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

[YukawaCattle]

銝祈剜

[Pixaiated]

23 hours ago, actionscript said:

I've notice the same pattern as well. 

 

I think it boils down to the following scenarios for all viewers:

 

Pre-time skip:

1. Both JA and DH's feelings are platonic

2. JA has romantic feelings, but DH's is platonic

3. JA has romantic feelings, while DH's is romantic but is restraining them

4. JA has romantic feelings, while DH's is romantic but restrained, yet they would label this as platonic nevertheless, as they identify platonic not with feelings but with the outcome

 

Post time skip:

1. DH is still married, so DH and JA will be besties forever.

2. The ending is open, given both are now in a better place, both free and healed, the show left open the possibility of romance.

3. DH and JA going for a romantic relationship is hinted upon.

4. DH and JA going for a romantic relationship is heavily implied.

 

I like this breakdown of reactions / interpretations. For the pre-time skip section, I find (1) fairly odd. I feel that JA's feelings were made really, really clear all throughout and it felt obvious that she had a huge crush on him. You could argue that it's misguided infatuation due to the situation, but those feelings are clearly not platonic.

 

DH's feelings are much more unclear, so I understand the split of interpretations between (2) and (3). I think I bounced between (2) and (3) quite a bit on the first view. (3) makes a lot more sense now though.

 

For the post time skip, my initial impression was (1) due to not catching some of the smaller details (Thanks, Netflix translations) which felt extremely weird given the events that have occurred throughout the show. Like, seriously, does the writing make any sense if DH ends up back together with his wife? That would have been the conclusion of a story about reconciling differences / mistakes in a marriage - not the story we got!

[YukawaCattle]

銝祈剜

[Thomas Zhang]

2 hours ago, YukawaCattle said:

 

By the way, @Thomas Zhang, the location they meet is not YH's office,
is Minette, the motel where YH and JY always meet before EP9.

 

 

It seems the 1601 room in Minette will be reorganized after YH and JY broke up in EP8.

So that's why we see the 1601 room in Minette is such a situation in EP9.

Oh thanks for reminding me this!

 

6 hours ago, YukawaCattle said:

大家 恭喜發財 in advance! 

新年快乐 

 

______________

 

 

Another conception I am thinking about for a while —— the "Spring".

 

I noticed the word "spring" mentioned in these scenes:

 

1. DH noticed DJY changed his attitude last spring and finally he knew it was the time the affair happened.

2. JA told DH she hated every season including spring.

3. Almost every problem was resolved in the spring of the show's first year.

4. The couple reunited in the spring of the show's second year

 

I don't know if there is a similar conception of the phrase "second spring" in western culture. In China, the phrase "Second Spring" (第二春） means a middle-age person confronts a new love and to be happy.

Edited January 26, 2022 by Thomas Zhang

[sweetroad]

23 hours ago, Thomas Zhang said:

Another conception I am thinking about for a while —— the "Spring".

 

I noticed the word "spring" mentioned in these scenes:

 

1. DH noticed DJY changed his attitude last spring and finally he knew it was the time the affair happened.

2. JA told DH she hated every season including spring.

3. Almost every problem was resolved in the spring of the show's first year.

4. The couple reunited in the spring of the show's second year

 

I don't know if there is a similar conception of the phrase "second spring" in western culture. In China, the phrase "Second Spring" (第二春） means a middle-age person confronts a new love and to be happy.

 

@Thomas Zhang!!!!!!! Every time you post something it reminds me of a GMS article!!!

 

Check this out: https://givemeslippers.wordpress.com/2018/06/25/love-in-the-second-spring/

 

You should have been on this thread back in 2018, you would have gotten along with everyone very well back then, finding all these things and confirming things that others as perceptive as you also saw. (Things I completely missed, as I mentioned before. ) I'm glad that even though we all missed that first party back in 2018, we can be here now.

 

On 1/26/2022 at 6:28 AM, Pixaiated said:

I feel that JA's feelings were made really, really clear all throughout and it felt obvious that she had a huge crush on him. You could argue that it's misguided infatuation due to the situation, but those feelings are clearly not platonic.

