I think you're absolutely right about after the hug. I saw that too. She had a moment where she wavered from the empowerment of the decision she expressed while they had dinner, that she was going to move away and take that job in Busan. After the hug, as would certainly happen, her feelings for him came most to the surface and she wanted to make a choice that would let her stay in the area. She could stay at the bar, for example, because now she has a support network here. He sensed it as well, which is why he said go - twice - and then walked away. It built on their dinner scene, that despite how he felt, he knew it was best for her and she had to. That hug though! It was perfect for them. No words spoken, his saying yes with just a slight smile. I love how everything in this drama was allowed the time to really show things, such as how it was a few moments after he hugged her that she finally raised her arms to hug him back, as if the release of his hugging her was too much for her to bear for a few moments (which is likely, and also probably leads to her theoretical wavering). I'm realizing just now that I am going to watch this drama again haha. It'll only be my third time, but I am sure it will be just as good, if not better. I also have to say I'm really happy we get three videos for episode 16!
yes, these scenes really blossom with scrutiny! I am very happy too I have been doing this series because it has helped me dissect why it's so effective and moving...and it's also been fascinating to hear so many other people's thoughts like yours!
It's so interesting @Eric Saari and @Man vs Drama - I've watched the hug scene so many times and never picked up that JA might be wavering. That's a completely new thought from today and now I'll have to go back and watch it again! 😄 And the fact that he said "Go" to her twice.....I never thought that he was might be trying to confirm/ reinforce her decision to really move away, but you might be right. I'm glad she didn't stay in Hugye, though. She ended up so much healthier and happier for having gone away. It's just too bad they weren't in touch :( .
@@fw3765 they were giving each other the gift of missing each other :-) It's actually the right thing to do not to contact her...because she was somewhat vulnerable and he was in a situation...and dramatically it also makes a lot of sense. But about the hug scene: you only pick that up when you watch and rewatch...it's funny...it's often one's own emotions that obscure the details of the inner life of the characters...when I watch first or second time..often I project so much of my own stuff onto the drama...:-)
I agree that not being in touch makes a lot of sense. And when I thought about how resolute JA was in the restaurant scene about going to Busan, I carried over that resoluteness to the hug scene in all my re-watches so I never saw more in it. But having her waver, even for a few moments, would be realistic, too. Love being able to talk about all these little details.
I actually believe they’re really in love but they’re both not in a place where they can heal properly first. They both need to heal on their own. This made me love the male character because he could have been really selfish. The moral of the story is that sometimes you just need to know that someone is cheering for you and cares for you to be brave and and face the world by yourself.
3 parts?!? This makes me so happy 🎉🤩 About the goodbye, I think they look for and give each other strength in order to leave. In the restaurant, she is the one who try to be strong, and in the hug scene it's his moment. As you said, I think they can do it because they know it's the right thing not only for themselves, but expecially for the other one. I like to say that their "love" transcends the physical aspect and go directly to the soul, so even the hug has a particular meaning for me. It's not the classic romantic hug (even it has obviously a romantic side), but rather an expression of their closeness, of giving and receiving protection, of being understood. In my opinion (for how I am) this is the deepest form of love, and I can easily comprehend how he must feel when he has his brake down 😭
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. This story represents a love between two people that transcends all. Ji An and PDH are IMHO opinion soul mates that have to journey apart before they can come together. It's what makes this episode and PDH's break down so gut wrenching. He's all ready been through so much, and he could take it. But Ji An leaving is more than he can handle, along with his divorce. But it sets him free to be really happy and meet Ji An later, unshackled from his past as she is from hers. A new beginning.
I have the same thoughts as you about the bar scene. My “my mister” script arrived this week, I can’t speak Korean lmao so I translate via google translator… which sucks, but it can be a bit handy. Anyways, I found this scene there and Park Hae Young wrote about Dong Hoon after Ji An says that she wants to live in a place where nobody knows her: “Donghoon has to accept the situation. Just drinking beer and looking elsewhere.” And when Ji An says thank you for being nice to me, PHY describes Dong Hoon state of mind: “Dong-hoon drank beer to suppress his sadness and pretended to be shy.” So I think it’s pretty accurate the interpretation that he is sad and suppressing this sadness while keeping a “smiley” face. I think that if he was truly selfish, he would have asked her to stay. But the foundation of their relationship is to make the other happy. To elevate the other. Would have been very odd of him to be a selfish person at this rate. So he suffers inside, while encouraging her. This still happens at the hug scene, when he says go twice and then he goes because she doesn’t have the courage to leave first. It’s a painful situation, the deepest act of love that one person can do to their loved one. Just like Ji An’s grandmother did (in order to her granddaughter live for once a normal life). The time skip was very necessary, I believe that they needed to grow apart, to mature themselves (ji an professionally wise and dong hoon personally wise) and find a social balance. About the age gap, could have bothered DH at some point at the beginning, but at the end, I can’t see this bothering him anymore. I remember about what he said to her in ep9 (I think) that if you’re serious ppl will take you seriously, and if you’re not, they will do the same. So if they don’t care about the age gap, then ppl around them won’t care either. Thank you for your videos, is somehow a place of comfort (My Mister is always a symbol of comfort to me)!
