It’s no secret that I was underwhelmed by the first two episodes of Missing You, a melodrama fairly dripping with an excess of pathos and bathed in the ardent sheen of young love. After mentioning how Yeo Jin Gu was surprisingly bland in episode 1, he stepped up his game in episode 2 and together with his co-star Kim So Hyun, in episode 3 the two of them are singlehandedly the best part of an otherwise soggy storyline mired in inheritance battles and poverty-stricken injustices. I could watch Jung Woo and Soo Yeon be cute together all day long, their moments of happiness so brief and fleeting that it appears to belong to another drama entirely. While I joked with friends that Kim So Hyun must’ve been cast because Kim Yoo Jung was already doing a heavy duty stint as the child lead in May Queen, I’ve come to truly appreciate how much Kim So Hyun took this character and ran with it. Lee Soo Yeon is saddled with one of the most horrific and miserable backstories I’ve ever seen in a K-drama, but Kim So Hyun makes her feel a broken-winged song bird still daring to fly. Everyone has been wondering what huge thing happened to keep Soo Yeon and Jung Woo apart for 14 years, and episode 3 revealed the giant hammer of doom. Its just unspeakably terrible. The ratings for this episode barely blipped up and I wonder if even the adults coming in can save this drama from being mired in so much pain that the viewers just don’t want to spend time with it anymore? Anyhoo, giant spoilers of pain after the jump!
In episode 3, Jung Woo gets kidnapped on his way to meet with Soo Yeon, and she happens to witness it and also gets kidnapped along with him to keep her quiet. One of the kidnappers is a drug-user and when the other kidnapper steps away, he beats up Soo Yeon before raping her. All in front of Jung Woo, who cannot do anything because he is tied up and gagged. It’s too late when the other kidnapper returns and tries to stop him. Despite the drama electing not to show the rape, it did happen. The Korean newspapers are writing about how truly awful it was to see the rape and brutality towards a teenage girl onscreen. All the viewers hear is Soo Yeon screaming and Jung Woo crying and crying and crying, and then we see Soo Yeon’s bloodied face and her clothes in disarray.
When the other kidnapper comes back, Jung Woo happens to break the ties on his hands and he stumbles up. He sees Soo Yeon laying there and their eyes meet. She is completely catatonic. Jung Woo looks up and sees the door is open. He looks between Soo Yeon and the door….and then he chooses to run away. There is nothing he could have done for her had he stayed, running away to get help would be his only rational choice, but Soo Yeon lays there and tears fall from her eyes. As Jung Woo is running it starts to snow and he remembers his vow with Soo Yeon that they are to watch the first snow together this Winter. He looks back towards where she is being held and cries.
The kidnappers leave Soo Yeon laying there to go after the escaped Jung Woo. She lays there and watches the snow falling outside the door. Jung Woo’s dad arrives in time with his minions to save Jung Woo, who asks him to go back and save Soo Yeon but the evil bastard doesn’t care. Soo Yeon stumbles out of the place where she was being kept. Hyun Joon and his mom’s nurse are driving there and hit Soo Yeon with their car. Jung Woo’s dad sends him minions to burn down the place where the kidnapper kept the two kids. Jung Woo is dragged home and when he wakes up he screams for Soo Yeon, but it’s too late, she’s gone missing.
So….uhm….saying that was intense would be an understatement. Watching it onscreen is much worse than hearing me recap it. I’m not squeamish about rape as a plot element, nor is the fact that the victim is a teenage girl make it any more wrong. It’s utterly monstrous watching the entire scene unfold, Soo Yeon trying to protect herself and getting violated, Jung Woo watching in helpless agony. Narratively I felt this was exploitative on the part of the writer to create the schism between the OTP, but its not wholly unbelievable something like this could happen in such a convoluted situation. Both Yeo Jin Gu and Kim So Hyun were magnificent in those scenes, neither over-acted and truly conveyed the pain and agony of suffering through such a traumatic event. Kim So Hyun tweeted this morning saying “Watched Missing You today and my heart hurt……I did not act out that scene directly but I presented that difficult emotion with the hopes that something like this will never happen again in this world.” This girl is truly a talent and I applaud her for delivering a performance worthy of a standing ovation. Same with Yeo Jin Gu, whose performance in episode 3 made his The Moon Embraces the Sun performance in episodes 5-6 (when Hwon loses Yeon Woo) pale in comparison.
As for how the story will continue, I pretty much loathe every character not named Jung Woo, Soo Yeon, and Hyun Joon, and I think Jung Woo won’t see Soo Yeon ever again until the adults section. Obviously she’s not going to die, so my guess is that the nurse takes Soo Yeon and Hyun Joon and they hi-tail it out of Korea and head to the States as the character descriptions indicate Hyun Joon and Soo Yeon have English names. Obviously Soo Yeon is leaving behind an emotionally deadweight Mom and some horrific memories if she returned to her old life, so starting new would make sense for her. This is probably how she and Hyun Joon start dating eventually. Which begs the question – she will then have a much stronger history with Hyun Joon if they grew up together whereas her history with Jung Woo consisted only of the short time they knew each other which ended the worst possible way I can imagine. I’ll keep watching to see how the adults section moves past all the tragic woe of the backstory and perhaps do something meaningful in dealing with grief and forgiveness and healing scars, but oh my was this episode draining to watch.
Watch Missing You here.
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I might be in the minority here but I was glad theat the writer went there.... Because it was an event where I could believe that LSY could leave everyone she cared for behind for 14 years... Not just because she might be angry and hurt by HJW but probably more because she's ashamed of having that happen to her and HJW was there to witness it.
