[Drama 2018] My Mister, 나의 아저씨 - Best Drama at 2019 (55th) BaekSang Arts Awards

[sal2]

I was thinking about our girl JA, and was listening to this song. witch i think could represent her mind (I think that the fact that she killed  someone have alway hunted her in some way). The singer is from Norway and the song is from 1999 but have a very powerful lyrics. yes the song is in english!

 

 

 

[jgsiu]

Woohoo My Mister's press conference will be held this Wednesday!

 

 

[liddi]

@jgsiu Thank you for the heads-up! I didn't think they would ever have a press conference, since they mentioned in the Vlive interview that they had been so busy with filming that they didn't even have one. Good to know that they are able to conduct one now... which I hope means they finally have enough breathing room in between filming.

 

Speaking of which, does anyone know how far ahead are they in terms of filming? I know that back in March, Park Hosan had to do very intensive catch-up, with only 2 hours sleep in between, though one would never have noticed inasfar as how seamlessly he takes over the role of PSH. Reason I ask is that as we approach the halfway mark, I truly, truly pray that the script is well ready in advance, and remains that way to the end, as this would mean no incongruous changes at the last minute due to any external factors, but staying steadfast and faithful to the original vision. I also hope that there would be no live-shoots insanity in this production... which rarely bodes well for any drama, and I would be loathe to see a exceptional drama with so much potential, particularly one that is so close to my heart, falter for various reasons.

 

Question of the day: Is LJA now debt-free, seeing that LGI did break into her house that night? Would it be that easy?

[sadiesmith]

5 hours ago, ninaanin said:

I do believe in friendship between a man and a woman, as a believe that the notion of soulmates can also be applied to some kind of friendship. However, I believe that this kind of friendship has a limit. Soulmates friends/ kindred hearts friends between man and woman, imo, can only exist if they haven't partners. To me, a friendship between a man and woman, when both or one of them have/has a partner, can only last if the soulmate are/is the partner not the friend . 

 

I can't imagine how a wife/girlfriend can accept a relationship when her husband/boyfriend has more/better communication, understanding/comprehension with/from another woman through gazes, silence and even breath!!!. Conversely, how can a husband/boyfriend accept that his wife/girlfriend has another soulmate, a man who can understand, support, and with whom she will prefer stay in case of need/pain/sorrow/ happiness, 'cause it is the other guy who can understand her just with his gaze and even through silence?!?! It doens't/can't work: or the love partners will break up, because the friends are truly soulmates and can't live without each other support/proximity; or the friends will have to separates or avoid be in each other company, which is a contradiction and suffrance, cause soulmates per definition long to be with each other. 

 

In conclusion, I do believe in friendship between women and men, but I don't believe that when a man/woman finds his/her soulmate or kindredheart in someone from the opposite gender, it wouldn't lead to a romantic love. 

 

It is true that just friendship can lead to a healing processus too, as any other kind of realationship (even professional), but to do that, to help in that healing processus, a friend doesn't need to be a soulmate or a kindredheart. It needs only to be a true friend. 

 

The problem here is that DH and JA are being (slowed) build as soulmates/kindred hearts. They are presented here as the only ones who can understand and see the true self of each other. This notion is so strong that the writer/director convey this to us through the silences, gazes and breaths. The dialogs are very short and few. They don't need words.

 

Add to it the chemistry, the subtil "sensual" scenes, the stolen glances... And the more important: the dynamics between HD and JA are very mature and balanced, even if DH is older and her chef, dynamically and organicaly (I would even say dialeticaly) he is an equal in front of her.  So, lets make a exercise: if we put the age gap aside, would someone doubt that what is depict in the drama is a love store? Well, my answer is that with or not age gap this is a love store between a man and a woman. Now, if this love story will be obvious or subtil, latent or apparent, happy or sad, with skinship or without skinship, with confession or without confession, I don't know. I want to enjoy the show and slowly discover what kind of story the writer and the director will be abble to tell us.  

