Open Thread: Heard It Through The Grapevine Episodes 7 & 8

Welcome to the Open Thread, everyone! This happy shot of In Sang and Bom is so great, that I had to have it headline our post today! I love it when our babies are happy. 😍

SOME IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS, before we begin:

ZERO SPOILER POLICY

1. We will be adopting a ZERO SPOILER POLICY for this Open Thread, except for events that have happened in the show, up to this point.

The spoiler tags don’t work in email notifications, therefore, please take note that WE WILL NOT BE USING SPOILER TAGS FOR THIS OPEN THREAD. 

ANY AND ALL SPOILERS WILL BE REDACTED to protect first-time viewers in our midst (although, I’d appreciate it if you would save me the trouble of having to redact spoilers, heh 😅).

This includes, but is not limited to, how characters &/or relationships develop, later in the show.

We need to protect the innocent! 😉

SPOILER ZONE

2. HOWEVER!! If you’d like to discuss spoilers from a rewatcher’s point of view, I’ve created a SPOILER ZONE for you, where you can discuss all the spoilers you’d like, without the need for spoiler warnings. You can find it here!

Without further ado, here are my reactions to this set of episodes; have fun in the Open Thread, everyone! ❤️

My thoughts

Episode 7

This episode is all about the aftermath of that glorious brawl, and man, do both dads suffer, muahaha.

I mean, yes, I feel mean for laughing, but also, they are so funny, as they walk around like broken robots that need some serious fixing. 😜

On a tangent, I’m glad that Hyeong Sik yells at Secretary Kim, for saying that they should have held back, so that they wouldn’t be leaving empty-handed like this.

I think the thing that is more shocking, is how Secretary Kim genuinely seems clueless as to why his words are considered rude and insulting. Hyeong Sik’s spot on in his angry observation, that Secretary Kim is just like his master.

Jung Ho’s physical discomfort – apparently from aggravating his hemorrhoids – becomes a running gag through most of this episode, along with his obsession with his hair loss situation, ha.

I gotta say, I do feel some satisfaction at his suffering. He’s been so haughty and mean to his in-laws, that it feels like some form of poetic justice, that he suffer in return.

This episode, Bom’s curiosity to learn – specifically about the realities of the world that Jung Ho and Yeon Hee are so concerned about – really comes to the fore, and it’s pretty telling how inconvenient everyone seems to find her desire to learn.

On that note, I appreciate that Jung Ho takes Bom seriously enough, to get Teacher Park to conduct sessions for In Sang and Bom, to show them a “clear global perspective.”

Certainly, I don’t think that Jung Ho actually sets this up expecting Bom to engage with the learning with any kind of questions or pushback. I think that he expects Teacher Park to essentially intimidate them into acquiescence, but that’s just not how Bom rolls (yay, Bom!).

I love how Bom is so smart and genuine, as she wrestles with every concept that’s placed before her, and it’s pretty great that the staff all start to see how unusual and absolutely not average Bom is.

What’s interesting to me, is how In Sang seems.. perplexed and almost frustrated, with Bom’s desire to ask questions and grapple with the concepts.

I think the idea that Bom’s smarter than he is, intimidates In Sang. At least, I think that’s part of it.

Another part of it could be that in In Sang’s mind, Bom’s always represented freedom; something other than the reality that his parents keep prescribing to him.

And now that Bom’s starting to actively engage with that reality, and expressing a desire to understand it, In Sang’s unhappy and uncomfortable, and wants to keep her separate from it.

Because, once she engages with it, she’ll no longer be separate from it, and she’ll therefore no longer represent the escape that he’s always associated her with.

It doesn’t help matters that on top of all this, Bom’s experiencing a lot of discomfort from breastfeeding Jin Young, and this adds to the strain between her and In Sang.

It’s just really unhelpful that right after Bom’s told In Sang not to touch her because it hurts, his instinct is to hug her. Sigh. Our In Sang sometimes doesn’t seem very bright, eh? 😅

Although, I must say, in his own way, In Sang’s trying to be more grown up and responsible too, like how he checks on whether Jung Ho has washed his hands, when Jung Ho makes to enter Jin Young’s room, to spend time with him.

