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Shin Hyun Been as Jung Mo Eun

Jung Mo Eun is an aspiring actress, who has told her family she is studying for the civil service exam.  When she recieves a call for a small role being filmed on Jeju, she drops everything to go.  But the director isn’t impressed with her performance, and fires her before she can finish filming her scene.  And as she wanders the island aimlessly, she meets a deaf artist who peaks her interest in him as a person and drives her to study sign language.  Returning home after her trip, she runs into the man at the art gallery her best friend works at.  And when her friend recruits her to work at the gallery part-time, she jumps at the chance to get to know Jin Woo better.  But for them to have any kind of long-term relationship, she will have to break through the emotional and communication walls that surround his heart.  

Jung Mo Eun is shy and quiet, but her desire to act has helped her to gain confidence and courage.  There is a part of her that is actually jealous that Jin Woo is able to live in a quiet, peaceful world, where hurtful words are completely blocked out. Maybe because of this, she becomes fascinated in learning sign language, and she is a quick study.  Soon she is able to communicate with Jin Woo, at least on a simple level. But as their relationship deepens, she becomes frustrated with the limitations. I like Shin Hyun Been as an actress and I thought she played this part well.  She is good in these kinds of quiet, introspective roles and I liked the development in her character.

♥ Ki Hyun and So Hee

Ki Hyun and So Hee were such a cute couple and I enjoyed the scenes with them together.  I think they are the perfect reminder that while it isn’t easy for a hearing person to marry a deaf person, it can be done.  And that relationship can be strong and healthy with a little effort and a lot of love.  I also loved Ki Hyun’s friendship with Jin Woo.  His loyalty to his “brother” was such a gift to Jin Woo, and I think at times it was all that kept Jin Woo going.

  ♥ Silence

So much of this drama is done with no verbal sound.  It is oddly calming and I feel like it gives us an insight into the world Jin Woo lives in.  The quiet stillness of fingers moving and pens scratching give just enough sound to create an intimate mood.  And yet, many of those silent periods give us the most profound moments in communication and understanding.  I have always loved the graceful movements of sign language, and I loved watching these characters as they navigated complex thoughts and emotions with only the movement of their hands and the expressions on their faces.  

Ji Yoo and Mo Dam

I thought Ji Yoo and Mo Dam were adorable together and it’s easy to see how they could have ended up falling for each other.  But I really can’t see how Mo Eun didn’t manage to pick up on it. It’s true that she had a lot going on in her own life.  But to live with Ji Yoo and spend time hanging out in the evenings with Ji Yoo and Mo Dam together, and never pick up on their chemistry just doesn’t seem very realistic.  Maybe the wrong roommate was trying to become an actress?!

Do Hoon

Do Hoon’s character was so weird to me.  First of all, the idea that he kept hanging out at Ki Hyun’s restaurant like they were just old friends, after everything he did, seemed strange.  They weren’t ever close to begin with.  And in the end, we find out that Do Hoon didn’t start the fire, which makes him less of a creep.  But he still stalked Seo Kyung, and that whistling thing was really manipulative and scary.  I’m glad that there is some resolution in the end between him and the others, but I still think he is kind of a jerk.  Are we, as the audience, just supposed to forgive him for all he put them both through?

While I have seen some arguements to the contrary, most agree that “Tell Me That You Love Me” has a happy ending.  First, Jin Woo meets his mom and gets some closure to that story. He also has a heart to heart with Seo Kyung where they both have a chance to share their true feelings.  And Seo Kyung has finally realized that it wasn’t as much Jin Woo she has been chasing all this time, but a sense of who she was back then.  She also forgives Do Hoon and, strangely enough,  there seems to be some hint that Do Hoon may finally win her heart after all.  Jin Woo and Mo Eun break up, although they are both brokenhearted to have come to this.  But both of their careers take off and offer them some distraction.  A year later, Jin Woo is finally back in Korea, after showing his art around the world.  Ki Hyun and So Hee are expecting another baby, which everyone is thrilled about.  Jin Woo’s old students are doing well and gift him a ticket to a play.  Mo Eun is starring in the play and the lines are the opening segment from episode 1.  And it’s clear that Mo Eun is speaking them directly at Jin Woo.  When the play is over, Mo Eun rushes to talk to Jin Woo and has to chase him outside.  Jin Woo walks slowly toward her and introduces himself, as if it’s the first time they met.  The credits roll as we see the couple, back “on track” in the same place they had broken up. Now arm in arm and happy together.  Some believe this last segment is just a bittersweet glimpse into what could have been.  But I prefer to believe that they have finally found a way to embrace their differences and stay together.