 

People on this forum  write so well, I am in complete awe. I think without the age gap, this is a love story for sure.  But there lies the genius of this writer, she is taking us on a journey where no one knows where it will end.  Hope the ride is thrilling all the way.  I do sometimes wonder if writers of dramas think as hard as some of the posters here do.  Those who have watched this writer's Another Oh Hae Young, was the story tight the whole way through?  If not, where did it go wrong?

[sadiesmith]

12 minutes ago, liddi said:

@jgsiu Thank you for the heads-up! I didn't think they would ever have a press conference, since they mentioned in the Vlive interview that they had been so busy with filming that they didn't even have one. Good to know that they are able to conduct one now... which I hope means they finally have enough breathing room in between filming.

 

Speaking of which, does anyone know how far ahead are they in terms of filming? I know that back in March, Park Hosan had to do very intensive catch-up, with only 2 hours sleep in between, and one would never have noticed inasfar as how seamlessly he takes over the role of PSH. Reason I ask is that as we approach the halfway mark, I truly, truly pray that the script is well ready in advance, and remains that way to the end, as this would mean no incongruous changes at the last minute due to any external factors, but staying steadfast and faithful to the original vision. I also hope that there would be no live-shoots insanity in this production... which rarely bodes well for any drama, and I would be loathe to see a exceptional drama with so much potential, particularly one that is so close to my heart, falter for various reasons.

 

Question of the day: Is LJA now debt-free, seeing that LGI did break into her house that night? Would it be that easy?

 

It's good to think that they now have a little bit of room in their shooting to conduct this press conference, although I wonder if it's even necessary at this point.  Are they hoping to get an increase in ratings?  I am just leery of more spoilers, I guess.

 

LSK's actor friend, the one who felt the need to speak up on behalf of this "no love-line" drama, was interviewed on 3/28, and he said that they were already practicing lines from episode 10.  So it looks like scripts are in good shape.  Also the scene in episode 6 where LSK is standing outside of his wife's office piecing information together was used in the second 15-second teaser, two months ago!  This tells me that they shot many many scenes quite a while ago, and only had to scramble because of the last minute replacement of Oh Dal Su.  

 

Well, Lee Gwang Il could counter by saying he did knock first, and loudly at that.  It was her fault she did not open.

[bedifferent]

On 4/4/2018 at 8:01 PM, timidjock0819 said:

Episode 5

... Few things I have noticed during the company dinner, Jian didn't eat at all in front of people. Funny because that girl had a lot of appetite when she was eating with Dong Hoon. I loved how the PD gave this scene so much subtle distinction and made me realized that Jian don't just share a meal with  anyone. So I guess, it was never about her hunger but more because DH's presence could make her seat still and calmly eat her food with him.

 

I really enjoy reading your posts   For me, sharing a meal is a gesture of friendship and being comfortable with each other.  The best meals that I've had were about the company and convos, memorable more for that than the food.  I am one of those who are afraid of office parties for the sheer obligatory politics, those meals that not from the heart, full of power plays, fear.. like Ji-An. There has to be connection, a need to share your space with someone without that uneasiness.  You just don't break bread with your enemies or people you don't like.  You share meals with people who regards you as equal or better yet, see you as a person not a temp.

 

On 4/4/2018 at 9:32 PM, hushhh said:

If there was anyone thing that might have swayed Ji-An to Dong-Hoon side would be the way he treated her grand mother with dignity. 

 

I'm not hoping for a romance.  Romance is not the only emotionally significant connections adults can make.  I think Ji-An needs a father/uncle/mentor and an army of brothers.  I think ultimately she will be "adopted" by the brothers.  She has the survival skills to help them become the most successful cleaners in Korea. There is nothing wrong with working as a cleaner.  The problems is the awful folks who insist on standing on your neck to feel taller in this world.

 

BTW I missed when JiAh realised that it was Dong Hoon's wife Joon-Young was cheating with.  When did that happen.

