THIS! Exactly this! I was so invested in this show until the whole "these were false memories" thing happened.…
I'm also reassured to see I'm not the only one who was disappointed by that twist! I still have hope that it's not a case of mistaken identity after all and that the dreams will be explained later so they can salvage that part of the plot. I'm always looking for dramas where I get emotionally invested in the lead character's story (extra point for things being extra dark and if the angst and suffering are plenty) and this show was ticking all the boxes, which is what makes this situation so frustrating. You're totally right! I despise when authors simply go for subverting our expectations (that SJ is YJ) instead of crafting a substantial plot twist. Not everything has to be surprising all the time: I'd much prefer to watch a well-crafted story than one full of bad twists that make no sense. The reveal that SJ isn't YJ only serves the purpose of surprising us once (subverting our expectations that he is YJ) but digs giant holes in the plot in the process AND makes the story less interesting. The more I think about it, the more plot holes I'm finding in the first arc of the drama and it's frustrating. Actually, it's the fact that there are a TON of them that is still making me think they might undo the whole "false memory" reveal.
my biggest issue with the show is the entire first arc, during which SJ was clearly shown to have memories of…
THIS! Exactly this! I was so invested in this show until the whole "these were false memories" thing happened. As you said, not only it cheapens the first arc of the drama (also what truly drove me into the story and made me care about SJ), but given the dreams and the whole fear of dogs scene, it doesn't even make sense. Why was he having these headaches and retrieving these memories that, as far as we know, were completely accurate? If SJ wasn't one of the Hope Center kids, then there is no way to explain how he remembered these things (there's no way he could have known about these events the way he did, false memories or not). Actually, didn't he ask his mother where they met to locate ATH after he got kidnapped? The whole playground scene makes no sense so I'm hoping that we've been misled into thinking that SJ is not one of the Hope centre kids when he truly is. If he wasn't adopted, it not only leaves gaping plot holes but also ruins a lot of the emotional stakes of the drama's first half.
I still have hope that it's not a case of mistaken identity after all and that the dreams will be explained later so they can salvage that part of the plot. I'm always looking for dramas where I get emotionally invested in the lead character's story (extra point for things being extra dark and if the angst and suffering are plenty) and this show was ticking all the boxes, which is what makes this situation so frustrating.
You're totally right! I despise when authors simply go for subverting our expectations (that SJ is YJ) instead of crafting a substantial plot twist. Not everything has to be surprising all the time: I'd much prefer to watch a well-crafted story than one full of bad twists that make no sense. The reveal that SJ isn't YJ only serves the purpose of surprising us once (subverting our expectations that he is YJ) but digs giant holes in the plot in the process AND makes the story less interesting. The more I think about it, the more plot holes I'm finding in the first arc of the drama and it's frustrating. Actually, it's the fact that there are a TON of them that is still making me think they might undo the whole "false memory" reveal.
The whole playground scene makes no sense so I'm hoping that we've been misled into thinking that SJ is not one of the Hope centre kids when he truly is. If he wasn't adopted, it not only leaves gaping plot holes but also ruins a lot of the emotional stakes of the drama's first half.