About Yi Yong and Guang Yan’s dynamic
Their dynamic is so touching for they appear like polar opposites but they actually complement each other.
Yi Yong relies on Guang Yan’s articulate way of thinking and Guang Yan is amazed by the intensity of Yi Yong’s emotions.
They do bicker a lot but sometimes, when quiet settles between them, you can see how much they learn from each other. When Yi Yong’s words fail him, he listens to Guang Yan’s way of putting words together (see ep 4).
See how Yi Yong leans in? It feels as if he is trying to memorise the words Guang Yan chose to explain the case to the people they are talking to.
When Guang Yan’s analytical mind cannot grasp the situation for it follows no logic, he steadily watches Yi Yong who listens to his emotions.
Guang Yan is a thinker whereas Yi Yong is a feeler.
However Guang Yan feels a lot when he is with Yi Yong and sometimes his feelings take over although he’d normally not let that happen. He is quick to read Yi Yong’s expressions and the intensity through which Yi Yong experiences life makes him want to bring him some comfort in whatever way he can. He isn’t completely aware of it himself but he is trying to be a source of warmth to Yi Yong’s cold world.
A good illustration of such a dynamic would be Chu Ying’s comment in ep 8: “Good things happen when I’m with you”. Chu Ying doesn’t understand the weight her words have on Yi Yong although Guang Yan understands it immediately and blurts out some awkward words of comfort.
Yi Yong’s distress is so obvious to Guang Yan although Chu Ying remains completely oblivious to it. Luckily, by the end of the series, she’ll finally understand why saying such a thing — repeatedly — was a mistake and a pretty insensitive thing to say. She’s best girl though and I’m not hating on her. We love to see a good character’s development in this house.
What is so endearing about Yi Yong and Guang Yan’s dynamic is that it wasn’t meant to be. Nothing destined them to become so important to each other so quickly and so subtly. The depths of their bond take root in the fact that both accept to be humble in each other’s presence. But they also both genuinely value each other’s inputs and thoughts.
Yi Yong has always been constantly judged by random people because his intelligence doesn’t fit into the “academic intelligence” definition. He doesn’t do well at school and so society views him as being not worth much. Guang Yan, on the other hand, is a diligent student who went to med school because that’s what brilliant students do. (that’s what society thinks, this is not my personal opinion) But Yi Yong, although his career path has yet to be written, has faith in his feelings. Although he stopped drawing his comic, he still trusts his instincts and doesn’t let the world’s hypocrisy taint the purity of his heart.
Guang Yan is lost although his future seems all planned out. He admires Yi Yong for all he is: for the goodness of his heart, his intrepid nature, and his ability to see people for who they truly are.
Remember when Guang Yan’s father was kind of happy to see his son skip school because of Yi Yong? He didn’t seem to think that Yi Yong was a bad influence on his son. On the contrary, he was glad that Guang Yan was finally opening up.
Yi Yong and Guang Yan are brutally honest with each other although Guang Yan looks as if he doesn’t always speak his mind when he is with his classmates. However, the fact that Yi Yong’s face is so easy to read makes it easy for him to stop masking his emotions and let it all out. Because Yi Yong doesn’t mind. Because Yi Yong won’t misunderstand his words. Because Yi Yong won’t get offended.
Both their characters break the usual archetypes of the risk-taker and the diligent student and that is all thanks to Oh No! Here Comes Trouble’s brilliant writing, directing, and acting.