And wow, both kid actors can act... I am really loving Kim So Hyun here. And the cinematography and editing still blows me away...
Anywayzzz, can't wait for the next episode...!
One positive comment here & somehow the low rating gives me some reverse interest that would motivate me to start watching ;)
In contrast to most followers here who were in love with Eun-Ma OTP in Nice Guy, you won't believe me that reading Ms Koala's recap fulfilled my satisfaction & I only watched the last Ep.20!! Happy ending ! What a relief!
So, wait for me YEH. I will be watching you & Ms Koala, do the recap please... If you can :)
Cheerio!
No, you are to the only one I’m also glad this scene was done, it really not about the sexually assault, but how the Director chose to show us the pain, humiliation, fear, angry and hate that took place in span of 15 to 30 minute that will have to carry the drama into the adult characters and it was done wonderfully. Having Yeo Jin Gu expression be the blueprint of SY assault is like a fossil left in my memory. As the drama proceed I can tap into why there is so much pain and hurt because without able to fully understand the reason for the separation and why the reunion will be so painfully it would have been a wrap for my by episode 5.
I seen few movies/shows that had to tackle a painful history for you can understand the present and wonder about the future, movies/shows like "ROOTS", BURNING BED, "THE COLOR PURPLE, BLOOD IN BLOOD OUT and "DUMMY (American) these are shows/movies that come to mind when you nee a Director that understand why the small cuts hurt the most. It’s that upset feeling you have s even after you taking a
(SH_ _ T). I’m expecting to feel that way every time SY and JW interact with each other. I’m looking foreword to seeing how the screen writer has written SY character. I have my doubt that they can even pull it off or even capable to of making “SY” into the person I would like to see, I can only hope she grown into a woman that now able to laugh, smile and have fun. I don’t think I can continue to watch a drama where characters living but not alive… I have the “The walking Dead” on Sunday for that!
Koala, I was so intrigued by your intro that I went ahead and read the entire post. Whoa! That is intense indeed. Still not watching this drama for now. I've already maxed out all my emotional quota for fictional characters with Nice Guy. No more melodramas for me until next year maybe.
I totally agree. I'm soooo emotionally wrapped up in Nice Guy, I cant find any room to think about other characters or care about their issues. Will definitely give I Miss You a try when Nice Guy ends.
Also, rating might be low because they feel the same way we do. No room for others when all we can think about is Kang Maru. So! Hopefully ratings will go up when Nice Guy ends.
OMG, this scene is hurtful and horrified even just in words. Before I planned to start watching Missing You when having few days off for Thanksgiving, but now I feel like I shouldn't watch it, the pain for SY character may stay with me for weeks :(. I want something cheerful/warm for holiday time :(
What r u talking about ockoala? Ratings is not an issue coz superstar Yoochun will save the ratings. He will carry the ratings on his back just like he did with rooftop prince n his other dramas. Other casts r not worthy to b mentioned, they r not as famous as him coz they dont have ajumma fans who give them expensive gifts n they dun have as many articles like he does, so he is the star of this drama, others r just accesories. Ratings can only be saved once hero Yoochun appears.
Go away you troll.
This episode broke my heart . I don't have a lot to express but this drama might wring more out of me than 1 litre of tears.
Not trolling juz ask KissChunnie n pianbear. they will tell u d same thing.
troll.... troll.... troll ''''
ekekeke
Careful there...the Yoon Eun Hye defense team and fetus boy defense team as they so fondly call them, might take offense and could blow up any minute. I can feel it. Cause you know, they must be pissed that their bias are not getting as much attention as dearest superstar Yoochun.
omo please don't create a fanwar. okay
please go away
just skip the drama if you don't like the actor
only stupid person can say something like this..
Did you doesn't have any sense about why some drama got high rating.,and why some drama doesn't??..Even how big Yoo Chun name is.,but if the story suck.,the drama will not success..I'm really tired with someone who only though the drama is great just because of the leading cast.
Your word "Ratings can only be saved once hero Yoochun appears" is laughable.
Do you realize that she is trolling right?
The upcoming holidays are fun, warm and cheery so NO to this kind of drama watching for me during this season.
One radio station has started playing Christmas music all day long already. Can we at least make it a day before Thanksgiving before this happens?
Anyway, I'm ready for the great pumpkin, soap that makes a boy blind, a miser, a witch with a tree on her head, ain't life grand, and miracles.
hmmm..watched or not..watch or not... still deciding.. :D
i'm still in emotional because NG. but, i think i'll watch it in one go after this drama end.. YEH,YSH,KSH,YJG, and YC is too good to pass by. btw, when will this drama end?
wow... yoochun seem like always choose a really heavy-set drama w controversial female lead back story
first melo leaves the audience hates the female lead cause of her choice of action.. both lead the viewers to separate the lead couple cause of a very tragic event :(( can they stick together later on :((
the production team of i miss u is awesome
Wow when you said Soo Yeon has a horrific past I thought you just meant beating, framing, and verbally. Never did I think it was rape as k dramas rarely add that to the plot, especially to a teenage girl
Not many Korean series that I've watched. I like What Happened in Bali, Full House, and Coffee Prince. But I often read many forums and blogs. I see the spoiler "Missing You" drama. I am interested to watch it especially seeing the expression of youngsters cast. I guess this drama would make a novelty, just as What Happened in Bali
WTF with the rating.
this drama really good. this drama is like the mother of melodrama
writer i salute you. actually this is really happen in the reality but many people avoid to accept that.