Hi Tiffany, many fanfic authors write about Juwan having the tendency to hurt himself on his bad days, cutting himself, having scars on him etc. do they infer or they are mentioned (explicitly or implicitly) in the original?
Mental issue wise, Donsik has lots of traumatic experience but I can see JW will have a longer journey to heal (if he is properly loved). I am wondering to what degree and how original chose to explore. If they are not explicitly mentioned, how do many fanfic authors get the idea and developed it in a relatively consistent way?
Don’t know if I am making sense…. BE is such a rich drama. So many angles to explore.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Hello! Thank you so much for sending me this fascinating ask!!
CW: Self-harm, suicide, mental health discussion.
[I will preface this by saying I am not trained in anything mental health related, I am just one sad woman with an opinion]
I'm only going to talk from my perspective, as I don't want to speak on other writers' behalf.
From my knowledge, the show does not infer or imply that Joo Won self-harms through the means of cutting. However, I think there is a case there to argue that Joo Won does have abusive tendencies and leads himself into dangerous situations which could be interpreted as a means of self-harm.
Here's a list of some of these actions:
The way he treated Dong Sik (in the beginning)
Hitting himself with a loaded gun as he has a panic attack
Getting involved in fights
Getting himself arrested on National TV
His unhealthy relationship with his father
Promising to "go to hell" for Dong Sik
Walking into a house by himself, knowing full well that he could be murdered
His drinking....
And so on...
I have written work which implies that Joo Won self-harms (I wrote him pinching his wrists until he bleeds as a form of punishment/relief). The reason why I feel like Joo Won would be someone that self-harms is because of his behaviour: he is very emotional, quick to anger/being overwhelmed, and has (in my opinion) substance abuse issues (with alcohol).
Another element that goes into this is that his mother struggled with substance abuse issues and self-harm. In Episode 14, Joo Won watches his parents effectively break up. His mother is inebriated, having just returned from the hospital after (what looks like) a suicide attempt. Joo Won is compared to his mother in the show by his father. So, I don't believe it's too far of a jump to connect the dots that Joo Won might
be traumatised by what happened to his mother
May have inherited her unhealthy habits
or inherited her mental health disorders
(or a little combination of all three, and then some)
Joo Won chooses to engage in unhealthy actions/thought processes/coping mechanisms. He chooses to hurt himself and others. I believe he's been emotionally abused and neglected basically his whole life, so I don't entirely blame him but he still should hold himself accountable.
Which he does.... with all of his repressed rage, sexual frustrations, and boundless guilt.
I think another main aspect of why some fic writers include self-harming/abuse storylines when exploring Joo Won's character is because they're projecting their own experiences onto him. I mean I have done that SO many times when writing about that wonderful fool. The poor man has lived through quite a few of my experiences and that (in my opinion) is okay because he's suuuuper fictional. Plus, what can I say, it's fun to make him cry.
(that sounds super morbid lol)
"Mental issue wise, Donsik has lots of traumatic experience but I can see JW will have a longer journey to heal (if he is properly loved)"
That's an interesting insight. Dong Sik has been through more than anyone should ever go through. But I feel like his loving childhood and support network (and general personality) will give him the tools to move on with his life. I think he will always struggle - every October is still going to hurt - and when his mother passes away, all of the grief and trauma will come back and hit him again. I don't believe he'll ever be over what happened to him but I think he'll be able to live a loving life. (I hope so anyway)
Joo Won, however, wasn't taught how to deal with his emotions in a healthy way, nor has he ever had a stable support system. So, I think he has a clustrefuck of unhealthy coping mechanisms to unlearn before he can move on. I don't necessarily believe he'll have a harder time than Dong Sik (who is the King of hurting himself) but I do think Joo Won isn't as far in his journey (of recovery) as Dong Sik because of his age and life experiences, so it'll take him longer.
I hope that offers more of an insight into why some writers include self-harm storylines when exploring Joo Won. I can only talk from my point of view but if there is anyone else who is comfortable sharing their thoughts, please do!! I'm sure anon would love to have a wider consensus on this topic (and I would also be interested).
Thank you again for the ask! This is a very complex topic and I feel like I only scratched the surface. But without this becoming massively TMI or chatting utter shite through a tangent, I feel like this is the best I can offer you for now : )
hi hello sorry this is so random but my beyond evil brain rot has been increasing because of the rain and i just need someone else to talk to about the intense gazes that dong sik and joo won give each other through the whole show. like…..why are you looking at each other like that?? you don’t need to be that close to someone to talk to them and can we also talk about the amount of times joo won actively initiates touch between them— it’s a ridiculous amount. like sir keep your hands to yourself you don’t like touching people remember??? i just… i can’t with the both of them but it’s literally all i can think about so here i am… bothering you about it. 🤷🏼♀️
hey hey hey!!
Never apologise for talking to me about Beyond Evil!!! I will forever be happy about discussing this show and jwds (who are otherwise known as the BIGGEST lovesick losers)
I was looking at other people's posts about them today and actually got so emotional because their relationship means so much to me. I may have shed tears (life's great. everything is fine.. there's no reason to worry about me lol)... You're so right, what the hell is up with all of that???
