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“You can always be on the receiving end.”
To say I was impressed is an understatement. I am honestly shocked how well this story was presented, acted and developed for how short it was. It was engaging from the beginning till the end. It completely took over my life for a month. I am not ashamed to admit, this will be a full on positive analysis of the unforgettable story. I will point out some minor flaws I have seen, but for making me this obsessed, I cannot care for them too much.This is a great presentation of how external circumstances can shape a person. How one can be a perpetrator without being a victim first, be a victim and become the perpetrator, and sometimes just be the victim who tries to free themselves out of the abuse. How one cannot be saved from toxic relationships, they need to leave them willingly. How our current situation is not always our fault, but it is our responsibility.
I appreciate so much that Da On did not fall under either a submissive shy mouse, nor a chaotic victim who acts with no reason. I loved how he did try to set boundaries, sometimes he managed to, sometimes he failed. He knew the limits of how much he can do without putting himself in harm's way. There was a clear pattern to his behavior - he was more willing to say no to Su Hyeon in public, than in private. He set boundaries and when the situation escalated, he gave in. Yes, him not being straightforward was frustrating to watch, but that’s life. Su Hyeon had too much power over Da On’s life. There was too much trauma associated with his aggressive behavior to move past it quickly. Leaving an abusive relationship takes time, learning how to set boundaries has to be learned. It’s a process.
Even with limited length, they were able to explain the context of Da On’s life. Being neglected, living in a toxic environment, feeling like he has to carry too much responsibility from a young age, being ridiculed for being poor, isolated from others by Jae Min, attacked and abused, and on top of that abandoned by the person he liked. He did not know what it means to be in a healthy relationship. Or what is an appropriate behavior. He was simply groomed by Jae Min - to trust him only, alone with no other relations. Being groomed for 11 years has a massive impact on you, and you cannot just cut these people off like it’s not a big deal. Even if they do something awful, traumatic, scary - they have been part of you and your life. Da On acting like that was annoying, but it was not lazy writing. People wanted him to go from victim to a completely healthy person with proper coping mechanisms right away, and were frustrated when it did not happen.
Out of all the scenes, the one that truly got me a bit confused was when Da On willingly left the building and got into Su Hyeon’s car just to avoid Seong Hyeon. This scene was weirdly constructed and contradictory. They were really clear Da On wanted to have nothing to do with Su Hyeon… but then he put himself in the position to be with him alone with no valid external reason.
I also lowered my rating from a perfect 10 to 9.5 because of that presentation. That scene was more psychotic than anything Jae Min did in the whole show. After being kidnapped and almost killed, witnessing the man he loves stabbed, having his face smeared with blood… He went and did the presentation. What the actual fuck.
That said, except for these two moments, while his actions were frustrating, they were cohesive, they made sense in the context of the show and who he was as a character, they were believable. I will die on this hill if needed, but I do believe Da On was not a weak person nor weak character. And here comes the compliments for Kim Jun Seo’s acting. I cannot believe this was his first role. To be able to present so much vulnerability and deep emotions, while also showing determination and strength. The duality!
Then we have the toxic and the psycho - Su Hyeon and Jae Min. Can we appreciate that we got two completely different and distinctive versions of different abusive relationships thanks to these characters? We really got a deep dive on what can go wrong between two people. Be it constant criticism and belittlement, psychical violence and intimidation, excessive jealousy and controlling behavior, lack of respect and boundaries that Su Hyeon presented, or lies and deception, emotional manipulation and gaslighting, unhealthy dependence and isolation that we saw with Jae Min. They are both toxic, they are both unhealthy, even if they are vastly different.
I know people love to have a soft spot for Su Hyeon, mostly because of his rather tough upbringing in a psychotic family and how he was not as aggressive in the flashbacks. I get it. But the fact is - there is nothing redeemable about him in the present timeline and I strongly believe even without Jae Min in the picture, he would still turn violent at some point. Why? Because from the start the issue was not Jae Min, but Su Hyeon’s complete lack of emotional maturity and emotional regulation. If it’s not Jae Min, he would snap because of his family. If not the family, he would snap if Da On would not be able to handle the constant micromanagement, jealousy and possessiveness. Su Hyeon does not know how to deal with negative emotions and frustration, they always lead to anger and aggression.
Yes, the flashbacks were great. I agree that the library scene with him pinning Da On on the desk and the chat about the ring was great. But putting it into the context of who his character is and how he behaved - this is way too little for me to see him as a right person for Da On. Or anyone if I must be honest. Maybe a “hot date” with a psychiatrist. Can he get better? Yes. But that would require a lot of work. To be honest, I did not want him to be redeemable, but the last episode changed my mind a little bit. I struggled with seeing what could possibly happen for me to believe he might change. But with how psychopathic Jae Min became, I think the shock of that situation could potentially be enough to make Su Hyeon do 180.
On the other hand I believe Jae Min cannot get better. The difference for me between Su Hyeon and Jae Min is why they act the way they do. Su Hyeon had bad tendencies that were reinforced by his environment - he learned a lot of negative actions from his aggressive father. As far as I see it, Jae Min’s natural negative tendencies were actually held back by his environment. The advantages of acting good and not going full psycho were strong enough to keep him in check. Let’s be honest, if he grew up in the same environment that Su Hyeon did, by university age he would be a serial killer.
And that’s when I knew the one that kidnapped Da On was Jae Min. Because it’s not something Su Hyeon would be capable of doing. Not that he wouldn’t want to, he just couldn’t. Su Hyeon would never go full psycho, because he still has many things that limit him and things he fears - especially his family and his father. He acted out as much as he could with the external restrictions he had.
On the other hand the only restrictions Jae Min had were the ones he placed on himself. He acted as this model teacher, great friend, cool hyung - perfect man, because it was advantageous for him. He controlled himself, because it was worth it. But when he lost control over Da On, keeping that perfect persona was useless, he let go of all the restrictions he placed on himself, and now nothing was stopping him from going full loco.
And when Jae Min went full loco, he truly did not hold back. What glorious moments these were. I am amazed with Kim Ho Young’s acting. You watch him act and you understand why people believed his fake personality. But you also truly see how out of control he is when the hell breaks loose. Whenever it was his nice act, or the chaotic outburst - they were acted perfectly.
Cha Jung Woo did not do worse. Truth to be told, the whole cast did an amazing job. Kim Su Hyeon was such an annoying character, and yet even I saw the charm he had during some scenes. I could understand why Da On fell for him. And the last episode? Outstanding.
While these character had many differences there was one thing that they had in common - they wanted to own Da On, claiming they love him. Love and obsession are different though. Neither of them truly cared about Da On, his feelings, happiness, life, well-being. All that mattered was to possess him. They both believed it would be better to have him in their life broken (or dead), than set him free. From the start they kept using terms like “What I want”, “What I lost” - indicating they saw Da On not as a person, but as a thing they wanted to possess.
