[Drama 2018] Mother, 마더

[Pam_Van Fossen]

Truly a heartfelt episode.  How hard it must have been for HN to tell her mother she was now YB not HN and she was not going back with her.  She has finally found love with her new mother and now because of the situation she is is leaving on her own.  A nine year old carrying that type of burden.  What is going to happen next.  I really hope she is able to avoid being caught by the boyfriend.  We all know he has evil intentions and will also kidnap SJ if he is able to. YB's bio mother is probably going to change her mind about letting YB stay with SJ.  I am hoping SJ''s adoptive mother will realize what she has done to SJ and YB and change her attitude and help SJ to be able to be a mother to YB.  This story is very moving and very good.  I am hoping for a very happy ending for YB.  

[lclarakl]

9 hours ago, AnhH said:

i find it sad when Hye Na biological mother tells her story. the society failed to give attention and care for single mothers and children. in Korea, where single mum are looked down on and the society has prejudiced against single mum, it is a difficult world. they probably wont get help from their parents or family because they are seen as being shameful. All these difficulties make them vulnerable. this may be why Hye Na's mother used to hate or feeling so annoyed at Hye Na, thinking if it wasn't for the child, she'll be happy. I think the government and society to makes laws that support single mums and make sure that the men take responsibility too. I must say that there are single mums that live fine out there but they are probably people that were raised in good condition and having full support from their parents. but in Hye Na's case, the mother's family probably has many socioeconomic problems.

 

 

Although South Korea is trying to bring attention to single mothers, they still have a ways to go in breaking down some of the discrimination faced by these women. I will say that I didn't think so much of that being the focus in this drama regarding HN's mother. Instead the focus was on her being a single mother and losing her sense of freedom and burden with the responsibility of a child. She also blames HN for her boyfriend leaving her, instead of the fact that he was a man who didn't want to take responsibility for a family.

 

I have an extremely hard time feeling even a tiny bit of sympathy for anyone who abuses a child.  I like the way the writer is contrasting SJ's single biological single mother vs HN's single mother. 

 

@Pam_Van Fossen, I hope that she avoids the boyfriend as well. This is the first drama where I feel this nervous panic--so worried about what will happen next to HN/YB--I too hope he has a happy ending. 

[chickfactor]

3 hours ago, lclarakl said:

In regards to SJ's adoptive mother, all I can say that she was so busy "acting as a mother" that now when she needs to be a mother she's casting SJ away. I also thought what kind of grown woman would say that to a young child. You would think with her about to die she wouldn't want to be selfish with her love and she would want to share it.

 

 

Yes, and that is why I was hoping that Actress Mom would rise to the occasion. This is such a tightly written story, so I felt like there are narrative reasons for everything.

 

For example, I thought the following factors were not a coincidence:

 

- Soo-Jin just happens to have a mother who is a famous, rich actress. And she has a terminal disease to boot, so she has zero F's left to give. She's been an overbearing, burdensome mother to Soo-Jin. This is the perfect time for her to use her monied entitlement for something good.

- Actress Mom also happens to have a man-servant who is very capable, and looks like he would do just about anything for her.

- Soo-Jin's birth mom deeply loves her, and just about sacrificed her entire life for her, and seems ready to do it again, just to atone for the past

- Soo-Jin has one sister who is not a bizzatch and also a reporter (I may have seen too many Korean dramas where swift justice happens through media or social media, rather than legal remedies)

- (Let's not forget Dr. Dreamboat)

 

Soo-Jin's life clearly hasn't been easy, but she has access to support and resources that not everyone does. I expect they will all come into play, because she will have to fight against a monster.

 

I'm just trying to cheer myself up, really. My heart just breaks for Yoon-Bok. Poor thing has been through so much. I just feel like I won't be able to relax until I see her end up happy and secure.

[chickfactor]

4 hours ago, lclarakl said:

 

Although South Korea is trying to bring attention to single mothers, they still have a ways to go in breaking down some of the discrimination faced by these women. I will say that I didn't so much of that being the focus in this drama towards HN's mother. Instead the focus was on her being a single mother and losing her since of freedom and burden with the responsibility of a child. She also blames HN for her boyfriend leaving her, instead of the fact that he was man who didn't want to take responsibility for a family.

 

I have an extremely hard time feeling even a tiny bit of sympathy for anyone who abuses a child.  I like the way the writer is contrasting SJ's single biological single mother vs HN's single mother. 

