[Drama 2018-2019] Encounter / Boyfriend, 남자친구

[avondale16]

On 11/15/2018 at 3:39 AM, utkim said:

 

dc

@bebebisous33 as usual, i love your detail and coverage of the above journey in encounter ( the depth and the breadth). Thank you so much and love you. 

 

LSGLMH_88  come, and read the above excellent analysis.

 

@utkim thank you for the above gifs. Both are connected to nature too.

Spoiler

And I really, really, really like the second gif ( hidden above), where KJH approaching and makes the dark color blown away and shines her life beautifully with smiles and happiness.

@bebebisous33 there is a parallel here, KJH is walking slowly towards a stagnant, standing CSH.

 

The other scene ( will find it and paste it here...)

 

KJH is running towards a slow, walking CSH.

 

Both scenes are by the sea (nature) and further confirms / strengthen the above analysis, "The importance of nature in Encounter".

 

 

 

And this gif ( on page 58 post by @marykarmelina thank you), the sun moves from KJH to CSH, how wonderful!!!

 

Breadth of learning refers to the full span of knowledge of a subject (encounter). Depth of learning refers to the extent to which specific topics (episodes in encounter)   are focused upon, amplified and explored. Within any area of study (specifically, now is the study of encounter)  , there will be both breadth and depth of learning, which increase as students or us (soompiers) and future viewers of encounters; advance their knowledge.

 

[avondale16]

On 11/30/2018 at 12:20 PM, gumtaek said:

Boyfriend is NOT a hollow drama. It is a nuanced one (very much so...hence, I can't understand comments like the story is so-so because it is not) It needs to be chewed and digested. You need to rewatch the episodes because it is very easy to miss out on some important elements that were used to help us get to know the characters and to build up the beautiful narrative. 

@gumtaek i like it, yes, we have to chew and digest.

 

Another re-emphasize by  @gumtaek

( on page 71).

 

I've posted once that this is a nuanced/layered drama. Many things are not explicitly said and there is a need to "read between the lines" to understand and appreciate these. Boyfriend is like that. Boyfriend's style is a restrained one...dialogue is loaded with meaning, hence, it is not verbose... The drama is like poetry...you need to, in a sense, read it over and over again to extract its beauty. Dialogue in the drama could sometimes be sparing but a lot of body language---including facial expressions---made up for it. These, viewers will have to learn how to read.  -- thank you  , @gumtaek i like the part the drama is like poetry...

 

 

In depth analysis by @bebebisous33 helps us with chew and digest process.

 

On 11/30/2018 at 11:35 PM, bebebisous33 said:

Based on the synopsis, the ex-husband loved her but thought that as time passed on, she would start loving him. However, she never changed her behaviour towards him which led to the divorce. So he still loves her but he believes that she is a woman whose heart is so frozen and hard. And now he sees pictures of her smiling in the Internet. He must have been surprised to see her smiling like that!!

 

However, I believe that JWS's strategy was totally wrong. (Based on the synopsis) He wanted to be loved by her which indicates that he must have been quite passive. In reality, he should have focused more on her than on himself (she would fall for him!!)... Then he made the mistake to think that his status and reputation (and good behaviour) would be enough to make her fall for him. He actually forgot that CSH was forced to marry him. Secondly, CSH has been trained, never to express her own desires and thoughts. So if he had focused on her desires and her needs, she would have reacted differently. He never tried to break down her walls... he thought that time would work for him and he was wrong.

 

I can't help thinking how JH treated her on Cuba. He was trying to read her all this time (noticing that her foot was hurt)... when she wished to watch the salsa show, he agreed. He asked her to choose the shoes. She didn't dare to express her own opinion but he didn't mind and chose for her. However, he asked her if she was okay with his choice which shows that he always attempts to respect her wishes. 

@alekaonu

Page 57. Are you still angry with JWS for not focusing more on her, her desires and her needs?

 

On 12/2/2018 at 7:57 PM, bebebisous33 said:

She acts as the bad parent (the one who sold off her own daughter),

Spot on. I think you wrote this, way long before the episode where CSH told her mom that she wont let omma sold her twice (to tagyeoung.).

[twtwb]

It’s really magical

 

Soo Huyn. Soo Huyn.
Are you calling me by my name now? 

