Green Mother’s Club

Presentation

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Analysis

Synopsis

The drama revolves around the lives, friendships and hardships of 5 different mothers, who reside in the same neighborhood: Lee Eun Pyo, Byun Cheon Hui, Seo Jin Ha, Kim Yeong Mi and Park Yun Ju.

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

This drama is a very good surprise, though I wasn’t expected some of the dark twists that occurred. I actually thought I was going to watch a simple drama about mothers, their fights, friendships, love for their kids… but the drama introduced complex and interesting storylines among which someone’s death. The tone was not as light as I believed it’d be, yet the plot was well-knitted and full of sense.

Sometimes, it kind of reminded me of Reflection of You, especially the psychological aspect of the drama.

If you want to see an original drama that doesn’t look like any stereotypical others, I suggest you go for this one!

Analysis (Spoiler Alert)

Characters: Lee Eun Pyo (Lee Yo Won) is a mother of 2 energetic kids. She is married to a detective and used to be a professor of aesthetics at the university. However, she had to quit due to a recent incident. At first, she seems overwhelmed with her work as a mother. She doesn’t want to be one of those mothers obsessed with their kids’ education. She thus lets them live freely.
Although she seems to be a bit lost and confused when it comes to education, seems to be belittled by her mother-in-law and appears to raise her kids without a husband; Eun Pyo is more resilient than she looks. She has a strong character and can be very determined when she puts her mind to it. She is able to question herself and her actions constantly. But her true strength resides in her loyalty. Once she has decided you are part of her team, she is willing to do and get over anything. She doesn’t hold grudges either, nor is too greedy. The only thing she desires is her kids’ happiness.

Byun Cheon Hui (Choo Ja Hyun) is quite the opposite of Eun Pyo. She is overly involved in her kids’ education and boasts often about their success. She is also greedy and chose money and status over love in her past. Yet, her children’s achievements are her priority, as well as their well-being.
Unlike Eun Pyo, Cheon Hui can be ruthless and fierce, if not cruel. She doesn’t hesitate to throw her good friend under the bus to protect herself. Her words can be as sharp as knives. She definitely is a force to be reckoned with, even feared and respected by other mothers.
However, Cheon Hui also has a much softer side. One that she hides in order to avoid being vulnerable. Once Eun Pyo gets to know her, she discovers a loyal friend, a caring and protective mother, a scarred woman, who has made wrong decisions in her life and regrets them.

Seo Jin Ha (Kim Gyu Ri) is a two-sided character. She is kind and nice on the outside. She is close to her son and husband. Together, they form a happy family. She is talented at arts and comes from a wealthy background. Her reputation precedes her and she is appreciated by quite everyone. Yet, her status makes her mysterious and difficult to approach. No one really knows her, so she has no true friend around. Despite appearances, Jin Ha hides a more unstable side. She suffers probably from depression, she is a addicted to sleeping pills and has not processed many events of her childhood: her mother’s suicide, her father’s re-marriage… She desperately tries to fill a void, that no one, even her husband, can actually fill.

Park Yun Ju (Joo Min Kyung) is a character quite easy to read. She doesn’t hide her intentions at all. She befriends anyone who can help her kid get into a school for gifted children. She flips her coat easily, siding with those bringing the most benefit. I didn’t really like that character honestly. She was quite hypocritical, smiling to Eun Pyo, then participating in the rumors about her. Contrary to Cheon Hui and Eun Pyo, Yun Ju has no loyalty whatsoever. Or should I rather say, it lies with her daughter and that’s it!

Kim Yeong Mi (Jang Hye Jin) is a valued member of the community. She often bumps head with Cheon Hui, as their views on education diverge. Yeong Mi is an activist, holding the reigns of a small club and pursuing many aspirations. She wants to make the world a better place for her children. However, she is obsessed with social status and desperately wants to belong to the intellectual circle. That’s why, she married a movie director. Yeong Mi can be as cruel as Cheon Hui, when she feels threatened.

What are the themes tackled?

Green Mother’s Club has an intricate plot, in which several themes are intertwined. Also, they are developed differently depending on characters and relationships. Let’s dive right into them.

Marriage: The drama displays 5 couples, each with distinct backgrounds and going through various ups and downs. All in all, every pair expresses another view on marriage and its inner workings.