Bravo Mr. Stefan! You presented this so Beautifully, so many small touches that combine to reach us so deeply. I also liked the placement of Jung Hui in the dong hoon-ji-an goodbye street scene, jung hui is almost a “chaperone.” She is a true friend to both, understands their connection, and also has grown through her friendship with Ji An. Also, While I agree with your interpretation of this scene and Ding Hoon not wanting Ji An to stay in Hugye, I think his simple command for her to “go” is also in keeping with his generally repressed stoic character, and the impossibility of advancing their relationship at that moment - he wants to say more, cannot, and falls back on being the older and more “mature” character and shooing her gently away. In many other earlier scenes he also ended an awkward silence or replied to an admiring comment from ji an with a “go,” or abrupt Goodbye. It’s a “mature,” conventional behavior and conveniently lets him get away with playing an acceptable social role rather than expressing any true feeling or interest. …But by this last scene his face gives him away 🙂, there is a suppressed hunger, and to agree to touch and hug in this culture is an intimate gesture indeed.
Beautifully said. Dong Hoon can always fall back on being the mature one. (And Ji An just has to fall back on what she knows, her street smarts and her honesty :). )
I just finished watching this drama 2nd time after seeing your videos. Every scene has it own purpose. This drama is so good that I cant move on with it Thank you for making these videos.
So glad you covered their dining scene together Stephan. I like the way you broke down their facial emotions and acting. So much is implied rather said in this drama. But reading these cues we really get an insight into the emotional interior of their lives. Sometimes it's just a few frames of a gesture, look in the eyes or expression. I think you've read those cues brilliantly, especially when it comes to PDH, whose demeanor is more stoic than Ji An's. I just want to give another shout out to Director Of Photography - Choi Yun Man for the restaurant sequence. His graceful camera dollies through the window frame this intimate moment so beautifully. As the camera tracks left, a burning candle in the foreground moves into the frame between PDH and Ji An, symbolizing their love for each other. It's similar to another tracking shot of when PDH discovers his wife's affair at the phone booth. Ji An, in the background, steps in between PDH and Kang Yoon Hee, and moves towards PDH. This is what makes the show so brilliant IMHO, all these verbal, visual, gestural, audio and lighting cues all working together to create a dance. I've never seen it done better than this in any film.
Yeah...it's a pity almost that when you watch it once you miss all these details.. you're right..when you analyse it you can sort of dissect why it's so compelling overall..👍😉
Oooh, love the parallel between the candle in the restaurant scene and JA appearing between YH and DH at the phone booth scene (and moving toward DH)! Never noticed the echoes there. The first time I watched the phone booth scene I laughed out loud. JA was so creepy there....but it was perfect.
@@fw3765 Yeah it's like she's trying to break up PDH and his wife and taking pleasure in doing so. And not because she like PDH at this point. But on the other hand she moves towards him. So I understand her guilt later on when she collapses on the street and cries out that she has done wrong.
John I re-watched this dinner scene again the other day (cuz I just don't have anything better to do), keeping the candle in mind. I noticed that after they've clinked glasses for the last time, the camera pans so that the candle in the foreground (the one that was between them) ends up in front of DH. JA is also dressed in a dark jacket, and DH in a light one. In my mind, this framing reinforces that he loves her and he's feeling bereft that she's going away.
I don't think you're over-interpreting at all! I thought DH's acting in these two scenes was perfect. His sadness was always showing through. When he said JA came to the neighbourhood to save his life: that's the flip side of "I don't know how I'm going to live without you". His face hinted at it, but he wasn't going to let JA see anything more than sadness. And at the end DH can see what you were pointing out in JA's face, which is why after saying "go" twice, he really has no option but to turn and go himself. When JA finally turns, she carefully keeps her eyes down to avoid seeing him go - just like she tried to avoid seeing her grandma's body. And, then that delightful "fighting" the perfect expression of love: which tells us she isn't thinking how sad she will be, but is thinking about DH's sadness and how she can encourage him. Oh, and another thing - you've got me thinking about this so much more (thank you for that!) - one of the rarities of MM is it featuring two ordinary introverted nice characters: in movies introverts are so often the genius/weirdo/sidekick!
Thank you for this detailed breakdown. I don't feel you over analyzed it. Instead you really help us appreciate the many many nuances of their acting and the logic of every detail in the scenes. I certainly did not appreciate, at least on a conscious level, all the nuances you describe. For example, it's wonderful that she's now the one talking to the restaurant owner and the owner is the one telling her that Dong Hoon has arrived. I'm still amazed at the level of detail and care and nuance that went into the creation of this show.
agreed. it's kind of sad how much great detail we miss just watching once. To be honest....In hindsight the compelling plot almost gets in the way because you're binge watching but missing the detail:-)
@@JWPanimation Agreed. I've watched it many times since only April, and every time I watch it there's something new. And interacting with others has been such a blessing. It's one of those shows that you must talk about otherwise you'll burst.
@@JWPanimation John, in your notes on the show what themes particularly catch your attention? I'm always curious. Everyone sees the show with their own interests/ things they find fascinating.
@@fw3765 Gosh, my notes go on for twenty pages. I've been keeping track of some of the threads here as well as this community and yourself has given me so much insight into the show. The big themes have a strong foundation in Buddhist philosophy IMHO with some western influences woven in. I would say Chiristian existential philosophers like Kierkagaard are also influential. Themes of community, (Sangha) and how community relates to the individual. I think are very important to the creators. Monk Gyum Deok's dharma talk in the temple is worth watching again. My Mister is spiritual at it's core, a beacon in the dark and a gift to all those who have seen it.
Essa cena da despedida dela para uma cidade bem distante, é muito emocionante.E uma separação necessária,para que possam se reestruturar em,por seus sentimentos no lugar certo para poderem seguir com as suas vidas e serem felizes.❤
Nice to wake up to your breakdown this morning. I loved the hug scene, such a powerful moment. For all the turmoil and emotional journey, to realize they have a beginning of a better life for both of them is so satisfying. Tears again, thanks again.
