1) I understand that the SY & HW situation isn’t black and white. In the end I don’t think either…
I agree on seven out of the eight point you made. Number 2, not so much. I wanted to respond because a lot of the things you mentioned apply to me. First off, I am in no way excusing or trying to justify Sooyeon's actions. Cheating is wrong. Period. Please keep this in mind as you read my response.
So in regards to your point number 2.
First of all, Sooyeon did try relieve the burden on her shoulders by delegating some responsibilities regarding Junsu to Hyunwoo. He didn't fulfill these requests. Since her burden at home remained the same that left her with cutting down on work which I don't think is a reasonable request. This goes back to the Korean society and women having to often compromise their career for the sake of the family. Hyunwoo worked even longer hours, yet no one is criticizing him for that. I know this part of the Korean culture, and I don't condone it.
Second, I don't understand why you think that the family was broken specifically because of Sooyeon. Just because everyone sleeps at the same house and sees each other on a daily basis doesn't mean that the family is functional. It was obvious that there were severe communication issues with the two spouses and pre-existing problems with Junsu, such as him being an outcast, way before Sooyeon cheated. You can argue that because of her these problems escalated to the current state of disrepair and while you're right on that, it still doesn't mean that she broke the family. Her cheating, as wrong and horrible as it was, brought light to the issues that the two were having already.
The link you provided was great. Very interesting and entertaining, it gets the point across. But... the formula in that situation doesn't apply to this case. Hyunwoo never sat down with Sooyeon to tell her that he has lost trust in her and considers this a deal breaker for their relationship. The communication from his part was nonexistent for the most, yelling for the rest. Sooyeon also didn't say: "I'm sorry, it was one mistake." She acknowledged what she did wrong and tried (and is still trying, as the drama is ongoing) to fix what she can, which isn't much.
Like you said, Sooyeon should have talked to her husband and try to fix their relationship first before going and cheating on him. However, I have my doubts about this working because Hyunwoo said since the beginning that he thinks Sooyeon is perfect and that made him expect more from her. The affair broke Hyunwoo's illusion of an omnipotent wife and about time! He has lived in a fantasy lala-land for 8 years. The fact that he put his wife up on a pedestal lifted all worries from his shoulders and also made him not work for the marriage. Although not in a respectable way, Sooyeon at least managed to give him a well-needed wake-up call.
Also, and this is just my analysis, Sooyeon's character seems to be very self-sacrificing. As long as others are happy, she is okay with suffering. With the entrance of her business partner who put her needs first, she probably felt a new sensation of warmth and as if she could be happy again. Again, not a reason heavy enough to justify cheating but it might explain why she did what she did instead of talking things out and admitting to being "weak".
As for Sooyeon taking Junsu away from his dad, I agree, that was stupid. She should've known better than to try handling the situation on her own. But again, the circumstances weren't exactly ideal for that considering that Hyunwoo refused to talk. I also agree that she is responsible for Junsu getting hurt but at the same time the whole situation could have been avoided if she could have discussed with her husband and arrange for an alternate solution.
I don't expect Hyunwoo to forgive Sooyeon or for them to fix their marriage. What I hope from them is a decent conversation and an effort to make life for their kid as good as it can be under the current circumstances.
P.S. I'm not trying to pick a fight, I just think the conversation is interesting :)
The only one Trash here is the wife!!! really its all Hyun Woo fault? is that what the writer is trying to prove?…
Wow are you serious? Sooyeon and Yoon Gi aren't even mildly comparable. Yoon Gi is the trash, he keeps searching for more and more women without remorse and doesn't give a rat's ass about his wife's feelings (or the feelings of any woman he seduces for that matter). Yoon Gi's wife has done no wrong, there's no question of that.
Sooyeon on the other hand tried to be the best wife and the best mother and the best employee she possible could because that's what everyone, including Hyunwoo, expected of her, and burned herself out which caused her to resort to cheating with the one person who showed that he cared about how she felt. It was wrong of her, but there was a reason. You can't justify cheating, but you can explain why someone cheats.
