@actionscript gives his perspective on Dong Hoon’s narrative arc and why it matters.
“When he is caught between desire and conscience, he always leans towards the latter.” Thus speaks Ki Hoon of his brother Dong Hoon in episode 1, and these words introduce us to the kind of man our protagonist is. I’d say it’s quite consistent with the image that Dong Hoon had exhibited in the first few scenes – in how gentle he was with the ladybug, and in how dutiful he was as a brother to both Sang Hoon and Ki Hoon. But Ki Hoon follows up those words with a seemingly ominous declaration: “I pity him the most.”
One thing I noticed during a re-watch was how often PDnim focuses on hands. He portrays an emotion and tells a story just by having us look at a character’s hands, and through this he encourages us to keep paying attention.
I just finished Episode 4 and after sobbing and laughing then sobbing again…I realised this: Episode 1-2 were thrilling and exciting and made me think it was some kind of thriller/corporate mystery. But episode 4 was when the show sank its claws into me. And I didn’t even realise it then, because it was done so, so subtly through the use of wiretapping/flashbacks.
“In the mountains there you feel free” ~ T. S. Eliot, The Wasteland
@rellea translated a post in DC Inside, which pointed out that Park Dong Hoon’s bag symbolises the weight of life that he carries. One place where he consistently does not hold on to his bag is in the countryside.
The countryside in My Mister is a place to which our characters escape to find peace and rest, and the insights they glean during their excursions often constitute a turning point in the characters’ development. In contrast to the city wasteland, with its crammed alleys and the neutral tones of office cubicles and subway stations, the countryside is replete with life and lush colours and wide open spaces. These qualities allow our characters to see clearly the most important facts of their lives for the first time, and to gather strength to act on these insights. Continue reading My Mister Locations: The Countryside (part 5/5)→
I think the overall theme is rebirth, kind of like shedding the old skin by a snake, or the old feathers like an eagle. The eagle experiences extreme pain while removing the old feathers but grows back a plume that allows it to fly even higher. The characters don’t have to die physically for this… ~ by @africandramalover Continue reading Overall Theme: Rebirth→
Jung Hee and Gyum Duk (the monk friend) seem to represent two extremes in Buddhist philosophy – sensual self-indulgence and self-mortification, respectively – while Dong Hoon represents the “middle way”, as @maddymappo and @h2ogirl explain.Continue reading Dong Hoon’s Middle Way→
@noor1 from Soompi is our resident most objective viewer. She started out standing outside the romantic ship until the moment she had not choice but to jump ship because she logically followed where the show led her. Then she was in heart and soul, but never at the expense of checking her brains at the door 🙂 We love @noor1 and her “amusing pessimism.” (as @h2ogirl calls it) Here are her thoughts after the conclusion of the show, in chronological order. Do you agree with her that Ji An is just a female version of Dong Hoon’s monk best friend and nothing more?
My Ahjussi / My Mister Fan Site 