 

Yeah. I was actually surprised how many times she said she likes him. It shows up in:

Episode 8 to Kwang Il
Episode 10 to DH at the end
Episode 11 to DH again - "I told you I liked you and I hit on you...It’s the truth, anyways."
Episode 12 to Dong Hoon on the subway, to Yoon Hee when she called JA, and to the Managing Directors.
Episode 14 - She told JH she liked Hugye. JH took this to mean Ji An liked Dong Hoon.

Episode 14 during the farewell phone call: “Thanks for being nice to me more than four times. To someone like me. Someone that I liked.”
Episode 15 - "I liked all your sounds....Everything."
Episode 16 - "It sucks just thinking about it, wandering around the neighborhood hoping to catch a glimpse of you. You said you’d be happy no matter what. I'm not interested in someone who's happy without me." Which I took to mean that she was still interested in DH, but knew nothing was going to happen there in the present circumstances. (EDITED to add the first part of the quote.)

 

She's really quite bold and consistent, and frequent, in her declarations of like.

 

On 1/26/2022 at 6:28 AM, Pixaiated said:

Like, seriously, does the writing make any sense if DH ends up back together with his wife? That would have been the conclusion of a story about reconciling differences / mistakes in a marriage - not the story we got!

 

Absolutely!! And toward the latter episodes, ALL of Dong Hoon's thoughts were consumed by Ji An. He was barely thinking of Yoon Hee at all. What made it a bit confusing was that Yoon Hee started hanging around at home so much and being so solicitous of him. So at first I thought they might get back together, too. But now....no. It's not the story we got, at all, especially with the seemingly-irreconcilable differences in values and desires they each had.

 

On 1/26/2022 at 4:00 AM, YukawaCattle said:

By the way, @the_sweetroad.

Could I translate some articles in GMS into Chinese and put them on my blog?

This blog is not for business.

I have already closed all the make money functions.

I just want to share them with my society

 

(It seems WordPress can make some money with advertising,

but I already closed them when the first day I use the blog.)

 

What I want to translate are

 

WHO IS PRETTY AND NICE?

BUY ME SLIPPERS = I LOVE YOU

NOT JUST A THANK YOU

 

and the article you mentioned above

 

WHEN DONG HOON CALLED HER 지안 JI AN

 

I hope these impressive ideas could become common sense for those who already watch MM,

so I want to translate them.

 

I will write down the original authors, editors on GMS,

and link sources of these articles on GMS at the beginning of the articles.

 

This is a question for the GMS Administrator extraordinaire, @sadiesmith!

[Thomas Zhang]

41 minutes ago, the_sweetroad said:

You should have been on this thread back in 2018, you would have gotten along with everyone very well back then, finding all these things and confirming things that others as perceptive as you also saw. (Things I completely missed, as I mentioned before. ) I'm glad that even though we all missed that first party back in 2018, we can be here now.

 

It's a shame I missed it.

 

In fact I didn't watch any K-drama before.  My immersion in the show was a complete accident

 

 

41 minutes ago, the_sweetroad said:

Absolutely!! And toward the latter episodes, ALL of Dong Hoon's thoughts were consumed by Ji An. He was barely thinking of Yoon Hee at all. What made it a bit confusing was that Yoon Hee started hanging around at home so much and being so solicitous of him. So at first I thought they might get back together, too. But now....no. It's not the story we got, at all, especially with the seemingly-irreconcilable differences in values and desires they each had.

 

When YH broke up with JY and started to go home early, DH still went home late.

The difference is that the reason he went home late is no longer because of Hoogye Ajhussi but because of he wanted to have dinner with JA and walk her home. （ I sneered)

 

And YH really wanted to divorce otherwise she won't admit the affair to KH.

KH just made a joke but she didn't deny it.

The silence meant yes.

Because she was suffering in this marriage. She felt life was suffocated either.  She needed to be healed too.

She was familiar with DH so much that she definitely knew DH won't let his mom and siblings know about this affair. He won't take the initiative to discuss the detail of divorce either. ( JA knew this either so she decided to leave. And she was rescued by DH's legal wife. That made she had no excuse to wait. )

So YH rescued JA whom her husband loved much with her affair exposed. That actually relieved her and let her have the courage to discuss the divorce.

