Beautiful Mind Review – Guest Commentator – Beez
The comment sections for Beautiful Mind recaps were full of insightful thoughts and opinions. The passion for this show got me thinking. What if I asked a couple of the avid Beautiful Mind commentators, the same questions about the series, then constructed posts from their responses? Let’s find out…
Today’s Guest commentator:
Beez
Beez take it away and share your thoughts on Beautiful Mind…
Hi everyone. I’m here and so grateful kjtamuser is giving me space to post my cray cray up front and just put it all out there where everyone can see it. 🙂
It came to me that we’ve discussed Young Oh’s mis-diagnoses, relationships with his father, Ji Sung and Min Jae from every possible angle so there’s not much left to say. (Although, as I went back to watch the scene that I want to talk about here, I realize there are a ton of other things we haven’t discussed here because of the distraction of the hot topic of “The Mystery MRI”, but those are topics for another day.)
In any event, what stuck with me from this still-amazing-even-though-the network-sabotaged-it show was the scene in Episode 6 when Young Oh is being giving a lie detector test. The moment I saw that scene, it reminded me of the scene where Smeagol and Gollum are having an inward (yet outward for us viewers) battle of conscience:
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT OF YOUNG OH’S LIE DETECTOR INTERROGATION:
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- No, I did not kill them. Not a single one among them.
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- I’m a killer
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- No, I am not a killer *pffffft chuckles* I am a doctor who values life a lot.
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- No, I don’t value life, and on top of that, I’m not even a doctor
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- No, I did not kill them
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- I’m a killer
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- Am I alive?
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- No, I am dead
COP: Stop it.
ADMIN: Let’s ask the question again.
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- I love you. Do you also love me?
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- We shared our love…many times. In the ways you wanted. [I tell ya, if I was into kink…]
COP: STOP IT RIGHT NOW! I warned you not to mess around. Did you not understand because we asked nicely?
YO: Isn’t this what you expected from me?
*deep breath* All right.Then I will start over from the beginning.
COP: [throws glass against the wall almost brushing YO’s face] WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU BASTARD?
[Ji Sung quietly enters the room]
[Note that other than the first question, the lie detector machine remained constant with no other large wavers]
YO: Is that possible? Because you’re not a monster like me? Are you capable of feeling the depth of pain that is not yours but someone else’s?
[Ji Sung, in the back of the room, seems restless as if she wants to say something]
YO: Why don’t I try?
[Young Oh picks up a piece of the shattered glass from the floor and slowly drags it across his chest.]
YO: Now, tell me…do you feel hurt? Can you feel my pain? It strikes me that Young Oh has always felt great emotional pain but doesn’t know the feeling he has is pain because of his brainwashing.
I just don’t tell such lies. I did not kill anyone.
[Detective leaves the room in frustration.]
JS: I may not be able to feel it exactly, but I can guess what it feels like. [She presses her handkerchief into Young Oh’s hand]. I know you don’t want it, and this might not even be a big help, but I’m moved to at least do something. Did I answer your question?
Okay, granted, Jang Hyuk will never be the looker that Smeagol is, but the back and forth of one character with himself made me draw parallels. That is, until I re-watched the Smeagol vs. Gollum scene in this video:
Then I realized that Young Oh never had Smeagol’s problem. Smeagol was conflicted but Young Oh is uber confident that only he is honest and the rest of the world are all hypocrites because he cannot imagine how they can claim to actually feel what someone else is feeling…until Ji Sung begins to fill, and heal, that place in his heart that is a much deeper gaping wound than the symbolic scratch Young Oh inflicted over his chest.
Ji Sung ignores Young Oh’s demeanor and looks at his actions and what’s underneath. It’s almost as if she is looking directly into his brain. She’s not only his WiFi, she’s his own personal walking, talking MRI!
LIKES/DISLIKES:
So you guys have already heard my personal likes and dislikes about Beautiful Mind. If you’re new to kjtamusings, see the post by guest commentators – A.D.DO! and Jane Tilly, because I pretty much have the same thoughts. Considering the turmoil of having the final two episodes cut, this drama was amazingly satisfying. Moreso than most that are allowed their full run.
Other Korean Dramas I would recommend:
I Heard it Through the Grapevine a/k/a I Heard it Through a Rumor – What happens when a perky but wise-for-her-age teenager gets pregnant by her teen chaeboul-heir boyfriend and marries him, despite his parents misgivings?
The Good Doctor – Autistic savant doctor with mental age of 10 years old navigates life, dating, love, and being a pediatrician unwanted by the hospital, and ridiculed by his co-workers
Recaps/Reviews:
Episode 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Series | A.D.DO! Review | Prettysup Review | Jane Tilly Review | Beez Review
Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.
amusings 
Good job, Beez, always nice to revisit BEAUTIFUL MIND. Nice inserts and video too.