And that’s when Seong Hyeon shows up. And you know what I love about this character? That he makes mistakes. That he is not in fact this perfect green flag with no flaws. He is a human being with his own feelings that also get hurt. He sometimes reacted emotionally, childish even. And that’s what made him real. Because of these moments when he acted more selfish, when he did something without thinking - that’s what made his character more interesting.
While he had a lot of great personality traits like being helpful, kind, patient, mature when dealing with setting boundaries, and confident, he also had many relatable flaws. He was childish and pity when he thought someone was not following certain social norms he deemed important. Sometimes he regretted saying something, sometimes he regretted taking actions. And then at times he regretted backing off.
One of the aspects of his character I found the most fascinating was his ability to be really flexible in his reactions and behaviors. Depending on the external context, he reacted differently to the situation, but it was all consistent with his motivations and goals. He was more straightforward with Da On when he saw he was in a good “state”, he tried to distract Da On instead if he saw he was exhausted. Even without understanding the reasons behind Da On’s state, he was really good at reading his emotions and acting accordingly.
What separates him from Jae Min and Su Hyeon is the fact he knows how to love and how to receive love. How to care for people and receive that help. How to view relationships as mutual support and not transactions. For Seong Hyeon it is not “I want”, but “Can I?”. Can I stay with you? Can I hold your hand? While Jae Min and Su Hyeon try to control Da On, Seong Hyeon gives Da On the choice. He asks instead of stating. While Jae Min and Su Hyeon said they want to be with Da On, Seong Hyeon asks if he can stay with Da On. Yes, he is persistent in his approach, but there is something gentle about it. Rather than forcing himself and his presence, it seems more like a reassurance that he is willing to wait, to fight for Da On, to be there for him. Reminder that he is waiting and still there, whenever Da On is ready.
One thing I feel like Seong Hyeon and Su Hyeon share is the fact they are rather emotionally expressive. The difference? Seong Hyeon is expressive, but in control of his emotions and how he expresses them, while Su Hyeon is completely lost in his emotions and has no control over them. Then Jae Min is not expressive, but also in control of his emotions (until he is not… oops).
Here sadly comes one issue I had writing wise - the non-consensual kiss between him and Da On, and the aftermath of it. Truth to be told, I was not even “angry” at the writer for including the kiss. As I said, I love the fact that Seong Hyeon fucks up from time to time, and this was one of these cases. There was no excuse for that kiss to happen and then continue with Da On being this drunk. But while I can understand what led to it happening, the fact that it was not once addressed later on kind of annoyed me. He apologized for wrong things. It’s less a character fault, but more cultural norm fault though.
Now, Cha Sun Hyung’s acting. I still cannot get over how he switched from Puppy to Guard Dog depending on the scene. The way he was able to present that golden retriever energy, but without looking dumb and silly that often happens with characters like him. He still looked mature, strong and confident.
For the general writing, directing and editing:
I really liked the structure. I think the placement of the flashbacks was perfect. The way they were cut in just the right places to give some information, but also mislead us as viewers. The way they made it seem like Da On liked Jae Min in the past, just to reveal it was Su Hyeon. Or who Su Hyeon attacked and why. They just cut the scenes smartly. How much we want to show, how much we want to confuse the viewers - all seemed like deliberate choices, carefully crafted.
Was the “borderline childhood connection” needed? No. I honestly dislike that so much. This was just… unnecessary and added nothing to the show for me.
I’m not going to lie, I am more of the internal analyzer of the bigger picture and the context, than someone who looks for details and symbolism. So to truly appreciate the production, I had to do some research, because I simply do not pay that much attention to things that are in fact important.
Let’s start with the fact the drama was more or less color coded for specific characters (Da On - yellow, Su Hyeon - green, Jae Min - pink, Seong Hyeon - blue). The scenes for the characters were actually often light in a specific color hue. Even in the intro scene with Da On and Jae Min they used this peach pinkish hue, the scene where Su Hyeon attacked the guy with the bottle was yellowish-green. The color flipped only between Da On and Seong Hyeon. Da On’s narration had a blue background, and the scene between Seong Hyeon and Da On had the yellow/orange warm tone from the setting sun. Am I reading too much, or was it a deliberate choice to hint who the end game is? Who knows, I like to pretend it was all planned and hype myself more about why I love this drama.
Colors aside, they also really did a good job with just the lights and the warmth of it. Perfect example - the scene when Su Hyeon dragged Da On away to his apartment, leaving Seong Hyeon behind. The part of the corridor with Su Hyeon and Da On is cold and dark, while where Seong Hyeon is staning it has this warm orange light.
Then we have the symbolism of chess connected to Jae Min - how from the start it was hinted (for some less, for some more obvious), how he was the mastermind behind it all, how he manipulated both Su Hyeon and Da On for years. How he was the one controlling the situation.
Also, extremely random thought, but white is such a psychopath color, so the fact Jae Min was the only one wearing the white outfit in the intro is just cherry on top. And how it had a comeback when he completely lost his marbles in the last episode. Greatly appreciated.
Overall, what a fucking ride. I get it. This drama had flaws. It was not some high budget production, but the way it won my heart is illogical. One could say I was in a completely toxic and dependent relationship with it for the past month. I’m Da On - blind to flaws the same way he was blind to all these red flags.
If you want to tell me that I’m reading too much into it, overanalyzing things that make no sense. How there was no logic behind the characters behavior and it was all ridiculous - you are free to do so, I might even entertain you with a few replies. But I am not changing my mind. I’m annoyingly stubborn.
Added characters' analysis in comments under spoiler. Written them after episode 6, and damn Jae Min's one had to be quite tweaked - I overestimated how loco he was.
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*Spoilers are only in the last paragraph, regarding the ending*I enjoyed I Hear You up until episode 17, as a lighthearted drama without any elements that made me angry or annoyed (which feels pretty rare with Chinese modern dramas). I personally enjoy the 'pretend couple becomes real' trope. From episode 17 onward, I felt like the plot lost momentum and then finally, several elements of the final two episodes really bothered me.
Ye Shu Wei (Riley Wang) is a successful and talented violin maker who doesn't like other people, and he grows a lot throughout the show as he begins to care about Bei Er Duo (Zhao Lusi). Bei Er Duo is kind and determined; she has a dream of becoming a voice actress and her goal is to study abroad in Japan. I loved that she was always studying, working hard to improve herself, and wanted to rely on her talent not connections. Ye Shu Wei and Bei Er Duo slowly grow to care for each other, and since they are both inexperienced in love, they feel like an even-leveled match despite him being rich and successful. But to be honest, their relationship is pretty boring. There were some cute moments and some cringey moments but nothing memorable. I actually felt like Shu Wei put much more effort and heart into their relationship, in trying to understand her, encourage her, and prepare surprises for her. (But Riley Wang's stony-faced acting bored me.)
Shu Wei and Er Duo agreeing to be on a couples competition show seemed like a far-fetched premise but the characters Yu Sheng and Tang Li help make it a little believable since they are the producers(?) for the show. Tang Li's character arc is fantastic and is the one great thing in this show. I loved that she faced her feelings head on, stuck to her principles, and worked hard to find her own happiness. Her storyline wasn't what I expected, but she articulated it well when she explained her decisions to Er Duo. The maturity of her character was such a sharp contrast to Er Duo's childish behavior.
