Tell Me that You Love Me

Presentation

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Overview

Synopsis

Cha Jin Woo is a man with a hearing impairment. Because of that, he’s used to expressing his feelings through drawings. Jung Mo Eun is an aspiring actress who uses words to express herself. They fall in love with each other.

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

This has been my comfort drama through the tough winter. Everything about the story is like melted marshmallow. The main couple is soft and tender, each of them battling against his own insecurities. It was truly heartwarming to see how much affection they had for each other, despite their differences. The entire part related to acceptance, tolerance and disability (Jin Woo has a hearing impairment) is tackled with respect and subtlety. I appreciated how well the drama demonstrated their unique strong bond. Apart from that, the plot also focused on the leads’ respective dreams and their efforts to achieve them. Once again here, it was pretty praise-worthy. Finally, the side characters’ stories were also quite sweet. Although, I was slightly annoyed by Jin Woo’s past lover. If you’re looking for a slow-paced romance that soothes the heart, this one’s for you!

Analysis

• The romance
  The encounter on Jeju Island
  The reunion in Seoul
  The obstacles from Jin Woo’s past
  Jin Woo’s disability
  The ending
• Mother-child relationship
  Cha Jin Woo and his mother
  Jung Mo Eun and her mother
• Achieving your dreams
• Direction and ambiance

The romance: Cha Jin Woo (Jung Woo Sung) and Jun Mo Eun (Shin Hyun Bin) portray the slow-paced and warm love story of two people who unexpectedly find themselves caring for the other. Though the obstacles are numerous, they approach their relationship with so much softness. Their bond is a special one – vulnerable and fragile – that seems like it could break any time. But behind this frailty hides a strong and powerful love.

The encounter on Jeju Island: Jin Woo and Mo Eun meet like any ordinary people would actually meet in real life. Still, I couldn’t help but think that fate got involved in their encounter. Set on the beautiful island of Jeju, aspiring actress Jung Mo Eun travels for a shoot, while Jin Woo flies down to take photographs of these natural landscapes. The protagonists first cross paths on the beach, as Mo Eun’s scarf is carried away by the wind and ends up at Jin Woo’s feet. Shortly after, Mo Eun rescues Jin Woo from a coffee shop that has caught on fire. They end up spending a friendly night together by Jin Woo’s caravan talking about everything and nothing. Right from the start, it’s clear that both characters have a connection – something magnetic that attracts them to the other. For Jin Woo who’s always felt like an outcast due to his hearing impairment, he suddenly feels listened to and seen. As for Mo Eun, she is encouraged and supported in her acting career, when everyone else thinks she made a mistake to quit her stable job to follow her dreams. That escape trip on Jeju is the beginning of a long and tumultuous, yet comforting love story.

The reunion in Seoul: Jin Woo and Mo Eun both go back to Seoul with their head and heart full of memories of the other. But their brief meeting doesn’t end there. They actually reunite in Seoul. Indeed, Cha Jin Woo teaches arts to hearing-impaired teenager at a gallery, while Jung Mo Eun is working part-time in the coffee shop across the street. The short distance is the perfect excuse to take up with each other again. Slowly but surely, they exchange phone numbers. Even better, Jung Mo Eun starts learning sign language in order to communicate with Jin Woo. Their difference is what makes their couple unique and so heartwarming. Mo Eun makes immense efforts to connect with Jin Woo’s world. In the meantime, he tries to find ways to open up more, understand her, let her in as much as possible. They are like magnets, pushing and pulling each other.

