Graceful Family

Presentation

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Analysis

Synopsis

​Mo Seok Hee is a wealthy heiress. She has a step-mother and two step-brothers. After her mother’s death 15 years ago, she was sent away to the US for her studies. Her mother’s death was covered and her father directly remarried. She really doesn’t get along with her step-family, who hates her and wants to take over Seok Hee’s father company. After 15 years away, she comes back to Korea, determined to take back her place as sole successor and discover the truth about her past. With the help of upright lawyer Heo Yoon Do, she fights her step-family as well as the powerful organization TOP, established by her grandfather to clear the family’s mess. 

My Opinion (No Spoilers)

Unexpectedly, this drama really got me from the first episode to the very last! It focuses on the life of a wealthy family and its internal rivalries. All the family members have their own dark secrets that are told one after the other throughout the drama.

There is a certain tension and a suspenseful vibe, as we follow Mo Seok Hee’s war against her whole family. There are so many ups and downs, twists and turns, especially the final twist, that I certainly never expected!

​I really recommend that drama, particularly if witnessing a chaebol family’s power struggle is your thing!

​Analysis (Spoiler Alert)

Characters: Mo Seok Hee (Lim Soo Hyang) is an incredible character: she is determined, strong-willed and resilient. 15 years ago, her mother was killed and her death was covered by the TOP team (cleaning up the family’s mess). Her father cheated on her mother and married his mistress, adding two potential successors to the family. After her mother’s death, Seok Hee’s father sent her to study abroad and she spent most of her time there, spied on, alone and heartbroken. But it is also there that she has learned how to be patient and prepare her revenge. That’s why, when she comes back, she is determined to know what happened to her mother. Also, the only remaining member of her family she is closed to, is her grandfather. They have a special bond and he wishes her to take over the company. Of course, Seok Hee’s father and step-family is against; they are jealous and greedy and want to inherit the group in Seok Hee’s place. 

As I watched the drama, I was impressed by Mo Seok Hee’s personality. She is so strong and such a clever person. She knows how to play her cards and how to hide her game as well. What I loved the most about her is her insolence and impertinence, she is not afraid of anything and is really daring and cocky (cc the goldfish’s funeral, when she arrives in red while everyone wears black). She is a formidable adversary, who never gives up and never lets anyone tell her what to do. She follows her own rules and is unbending. 

​Moreover, she is also quite sensible and vulnerable. Behind her cold mask, she hides a warm and empathetic young woman, who has struggled and is still suffering. I think that this other side of her is the reason why Heo Yoon Do (Lee Jang Woo) warms up to her and falls for her. Heo Yoon Do is very upright and wants to abide by the rules. He has a strong morale sense too. He became a lawyer because his mother was falsely convicted of a crime she didn’t commit and went to jail. He was then adopted by his best friend’s father and changed his identity. Yoon Do and Seok Hee share a similar story regarding their mother. They both want to uncover the truth about their past. 

This common point makes them team up in the first place. As the drama advances, Yoon Do gets emotionally attached to Seok Hee because he is able to understand and clearly see her soft side. Seok Hee also falls in love with her lawyer because he becomes little by little a trustworthy confident and a real support. I also found that Yoon Do had a very positive influence on Seok Hee. Indeed, she is very impulsive and acts before thinking; whereas Yoon Do is able to really tame her explosive behavior and prevent her from committing mistakes. He is calm and rational, which compensates Seok Hee’s “crazy” side. 

Interestingly though, Yoon Do sometimes reacts like Seok Hee and the pattern is reversed (it doesn’t happen a lot though). 

Anyway, they are both very compatible: they have a similar objective and are willing to do everything in their power to fulfill it. 

Obviously, the other members of the family (step-mother, the father, the brothers, the mistress and even the sister-in-law) are hateful. They misbehave, knowing that at some point the TOP team will be there to take care of their mess. In spite of their respective problems, they still believe that the solution is to crush others to win. That terrible mindset made me want to punch them in the face so many times! 