*SPOILERS BELOW*
As for the last two episodes... I hated the two phone calls that Er Duo receives. Why did other people feel like they had the right to blame Er Duo for Shu Wei's choices? I liked that Er Duo sat down with him at the beach and talked about it honestly but why did Shu Wei not respond? Even though Er Duo returned the ring, it felt so inconclusive. (Also, if he really wanted to give up violin making/didn't care about that major violin order, I can respect his choice.) The last straw for me was how Er Duo chose to separate from Shu Wei. They had checked in their luggage and he was being paged for the flight so it just made no sense on so many levels. At the very least she could have sent him a text message after clearing security. The last scene was so strange and inconclusive. I wish that instead she had said at the beach, hey don't come to Japan with me, don't give up your work and let's date long distance for now and see how it goes...
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The characters, at first may seem a bit tiresome, but they have this uncanny knack of growing on you, until you genuinely care for them and wish to see them happy, successful or in some cases burn in hell. It will make you laugh and cry, which is what all good dramas should invoke. Throw into the mix a nice, non annoying soundtrack and some pretty good cinematography and you get a seriously a good watch. Strong recommended, not just for viewing but repeated viewings as well.
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It's like a car crash...
... painful to watch but hard to look away.You should watch this show if you like:
- Plot holes
- Questions that get answered by even more questions.
- Dialogue that doesn't make sense.
- A supposedly steamy couple without any chemistry.
- A mafia boss whose entire self is an insult to every mafia person ever.
Sadly enough, there is a lot wrong with this show.
From actors who don't seem very into their role to questionable directing and simply strange editing/use of music. "Unforgotten night" seems to have it all.
They could have done so much more with KamolKim yet every episode is packed with stuff that you might get a whiplash from the quick changing between scenes. Events that should have been cleared up, explained or maybe just talked about get forgotten and in my opinion this doesn't do the plot any justice.
Still I find myself looking forward to the next episode every week. Be it because of interest in the story or just hope that the next episode will be better. And of course it isn't all bad. Don't get me wrong, there are some good things to see as well. I just expected a lot more from this show. If you are going to watch it, I suggest not to take it very seriously. Sit back, relax and enjoy yourself.
EDIT: The last episode was by far the best and made a lot better.
My Wednesday evening will surely be a little more empty after the last episode but I fear that, despite it's title, "Unforgotten Night" will be quickly forgotten.
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To be honest I only started watching it because I read that the story would revolve a lot around the eldest son, who is in a gay relationship. I found this fascinating, seeing as it's a korean drama. The writers did a great job on that part, depicting the family's perspective and the couples perspective and how they each deal with this issue.
It was also interesting to see the interactions between the different generations of this huge family who all live together in one house.
What kept me watching was the great acting (especially song chang ui who plays the eldest son and kim hae sook who plays his stepmom)the amazing story, and also the amazing surroundings (jeju island).
Because it's quite a long drama you get to know each of the family members very well and you really feel the amazing bond that's between them.
I cried a lot, but I laughed too and watching it was an overall heartwarming experience!
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Just to be clear about something, I'm not a fan of love affairs, actually I don't like them at all and usually do not watch dramas with concept like that but this one I chose because of the music theme and the main actor. And I'm glad I did that 'cause I fell in love with this drama so deeply with no cure for healing. For the record this drama and story aren't affair at all as all of us think what affair actually is and you could see that from the very start and the relationship between the married couple, they were more like business partners. Yoo Ah In and Kim Hee Ae have done the job brilliant in portraying the two people who met and simply, slowly fell in love through the piano playing, music sheets, Mozart, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, and many other classical geniuses. I was hypnotized and mesmerized with their conversations, with their playing, with their passionate chemistry, I can't remember when I've reacted like this to some couple and chemistry in drama, since MARS I haven't felt like this.
This is not some average bubbly romance drama; it's dark, complex, passionate, bittersweet, and sometimes even torturous. It's a true emotional, mature and adult romance drama where we'll cheer as hard as we can for love to win against all odds. It’s a story to show how love can change one for the best or the worst. I loved very much how they concentrate simply on development of the main characters, their constant battle inside them, their pain, their hope and most of all their passion. It had been a very long time that I had felt such complex emotions with such intensity. It was almost like I was one of them. Of course there are boring parts, for example the part about business and all those irritating female characters who were so evil, bad and gossiping around, I really hate that. But except that everything else was a masterpiece for real. Yoo Ah In as a young piano prodigy was magnificent, he once again proved to me why he's one of my favourite actors in the whole world. When he’s onscreen with Kim, they make beautiful music together, both literally and figuratively. The love story generates plenty of heat, and feels genuine and quite moving. As long as the two leads are playing duets together or sharing bowls of noodles, everything else was in the shadow, only them and their fantastic chemistry.
Unlike in the most of average dramas, the music actually added meaning and depth to the drama. They played so many beautiful pieces from so many great composers and anyone who has any appreciation for classical music is going to enjoy this drama enormously. This drama is a bit slow, but it didn't bother me at all. I loved that I could see and feel their every gaze, touch, and emotion. I was able to synchronize my emotions with them, to understand and feel how they fell for one another.
For me this drama has a deep meaning and definitely left me with so many great and honest emotions. If you're like me a person who loves a true pure romance dramas with adult and mature thinking with endless love for music in your daily life, then this drama is for you.
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A SECRET GEM!!! A COMEDIC MASTERPIECE!!! 11/10 ✨???
This is the first review I write after having watched almost 300 K-Dramas and 100+ movies. And I'm doing it because "Seoul Busters" is worth every type of PRAISE!!! 👏👌🤌🏆This rightfully took a place in my top 20 BEST KOREAN DRAMAS ever!!! 🔝And here's why:1) THE CAST. 🔥Every single member of this cast did a stellar job.✨They delivered amazing performances, in both comedic and dramatic moments. They had such wonderful chemistry with each other, they clicked perfectly. 💯I couldn't see any other actor/actress in their places. They're literally the PERFECT combination. 🤌
2) Sometimes you need a good laugh, not complicated things, just something to brighten up your day. 🌞And boy, does this drama provide you with endless laughs. 😝I haven't laughed this much with a piece of cinema or TV before and I'm not referring to just Asian content. "Seoul Busters" made me CRY tears of laughter, so much, my belly hurt from laughing.🤣 I watched all episodes with my mom and we made sure to watch them in a time during the day where we could laugh loudly without waking up any neighbors!!!😜I looked forward to the new episodes each week because they lifted my spirit and even during bad days they never failed to put a smile on my face. ☺️It's not easy to make that happen but these characters, these super talented actors made it happen.❤️
3) You think it's only humor?? You're WRONG. Despite its obvious comedic tone, the drama has plenty of touching, even tragic moments that will break your heart. 🥺Especially the second half of the drama will definitely make you shed some tears. 💔But it's all perfectly executed and ties in with the plot well.
