Oasis

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Synopsis

Set during the 1980s, the drama revolves around 3 high school friends – Lee Doo Hak, Oh Jung Shin and Choi Cheol Woong – who go through the ups and downs of live, love and friendship in turbulent times.

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

Oasis is a real roller coaster of emotions. If you like melodramas set in the 1980s, then you’ll probably like it. The main trio’s story is as heartwarming as painful because of the lies and injustice that interfere with their friendship. I really loved how the plot combined political and realistic drama with fictitious characters who struggle to survive the harsh world. Add to that jealousy, greed, obsessive love, and a whole bunch of other emotions and you get the chaos that unfolds. Character-wise, Jung Shin shone by her determination and loyalty towards Doo Hak whose kindness often put him through miserable times. Choi Cheol Woong was the most complex character of the lot. Lost, confused, lied to by his own family, and jealous of Doo Hak, he couldn’t seem to pick a side making it difficult for everyone. I empathized with him as much as I hated him. But, the worst characters remain the parents and if you watch the drama you’ll understand why. Otherwise, the romance was nice, the cinematography top-notch and the OSTs really beautiful. I even shed some tears while watching some scenes. Overall, if you like painful plots about injustice and friendship, you can surely watch this drama.

Analysis

• Characters
  Lee Doo Hak, the sacrificed soul
  Oh Jung Shin, the loyal and determined lover
  Choi Cheol Woong, the lost man
  Relationship of the main trio
  The parents
• The 1970s/1980s
• A melodramatic roller coaster of emotions
• An unfair world
• Aesthetics and cinematography

Characters:

Lee Doo Hak, the sacrificed soul: All his life, Lee Doo Hak (Jang Dong Yoon) had to lose against the one he considered his little brother Choi Cheol Woong (Choo Yeong Woo). Due to his poor background, Doo Hak and his parents are constantly belittled by Cheol Woong and his family. Injustice in the word that best depicts Doo Hak’s life. Despite outstanding grades at school and a bright future ahead, he’s asked by his own father to fall behind Cheol Woong which forces the former to leave general school for a specialized one. But that’s just the beginning of Doo Hak’s nightmare. Later on, Cheol Woong accidentally kills one of his classmates. Once again, Doo Hak is asked to take the fall for him. He accept to go to prison for 4 years and to renounce his future. When he’s finally released, Doo Hak has nothing (no money, diploma or job) and has to find a way to survive in the society as an ex-convict. He joins a gang and demonstrates his skills by uniting all the clans under one banner. Still, Cheol Woong gets in the way. Doo Hak is almost shot to death and escapes to Japan where he remains for 3 years before coming back. New clashes with prosecutor Choi Cheol Woong unfold until the biggest blow is inflicted to Doo Hak. Indeed, he finds out that Cheol Woong – the man for whom he was forced to sacrifice everything – is actually is own brother. There’s no status or class differentiation between these two men born in a humble family. Yet, Doo Hak has been put through misery all his life because of that secret.

Even if Lee Do Hak has lived a turbulent and painful life, he never renounced his values. All along, he remains the empathetic, forgiving and kind man who always chooses to do good. Never once is he vindictive or resentful. Instead, he proves to be a kind and loyal friend towards his cellmates and fellow gang members; an astute businessman, and a brilliant and charismatic leader who knows how to strategize, who to partner with and how to get the best out of a desperate situation. He’s also the most faithful lover, who always returns to his one true love and wishes to become a new clean man for Jung Shin. Finally, he’s an amazing brother and a dutiful son towards his parents – who, I would dare say – don’t deserve such a good son.

Oh Jung Shin, the loyal and determined lover: Oh Jung Shin (Seol In Ah) is a determined, strong-headed, stubborn woman, who knows exactly what she wants. She knows herself, her strengths and does her best to protect those she loves such as her parents’ legacy in the cinema and her forever lover Lee Doo Hak. Her love is loyal and pure. Though she’s put through uncertainty many times throughout the years, she never betrays her love and is never swayed by anyone else (especially Cheol Woong who desperately wishes to make her his). For me, she’s one of the best female leads I have seen in dramas. There’s not a lot to criticize. Business-wise, she’s bold and willing to take risks when needed because she has vision and understands the future needs of the cinematographic market. Even if she may sound irrational at first in her decision-making, she always knows where the wind is going to blow and gets the best out of it. Jung Shin is also an amazing friend towards Cheol Woong. Considering everything he’s done to Lee Do Hak, it would have been understandable if Jung Shin had decided to cut ties with him. Instead, she chooses to remain as a support in memory of the old days, and because she knows he needs it. Finally, Jung Shin is assertive and knows when to say no. She is crystal clear when she voices out her opinions, making it impossible for anyone to misread the situation. This is pretty fresh in Dramaland I believe. Female leads usually don’t express their feelings that well to second leads out of fear of hurting them. But Jung Shin is nothing like it. She is honesty embodied and would rather hurt with the truth, than sugarcoat with lies.

