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

[rellea]

Apparently the commentary they filmed for the director cut DVD/blu ray is 6 hours long!! Holy cow they work fast! I'm so excited!! But it looks like they won't talk specifically about donghoon and jian's relationship... I guess since so many people interpret the drama differently they want to respect the various opinions. Which is the only way they could have gone about it in the end, really, but it's still a huge bummer.

 

11 hours ago, justamom said:

I'll try and translate later.... @rellea no obligation, but...

 

"No matter how I see it, the funeral looks like a wedding"

http://gall.dcinside.com/board/view/?id=mymister&no=57092&page=1&search_pos=&s_type=search_all&s_keyword=장례식

 

Here's my translation of the first link:

 

In some ways, the funeral was like a wedding.

It felt like SH's way of repaying DH for the 500000 won he gave him for his daughter's wedding. Like a wedding present to celebrate their future together. Also, as SH himself was a barrier for DH, this resolved that issue (I think maybe they're referring to how he told DH not to divorce YH no matter what?). BongAe passed away blessed as well. She died having said she was the happiest she ever felt in her life. And leaving behind her words of a good "inyeon" and to live happily. This could be seen as her blessing the two. Yura's formal greeting to YH and the way DH took on the role of head of the household making it so that YH had no choice but to leave. The way Choondae looked at JA then at DH it was like he was entrusting her to him... the highlight was when JA and DH placed the urn in the case together. It felt like a life and death promise (to be together in life and death?).

[justamom]

Thanks @rellea you’re the best!!!

 

43 minutes ago, rellea said:

Apparently the commentary they filmed for the director cut DVD/blu ray is 6 hours long!! Holy cow they work fast! I'm so excited!! But it looks like they won't talk specifically about donghoon and jian's relationship... I guess since so many people interpret the drama differently they want to respect the various opinions. Which is the only way they could have gone about it in the end, really, but it's still a huge bummer.

 

 

Where did you read this? I saw some comments on DC Inside but there was nothing from the PD team. Please share links!!

 

edit:

honestly, I think from the scripts alone it will be clear enough. As a writer I understand. You shouldn’t have to write a “teacher’s guide” for the readers.

 

edit2: 

Reading an ongoing debate between the love line and no love line folks, because one guy commented “I don’t see the love. What love?” It’s hilarious! OMG, was this what it was like when the show aired? One comment:

 

”This forum used to be split 50:50. But almost all the no love line folks have left. That’s why it feels that way.”

[anipanch]

1 hour ago, rellea said:

Apparently the commentary they filmed for the director cut DVD/blu ray is 6 hours long!! Holy cow they work fast! I'm so excited!! But it looks like they won't talk specifically about donghoon and jian's relationship... I guess since so many people interpret the drama differently they want to respect the various opinions. Which is the only way they could have gone about it in the end, really, but it's still a huge bummer.

 

oh man, are they trying to kill me? Not even in the commentary which is 6 freaking hours long??? There has to be like 5 minutes about them somewhere, I won't believe until I see it by my own eyes 

[rellea]

36 minutes ago, justamom said:

Thanks @rellea you’re the best!!!

 

 

Where did you read this? I saw some comments on DC Inside but there was nothing from the PD team. Please share links!!

 

edit:

honestly, I think from the scripts alone it will be clear enough. As a writer I understand. You shouldn’t have to write a “teacher’s guide” for the readers.

 

I think they put updates on their cafe daum page (http://m.cafe.daum.net/Mymister). I tried poking around but there are certain pages you can't access unless you've reached a certain membership level on the site. Which is where I'm assuming all these people are getting this news from.

 

Yeah, I agree. In a way, it would take away from the drama if they gave us the "right answer". Still, I would have loved to hear about the thought process behind developing their relationship.

[justamom]

8 minutes ago, rellea said:

I think they put updates on their cafe daum page (http://m.cafe.daum.net/Mymister). I tried poking around but there are certain pages you can't access unless you've reached a certain membership level on the site. Which is where I'm assuming all these people are getting this news from.

 

 

Whaaaaa!! Korean social media is complicated. Why do they do that?? No wonder I kept getting the hand sign. 