4) And what about the cases of the week?? 🚓So many cases, so many suspects, so many plot twists. 🧐Each case intriguing and different than the other. And also, very good guest stars making things even more interesting. 👍
5) The action??💥 PLS!!! They were all so badass, I loved the fight scenes and their planning, and going undercover.🔥 Each member of our Violent Crimes Team at had something unique to offer and put their skills to good use.👌
6) Rewatch value??? Trust me, I'll be having all 20 episodes on repeat for a long time. 💯It just makes me feel so good watching and hearing these guys, they won such a special place in my heart, I'm so grateful for the good times they gave me!!!😊✨
7) SEASON 2, PLEASE, I'M BEGGING!!! 😭This drama wrapped things up very well but it left the window open with a perfect opportunity to continue for a second season. 😁I have never had such a passionate desire for a K-drama to be renewed for a second season before!!! ✌️Where do I sign the petition for S2 to be announced ASAP???? I don't want to say a final goodbye to my favorite characters just yet!!!🥺
To sum up, "Seoul Busters" is a K-Drama I would recommend to EVERYONE, it would be such a shame to lose such a gem!!!✨ It's perfectly balanced in every aspect and has a wonderful group of actors who bring unique, unforgettable characters to life.✌️ I'm so glad I decided to watch it, it didn't disappoint or bore me for one second!!! I'll treasure it forever ❤️😊
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Great chemistry and fast paced
Everyone has different opinions, and that's why cdramas are so great because there's something for everyone.This drama really suits what I like. The best point for me of this drama is the chemistry between the ML, FL and the FL's brother.
They make a great trio. You can immediately sense the chemistry between the ML and the FL. They look very natural and comfortable with each other. You can sense that the ML liked the FL at first sight, and that the FL only has eyes for the ML regardless of how many men chase her.
For me the flashbacks of the FL and ML's previous romance make me look forward to them getting back together even more. They both are very good at acting with their eyes, when they look at each other you can see their love and care for each other.
The FL's brother adds a nice comedic element to the main duo, and his character development is something you don't see much in similar dramas.
I've seen people say the ML's character is the same as in the rise of Ning (another drama which I liked a lot). Yes they do have similarities.
They are both scheming, have some sort of hidden agenda and control an influential group. However, in rise of Ning, his character is serious like 90% of the time, where as, while he is serious here, there are also a lot more moments where he plays a more comedic or relaxed role. I think his role in this drama is more similar to his role in 'are you the one.' There a more moments where he acts romantic, comedic or even foolish, that brings a lighter feel in my opinion.
One thing I think that sets this drama apart a little is the fast paced nature of the plot. Especially at the beginning, there are almost mini arcs regarding the FL's sisters that in another drama might take 5 or more episodes to see the problem or drama resolved. However in this drama, problems with the FL's sisters and problems the FL faces early on are resolved within 2 episodes normally. I like this fast paced nature as it keeps the plot engaging, but it can feel a little rushed and confusing at time due to the different characters being introduced in a short amount of time.
I also really like how for the most part any misunderstandings or secrets are cleared up explained quite fast, their communication and honesty is so refreshing (besides the FL's big secret, but that's understandable).
As for the main antagonist, I do think their overall 'reason' for hating the FL and her family is not really convincing, but they do sell it well and make it believable. I think this is due to the acting of the main antagonist. She does a great job of portraying her craziness but also calmness. As the main plot and main villains are revealed, I think the story continues to become more engaging.
I think overall, this drama blends romance, comedy and a bit of seriousness well. I really enjoyed the ML and FL's relationship and their trio with the FL's brother. To me, they really made this show. The villains are engaging and it's interesting to find out the reason they hate the FL, even though in the end some may consider her reason silly. The main villa does a good job of selling it. If you are a fan of the FL or the ML, you will definitely enjoy their romance and their chemistry, and will thus enjoy this drama, just like I did.
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THE CASTING & ORIGINAL STORY SET -UP
In a recent interview, PD Ahn said he wanted to work with SYJ. He felt that she was the best actress to play a mid-30s woman at the centerpiece of this realistic drama. “That’s why, from the very beginning, I thought that there was no one else for the leading role of ‘Pretty Noona’ but Son Ye Jin. I only contacted one person [for the role], and it worked out. She decided to take the role even after seeing all the negative sides to it.” He added with a laugh, “I was really surprised.”
SYJ said she also wanted to work with the director. Her fellow actresses gave him high marks. And when she was recruited for the series, PD Ahn promised he would do things so she could meet her goals. As a result, the series was shot more like an independent art film. There were little wasted scenes. And the mood on the set was fun but professional.
SYJ is a professional. Her reputation is to immerse herself in her characters. She was aware of the negatives of JA (her life, her decisions, her mistakes, etc.) He claims the scripts were all read in full in October, 2017 (but does not say if the scripts were changed in the end).
In initial filming before the premiere, JA’s character was described as a hard working person with a lonely personal life where she stares at empty bottles of liquor. She is a typical South Korean woman in her 30s who feels emptiness in her heart because she doesn't feel accomplished in either career or love which every woman around her age can empathize with. Son Ye Jin is showing so much motivation and effort as she is always holding onto her script and having numerous discussions with the director on expressing her character more fully. She is doing a great job in portraying Jin-ah's change of emotion with her detailed acting and really becoming the character. Everyone should be expecting great things to come out of this drama,” a staff member said.
At the beginning, JA’s situation can be summed up as follows:
1. She is 35 still living at home with her parents.
2. She is going out with a terrible BF who has cheated on her after she slept with him (meaning she was serious about the relationship but he was not).
3. Her mother is pushing her to marry the terrible BF because of his status and JA’s age.
4. She is stuck in a dead end job subject to work place harassment and takes blame for others’ mistakes.
JA character is a meek, introverted, weak, hard working but repressed follower of society norms. She really does not talk about goals or a future. It appears she has resigned herself to an unhappy life because she is trapped in a culturally oppressive and socially conservative paternalistic world.
The show was always set up to be JA’s journey to self-awareness and independence. It was meant to be a realistic sad story.
What hooked viewers in the initial episodes was the chemistry between JA and JH. It was an unintended consequence because it masked the original story line and theme. PD Ahn stated in that recent interview that the theme of the show was the simple question:
“Are we really in love?”
THE INITIAL CHEMISTRY
If you look objectively at the beginning of JA and JH’s romantic relationship, it was a quick and burning passion. The reason for JA was simple: she was coming off a dead cat bounce relationship with her cheating ex-BF. Since her mid 20s, JA had been groomed by her mother to go out with a certain kind of man (one of status, means and upward mobility). JA’s only hope with these blind dates was that the man would “like” her. JA went out on those dates not out of a search for love but obligation to her mother. JA must have seemed that this current ex-BF was her best shot since she was serious enough to slept with him but his betrayal left her bitter, angry and alone.
