[Drama 2018-2019] Children of Nobody/Red Moon, Blue Sun, 붉은달 푸른해

[AlexandraReid]

[Children of Nobody] PILOT Eps 1-14 spoilers, Kim Sun Ah x Lee Yi Kyung x Nam Gyuri  

Spoiler

 

Article: Naver 'Children of Nobody' Kim Sun Ah, accident while driving, develops hallucinations [Ep 1 & 2] 

 

1. [+166,-4] Kim Sun Ah's acting, wow..

 

2. [+92,-4] This is so interesting. Going to watch this for Wednesdays and Thursdays.

 

3. [+52,-1] An enjoyable mystery and thriller drama? It's so fun.

 

4. [+43,-1] What kind of story is this.. How are they going to develop the story? I'm looking forward to it. I'm believing in Actress Kim Sun Ah and watching her dramas.

 

5. [+15,-0] I had goosebumps when she read the poem, "When the moon rises above the barley field," and continued with, "A child will be eaten" I'm curious about the story.

 

6. [+13,-1] I started watching this after watching The Last Empress. This is so interesting. This is the same scriptwriter who wrote 'Archi-something-village' [t/n: Village: Archiara's Secret]. That drama was scary but interesting too.

 

7. [+13,-1] It's like a movie. The immersion is the best.

 

8. [+12,-2] The directing of this is like a movie.... The story makes me curious.... Kim Sun Ah's amazing acting skills......

 

9. [+11,-2] Make the screen a little brighter. My eyes hurt.

 

Spoiler

 

Article: Naver 'Children of Nobody' Will Kim Sun Ah kill her husband who cheated on her in the end?  [Ep 3 & 4]

 

1. [+693,-7] I thought Kim Sun Ah and Kim Yeo Jin were having an acting competition. Why are they so good at acting? The directing is good too. But the screen is too dark.

 

2. [+342,-10] Today, Kim Yeo Jin... Her acting... is daebak..

 

3. [+177,-18] This drama is so immersive! Kim Sun Ah's acting is great too!!

 

4. [+90,-1] Kim Yeo Jin lived in King Castle~~ What happened?

 

5. [+58,-1] It's interesting, but the screen is too dark. It would be better if it's brighter.

 

6. [+51,-0] The genre and story are too dark, so people may not like it, but I still hope that the quality of this will stay this good.

 

7. [+43,-1] I can understand Yeo Jin who smiled when her husband died. I've seen women like her around me. Their husbands cheated on them, gambled, did everything, and died. They smiled because they became a widow~

 

8. [+38,-1] Both Kim Sun Ah and Kim Yeo Jin have insane acting skills. Daebak.

 

9. [+36,-1] This drama is daebak.. The immersion and their acting are the best.. Also, it feels like a cold night during day time.. and the night feels warm instead.. That's why it's frustrating, but it fits the development of the drama..

 

Spoiler

 

Article: Naver 'Children of Nobody' Lee Yi Kyung suspects Kim Yeo Jin, "You're happy that your husband died, right?" [Eps 5 & 6]

 

1. [+74,-2] Ah... I was shocked at the ending..

 

2. [+47,-1] It's so interesting~~!!!!!!!! It's good that they made the screen brighter!

 

3. [+35,-2] This drama is really, really interesting. ㅋㅋ

 

4. [+24,-0] This is really interesting and scary. I can't go to the bathroom now.

 

5. [+13,-0] From KIS to being a suspect now. ㅋㅋ Kim Yeo Jin seems really busy.

 

6. [+11,-0] If the ending is good, this would be a drama that will go down in history.

 

7. [+11,-1] This mystery drama is interesting. It makes me think. Been a while since I've watched a drama that makes me think, I like it. Show us that dramas like these air on public channels too.

 

 

Spoiler

Article: Naver 'Children of Nobody' Kim Sun Ah X Lee Yi Kyung, discovers Seo Jeong Ju's poem 'shocked' [Eps 7 & 8] 

 

1. [+484,-14] That child in green Kim Sun Ah saw is the projection of her childhood. The child keeps bringing her to places, those are places where Kim Sun Ah was abused when she was younger... She was abandoned in the middle of the road... She was locked up in the warehouse... Kim Sun Ah doesn't want to remember those, she erased those memories on her own as a result. Her younger self appears and saves the children who are abused just like her. She's a signal and a medium.

 

2. [+224,-6] No, but Gae Chang Soo ahjussi is so scary;;;;

 

3. [+145,-4] Wow, everyone's acting is the best!!!! The immersion is no joke.

 

4. [+99,-6]
It's mystery and thriller. Everyone's suspicious.

 

5. [+84,-1] Gae Chang Soo ahjussi's acting gave me goosebumps. I've never seen such expressions and acting before. It feels like he isn't an actor, but they added someone like that in!

 

6. [+74,-1] Lee Yi Kyung's acting is fine, but Gae Chang Soo ahjussi's acting is more, more, more daebak.. He's scary.

 

7. [+66,-3] The scene with Gae Chang Soo ahjussi and Cha Woo Kyung was really scary. Gae Chang Soo ahjussi seems cunning, he gives me goosebumps. There are no previews. Guess I have to wait another week again. It's really scary but it's interesting. Lee Yi Kyung-ssi is so cool. The actors and staff members, you've all worked hard. I'm sad that the ratings aren't reflecting how interesting this drama is. But, please find strength.

 

8. [+59,-1] An hour flew by so quickly~ It's so fun. What a pity that the ratings aren't high.. Scriptwriter, please continue to maintain the quality of this drama.