 

 

I also think the contrast between SJ's bio-mom and HN's bio-mom is stark. Two women facing a similar situation - being a single mom with no support - and dealing with it very differently.

 

SJ's bio-mom chose her daughter over the man, even though SJ didn't know it at the time.

 

HN's bio-mom chose the man over her daughter, every time, and HN knows it.

 

There are moments when I feel a tiny bit of sympathy for HN's mom... and then I remember that she put HN in a trash bag, and the sympathy is gone.

 

In any case, I do think there is definitely social commentary, loud and clear. A man and a woman get together, a child is born, and who has to take responsibility? The man can just walk away, but the woman has to bear the burden. Some women have support from their families, etc. And some women have nothing. On top of having no support, they have to face scorn and judgment.

 

I don't think HN's mom would have been a better mom if she had support. I believe that she should have never been a mom. But I think social support would have at least helped HN. Remember that teacher who was worried about HN? She did her best to try and help HN, but the system failed.

 

I can't wait until the next episode. But I also dread it. This show is haunting me.

[lclarakl]

3 hours ago, chickfactor said:

I don't think HN's mom would have been a better mom if she had support. I believe that she should have never been a mom. But I think social support would have at least helped HN. Remember that teacher who was worried about HN? She did her best to try and help HN, but the system failed.

 

I can't wait until the next episode. But I also dread it. This show is haunting me.

 

I agree a 100% with your entire post. I too don't think HN's mother would have been better with support. In this episode we have a mother who thought she lost her child, one of the most painful experiences a mother can go through. Upon finding out that her child was alive and seeing her for the first time, she didn't even pull her in for a close hug. It's almost as if she knows as a mother she should have these emotions, but she doesn't feel them. She goes through the emotions of I have to get my child, but she really doesn't want her child.  She knows that she's treated HN horribly, but makes no real effort to change. That fact that she or her boyfriend killed HN's pet is just horrible. She knew that was the only company HN had, but wanted to take even that away from her.

 

Like you, this show is haunting me too. I hope it doesn't end with BY meeting her mom's boyfriend. That is too big of a cliffhanger to go through the weekend. 

[Tango27]

the sympathy the mother is getting from some viewers shows how abuse signals can be easily ignored

until its too late

ppl are starting to find excuses for her,,, she allowed her child to be exposed to molester and left her in a trash bag cause she wanted to be happy ... her happiness comes first ... her motherly feelings are linked with her well being .... the child is an after though or an inconvenience, yes not all women are ready for motherhood

and when a child is unwanted or an accident ... then the right thing is for it never to be ( yes for me abortion is a better alternative for child abuse ). 

 

[0ly40]

preview ep11

 

clips ep10

Spoiler

 

 

[Latte_Anyday]

That tore me up when Hyena mentioned (in flashback) that her Mom was happier without her... Hyena is truly so brave & wise beyond her years. When she told her Mom calmly that she was no longer her child *sigh* Yijin is THE best sister isn't she?! Poor Hyena she must've felt unwanted again after hearing all of Yijin's careless, insensitive remarks that she took the noble idiot route & fled. 

I like that the drama focuses on the many different types of mothers or what is considered motherhood. While some of the women here make questionable decisions, ultimately they did what they felt was right at the time to protect their child. 

I don't know if I'm strong enough to continue watching as the drama is getting more intense & heavy with a capital H. 

[jfritz09]

I thought that Ep. 8 was great, but Ep. 9 even exceeded it! What an intense, heartbreaking episode that was.

Heo Yool is such a good actress. She can project different emotions so well through her eyes without saying anything. I'm thinking particularly of the scenes where she was in the closet listening to her bio mom's pleas, and when she was listening to Soo Jin's family saying how Soo Jin was putting them all in danger, and how they would cast her out of the family if she decided to keep Yoon Bok.

I feel that there are 2 main themes running throughout this show. The first is, of course, motherhood and all that the word entails. The second theme, imo, is sacrifice. Soo Jin's mom sacrificed her freedom to save her from her abuser, and sacrificed pretty much her whole life to keep watch over her in case she needed help. Soo Jin was willing to sacrifice her future to rescue Hye Na. And now the little girl is willing to sacrifice her life as Yoon Bok and go back to being Hye Na in order to save Soo Jin from losing her adoptive family.

From the preview, it looks like Ep. 10 is going to get even more intense. The show's main villain comes back in full force and, as I had feared, it looks like he is going to use his knowledge of what Hye Na likes in order to lay a trap for her...

