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The drama starts off in 2005 in Seoul with Yun-Je sitting at his office with a list that reads “Top A Level list.” We find out that Ms. Jung has set that list on his table asking him to reconsider. With his resume and his achievements, he would be able to date and possibly marry a girl from a good background. However, Yun-Je dumps the papers in the trash and tell his secretary to tell Ms.Jung that if Ms. Jung does this again he will lock her away for interference with execution of his duties. Yun-Je also gets a call from Tae-Woong telling him to meet the daughter of a doctor Tae-Woong respects a lot. Tae-Woong tells Yun-Je that the daughter just wants help passing the second bar exam (attorney) and to meet her because it might turn out to be a good relationship. Yun-Je objects but Tae-woong says he will text Yun-Je the time and place for their first meeting.

In the next scene, Tae-Woong heads out of his hospital room to the staircase to hide the fact that he is eating canned peaches. This scene was already seen in ep. 14 but now we see it from Tae-Woong’s point. Jun-Hui gets a call from Si-Won as he sits down on a flight of stairs below Tae-woong. While Jun-Hui is talking to Si-Won on the phone, Tae-Woong realizes that his brother had feelings for Si-Won all along.

Yun-je decides to confront Tae-Woong about Si-Won. As they sit in the café, Yoon-je begins to tell his brother that he likes Si-Won. But before Yun-Je can finish, Tae-woong cuts him off and asks if he likes Si-Won. He tells Yun-je that he recently found out that Yun-Je had feelings for Si-Won and that although he loves his brother very much, he can’t give up Si-Won. It is up to Si-Won to make the ultimate choice. If Si-Won chooses Yun-Je then, Tae-Woong promises to give up on Si-Won. As Tae-Woong stands up, he reminds Yun-je about the dinner date Yun-Je has with the aspiring attorney. He asks Yun-Je to just show up for his brother’s sake because it would be rude to cancel.

In a later scene, we see that Tae-woong leaves his office and heads to the restaurant; Yun-Je arrives at a restaurant; Si-Won wait in side a room; and the aspiring attorney waits for Yun-Je. Outside of a room in a restaurant Yun-Je calls his brother to say that he is not going to give up on Si-Won either. He explains to him that on the day of the National College Entrance exam, he was going to confess to Si-Won but he didn’t because he found out Tae-Woong was going to confess as well. Yun-Je tells his brother that liking is not something that can be turned on and off like a switch. He ends the calls by telling Tae-Woong that he can give up anything for his brother anything in the world but not Si-Won. We later see that Yun-Je goes to meet Si-Won at the restaurant and that Tae-woong meets up with the aspiring attorney. While Yun-Je sits in front of Si-Won, he gets a message from his brother saying that he is sorry. Receiving this text, Yun-Je starts bawling.

In the last scene we see Si-Won giving birth and a healthcare professional comes out and asks where the husband is. We see Yun-Je and Tae-Woong both running towards the healthcare professional… we are left without knowing who Si-Won’s husband is…

Discussion questions

Do you think Tae-Woong expected Si-Won to choose Yun-Je over him?

Why do you think Tae-Woong told Yun-Je that even though he loves his brother, he cannot give up Si-Won? Do you think he really meant it or he said it because he expected Yun-Je to do the same? In other words, do you think he was insinuating to Yun-Je that even though you love your brother, don’t give up Si-Won like himself?

In previous episodes, we see that Si-Won lets Tae-woong into her house. However, she doesn’t let Yun-Je into her house. Why do you think this is the case? Does it say something about Si-Won’s feelings for Yun-Je vs. Tae-Woong? Does this foreshadow something about who the baby’s dad might be?

In this episode we also see Si-Won’s parents having “jesa” ceremony (memorial ceremony). I know that in Korea there is a bit of debate around this because some families are Christian and believe that doing memorial ceremonies (ex bowing down to ancestors) goes against the bible. What do you think about traditional ceremonies going against religious beliefs? Also, in your family, does your family participate in “jesa” or a similar ceremony?

Summary:

Episode 14 is shorter than other episodes in length. Episode 14 begins with Sung-Jae’s workplace again where he is visited by Hak-Chan and Yu-Jung where he is asked to show the way up the mountain. Then the scenery changes to the hospital where Jun-Hee works and where Tae-Ung is hospitalized. There they talk about Tae-Ung’s upcoming surgery and how the centre head to be is going to do the surgery herself indicating that Tae-Ung is a VIP. Also, we can see throughout the episode that Tae-Ung works continuously at the hospital as well, reflecting the working culture in the Korean society.