I know it's a thriller! I know they want it to be suspenseful! I know it's meant to be dramatic! BUT WHY are Han Joo Won and Lee Dong Sik this bloody intense? Why do they treat each other differently from other people? Why are they always up in each other's faces?? Can they even see each other or is their vision blurry???? Seriously!! I just-
I have met people I don't trust or like. I have been in heated arguments before. But personally, I have never met someone I dislike that much and still want to be all up in their face. I just haven't! I think it's very common with the majority of people that if you don't like someone, you don't spend time with them.
You don't think about them 24/7
You don't take pictures of them or print said pictures out and bite your lip as you gaze at them
Nor do you flirt with them and tease them
Or turn up at their house uninvited
You most certainly don't whisper seductively in their ear
YOU DON'T USE SEXUAL INNUENDOS ELUDING TO "RAMMING" THEM WITH YOUR "HORNS OF JUSTICE" AND "BITING" THEM
You don't forgive them after they accuse you of murder and insult your friends and family. multiple. times.
YOU don't PINE after them and want them to be healthy, happy, and safe! making sure that they're eating and looking after themselves
You don't stand up for them and abandoned your family to save them from further pain
You don't go on dates! You don't promise your life to them! You don't enter a house with the knowledge that you could die because you want to keep them safe
you don't eye-fuck on national TV!!!! (bringing some interesting kinks to the workplace) (in front of their dad!!!)
You don't make promises and you don't keep them. You don't use those promises as a way to prove your sincerity, love and devotion.
You just don't!
Unless.... you don't dislike them at all... not even a little bit... not in the slightest
In regards to Han Joo Won... I wish I could sit him down and get some answers. Cause, OH BOY, is he odd. He doesn't like touching people and doesn't feel comfortable around others. Fine. He chooses not to have friendships and only wants his life to be a give-and-take, easy transaction-kind-of-dealio. Less fine. Joo Won clearly has a lot of emotional issues and scars. He probably has some sort of mental health disorder (that I'm not going to diagnose right now). But that boy struggles with relationships! He wants to be guarded and cold... and then... Lee Dong Sik comes along and ruins everything.
I think Joo Won was so surprised that after spending 9 months obsessively investigating this random guy, he meets him and is thrown off because he's not what he expected. He didn't really expect to be impressed by him (Dong Sik quoting the criminal code off by heart) and in my opinion, I don't think he expected to just like Dong Sik as a whole. I think it takes him a very long time to work through those emotions and even longer to accept them. But when he does, oh BOY, he's all-in!!
Dong Sik, however... I want to hug him and watch him live a happy life. We all know how badly and for how long Dong Sik has been hurting. I think he's in a major emotional rut (I like to think of Manyang as purgatory), stuck between phases of his life. Joo Won is harsh and brash and at times, unkind. But I think he's the perfect person to unstick Dong Sik; to push him into the next phase of his life... to help him MOVE on! Dong Sik likes Joo Won so much! He cares so much! I'm actually so happy for Dong Sik that Joo Won came into his life.
"Han Joo Won, my saviour, who came to ruin my life." HELLLOOOOO SCRIPT!!!!!! IMAGINE IF THIS LINE HAD BEEN IN THE SHOW!!
They mean so much to each other. Their story is one of acceptance, growth, family, loyalty, kindness, justice. It's about treating someone with a passionate, ruthless but gentle and beautiful devotion. It involves growing past your pride and your prejudices. It means putting them first because their happiness means the world to you!! It's about knowing when you're wrong and making up for your mistakes AND BEING FORGIVEN!! and forgiving yourself!! It's about knowing someone so well and on such an intimate level that you walk miles in the rain to be with them at 1am, you give them the gun, you arrest your father, you uphold your promise.
Even if it hurts. Even if it hurts them in the short term. You put their needs before your own because they matter so much to you.
It's about being partners.
It's about love. Beyond Evil is about love.
(and it's also sharing clothes, teasing and loving spending time together, getting up to some interesting things in that basement, conversing without words, planning and scheming together, TRUSTING EACH OTHER)
IIIIIIII just can't! I can't with these two. They're so much. I adore them!!
I know you don't need this but I am going to shamelessly self-plug for anyone who might want to read more about the topics discussed:
Beyond Evil: The Romantic Rain trope
Han Joo Won: the 'I don't like touching people' boy and his manhandling victim.
Lee Dong Sik does have a type
Han Joo Won and Lee Dong Sik: 27
Episode 6: Dong Sik is a good man
Han Joo Won wants a partner and suspect.
Han Joo Won Returns: he is a softie
Thank you for sending your thoughts my way. You encouraged me to think about these losers and I can't thank you enough <3 I wish I could write something more meaningful or eye-opening but we all know... we know what's up
Hello! I am here to once again harass this tag with my opinions.
I love this complicated character. I just want him to heal and live a happy life. I have so many feelings about him and because of him.
This post is another section of the essay (I have previously mentioned) where I lost all interest in being formal in the slightest. So, this doesn't read as a serious analysis of Dong Sik's character, more of a shit post. But nevertheless, it's written with good intentions and genuine interest. Again, this is an excerpt from a bigger piece, so it feels unfinished that will be the reason.
[Please note that Dong Sik and queer-coding are very intricate topics, I am not able to explore them fully with just this post. also: I use the word queer as an umbrella term when discussing the character's sexuality. It is not meant as an offensive term.]