How ironic, though, that Yeon Hee sees this as part of In Sang and Bom being high and mighty. Even more interesting, is how Yeon Hee blames all this on Bom’s parents.

My first reaction was, “Waitaminute.. If we’re talking about being high and mighty here, wouldn’t Yeon Hee and Jung Ho be the main culprits..?”

On further thought, however, I’m leaning towards the conclusion that to Yeon Hee, when someone without power – like Bom’s parents, In Sang and Bom – makes claims towards any sort of basic human rights, this lands as overstepping, and she therefore interprets it as being high and mighty.

Like, “Know your place, basically; you have no rights.”

Gosh, that’s an insidious way of thinking about people.

And therefore, when Jin Ae tries to be decent, and invite Jung Ho and Yeon Hee to their family home in return for the invitation that they’d received, Yeon Hee takes that as overstepping too, and gets Secretary Lee to respond in the snootiest, most condescending manner possible.

Given the shark-infested waters that Yeon Hee’s accustomed to swimming in, I suppose I can’t blame her too much, for being defensive and suspicious.

I mean, just watching her make small talk with her so-called friends is exhausting. It’s all this barely hidden jibes that they just keep throwing at each other. Honestly, with friends like these, is it really necessary to have enemies..?

At this point of our story, Young Ra and her husband are in trouble, and Jung Ho’s in a position to help them – but everyone involved (and by this I mean literally everyone) takes this as an opportunity to angle for power.

I actually think it serves Jung Ho right, that he talks himself into a corner while complaining to Yeon Hee about Young Ra, and gets relegated to sleeping in the library, by a livid Yeon Hee. Ha.

And what a funny parallel, that In Sang gets relegated to sleeping on the couch, because In Sang’s not showing support for Bom’s desire to learn.

So how ironic is it, that when Yeon Hee comes upon In Sang sleeping on the couch, she goes berserk and starts screaming at Bom for doing such a thing to In Sang – when SHE HERSELF is guilty of making her own husband sleep on a couch in the library??

In fact, that couch in the library looks way more uncomfortable than the couch that In Sang got, heh.

Gosh, those double standards are quite blinding, aren’t they? 😜

Episode 8

Gosh, it’s tough to be Bom, isn’t it? 😅 You have to be good enough – but if you’re too good, that’s a problem too. And we see that unfold so clearly, this episode.

First of all, I’m just relieved that Jung Ho gets a clue (from none other than Young Ra herself, pfft), and pacifies Yeon Hee about the whole thing around him having been rejected by Young Ra, and how Yeon Hee had been fed a different story, by Jung Ho’s mother.

On that note, Jung Ho really can be quite the spin doctor, eh? With the way he repackages that entire situation, so that Yeon Hee comes out looking like she’s queen of the world, is quite something.

Perhaps that’s why he’s so good at his job? Coz he’s got an innate talent for spin doctoring?

Also, I just wanted to point out that while my subs say that Jung Ho tells Yeon Hee that she’s the mother of the family, and his queen, he actually uses the terms 무후 (muhu; 母后) and 중전 (jungjeon; 中殿), which mean Royal Mother and Queen respectively.

I just thought that was an interesting touch, since Jung Ho and Yeon Hee do run their household like a royal court.

It’s about this time, where we get a moment between In Sang and Bom, that I think really helps us to see that they’re at a different level.

In Sang tells Bom that they shouldn’t fight because they’d be used politically, and Bom answers that if his parents used them to make up, it’s worthwhile.

That just goes to show how strategic Bom’s thinking naturally is, doesn’t it? I can see why Jung Ho soon starts to see Bom as an asset – and why Yeon Hee is also quick to see Bom as a threat.

I realize that this episode, we see a lot of “managing” going on.

What I mean is, everyone’s doing their best to manage everyone else.

Jung Ho manages Yeon Hee and her emotions, in order to maintain peace for himself and his household; Secretary Yang manages Jung Ho and his hair loss fears, in order to achieve a peaceful day for herself and her colleagues.

Jung Ho manages his in-laws by applying pressure on Yeong Sik, and then offering him money for the fine, in order to keep them under control.