The obstacles from Jin Woo’s past: Cha Jin Woo has not had the easiest life. He became deaf early on in his childhood after a high fever at the orphanage. Though this event was already a brutal twist of fate, he had to deal with some other difficult times as a teenager. At school, he befriended Song Seo Kyung (Kim Ji Hyun) who was his studies facilitator. Indeed, she knew sign language thanks to her father’s own impairment. Rapidly, Seo Kyung became Woo Jin’s friend, confident, and first love. It finally seemed as if Jin Woo had found his place in life. Until one day, Seo Kyung got attacked by a stalker who’d been following her for some time. While the young woman was struggling to escape, she inadvertently spilled inflammable products. The school room caught on fire. Her stalker ran away, leaving her behind and hurt, thus unable to get out of danger. Cha Jin Woo was also present that day; but couldn’t hear anything. As soon as he realized smoke was coming out of the classroom, he started to look for Seo Kyung. She was unfortunately nowhere to find. His friend tried to scream Jin Woo’s name to signal her position, but she already knew it was in vain. Song Seo Kyung was miraculously helped by another classmate, who also happened to have a crush on her. He got her out of the building, while leaving Jin Woo panting and worried inside. Since then, Cha Jin Woo’s entire world collapsed. Not only did he feel responsible for not finding/hearing Seo Kyung, but she also blamed him for passing by her and not helping. Her resentment – though indirect and unjustified – led to their break-up. After that, Jin Woo shut himself from everyone. He hid in a forest for 7 years, only painting in silence and barely surviving. Meanwhile, Seo Kyung left for the US and endured her trauma. Even years later, she is still stuck in the past, incapable of moving on from that tragic night. Now adults, Cha Jin Woo seems to have found a new balance and his encounter with Mo Eun is a new open door to the world he left behind. To my greatest displeasure, Seo Kyung also chooses that exact same time to come back in Jin Woo’s life as the director of his arts gallery. She carries the weight of their common past and wreaks havoc everything that Jin Woo worked hard to build, brick after brick. Nevertheless, I had a lot of empathy towards Song Seo Kyung, as I could understand her trauma and her scars. But I couldn’t support her desire to supposedly right things wrong with Jin Woo. Her presence was only a way to disturb his newly-found peace, while lessening her own guilt. Her behavior was indeed desperate, but selfish too, especially when she already knew that it would lead nowhere. Nothing can change the past, and you can’t fix what’s broken.

Jin Woo’s disability: Without the shadow of a doubt, Jin Woo’s disability impacts his relationship with Mo Eun. First, communication is different. Jung Mo Eun has to adapt by learning sign language. But she also learns how to be patient and straightforward, as Jin Woo can’t understand innuendos or read the tone of her voice. Instead, he needs to focus on her lips and be as observant as possible to decipher the expressions on her face. This can lead to obvious misunderstandings, and makes Mo Eun isolated in the relationship at times and envious of other ordinary couples. For example, she can’t talk to Jin Woo while taking a simple stroll side by side, as they are required to be face-to-face to communicate. Over time, Mo Eun doubts that this is the kind of relationships she’s wished for and eventually starts distancing herself from Jin Woo. Nevertheless, that new type of communication is not entirely negative for the couple (otherwise, they wouldn’t have stayed together!). Indeed, Mo Eun confesses herself that she used to hate silence, but has now learned to appreciate it when she’s with her boyfriend. They can also remain close to each other, while focusing on their own tasks with Mo Eun playing the guitar and Jin Woo painting. In the last episodes of the drama, it’s clear that Mo Eun’s certainty about their relationship is cracking. Not only does she feel at odds with Jin Woo sometimes, but she also has to deal with other people’s judgement. Starting with Song Seo Kyung who believes she’s a better match for Jin Woo (due to their past relationship and her great knowledge of sign language). Hence, her constant presence between the lovebirds. Seo Kyung appears as a rival – she’s not in Jin Woo’s mind – to Mo Eun who feels discouraged and less apt to be with the painter. Problem is as well, that Jin Woo can’t really reassure Mo Eun because he doesn’t hear what is said about him/them. For example, Mo Eun and Jin Woo take a break on a bench during the artist’s first exhibition. While they are bathing in the sun, Mo Eun overhears Seo Kyung talking to an old friend about Jin Woo. Yet, her man has no idea that what Seo Kyung is telling unsettles Jung Mo Eun. She keeps it for herself, lets it fester, while Jin Woo doesn’t a have clue and thus can’t take action to comfort her. Prejudice towards Jin Woo is part of his life. When a teenager gets bullied in the bus, he can’t hear nor help. When his young neighbor enters his house to see his cat and ends up napping in there, he’s accused of kidnapping. That is because he closed the door and had no idea that the child had trespassed. Because he can’t hear nor defend himself, Cha Jin Woo is often accused of actions he’s not committed. That also is a weight to consider for Mo Eun, as she needs to get to the police station several times to explain the situation. Last but not least, Cha Jin Woo’s disability is seriously looked upon by Mo Eun’s best friend, brother and parents. Her friend Yoon Jo Han (Lee Jae Kyun) has had a crush on her for years, so he obviously can’t root for her relationship. Mo Eun’s younger brother, Jung Mo Dam (Shin Jae Hwi) is uncertain. He knows that his sister would have to make sacrifices and compromises for this relationship and he fears this may lead to her being unhappy. The same thinking can be applied to Mo Eun’s parents when they learn Jin Woo is deaf. Still, they do not stand up against. They consider it, but eventually give in seeing how in love Mo Eun is. They want her happiness, and if it has to be with this man, so be it.