 

Yes, I agree. Ji-An missed the opportunity to be a normal adult in society because of her past, I don't know if she ever had a nurturing healthy relationship with another adult.  She rarely talks in the drama, part is from her limited interactions outside of her mute grandma.  I'm one who sees DH-JA relationship as a Lost In Translation kinda thing, not necessarily a romantic one.  Ji-An is someone who needs adult guidance (lead by DH's admirable moral compass), some affirmation that what she is doing is wrong or right, someone to help her voice her feelings, fears, frustration.  Imagine that she is her own island, it must be scary, confusing and lost in a way? Ji-An's survival instinct, doing what she needs for both women to survive, is based on a no judgment attitude.  It's not that I don't like her but I do think she will learn to show some respect to her sunbae coworkers.  I think her good character is revealed better in her actions and it's DH who will eventually help her along the way.  I wouldn't be surprised if she wins over the department later on with a change in mannerism (even if it is only to hand someone copy paper when he needs it).

 

Was it in the elevator in the early episode where the analog phone rang, Ji-An grabbed it to save DY? In my mind, I think DY is being played by Ji-An, as there is a puppet master higher up who has a hidden agenda against DY. 

 

On 4/5/2018 at 5:38 AM, zenya22 said:

 

...PDW is a man who carries the world on his shoulders and the weight is beginning to crush him. He is not happy at work but stays for those he is responsible for, and the only person that he can trust and confide in is his friend, the monk, sweeping the fallen leaves of the trees in the temple yard.

 

 

I love what you wrote.  Interesting that you bought up the monk... DH's mom also visited him early.  In episode 6, the brothers were talking about the misery they had in this life, how they want to leave it and go to the next to reboot.  DH mentioned how they should address and take care of the problems here instead of carrying it over to the next and be burdens for someone else.  It brought me back to the monk.  The idea of casting your weight, sins, before reaching enlightment to enter monkhood/priesthood.  It parallels DH's opinion. Maybe this is why he is steadfast in helping others, that he has to absolve other people's problems, it's his responsibility for a better life for him/his family in the next.  I don't know, I just thought about the monk when the brothers talked.  The weight and sacrifices, the will to do the right thing, for DH is a responsibility to help others who cannot fight for themselves.

 

On 4/5/2018 at 8:33 PM, timidjock0819 said:

Episode 6

 

Dong Hoon: He finally found out the truth about the affair. I was glad the writers didn't dragged this out and make him looked so clueless the entire time. There were no dramatics after the revelation. In a typical DH style, he avoided confrontation and gently approached the situation with precision. It was sad that he looked back into their relationship and was trying to figure out what he did wrong. Such a sad reality that I think people who experienced a crumbling relationship could relate to this type of dilemma. DH was lifeless in that apartment with the wife. The dead silence was so deafening and toxic that she opened the window in order to breath . The wife's suggestion of a business plan was done for selfish reasons and as a form of atonement. DH had shortcomings but he was not a bad husband, so the wife was trying to find other options like making him quit instead of getting fired which could ruin his reputation. Their relationship is beyond irreparable and could not be salvaged at this point. The affair has been going on for over a year with emotional investment and attachment on both sides. I don't think Dong Hoon wanted to repair the marriage either. He just needs time to process and piece together the events before he could let go. 

 

 

Nod. Yes, so true.  DH acknowledging that he plays a part in this marriage's failure is sad but true.  In his approach to protect his family from his hardship, he unintentionally withdrew deeper into himself.  We see how his wife had attempted to open him up, we see how he tried to open up later on.  Too bad that they never agreed to have dinner dates at the same time.  You can see how important it was for her to have DY her lover tells her things in open.  She continued to ask about the phone calls until he admits that it was from Ji-An.  It tells me that she is affected by Dong Hoon's silence.  Imagine if he has opened up to her all these years, their marriage may have been repairable.  At this point, we are looking at two people with irreconcilable differences who need to talk and acknowledge their mistakes in the marriage.  Not finger pointing and admission of blame or guilt.  More so that they are free and learn to make better relationships with their next partners.

[bedifferent]

5 hours ago, sadiesmith said:

 

Next week's episodes mark the halfway point of this drama.  Does anyone else feel like 16 episodes are almost not enough to tell the story?  There is so much backstory we haven't explored: CEO's rise to power, CEO's initial resentment over DH, how DH and wife came to be married and how their marriage started to crumble, their son, JA and her parents, Jung Hee, the monk, and many more.  

