Rant on Smart Prison Living: 7 & 8 (Spoiler ahead)

The parallel of Je Hyuk’s conversation with Captain Yoo and Je Hyuk’s conversation with Min-Sung’s conversation at the infirmary bed was beautifully done. I like that they ask the question of “what’s next?” when you’ve hit rock bottom – who to blame for it? Yourself? Someone else? Captain Yoo’s anger towards the world is heartbreakingly justified, but anger will only lead to pain and other toxic feelings, and you won’t be able to survive with those alone. I’m glad Je Hyuk made him realized that there are other ways to survive “what’s next.” And this point is beautifully iterated later on during his conversation with Min Sung, that blaming yourself and questioning “if only” will only bring more pain and hurt you. And that hurting yourself is not the answer.

Each of them deals with being in prison differently. But they need to have something to look forward to – even as little as looking forward to rewards, or competition or event happening in the prison, or what the prison shop sells, waiting for a letter, a cigarette, or even instant coffee. Finding reasons to appreciate small things in life is no small feat, and I’m glad that those are the things that made them eager and have purpose to wait for the next day to come.

And on a lighter note, I just love the slow-burn attraction between Jun-Ho and Je-Hee. The way he hangs his head when he realized Je-Hee knows about him going on the blind date is everything. And the way he protested a bit too much to his brother about not liking Je-Hee that way was so telling. I love that they’re totally utilizing Je-Hyuk as an excuse to get close to each other. And if I were Je-Hee, I would fall for him too. How could you not, when he did that one swoony thing of sending his brother on behalf of him just to make sure you’re home safely.

And Lt. Paeng sorting the coffee & sugar for Captain Yoo is just PURE LOVE.