 

I love you.

 

[avondale16]

On 12/3/2018 at 11:42 AM, gumtaek said:

@khxyThanks so much for the details you've shared about the drama! Appreciate these! Hope to read more of your posts! 

@khxy i love the 11 points of detail you wrote back in 3rd dec (page 60).

 

It has the magic number "11" that @dukesa1122 and @bebebisous33 discuss earlier. 

[avondale16]

On 12/3/2018 at 3:23 PM, Jemrie said:

 Opening Credits is  captivating

@Jemrie i like your picture. Possible to have the all episodes opening credits? In this post, page 61, you combine  and have 6 pictures (from 3 episodes?). Thank you.

[avondale16]

On 12/4/2018 at 6:51 AM, nubianlegalmind said:

Saddest moment for me wasn't when she met with her parents, although there clearly wasn't much warmth from them. It was when she was in the car with KJH after their ramen date and he cleared up that his favorite lady was his mother and that is who he was talking to that day. Then CSH asked how he could be so happy and laughing on the phone with his mother, I visibly cringed. That type of loneliness of not knowing what a healthy and happy relationship with a parent is like was just too sad for words

@nubianlegalmind i agree, its sad right. I love meeting and going out eating with my parent.

 

Spoiler

It reminds me recent video,

How he happily eats with his mom.

Spoiler

 

 

 

[NongpeeP]

1 hour ago, stroppyse said:

Not sure where I read the article, but I have to say that I loved Park Bo Gum's answer when he was asked about romancing his sunbae's wife, Song Hye Kyo. His response was to say that his romance was with Cha Soo Hyun, not Song Hye Kyo. Such a lovely, diplomatic, and appropriate response to a silly question. No wonder, he's always such a sweetheart.   

 

I haven't been reading this thread (or any thread) to be honest because real life continues to be hectic, but I did thoroughly enjoy this drama. It wasn't a big, splashy production full of surprising twists, but I loved the love story of Kim Jin Hyeok and Cha Soo Hyun as they struggled through the various prejudices to decide to be together.  I like to imagine them continuing their lives together, supportive, teasing, and laughing.

 

@stroppyse PBG made me realize that good attitude and witty speaking are very crucial to the choice of life we wanna be.

 

===========

PBG’s Post Drama Interview for Encounter

[인터뷰] ‘남자친구’ 박보검 “견딜 수 있을만한 기대와 부담감이 좋아요”

tvN '남자친구'에서 김진혁을 연기한 배우 박보검 인터뷰

김영진 기자|2019/02/08 00:00

 

http://www.asiatoday.co.kr/view.php?key=20190207001601057

papago translate

 

"I like the expectation and the pressure to fight," Park Bo-gum said.

 

Park Bo-gum, an actor who played Kim Jin-hyuk on TVN's 'boyfriend'

 

Kim Young-jin, a reporter from Seoul, said, "2019/02/08 00:00

 

 

 Actor Park Bo-dum made a deep impression in the recently ended TVN drama 'My Boyfriend' with a "Good Romance." Kim Jin-hyuk, a pure young man, and Song Hye-kyo, who showed high synchro rates, boasted his unique chemistry with the original "Roko Queen."

 

Starting with the accidental meeting between Cha Soo-hyun (Song Hye-kyo) who has never live a life with her own choice, and Kim Jin-hyeok (Park Bo-gum)

"boyfriends" were loved by viewers by maintaining an average viewer rating of 7 to 8 percent (the same as Nilson Korea and the National Charity District). It recorded its highest viewer rating of 10%. 

 

"I was very anxious to finish 'boyfriend' safely. I held a fan meeting as soon as I finished my work and met my fans. I think that was a break for me."

 

Park Bo-gam played Kim Jin-hyuk in the drama, displaying his strengths and perfecting his pure and clear soul character. As I was nicknamed "Green grape," I tried very hard to express a fresh character.

"I think I chose 'boyfriend' because I was so touched by the character Kim Jin-hyuk. He's a positive, honest, confident, caring person. Above all, the person who loves himself has come to be charming. A lot of people described it as "Green grape." I think I was thinking about how to express it. At first, I expressed fresh fruit, and as I became more aware of Cha Soo Hyun, I tried to show his growing."