And Secretary Lee manages Yeon Hee’s mood by praising her beauty, and reminding her that Bom, who can’t lie, had likewise praised her beauty, in order to manage Yeon Hee’s perception of Bom,

On that note, I have to say, it gives me a great deal of gratification to see that almost all the staff are rooting for Bom.

I mean, Secretary Lee didn’t have to put in that word for Bom, but she did, and that results in a significant step forward in Bom’s relationship with Yeon Hee. Yay, Secretary Lee!

And, it’s also just really nice to see all the staff looking on with smiles and nods, as they see Bom doing well with her in-laws, during meal times. I love that Bom’s basically won their hearts, all on her own. ❤️

I was sooo happy to hear Teacher Park tell Jung Ho and Yeon Hee, without mincing his words, that Bom’s basically exceptional, and if it were up to him, he’d put her on the same path as In Sang.

Yay, Bom, and yay, Teacher Park! I just love seeing Bom do well, so this pleased me greatly, as did seeing Jung Ho’s and Yeon Hee’s eyes grow as big as saucers, as they realized that they’ve been underestimating Bom all this while.

At this point, I kinda love Teacher Park for paving the way for Bom, in describing the possibilities that he sees, based on her potential.

He really knows how to speak Jung Ho’s language, and it was really quite gratifying to me, to see Jung Ho getting a big ol’ glint in his eye, as he turns over Bom’s potential in his head.

I do appreciate that little scene that we get, of In Sang being proud of Bom for being “self-generated electricity” (cute, and apt!), and telling her that it’s totally ok for her to do better than him. Aw. That’s sweet.

And, it’s also sweet of Bom to also acknowledge that In Sang’s worked hard too, and that tutoring doesn’t work for everyone.

These two are so endearing together, really. Their passion and idealism is such a bright spot in this drama world.

I loved watching Bom impress Jung Ho with her aptitude and prowess, and those little leaked pleased smiles that we get from Jung Ho, were pretty great.

Of course, he’s still insufferably manipulative and full of himself, like in how he tells Yeon Hee that Bom’s family will be grateful now, no matter what he gives them, but it’s just nice to see Bom win Jung Ho’s favor, in spite of himself.

On a side note, I’ve been meaning to say something about the way Secretary Yang and Secretary Min tend to talk to each other in a mash-up of Korean and Japanese, whenever they’re commenting on Jung Ho’s matters.

First, doesn’t it say something, that they need to be so well-read and well-educated, in order to be secretaries at Hansong? It really is a premium organization, when you look at it that way.

Second, this reminds me of something I came across once (in a book? Movie? I can’t recall, sorry!), that the safest way to talk about secrets, is in the open, but in multiple languages.

That’s essentially what Secretary Yang and Secretary Min are doing, right? Which means that most people who aren’t fluent in Japanese wouldn’t be able to understand what they’re talking about, even if they overheard the conversation. Clever.

On a nerdy side note, I think the reason the Korean-Japanese mash-up works so well, is because the sentence structures of both languages are so similar, so it’s easy to switch between languages, for different parts of speech. Cool!

That flashback that we get, when In Sang asks Bom which part of the journey had been the hardest for her, to how heartbroken and upset Bom’s parents had been at the news of her pregnancy, is pretty gutting.

It really puts into perspective how much they’ve all suffered, and how far Bom has come, in her journey to achieve her goals.

..Which is why it’s so concerning, that just when things have been going so well, Yeon Hee and Jung Ho suddenly become cognizant of the threat that Bom would present, should she do better than In Sang.

And since the likelihood of Bom doing better than In Sang is pretty high, I’m guessing that Jung Ho and Yeon Hee’s anxiety levels around this, would be pretty high too. Eep.

Don’t be mean to Bom, please! Bom is special and precious, and needs to be treasured. 🥺

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phl1rxd
phl1rxd
1 year ago

Fangurl – that was another great review. I am a little late to the party on these two episodes. I want to give a shout out to the music director for his choice of instrumental music. I respect the attention to detail and the odd selections because this is after all, not your average drama. It is frankly refreshing, especially when a rift ends on a distinctly sour note. I find that quite funny.