Honestly, Hyunwoo is a pathetic excuse of a husband and a pretty lousy dad, too. He barely does any housework, wasn't capable of communication with his wife and constantly forgot about his responsibilities as a father. When he finally managed to show enough patience to listen to his wife and how hard life was for her, his response was "everyone lives like that, you shouldn't complain". He is completely irresponsible and refuses to take any blame. Just like you, he thinks of the world as black and white. If you cheat, you're horrible and if you're cheated on, you have done no wrong. Thank god Boyoung and his ex seem to have slapped some sense into him.
As for Sooyeon trying to make herself feel better... really? She is beating herself up more than anyone. She doesn't complain when people (mainly Hyunwoo), tell her how shitty of a person she is and is doing everything she can to solve the situation in the best way possible for Junsu. She knows she did wrong and constantly asks Hyunwoo how he wants to resolve things. His response each time is "I don't know" and when Sooyeon proposes something he says "Who are you to decide on anything?". He is not receptive, nor proactive.
The truth is, their marriage was done for a long time before she cheated and it's impossible to pinpoint who is the one that's done more damage. It's so easy to blame the cheater for everything and not consider the reasons behind it. Out of curiosity, since we clearly disagree on many things, how would you resolve the situation?
I'm probably the only one who thinks this way, but I do feel bad for Sooyeon. She screwed up, big time. I absolutely would never be able to forgive someone for cheating and I don't expect that Hyunwoo do that either. BUT the way everything is collapsing around her is sad. She had it coming, why would she cheat, she is horrible etc.etc. I get it, I know. And I am in no way defending what she did because cheating is always wrong. I just wish they would explain why she cheated. Considering how guilt-ripped she obviously is, I'm sure there must have been a reason. She listens to all the shit that everyone throws her way without a single tear but breaks down the moment her mother-in-law shows an inch of sympathy. I understand that the producers want to show the horrible repercussions that can come about from cheating and that's good but I'm going to be disappointed if they don't delve deeper into Sooyeon's character. And Hyunwoo is starting to turn almost abusive, I hope he doesn't do anything reckless.
On side note, I love the little romance between Joonyeong and Boyeong, I hope their relationship develops :)
I feel like wherever I go, people are complaining about this drama while I'm just frustrated that I have to, once again, wait another week to see what happens...
A nice, accurate review. I was thinking of writing one myself but you pretty much said everything I wanted to discuss. Joongwon is sooo sexy, yesss!
The main actress' name is Jeon Do Yeon, not Kim, though, you might want to fix that small error :)
I wonder if Jun Do-yeon acts all superior (and/or reserved) on the set because she works with people like Nana…
Yes, that's the one. They filmed in Finland last year so I was able to go. I actually got a picture with Gong Yoo but not one with Jeon Doyeon which is a shame cause I actually like her a lot but it was still amazing to see the both of them in person :)
I wonder if Jun Do-yeon acts all superior (and/or reserved) on the set because she works with people like Nana…
I think she's quite friendly. I met her at the set of a film where I was a background extra and she was really friendly to everybody, even thanked all the extras at the end of the day. It was nice to see someone as big as her being considerate towards others ^^
Gong Yoo oppa <3 how come i can"t find it anywhere -_- what kind of forbidden love -_- pffffff no details…
I know this is a little late for a reply but they filmed this movie in Finland in the beginning of February so I don't think it'll come out until the end of summer, perhaps autumn. If you want to get specifics on the plot, search for the details of the movie on hancinema :)
So in regards to your point number 2.
First of all, Sooyeon did try relieve the burden on her shoulders by delegating some responsibilities regarding Junsu to Hyunwoo. He didn't fulfill these requests. Since her burden at home remained the same that left her with cutting down on work which I don't think is a reasonable request. This goes back to the Korean society and women having to often compromise their career for the sake of the family. Hyunwoo worked even longer hours, yet no one is criticizing him for that. I know this part of the Korean culture, and I don't condone it.