 

 

You forgot about the actress Yoo-Ra and youngest bro Ki-Hoon. I laughed at their scenes quite a bit.  Park Ho San who plays oldest Sang-Hoon has great facial expression and comedic timing. haha.  Funny aside, I really like how YR and KH's blaming game is poignantly true.  Is it how we are as human beings?  We find someone to blame for our mishaps and failures while not admitting our part in the whole scheme.  Funny how both live in the shadow of their failed movie.  He blames her acting and she revels in his current unemployed situation to validate hers.  I like how both come to realization that it is cruel to be happy on the other's failure.  I want both to connect as a couple. 

[sadiesmith]

22 minutes ago, bedifferent said:

 

You forgot about the actress Yoo-Ra and youngest bro Ki-Hoon. I laughed at their scenes quite a bit.  Park Ho San who plays oldest Sang-Hoon has great facial expression and comedic timing. haha.  Funny aside, I really like how YR and KH's blaming game is poignantly true.  Is it how we are as human beings?  We find someone to blame for our mishaps and failures while not admitting our part in the whole scheme.  Funny how both live in the shadow of their failed movie.  He blames her acting and she revels in his current unemployed situation to validate hers.  I like how both come to realization that it is cruel to be happy on the other's failure.  I want both to connect as a couple. 

Their story alone could be the start of another drama.  Imagine this synopsis: A once promising director finds himself 20 years later facing midlife crises.  He bumps into an actress who starred in his last movie, also living a life of self hate and misery.  Sounds more interesting than many rom-com synopsis.

[bedifferent]

24 minutes ago, sadiesmith said:

Their story alone could be the start of another drama.  Imagine this synopsis: A once promising director finds himself 20 years later facing midlife crises.  He bumps into an actress who starred in his last movie, also living a life of self hate and misery.  Sounds more interesting than many rom-com synopsis.

I just want them to get together to prove that middle age is not old to find love.  haha Nana is beautiful.  Give my ajusshi Ki Hoon a haircut, show!

 

One thing I noticed: DH is the middle child from a single parent family.  Middle child is often overlooked and tend to fend for themselves for attention or whatnot.  It’s quite different or rather refreshing to see DH taking on the lead to help his brothers, I have to keep reminding myself that he is responsible not because he is the eldest  Is that why he tends to pacify the situations with the finesse of the one in the middle? 

[maddymappo]

3 hours ago, liddi said:

Question of the day: Is LJA now debt-free, seeing that LGI did break into her house that night? Would it be that easy?

That part was a tad out of character I think for Ji An.  She has been moving around very often to avoid him tracking her and I would think she would put a dead bolt on the door knowing he barges in.  Also, this was the anniversary of his father's death, a date that Ji an must know very well - so she should have been prepared.  I am not sure if she is paid up at this point.  I think she is only partially paid, that is why she asked for 10 million for each scalp.  

[Yana Mujay]

17 minutes ago, maddymappo said:

That part was a tad out of character I think for Ji An.  She has been moving around very often to avoid him tracking her and I would think she would put a dead bolt on the door knowing he barges in.  Also, this was the anniversary of his father's death, a date that Ji an must know very well - so she should have been prepared.  I am not sure if she is paid up at this point.  I think she is only partially paid, that is why she asked for 10 million for each for scalp.  

Burst out  with your horrify line 10 million for each scalp rather crappy i found dark joke there..lol. Sensasional

Talk about how good Jian conduct all the scheme she must be brilliant , can't wait what next her moved to save her Ahjussi and cos her live after what she has done to get 10 million.

Absoulutely must read The girl with dragon tatto once more to cleared my head how complicated the plot and how brilliant LS, i see it that kind vibe in Jian apearence.

Excited to wait next episode.

