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

[sweetroad]

On 11/9/2023 at 3:16 AM, Unclouded said:

as I find it unrealistic for them to voluntarily and completely cut contact after such an emotionally intense, and crescendoing 'courtship'; but it is canon, so to answer your question.

 

I thought it was unrealistic as well, since they were so connected for so much of the show. It bothered me for a LONG time! And it's why the fanfic (The Road Back to You) finally got written, so I could get it all untangled from the brain.

 

These days, what makes the most sense to me is that JA doesn't contact DH because she doesn't want to bother/burden him anymore, since he was already avoiding her before she left for Busan. It may be she thinks he stays with Yoon Hee, too. But the biggest thing (and probably most hurtful thing) is that he was avoiding her for a few weeks while she stayed at Jung Hee's. She probably doesn't feel the confidence to contact him after she leaves Hugye.

 

And DH refrains from contacting her, since she's made it clear that a person who can be happy without her has no appeal, and that she wants to start over as if she has no history. Personally, I think there's a bit of a noble-martyr complex there for JA as she lets him go by saying those things; obviously she's still in love with him when they reunite, so it's not true that a happy DH wouldn't have any appeal for her.

 

On 11/9/2023 at 3:16 AM, Unclouded said:

And after experiencing this, we see JA teaching others (about sign language) just like how the monk guides others.

 

Never thought of this - good point! Love seeing JA grow so much.

[sweetroad]

10 Underrated K-Dramas With Standout Villains

Story by Mona Bassil  November 14, 2023

 

K-dramas have been garnering more and more attention in the past few years, gathering millions of viewers around the world for their immaculate art direction, modern knights in shining armor, charismatic villains, love-triangle, supernatural, or revenge-centered plots, special appearances by K-pop idols, and other common tropes.

 

Some of these shows garnered instant international acclaim upon their release on leading streaming platforms.

 

Directed by Ahn Gil-ho and starring Song Hye-Kyo and Lee Do-hyun, the revenge drama The Glory, for instance, broke numerous records when its two parts were released in December 2022 and March 2023. Clocking over 380 million hours viewed, it became Netflix’s seventh most popular non-English series and nabbed many prestigious awards, including Best Drama, Best Leading Actress for Song, and Best Supporting Actress for Lim Ji-yeon at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

 

But what about the shows that didn’t get enough acclaim and accolades despite their decent production value and standout cast? From Kill It to My Country: The New Age, here is a selection of South Korean shows that weren’t very popular, despite boasting compelling antagonists with complex backstories.

 

(skipped unrelated)

Do Joon-young in My Mister (2018)

 

Also known as My Ahjussi, My Mister is a bleak, raw, and violent drama tackling the themes of injustice, aging, addiction, corporate greed, and elderly care. It stars Lee Sun-kyun as Park Dong-hoon, an impassionate but honest structural engineer, and IU as Lee Ji-an, a temp at his firm who owes a violent loan shark money and must care for her bedridden grandma. Kim Young-min portrays Do Joon-young, Dong-hoon’s college junior and now his manager.

How He Stands Out

Joon-young is a particularly detestable antagonist. Not only does he weasel his way to the top, but he also has an affair with Dong-hoon’s wife for over a year, not because he has feelings for her, but purely out of spite. So jealous is he of Dong-hoon’s integrity and standing within the company that he attempts to incriminate him with bribery and forces Ji-an to spy on him and possibly seduce him.

 

(skipped unrelated)

 

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/10-underrated-k-dramas-with-standout-villains/ar-AA1jVOHA

 

[Raymond]

On 11/14/2023 at 6:51 PM, sweetroad said:

10 Underrated K-Dramas With Standout Villains

Story by Mona Bassil  November 14, 2023

 

K-dramas have been garnering more and more attention in the past few years, gathering millions of viewers around the world for their immaculate art direction, modern knights in shining armor, charismatic villains, love-triangle, supernatural, or revenge-centered plots, special appearances by K-pop idols, and other common tropes.

 

Some of these shows garnered instant international acclaim upon their release on leading streaming platforms.