 

I noticed that Lee Seon Gyun and IU have been conspicuously silent in the press post shooting. Nothing, zilch. Usually after such an impactful drama there’d be lots of interviews, etc. The whole controversy must have hit them hard. 

 

@anipanch yeah Ikr!! I mean 6 hours and they don’t talk about their relationship, which is like, the main thing from episodes 5-16?? I find that hard to believe???

 

just to take a step back from this whole love line no love line shebang.

 

I agree with what they said. It’s a healing drama. Not a romance, and definitely not a romance in typical K drama sense. But there definitely is a love story, and it’s a great one. 

 

As said earlier, I also think Dong Hoon for most part, probably until the breakdown and perhaps only after seeing her again at the cafe, was in denial about his feelings for her. It’s easier to process his feelings that way. And the handshake is just the beginning.

 

I mean come on. Why else would they have gone to the effort of shooting a close up of Dong Hoon’s hand imprint???

 

 

[sadiesmith]

9 hours ago, justamom said:

edit2: 

Reading an ongoing debate between the love line and no love line folks, because one guy commented “I don’t see the love. What love?” It’s hilarious! OMG, was this what it was like when the show aired? One comment:

 

”This forum used to be split 50:50. But almost all the no love line folks have left. That’s why it feels that way.”

 

So it is correct that this soompi thread is the alternate universe of DCinside, with most/all the no love line people having moved on, leaving only those who are still basking in the warmth of this great love.   

 

But joking aside, am I right that recent comments there have been more pro love line?

[anipanch]

11 minutes ago, justamom said:

I noticed that Lee Seon Gyun and IU have been conspicuously silent in the press post shooting. Nothing, zilch. Usually after such an impactful drama there’d be lots of interviews, etc. The whole controversy must have hit them hard. 

Yes! And it just adds to my disappointment. Honestly most of the time I find hard to understand Korean society. I mean, the drama has been finished, everyone has drawn their conclusions and there's still a while until the DVD with the commentary will be realized. Don't the actors have the right to have their opinion on DH and JA's relationship as individuals? It's so interesting to listen to their take on the whole thing and spoils the fun if they won't even talk about it. Yesterday, after my sister finished watching MA we were just talking about various things and she brought up the topic about how the writer of any movie/show/book should make a little conference and share their thought and in general what they tried to convey with their work. If only people did that, looking back at all the things that left me scratching my head or confused is endless

[andius]

Unbelievable, a drama that ended more than a month ago still popped up under Hot Topics with other Current and Upcoming Dramas

[ann04]

2 hours ago, justamom said:

because one guy commented “I don’t see the love. What love?”

Really?? That’s such a biased opinion to suppport the no love line side. Watching it at the time, knowing that they said beforehand it doesn’t include a love line, you could definitely feel that there’s love there. Romantic or not. Isn’t that why there’s so much debate about what kind of love JA and DH has for each other? Because in the first place,  love is there. It was just all about defining what kind of love it is. 

 

2 hours ago, rellea said:

Apparently the commentary they filmed for the director cut DVD/blu ray is 6 hours long!! Holy cow they work fast! I'm so excited!! But it looks like they won't talk specifically about donghoon and jian's relationship... I guess since so many people interpret the drama differently they want to respect the various opinions

I don’t know, for me I feel it’s probably better that they don’t comment much about that? Only because I feel like if they did, they’d try so much to defend the earlier statement in the press con and although we probably already know what they really wanted to convey, they might downplay that and convince the nonshippers that yes, what they have isn’t a romantic kind of love. I feel like it would just ruin all the little nuances (as so many here have said) in the drama and the obviously careful details the director has put in.  Because they wanted to tell us something through those without telling us in words.

 

Thats, probably, in the end, the best ‘commentary’ they could’ve given -  to not say anything and address the conflict of opinions. Because maybe, them staying silent is their way of letting us know that the conclusion the shipper side has reached, is the right one. And isn’t this the reason we’re also still here? We weren’t given a solid statement or let’s say, the direct words, to get the closure the shippers could obviously see in the drama. There were all these clues scattered throughout each episodes and I think the only reason we’re doubting? (I dont think doubt is the right word but cant think of anything more apt at the moment) is because of the earlier statement in the press con. 