~ Now that the disclaimers are out of the way, I hope you enjoy this absolute mess
Dong Sik on the other hand… There isn’t a big romantically coded scene for him, definitely not along the same lines as Joo Won's scene in the rain. We gain knowledge of Dong Sik’s thoughts and feelings for Joo Won through his facial expressions and actions.
We get to see it more often because - despite his tendency to mask his emotions behind the veil of other people's assumptions - he is a lot more forthcoming with his feelings. By nature, Dong Sik is an affectionate person with a lot of love to give. Within the show, he is the main character used as a vassal for the creators to explore the Ancient Greeks’ philosophy of the seven kinds of love. Here’s a quick breakdown of the love in Dong Sik’s life:
Eros: Han Joo Won
Philia: his friendship circle: Ji-Hwa, Jung-Je, Ji-Hoon, Jae-Yi, etc
Storge: his sister, his mother, Kang Min-Jung
Agape: music, food, nature
Ludus: Han Joo Won, Lee Sang-Yeob
Pragma: what his relationship with Han Joo Won was blossoming into
Philautia: he struggles with this one but we get glimpses of it throughout
Dong Sik is a bit of a tease, in the sense that he enjoys teasing people, and Joo Won is the perfect person for him to do that. I believe he was attracted to Joo Won from the moment he met him- no, from the moment he heard his voice.
That shot though, jfc. It is very common within visual media to use the suspenseful storytelling tactic of “look! The two main characters have met and this is important- pay attention to this”.
The story will stop in its tracks because the two main characters or the two love interests have met for the first time. Their interaction and the importance of this first meeting will be displayed by the characters either:
Stopping what they were doing
Becoming awestruck
The camera lingering on their reaction
Beyond Evil uses all three of these common visual storytelling tactics to tell the audience that this moment is important.
And… Okay… I know everyone stops what they are doing to pay attention to Joo Won’s arrival, as it’s a great way of other-ing him from the first episode… But if we look at it from the perspective of the character, Dong Sik is so affected when he sees Joo Won for the first time that he stops writing his police report. We had just seen how driven and motivated Dong Sik can be, he was going to write up that report and no one could stop him, not even the threat of physical violence could stop him.
The fact that Joo Won does cause him to stop could be interpreted as a (very) loose play on the trope of Distracted by Sexy or Love at First Sight. Either way, no one could stop him apart from Joo Won.
Through the visual language, this seems to be the creator's way of informing the audience of Joo Won’s immediate effect on Dong Sik’s life.
This sequence also plays on the (debatably) romantic trope of Stalker’s Meet Cute and Weaponized Meet Cute:
“When one party has arranged the "chance" encounter for the purpose of romance, it's a Stalker's Meet Cute. (This is very common.) When it's for dark nefarious purposes (i.e., not romance; usually a crime of some sort), it's Weaponized Meet Cute.” tvtropes.org, Meet Cute.
Joo Won has been "investigating" stalking Dong Sik for the purposes of his investigation. He takes photographs of Dong Sik at his workplace and when he is with his friends. Then purposely gets himself transferred to the same substation to get closer to him. Which signifies from the outset that the nature of their relationship is far from normal.
But it is how Dong Sik reacts to the new Inspector that is very interesting...
During my first watch-through of the show, I missed Dong Sik’s quick off-the-cuff remark of “he’s not my type” when speaking about seeing Joo Won for the first time. Which… okay, firstly, no one asked him. It is the first thing Dong Sik has to say about Joo Won. Also, this kind of language screams romantic undertones. To have a “type” is a phrase often used (in western parts of the world, at least) when describing a person you fancy, i.e find attractive.
It’s an odd thing to say and it could just be a funky translation. But Dong Sik decides to tell his best friends that the “handsome” (as other male characters had already noted), successful, fashionable and so painfully metropolitan new (boy toy) Inspector is not his type…
Which begs us to question: why did they use this kind of language? If the creators wanted us to know that Dong Sik and Joo Won weren’t going to get along because they were judging each other, another perfectly non-romantic way of telling us would be for Dong Sik to say: He’s just another Seoul detective.
This could then start a quick back-and-forth.
Someone could say: But you were a Seoul detective.
Causing Dong Sik to give us a reply along the lines: You know I was never like them.
(or something better than that)
If the conversation had been structure in this way, the creators would be conveying that there is a distinction between the city police and the police in this small town. Also, it would give us the insight that Dong Sik never felt like he fit in in Seoul and that he has a close connection to his hometown. [not confirmed as true]
Instead, we get “he’s not my type”. I believe this is the first time we see Dong Sik’s character being queer-coded.
“Queer coding is the subtextual coding of a character in media as queer. Though such a character's sexual identity may not be explicitly confirmed within their respective work, a character might be coded as queer through the use of traits and stereotypes recognisable to the audience.” Wikipedia.org, Queer Coding.
This framing, as well as other pieces of information about his character, supports the queer coding theory.
Firstly, let’s take the context into account: Dong Sik is a man in his early forties who has experienced deep trauma. He lives alone, is not married, is not divorced, has male and female platonic friendships and at no point in the show is the history of his love-life explicitly confirmed.
