1
This review may contain spoilers
Let's Be Happy!
Every once in a while, a series comes along, or perhaps even a movie, that is so heartfelt and thought-provoking that you just want to sit with it after you've finished it. This is one of those series.
Perhaps one of the most profound truths, that is too often missed, overlooked, or simply forgotten is that true happiness can only come from one place: from within. People futilely look for such happiness in all of the wrong places. They may find brief moments of joy, or perhaps in a distraction, but ultimately find that all such counterfeits are fleeting.
Happiness is only ever something you can be. It’s an impossibility to “do” happiness. In other words, whenever you believe that something outside of yourself (work, relationships, money, sex, etc.) can bring you happiness, it’s like constantly chasing an elusive shadow that you can never catch. Happiness is literally a choice, just as unhappiness is also a choice. Eckhart Tolle wisely stated, “It’s never the situation that makes you unhappy, but merely your perception of the situation. If you want to change your experience, change your perception.”
“My Mister” is an absolutely brilliant and poignant series about a group of people who are clearly living unhappy lives. It reminded me a little of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” in which George Bailey has no idea of the wonderful life he’s had, despite not necessarily getting to do all of the things he’s dreamed of, or the hardships he's had to endure.
Park Dong Hun is a general manager at a firm where he’s a structural engineer. Right from the start, we realize that he’s not a very happy man. He’s in a loveless marriage, and the only bit of joy he seems to find is in spending time drinking with his two brothers, both of whom are unemployed as the series begins. However, Park Dong Hun does have one noble aspect to his character. He’s essentially a good man who will always do his best to do right by others. However, despite this, he’s also prone to being a bit of a doormat, allowing others to use and abuse him.
Lee Ji-An is a temporary worker at Park Dong Hun’s company. She’s a young woman in severe debt, no thanks to her mother, who borrowed a tremendous amount of money, and after she died, Ji-An assumed the responsibility for paying it off. She came from an abusive family, in which she had no choice but to kill her step-father in defense of her grandmother, a sweet woman whom Ji-An looks after and cares for. As the series begins, she is a woman simply looking out for herself, even resorting to stealing and extortion in order to survive, sometimes working 2-3 jobs. She is a miserable young woman who rarely ever smiles, and never bothers with even a “Thank You” if an act of kindness or help comes her way. In fact, the one time she does say, "Thank You," it's powerful because we know how much she means it.
Park Dong Hun has two immediate problems. His wife is cheating on him with the CEO of his company, and he gets pulled right into the middle of the office politics, when the members of the board are in a battle to get rid of the new CEO. An envelope, mistakenly sent to him with bribe money, gets him into trouble. JI-An gets involved when he attempts to hide the money, and she initially steals it. To Park Dong Hun’s surprise, she attempts to help him, even when the CEO hires her to help him get Park Dong Hun fired.
What transpires is an unwitting and unlikely relationship between Park Dong Hun and Lee Ji-An as both struggle to uncover what is going on at the company. Lee Ji-An has assistance from a young man who’s a master at computers and wire-tapping, and she uses these things to get information. After all, especially in this day and age, information is power, and Ji-An knows it. She quickly discovers that Park Dong Hun’s wife is having an affair, but she attempts to help Park Dong Hun save face. Actually, it’s even more than that. She tries to spare him the pain.
It doesn’t take long before it becomes clear that Lee Ji-An likes Park Dong Hun. Perhaps it’s because he is the very first person in her life to treat her as a human being, often doing things to try and help her, including helping Lee Ji-An get her destitute grandmother into a facility. Too often, people underestimate what an act of kindness can do for someone else. Park Dong Hun doesn’t even realize the powerful ally he has in his corner, doing all she can to protect him from the wrath of the CEO and those plotting his downfall.
Park Dong Hun and Lee Ji-An have something in common, despite their age difference: they both have a very low self-esteem. Even once Park Dong Hun confronts his wife about the affair, it’s clear that nothing will change because there’s simply no love between them. They run through the same, exact routine every day. There are no loving or even kind words exchanged between them. They’re simply roommates playing a part for the sake of his family and their son. In short, it can hardly be called a “marriage.” It’s more of a relationship of convenience. In short, due to both of their situations, they’re simply no longer compatible.
