#saeroyi

I despised the female lead instantly, Yi Seo. Canonicaly diagnosted with a Sociopathic Disorder, she’s egoistical and individualist. She doesn’t care the least for others, stepping all over them and taking advantage without batting an eye, all in order to get what she wants. And what she wants is Saeroyi, her boss, the male lead.

With every little thing Yi Seo did she infuriated me even more. I wanted something to go wrong for her, so she calmend down. I wanted somebody to force some humintly on her. And then I realized soemthing.

The problem isn’t her personalitie, nor the fact she is egoistic. It’s the fact that she is female.

When haven’t we seen the trope of the mean male love interest that’s ruthless with anyone, with the exception of the one he loves?

We are used to sacrificing female characters, who selflessly give their all. Comprehensive and understanding, many times able to see the bigger picture, kind, accepting of others flaws. Don’t get me wrong: I still don’t her personality. I don’t like the ‘strong’ type of character who proves themselves in spite of others, walking over those around them, thinking they are entitled to because they are ‘better’.

But i couldn’t help but notice we accept such personalities when they come from male characters.

In the show,  the male lead Saeroyi is the kind one, who values the people around them and forgives their flaws. What does he do, to attain succes? He gets Yi Seo to fall in love with him. That’s it. Maybe he’s determinated enough, and doesn’t give up, too. Do you know where we usually see this development? That’s right! Female leads! That rom-com female protagonist, whose only archievement is making a rich, strong, tough guy to fall in love with her (unintentionally, of course. just her natural charm). A guy who later on protects her and supports her.

And Yi Seo is the lover here. She arrives and organizes his bar, she leaves college for him and acts like a little shit to everyone, all in order to fulfill his dream.

idk about u but realizing this blew my mind.

These interactions are a reminder that female characters, in order to be ‘strong and independant’, don’t have to be perfect. The can be egoistic and ruthless. This is how representation looks like: hateful, ugly, and real.

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I’ve seen a lot of posts about being disappointed in Geun Soo’s character and unhappy about his development, but I actually loved it and think it was really important.

Throughout the first couple episodes – and his entire life up until there – he was sweet, but insecure and unconfident. In love with Yi-Seo but not confident enough to confess, mistreated and unloved by his brother and father but unable to fight back or demand respect or a place in the company. He even said it himself – he was raised to believe he doesn’t deserve anything. He was lost, he didn’t feel like a part of his family and he didn’t know his place in the world.

When he decided he wanted to take over Jangga he must’ve felt like he finally found his goal, and that he would have to do anything to reach it. Initially he did it for Yi-Seo, but even when he knew he wouldn’t get her he kept going and lost himself under the influence of his father. I think after trying to distance himself from him for so long he felt like he had to “accept” that he is his father’s son and that him playing dirty is just how he was meant to be all along.

It's also interesting how cold and unbothered he reacted to his father’s illness, when Geun-Won, despite being abandoned by him, was sad at least for a moment. While he for the longest time had been looking for his father’s approval, Geun-Soo never did. Despite him becoming more like his father, he never looked up to him. Like he hated him for making him this way.

He did some very shitty things *cough Hyun-Yi cough* but he didn’t really seem fully committed to it. It seemed so out of character for him to do those things because this really wasn’t the kind of person he truly wanted to be and was at heart. But he is still the chairman’s son and Geun-Won’s brother, both deeply flawed people. It would have actually been less realistic if he had inherited none of his father’s bad characteristics. I loved the scene at the end where Geun-Soo said to Geun-Won “I guess we really are brothers. We always used the wrong method.” It showed that Yes he isn’t perfect, and Yes he can be as horrible as his family if he tries. But unlike his family his good traits dominated his bad ones and he realised and decided in the end that this is not how he wants to be. Geun-Won had the potential to do the same, but he was way too far gone.

Like Saeroyi said, he was still so young. He didn’t know who he was and he felt so lost in the world but going through that phase and making those mistakes i think made him know himself better and show him how he DIDN’T want to be. And I love that for him.

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On another note, I’ve also seen a lot of hate for Soo-Ah. Honestly, both female leads were flawed. Soo-Ah took Saeroyi’s love for granted, thought she can have him any time she wants and that he would put her above everything if she asks him to. 

But Yi Seo was far from perfect either. She loved Saeroyi and was willing to do anything for him, yes, but her falling in love with him wasn’t a conscious decision. Using Geun-Soo and mistreating him and many others (incl the Danbam staff in the beginning) however were conscious decisions she made. Her sociopathic tendencies really showed and while she did start treating people better eventually, I’m still not sure if she was really the right fit for Saeroyi. 

Same energy