Flower of Evil: Breaking down the Breakup scene.
NoorKReviews
As an avid Kdrama watcher for many years, I have come to understand the Kdrama formula and the many variations it comes in. From Romance to Action my love for Kdrama has no boundaries, but it comes to no surprise that the prevailing genre that consistently scores highly among the general public and international fans alike is Romance. There is something about the way Korean dramas have slowly evolved and perfected the art of a good old fashioned romance that refuses to leave it's deathly grip on audiences. While I have many dramas in my all time favourite list that aren't romance heavy, it's the ones are that linger longer on my mind. So it came to my absolute surprise last year when a little show called Flower of Evil had been raved about (only on it's third episode then) that I found myself reluctantly catching up on the three episodes that had aired. And I was hooked. From the storytelling to it's relentless pacing I was sure this was going to be a clever detective/psycho murder mystery. And while it was that, as episodes released week by week the show slowly revealed it's best plot twist: a Romance.
Background
⚠️ Contains Spoilers ⚠️
The premise of the show revolves around a married couple; potential serial killer Do Hyunsoo and quick-witted detective Cha Jiwon. A happy and loving marriage slowly but surely breaks down from the weight of the husband's false identity and his potential involvement in a series of murders committed during his adolescence. In a traditional Kdrama romance the bulk of the drama is taken up by the "will-they-won't-they" trope in FOE however, this is spun into a cat and mouse game, fitting for the crime genre. As Hyunsoo's character carries an upwards trajectory in realising his true feelings for his wife, Jiwon's character spirals downwards submerged with the fact that the love of her life may never have existed. And no scene portrays this juxtaposition better than Episode 9; The breakup scene. It is in Episode 9 where the culmination of acting, directing and just plain angst solidifies this drama as one of the best Korean dramas in recent years and arguably the most romantic scene to date. Here's why.
Analysis
A Story Told Through Frames
Despite the overarching premise of uncovering who the accomplice and psychopath's true identity is, in my opinion the crux of this show is in the dynamics between the husband and wife. Leading up to the scene in question, Jiwon has overhead a conversation between Hyunsoo and his sister where he admits he has never loved his wife. This admition sets of a ripple effect for Jiwon as she battles with her feelings of betrayal as a wife while also being the mother of child who adores her father. All these emotions quietly explodes in Episode 9 where Jiwon threatens to break of the marriage for supposedly no longer loving him.
"I never knew what [love] that feels like"- Hyunsoo
One major motif that runs throughout the show are the use of frames. Many have correctly identified the way frames have been used and the symbolism of them within the show. I'll attach a really great analysis by a Twitter user who really honed in on this point here. The approach I have taken differs slightly from the one I have mentioned.
Frames are a way the director allows the audience to view a version of a character through a different lens. At the start of the drama the use of mirrors are prevelant as a framing device because it isolates the viewers understanding on the character of Hyunsoo. In the first episode alone the use of reflections from a glass and a frame are seen showing his persumed picture perfect life. One shows him passionately kissing his wife while the other holding his child lovingly. Despite the reflections conveying an ideal life, one is a blurred and the other is shrouded in darkness this shows how despite the loving imagery the distortion of these images reveals a darker underbelly. This is furthered by the scenes where Hyunsoo is looking at the mirror by himself. Here we are seeing how the character views himself. The use of practised smiles, calculated emotions at first creates a foreboding atmosphere. Hyunsoo views himself as the monster and antagonist of his own life and as the plot furthers, the mirrors begin to transition to windows as we begin to view him through a more transparent lens, slowly eroding the narritive he has formed about himelf.
Hyunsoo's character is often framed in the shadows of the tight black lines. Notice how the back wall and the lines along his face almost creates a cage like atmosphere. This represents hyunsoo's true feelings being kept under tight constraints. However as the drama progresses these frames start to become wider and wider. As not only are the audience slowly given privy to the knowledge of Hyunsoos true self but Hyunsoo himself is slowly begining to understand his feelings towards his wife.
One specific scene is the reunion between the two siblings. As the two discuss the lives they have spent apart from one another the frames become wider both sharing a window frame. This symbolises solidarity between the siblings and the first instants where Hyunsoo is able to fully express his inner thoughts without the feeling of being caged. The window however creates a foggy atmosphere, showing how Hyunsoo's realisation of his feelings may not have fully come to fruition.