Just finished MARS, TAEWAN and now my second big crush is Vic Chou..yummy! Of course he’s changed a lot on 12 years..again, don’t like the short hair as much. Wasn’t he supposed to do something with JANG HYUK ? Was it New Sea?
Anyway, are you on the road yet or still lacking?
Bon voyage!
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I’ve only seen Vic Chou in Meteor Garden where he did a fine job in that role. That was in the days when I watched every version of Boys over Flowers.
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@A.D.DO! Haha I used to like Vic Chou too after watching him in Home… I like him in short hair, but his other dramas didnt really interest me. And yeah he was rumored to star with Jang Hyuk in New Sea initially but eventually the role went to Zhang Lv Yi.
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I meant “packing”! Of course!!
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ROTFL There is quite a difference between “lacking” and “packing”, glad you got that corrected right way away A.D.DO!
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I really want to add my own icon (avatar?), but I’m too lazy to create a wordpress account.
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@A.D.DO! Suuuuurrrrre ya did. 🙂
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Beez, I loved how you put this “Young Oh is uber confident that only he is honest and the rest of the world are all hypocrites because he cannot imagine how they can claim to actually feel what someone else is feeling…until Ji Sung begins to fill, and heal, that place in his heart” then you deftly expanded the WIFI analogy and identified Ji Sung as his MRI. Nice!
Both your drama choices are ones that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Thanks for being a Guest Commentator!
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What’s up with the new image Word Press gave me?
Well done Beez, I loved the images of the conflicting statements! I ❤ how you articulated Jin Sung healing and filling Young Oh's heart and that the wound was "a much deeper gaping wound than the symbolic scratch Young Oh inflicted over his chest". Healing was a painful process for Young Oh. Jin Sung endured verbal abuse from Young Oh as he was frustrated with the process but she continued to stay by his side *SIGHS* with "all I hear is 'I love you'."
I was concerned about what would happen to the storyline by cutting 2 episodes, but as you stated: "Considering the turmoil of having the final two episodes cut, this drama was amazingly satisfying. Moreso than most that are allowed their full run".
I'll have to move the priority of watching "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" up on my list. Best wishes on your move Beez!
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You won’t be sorry moving Heard it Through the Grapevine up on your watch list.
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Hi, you guys. Just checking in. I’m taking a 15 minute break from packing my garage. It’s ungodly hot in central Florida and even the 23-year old neighbor boy that’s helping me is struggling.
I really didn’t get to search for better screen caps or better images because of this moving fiasco, but thanks for all the kind words.
Until my next break…
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Weird…now that I am home my icon seems to be the same old same old. It was displaying differently at work.
I’ve lived in the South and I do NOT miss the heat and humidity combination. I remember being in Tallahassee at the beginning of April with 95° heat and 95% humidity. I do not envy your task Beez. Hang in there–FIGHTING (the humidity!)
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Sorry off-topic but in case anyone here is interested:
Pre-order of BM DVD is now open for foreigners. We are sorry to tell you that this is not a Director’s cut DVD, instead it will be a BM Special Making DVD.
Special Making DVD will include:
– 3 disc : including cut scenes of 1 ~ 14th episode that have not been aired.
– Photo book (80 ~ 100p)
– Hologram numbering sticker
– Postcards
– Region Code: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 (NO region 2)
**We are truly sorry to tell you that unlike Director’s cut DVD, there will be no english subtitles for BM Special Making DVD.
Pre-order for BM Special DVD is open until September 5th. Price of the DVD is $53.29.
If the Pre-order does not meet its minimum demands, this project will be stopped. The minimum demand for BM Special Making DVD is 500. This DVD project is order based production. BM Special Making DVD can be only purchased until September 5th.
BM Special Making DVD can be purchased here:
http://www.ktown4u.com/iteminfo?grp_no=107955&goods_no=26385
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Thanks for posting this info!
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Is anyone else going to pre-order the BM dvd’s? How do we know this is a legit company? Anyone familiar with them?
I began receiving emails from them about pre-ordering, almost the minute I signed the petition to stop the cut of BM to 14 eps.
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No English subtitles–does that mean the no subtitles for the drama itself, for the “special making” portion only or both?
Good questions Beez–“How do we know this is a legit company? Anyone familiar with them?” Have any of you bought dramas from this site before?
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@Jane I think the whole DVD (drama + special) would not have subs.
@Beez I am not familar with the company, I seldom order things online
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