Yun-Je then appears in his car thinking of his times with Jun-Hee and reflects on what Jun-Hee told him in the past, coming to realize that Jun-Hee hinted at him that the person he actually likes is Yun-Je. Later on Si-Won visits Yun-Je’s work by bribing the front office for an entrance to his office. Si-Won attempts to look at Yun-Je’s laptop in which Yun-Je stops her quickly. This part is interesting because, Si-Won did an illegal act at a location where they protect the law.

Then the scenery shifts back to the hospital where the dept. head asks Tae-Ung on a dinner date, in which Tae-Ung refuses. Then she starts counting the number of Tae-Ung’s family members. After, Yun-Je and Si-Won goes to the staircase of the hospital and Si-Won asks Yun-Je if he still likes her and he responds by kissing her. At the end of the episode, Tae-Ung finds out that his brother also loves Si-Won. The last clip of the episode is at present day where Dong-Il is talking to either one of the two Yun brothers and complaining Si-Won’s lack of sincerity in providing her parents with allowance. He then tells Tae-Ung when he becomes president, raise the salary and working hours of screenwriters for broadcasting stations.

Some questions to consider while watching the episode and reading the summary are:

1) At the beginning of the episode Jun-Hee tells Tae-Ung that the future centre head is going to perform the surgery as he is VIP. Do you think this is ethically correct? Shouldn’t all the patients have the same access to the best quality of doctors? From my own experience working at a university hospital in Korea, professors tend to spend more time on the VIP patients than others, perhaps due to potential bonuses.

2) Throughout the episode, we can see that Tae-Ung works extremely hard event when he is hospitalized. Do you think this represents the working culture in South Korea?

3) We can see that the doctor who is going to perform surgery on Tae-Ung begins counting his family members and at the end mentions that it won’t be easy. In South Korea, females tend to not want to marry people with too many siblings or the eldest child as it could require more work and more criticisms. Can you see this in other cultures? Also do you think this exists in South Korea still today?

4) Dong-Il over the phone complains the lack in sincerity of the small allowance he received from his daughter. Do you think he should be happy to receive any allowance at all as allowance providing to parents is not widely seen in western culture (my opinion, not too sure about this part)? Do you think the culture of providing allowance to parents will change in South Korea in the future?

5) Through Dong-Il telephone call we can see that Tae-Ung is running for president. He was a professor and a technology entrepreneur. Do you think he resembles a political figure in South Korea? An Cheol-Su perhaps?

– Edward Kyoo-Hoon Kim

Summary:

Episode 13 begins in front of the Seoul Central District Court where Yun-Je is talking to Jun-Hee over the phone about how he is not going to attend his alumni event as other alumnus are going to ask for favours to him. Then he meets a lawyer whom asks to eat lunch with him, but he refuses and mentions that he doesn’t eat with lawyers.

Then Yun-Je talks about how his brother did not provide any stocks to him despite his success in his first start up “I Like School” and his second start up that allows people to make Mini Homepi, which is something like CyWorld or Nate. Then he talks about how his brother decided to become a professor and donate all stock options he had. Then he talks about how other friends ended up other than Si-Won who he did not talk to for a long time.

After not talking to Si-Won for over 6 years, he coincidently meets her at a coffee shop. After the sudden meet up, Yun-Je learns that Yu-Jung’s father has passed away and all the friends meet up at the funeral. At the funeral Yu-Jung tells her friends her regret that she could not come back home for over a year due to her adjustment period in Seoul and how she disliked receiving constant phone calls from her parents, hence not knowing her father was sick.

Then an entertaining scene arises where Yun-Je attempts to smoke on the streets when Si-Won stops him. When Si-Won’s parents pick the two up, Dong-Il finds a cigarette pack that Si-Won took away from Yun-Je in Si-Won’s pocket. Dong-il becomes furious and starts yelling and attacking the two. However, when they mention that the cigarette pack belongs to Yun-Je and not Si-Won, Dong-il seems to be less furious for a moment until he believes again that the pack belonged to Si-Won again.

