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

[ninaanin]

 

My dialogue with my 12 yo daughter about the last scenes (I showed to her only this part):

 

She - Will they not end together?!?! .... Oh, they are cute!! 

Me - Cute, how cute?

She - Ah very cute. 

Me - What kind of feelings you think they have?

She - Ah they are romantic feelings... It's a romance...

Me - .... [showing some doubt in my face]

She - Is it not a romance??!!!??!!!

Me - Some think it is not.

She - Mom!!! They speak telephaticaly!!! Telephathy!!! ... It is a romance!

 

lol. I thought she was being very cute in her reactions lol. 

[sadiesmith]

1 hour ago, justamom said:

I really want to write another really long essay because all of your reviews have given me so much to think about (and possibly a short fan fic too!). But it'll have to be piecemeal for now because I'm going on a weekend trip with the family and more importantly, I just watched #16 again with the husband! And he has a completely different view from me even though we watched the same damn thing! I'm starting to wonder if I married the wrong man! 

 

Around episodes #13/14, he commented that this was such a touching story, their love for each other was so deep.. etc so I asked him, how do you think it will end? That's when he made the passing stars in the night comment (which turned out to be true) but he also said "she's infatuated. and he's just a father figure to her." After watching #16, he gloated. "It's just as I expected."

 

Me: "What about that longing gaze?"

Him: "You're imagining things. It's the contented smile of a father figure knowing his young friend is doing well."

Me: "What about that moment when he broke down?"

Him: "He misses his wife?"

 

 

I almost threw the pillow at him! But I held my emotions in check and asked him what he meant. He said he hasn't had a moment in the show where he felt that Dong Hoon had romantic (ie longing, lust) feelings for her. I'll admit I never thought their attraction was sexual on his part, I just thought it was a very deep need to have her back by his side. And that, to me, is the deepest sort of love. 

 

Soompians, I need some comforting! Did I marry the wrong guy?? 

 

P/S Let me just add. He was completely bored by Secret Love Affair, my all time favourite drama next to My Ahjussi

 

I definitely married the right guy (who would live watch every single LSK's drama with me), but he belongs to the group who thinks the drama is ruined if the relationship goes beyond friendship.    So consider yourself lucky that at least he was with you for 14 episodes.

[hushhh]

I've decide to finish the drama in the way that suits me.

 

For me it is a story of human goodness, human deep connection, and a human philanthropic love on the part of Donghoon and first love hero-worship JiAn.

 

Personally I would have preferred a reconciliation between Donghoon and YH [I don't need any lectures on how I am wrong to even want that. ] I think what YH did was wrong, but not irredeemable [from a western standpoint]. But I will bow to South Koreans with deeper cultural knowledge on the consequences of her behavior.  There are elements that weren't spelt out that folks within the culture know as a given.

 

-The drama did not want them together.  For me JiAn's  overwhelming invasion of privacy is as, perhaps more problematic than YH's affair. [But then I'm obsessive about privacy.]

 

-The drama wanted JiAn redeemed so it showed us why she made her questionable decision.  They did not want YH behavior to be seen through a sympathetic light so they don't provide any justification for her choices.  They do however paint her as a decent human being who made a very bad decision.

 

-Even though adultery is no longer technically a crime, I'm sure the stigma still remains. I never thought how it would affect YH career.

 

-From what I read in forum, her professional reputation is probably in shreds, and finding work must be an issue.  The adultery is probably so public a matter win a conservative country that a healthy happily ever after would be a uphill battle.

 

-Although I think anyone who loves DongHoo [except his Mom and a non-therapy improved KH] will go with his decision, it is clear that the society he lives in would not support a reconciliation. 

 

-As much as I love the way that neighborhood nurture's its residence, I feel as if the brothers are emotionally co-joined in a very unhealthy way.  There was too much emotional dependence on DongHoon and the other men seem emotionally stunted for him to create healthy independent relationship.

 

-[This is projection, I'm sure] SH and KH gave so many problems that there was never any room in his home for his issues. I think the greatest undiscussed injustice was Donghoon separation  from his best friend.  In that case JH grief took up so much space in the neighborhood it left no room for Donghoon to grieve.  The most relax and communicative I saw him was in the presence of his best friend.