Lee Ji-An, on the other hand, firmly believes that she’s eternally trapped in the life she’s living. Most prisons exist out of our own making, and Lee Ji-An doesn’t believe she’s worthy of doing anything else. Her only lifeline; her only hope for possibly a better future, lies with Park Dong Hun. “You’re the only person who has ever been nice to me,” she says, and they frequently talk about how pitiful they are. It’s interesting in life how easily people find others who are of the same mindset or have the same feelings of self-worth, or lack thereof. It’s the simple law of magnetism. What you put out, you attract. Happy people tend to attract others who are happy, and unhappy people attract others who are miserable.
The comic relief of the series comes in the form of Park Dong Hun’s two brothers, who often act more like the two stooges! These two guys are so hilarious sometimes that I found myself laughing as soon as a scene cut to them. They bicker and squabble, and they can’t seem to turn a corner in their little “midget van” without rolling it over…literally! Park Gi-Hun is the youngest brother, a former movie director, and a bit temperamental, who shares a cleaning service with the oldest brother, Park Sang—Hun, a man who wears his emotions on his sleeve, but constantly complains about never having any money. His wife doesn’t even want to have anything to do with him, and both brothers are living with their mother, who frequently chews them out for their lack of success. In short, Park Dong Hun is the sole light of pride with their mother, but he’s also the sole reason for her constant worrying and stress, hoping that he’s happy.
Throughout the entire series, there is only a single person who understands that happiness begins with you, and that’s Park Dong-Hun’s best friend, Gyum Deok, who became a Buddhist monk, even leaving his wife to pursue his only goal: to be happy. He is also the only one who knows what to do when he's faced with a challenge. He meditates, thus re-centering himself. Everyone has a different path, and part of that path is about also following your passion and finding your gift. Gyum Deok often provides little pearls of wisdom for Park Dong-Hun, who is often struggling just to stay afloat. But, it’s not enough to simply “get by” in life, however that looks. And by the time the series ends, we get two genuine moments: Park Dong-Hun smiling—really smiling—when he’s finally learned how to be happy and enjoy his work. And Lee Ji-An, who realizes that a person can change and make great strides in this world. Perhaps, she finally understands that the only “shackles,” the only thing that truly holds a person back, isn’t other people’s perceptions of us, but the delusions of such thinking that exists only within our own minds.
There are a number of sweet and tender moments throughout the series. My personal favorite was when Park Sang-Hun rallied and paid for flowers, food, and calling everyone to be at Lee J-An’s grandmother's funeral. If you can’t find something to do for yourself, find something to do for someone else. He spends months saving up his money, and without even having to think about it, he makes sure that the funeral for Lee Ji-An’s grandmother is done properly. However, the last words of wisdom from Lee Ji-An’s grandmother are simple, regarding all of the kind things that Park Dong Hun has done for both Lee Ji-An and her grandmother. “Make sure to pay him back. And the way to pay him back is to be happy.” What’s ironic is that this is the most powerful way to demonstrate gratitude.
IU does a great job as Lee Ji-An. She rarely ever smiles, effectively showing us how miserable Lee Ji-An is, but she went even deeper than that. She showed us a character who truly lives without hope, which I don’t think is nearly as easy to do as people might think. And then Lee Sun Kyun effectively gives us Park Dong Hun, who feels trapped in an unhappy life. At one point, when Park Dong Hun stands at the Han River, and we already know what’s going on in his mind. This was a powerful moment, because as Lee Ji-An is listening to him through the wiretap, she also knows what’s going through his mind.
Among the most powerful relationships are those that bring two people together for true healing to take place. Park Dong Hun and Lee Ji-An could have easily gone the other way, and effectively destroyed each other, but instead, they find a way to help and be there for each other, which in turn helps them help themselves. And the only reason the latter occurs is because deep down, despite their situations, both are essentially good people. While it appeared that Lee Ji-An had feelings for Park Dong Hun, it’s really more about her seeing someone else who values her. The relationship between the two was done extremely well. No physical contact or other moments were needed to realize how much they actually do love each other. Love doesn’t always imply a romantic component, and that is why the love they share is so powerful and compelling. This is especially evident in the very last scene of the series.
I cannot overstate how incredible this series is, and it’s already among some of my all-time favorites. I can see why so many people are enamored with it. If nothing else, it should serve as a reminder to find happiness within yourself first. Be happy!
