#kdramedies

The fact of the matter is, it isn’t easy for a non-autistic person to have a relationship with someone with autism. We’re usually focusing on our own things which makes us forgetful, we don’t understand lots of “basic” social rules, and our acceptable forms of things like touch, smell, taste, light, and sound vary, which can make it difficult to go certain places or do certain things. In autistic/non-autistic relationships there is almost always going to be more compromise from the non-autistic side. For Young-woo and Jun-ho this is so far manifesting as Jun-ho not being able to hold Young-woo’s hand even though he desperately wants to, it’s Young-woo meeting Jun-ho’s friends for the first time and getting so wrapped up in her own stuff that she left without any form of goodbye, it’s people looking at their relationship and thinking that Jun-ho is only going out with her because he pities her, but this is only the beginning! Things are going to get more difficult because they are still getting to know each others limits. I have seen some amazing autistic/non-autistic relationships, I’ve been in one myself, but they don’t start out that way, they’re built on a fuck-ton of love and compromise and trust.

Oh In-joo, while naive in the context of the story we are being told, is not an idiot. In the first few episodes In-joo is established as someone who is resourceful, competent at her job, and a good sister. She always makes sure there’s a roof over her family’s head, food in their bellies, and tries to make sure that they’re (mainly In-hye) safe and happy. In-joo is really good at being poor. Which is why I don’t understand all of the comments I keep seeing calling In-joo an idiot or complaining that she’s too stupid so the show is “un-feminist” (whatever that means [does that mean women aren’t allowed to be a little dumb sometimes? Seems pretty un-feminist for women to be put into a box like that...]). Like, why the fuck would someone who has been dirt poor all their life suddenly be amazing in the world of money, murder, and politics? The first thing In-joo did with 2 billion won was buy name brand ice cream. That’s how poor she’s been throughout her life, corner store ice cream was her big first splurge (and it was on sale!). Some of her scenes have been played to add a bit of levity to such a dramatic show, the “hands up” scene is one of my favourites, but again, those scenes are of her experiencing situations that she’s never had cause to even wonder about before. I’ve certainly never thought about the bounds of plastic surgery, and if faced with a gun, I fully believe I would wet myself. But In-joo, someone who is earnest and takes things at face value, is somehow managing to survive in this world of lies and backstabbing she’s been thrown into. Some of it is dumb luck, some of it is Do-il saving her neck, but some of it is her. And I don’t just mean her badass moment in Singapore. Her resilience, her earnestness, her optimism and kindness. Every choice she’s made has contributed to the fall of the Jeongran Society. Her additions to their rag-tag team go largely unnoticed since she’s not unearthing the story behind it all like In-kyung, or a former inside man like Do-il, but In-joo is the one who has the mastermind behind all of this shaken. And it’s not just because this all started with Sang-a’s obsession with In-joo. Sang-a thought she knew In-joo, but like a lot of viewers, she didn’t know who In-joo would become. She thought In-joo would do anything for money, but instead In-joo would do anything for her family and her best friend, even after learning that their friendship was a lie. She didn’t know that behind her naivete In-joo was strong; stronger than her. Sang-a may be more confident, conniving, and quick-witted, but she can’t handle things not going her way. In-joo on the other hand, has never had anything go her way and as a result is more adaptable and quicker to bounce back.

I am wildly disappointed in Min-woo’s reaction to finding out that Jun-ho is dating Young-woo.

Young-woo: “I’m going to hang up now.”