 

-[No  one will agree on me with this, which is fine I don't need them to.] I think Donghoon's mother won't regret the break in his marriage and I believe she made it difficult, if not impossible for YH to become a part of the family.  Donghoon was the neighborhood's star that carried all its hope.  I'm not sure why Donghoon's mother though that YH was a competition for him, and was ultimately better than him.  But DH's mother never wanted anyone "better'" than him to eclipse his star.  For her, YH eclipsed Donghoon's star.

[justamom]

7 minutes ago, anipanch said:

 

And now, he is at the point where he actually after all those years defied everything he believed was expected from him. He let go of his wife and exited a very high position in a good company, that's when he breaks down. He freed himself from all the past unnecessary feels that bugged him all those years.

New DH is finally free and actually ready to pursue what he wants and not what others expect from him (That includes JA as well  )

 

P.S. Let's go easy on our precious DH, he endured so many hardships. Man literally experienced real love for a woman in his 40s and with a 21 years old at that. Of course he would freak out and try to get away. It's not easy to accept something so deep and important when you spend 43 years living such a dull life. 

 

That’s so interesting. To me he broke down because of his pathetic existence, then decided to go about changing his life.

 

Love what you said about DH freaking out. That’s my answer to @aisling‘s question too about why he was avoiding Jeong Hee’s bar. I mean the obvious reason is he’s afraid of gossip, but really, I think he’s afraid he will spontaneously combust in her nearness...

[anipanch]

5 minutes ago, hushhh said:

Personally I would have preferred a reconciliation between Donghoon and YH

So I understand your point of view completely and I'm not quoting to disagree with you just wanted to point to something small. What your post just made me think about is that actually, DH forgave YH pretty much immediately. He was ready to continue on with his knowledge about the affair without addressing it and he probably wouldn't say anything, it was YH who brought the subject up and asked for forgiveness because the shame was too much.

In the end, DH and YH's marriage problem wasn't about infidelity. In my eyes, she somehow partially at least redeemed herself, with helping DH so selflessly and deciding to expose her wrongdoings to the world. The real problem DH and YH had was broken bond and connection. Even after 15 years of living together they couldn't relate to each other's needs and wants, they were on completely different pages. YH didn't know things JA managed to understand about DH in just 2-3 months.

How does one reconcile a marriage with someone who doesn't understand you, who doesn't see the world the same as you?

[invisiblev]

Hi all, can I get some enlightenment on the ending of My Mister, probably some details that I missed and wanted very much to know. At the end of the drama Ji An bumped into Dong Hoon at the café, and he was talking to his friend and mentioned his wife in the US...it seems she is staying there but he is still technically not divorced with her yet right? So they are still husband and wife even though they are living apart, and he mentioned that his wife chose to stay there, so they still contact each other? 

 

The ending scene implied further interactions between Ahjussi and Ji An, and he seemed happy to hear that she will buy him a meal etc. and in some scenes before this his facial expressions also showed that he actually missed her when she said she was going to Busan for work...but their relationship probably wouldn't progress further in a romantic way as he is still in contact with his wife and knowing Ahjussi's character, he would never do something that is out of his principles...so do you all see it as an open ending for Ji An and Ahjussi to explore possibility of romantic relationship, or is it going to be a stalemate situation and possibility of them overcoming their feelings for each other and remain platonic? 

[aisling]

@sadiesmith LOL!! I was laughing so hard at your post about that hoodie!! You have keen eyes  He’s really a magnificent actor, even though his onscreen characters get cheated all the time, he portrays it differently each time. But I think we can agree that Park Dong Hoon is his lifetime role. During first two episodes his acting was so subtle I thought his character would be pretty boring (compared to IU’s role) but as we gradually got to know DH I became more and more enamoured of him... I need LSK fix right away but I think it’ll be quite difficult to watch him in any other roles right now. 

 

My Ahjussi easily became one of Top 5 of my favourite k-dramas. 

 

1) Coffee Prince 

2) My Ahjussi 

3) Signal 

4) Forest of Secrets 

5) Circle 

 

And yes, I like all kinds of drama genres!