The next scene is at Sung-Jae’s work place, a civil service centre. There a grandma comes asking for help but Sung-Jae refuses. The same grandma comes again and Sung-Jae gladly agrees to help. He then takes a long journey to the grandma’s home in which he comes to realize that the grandma’s house is really far away and how she lives by herself with no one else near her. He begins to feel sorry for her and asks her where her children are, and the grandma replies that they live away from the countryside barely making a living and she thinks its her fault that her children couldn’t receive the benefits and education other children has received. She also mentions that her daughter doesn’t visit her often but blames herself rather than her daughter. She also says not all parents are the same.

Finally Hak-Chan suddenly comes back from the United States to attend the last day of the funeral. Also while Jun-Hee talks with Si-Won in the hospital staircase, Yun-Je overhears their conversation and is the first time he realizes that Jun-Hee is gay.

Some questions to consider while watching the episode and reading the summary are:

1) What do you guys think about a judge not eating with a lawyer despite them being associated with the same university? This is common in South Korea in the legal sector and is considered a problem as some cases may not be treated fairly. Do you think Yun-Je went too far or do you guys think it is ethically right this way.

2) Yun-je’s brother shows passion for entrepreneurship and startups. With the recent phenomenon of startups gaining more interest do you think the early 2000s was the beginning of Korean startup culture?

3) In South Korea, when a person’s relative passes away, people who may not have been that close to that person still attends the funeral and shows their respect to the passed. Does that also happen in other countries or is it more of an event where only family and close friends attend?

4) The scene where Si-Won was caught having a cigarette pack in her pocket can show that it was okay for males to smoke whereas it is more heavily disrespected if females do? Do you agree with this and do you think the society is changing where both genders are equally criticized for smoking?

5) Recently, old age people living by themselves without nearby relatives is a large problem in South Korea. The financial constraints and increasing disabilities is societally problematic. What do you guys think of this situation and what are some possible ways to solve it?

6) Lastly, the grandma claims all parents are not the same because some parents can provide more for some children while some can’t? Do you guys agree with this statement, especially in South Korea where there is an increasing number of influence on parents network in finding their first jobs, internships and etc.?

– Edward Kyoo-Hoon Kim

The episode begins in the “present” day on a light note, as everyone laughs at Hak-chan and Yu-jeong’s wedding ring, which has a giant swastika emblazoned on it. However, the good times don’t continue as it only goes downhill from here.

The six friends are finally at the crossroads of their life, as they each prepare for their future ahead. We see Shi-won packing her belongings to attend university in Seoul, Yun-jae and Jun-hui who are planning to live together while attending Seoul University, Hak-chan preparing to leave for Hawaii and there’s Sung-jae, who scored considerably lower than the rest of his friends.

The animosity between Shi-won and Yun-jae ultimately comes to a head as the six celebrate Shi-won’s birthday as well as their last time together at a karaoke bar. Everything comes out in the open as Yun-jae confesses his feelings for her in its entirety. In a long-winded speech he explains all of his feelings and his previous plan after the national exam to confess to her. Telling her how he feels and how he yielded to his brother, he asks her what he should do. She replies in an evasive mnner by asking him if they could still just remain friends. Heartbroken, he tells her that they can’t be just friends anymore, that he has no intention of seeing her again.

Yu-jeong and Hak-chan’s relationship also comes to a head, as Yu-jeong reveals that the worst part wasn’t the fact that he was leaving for Hawaii, but rather she was the last one to know even though she was his girlfriend. He had been putting it off for so long that everyone else knew.

The night is not over as Shi-won arrives home to see Tae-woong waiting for her, giving her a ring for her birthday. Given the events prior to then, she is understandably not that ecstatic, telling him that she needs to have a talk with him. Ultimately the audience does not get to know what she said.

In the final moments of the episode a few years later from then (roughly five years), we see that Shi-won has become a writer for a Korean television show. Though much isn’t said, it must be that Yun-jae and Shi-won have not met each other in that period of time as the episode ends with her being shocked to see Yun-jae next to her in a café.

There are some interesting questions and themes to explore in this episode and I am excited to read what you guys will write!

• Are in-person confessions (in contrast to online messenger or the like) commonplace within Korean society? Does the guy normally confess?
• How is distance defined within Korean society? For example, would Shi-won’s parents have felt less sad if she had decided to move to a neighbouring region instead of Seoul? With advances in technology and transportation, would it have been an issue today?
• Studying abroad comes with high financial costs, especially during the financial crisis. How should we as the audience understand Hak-chan’s economic and social standing? Does it make sense that he went to school with people who weren’t in the same position?