I think we can distinguish different levels and a gradation in the relationships:
Eun Pyo/Jae Ung: Trust and love
Yun Ju/Man Soo: Love and care
Cheon Hui/Ju Seok: Status and money
Yeong Mi/Geon U: Status and appearance
Jin Ha/Louis: Appearance and substitution

Marriages based on love: At first, Eun Pyo appears to be a single parent raising two kids. Her husband is often absent due to his work as a detective. When he comes back home, it is to get some sleep and play with his kids. He doesn’t seem to care much about his wife to the point that Eun Pyo saved him as “Almost a stranger” in her phone.
However, Jung Jae Ung (Choi Jae Rim) turns into a supportive and helpful husband mid-drama. What seems to be an unhappy wedding actually proves to be a solid one. Despite the lies, the rumors and the drama occurring in the neighborhood, Jae Ung is never swayed and trusts his wife entirely. This faith in his partner compensates somehow his former absence. From that point of view, I was quite satisfied that Louis left Eun Pyo in the past. Thanks to that, she met a better man, a good husband and a devoted father to their children.
Of course, Eun Pyo deals with the usual troubles like her difficult mother-in-law, the pressure of taking care of their energetic children during the day, of taking care of the house, while working… Still, she and Jae Ung make a strong married couple together.

We can’t say the same for the other marriages in the drama. Apart from Yun Ju and Lee Man Soo (Yoon Kyung Ho); who navigate through troubled waters, when Man Soo’s past relationship with Cheon Hui is revealed; everyone else lies, pretends and fakes emotions.

Marriage based on interest: Byun Cheon Hui and Kim Ju Seok (Choi Duk Moon) have never been in love. When Cheon Hui was a nurse she took the fall for Ju Seok’s medical malpractice. As compensation, she asked him to marry her. For Cheon Hui this was a way to elevate her status and to be considered as a socially important person. She may have gotten married to her doctor, but she sacrificed much more in the end. She left her true love of the time Lee Man Soo, then had to suffer from the constant scorn and despise from her in-laws, and even cover up for her husband’s gambling debts. Finally, she turned towards criminal activities, such as drug trafficking, to maintain their financials. Though Cheon Hui and Ju Seok are in an unhappy marriage, at least they have been aware of it since day one. Both married for selfish interests. When they reach the point of no-return, they can only divorce and go their own way to put an end to their misery.

The second marriage of the drama that is based on interest is that of Kim Yeong Mi and Oh Geon U (Im Su Hyung). Though it seems like pure bliss on the outside, reality happens to be darker. After her divorce, Yeong Mi fell for Geon U, or more specifically for his status as an intellectual. Indeed, Geon U is a movie director, who shows off his arts and culture. Attracted by such high standards and to make someone out of herself, Yeong Mi married him without really knowing Geon U’s real face. Even when her children are being abused by her husband, she refuses to let go of her status. It is only when Geon U’s illegal activities come to light that she can find a new refuge, as a poor housewife who was lied to. Somehow, she lets go of one mask for another, that of a martyr, who can be pitied by the community.

Marriage based on illusions: Seo Jin Ha is the character who goes through the worst type of betrayal in her marriage. One day, she discovers that her husband Louis (Roy) married her because she resembled his past lover Rhéa. All these years, Jin Ha was thus just a substitute, who was living with a shell. Louis had no real feelings for her and was simply trying to fill the void left by the woman of his childhood. Upon this discovery, Jin Ha is pushed to the limit and can’t bear the weight of lies. Her life was just a smokescreen.

Education: Main characters are mothers, so it is natural that education has a part to play in the drama. Once again, Green Mother’s Club showcases different educational methods (depending on the mother), but all converging towards performance.

As a learner:
Pressure: Not only mothers, but also children go through a tough journey. Eun Pyo’s son, Dong Seok (Jung Ji Yul) for instance, is the perfect example of the negative consequences a strict education can have on a kid. When he arrives in this new neighborhood, he and his brother are free. They have a lot of energy to spend, they play all they want, they don’t listen to anybody and are in a word, living their best lives. Dong Seok’s behavior raises concerns among the community of mothers, which pressures Eun Pyo into restraining his liberty. All of a sudden, Dong Seok turns out to be a gifted kid, who now needs to go to the academy every night, fill in several exercise books per week, make everybody proud and suffer from other kids’ jealousy. The shift is too great for the poor kid, who has a breakdown. Only at that point can Eun Pyo understand the pressure she put him through. This storyline is quite relatable and also sheds highlight on the pressure of performance in the South Korean educational system (like other dramas did before such as SKY Castle to name one).