[MsMinnieFran]

2 hours ago, timidjock0819 said:

 

Sorry for cutting your post short. Aside from YH leaving,  may I also add that Jian was partly the reason for DH's breakdown. She was always been the person who comforted him and made him breathe to go on.. In a way, seeing Jian everyday distracted him from feeling the actual pain of his crumbling marriage. With Jian gone, all that pent up emotional pain resurfaced and he had no other choice but to confront it that's when he finally broke down on his own. A good way for DH because in order to heal, he needs to start rebuilding within and learning to pick up the pieces of what is left and putting it back together on his own . 

 

YH asking for beer was also an important point and quite symbolic. All throughout the show DH will ask her if she needed anything. She would always say just get whatever you want, or no, just head home. This time around YH asked him so specific  like a beer, the only thing she wanted for him to get in the entirety of the show. It meant that they must finally had the sit down talk and decided on their marriage. Then she left for the States right after to be with their son. It is clear at that point YH decided to exit their marriage and start a new life. 

 

The other huge no turning back in their marriage sign: when Jian asked YH why she cheated on DH? she replied there are thousand reasons but to think about it there is no real reason of why I did that to him.. How can you fix something when the reason and corresponding solution don't exist?  YH clearly declared that she cheated on him because she wanted to.. It was more because of her own selfishness as a person. That scene really boiled my intense hate for her and made her a big beeyoch in my opinion until the very end.  

 

That popular 30 second handshake. He was tugging at Jian's hand so hard that it might have turned blue already. (Yah LSG oppa please be careful with those tiny hands, they are quite precious in the Korean music scene). I also noticed he briefly stared at their hands intertwined, and so was Jian. It was DH's way of encouraging Jian creating an opening for her.. In other words, our Ajusshi is flirting so Jian took the chance and asked him for a meal date. 

 

Jian's sadness in the final scene? I never saw it as sadness but rather her usual painful longing gaze only reserved for DH alone. It never changed because of how poetic it was captured in camera all the time with the background song "Ordinary Day" to accompany those scenes. This is not the first time we are seeing that look, it was the same gaze in episode 11 or 12 when she was looking directly at DH through his brother's car window.  However, I agree with some users here that Jian appeared more nervous than DH this time around..I would be too especially if you just saw the love of your life for the first time and he was so ecstatic to see you that he almost fractured your hand because of the handshake..  She had the look of determination at the very end there because finding him again gave her confidence and strength. DH always have that way with her and vice versa.

 

The ending is full of possibilities. But we all know DH is looking at Jian's ID badge for a moment, so he knows where he works and how to find her. That ajusshi will always come out and find a reason for his daily "landscaping survey and finding building cracks" in that area where she works. That is DH and JA's habitual thing btw, walking around the neighborhood and surveying the area.. code word for them looking for each other..

 

Yes I saw it as flirting too. Masterfully done DH, that was a smooth move you asking for a "handshake". Honestly, I didn't know DH had it in him. Skinship at its finest....well in their case anyway.

Anyway for those who believe that these two free birds didn't get it on after their meeting...I have bridge to sell you cheap in london..mint condition. 

 

[nearsea]

48 minutes ago, ninaanin said:

 

My dialogue with my 12 yo daughter about the last scenes (I showed to her only this part):

 

She - Will they not end together?!?! .... Oh, they are cute!! 

Me - Cute, how cute?

She - Ah very cute. 

Me - What kind of feelings you think they have?

She - Ah they are romantic feelings... It's a romance...

Me - .... [showing some doubt in my face]

She - Is it not a romance??!!!??!!!

Me - Some think it is not.

She - Mom!!! They speak telephaticaly!!! Telephathy!!! ... It is a romance!

 

lol. I thought she was being very cute in her reactions lol. 

 

She's so clever for a 12 year old! I think she pretty much nailed it. They are speaking in a language that the universe doesn't understand haha.

[sadiesmith]

Some fun BTS pictures:

And my favorite below.  Just beautiful.

 

[sal2]

11 minutes ago, invisiblev said:

Hi all, can I get some enlightenment on the ending of My Mister, probably some details that I missed and wanted very much to know. At the end of the drama Ji An bumped into Dong Hoon at the café, and he was talking to his friend and mentioned his wife in the US...it seems she is staying there but he is still technically not divorced with her yet right? So they are still husband and wife even though they are living apart, and he mentioned that his wife chose to stay there, so they still contact each other? 