The only time in the show that Dong Sik himself talks about anything closely relating to his romantic life - or having a “type” - is when talking about Han Joo Won and talking to Lee Sang Yeob. Any other time Dong Sik’s sexuality or love life is brought up is by other characters, predominately by Joo Won.
Joo Won isn’t Dong Sik’s type. And perhaps not. Having worked (and lived) in Seoul for many years, Dong Sik has probably met many rich, good-looking, privileged, up-themselves Seoul boys. So, he would know.
So, if Joo Won isn’t Dong Sik’s type, who is? Do we get examples?
Yes but very subtly via the process of elimination. Throughout the show, Dong Sik only flirts with men. So that and other factors (which we will discuss later) rule out women as romantic love interests. He only flirts with men. Sometimes he does this because of genuine attraction or because he’s trying to unnerve them. He uses his ambiguous sexuality as a way to make other men uncomfortable when in a sparring match of intellect. The people he flirts with when trying to unnerve are:
Lee Chang Jin
Lim Gyu Seok
Kang Do Soo (very minorly: the good looks comment in episode 4)
Park Jung Je (very very minorly: although, they have a very complicated/ queer coded relationship)
These men often bristle or become uncomfortable when Dong Sik uses this tactic.
Do they have anything in common that could help us decipher if he has a type? Well, not really. They are of all different ages, stature, occupation, personality, looks, statuses, and financial backgrounds. They’re different. The only commonality they share is that at some point, they were getting in Dong Sik’s way. So, he used this proven tactic to deflect their gaze, so he can continue on undetected.
(what a whore)
There are two other people that Dong Sik flirts with aggressively, either because one) distracts them from the truth and two) because he seems to enjoy it:
Lee Sang Yeob
Han Joo Won
What is interesting about these two characters is that they don’t react the same way the other men do. So, how do they react?
Lee Sang Yeob shows quiet patience and (not unkind) indifference like he is used to it. In the situation they were in, he doesn’t let us know if he likes or dislikes it- there’s just silence. Which, within South Korean media, speaks volumes.
In South Korean media (like the majority of the world), when the male lead’s sexuality is questioned, it is common (and expected) for them to show disgust or make it into a joke, or both (Vincenzo has two very long scenes where Vincenzo has a paddy about having to pretend to date a man is a great example). Queerness is not treated seriously in the majority of the media. It is shown as something uncomfortable; to be mocked, or as a hurdle in the male lead’s journey. As a whole, it is not something that is explored with sensitivity or sincerity.
(there are obviously exceptions to this "rule". I'm speaking in more generalised tones.)
So, to have two male characters in a car together, and to have one ask the other if they are on a date and the reaction is silence, shows us how Beyond Evil approaches queerness in a very different way from the majority.
Dong Sik’s flirtations with Han Joo Won are a little more complicated. At first, Han Joo Won doesn’t seem to understand flirting, full stop. All signs of attraction and affection from anyone make him uncomfortable. But as time passes, he starts to accept it and then even starts to return the attention. Out of all of Dong Sik’s interactions with the people he flirts with, Joo Won is the only one to genuinely flirt back. Not only does he flirt back but he enjoys it, as does Dong Sik.
Other than this, do Lee Sang Yeob and Han Joo Won have anything else in common? Yes.
They are both (at one point in time) Dong Sik’s police partner.
They are the same age and thirteen years younger than Dong Sik.
They went to KNPU and were in the same year.
They are attractive, successful, from wealthy families, ambitious, stubborn, intelligent, naive; metropolitan (working/living in Seoul), and both are passionate and impulsive: going headfirst into danger. They both act like a “prince” and are “burdens”.
Later, they both cause Dong Sik unbearable amounts of heartache.
The most important comparison is that Dong Sik cares about both of them deeply.
So, there are two characters Dong Sik flirts with for the sake of flirting. They have similarities that go beyond age, race and gender. Through the process of elimination, we can say with a level of certainty that Dong Sik (on a basic level) does have a “type”.
According to him, Joo Won isn’t it. Personally, I believe that Joo Won was Dong Sik’s “type” the entire time. But because Joo Won is (in the beginning) a stereotype, Dong Sik is put off by his prickish facade. Also, Han Joo Won reminds Dong Sik of Sang Yeob from the get-go, and he doesn’t want to go down that route because it’s a deep trauma for him that he’s not over.
So, when Dong Sik says something so romantically coded as “he’s not my type”, it shines as false in the most wonderful way.
[Dong Sik interacting with three younger men. credit: 1, 3]
Dong Sik is... so into Joo Won.
As Dong Sik gets to know Joo Won, he becomes interested in this difficult man. Within the context of the thriller-mystery narrative, he decides to use Han Joo Won so he can bring the serial killer to justice. But over time, he starts to genuinely care for him. Which wasn’t the original plan.
One could justify this by suggesting that it just proves that Dong Sik is a protector by nature; he cares for those younger than him, and he fears losing people so much that he’ll even care for the little annoying prick that is Han Joo Won.
This is true but the thing about Dong Sik is that if he doesn’t want someone in his life, he doesn’t include them, or he waits patiently until he can move on.
Joo Won is not one of those people, which is proven by how he displays his feelings throughout the first act. Dong Sik proceeds to provoke, get up in Joo Won’s personal space, tease, flirt with him, actively pull him into his life, actively try to get to know him, and actively care for him, whilst trying to save that boy (toy) from himself and anyone else who may hurt him… And it only intensifies in the second act. He seeks him out and always has a (literal) open door for Joo Won to walk through because, despite the fact that Joo Won can be difficult, Dong Sik enjoys him and wants him in his life.
