Mind maps of drama characters have been quite popular for a few years now, as fans of a drama take the time write up what our beloved characters have rattling around in their fictional brains. For Big, this mind map might actually be useful because this is one drama that causes a lot of consternation over what Da Ran and Kyung Jae are thinking and feeling. I think it’s cute to compile all the little things from the drama so far and wedge it into Da Ran and Kyung Jae’s pretty little brains. Maybe this will add some clarity? Or maybe not. I’ve also linked to the latest official MV for the drama which accompanies the most recent OST release which is Noel‘s “If its Love”.
Gil Da Ran’s head that has Gil Da Ran’s soul:
Big heart shaped portion in the middle – Seo Yoon Jae? Kang Kyung Joon?
The rest are:
Kang Kyung Joon speak to me in jeondaemal.
The ring.
I won, Lee Se Young.
Yoon Jae-shhhi’s hands are so warm.
Tame Choong Shik.
Gil family mandoo zzang.
Kyung Joon and Mari
How could there be a switch…….
My heart feels so weird.
My honeymoon trip.
Yoon Jae shhi.
Gil Da Ran bread.
So tired.
Seo Yoon Jae’s head that has Kang Kyung Joon’s soul.
Big heart shaped portion in the middle – Gil Teacher.
The rest are:
Allergic to Seo Yoon Jae.
My body.
What is Seo Yoon Jae’s true nature?
Studying medicine.
Blood.
Mom.
Don’t like uncle.
Can I go switch back yet?
Kissing Gil Teacher.
Rabbit and Teddy Bear.
Really don’t like Jang Mari.
Cannot fall in love with Gil Teacher.
Dislike Lee Se Young.
Gil Da Ran bread.
Theoretically I understand why some viewers (1) want Yoon Jae’s soul to come back, and/or (2) want to hear Yoon Jae’s side of the story. But emotionally I’m flummoxed by this, because all we’ve ever seen of Yoon Jae is as this spectral presence hovering over the story proper. I feel compelled to point out that since the linear drama time line started, from the moment Da Ran got on that bus, she and Yoon Jae have not interacted once. Zero, nada, zip, zilch. Their first meeting which starts the drama is in the past, and every subsequent remembrance of time spent together is also the past. I think the Hong Sisters have been crystal clear since the very beginning that Yoon Jae is Da Ran’s past while Kyung Joon is her future.
You can say that from the moment Da Ran and Kyung Joon met on the bus and stepped off together, her “connection” with Yoon Jae ended. Flowing from that, Yoon Jae repeatedly brushed her off and missed three (3!) consecutive dates with her. And the one time he was driving to meet her, magic pink shooting star comes by and sends both guys into the murky depths of the lake of soul swaps. If a drama makes me feel like an OTP is fated to be, as the tingling sensation I got when Da Ran met Kyung Joon, then similarly Yoon Jae and Da Ran give me the opposite feeling of not-meant-to-be. Hence I could care less what Yoon Jae thinks. Oh, I feel bad for the guy (got sick again, quite possibly loves his fiancee but too scared to marry her because he’s sick), but feeling sympathy for him doesn’t extend to needing any closure from him. That would require I connect with his character but that’s not possible when he’s merely projected onto the screen as a serious of memories.
I can’t say THS has ever been that original with any of their stories, though they did add fresh spins to many dramas that were premised on homages to well known works. Couple or Trouble was inspired by Overboard, and now Big is a combination of Big the movie and While You Were Sleeping. But when I watch Big, I’m never comparing to earlier works since this drama has a decidedly unique vibe. It lacks the typical K-drama “hooks” and instead relies on the actors to develop the characters and bring them to life. I think Lee Min Jung and Gong Yoo have done an outstanding job in making Da Ran and Kyung Jae wholly sympathetic and understandable. From the moment this drama started, Kyung Joon (body and soul) was always holding Da Ran’s hand. How could THS consider anything other than to give my babies a happily ever after?
A fifth song off the OST has been released, check out the official MV below. This song is without a doubt Kyung Jae and Da Ran’s love story.
Official MV for Noel’s “If it’s Love”:
Thank you, Koala! I agree with your assessment. I’m rooting for Da Ran and Kyung Joon all the way!
i was just wondering if the hesitancy in Yoon Jae’s part in marrying Da Ran could possibly be because he had learned about the recurrence of his illness already, hence the hesitancy to marry Da Ran, when he is not sure of his future and not because he didn’t love her. And the plane ticket to US would be in search of Kyung Joon since again he is the potential cure.
I actually thought the same thing too. And even though he didn’t want to tell her because he didn’t want to burden her, not telling her and allowing her to assume the worse was the worst decision. Why not share the news (good or bad) with the person you love, and have that person make the decision whether or not they want to stay by your side, instead of being the martyr? If that were me, first of all, I’d hope he would tell me (and yes, I would be upset, etc. and go through the whole emotional gamut) but my decision would ultimately be to stay by his side and support him every step of the way…because I love him. And I’d want to spend every moment with him until the very end…whenever that end might be, rather than thinking that he didn’t love me and finding out later that he did it to protect me but always loved me till the very end. That would be way too cruel and to hard for me to ever get over.
I’m content with what ever decision it ends on!!? I’ve enjoyed watching/figuring out the twisted story.
Koala thank you once again for logical rational thought! I get so annoyed but then I tip over to the Playground and I’m put at ease that at least one individual in my dramaverse makes sense.