 

The ending scene implied further interactions between Ahjussi and Ji An, and he seemed happy to hear that she will buy him a meal etc. and in some scenes before this his facial expressions also showed that he actually missed her when she said she was going to Busan for work...but their relationship probably wouldn't progress further in a romantic way as he is still in contact with his wife and knowing Ahjussi's character, he would never do something that is out of his principles...so do you all see it as an open ending for Ji An and Ahjussi to explore possibility of romantic relationship, or is it going to be a stalemate situation and possibility of them overcoming their feelings for each other and remain platonic? 

 

regarding the conversation between DH and that man in the caffe about YH. according to one person in another forum he said "My kids mom" witch imply that they are separated but keep in contact because of their boy. she also is living in the US with her boy and learn english. DH have always before said wife and had YH saved as Wife on the phone. according to this person it is very disused in korean forum. because it is first time he said My kids mom it is important piece to know if they still married. so yes I think it is a new fresh start for JA and DH after getting healed  also way DH can smile so big at JA. 

[sadiesmith]

This is so funny.  One of the actors in the back spilled beer all over the place and looks like he got a good scolding from LSK, the Big Dork.  

 

[ccl82]

-- Subtitle sabotage! GAH. I watched #16 for the third time on tvN with local subs, and that cafe conversation about YH and JS made more sense, in contrast to the subs on Daebak (using Dramafever's). Also, I cannot recall who mentioned it here, but thank you for pointing out the significance of this conversation topic. JA needed to (over)hear where  DH's at with his marriage.

-- Ji-an's lingering 'sadness'...  I think this is just down to Ji-an's personality. Even when she was happy, she didn't exactly turn into Little Ms Sunshine. After all, she's a coffee addict, hehe. 
 

-- While DH's 'declaration of love' as someone put it, is clear to us shippers (or at least some of us), I think it just wasn't the case for JA. Hence: "Why are you being so nice to me?", hence: "A person who can be happy without me has no appeal at all", etc. As she's a straight-to-the-point kinda woman, she can't read between the lines. Nevermind, we know what will definitely happen a year later (we moved from spring to summer, autumn, winter and back to spring). Ahjussi has proven what he's capable of  

 

-- This will come off as shallow, but might I suggest that the next time any writer wanna be this ambiguous, that they NOT pick an ahjussi who looks and sounds delicious? 

 

-- KH really knows DH best. I think the whole thing about the movie was his way of telling DH: if the person who helps you breathe isn't by your side during this difficult time, don't worry; you yourself will have the will to come out strong and survive (this separation). DH moving from the sink (shed a tear) to the loo (some sniffs) to the living room (full breakdown) also made me think of the time KH said it isn't about where to cry/ don't you have a place to cry.

 

-- DH asking his mom "do you think of me as pitiful too"... 

 

-- JA evolving from "Buy me food" to "I'll buy you a meal" is just...  

 

-- Also, I love how loyal GI's loan shark friend is. He could easily just sell everything to JY, but he didn't, no matter how frustrating it was for him to let go of so much money! GI's last scene made my heart bleed. 

 

3 hours ago, tiger457_stv said:

what she left unsaid is.... Will our destiny cross for the third time???  …….That question was answered at the end.

 

And you know what they say... third time's the charm! 

 

-- Can we give a shout-out to this guy for consistently saying what we're all thinking?!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aisling]

@sadiesmith Who are those two ladies in photos with LSK? Are those his stylists? LOL, did they put on some filter? Because he looks in his early 30s in that second pic. 

 

About IU - I don’t know how close she usually gets with her co-stars but she seems quite at ease and relaxed around LSK sunbae. The way they high-fived and hugged each other was like watching two close friends interacting.

 

[ccl82]

1 hour ago, invisiblev said:

Hi all, can I get some enlightenment on the ending of My Mister, probably some details that I missed and wanted very much to know. At the end of the drama Ji An bumped into Dong Hoon at the café, and he was talking to his friend and mentioned his wife in the US...it seems she is staying there but he is still technically not divorced with her yet right? So they are still husband and wife even though they are living apart, and he mentioned that his wife chose to stay there, so they still contact each other? 