 

Spoiler

 

Article: Naver 'Children of Nobody' Lee Yi Kyung narrows down his suspects to one, Cha Hak Nyeon, for the mummy murder case 'goosebumps-inducing ending'  [Eps 9 & 10] 

 

1. [+155,-2] The ending of today's episode was insane.

 

2. [+72,-1] If only tomorrow comes quickly!! It's so interesting. I can't miss any lines. It's so thrilling. I couldn't even go to the toilet. ><

 

3. [+59,-0] But I don't think that Lee Eun Ho is the culprit.. Seems like there's a final boss.

 

4. [+47,-1] I think the director is an accomplice too. Everyone's suspicious.

 

5. [+38,-0] Why is MBC suddenly airing such a good drama..

 

6. [+27,-0] Who is the culprit? ㅠㅠ

 

7. [+23,-0] Please, I hope it's not Kim Sun Ah... It seems like Kim Sun Ah was abused when she was younger too. That's why whenever she sees those children, it feels like she's seeing herself.. I think another character will appear. That girl in green dress, she's not her younger self, right?

 

8. [+17,-1] It has always been like that, but the immersion today was amazing. I didn't even realize an hour had passed. If Eun Ho is the culprit, it feels like he came out too early.. I think Eun Ho knows who the culprit is..

 

9. [+16,-1] This is a really well-made drama.

 

Spoiler

 

Article: Naver 'Children of Nobody' Kim Sun Ah, "I know who that child whom I could see is now" [Eps 11 & 12]

 

1. [+153,-4] Maybe she has lost her memories of her stepmother abusing her. It seems like her sister pushed her. Cha Woo Kyung's lost memories is the key.

 

2. [+120,-7] Looks like that's her when she was younger and was abused.. I was thinking if the culprit is Kim Sun Ah too.. Multiple personalities? Something like that..

 

3. [+82,-7] Kim Sun Ah's acting is so good.

 

4. [+50,-4] Isn't that child Cha Woo Kyung's sister?

 

5. [+45,-1] There are no actors worth watching here, and the lighting is too dull. I thought that way at first, I decided to watch the reruns at least. But it was amazing, and mysterious. I started to be curious of the ending, so I went to watch from episode 1.. 'Money Flower' was that way too.. It's such a waste for a drama like this to get buried.. Guess MBC sees more importance in the quality of the dramas than dramas that create more talks out of it...

 

6. [+42,-1] I like Lee Yi Kyung's character too.

 

7. [+42,-2] She's not the younger Cha Woo Kyung, right..?

 

Spoiler

 

Article: Naver 'Children of Nobody' Lee Yi Kyung X Nam Gyuri X Yeon Jae Hyeong, looks into Kim Sun Ah.. she's the center that connects all cases  [Eps 13 & 14]

 

1. [+171,-1]
Red Cry is Cha Se Kyung (sister), it's possible psychologically. Today, Cha Woo Kyung slapping Seok Woo's mother was daebak... Kim Sun Ah's acting is the best.

 

2. [+106,-4]
Ah.. this is so interesting.

 

3. [+73,-2]
I thought that Kim Sun Ah is the culprit too... Everything is against Kim Sun Ah in this episode, I think it's not her.... This is not going to end with Kim Sun Ah going to prison and her sister waking up, smiling, right?

 

4. [+53,-1]
Children of Nobody is such a masterpiece. It gets more interesting.

 

5. [+51,-0]
The actor who acts as the ahjussi who runs a dog farm, his acting is the best!! This drama is really interesting.

 

6. [+48,-0]
I find Kim Sun Ah's sister suspicious too, not sure why. Kim Sun Ah's acting is so good. She's so immersed that her expressions gave me goosebumps...

 

7. [+46,-3]
Is it possible that Red Cry is Kim Sun Ah's sister? Kim Sun Ah probably told her sister about the people she counselled when she visited her. Hence, Red Cry knows about it. That's why Red Cry = Kim Sun Ah's sister. Because she knows about the counselling and she knows what Kim Sun Ah is thinking, isn't that it?

 

8. [+34,-0]
I'm curious about the culprit too, but.. I'm more curious about Cha Woo Kyung and her family.. If the girl in green dress is Cha Woo Kyung, then who is the little girl in the photos that her father looked at with her?? Because she has lost memories of her mother abusing her, her father planted fake memories into her...? If she was abused by her own mother.. then what's with the stepmother's suspicious attitude..?

 

cr

[mushforbrains]

Seems like the girl in the green dress is cwk's little sister.... so cwk was a bully which is also behaviour of someone who might have been bullied too...

Either she is se kyung  or a child that died in the past?

And maybe cwk blocked it out....

 

Agh.  Another layer

[larus]

Red Moon, Blue Sun: Episodes 11-12

by odilettante

Persistence pays off, since we finally start to find evidence that proves our tenacious detective’s theories about murder aren’t just theories, but based on fact. Even though the mysterious vigilante serial killer’s identity is still unknown, at least our heroes are able to see who the true villains are.

 

EPISODES 11-12 RECAP

http://www.dramabeans.com/2018/12/red-moon-blue-sun-episodes-11-12/

[hushhh]

Man I came here for the theories, cause I have none.

 

Is green dress CWK?

Is green dress her twin?

Is green dress her younger? older? sister.

 

Was CWK's biological mother abusive?

How did CWK's biological mother die?

Was CWK's father abusive?

Was CWK's step-mother abusive?

 

What's up with CWK's sister being in a vegetative state?

Why is that important to the plot? It must be or she wouldn't be that state, or it is bad writing.