-Sean An

The episode starts off with Tae-Woong getting a call from columbarium where his parents’ ashes are. After getting that call he reflects back on how much time has already passed away since his parents passed away. In fact, it’s the first time since their death that he thought of himself as someone’s son. He is reminded of his brother Yoon-Jae, his only remaining family. Then, Si-won brings over a huge batch of quail eggs over and then gets herself a bowel of rice. Taewoong asks, following Si-won into the kitchen, if there is enough for Si-Won’s family to eat and she responds by saying “how much you wanna bet there’s another five of these at home?” They have a cute moment together in the kitchen and this proves too much for Yoon-Jae who leaves without finishing his food. Yoon-Jae tosses the good luck “S” charm Si-won gave him into the trashcan, but narrowly misses it

In class, the boys listen to Jo Sung-mo’s song “To Heaven” and make a bet about whether Jo Sung-Mo’s song will become a hit. Yoon-Jae and Joon-Hee think he will become a hit but Sung-Jae and Hak-Chan think that the song will never be popular. Because Jo Sung-Mo debuted as a faceless singer, the boys believe that the singer is ugly. Later in the episode, we see Jo Sung-mo is actually handsome and that his song rises to #1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDlqzV9Iu8k

Si-Won’s parents leave for a one week cruise that Tae-Woong pays for. Before leaving, they warn Si-Won to be careful because there have been several cases of men preying on young women the last few weeks. Her parents suggest that Si-Won sleep over at Yoon-Jae’s because she will be lonely by herself. She freaks out and refuses their suggestion, saying “Isn’t Yoon-Jae a guy?!”

In the next scene, Yoo-Jung meets up with her friends and waits for Hak-Chan to join them. However, Hak-Chan doesn’t show up because he is too nervous to sit down with girls but later comes into the café to pay for the bill but does not approach Yoo-Jung. After Yoo-Jung is finished eating with her friends, she goes to pay the bill and finds out Hak-Chan already paid for her which makes her really happy. She runs down the stairs and sees Hak-Chan waiting outside. She tells her friends, who were suspicious of whether Yoo-Jung really had a handsome Seoul boyfriend, that everything is going well with Hak-Chan. At that moment, Hak-Chan’s mom shows up and Hak-Chan brushes off Yoo-Jung as a girl he just knows.

After Si-Won gets off from her night alba shift, which she doesn’t tell her parents about, a creeper follows her. Yoon-Jae is chilling at home until he sees a news report of a young woman who was raped. He sits at home, worried, and finally calls Si-Won’s home but no one picks up. At the same time, Si-Won calls Yoon-Jae on the phone so they cannot reach each other. Finally, she gets a hold of him and tells Yoon-Jae that a stranger is following her. Yoon-Jae runs to Si-Won just in time before the creeper has the chance to close in on Si-Won. He puts his arm around her and takes her home safely. When they get home, Si-Won realizes Yoon-Jae’s hand is bleeding a lot. She takes his hand but he pulls it away from her. Si-Won narrates, saying “there are levels to relationships. To me, Yoon-Jae is the easiest level. We were just childhood friends, a relationship easy to explain and keep. But today I gained a vague idea that it was possible for us to have a relationship. A relationship of highest level of difficulty: that between man and a woman.”

Discussion questions:

-Hak-Chan pays the bill for Yoo-jung and her friend. In Korea nowadays, is splitting the bill more commonly accepted or is it still expected of men to pay for the bill?

– We see Il-Hwa always making large batches of food. Is this something characteristic of the gyeonsang-do province households? This is out of pure curiosity because when I go to my grandparents in Seoul, they always make small batches of food several times a week. However, when I go to my grandparents in Busan, they always make a huge batch of food at once like Si-Won’s family.

-Given that Korea is a society that values appearance to a high degree, do you think that faceless singers still have the potential to make a hit in Korea now? Are there any singers in Korea who debuted faceless and made a huge success (post 2010)?

-The drama reveals that with the IMF crisis, there has been an increase in crimes. Is there an association of economic conditions and crime rates? If so, what are some possible explanations to this association?