 

 

Edited January 26, 2022 by Thomas Zhang

[actionscript]

4 hours ago, the_sweetroad said:

Yeah. I was actually surprised how many times she said she likes him. It shows up in:

Episode 8 to Kwang Il
Episode 10 to DH at the end
Episode 11 to DH again - "I told you I liked you and I hit on you...It’s the truth, anyways."
Episode 12 to Dong Hoon on the subway, to Yoon Hee when she called JA, and to the Managing Directors.
Episode 14 - She told JH she liked Hugye. JH took this to mean Ji An liked Dong Hoon.

Episode 14 during the farewell phone call: “Thanks for being nice to me more than four times. To someone like me. Someone that I liked.”
Episode 15 - "I liked all your sounds....Everything."
Episode 16 - "I'm not interested in someone who's happy without me." Which I took to mean that she was still interested in DH, but knew nothing was going to happen there in the present circumstances.

 

She's really quite bold and consistent, and frequent, in her declarations of like.

 

This list is enlightening! Indeed, she has been very vocal and expressive of her feelings, despite having been stoic herself at the beginning. I have been maintaining some lists myself on the different aspects of the show and this particular one resonates with your post above..

 

 

The most “romantic” moments of Lee Ji An, ranked!

 

I love maintaining lists and this is one of those I have been keeping since my early watch of My Mister, and have been updating them along the way in my re-watches. Just sharing it here for fun!! 

 

There were no declaration of I love you’s in My Mister, but many of its scenes permeates of love, and nothing more pronounced than in the scenes of Ji An. In fact, most her scenes from the latter half of ep 5 till the end shines of love and affection for the people she cares about – familial love for halmeoni and her flourishing feelings for Dong Hoon.

 

I focused on those scenes where her words or actions speak of how she feels for DH, and came up with a list of more than 30! Here I try to list my top 10, with 1 being my top favorite. All of the scenes in the list are a favorite, so It’s really hard to pin down their ranks with conviction. Even those outside of my top 10 could easily be a top favorite on another day, and I won’t be surprised if others would have those in their top instead.

 

10. 

 

Oh how charming her giddy anticipation is in giving him that gift! That look of innocence and vulnerability, checking to make sure the slippers and its paper wrap are neatly tucked in place, throwing glances at DH..  So cute!!

 

9. 

Combined two different moments here as I think the first explained why she behaved the way she did in the latter:

 

Someone who received the barest of love growing up, schooling a bunch of adults on what truly loving someone entails. and this brings me to the next moments..

 

 

And that’s the reason she has always been upfront when asked if she likes DH -- because when you truly love someone, you never “act cheap.”

 

 

8.

Spoiler

 

She came from a visit to halmeoni from the care facility, still reeling from recalling the painful moments of DH’s confrontation with YH the night before. I believe she used the spy app to track where DH would pass, just to catch a glimpse of him, to check if he’s ok. 

 

7. 

Spoiler

 

There are several running scenes of Ji An to DH, and all of them I find swoon worthy, but what set these two apart is the while the others involved a perception of danger to DH which could have made the run compulsory, these two instances were just JA wanting to spend time with DH. JA has shunned making friends for fear of being judged once they got to know of her past, but now she has made an exception for DH and has learned to trust him.

 

6. 

Spoiler

 

Hearing the person you have learned to love with all your being actually needs you just as much.. And due to circumstances, you can’t be together.. The way she bawled and caressed her phone oh so tightly while listening through all these.. 

 

 

I'll post the top 5 soon. 

Anyone who could guess the top 1 would get a 紅包! 

[sweetroad]

@actionscript That list is awesome!! Yes, she's so romantic without even meaning to be. To her, she loves Dong Hoon and wants to be with him AND wants what's best for him, so she just throws her whole being into it. Of course, she violates some boundaries throughout the story....but you have to admire that her heart is completely FOR Dong Hoon.

 

Look forward to seeing the rest. And let's see....what would your #1 moment be? Is it when she asks for one more day to get new slippers? Is it when she tells DJY that she'll kill any b*****d who messes with Dong Hoon? Or when she says "Ahjussi, I just really wanted you to be happy"? Or when she tells him she liked all his sounds? OR when she says she never really lived until she met him?

 

I'm trying to remember all the scenes we may have talked about, and I'm throwing out a lot of guesses so I can get a 紅包.

 

What will it be?

 

 

 

[sadiesmith]

17 hours ago, YukawaCattle said:

Could I translate some articles in GMS into Chinese and put them on my blog?

