Cherry Blossom

There’s a line written by Katherine Mansfield, later reused by Yiyun Li as the title for her memoir, that stays with me most days: dear friend, from my life I write to you in your life. 

This line stays with me because it’s the answer to a question that I had a hard time answering while I was in school. It’s a question specific to me, and yet I think it applies to anyone who’s ever wanted anything from their lives. Why do we dream what we dream? Why do I write, why do you do what you do? 

In her memoir, Yiyun Li says, “What a long way it is from one life to another, yet why write if not for that distance.” I don’t know if everyone explores this distance through writing, but I do think it is why i continue to write and why others might continue to paint, or run, or translate films. 

There’s obviously a lot to love about Run On, but something that will probably stay with me is the show’s commitment to navigating this inevitable distance between its characters. There is acknowledgement that this distance exists and that most of the human experience is an attempt to bridge this gap, to understand and be understood — but at the end, we must accept that it’s impossible to close this distance completely. 

It is impossible to know someone completely, but what I think love is, as explored by this show, is the willingness to try anyways. Even when failure is inevitable, the attempt is what remains. It’s what helps us bridge the gap within ourselves. 

They are pre-dating, and they’re being awkward af about it.

Case in point: they do not arrive at the movie theater together. As he settles in next to her, she folds her arms a bit protectively. He’s careful to give her her space but is clearly SUPER happy to be next to her. Cautious but excited.

Within seconds she’s got a secret smile going on and he’s not taking his eyes off her. They’re stoked to be together again, they’re pretty sure they’re on the same wave-length, but shit’s fragile. Neither one of them is going to break this this time.

My favorite bit though…can I tell you my favorite bit?

It’s this bit:

Mi Joo and Seon Gyeom walk in, take their seat, and a few people greet them, wave, whatever. Mi Joo and Dan Ah connect. Mi Joo is doing the girl check-in (you good, everything okay, you freakin out?) and Dan Ah has got that I will cut you if you suggest I’m intimidated by this right now look going on.

Mi Joo fuckin knows that look in her soul and has seen through it since day one.

Watch: the camera pans left, and as soon as Dan Ah’s out of frame, Mi Joo fucking laughs. She knows Dan Ah’s a little uncomfortable and she’s kind of living for it, tbh. Dan Ah probably came over last night and got drunk on her couch again, spazzing out about how to deal with feelings, how do peasants do this, Oh Mi Joo???

Dan Ah and Yeong Hwa will go out for an after-movie drink with Seon Gyeom and Mi Joo, get hammered, and she’ll kiss him outside his apartment, he won’t know what to do, and she’ll have to be the one to say, Isn’t your roommate out for the night?

Here is the link to the VKM chapter 14 raws for anyone who would like to use them for editing. All that I ask is that you do NOT use them for scanlations. Thank you. I will try to do some very rough translations later when I have some more time. Please enjoy :)