I get that his career is important (and lots of jobs depend on it) BUT I feel like everyone is ignoring all the red flags from Taesung’s mental health state:
Gong Taesung has a lot of good people around who really love him. But sometimes love makes you think you know what’s better for the people in tough times, so you act accordinly. Instead of asking the person what they want or need. And that’s what’s happening here.
What’s truly scary about this storyline is that, in MANY other countries, this would make no sense. He’s dating a much older and divorced famous actress? who cares? Just another day. But as kdrama fans know, a mean rumor has the potential to ruin careers. And I guess that, because the people around him know how dedicated he is to his job, to the point of that being his life (because it is sadly, that’s what happens when you’re a celebrity), they want to save his image. His reputation. Otherwise he would lose his “life”.
With all due respect, hyung. LET IT BECOME NOTHING. It’s not worth it.
And to be fair, I’d also go for that option… but only if Taesung agreed to it. They’re saying he is dating his mother! First of all, gross. Second of all, that’s insane! Let’s say the truth and then let’s sue the hell out of all these reporters, suckers of happiness and evil messengers of Satan!
BUT what his manager hyung, the director of Starforce and even HanByeol can’t fully comprehend is that, in putting his work life first, they’re doing the same thing Taesung’s mom did to him for 18 years. They’re saying that Gong Taesung, the star, the Nation’s Boyfriend, is the priority. Instead of Gong Taesung the person. And in turn, he is being dangerously dragged back to that loneliness, to that loveless life. And it’s freaking scary that no one is picking on that, or that they’re not alarmed enough to stop everything and tend to him.
I think that they made him a good person to demonstrate he really deserves all that love and adoration he has, not only by the people in his life, but also from his fans. Like he’s being compensated for all that loneliness he suffered, all the love his mom never gave him. But there’s always a price to pay for being a public figure.
The thing I don’t like about Taesung is that he chose this. To be an actor. When he could’ve been literally anything else and be just as successful. He had the brains and the money for it. But it was like revenge. It was this petty desire to be better, to shine brighter and become richer than the woman who abandoned him and denied him all his life. And there’s only so much drive and fulfillment a choice like that can give you.
The camera may love him, he may have inifnite charisma or whatever, he may even be one of the best actors of his generation idk. But show still hasn’t been able to convince me this is what he wanted. not in the way he wanted Hanbyeol lol So I guess my ideal ending for this is him retiring from the entertaintment business to go live a normal, happy life with his HanByeol, away from this craziness.
