[Drama 2015] The Village: Achiara's Secret 마을- 아치아라의 비밀

[seoyounglby]

But I do find JH a disgusting woman. She knew that HJ was her sister's daughter, and used it to threaten her brother-i9n-law for money. I was wondering why YN's dad was so worried about the hair and the blood-stained rug that he had to give the school to JH. Well, the disgusting JH just sold him the evidence so that he could prove the relationship between JS and HJ. That is why he told GH to quietly sold the assets so that JS can't lay hands on them after the divorce. When GH asked him the reason, he mentioned that JS had another child.

This could even make it clearer as to why JS need to be so insistent about HJ. Even in the 20th Century, having a child before marriage would render her to be kicked out of the house. I can only empathize with her plight.

[seoyounglby]

OK, so my suspicion about Detective Han is thrown out! I thot while watching episode 14, Yoona's dad said something about Ji-sook's disgusting 'daughters' and apart from Hye-jin and Yoo-na, he named the pharmacist as Ji-sook's daughter?

Possibly a subbing error? Can you give me a rough timestamp and I'll have a listen to what's on the soundtrack at the point in question.

I'm sorry I did not notice the timestamp but it was during Ji-sook's conversation with her husband in his office. She bought sushi for him. I was surprised to read that as it would infer that Ji-sook was raped at least twice.

No. Actually he backtracked when he realised that he inadvertently let it slip that KHJ was JS's daughter, and covered his mistake by pretending he was referring to Baengi Ahjumma and her disgusting daughters - Ji Sook, Joo Hee and KHJ.

 

Yes. It's not actually in the lunch box scene, it's later when GCh is explaining to Gi Hyeon why he's planning the eject Ji Suk.

The line where Chang Won inadvertently lets slip that he's found out the truth is 싸질러놓은 딸년 때문에 내가 얼마나 지랄 같은 일을 당했는지 알아?  

I see that the current Viki sub has "Do you know what I went through because of a wench she brought about?" which isn't very good, partly because it it's rather strange English, but also, more crucially, because it leaves out of the translation the "daughter" part that is present in the Korean, and which is what Gi Hyeon picks up on, causing ChW's  subsequent backtracking.

One problem is that neither Viki nor Soompi allows the accurate translation of "crude" language (which is becoming increasingly frequent nowadays even in mainstream channel Kdramas). If I tried to translate that line adequately, at least two Richard Simmons would intrude themselves to baffle those who haven't met that strange soompi hanger-on before. He refers to Hye Jin as "that [female dog] of a daughter that she [JS] brought into the world", and describes the consequences for him in language (지랄 같은) much stronger than "what I went through", in addition to using a term that includes things he was led to do as well as suffer, meaning that "went through" doesn't cover enough.  He's blaming JS for the crimes he's committed to cover up her secret, as well as to the anxieties and setbacks he's suffered.

There's a further translation problem, though not one that's readily solvable when Chang Won hastily "explains" that he "meant" was 그 어미가 싸질러놓은 딸년들.  Literally the [female dogs] of daughters that mother brought into the world". The backtracking is less strained in Korean, because Korean nouns needn't be marked as plural except where absolutely necessary. So the [female dogs] of daughters in his backtrack explanation are marked explicitly with the pluralizing particle ~들, but he's able to imply that his original use of the word was plural in intention too, and that he meant not just one [female dog] of a daughter but three. Of course there's no way to get that across in English, where most nouns (apart from rarities like 'fish' or 'sheep') must be marked as either singular or plural.

But while looking for that sequence, I spotted a problem with another sub a bit later that may rather cloud the issue of who is and who isn't a "monster" as the script uses the term. It's in the scene with the discovery of the newborn. As her mother comes running, drawn by the sound of the newborn's cries, Ji Suk explains "괴물이야. 괴물이 나왔어."

The current Viki sub there is wrong. It has Ji Suk saying "It's a monster. A monster gave birth" which makes it appear that she, the one who has given birth is calling herself a monster too, and hides the crucial fact that she sees the baby as the monster and nothing really to do with her now that it's "come out" of her body.  

A more accurate translation might be "That's [she's referring to something out of sight, which is "that" in English] the monster. The monster came out."
The verb for to give birth, 낳다, seems to have been confused with the verb to "come out, emerge" 나오다, which is what's on the soundtrack.