Cheon Hui’s daughter Yu Bin (Joo Ye Rim) goes through similar issues. She was used to be the number one, always excelling at everything until Dong Seok arrived and stole the spotlight. She felt ashamed, disappointed and jealous. However, her reaction was different from Dong Seok’s. Instead of internalizing her emotions, she choose to tell lies, without being able to contain them.

As Eun Pyo and Cheon Hui could not be more apart, their kids’ problems reunite them and rekindle their friendship. They both realize they have been too severe on their children and need to let go a bit. Meanwhile, they make peace for past events.

Judgement: Putting pressure on children is not the only relevant education-related topic in the drama. Indeed, pressure also falls on the parents to provide for their kids, so they would reach the top. And beware if you are not involved enough in your kids’ education. This is exactly what happens to Eun Pyo when she first moves in. She is not one of these mothers, who is constantly behind her kids and controlling their homework. On the contrary, she’d rather let them play and have a good time. Yet, the group of mothers she gets to know tends to think otherwise. They immediately judge and criticize Eun Pyo for her lack of involvement in her kids’ education. This external pressure is also responsible for Eun Pyo’s radical change of behavior towards Dong Seok.

Same when it comes to academies or even the school that point out with disdain every mother who doesn’t take education seriously.

Whether it’d be pressure on the parents or on the children, it is still toxic! Green Mother’s Club depicts perfectly the impact (most of the time negative) this type of toxicity can have on relationships and people in general.

As a teacher:
Professorial rotten hierarchy: Education is developed under all its forms. Even Eun Pyo doesn’t leave unscathed in that matter. She used to be a professor, but one wrongly sent email and all her efforts went down the drain. In that email, she was openly denouncing another senior professor’s misbehavior. Indeed, he would ask for other people to write thesis for him and then put his name on their hard work. Eun Pyo was fired due to that and had to leave a job she cared for. She resented her kids and felt bad for what had happened. That’s why at the end, she is about to make the same mistake again. This old professor, who would always belittle and humiliate her, calls her again, so she can write his thesis. Fortunately, Eun Pyo has more urgent matters to take care of (Cheon Hui’s flight from the police) and puts an end to that destructive relationship.

From being a failed university teacher, to teaching again without passion, she ends up becoming an arts school teacher. She can now enjoy art, kids and escape from the rotten professorial system.

Teaching kids about life: All in all, the drama is pretty much about educating your kids, so that they can navigate in life. Cheon Hui teaches Yu Bin and Yeong Bin (Kim Seo Joon) that it is okay to fail, not to lie, that if you commit a crime, you must pay for it. Eun Pyo tells her boys that the only thing she desires in life is for them to be happy. Yun Ju shows her daughter how to stay humble, even when you are better than others.

All the mothers teach their children how to distinguish right from wrong and that wrong should be punished. It is the case for example when Dong Seok is accused of sexual assault on Yu Bin and Su In (Park Ye Rin). It turns out it was all a lie, yet it becomes a precious lesson for all of those involved in the matter: Truth always comes out and lies will be punished.

Parenthood, more specifically motherhood: As the drama focuses on 5 mothers, it is clearly expected that the topic of parenthood is going to be raised. What the plot does very well is describing different dynamics when it comes to that subject.

Not only do we witness overwhelming love, pride and expectations from others (such as Byeon Hui towards her children), but we also get to see a much darker and dangerous side of this parent-child relationship.

Indeed, Seo Jin Ha has always wanted to have a mother in her life. When she met Eun Pyo, she saw in her friend’s mother a good substitute. Yet, the latter crushed her dreams when she confessed to her daughter that she was only nice to Jin Ha because she was Eun Pyo’s friend. She would never consider her as her own kid. Jin Ha got hurt and disappointed. She bore the scar of the confession all her life, even after she became a mother herself. In the end, she makes her son go through the exact same experience she had as a kid. Henry (Shin Seon Woo) witnessed his mother’s suicide and lost his mother prematurely.

