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3
1Being a single mother in South Korea can be quite hopeless, that´s where this story is coming from
Yes, you should watch it.As the title suggests, "Mother" deals with the archetypal theme of 'motherhood'. When is a mother a (good) mother? Once a mother = always a mother? Who can become a mother? Who has to be, no matter what? ... So far "Mother" isn't necessarily specific to Korea in terms of its story. (Actually the original is Japanese). But "Mother" is also (and most importantly) about the stigma of single mothers - and for South Korea that is outstandingly detrimental. From this point of view, this KDrama becomes immediately socially critical: if the position of the single mother in South Korea weren't so hopeless, then the whole story wouldn't have developed the emotional drive that it has.
In this context, "Mother" also confronts the viewers with two other socially sensitive issues in their manifold entanglements: child abuse and vigilantism. It is a dramatic fact around the world on the subject of child abuse that dealing with domestic violence is legally difficult. If you go the official route, you can only intervene when it is already too late. In the case of "Mother", essentially almost all mothers featured are to some extend criminals before the law (of one kind or another).
The hearty fare in terms of its sensitive content is, however, in a digestible way illuminated with all the proven stylistic devices of KDrama. The subject is dark and exhausting, but there is still room for light, color, joy and heartwarming in the presentation. Despite all the traumatization, the abused child is primarily a ray of hope (isn´t poetic freedom just wonderful!). It's no surprise that up-and-coming actress Heo Yool was named "Best New Actress" at the 2018 BaekSang Arts Awards... Her play ist simply amazing! (And not just hers...)
"Mother" aired on South Korean television during weekdays at 9:30 p.m. Regarding the scenes about child abuse, the age rating here has been set at 16, as opposed to the more usual 13 years. The KDrama "Mother" was released in 2018. It may be simple coincidence or even correlation: the KDrama just happened to present a burning topic of society at the time: In 2019 there was a change in law, which means that at least abortion now is legally possible for all women in the first 14 weeks without punishment.
-------------------- Side note: --- Orphanage and Single Motherhood in South Korea ---
If you are unmarried and happen to get pregnant, in South Korea you will have a hard time, still today. Exclusion, hostility, mobbing, unemployment, pressure from all sides are not uncommon.
If you are the child of a single mother, trauma of some sort is almost certain - mobbing, devaluation, child abuse, orphanage and/or adoption, you name it.
Noticeably, the 'orphanage' often plays a role for one of the protagonists in KDrama. That's not because it's such a stirring story hook, but because it's a current influence in the lives of many children (and now adults) of South Korean descent. Since the 1950s, the number of officially and unofficially adopted South Korean children, mainly from abroad, is estimated at 150,000 to 200,000. Another global leading position for South Korea... At first there were many war-orphans among them, otherwise there were also children from poor families. But since the 1980s, the main causes have been that the mothers are single parents. Desperate women - for whatever reason single with a child - often have no choice (to give themselves and the child a promising chance in life) than to give the child away - thus giving them a new chance with the option of being adopted to a solid family sooner or later...
For the children in the orphanage, the parents are not necessarily dead. However, their mothers gave up their parenthood at the door for a good reason: because society with its traditional value system does not accept a concept beyond ´traditional´ family. Single parents are not welcome. However, since abortions were also undesirable - i.e. forbidden for ages, unmarried pregnant women always found themselves in great distress... It was only in 2019 that the ban on abortions - that had been in force up to that point - was declared unconstitutional, so that pregnant women are now at least up to the 14th week without specifying abortion without punishment, in the case of rape up to the 24th week.
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In short: This drama will bring about a physical reaction in you and you still won’t regret watching it one bit. You can quote me on that.
I think the title of this show pretty much tells its entire story. “Mother”. The amount of importance this word holds. The responsibility, love and sacrifice that comes with it. How some women can never be worthy to embrace it while some own it and wear it as a second skin. This show highlights how much a mother’s actions can define a child’s life. How sensitive the stage of childhood is and ultimately, how family can transcend blood.
I haven’t watched the original so I can’t make comparisons but judging this drama on its own standing, I will say it was one of the most beautifully written, directed and acted pieces of production I have ever seen. No amount of praise is enough for the actors. I am not a fan of Lee Bo Young but she embodied her character perfectly here. Lee Hye Young, my favorite veteran actress once again brought forth a character I will forever remember and treasure and finally, the star of the show: 7 year old Heo Yool. I am still speechless at how a child so young could execute such a difficult character with such mastery and that also in her first role ever. I am going to follow her career throughout her life and I’m positive that she’s going to take the world by a storm and I can only hope she wasn’t scarred by playing the widely complex role of Kim Hye Na.