The episode kicks off with the four boys, Yun-Je, Jun-hui, Hak-chan, and Seong-Jae, in front of a colatech (underage club). They enter the club and are later joined by Si-won and Yu-jeong. We see Jun-hui show off his dance moves on stage which gains him a Michael Jordon bag and prize money. Jun-hui offers to buy food with the prize money, but everyone has plans except for Yun-je leaving only the two of them together. They go to a street vendor which is run by Jun-hui’s 7th sister where they engage in an intimate conversation. During this time, they talk about personal stuff such as their family and their love problems. Jun-hui reveals the fact that he knows about Yun-je’s crush on Si-won and in return, Jun-hui is questioned who his crush is. Yun-je, unaware that he is Jun-hui’s crush, misunderstands that Jun-hui’s crush is Si-won.

Meanwhile, Si-won is busy indulging in her HOT fan activities. Its December 5th and the day of the 1998 Golden Discs Awards. In front of the theater, there is a sea of white and yellow. The fans of Sechskies and the fans of HOT both have high hopes their oppas; confident that they will win the award. Unfortunately for them, someone way out their radar wins the award. We have seen in prior episodes the clash between the fans of HOT and Sechskies. Does rivalry still exist between different fandoms today?

Here’s the song, Kim Joong Hwan’s “For Love” which trumped HOT and Sechskies.

Yun-je and Jun-hui are once again left only with each other. Jun-hui asks Yun-je why he likes Si-won. His answer to this question was quite simple, “Because she’s pretty.” This time, Yun-je asks Jun-hui why he likes Si-won. Jun-hui finally confesses he isn’t in love with Si-won but with him, Yun-je. A long silence runs after which Yun-je breaks the long silence by laughing.

In this episode, we finally see Jun-hui confessing his love for Yun-je. Lgbt is not commonly portrayed in Korean media. Why do you guys think the writer included a gay character in the story? During 1998, how was homosexuality viewed? Is there a chance Jun-hui would come out of the closet? Also, during the last scene, we see Si-won asking Tae-ung why he likes her. Tae-ung’s reply is more or less the same as Yun-je’s answer. Is it just me or do you guys also feel a bit disturbed that Tae-ung has a liking for Si-won? After all, Tae-ung was engaged to Si-won’s older sister.

Dohee

This episode starts with the showcasing of the big family picture of Shi-won and Yoon-Jae. The episode then flashbacks to the teenage years of their parents showing the events that lead them to marriage. Back to the present, Dong-Il jumps back at the sight of Shi-won in her new S.E.S. hairstyle which leads to the argument of disagreement. Later in the episode, there is big news story about a popular website called I Like School that connects students and alumni to each other, invented by Tae-woong. He is announced to be the next big thing who is worth billions. Tae-woong and Shi-won got out for dinner together and buys a matching couple set cell phone. He then takes her to his new office eventually asking her to date him and Shi-won agrees. There is a switch around of the Yoon-jae’s and the girl’s puppies, but they ended up taking home their rightful puppies after all. Later in the episode Shi-won jumps on Yoon-jae’s back thanking him for finding Tae-woong’s envelope. Yoon-jae snaps that she shouldn’t act this way because Tae-woong wouldn’t like it.

In this episode we see the deep-rooted relationship between Shi-won’s and Yoon-jae’s families. Korean youth usually don’t interact with their friends’ families since they mostly hang out with their friends outside instead of their own house. We can discuss about Korean family relationships with other families and what is the convincing level of intensity is required to form a relationship in Korean society like the one portrayed in this episode?

While the two families gather together for the picture, the parents predict that they might end up being in-laws since they both have two sons and daughters. The old Korean family system involved parents arranging marriages without the consent of their children. Is this system still persistent in the modern Korean society?

Shi-won alters her looks under the influence of S.E.S. which her dad is disgruntled about. What incidents and customs caused Dong-il to disapprove Shi-won’s changing appearance? Did other parents and children in Korean society faced similar circumstances in the late 1900s and early 2000s? Is this situation rigid in today’s Korean society?

Navneet Aulakh

The dreaded D-day. Many want to avoid it but one way or another, it will eventually keep coming back.

It was 2 days before the D-day where the episode started off our infamous Hak-chan surfing the web for porn at the late hours of the night. It was before long that he was found out by his own father and hilarity ensued. Meanwhile, within the same day, Si-won and Yun-je share a meal together where Yun-je requests Si-won to see him after the national examinations. Perplexed, Si-won questions his reasons to which he replies “it is my life’s D-Day”, foreshadowing a greater event that would be revealed later on in the episode.

Back to 2012, the atmosphere is ecstatic. People are eating and drinking with laughter as the TV shows that there are only 200 days remaining until the crowning of the next president. Tae-woong’s D-day is finally coming as an off-screen Yun-je narrates how each one of them were preparing for their own D-days in their special ways.