Choi Cheol Woong, the lost man: Choi Cheol Woong (Choo Yeong Woo) is the most complex character of the drama. Though he’s been brought up in a wealthy family with loving parents and anything he could ever desire, he has always had an inferiority complex towards Doo Hak. Indeed, Cheol Woong may have everything in theory, but Doo Hak is better than him without having been born with a silver spoon in the mouth. Doo Hak excels at school, he’s kind and appreciated by everyone, and loved by Jung Shin. As Cheol Woong can’t seem to surpass him in any way (love, intelligence, life), he thus uses his family’s background and status to belittle him and his condition. He’s arrogant and proud; jealous and obsessive. He wants to control or submit him and assert his superiority over him. To win against Doo Hak, Cheol Woong shows a cruel side of him, and behaves wrongly to the point that he even wishes for Doo Hak’s death. Yet, the second lead proves to have a more humane side as well, which constantly contradicts with his ambition and greed. In the end, Cheol Woong cares about Doo Hak a lot too. That’s why, he’s constantly torn, and can’t pick a side (ally or villain). Throughout the entire drama, the character wants to be a bad guy, but doesn’t have the gut to assume the consequences making him a real coward.

Despite all that, I think Cheol Woong is very pitiful as well. Indeed, he’s constantly lied to by his mother (especially about his father’s real identity), and used as a justification for her misdeeds. Everyone tries to sway him out of selfish interest, what makes him even more lost and confused. By the end of the drama, Choi Cheol Woong is going through a real identity crisis. The final confrontation scene showcases how disturbed and vulnerable he actually is; and proves that he’s also a collateral victim of all the families’ lies. Though he’s played a double-faced role all along, he’s never been untrue to his feelings towards Jung Shin. She’s the only constant in his life, his North Pole and the reason why he stands strong after all this mess. Although she doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, she supports him as a friend, and helps him make amends and heal.

Relationship of the lead trio: The dynamic of the main trio is chaotic. They first meet at school, and the synergy is amazing. Their teenage days can actually be considered as their happiest ones. But you can already see the cracks in the friendship when Jugng Shin chooses Doo Hak. After that, theirs lives is just a spiral of unfortunate events, betrayals and misplaced feelings. However, they eventually make peace at the end once all truths have been uncovered. Like in the past, on the day they first met, they go for a movies together. The storm has passed, and each can now peacefully go on with his life – either by paying for their crimes or by finally starting to enjoy happiness.

The parents: If Cheol Woong is a complex character, he’s not the worst though. Indeed, his behavior is the result of the lies spread by the adults – that is his parents. Among the older generation, Doo Hak’s parents are the ones responsible for all the negative events that unfold. His father has a slave mentality, and is a coward who can’t stand up to protect his family. He comes from a very poor background, has always lived in the countryside, and is uneducated. He’s also felt that he had a debt towards Cheol Woong’s family. Hence, his willingness to sacrifice everything and everyone for them. This unwanted loyalty is actually at the heart of the chaos. His decision to give them Cheol Woong to raise as their own is the starting point that ignites the fire thereafter. Add to that Cheol Woong’s sly, ambitious and greedy mother, and you get the picture. Cheol Woong’s mother is power-hungry to the point that it destroys everything around her: Her marriage, her comfortable situation, and her son. Because of lies and schemes, she loses everything she holds dear. After that, she even loses her own mind. Her only positive trait is her love towards her son, which in that case is so obsessive that it backfires.

The only parent that is worth it is Jung Shin’s adoptive mother. She’s a true mentor and guide, who succeeds in giving her appreciation, love, freedom and space to become the grown-up she wants to be. A great woman from my perspective, who is like an old version of Jung Shin.