She leaving is the best decision she did for herself and he letting her go is the best decision he made for himself. But I really believe they made those decisions thinking about the well being of the other person😭😭😭. It makes me so emotional
She leaving is the best thing she did for him too. I don't think he knew how much he loved her until she was no longer in his life. She said as much, "I'm not interested in a guy who is happy when I'm gone". And the smile on his face when he sees her again tells it all. He's overjoyed just to have a few minutes with her again.
He has to walk away. He knows that she is too young, and that he must walk away. He bittersweetly knew that both he and she must move onto their have different paths, even though he felt understood and saved by her. And she can continue to learn and grow in her age, and in her "human"ness.
Great analysis and insights, Stephen! I love the way you used “empowerment” to describe Ji An’s growth, that’s just the perfect word for it! You’re right, the hesitance of Ji An to leave meant she did waver for a bit. I haven’t caught that before. And the sadness DH tried to hide throughout this sequence was indeed a precursor to his breakdown later on. I think what might have caused others to interpret the breakdown differently was that right after the hug scene, Yung Hee called him (it was easy to confuse it with DH as the one who called) and he asked her if there’s anything she wanted, which was his language of caring. And also right before the breakdown scene, he was looking at the large family photo and that made it look llke he was breaking down due to his broken family. But looking at the sequence of scenes - DH being devastated by JA leaving, and then followed by the scene with Ki Hoon which showed he was not in touch with Ji An, these would naturally be the causes as we flow to the next scene which is the breakdown scene.
Hello SC, it was really wonderful acting by LSK to hide his sadness through the restaurant and hug sequence, wasn't it? My first thought about him looking at the large family photo was that Yoon Hee was already gone for good. If she were only gone temporarily, for 2 weeks as he told his mom when he visited her house, I don't think looking at it would've made him so sad. But looking at his family and knowing YH and Ji Seok were already in the US for good, and knowing that JA was also gone (after being devastated by her leaving and Ki Hoon's comments) made it all come home to him that he was alone, and would be alone for a long time without JA. I'm glad the show also chose not to end the show on his breakdown, haha. Thankfully it was a catalyst to make him go for what he needed to go for, at least professionally.
I think it was a combination of everything, his divorce - JI An leaving, starting a new life and career and so much pent up sorrow that had only been expressed in anger... The old structure had to come down before he could build it anew. And we know that in the new building there is a room especially for Ji An.
@@fw3765 I agree. A much needed catharsis. I think it's the only time in the series he actually cried for his own sake. This also ties to Gi-hoon's mentioning of the movie he watched on how humans have an amazing capacity for self healing.
@@heyarvel It was a difficult scene to watch but certainly necessary for Dong Hoon's growth and peace of mind. There was a line floating around, too, about Dong Hoon never having hugged himself. I agree, between what Ki Hoon said about the movie and the line about hugging himself, in this scene he got to do take some time for self-healing.
Stephan.....thank you ....3 videos?.... wow... 👏👏👍😍🤩.... I like when you interpret the slight changing face reaction of DH... yes I agree with you.. From first episod I believe , reading the script of this drama must be more interesting, because there are so many body languages and silent and slow scenes that can have rich interpretation... I think, they both are very devastated, not only the feeling of caring each other so far, but also because they have saved each other's life ! Surely it much deeper than ordinary romance. I also agree that character of 3 brothers are very strong and played very nicely...even the last scene when the little brother broke up with the actress and it describe in 3 different seasons, spring, summer and winter, and then the song, and the mother replied.... , it was funny and interesting. 😅👏👏
absolutely...apparently the director said at the first reading: "this is a masterpiece" which makes a lot of sense. btw...yes, I am discussing the relationship breakdown time lapse in the third and final video of episode 16...also what I notice is: Great dramas get better and better when you stop and start and rewatch. Average dramas fall apart when you do that! :-)
@@ManVsDrama Oooh, your last line is a great point! Every time I re-watch MM I discover something new (and through your breakdowns as well) but you're right, average dramas can't stand up to that kind of scrutiny. MM is brilliant!
@@ManVsDrama That was an interesting sequence, the break up between Gi Hoon and Yoo Ra, I would have liked a bit more time with it, but it brings Gi Hoon's arc full circle. Looking forward to hearing your take on it. Also, don't be afraid to do a post show wrap up, there is still so much to talk about, especially the character arcs over the whole show. I'd also love to see a poll on how many people think PDH and Ji An will become romantically involved in the future...
This is first time I follow a revisit review....and yeah, only a great drama with a great story can give the audience more and more happiness and deep meaning. You are right, i did not found this quality in other Kdrama, not even close... 😀. Hey don't forget, the scene of the mother also interesting, not many scene, yet always complete the whole drama.👍
Another insightful breakdown, thank you! I like what you said, that JA is empowered now, that she says "I'm going to Busan." No one is making her go anywhere, but she's choosing to do it, she has agency now. So beautiful! And it is sad to think that there's not really anything for her in Hugye - she has no job, no friends that are her age except Ki Bum, and no real place in Dong Hoon's life, since their friendship transcends anything platonic and yet he can't love her fully because he's married. So you're right, she needs to leave and they both know it :( . Can I just say I am SO GLAD the show didn't end with him walking away from the train tracks? It's so hopeful and wonderful that we actually get the time skip and their reunion! I would have been angry forever if they had ended the show on their goodbye hug. 😂
I think until they met each other in last scene, he didnt sure about his feelings. Yes he felt something about her, but also he was ashamed about his feelings( he always walk faster when he ashamed😊) since Ji an was as young as his nephew( early episodes). Thats why he pretended as he doesnt have any romantic feeling to her in whole of the episodes. For me thats the reason he couldnt say anything about her decision.