The drama comes with excellent dialogue and symbolism. It is also morbidly suspenseful, as in you desperately want to know what happens next but are afraid to find out at the same time. I really don’t have anything to complain about and the only reason I took one star back was because so many emotionally powerful things kept happening throughout the show that by the last two episodes, I was just spent and exhausted and my capacity to react had vanished which is why I watched the end with a sort of indifference.
However, I will say that even though the process is painful the drama ends with a sweet relief that we all earnestly wished for.
A must-watch.
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The story isn’t original as it’s a remake, in all honesty this is one of the first remake I can say was better than the original, I might seem biased as I watched the remake before the original, but I’ve done that to a few shows and always Felt the original was best. Every episode was full of adrenaline hoping everything will just turn out okay in the end.
The character development was a main point in the storyline and showed the growth of friendship and love between the two main characters
The acting was phenomenal especially from a child actress starring in her first major role of a drama she stood out to be the best role in my opinion throughout the drama
Overall this drama is the best to start off 2018 and I’m kind of sad for it to finish now I would recommend it if you can stomach a lot of tension after every episode
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Story: [10/10] I most often give 10s to dramas in this category when the show has a very complex plot, or when it tells a very good story about a particular topic. I.e. the best romance will get a 10, or the the best melodrama that I've ever seen will get a 10. I admit that originally the idea of a mom kidnapping a child did not sound too appealing to me. However, I saw that the MDL community gave this show a 9.2. It made me curious enough to watch the show. Now I understand why the show received the score that it did. I mean this show honestly threw so many different k-drama show topics into the show as well. It had a little bit of medicine, news reporting, courtroom drama, crime, and a rich family all thrown into one show. The end result was a show with a delicate and complex story about how a woman kidnaps a girl and their journey through the kidnapping as well as what happens afterwords. The story honestly had a great beginning, middle, and end. My favorite part was probably the last third of the story. I think I cried like 4 times in the last two episodes for multiple reasons.
Acting/Cast: [11/10] Oh my goodness. I simply loved the character/family in this drama!!! So much that I give them an extra bonus point in this area! I generally watch shows with famous actors/actresses that I really like. I originally was not too interested in the cast. However, as the show went on, I begin to fall in love with all the characters. I'm not sure if it's the acting, or if it's the great plot... However it seemed that each character had their own motive. They were not evil because they were simply born evil. Rather almost each of the main characters had their own pasts (whether it be told in detail or not) that helped dictate and show us why they acted the way they did in the drama. We also see a decent amount of character development in the drama as well, although I definitely missed out on some of it because the drama ended up being so detailed. In a way, I almost wish some of these characters with their character traits, could be part of my family as well. I loved the character Kang Soo Jin for her love of her daughter, as well as for the sacrifices she made for her family. I loved Kim Hye Na/Yoon Bok because she was so dang cute and because she has a lot of street smarts for a 9-year old. I loved Hyun Jin who always strives to seek the truth, who's somewhat of a stoic. I love the Yi Jin character because she was a little snobby, but in the end she cared for her family. I loved the Yeong Shin character for her great charisma in the drama, as well as what she did for her three daughters. Heck I even took pity on the villains because I understood why they acted in such a way. All in all, it seemed like each character had their own specific role or archetype in drama. They weren't just cookie-cutter characters that all had similar motives. Each character was complex, very realistic, and generally very easy to relate with. I have a new found respect for some of these actors/actresses and I plan to watch them in future dramas.
Music: [8/10] Honestly this is the generic score that I give to each drama for it's music score. The drama usually gets a 9 or a 10 if it had great OSTs or amazing instrumental. This was honestly the only area that I could find to deduct points. Honestly though, I don't watch dramas for the music (unless it's a music-themed drama). If I was MDL, I'd probably take music out of the reviews. Then it would allow me to give this drama all 10s!!!
Rewatch Value: [10/10] I am often very reluctant to give a high rewatch value score to dramas. Most shows are a one and done thing for me because of their length. The only other shows that I can remember rewatching was Code Geass and Angel Beats which are two of my most favorite animes of all time. I personally plan to add Mother to my list of favorite k-dramas of all time. The 10/10 cast and plot leaves me wanting to rewatch the show. There was so much in this show, that I want to rewatch in order to make sure I didn't miss anything.