 

[AnhH]

19 hours ago, lclarakl said:

 

Although South Korea is trying to bring attention to single mothers, they still have a ways to go in breaking down some of the discrimination faced by these women. I will say that I didn't think so much of that being the focus in this drama regarding HN's mother. Instead the focus was on her being a single mother and losing her sense of freedom and burden with the responsibility of a child. She also blames HN for her boyfriend leaving her, instead of the fact that he was a man who didn't want to take responsibility for a family.

 

I have an extremely hard time feeling even a tiny bit of sympathy for anyone who abuses a child.  I like the way the writer is contrasting SJ's single biological single mother vs HN's single mother. 

 

@Pam_Van Fossen, I hope that she avoids the boyfriend as well. This is the first drama where I feel this nervous panic--so worried about what will happen next to HN/YB--I too hope he has a happy ending. 

 

 

no i dont have any sympathy for someone that abuse children either. but i think that regardless of being a bad mum or good mum, it is true that being a single mother is difficult especially in Korea. It is difficult to raise a child without the father's and family support. I hated Hye Na's biological mother so much but seeing her story and Soo Jin's biological mother, and the other single mothers in this drama made me think that we didn't give them enough help and attention. maybe if we reach out for them, al this child abuse wouldn't happen from the start.

[Chellsee]

Thanks for sharing the preview video @0ly40

Stills from IMBC.

Link: http://enews.imbc.com/News/RetrieveNewsInfo/227793

 

[Pam_Van Fossen]

This drama is amazing.  In episode 9 I was so happy that SJ's adoptive and bio mother are there for her and supporting her decision.  I hate the evil boyfriend who lured YB away using a kitten, knowing she loves animals.  He tells her mother he thinks that HN should be killed because she was not obedient.  I hope her bio mother tells the police that he has found her and may kill her if they don't find her quickly.  Please let them find her before he has time to hurt her.  It is so hard waiting a week for the next episodes to air.  

[lclarakl]

11 hours ago, AnhH said:

 

no i dont have any sympathy for someone that abuse children either. but i think that regardless of being a bad mum or good mum, it is true that being a single mother is difficult especially in Korea. It is difficult to raise a child without the father's and family support. I hated Hye Na's biological mother so much but seeing her story and Soo Jin's biological mother, and the other single mothers in this drama made me think that we didn't give them enough help and attention. maybe if we reach out for them, al this child abuse wouldn't happen from the start.

 

I only felt sorry for Hye Na's biological mother when she realized her boyfriend was not going to be their with her and help support their child. However, after that, I only saw a mother who showed no real love for her child. I didn't see her been scorned by the public, I saw people looking at her as a mother as her small child cried and she did nothing to comfort the child. They didn't know if she was married or not, but she sat their and let her baby cry with no comfort.

 

Even if Hye Na's mother had support from others, I still don't think it would make her better for one reason. She always used Hye Na as an excuse for her misery. The fact that her boyfriend left her was not because of the fact she had a child, but because he really didn't love her. She can't even see that a man who is okay with her leaving a child alone for several days is a good man. However, the physical abuse of Hye Na doesn't seem to have started until she met her current boyfriend. Yes, she didn't always prepare a meal for Hye Na, but physically hitting her seems to have started with her boyfriend and she's following suit. 

 

I'm not saying we shouldn't help single mothers, but I know too many strong single mothers  (some due to divorce and others out of wedlock) and I don't think they would standby and let a man come into the picture and abuse their child. I think a lot of it has to do with their own conviction. 

[Sharine Phinisia]

My 2 cents on ep 9-10:

1. Hyena's tone when she said that she's hungry is a prove of a good acting; scared and on the verge of tears.

 

2. Actress Mom's intention of cutting ties with Soo Jin, as I see it, is a way for her to make sure that Soo Jin, like a bird, is free from all ties and burden (including her). Tbh, I don't expect Soo Jin to cry when she said that. Soo Jin always looked so distant and respond to Actress Mom properly and appropriately (including missing contact for years, though as she claimed it, she can't stand the guilt of being a burden to a very good woman who wasn't even her real mother). "If you think that after all those years you meant nothing to me, it is all a misunderstanding." We might have just seen a bigger affection here.

 

3. "That legal documents at the office, I just scrapped it. Whatever you do, you are my daughter. There's no reason for me to be ever ashamed of what you did." T.T

 

4. All those flashback of Ja Young... It make me sympathize a bit. Then I remember the time she put her in the trash bag and left her in the cold.