Why did CWK's sister respond to the drawing of green dress girl?

 

Does CWK have dissociative personality disorder and has incorporated green dress girl into her psyche and every now and then green dress girl uses CWK's body to avenge a wrong?

 

All I got is questions [and papers to grade].

Where are the theories?

 

On 12/12/2018 at 8:12 PM, thistle said:

Great episode.  Evocative.  Makes me question what is what and who is who.

 

My only complaint:  of all the vehicles in Korea, why did they have to use the White Truck of Doom?  Yeah, the bad mom had to be in a traffic accident but the White Truck of Doom?  Really?!  What does Korea have against White Trucks?

 

You have your weaponized truck mixed up.  No one survives the White Truck of Doom? and bad mother survived. So it can be White Truck of Doom.  It must be his cousin.

 

BTW blood looks cinematic smeared over the windshield and hood of White Trucks of Doom. In other words, "All the better to see them bleed, my dear."

 

22 hours ago, joccu said:

After yesterday episode I am wondering if wookyung bio mother abused her and not the step-mother.  It is clear that wookyung has repressed her childhood and is only seeing the truth that her father had told her. Has it been told how her biomother left them or is she dead. ANd why would Wookyung father erase all the photos of wookyung biomother. 

 

Everybody are still suspects. You really cant tell who isnt innocent. maybe that is the reason why I love this drama. 

 

THis makes sense to me.  

 

Of course the drama suspense is maintained by having everyone seems like a viable suspect.  Soon we'll start believing that despite her vegetative state Cha Se-Kyung is the one murdering people.

 

The stepmother isn't warm and fuzzy but CWK isn't afraid of her nor does she find her repellant. Actually she seem to seeks physical contact more often than stepmother is willing to give it.  Abuse kids only do that if the abuser runs hot and cold. Stepmom's temperature is consistent.

 

The green dress and the terror are related.  The woman offering the green dress is not the stepmother.

 

It is possible that CWK killed her mother to protect herself or her sister.

If she did,  it would make sense that her father worked very hard to replace those memories with healthier one.

[mushforbrains]

In the last memory bit...seems as if cwk was gifted the dress and a younger child tried the dress on..

Causing original owner ie Cwk or some other child to push her down n.tried to rip the dress off her.

Cwk has seriously cold violent tendencies like when she dealt with that mom and hit her several times.

And I'm. Seriously shipping cwk  n jh....blame it on my romcom obsessed brain

 

[howling]

After the latest episode now I'm thinking there's actually a network of 'abused children avengers' behind the Red Cry nickname and that's why they couldn't be caught yet. And there's a high probability that Eunho is one of them, he might not kill the mummy mother but was the one to take Hana to the orphanage. The way he said to the detective that Hana wouldn't be smiling if the mom was alive was lowkey ominous for me. 

 

Aahh...the green-dressed girl, we still can't find who are you...I wonder what's up with childhood friends not remembering WK when photos are there unless those photos are not hers. And have you noticed the green dressed girl really looks like Woo-kyung, especially lips. Maybe our Woo-kyung caused the death of real child WK, and parents then adopted her as a replacement for dead WK, but mother couldn't handle it, so she left while father did everything to make her his own WK (yeah that's too complicated but I like that the drama is making me think up such kind of stuff). Also thank god we didn't see Sora's mom last episode, she annoys the hell out of me. Now I wish Red Cry take care of Hana's father

[joccu]

This drama really makes you think all kind of theories and question everything.

Hana's dad is really one piece of richard simmons. I really hope they will find the evidence that he abused hana because that is the only way to stop hana ending up back with his dad. First he denied that hana was his and now that there is dna proof he want hana back. bad dude.

 

I am also thinking that maybe the red cry is some kind of organization and there is more that one killer. 

 

[liddi]

For weeks, I held off watching Children of Nobody despite strong recommendations from @selenette until I finally caved in and marathoned 10 episodes over 2 days, after which, I am utterly, irrevocably hooked into this bleak bleak premise that covers the vicious cycle of abuse in encompassing forms - physical, emotional - towards children and adults. A dark tale of desperation, teetering sanity, beautifully balanced by the unexpected ray of hope and comfort when one least expects it - a gasp of breath to both the characters in this universe, and even for us as viewers. At long last, a drama that keeps me gripped from the start, leaves me with more questions at the end of the episode, effectively debunking whatever theories I have by the next. Stellar stellar writing with breathtaking cinematography and outstanding performances across the board that keeps me waiting impatiently for the next episode to start. Children of Nobody is easily the drama I eagerly look forward to every week, and with it getting better and better even as twists and turns continue to unfold in a way that is refreshing and not clichéd, I pray that it continues this path of excellence all the way to the end. 

[ross27]

Woo Kyung asked Green Dress, Who Are You?  I also want to know.  I also think that she was abused by her biological mother and dad tried to erase her bad memories by replacing them with other memories, hence all her past young photos and mum's photos were destroyed. 

 

All the theories and guesses shared by fellow friends are interesting and possible.

 

Most of all, please keep Ha Na safe.

[selenette]

2 hours ago, joccu said:

 

I am also thinking that maybe the red cry is some kind of organization and there is more that one killer. 

 

Hi. I'm here because @liddi lured me out.  Thank you for doing so, dear.

 

If we go by Danish singer Agnes Obel's "The Curse" (the song in Ep 1) and assume that the song was chosen not only to emphasize the drama's Scandinavian Noir genre but also to highlight the drama's messages, then yes Red Cry will probably be revealed as more than one person. 

