Wonderful World

Presentation

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Overview

Synopsis

Eun Soo Hyun is a psychology professor and renowned writer. One day, her son dies unjustly. Worse, the criminal responsible for his death isn’t punished by the law. So, she decides to punish him herself. In the process, she meets several people who suffer from similar pain. They heal each other.

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

I can’t believe it took me a whole year to finish this drama because it’s actually really good. That’s mainly the reason why I didn’t want to drop it. I’m a fan of shows that put me in dilemmas and make me think. And Wonderful World was perfect for that. If you consider that the female lead loses her child after he’s been hit by a car and left for dead, wouldn’t you want revenge? Especially if the murderer showed no remorse. Now, if you learned that a woman had killed your father, wouldn’t you want to avenge him? Who’s right and who’s wrong in that situation? That’s the kind of questions the drama forces you to ask. Even better than revenge itself, Wonderful World is an investigation drama in which the main protagonists are chasing after the truth and aim at uncovering a vast political conspiracy. It’s obviously a melodrama, so prepare your tissues, but be also ready to get mad and feel betrayed. I honestly don’t know how the female lead managed to stay kind and stoic after everything she’s been through, but this just shows how much of an heroine she is. Finally, I think it’s worth mentioning that it’s definitely Cha Eun Woo’s best performance so far. He’s really showing a broader range of emotions. All in all, if you like melodramas, revenge plots and being emotionally mistreated, this show is for you!

Analysis

• The fight for justice
  The events of that day
  The conspiracy
  The big reveal
• A mother’s love
  Eun Soo Hyun
  The other mothers
• A father’s love
• A child’s love
• The double revenge
• The melodrama
  A moral dilemma
  Social injustice
  Who left the door open?
  Betrayal
  Grief
• The ending

The fight for justice: Let’s first deep dive into the many secrets of the show to want to understand the fight for justice that unfolds in the drama.

The events of that day: After a business trip, brilliant writer Eun Soo Hyun (Kim Nam Joo) comes back home to her husband and son. She enters hastily, leaving the gate slightly open behind. Later on, this will have terrible repercussions on her son’s fate and her conscience. Her son is in the garden with the dog and filming a birthday video for her – this will serve as proof of his murder. Soo Hyun’s husband welcomes her home and both go inside for a short time. In the meantime, their son, Kang Gun Woo (Lee Joon), goes out through the open front gate, thinking that his pet has ran away. Politician Kim Joon (Park Hyun Kwon), who’s drunk driving, then hits him with his car. The kid, still alive, breathing, and filming, needs immediate care. But Kim Joon fears for his career, so he calls Kwon Ji Woong (Oh Man Seok), puts the child his in truck and strikes a deal with his friend. Kim Joon promises him he would save his sick son – in dire need of a transplant – if he took the blame in his stead. The father had no other choice but to accept the offer. He took the wounded kid out of the truck, laid him on the ground and drove him over, ending his life for good. None of them knew that Gun Woo was still recording his last moments and their evil scheme. After that, Kwon Ji Woong went back to the crime scene and abandoned the dead kid on the road. Following that, Kwon Ji Woong was arrested and trialed, but only received a light sentence. His son, Seon Yul (Cha Eun Woo), survived the surgery and woke up only to discover that his father had been killed by Soo Hyun. That’s when he starts to plan his revenge.

The conspiracy: Eun Soo Hyun uncovers little by little Kim Joon’s implication in her son’s death and confronts him. ‘Normal’ methods don’t work against a powerful presidential candidate, so she chooses to go big instead. After identifying Kim Joon as the ultimate villain, she first denounces him in her book. As the public highly anticipates her return, her work gathers both public and media attention. The topic is catchy and intriguing, not to mention that Soo Hyun’s promotes it as a true story: that of her son. She and Seon Yul also use Gun Woo’s tablet with his final recording as leverage to take down Kim Joon.

