Rescue Me: So many of this world’s inhabitants believe deeply in the existence of miracles. The show is shot in such a way to let you know there are definitely no such things in this world. (1)
Everything from the lighting to the juxtaposition of various religious thralls– ep.4 highlighted the similarities between traditional Korean Shamanism and the fervor of the cult (2)
— reveals an underlying brutal cynicism. In this drama world, religion is interchangeable because miracles aren’t real. God may not be real. It’s a bleak construction, but it puts you completely on the side of those who don’t believe in miracles. They are ‘clear-eyed’: they see the world for how it is constructed, as opposed to those who see it for what they hope it to be. Sang Mi is clear-eyed, as are Sang-Hwan and his friends. (3)
The show is constructed in such a way that although you may feel pity for those who truly believe, your overriding emotions are frustration and anger. The world is so clearly binary that to believe in a higher power seems ridiculous. And then there’s those who sell miracles. (4)
We feel such an overwhelming dread whenever Apostles Jo, Kang, or Father Baek are onscreen. Mostly because they are almost always being despicable, but also because the show wants us to feel dread. Ominous music is always present. There are some shots that can’t be what everyone is seeing, only the audience.
For example, at one point Baek is speaking to the congregation and they are wailing and screaming. For a brief moment, his facade falls and there is a look of utter disgust on his face. Not to mention, we know he can’t be trusted from the first episode when he touches Sang Mi inappropriately. (5)
We learn to be cynical of Father Baek and Guseonwon right away. Not only is the lighting and the music cueing us to do so, the little details seal the deal in the back of our minds. Baek is always doing nice things in places where he can be seen. He is friendly with his congregation especially if they are of some use to him. The man with stomach cancer was able to give him a verry thick envelope of money. The old man who he bathed is father to a senator. Everything he does is calculated.
The shaman, as well, is set up as a con man. He knows what Sang Mi’s family is there for because he’s been told, yet he still attempts to exploit the mother’s illness for profit.
The people who sell miracles chill us to the bone because they are the most clear-eyed of them all, and they use that to wield power over others. The world building in this show fascinates me because it is so relentless. The way they set up the lines of good versus bad and then throw all these victims in the grey area feels so true to life. It adds so much tension and dread to the plot because, as the audience, we know that there is no way everyone who deserves a happy ending can get one. It’s simply impossible.
3.5 We root for them because the show makes no mystery about the fact that they are right. And therein lies the tension of the show. We are screaming along with Sang Mi because we are sure she is right. Those who believe are surely wrong, and are in danger because of it. Because the people they believe know the truth too: There is no magic, there is no great beyond.
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h3lla
August 23, 2017 at 3:17 AM
Rescue Me: So many of this world’s inhabitants believe deeply in the existence of miracles. The show is shot in such a way to let you know there are definitely no such things in this world. (1)
h3lla
August 23, 2017 at 3:21 AM
Everything from the lighting to the juxtaposition of various religious thralls– ep.4 highlighted the similarities between traditional Korean Shamanism and the fervor of the cult (2)
h3lla
August 23, 2017 at 3:25 AM
— reveals an underlying brutal cynicism. In this drama world, religion is interchangeable because miracles aren’t real. God may not be real. It’s a bleak construction, but it puts you completely on the side of those who don’t believe in miracles. They are ‘clear-eyed’: they see the world for how it is constructed, as opposed to those who see it for what they hope it to be. Sang Mi is clear-eyed, as are Sang-Hwan and his friends. (3)
h3lla
August 23, 2017 at 3:27 AM
The show is constructed in such a way that although you may feel pity for those who truly believe, your overriding emotions are frustration and anger. The world is so clearly binary that to believe in a higher power seems ridiculous. And then there’s those who sell miracles. (4)
h3lla
August 23, 2017 at 3:30 AM
We feel such an overwhelming dread whenever Apostles Jo, Kang, or Father Baek are onscreen. Mostly because they are almost always being despicable, but also because the show wants us to feel dread. Ominous music is always present. There are some shots that can’t be what everyone is seeing, only the audience.
For example, at one point Baek is speaking to the congregation and they are wailing and screaming. For a brief moment, his facade falls and there is a look of utter disgust on his face. Not to mention, we know he can’t be trusted from the first episode when he touches Sang Mi inappropriately. (5)
h3lla
August 23, 2017 at 3:35 AM
We learn to be cynical of Father Baek and Guseonwon right away. Not only is the lighting and the music cueing us to do so, the little details seal the deal in the back of our minds. Baek is always doing nice things in places where he can be seen. He is friendly with his congregation especially if they are of some use to him. The man with stomach cancer was able to give him a verry thick envelope of money. The old man who he bathed is father to a senator. Everything he does is calculated.
h3lla
August 23, 2017 at 3:40 AM
The shaman, as well, is set up as a con man. He knows what Sang Mi’s family is there for because he’s been told, yet he still attempts to exploit the mother’s illness for profit.
The people who sell miracles chill us to the bone because they are the most clear-eyed of them all, and they use that to wield power over others. The world building in this show fascinates me because it is so relentless. The way they set up the lines of good versus bad and then throw all these victims in the grey area feels so true to life. It adds so much tension and dread to the plot because, as the audience, we know that there is no way everyone who deserves a happy ending can get one. It’s simply impossible.
h3lla
August 23, 2017 at 3:49 AM
3.5 We root for them because the show makes no mystery about the fact that they are right. And therein lies the tension of the show. We are screaming along with Sang Mi because we are sure she is right. Those who believe are surely wrong, and are in danger because of it. Because the people they believe know the truth too: There is no magic, there is no great beyond.