 

Directed by Ahn Gil-ho and starring Song Hye-Kyo and Lee Do-hyun, the revenge drama The Glory, for instance, broke numerous records when its two parts were released in December 2022 and March 2023. Clocking over 380 million hours viewed, it became Netflix’s seventh most popular non-English series and nabbed many prestigious awards, including Best Drama, Best Leading Actress for Song, and Best Supporting Actress for Lim Ji-yeon at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

 

But what about the shows that didn’t get enough acclaim and accolades despite their decent production value and standout cast? From Kill It to My Country: The New Age, here is a selection of South Korean shows that weren’t very popular, despite boasting compelling antagonists with complex backstories.

 

(skipped unrelated)

Do Joon-young in My Mister (2018)

Also known as My Ahjussi, My Mister is a bleak, raw, and violent drama tackling the themes of injustice, aging, addiction, corporate greed, and elderly care. It stars Lee Sun-kyun as Park Dong-hoon, an impassionate but honest structural engineer, and IU as Lee Ji-an, a temp at his firm who owes a violent loan shark money and must care for her bedridden grandma. Kim Young-min portrays Do Joon-young, Dong-hoon’s college junior and now his manager.

How He Stands Out

Joon-young is a particularly detestable antagonist. Not only does he weasel his way to the top, but he also has an affair with Dong-hoon’s wife for over a year, not because he has feelings for her, but purely out of spite. So jealous is he of Dong-hoon’s integrity and standing within the company that he attempts to incriminate him with bribery and forces Ji-an to spy on him and possibly seduce him.

 

(skipped unrelated)

 

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/10-underrated-k-dramas-with-standout-villains/ar-AA1jVOHA

 

My Mister is defined as a 'love story' in 2023 international reviews, no longer hiding.

https://www.bollywoodlife.com/webstories/news-gossip/top-12-underrated-korean-dramas-that-are-a-must-watch-on-netflix-and-other-ott-2684263/

Edited November 28, 2023 by ferily
Please don’t quote videos. Thanks!

[sweetroad]

6 hours ago, Raymond said:

My Mister is defined as a 'love story' in 2023 international reviews, no longer hiding.

https://www.bollywoodlife.com/webstories/news-gossip/top-12-underrated-korean-dramas-that-are-a-must-watch-on-netflix-and-other-ott-2684263/

It’s funny that in both links we posted that MM is considered an “underrated” drama. I wonder why? I think viewership was pretty high in its day, and it has around 9 stars in viewer reviews in every platform that has them (IMDB, My Drama List, Viki, etc). Wonder what the requirements are to be considered underrated. 

[Raymond]

9 hours ago, sweetroad said:

It’s funny that in both links we posted that MM is considered an “underrated” drama. I wonder why? I think viewership was pretty high in its day, and it has around 9 stars in viewer reviews in every platform that has them (IMDB, My Drama List, Viki, etc). Wonder what the requirements are to be considered underrated. 

Exactly. When google My Mister reviews it is one of the very few with audience rating summary of 5 out of 5, out of 2952 ratings. The hottest ones like Crash Landing on You, Descendants of the Sun are on 4.9.

By the way I found out 2 weeks ago my English speaking only 60+ Australian male friend a kdrama addict (very rare, but thanks to Netflix)! I recommended him MM and last week we met again and he told me he finished it in 3 days! Obviously loves it.

[Unclouded]

On 11/6/2023 at 5:36 AM, Raymond said:

The only 'self censor' by PD/writer I can imagine is DH's speech to JA at the place of the janitor after finding her. I don't feel 'knowing someone would accept whatever that someone do' make any sense. He certainly knows both JY and YH very well and no way he would accept what they did. The original script might be 'loving' rather than 'knowing' make more sense linke many already suggested. And if there is no controversy at all, with a forced kiss in the beginning, there should be a genuine kiss at the end to close the story arc, just like the rejected hug and real hug, and also  what happened at the end of BJ Diary.

 

The quote about knowing someone, I interpret it as meaning 'I know you, I know that you are good and have good intentions, so nothing you do will bother me'. To accept everything about someone does seem like another way of saying love though. It reminds me a bit about what the monk says - that there isn't a single thing he hates in the world. I think DH doesn't know his wife that well, he doesn't intuitively grasp her mental state the way he does with JA. And he doesn't talk to her or share things with her that would help them understand what they don't know. Only the affair and the subsequent argument lets their true feelings come to the surface and be known to each other.