Every time I think In Sang’s family is behaving nicely for a change, within minutes the opposite is shown. It kind of makes you head spin. For example, when Jung Ho takes a on-on-one interest in Bom’s education, he lets us know that “She can be used”. Ugh, what an awful family. It makes you wonder how In Sang tuned out with such a good heart!

This drama is simply fascinating! I really cannot wait to see how Bom grows through this.

j3ffc
j3ffc
1 year ago

Hi everybody! I also noticed that the blog has been a bit quiet. I’ve been able to keep up with the shows but it’s a bit of a challenge with so much happening IRL this month (a long-delayed, long vacation with family, moving homes, speaking at a fancy conference later this month and….well, that’s enough right?). I’ll do my best to keep up with everything but, if I can’t it might be catch-up mode. Now, onto a few comments on Grapevine:

You know that a man ain’t supposed to cry
But these tears I can’t hold inside

(1) And who among us is not enjoying Jung Ho’s little sufferings? But even so, I was shocked to hear him explicitly admit to others that he’s a pain wimp.

(2) So what is wrong with Secretary Kim? Sheesh.

(3) I think we knew that Bom was the sharper tack from episode 1, but man, here she comes. I love how she isn ‘t just smart-smart, she knows how to navigate the sharky waters she has found herself in. This is gonna be fun.

(4) Speaking of fun, I will admit now publicly that it’s taken me this far to get really engaged in the show. For me, sometimes it’s as much knowing how/when to watch a show as opposed to what’s really in it. In that regard, Grapevine requires non-rushed attention and an alert mind, meaning that I can’t pop it on when it’s late and I’m sleepy (on the other hand Queen In-Hyun is perfect for those moments, all comfort/joy and all). So earlier episodes were kind of a slog for me but I’m getting there.

(5) Can someone explain for me who all of those “friends” are, hanging out in some weird apartment making cocktails, talking smack, and playing bad guitar? Those scenes play like some outtakes from The Thin Man to me.

(6) I love how The Ho/Hee House is an active character in the show, sort of about 45% Manderley, 45% Xanadu, and 10% The Overlook (the house/characters in Rebecca, Citizen Kane, and The Shining, respectively). The long shots, the around-the-corners, and especially the shooting through paned windows to render people and events as doubles. Masterful and totally elevating our story.

eda harris
eda harris
1 year ago
Reply to  j3ffc

Can someone explain for me who all of those “friends” are, hanging out in some weird apartment making cocktails, talking smack, and playing bad guitar? 
the “weird” apartment is kind of a fancy club/hotel, with a bar. the people that you see gathering there are friends (all rich, high society, including the man), but actually frenemies (sort of). their relationships go to school times, and the girls love to gossip, but also are jealous of each others’ different areas.
one of them of course is in sang’s mother. her girl friend (also client of in sang’s dad, and her husband is in big trouble, even facing possible jail time) was actually one that young jung ho wanted to marry originally, but his mother has chosen for him the one that is his wife now and the mother of his children. and that is why she gets pissed with her husband because she did not know that it was jung ho’s mother who made up the marriage and chose her instead of this other one, even that jung ho originally wanted this other woman. she’s still jealous and thinks that her husband harbors feelings for this other woman (her friend, supposedly, and the children are also friends with in sang), and so this is why she explodes. we learn about it when jung ho employs his super polished lawyer skills to calm down the turbulent waters in the house and make peace with his wife. he tells her that she is the QUEEN.
hope that makes sense.

j3ffc
j3ffc
1 year ago
Reply to  eda harris

It not only makes sense (in the wacky world that is Grapevine, that is 😉) but explains other stuff that I totally missed. Many thanks!!

eda harris
eda harris
1 year ago
Reply to  j3ffc

any time.

phl1rxd
phl1rxd
1 year ago
Reply to  eda harris

@Eda – I cannot figure out why Secretary Lee always stops and stares at Yeon Hee when she mentions breastfeeding her children. Did I miss something? Don’t tell me if it is a spoiler. I usually binge my dramas as I have a tendancy to forget a lot,

eda harris
eda harris
11 months ago
Reply to  phl1rxd

phl,  I cannot figure out why Secretary Lee always stops and stares at Yeon Hee when she mentions breastfeeding her children.