Just watched SBS translation in Mandain. JS told her mom "it's a Monster." "I gave birth to a monster".

She told SY" do you think she is human?" "She's a monster."

[gnixfim]

Motherhood can't cured trauma like rape, because it consists of both emotional and psychological hurts. When a person is blocked both emotionally and psychologically, it is unlikely she will experience real love. She probably is a very mechanical person, like she needs to be good to GH in order to survive in her husband's family. She both hates and loves YN. Loves her as a mother loving a daughter but probably not with real emotions since she has suppressed those emotions - if you looked at her, she is just putting a false front to everyone except her own mom. She hates YN because her constant mentioning of the child she had killed (probably HJ), is like trying to open up her can of worms that she has so far kept it well hidden inside her. Like you say, HJ never asked to be born, but too, JS never asked to be raped..

Just a reminder. The same question of whether YN might have pointed out HJ as the child JS killed has been addressed before. As @baduy pointed out back then, YN referred to the aborted baby as her dongseng, also, her YOUNGER sister, HJ was her OLDER sister. So it's not possible YN could have spoken of HJ (who, I might point out, did apparently NOT die in her mother's womb or we would not have this drama at all).

[lovehbhjw2013]

@seoyounglby.....again we differ in perspective but that's ok because we are not meant to be clones.  At first after the rape, GY's mum was so traumatised, I could imagine she could be very lost and she was married then.  She could be hiding initially to keep the marriage since in Korea they are not so open about such things and think of it as shame. After the husband divorced, she kept the secret for GY's sake and finally divulged when no one else around her would be hurt.

I am not sure how much you know about motherhood and rape connection,  I know real-life experiences. The only difference how one handles adversity is in their mental make-up.  If there is no strength to do it, then they cannot overcome themselves.  One way to overcome adversities is diversion but JS seriously went the other way.  Perhaps she was not guided to do otherwise and she is one who needs external intervention in order to be strong.  

I could be wrong but I don't think YN's ability to see supernatural stuff as imagining things outside reality.  I think she has the ability to see things supernatural that is happening around her.  For example, she saw HJ's ghost because HJ was really there.  She saw SY on her bed because SY was really in trouble, fainted.  So the unborn baby could not be HJ who was already born and in her 20s.  *puzzled* but I stand corrected.   JS dislikes YN because her ability to see and connect to supernatural deems her as a freak and she is afraid of being thrown out by Granny since she finds YN freaky.

No one is born happy and lucky as in nothing is perfect....and I am not sure how you conclude that I have a silver spoon without traumas in my life.  LOL.  Whatever it is, I earn all my luck and happiness in my life.  A person is truly happy and lucky because he/she works HARD to ensure it, whatever that is being "inherited" or given, it would be lost one day as well....because what you do not earn, you do not know how to really keep.

Kids who never asked to be born are seriously helpless.  But never asked to be raped, never asked to be sick, never asked to be knocked down by a car...all these have some possible actions to learn in order to have a probability to avoid them relative to never asked to be born....so it is unequal comparison.

[gnixfim]

But I do find JH a disgusting woman. She knew that HJ was her sister's daughter, and used it to threaten her brother-i9n-law for money. I was wondering why YN's dad was so worried about the hair and the blood-stained rug that he had to give the school to JH. Well, the disgusting JH just sold him the evidence so that he could prove the relationship between JS and HJ.

It's actually not only that, if you really think about it. Yes, the rag and hair are proof of JS being HJ's mother, BUT other than that, it is ALSO proof that the assemblyman happened to have an affair with his own step-daughter, at least biologically.

[baduy]

Just watched SBS translation in Mandain. JS told her mom "it's a Monster." "I gave birth to a monster".

She told SY" do you think she is human?" "She's a monster."

That's is better than the current Viki subs, but the verb "give birth to" simply isn't present in the Korean. The more basic expression  that the monster "came out"  is what she uses and it's what a translation needs to keep to convey the full sense. Ji Suk would of course know that expression "to give birth" but she noticeably didn't use it here, maybe because "giving birth" has intrinsic connotations of motherhood which she wants to avoid altogether. The baby is to her an alien thing that was once in her body but has now mercifully "come out", and that's the end of it as far as she's concerned.