 

The curse in the song refers to the alienating side of modernity, as well as to the human mind as something that creates meanings, deceives us and blinds us.

 

To sum it up

First, according to Obel, the blame is on us, all of us. Therefore, in social problems such as child abuse, everyone is to blame, and so everyone must fight against its prevalence. Red Cry as an organization fits this logic. 

 

Second, if Woo-kyung is involved with Red Cry and doesn't remember it, due to multiple personality disorder or something else, it will correspond with "The Curse"'s message about the human mind, as well. 

[bebebisous33]

@liddi @selenette Great that you are joining this thread.  Long time no see!

I was kind of surprised with the episode from yesterday, when we thought that we had discovered the identity of the little girl with the green dress, there was actually such a twist so that we still don't know who this girl is.

However,  like @hushhh pointed out, there are so many questions unanswered:

Quote

1. Is green dress CWK?
2. Is green dress her twin?
3. Is green dress her younger? older? sister.
4. Was CWK's biological mother abusive?
5. How did CWK's biological mother die?
6. Was CWK's father abusive?
7. Was CWK's step-mother abusive?
8. What's up with CWK's sister being in a vegetative state?
9. Why is that important to the plot? It must be or she wouldn't be that state, or it is bad writing.
10. Why did CWK's sister respond to the drawing of green dress girl?
11. Does CWK have dissociative personality disorder and has incorporated green dress girl into her psyche and every now and then green dress girl uses CWK's body to avenge a wrong?

• But if we look at the first three questions again, we realize something. We are in fact one step closer to the truth. The little girl has existed and she is indeed related to CWK. Either it is CWK, her younger sister or her twin. So her hallucinations are actually connected to her memories. 
• The second aspect is about CWK's biological mother. Finally we could see her face. Since CWK remembered the face of her mother, we can assume that the mother was the one who brought the green dress. Since we discovered that the father threw everything away about the mother, we can conclude that the biological mother was abusive.
• Furthermore in the first scene, the little girl is wearing the green dress and she is pushed down by the older sister. In a similar scene, CWK remembers how her mother gave it to her... however the face of the girl has changed. She was the girl in the picture taken at the kindergarten. So the change of face is confusing for the viewers. And here is my theory: why would the father ensure to create false memories: the so called friends, the pictures aso? He did everything in his power to make her believe that she was that girl from the picture. That's why I come with this conclusion that CWK is the little girl from the drawing and not the girl from the picture. To me, CWK is in denial: she doesn't want to admit that she has been abused. She had an extreme reaction, when the worker from the shop told her that she looked like that little girl and she was her. Striking is that this former "school friend" can not really tell her who she was. She couldn't put a face on a name. What also caught my attention is her aggressive reaction, when she heard the word "forgive" from the neglecting mother. She started slapping her and the mother from the second case heard from Red Cry that she shouldn't be "forgiving" towards an abusive person. That's why I don't think that CWK was the abusive older sister, but the younger one, the real victim. Imagine if she was bullied by her own older sister and her mother which caused a huge accident. OR the older sister was abused herself but differently.
• But even if the biological mother was abusive, this doesn't mean that the step-mother wasn't abusive. After her father's death, it could be true that CWK has been abused as well but in a different way.
• As for the sister, she has been in a vegetative state for two years. But we also heard that CWK was bedridden for a long time. So seeing her sister like that must have caused  a trigger in her. MAybe CWK witnessed something similar in the past (the death of the older sister f. ex.) therefore the father tried to fabricate false memories so that she would take the identity of the older sister. Don't forget that the young girl seen in the picture with the school mate was not closed to any other young girl. MAybe CWK was the younger sibling but she was not acknowledged by the mother and no one knew about her existence, like Ha Na... the only difference is that Ha Na has no sibling.
• CWK's sister reacted to the drawing because she helped her father and stepmother. Maybe the sister is not her real sister but the daughter of her stepmother.  

In my opinion, there is definitely a link to the sister... she is somehow involved with the murders. Don't you find it strange that she opened her eyes, just before the mother PHJ was killed? I am still convinced that the director is involved in the murder. He has the master Key which is another clue. Sure, other people have the master key as well but Red Cry is meticulous and he ensures that he can mislead people. But there is not one person involved but many, just like the organization CWK created with HMJ, but it is definitely a hidden organization.    

[AlexandraReid]

[Children of Nobody] Eps 15-16 spoilers, Kim Sun Ah x Lee Yi Kyung x Nam Gyuri  

 

Article: Naver 'Children of Nobody' Kim Sun Ah to Na Young Hee, "I'm remembering things according to what my father tells me"

1. [+124,-1] I like the characters so much. My heart hurts whenever it comes to the child abuse stories. 

2. [+90,-1] Ha Na's father is so real..  

3. [+64,-1] This is so interesting. Please watch it. 

4. [+57,-0] The ending is insane. I had goosebumps. 

5. [+49,-2] I'm curious about the culprit, so I kept watching it!! This scriptwriter writes plot twists, right?? It's so exciting. 

6. [+46,-0] Feels like her mother is hiding a secret... I'm enjoying this drama. This is worth the watch much more than Boyfriend. 

7. [+32,-0] Gae Jang Soo ahjussi puts his soul into acting... 

8. [+26,-0] The ratings aren't high, but the immersion is the best. 

9. [+21,-0] You'll regret if you don't watch this drama... The story is strong, and more than anything, Kim Sun Ah's acting skills are amazing. This is the only drama I'm watching in 2018. 

