Feedback on episode 15 of “Curtain Call”: https://mydramalist.com/712447-the-tree-dies-standing
1. It gave us a glimpse into the character of the real grandson.
Who is he? He is just a little kid upset with his grandmother. But deep inside, he is hurting. That hurt deepened after he saw the life his grandmother have, while his father died, and his wife is battling for her life.
Forget about the life he had to endure, it is nothing compared to how he saw his father lived and died, and how his wife is fighting for her life. Then seeing the luxurious life his grandmother has.
He is just a little kid inside, who have been hiding his soft spot, his weaknesses, and acting strong, to survive the world. It is the only thing he knows. He always has his guard up. And his misunderstanding of his grandmother added on top of it, he is simply acting strong while trying to take revenge… but deep inside, he is hurting.
That's him. And fake grandson understood it so well. That brings us to #2.
2. The fake grandson is more than just an actor.
He is a soft person who understand other people first before he judges them. He sees the positive in every human being. He knows each person have a story to tell which shaped them who they are today.
Using his own experience, he knew he can connect with the real grandson. To connect with him heart-to-heart. The real grandson can keep his guard up, but he knew how to open the backdoor and get through him.
In contrast to that, the fake wife confronted the real grandson, but she made a wrong judgement call. She approached the real grandson head on, tried to make him feel guilty and herself the victim. Which only backfired because she did not bother to know what is his story.
The real grandson warned her to watch her words, yet she did not listen, instead she attacked stronger. He was holding himself back because he is not the type of person who wants to have a pis*ing contest.
But because she wouldn't listen, he revealed his story to her. The worst part of his story, seeing his father die, and his wife struggling to survive, which forced him to do things she tried to make him feel guilty of.
Fake grandson understood because he was abandoned by his mother. Fake wife did not, because she grew up in a well-off family and sheltered environment.
This contrast allowed the fake grandson's character to bloom. He was not doing it because it still is part of their act, he was reaching out to the real grandson because he understands where he is coming from.
Like the real grandson said so himself, everyone is telling him what they want him to do, or not do. No one bothered to ask him what he really wants.
And that is… for people to see him for who he is, a human being who was forced to do things he doesn't want, simply to survive.
It is why he kept saying they are strangers. Because strangers rarely see other people for who they really are. A real family will see a person. A real family will know if you are hurting. If you need a shoulder to cry on. They will ask if you need help.
The fake grandson turned out to be the real grandson's family. He saw him. He saw beyond the facade the real grandson was putting up (his guard), and became the person he needed.
Just look, it's episode 15, and still no one have any idea his wife is close to dying! No one cared to ask him! He's a human being crying out for help, but everyone's a stranger, they are only family in name.
The fake grandson and the real grandson. Episode 15 was that. A real familial bond between two unrelated people.
I love this episode.