JH returns to Korea after 3 years in USA. He is friends with JA’s brother, SH. He knows JH dates many women (because of his looks and charm). He knows he has a stubborn temper. JH is young and carefree in YOLO life style. JH grew up without parents so it appears that he is still harboring abandonment issues. He had dated many women in the past, but apparently could not get beyond 3 months (which is interesting since the 100 day mark in Korea is a milestone of a “serious” relationship.) He is charming, attentive, but also selfish, temperamental and paternalistic.
In a chance timing of motive and opportunity, JH returned to Korea after three years, and the first cute woman he saw he went after (surprising himself that it was his noona.) The surprise flirtation and familiarity was the spark to set them on a quick path to become lovers.
JA and JH get caught up in the mystery, excitement and secrecy of their romance. So did the audience. It was clear that JA and JH loved being together. It was an infatuation.
Attraction? Yes, they both complimented each other about their appearance.
Escapism? Yes, they both were coming back from negative experiences to find comfort in each others’ arms, away from their daily grind and problems.
Infatuation? Yes, the hot and secret aspect of their intense and short lived passion for each other.
True love? No. Even though viewers were caught up with the initial passion, the couple’s relationship was foreshadowed to be doomed. As reality encroached on their secret life, real serious issues arose between their family members and friends which the couple did not or could not discuss and work out together.
How each character viewed their relationship was telling:
JA did like the fact that a younger man found her attractive and desirable. It may have been a long time since a man approached her (instead of through blind dates). She wanted to keep it a secret because she knew it was all merely fun: companionship with benefits, not a serious relationship. Also, JA wanted to keep it secret because she knew the negative ramifications to her family and friendship with KS.
However, JH did not want to keep it secret. This showed his naivety. His character always lived in the moment, not thinking long term consequences of his actions.
Their relationship turned into a cliche teenage crush. And as the episodes went on, there was no intellectual, emotional or spiritual growth in their relationship. They never discussed a shared future together.
THE MIDDLE CONFLICTS
The greatest problem with the story was JA’s interaction with the people around her. It was an intentional portrayal. She was an apologetic follower. She rarely stood up for herself. Her decision making was mired in self-conflict, self-doubt. She thought the world viewed her as a commodity and not as a person or a woman.
And this was embedded in how she dealt with her personal life, including her affair with JH. The series lacked deep discussions between the characters that is the foundation for serious relationships.
JA was conditioned to be subservient and accept what others told her.
What were the major issues in JA’s life?
1. Her mother’s desire that she marry the “right” man. But after a serious of loser boyfriends, JA had basically given up on a chance to meet Mr. Right, someone she could passionately love while be acceptable to her family.
2. Her job was becoming more unbearable. The demands and blame she took for other workers mistakes were mounting. The harassment of her by superiors was intolerable. She was in a dead end job with no real chance of promotion.
3. She had few friends. KS was her best friend who she could confide in. It seemed that JA had a hard time making new friends. When she does make a close friend, she tries hard not to break that bond, even it means hurting herself in the process.
4. She has a maniac ex-BF who wants to get back together or ruin her life.
How did the couple “work” to resolve these issues? They did not. JA and JH were merely apologetic to JA’s mother about their relationship, but did nothing to convince their families that they had a future together. JH did nothing to help JA resolve her work place issues, or support her if she wanted to change career path. JH brought JA to meet some of his friends (on the overnight trip) but JA did not do the same. (this shows JH was more into the relationship than JA). JH got jealous and violent about JA’s ex-BF which contributed to conflict between them because he did not discuss beforehand with JA his actions.
The breaking point was JH demanding that JA come to him to the US. Of course, JA said no. She felt insulted that JH’s solution was to run away from problems. (Not to mention that it would be impossible for JA to suddenly move to the US with no job, no spouse, and no money with the country’s current immigration policies). JH solution was that JA would be there for him. He was angry that she rejected his solution. He never understood her position, her feelings or her long term goals.
The couple’s initial passion glossed over several important aspects missing from consideration on whether this was heading toward a serious relationship or “true love.”
1. Communication. Their communication was superficial. They did not discuss important issues or ideas which represents mutual immaturity. They never opened up to each other on what their personal goals were (job, career, changes, etc.) or how they wanted to achieve them. They never really understood the other person's emotional state, and they never deeply discussed how the other person felt in a given situation. I recently read a psychological study that concluded that many people told “white lies” early in their relationships as a means of making themselves more “attractive” to their partner. Usually, those minor lies were used to build up a person’s self-esteem or enhance their traits (prospects) to the other person. But in JA and JH case, those lies were meant to hide the truth and real feelings (under the fabrication that they did not want to “hurt” the other person.) Instead of talking things through, they glossed matters over and then began to mistrust each other. The each called the other “childish.” They could not talk to each other about serious matters because they were caught up in the teenage aspects of a romance fairy tale.
2. Compatibility. Sympathy, friendship and like-mindedness are critical foundation blocks to any serious relationship. JH knew about JA’s situation at home and at work, but his support for her situation was tempered and distant. He wanted to control the situation. Likewise, JA did not seek out his advice on how to find a solution to any of her problems. Also, JH did not ask JA for advice on his work, his options or his troubles. JA and JH knew each other before dating, but there is no evidence that they were “friends.” Friends have mutual interests, concerns, ambitions, support, trust, varied experiences to share. JA and KS had serious discussions as friends. JH and SH had serious talks as friends. But JA and JH never had such a connection because such “real life” discussions would have interfered with them hanging out together and having fun as a new, care free couple.
3. Commitment. JA and JH never discussed the big things like their expectations, marriage and family life together. JH’s solution was unilaterally demanding JA move with him to the US. He never asked her hand in marriage. Some women would call this behavior selfish, inappropriate or “clingy.” JA’s solution to move out of her house so she could continue to date JH but not live with him showed that she was not ready to fully commit to him (she would later say she had things she wanted to be independent to become strong.) They never had the heart-to-heart discussion of “making plans” together as a couple. Even though both are adults, they both had serious maturity issues.. (Continuation at the comment section)
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Next I cannot express enough how much I loved the music for this drama as I felt it matched perfectly with it and find myself tearing up everytime I hear the song pray whenever a dramatic moment happens.
As for the acting of the two main roles I would say that Shin Hye Sun did an exceptional job at portraying her character and everytime in her dances whenever she would want to express her emotions. As for L I know some mentioned that they disliked his acting but as for me I though he was perfect for the role of a fun-loving and kindhearted angel and together they made a perfect couple with an unbreakable bond.
I’m not sure how others thought the ending was for them but as for me I am definitely not dissatisfied with the way that it ended as I liked them a lot together but I would of liked to see them be a classic tragic love story that makes you feel emotionally sad but warms your heart when you think of how tough their love was.
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Filmmaker Bong Joon Ho once again surprised us with another masterpiece named Parasite. Where powerful social satire meets tragedy. The director did a great job portraying South Korea's current views on society exposing the underprivileged slums of most modern cities and it's citizens living in completely different worlds despite staying in close proximity. You are likely to find it relatable as the themes of this story are not just localized to Korea, but all over the world. Having its fair share of global capitalism and universal materialism, Meritocracy being the biggest trope of this movie.