Okay, so overall this averages out to be about 9.75. I'm going to round up and give this show a 10 based on the fact that this is probably one of the best k-dramas out there up to date. I would recommend everyone on MDL to watch this drama. This would probably be the first show I'd recommend to anyone who wants to get into K-dramas. I was reluctant to watch this show at first, but it's now my all time favorite. Mother is #1!
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Brace yourselves, this will be an essay.
THE STORY:
From the beginning to the end, I can effortlessly say that every second of the drama has placed great thought and effort into the its production. No filler episodes, no unnecessary subplots. You can pretty much expect to be on a roller coaster of emotions throughout each episode.
I've watched the Japanese version long ago, and I loved it as well. But It's pretty safe to say that the Korean version well surpassed it.
The Japanese version didn't show as much characterization between the abuser and the child, (probably mainly due to fewer episodes and less time) but the relationship between the boyfriend and mother of the abused child in the Korean version was heavily emphasized.
I absolutely love how the writers gave more back story to the ones abusing Yoon Bok because it gave the story just so much more depth. The abusers were written so well that I was able to in a way "sympathize" with them despite all the shitty stuff they have done.
The only thing I'd do without would be the slight romance between these two characters (not going to say who, but you probably already figured it out.) It felt slightly awkward but still, I don't mind it being there. It was still very enjoyable.
And omg, there are so many strong characters in this drama I'm cryingggg. I love seeing characters that fend for themselves, and not be a pussy relying on others all the time. Each and every one of them are well rounded, complex, and dynamic.
THE ACTING:
I cannot put this into words, you just gotta watch it for yourself how amazing the acting is by every single person in the cast.
The dynamism of Soo Jin's journey as a mother was very satisfying.
I especially loved how Kang Young Shin (played by Lee Hye Young) portrayed her character, and I think she is one of my favourites in the drama. I love how she is not perfect as a mother, but you can see her love towards each and every one of her child. She absolutely killed her role.
Yoon Bok (played by Heo Yool) is so wonderful and smart. Both Mana Ashida and Heo Yool are amazing child actors. The looks in Yoon Bok's eyes are so innocent and bright yet there is always that touch of melancholy hidden from the traumas she faced.
The emotions and relationship between characters are done so humanly and realistically, you'd start to wonder whether or not Heo Yool and Lee Bo Young are actually mother and daughter.
MUSIC:
I don't actually remember lols, but it definitely made a big impact on the mood when you are watching.
CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Expensive lenses. Love it. The washed out colours that are dull and gloomy really sets the mood.
Very high budget production that really gave out the cinematic touch which affected the emotional appeal a lot. Gave the whole drama a higher value with high quality cinematography.
The director, writers film crew, and actors worked so hard to deliver such a compelling piece. Definitely worth your time to invest into the story, and it's a heavy one for sure. No matter what type of drama watcher you are, this drama won't leave you without an impact on your emotions.
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Beautiful!
Simply speaking, 'Mother' is one of the best dramas out there!This drama deep dives into sensitive topics such as physical abuse, motherhood and childhood trauma while never dragging any of these too long so as to lose interest. The plot instantly grabs your attention and first episode sets-up the story nicely. Not one minute is wasted with fillers or narrative that doesn't contribute to the plot. I was heavily invested in the lead characters and was crying my eyes out especially during final few episodes.
Testament to how good the story is: original Japanese drama has been remade in various languages such as Korean, Chinese and Thai.
I will remember:
- Top notch acting by the mother (Lee Bo Young) and the child (Heo Yool, this kid deservedly won the rookie award at Baeksang). Rest of the cast did great as well
- Evocative and engaging screenplay filled with heart-warming moments
- Beautiful portrayal of multifaceted mother-child relationship
- Satisfying ending
There is nothing to even nitpick, its an easy recommendation for anyone who is looking for an highly emotional drama with an engaging plot or people who are close to their mothers.
P.S. Keep a box of tissues with you if you decide to watch this :')
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We are shaped by our circumstances.