Back in 1998, SATs are all that high school students talk about. While Hak-chan and Song-jae are being overly convincing trying to sell Hak-chan’s new porn tape, Yu-jeong ends us struggling with her own version of the D-day. Waking up Si-won from her afternoon high school nap, Yu-jeong is convinced that Hak-chan’s invite over to his place after the SAT exams could only mean that he wants to get laid. However, a problem arises: she’s on her period. Frustrated, she expresses her worries to Si-won only to receive a look of disappointment; brushing her concerns away as immature. “It’s my life’s D-Day! How could that day and that day overlap?”

Later that day as the boys file out of their classrooms, the tension of D-day is creeping up to them. In order to elevate the mood, Song-jae proposes that they should all go karaoke after the SAT exams however, everyone seems to be busy with the plans they made. It wasn’t long until Tae-woong abruptly stops the boys in their tracks, revealing a whole new character that contrasted his tough and composed math teacher facade. After calling Yun-je over, he expresses his brotherly love by fixing Yun-je’s tie and reassuring him that he would do well.  (In the lack of a fatherly figure, how do you feel Tae-woong is portrayed in the show? Does he come off as too perfect or is he shown as more of a self-sacrificing figure? How common is this relationship in modern day Korea where families are mostly intact?)

The episode then rolls around a scene between Si-won and Tae-woong as she prepares for the SAT exams. Turns out that Tae-woong, being the kindhearted man that he is, has made a special tea for Si-won so that she can stay awake on the D-day. Tae-woong then offers Si-won a present after the completion of her exams to which she happy requests a beer and Tae-woong accepts. She then belatedly remembers that she agreed to meet Yun-je later on that day so they reschedule to meet after that.

Later on that day, Si-won is sent by her parents for a beer-buying errand as they decided to enjoy some time with each other alone. In this scene, Yun-je is seen to be returning home from his time at the cyber cafe and Si-won’s playful persona invites him to come have a drink with her at the steps. Engaging with playful banter, Yun-je and Si-won share a light-hearted moment whereby Yun-je gifts Si-won a taffy to wish her good luck on D-Day.

D-day finally arrives and two strong scenes immediately stand out. The first one being Yun-je about to leave the house when he is stopped in his tracks by Tae-woong who gives him a firm hug before he leaves. “You’ve worked really hard,” he’d say as he reassures Yun-je of his capabilities. Likewise, Si-won is seen to receive a hug from her f
ather however his words of advice were questionable to say the least. “Remember, it is 70% luck and 30% effort, our family is all luck’, bringing in an interesting, albeit hilarious contrast between the two fatherly figures. (Why do you think the directors made these two greatly contrasting scenes right next to each other? Are they trying to suggest something about Tae-woong and Dong-il’s parenting methods or do do you think Dong-il’s actions are justified due to reality?) 

Finally, after the final exams, Yun-je is seen to bolt to catch a bus to Yangsan where he is greeted by his grandfather and a small puppy also named Yun-je! (What could this mean?) Flashback to two months ago, Yun-je is seen to be in search of a look-alike puppy. After helplessly searching he finally lands on one that unfortunately belonged to someone else. As a result, he ends up going to his grandpa begging to keep the dog to which he eventually accepted given that Yun-je finds another dog to replace the one he’s giving Yun-je to care for.

The episode wraps up by introducing the first love triangle of the show. As Si-won waits for Yun-je to show up, Tae-woong pulls over in his new car to offer him a ride. During so, he explains to Yun-je that he’s planning on buying Si-won a beer later on tonight to which Yun-je replied that if he was too nice to her she’d think he liked her due to her immaturity. However, no one could have expected Tae-woong’s words shortly after, ” I’m not kidding. I like Si-won, didn’t you know?”. Speechless, Yun-je looks at his brother as he explains how he’s already resigned from the school and plans to tell Si-won how feels about her tonight. “You’ve taken your exams so now I’m going to live my life too. Today is my D-Day.” Defeated, Yun-je slumps his back towards a wall in disbelief as he hold his puppy in his hand as his only solace only to reveal an eagerly waiting Si-won on the other side of the wall. (The concept of the “D-Day” has been a greatly explored theme in this episode. It is interesting to note that D-day for one person may mean something completely different to another. What would you consider a D-Day for yourself? I’d love to hear your answers. 🙂 ) 

This episode was viewed on Netflix.