The fact that Dong Sik enjoys Joo Won’s personality is shown throughout the first act. Contrary to the fact that Joo Won gives Dong Sik many different reasons for him to run away screaming “red flag”, he does the complete opposite.
A brief list of just a few examples of Dong Sik enjoying Joo Won:
Episode 1: when he offers Joo Won a handshake and is rejected, calls him a "prince" (or something similar)
Episode 1: smiling when Joo Won is talking about his views on friendship, then proceeds to tease Jo-Won.
Episode 2: when Joo Won has the same thought as him (going to the shop in the rain scene), Dong Sik watches Joo Won walk away and smiles after Joo Won gazes back at him.
Episode 2: getting in Joo Won’s personal space (and making eye contact) to ask why Joo Won is “so interested” in him.
Episode 2&3: the entire interrogation scenes: yes, he's annoyed by Joo Won but come on, he's also having so much fun.
Episode 3: After Jung-Je has told Dong Sik that Joo Won knows that he’s put the case files back, Dong Sik is very non-plus about it until Jung-Je tells him that Joo Won laughed “like a madman”. Jung-Je is disturbed by the whole thing, which is a very normal reaction. How does Dong Sik react? He becomes excited, smiles, and then laughs, agreeing to stay at work (despite being traumatised by recent events).
(this look screams: I've got you all figured out.... and in retrospect, I'm like: Oh honey, oh no no no no, JW's better and worse than you think)
And so on, and so on...
Dong Sik was attracted to Joo Won from the moment he met him and could see through his pretty rich boy bullshit super quickly. We get to see Dong Sik's good nature and attraction to Joo Won, even from the first episode. There are so many examples (here's one)
At the beginning of the series, Joo Won is purposely unlikeable. He doesn’t want to make friends because he’s never had a friend that wanted just him before; they’ve always wanted something else from him.
Joo Won doesn’t trust people and doesn’t pick up on the majority of social cues, especially ones of genuine kindness - his lack of experiences and insecurities make him believe that people are being conceited, and by extension trying to control him. Joo Won doesn’t seem to believe that anyone could love or like him for him just being himself. So, he isn’t himself as a way to stop getting hurt. (Dong Sik really doesn’t let him continue that charade)
Dong Sik’s first act of showing… let’s call it a kindness (if we’re being optimistic) to Joo Won on a personal level is in Episode 1. It is so subtle that it went over my head on my first casual viewing. Dong Sik singles Joo Won out (obviously, Joo Won is the newbie of the substation) and tries to show him that his insecurity of “people only want me because of who my dad is” is not true for Dong Sik; and by extension, Manyang.
He does this by not taking Joo Won’s shit, physically touching him, and by actively poking fun at Joo Won’s dad. By saying, “I don’t give a fuck who your dad is or where you come from” in the subtext, he’s trying to tell Joo Won that he’s different (Manyang is different).
He’s not going to suck up to him, he’s not going to ask for favours, he just doesn’t care for any of that because he’s not like that. Manyang isn’t like that. From the get-go, Dong Sik is telling Joo Won and the audience that if at any point Dong Sik is kind to Joo Won, it is because it is genuine. And not for any other conceited reason.
(That is not to say that Dong Sik is always kind… ooooh no, for a lot of the beginning, he isn’t.)
Joo Won found it amusing though…
Despite all of this, despite every reason there is for the two of them to not get on (for Dong Sik to absolutely despise Joo Won), they don't. Far from it. I like to describe their chemistry are magnets and like all magnets, they want to attract. So without rhyme or reason, without their control or common sense, they turn and yield, and allow themselves to attract.
[Before I beat the horse dead, here is a link to the rest of this thought process, including some sexy screenshots]
[ I am losing steam here and getting distracted. So, I'll include a brief summary before I go. ]
A brief overview of Dong Sik's interactions with five younger men + one male of the same age:
Lee Sang Yeob: flirts with him, finds him annoying (affectionately), cares a lot for him, gives him heart eyes, nearly (does kill?) kills someone because they murdered him- Touch: his stomach to try to save his life
Oh Ji Hoon: teases him, has a laugh with him, protects him and tries to be an older brother/mentor. He sees himself in the younger man- treats him like a much younger brother- Touch: doesn’t, idk... maybe a brief touch to the shoulder (?)
Club man: Is aggressive with him because of the fucked-up shit the guy is doing. But still has a ~certain~ energy with him. Touch: pins him against a wall.
Lim Gyu Seok: finds him very annoying, doesn’t like him much but does have odd energy around him- similar to the energy he has with Han Joo Won. Touch: gets in his personal space and puts his lanyard around him in a very ~certain~ way, holds onto his shoulder- the same he does with HJW.
Han Joo Won: flirts with him, bullies him, protects him- he’s in love with him, let’s not pretend. Touch: all the fucking time mate, loves it. Can only think of two times he stops Joo Won from touching him.
Bonus:
Park Jung Je: Jung Je grabs Dong Sik’s arm once and it makes Dong Sik super angry. He yanks his arm out of the other’s grip. An odd reaction considering they’re best friends.