 

10 hours ago, the_sweetroad said:

This is a question for the GMS Administrator extraordinaire, @sadiesmith!

 

Yes, of course you can. And thank you!  

[YukawaCattle]

銝祈剜

[Thomas Zhang]

Here's an article I mentioned earlier. A friend recommended me to use DeepL to translate it. It worked very well I hardly had to change much text.
I was inspired to write this article by an article about windows on GMS.

Seeing Through a Glass, Darkly | My Ahjussi / My Mister Fan Site (wordpress.com)

 

But  there are many differences.

I tried to deconstruct the characters and scenes in the drama using the psychoanalytic method popular among film critics.

In film and television, directors must be very careful about the presence of mirrors and mirror images.
If there is a mirror image of the character, then it must be a metaphor for the inner world of the character.

 

 

@YukawaCattle You can share it on your blog.

 

——————————————————————————————————————————————

 

Lacan's mirror stage theory and the mirror image in My Ajhussi 

 

 

1、朴东勋和李至安到底救赎了对方什么？

 

他们相互给予对方准确的自我认知的能力。

在至安的访谈结束后的酒馆小聚中，至安对东勋说你是一个很好的人。

在这里我们能看到朴东勋的表情，画面闪回的是，他痛哭流涕跪在地上痛斥允熙的出轨是对他人格存在的无情的打击，而他脸上的表情却因为刚才至安的话而露出笑容。

一种自我人格被欣赏、被确认的欣慰的笑容。

而朴东勋在这个场景里也给予了至安第三次的称赞，从一开始的“很善良啊”，“长得挺漂亮的”，到这里的“很勇敢啊”

外人就像一面镜子，映照着我们所期望的形象。

每一个人都期望从镜子当中看到完美的自己。

而男女主角的自我，早就迷失了。

当他们相遇时，互相在对方眼中看到了期望中的自己。

朴东勋是李至安的镜子，李至安是朴东勋的镜子。

然而，这是救赎的终点吗？

 

 

1. What exactly did Park Dong Hoon and Lee Ji An redeem each other?

They gave each other the ability to accurately perceive themselves.

In the  gathering at the pub after the promotion interview with Ji An, Ji An said to Dong Hoon that you are a very good person.

Here we can see the expression on Park Dong-hoon's face as the scene flashes back to him crying bitterly and kneeling down to denounce Yoon-hee's cheating as a merciless blow to his personality's existence, while the expression on his face is a smile because of what Ji-an just said.

A smile of relief that his self-personality is appreciated and confirmed.

Park Dong Hoon also gave a third compliment to Ji Ahn in this scene, from "very kind" and "pretty" at the beginning, to "very brave" here.

The outsider is like a mirror, reflecting the image we want.

Everyone expects to see the perfect self in the mirror.

The ego of the hero and heroine is long lost.

When they meet, they see the desired self in each other's eyes.

Park Dong-hoon is Lee Ji-an's mirror and Lee Ji-an is Park Dong-hoon's mirror.

However, is this the end of redemption?

 

 

2. 拉康的“镜像阶段”理论

婴儿在镜子中看到自己的镜像之后，一开始并不能认出这是自己。

当他有意识的动动手脚，发现镜像也和自己做着同样的动作之后，才能确认这就是“自己”。

婴儿开始确认自我同一性和完整性，并对自己的镜像产生“自恋式”的认同。

然而，这并不是他“自己”，这只是一个并不存在的“虚像”。

人在成长过程中，总是会以身边的人作为镜子，映射自己的形象。

为了达到镜中“完美的自己”的形象，他们就会以各种方式满足他人的期望。

小时候，是爸爸妈妈爷爷奶奶外公外婆的期望。

上学了，是老师的期望。

工作了，是领导的期望。

每个人都在强迫着自己成为他人眼中的“我”。 这就是朴东勋“老实的无期囚徒”的样子。

而李至安正相反，身边没有人对她有期望，反倒是只能映射出她自认“丑陋”的一面，“这是一个漂亮却不自知的女人”。所以她会主动远离社会这面“照丑镜”，做起一个边缘人。

 

2.  Lacan's "mirror stage" theory

When an infant sees his own mirror image in the mirror, he does not recognize it as himself at first.