 

Article: Naver 'Children of Nobody' Kim Sun Ah shocked at her childhood photo, illusion = Kim Sun Ah

1. [+265,-5] This is really interesting. The immersion every episode is no joke. 

2. [+172,-4] There are too many foreshadows, I'm can't be sure which one it is. Everyone is suspicious. Kim Sun Ah-nim and the actors, thank you for your passionate acting. The immersion is the best. 

3. [+139,-6] I had goosebumps at every episode's ending. This drama's directing is great. 

4. [+127,-4] They are all suspicious;;;; I can't figure out;;; I have to wait another week;;; damn;;; 

5. [+79,-1] Seriously, Gae Jang Soo is a scene stealer. It's my first time seeing that kind of acting. It feels like he's that kind of person. He said he studied engineering for four years, I just took that in, not sure why. These days, I'm only watching this drama and SKY Castle. It's hard to predict.. But Kim Sun Ah is getting more and more suspicious. But that's too obvious too. I can only be a first broadcast killer.. 

6. [+73,-4] Wow, no previews again. It's fun. 

7. [+57,-2] It's really interesting. Gae Jang Soo ahjussi's acting is the best. 

8. [+52,-7] It's interesting.... But Gyuri... Her black circle lens... wet hair... with that inexperienced tone and the way she speaks.. it bothers me. 

9. [+45,-0] Gae Jang Soo's acting gives me goosebumps~ It's so scary. It feels like he's like that in real life. I'm so scared. 

10. [+43,-0] I think the girl in green dress is her sister, and the sister has connections with the culprit. 

 

cr

[liddi]

@selenette Glad to have drawn you out, and thank you for sharing the meaning behind Agnes Obel's "The Curse" here! Without such insights, that song would have totally slipped my mind as just another evocative piece that complemented the drama so well. This added insight into the meaning of the song does reinforce the theory of deception - be it self-imposed or perpetrated, which leads me to feel that it could be as much as an abused child creating a reality in her mind as a coping mechanism for what is too horrific to face and relive; just as it is the deliberate act of planting red herrings and false information to mislead the eyes of others. Fascinating.

 

Thank you @bebebisous33 for the welcome! It has been a while since I last joined a drama thread, and I'm glad to find so many familiar faces in the thread that broke my drama thread drought  I have not backread the thread yet, but will be doing so hopefully soon amid non-stop end of year activities. However, your theories are fascinating and compelling. Thank you for sharing them!

 

My theories of the girl in the green dress vacillates from week to week, thanks to the brilliant writing that keeps one step ahead of me. Nonetheless, I still hold to the opinion that it is a manifestation of CWK's younger self, the memories of whom she has suppressed as a result of some traumatic experience, and are now resurfacing once again. It would appear her father supplanted her memories of her time with her own mother by indoctrinating her with new ones, replacing even her identity with that of another girl. What terrible experience did she go through, to have necessitated such a drastic act? Was she so damaged as a child that even her stepmother once mentioned that she could never really know what was in CWK's mind? Was she the unfavoured younger child who inadvertently caused the death of a mother who abused her, and thus needed to be protected from that horrific reality?

 

Still, if indeed she were the manifestation of CWK's younger self, it does not explain the almost omnipresent knowledge the little girl seemed to possess of the cases around CWK. In particular, how her hints of the overflowing leak in the ceiling led CWK to find Ha Na's mother. Does CWK suffer from multiple personality disorders? Was a split, avenging personality of hers a part of, if not the mastermind of the Red Cry organisation? Is the little girl a known entity between her different personalities, hence her uncanny insights to the tightly reined CWK whose memories of her own past are slowly unraveling? Am I just barking up yet another wrong tree?

 

Whatever it is, I love how this drama continues to keep us guessing and thinking as each layer is unpeeled, leaving even more questions than we began. And can I just say how pleased I am that our detectives are made out to be efficient and sharp as they approach the same cases from their perspective, following the trail of evidence and coming to conclusions that support CWK's claims, however bizarre they might seem initially. 

 

Meanwhile, I think another rewatch is in order in the long wait to next week. And with the announcement that there will be a special program next Wednesday, I dread to think that the actual drama might be pre-empted for the special, and we will only get continuity on Thursday, meaning an even longer wait. Argh!

[selenette]

@liddi 

 

On Red Cry

Spoiler

I share your opinion that Woo-kyung is probably suffering from multiple personality disorder, provided that she doesn't remember being linked or involved in Red Cry's nefarious activities. If she was an abused child, the probability of this being a case of personality split gets markedly higher. As to whether The Girl in the Green Dress is a personality born out of her childhood's traumatizing events, a premonition, or a symbol of Death, that's currently indecipherable. 

 

 

---------

On Agnes Obel

Spoiler

 

The key to Red Cry's identity is in Agnes Obel's "The Curse" theme: the curse of modernity happens in the form of alienation.

 

Child abuse happens because societal cohesiveness begins to disappear.

In Korea, where child rearing was once called "child farming", children were treated as commodities, or possession: what a parent does to their child is their business.

 

This, according to the writer's subject-object positioning in the drama, is the society's flaw. 

 

 

 

 

------

On Past Abused Children

Spoiler

I haven't watched this week's episodes, but another character who I suspect was an abused child is Nam Gyu-ri's Jeon Soo-young. Aloof and plagued with self-neglect, she reminds me of Lisbeth Salander of Swedish writer Stieg Larsson's Millennium books--among which The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo is the most famous.

The way she dresses resembles Salander too. Salander was a victim of child abuse, and one of the abuses was at the hands of a state-appointed guardian. Did the same thing happen to Soo-young?