Cheon Hui, Eun Pyo and Yun Ju are all very attentive towards their children, sometimes maybe too much. However, they are mature enough to understand when they have gone too far. Eun Pyo is eaten away by guilt when Deong Seok stops talking. She feels responsible, feeling that she has asked too much of her young boy. Same with Cheon Hui. When the mother realizes she has unconsciously turned her daughter into a mythomaniac, she chooses to protect them. Until the end, both put their children’s safety and happiness over their own personal gain and greed. That similarity is one of the reasons they are able to connect so rapidly and to remain friends despite the quarrels.

A common point to almost all mothers in the drama is their tenacity and ruthlessness if they feel their kids have been wronged or are endangered. Yun Ju cuts ties with Eun Pyo, when her daughter accuses Dong Seok of sexual harassment. She is even willing to leave her husband and let him get back to Byeon Hui to protect Su In.
Meanwhile, Eun Pyo shows her teeth to uncover the truth behind that incident and is willing to do anything in her power to innocent her son. What she does!

Even Cheon Hui becomes a much more agreeable character when she flees at the end of the drama in order to leave her kids with her sister in Canada. She doesn’t want them to see her crumble or to be shocked for life. Fortunately, Eun Pyo is present when she is arrested and the detectives do it without violence.

In the end, these 3 mothers are rewarded for their love and patience: Dong Seok starts speaking again, Cheon Hui’s son Yeong Bin proves to be a very gifted violinist, and Su In joins the selective school for gifted children.

On the contrary, mothers who refused to let go of their greed to protect their children are punished. It is the case for Yeong Mi, whose kids are being abused by her husband. But she would rather be socially important than listen to her their grievances. She turns a blind eye and pretends it never happened. In the end, she loses it all: husband and status. She still redeems herself, but it still took quite a long time.

On another level, the drama also shows the involvement of fathers. They are showed as protective figures, who are often confronted with dilemmas. Eun Pyo’s husband is constantly forced to buffer between his mother and his wife, while reducing Eun Pyo’s expectations towards Dong Seok. Lee Man Soo is conflicted between helping his ex-girlfriend Cheon Hui and reassuring his wife. Yun Ju is convinced he is having an affair. Louis has to choose between his son and his love for Rhéa. Kim Ju Seok needs to decide whether he wants to stay with his kids or crumble under the weight of his gambling addiction and debt.

Mental health: As complex as it is, Green Mother’s Club could not develop such intricate storylines without portraying complex minds as well. Each character has its own mental burden, whether it’d be children or adults.

Mutism and mythomania: Dong Seok and Yu Bin experience differently the consequences of educational pressure. The former chooses silence, which results in his incapacity to speak until the very last episode. The latter tries to grab others’ attention by re-inventing her life through various lies.

Inferiority complex: As far as Eun Pyo and Jin Ha’s relationship is concerned, we can say that the dynamics are pretty weird, if not completely toxic. From the one side, Eun Pyo becomes jealous of Jin Ha. Indeed, she seems to have it all: Wealth, talent, love from others, kindness and social status. Thus, she develops a sort of inferiority complex towards her. As if all her big accomplishments were shadowed by Jin Ha’s greater ones.

One the other side, Jin Ha is envious of Eun Pyo’s relationship with her mother. Indeed, Jin Ha lost her birth mother early and her father remarried one of his student, 20 years younger than him. She bears deep wounds and wishes to have the ties Eun Pyo has with her mother. Interestingly, the only thing she ever wanted to have, but never could have, is motherly love. She had the rest, but could never acquire this. On the contrary, Eun Pyo had nothing, but this.

This situation created a vicious circle, in which Jin Ha wanted to possess Eun Pyo’s last belonging, while Eun Pyo wished to destroy Jin Ha’s success to feel less inferior. As their relationship was never really equal, it could not work. Despite the effort and the numerous attempts to start from scratch, neither could let go of past grudges.

On top of that, Eun Pyo’s ex-boyfriend, Louis, left her to marry Jin Ha. Once again, this incident decreased Eun Pyo’s self-esteem. As she hit rock bottom, she cut all ties with Jin Ha and disappeared.