All of these actually, but the only thing which will not change in the future is the age gap. The marriage will be over eventually and she already leave the company. I meant if he had seen any possibility in the future may be he tried to keep her or may be wanted to wait for him. But at that moment she decided to leave forever. And he couldnt say anything. But for me his ideas will change in the last meeting. On that time he will be much more happy, confident by himself and doesnt care about that anymore
I agree with this. PDH is moral and represents the idea of what a man ideally should be. He fell for Jin An absolutely, when she showed her filial respect for her grandmother. He's really conflicted in these two scenes because the fact that she's leaving is putting so much pressure on his moral foundation. It's what is keeping him from being happy, his sense of duty and morality. But, it takes his friend, a Buddhist monk, to tell him that he needs to let it all go. Then all the pieces fall into place.
I recall a K-drama ('Oh My Venus') where one character hugged another and the reply was 'Welcome to Korea!', assuming the hugger must be American. Apparently hugging people is not a common thing to do in Korea, K-drama romantic back hugs and piggy back rides excepted.
The show did give us a back hug between Dong Hoon and his monk friend, and two piggy back rides for grandma. So the show didn't disappoint in delivering on those tropes.😂🤣 But seriously, those two piggyback rides to grandma meant more to Ji An than any actual piggyback ride for her could give, and DH just won JA’s heart forever.
' After saying "fighting", she looks like she's about to burst into tears and yearning for a response! And I also smile while watching the drama like Jian, feeling thrilled at Dong-hoon's smile and answering "Fighting!" powerfully. Fighting has been added as a new word in the Oxford English dictionary this year. :) I mean your question in the other comment, perhaps it was similarly burdensome for Dong-hoon that Jian was too young and that he had a wife and child. Of course, around the end, he cleared up his relationship with his wife, so the age difference is the only problem left. From the beginning of the show, the drama was attacked by extreme feminists as a romance between older men and young women and a typical male-centered sexual fantasy. Actually, it was groundless. Perhaps because of that, the romance between the two in this drama is quite restrained and expressed. And the ending has an open ending feeling. The two will continue to have a relationship in the future, but they can be good friends including similar-family relationships or lovers. Of course, I think there is a possibility of romance because she met him as an equal member of society and a mature woman by completely breaking away from the guardian-word relationship after returning from Busan. Dong-hoon, for the first time in his life, cried completely for himself and accepted his own desires. So I don't think the age difference is a big problem in the ending scene. I think the production team has a very good sense of balance. (Of course, considering the relationship with the three brothers, the so-called "family tree gets twisted" in Korean expressions, For Ki Hoon, the new older sister-in-law is too young. Haha)
@@ManVsDrama Yes. It used to be common. In severe cases, the actor received a short script on the day of filming, and there were many tight schedules to edit what was filmed that week and broadcast that week. So there was a lot of fatigue of actors and writers. Except for cases where Netflix supports all the production costs and pre-produces them, the time to decide on filming and schedule inside the broadcasting station is tight, so the filming of the front episode is broadcasted while filming the back episode. In some cases, the content changed under pressure from high-ranking officials. Since OTT companies have entered Korea, and to sell dramas to China which pre-censors dramas, the number of pre-produced dramas has increased. My mister wasn't this bad, but the actor, who was nominated as Sang-hoon, was accused of sexual harassment and dropped out, so the actor changed, and there were many night shoots, so there were many restrictions on the filming time. So the broadcast of episode 13 was delayed. There may have been no significant change in the plot, but some scenes may have been deleted or changed. This is just my guess and it's not officially revealed.
@@Nowhere-Now_Here back then they said that the team was going to take a break from intense shooting. So they took 1 week off, i think they traveled together, something like that. 🤔
@@fw3765 Thanks! I had voted shortly after it went up. BTW I see our discussion of "nape stares" lead to a new entry on Soompi Forum! 😀 Now I will dare to mention DH's intermittent looking at JA's mouth and ?neck during their final dinner! I had never noticed him doing this before then. It only occurs a few times, but the last one or two times seemed a bit more lingering. 😀
@@fw3765 An unrelated observation... In the scene where DH tells JA she is good after he helped get her grandmother up the steps and inside... He turns and goes down the steps and then there is the shot of her right closed hand. I have read others interpretations of this, but I think this is her remembering she stabbed someone to death and her hand is the way it would be if she was holding a knife. She does not believe she is good.
I think you're absolutely right about after the hug. I saw that too. She had a moment where she wavered from the empowerment of the decision she expressed while they had dinner, that she was going to move away and take that job in Busan. After the hug, as would certainly happen, her feelings for him came most to the surface and she wanted to make a choice that would let her stay in the area. She could stay at the bar, for example, because now she has a support network here. He sensed it as well, which is why he said go - twice - and then walked away. It built on their dinner scene, that despite how he felt, he knew it was best for her and she had to.
That hug though! It was perfect for them. No words spoken, his saying yes with just a slight smile. I love how everything in this drama was allowed the time to really show things, such as how it was a few moments after he hugged her that she finally raised her arms to hug him back, as if the release of his hugging her was too much for her to bear for a few moments (which is likely, and also probably leads to her theoretical wavering).
I'm realizing just now that I am going to watch this drama again haha. It'll only be my third time, but I am sure it will be just as good, if not better. I also have to say I'm really happy we get three videos for episode 16!
yes, these scenes really blossom with scrutiny! I am very happy too I have been doing this series because it has helped me dissect why it's so effective and moving...and it's also been fascinating to hear so many other people's thoughts like yours!