 

Hakyeon's Lee Eun-ho is another character whose childhood was probably beset by abuses. His distrust in adults and reverence for children (childhood) point to a traumatic childhood. As shown in Caleb Carr's The Alienist, a character of this type usually has problematic parental figure(?). 

 

 

 

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On The Genre

Spoiler

Being a descendant of the famous Scandinavian/Noir genre (the likes of The Killing, True Detective, The Bridge, The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo), the drama is marked by its darkly lit scenes, somber cinematography, flawed characters, bleak setting and pessimistic view on society.

 

The genre, born in Scandinavian countries in the 1970s, expresses an underlying anxiety of possible disruption and conflict in an otherwise seemingly peaceful country.

 

Thus, after their political upheaval post Sewol disaster, South Korea is focusing more and more on their hidden anxiety, for example child abuse cases. 

 

In this genre, the characters usually suffer from forlorn personal lives, so we see how the four ill-adjusted characters of this drama barely hold themselves together. As the drama progresses further, the more flawed the characters and their society seem. This is the reason why Woo-kyung has to lose her baby and her husband, Ji-heon his child and his girlfriend, and why Soo-young and Eun-ho live completely empty lives. 

 

 

P.S. Hi @bebebisous33

[disembody]

PLEASE I NEED ANSWERS LOL...warning my comment is looong.

18 hours ago, mushforbrains said:

In the last memory bit...seems as if cwk was gifted the dress and a younger child tried the dress on..

Causing original owner ie Cwk or some other child to push her down n.tried to rip the dress off her.

Cwk has seriously cold violent tendencies like when she dealt with that mom and hit her several times.

And I'm. Seriously shipping cwk  n jh....blame it on my romcom obsessed brain

 

ok this is barely related to the story and my priorities are way stronger than a romance (and i really really do not like age-gap romances) but they have this connection. both actors have really great chemistry so watching them is honestly so beautiful

 

Ok so after I thought abt it more and saw other comments (forgive me i change btwn regular and chat speak..)

 

i don't think cwk has DID for a couple of reasons--it isn't as well known and thought out and tbh i think it would be a bit socially irresponsible to portray that. also a cop-out because clearly she has these thoughts as do  a lot of people. i think it's possible there is a whole network and it def has something to do w the center and other parents.

 

about the mom: i remember there was this reddit thread posted on twitter a while ago. a father had remarried after the mother died. the step-mom threw away all her pictures because she was jealous. memories are tricky and to do that shows a real disregard for something that once existed because you will never be able to obtain that picture or letter or video ever again. and the show definitely plays around with memories. erasing your mother is a cruel cruel thing and it could be that he did throw them away on his own or the stepmother did. it would confuse me if the bio mom was abusive not because of the way she acts but because she hasn't been indicated in a negative way even as little hints? or ia m missing something

 

obviously, there is something going on. a father replacing memories in his daughter's head...so she can forget? so she can live how he wants? because he knows he can?

 

it's weird how people bring up the fact that she went crazy after her sister became incapacitated. if she has trauma, if she counsels children, if she argued with her sister before her sister became trapped in her body it is completely possible. even with a fine childhood and completely healthy mindset a breakdown in every instance she has had one makes sense.

 

i'm curious about her anger because i understand it and i feel it. each time i recognized her feelings. i would have slapped eun ho because i think it is incredibly irresponsible even if he is a good kid. i'm not sure i would have beat seok woo's mom due to my personality but the logic she had is actually egregious to hear out loud. she accidentally kills this kid and the mom is so wrapped up in herself and her own trauma. it sounds SO heartless even though there's so many reasons for all of it.

 

i think the show makes you think about different types of abuse and different ways people act. ha na's father is clearly morally reprehensible while seok woo's mom--even though she is atrocious--clearly is young and confused and had two children without thinking of it. parenthood is difficult (and i will never ever ever excuse abuse the lines about  a parent being a kid's whole universe was BEAUTIFUL and very true) but why do some people choose to abuse for no reason besides resentment...why do people neglect? not only that although the stepmom may not have abused cwk it's clearly unhealthy. parenting and familial relationships are so inspected because we want kids to turn out the best but parenting is difficult and many people cannot do it efficiently. 

 

watching cwk and her daughter makes me happy. personally, my childhood was dicey and i love seeing a mother try so hard with her child and have love. and understand it takes caring and patience.

 

the show makes you think about your own feelings about the deaths of these people. i don't believe that we can choose life or death, i'm against corporal punishment and too strict enforcement of the law BUT i can see why they NEED these people out of their lives. many women kill their husbands because they need to survive and although someone is making the choice for these victims, they also need to survive.

 

there's also no perfect perp i guess given the fact that ha na's mom was so troubled and also abused and clearly it was unintentional. being homeless and trying to survive with your daughter is not a crime.

 

now the mother who is abusive berating other abusive mothers...that's fascinating but true. i feel terrible for bit na. self harm is hard, she's literally so isolated, and her mom TORTURES her. 

 

i think the show is continuous with the tight writing and perspectives and acting and i hope it doesn't change. i don't think i have more questions or am more confused just the questions are morphed into something else. at the heart of the story is a tragedy: seeing kids and humans (esp mothers) abused and trying to figure out this mystery and the pathology and what the correct retribution is....

 

i love nam gyuri's character. although i think she is a bit stiff it's not distracting in a show that's full of people doing solid portrayals. obviously kim sun ah needs no introduction or more accolades; her prowess speaks for herself. call me really impressed with the dude who plays ji heon. his character is also really something special (they all are.) compassionate, angry, confused, damaged, kind.