[Mayyes]

We have a long debate about this question, "Who is the most heartless person in Achiara? Who is the real monster in Achiara?". My answer is NAM AHJUSSI. The whole story is started by him. Hye jin never asked to be born, and Ji sook never asked to be raped. Then may I ask if only Nam ahjussi never exist in the world? Their life wouldnt ruin like this. Thats why i said, sexual assault is more despicable than murder. The impact will continue as long as the victims are still a live. 

The difference reaction of Ji sook and Gayoung's mom towards their baby. I just think simply, Maturity. You guys already said, Ji sook - too young and unmarried, Gayoung's mom - adult and married. Gayoung's mom can deal with reality-partly, but not for Ji sook-entirely. Im totally understand. I can accept all her evilness and kindness towards Hye jin. She had intention to donate her organ! I see her human side or should I call it her motherhood side? Truthfully,  Gayoung's mom still in denial stage. She shut her mouth closely for Gayoung's sake. After her death, she was planning to reveal the truth.

Speaking of heartless person, may I add So yoon and Joo hee? I know So yoon want to reveal the truth, but somehow I think she forget about people around her. She doesnt have a person that she has/wants to protect. So she straightforward to her goal. Unlike her, Ji sook, ga young's mom even Gi hyun have it, so sometimes they hide the truth is reasonable. Joo hee become a monster in order to catch a monster. Comparing her miserable childhood and Ji sook's is a difference case. But her action is not much better Ji sook's.

[gnixfim]

Speaking of heartless person, may I add So yoon and Joo hee? I know So yoon want to reveal the truth, but somehow I think she forget about people around her. She doesnt have a person that she has/wants to protect. So she straightforward to her goal. Unlike her, Ji sook, ga young's mom even Gi hyun have it, so sometimes they hide the truth is reasonable. Joo hee become a monster in order to catch a monster. Comparing her miserable childhood and Ji sook's is a difference case. But her action is not much better Ji sook's.

So, if someone you cared about was found murdered, you would just let it slide, because digging up the mystery of their death might upset someone else's lives? I don't think anyone would be this altruistic. You cannot say she has no-one she wants to protect. The one she wants to protect is, as stupid as it might sound spelled out like this, her unnie HJ. She is trying to bring to light the injustice her sister suffered. Yes, that does not exclusively translate into finding her murderer. However, if the people around HJ had been more understanding, HJ might have been still alive. So I don't see her "forgetting the people around her" in her quest for the truth for HJ's sake as SY being heartless, since it was those same people being selfish that led to this predicament in first place.

[Mayyes]

@gnixfim Yes, i might be wrong for judging So yoon like this. I didnt mean she should let her sister's death become a mystery forever to avoid someone's secret to be reveal. But if you look how she tried to find the truth, sometimes she forced people to be honest to her completely (like Gi hyun and the doctors). I think her method sometimes is wrong. Sorry if I bother you, with my post.

[gnixfim]

@gnixfim Yes, i might be wrong for judging So yoon like this. I didnt mean she should let her sister's death become a mystery forever to avoid someone's secret to be reveal. But if you look how she tried to find the truth, sometimes she forced people to be honest to her completely (like Gi hyun and the doctors). I think her method sometimes is wrong. Sorry if I bother you, with my post.

Sure, she takes things too far at times with her investigation - far enough to get thrown out of one doctor's office, for instance. The thing you have to consider is, however, that the police has more or less buried her sister's case. First there was our Han-WJ duo's superior who went as far as telling the investigative detective (the same who is handling the serial murders) that there's no need to do anything concerning this case. And then there's the detective himself. I can understand him seeing the serial murders as his priority, since there are people's lives at stake in this case, while the Achiara corpse was, at least at that point, an old and isolated case. It's just that, as WJ pointed out, the central police office's policemen seemed to forget HJ had been a citizen with the same right for protection and the same right to have her killer revealed as the more recent victims of the serial killer. And then the police oh-so-conveniently tied up HJ's death as the ex-driver having killed her over money, while neither SY (who must be relying more on her intuition than real knowledge of HJ's character, since they had been separated at such a young age) nor Agasshi (who has much more recent knowledge of HJ's character and goals) think that very likely. So, since the police has closed the case, not that they were doing much in first place, SY just does not see any other way than to have to reveal the truth herself.