The big reveal: Not only Soo Hyun and Seon Yul, but also Kang Su Ho (Kim Kang Woo), Gun Woo’s father, play a big role in the revenge. Kim Joon has always been an enemy to the upright journalist whose investigation has constantly been hindered by the politician and his powerful connections. Nevertheless, he’s never renounced his values nor his duty to denounce Kim Joon’s multiple crimes (fraud, embezzlement, abuse and other misdeeds left unpunished). Instead, he pretends to switch sides and seeks justice for his son and others. The big reveal in the last episode is truly satisfying. Kim Su Ho is on national TV, doing his job as an anchorman and gradually reveals all of Kim Joon’s dirty laundry. Meanwhile Soo Hyun is outside, holding a protest under the rain. She is joined by Seon Yul and all the victims of Kim Joon’s abuse from his staff to affiliate companies. All of them stand as a united crowd, while listening to Gun Woo’s final moments on the news. This is the end for Kim Joon.

A mother’s love: This melodrama is as much a fight for justice as the story of a mother. The female lead is deeply wounded by the loss of her child and wants to avenge him even if it destroys her life. However, her maternal instinct prevents her from hurting other people’s kids like Kwon Seon Yul.

Eun Soo Hyun: Eun Soo Hyun is a beautiful melodramatic protagonist. She is stoic, calm, rational, dignified and resolute despite the hurt and betrayal. At the beginning of the drama, she has a successful career as an author, is happily married to anchor Kang Su Ho and together they have a son. Despite her difficult upbringing, she has managed to find stability and has good relationships with her mother and adoptive sister. But her world collapses when her son dies in a car accident. The culprit is not remorseful and even escapes punishment. So, she ends up killing him herself. She’s arrested and sent to jail for 7 years where she’ll suffer the pain and grief of losing her child. When she gets out, she makes new discoveries about her son’s accident and thus chases after the hidden truth. Eun Soo Hyun is determined and stubborn. Once she’s set her mind on something, she doesn’t stray away from her objective. But she doesn’t become evil in the process. She’s still forgiving, kind and benevolent towards others, even those who stab her in the back like her husband or adoptive sister. As a mother, she understands the pain she’s indirectly inflicted to Kwon Seon Yul by killing his father. He may have been her enemy, but he was a good parent to his son. That’s why she’s lenient towards the young man. Finally, Eun Soo Hyun represents justice in the drama. She won’t rest as long as the truth is not be revealed and the actual culprits stopped. Resilience and perseverance are her main qualities to succeed in her endeavor.

The other mothers: The drama is full of mothers trying to protect their child, though it sometimes clashes with others’ interests. For example, there’s Yoon Hye Geum (Cha Soo Yeon), Soo Hyun’s neighbor and Kim Joon’s mistress. The latter uses her son as leverage to keep her mouth shut. That’s why she’s reluctant to talk to Soo Hyun. But she changes her mind at the end because she wants her son to be proud of her. Hye Geum turns out to be a crucial character in Soo Hyun’s quest for justice, as she has intel on Kim Joon’s dirty deeds and on the accident. Apart from Hye Geum, there’s also Soo Hyun’s own mother Oh Go Eun (Won Mi Kyung). When she discovers that her adopted child has had an affair with her daughter’s husband (yes, that’s a tough one), she’s in shock and overwhelmed with pain. Nevertheless, she tries to protect and support her the best she can. Then, you have Soo Hyun’s mother-in-law, Jung Myung Hee (Gil Hae Yeon). Though she appears to be a villain, her mean behavior towards her daughter-in-law is somewhat understandable. Indeed, Following, Soo Hyun’s conviction for murder, she fears for her son’s reputation. He’s a respected public figure in the news, so she can’t accept to have him criticized because of his wife. Therefore, she’s hell-bent on having him divorce Soo Hyun.
Now, if we move on to Seon Yul’s side, here again the mother figure is quite important. His mother Kim Eun Min (Kang Myung Joo) is lying in bed after a car accident that prevented Seon Yul from getting an answer to a crucial question: why was his mother so lenient and forgiving towards Soo Hyun? Though she had killed her husband, Eun Min didn’t resent the criminal. On the contrary, she felt pain and compassion towards her. At the time, Seon Yul was unable to understand why, but he then realized that his mother simply felt guilty towards this woman whose child had been wrongly killed by her husband. She knew the ugly truth behind her husband’s action and thus couldn’t blame Soo Hyun for retaliating. After all, she and her husband sacrificed Soo Hyun’s child in order to save theirs.