[liddi]

@selenette Love your insights. Thank you!

 

I have not considered the possibility of JSY being abused before, but perhaps one who suffered emotional neglect. Nonetheless, she is observant, and fast to notice problems with Bit Na, which now, with your theory, does make me wonder if it is not just due to her training in the police force, but born out of a dark place in her past. 

 

As for LEH, there is something achingly pitiable about his plight, despite his chillingly voiced thoughts juxtaposed with his obvious love for children, which definitely points to abuse, and making him a very plausible part of Red Cry.

 

As an organisation, if it does turn out to be one, Red Cry reminds me of the saying "It takes a village to raise a child", except in this case, it takes a village to protect a child, whatever the measures and cost. Thus far, there is only really one clear suspect who could be affiliated with it, while all other hints still revolve around CWK. How were those affiliated to this group rallied, and how were the targets identified?

 

Despite toying with the possibility of CWK's alternate personality being a part of Red Cry, I still find it hard to tie some events to her, deliberate or not. Although it ultimately led to the rescue of his sister, how could anyone have planned for Seok Woo to be run down by CWK, when what she saw was a vision of the girl in the green dress? Once again, it seems to hint some supernatural intervention somewhere. If so, it would echo the scriptwriter's previous work "The Village:Achiara's Secret", which too, speaks of abuse, abandonment amid supernatural themes.

 

It is hard to believe we are only at the halfway mark of the drama, which is a testament to how rich the plot has been, with so much to absorb. Please let this standard of writing be maintained all the way to the finish line.

[howling]

3 hours ago, liddi said:

I have not considered the possibility of JSY being abused before, but perhaps one who suffered emotional neglect. Nonetheless, she is observant, and fast to notice problems with Bit Na, which now, with your theory, does make me wonder if it is not just due to her training in the police force, but born out of a dark place in her past. 

 

As for LEH, there is something achingly pitiable about his plight, despite his chillingly voiced thoughts juxtaposed with his obvious love for children, which definitely points to abuse, and making him a very plausible part of Red Cry.

 

I think all of our 4 main leads have at least some kind of complicated past, JSY probably being mistreated/threatened my male figure (if to judge by her reaction to men showing violence/sexual harassment towards her), WK is an obvious case which we yet have to figure out, Jiheon probably was at least neglected or grown up in problematic family which might explain why he didn't want kids with his ex-gf. As for Eunho's past, I think it might be as severe as WK's, especially when he said about his memory being repressed... I had a similar experience when out of nowhere I remembered a situation which I later figured out was blocked because it was that traumatic for 7-8 yrs old me... and yeah what he said is true, if your mind decided smth was so terrible it had to bury it, it should be left that way. So it's this line he said makes me think he probably has connections to Red Cry to make sure children will not suffer from abusive parents anymore.

4 hours ago, liddi said:

It is hard to believe we are only at the halfway mark of the drama, which is a testament to how rich the plot has been, with so much to absorb. Please let this standard of writing be maintained all the way to the finish line.

Totally agree with that, for some reason, I thought we are nearing the end too, that indicates there weren't any unnecessary filler episodes or even scenes and if we're lucky we'll get a nice amount of good story further.

[bebebisous33]

I am not buying CWK's mental illness (like multiple personality disorder) because this would support the ex-husband and the stepmother's allegations: she is sick, she needs to see a doctor and take medication. With their accusation, they are actually turning her into a bad person. At the end, she would lose her daughter to her ex-husband. To me, it is clear that Red Cry is someone close to her who wants to fulfill CWK's desires because CWK has been wronged so much in the past. The leader of that organization knows her secret and past.

CWK has just been brainwashed by her father and her step-mother, she has buried the truth because the truth was so terrible to bear. I sense that the secret must be huge and terrible and it is related to her mother, father and sister.

 

[cyan5tarlight]

So I caved and made an account on these forums solely to yell about this drama with other fans, because no one’s talking about it basically anywhere else, and I’m Desperate at this point. (Nice to meet you all, btw, please take care of me! )

 

I’m a die-hard VIXX fan, so I first learned about this drama when I heard N was going to be in it. I don’t really watch that many dramas, though, as I’m often busy with other things, so I only decided to sit down and watch it because the story seemed especially interesting (romance gets boring after awhile, so I'm always on the lookout for dramas that primarily focus on other subjects). And boy, I’m so happy I did, because this is the single most interesting show I’ve seen in a long, long time. Like, I don’t know what the rewatchability value is going to be once it’s over and we know all the secrets, but for right now, I’m enjoying the ride immensely. I legitimately have NO idea where the plot is going to go or what’s going to happen next, and I’m at the edge of my seat at the end of every episode. It’s a great pity this show isn’t being talked about more or doing that well in the ratings, because the writing is great (here’s hoping the quality continues!), the cinematography is spectacular, and everyone’s acting is fantastic, including all the children.

 

Theories and thoughts! Starting with our troubled heroine, Wookyung. First of all, I love that the MC for this drama is an older, mature woman, played by an actress with obvious talent. She does a great job with her role, and I never think for a moment that I’m seeing an actress, I’m just seeing the character. I, like everyone else, am super stoked to see what role Wookyung plays in this whole mystery, why she’s connected to every death and murder thus far, what her connection to Red Cry is, what happened to her sister, and who the girl in the green dress is. The theory I like best so far is that the girl is a manifestation of her superego, the part of her that’s already put all the pieces together and is trying to alert the ego to the truth of the situation and their past. However, I’m not discounting the possibility that the girl might be a supernatural entity of some sort as well, given that she seems to know things that Wookyung would have no business knowing. I definitely think Wookyung was abused and abused badly sometime during her childhood, though if it was her father, her mother, her stepmother, or all three remains to be seen. I hope we get some kind of definitive answer soon! I'm also really interested to know what her sister's deal is,  too, especially because the camera made sure to linger on her getting a good look at the portrait of the girl in the green dress.