 

The ending scene implied further interactions between Ahjussi and Ji An, and he seemed happy to hear that she will buy him a meal etc. and in some scenes before this his facial expressions also showed that he actually missed her when she said she was going to Busan for work...but their relationship probably wouldn't progress further in a romantic way as he is still in contact with his wife and knowing Ahjussi's character, he would never do something that is out of his principles...so do you all see it as an open ending for Ji An and Ahjussi to explore possibility of romantic relationship, or is it going to be a stalemate situation and possibility of them overcoming their feelings for each other and remain platonic? 

 

If you ask me, there is only one ending: they will be together. The clues that I'm seeing are all pointing in that direction. 

 

She's back in Seoul >> She's gonna buy him a delicious meal >> She's gonna call him (if we know JA, she means what she says)

 

He's grinning like an idiot (if we know DH, and we do, it's all in his face & eyes)

 

And these are just clues from the last scene. I'm sure you will find way more by scrolling through this thread/ re-watching his & her expressions. 

[maddymappo]

11 hours ago, africandramalover said:

GOOD MORNING PEOPLE!!

The Queen of Self Control is back!! I stayed off grid as I had decided, but man, was it hard or what!! I would check the page count after the episodes just to know how much there is to get through, but I resisted the whispers from Soompi to read the forum. My tablet also kept sending me notifications from Tumblr about posts from people writing about My Mister, but I had to hang on!!! You should have seen me in the gym, working hard on that treadmill trying to forget about My Mister.

 

I FINALLY watched both episodes at around 1 am my time. 

 

This is truly a great moment to be alive. To be able to watch this drama. AMAZING!!

 

 

 

Thanks!! HWAITING!!

 

 

Most importantly, the ending didn't "carry me mangoes", i.e take me for a fool.

 

 

If they didn't have that press conference, I would be with you. I would be struggling about it. However, My Mister is not my number 2 drama, it is now my number 1.5 bestest drama. Most definitely!

 

1. SLA

1.5 My Mister

2. City Hall

 

Key questions:

 

1. was the end satisfactory?

 

In a very Misaeng ending, as someone had predicted, DH starts his own successful firm. It's not that he didn't want to rise in his career, he just couldn't see himself rise in S E&C.

 

As far as I am concerned, all lose ends were tied. Most importantly, the issue of the wiretap was cleared.

 

Gangster KI - finally got redemption from the pain he has been carrying. I LOVED how he saved the day by copying the audio files and sending them in a courier envelope similar to the bribery envelope at the beginning of the drama. That callback scene was genius!!

 

JH - Finally got her apology. I would have loved for the MONK to say a bit more, but JH now has the opportunity to move on because Monk is the one who FINALLY came looking for her to release her from the pain he had put her in. ( I was low key hoping he had come back to her but I am fine with their conversation. hehehhehee!!)

 

SH - Finally let go of his pre-occupation with his mother's death by managing the last rites for JA's grandma. I loved how he was "gloating" at what he has done,only for someone to tell him to shut up!  

 

KH - Finally faced his fear of failure in the movie industry.

 

2. Did they or did they not get back together? 

 

As far as I am concerned, with the way the show was wrapped up, the POSSIBILITY for them to get together has been laid bare. JA no longer has her wiretapping and sabotage crimes hanging over her. DH forgave her and understood. YH and DH are divorced as far as I am concerned (indefinite further studies in USA? Divorce). JA had gone to Busan for work, but now she returns to Seoul. If I am not wrong, they now work in the same area, orbiting around S E&C. Everything they need to be together has been laid out for us and them. They will probably meet at the subway. If JA doesn't call him first.

 

(I wish it had ended with them walking out of the coffee shop and doing their iconic stroll, but I'm good!)

 

3. Should LSK and LJE work together?

 

Yes, but not soon. Three or so years from now, when we've gotten over the feelings of the drama and can just view them as two good actors instead of expecting a continuation of the drama.

 

4. Where do these actors go from here?

 

I don't know how they will top this drama. They cannot go back to doing average dramas now. Especially IU, if she wants to entrench her status as a star actress. A good script comes every other year. IU has to be more discerning, now that she's a level above  her peers.