[Mayyes]

Kim hye jin's death. Now Im sure this case is homicide. Who kill her? My suspect goes to Nam ahjussi and/or his wife. Nam ahjussi insist he didnt do anything to Hye jin, then could it be his wife? Lets say its true! His wife did it for a sole reason to protect her daughter. Among the victims only Hye jin who wanted to reveal the truth, thats why she killed her.

Now, I feel Nam ahjussi is under Agasshi's spell. Maybe @baduy  's prediction is true, they make alibi for each other to cover their crime. Agasshi is not clear whether he is serial killer or not, but clear he did something related to the killing. But doubting Gi hyun as the serial killer, isnt too much? Just like @liddi said, now he is innocent at any cost. He put his own/family life on the cliff to uncover the truth with intention to prove his family didnt do anything related with Hye jin's death. The first serial killing happened at 2015/03/04 and he comeback to Korea 2015/09. The only suspicious thing about him for me is his childhood at lumbermill. Is it just a simple memory or something big?

How Gradma knows Ji sook - Hye jin relationship for long time? She learned from Hye jin then let her son having an affair with her, some of you guessing like this. But does it make a sense? This thought doesnt work in my head, but I respect you all. I will let this part to be a mystery and wish there will be explanation in the end.

About Agasshi happy drug that you @peny have mentioned - If I have to name who could be help him to develop his drug regarding tools, ingredients or the procedure, the first person who came to my mind - Jo hee. She is a pharmacist after all. Someone wrote a fiction about their relationship at the previous pages (I forget who they are). If only this story is true, Kang joo hee-Kang pil sung, then my speculation might be true. But dont get worked up so much guys, its only my random thought. Intermezzo.  

With 2 ep left, I hope the writer will end the story nicely without leaving a single unanswered question.

[Mayyes]

@gnixfim Yes, its true. If we always go by rule, sometimes we will only find dead end. So sometimes crazy and unacceptable actions or illegal method is needed. Woo jae and Sergeant Han also used trap to get Driver yang. Now I believe at police area, if there is no case to get the culprit you have to create a case to provoke them. Thank you verymuch for you, I appreciate it.

[peny]

I will need to borrow this meme from aidsincera (full credit to her) 

so I went to bed but when I come back Iam now more confuse than before, from who is the serial killer to who is the monsters to who is the most pitiful and who is born with silver spoon? LOL.. save my brain ..kekekeke

Lets not forget we all come to watch this drama for entertainment purpose. So, if people want to dislike a characters or not it is really up to them. I can make sure I wont judge any rape victims in real life, but with this drama I still can't accept JS actions or her reasons. Why is she try so hard to hold to assemblyman hands? is it love? because he has money, power? if assemblyman seo want to divorce her and giving her a generous amount of money, she should just accept it, and leave achiara, go somewhere nobody know of her being rape victim and have a clean new start? I dont think JS want to stay in achiara because of her love for YN or her family..well it is just my opinion, and please take note, Iam not born with silver spoon. 

seriously, kekeke..this is so fun, cause now born rich or not born rich is also important to understand a drama characters.. 

[Siufey71]

@peny I think JS just has some serious psychological issues, such as the inability to accept reality and much more. 

Anyways episode 14 cleared up lots of things which I like, so now we have two whole episodes to mainly focus on fixing and bringing justice to all the problems and hurt the messed up people in the village created. And of course how HJ really died.

Speaking of problems, I find it funny how the assemblyman finds his wife problematic now considering how long he's been married to her. I'm also a bit surprised that the grandmother knew that HJ was JS's child...I mean I guess JS must have told her at some point.

[baduy]

I'm also a bit surprised that the grandmother knew that HJ was JS's child...I mean I guess JS must have told her at some point.

I'd say the grandmother's most likely informant was HJ herself. It certainly wasn't JS, because when she came back from the temple, she laid into her mother-in-law for believing HJ's evil lies and said that her gullibility showed she was developing senile dementia. It's rather striking that the only person JS has admitted the truth to about HJ being her daughter -- apart from Ju Hui. of course, who knew all along -- is Soyun.

[peny]

In real life all the casts get along so well, they interaction kind of cute 

I have a question to anyone who had experiece with giving birth, doesn't the wound after labor need to be stitched by doctor/nurse? If so maybe all elderly in achiara know this secret, they just keep their mouth shut tight for some reason we don't know?