 

Looking back now, actually, if I didn’t hear about the presscon before hand, I don’t think Id even have a doubt. 

 

Edit:

but we won’t know until we see the director’s cut ofcourse 

[rellea]

1 hour ago, justamom said:

I noticed that Lee Seon Gyun and IU have been conspicuously silent in the press post shooting. Nothing, zilch. Usually after such an impactful drama there’d be lots of interviews, etc. The whole controversy must have hit them hard. 

 

Even when they mention the drama in variety shows, they generally avoid any mention of the main pairing in favor of junghee's love line or family or the general warmth of the drama. You can just see the MC's faces go stiff when either of the main actors are mentioned in relation to the other. Not because they're against the pairing but because they're afraid of controversy hitting their show.

If the drama is still this controversial over a month after its run, I'm really worried about how it'll do during the end of the year awards. I was secretly holding onto a tiny little hope that they would win the best couple prize (because c'mon... where are you gonna find a more touching love story. It's not possible.) but thinking about it now I must have been delusional to even think it was possible. 

 

Edit: @ann04 

I like your opinion. Let's go with that. 

I think you're right--the fact they can't just casually talk about the main couple and act like the controversy doesn't exist is because they're afraid of saying something that'll spark more controversy. If their relationship was really intended to be platonic (on DH's part at least) then there would be nothing to skirt around. They could just talk about their relationship from DH's perspective as if there's no romance. But they can't. Because it's there. It's everywhere.

[sadiesmith]

7 hours ago, ann04 said:

Really?? That’s such a biased opinion to suppport the no love line side. Watching it at the time, knowing that they said beforehand it doesn’t include a love line, you could definitely feel that there’s love there. Romantic or not. Isn’t that why there’s so much debate about what kind of love JA and DH has for each other? Because in the first place,  love is there. It was just all about defining what kind of love it is. 

 

I don’t know, for me I feel it’s probably better that they don’t comment much about that? Only because I feel like if they did, they’d try so much to defend the earlier statement in the press con and although we probably already know what they really wanted to convey, they might downplay that and convince the nonshippers that yes, what they have isn’t a romantic kind of love. I feel like it would just ruin all the little nuances (as so many here have said) in the drama and the obviously careful details the director has put. Because they wanted to tell us something through those without telling us in words.

 

Thats, probably, in the end, the best ‘commentary’ they could’ve given -  to not say anything and address the conflict of opinions. Because maybe, them staying silent is their way of letting us know that the conclusion the shipper side has reached, is the right one. And isn’t this the reason we’re also still here? We weren’t given a solid statement or let’s say, the direct words, to get the closure the shippers could obviously see in the drama. There were all these clues scattered throughout each episodes and I think the only reason we’re doubting? (I dont think doubt is the right word but cant think of anything more apt at the moment) is because of the earlier statement in the press con. 

 

Looking back now, actually, if I didn’t hear about the presscon before hand, I don’t think Id even have a doubt. 

 

Edit:

but we won’t know until we see the director’s cut ofcourse 

 

I have to agree with you here.  Very very well said.  They must know that people are still discussing this drama (hello!) and most of the deep comments and analysis come from the side of the shippers, both here and on DCinside.  The no love line people seemed to be happy seeing the lack of skinship as proof that the relationship is strictly platonic, and so they moved on very very quickly.  Isn't it interesting that before the start of the show there was such LOUD collective cry against the potential romantic pairing, but now weeks after the show's conclusion the "loudest" voices heard are from the ones seeing and loving seeing signs of romance/love everywhere.  

 

I would be very nervous to hear them say anything about the love line, because of the reasons you said.  In the vlive chat, I could sense LSK's anxiety at having to address this issue.  It's like he felt he was half lying when he had to say this was not a love story knowing damn well this was a love story.  But he had to say it because he was the target of so much criticism and nasty comments, and so for the success of the drama, he would be the first to tamp down any "wrong" ideas people might have at the start of the show.  

