi, saying, “Crocks, water jars, and liquor jars. Compared to decorative jars, practical bowls and jars used by people looked more beautiful.”
The ex-GF’s perspective is adopted by SeokRyu. She, too, doesn’t aspire for anything grand or elaborate. She envisions cooking familiar, affordable, traditional Korean food.
SR: (continuing) I can’t do anything impressive, like how you swim the freestyle, but I think I can manage the dog paddle.
SH: (smiling)
SR: I want to cook.
SH: (breaking into a grin)
SR: Hey. There are so many things I want to make with this….I’ve never done this before. But if I made soy sauce marinated crabs with this, it would be awesome, right?
As she rambles about the recipes she intends to cook with the soy sauce, SH realizes that a smile is writ large on his face.
SH: (thinking to himself) I’ve been running away from my feelings for a long time. I’ve ignored and denied them. But after seeing SeokRyu smile so brightly in front of me now, I realized I can’t help but like her.
At that thought, his smile disappears.
To me, that’s the significance of the onggi in this episode. SeongHyo is an onggi that contains a lot of feelings for SeokRyu. But he can only store his feelings for her under a lid and is afraid to air them out or put them to good use. How long can this onggi keep holding in the emotions without cracking under pressure?
Next up: hopefully a write-up on Episode 6, On First Loves.
Thank you for this. SH is definitely an onggi. It’s almost perfect comparison to the 100 year old soy sauce which I wonder what it taste like. 😃
I loved his smile there though when they were looking for the right jar. 🥰 I should have known after watching episode 7 about SR. I was pabo. 😂 I won’t spoil it for you.
More onggi metaphors in ep6 and 7, very apt. And also loving the episode titles and how it shifts in the end. I think we know the end result for the OTO but they will have to be baked and tested in the kiln.
Looking forward to more of your write ups, @PM3!
Hope you are fully recovered and doing well.
I liked the bike ride. I liked it when she held on tightly to him. I liked that he gave her an expiry date for her answer.
I was annoyed with the ex joining them when she was cooking. Like really I thought it was rude.
I love Mo-eum and Dan-ho’s getting to know stage and story better than the main leads. 😃
@agdr03 – I concur on Mo-eum and Mudflat Man’s budding romance! Female EMT is so cool!
I find the ex super annoying, even his cheekbones, TBH. LOL. I bet SR did not even confront him that she saw him kissing another girl when they broke up. She is such a pushover, except with SH.
I’m annoyed at SR’s mom also, she still does not get her daughter.
I laughed at the cheekbones @Janey but I agree! 😂 I mean really why is he hanging around? The excuse of his parents building a retirement home. I hope SH is true to his word though. That he will not accept it.
True about SR’s Mom too. She’s still pushing for SR to go back to America and get back with her ex. 🙁
I read somewhere that it’s not till episode 11 that the romance will finally come for SH and SR. So more going around and around. 🤦🏻♀️
Just give us more of ME and DH, I’ll be happy to watch it. 😃
Dear @agdr03, @Janey, @packmule3, and All Others,
Have you all watched through episode 8? The real reason(s) SR and her ex aren’t explaining their split and other things? I want an HEA, not a SEA.
I don’t mind the ex’s cheekbones. It’s his motives that I’m worried about. Now that we have more of her backstory, why is he pestering her? How convenient that he carries her medical records around with him (in his car?).
@Janey, I think that some mothers think a ‘good’ marriage with a high income spouse will somehow sort out their children forever. It’s such a trope. SR’s mother has such an inferiority complex that she can’t get the idea out of her head. The fact that she mentioned in episode 8 that another reason she wants her daughter to go back out of the country is because SR sent her ‘designer’ bags from outlets and she gets bragging rights. It’s shallow and pitiful because we can guess that she will regret her words very soon.
🌻🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃🐿️🌻 @packmule3, please could you give us an open thread for episodes 7 and 8 unless you have prepared something even better?
I don’t know why, but I think SR and Jang Tae-Hui could work well together if it wasn’t for SH in between them. They seem to have complementary skills and enthusiasms. What Tae-hui said about the Onggi seems to be similar to SR’s path from a high-flying project manager to a Korean cuisine craftsperson.
Spoiler alert…
Now I see why this is the way the story of the ex was told. Kinda glad he did not cheat and is a pretty decent guy. I should not “not like” him that much.
Ep9 and 10 are melodramatic but it’s also a hard topic to discuss. I like the way it was shown how the different people reacted to it (the first reaction were more about themselves rather than about her! The best reaction for me was from Mo-eum) and how important “comfort” is among your loved ones (to both giver and receiver). I the script went a bit creative on the discovery of cancer – I did not like the way SH found out about it by opening her bag and reading a private document inside an envelope!
@PM3, I hope you can do an open thread for this show, and more of your write ups and insights, too! Thanks!
I’ll second that @Janey
I didn’t like how SH found out about her sickness. He really took it out from her bag. That’s a no, no.
I’ll watch episode 10 later.
I thought that was probably the best ever closure for a relationship in a kdrama. I liked the way the ex said it, that he was with her through it all but he didn’t want to hit rock bottom with her. I’m glad she was able to say goodbye and cry.
Does SH’s Mom have early dementia? 🙁 What a pity that the Dad said he wants a divorce before she can say anything.
If SH is a slow turtle then Mo-eum is a fast cheetah. You go girl! 👍🏻
Hi, All. Until we get thread for newer episodes, perhaps we can just write the episode at the top of our posts and it can be added later?
Episode 9 and part of 10.
@Janey, I agree that @Mo Eum had the most ideal reaction, but all reactions were understandable. The Ex had a great reaction in the first instance. He tried to care for her but later on he couldn’t handle her depression (possibly more manageable had she confided in her family). It is certainly difficult to manage a relationship with someone who is depressed and I can see that he needed a break to stay healthy and strong himself. Now he’s had a break and still finds SR loveable. I actually think he has a lot of guts to return to her after what they have been through.
I thought SH had the most selfish reaction, but I can understand him too. He is feverish and he is so into her. His reaction was like a disappointed child in a way. Perhaps SR is right, that he is imprinted on her – she has been a constant in his life and he depends on her emotionally. He feels betrayed because she was always the one to be strong and protect or heal him.
I understand the parents reactions, too. I wondered why her brother is the only one who is looking for stats and information on the internet. It is one of the first things I would do.
@agdr03, I think that signals are leading to early dementia or some other neurological problem. I have some brain fog, but she is a lot younger than I am.
I really like Mo-eum! But I’m repeating myself. I wonder why the journalist was so secretive about being a widow, saying that the mother is very far away?