Second, I don't understand why you think that the family was broken specifically because of Sooyeon. Just because everyone sleeps at the same house and sees each other on a daily basis doesn't mean that the family is functional. It was obvious that there were severe communication issues with the two spouses and pre-existing problems with Junsu, such as him being an outcast, way before Sooyeon cheated. You can argue that because of her these problems escalated to the current state of disrepair and while you're right on that, it still doesn't mean that she broke the family. Her cheating, as wrong and horrible as it was, brought light to the issues that the two were having already.
The link you provided was great. Very interesting and entertaining, it gets the point across. But... the formula in that situation doesn't apply to this case. Hyunwoo never sat down with Sooyeon to tell her that he has lost trust in her and considers this a deal breaker for their relationship. The communication from his part was nonexistent for the most, yelling for the rest. Sooyeon also didn't say: "I'm sorry, it was one mistake." She acknowledged what she did wrong and tried (and is still trying, as the drama is ongoing) to fix what she can, which isn't much.
Like you said, Sooyeon should have talked to her husband and try to fix their relationship first before going and cheating on him. However, I have my doubts about this working because Hyunwoo said since the beginning that he thinks Sooyeon is perfect and that made him expect more from her. The affair broke Hyunwoo's illusion of an omnipotent wife and about time! He has lived in a fantasy lala-land for 8 years. The fact that he put his wife up on a pedestal lifted all worries from his shoulders and also made him not work for the marriage. Although not in a respectable way, Sooyeon at least managed to give him a well-needed wake-up call.
Also, and this is just my analysis, Sooyeon's character seems to be very self-sacrificing. As long as others are happy, she is okay with suffering. With the entrance of her business partner who put her needs first, she probably felt a new sensation of warmth and as if she could be happy again. Again, not a reason heavy enough to justify cheating but it might explain why she did what she did instead of talking things out and admitting to being "weak".
As for Sooyeon taking Junsu away from his dad, I agree, that was stupid. She should've known better than to try handling the situation on her own. But again, the circumstances weren't exactly ideal for that considering that Hyunwoo refused to talk. I also agree that she is responsible for Junsu getting hurt but at the same time the whole situation could have been avoided if she could have discussed with her husband and arrange for an alternate solution.
I don't expect Hyunwoo to forgive Sooyeon or for them to fix their marriage. What I hope from them is a decent conversation and an effort to make life for their kid as good as it can be under the current circumstances.
P.S. I'm not trying to pick a fight, I just think the conversation is interesting :)
Sooyeon on the other hand tried to be the best wife and the best mother and the best employee she possible could because that's what everyone, including Hyunwoo, expected of her, and burned herself out which caused her to resort to cheating with the one person who showed that he cared about how she felt. It was wrong of her, but there was a reason. You can't justify cheating, but you can explain why someone cheats.
Honestly, Hyunwoo is a pathetic excuse of a husband and a pretty lousy dad, too. He barely does any housework, wasn't capable of communication with his wife and constantly forgot about his responsibilities as a father. When he finally managed to show enough patience to listen to his wife and how hard life was for her, his response was "everyone lives like that, you shouldn't complain". He is completely irresponsible and refuses to take any blame. Just like you, he thinks of the world as black and white. If you cheat, you're horrible and if you're cheated on, you have done no wrong. Thank god Boyoung and his ex seem to have slapped some sense into him.
As for Sooyeon trying to make herself feel better... really? She is beating herself up more than anyone. She doesn't complain when people (mainly Hyunwoo), tell her how shitty of a person she is and is doing everything she can to solve the situation in the best way possible for Junsu. She knows she did wrong and constantly asks Hyunwoo how he wants to resolve things. His response each time is "I don't know" and when Sooyeon proposes something he says "Who are you to decide on anything?". He is not receptive, nor proactive.
The truth is, their marriage was done for a long time before she cheated and it's impossible to pinpoint who is the one that's done more damage. It's so easy to blame the cheater for everything and not consider the reasons behind it. Out of curiosity, since we clearly disagree on many things, how would you resolve the situation?
On side note, I love the little romance between Joonyeong and Boyeong, I hope their relationship develops :)
The main actress' name is Jeon Do Yeon, not Kim, though, you might want to fix that small error :)