 

Edited to add: Although LSK should get an F for failing at executing the no-love/platonic looks.  

[sadiesmith]

I stayed up watching episode 5 last night and noticed a few things that I would not have if I had not been on this forum and read everyone else's thoughts on the moon and its meaning.

 

I don't currently have the time to dig, but I remember a few pages ago we learned that IU wrote Dear Moon with Dong Hoon as her inspiration.  From the lyrics we gathered that Dear Moon is not just a song about the literal moon anymore, but also a metaphor for Dong Hoon.  A few things jumped out to me:

 

1. Grandma tells Ji An that she wants to see the moon, and of course she means that she wants to see the celestial moon.  What she does not know is that not only will she see the moon in the sky but one other that would later shine brightly in her grand daughter's life.  

 

2. Dong Hoon comes looking for Ji An with the persimmons in hand, sits down and looks up the sky.  This is what he sees:

 

The cross and the moon come into sharp focus.  People have noticed, even in the first airing, that the moon unites Dong Hoon to Ji An supernaturally.  Now with the presence of the cross and its symbol for salvation, and the way it is slowly brought into focused, we are also shown that the unification of these two lost souls (through the moon, if you wish) will be the salvation they both desperately need. You saved me...  No, I never truly lived...  And all that.  I actually saw the cross first as it really jumped out at me and had to rewind to find the moon.

 

3. Grandma finally gets to see her moon in the sky, but do you think she is actually thinking about the moon?  No, she is thinking of the person she just met, the one who would later become grand daughter's "light" and salvation, Ji An's own moon.  So in the end, grandma does get to see the moon alright, but from that point on it's the other moon she sees that would hold a special place in her heart.

[popai5]

@h2ogirl Thanks for putting up the gif of JA and DH placing the urn. I made a mistake and said it was JA's little finger but it was her thumb moving up and touching DH's finger/hand.

The motion was jerky so I noticed it. It almost was if she was supposed to do it but forgot so she quickly jerked the finger upward or the PD reminded her to do it. Or it was grandma guiding/pulling her finger to reach up and touch DH.

 

@akhenaten Your comment on DH telling JA to call him when her grandmother dies to show how much he cares for her and that he would treat her like family was right on. It made me think that when he said that he would call JA when his mother died that it was also because he cared for her. But it also made me think that he would call her then because he would probably feel more free to pursue a relationship with JA then because he wouldn't be letting his mom down due to his broken marriage.

 

I've also been watching 'About Time' like you have and I am enjoying the more 'openness' of the characters feelings. The main pair have good chemistry. But I do keep comparing or thinking about how MA did things. And the chemistry is nothing like LSK and LJE. I think I might be doing it for a long time for all the dramas I watch from now on.

 

Has anyone here watched the movie 'Begin Again' with Keira Knightly and Mark Ruffalo? I enjoyed it and apparently it was very popular in South Korea. I thought about this film while all the discussion about MA and the love line/no love line debate was raging. I'll keep the ending of the movie hidden below

 

Spoiler

Ruffalo's character's marriage was rocky. His character started to have feelings for Keira Knightly's character and her character had similar feelings for his. In the end his marriage was salvaged and he became Knightly's manager (she was a singer).

 

Maybe the local audience liked the ending? (or maybe they wanted to watch Adam Levine).

[t123han]

True that about the commentary part!!!

i am rewatching MA 5 th time and at this point I am only interested in DH and jian story and all scenes leading up to their meeting. It’s sad that they choose not to comment about it but it would have been heartbreaking if they spoke something about their relantionship not being a romantic one. All our arguments would have collapsed if it came directly from directors mouth that there is no romance. So folks , it no big deal.. amgutto aniya  

The more you rewatch the more you realise how strong the clues are and I don’t get people who think DH and jian are sibling/ father- daughter. 

I believe the brothers and Jung hee knew exactly the kind of feelings DH had for jian although DH himself was slow on uptake. 

Remeber when KH said you are allowed to say thank you , it was his way of saying your wife just screwed over you and you have a person so precious who loves you unconditionally so hold on to her ..dont let her go. 