 

In particular, "boyfriends" have turned the existing Cinderella material completely upside down and received more attention. He was evaluated as a "fresh" by placing a capable female protagonist and an ordinary male protagonist

 

"Actually, I don't think 'boyfriend' is a Cinderella story. Of course, the sex has changed, but Jinhyuk is a rich guy. What I wanted to show you through my boyfriend is that I can be happy if I realize that I don't have a lot of material, but I have much.

Cha Soo-hyun seems to have a lot of things, but I think Jin Hyuk gave her more. Some people think that the role has been changed. So we had fun filming."

 

Park Bo-hyuk, who said, "Only when you look into the chatacter as yourself, you can absorb in acting more," said that Kim Jin-hyuk, who is also similar to him.

 

"I think that only if I can understand and empathize people, Jin Hyuk also looked like me. But I think I learned more. In fact, it was hard for a man in his late 20s to be so innocent, but I didn't feel pressured. I had something similar to myself. I worked hard every minute, and I recognized the lack of it"

 

 

 

"Boyfriend" received attention because Park Bo-gum returned to the drama after two years, but most of all, Song Hye-kyo's first appearance since her marriage with Song Joong-ki made headlines. Park Bo-dam, a company affiliated with Song Joong-ki, said, "We had a good time."

 

"Song Hye-kyo played Cha Soo-hyun as perfect and real So I was able to focus on Jinhyuk too. It's been a pleasure to be with her and I'm grateful. Song Hye-kyo, especially, fully conveys her emotions when she plays an emotional scene. That's why I can act well because of such emotions."

 

Park Bo-dam is an actor who has been working for years. In particular, after gaining huge popularity with the TVN drama "Reply 1988," which aired three years ago, he has emerged as a successful actor after "Gurmi Green Moonlight" and "Boyfriend."

 

"Thank you for looking forward to me. It may be a burden, but I think it's a good feeling to bear. I try not to let go of my tension and keep it going. If you feel burdened, you will lose confidence in all aspects of your acting. Acting is always fun. I think I enjoyed it from the beginning. The most attractive thing is to live a life that I've never lived through a work and through a character. You can also learn how to live a new life and understand different people's lives. I feel more inclusive."

 

Although he is an actor with a good image, he cannot only have good reviews. Park Bo-gum, who is famous for being positive, said, "I listen to bad reviews."

 

"It doesn't shake my center just because I have a bad evaluation. I think you should be able to listen to such comments. And that's how we grow. I'm glad that there are people who look at me objectively, and I feel more energetic."

 

After making his debut at the age of 19, Park Bo-dum, who was only in his 20s, said, "I've been well on my way." "I want to see endless works," said Park, who promised to meet the public with various works and characters.

 

"I think I'm walking as I imagined, as I hoped and prayed for. I'm just grateful. Tell your fans that it's right to think and pray all the time. I always try to say good things and think good things. I think I'm really grateful.

 

 

 

 

[NongpeeP]

On 2/5/2019 at 1:49 PM, bebebisous33 said:

Encounter: the symbol of Cha Soo Hyun’s love

I could have mentioned more encounters between our protagonists. Nonetheless all these encounters had a huge impact on CSH and JH and their relationship. Because it was always unexpected, CSH couldn’t be like an ice princess. Her guard was down, besides she got sometimes caught red-handed, where she was unable to behave like a CEO. Furthermore, through these casual meetings, JH was able to see CSH in a different light. Only through encounters, KJH could break down her walls and her resistance. Then she was forced to do new things with him. It was refreshing for her and she could see how natural and simple their meetings were. The encounters in the later episode have a different function: she lets KJH enter her heart and mind completely.

 

• episode 4: He witnesses KJH bringing CSH with the old truck. He witnesses how KJH’s present is accepted. On the hand, his gift (the expensive dress) is later rejected.
• episode 6: He sees, how CSH puts the bought necktie to KJH
• episode 9: the kiss at the ball

 

@bebebisous33

After my weekdays' hectic working, I am reading this forum's previous page.

You analysis make me remind of the feeling when I rewatched Encounter /Boyfriend that mutual Encounter made KJH know that his attraction to CSH is not bilateral while CSH realized that her attraction to KJH with hesitation was not able to resist.

