The whole dialogue of the fish sauce was so good though. 🧵
Jang Uk and the Boys (a good band name option for anybody looking) are all expecting the rice cake to taste horrible. But really it's not about the ingredients, it's the expectation. #AlchemyOfSoulsS2Ep4#AlchemyOfSouls
Whatever is or isn't in the rice cake doesn't matter. What matters is what you make of it.
What we're seeing is a clear shift in Jang Uk because for the first time in 3 years, he's open to the idea of something new.
He's not expecting the rice cake to taste horrible and he's willing to open himself up to the possibility of actually enjoying it, even if it wasn't what he originally thought he wanted.
Park Jin is reminding them all that they may not have the power to change certain events, but they can change how they react to those events.
They may not be able to change whether or not the rice cake has fish sauce in it or not, but they can decide whether or not a rice cake filled with fish sauce is a bad thing or a good thing, and can determine how it will affect them.
The rice cake probably WAS filled with fish sauce, but the surprise is that Jang Uk actually liked it. He changed his expectation and therefore changed the outcome of the situation he had no control over.
Something that is lost to the other two.
For a long time Jang Uk expected that a life without Mu-Deok would be miserable, and he was closed off to the possibility of opening himself up again. Literally building a wall to keep everybody out and refusing to let go.
But, just like with the rice cake, he's finally learned that something different or unexpected doesn't always mean it's bad.
He may not be able to control the fact he's living a life without Mu-Deok, but he can control how he lives it and how it'll affect him.
By taking control of his destiny and changing his expectations, he's allowing the possibility to like somebody new and he open himself up for the first time since the loss of Mu-deok.
Park Jin knew exactly what he was doing.
(It's also worth noting that the first time Jang Uk stops wearing black is the first time he lets his walls down in front of her.)
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Yuan Shuai and Jiang Jun have one of the healthiest relationships ever put to screen and I will forever love them for that, but let's dive into why theirs stands apart when compared to other fictional couples.
1) Respect
We often see fictional couples that love and admire each other, but don't actually respect each other. This is tremendously common but not often considered in the world of fictional characters. Examples include situations like...
This drama simultaneously is so good that I don't want to shut up about it, but also so comforting and enjoyable that I found myself not wanting to talk about it.
More and more frequently (myself included) the discussion on bad endings vs happy endings has been in the mix - most of the time showing it's face after a story ends with a sad conclusion.
I've been seeing a lot on the TL saying Jang Uk only kissed Bu-yeon because he either thought she was Mu-deok or because he already knew she was Naksu - but guys I don't think either is true...
The whole episode was about Jang Uk learning to open up. Before, he had held on to Mu-deok with an iron fist, refusing to mourn her or accept her death.
But Park Jin encouraged him to be open to the possibility, and encouraged him to finally let her go.
(Post about the significance of this conversation here:
Reborn Rich is a really good example of people assuming romance in non-romance stories is unnecessary – when in most cases is not the romance itself that’s the issue, it’s how it’s written.
While it’s difficult to predict how this story will end, some recent articles I’ve seen about the romantic relationship subplot between Do Jun and Min Young being unnecessary made me compelled to touch on the topic.