[Seulssine] 'Myeoneuragi' Has No Soda for Marriage and Childcare

[Lee Isul's Wise Cine Review]

KakaoTV Original 'Myeoneuragi 2'
Women Pushed Toward 'Bihon'
Childbirth and Childcare Are Society's Responsibility

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "Congratulations. You are pregnant."

The couple embraces joyfully. The wife sheds tears of happiness, gently touching her belly in disbelief, while the husband shouts loudly, as if the hospital would collapse, "Now I'm a dad too." This has been the way Korean dramas have portrayed 'pregnancy.'

Regardless of whether it's a weekend drama or a mini-series, scenes where both women and men are overwhelmed with intense emotion upon pregnancy have been consumed like a kind of 'clich?.' Even though these are not contents made in the early 90s, it is true that TV dramas and movies still have not caught up with reality.

KakaoTV original series 'Myeoneuragi 2' (written by Yoo Song-yi, directed by Lee Kwang-young) received praise for timely depiction of marriage, pregnancy, childcare, and work. Season 1, first released on November 21, 2020, portrayed the reality faced by Min Sa-rin (played by Park Ha-sun), who married her college classmate Mu Gu-young (played by Kwon Yul), as a daughter-in-law, and how the patriarchal system exists and operates within the family, earning acclaim and confirming the production of Season 2. It calmly reflected the discomfort and unfairness experienced by married women, drawing empathy from many women.

In 'Myeoneuragi 2,' released on January 9, Min Sa-rin unexpectedly learns of her pregnancy. Mu Gu-young, who confirmed the pregnancy at the obstetrics clinic, jumps up and down with great joy, but Sa-rin's face loses its smile. She worries that the project she is in charge of at work and her planned tasks might be disrupted, or what if the news leaks inside the company.

Mu Gu-young urges, "When will you tell your mother?" or laughs naively, saying, "It feels like a gift from your late great-aunt."

"You'll hand over the project to someone else, right? When is your maternity leave? How long will you keep working at the company?" The expected reactions come back. A middle-aged male boss shows reluctance when Sa-rin awkwardly reveals her pregnancy. She becomes disliked and feels scrutinized at work. The only ones helping Sa-rin, who is full of worries, are female bosses who have experienced childbirth, parental leave, and returning to work, and female juniors who have declared they will remain unmarried. They support Sa-rin against male bosses who treat pregnant women like burdens.

The mother-in-law (played by Moon Hee-kyung) speaks lightly like a feather. "Quit your job. You're not making a fortune working. You can raise the child well with your husband's salary. (I hope the grandchild is) a boy." The discrimination and verbal abuse casually inflicted make Sa-rin feel even smaller.

Husband Mu Gu-young continues his usual life, drinking delicious coffee and alcohol. Meanwhile, he forces Sa-rin to eat unheard-of foods "good for the baby," and controls even her favorite shoes, clothes, and music. Sa-rin asks with a pale face, "Don't you see that I'm struggling?"

Min Sa-rin works even harder to fight against prejudices toward pregnant women. The mother-in-law, fully aware of the situation, casually calls Sa-rin to inform her of the in-law family's ancestral rites schedule. "It's good to keep moving," she hints. Even though Sa-rin is carrying a baby, she is expected to prepare food for the in-law family's ancestral rites. When Sa-rin crouches down to prepare food, her husband helps, and the men in the house immediately call Mu Gu-young over as if waiting for this moment.

Although Sa-rin is pregnant, housework is depicted as a natural duty for women. The father-in-law tells his son, "How could I have told you to just do housework when I raised and educated you?" but easily tells the daughter-in-law to quit her job and focus on childcare. Just as his son is precious to him, the daughter-in-law must also be a cherished daughter raised by someone, yet only the woman's sacrifice is taken for granted.

Min Sa-rin lives with "I'm sorry" attached to her words. She has done no wrong, but just happened to get pregnant, and suddenly she is surrounded by situations that make her feel apologetic. The situation is different for husband Mu Gu-young. His face never loses its smile amid the flood of congratulatory messages. On the subway, Sa-rin is cautious. She hesitates to sit in the priority seat for pregnant women, looking around, and feels nauseated by the smell of food someone brought on board.

Lines demanding sacrifice from women also appear. The father scolds his daughter, who has decided to divorce her abusive husband and is staying at her parents' house, saying, "Having a baby and living through it all will pass, but you couldn't endure it," clicking his tongue. Divorce lawsuits are not easy either. It implies that women must collect and prove evidence of violence or mental abuse to escape the family.

There is no refreshing relief in Season 2. Only frustrating developments repeat, which can be read as the intention that there is no relief in the reality of childbirth and childcare. It seems to shout, "Want to have a child in South Korea? Then there is no relief." At this point, 'Myeoneuragi 2' might not be a drama but a documentary.

While Season 1 portrayed the irrationality and discrimination women face as problems within the in-law family, husband, and family, childbirth and childcare are depicted as societal issues that must be considered together. At the same time, it reflects a reality full of defeat where pregnant women cannot find any relief no matter how hard they try and feel no hope in society.

Meanwhile, 'Myeoneuragi 2' looks toward the future. If Mu Gu-young and Min Sa-rin reflect the present, the older brother Mu Gu-il (played by Jo Wan-ki) and his wife Jung Hye-rin (played by Baek Eun-hye) point to the direction to move forward. The couple is portrayed as equal partners who erase gender roles and engage in economic activities together, raising their daughter as colleagues. They share work and childcare fairly, exchange opinions, and respect each other.

The wife does not participate in the Mu family's ancestral rites during holidays but goes to her own home. She is a confident daughter-in-law but becomes soft-hearted in front of her daughter. As a working mom, she decides to quit her job with difficulty because there is nowhere to properly take care of her daughter, but her husband stops her.

"You and I earn similar salaries, and if you add bonuses, your salary is even higher. You are happy working hard to achieve your dream, and since our retirement ages are similar, it makes sense for me to take care of childcare."

When will we be able to escape this frustrating reality? Or will the day ever come when society admits that only women face this 'frustration'?

Now, even the minimal support that gave women some roles may disappear. Everyone has the right to be happy. Marriage is a choice. If it is a long way from happiness, there is also the freedom not to choose it.

Why are the number of women choosing 'non-marriage' increasing day by day? Or rather, why are women being pushed into 'non-marriage'? The answer lies in 'Myeoneuragi.' Now is the time to listen carefully to the resonance it conveys to us all.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.