It's so interesting @Eric Saari and @Man vs Drama - I've watched the hug scene so many times and never picked up that JA might be wavering. That's a completely new thought from today and now I'll have to go back and watch it again! 😄 And the fact that he said "Go" to her twice.....I never thought that he was might be trying to confirm/ reinforce her decision to really move away, but you might be right. I'm glad she didn't stay in Hugye, though. She ended up so much healthier and happier for having gone away. It's just too bad they weren't in touch :( .
@@fw3765 they were giving each other the gift of missing each other :-) It's actually the right thing to do not to contact her...because she was somewhat vulnerable and he was in a situation...and dramatically it also makes a lot of sense. But about the hug scene: you only pick that up when you watch and rewatch...it's funny...it's often one's own emotions that obscure the details of the inner life of the characters...when I watch first or second time..often I project so much of my own stuff onto the drama...:-)
I agree that not being in touch makes a lot of sense. And when I thought about how resolute JA was in the restaurant scene about going to Busan, I carried over that resoluteness to the hug scene in all my re-watches so I never saw more in it. But having her waver, even for a few moments, would be realistic, too. Love being able to talk about all these little details.
@@fw3765 I feel the hug makes her waver👍😁
I actually believe they’re really in love but they’re both not in a place where they can heal properly first. They both need to heal on their own. This made me love the male character because he could have been really selfish.
The moral of the story is that sometimes you just need to know that someone is cheering for you and cares for you to be brave and and face the world by yourself.
Good to know there are more people like me who are obsessed with this show, am not the only crazy one 😅😁
OMG!!! I was just thinking the same thing
haha Im obsessed with it too. I just randomly searched through Netflix and clicked on the drama without any expectation. And I was hooked.
I feel exactly like you and am totally in love with sun kyon and am deeply in mourning about his death.
same bro, i still obsessed with this, even now watching this really aches my heart T.T
3 parts?!? This makes me so happy 🎉🤩
About the goodbye, I think they look for and give each other strength in order to leave. In the restaurant, she is the one who try to be strong, and in the hug scene it's his moment. As you said, I think they can do it because they know it's the right thing not only for themselves, but expecially for the other one.
I like to say that their "love" transcends the physical aspect and go directly to the soul, so even the hug has a particular meaning for me. It's not the classic romantic hug (even it has obviously a romantic side), but rather an expression of their closeness, of giving and receiving protection, of being understood.
In my opinion (for how I am) this is the deepest form of love, and I can easily comprehend how he must feel when he has his brake down 😭
You put it so well!👍😁
Thoughtful post, thanks
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. This story represents a love between two people that transcends all. Ji An and PDH are IMHO opinion soul mates that have to journey apart before they can come together. It's what makes this episode and PDH's break down so gut wrenching. He's all ready been through so much, and he could take it. But Ji An leaving is more than he can handle, along with his divorce. But it sets him free to be really happy and meet Ji An later, unshackled from his past as she is from hers. A new beginning.
@@JWPanimation When did he get a divorce? Did I miss that part? In the final scene he was talking to his son and mentioned the word "wife". 🤷♀️
@@djackson9984 it's implied they are separated, when you look at the photos. Divorce is never stated, so I may be off the mark here.
I have the same thoughts as you about the bar scene.
My “my mister” script arrived this week, I can’t speak Korean lmao so I translate via google translator… which sucks, but it can be a bit handy. Anyways, I found this scene there and Park Hae Young wrote about Dong Hoon after Ji An says that she wants to live in a place where nobody knows her: “Donghoon has to accept the situation. Just drinking beer and looking elsewhere.” And when Ji An says thank you for being nice to me, PHY describes Dong Hoon state of mind: “Dong-hoon drank beer to suppress his sadness and pretended to be shy.” So I think it’s pretty accurate the interpretation that he is sad and suppressing this sadness while keeping a “smiley” face.
I think that if he was truly selfish, he would have asked her to stay. But the foundation of their relationship is to make the other happy. To elevate the other. Would have been very odd of him to be a selfish person at this rate. So he suffers inside, while encouraging her. This still happens at the hug scene, when he says go twice and then he goes because she doesn’t have the courage to leave first. It’s a painful situation, the deepest act of love that one person can do to their loved one. Just like Ji An’s grandmother did (in order to her granddaughter live for once a normal life).
The time skip was very necessary, I believe that they needed to grow apart, to mature themselves (ji an professionally wise and dong hoon personally wise) and find a social balance. About the age gap, could have bothered DH at some point at the beginning, but at the end, I can’t see this bothering him anymore. I remember about what he said to her in ep9 (I think) that if you’re serious ppl will take you seriously, and if you’re not, they will do the same. So if they don’t care about the age gap, then ppl around them won’t care either.
Thank you for your videos, is somehow a place of comfort (My Mister is always a symbol of comfort to me)!
You sum it up really well here i have to say! Thanks for sharing with everybody! 👍😁
i want that script T.T
Bravo Mr. Stefan! You presented this so Beautifully, so many small touches that combine to reach us so deeply. I also liked the placement of Jung Hui in the dong hoon-ji-an goodbye street scene, jung hui is almost a “chaperone.” She is a true friend to both, understands their connection, and also has grown through her friendship with Ji An.
Also, While I agree with your interpretation of this scene and Ding Hoon not wanting Ji An to stay in Hugye, I think his simple command for her to “go” is also in keeping with his generally repressed stoic character, and the impossibility of advancing their relationship at that moment - he wants to say more, cannot, and falls back on being the older and more “mature” character and shooing her gently away. In many other earlier scenes he also ended an awkward silence or replied to an admiring comment from ji an with a “go,” or abrupt Goodbye. It’s a “mature,” conventional behavior and conveniently lets him get away with playing an acceptable social role rather than expressing any true feeling or interest. …But by this last scene his face gives him away 🙂, there is a suppressed hunger, and to agree to touch and hug in this culture is an intimate gesture indeed.