Now, the best way to enjoy this film is to cluelessly get into it, its charm is to watch it progress and unfold in many satisfying, unexpected ways.
You can definitely see a unique directorial vision as Parasite welcomes the audience into multi-genres and tonal shifts that mix and take its turn after every act. Pure comedy, dark comedy to heavy drama, horror, thriller, mystery, you name it. It is one of the hardest things to pull off but the director converts them smoothly without letting the audience feel indifferent to the transformation. It manages to elicit the full range of responses, making the viewer react with uneasy laughter to unexpected situations that eventually lead to disturbing events full of horror.
Now, who are the real parasites? The poor who attach themselves to the rich or the rich who suck the marrow of the poor?
Satirically, it managed to portray how we may live under the same skies, but have different views regarding life.
--
"You know what kind of plan never fails? No plan. No plan at all. You know why? Because life cannot be planned."
Success and fortune are reserved for those who deserve it, those who develop solid plans according to their talents and abilities and who execute those plans through hard work and determination. Anyone can rise to the top, but for those who cannot escape their sad reality will ultimately turn for the worse and thus start to justify their immoral backstabbing, deceit, and callousness for reasoning that can be only explained by growing up poor without support from others.
The characters all have different aspects to them that will be received and viewed differently due to the viewers own biases and world views. This isn't a bad thing as the movies main point is to deliver a provocative social commentary in various metaphors. And the best way to do so is to create morally questionable characters that will resemble at least one familiar person known to you.
,,Greed is inside each one of us, but the question is, how much are you willing to sacrifice for an idea of life in comfort?''
---
All in all, Parasite is a fantastic case of hard-hitting yet entertaining cinema.
And one of the best movies recently made in Korea.
Thus I will rate it 9.5/10
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Playing Peek-a-boo With the Interesting Plotline
Khun Dad!?! Dafug you mean Khun Dad??? And what the hell was that dancing pose? Dude out there looking like a confused triangle. Look, I’m used to people in love having ridiculous nicknames like my Mosquito net, Donut lips, Baboon butt and Chicken thighs. But I draw the line at effing Khun Dad. Dafug?? Can’t believe Bank was able to say that with a straight face and Mos didn’t throw up on him every time he said it.Anyway, I’m sure y’all remember that abomination when Pit Babe made us throw up our lunch going ‘Mama, Papa’ *race car noises*, right? Yeah, prepare to wanna throw up last christmas’ turkey, cuz there’s a whole new cringe in town.
This week on BLs Cringe Hot 100
#1 Khun Dad. [NEW]
#2 Mama, Papa, Pitbabe. [-1]
#3 I’ll Kiss You Till You Drop, 2gether. [=]
#8 I'll Be Your Vaccine, Fish Upon A Sky [+3]
This was legit me when I heard that nickname for the first time.
SALIN: We are soo in love, let’s have cute nicknames. I’ll call you, Khun Dad. *in love noises*
ME: Did he just say…nah, *shakes head.* I must have misheard.
SALIN: Khun Dad.
ME: God forbid!
WHY Child??? May this level of inlove-ness-ness never locate me! Mister effing Dad?? Why? Peoples, he said Khun Dad with his whole chest!! Maybe I found this repulsive because I’m as romantic as those bl scenes where they think giving their partners that yellow ice tea and drinking it slowly is romantic. Khun Dad. The devil is a liar!
Listen, thanks to dramas, single people have not known peace in this fandom. There’s always some romantic nonsense to make people look 1000 times more single. And in this show, there are so many romantic scenes from both the first and second leads that make single people look like they live in a hole, alone, with 21 cats. And yes, good for them, they are in love. But gawwwd do some of the romantic gestures makes me cringe.
- The Khun Dad
- The I love you in 6 languages or more
- That woman/Salin prisoner who turned into a light in the finale and promised to spend her next life loving Sun in a wig, who is a half snake lord of something. It vexed me, cuz the eff you mean after he locked you up for centuries you wanna be born again and love him? People in love should be abandoned at disneyland on their birthdays.
And do y’all remember that dancing Salin and Sun did on their first? date? That pose at the end was the most effing awkward, embarrassing, unsexiest thing I’d ever seen. Homeboy out there looking like the cousin of that one gingerbread from Shrek. Literally, what the hell was that? Whose idea was that? Get the hell outta here.
Khun Dad. Why, just why? What did we do to deserve this? What did I do to the writers? Why they gonna subject me to that? People In Love Are So Disgusting. Ew.
PLOT
SunsetXvibes feels like a fancy arse dessert I ordered, but when it came, it tasted like cupboard paper with pink sparkles. Cuz, why was the show playing peek-a-boo with the interesting storyline? Mfers had a naked guy napping in some water and spent 98.6% of the drama in the office talking about necklaces. Going in, I thought we were going to see behind the scenes of what happens in these sort of companies. You know, there'd be fashion shows like in the finale, biddings wars to see their designs worn by famous celebrities in magazines and events, you know, the ins and outs of the glamorous world. Instead we got them clicking on computers, talking about designing and meetings.
And okay sure, what I got wasn't want I expected, but interning at a jewellery company, cool, nice, but what about that butt naked dude? When are you going to tell me about him? How does it connect to this main plot?
The screenwriters were like: how many random flashbacks you want with no context or development?
Director: Yes.
Literally, were the flashbacks supposed to intrigue us? The first two times sure, but after we kept getting barely there glances with no correlation to the current plot-line, I straight up went and filled in my own thing.
ME: Ahh, so in his past life, he used to moonlight as a naked river god, who knew some woman. Either that or he went swimming one time and someone stole his cloth. Then I was like ‘hmmm, is it like The Sign? It reminds me of the sign, is a dragon looking snake gonna show up? Then bam, it showed up.
No, but the writers? ruin this. They had a good plot on paper, but they were so busy having the leads act all cutesy, and acting below their adult age with unnecessary nonsense misunderstandings, that, they forgot the actual plot, dragged the flashback reveal and forgot to connect the two stories. Plus that flashback seems to just be hanging around, you know, like that one uncle who comes for christmas and just sits in the corner? He there, we can see him, but like, we all pretending he has on one of them Harry Potter invisibility cloaks. When they finally told us what the hell the flashbacks were about, I’d lost all interest and was like ‘Oh, okay, sure, whatever, move it along. Did I remember to turn off the iron?... Wait, I don't own an iron.’
Although there was no connection of that flashback plot and this current one, cuz it's randomly inserted with no follow ups, it felt far more interesting. Because, the flashbacks plot had: unrequited love, Salin being the reincarnation/spirit? of the trapped lady, Nagas, Sun in a wig from Shein was like some lord or another and Salin killed someone. Interesting stuff, tell me more.