Dong Sik treats Joo Won differently only because Joo Won encourages him. It's this battle of ego and wit. They're both trying to be right, (both being dramatic), trying to impress and wanting to impress, wanting to be seen They enjoy being around the other; not being able to stop themselves from caring, flirting, battling, repressing, restraining, fighting, protecting... attracting.
Han Joo Won is very annoying. But Dong Sik likes him so much, he's just his type.
---
Dong Sik's queer coding is not shown through grand gestures or grand romantically-coded scenes. He isn't overly flamboyant or "camp". He only flirts with men and does have a type.
There is so much more that could be said about Dong Sik's queer coding. For one, we could talk about the religious symbolism throughout the show and Dong Sik is his most "religious" when he's falling in love with Joo Won. Please remember that this is from a larger piece that focused on the first half of the show, which is why the second act isn't explored.
There is sooo much to say about him. I feel like this overly long post is only scratching the surface and is probably unnecessarily long-winded. But alas, it is how I have chosen to approach it.
Thanks for sticking around this long. Ta ta!
absolutely yes to joo won wearing makeup, his crying would be only made better by eyeliner running down his face, A++++++, wet little meow meow
joo won is a pretty princess who buys IOPE skincare products and wears lip gloss, pass it on
I'm 100% serious! Han Joo Won wears makeup. I'll send pics as a minor amount of proof lol
Hyuk looking pretty... pretty dashing. His lips are a normal human colour
BAM joo won's pretty pink lips
Dong Sik's looking beautiful and has normal human-coloured lips... Joo Won's wearing lip gloss.....
and then later on... after driving back to Manyang together
(I had to use my phone for this, sorry!! the quality is pretty bad)
The colours have been exaggerated slightly because of my phone BUT HE'S GOT LIPSTICK ON (but go watch that scene again. They put REALLY bright lipsticks on our babes Jae Yi and Ji Hwa to balance out the shade of Joo Won's lips)
(even Dong Sik's lips are pink asf... did they have a lil smooch in the car on the way back?? of course, they did)
Multiple times throughout the show Joo Won has sleepless nights and drinks alcohol semi-heavily and yet, this boy has great skin?? Nah, he's wearing makeup
This pretty boy knows he's prettier with pretty pink lips and he's correct. Good for him. I love this look for him!
Also, if he had worn eyeliner and cried his little heart out, I would have actually had a breakdown. So, I'm thankful that they didn't do that to me! But yes, Joo Won needs to wear eyeliner and lipstick (and paint his nails. and wear black silk. black lace. and lounge around dramatically like a vampire cosplayer. you know that dong sik would paint his nails for him and jw would bitch the whole time that he's going to smudge the varnish)
(i know they put a lot of makeup on Yeo Jin Goo's face for the purposes of TV magic but.... Han Joo Won is still wearing makeup, idc what anyone says)
So, when I first watched Beyond Evil and they revealed that Jin Mook wasn't Min Jeong's biological father, I thought they were going to use this as foreshadowing for HKH not being Joo Won's biological father.
I thought there was going to be a nature vs nurture storyline. That they were going to say that HKH is the way he is because he knows Joo Won isn't his biological son. (maybe this would have touched upon the concept of legacy and the son taking the father's crown). I thought they were going to use this as a way of helping Joo Won detach from his Han identity and allow him to explore/side with his Lee family (from his mother's side).
But I'm glad they didn't because my ideas suck.
honestly really impressed with the beyond evil casting people because if i saw yjg's cutesy fluff demeanor and overall leaning pretty cute filmography i would not have the wisdom to cast him as juwon opposite shk like how did they even see it? the borderline psychic powers they must have
In response to this post
Hey anon!! Thanks for taking the time to message me.
You are quite right, they are geniuses. Before Beyond Evil, I hadn't seen any of Yeo Jin Goo's or Shin Ha Kyun's work (I knew Ha Kyun vaguely). So, I had no preconceived notions of who they are as actors or the roles they played prior. Since I finished watching Beyond Evil, I have since seen multiple projects by them but still, I find Beyond Evil to be my favourite (for them both).
With Jin Goo specifically, his long (and still young) career seems to have two main categories: Sageuk or romantic lead in a fantasy drama.
He seems to have a little bit of an issue with being type-cast (not always the rule but there's definitely a pattern). The majority of his filmography isn't to my taste, I find it to be quite cringy (nothing against him or the projects. i just suck at dealing with positive depictions of love. I'm defo the problem here). I still haven't finished Hotel De Luna or Link: Eat, Love, Kill and I really found the romance storyline in The Crowned Clown to be painful (So Woon deserved better).
So, I think it's exciting when he plays roles that go against his typecast.
Personally, I think Joo Won excels at being unlikeable. He's so good-looking and has a trustworthy demeanour on screen. He's a cute guy (with his face and personality) and it shines through the screen! So when those elements are tested by his character's being a prick/outright evil, it makes him SHINE. I loved him as Han Joo Won and I wanted SO MUCH MORE of him as Yi Heon. He needs to play (another) villain ASAP!!
Also, the fact that he didn't win an award for his work in Beyond Evil or The Crowned Clown is actually a piss-take. Yeo Jin Goo is the best at crying (seriously, how does he do it?? who hurt him???). He's also one of the best at micro-expressions and showing depth to a character's emotional range. I think he's a very intelligent actor, who's not afraid to push his character to the max.