Great thoughts there...thank you..👍🙂
Beautifully said. Dong Hoon can always fall back on being the mature one. (And Ji An just has to fall back on what she knows, her street smarts and her honesty :). )
I just finished watching this drama 2nd time after seeing your videos. Every scene has it own purpose. This drama is so good that I cant move on with it
Thank you for making these videos.
My pleasure.Thank you for watching and commenting!
So glad you covered their dining scene together Stephan. I like the way you broke down their
facial emotions and acting. So much is implied rather said in this drama. But reading these cues we really
get an insight into the emotional interior of their lives. Sometimes it's just a few frames of a gesture, look in the eyes or expression. I think you've read those cues brilliantly, especially when it comes to PDH, whose demeanor is more stoic than Ji An's. I just want to give another shout out to Director Of Photography - Choi Yun Man for the restaurant sequence. His graceful camera dollies through the window frame this intimate moment so beautifully. As the camera tracks left, a burning candle in the foreground moves into the frame between PDH and Ji An, symbolizing their love for each other. It's similar to another tracking shot of when PDH discovers his wife's affair at the phone booth. Ji An, in the background, steps in between PDH and Kang Yoon Hee, and moves towards PDH. This is what makes the show so brilliant IMHO, all these verbal, visual, gestural, audio and lighting cues all working together to create a dance. I've never seen it done better than this in any film.
Yeah...it's a pity almost that when you watch it once you miss all these details.. you're right..when you analyse it you can sort of dissect why it's so compelling overall..👍😉
Oooh, love the parallel between the candle in the restaurant scene and JA appearing between YH and DH at the phone booth scene (and moving toward DH)! Never noticed the echoes there. The first time I watched the phone booth scene I laughed out loud. JA was so creepy there....but it was perfect.
@@fw3765 Yeah it's like she's trying to break up PDH and his wife and taking pleasure in doing so. And not because she like PDH at this point. But on the other hand she moves towards him. So I understand her guilt later on when she collapses on the street and cries out that she has done wrong.
John I re-watched this dinner scene again the other day (cuz I just don't have anything better to do), keeping the candle in mind. I noticed that after they've clinked glasses for the last time, the camera pans so that the candle in the foreground (the one that was between them) ends up in front of DH. JA is also dressed in a dark jacket, and DH in a light one. In my mind, this framing reinforces that he loves her and he's feeling bereft that she's going away.
@@JWPanimation can I please know the episode of this scene?
I don't think you're over-interpreting at all! I thought DH's acting in these two scenes was perfect. His sadness was always showing through. When he said JA came to the neighbourhood to save his life: that's the flip side of "I don't know how I'm going to live without you". His face hinted at it, but he wasn't going to let JA see anything more than sadness. And at the end DH can see what you were pointing out in JA's face, which is why after saying "go" twice, he really has no option but to turn and go himself. When JA finally turns, she carefully keeps her eyes down to avoid seeing him go - just like she tried to avoid seeing her grandma's body. And, then that delightful "fighting" the perfect expression of love: which tells us she isn't thinking how sad she will be, but is thinking about DH's sadness and how she can encourage him.
Oh, and another thing - you've got me thinking about this so much more (thank you for that!) - one of the rarities of MM is it featuring two ordinary introverted nice characters: in movies introverts are so often the genius/weirdo/sidekick!
I saw it exactly the same..only you expressed it better!😁
Thank you for this detailed breakdown. I don't feel you over analyzed it. Instead you really help us appreciate the many many nuances of their acting and the logic of every detail in the scenes. I certainly did not appreciate, at least on a conscious level, all the nuances you describe. For example, it's wonderful that she's now the one talking to the restaurant owner and the owner is the one telling her that Dong Hoon has arrived. I'm still amazed at the level of detail and care and nuance that went into the creation of this show.
agreed. it's kind of sad how much great detail we miss just watching once. To be honest....In hindsight the compelling plot almost gets in the way because you're binge watching but missing the detail:-)
I've watched it 3 times now and still catch new things I had not seen before. I have copious notes too. That's how much I love this drama.
@@JWPanimation Agreed. I've watched it many times since only April, and every time I watch it there's something new. And interacting with others has been such a blessing. It's one of those shows that you must talk about otherwise you'll burst.
@@JWPanimation John, in your notes on the show what themes particularly catch your attention? I'm always curious. Everyone sees the show with their own interests/ things they find fascinating.
@@fw3765 Gosh, my notes go on for twenty pages. I've been keeping track of some of the threads here as well as this community and yourself has given me so much insight into the show. The big themes have a strong foundation in Buddhist philosophy IMHO with some western influences woven in. I would say Chiristian existential philosophers like Kierkagaard are also influential. Themes of community, (Sangha) and how community relates to the individual. I think are very important to the creators. Monk Gyum Deok's dharma talk in the temple is worth watching again. My Mister is spiritual at it's core, a beacon in the dark and a gift to all those who have seen it.
Essa cena da despedida dela para uma cidade bem distante, é muito emocionante.E uma separação necessária,para que possam se reestruturar em,por seus sentimentos no lugar certo para poderem seguir com as suas vidas e serem felizes.❤
Nice to wake up to your breakdown this morning. I loved the hug scene, such a powerful moment. For all the turmoil and emotional journey, to realize they have a beginning of a better life for both of them is so satisfying. Tears again, thanks again.