if i remember correct it will be clear later, (although it might be that it was already talked about, but since i do not remember which episode it was and when) and since you do not want spoilers (and you do not want beez to kill me), i am going to let you wait.

eda harris
eda harris
11 months ago
Reply to  eda harris

but… i think it was already said that in-sang’s parents left the taking care of their children to nannies, so that the kids do not develop too many emotional issues, but relate to the world through thinking mostly. remember, when in-sang’s mom is asking the dad if their babies also cried at night. but they did not hear it, since the nannies always were with the kids.
so it is aslo safe to assume, that she did not directly breastfed her kids.

phl1rxd
phl1rxd
11 months ago
Reply to  eda harris

@Eda – thanks Eda! I appreciate it!

Trent
1 year ago

Hello? Am I the only one still watching this thing?!

Trent
1 year ago
Reply to  kfangurl

Commentary as a whole seems to be in a bit of a lull, across the board, the last couple weeks, so…maybe everyone getting super excited for summer or something? (at least the northern hemisphere cohort?)

phl1rxd
phl1rxd
1 year ago
Reply to  Trent

Trent – it could be the trial being televised which ended the other day. It could also be that it is the first spring here in a few years that people feel safe going out and about. I was definitely late to the party, but what a party this drama is. The ‘House of Jung Ho’ puts the fun in dysfunctional.

eda harris
eda harris
1 year ago
Reply to  Trent

i also found it quite strange, i even thought that something is wrong with the blog site, or with my computer. to go from such excitement at the beginning and then to zero? really?
i know that beez moved to a new house, and encountered all kind of unexpected problems that need to be taken care of. so she’s totally spent, she is not even able to watch anything.
that is kind of sad and disappointing for both of us, since we were the ones who pushed this show for a group watch. we really had a lot of thoughts and questions in regards to this show and were looking forward to have an interesting discussion about it.
so i still have all these questions and thoughts, but nobody to discuss it with -well, i mean loyal trent is here (thanks god), but where is everybody else?

MariaF
MariaF
11 months ago
Reply to  eda harris

@Eda
I don’t know about others, but I’ve started watching Chuno, as you instructed.

eda harris
eda harris
11 months ago
Reply to  MariaF

maria, yei, can’t wait for your reaction!!!!!!!

Trent
1 year ago

I’ve revised my early clumsy attempts at prognostication. After these couple of episodes, I’m predicting that Bom will end up in charge of the family, the whole kit and caboodle. The only question is whether it will be a hostile takeover, or more amicable….

phl1rxd
phl1rxd
1 year ago
Reply to  Trent

Trent – I am betting hostile with her smiling. 🤣😂😅

MariaF
MariaF
11 months ago
Reply to  Trent

@Trent
Just to clarify: By being in charge you mean that an underaged, uneducated, poor girl will become a matriarch of a rich conniving lawyer’s family?

Trent
11 months ago
Reply to  MariaF

@MariaF — I don’t know that I’d really sketched out the precise mechanism of accession or position portfolio, but…

I’m not assuming it will be instantaneous, so she won’t be underaged (and she’s only marginally underaged now, in the sense of still being a minor, which she won’t be for much longer); I don’t think she’s uneducated now, I think she has a perfectly acceptable education by the standards of a not-well-to-do public school student–good enough to go to an apparently prestigious English camp on a scholarship. In-sang’s family would no doubt consider her undereducated, sure, but they are taking decided steps to rectify that, which she is fully on board with (one of the reasons I am speculating she will “take charge” in the future–she has the talent and raw smarts, it appears, and now has access to the tutoring to fully take advantage of her potential). Poor, sure, she started out poor, but it’s really a moot point, now. She’s within the bosom of privilege; poor antecedents are neither here nor there.

And whether she takes over in a more traditional matriarch role, or she exercises power in her own right, as a skilled professional (which then translates into power and influence within the family)? I tend to think it would be the second; by all appearances to this point in the drama (I’ve seen the next two episodes), In-sang would probably be a willing participant and enthusiastic supporter of her accession to control. The only question will be, does she rule from the throne, or behind it?