I really hope he pursues more serious drama roles to explore his acting chops in a variety of genres/stories/characters. He's very very good at the romantic male lead and the emotional King. He's sooo good at that. But... I think there's a much wider range there. (he's still super young so there's definitely time for him and his career to grow)
Shin Ha Kyun's career is just a gorgeous display of diversity and range. He's... gosh... that man. I just absolutely adore him.
(^ my reaction to everything I've watched him in. Every time he's on screen, I get sooo giddy like I've got a schoolgirl crush or something)
As for how the production team knew to put them together... Well... From my understanding prior to Beyond Evil, they were both very well-known, very popular actors who have both received acting nominations/awards. So, they both would be desirable to help boost the show's wide-range appeal/popularity.
The production company (probably) sent out scripts to many agencies, and then the agencies dished out the scripts to the actors available/ best suited/interested in doing that role. Jin Goo and Ha Kyun were both clearly interested, so they probably auditioned separately and then eventually did a chemistry test... AND BOY DID WE GET LUCKY THAT THEY HAVE ON-SCREEN CHEMISTRY.
I think the casting team knew they had something special. (and they were right. not only can they both act their socks off, they understand their characters 100%, and they were both willing to push the boundaries of the role and story.... and they get on and work really well opposite one another)
We got soooo lucky that all the right dots aligned for this show to be made as well as it was. I'm forever grateful!! I hope Yeo Jin Goo and Shin Ha Kyun worked together again- they're special and the world would be such a more lovely place with more of them in it
Thanks again for the ask, I'm going to go because my laptop sounds like it's actually taking flight haha
Bye!
People!
I rewatched episode 1 of Beyond Evil aaaaagain the other night (it was an anniversary gift from me to me that I forced upon my partner). It was great! I was annoying, pausing it every two seconds to gush about something or the other.
There is something that does baffle me though. I'm probably being silly and have a terrible memory but... Why does Jin Mook leave Lee Geum Hwa's body in the Manyang reed fields?
From my understanding of his killing timeline, the first victim (that we know of) Jin Mook left in the reed fields is Bang Ju Seon. Her body was found the next day and the Manyang cold case began. The reason he left her there and didn't bury her is because of the Yu Yeon/Han Ki Hwan plot line interrupting his (almost ritualistic) process. So, leaving Bang Ju Seon is not the ideal situation but he makes do.
But the reed fields become a known area, so he couldn't leave any more bodies there. After bribing Councilwoman Do Hae Won, he's able to have free access to the Manyang Deer Farm. For the next 20 years, he proceeds to use this area as his personal cemetery.
Then he tracks his ex-wife down to Busan. He kills sex workers and I presume he buries their bodies in the surrounding area. The reason behind this presumption is because (from my knowledge) the drive from Busan to Seoul is about 4-5 hours depending on traffic. So, if he's transporting a living or dead sex worker from location A to B for 4-5 hours, it's quite risky. Jin Mook has been murdering women for 20+ years, he didn't manage that by taking too many risks.
This is where Joo Won comes into the mix. Joo Won sets Lee Geum Hwa up for his sting operation, which results in her murder.
OKAY. We know Lee Geum Hwa was based in Busan as a sex worker (unless I have completely misunderstood her entire storyline), we know she was set up by Joo Won to engage with the man regularly visiting the sex workers who are later found dead. She does this and she is strangled inside a truck.
We do not know the location where she was strangled. But we do know that at some point, she is half-buried in the marshy area of a reed field in Manyang. But why there and not his go-to - bribed and paid for - deer farm?
I can't think of a reason. I may have missed it along the way. But I find it odd that he would choose this area (the location where Sang Ju Seon was found). Normally, I don't care about Jin Mook's actions or decision-making. However, in this case, I do because the location of Lee Geum Hwa's body is paramount to the story.
Here's a real quick comparison between Hot Fuzz (2007, dir. Edgar Wright) and Beyond Evil (2020, dir. Sim Na Yeon). I realised today that these two stories offer many similarities and I wanted to share them.
[I love them both. This is not a serious critical piece. Just a bit of fun. I wrote this super quickly and I haven't really edited it. So, as always, ignore my silly dyslexic mistakes. kthnxbye xoxo]
Hot Fuzz is one of the wittiest, best edited, most engaging, hilarious, just outright smart action comedy police-drama movies ever made. No, actually, it's one of the best movies ever made, period. (I will not argue on this because there's no point arguing against FACTS)
Sergeant Nicholas Angel is a competent officer of the MET in London but is transferred to a small village in rural England, almost as a form of punishment. Always a stickler for the rules and overzealous enforcer of the law, he is a conscientious officer that is in many ways a "role model". However, he is a workaholic, who is a very lonely person; with a failing relationship and a narrow mindset.
Once he is transferred to this rural village, he is soon submerged in a double murder case. The locals are quick to dismiss the murders as an accident and do not seem too worried about it. This dismissal doesn't sit right with him. So, he investigates the entire village.