A father’s love: Fathers also have a crucial role to play in the drama, as their love either fuels injustice or brings about justice. On the one hand, Seon Yul’s father chose to sacrifice Gun Woo for his own child. He seized the opportunity to give his son a chance to live. Though what he did can never be justified, the drama cleverly blurs the line between good and evil. Ji Woong committed the crime, yet Kim Joon weaponized his vulnerability to push him to act. He was like the devil’s advocate, persuading Ji Woong that this would be his only chance to protect his family. Blinded by greed, he accepted the deal not realizing that this would destroy his family in the process. On the other hand, Kang Su Ho goes to great lengths to avenge his child. He technically couldn’t save him from adults’ cowardice, but he rights the wrongs. As an investigative journalist, he makes it his duty to take down Kim Joon and reveal all his evil deeds to the world. This means pretending that he’s on his side, accepting public hatred, being criticized for not being the righteous person he used to be, and even lying to his wife. In the end, his efforts pay off. In both cases, these fathers are willing to fight tooth and nail for their own kin, the only difference is that one committed a crime, while the other remained true to himself and his values to reach his objective.

A child’s love: Eun Soo Hyun and Kwon Seon Yul are both children trying hard to protect their family. Soo Hyun wants to shield her sick mother from the truth, while Seon Yul pursues justice for his parents, whom he believes were wronged. After his father’s murder, Seon Yul’s mother is hit by a car and ends up in the coma. She knew the truth about the politician’s actions, so he premeditated her accident. But Seon Yul is unaware and projects all his hatred onto the only known culprit in his eyes: Soo Hyun. Nevertheless, Seon Yul isn’t blinded by revenge. He’s a smart and resourceful man who only seeks the truth. When he discovers Kim Joon’s involvement, he sides with Soo Hyun for two main reasons. First, his mother had told him that Soo Hyun had suffered enough and second, the female lead has become a sort of mother figure to him who lets him make his own decisions, guides him onto the right path and comforts him when needed.

The double revenge: The plot of the drama grows complex as two separate quests for revenge become tightly intertwined. It all starts with Soo Hyun’s desire to punish her son’s criminal. She does so and even goes to prison for that. Yet, she shows no remorse and asserts that she would do things exactly the same if she had to. Her revenge seems to come to an end at the beginning of the drama, while Seon Yul’s is only beginning. He prepares during her 7 years of incarceration and even receives help from Kim Joon. Upon her release, he then sets the plan into motion. Seon Yul’s actions also reignite Soo Hyun’s own revenge, as she learns more about her son’s death. Both protagonists are thus working towards their respective goal, not realizing that the person they have targeted or punished in the past may just be substitutes. These two parallel narratives converge towards the end when we discover that Kim Joon is the mastermind and ultimate villain. This allows characters to unite their strengths against a common enemy. Soo Hyun and Seon Yul manage to get their revenge at the end. Even Kang Su Ho’s personal vendetta is fulfilled with the fall of the politician.

The melodrama: This melodrama is excellent because it tackles themes that will upset and overwhelm you, but also force you to reflect on the events that occurred and characters’ actions.

A moral dilemma: All along, I couldn’t help but wonder what I would’ve done if I were Soo Hyun. If I were a mother, if my son had been unjustly killed, if his murderer had escaped punishment and showed no remorse, if he had humiliated me and dirtied my son’s honor, what would’ve been my reaction? Would I have been able to keep my cool or would I have exploded and run him over with my car? Though morality tells you the first option is the most reasonable one, I believe that every fiber of your body would push you towards the second, more impulsive, option. This is what makes the drama particularly good and upsetting. Kwon Ji Woong committed a crime and managed to slip away. The corrupt judicial system didn’t function properly, giving way to personal vengeance. Eun Soo Hyun’s actions are understandable, and in way, acceptable. She did what the court failed to do. She was punished for it and paid the price for 7 years. If I were in her position, I honestly think that I could’ve ended up in the same situation.
Now, let’s think from Seon Yul’s perspective. Imagine that you wake up from surgery and find out your father has been killed. By whom? Why? You would want to see that person punished. And even if she’s arrested, is 7 years a good enough sentence when you have to live the rest of your life grieving? Would you want to avenge yourself? That’s exactly the kind of dilemma Seon Yul is confronted with. For him, his father was a good man. He doesn’t know about Gun Woo, nor does he know that his health condition triggered his father’s actions. So, it’d make total sense that he’d want payback. And if you push the reflection even further: would you not blame yourself if you knew that your father committed an atrocious crime to save your life? Would you be able to live normally if you heard that many lives were destroyed only for you to live? That’s also a huge burden to bear, especially if you’re a victim too. Last but not least, would you be able to forgive your father’s criminal if that same person had been wronged by your father in the first place? In the end, Soo Hyun received more pain from Kwon Ji Woong than she inflicted by killing him. In her case, she even paid the price for it. If you were Seon Yul, would you consider cutting her some slack and see the world from her perspective?