It is only when he consciously moves his hands and feet and realizes that the mirror image is doing the same thing that he is doing that he recognizes it as "himself".

The infant begins to confirm the identity and integrity of the self and to develop a "narcissistic" identification with his mirror image.

However, this is not his "self", it is a "false image" that does not exist.

In the process of growing up, people will always use the people around them as mirrors to map their own image.

In order to achieve the image of the "perfect self" in the mirror, they will meet the expectations of others in various ways.

When a people was young, it was the expectations of their parents and grandparents 

When they went to school, it was the teachers' expectations.

At work, it is the expectations of the leaders.

Everyone is forcing himself or herself to become the "me" in the eyes of others. This is what Park Dong-hoon looks like as an "honest life-long prisoner".

On the other hand, Lee Ji-an is the opposite, no one around her has expectations of her, instead she can only map out her "ugly" side, "this is a beautiful woman, but she herself doesn't know it". So she will take the initiative to stay away from the "ugly mirror" of the society and be a marginal person.
 

 

3. 剧中的“镜像”

The "mirror image" in the show

 

 

EP7 the "Beer Smile". Notice the reflection of JA.

 

这是他们第三次在这里吃饭，但却是第一次坐在这个具有象征意义的位置上。

很明显，此时至安将东勋看做了映照出自己价值的一面镜子。 “很善良”+“长得挺漂亮的”两句称赞，是她努力奔跑来到酒馆并坚持要坐下来喝一杯的动力源泉。

 

This is the third time they have dinner here, but the first time they have sat in this symbolic seat.

It is clear that at this point, Ji An sees Dong Hoon as a mirror that reflects her own values. The compliments of "very kind" + "pretty" were the source of motivation for her to run hard to the tavern and insist on sitting down for a drink.

 

________________

 

In the end o EP8, "If PDH has a dinner and drink with you, it means he likes you "

 

 

真实的朴部长，和镜中的朴部长。 听到“对朴东勋而言，吃饭喝酒就是喜欢”的至安神情恍惚。 她发现自己暗恋，居然有可能得到回应。 此时她还不太感肯定，这是自己的幻想吗？

 

The real DH, and the one in the mirror. When she heard that "for Park Dong Hoon, eating and drinking with you means he likes you", Ji An was in a trance. She found out that she had a crush and it was possible to get a response. At this point, she is not quite sure, is this all her fantasy?

 

_______________________________________

 

At the beginning of EP9. They two have their own preoccupation.

 

刚刚获得常务竞选提名的朴东勋，其实不太情愿参选。但是朴东云的一通电话逼着他必须参加。他心事重重。

朴东勋的眼中的自己的镜像。四十五岁的他此时显然是把工作当成第一位的。

 

Park Dong-hoon, who just got the nomination for the Director race, was actually reluctant to run for the election. But a phone call from Park Dong-un forced him to participate. He was preoccupied.

The mirror image of himself in Park Dong-hoon's eyes. The forty-five year old is clearly putting his job first at this time.

 

Spoiler

 

和啤酒笑那里一样，至安显然在感情中觉察的更早，走的也更远。

 

Not far away in the train, after gazing at Dong-hoon for a while, JA turned her head towards the window, reflecting her own appearance. As with the "beer smile" , it is clear that Ji-An realized earlier in her feelings and went further.

 

 

Spoiler

At the beginning of the EP9, the two look at each other through the subway door

 

至安错过了下车。此时两人以车窗为界，互为对方的镜像。

接下来才有了“步调一致”的地铁口等待。

而接下来地铁口相遇的场景也有预示着感情进展的“绿灯”信号。

带着至安前行的地铁，显然也象征着此时她在感情中的步调更快一些。

 

JA missed getting out of the train.

At this point, the two people were  each other's mirror image mutually, with the train window as the boundary.

The next scene is to have the "same pace" meeting at the subway entrance.

The next scene of meeting at the entrance of the subway also has a "green light" signal that indicates the progress of the relationship.

Taking JA forward by train, apparently also symbolizes that at this time she is in the feelings of a faster pace.

 

——————————————————————————————————————

 

Spoiler

 

EP12，another scene of looking at each other through the window

 

仍然是互为镜像的二人。 不在画面中的绿灯亮起，车带着东勋前行，代表着他也向前走了一步。

It is still the duo who are mirror images of each other. The green light that is not in the picture comes on and the car takes Dong-hoon forward, representing a step forward for him as well.

