[Drama 2018] A Promise with the Gods, 신과의 약속

[Chickpea]

Greetings, All,

 

I just found this drama recently and am binge-watching it.  I just wanted to comment on the whole notion of morality as addressed in the drama.  What I find brilliant in this drama is it exposes the hypocrisy of all the moral laws we each violate several times every single day without a thought.  Sure, its easy to point the finger at someone who has a second child with an ex-husband to save the life of another child and say that was morally reprehensible but compared to all the other lapses of morality in this drama---and real life---this action is less problematic than, say, coveting your high-school friend's husband, having an affair while your wife is pregnant, abandoning your grandson and daughter-in-law in favor of someone more useful to your business, forcing your child into a loveless marriage for the convenience of your business, allowing your child to be forced into a loveless marriage with a witch (not the word I want to use) and turning your back on your daughter-in-law and grandson so as not to upset your spouse, using your money and position to entice back into the fold that grandson when it is becomes necessary for the continuation of your business.  These are all immoral acts.  Having a second child--by artificial insemination--to save the life of its sibling is not "adultery", not by a long shot.  And having a second child for an otherwise-childless couple is elsewhere applauded (see surrogacy) as compassionate.  Ji-young's decision to comply with the doctor's recommendation is not immoral, it is moral.  It is based in her love for her child, her desire to preserve a life, made with the concurrence of her current husband and the support of her ex-husband--her child's biological father--and his wife.  The "immoral" act in this drama becomes the only moral act in the drama and the character about to be dragged through the courts of law and public opinion as an immoral woman turns out to be the only moral character in the drama with, perhaps, the exception of Min Ho.

[zenya22]

23 hours ago, Chickpea said:

Having a second child--by artificial insemination--to save the life of its sibling is not "adultery", not by a long shot.  And having a second child for an otherwise-childless couple is elsewhere applauded (see surrogacy) as compassionate.  Ji-young's decision to comply with the doctor's recommendation is not immoral, it is moral.  It is based in her love for her child, her desire to preserve a life, made with the concurrence of her current husband and the support of her ex-husband--her child's biological father--and his wife.  The "immoral" act in this drama becomes the only moral act in the drama and the character about to be dragged through the courts of law and public opinion as an immoral woman turns out to be the only moral character in the drama with, perhaps, the exception of Min Ho.

Well said. And it really surprised me when the drama's public opinion and discussion went into the direction of adultery. The fact that the 2nd child was concieved to save the life of the older child who was dying of leukemia was not even mentioned during the panel discussion. Adultery is when there is voluntary sexual intercourse between a couple who is not their wife or husband. There was no adultery here. It was done by artificiacial insemination and the only concern was to get the cord blood to save the life of the older brother. When the child was born, Min Ho took his family, Ji Young, HW and the grandma to the country away from the JW and there was no interaction between the JY and JW. The public opinion concerning the adultery issue even discouraged the lawyer from taking JY's case until JW talked to the lawyer who then called JY to inform her he wil take the case. I am very curios to see what comes out in the trial, what the lawyer has or knows to make him agree to take the case. 

[partyon]

Spoiler

Looks like JW finally stepped up!

I am watching the latest episodes without subs. I am so curious to know how this drama ends.

[foreverempress]

I WAS going to rename this drama so it will suit its ending.

 

"Everybody loses to, katows to, and forgives Na Kyung."

 

BUT

 

This was a decent ending and I am glad the children are happy.

 

Overall, I really love this drama because of its focus on family systems which incudes family dynamics, emotional processes, blended families, grief, anxiety, and cultural norms.

[qynn]

Well, it's over. I could have done with less Na Kyung and more Ji Young, HW and family in these last episodes, but overall I liked the ending. 

 

Ji Young's final speech in court was very true to Ji Young, but I didn't like it. All the adults had a hand in how things turned out but Na Kyung most of all and not because Ji Young didn't give Joon Seo up with a sincere heart. Na Kyung didn't deserve such grace from Ji Young.

 

Ji Young deserved an honest apology from Na Kyung.  I did like the honesty between NK and JW in the end though. 

 

I figured Joon Seo would stay with Jae Wook and his family and spend time with Ji Young and family until he's old enough to be told the whole truth. That's best for Joon Seo. 

 

I was glad to see Ji Young, Min Ho and HW happy and a genuine, happy smile from Jae Wook. 

 

I really enjoyed this drama and while there weren't many of us here, I enjoyed reading your comments. 

 

Finally, I'm glad to see the drama went out on a high note, ratings wise:

#APledgeToGod : 14.7% | 17.5% | 17.8% | 18.4%

[zenya22]

I loved the ending. Na Kyung is gone out of the house. Both the families have cleared made concessions with each other and the boys are now being raised though separately but together by both families. Seung Hoon's misunderstanding of his grandfather's "stealing" his in law's land was also cleared that in fact it was grandpa who saved the in law from losing the land to another and it was NK who saved the land by advising her father in law to buy the land instead of losing it to another unrelated person that in fact Seung Hoon and Jae Hee had something to be grateful to NK for. So, NK lost everything she had been greedy for was a lesson learned for her that she lost her lawyer's license but she went back to reconcile with her mom and learned to help or be of service to her fellowmen/women instead of only thinking about herself. Life is funny that way, it teaches us our purpose sometimes the very hard way. I guess the drama had to explain or rationalize the character of NK.