(this is at least half in jest, of course, but you asked….)

MariaF
MariaF
11 months ago
Reply to  Trent

@Trent

If we are talking about distant future, then yes, anything is possible. And I agree that Bom will have In-sang’s support.

However, I have a few issues with your assessment of the current situation. 

I don’t think she’s uneducated now.

My understanding is neither Bom nor In-Sang have gone to college yet. That means they are not properly educated.

she started out poor, but it’s really a moot point, now

No, it’s not. Neither In-sang nor Bom control the money. In-sang’s parents do.

Without their money and support, Bom and In-sang are just a couple of young uneducated teenagers with no money and no marketable skills, who have a child.

Sure, the parents are willing to invest into Bom’s future now, but there are no guarantees. One wrong move on her part, and …

The power, the money belong to the parents. And nobody gives up power and money willingly, especially people like In-sang’s parents. Which means war. And to win that war, Bom will have to play their game.

We know Bom as a decent, honest, loving girl, who comes from a poor, but decent, honest and loving family.

Do we expect her to forget all that, to change and become In-sang’s parents, so to speak?

eda harris
eda harris
11 months ago
Reply to  MariaF

maria, and everybody else,
i would like to take a slightly different way of evaluating the whole situation. this in no way an approval of the parent’s behavior, it’s just that…

first of all, everybody at this point is still in a state of shock or aftershock, (who wouldn’t be finding out that your daughter or son is suddenly a parent at age 18 and still in high school) which is not really complimentary to “good, straight” thinking. the only ones that are somehow succeeding to swim in this sharks infested waters is our couple and i must say i truly enjoy seeing them whispering around the corners of the house, hiding, laughing, sharing, adoring, can’t get enough of each other – like any young couple in love, which takes priority over anything else, soooooo cute. the only glitch so far between them is when bom gets upset that in sang is not understanding her – that truly hurts when the person closest to you does not get you. and in sang gets upset that bom rejects a nice, quiet life with him and instead wants to get into all these complicated socio/economic questions. seems like at this point he would prefer to enjoy life with bom and his baby, with no complications. but this misunderstanding is cleared up pretty fast, when in sang’s mom wants to throw her out of the house. and our couple is back to normal.

now in sang’s parents. unlike in other korean dramas where we see these super-rich people coming from nobility (most of them), jung ho’s ancestors actually come from a poor background, but achieved successes through higher education and so became most powerful lawyers and even political chess players. and that is how jung ho is following in the foot steps of his grandfather and father and expecting his son to continue on the same path.
their achievements, their social status is their pride and the most important thing in in-sang’s parent’s lives. that is what they can not afford to loose, but that is what bom represents to them – she’s a nuclear bomb thrown into their life’s goals and aspirations. how can they deal with it?

the drama very skillfully presents to us their dilemma and their attempts (ways) to deal with it. in their eyes, their entire existence as they know it is in jeopardy. and the drama presents to us also the question, can they be blamed for that or is it the society that created that kind of problem (amongst others)?

but regardless of what or who is to blame here, it still needs to be solved. so the smart, careful attorney in jung ho tries to come up with various plans.

plan A.
in their world everything can be purchased with money. so the first natural for them inclination is to throw money at the problem, in hopes that it will go away – they offer a huge sum of money to bom’s parents to break up bom and in sang.

bom’s parents are quite poor, in a lot of debts, father is not very bright and has no idea how to handle finances, business and take care of the family in general. mother seems to be at the end of her rope with her husband’s behavior, lies, and in general inability to do anything about their condition. so they do consider the offer, especially the father and the sister, as this money will totally solve ALL their problems. so, keep in mind, they do consider it, even for a short time. but… they also have their pride, so they decide that it is deeply offensive and reject the offer. the war starts here.

another person that it deeply offended and upset by this offer is in-sang. he loves his girl, his baby and how dare his parents try to take it away from him. nasty! good for him to stand up.

but the problem is still a problem for in-sang’s parents, there is no way they can give up. everything is on the line.