Son Suk Ku as Jang Nan Gam

Jang Nan Gam is an easygoing detective.  He is investigating the murder of the man Tang killed.  Even though there is no proof or motive for Tang to have killed the stranger, Nan Gam feels something suspicious that he can’t seem to let go of.  And as more cases pop up with similar, details he is reminded of Roh Bin, the skilled profiler.  He starts putting the pieces together, but every time he gets close some crazy “coincidence” ruins the evidence.  When he tries to pressure Roh Bin into making a confession, the man live-streams the investigation and when the questioning gets out of control, Nan Gam is removed from the case.  But of course, Nan Gam is too stubborn to walk away without a fight.  And now he is more determined than ever to find out the truth once and for all.  

Jang Nan Gam has a troubled past and a broken relationship with his sick father.  He became a detective to show his father that you can do the job without becoming abusive to the ones you love.  But his last shred of professional respect for his father is shattered when he finds out his father was a dirty cop, taking bribes and hurting others along the way.  Son Suk Ku is amazing in every role I have ever seen him in.  He plays this kind of gritty, determined character especially well, and I thought he was fabulous in this role.

 ♥ Cinematography

So much of this drama is cinematography.  The camera angles, jerky motions, and dreamlike hallucinations.  And did you catch the “deep-fake” photography that turned a picture of Son Suk Ku as a young person into a flash back of Nan Gam’s character. Fascinating stuff! Add to this the well-placed background music that creates just the right emotional vibe.  There are plenty of things that frustrate me about Netflix and kdramas, but lack of budget and production are not on my list.  

♥ Anti-Hero

Lee Tang is the absolute opposite of a hero.  At his best, he is pessimistic and apathetic.  At his worst, he is delusional and violent.  And through the course of the series, we see him fall deeper into his dark tendencies.  But is he a purveyor of justice or a criminal as dark as those he professes to fight against?  This drama embraces themes of true justice, personal morality, and the ambiguity of evil.  And it leaves you with a choice of your own.  How do you feel about Tang and his actions?  Where do you draw the line on morality?

Superpower??

This drama keeps everything just vague enough to leave you wondering.  Was Tang’s ability to see evil people a true superpower, a coincidence, his imagination, or a little of everything?  I mean, it wasn’t a superpower that made a fly land on the security camera.  Or was it?  The drama offers no concrete explanations of what is really happening and Tang proves himself to be a very unreliable narrator.  So should his version be taken at face value?  While I love a drama that plays with your mind in this way, I’m still left wondering what the answer is.

Song Chon

I liked Song Chon’s character and I understand his role in the story.  But I can’t help feeling that this drama didn’t have enough episodes to introduce another main character.  And his story takes over the second half of the series, leaving little time for Lee Tang’s journey.  I would have rather spent that screen time observing the continued transformation of Tang from mild mannered to brave, confident vigilante.

I think a “happy ending” would be too much to hope for in this drama.  But we can be satisfied that most of our loose ends get tied up before the story opens the door for a second season.  Chon finally gets revenge on Nan Gam’s dad by killing him. Bin plans to escape the country, but first he joins forces with Nan Gam to try to bring Chon to justice.  When Tang realizes that Bin is in danger, he rushes to save him.  They all chase Chon to an abandoned warehouse for one last showdown.  In the end, Bin is killed by Chon and Nan Gam, in turn, kills Chon.    With just Nan Gam and Tang still alive, Nan Gam makes the choice to let Tang go free, with a warning that some day he is going to get caught.  A time jump shows Tang living and working in The Philippines.  But he returns home when he finds out there is no warrant out for his arrest.  We learn that a fire in the warehouse destroyed any evidence of their fight with Chon.   The final scene shows Nan Gam seeing a case on the news that matches Tang’s previous pattern and it is obvious that he thinks Tang is at it again.  This leaves an open door for a season 2, although no news of another season has been announced.