[liddi]

@maddymappo @sadiesmith 

Exactly. She should have been prepared as she had always been, but she totally wasn't, which was a telling indication just how much PDH has gotten under her skin. Nonetheless, whether or not she has paid up all her debts, the fact remains that if he ever broke into her home, she would be debt-free. Although he might argue about having knocked beforehand, (when we think about it, it is highly out of character for him as to why would he even consent to adding such a clause in the first place anyway when all he lives for is to torment her), fact remains that he did break in. As to whether LGI would actually honour that contract in the face of technicalities is highly dubious, but we shall see.

[desertflower]

@mujay     So true that the Lisbeth Salander character in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is interestingly similar to LJA and was written as a very dark character who had been systematically abused.  Her brilliance in executing her very complex revenge and cons were fascinatingly beautiful as are LJA’s.  Both tech savvy with connections to help when the need arises.

 

 LJA seems to accomplish her set-ups so easily as if it’s childs play like she is a genius.    I wonder if the back story will be told and we’ll see she may have had a brilliant future via a scholarship that she lost when she had to go to prison.  Just speculating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[not1but3]

3 hours ago, bedifferent said:

8 hours ago, sadiesmith said:

 

Next week's episodes mark the halfway point of this drama.  Does anyone else feel like 16 episodes are almost not enough to tell the story?  There is so much backstory we haven't explored: CEO's rise to power, CEO's initial resentment over DH, how DH and wife came to be married and how their marriage started to crumble, their son, JA and her parents, Jung Hee, the monk, and many more.  

 

 

You forgot about the actress Yoo-Ra and youngest bro Ki-Hoon. I laughed at their scenes quite a bit.  Park Ho San who plays oldest Sang-Hoon has great facial expression and comedic timing. haha.  Funny aside, I really like how YR and KH's blaming game is poignantly true.  Is it how we are as human beings?  We find someone to blame for our mishaps and failures while not admitting our part in the whole scheme.  Funny how both live in the shadow of their failed movie.  He blames her acting and she revels in his current unemployed situation to validate hers.  I like how both come to realization that it is cruel to be happy on the other's failure.  I want both to connect as a couple. 

 

1 hour ago, bedifferent said:

I just want them to get together to prove that middle age is not old to find love.  haha Nana is beautiful.  Give my ajusshi Ki Hoon a haircut, show!

 

One thing I noticed: DH is the middle child from a single parent family.  Middle child is often overlooked and tend to fend for themselves for attention or whatnot.  It’s quite different or rather refreshing to see DH taking on the lead to help his brothers, I have to keep reminding myself that he is responsible not because he is the eldest  Is that why he tends to pacify the situations with the finesse of the one in the middle? 

 

 

I am also loving this arc of the drama.

 

I resonate with @bedifferent's point on the angle where people tend to blame others for their mishaps and failures. But I want to believe that Yoo-Ra does look up to Ki Hoon and has been smitten by him ever since they work together. However fully aware of her own incompetence and his total disdain over her artistry as an actress, she feels totally unworthy of Ki Hoon.  

 

Ki Hoon standing at his lowest point in his career has now brought about a level playing field for Yu Ra. This change in dynamic means she is now able to take initiative to step up and move forward, create opportunity and make advances to get close to Ki Hoon without the inferiority complex.

 

Just my thoughts.

[TJ Starcandy]

3 hours ago, bedifferent said:

I really enjoy reading your posts   For me, sharing a meal is a gesture of friendship and being comfortable with each other.  The best meals that I've had were about the company and convos, memorable more for that than the food.  I am one of those who are afraid of office parties for the sheer obligatory politics, those meals that not from the heart, full of power plays, fear.. like Ji-An. There has to be connection, a need to share your space with someone without that uneasiness.  You just don't break bread with your enemies or people you don't like.  You share meals with people who regards you as equal or better yet, see you as a person not a temp.

 

Agree. In my culture, meal sharing is something personal that you share with someone close. Jian likes to eat alone in the dark except when she insisted on having meals with DH.  If she only likes to find out about him, she could just have bugged his phone and not share a meal.  Those little quirks that the PD is adding into the scene are interesting like the fruit persimmons and its meaning in the story. 