Within episode 9 however we witness a life changing moment within Hyunsoos life: the breakdown of his marriage. The framing this time is infront of a clear window and is not black in colour like how most frames have encompassed him, but light brown. A common theme the show hones in is how colours distinguish the characters; Hyunsoo=dark and Jiwon=light. By utilising the lighter colours to frame Hyunsoo portrays a change within him and the start of his transition in realising his feelings for his wife.
However the shift in colour not only shows the change in Hyunsoo but the framing in Jiwon. Jiwon is now the one attempting to keep her true feelings to herself. The shift in camera angles from behind the window to infront portrays Jiwons fractured feelings. This matches with her dialogue and disjointed emotional delivery as she proclaims she no longer loves her husband despite being overcome with emotion. She is conflicted with her love for her husband and the betrayal he has caused her. The frames as a result symbolises a fracture in the relationship where either is unable to break from the constraints of their hidden feelings.
Dark and Light Themes
Another point to note is how the lines against Hyunsoo are almost always shadows. This is an interesting detail as it informs us how the darkness and the supposed badness of the character is almost an illusion, and the shadow is infact the reflection to Jiwon's 'light'. This is further dissected by Jiwon(in an earlier episode) stating " I can even recognise your shadow". Upon my first watch I had found this a witty case of dramatic irony. She DOESN'T know him, she DOESN'T recognise her husband. However upon viewing this scene more closely I feel like it is a double entendre. While she dose not reconise her husbands hidden identity, she DOES in fact recognise his true self. By investigating his past she unlocks his lack of particpation in crime, something no one truly has done for Hyunsoo. She truly has recognised her husband's symbolic shadow and despite this is willing to remain in the relationship with him.
In the breakup scene however, Jiwon proclaims "The only person that knows me is me, not you". A direct contrast to the previous statement. This shows the inner turmoil she is experiencing as it is her way of punishing Hyunsoo. In the scene focusing on her distraught expression, there are tight black lines of shadow casted behind her. This shows how while the light (Jiwon) and dark (Hyunsoo) colours clash with one another, they are both inhibiting each others space as they cannot escape the shadow of their own lies. This as a result shows how both are a reflection of each other. Jiwon attempts to mimick Hyunsoo's darker side by breaking up with him and Hyunsoo attempts to counter this by holding their marriage together.
Time as a Motif
A final aspect of the breakup scene that has been done phenomenally well is the added motif of the watch ticking in the soundtrack, right as the scene ends. Much like the framing symbolising the inner feelings of the two, the watch symbolises the love Jiwon has for Hyunsoo.
In the first episode Jiwon gifts Hyunsoo a watch band for his 39th birthday. It represents the blind trust she has for him. However in episode 4 this watch becomes misplaced when the psychotic taxi driver kidnaps Hyunsoo. The watch becomes an integral plot point as this is where Jiwon is alerted that her husband is in danger. However, symbolically this suggests how the story is essentially handing back her trust and saying "Do you really trust him?"
This as a result catalyses the downfall in Jiwon's supposed perfect married life. Her trust for him is represented through the watch and having it returned to her taunts her by suggesting her trust in him may be misplaced. This is furthered by Jiwon replacing the watch, this time with a tracking device showing the mistrust she now has.
This tension all culminates in the breakup scene where at the end of the scene she proclaims he can do nothing to change her mind. The clock ticking at the background with Hyunsoo in focus however suggests otherwise. The ticking sound here is Jiwons time in realising she actually does not want to breakup with him, with Jiwon at the end of the episode giving Hyunsoo 1 hour to come back to her. Her unequivocal trust in Hyunsoo is a byproduct of her unconditional love for him as the flashbacks within episode 9 exposes how Hyunsoo's one and only desire is for Jiwon to trust him. Being on the run for most of his life means that staying for a long period of time in any given place risks people discovering his true identity. The fact that he has stayed with Jiwon for so long means that he has trusted her all along and through this learned to love her in the process. The ticking sound for Hyunsoo in the breakup scene almost gives the impression of a bomb ticking, an explosion waiting to happen. Hyunsoo making it to her within the time frame (in episode 10) essentially resolidifies to Jiwon that she cannot live without him despite her declaration in the break up scene, affectively detonating the metaphorical bomb.
Conclusion
Essentially what makes this scene so great is the amount of incongruinecy held throughout the scene. The dialogue is saying one thing however the background scene and music is saying something entirely different. It shows how even a plot full of serial killers, lies and deceit can have such a powerful emotional connection by simply seeing a very much in love couple potentially losing the one thing they've held so dearly to one another.
Love it!!!
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