Disclaimer: I didn’t read the webtoon. One, I didn’t want my analysis of the drama to be bogged down with comparisons or reference to the original source, especially when the original source isn’t World Literature/Classics anyway. Two, I didn’t want to be hindered by preconceived expectations and be miffed when the drama deviates from the source material. Three, I find that many screenwriters worth their salt would be allowed considerable liberty to give the webtoon his/her fresh take and original spin. A veteran screenwriter would take pride in his/her creativity and ability to improve the webtoon. Four, I think a good kdrama can stand on its own. Thus, beware that my ignorance of the original material may result in a misinterpretation of certain dialogues and plot points.

Let’s go.

Who’s Paik SaEon? In Episode 10, it dawned on me that he is the biological son of Chairman Paik. There were several hints in this episode.

1. In Ep 10, Mrs. Paik hints at SE’s paternity.

Husband: Can you proudly call him our son in front of the world? Can you care for him all your life? He’s the monster we created. He’s nothing more and nothing less.
Wife: He takes after you a lot. But you know something? Neither you nor he takes after Paik JangHo.
Husband: Why are you bringing that up now?
Wife: There’s someone else who takes after Paik JangHo.
Husband: What?

She looked at him…smugly? contemptuously? wryly? pityingly? It’s hard to pin down her expression.

In the next scene, Mr. Paik walked out of the room, looking stunned. The revelation of his wife appeared to have shaken him to the core. His wife’s words echoed in his head.

Wife: There’s nothing you can do about it even if you find out now. Park JangHo’s dead. That son is rising much faster than you are. The Paik family values the presidential race more than life itself, and unless you give it up, what can you possibly do?

Then the camera focused on the family portrait, at which Mr. Paik flung a tumbler.

My comments:

a. It’s interesting that Father Paik brought up parental pride, saying, “Can you proudly call him our son in front of the whole world?” While this parental pride was definitely missing in their relationship with their biological son/Psycho 406, it was seen in spades in Chairman Paik’s relationship with his grandson. He was proud to parade SE in front of the whole world as if SE was his only son.

In Episode 9, HJ pointed it out to SE’s parents.

HJ: Chairman Paik was knowing for doting on his grandson. (She meant the current SE, of course.) So, why did he keep his beloved grandson hidden until he was 15? There was a reason his biological grandson couldn’t be shown to the world. Is that why he presented a flawless fake grandson?

Not only that, the family portrait — subtly but surely — revealed the family dynamics. A picture is worth a thousand words, they say, so let’s look at the family portrait again.

Chairman Paik is seated in the middle, and immediately behind him, on his right (to imply SE’s status as “his right-hand man”), stands his grandson, SE. Meanwhile, his son UiYong is positioned on the outside, on the far left. I would have expected the Chairman’s son to be standing behind him, on his left, as counterpoint to SE but instead, his daughter-in-law stands there. It’s as if Chairman Paik wanted some distance between him and his own “fake” son.

b. In this husband-and-wife dialogue, Mrs. Paik was hinting that her husband UiYong wasn’t Chairman’s biological son. He didn’t take after his father, the Chairman. But SE did.

c. Note: I’m not sure whether Mr. UiYong Paik was already aware of not being the Chairman’s biological son or Mrs Paik had let the cat out of the bag just then. But he was always sensitive about failing to measure up to the Chairman’s expectations and being pressured to fill in the big shoes of the Chairman.

2. In Ep 3, SE’s father-in-law Mr. Hong also noted the similarity between SE and his grandfather

Paik: Our campaign’s PR line for the election is very solid. I like it. Thank you for getting me such talented people.
Hong: Don’t mention it. But don’t you actually keep the most talented one close at hand? My son-in-law. Spokesman Paik. I wonder how you will use him after you keep him hidden away. I’m quite curious
Paik: (misses his shot)
Hong: This reminds me of when I used to go hunting with Chairman Paik. He possessed remarkable instinctive abilities.
Paik: (missing the dig) I could never match my father’s athletic abilities.
Hong: (subtly correcting him) He was decisive and made quick judgments. It seems SaEon inherited those qualities.
Paik: (looking unhappy and bitter)

My comments:

a. I now suspect that Mr. Hong knew all along the real scoop behind SE’s paternity. He was hinting that SE took after Chairman Paik because he was the biological son. Conversely, Mr. Paik didn’t take after Chairman Paik because he wasn’t the biological son.

b. I still am not sure whether Mr. Paik was aware of SE’s paternity or he just had his head buried in the sand.

c. This would explain why the DNA result showed no relationship between SE and his father UiYong.

3. In Ep 9, SE’s foster father yelled at SE when he called him “aboji” or father.

SE: Aboji, that old man came again? Who was that kid with him?
FF: I told you not to call me that!

I think the foster father was frightened that Chairman Paik would overhear SE calling him father and assume (incorrectly) that he was trying to usurp Chairman Paik’s position. The foster father was aware of their social class, social disparity. He was only a lowly caretaker/caregiver and SE was chaebol-born.

4. In Ep 9, while he was in the hospital, SE replayed the scene at the boat in his head.

He witnessed the old man drowning a boy before his foster father could cover his eyes and bundle him into his room. He waited inside until he heard footsteps. He tried to flee and encountered Chairman Paik outside his door.

Chairman Paik: Some monsters are made but some are simply born. It was bad luck. How dare something like that be born into my family? At first, it was a goldfish, and then a cat. Next, it was children younger than him. What kept increasing were the black bags filled with the dead. But it’s okay now. That bastard ended up in one of those bags too. And now, I’ll fill the place of my grandson with whomever I please. (laying hand on him) Child, do you know why I didn’t give you a name?

Then, SE remembered (or imagined??) being throw into the waters. This reminded me of a baptism. Being thrown in the water, SE was reborn with a new name, new identity.

I think he wasn’t given a name because Chairman Paik couldn’t previously claim him as his own son and register him in the family book.

I also think the theme of being a “stand-in” is repeated here.

Just like HJ assumed that she was merely a “stand-in” bride when all along she was the chosen one, SE also believed that he was a “stand-in” grandson when he was in fact the chosen son. Just like SE got rid of Hong INa by secretly sending her the DNA report, Chairman Paik got rid of Psycho 406 (ruthlessly, criminally, and inhumanely, I must point out) in order to install his rightful son and heir.

Got to run.