Social injustice: This dilemma also brings to light corruption within the judicial system. If the court had done its job properly, Kim Ji Woong would’ve gone to prison. Eun Soo Hyun would’ve felt relieved knowing that the murderer will pay for his actions. But the system failed her, so she took matters into her own hands and inflicted a punishment greater than what the court could’ve bestowed. A life for a life. This is proof that if one gear in the machine is broken, it just leads to utter chaos and destruction.

Who left the door open? This is the question that haunts Soo Hyun, as this small mistake resulted in catastrophic consequences for everyone. The female lead is convinced that she’s closed the front gate, meaning that someone must have opened it afterwards. But everyone makes her doubt and she can’t properly recall this specific event. She finally gets an answer at the end of the drama thanks to Yoon Hye Geum. Her neighbor shows her a video she filmed that day capturing Soo Hyun’s return and proving she’s actually left the door slightly open. Soo Hyun realizes that she’s the one to blame and now has to bear the guilt for the rest of her life. I think this demonstrates how an insignificant small action can actually have enormous ripple effects on the future.

Betrayal: As if grief was not enough, Eun Soo Hyun also has to endure her husband’s betrayal. Indeed, she discovers that he cheated on her with her adoptive sister. Although he argues that this mistake happened only once, this is an unforgivable act for Soo Hyun. First, the affair occurred with none other than her sister. If it had been a random woman, maybe Soo Hyun could have accepted that her husband slipped once in 7 years. Second, Kang Su Ho continuously claimed that Soo Hyun was his one and only. He even refused to divorce his wife during her prison time, though Soo Hyun gave him permission to leave. As for Han Yu Ri (Im Se Mi), she’s betrayed her sister and mother. They welcomed her with open arms and treated her as a member of their family. But she broke their trust and thus their bond with that mistake.

Grief: I don’t think it’s a surprise but the main theme of the show is obviously grief. Everything in the plot revolves around that topic (protagonists’ behaviors, revenges, relationships…). This is also what makes the drama so melodramatic and tough at times. Grief is a powerful vector of emotions, heightened here by the terrible events that took place.

The ending: The ending was exactly what I hoped for. After the big reveal, Soo Hyun and Seon Yul are not freed from their respective burden. They’ve gotten justice and all characters can start new chapters of their lives. Kang Su Ho continues his career as an upright journalist and has now become a chief. He takes care of his juniors and ensures they stay on the right path. He’s also dedicated himself to his mother-in-law as a way to pay back his debt towards the family. Eun Soo Hyun may have lost her child, but she’s gained many others afterwards by taking care of an orphanage. She’s free of guilt, resentment, thirst of vengeance and has even forgiven her sister’s betrayal. 6 years later, she’s published a new book entitled ‘Wonderful World‘ (like the drama). Through her book, Soo Hyun hopes that people who have endured pain and grief will enter a wonderful world once they overcome their grief. This is also a good message to take away: Grief is not the end, happiness that can come after. She and Seon Yul went their separate ways after the big reveal. However, she told him that he’ll get a sign when he’s finally better. This means that he’ll feel it when he’s also totally overcome his grief. That’s what happens when he goes to Soo Hyun’s signing event with a copy of her book. They lock eyes and though don’t exchange a word, their smile and expression give it away. Everything is fine now.