 

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Spoiler

 

Ep12 The two were on the subway after working overtime. "I waited for you because I miss you."

 

扔掉拖鞋的至安让东勋炒掉自己时显然是放弃的状态。

然而“再给我买拖鞋”那句话之后，至安又开始在镜中审视自己的情感。

一起加班回家，至安继续对东勋表白。

这个场景，并没有东勋的镜像。 刚刚经历访谈培训的东勋此时并没将这件事放在第一位。 然而到了下一段（精彩的来了）：

 

When Ji-an threw away her slippers and asked Dong-hoon to fire herself, she was clearly in a state of giving up.

However, after the words "buy me slippers again", Ji An started to look at her feelings in the mirror again.

When they returned home together by train, Ji An continued to confess her feelings to Dong Hoon.

In this scene, there is no mirror image of Dong-hoon. Dong Hoon, who had just gone through interview training, did not put this matter first at this time. However, when it comes to the next paragraph (here comes the good part).

 

Spoiler

After driving away the snapper, Dong-hoon stood beside Ji-an. Dong Hoon's eyes were looking at the mirror image of JA.

 

Spoiler

Ji-an noticed Dong-hoon's eyes and sheepishly move her own gaze away

 

Spoiler

In the end, JA was brave enough to move his gaze back. The two looked at each other's mirror image.

 

 

下一个场景就是二人下了地铁相伴回家，在静熙酒馆门口被静熙、大哥和其他大叔发现。

让至安出现在他们面前，显然是某种程度上对二人关系的“确认”与“认可”。

 

The next scene is when they get off the subway and go home together, they two are spotted by JH, his elder brother and other Ahjussis in front of JH's bar.

The presence of Ji-An in front of them is obviously a sort of "confirmation" and "approval" of their relationship.

 

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

来到最终集

Coming to the last Episode.

 

 

Spoiler

 

Parting dinner. Look at the mirror image of Dong-hoon in the lower right corner.

 

此时有东勋的镜像，而没有至安的镜像。 与第一张图完全对调。 这个场景设置的含义是什么？ 回到最开始的问题，最终的救赎就是以对方为镜，看到完美的自己吗？

 

At this point there is a mirror image of Dong-hoon, but not JA's mirror image. It is exactly the same as the first picture，but their seats switched. What is the meaning of this scene setting?

Back to the very first question, is the ultimate salvation to use the other person as a mirror to see your perfect self?

 

4. 什么是最终的救赎？

至安在经历了一系列的自我牺牲之后，自我意识的觉醒显然也比东勋要更快一步。

这个场景里至安的两句台词：“在小区徘徊想着见大叔想想就很糟” 和 “像没有任何过去的人一样重新活一次”，显然是她已经不再准备将东勋作为映照完美自己的镜子的含义。

而东勋还停留在原来的阶段。

所以只有东勋的镜像，而没有至安的镜像

直到一年后的重逢。

 

4. What is the ultimate redemption?

After a series of self-sacrifice, JA's awakening of self-consciousness is apparently faster than Dong-hoon.

In this scene, two of her lines, "It is terrible of wandering around the neighborhood thinking about meeting Ahjussi" and "I want to live again like a person without any past", clearly mean that she is no longer ready to use Dong-hoon as a mirror to reflect her perfect self.

And Dong-hoon is still stuck in his original stage.

So there is only Dong-hoon's mirror image, but not Ji-an's.

Until the reunion a year later.

 

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

 

对视的两人中间并没有任何的玻璃窗阻隔。他们遇见了真实的自我，不再渴求从镜像中获取完美的自我。他们不再幻想着镜像中虚幻的对方。他们看见的都是真实的彼此。

此时，才是最好的时机。

 

There is no glass window between the two people looking at each other. They meet their real selves and no longer crave for the perfect selves from the mirror image. They no longer fantasize about the mirror image of each other. They see each other as they really are.

This is the best time.

Edited January 27, 2022 by Emily Bett
Please use the spoiler tag when exceeding 3 images/videos, thanks!