​The other main character that deserves some respect is TOP’s team leader Han Je Kook (Bae Jong Ok). She used to be a just judge but was deceived and discovered true human nature. She left her job and was recruited by Seok Hee’s grandfather. She grew more powerful, because she was always the one to protect the family when needed. She is blinded by her own greedand justifies her bad behavior by saying that she only has in mind the company. But in my opinion, this is completely false. She is just looking for someone who will follow her lead and that’s it. Despite that, she was a difficult person to deal with but Seok Hee manages to push her in a corner and crush her (well done!). 

​Ambiance: The drama is the perfect combinaison of romance, action and drama. Some moments are really tense, others hopeless. But Lim Soo Hyang playing Mo Seok Hee is simply THE queen of the drama. She is so charismatic and gives of a strong vibe that makes you want to fight with her until the end. Moreover, like I said, the twists are amazing (especially at the end), I was literally shocked and at the same time so satisfied. Every battle won by Seok Hee is exhilarating until she finally wins the war!

​Metaphorical themes:

​The corruptive influence of the house: I really think that the negative influence inside the family is visible. The more you stay inside the house, the more corrupted you become. The house acts as a catalyst, that is full of toxic energy, darkening personalities. For example, the father, the step-mother and the step-brothers have been living in the house for at least 15 years, making them extremely greedy and power thirsty. Opposite to them, I noted that characters who indirectly belonged to the family could become allies, despite their apparent misconduct: that’s the case with the daughter-in-law, Choi Na Ri the mistress and the last brother. At some point, they are all cut off of the family (divorce and sent to Thailand), which makes them reconsider their actions. This separation and this distance from the house helps them question themselves, to the point that they become the family’s weaknesses and Seok Hee’s allies (giving place to incredible twists as well). 

​The house is the pure embodiment of the family: it is big and vast (many children and added members), it is cold (like the familial relationships) and full of secrets. Indeed, most of the drama occur at the diner table (secrets are revealed at that time), in Seok Hee’s father’s office, in the bedrooms… The real story happens behind closed doors, emphasizing the fact that Graceful Family is a real family drama. 

​A modern historical drama: Most of the time, I really thought that I was watching a historical drama set in modern days. Let’s think about it a bit: Seok Hee is the Crown Princess, her father the King and the step-family are the royals, trying to take the throne. The TOP team represents the ministers, acting in their own interest to rule over the country. The country is here the powerful group. Heo Yoon Do is an official helping The Crown Princess. The house is the palace with the same problematics; it is big, full of secrets, everything happens behind closed doors, cold. The entire story is based upon a chess game, in which people are pawns and try to maneuver each other. Generally speaking, it is a great historical/modern drama. There is also a murder mystery (the Queen Mother/Seok Hee’s mother has been assassinated). Plus, let’s not forgot the family drama that is a red thread in all historical dramas! What do you think? 

​The art of story-telling: Each episode has a special story at the very beginning, that suggests the plot of the episode and prepares viewers to focus on a specific theme. I loved these short stories, briefly told and always finishing with a lesson. All of the stories from the beginning of the episodes put together, creating a tale for children with a morale to be remembered. 

​Rotten family ties: Family ties in Seok Hee’s family have been destroyed by power and greed. However, the drama doesn’t deconstruct entirely this notion, as Heo Yoon Do’s family has a chance to get back together as one, especially because there is no external influences such as ambition or money. This is proof that happiness is not bought by money and that justice prevails.

OSTs: Of course I had to do a little review about that! “Liar” and “Black Diamond” became my favorite songs of the end of 2019 (I couldn’t stop listening to them). I still use Liar as a motivating song every day! Amazing!

​Fashion: Fashion was also an important part of the drama: we are immersed in a chaebol (conglomerate) family, so fashion has to match wealth. Seok Hee’s outfits were amazing, fitting perfectly with her charisma and self-confidence and giving her such a cool and powerful vibe. And her earrings, gosh!

​P.S: Did you know it is the highest-rated drama on MBN so far? 

I am sorry I couldn’t find a good trailer for this drama… 😦