The ending: By the end of the drama, Jin Woo and Mo Eun eventually split up. Jung Mo Eun doesn’t feel like she can handle this relationship anymore. What used to bring her peace and serenity is now making her anxious and unsure. Moreover, both leads arrive at a crossroads in their respective careers: Jin Woo is offered to hold an exhibition in the US, while Mo Eun has gained recognition as an actress in her first drama. However, the couple reconnects a year later. They are now at different stages of their lives and have reached success. They have also had time to carefully ponder that relationship and seem to be ready to rekindle the flame. In the last episode, Jin Woo goes see Mo Eun’s play – that has now sign language available for the audience – and finds his way back to her after Mo Eun’s personal monologue that seems to be directed at him:
‘Can the fact that we’re so different be the reason? I mean, not two people in the world are completely the same. If a person with one arm falls in love with another person with one arm, would it be okay? People say that they will soon start to hate and resent each other. But I’m not sure. Then wouldn’t it be okay to stay together until they start to hate each other? Wouldn’t it be okay to give it your all until you start to hate everything? Even if your love is not the same in shape and size, even if it may not be fair, wouldn’t it be okay for us to love until the end?‘

Mo Eun delivers this simple message to Jin Woo from the stage. They may be different, they may love differently, and their love may come to an end someday. But it’s worth loving until they get to that stage. The direction of that scene is absolutely perfect, as pictures from the leads’ best moments unreel, while Mo Eun’s voice covers all of their happy memories with her love confession. Some other details are to be mentioned such as the scarf that Mo Eun wears on stage and is the same as the one that sealed their encounter on the Jeju beach; and of course the last sentence of the drama that is Jin Woo responding to Mo Eun’s request to tell her that he loves her. Of course, he responds ‘I love you‘ echoing at the same time to the title of the drama.

Mother-child relationship: Apart from the atypical romance between the leads, the drama also sheds light on a powerful relationship that can either support or destroy your life. Both Cha Jin Woo and Jung Mo Eun have a peculiar connection with their respective mother that has greatly impacted their lives.

Cha Jin Woo and his mother: Jin Woo was abandoned by his mother when he was a young kid. He ended up at an orphanage where he became deaf after a fever, but also met his best friend Hong Ki Hyun (Heo Joon Seok). From early on, Jin Woo had to deal with all the difficulties of being a deaf orphan. Communication with other kids was tough, and he lacked the care and affection any child deserves. Despite all that, he never resented anyone nor blamed his mother for not being there. Although he tried to look for her, using the only piece of memory she left him with (a photograph of her in front of a house), he never succeeded in finding the right place. However, Cha Jin Woo’s life makes a 360 turn thanks to his encounter with Mo Eun. Not only does she bring him peace, love and comfort; but she also finds a way to bring his mother to him. Indeed, Jung Mo Eun unexpectedly meets her at the arts center. She first encounters her husband who wishes to purchase a painting by Cha Jin Woo. Then, she meets her face-to-face when the long lost mother comes to her son’s exhibit herself. Though she doesn’t reveal her identity, Mo Eun has a hunch and decides to investigate. At Jin Woo’s home, she stumbles upon the old photograph and manages to find the house from his past. When Mo Eun realizes that the woman who visited the arts center is indeed Jin Woo’s mother, she goes to him. Seeing how hurt this abandonment left him, she wishes him to make peace with his past and be able to move on. Cha Jin Woo eventually meets his biological mother at the hospital, because she has dementia. She doesn’t even remember her husband’s face, but clearly pronounces the exact same name every day – Jin Woo’s first name when he was born. During one moment of lucidity, Jin Woo’s mother comes back to herself and recognizes her son. She embraces him and asks for forgiveness. This special moment at the hospital enables closure for Cha Jin Woo. He was carrying many wounds of the past, but was able to band-aid the last one open. On the mother’s side, this encounter tells also a lot. It proves that she had never forgotten him. She never really recovered from that event, even after she had married a wealthy man and welcomed new children. For a mother, losing a child is a dagger in your heart that you may never manage to remove. All in all, this meeting was decisive for both characters who found peace and repentance in each other’s arms.

