Secret Relationships - thoughts and musings so far

So I rarely post any more as I don't have the time, but I watched all 4 episodes of this show yesterday and couldn't resist writing something. I'm really enjoying it in a way I haven't enjoyed too many shows recently. So without further ado, thoughts on the characters:

Daon

So far as I can tell he is a farm dog. An abused farm dog. Cute and adorable but also liable to snap at anyone he doesn't know. Intensely loyal to the point where he will defend those who are beating him and tying him up in a yard. Has the self-preservation of a frog in boiling lava.

Surprisingly he did tell dad to sod off. That was nice even tho it was just for a plot point - he's also tried to stand up to Su Hyeon but again the lack of survival issues come up - getting alone with a known violent madman and then proceeding to enrage him isn't a trait commonly found in many of the long-lived.

I'm surprised people here were conflicted as to who was endgame - I felt like it was pretty clear from the start that Daon/Seong Hyeon would be together - they've thrown virtually every kdrama trope at them, so unless the fall-and-catch, I'll-drink-for-you, and wrong-name-whilst-drunk tropes are a Cat 5 hurricane of confused and dizzy red herrings then there's no other conclusion.

Seong Hyeon

Clearly has daddy issues. And mummy issues. And possibly granddad, grandma, aunt, uncle, and cousin issues to go with it. Let's do a quick breakdown if events, shall we?

A) Saves man from being hit by motorbike, B) Is yelled at by said man, C) Said man then mistreat him at work, D) Animosity between them builds, E) Man straightens his tie, F) He...falls in love?

Ok, this is clearly instigated by seeing Daon getting abuse from various other sources but we did jump straight from office warfare into worrying dreams at night that leave me with cleanup duty on the morning. There is a saviour complex going on here that could found a new religion.

I am surprised by him using the same line that JaeMin used re. "You can take as much from me as you want"; I'm guessing his is to juxtapose the difference between his unconditional generosity and JaeMin's that has strings attached, but it still felt like Daon should have had a slightly bigger reaction to that particular phrase.

Either way, Grandma is the best character in the show hands down. Grade A wingman and takes no 🐂 from her grandson. I can imagine her dragging him to the pharmacy and yelling "MY GRANDSON NEEDS CONDOMS AND LUBE"

Let's just have a spin-off of her doling out life advice to random strangers that come into her bakery - I would watch it.

JaeMin

Sociopath. It's not often I think this about a character but I do feel it about him. Even if he feels justified in his reasons the manner in which he's gone about them is devoid of any empathy for others.

His entire modus is to manipulate and control those around him whether or not he stands to gain from his actions. Him manoeuvring Daon into being assaulted was...disturbing, and I don't know the reason yet, though it hardly matters. Getting Su Hyeon to leave the country feels like a carpe diem moment rather than the initial goal as he couldn't know Daon would phone him - but what was the initial intent? To blackmail Daon?

Regarding his relationship with Daon, it feels like what he thrives on is the control, not the affection. So long as Daon is indebted to him then he is satisfied, it's only when Daon starts becoming independent that he interferes - re. Daon's dad. He only paid off the dad after Daon moved out on his own and began building a life of his own. Now he owes JaeMin again.

It's impressive how they turned him around from an approachable, loveable character into a manipulative got without breaking his character's believability.

Su Hyeon

Ah yes..."I love this man so much that I will force my way into his life and make him as miserable as possible with no explanation". Genius. I know I'm a sucker for men who actively and publicly destroy my social network, humiliate me in public, and threaten me with physical violence. He's a few board members short of a committee, is this one.

Also, what's this contract nonsense? I won't date him if you won't What good does that do? All it does is guarantee everybody is miserable all the time. Fantastic way to treat someone you allegedly care about...

As far as the attempts to backstory him into a good person...nah. I actually like it and I think it adds depth to his character, plus I think it's believable, but it doesn't change my opinion of him. His motives were theoretically from a different and purer place than the initial episodes led us to believe but the actions themselves still stand. The moment you hurl a glass ornament at someone's face then you lose your rights to claim you are protecting them imo.

My biggest fear for this show is that they will try and do the traditional kdrama conclusion and make everyone happy-clappy buddies who all forgive each other in the end. I don't want that. I want JaeMin and Su Hyeon to realise how badly they f'd up and to suffer the consequences.