 

 

5 hours ago, sadiesmith said:

Exactly!  And this is why it's such an enjoyable viewing, because of the constant guessing.  I will pretend all the spoilers are thrown to misguide us, yes, including the Goblin reference, and just let the story take me to the conclusion.  

 

@sadiesmith Here's my positive take: A script is the writer's version of the story and it can be change anytime. I have heard stories that kdramas don't even get the final version of the script until the day of the shoot. Moreover, the PD also have creative control on how the script will be translated on screen.  So Kim Won Suk technically can change things around and portray the character developments differently from the script. So far this PD has been teasing us a lot about the connection of Jian and DH. 

[TJ Starcandy]

1 hour ago, maddymappo said:

Question of the day: Is LJA now debt-free, seeing that LGI did break into her house that night? Would it be that easy?

 

Jian will never be debt free. I don't think that loan shark will honor their agreement. Gwang Il is so obsessed of making Jian's life miserable  that he might as well marry her because that is the easiest way to live in misery. Just ask DH and YH

[maddymappo]

8 minutes ago, timidjock0819 said:

 

Jian will never be debt free. I don't think that loan shark will honor their agreement. Gwang Il is so obsessed of making Jian's life miserable  that he might as well marry her because that is the easiest way to live in misery. Just ask DH and YH

very funny,  but the quote is actually from @liddi  I tnink the casting director made the loan shark way too handsome. He is beating her up and terrorizing her grandma, and  I am so angry at myself because I should be hating him more. 

[TJ Starcandy]

24 minutes ago, maddymappo said:

very funny,  but the quote is actually from @liddi  I tnink the casting director made the loan shark way too handsome. He is beating her up and terrorizing her grandma, and  I am so angry at myself because I should be hating him more. 

 

My apologies to @liddi for the misquote. He is really handsome that I start to think of applying for a loan. But seriously, kudos to JKY  for adding so much layers with Gwang Il's character that I cannot fully  hate him despite the beatings and violence. 

[sadiesmith]

1 hour ago, not1but3 said:

I am also loving this arc of the drama.

 

I resonate with @bedifferent's point on the angle where people tend to blame others for their mishaps and failures. But I want to believe that Yoo-Ra does look up to Ki Hoon and has been smitten by him ever since they work together. However fully aware of her own incompetence and his total disdain over her artistry as an actress, she feels totally unworthy of Ki Hoon.  

 

Ki Hoon standing at his lowest point in his career has now brought about a level playing field for Yu Ra. This change in dynamic means she is now able to take initiative to step up and move forward, create opportunity and make advances to get close to Ki Hoon without the inferiority complex.

 

Just my thoughts.

I can't wait to see this story, or something like it, play out.  I found Yura both frustrating and adorable.

 

The other question is the oldest brother Park Sang Hoon.  I am sure the production team did not convince Oh Dal Su, a huge movie actor pre-scandal, to join this drama without offering him something substantial for his character.  So far he has not been fully fleshed out and I can't tell where we are headed.  But there must be something big coming, right?

[maddymappo]

36 minutes ago, sadiesmith said:

I can't wait to see this story, or something like it, play out.  I found Yura both frustrating and adorable.

 

The other question is the oldest brother Park Sang Hoon.  I am sure the production team did not convince Oh Dal Su, a huge movie actor pre-scandal, to join this drama without offering him something substantial for his character.  So far he has not been fully fleshed out and I can't tell where we are headed.  But there must be something big coming, right?

The actor playing Park Sang Hoon is Park Ho-San . There is a resemblance.

 

1 hour ago, timidjock0819 said:

 

My apologies to @liddi for the misquote. He is really handsome that I start to think of applying for a loan. But seriously, kudos to JKY  for adding so much layers with Gwang Il's character that I cannot fully  hate him despite the beatings and violence. 

Well not to worry.. Chang Ki-Yong is soon to be starring in "Come Here and Give Me A Hug"  about two people who have wounded hearts because of a murder case in the past.  I guess, he'll be moving on. 

Edited April 9, 2018 by Jillia
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