Perhaps one of the most profound truths, that is too often missed, overlooked, or simply forgotten is that true happiness can only come from one place: from within. People futilely look for such happiness in all of the wrong places. They may find brief moments of joy, or perhaps in a distraction, but ultimately find that all such counterfeits are fleeting.
Happiness is only ever something you can be. It’s an impossibility to “do” happiness. In other words, whenever you believe that something outside of yourself (work, relationships, money, sex, etc.) can bring you happiness, it’s like constantly chasing an elusive shadow that you can never catch. Happiness is literally a choice, just as unhappiness is also a choice. Eckhart Tolle wisely stated, “It’s never the situation that makes you unhappy, but merely your perception of the situation. If you want to change your experience, change your perception.”
“My Mister” is an absolutely brilliant and poignant series about a group of people who are clearly living unhappy lives. It reminded me a little of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” in which George Bailey has no idea of the wonderful life he’s had, despite not necessarily getting to do all of the things he’s dreamed of, or the hardships he's had to endure.
Park Dong Hun is a general manager at a firm where he’s a structural engineer. Right from the start, we realize that he’s not a very happy man. He’s in a loveless marriage, and the only bit of joy he seems to find is in spending time drinking with his two brothers, both of whom are unemployed as the series begins. However, Park Dong Hun does have one noble aspect to his character. He’s essentially a good man who will always do his best to do right by others. However, despite this, he’s also prone to being a bit of a doormat, allowing others to use and abuse him.
Lee Ji-An is a temporary worker at Park Dong Hun’s company. She’s a young woman in severe debt, no thanks to her mother, who borrowed a tremendous amount of money, and after she died, Ji-An assumed the responsibility for paying it off. She came from an abusive family, in which she had no choice but to kill her step-father in defense of her grandmother, a sweet woman whom Ji-An looks after and cares for. As the series begins, she is a woman simply looking out for herself, even resorting to stealing and extortion in order to survive, sometimes working 2-3 jobs. She is a miserable young woman who rarely ever smiles, and never bothers with even a “Thank You” if an act of kindness or help comes her way. In fact, the one time she does say, "Thank You," it's powerful because we know how much she means it.
Park Dong Hun has two immediate problems. His wife is cheating on him with the CEO of his company, and he gets pulled right into the middle of the office politics, when the members of the board are in a battle to get rid of the new CEO. An envelope, mistakenly sent to him with bribe money, gets him into trouble. JI-An gets involved when he attempts to hide the money, and she initially steals it. To Park Dong Hun’s surprise, she attempts to help him, even when the CEO hires her to help him get Park Dong Hun fired.
What transpires is an unwitting and unlikely relationship between Park Dong Hun and Lee Ji-An as both struggle to uncover what is going on at the company. Lee Ji-An has assistance from a young man who’s a master at computers and wire-tapping, and she uses these things to get information. After all, especially in this day and age, information is power, and Ji-An knows it. She quickly discovers that Park Dong Hun’s wife is having an affair, but she attempts to help Park Dong Hun save face. Actually, it’s even more than that. She tries to spare him the pain.
It doesn’t take long before it becomes clear that Lee Ji-An likes Park Dong Hun. Perhaps it’s because he is the very first person in her life to treat her as a human being, often doing things to try and help her, including helping Lee Ji-An get her destitute grandmother into a facility. Too often, people underestimate what an act of kindness can do for someone else. Park Dong Hun doesn’t even realize the powerful ally he has in his corner, doing all she can to protect him from the wrath of the CEO and those plotting his downfall.
Park Dong Hun and Lee Ji-An have something in common, despite their age difference: they both have a very low self-esteem. Even once Park Dong Hun confronts his wife about the affair, it’s clear that nothing will change because there’s simply no love between them. They run through the same, exact routine every day. There are no loving or even kind words exchanged between them. They’re simply roommates playing a part for the sake of his family and their son. In short, it can hardly be called a “marriage.” It’s more of a relationship of convenience. In short, due to both of their situations, they’re simply no longer compatible.