 

The Ex-husband is the witness of KJH&CSH's encounter and relationship development which roused his "dog in the manger" while he had not actively involved with CSH for 4 years after divorce.

 

8 hours ago, bebebisous33 said:

The importance of nature in Encounter

KJH could move her heart because he wanted her to feel comfortable: the shoes, the jackets, the scarf. He always tries to give her his clothes. He always worries that she might get cold or hurt. A person obsessed with appearance would never accept such gestures because it wouldn’t look good but CSH is not thinking like that.

On the other hand, our hero JH is linked to nature in the different drawings. In the first drawing, he is living in a world so different from CSH: sunlight, green and tree. He is often standing next to the sun. If he is not represented, he is symbolized by the red butterfly (episode 4). The red butterfly has an important signification: it is an omen announcing huge changes in someone’s life. From my point of view, when the red butterfly touches CSH’s head, it was as if it brought back life and feelings to our protagonist. But don’t forget that in the story itself, JH introduced himself to CSH as fruit seller. In the same episode (1), CSH compares him herself to a fruit saying that he was like a white grape. Then in the following drawing.

 

@bebebisous33

When I read that the writer got inspiration KJH from the church preacher from @bohmi, it reminded me that KJH is a real life person who can have good heart no matter what he has experienced. This might be another proof to let people think that they can choose the choice of living our lives to be optimistic, pessimistic, lively, doom, determined, pressured, etc.  

 

KJH who was born in the family which parents work very hard to let their family survive from the fruit selling stall.

 

At age of 7, when his parents had no time for him, he chose to help his parents raise his younger brother, study, spend time in the playground, stay in the library to read books, going out to enjoy the nature with his camera. 

 

After graduation, he worked in several part-time jobs when he can not find the full time job.

Without parents' support in his working, he felt thankful for his parents who paid for his schooling without student's debt to repay while his father felt sorry for not able to give KJH any pillar. 

 

Nature that KJH chose in his life, playground in the outdoor, taking photos in the beautiful places as KJH brought CSH to farewell before going to Sokcho, going to enjoy the nature in Cuba with budget from his 1-year part time working.

When KJH felt naturally attracted by CSH, he let his natural instrinct go with the flow to express his feeling. 

 

Conversely, CSH and ex-husband chose to be subtle without nature enjoying while they looked very previleged in others' eyes with rich status, high position, good looking appearance. 

 

I like Mr. Nam's words related to the value of life when a person can live in just a short time, choosing the ways to enjoy life in the circumstances should be done. 

 

 

By the way, in real life when I rewatched Encounter / Boyfriend, I found out that KJH's spending time choices might match to CSH's preference but not majority of people nowadays, KJH might be slightly boring for some women.  

Let imagine when we have a boyfriend, he wanna date in the library, taking a photo, often have a meal cooked by his mom with his family or in his friend's restaurant. 

 

 

 

 

[bebebisous33]

I really love your gif @utkim

@avondale16 Not only this gif illustrates my interpretation about nature and walk but it underlines another aspect. KJH is the wind and CSH is the sea. Notice that there is no wave before, the sea is calm. While approaching her, KJH creates a huge wave so that there is a lot of foam, bulbs of air.The wind brings movement and life to the sea. The huge wave outlines the positive effect of KJH in CSH's life: full of movement, excitement and joy.

Now, I would like to add another observation, since when I wrote the analysis above, all the episodes had not aired. So there is another drawing where water is present. It is in the episode 13. This time, the sea seems to be frozen. This drawing represents CSH's inner world, her last wall... which KJH is unaware of its existence as he is walking on the same side. Since he is by her side, he believes that he has achieved his goal (being as close as possible to her), yet he is wrong. This picture reveals the invisible barrier. Notice, we have here a mirror as the sea reflects their bodies which will mislead KJH. He won't notice how he is pushed away after his girlfriend meets his mother. The meeting is shown in the form of the white butterly leaving CSH's body. This is the real blow which makes CSH change her mind.   

[Cheryl295]

Thailand

 

 

[avondale16]

On 12/6/2018 at 12:22 AM, utkim said:

Song Hye Kyo is an act of capturing the hearts of viewers with their deep sensitivity and delicate acting. Her expressive power, which gives a lot of talk with only one eye and one expression, focuses on the house theater and brings immersion. In the third 'Boyfriend' broadcast on December 5th, the performance of Song Hye-kyo made the hearts of the viewers shine.