Always happy to see crying viewers!😂😂
It's such a powerful and sad moment for sure. Her big brown, sad eyes :( and the way his face falls after smiling and saying Fighting. Ugh. 😭
She leaving is the best decision she did for herself and he letting her go is the best decision he made for himself. But I really believe they made those decisions thinking about the well being of the other person😭😭😭. It makes me so emotional
She leaving is the best thing she did for him too. I don't think he knew how much he loved her until she was no longer in his life. She said as much, "I'm not interested in a guy who is happy when I'm gone". And the smile on his face when he sees her again tells it all. He's overjoyed just to have a few minutes with her again.
He has to walk away. He knows that she is too young, and that he must walk away. He bittersweetly knew that both he and she must move onto their have different paths, even though he felt understood and saved by her. And she can continue to learn and grow in her age, and in her "human"ness.
👍 thank you so much for such a insightful review of the scene. I really enjoyed.
Glad you enjoyed it! 👍😉
Great analysis and insights, Stephen! I love the way you used “empowerment” to describe Ji An’s growth, that’s just the perfect word for it! You’re right, the hesitance of Ji An to leave meant she did waver for a bit. I haven’t caught that before. And the sadness DH tried to hide throughout this sequence was indeed a precursor to his breakdown later on. I think what might have caused others to interpret the breakdown differently was that right after the hug scene, Yung Hee called him (it was easy to confuse it with DH as the one who called) and he asked her if there’s anything she wanted, which was his language of caring. And also right before the breakdown scene, he was looking at the large family photo and that made it look llke he was breaking down due to his broken family.
But looking at the sequence of scenes - DH being devastated by JA leaving, and then followed by the scene with Ki Hoon which showed he was not in touch with Ji An, these would naturally be the causes as we flow to the next scene which is the breakdown scene.
Hello SC, it was really wonderful acting by LSK to hide his sadness through the restaurant and hug sequence, wasn't it? My first thought about him looking at the large family photo was that Yoon Hee was already gone for good. If she were only gone temporarily, for 2 weeks as he told his mom when he visited her house, I don't think looking at it would've made him so sad. But looking at his family and knowing YH and Ji Seok were already in the US for good, and knowing that JA was also gone (after being devastated by her leaving and Ki Hoon's comments) made it all come home to him that he was alone, and would be alone for a long time without JA. I'm glad the show also chose not to end the show on his breakdown, haha. Thankfully it was a catalyst to make him go for what he needed to go for, at least professionally.
I think it was a combination of everything, his divorce - JI An leaving, starting a new life and career and so much pent up sorrow that had only been expressed in anger... The old structure had to come down before he could build it anew. And we know that in the new building there is a room especially for Ji An.
@@fw3765 I agree. A much needed catharsis. I think it's the only time in the series he actually cried for his own sake. This also ties to Gi-hoon's mentioning of the movie he watched on how humans have an amazing capacity for self healing.
@@JWPanimation Yes. Love this thought.
@@heyarvel It was a difficult scene to watch but certainly necessary for Dong Hoon's growth and peace of mind. There was a line floating around, too, about Dong Hoon never having hugged himself. I agree, between what Ki Hoon said about the movie and the line about hugging himself, in this scene he got to do take some time for self-healing.
Stephan.....thank you ....3 videos?.... wow... 👏👏👍😍🤩....
I like when you interpret the slight changing face reaction of DH... yes I agree with you..
From first episod I believe
, reading the script of this drama must be more interesting, because there are so many body languages and silent and slow scenes that can have rich interpretation...
I think, they both are very devastated, not only the feeling of caring each other so far, but also because they have saved each other's life ! Surely it much deeper than ordinary romance.
I also agree that character of 3 brothers are very strong and played very nicely...even the last scene when the little brother broke up with the actress and it describe in 3 different seasons, spring, summer and winter, and then the song, and the mother replied.... , it was funny and interesting. 😅👏👏
absolutely...apparently the director said at the first reading: "this is a masterpiece" which makes a lot of sense. btw...yes, I am discussing the relationship breakdown time lapse in the third and final video of episode 16...also what I notice is: Great dramas get better and better when you stop and start and rewatch. Average dramas fall apart when you do that! :-)
@@ManVsDrama Oooh, your last line is a great point! Every time I re-watch MM I discover something new (and through your breakdowns as well) but you're right, average dramas can't stand up to that kind of scrutiny. MM is brilliant!
@@ManVsDrama That was an interesting sequence, the break up between Gi Hoon and Yoo Ra, I would have liked a bit more time with it, but it brings Gi Hoon's arc full circle. Looking forward to hearing your take on it. Also, don't be afraid to do a post show wrap up, there is still so much to talk about, especially the character arcs over the whole show. I'd also love to see a poll on how many people think PDH and Ji An will become romantically involved in the future...
@@JWPanimation Your ideas are all excellent. 😄
This is first time I follow a revisit review....and yeah, only a great drama with a great story can give the audience more and more happiness and deep meaning. You are right, i did not found this quality in other Kdrama, not even close... 😀.
Hey don't forget, the scene of the mother also interesting, not many scene, yet always complete the whole drama.👍
Another insightful breakdown, thank you! I like what you said, that JA is empowered now, that she says "I'm going to Busan." No one is making her go anywhere, but she's choosing to do it, she has agency now. So beautiful! And it is sad to think that there's not really anything for her in Hugye - she has no job, no friends that are her age except Ki Bum, and no real place in Dong Hoon's life, since their friendship transcends anything platonic and yet he can't love her fully because he's married. So you're right, she needs to leave and they both know it :( .
Can I just say I am SO GLAD the show didn't end with him walking away from the train tracks? It's so hopeful and wonderful that we actually get the time skip and their reunion! I would have been angry forever if they had ended the show on their goodbye hug. 😂
Thank you. Glad it makes sense...and I I agree..the ending is pretty near perfect...and we'll discuss it in the last part of the series😁
@@ManVsDrama Hurray!