Jung Mo Eun and her mother: Not only Cha Jin Woo, but Jung Mo Eun also has a special bond with her mother. Though nothing seems suspicious about the relationship at first, we gradually discover that the family has a secret. Jung Mo Eun had indeed stumbled upon an old photograph one day that showed her father with another pregnant woman. This led her to believe that her biological mother is the woman on the photograph and that she may have died during childbirth. After that, her father remarried another woman who’s now her current mother (or step-mother). Even if Mo Eun got wind of the truth rather early on in her life, she never showed anything. She always considered her mother to be hers, but grew anxious and scared. Seeing Cha Jin Woo’s situation with his own mother made Mo Eun realize that she needed to have a heartfelt conversation with hers. She had to tell her the truth and be comforted in the idea that she was loved and cared for. When she eventually confronts her mother, the latter is upset. She feels pain for her daughter because she never wanted her to feel as if there were a difference between Mo Eun and Mo Dam (her brother). On the contrary, she’s always promised herself that she would never favor one more and that both these kids were hers no matter what. Mo Eun reassures her by saying that she never felt the difference, while her mother emphasizes the fact that she loves her unconditionally. This mother-daughter scene is a proof that a parent becomes a parent if he chooses to be one, no matter the blood relationship. Even if that child is not yours biologically, the relationship you create with him/her and the bond that you nurture both make you a parent. Blood doesn’t make everything and that’s exactly what Mo Eun’s mother proves us.

Achieving your dreams: Even if this may not be the main topic of the drama, Tell Me That You Love Me is also the story of people who want to follow and achieve their dreams. Mo Jung Eun had a stable life as a stewardess. She was being paid regularly and didn’t have to fear precariousness. Nevertheless, this job didn’t bring her happiness. She was not at her place. So, she decided to quit and risk it all to become an actress. She’d rather try and fail, than not do anything and regret. In my opinion, there’s a lot to learn from this character. Jung Mo Eun may seem like the quiet and risk-averse type, but she’s actually quite resilient and determined. She’s soft, yet very tough when it comes to facing difficulties. She’s a symbol of resilience that I personally admire. She doesn’t care what other people think of her choices (whether at work or in love). Instead, she goes all in and follows her instincts. And she does that with so much humility. Same goes for Cha Jin Woo. Hence, their perfect match. Jin Woo is a talented artist who’s always held himself back because of his disability. He never dared to reveal his paintings to the world out of fear of being once again cast aside. In that matter, Mo Eun becomes his greatest support. She encourages him to pursue his dreams. She supports him in his exhibition and his career as a world-renowned painter. She is his first fan and greatest source of inspiration. The satisfying part of the drama is that both protagonists dare try and succeed in the end. With each other’s love and constant support, they manage to reach their goals. Mo Eun was cast in a drama and gained recognition on stage by getting the main role. Cha Jin Woo became a painter whose works of arts are seen and desired by a large public. This drama proved that giving it a go can open up the way to many new good things and much more happiness.

Direction and ambiance: Tell Me That You Love Me is what I would call a poetic drama. From the direction to the script, everything is thought to make it soft and tender. Scenes on Jeju Island were absolutely stunning, paintings were breathtaking, and the ordinary moments of romance were perfectly captured. This drama is a gem for me. It’s food for the soul that envelops you in a comforting blanket and carries you away with characters’ story. Of course, it’s a slow-paced show so it may not be for everyone. But it’s this speed mixed with silence that makes us focus entirely on the couple and their relationship. Talking is not necessary here, eyes say it all. The setting is just a facilitator to communicate emotions and underlying dialogues.

P.S.: I loved the main couple, but the relationship between Mo Dam and Ji Yu (aka Mo Eun’s brother and best female friend) was really great! Funny, simple, lighthearted.