FAMIlY

[yugin]

It seems to me that everyone in Min-jae's family wants him to be understanding and caring, whereas, no one is that way to him. Even his own mother. It may be because of the fact that she does feel sad for the fact that she ruined two families. But, still. She should understand her own flesh and blood in situations like this. Hyun-kyu has his father, step-mother, half-sister...the list can go on. Even though he has no peace of mind. He doesn't appear to be heartless. Min-jae probably can't express what he feels because of his past, but someone whould try and understand HIM for a change.
The grandmother is horrible. She tells him to get out! (Min-jae that is. Her other PRECIOUS grandson, she wants to have with her.)

[Jessica]

so, true yugin. i mean, i feel sorry for hyun-kyu because he spent his childhood alone, but minjae was completely alone. I only started watching k dramas since the beginning of OMR, but they seem great. Excellent plot line.

[Lucy]

I missed the first week of episodes and am still trying to learn the names of the second-string characters and how they relate to the main characters. But I also have a question about the relationship between stepbrothers Min-jae and Hyun-kyu: why does everyone (including Min-jae) keep saying how he's always been the one to give in--i.e., what form does this "giving in" take, and do we know that it's really true? Not having seen the beginning, it seems to me that Min-jae acts like a martyr all the time and that he continues to harp on childhood issues.

I understand that mean grandma and Hyun-Kyu have never treated him like one of the family (and that mean grandma has been really inexcusably awful to him), but aside from that, does Min-jae really have much to complain about? And if so, what do we know for sure about that subject?

[nsheldon]

Well, Min jae does have reasons to be angry. His mother was in love with Hyun kyu's father when they were young. Mean grandma would not approve of a marriage between them. They both married someone else. Min jae was son to the mother & his bio father died. Hyun kyu is son to the father & his first wife (who died). After their mates were gone the two got together again (each with a son) & then had a daughter together Eun jin. She is sister to each of the brothers. Growing up, Min jae always (and I mean always) had to give in to every situation. Mostly due to the mother being treated so badly by mean grandma. Mother wanted to try to do anything she could to keep peace in the family & try to placate mean grandma. So mother would always tell Min jae to give in so there would be no trouble. Mean grandma had a lot of influence over Hyun kyu when he was growing up & used that to make Hyun kyu be very very mean to his stepmother and to Min jae. Min jae works under his stepfather at Joyland. He holds a high position there. Stepfather has very high regard & respect for Min jae (the serious, hardworking stepson). Hyun kyu studied in America & is basically a fun-loving kinda silly guy. He returns (much to mean grandma's delight) & goes to work in a lesser capacity than his stepbrother Min jae. He is co-worker then with Hye ran. Her brother is best friends with Min jae. Has known him for many many years. She has a good relationship with Min jae & feels he is like a brother to her. Unbeknown to her Min jae is in love with her... About the time of Hyun kyu's joining the staff at Joyland, Min jae tells his brother Hyun kyu that he cares for Hye ran. Hyun kyu starts a flirtation with Hye ran. Since Hye ran has no clue Min jae has stronger than brother feelings for her she flirts back w/Hyun kyu. VERY quickly Hyun kyu falls for her seriously. Min jae then asked Hye ran to marry him. She tells him she only thinks of him as a brother but cares for him. Min jae is hurt & then finds out she likes someone else. He is horrified to learn it is his stepbrother. For once he refuses to give in. For the first time he says he will not let Hyun kyu take from him again. Unfortunately, Hye ran was not his anyway but he cannot see anything except his anger/pain that have been pent up for many years. Hye ran finds out they are brothers & breaks it off with Hyun kyu but the are sorta back together. Min jae is still very hurt & refuses to forgive or accept them. meanwhile, Yu jin is a long time family friend who also had been mean to Min jae growing up. but she has come to respect & love him ... he doesn't feel the same about her. that's some of it.... personally, i'm rooting for Hye ran & Hyun kyu & would like to see Min jae end up w/Yu jin... however, there are a lot of people who really dislike Hyun kyu & see him as a spoiled & worthless person compared to the hard working & responsible Min jae. I am understanding of Min jae's pain but tired of seeing him use it as a shield and I think he loves the misery. sorry everyone

[Lucy]

Thank you very much, nsheldon. Some of that I knew and some I didn't, so it helped me to put everything together. I'm still wondering about the housekeeper and her children and the people who work in the architecture practice, as well as the woman with the young daughter, and how they all fit together but I expect it will come together.

I agree with you about Min-jae. I like him a lot, because I feel that he is a very good and decent person (and I like his looks, too!), but he needs to learn how to forgive and move forward if he is going to be happy. Unfortunately, his family circumstances are such that he can't, because he's forced to associate with and honor obligations toward the very people who've made him miserable. I wish he could move out, get a girlfriend whom he DIDN'T grow up with and is new to his family, and maybe build a little something of his own that they can't touch. He deserves it.

[nsheldon]

I started to go into the relationships between the families more but it got confusing to me & I know who they all are (so far)... I guess you will be more clear on who is with whom in the next couple weeks. We in California are further along so have been shown more of the relationship connections. The big connection we still do not know, but will become a big factor when it is found out, is the connection between Hye ran's mother & Hyun kyu's father. That past will be a big problem I believe for Hye ran & Hyun kyu.

[NiNi]

Here in the Philly area we just finished viewing the fight between Hyun-Kyu and Min-jae, but we are also trying to figure out the connection between Mr.Oh and Hye-Ran's mom. It's pretty obvious that Hye-Ran's mother and Hyun-Kyu's mother knew each other, (remember how she reacted to hearing about the death of Hyun-Kyu's mother) but thinking back to past episodes,I noticed that Hye-Ran's mother acted like she feared Mr.Oh whenever he came around. That's what led me to believe that Mr.Oh wasn't such a nice guy, especially when she said that she wouldn't dare eat anything that Soon-Young brought her from that house. I also see that she kind acts the same way toward Dong-Pyo from last night's episode and from reading some of the posts. Why would she treat those close to Mr.Oh that way if they have no clue as to what happened in the past? Whatever the relationship between Mr.Oh and HR's mom, I can see why she would object to HK and HR being together, but why treat everyone else so differently? Does Dong-Pyo have something to hide too or does her dislike of Mr.Oh run that deep? Can't wait to find out!!!