Preventing abuse is not a matter of personal choice, it’s a collective effort put into shaping the society so we won’t become numb to other people’s pain and ignore cries for help. Getting out of a toxic environment is only the first step, getting help and support to deal with the trauma is just as important. Without it, we will most likely than not continue the cycle of abuse, becoming perpetrators ourselves.This perspective is clearly visible in the drama. The characters that, after facing traumatic events, were embraced by supportive people, felt a sense of emotional security and grew in a caring environment did not grow up to be abusers themselves. The less fortunate ones could not break the cycle, never learned how to cope with their piling issues, all they knew was how to project their problems onto others - in this case, children.
If you truly sit down and think about what was presented, you will feel uncomfortable. It’s hard to both feel bad for the villains for their past hardships, regret for them not getting the help, while also seeing them for what they now are - abusers. It’s extremely hard to comprehend the idea that a person can be both a victim and the perpetrator at the same time. It’s hard to root for rehabilitation of the offenders, when children suffer. The constant question: do we want revenge or justice? What does justice mean? What’s the goal of the punishment? What should be the goal of any action? The drama does a great job at making me think about these questions and what my answers would be.
Another aspect worth mentioning is the exploration of the role of mothers. The variety of different perspectives was beautiful to watch. The struggles, pain, but also the happiness and fulfillment one can feel when they are a mother. The fact that just because you gave birth to a child does not mean you can call yourself a mother.
Sadly, there were also aspects of the show I did not like. For example, for a show so well written, it’s a crime to have such a stock character serving the purpose of plot device and savior only - Jeong Jin Hong. He did nothing and presented nothing except for helping FL when the plot needed that.
Another aspect I didn't not quite like - the lack of presenting the society and media’s reaction to the kidnapping case. The show had a strong message about social awareness, but they did not really do much to show different social takes and perspectives on the issue. The middle part of the drama could have been a bit shorter, so the trial would last more than half an episode. That’s when you present the ideas and debate worthy takes on the issue.
On the bright side, the performances were amazing. Lee Bo Young obviously delivered a heartbreaking and touching portrayal of Kang Soo Jin, but we all know the true star was Heo Yool. Extremely hard role for a young actress, yet she carried it with amazing skills.
Overall, a beautiful and touching show presenting heavy topics. It was not easy to digest everything presented, there were moments that made me angry, sad, uncomfortable - but it’s the charm of this title - it evokes raw emotions and makes you reflect on presented questions.
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I initially thought this production was nearly as good. My initial criticism of the first ten episodes was only that it makes some elements of the story far more explicit and is somewhat worse for doing so. There are countless examples, but here's one. The protagonist is icy and detached. In the original, the character is simply portrayed that way. In this version, an early minor character remarks that she's icy and detached. Lee Bo Young's performance is excellent and did not need the explicit framing of her character. Everything is similarly spelled out: the extent of the Hye Na's abuse, her birth mother's motivations, her birth mother's boyfriend's motivations, etc. Jung Seo Kung is writing in crayon compared to Sakamoto Yuji. Clarity in writing is generally a good thing, but subtlety can be more effective and that's certainly the case here.
Far worse, however, are episodes 11 and 12 in which Yoon Bok and Soo Jin are literally damselled by the biological mother's boyfriend who is in this version a serial child killer(!). And the two are, of course, rescued repeatedly by men to the point that the series briefly becomes a mediocre police procedural like the hundreds of other such shows produced on this planet each year. The original never limits the agency of the women in the story in this fashion, nor sinks to the use of such pedestrian tropes.
The series recovers a bit in its final episodes. However, it does spin its wheels a bit in the final episode as it lurches to a happy ending. Everyone wants the pair to be a family. That's the point of the shared scenario between the two productions. Call Me Mother is worse for going there. The end of Mother is d-e-v-a-s-t-a-t-i-n-g. I can tear up right now just by bringing it to memory. The end of Call Me Mother is fine: I will never recall it.
The performances and the production are, nevertheless, excellent. Heo Yool deserves the praise she gets. It's unfair to her, however, that Ashida Mana was there first.
You do not have to choose between these two productions: you can watch and enjoy both. But, if you have only seen this one, do yourself a huge favor and watch the original.
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Great story but turned into a soap opera
TV Show has a great story, could have been amazing drama but it had tooo much elements of soap operas and unnecessery side stories and dramas, making it really soapy and unrealistic and that ruined a show for me. First episode was the best, and the last one the worst. It felt like the writers ran out of the ideas so they were adding very irrational twists that didn’t really make any sense and were not in line with characters. On the other hand, all actors were amazing, and it had some beautiful emotional moments.Was this review helpful to you?