[YukawaCattle]

銝祈剜

[Thomas Zhang]

47 minutes ago, YukawaCattle said:

拉康的鏡像階段理論與《我的大叔》中的鏡像
(Lacan's mirror stage theory and the mirror image in My Ajhussi) 

Right

[sweetroad]

8 hours ago, YukawaCattle said:

I agree with your point of view.
And I also have a "weird list" for myself if DH and YH are not divorced in the end.

 

Brilliant list! Yes, all those things would be wasted if DH and YH stayed together. The show doesn't show anything changing between them already, so if they stayed together what would be different? Nothing. That would definitely be hell for both of them.

 

8 hours ago, YukawaCattle said:

One of the scene @the_sweetroad didn't mention above, then I guess it. 

 

Ahh, good guess! I forgot about that one! I think @actionscript does like that scene and you might get the 紅包.

 

One more guess, too - when JA and DH are in the train in Ep 12 and she says, "I waited for you because I missed you."

 

6 hours ago, Thomas Zhang said:

Park Dong Hoon also gave a third compliment to Ji Ahn in this scene, from "very kind" and "pretty" at the beginning, to "very brave" here.

 

Great point! You're right - this is a third compliment to her, and one she also needs to hear after living a lifetime trying to hide her past.

 

Just started reading your post...may comment more later .

 

[YukawaCattle]

銝祈剜

[actionscript]

20 hours ago, the_sweetroad said:

And let's see....what would your #1 moment be? Is it when she asks for one more day to get new slippers? Is it when she tells DJY that she'll kill any b*****d who messes with Dong Hoon? Or when she says "Ahjussi, I just really wanted you to be happy"? Or when she tells him she liked all his sounds? OR when she says she never really lived until she met him?

 

9 hours ago, YukawaCattle said:

                                  "You were the first person who was nice to me more than four times.

Who was like me.

Whom I liked.

I don’t care if I get reborn anymore.

I can be reborn. I’ll be okay."

 

Thanks for putting in your guesses. Oh my! Just when I thought my list of 30+ is pretty much complete, you are still listing scenes that I’ve totally overlooked! It got me thinking and now I had to rush posting these before I get tempted to re-arrange my list! 

 

5.

Spoiler

Nuff said.

 

4. 

Spoiler

 

What could be more liberating for DH than to realize that everything you’d want to hide from the world, the one person who got access to all those liked every single ounce of it?  To actually realize that there’s this one person, though who got access in a most appaling way, actually accepts every single cell of your being? And all this from the very person who helps you breathe and keeps you alive??

 

3. 

Spoiler

 

The lines that will start it all. 

 

2. 

Spoiler

 

These lines have shown the transformative power her friendship with DH had on her. From someone who has grown to be a skeptic of life, someone who just wanted to fast track her life and get it over with, someone who wouldn’t be bothered on being reborn, JA has now learned to embrace and appreciate life for all its follies and suffering, just because she has experienced kindness and love from DH.

 

1. 

Spoiler

 

Oh my such badass Ji An is, and damsel in distress she definitely isn’t! Having grown up in crime and violence, and having killed the person who has beaten her halmeoni, killing has become a part of her love language. Now that she has someone else to fight for, she’s expressing her love and loyalty the way she knew how. Simply because DH has bothered to be nice to her more than four times. 

 

Hope you enjoyed the list! 

 

Spoiler

Ohh wow! Both of you actually got to mention the top two! So here’s two 紅包 for each of you! 

 

 

 

[Thomas Zhang]

59 minutes ago, YukawaCattle said:

I edited some paragraphs just like the article shows and also corrected some typos.
Also, because the traditional Chinese for JH is 鄭熙, so I replace 静熙 as 鄭熙.
And the photos, because I want to keep most of the resources are from Netflix, I replace them.

But I try to keep your style, just as the article shows.
I hope you won't mind it.

That will all be reasonable. Just do it.

[sweetroad]

@actionscript Great finish to your list. You actually have 30+ moments? Wow. Would you mind posting them all here, in one post, for our reference? (all-text would be fine for me, unless you reeallly want to do screenshots). I was going to put together a list of "evidence of JA's feelings for DH" but I think your list of 30+ moments will fit the bill perfectly!

 

2 hours ago, actionscript said:

What could be more liberating for DH than to realize that everything you’d want to hide from the world, the one person who got access to all those liked every single ounce of it?  To actually realize that there’s this one person, though who got access in a most appaling way, actually accepts every single cell of your being? And all this from the very person who helps you breathe and keeps you alive??

 

So well said! Yes! She's the one that knows him so well...and she's the one he wants to know him so well. It's not like he has that same kind of relationship with Kwang Il, who also got access in an appalling way. DH does not need Kwang Il to be by his side and help him breathe.

 

2 hours ago, actionscript said:

Oh my such badass Ji An is, and damsel in distress she definitely isn’t! Having grown up in crime and violence, and having killed the person who has beaten her halmeoni, killing has become a part of her love language. Now that she has someone else to fight for, she’s expressing her love and loyalty the way she knew how. Simply because DH has bothered to be nice to her more than four times.

 

Great point. She really gives it her all. Love is not cheap to her as you said; she's willing to go far to protect people from evil b*****ds. I'm glad she doesn't end up having to kill anyone again, though. That stuff gets messy.

 

10 hours ago, Thomas Zhang said:

4. What is the ultimate redemption?

After a series of self-sacrifice, JA's awakening of self-consciousness is apparently faster than Dong-hoon.

In this scene, two of her lines, "It is terrible of wandering around the neighborhood thinking about meeting Ahjussi" and "I want to live again like a person without any past", clearly mean that she is no longer ready to use Dong-hoon as a mirror to reflect her perfect self.

And Dong-hoon is still stuck in his original stage.

So there is only Dong-hoon's mirror image, but not Ji-an's.

Until the reunion a year later.

 

Such an insightful analysis! Thanks for translating it! I love how you tie it into how an infant develops a sense of self in the mirror. And your point 4 is so beautifully said. Ji An's story arc just shows what a mature, thoughtful woman she turns out to be. She just needed a little help and kindness.

 

[actionscript]

10 hours ago, Thomas Zhang said:

Lacan's mirror stage theory and the mirror image in My Ajhussi 

 

Very good take on the mirrors and reflections! It’s a different take compared to one on GMS, but quite valid nevertheless.

I particularly liked the contrast on how JA was the one moving forward first on the train in ep 9, then it was DH’s turn on the van in ep 12. Quite a valuable insight!

 

3 hours ago, YukawaCattle said:

By the way, you remind me of another "3":

 

Park Dong Hoon also gave a third compliment to Ji Ahn in this scene, from "very kind" and "pretty" at the beginning, to "very brave" here.

 

Yes, so many 3’s in the show!

 

And just yesterday I thought of another 3 – the times Kwang Il beat JA. 

 

3 hours ago, YukawaCattle said:

And I start to think KWS and the writer are both arms dealers.
They give us so many Chekhov's guns. 

 

The opposite of Chekhov’s Gun is a red herring, something that is used to distract or confuse the viewer’s attention. It Is usually used to deliver an eventual  plot twist in the show. Anything that violates the Chekhov’s Gun principle is technically a red herring.

 

Do you think there are any red herrings in the show?

 

Well, if in the end DH and YH did not divorce, and DH and JA will continue to just be BFF’s, that would be such a plot twist, isn’t it? Then all those clues and breadcrumbs we were talking about would turn out to be red herrings! 

[sweetroad]

28 minutes ago, actionscript said:

Well, if in the end DH and YH did not divorce, and DH and JA will continue to just be BFF’s, that would be such a plot twist, isn’t it? Then all those clues and breadcrumbs we were talking about would turn out to be red herrings!

 

That would be terrible!! I'm not even sure DH and JA could remain BFFs if Dong Hoon and Yoon Hee reconciled and were trying to build up their marriage again. Dong Hoon would necessarily need to turn to YH for emotional support, and I don't think a happier Yoon Hee would like the thought of DH and JA spending so much 1:1 time again.

 

Of course, in the end we have a scenario where YH is away indefinitely, and DH doesn't seem to be pining after her.

 

And in this scenario, it would just be purgatory if they were still married and YH were away indefinitely. That's not solving anything!

 

28 minutes ago, actionscript said:

Do you think there are any red herrings in the show?

 

Good question! I don't think it's a red herring per se, but I am curious why Ki Bum said that he was partially responsible for Ji An's debt to Kwang Il. Some more of his backstory would have been nice.