I've been researching the disorder since watching the show. Moon young certainly has some traits but it doesn't seem like she actually has that specific mental issue to me.  I know the description says she has been diagnosed with ASPD but that doesn't mean she can't have been misdiagnosed. 

I think maybe she didn't really have at first, but as time went on, with the continuous brainwashing of her mom or something, she really did end up developing one, just like her mom. Because her mom did say the FL was her "perfect creation"? (idk, something along those lines). So, I think because of this, she wants to make her daughter similar to her? 

Or maybe she could be a high-functioning person with an antisocial personality disorder, which explains why her actions sometimes differs from the diagnosis and symptoms?

Honestly, I don't know as well, very confusing indeed...

 Lily Lam:

I've been researching the disorder since watching the show. Moon young certainly has some traits but it doesn't seem like she actually has that specific mental issue to me.  I know the description says she has been diagnosed with it but some of her actions seem to say otherwise. Descriptions can be rather misleading, and they could always claim she was misdiagnosed. 

Could you specify which of her actions do not fit the diagnostic criteria and make you think she might not have it?


Ps. I'm meh about the idea she has it too. I'm also starting to see some inconsistency in how she was written. 

I don't think she has antisocial personality disorder, I think she has more of a bipolar type disorder. From the way she is very impulsive and gets what she wants at some times, and then very solemn at other times- shows she can be very understanding.

For instance, she accepts the advice that Gang-Tae gives her, even though she is very passive and childish about it.  

 Anastasia:

I don't think she has antisocial personality disorder, I think she has more of a bipolar type disorder. From the way she is very impulsive and gets what she wants at some times, and then very solemn at other times- shows she can be very understanding.

For instance, she accepts the advice that Gang-Tae gives her, even though she is very passive and childish about it.  

She does not match the bipolar criteria tho. the maniac and depressive episodes are too short and change too frequently and quickly. + bipolar disorder does not explain her disregard to other people feelings and low empathy.

As for the advice: we don't know if she accepting it coz she thinks it valid or if she thinks following it would be a way of getting close to Kang Tae (which is her goal at the moment). 

As one myself, I can say she probably has NPD

People with NPD are often misunderstood as ASPD

 Lita:

As one myself, I can say she probably has NPD

not necessarily... IF she has APD... coz many symptoms overlap here. And usually you get the diagnosis that matches your symptoms better and clinicians try to avoid giving double diagnosis in cases like that. She does shown symptoms of narcissistic traits but they are also part of APD... and while APD explains her other behaviors, NPD doesn't... 

 Kate:

not necessarily... IF she has APD... coz many symptoms overlap here. And usually you get the diagnosis that matches your symptoms better and clinicians try to avoid giving double diagnosis in cases like that. She does shown symptoms of narcissistic traits but they are also part of APD... and while APD explains her other behaviors, NPD doesn't... 

what other behaviors? wanting kangtae for herself? npd. depression? different thing ofc. low empathy? npd. disregard for others' feelings? npd

 Lita:

what other behaviors? wanting kangtae for herself? npd. depression? different thing ofc. low empathy? npd. disregard for other's feelings? npd

impulsivity is one of the criteria that distinguish between APD and NPD and she is really impulsive. unlawful behavior is another one, that she did too. 

she does not seek attention... she does not mind it at all, but she is not seeking it from others. She does not try to be liked nor admired.

They hinted many times that she has problems with differentiating feelings other show and "reading" them. Not that she does not care to do that, but she cannot do that (like the way she studied the board of photos in episode 5).

There are studies showing that APD and NPD have far more in common that what differentiate it so some voices are heard saying they should be put under one diagnostic name. That said, going strictly by "the average APD and NPD" and diagnostic criteria, she does fit APD more than NPD. 

Overall she fits APD better EXCEPT when she is with Kang Tae... her interactions with him are a mix of both APD and NPD and I might be leaning towards NPD with some scenes and APD with others. 

My theory is that Ko Munyeong has Borderline Personality Disorder because of the presence of 5+ symptoms from this list: https://www.verywellmind.com/borderline-personality-disorder-diagnosis-425174  Here's a few examples I can attach to the drama so far.

Her "frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment" are seen mostly with Moon Gangtae. But I'd imagine she relied a lot on her employees before and if they'd try to leave her she'd act out. Now she only cares for Gangtae though, making them an "unstable and intense interpersonal relationship". It's pretty obvious she has "impulsive behavior" and "difficulty controlling anger," liking walking for hours in the rain with nothing, recklessly driving through a market, or pushing someone down the stairs. I think we'll learn more about her, "identity disturbance with markedly or persistently unstable self-image or sense of self," in future episodes. She seems to view herself based on the strict rules and her passed mother clouded her with as a child.  She sees herself as a curse so she pushes people away but can't bare being alone. 

Borderline personality used to be said to depict the "borderline" between psychosis (delusions, "stay away") and neurosis (anxiety, "don't leave").

P.S. I am a psychology student so I had fun writing this.

@lia BPD sounds possible after APD. My biggest problem with how character was written is how different her symptoms show with KT and with everyone else. She is book example of APD with everyone, but then KT scene at times it does not fit the "picture" of APD. 

@Kate This could be amplified because its a kdrama but I also don't think she matches the criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder. It's a common misconception that someone who cold to others is instantly antisocial. Here you can review more symptoms of ASPD https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/pn.39.1.0025a ).  Any symptoms that might relate to her in ASPD criteria can also be attributed to BPD.  

Within the canon of the show they've only said she has a personality disorder, outside the show they say antisocial personality disorder but this being a drama we can assume that the traits of the disorder are going to include some creatively license. So attempting to armchair diagnose is kind of fruitless - I mean I'm sure it's a fun fandom practice but I'm not expecting the drama to give us a straight answer or strictly adhere to how ASPD presents. 

 lia:

@Kate This could be amplified because its a kdrama but I also don't think she matches the criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder. It's a common misconception that someone who cold to others is instantly antisocial. Here you can review more symptoms of ASPD https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/pn.39.1.0025a ).  Any symptoms that might relate to her in ASPD criteria can also be attributed to BPD.  

one of the differences between BPD and APD is how they "manipulate" people. BPD uses more emotional tactics (often guilty tripping people to stay with them) while APD is more calculative in how they do it and use their emotional side less and it's often less convincing if they try (like how she said she loves him... damn that was theatrical and not convincing at all lol).

I myself see in her more APD than BPD (my sister has BPD so let's say I had years of hand in hand encounters with this disorder). But it's impossible to diagnose someone just by looking at their behavior. It takes hours of one on one interviews, getting to know the surrounding, history of said person + some tests to be done. We can speculate what she has, but at the end of the day we just have to accept whatever the drama says she has.

You're right, you can't tell right away. I made my theory after watching the final scene in episode 6 where she really broke down, so I sided more with the idea of her having BPD but it's always possible for her to have both! ASPD and BPD have many similarities it's just about the direction of expression and I chose to focus on her intense mood swings and lack of regard for her own safety. Labels are only really useful when finding a way to treat someone. I don't think a kdrama could possibly be 100% accurate as if it was a real person with a personality disorder. But it's interesting to try to understand a character as if they were real.  :)

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