 

Maybe she can do more films. There are meatier roles there for her, where "VIOLENCE" and "AGE GAPS" are not a problem. smh!! lol!!

 

5. I think this is the first drama I have seen where other actors were openly expressing their appreciation for the drama and the roles played here. Everyone was taking a video or photo of their TV screen and sharing what the drama means to them. I think the drama has Korea shook.

 

6. Key scenes.

 

 

OMG!!!! WHEN DH faces his empty house and breaks down!!!!

 

I also got my HUG!

 

Despite not knowing what would happen in the end, I at least guessed that grandma's death would be pivotal.

 

I LOVE how the writer used that scene to wrap up story lines. She did not just use it to draw tears from the audience and move on.

 

Sang Hoon found his redemption here. He was able to hold the funeral that he had dreamed of. I think it was also a funeral to his past life and a rebirth and liberation for him. He let go of his failure as a first born son, his failure as a husband and was able to move on.

 

After the funeral, we hear that he has gone to his in-laws for a party, with the expectation that he would try to reunite with his wife. The feeling of failure that he felt, especially in not being a provider must has been cremated at that funeral.( The romantic in me says that his wife took him back, but she has to explain to him why she thinks marrying him was the second best thing. )

 

Perhaps the most important rebirth or liberation was for JA. When SH decides to throw a funeral and call up the gang, the whole neighbourhood comes through. You could see how she kept looking around in wonder at all these people who could be marshaled in seconds to come for a funeral of her grandma, when they had only met JA once or twice.

 

The scene where they follow her out of the colombarium(?) , chat on the steps, and then run to the bus was laden with meaning. She has somewhere she belongs, a group of people she belongs to and people who claim her. The umbrella of community was something she had lacked for her entire life. She learns to be with other people and not to be alone. In S E&C she was a temp, alone in her corner. At the new company, she has her own little clique with whom she goes for coffee break, and she is comfortable with them. SQUADDDD!!

 

The time jump scene was also brilliantly executed. Instead of saying, "ONE YEAR LATER", the writer chooses to show how KI and YR's relationship deteriorates through the seasons. I could smell trouble at the pub when YR jumped in to clarify that KH is a cleaner only for a while.

 

The time jump is about this particular argument and KH telling YR that if she cannot handle him being a cleaner, they should break up. YR secretly hopes that he can go back to being a more respectable Director, but he is content with being a cleaner. They love each other, but clearly, fundamental issues remain.

 

I seriously want to kiss this writer on the LIPS!!!

 

When KI watches YR's film and traces how broken she was at the beginning of the shoot, to her A-List status because she was able to face her fears (with his help), he also gains the strength to face his failed career. When he sits at the desk and starts writing the first scene, I was there with him in spirit.

 

Guys, writing can shatter your self esteem and confidence. When facing a blank page. Or getting stuck in the story. Or when your story stops making sense to you. By the time a screenplay appears on a screen, best believe the writer has given up on writing a number of times. However, your bum will always be drawn back to the chair and desk......

 

I felt like the closing statement was direct from the writer, even if it was attributed to the Loans Gangster....

 

"You are all decent people.May you hang in there till you find comfort for yourselves. I was once in the same situation as you. I will help you as if we were family."

 

HMMMM!!!! This drama was her way of helping us.

 

All in all, this drama was brilliant and an amazing ride. I loved being on the forum and waiting for Wednesday/Thursday. Everyone's views here were so amazing. I learned a lot, people pointed out things I had missed out on, and the character and scene analyses were on point!

 

Thank you everyone. Thank you to the Writer, Production team and actors.

 

 

However, I hope this is the last heavy drama for 2018. My spirit is so heavy. I need to get back to equilibrium with some romcoms or something.

 

SUGGESTION: Could we write a thank you letter to the writer? I think the association of Korean screenwriters can forward the letter/email to her.

 

Thank you @africandramalover I think you really said it all here. Everything I was thinking and a lot more, I didn't realize. Yes this was brilliantly written.