 

Sooyoung is probably the lead I’m least endeared to right now, but that could definitely change in the future, especially if we learn more about her backstory. I’m willing to bet that she was abused sometime in her past as well, which explains why she has such violent outbursts even against people who didn’t do anything to her - like poor Bitna (someone please save that child from her awful mother, seriously) - and also might be the reason why she decided to be a policewoman, to keep whatever happened to her from happening to others. It’s interesting that both female leads in this show seem to have issues with their temper and lashing out violently against the people around them. A point of connection between them, perhaps?

                                                                                       

As for Jiheon, he seems like a pretty upstanding guy, if a bit too ready to jump to conclusions about people and not the most tactful individual ever. What I really want to know the most about him is what happened with his ex and his unborn child, and if that might possibly relate to anything that’s currently going on in the plot. Was he inadvertently the cause of his child’s neglect or abuse, which led to its death? Was he perhaps also abused as a child, given his problems holding down a relationship and relating to people and how much the child abuse cases he’s worked on now and in the past seem to affect him?

 

And finally, Eunho, who is perhaps the most interesting character to me at the moment, if simply because I can’t for the life of me figure him out. I know that a lot of it is because the writing is deliberately keeping him ambiguous to keep the audience constantly guessing whether or not he can be trusted, but still, I have so many questions about him. Why was he billed as a main lead, and yet characters like Third Musketeer from the police station and Sora’s Mom have had more screentime than him thus far? Why is he still distant from the other 3 leads, barely interacting with them a full 16 episodes into the series? What is his connection to the murders and to Red Cry? Him being Red Cry himself seems too obvious, a red herring to throw us off the scent of the real mystery. But I also can't discount the possibility of the writers deliberately counting on this assumption and hiding the real villain in plain sight. I mean, what are the odds of Seokwoo’s mom getting lines of poetry mailed to her immediately after she speaks only with Eunho and Wookyung at he children’s center? She was even run over by a truck, and what is Eunho? A truck driver. SUSPICIOUS. However, he does have a solid alibi for at least some of the murders, so I keep finding myself wanting to believe that either he’s completely innocent, or he’s working for Red Cry - be they a single person or an organization - either because he's being forced to, lied to, because he wants to protect the abused children, or some combination thereof.

Then there’s the question of his past. Given the theme of abuse in the series, and given that we know nothing about Eunho except that he grew up in an orphanage, it’s very possible that he had a very sad, very painful childhood, explaining why he seems so socially stunted and awkward and tends to prefer the company of children to adults. In fact, when asked by Sooyoung in the past couple of episodes why he likes children so much, he said something to the effect of, “When I see them smile, all the dirtiness inside me is washed away,” which I found very telling. Why would some unassuming childcare worker like Eunho, who by all accounts is a very kind, gentle, upstanding guy, feel “dirty” inside? Is it because he feels guilty for the murders he’s possibly committed/helped commit and the smiles of the children he’s protecting assuages that guilt? Or is it because of something heinous that was done to him in his past and every time he’s around children, he feels like he’s able to vicariously relive some part of the innocent, simple, carefree childhood that was stolen from him so long ago? Perhaps both?

It’s also interesting to me that Wookyung mentioned that the reason the murderer uses poetry isn’t because they like poetry, but because they hate it and they're associating it with another thing they hate: child abusers. When Jiheon mentioned that he hated English because his English teacher used to beat him (boy, ain’t that a bombshell he just casually tossed out there like it was nbd), I had a flashback to when Eunho was confiding in Wookyung that he used to have dreams about a desk, and that when he figured out why, he wished he hadn't. If he’s Red Cry, maybe that has something to do with why he uses poetry?

All that to say, Eunho is probably one of the biggest mysteries in this entire show right now, I can’t help but feel that one way or another, he’s the key to unraveling this whole mess, that he holds some vital puzzle piece that will be crucial to solving the mystery. I can’t wait for him to properly join forces with the rest of the leads (if indeed he turns out to be innocent and not the killer, that is).  

 

I also just really hope that all the abused/troubled children – Siwan, Bitna, Hana, Seokwoo’s sister, and any other kids that are introduced – can have the happy endings they so deserve. *crosses fingers*

Can't wait for the next set of episodes!

[mrsj3n]

Finally find the time to catch up on the latest episodes and seriously..

 

The memories planted by her late father is bothering me a lot.

 

I can't help but feel sad for CWK as her so called "bffs" turn out not to be her buddies.

That crestfallen look on her face made me want to give her a hug to tell her everything is gonna be a okay!

 

In addition, why did CWK went hysterical and end up bedridden when her sister met with an accident?

I have rewatched episode 1 recently. In the early episodes, her ex husband did mention to the mistress that she will break down again.

Refering to accident or what happened before?

 

Aargh...

 

On 12/14/2018 at 6:17 PM, howling said:

 Now I wish Red Cry take care of Hana's father

 

Yes. My sentiments exactly.

 

In fact, I feel sorry for the girl who has to study in a lock room too.

I mean.... what the hell?????

 

All these parents need the judgement from Red Cry!!

 

When angry, count four. When very angry, swear. - Mark Twain