I love this description of CSH = expressive = talk using eyes

( on page70)

 

On 12/6/2018 at 6:11 AM, yonaomi123 said:

I'm super undecided about SooHyun's ex-husband.  Like he seems he really may have been trying to set SooHyun free for her own good by divorcing her, but he agreed to save JinHyuk's job on the condition that SooHyun wasn't really in a relationship with him.  That's not exactly nice guy material.  And seriously dude?  You want to buy a dress for your ex-wife, so you bribe a shop attendant into letting you buy it??  I'm thinking SooHyun is not a fan of that sort of underhandedness, no matter well-intentioned and harmless it may be. 

 

But despite not really liking some of his words or actions, I do want him to get free and live the life he wants to live.

@yonaomi123, now the drama ends, have you decided about JWS or still undecided?

 

 

[stardustvoid]

Thank you @bebebisous33 for another amazing analysis! Thank you to the others as well for keeping the thread alive

 

News about the drama have dried up (as expected) but I’m glad some of you are still here. 

[NongpeeP]

16 hours ago, bebebisous33 said:

Now, I would like to add another observation, since when I wrote the analysis above, all the episodes had not aired. So there is another drawing where water is present. It is in the episode 13. This time, the sea seems to be frozen. This drawing represents CSH's inner world, her last wall... which KJH is unaware of its existence as he is walking on the same side. Since he is by her side, he believes that he has achieved his goal (being as close as possible to her), yet he is wrong. This picture reveals the invisible barrier. Notice, we have here a mirror as the sea reflects their bodies which will mislead KJH. He won't notice how he is pushed away after his girlfriend meets his mother. The meeting is shown in the form of the white butterly leaving CSH's body. This is the real blow which makes CSH change her mind.   

@bebebisous33

Thank you for your analysis and observation over pages, I have spent weekend reading them all and rewatching Encounter / Boyfriend. 

 

What KJH can do to mitigate CSH's changing her mind from her concern to KJH the best he can :

1. When KJH keeps his promise seriously, he asked CSH promise not to remove her couple ring from the finger again;

 

2. KJH tried to directly get familiar with CSH's father to let him consider KJH can bear obstacles and impact from being with CSH.

As audiences knew, CSH's mind changing partially resulted from CSH's father in ep.8; and

 

3. KJH let KJH's mom get familiar with CSH by bringing CSH to join his family's meals quite often to let his family see how he has spent life being with CSH and how CSH get along with his family. 

KJH's mom is the reason why CSH changed her mind to break up with KJH.

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

I like this twitter's observation about KJH&CSH's life together, who will cook? Even CSH have a cooking skill from learning but the last scene, they mentioned like KJH's routine duty to cook. 

 

[bebebisous33]

1 hour ago, stardustvoid said:

Thank you @bebebisous33 for another amazing analysis! Thank you to the others as well for keeping the thread alive

 

News about the drama have dried up (as expected) but I’m glad some of you are still here. 

Thanks a lot for the compliment.  I am almost done with the comparison between Alice in Wonderland and Encounter... it will be quite long. Imagine, there are already two pages  and it is not finished.  

[bebebisous33]

The traces of "Alice in Wonderland" in Encounter

In this scene, our main characters are reading the favorite book from the other. While CSH has The Little Prince in her hands, KJH is holding Alice in Wonderland. One is a philosophical tale, while the other is more or less a fairy tale. What does it say about Cha Soo Hyun? Unlike The Little Prince that was indirectly mentioned in the earlier episodes (through the painting and his first love confession), so far, the work of Lewis Carroll was never implied before. Yet both works have many things in common. Besides both deal about childhood and they look like children books on the surface, nonetheless there is a deep message behind these stories. A deeper analysis reveals that Alice in Wonderland is about becoming an adult and Alice’s journey in that strange land correspond to her growth from a child into adulthood through adolescence. As you can see, childhood has a huge place in these two stories, nevertheless their perspective about childhood and memories contrasts, moreover their approach is different. While in The Little Prince the author wants adults to remember their inner child in order to live differently and enjoy life to the fullest, Lewis Carroll wrote in the preface this following verses:

Alice! A childish story take,
And with a gentle hand,
Lay it where Childhood's dreams are twined
In Memory's mystic band,
Like pilgrim's withered wreath of flowers
Plucked in far-off land.