 

And even while I agree with everything you said, I am still unhappy about JH and the monk. "Live happily".   -  Notice how the beginning of the the 16th episode finale -  that meeting between the monk and JH,  bookends the  final meeting between DH and Jiann, are you living happily?  Yes I am living happily.  Ah, then, why do I feel so hollow and empty inside of me, so unsatisfied?    JH has lived for 20 years in misery, how is she suddenly released by that visit?   Does 20 years of yearning of bitterness and anger so easily dissolve?  Yet, its a lot more than most people get after a bitter end to a romance, even after a lifetime of regret and sorrow.  

 

I was also a  bit disappointed by Jian's  look and attire at the end, I would have liked a more upbeat sophisticated look for her. But of course, the simplicity is quintessential JiAn. Never frivolous or vain.  Didn't get  why were we just viewing her pony tail at first?  Was her face supposed to be a surprise?     

 

Most moving for me was DH's breakdown as he sat alone in his apartment.  He had successfully accomplished all there was to accomplish. He and his wife exposed the shameful affair.  Now that is was in the open she could depart. He has saved director KDW, his wife has gone to the US to be with their son (always a done deal), the bad guys have been punished.  After the storm, the peace of just me and Tv (know the feeling well) is a let down.   The strife, the angst, the persecution, his impeccable taking of complete responsibility for the resolution of JiAn's complex life of suffering, there he is, alone. in the world, even his  mom and brothers cannot fill that emptiness.  Jian asks YH why she could cheat on such  a man.  YH says there are a thousand reasons.  Perhaps being impeccable and correct, in control of his emotions, his insistence of sanity and righteousness = made him an infuriating, insufferable bore.  Did these two sleep together? Jian would know - wouldn't she?  We were never privy to the scenes of them in the bedroom  - or maybe he left his cellphone in the dining room. 

, .  

JiAn is about the most happy. (I guess).   As much as it hurt for her to part from DH, she is a very young woman with great hopes for the future.  She has that coveted big company employee's badge hanging from her neck, financial security etc.   She is pretty, and so smart.

 

I truly hope that DH and JiAn go out for that wonderful dinner together, and that they don't put off marriage any longer. They have waited enough.   I just wish the writer dared to go there and let us take a peek of that ending.  

 

AND TO ALL THE FOLLOWERS HERE ON THIS THREAD

Let's All

LIVE HAPPILY

[arctichare]

I'm going to miss this show very very much.

 

The show was beautiful, nuanced, subtle, and it stayed true to its nature till the very end.

 

I'm not usually the kind of person to actually literally cry during tv shows/films. Sure I'll say things like I'M CRYING!!! but am I actually crying? No, my heart is made of stone.

But this show did it. The scene where Ji An cries over her grandmother. It really broke me. I was thinking why that is. So many shows and films have scenes like this. I think this was the line that really did it - "Let's meet each other again". The way she said that. It broke my heart and mended it all at once. I started crying at that point and I don't think I really stopped after that.

 

I was expecting this kind of open ending - a fresh new start for Ji An and Dong Hoon. But I don't think there was anything open ended about Dong Hoon's marriage. Sure it was subtle but that's just how the writer rolls. The show seemed very clear to me about this point. The marriage is over, they are no longer together. The rest is just semantics.

After Dong Hoon sees off Yoon Hee to the airport and we see his breakdown at the apartment. The apartment is sparse and void of Yoon Hee's touch. She didn't leave for a few weeks, she left forever. Again we are shown the photographs at Dong Hoon's desk but now there's no picture of the three of them together anymore. I was wondering too why the writer had Dong Hoon talk about his family at the exact moment that Ji An hears him. I think that was very deliberate as well. It was to reiterate that Yoon Hee was still in the U.S. and she was not coming back. She wants to stay there. And lastly, we hear Dong Hoon refer to Yoon Hee as his "kid's mom" instead of his wife, which is in stark contrast to the rest of the show (and the rest of the episode itself). I don't think the writer was being deliberately ambiguous about this but rather in tone with the rest of the show - it was subtle and understated.

 

But the ending with Ji An and Dong Hoon. Now that's a classic open ending. The story can go wherever we want it to go.

