Choi Do-il | How to Write a Mysterious Character
There may have been criticism concerning the writing in the 2022 Korean version of Little Women, most of which was justified (honestly, the use of the Vietnam War to the plot wasn’t necessary and caused more issues than it served anything). However, it’s worth discussing one area where the writing did stand out as done exceptionally well. That is the mysterious character Choi Do-il.
Do-il manages to avoid a lot of the pitfalls that can often show up when writing mysterious, shadowy characters. Unlike a lot of his predecessors, Do-il’s mystery isn’t rooted in bad morals or a corruption of values, but instead a lack of communication. He may not always tell the main characters what he’s up to, which naturally causes them to worry, but that mystery isn’t rooted in anything that sours his character.
Unlike other mysterious, sultry characters that use their mystery to hide the abuse they give to other people, Do-il only ever uses violence when he’s protecting somebody else or in a manner of self defense.
Even more than this, we see him go out of his way to distance himself from his father, who has a history of violence and tries to entice Do-il to follow in his footsteps. A more amateur writer might show Do-il wrestling with this or being tempted by it in order to add to the more shadowy tones of the character, but instead Do-il immediately refuses the idea and puts a stop to his father’s nefarious plans.
Do-il also avoids the trap many characters of his nature fall into and that is treating women disrespectfully.
More often than not, a character like his would swagger around expecting all women to fall at his feet. But instead we only see him treat the women around him with the upmost respect. Particularly with In-joo, he goes out of his way to look for ways he can serve her and never expects anything in return. Instead of him trying to seduce her for his own selfish gain or talking down to her like her intelligence is unwanted, he highlights her strengths and weaknesses and uses them as a way to defeat their enemies while also distancing himself from her in order to keep her protected. He also takes the time to listen to any concern she may have, even when time is money and any precious minute costs them millions of won. When he has a piece of critical evidence that might help his family, he chooses to give it to In-kyung because he trusts her work and values her opinion. He never talks down to In-hye or Hyo-rin and respects their positions when most people write them off as ignorant children. Even his disdain of the main antagonist Sang-ah acknowledges her skill as an actress and a manipulator.
While most mysterious characters are often synonymous with being cold or distant, Do-il surprises as being extremely warm-hearted.
His use of physical touch towards In-joo is always contained in the boundaries of respect and comfort, and serves to show how caring and compassionate he really is. When In-joo is crying and looks to him for help, he puts a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. When she is sick on the floor, he rests her head in his lap so he can care for her. When he has something important he wants to tell her, he reaches out to her to station her as his equal while giving that information. Unlike other shadowy figures, his physical touch isn’t rooted in a selfish desire to get something from In-joo or to simply please himself, but instead it’s to offer something without any expectation in return.
Do-il manages to maintain all the charm and lure of a mysterious character, with the quizzical stares and the wonder of what he may be up to in the shadows, but every time the curtain is pulled back and the truth is revealed, his character stands apart by be honorable and good. He truly is the best of both worlds - managing to keep in tact all the fun and mystery that makes so many people fall for the villains, while having all the care, respect, and safety of any favorable hero, and that's what makes him such a good character.