 

Another thing about Jae Wook, he at last admitted that he had feelings for Na Kyung that he covered up those feelings with guilt and he was a coward for not admitting it and that he realized is another of the reasons Na Kyung tried her very best to impress the family, no matter what actions she took was because of her feelings for JW. Hmmmm.... it makes me wonder why he did not fight for JY and let his father bamboozle him into marrying NK  But I loved JW for this, finally he was honest with himself but yet he no longer wanted to be the scapegoat for his wife. He realized that covering for NK with the excuse that she was the "mother" of JS no longer was valid. NK needed to grow but away from him. 

 

Min Ho and Ji Young were so very cute. When JY said she will become the new apprentice employee to help Min Ho, and Min Ho's answer was then we will be together 24 hours a day? Ji Young then said as if insulted, why... don't you want to be with me? ..... and Min Ho started stammering like a husband who said the wrong thing to his wife ....no that is not what I meant....blah blah... that was funny I love that scene. 

 

All in all  it was a good ending. I enjoyed this drama, it was different. Thank you all for your company in this forum 

 

[partyon]

And that was the end of the ride, folks. I agree to the viewers' sentiments  - it was a good ending.

 

Like @qynn said, I wish we could have gotten less of Na Kyung - it almost felt like the showed morphed into "the Na Kyung show" the closer to the ending we got. I do think that the writers wanted to show her redemption, so that at least some sympathy could be garnered for her in the end.

I am glad that JW finally stood up to NK and his father, and made decisions that he felt were right in his heart. He ultimately placed his children first, and it was wonderful to see his relieved and happy smiles in the end. He finally let go of his guilt and forgave himself.

 

I felt that the drama conveyed well how complex the whole issue of "having a baby with your ex to save your sick child" is. Like @Chickpea brought up, there were a multitude of moral questions the drama addressed. At some point during the drama, I felt like there could be no winners in the end. Yes, ultimately, everyone got hurt sooner or later, but I think that the drama beautifully showed us that hearts are strong and can be mended.

 

Also, the writers maybe didn't focus much on it, but I felt that one of the messages was that, truth will set you free. A lot of problems could have been resolved so much faster had communication between people been more open. I think it was good that JS was told the truth about NK not being his mom. In hindsight, they should have been more honest with HW and JS from the beginning. It seems they may have learnt their lesson.

 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.

 

[zenya22]

sorry reposted

[0ly40]

OST part 10

 

[crystaltears]

they should've just waited a bit longer for that donor's response before! At first I thought NK paid off the donor to not donate. If only they communicated better there wouldn't have been a misunderstanding  person should've confirmed with the coordinator first before believing a random phone call (didn't they wonder how they got that number in the first place when you're not supposed to see their contact info?)

is that lighthouse scenery the same place from Children of Nobody?

I wanted to see more in the ending  who is Joon Seo's legal mom now? I want him to call JY "mom"...

[maribella]

I was browsing and found a show headed by HCY.  It has been a long time since I watched her. 

It is a good show but I wonder why soompi forum posts only 9 pages for 48 episodes while the ratings have been excellent.

Could it mean Koreans have different tastes than non-Koreans or overseas Koreans?

Well whomever they are, they have missed a great show.

 

I would like the end to return to the beginning but there has been too much water under the bridge for the couple to get back together. The new husband has also been a devoted father and husband.  Rather sad for them, even though they all seemed happy. NK as many others have said, really deserves prison time or worse for her, to be rejected by the little brother.

 

Not knowing Korean law, I am going to conclude  that a married woman having a baby with a married man is adultery by Korean law. Perhaps the mode of getting pregnant is not specified. I remember a real case when the parents in their forties had a baby to provide bone marrow for their 20 something. There was a great hoohaa but it was not against the law or medical ethics the AMA. The doctor said the cord blood of the second baby was needed, I wonder why they did not keep the leftover. Then it would not be necessary to get the bone marrow, which I was told to be very painful.

 

A friend long ago had a boyfriend who had a one night stand which hurt her but she said that the years they had spent together were more precious, so she forgave him. I wish I know what happened to her. Those were pre email, Whatsapp days. I am rather unsure if JY getting a divorce over his one off infidelity was a good step in real life. However, impregnating the 'random' girl as JY's mum called her was more than a series of one night stands. He must have had been carrying on for a while to get her pregnant. In that situation, I might be vicious and stay married to him for a few years so that her little B would remain so and not be in the family register. But of course it will ruin the story in this show. Still wishing they returned into a family, but poor MH did not deserve to be hurt that badly.