-Raymond

The episode starts in 2012 when the reunion is getting underway with the antics of the group despite their more matured states. Tae-woong is then seen to excuse himself from the table after receiving a phone call and shortly after, Si-won is caught by Yu-jeong calling him ‘oppa’ through a friendly request. Frustrated, she questions as to why Si-won would address him so casually despite his high status in the society and the audience realizes later on that Tae-woong is actually running for President!

The group’s agenda immediately switches to Tae-woong’s success as they highlight his personal achievements despite the sacrifice he made for his brother Yun-je. Meanwhile, in the center of the table another storm is brewing between Si-won and Yun-je as her request for his aid with her phone case ends up in a quarrel that soon got physical. However, the fight is soon broken up as the episode fades out and back into the familiar year of 1998.

The scene starts off with Yu-jeong staring offscreen at Hak-chan with anger in her eyes as she says the dreaded words: “Lets break up”. Fast forward to present day, Hak-chan is seen to be sitting at some steps in dismay being consoled by Seong-jae as they try to figure out the various (hilarious) reasons that Yu-jeong would have wanted to break up. After multiple scenarios however, Song-jae gives up his efforts of consoling and concluded that Hak-chan should just leave Yu-jeong where by he replied “I can’t do that”. (liking someone was so simple back then.)

Later on in the episode, Tae-woong is seen to be counseling the students about their futures, giving them reality checks as they transition into one of the most important part of their lives; post-secondary education. While the students may seem unsatisfied by what Tae-woong says about their aspirations, they are accepting of their capabilities and obediently listen to his advice as being “satisfied with the easiest dream” and how it ‘hurts if you aim for a dream you can’t reach”. (What do you think about this type of counselling? Do you feel like this is limiting a student’s potential or do you believe that within the given time frame, having a set student mindset would generate future success?)

While Seong-jae and Hak-chan battle with the reason for Yu-jeong’s anger, Yun-je later on finds out that he’s got secret admirers that want to give him a hand-made gift. However, due to Si-won’s presence and his feelings for her at the moment, he bluntly rejects them, leaving them heartbroken and confused.

Moments later, Yun-je is seen pleading his teacher to write a letter of recommendation for him to go the Korean Air Force Academy whereby his teachers rejects his proposal as he’s infuriated by the decision. Deeming him as a student that could go to Seoul National University on a full scholarship, the teacher feels that his pride is on the line when Yun-je’s decision comes off as wasted potential. (In light of this incident, do you feel that the teacher’s actions were justified? In the times of a competitive labour market, do you feel that Yun-je following his dreams would be the best possible outcome? How does academic performance in the present day compare to the past in determining one’s long-term success?)

Through a couple of unexpected events such as the classroom teacher finding out Si-won’s H.O.T fan-fiction and Yun-je and Jun-hee’s awkward conversation about their reasons for applying to the Korean Air Force Academy, it is revealed that Yun-je’s admiration for his father is apparent. Though he hides it from his brother as they share a moment regarding Tae-woong’s aspirations after Yun-je’s aptitude exam, Yun-je puts on his dad’s past Air Force uniform as he reminisces about the past and the joy he felt when he got a chance to see his father.

Although unexpected, Hak-chan finally finds out the source of Yu-jeong’s anger: he had forgotten about her birthday completely! As a way to make it up to her, he hands her the gift that was initially gifted to Yun-je and she ends up accepting his apology with a heartfelt hug rekindling her feelings for him.

The episode wraps up by recollecting Yun-je’s failure on his test for the Korean Air Force Academy and Si-won getting a phone call about her first place prize on her creative writing submission; granting her a means to go to Dongguk University. I felt that this was an interesting scene in the sense that Si-won has found merit in her passion whereas Yun-je is seen to be the ‘loser’ of the situation despite his great academic performance. In many ways, this episode has alluded to the success of students in back in 1997. By bringing the audience back to the reunion in 2012, it shows that they are all well off due to them following the right path to success. The audience may recall that during the start of the episode, Yun-je is shown on the television as a well-known judge which highly contrasts to what he wanted to be in high school. Did he find a new passion for the law or was this all because of his teachers pushing him to attend Seoul University? Only time will tell. Let me know what you think! 🙂

This episode was viewed on Netflix.

