Yeonga Ja's character growth is currently my favorite. She used to put her husband and family on a pedestal only worth of 'the best of the best' as socially accepted. She was quick to accept a union between her son with the heir of the Dream Hotel and equally quick in judging Jang Mi and her family as below her standard. It really took me by surprise that a woman who has seen a lot of different cases and has dealt with people form different backgrounds to still have a lot of prejudice based on status and income. Her awakening is sure accompanied by a lot of pain and suffering, yet I think she uses that as a fuel to become more mentally sharp. I hope that her role will grow in the upcoming episodes and that she will put the final nail on Hwa Yeong's coffin. And I sincerely hope that she will live a life in which she puts herself first. Not for selfish reasons. But as part of her growth as a character who needs to learn self-love unaccompanied by associations based on the roles she had played all her life - devoted mother, loving wife, faithful and loyal to her kids and husband. Those qualities are to be admired. The issue is : what happens when you see your worth only through the scope of a role you play inside a family unit?
Jang Mi and Seo Rin grew up in completely different environments and that impact shows in the construction of their characters. Jang Mi's surrounding was one she could trust, the people were kind, supportive and trustworthy. Seo Rin had to learn to be vigilant, scan her environment for threats and be extremely self-protective. These environmental lessons can so easily be seen in their characters. Jang Mi's natural instinct is not to be self-protective and assign malevolent or threatening characteristics to those around her (even when she should). And Seo Rin's instinct is to protect herself first and sees potential threat even when there isn't one. It can be extremely hard to overwrite that initial reaction they have learned in their life and just magically balance it out.
On the other hand, we have Baek Ho and Jun Ho. Jun Ho is someone who had clearly lacked attention, love, support and nourishment at a young age. Growing up in an orphanage, knowing that he was abandoned but not knowing by whom and why, not having mother and father figure to help him establish a healthy interaction with the environment can shape a character into what he is today - insecure adult figure who is deeply fragile yet masks that vulnerability. Jang Mi was the first person he observed as caring towards the environment and others. I remember a scene where she jumped in front of a trolley and saved a kid. And I remember how Jun Ho looked at her. That deep, hidden need to be protected and loved and projecting that need onto a person who, in his eyes, is the only one capable of selflessly offering that is Jang Mi. Chances are pretty high that in this particular scene he saw his young, unprotected self as the kid and Jang Mi as the protective and nurturing figure he needed and needs. None of this is an attempt to justify an action, but simply an attempt to see the world through the eyes of wounded and imperfect characters. Baek Ho seems to have been adopted at a younger age compared to Jun Ho. He probably had a strong concept of maternal and paternal figure in his life thus not developing an 'I am less than...therefore I need to prove myself and my worth' complex. That said, I believe they have mentioned that Baek Ho is the son of the professor, didn't they? Does someone else remember the scene and what episode it was in?
On the other hand, we have Baek Ho and Jun Ho. Jun Ho is someone who had clearly lacked attention, love, support and nourishment at a young age. Growing up in an orphanage, knowing that he was abandoned but not knowing by whom and why, not having mother and father figure to help him establish a healthy interaction with the environment can shape a character into what he is today - insecure adult figure who is deeply fragile yet masks that vulnerability. Jang Mi was the first person he observed as caring towards the environment and others. I remember a scene where she jumped in front of a trolley and saved a kid. And I remember how Jun Ho looked at her. That deep, hidden need to be protected and loved and projecting that need onto a person who, in his eyes, is the only one capable of selflessly offering that is Jang Mi. Chances are pretty high that in this particular scene he saw his young, unprotected self as the kid and Jang Mi as the protective and nurturing figure he needed and needs. None of this is an attempt to justify an action, but simply an attempt to see the world through the eyes of wounded and imperfect characters. Baek Ho seems to have been adopted at a younger age compared to Jun Ho. He probably had a strong concept of maternal and paternal figure in his life thus not developing an 'I am less than...therefore I need to prove myself and my worth' complex. That said, I believe they have mentioned that Baek Ho is the son of the professor, didn't they? Does someone else remember the scene and what episode it was in?