Striking is that the fairy tale and childhood dreams are compared to withered wreath of flowers. Sure, they represent memories too, yet these suffer from time as they are described as “withered”. So the author is referring to the fact as older the person becomes, the more childhood memories seem to disintegrate… they lose their intensity. Time has an impact on them. Sure, people tend to held onto these memories hence they are compared to “pilgrims” but time has an impact on these childhood dreams. Furthermore, at the end of the story, Alice’s sister tries to remember Alice’s “journey” and “dream”. She is well aware that this was just a dream. Her eyes are closed and she attempts to imagine this Wonderland. Yet, she can not live the same experience as she is not asleep. While “dreaming”, she is still awake and her mind recognizes each image and sound from Alice’s story to the image and sound of the real world. The older sister starts imagining Alice as an adult who will keep the simple and loving heart of her childhood. She will tell this story to her own children and  remember this story and her childhood as something good. As you can see, childhood is linked in both works to purity and innocence and one author think that the person from the childhood won’t change that much (Alice’s image doesn’t change much in the future in the sister’s eyes), whereas Antoine de Saint-Exupéry thinks that otherwise. Adults change so much that they forget that they were once children. Time is quite important in Alice in Wonderland it is very often mentioned or implied (White Rabbit with the clock, her fall seems to be endless and during the fall, she can take things from the walls etc). Besides, Alice is even wondering if she should grow old or remain young. She decides, it is better to grow up as she doesn’t want to get lessons all her life. On the other hand, in The Little Prince, there was no time indication.   

 

But let us take a closer look at Alice in Wonderland. Since CSH chose this book, this implies that she feels some connection with the main character. What have Alice, the main character, and Cha Soo Hyun in common? First, both are female characters, while The Little Prince was a boy… the same gender than KJH. Secondly, the story begins with a dream. Alice is sitting next to her sister, while the latter is reading a book. Alice feels bored and falls asleep. Striking is that transition between dream and reality is not visible. And this is interesting because the more we read, the more confused it becomes. The distinction between dream and reality is not clear at all, especially when it is written: (First chapter) “the sleep began to win Alice”, she is even described in her dream as “half-asleep” giving the impression that she was awake before. Yet, this is not possible as she had already made different strange experiences: meeting the White Rabbit with his clock, the endless fall where time seems to have changed. So she was already dreaming, however it looks like there is a “second sleep” indicating that she is falling deeper and deeper asleep. So the borders between reality and dream are not clear at all. Strangely is that Cha Soo Hyun is in a similar situation in the beginning. She has been in a coma for so long so that she has some problems to discern what is reality from dream. In the episode 11, while she is drunk, she confides to KJH her biggest fear. She is so happy to have him by her side that she is worried.

These words underline her confusion. For her, it is too good to be true. This must be a dream because reality is so different. Her vegetable state has affected her. She can no longer distinguish what is dream and reality. Well, in “Alice in Wonderland”, there were still allusions to the real world: her cat Dinah, her friends Ada and Mabel, her lessons etc.” so that this story is a mixture of dream and reality. A certain confusion exists in the story too. Yet, the way Alice wakes up at the end marks a turning point. She rejects “Wonderland” claiming that they are just a deck of cards. She refuses to acknowledge The Queen of Heart and her minions, she regains consciousness and can discern their true nature. At the end, there is no more confusion. CSH has a similar experience at the end. She is able to discern that this “dream” is not too good to be true… the photos of her happiness are the proof. This is reality and not a dream. So their journey are quite similar. At the end, both can distinguish dream from reality.

Another parallel between the drama and this tale is that Alice’s personality resembles Cha Soo Hyun’s character a lot. Both are curious, eager to help and both make mistakes. CSH’s curiosity is visible as she keeps trying new things with KJH (eating ramyeon at a stop area, chicken gizzards aso). Moreover, her new experiences are often linked food… just like Alice who keeps trying drinks, cookies and mushrooms in order to know what the effects will be. Another aspect is their loneliness. Alice is either talking to herself or talking about her cat Dinah which she seems to be missing a lot or she can’t stop talking to others (the duchess, aso). She feels lonely in this world.