plan B.
invite bom’s parents to the “royal castle”, treat them to a “royal” dinner, design a life plan for them that they can not refuse, and in-sang’s parents will look like the “good” guys in the eyes of the society.
i believe that to them it truly looks like they are doing a good thing now, even promising a good job for the sister. (isn’t that what the sister and family wanted, before they went to this dinner? the sister was begging for them to bring it up, as to get a job in the field she wants to work in one needs to know the “right” people, at the end they decide that this is not the right time for such a request.
so at least they could have considered that not all was “evil” in in-sang’s parents proposal, as that is exactly what they wanted (at least for the sister).

the other part of the proposal was to send them away to the countryside, with an orchard and provide a comfortable life with no debts, fines, ets. it actually might have worked for other people, (i have heard in other dramas people dreaming of having an orchard and living in the country), i guess it’s the presentation that screwed it up. (like jung ho is taking control of their lives), so here is their pride again, they’d rather stay poor but in charge of their own lives. i guess they have a point, but you can also look at it from the other side – for now in-sang’s parents are agreeing for bom to stay with in-sang, and take away all the head-aches from bom’s parents, and solve their own problem with having them somewhere far away. unfortunately, there is a saying that a mouse with a full stomach can not feel what a mouse with an empty stomach feels, and that is another societal problem (not just in korea).
i love that aspect of the drama, which makes us think of all these questions.

eda harris
eda harris
11 months ago
Reply to  eda harris

again, the amazing ability, talent of ahn pan seok, the director, (secret love affair, one spring night, something in the rain) to zero in like a laser beam on the exact spot of pain inside the korean society. as if saying, is this how you like to live, is this good for you or would you have the guts to change something.
love the work of this director.

Trent
11 months ago
Reply to  MariaF

@MariaF — I have a sense that we might be at least partly talking past each other?

My prediction (to be clear, at least a bit tongue in cheek), was of course predicated on where our young couple are now, at this point in the drama (nothing in eps. 9-10 would really change the analysis much, though).

Could circumstances change? Of course; in another 6 or 8 or however many episodes, I could well be saying “well, that was a dumb prediction, that’s obviously not going to happen.”

But to your points: At this stage in the drama, Bom and In-sang aren’t just a couple of uneducated teenagers with no money and no job prospects, plus a newborn. Yes, In-sang’s parents control the money and there’s a significant, seemingly overwhelming power imbalance. But! The kids have leverage! Both implicit and explicit, and they are getting smarter about understanding and using it (as we will see). In theory, the parents could kick them out with nothing and irrevocably cut them off.

But there are a number of fairly powerful reasons why they aren’t going to do that: reputation, social standing, their own perceived best interests, family solidarity, dynastic considerations…plus, in spite of their cramped conniving emotionally stunted selves, they actually can’t seem to stop themselves from doting on their grandson.

So. I take it as a given (a predicate for making the prediction, if you will), that Bom and In-sang will continue to operate within the family structure, with the ruling couple’s general-if-often-grudging support; that Bom (with In-sang’s likely enthusiastic support) will continue to learn the folkways of this new social milieu, and how power is held and used in this type of familial dynamic; and that Bom has the intelligence, grit, and emotional maturity to become a skilled strategist and player of power politics. That’s what I foresee. I could be wrong! I will reluctantly return my Cassandra’s license!

I don’t, incidentally, believe that to become a skilled operator on that field it is per se necessary to cede one’s humanity. I don’t think Bom will have to become, in effect, In-sang’s parents. She will likely become less naïve, probably less idealistic, but that was likely to happen regardless.

eda harris
eda harris
11 months ago
Reply to  MariaF

maria,
I don’t think she’s uneducated now.
My understanding is neither Bom nor In-Sang have gone to college yet. That means they are not properly educated.

in ep.9, in-sang is sitting down on the steps of the school, chatting with his 2 friends (kids of in-sang’s mother’s frenemies from those gatherings at the club), and they can not understand how can she be able to study for the bar exam, while she went to just a public school. what is she – and alien or a genius? which indicates to me that the public school is not on the same level as the private school (and i know nothing about the educational system in korea). and according to them, her education is must be less than theirs.