I find it so interesting that even DR has crossed the ocean but viewers are still anchored at the dock. Especially, when its the audience who should have reached the shore first. For, no one has spent more time with KJ than the audience. Very, very odd.
IKR? It’s odd to me too. Seems like some viewers are still caught up in thinking that since GY is the lead male actor, YJ must therefore be a lead character. To me he’s barely a character, more like a presence. The Playground is definitely my Big oasis!
right & right again..both of you unniechan & nauna..totally agree
Thank you for sharing! I love these mind maps.
Koala unni, is this you testing new format again????? I love you detail oriented of Big. I have not watch the last two episodes yet. I hope you have a wonderful day.. LOL… hrmm… we should have a bet when will YJ/KJ will be switch back…
Lots of goodies here.
Brain maps are cute. Video made me cry.
Uri SHiN is soooo cute. It seems like he would be like a mascot on the set. Always there, but never really there. I hope he actually gets to sleep.
Is this layout to stay, or just a try out?
Work in progress….
Permanence depends on my whim. As is all that exists here. 😉
OK, yeah, thanks, Koala, now I look crazy…er
Thank you for my “I love this series and can’t enough of it” fix. hoping there is a lot more hot kisses between our OST soon and forever. 🙂
omo, I almost fell off my chair when I saw that picture of Kyung Joon sitting on the hospital bed. The props behind him make it look like he’s a girl with a ponytail fanning himself/herself.
Can he be any cuter?
AGREED AGREED on all counts:) Thank you for articulating what a lot of fans must be feeling!
I can’t believe I am saying this but…..’Is it MONDAY yet?’
I really feel for BIG. I feel that their love story is believable and their struggles are very real. Kyung Jae said that Gil Teacher gave him nothing but the fact was that she gave him a lot. She gave him comfort whenever he’s feeling down, security when he’s lost, and most importantly, she understood him. These are intangibles which he felt so deeply that he’s willing to do anything for her, and therefore, explained all the effort he put in to make her happy or prevent her from crying.
This could be the Hong Sisters’ first try at making their story even more relatable than the others which i’ve seen (which is all of them, haha!) but it’s a very good start and i look forward to seeing more of these.
Did any of you realised that Hong Sisters are looking for older male lead to carry out their shows? I believe that as they try to move their stories from the wacky to the believable, they need actors who can emote well and therefore, the shift to charismatic actors from the young and trendy. I’m not saying the young ones can’t act well but they’re just not that transparent in delivering the emotions like GY and CSW.
Btw, i just wanna say this here: Gong Yoo and Lee Min Jung is now my FAVOURITE couple. It’d be great if they get together and make babies after BIG but if not, they’ll always be that special couple who made me believe that soulmates do exist. ^_^
I ship for Rabbit and Teddy Bear.
Awwww, me too! Those little ones are so cute. I love how they mirror our OTP.
And just like the OTP, Teddy bear is waaayy cuter than rabbit!! Don’t kill me! :p
Thanks for the post, Koala! This is my Big fix until Monday. 🙂
BTW – I agree with the line of thought that Gong Yoo (the actor) is carrying the show, but I hope KKJ (the soul) gets the girl.
sorry for going off-topic, but u’ve a gaksital-themed header, so does that mean u are seeing gaksital-bridal mask?
Oh no, still have zero interest in Gakistal. Friends made the Gakistal headers for me. ^__^
Dear Koala,
Although you make a convincing case for Kyung Joon and Da Ran as the OTP, the fact that there is still a large contingent of Yong Jae supporters is a testament of the strength of the Hong sisters’ writing and perhaps to the casting as well. The uncertainty over who Da Ran would love and who she would end up with – this is the dramatic tension, and this is what has got us hooked.
Finally, after many episodes, Da Ran knows who she loves, although there was the detour that the appearance of the engagement ring caused. She had decided not to love Yong Jae because he appeared unfaithful, and then decided to return to him because the ring suggested that he was indeed worthy of her faith.
Now, she must decide on who to be with. As an adult would know, love is not the only consideration. There were promises made to Yong Jae, and would she feel honor bound to remain with him, notwithstanding her feelings and a very nasty mother in law?
Or, as some of us are hoping, is she woman enough? Will she do what it takes to be with the one she loves? Find an honorable way to break it off? Face down the stares and live with the labels?
I do want a little bit of YJ’s side b/c his behavior seems so inexplicable… all those missed dates! Even if he was getting sick again, I’m not sure if that explains all of this indifference that we see based on DR’s memories. I no longer have interest in DR/YJ b/c the couple I’ve falled in love is KJ/DR. But I would like a some explanation for YJ’s behavior, what he was going to say to DR if he didn’t have an accident.
Thanks for the video link. Love the song and it was sweet to re-watch the highlights.
Off topic, but I noticed that you’re watching Dr. Jin in your “currently watching” section. Does this mean you’ve stopped watching I Do, I Do?
Also, what is Gil Da Ran Bread?
@ Miss Koala
And I think there are those ones who are rooting for Kyung Joon and Da Ran because what they see is not really Kyung Joon but the appearance of Yoon Jae. If KJ is not in the body of YJ, I doubt if there will be shippers for the pair.
KJ in KJ’s body and Da Ran = not OTP.
There is that possible of KJ will save YJ’s life, but then ends up jeopardizing his own body causing a complication? Something to think about!!
I really want KKJ’s soul to stay in SYJ body….I don’t think I would feel the same if he was switched back…..I am like Da Ran, I like the combination as it is right now..:)