Instead, we get Salin designing something that always gets stolen/patented, the company turning into a dating app for Salin and his friends. Also, what does Yo and Pim do all day? Sure they on the computer but are they designing stuff or just ordering lunch? Then of course in-between the two things happening there are lots of NC scene. From the pool table to that artsy painting room, to Sam's office sofa, to that dressing room... which were all...hihi...yeah...stuff. Having soup while watching/hearing that NC in the finale was unfortunate.
So yeah, I wanted a correlation between the two stories, instead the writers threw the plot with the Naga and murder away to make room for unnecessary stuff. And what the hell was that finale? Talk about if irrelevant lived next door to uneventful and anti-climatic. The finale was filled with awkward cringy scenes. Which meant the flashback plot was quickly wrapped up with nonsense. Literally when did we see lord Sun in a wig always being there to protect Salin? And that was it? that woman who has been trapped for forever turned into a light and died? And since when can Salin close his eyes and summon Sun in a wig? LIKE??? arrgggg. meh. I’m sure the writers wanted the flashbacks to intrigued us, but with no real connection to the main plot it became uninteresting. Cuz really, what was I supposed to be looking forward to with 3 seconds flash back every two episodes?
Also, that man person with a gun in the finale. Who the hell was he? What was his job, and why the hell did he want to steal designs? I'm sure he was introduced in the start, but he's so forgettable and irrelevant that he could have been replaced by one of those necklaces and it wouldn't have made a darn different.
And can we talk about when Salin finally found out what the flashbacks were about? I expected more reaction from him, but homeboy came out of the flashback, ignored everything he saw, and instead went to design a necklace. CHILD??? You not even gonna wonder how this lord who looks like Sun in a wig likes you in this lifetime?? You gonna save your past self or? What kind of dollar store arse reaction was that??
Literally this was him when he finally found out what his dream/nightmares were about.
ME: Wow, Sun's the reincarnation of the lord/guy in the wig???
SALIN: Did you see his necklace?
ME: OMG your past self, who is still in the cave, is alive. There's two of you. You gonna save her?
SALIN: She was the one who gave him the necklace.
ME: You killed that woman. You murdered a person with dark smoke magic.
SALIN: I'm gonna design that necklace.
ME: But---but there's literally two of you in existence right now, and you killed a sister.
SALIN: Anyone have some crayons, I need to start designing.
HOW? Just---HUH? No, but really, dafug was that reaction? If the character himself doesn't think it's important, how are the viewers suppose to be interested or take it serious? That whole flashback story-line felt like it was written so Salin can design a gothic looking necklace to win the competition, which was completely unnecessary. Not gonna lie, that whole award competition felt awkward with unnecessary cringy dialogue from the staff. I'm gonna comfort myself by believing Lin's design won cuz it was different looking than the rest...cuz ain't no way.
And while the flashback plot wasn’t giving us much, the main plot wasn’t keeping my interest either. Lots of cutesy stuff, with adults acting below their age and not much else going on. Cuz the plot with who has been stealing/patenting designs ended in 0.2 seconds. It was so anti-climatic and ended so quick, they needed another character to overact and explain it to the viewers for 5 unnecessary minutes complete with an ad. No but the finale was... did they run out of ideas and had 1 hour to fill? Cuz literally, the eff was that work bathroom scene? On the plus side, some of Sal's outfits in this drama slays, so at least I can comfort myself with that. yaay me?
I think MosBank can do so much better than this plot. I saw them in Big Dragon, so seeing them act different here, all calm, cute and innocent, and being all in-true-love is refreshing/different to see. Although they are the leads, I don’t think they are the reason for how unremarkable this turned out. The plot is just very mediocre, sort of repetitive and boring. They didn’t have much to work with. Yes, they had the chemistry to keep fans watching, but unfortunately, their chemistry couldn’t save this. Everything was so meh that in some scenes they seem to even loose their chemistry, and those two has a lot of it, even on random Tuesdays. And there was only so much the supporting cast could add. I hope in their next work, the plot is more interesting, and it doesn’t rely heavily on the actors carrying the show of a poorly executed story.
CHARACTERS
The supporting cast didn’t have much going for them. Still, they each had something small going on, though the ones that stood up the most were the second couples. They were cute. I was cheering for Sam and Yo from the start. Their chemistry was chemistrying. And they knew the correct way to call each other, P'Sam and Nong Yo, very cute, no vomit in sight. Also, was everyone as surprised as I was to find out Sam goes to the gym in-between buying hair gel?
LMAO, was I the only one who laughed at Sam's new look after his secret of being the second son of the company was revealed? Homeboy showed up with a whole new hairstyle, minus glasses, and a single strand of hair threatening to poke him in the eye. I was like, okay, arite, I guess poor people don’t use hair gel, good for you. LOL.
I feel the gl couple could have developed more, instead of Prim spending most of the series being nonchalant. When they did get together, I couldn't really vibe with their chemistry, they cute, but I wanted more reason to cheer for them. Like with Sam and Yo, where they had those little moments that all added to them falling in love. Looking back all I recall of the gl couple is Prim always saying no to whatever Pim was asking her. So yeah, they were there.
My fav scene in this whole series might be when they found out Lin’s dating the CEO. Sam’s face going ‘I can’t believe I’m related to this dumbass’ made me roll with laughter. I also liked when Lin dropped kicked that weirdo. Oh, and how the friends were not surprise that Sam and Yo were dating. I mean, you could cut the intense with a bread knife.
Oh, and what the hell was up with those random foreign language one liners they kept inserting? Is that whats cool these days or am I not chronically online enough to be in the known? First it was just Pim, but then everyone was suddenly doing it...okay? And like, was it me or did the finale never seemed to end? Whenever I thought it was over, another scene popped up.
Now, Back to the Khun Dad debacle. Anyone else wanted to throw tiny rocks at Lin every time he said Khun Dad? That shit was corny and cringy as eff. People in love deserves no rights. And Salin didn’t even say it once and got over it. Every second he was like, Khun Dad do you want to dance? Khun Dad do you want to eat shrimps? Khun Dad see my necklace. Child!! will you keep quiet??? I’m gonna be haunted by this until MosBanks next drama.
Anyway, in the end, it is what it is, and the bad execution of the plot ruined an otherwise interesting story. I expected a lot more from this. I hope MosBank gets to work with a great story(well executed) for their next project, so people see how talented they are. I'll still recommend this to fans, and anyone interested in boss-employee relationship. And to those who like CEO sons pretending to be poor stories, cuz you'd like Sam and Yo.
EDIT: HAHAHAHAHSKJWPRISKEJR.... soooo in the special episode.... Lin is pregnant? Or is gonna get pregnant. Literally, what in the random arse plot was that? sudden... mpreg? well it was planned, but whomst?? who's driving this thing? what's even happening?
That being said, the main song of this drama was soooo good! At least they got one thing right.
Anywho, Khun Dad I guess.