How incredible that what leads Ji An back to Dong Hoon is his voice. And now she's the one who's shy and reticent and looking up at him through her lashes, and Dong Hoon is so open with his happiness. I think Ji An was really nervous and didn't know where she fit into his life anymore and then Dong Hoon asks for that handshake. (He actually asks for what he wants. "Buy me another pair of slippers.") She takes his hand and asks for what she wants. "I'll buy you a meal." I thought Dong Hoon's smile was going to split his face. I know that some people would see this as some kind of ending. But I just can't. I can't ignore the sheer happiness that was radiating off the two of them. I can't ignore how happy these two make each other. So in the words of our great sage Yura -

"Let's love. Let's love." 

[sadiesmith]

I have been refreshing Dramabeans waiting for the last two recaps.  I am sure I won't be "disappointed" by the reactions, IYKWIM. 

[nearsea]

28 minutes ago, arctichare said:

But the ending with Ji An and Dong Hoon. Now that's a classic open ending. The story can go wherever we want it to go.

How incredible that what leads Ji An back to Dong Hoon is his voice. And now she's the one who's shy and reticent and looking up at him through her lashes, and Dong Hoon is so open with his happiness. I think Ji An was really nervous and didn't know where she fit into his life anymore and then Dong Hoon asks for that handshake. (He actually asks for what he wants. "Buy me another pair of slippers.") She takes his hand and asks for what she wants. "I'll buy you a meal." I thought the smile on Dong Hoon's face was going to split his face. I know that some people would see this as some kind of ending. But I just can't. I can't ignore the sheer happiness that was radiating off the two of them. I can't ignore how happy these two make each other. So in the words of our great sage Yura -

"Let's love. Let's love."

1

Your words are almost making me wish/ yearn for a sequel like 'before sunrise/sunset'! I wish we could get a sequel haha. But I think you expressed the details of those subtle expressions quite well. Almost making me optimistic that they will go for a dinner on the next day.

 

31 minutes ago, arctichare said:

I was wondering too why the writer had Dong Hoon talk about his family at the exact moment that Ji An hears him. I think that was very deliberate as well. It was to reiterate that Yoon Hee was still in the U.S. and she was not coming back. She wants to stay there. And lastly, we hear Dong Hoon refer to Yoon Hee as his "kid's mom" instead of his wife, which is in stark contrast to the rest of the show (and the rest of the episode itself). I don't think the writer was being deliberately ambiguous about this but rather in tone with the rest of the show - it was subtle and understated.

 

This. I was also wondering why the writer would include this, at first the reason that came to mind would be to give us the signal that she's still there in his life, she's important? But now, it just makes more sense that, of course,  the writer is actually telling us that yoon hee is settled there in her new life. Also did I hear right that she's taking the bar exam in the US? That means something right? You don't take that formidable exam unless you have a plan for staying there for a long term. 

1 hour ago, ccl82 said:

She's back in Seoul >> She's gonna buy him a delicious meal >> She's gonna call him (if we know JA, she means what she says)

 

 Well said, you're damn right she will!

[chickfactor]

9 hours ago, maddymappo said:

 

 

I was also a  bit disappointed by Jian's  look and attire at the end, I would have liked a more upbeat sophisticated look for her. But of course, the simplicity is quintessential JiAn. Never frivolous or vain.  Didn't get  why were we just viewing her pony tail at first?  Was her face supposed to be a surprise?     

 

 

 

I interpreted that sequence this way: she's living a great life, a life she's never known, a fun and fulfilling life for a woman in her early 20s. Good job, friends, working as a sign language teacher, too... but her life is not complete until she sees HIM again. That is why we don't see her face until that moment.

 

They needed this year-long break. Ji-An did need to get away, free for the first time in her life, and enjoy life on her own. She has never known this kind of carefree, normal life. She needed this time to herself. Maybe after being by herself for a while, she can figure out what she really wants.

 

When they see each other again, he looks absolutely thunderstruck. They begin their conversation catching up, "so where do you work now?" Etc.

 

Then he asks to shake hands. When they shook their hands, it really was electric. He looks into her eyes and says, "Thank you." Thank you for what? Everything she's done for him, for being happy and healthy, for staying strong and growing up, for being here right now.

 

Everything they've felt for each other before is still there, still the same. She immediately lowers her voice slightly and becomes the Ji-An she used to be. She offers to buy him something to eat. He grins, very chuffed, just like when she told him what a great person he is.

 

*siiiigh*