But the main common denominator is the loss of identity and their quest to discover who they really are. CSH’s loss of identity is palpable in the episode 7. She mentions

 

So it means for the first time, she is living as Cha Soo Hyun. Notice in her next words, she uses her own name, like f. ex. “I’m no longer the Cha Soo Hyun who is crazy about the hotel”. She has already found a part of herself the moment she uses her own name. Alice is put in a similar situation. In the chapter II, she wonders about her own identity. Then she remembers her friend Ada and Mabel and realizes that she can not be Ada and Mabel. Later, the White Rabbit calls her Marianne, the pigeon confuses her to a snake. The Cater pillar is the one who asks Alice: WHO ARE YOU? Alice had already questioned her own identity before, yet the caterpillar is the one who confronts her with that question openly. As you can see, Alice and CSH use both names in order to find their own identity. However, there is a huge difference between these two characters. While in the tale Alice in Wonderland, the focus is on growth and becoming an adult, CSH has a different journey. For her, it is to discover her own inner child. The more episodes aired, the more CSH became cheerful, even her secretary JMJ pointed out that CSH was behaving like in the past. So their journey is quite the opposite. CSH has lived for a long time as an adult and could never enjoy being an adolescent and child. Alice goes through the adolescence in the book, just like our heroine. CSH takes her distance from her mother and at the end, she is able to reconcile with her as she has found her own identity and her own life. Sure, when she talked to her mother, she hadn’t gone back to her KJH’s side, yet CSH had changed.

Finally, the Queen of heart and the King remind us a lot of Chairman Kim and her son JWS. The latter acts behind his mother’s back, just like in Alice. The Chairman Kim owns a chessboard which is quite similar to the deck of cards. Both queens are threatening a lot and even trying to give death sentences. Their world is quite violent and brutal so that both Alice and CSH are rejecting it at the end.

To sum up, the drama Encounter and Alice in Wonderland have a lot of points in common:

-          The journey of a heroine

-          The importance of time and childhood

-          Loss of identity and search for identity

-          The visible growth of the main character 

-          Confusion between dream and reality

-          Some characters are quite similar

 At the end of her journey, CSH found her true identity and personality. She has found her inner child, although she is still an adult. That's why we see this painting at the end of Encounter.

Spoiler

 

Since KJH has always been the more mature one (f. ex. enduring hard times with good memories, his letter at the end, his bet in the episode 16), the man embodies KJH's personality: full of wisdom and knowledge and the little girl resembles CSH because of her childish side... she likes teasing KJH. 

 

So that's it. Any feedback is welcome... 

 

@dukesa1122@luv_jinsoo @stardustvoid@jl08@celebrianna@xu_lyfe@dreaminsince1998@thistle@Yongzura@roshzanna@lolipop86gorgeous@nikir@shyguitar @thadora @NongpeeP @rosiepeonie188 @twtwb @Tasia  @avondale16 @beejoy111

[bohmi]

cr. galpinote

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

cr. dc

 

[roshzanna]

As @NongpeeP mentioned, in real life dating on a bookstore is quite boring same as eating on the house. Thats true, in our times of digital age and many are capaple of traveling here and there, many couples may seem forgotten the simplest form of happiness. JH and SH encourage viewers that spending time together can be done in the simplest and cheapest ways, like going to the bookstore, walking in the park, going up the tower and still the same happiness can be achieved. They are encouraging couples with their same age group that they should not be pressured by the modern times in spending quality time together.

 

As nature is related to our couple, thanks @bebebisous33

My favorite parts are their relation to snow.

At first i thought, the first snow in the drama was on ep 16 but there is another one.

When SH noticed the snow from her window, she took pic but on her 2nd shot the film ran out. Then the next day, she went to ms. Lee and developed the film and get a new one, upon  seeing JH pic thats when she changed her mind and ran to JH in Sokcho.