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Past Lives
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About a great service of love AKA a fateful, karmic relationship
"Past Lives" is a US production. Both the author and the two 'Korean' leads have Korean roots, but they did NOT grow up in Korea, nor do they live there. The story is autobiographically inspired and is dramaturgically presented in authentic dialogues on the one hand and selected, visually impressive sets on the other. It is about the aspect of fate (and or Karma) in encounters as well as pondering platonic love. "Past Lives" is indulging into the emotional world of more or less accountable and sensitive reflection of the protagonists, especially of those two extraordinarily mature, fine young men. You rarely see that. Additionally, as far as camera work was concerned, light and perspectives were chosen with care and thus implemented as supplementary actor, sort of. All this is quite wonderful and has already been widely praised. “Past Lives” is thus a movie well worth seeing.This movie presents South Korea and an attitude towards South Korea through the eyes of a South Korean girl who during the 1990s emigrated with her family at the age of 12. She then grew up in Canada, tried her luck as a playwright in New York, married an American, received the green card as side effect, and is ambitiously seeking recognition and success as a writer today. “Past Loves” thus has its positive emphasis on life in the US. The protagonist´s family had turned their back on South Korea. However, besides everything else, that has been already mentioned all over the place, I would say, that "Past Lives" is actually indirectly, in a rather subtle, reserved, unobtrusive way, (almost overlooked and hidden underneath the shiny, promising dominance of the US,) about positive Korean specific qualities, too... Therefore…
Generally, “Past Lives" juxtaposes those two ´worlds´ rather dichotomously. THERE South Korea, the country of origin that was left behind - far away and rather in the background, in the camouflage colors of the military and surrounded by plenty of soju. HERE the USA - reduced to a highly stylized New York (and artist retreat on Long Island), that is bathing in beautiful light and selected colors. In several respects, the United States is presented as the unrivalled better choice.
However, we experience these worlds through the eyes of the protagonist. In Nora's eyes, South Korea stands for conservative narrow mindedness, constraints, lack of freedom (which to some extend is certainly true). The USA, on the other hand, for her is the symbol for freedom, creative power, partake (should, could, might as well…). Eventually, those world views turn upside down. These are prejudicial concepts, both of which are not generally correct, e.g. each not representing the whole truth.
So, KOREAN normal everyday life is portrayed as conservative, shaped by her parents perspective and Nora's childhood impressions of the 1990s: the young democracy, already economically shaken by the Asian crisis. Her parents were artists and as such one way or another most probably influenced by the shaky turbulences of pro-democracy movement of the 1980s. They wanted a fresh start. Yet, what remains in Nora's memories? Very vague memories of school days, of what was said at home, of the striking images that remain impressively to this day. Bottom line: 'Men have to do their military service.' 'People are conservative and unsophisticated.' 'Men dependently live at their parents´ home until marriage.´ ´You can´t proceed in life.´
On the other hand, NORTH AMERICA is the much-cited world of unimagined possibilities. For Nora specifically, it is about a liberal world for the arts. She´s dreaming about her successful future, while the ambitious daughter may actually be living a much wanted life in lieu of her parents, too, to a certain extent. However, this ambitious dream is symbolically captured as an aesthetically abstract decal of New York and the Montauk artist retreat. For Nora, the USA represent a possibility to fulfil her dream of international prizes as an author. Thus, the USA as the center of her life is uncompromising and practically non-negotiable. That's okay and understandable.
This South Korea in the movie has a strong touch of Nora´s own prejudices. Apparently, she never emotionally processed or reflected her relationship to her country of origin. A deficit, which may also narrow down the perspective of the audience. Therefore, I would like to stand up for positive 'Korean merits', which only shine through subtly. In fact, though, they are formative for the characteristic poetic quality of the story. They come along in the person of Hae Sung. Thanks to him Nora can finally hold the key to her emotional freedom in her hands. (Whatever she may do with it now...) Thanks to Hae Sung (so to speak) she got her story and thus her tremendous success as a writer and director, too.
If you don't identify with Nora´s enthusiasm for the US so much, it might be easier to recognize those ´Korean merits´. Hae Sung actually embodies the opposite of what has settled in Nora's mind about South Korea. He stands for a new spirit among the digitalized young generation - even though he is an engineer. She, however, sees what she wants to see, reducing him to military service, close family ties, his clearly structured career and his reserved answers to her questions about marrying or rather not marrying his girlfriend.
Nora overlooks the fact that in his half-hearted answers about marital responsibility he carefully avoids generalizations so as not to overwhelm her with his feelings for her. She overlooks the fact that Hae Sung is indeed the courageous creator of his own world, possibly facing life even more creatively and openly than she dares herself. He chooses to study abroad in China because he wants to learn the language and because it may suit his career, too. He is ambitiously following his career plans, just like she does. Nevertheless, he is open to life´s challenges and ready to completely turn everything upside down. He is actively dealing with what is going on between the two. He prefers not to go for a logical, reasonable marriage. Instead, he takes what his heart tells him, seriously. He wants to sincerely check it out. This makes him vulnerable, too. Actually it was him, who originally went looking for Nora. With courageous creativity he took the chances life had to offer in his own hands. From a practical point of view, HE thought creatively and acted courageously. Nora on the other hand was the one, who, to a certain extent, simply unwinds her program without looking to the left or right.
Back then, when she left South Korea, she just put her feelings away, came up with a new name, learned the new language and left her best friend (and Korea) behind like an old toy. Since then her feelings for her old homeland only slumber unconsciously in her dreams. In her life, which is highly concentrated on her career as an artist, her past and origins have not been given the place they deserve. Hae Sung has to come first to open the door to that forgotten dungeon of her heart.
Still, we don't know whether Nora was able to take the 'little one' in herself by the healing hand - the 12-year-old Na Young, whom she had left alone in the past. All we know is that Hae Sung gave her a chance to reconcile with her roots and a hidden, almost forgotten part of herself. His great service of love was: not forgetting her, not giving up on her; looking out for her; meeting her, too; recognizing her for who she is; reminding her of something else, that she had almost forgotten; and finally letting her be - in an understanding, loving, respectful, ´Korean´ manner. Even if it hurts.
Actually, being himself, he represented another powerful aspect of South Korea, that Nora had so far not realized as such: A finely nuanced, rather emotionally dominated and yet respectful attitude towards life. This in contrast to a rather dichotomously shaped - black/white, good/bad, yes/no -, rather reasonable approach towards life, as it radiates from her 'North America'-concept.
At the heart of "Past Lives" is the probing of the protagonists' feelings for each other. What are those feelings supposed to be? Platonic maybe? Or more than that? And of course the story lives from the attraction of 'What if?'. This careful scanning of a space of potentiality is processed aesthetically cultivated, and stylishly. Respectfully too. Finally there are tears. ´Past Lives´ it is… However, the striking poetic aspect of this story is only made possible (in my opinion) by this very South Korean Hae Sung, who is not afraid to meet the multilayered complexity of emotional depth, confusing affection and difficult challenges in life, and (!) who is also not afraid to back off in respect to a larger context either. Thus he eventually even provided her on the silver platter of his heart with the so much longed for international artistic success...
PS:
Must be the 'In-yeon' they keep talking about throughout the movie...
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SIDE NOTE:
In-yeon = a fateful, karmic relationship
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