#loveforlovessakeedit

Love for Love's Sake (2024) dir. Kim Kyun Ah Episode 8 - "Answers"

Hello!

These are just short form notes becuz I might go into depth with these later when I have more time,

BTW- im only focusing on the K-drama becuz the novel is a whole other beast and I'm not prepared

Warning: Suicide / Suicidal thoughts

Yeowoon:

Yeowoon's story in the K-drama follows the very conventional stages of grief in order (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance). His emotions are very clear, and despite his 180-degree personality shift in episode 4, we can still see underlying sadness exuding from the cracks of his soul.

Denial - (Ep 1+2) Yeowoon denies his suicidal mental state, denies help from Myungha, denies anything being wrong with him, denies Myungha's entire existence, denies the possibility of making friends, and denies his track-and-field abilities

Anger - (Ep 2+3) Yeowoon is angry with himself, angry with Myungha, angry with the world, angry at his bullies, angry at being jealous, angry with his life, angry with Sangwon, angry at Myungha's kindness, and angry with the way he feels.

Bargaining - (Ep 4+5+6) Yeowoon bargains with his crush on Myungha, bargains with getting Myungha to the sea, bargains with his father, bargains with confessing to Myungha, bargains on his first kiss, bargains on his first date, bargains on opening a social media.

Depression - (Ep 7+8) Yeowoon feels depressed when feeling like Myungha doesn't love him equally, depressed when Myungha relies on Sangwon and not him, depressed when Myungha breaks up with him, depressed when he's all alone, and he depressed when Myungha disappears.

Acceptance - (Ep 8) Yeowoon accepts his loneliness, accepts Myungha's existence, accepts Myungha's reemergence, accepts his vulnerability, accepts growth, accepts change, accepts who he is as a person, accepts needing Myungha by his side, and accepts that he deserves to be loved.

Myungha:

Myungha's stages of grief is much different to Yeowoon - he goes through these stages in reverse (Acceptance, Depression, Bargaining, Anger, Denial). His story in the K-drama (relating to the stages of grief) is unusual, perhaps due to him already being dead before the first episode even starts. This reverse grief could be seen as either positve or negative; positive in the way that this could symbolise his rebirth, or negative in the way that he is living in a constant state of denial, refusing to accept his death.

Acceptance - (Ep 1) Myungha readily accepts his Senior's bet, accepts the fact he is in a game, accepts being 19, accepts his mission to make Yeowoon happy, accepts his Grandma being alive again, accepts making a new friend, and accepts his time limit.

Depression - (Ep 2+3) Myungha feels depressed when seeing his fondness, depressed when thinking of Yeowoon's mental state, depressed when seeing Yeowoon's self-hatred, depressed when he's pushed away, depressed with his previous actions, depressed when seeing Yeowoon in pain, depressed when needing to make money, depressed when Yeowoon ignores him, and depressed when his fondness decreases.

Bargaining - (Ep 4+5+6) Myungha bargains Yeowoon's emotions, bargains with his old memories, bargains by kissing the bully, bargains with Yeowoon, bargains with going on the trip, bargains with seeing his mother, bargains with his new mission or discovering Yeowoon's problem, bargains with Yeowoon's confession, bargains with going on a date with Yeowoon, bargains with starting a social media for Yeowoon, bargains with the world, bargains with knowing about the stalker, bargains with his mission to chose between Yeowoon and Grandma.

Anger - (Ep 7+8) Myungha is angry with this mission, angry at the world, angry with the game, angry with his loss of days, angry with himself, angry at his confusion, angry at having to keep this a secret, angry at himself for getting sick, angry at himself for being unable to say what he means, angry at not knowing how to love, angry at not knowing what Yeowoon wants, angry at needing to break up with Yeowoon, angry at the world breaking, angry at disappearing, angry at his past, angry at his grandmother's passing, angry with his mother, and angry at his senior.

Denial - (Ep 8) Myungha denies his old wish, denies his old life, denies his senior, denies his true age, denies time, denies the game world's rules, denies his old sadness, denies needing to know what happiness is and denies his death,

Myungha is an extremely complex person - and he actually follows the usual stages in order (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance) but this more so mirrors Yeowoon's emotions - Myungha is an extreme empath.

However there is a third way Myungha follows the Stages of Grief, happening twice - Episode 1-4 in reverse (Acceptance, Depression, Bargaining, Anger, Denial) and from Episodes 5-8 follows the usual order (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance) = this is interesting as it actively splits the show into two - "1-4 Yeowoon's story" and "5-8 Myungha's story"

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Sorry if the 'Bargaining' sections don't make sense - I don't know how to convey exactly what I mean in written form.

This show always makes me think, and that's one thing I really love about it. Sometimes it hurts me to think, so, being able to focus on this fictional K-drama and the symbolism inside it, makes me extremely happy.

Anyways, little emotional rant out the way - I just find it fascinating looking at it through this lens even if it was never intended to, but given all the imagery and mention of Death in the show, its worth analysing.

Thank u for reading

Stay Safe <3

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| Masterlist |

"The world has changed because of you."

Love for Love's Sake (2024) dir. Kim Kyun Ah Premiered on January 24, 2024

"What if I wait until you change your mind?" "There's no way. Please stop."

Love for Love's Sake (2024) dir. Kim Kyun Ah Episode 5 - "Relationship"

[Q: What's crucial to a happy life?]

Love for Love's Sake (2024) dir. Kim Kyun Ah Episode 8 - "Answers"

"Jeez, you startled me."

Love for Love's Sake (2024) Episode 4 - "Progress"

+Bonus

"Is your love for me the same as my love for you? It's not." "Why do you think so?" "I don't care if it's different. But I want you to rely on me."

Love for Love's Sake (2024) Episode 7 - "Choices"

Love for Love's Sake (2024) dir. Kim Kyun Ah Episode 6 - "Love"