In the last episode, after reading JH letter, seeing her shoes,  after dveloping the film and seeing her pictures she ran to JH and then there's snow

Now back to reading your post ,  re: alice in wonderland  and nature again

[NongpeeP]

18 hours ago, bebebisous33 said:

The traces of "Alice in Wonderland" in Encounter

 

To sum up, the drama Encounter and Alice in Wonderland have a lot of points in common:

-          The journey of a heroine

-          The importance of time and childhood

-          Loss of identity and search for identity

-          The visible growth of the main character 

-          Confusion between dream and reality

-          Some characters are quite similar

 At the end of her journey, CSH found her true identity and personality. She has found her inner child, although she is still an adult. That's why we see this painting at the end of Encounter.

 

Since KJH has always been the more mature one (f. ex. enduring hard times with good memories, his letter at the end, his bet in the episode 16), the man embodies KJH's personality: full of wisdom and knowledge and the little girl resembles CSH because of her childish side... she likes teasing KJH. 

 

@bebebisous33

Thank you so much for your analysis.

 

When you mentioned two books chosen by KJH and CSH, this reminded me the first impression when I started watching Encounter / Boyfriend. 

 

CSH looked realistic to me in the current situation in workplace and in our lives...same as you mentioned about Alice in Wonderland.

KJH might be slightly free spirit which I might try to understand...similar to The Little Prince.

 

When we watched Encounter / Boyfriend more episodes, KJH can change our mind while he gradually persuaded CSH with actions and feeling that living a happy life is a choice that everybody in the world can pursue in any circumstances.

 

CSH's world can also open KJH's eyes to see more types of people and more circumstances to challenge KJH&CSH's lives in order to let KJH think more thoroughly how he can procure his life motto to be happy and not waste time to be unhappy too long and persuade CSH to have similar life motto as his. 

 

At the end of Ep16, as we watched, KJH tried to persuade his mom permanently accept CSH by having meals together quite often to let his mom see their lives by her eyes, get familiar with CSH's father for further step of relationship by let CSH's father know his sincerity to CSH and how CSH is happy being with KJH, and giving CSH a year to absorb and adapt to their relationship before his another marriage proposal simply.

 

The Exchange of "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Little Prince" is the symbolic of understanding the different world and fine tunning how to live a life in the real world with in the circumstances with happiness. 

 

7 hours ago, roshzanna said:

As @NongpeeP mentioned, in real life dating on a bookstore is quite boring same as eating on the house. Thats true, in our times of digital age and many are capaple of traveling here and there, many couples may seem forgotten the simplest form of happiness. JH and SH encourage viewers that spending time together can be done in the simplest and cheapest ways, like going to the bookstore, walking in the park, going up the tower and still the same happiness can be achieved. They are encouraging couples with their same age group that they should not be pressured by the modern times in spending quality time together.

 

@roshzanna

Yes, totally agreed with you, KJH's life spending can remind audiences to live a happy life by enjoying simple things.

 

When I traveled recently, I chose to slowly have a breakfast, ride a bicycle, go to the park, walk along the river and enjoy flee&food market, these activities can calm our mind indeed. 

CSH's appreciating arts reminded me to see more painting. 

 

Encounter / Boyfriend is a drama with this peaceful pace to remind people the life philosophy how to live happily no matter the circumstances are how the world look cruel, challenging, and competitive.

The particular type of audiences might feel bored while many audiences might feel highly appreciated and enjoy this drama vibe more and more, it is just a different taste and preference. 

[NongpeeP]

Encounter / Boyfriend: Dong Hwa Hotel's PR Team Reunion 10 Feb 2019 at 17.00 KST. 

 

Papago

.
.
.
.
Precious relationship~

I was so proud and happy. 
our MT

# Kim Hye-eun # is Lee Si-hoon # Park Jin-ju # Jeon Son-ni # Park Bo-gum
# Kim Ho Chang

#Bogam couldn't come that day. #The group photo was taken in a video call.
. .

I love you all.

The next meeting. 
See you at Jiwonyeon~♡

[stardustvoid]

Thank you @bebebisous33 for all the effort you’ve put these past months on making very detailed anaylses of the characters and scenarios of this drama.

 

I’m gonna miss reading them all  but seriously, thank you. You are one of the reasons why I think of Encounter as a drama for intelligent people. Not everyone can understand its depth and subtlety. Two elements I really love in literature, theater and film