Lee Ji-An, on the other hand, firmly believes that she’s eternally trapped in the life she’s living. Most prisons exist out of our own making, and Lee Ji-An doesn’t believe she’s worthy of doing anything else. Her only lifeline; her only hope for possibly a better future, lies with Park Dong Hun. “You’re the only person who has ever been nice to me,” she says, and they frequently talk about how pitiful they are. It’s interesting in life how easily people find others who are of the same mindset or have the same feelings of self-worth, or lack thereof. It’s the simple law of magnetism. What you put out, you attract. Happy people tend to attract others who are happy, and unhappy people attract others who are miserable.
The comic relief of the series comes in the form of Park Dong Hun’s two brothers, who often act more like the two stooges! These two guys are so hilarious sometimes that I found myself laughing as soon as a scene cut to them. They bicker and squabble, and they can’t seem to turn a corner in their little “midget van” without rolling it over…literally! Park Gi-Hun is the youngest brother, a former movie director, and a bit temperamental, who shares a cleaning service with the oldest brother, Park Sang—Hun, a man who wears his emotions on his sleeve, but constantly complains about never having any money. His wife doesn’t even want to have anything to do with him, and both brothers are living with their mother, who frequently chews them out for their lack of success. In short, Park Dong Hun is the sole light of pride with their mother, but he’s also the sole reason for her constant worrying and stress, hoping that he’s happy.
Throughout the entire series, there is only a single person who understands that happiness begins with you, and that’s Park Dong-Hun’s best friend, Gyum Deok, who became a Buddhist monk, even leaving his wife to pursue his only goal: to be happy. He is also the only one who knows what to do when he's faced with a challenge. He meditates, thus re-centering himself. Everyone has a different path, and part of that path is about also following your passion and finding your gift. Gyum Deok often provides little pearls of wisdom for Park Dong-Hun, who is often struggling just to stay afloat. But, it’s not enough to simply “get by” in life, however that looks. And by the time the series ends, we get two genuine moments: Park Dong-Hun smiling—really smiling—when he’s finally learned how to be happy and enjoy his work. And Lee Ji-An, who realizes that a person can change and make great strides in this world. Perhaps, she finally understands that the only “shackles,” the only thing that truly holds a person back, isn’t other people’s perceptions of us, but the delusions of such thinking that exists only within our own minds.
There are a number of sweet and tender moments throughout the series. My personal favorite was when Park Sang-Hun rallied and paid for flowers, food, and calling everyone to be at Lee J-An’s grandmother's funeral. If you can’t find something to do for yourself, find something to do for someone else. He spends months saving up his money, and without even having to think about it, he makes sure that the funeral for Lee Ji-An’s grandmother is done properly. However, the last words of wisdom from Lee Ji-An’s grandmother are simple, regarding all of the kind things that Park Dong Hun has done for both Lee Ji-An and her grandmother. “Make sure to pay him back. And the way to pay him back is to be happy.” What’s ironic is that this is the most powerful way to demonstrate gratitude.
IU does a great job as Lee Ji-An. She rarely ever smiles, effectively showing us how miserable Lee Ji-An is, but she went even deeper than that. She showed us a character who truly lives without hope, which I don’t think is nearly as easy to do as people might think. And then Lee Sun Kyun effectively gives us Park Dong Hun, who feels trapped in an unhappy life. At one point, when Park Dong Hun stands at the Han River, and we already know what’s going on in his mind. This was a powerful moment, because as Lee Ji-An is listening to him through the wiretap, she also knows what’s going through his mind.
Among the most powerful relationships are those that bring two people together for true healing to take place. Park Dong Hun and Lee Ji-An could have easily gone the other way, and effectively destroyed each other, but instead, they find a way to help and be there for each other, which in turn helps them help themselves. And the only reason the latter occurs is because deep down, despite their situations, both are essentially good people. While it appeared that Lee Ji-An had feelings for Park Dong Hun, it’s really more about her seeing someone else who values her. The relationship between the two was done extremely well. No physical contact or other moments were needed to realize how much they actually do love each other. Love doesn’t always imply a romantic component, and that is why the love they share is so powerful and compelling. This is especially evident in the very last scene of the series.
I cannot overstate how incredible this series is, and it’s already among some of my all-time favorites. I can see why so many people are enamored with it. If nothing else, it should serve as a reminder to find happiness within yourself first. Be happy!
Was this review helpful to you?