The 1970s/1980s: Starting at the end of the 1970s, the drama takes place during turbulent times in South Korea when corruption and violence are kings. Politically speaking, the country is under military dictatorship (first with Park Chung Hee as leader until 1979, then Chun Doo Hwan from 1980 to 1988 – though no name is explicitly mentioned). The government is involved in numerous corrupt deeds and highly represses democratic movements, qualifying the leaders of such riots as communists. The story of Lee Doo Hak’s sister, Lee Jung Ok (Shin Yoon Ha), is a great depiction of the brutal attempts of government to quiet down its people’s voice. She is indeed tracked down, and tortured by the police to denounce her ‘comrades’.
Meanwhile in the streets, gangs and criminality are on the rise. From petty scams to gang fights and murders, the 1980s is a ruthless age for anyone wishing to survive. Amongst the first victims of this era stand the poor and the uneducated who often fall victim to the system. Due to their low conditions, they struggle in making a life for themselves, while young teenagers dream of better days in a time when uncertainty can turn you into someone.

Oasis also tackles some important economic events of that time period such as the real estate boom through the character of Cheol Woong’s mother. After her remarriage, Kang Yeo Jin (Kang Kyung Hun) starts investing in real estate using her husband’s position to cut deals with the government, get exclusives contracts, and enrich herself.

Finally, the picture of the 1980s wouldn’t be complete without the mention of the Korean culture. The rise of the cinema is also showed in the drama, as Jung Shin’s father used to own one and she herself enters the business years later. That being said, cinema in the drama is an important symbol. It is an industry that goes through an incredible transformation throughout these years, knows ups and downs, but eventually survives. Just like the main trio’s friendship. The cinema is where it all begins and ends for Doo Hak, Jung Shin and Cheol Woong. Despite the cruel events they have experienced, they still remain friends just like in the old days.

A melodramatic roller coaster of emotions: One of the greatest assets of Oasis is its ability to convey characters’ raw emotions embroiled in a violent and chaotic environment. Just like the world they live in, some of them are torn between contradictory feelings that put them (and us) through a real roller coaster.

Cheol Woong’s mother represents greed and fear. She aspires to become a politician’s wife right from the start, and uses Hwang Choong Sun’s (Jeon No Min) love to her advantage. Her greed also translates in her desire to keep her son to herself, and bury the truth about his real origins. She’s afraid of losing him if he were to discover his humble roots.
Cheol Woong is the epitome of jealousy. His inferiority complex towards Doo Hak makes him want to possess everything that his friend has (up to his lover), even if it means destroying him on the way.
Hwang Choong Sun is betrayal, as he shoots his right-hand man, Oh Man Ok (Jin Yi Han) for his and his family’s sake.
Cowardice is represented by Doo Hak’s parents. Because of their inability to stand up for themselves (and tell the truth as well), they bring misery to their own children.
Cupidity is embodied by Jung Shin’s family (her aunt and uncle) who would do anything to get their hands on the cinema and sell it to a good price.
Anger goes with gang members like Yoo Young Pil (Jang Young Hyeon) who is incapable of using his brain instead of his fists.

Fortunately, negative emotions are balanced by positive ones that bring hope and enlighten the darkness. Friendship between Doo Hak and his cellmates, loyalty and love between Doo Hak and Jung Shin, motherly love from Cheol Woong’s mother to quote a few.

An unfair world: Without the shadow of a doubt injustice and unfairness are what transpires of the plot. Lee Doo Hak and Choi Cheol Woong are the biggest victims of their parents’ lies which ultimately leads to confrontation (especially at the end when all masks fall).

Aesthetics and cinematography: First of all, the aesthetics and the cinematography of the drama are simply amazing. Cuts and scenes were beautifully directed, and properly emphasized the emotions of the script. Then OSTs, especially Joo Ha Yoon ‘Nobody Knows’ and Jemma ‘Let Me Go’, are so deep. They gave even more strength to the plot.

Finally, I have thought a lot about as to why the drama was named ‘Oasis’, as it is never explained in the drama. My theory would be that the leads’ friendship and affection towards each other is like a safe heaven in the turbulent 1980s. Like an oasis in the desert that brings water and hope, the 3 main characters bring strength to one another. After a long time wandering in the desert on their own, they are finally where they belong at the end. The 3 of them are sitting in the cinema, enjoying a movie like in the old days. They have gotten back to their own Oasis. What do you think? Do you have any other explanation for the title?