He is aided (reluctantly) by his (police) partner, PC Danny Butterman who disagrees with Angel's theories and methods, often resenting how the other man treats the people of his hometown. (when he is not enamoured by his new partner)
Through thick and thin, the two of them grow to gain a beautiful companionship and together, they uncover what is really going on in this rural village, both changing (for the better) along the way. They unveil the systemic corruption of this community, whilst learning they can only trust each other- putting their lives on the line for the other and as a result of their partnership, bringing the guilty to justice.
(If you've seen Beyond Evil, this sounds rather familiar)
Beyond Evil is one of the most engaging, best-acted, heartwarming, heartwrenching, just outright smart crime-thriller police-drama TV shows ever made. No, actually, it's one of the best TV shows ever made, period. (I will not argue on this because there's no point arguing against FACTS)
Inspector Han Joo Won is a competent officer of the Foreign Affairs department in Seoul but is transferred to a small village in rural England, as a form of punishment for his misdeeds/because he wants to be transferred. Always a stickler for the rules - definitely for the law - he is a conscientious officer that has memorised every line of the criminal code. On the outside, in many ways, he is a "role model"; an ideal picture of the ideal cop. However, he is a very flawed person, who is extremely lonely, with no close relationships and a narrow mindset.
Once he is transferred to Manyang, he is soon submerged in a cold case.
Where Inspector Han and Sergeant Angel differ is their involvement in the cases they are given. Angel is forced to investigate the on-goings murders, whereas, Inspector Han actively chooses to investigate the cold case (he gets himself transferred and does some bad things). This cold case has been ongoing for 20 years and the killer/s hasn't been caught. This doesn't sit right with him and so, he investigates... everyone.
Another way these two stories differ is in their treatment of the main character's relationship. Angel and Danny always kind of get on. Yes, Angel finds Danny to be lazy, annoying and overbearing. But he grows to appreciate him as he softens and lets himself (emotionally) open up to another person.
Han Joo Won doesn't treat his partner with the same courtesy.
The other lead character of Beyond Evil is Lee Dong Sik. Much like Danny, Dong Sik is an officer in his hometown, he is partnered up with this over-achieving officer who is a high-strung, snobby - from a metropolitan city - hot shot. However, unlike Danny - who is greatly interested in Angel from the get-go - Dong Sik doesn't really give two shits about Joo Won.
The other main difference between the treatment of the main's dynamic is that Joo Won's lead suspect is his partner, Lee Dong Sik. This causes a lot of strife but after a lot of plot, they get on the same page and Dong Sik chooses to aid his partner in his investigation(s). He doesn't agree with Joo Won's theories or methods and oftentimes, he actively torments him.
But through thick and thin, the two of them grow to gain a beautiful companionship and together, they uncover what is really going on in this rural town, both changing (for the better) along the way. They unveil the systemic corruption of the police force, whilst learning they can trust each other- putting their lives on the line for the other and as a result of their partnership, bringing the guilty to justice.
Yes, in essence, these two projects do not "feel" the same. As one is a comedy and the other is a thriller. So, their approach to the plot and themes are different. However, their general beats do match.
They also share some similar themes:
Morality
Justice
Family/ Found family
Community
Love
Integrity
Corruption
Growth
[Bonus queer chat]
For both projects, the lead character's dynamic can also be viewed with a queer reading:
"Though Hot Fuzz can be read as a gay love story between Nicholas and Danny, it is also possible to see it as a typical, straight buddy cop. A fair argument against a gay reading would be that it is, of course, possible for two men to be close to each other without being romantically linked." (thedailyfandom.org, Hot Fuzz Just Buddy Cops in Love)
^ The creative team seemed to be very aware of the queer subtext of the leads' relationship
(a gif of a BTS shot of Hot Fuzz where Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are pretending to passionately kiss)
I would argue Angel and Danny do not have sexual chemistry; their dynamic does scream old married couple (who have separate rooms) that are best friends and brilliantly weird with one another.
Han Joo Won and Lee Dong Sik??
Well...
Beyond Evil is sooo queer-coded that I have dedicated post after post about it. These idiots are the kind of guys that bicker like an old married couple. They bicker so much that you start to wonder if they actually like one another but they ALWAYS save each other a seat. They're the kind of couple who sit in the corner of a restaurant and don't speak much, they can enjoy the silence just as much as the teasing.
They also have the most beautiful enemies to lovers friends arc, they are the trope. They also have a ridiculous amount of romantic and sexual chemistry. The tension is just there.
^ Which the creative team seemed to be very aware of
(a photo of a BTS shot of Han Joo Won's actor Yeo Jin Goo admitting that he can't stop laughing because his character is i"n a secret relationship" with Lee Dong Sik (played by Shin Ha Kyun). There are a few BTS clips of these two actively encouraging their character's "secret relationship" to be canon) [photo is stolen from my-otp-list.tumblr.com]
I have a 10 pic/gif limit for this post, which sucks because I WISH I could share so much more of these two wonderful projects.
They're both absolutely the best of their genres; both so artfully constructed with so much love and care. They have the BEST casts, some of the best writing and acting, and wonderful characters.
They are tonally very different but that's to be expected, considering the genres they are based in.
But... yeah... GO WATCH THEM. They're wonderful. I don't know how to end this post, as I made it spontaneously. I haven't planned anything out and done very little recent research (as in, I haven't watched Hot Fuzz in a little while). But we all get what I am trying to say!
See ya!