[greenlite10]

Uwaaah.. such a plot twist. (After read some spoiler in here. Bcs i'm really curious.hhaha)

Even when people say there's possibility JS is KHJ mom, i never took that idea. Uwaah. But it turn out to be true. How can it be? How old is JS when she had KHJ? Is it when there's scene a newborn in 13th?

And there's sad news too? Gayoungie dead? Auwh..poor Gayoung and her mother too.

[Siufey71]

I'm also a bit surprised that the grandmother knew that HJ was JS's child...I mean I guess JS must have told her at some point.

I'd say the grandmother's most likely informant was HJ herself. It certainly wasn't JS, because when she came back from the temple, she laid into her mother-in-law for believing HJ's evil lies and said that her gullibility showed she was developing senile dementia. It's rather striking that the only person JS has admitted the truth to about HJ being her daughter -- apart from Ju Hui. of course, who knew all along -- is Soyun.

Ahh well I missed that part cause when I watched it on Viki it wasn't fully subbed :/ So I missed her remark, but I figured it was along the lines of that. And I think the only reason she admitted it to JS is because she had been confronted about it, plus she called HJ a monster...so even though she admits to giving birth, she still denies having any motherly responsibilities/ties to HJ 

@greenlite10 It is sad that GY died (despite being an overall annoying/mean/problematic character) but at the very least, her death finally propelled her mother to reveal the monster/rapist to the authorities. 

[Guest my2centsworth]

@baduy LOL at your nail puns... you really shouldn't have resisted  More nail and nail-less thoughts... 

Hidden Content

I agree with you that JS, in danger of losing everything she clawed her way to gain, will probably end up a loose cannon. However, despite her truly unlikeable qualities, her conversation with SY evoked my empathy and sympathy... when she describes her revulsion for a child that grew within her as a result of the worst violation imaginable, and her apparent hatred for the return of that same child, who was a terrible, living reminder of what she had gone through. Her decision to finally be the donor, while vehemently declaring that it was to ensure KHJ disappeared from her life after that, makes me wonder whether she did find within her own cold, monstrous existence, some semblance of humanity and compassion after all. Some days, she appears to care even for Yoona, while others, she is methodical in sifting those who would stand in her way, so it's still anyone's guess what she is really thinking at any one time.

I still wonder what happened to the items Yoona and BW placed in the time capsule. Who removed them, where are the original items, including KHJ's... and why were they replaced. In this, JH is definitely in the dark... so who else would have been privy to the knowledge of its existence?

I've been wondering the same thing about the time capsule. I think it was two. Maybe BW switched them? He is a lot smarter that we give him credit for. He is one of those character that seem invisible to the other characters. No one pays much attention to him.  He visited the home of the Pharmacist many times and saw many things and heard many things. 

You talk as I have read before from other comments that JS was going to give a kidney to KHJ. Was there a scene where this was confirmed? I can't believe JS would do that. Having a kidney transplant would have delayed her getting pregnant again and the biggest factor is JS is one of the most selfish, self-centered person you could ever meet. JS only wants what good for JS. I find it hard to believe that a women who denied giving birth, keep it a secret until KHJ returned to the village and she (JS) was faced with the fact that she had a child and how that child was conceived would suddenly offer her a body part.  Until I see a scene with the doctor that tested JS to see if she could have been a donor and I hear it  from his or her lips about it, I won't believe it ! Besides JS knew that it was only a matter of time before KHJ would die without a transplant and JS only had to wait or better, kill KHJ before she could tell anyone about who her real mother was !

[liddi]

@my2centsworth JS' decision to donate her kidney was verified by SY when she called up the organ transplant department of the hospital in Seoul, pretending to be KHJ. SY was informed that JS, identifying herself as KHJ's mother, had already undergone tests for a match to KHJ. Hence it is pretty much a certainty that when JS gave the money and the namecard to KHJ, her intent to donate her kidney to her daughter was clear.

BW is an interesting character... as you say, he is apparently insignificant to the major players in Achiara, yet he sees and hears things that others do not. However, I don't believe BW switched the time capsule. He told Yoona that when he opened it, the items they put in were not there. In addition, I cannot imagine where he would have gotten the hair and blood samples to replace the time capsule that was given to JH. Either way, another loose end which I hope will be clarified next week.