 

But I do think there's a self-censor in the janitor's place. It's still strange to me that he doesn't do anything (i.e. try to comfort her or move next to her) after she starts crying. It's weird to imagine him just watching her cry, that doesn't feel like a very realistic response (especially after the speech he just gave!).

 

On 11/10/2023 at 3:12 PM, sweetroad said:

These days, what makes the most sense to me is that JA doesn't contact DH because she doesn't want to bother/burden him anymore, since he was already avoiding her before she left for Busan. It may be she thinks he stays with Yoon Hee, too. But the biggest thing (and probably most hurtful thing) is that he was avoiding her for a few weeks while she stayed at Jung Hee's. She probably doesn't feel the confidence to contact him after she leaves Hugye.

 

And DH refrains from contacting her, since she's made it clear that a person who can be happy without her has no appeal, and that she wants to start over as if she has no history. Personally, I think there's a bit of a noble-martyr complex there for JA as she lets him go by saying those things; obviously she's still in love with him when they reunite, so it's not true that a happy DH wouldn't have any appeal for her.

 

At that point, I don't think there's much left to do for JA. DH's safe, he tells her that 'she saved him', so she doesn't really need to protect him anymore. But just because JA's left the neighbourhood doesn't mean they're not with her. She's following her grandma's advice (and also her promise to DH) to be happy, as the way to repay them for everything. Maybe she still kept that promise to Jung Hee - to meet during those 2 times of the year - while being away in Busan.

[Raymond]

On 11/16/2023 at 9:31 PM, Unclouded said:

 

But I do think there's a self-censor in the janitor's place. It's still strange to me that he doesn't do anything (i.e. try to comfort her or move next to her) after she starts crying. It's weird to imagine him just watching her cry, that doesn't feel like a very realistic response (especially after the speech he just gave!).

Very true. Even for platonic relationship a half embrace on the shoulder, like the monk friend's embrace on DH, is very natural. I can only imagine DH must have kept telling himself not to have any skinship with JA (since episode 7), or he can't resist the physical temptation and might do something inappropriate, while still having a wife living with him. And JA must also know she is too much an attraction/temptation to DH (impossible not to aware of all those secret glances in the office, in the train etc). The farewell embrace is only safe because of the presence of JH.

And that's why the final handshake is so significant showing DH no longer needs to resist the temptation.

Just finished watching Sisyphus the Myth and it has the same kind of 'to show not to tell' ending like MM. The ending is open to different interpretations, quite impossible to understand without reading ending explanations/reviews online. And most reviews actually got their interpretations wrong (my words only) and find it illogical and not satisfying. Only a couple of reviews with very detailed analysis got it right (my opinion only) and it is a very solid, satisfying, well designed ending. The actress said after the show, that the ending is a hopeful future, which I think is also applicable to the ending of MM.

[Unclouded]

On 11/18/2023 at 1:19 AM, Raymond said:

And JA must also know she is too much an attraction/temptation to DH (impossible not to aware of all those secret glances in the office, in the train etc).

 

Just as much of a sign is the way he's obviously thinking about her and her words when she's not there. And whenever she hears herself brought up around DH, she just stops in the street and listens so attentively.

 

On 11/18/2023 at 1:19 AM, Raymond said:

And that's why the final handshake is so significant showing DH no longer needs to resist the temptation.

 

Yeah, if JA confessed to him again the way she did the first time, there's no way he'd push her away now. But also, I think that whole scene shows a change in the emotional relationship between the two and not just a physical difference. They don't pity each other anymore! Earlier, so much of their mutual feelings was centred around that. DH even tells the monk earlier in the same episode before the timeskip that JA is the most pitiful person he knows. But that seems to be replaced now with happiness, joy to see each other changed for the best.