 

5. The hot doctor is a little bit peculiar. He smiles and hides everything and being nothing but supportive towards Soo Jin. I can totally imagine his perfect face losing its smile and strangling the Evil Boyfriend out of his wits.

 

6. The Youngest sister just earned my respect when she said that she wants to understand her sister and produce the most accurate, unbiased article that speaks the truth of the case,even of it might costs her dream job.

 

7. I still havent't quite grasp the Evil Boyfriend's intention of kidnapping her. Killing her would be too easy and anti-climax. Past experiences taught me to not really trust the episodes' preview.

 

8. THIS DRAMA HASNT BEEN TALKED ENOUGH!! 

[UnniSarah]

14 hours ago, lclarakl said:

I'm not saying we shouldn't help single mothers, but I know too many strong single mothers  (some due to divorce and others out of wedlock) and I don't think they would standby and let a man come into the picture and abuse their child. I think a lot of it has to do with their own conviction. 

Chingu, I agree there are a lot of strong single mothers who wouldn't let a stranger abuse their child. These are mothers with confidence and lots of love.

 

14 hours ago, lclarakl said:

I only felt sorry for Hye Na's biological mother when she realized her boyfriend was not going to be their with her and help support their child. However, after that, I only saw a mother who showed no real love for her child. I didn't see her been scorned by the public, I saw people looking at her as a mother as her small child cried and she did nothing to comfort the child. They didn't know if she was married or not, but she sat their and let her baby cry with no comfort.

@lclarakl.. I couldn't muster any empathy towards Hye Na's mother when she realized her boyfriend was abandoning her.  Hye Na's mom looked so unprepared emotionally to raise a child. THe vibe I got once he abandoned her at the hospital was OH NO I am alone again not OH No what am I going to do?  As I watched that scene it felt like she was more happy to see him then her giving birth Hye Na.  

[chickfactor]

(1)  About Ja-Young, Hye-Na's mom:

 

In some way, the fact that she decided to fight for Hye-Na, by going to the media and raising a ruckus about Soo-Jin is the most toxic-ly maternal thing she has done so far. She regards Hye-Na as a *thing,* a thing which belongs to her, and was taken from her by the "rich lady." Now she wants it back. Indeed, she is a mother after all - this is just about the first time she's feeling *bad* in some way that Hye-Na is gone from her life. She wasn't nearly this upset when she thought Hye-Na drowned.

 

So if anything, this is the most "maternal" thing she may have ever done.

 

(2)  Hurray for Young-Shin. I knew she'd come around.

 

(3)  Reporter sister Hyun-Jin! Nice to see her making some moves. However, what she is trying to do is kind of bonkers. Man-servant Jae-Bum is correct, there is no way that anyone will think that she can be objective.

 

Although she's been mostly sweet and quiet all this time, she has that diva streak that she must have got from her mother. I think she is primarily motivated by wanting to tell the unbiased truth, but I also think she's also motivated by seizing this opportunity to get a scoop on a blockbuster story, too.

 

(4)  I'm still so sad and afraid for Hye-Na. But although things look bleak, and the walls are closing in from all sides with the media and the law chasing after them, I'm finally hopeful, for some reason. I don't feel quite as depressed after this week as I have been the last weeks.

 

It's going to be okay, eventually. Let's all stop crying. 

 

(Bizzatch Yi-Jin still needs to be slapped.)

[Chellsee]

New stills.

 

Source: http://enews.imbc.com/News/RetrieveNewsInfo/227895

 

 

Source: http://enews.imbc.com/News/RetrieveNewsInfo/227953

 

[frozentundra]

When you're trying not to read all the comments because you have only finished ep 5, but you find the drama so amazing that you have GOT to talk it up to someone. Wow. This is SUCH a strong drama. SUCH an important thing to talk about. The acting--I can't even. LBY is perfect for this role, as if it were written for her. That little girl is amazing. I'm loving all of the other strong actresses as well. (It's nice to see Nam Gi Ae in a longer role, too--she always brings a presence with smaller parts, but she really shines here. 

 

Okay, I have to catch up so I can take the blinders off and read the rest of the comments.

[Chellsee]

More preview stills are coming.

 

Source:  http://enews.imbc.com/News/RetrieveNewsInfo/228036

 

[0ly40]

preview ep12