It will be sad to see the series come to an end though. I've enjoyed re-watching MM with you all here. 👍
I think until they met each other in last scene, he didnt sure about his feelings. Yes he felt something about her, but also he was ashamed about his feelings( he always walk faster when he ashamed😊) since Ji an was as young as his nephew( early episodes). Thats why he pretended as he doesnt have any romantic feeling to her in whole of the episodes. For me thats the reason he couldnt say anything about her decision.
ok...so you think the age difference was the thing that held him back more than the fact that he's married and is her boss? :-)
All of these actually, but the only thing which will not change in the future is the age gap. The marriage will be over eventually and she already leave the company. I meant if he had seen any possibility in the future may be he tried to keep her or may be wanted to wait for him. But at that moment she decided to leave forever. And he couldnt say anything. But for me his ideas will change in the last meeting. On that time he will be much more happy, confident by himself and doesnt care about that anymore
I agree with this. PDH is moral and represents the idea of what a man ideally should be.
He fell for Jin An absolutely, when she showed her filial respect for her grandmother. He's really conflicted in these two scenes because the fact that she's leaving is putting so much pressure on his moral foundation. It's what is keeping him from being happy, his sense of duty and morality. But, it takes his friend, a Buddhist monk, to tell him that he needs to let it all go. Then all the pieces fall into place.
I recall a K-drama ('Oh My Venus') where one character hugged another and the reply was 'Welcome to Korea!', assuming the hugger must be American. Apparently hugging people is not a common thing to do in Korea, K-drama romantic back hugs and piggy back rides excepted.
The show did give us a back hug between Dong Hoon and his monk friend, and two piggy back rides for grandma. So the show didn't disappoint in delivering on those tropes.😂🤣
But seriously, those two piggyback rides to grandma meant more to Ji An than any actual piggyback ride for her could give, and DH just won JA’s heart forever.
Thanks for breaking down my favorite scene in EP16! Looking forward to the final part of all this
which was?
' After saying "fighting", she looks like she's about to burst into tears and yearning for a response!
And I also smile while watching the drama like Jian, feeling thrilled at Dong-hoon's smile and answering "Fighting!" powerfully.
Fighting has been added as a new word in the Oxford English dictionary this year. :)
I mean your question in the other comment, perhaps it was similarly burdensome for Dong-hoon that Jian was too young and that he had a wife and child. Of course, around the end, he cleared up his relationship with his wife, so the age difference is the only problem left.
From the beginning of the show, the drama was attacked by extreme feminists as a romance between older men and young women and a typical male-centered sexual fantasy. Actually, it was groundless. Perhaps because of that, the romance between the two in this drama is quite restrained and expressed. And the ending has an open ending feeling. The two will continue to have a relationship in the future, but they can be good friends including similar-family relationships or lovers. Of course, I think there is a possibility of romance because she met him as an equal member of society and a mature woman by completely breaking away from the guardian-word relationship after returning from Busan. Dong-hoon, for the first time in his life, cried completely for himself and accepted his own desires. So I don't think the age difference is a big problem in the ending scene. I think the production team has a very good sense of balance. (Of course, considering the relationship with the three brothers, the so-called "family tree gets twisted" in Korean expressions, For Ki Hoon, the new older sister-in-law is too young. Haha)
I am always curious...are they still shooting later episodes when they started airing??
@@ManVsDrama Yes. It used to be common. In severe cases, the actor received a short script on the day of filming, and there were many tight schedules to edit what was filmed that week and broadcast that week. So there was a lot of fatigue of actors and writers. Except for cases where Netflix supports all the production costs and pre-produces them, the time to decide on filming and schedule inside the broadcasting station is tight, so the filming of the front episode is broadcasted while filming the back episode. In some cases, the content changed under pressure from high-ranking officials. Since OTT companies have entered Korea, and to sell dramas to China which pre-censors dramas, the number of pre-produced dramas has increased.
My mister wasn't this bad, but the actor, who was nominated as Sang-hoon, was accused of sexual harassment and dropped out, so the actor changed, and there were many night shoots, so there were many restrictions on the filming time. So the broadcast of episode 13 was delayed. There may have been no significant change in the plot, but some scenes may have been deleted or changed. This is just my guess and it's not officially revealed.
@@Nowhere-Now_Here back then they said that the team was going to take a break from intense shooting. So they took 1 week off, i think they traveled together, something like that. 🤔
I don’t think it’s ever possible to over-interpret a scene of My Mister haha.
Agreed!
@@dianecarpenter5611 Diane, did you see the poll is up under the Community tab?
@@fw3765 Thanks! I had voted shortly after it went up. BTW I see our discussion of "nape stares" lead to a new entry on Soompi Forum! 😀
Now I will dare to mention DH's intermittent looking at JA's mouth and ?neck during their final dinner! I had never noticed him doing this before then. It only occurs a few times, but the last one or two times seemed a bit more lingering. 😀
@@dianecarpenter5611 Hmmm, sounds like a re-watch of that scene is in order then. Never noticed it before, either! :)
@@fw3765 An unrelated observation... In the scene where DH tells JA she is good after he helped get her grandmother up the steps and inside... He turns and goes down the steps and then there is the shot of her right closed hand. I have read others interpretations of this, but I think this is her remembering she stabbed someone to death and her hand is the way it would be if she was holding a knife. She does not believe she is good.
You said you will do a third video on ep 16😭
Coming up!
😥😪😭🤧👍👏🙏
seems like you went on a emoticonal journey with this one! :-)