 

The way JA walks towards DH once she hears his voice at the coffee shop reminds me of the heart scene where DH stares at JA on the sidewalk after playing soccer. They're both totally fixated. JA just walks away from her friends with a distracted nod and follows his voice, while DH keeps looking at her while driving away. In those moments it feels like there's only one other person in each other's world.

[Raymond]

On 11/22/2023 at 7:16 PM, Unclouded said:

 

Just as much of a sign is the way he's obviously thinking about her and her words when she's not there. And whenever she hears herself brought up around DH, she just stops in the street and listens so attentively.

 

 

Yeah, if JA confessed to him again the way she did the first time, there's no way he'd push her away now. But also, I think that whole scene shows a change in the emotional relationship between the two and not just a physical difference. They don't pity each other anymore! Earlier, so much of their mutual feelings was centred around that. DH even tells the monk earlier in the same episode before the timeskip that JA is the most pitiful person he knows. But that seems to be replaced now with happiness, joy to see each other changed for the best.

 

The way JA walks towards DH once she hears his voice at the coffee shop reminds me of the heart scene where DH stares at JA on the sidewalk after playing soccer. They're both totally fixated. JA just walks away from her friends with a distracted nod and follows his voice, while DH keeps looking at her while driving away. In those moments it feels like there's only one other person in each other's world.

Reading the different MM forums, after episode 12, many can't see how DH won't be totally upset, and no way he can forgive JA once know about the wiretapping, giving his normal very private personality. Quite simply they ignored the PD/writer have shown us DH is a totally different person in front of JA. He is not his normal self, not his usual character, he would do anything to keep her in his life by then. So there is no point guessing his future actions relating to JA using his normal character, I believe.

In addition, after JA's directors/promotion interview, definitely DH knows JA is totally devoted to him. Would there be anything matters anymore? Doing or saying something that will hurt the feeling of JA who loves him so much?

[Unclouded]

6 hours ago, Raymond said:

Reading the different MM forums, after episode 12, many can't see how DH won't be totally upset, and no way he can forgive JA once know about the wiretapping, giving his normal very private personality. Quite simply they ignored the PD/writer have shown us DH is a totally different person in front of JA. He is not his normal self, not his usual character, he would do anything to keep her in his life by then. So there is no point guessing his future actions relating to JA using his normal character, I believe.

 

Even JA assumes he'll be upset when he finds out. And at the funeral she wonders if that's his last kindness, and whether he'll just leave her. Maybe it hasn't truly hit her, how much of a difference she's made for him, how unique that relationship is (until she remembers her grandma's words).

 

I guess it's also an expectation from other dramas, lead characters always having to split up for some reason, justified or not. But there don't really seem to be those kinds of 'bad communication' moments here

[Raymond]

On 11/24/2023 at 4:28 PM, Unclouded said:

 

Even JA assumes he'll be upset when he finds out. And at the funeral she wonders if that's his last kindness, and whether he'll just leave her. Maybe it hasn't truly hit her, how much of a difference she's made for him, how unique that relationship is (until she remembers her grandma's words).

 

I guess it's also an expectation from other dramas, lead characters always having to split up for some reason, justified or not. But there don't really seem to be those kinds of 'bad communication' moments here

Just want to add this drama shown DH has denied JA twice after knowing his wife's affair (bribe money and the hitting head), both shown his tremendous regrets and quickly made up to her. There won't be any third time from his side.

Another quote listed MM as one of the best in slow burn romance and it is the highest rank in IMDb:

https://startefacts.com/news/test-of-patience-top-10-slowest-burning-k-dramas-ranked_a117

In Doctor John (2019), near the end before the timeskip separation, the doctor consultant told his young female lead intern doctor: you are the only one who understand me, but if I told you that it means I love you. So basically it is DH's confession in the wiretap conversation, in Korean way.

[sweetroad]

On 11/24/2023 at 12:28 AM, Unclouded said:

But there don't really seem to be those kinds of 'bad communication' moments here

 

That's so true. In fact, PDH and LJA understand each other very well in all sorts of verbal and nonverbal communication, but it's PDH who can't say everything he wants to say, verbally.