-Raymond

At the beginning of the drama, it’s hinted that somebody at the table is getting married! However, this prompts a greater discussion about the economic state in 2012, and how it’s even comparable to the Asian Financial (IMF) Crisis during 1997, where newlyweds cannot afford owning a home. As you may remember, the Asian Financial Crisis is in full-effect by the end of episode 5. Viewers can understand the impact of the financial crisis when we see Dong-il and Il-hwa in the hospital: a shared patient room costs 300,000 won per day (in today’s rate, it’s $330 CAD), and Dong-il’s paycheque is docked in half. I reckon the Seong family are a part of the middle class, but they are still not safeguarded by the precarious conditions from the fluctuating economy. How has the financial crisis impacted families of different classes? How did the economy in 2012 compare to 1997?

It is interesting to note that “love” is the theme of this episode, highlighting the ups and downs of love.

For Yun-je, he’s still attempting to win Shi-won’s heart. He feels threatened by Jun-hee’s friendship with Shi-won, thus he’s determined to transform himself into who he thinks Shi-won’s ideal type is. He buys carp-bread (붕어빵), sits through the cold nights, jams to H.O.T, hoping to get her attention. Ultimately, his selfishness takes over, asking Yu-jeong for all 4 tickets to a basketball game which she went through hell and back for, just so he can have alone time with Shi-won and continue his quest to win her over. Yun-je is oblivious to Yu-jeong’s feelings and motives, leaving her completely heartbroken. Ultimately, his plan to have alone time with Shi-won backfires, as she’s bored out of her mind during the game and misses his confession.

Similarly, Yu-jeong tries to change herself into the more desirable girl by studying basketball prior to the game, impressing Seong-jae and Hak-chan much to their surprise. The attention she receives from her other male friends are meant to make Yun-je jealous, but it backfires. It becomes clear towards the end of the episode that Yun-je’s heart was with Shi-won. Yu-jeong breaks down crying in the bus, but Hak-chan quickly comes to rescue.

Since Hak-chan’s entrance to the drama, he’s portrayed as the “comically weird” character, unable to see women outside of pornography. However, he quickly develops into a gallant and heroic character when Yu-jeong’s love wasn’t reciprocated — he stands up for her. He consoles her on the bus, and putting her needs/desires first rather than letting his quirks take over. For once, we see Hak-chan taking initiative and becoming a emotionally sensitive person, rendering him as a more realistic and reliable character for the viewers. By the end of this episode, we know that Hak-chan and Yu-jeong are getting MARRIED!

Life for the Seong family isn’t going swell either. Although Si-won rejoices being an official executive member of H.O.T’s Pusan fanclub, Tony 오빠 reveals publicly that the letter that Shi-won wrote with her own blood made him uncomfortable. Again, we see signs of love and affection backfiring. Shi-won is upset that she’s put her feelings/desires first before Tony’s by sending him a disturbing gift. On a positive note however, Shi-won is pregnant! But who is the baby daddy? We’ll just have to wait and see…

Meanwhile, the Seong parents are still trying to cope with Dong-il’s diagnosis. Although the doctor concluded that his illness is not fatal and will not spread, Dong-il remains to be pessimistic. His feelings are reinforced when he sees parallels with his life and the main character of a TV drama suffering cancer. Il-hwa is enraged at the drama’s writer, upset and angry about how people can capitalize and glamorize an illness that affects so many. She does this to support her husband, but also many others who unfortunately follow the same trajectory. In the end, she makes a heartfelt plea to the drama writer after calling every night, asking her to write a happy ending for the leading man of the drama, giving hope to viewers who watch it. Dong-il is thankful for both the ending of the drama, but most importantly for the unsolicited love and support from his wife. Are dramas obligated to reflect social perspectives and realistic depictions? Or should dramas not be taken seriously and be understood solely as another form of entertainment?

Notice that Jun-hee is one of the main characters who’s arc has failed to develop in this episode. We understand that he’s a caring and supportive friend, especially to Shi-won. Also, it’s revealed that Jun-hee has a crush on Yun-je, but he’s yet to confess. This would’ve been a good episode to expand Jun-hee’s relationship with Yun-je, but writers of the show decided not to. Do you think this was a conscious decision by the writers, given South Korea’s stance on LGBT representation (especially in the 90s)? Personally, I find it quite upsetting that the arc for a character who holds so much significance, culturally, is developing so slowly. I hope we get to see more of how Jun-hee addresses his identity and the different nuances in his life.

Can’t wait to read your comments, and I’ll see you guys on the next post!

Kelly x