How can we forget SH knowing smile whenever Jian name pops up around DH. 

And that one scene where SH is worried over DH smoking and Jung hee says I don’t think he actually smokes. Jung Hee is very perceptive and is like us .. watching from outside and silently cheering on. 

And if you see from start whenever brothers tease him with jian, going as far as saying you should just date her, he never got angry. He told them to stop nagging but never ever scolded them for that. 

 

[justamom]

8 hours ago, ann04 said:

11 hours ago, justamom said:

because one guy commented “I don’t see the love. What love?”

Really?? That’s such a biased opinion to suppport the no love line side. Watching it at the time, knowing that they said beforehand it doesn’t include a love line, you could definitely feel that there’s love there. Romantic or not. Isn’t that why there’s so much debate about what kind of love JA and DH has for each other? Because in the first place,  love is there. It was just all about defining what kind of love it is. 

 

 

That's how I feel. And I came into My Ahjussi totally not expecting a love story. I thought it was some kind of thriller, something similar to Misaeng or Signal. And then BAM! it hit me out of nowhere around the time Dong Hoon said, "buy me another pair of slippers"

 

I mean, this girl just confessed her heart to you, and instead of giving her the talk, you know, pacifying her and saying "you're still young, you haven't seen the world yet, it's just because I'm the first adult that's been nice to you" what does he do? He tells her to stop ignoring him because they will always be close and "buy me another pair of slippers", reinforcing their intimacy.

 

Ji An says exactly that later when she confesses in the train on the way home. "I waited because I missed you ... what you said wasn't a rejection at all. It only made me like you more." (am paraphrasing, don't remember exact words)

 

In a way, I can see how the controversy helped Lee Seon Gyun portray Park Dong Hoon. All that time he was acting out those feelings for Ji An, he must have been thinking about that great weight of social expectations. That great weight on Dong Hoon's shoulders that a relationship between them would be sacrilege, making it impossible to verbalise or be direct about his feelings.

 

I'm a bit too old to call myself a shipper. But I know love when I see it, even if the ones in love don't see it themselves.

 

Like @oldschooler said, my litmus test is, would I be okay with my husband doing all those things Dong Hoon did for Ji An? HELL NO!

 

But I totally understand why a large swathe of people don't see love. My husband didn't. He's a straight-laced, Park Dong Hoon sort of guy in a way, like @tiger457_stv pointed out, ha ha. Because love isn't something you SEE. It's something you FEEL. 

 

Most of the time, people have a hard time knowing or even trusting their feelings. That's why so many turn to religion, spiritual gurus, yoga, etc

 

And ten thousand people can see the same scene, and they will each have their own interpretation.

 

There's no way love can mean the same thing to every single one of us.

 

It's not the writer's job to force an interpretation on the reader. The writer just sprinkles the clues. The who, the where, the what, the when. The WHY is for the reader to interpret.

 

Dong Hoon, until the very end of episode 16, I think, was intent on keeping up the wall between him and Ji An. Doing things right. But then the cracks start showing. Again, he doesn't realise it--and you know what, that's what make the show so achingly beautiful. A man in love who doesn't know it.

 

Because that's the way love is. Most of the time, we don't realise we're in love until we're so far in there's no turning back.

 

In a way, I speak from experience. I was so deeply in love with someone once, in my younger years. The kind of crazy things we did for each other, thinking we were just very good friends. And it was only much, much later that I realised it was love. The only reason we would have done all that was because we loved each other. And for the first time in my life, I realised the meaning of love.

 

[widala]

6 hours ago, sadiesmith said:

I stayed up watching episode 5 last night and noticed a few things that I would not have if I had not been on this forum and read everyone else's thoughts on the moon and its meaning.

 

I don't currently have the time to dig, but I remember a few pages ago we learned that IU wrote Dear Moon with Dong Hoon as her inspiration.  From the lyrics we gathered that Dear Moon is not just a song about the literal moon anymore, but also a metaphor for Dong Hoon.  A few things jumped out to me:

 

1. Grandma tells Ji An that she wants to see the moon, and of course she means that she wants to see the celestial moon.  What she does not know is that not only will she see the moon in the sky but one other that would later shine brightly in her grand daughter's life.  

 

2. Dong Hoon comes looking for Ji An with the persimmons in hand, sits down and looks up the sky.  This is what he sees:

 

The cross and the moon come into sharp focus.  People have noticed, even in the first airing, that the moon unites Dong Hoon to Ji An supernaturally.  Now with the presence of the cross and its symbol for salvation, and the way it is slowly brought into focused, we are also shown that the unification of these two lost souls (through the moon, if you wish) will be the salvation they both desperately need. You saved me...  No, I never truly lived...  And all that.  I actually saw the cross first as it really jumped out at me and had to rewind to find the moon.

 

3. Grandma finally gets to see her moon in the sky, but do you think she is actually thinking about the moon?  No, she is thinking of the person she just met, the one who would later become grand daughter's "light" and salvation, Ji An's own moon.  So in the end, grandma does get to see the moon alright, but from that point on it's the other moon she sees that would hold a special place in her heart.

 

 IU talking about Dear Moon song and lyrics, in about minute 7:23...

Sorry if someone else has posted this video before in this forum...

[mymister31]

In Korean society, usually age is very very very important matter. So, that's why some people cant accept the loveline btw JA, DH. My English is not good, but If someone want to know about Korean's perspective, I can tell you

Edited June 27, 2018 by mymister31

[h2ogirl]

While I (impatiently) wait for uri @justamom's fanfic update, I'm reading another well-written one that gives some much-needed closure to Ji An and Kwang Il's arc. Give it a read, y'all.

 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/15067820

---

 

What has My Ahjussi done to us? I never thought I'd hunt down fanfics to feed my drama addiction... but here I am. Honestly, I had so many first's with this show. First time actively engaging in a Soompi thread, first time rewatching x3 before new episodes come out, first time GIF-ing, first time fan-blogging, first time reading fanfics... (It might even be my #1 out of the 100+ shows I've completed - and I drop about half the shows I pick up - but I'll need to see if it stands the test of time first.)

 

Happy to report that my fangirling has finally got to my best friend. She brought up giving MA a try, and now I'm determined to hook her for good. TODAY. Muhahahaha.

[justamom]

A love poem from DC Inside

http://gall.dcinside.com/board/view/?id=mymister&no=57505&page=2

 

The enviable Park Doong Hoon and Lee Ji An

 

I'm envious of the pair, who only say what's necessary

No time wasted on frivolous words or endless chatter

Just gazing

a lingering awkwardness between them

that awkwardness releasing like a fragrance all those withheld feelings

a conversation that holds this fragrance

 

never talking too much

or making too much noise

at times, instead of answering with hollow words

a glance, or two

the gaze becoming too intense then,

a glass of beer, or two

 

walking slowly, the steady rhythm of their pulses fusing, continuing into 

the most natural conversation

footsteps matching the sound of their hearts, just two souls touching*

their language direct, without exaggeration

no matter how you try, a language

you cannot forget

 

meeting again with that soul deep language*

how can they not fall in love

 

Working endlessly

on a rainy day

I envy them to no end

 

*translator's note: 마음을 꺼내놓으니, literally to dig out their hearts (for each other)

 

[justamom]

31 minutes ago, mymister31 said:

In Korean society, usually age is very very very important matter. So, that's why some people cant accept the loveline btw JA, DH. My English is not good, but If someone want to know about Korean's aspect, I can tell you

 

Anyeong! And welcome! Yes, please do share more. If you haven't seen it already, please check out our fan page Give Me Slippers, where we're trying to put together all the essays, love poems, and other gems that Soompi (and DC Gallery!) fans have written about the show. 

 

I agree that international audiences would be far more accepting of the age difference, not having grown up within such a strict hierarchy and social norms.

 

But I think it's a double standard. Why is the age gap okay in a fantasy setting like Goblin, or a historical drama like Mr Sunshine? But not in a realistic drama like My Ahjussi?

 

I'm curious, what is the Korean perspective on Dong Hoon's role in Halmoni's funeral? To me, it felt like Dong Hoon was acting like the man of Ji An's family.