 

On 11/24/2023 at 1:14 AM, Raymond said:

Another quote listed MM as one of the best in slow burn romance and it is the highest rank in IMDb:

https://startefacts.com/news/test-of-patience-top-10-slowest-burning-k-dramas-ranked_a117

 

Interesting list; thanks for posting. MM and My Liberation Diary are the only ones I've seen, but Hospital Playlist has always been intriguing. Perhaps it should go higher on my watchlist!

 

 

[Raymond]

On 12/2/2023 at 9:56 AM, sweetroad said:

 

That's so true. In fact, PDH and LJA understand each other very well in all sorts of verbal and nonverbal communication, but it's PDH who can't say everything he wants to say, verbally.

 

 

Interesting list; thanks for posting. MM and My Liberation Diary are the only ones I've seen, but Hospital Playlist has always been intriguing. Perhaps it should go higher on my watchlist!

 

 

Watching others kdramas just couldn't stop reference back to MM.

In Doctor John life of the female lead is so miserable, worrying about the serious health issue of the male lead, but even he promised to keep her informed he failed to do so, akways not answering her phone calls nor text. I just hope the female lead would have the wiretap!!!

In Doctors (2016) the long term girl friend knows the male lead's heart has gone to the other girl once he asked her to help that girl, to avoid the scandal if he keep seeing the girl (his student). And the long term girl friend left the male lead as a result. So that's the usual plot line to establish YH leaving DH. In DB there are so many against the age gap romance even though it only really started after the long long 13 years timeskip. Some also supported the younger second male lead to be her endgame, just like supporting the loan shark to have romance with JA. So all look familiar.

Looking through the rear mirror when the filming of the final scene at the cafe was leaked before the release of the last 2 episodes, everyone got excited and made guesses on the ending around page 160 here. All relieved as JA didn't die. One predicted DH and JA bumped into each other after timeskip, say hello, how are you, bye and parted forever. One said sign is good as it is the first time they met under bright daylight full sunshine. So case of you see what you wanted to see.

[Convergence]

On 11/10/2023 at 9:12 PM, sweetroad said:

 

I thought it was unrealistic as well, since they were so connected for so much of the show. It bothered me for a LONG time! And it's why the fanfic (The Road Back to You) finally got written, so I could get it all untangled from the brain.

 

These days, what makes the most sense to me is that JA doesn't contact DH because she doesn't want to bother/burden him anymore, since he was already avoiding her before she left for Busan. It may be she thinks he stays with Yoon Hee, too. But the biggest thing (and probably most hurtful thing) is that he was avoiding her for a few weeks while she stayed at Jung Hee's. She probably doesn't feel the confidence to contact him after she leaves Hugye.

 

And DH refrains from contacting her, since she's made it clear that a person who can be happy without her has no appeal, and that she wants to start over as if she has no history. Personally, I think there's a bit of a noble-martyr complex there for JA as she lets him go by saying those things; obviously she's still in love with him when they reunite, so it's not true that a happy DH wouldn't have any appeal for her.

 

Sorry, I only realize now that you're responding to my forum post from last month. 

And I find myself in the exact same boat as you had previously, the ending bothers me until now, and I'm also writing a fanfic to get rid of it. haha. I am reading yours now.

[sweetroad]

8 hours ago, Convergence said:

And I find myself in the exact same boat as you had previously, the ending bothers me until now, and I'm also writing a fanfic to get rid of it.

 

Oh nice! Let us know when you're done with it! (Or when you've published part of it.) It's always great to read new MM fanfic, especially to see what people come up with in order to get it out of their system.

 

On 12/4/2023 at 8:22 PM, Raymond said:

All relieved as JA didn't die.

 

Did viewers think JA might die because they saw in the previews that she would get hit by a car?

 

~

 

I came across this Tumblr review again today and still liked how she described the show, Hugye, and what PDH and LJA each found from their relationship: https://www.tumblr.com/cere-mon-ials/695095427789471744/i-heard-a-great-many-things-about-my-mister-before?redirect_to=%2Fcere-mon-ials%2F695095427789471744%2Fi-heard-a-great-many-things-about-my-mister-before&source=blog_view_login_wall

 

[Raymond]

22 hours ago, sweetroad said:

 

Oh nice! Let us know when you're done with it! (Or when you've published part of it.) It's always great to read new MM fanfic, especially to see what people come up with in order to get it out of their system.