When Jin Ha dies, Eun Pyo eventually makes peace with her past. She manages to understand her friend’s inner struggles and forgives her.

Trauma, depression and suicidal thoughts: The cause behind Jin Ha’s scars lies deep down in her past. Her mother suffered from schizophrenia and eventually committed suicide. She never felt motherly love and was consistently afraid of committing suicide as well. Moreover, her marriage to Louis was far from being blissful. She always had the impression that she was living with the shadow of a man, incapable of loving her. The reality is ever more gruesome for Jin Ha, when she realizes that she was right all along. Her husband has been in love with another woman – her doppelgänger – and only married her because of their uncanny resemblance.

Upon knowing that, Jin Ha doesn’t seem to find anything to hold on to. Eun Pyo doesn’t appreciate her, she refuses to accept her stepmother as such, her husband doesn’t love. She hits the point of no-return and puts an end to her life.

Obsession: Obsession is present under 2 different forms in the drama. The first has to do with love and the other one with perversion.

For the former, the main protagonists are Louis and Rhéa. I don’t think we can talk about true love, but it is true that they have a strong bond that withstands time and distance. Yet, the fact that Louis marries a woman, who looks like Rhéa, is everything but healthy. This turns his childhood love into an obsession to find Rhéa, have her by his side and be with her.

For the latter, Geon U is clearly the man of the action. There is no other word to describe him but perverted. He obsesses over Jin Ha, pretending at first to be interested in her arts, before spreading the rumor that they have an affair (which is not true by the way). He also photoshops her face in naked pictures, that he keeps hidden from his wife (and the rest of the world) in his computer.
When Jin Ha refuses to see him anymore, fearing for her life, he gets angry. He doesn’t appreciate being separated from his newly-found toy, object of desire or call it what you want.

Thankfully, he is arrested for his misdeeds and his true nature is brought to life.

In that part we could also add Yeong Mi, Geon U’s wife, who is obsessed with social status. Yet, she makes amend at the end and admits her fault.

Crime: Green Mother’s Club is not only a slice-of-life drama. There is also a much darker side to the story. First, relationships are not all necessarily healthy. Jin Ha and Eun Pyo appear to get along well, but there is an underlying tension. Cheon Hui is involved with her husband in illegal activities. Jin Ha and Louis are not the happy couple they pretend to be outside.

A crime takes place in this small neighborhood. One morning, Jin Ha is found dead by Eun Pyo. It is the beginning of the end for most characters. One clue leading to another, the supposedly suicide of the ‘Goddess of the community’ hides a lot. On top of that, Eun Pyo’s husband is a detective, who happens to be working on a drug trafficking network (the one in which Cheon Hui participates).

In order to hide their own secrets, inhabitants are willing to put the spotlight on others – and not in a good way. Hence, the numerous rumors about Eun Pyo and Louis’ alleged affair; then Dong Seok’s assault on Yu Bin and Su In; followed by Jin Ha’s naked photos; Geon U’s arrest; Cheon Hui’s arrest; Louis’ confession and the final revelation about Jin Ha’s death. She was in fact killed by Louis (although the only thing he did was letting go of her hand, as she tried to jump out of the window).

The criminal activities mixed with the ordinary daily troubles make up for a very original atmosphere in the drama. Sometimes, it is very serious. Sometimes, quite lighthearted. I think this makes to drama so special and like no other.

Fortunately, most characters get a second chance. Eun Pyo and her husband get over their argument (Eun Pyo helped Cheon Hui escape when she was on the run). Cheon Hui serves time in prison and pays for her crimes. She comes back at the end and finds her friend Eun Pyo again. Yeong Mi leaves and now happily sells marmalade.

All the mothers of the community have decided to unite and stop bickering over everything. This means they also put an end to spreading endless unfounded rumors. They are even willing to accept new mothers in their circle, as showed in the last scene. Eun Pyo sits next to a new neighbor during the gathering.

Friendship: Finally, I would say that before anything else, Green Mother’s Club is a drama about friendship. It can be friendships that last despite the troubles (Eun Pyo/Cheon Hui); those that are made up off family ties (Eun Pyo/Yun Ju); those that can become toxic or are misunderstood as such (Eun Pyo/Jin Ha).