 

 

Did viewers think JA might die because they saw in the previews that she would get hit by a car?

 

~

 

I came across this Tumblr review again today and still liked how she described the show, Hugye, and what PDH and LJA each found from their relationship: https://www.tumblr.com/cere-mon-ials/695095427789471744/i-heard-a-great-many-things-about-my-mister-before?redirect_to=%2Fcere-mon-ials%2F695095427789471744%2Fi-heard-a-great-many-things-about-my-mister-before&source=blog_view_login_wall

 

Because of the 2 weeks’ break between the release of episode 14, and episode 15/16, everyone is making predictions here in this forum. Death of JA is a possibility because of her sacrificial love for DH demonstrated and the talks of reborn (not really caused by the preview of her getting hit by a car). 
While many predicted DH will get very upset knowing the wiretap even seeing how he held the phone in the cinema at end of episode 14, after release of episode 15 most forgotten about their predictions and its significant implications!
The Tumblr review is beautifully written. Thanks indeed.

[Unclouded]

 

On 12/4/2023 at 8:22 PM, Raymond said:

Watching others kdramas just couldn't stop reference back to MM.

 

On 12/1/2023 at 5:56 PM, sweetroad said:

That's so true. In fact, PDH and LJA understand each other very well in all sorts of verbal and nonverbal communication, but it's PDH who can't say everything he wants to say, verbally.

 

I've had this same problem with comparisons, but I feel like that happens when other dramas have a similar subject or theme but either lack the same emotional depth, they feel contrived in some of the decisions that characters make, or have scenes that seem a bit purposeless. Especially death or funeral scenes where you wonder if someone really had to die, especially if it's all forgotten about like 20 minutes later.

 

The review that you linked was really interesting. I liked this section a lot:

 

Quote

PHY believes and says “Every relationship is fascinating and precious,” so why do we say no to making more of them as we age? The norms in civil society is a good reason, but maybe a superficial one. She maintains it's the simple act of being vulnerable that leads to building and treasuring relationships; one of those things we tend to lose as we "age". The facade to maintain as a successful person is at odds with being vulnerable so we have to fragment the contours of our love and maintain boundaries. It’s why the relationship between Dong-hoon and Ji-an is—and has to be—cemented on wiretapping and surveillance and the ugliness of baring your soul, against your will even. 

 

Even though JA and DH both seem to realize very quickly (pre-wiretap) that they are similar, there's an initial reluctance to get closer. JA reacts so negatively when DH first starts talking about her, his pity for her to others. Being that vulnerable makes it easy for others to look down on you. But his actual feelings about his life (feeling that he has nothing, that he's being punished) weren't things JA learns through the wiretap, but come directly from him. The wiretap makes every action of his known to her, but his thoughts and feelings he has to share on his own. Maybe what the similarity allows is that DH and JA can see each other and be evaluated by each other without the negative emotions they each have for themselves. Deep down, both of them want someone that can comfort them.

 

I love the way this reviewer thinks about what it means for relationships to be fascinating and precious - that it isn't just the grandma admiring/approving of JA and DH, but the way we should live our own lives. In order for a community to last over time, don't there have to be meaningful relationships across ages? If the neighbourhood is like a warm blanket made up of the people inside, it slowly gets frayed when people move elsewhere or pass away. But by forming new bonds, a new row gets stitched onto that blanket, and it perseveres.

[Convergence]

edit: rest in peace Lee Sun Kyun

Edited December 27, 2023 by Convergence
news about Lee Sun Kyun

[anipanch]

dropped back by to say how heartbroken I'm with the news of LSK  Ever since My Mister, it was a dream to see him and IU reunited in another project, but here we are.... Korean drug politics and the societal judgement took yet another great artist from us... RIP

[noor1]

Aggrieved to say the least. What a voice - put to such great use in My Ahjussi - and a fairly decent actor. Too bad. Prayers for his family, the excellent actress-wife and kids etc. 

 

I wish he had the will, support and environment to live through this crisis: just like the lesson we all got by watching this classic: