OUR UNIVERSE KDRAMA-Why a Second Lead Like Yun Seong Is Needed for the Romance (Hear me out on this)
I know many viewers dislike the second lead in this drama (Including me). But after thinking more about the romance between Tae Hyung and Hyun Jin, I realized why a character like Yun Seong is necessary to the story. One specific comment about Hyun Jin’s recent confession helped me understand this.
Someone said that Hyun Jin only confessed because if Tae Hyung left, she would have no one else to rely on. In other words, her desire for a romantic relationship with him would be based on needing his help and support, not on genuine feelings.
This is exactly why the second lead exists.
Yun Seong shows that even without Tae Hyung, Hyun Jin still has someone she could rely on. She has another option. He is rich, capable, caring, and kind. The story often frames him as someone who could provide a more stable life than Tae Hyung. Yun Seong even says this himself with the umbrella metaphor, explaining that his umbrella would be better for Hyun Jin and Woo Ju.
So Tae Hyung was never her only choice.
Putting Tae Hyung beside someone as competent and dependable as Yun Seong allows Hyun Jin to confront her feelings honestly. It forces her to ask herself whether she likes Tae Hyung because she needs help raising Woo Ju, or because she truly loves him.
And the answer becomes clear.
She doesn’t choose Tae Hyung because she needs a babysitter. In fact, even when he isn’t actively helping her, she still wants to be with him. That is the opposite of what the second lead is doing. Yun Seong constantly proves how useful he can be, hoping that usefulness will make her love him in return. (Which, honestly, feels very similar to the second male lead in Queen of Tears. And they even share the same name.)
What makes Hyun Jin’s choice meaningful is that she chooses Tae Hyung even when the alternative looks more perfect. Yun Seong can offer stability, resources, and support. On paper, he is the better option.
But Hyun Jin was never looking for an umbrella.
Her sister used to fill that role, and their conflict partly comes from her sister still trying to protect her that way. Hyun Jin doesn’t want someone who solves all her problems or shields her from every difficulty.
What she wants is someone who stands beside her.
She wants someone who reminds her that she isn’t alone. Someone who will stay even when things go wrong. Someone she can complain to, cry to, and lean on, without needing to be rescued.
This idea is actually present from the very first episode.
When Hyun Jin’s friend asks if Tae Hyung has been helping her a lot during the funeral, Hyun Jin says that he has. But if you really look at what he did, most of it was just the bare minimum. In fact, he even caused a bigger problem for her when she ended up spraining her arm.
And yet, Hyun Jin still says she feels relieved.
Not because Tae Hyung solved all her problems, but because she wasn’t alone in dealing with everything.
Tae Hyung could have easily gone home after Hyun Jin returned when she got her cast. He already made it clear that he didn’t want anything to do with his brother, so he had every reason to leave. But he stayed with her and Woo Ju anyway for three days and nights if I remember correctly.
For Hyun Jin, that was enough.
It shows that what she values isn’t someone who can fix everything for her. What matters more is simply having someone who stays.
That’s why, even though this drama can be messy, frustrating, and far from perfect, it still delivers a meaningful idea about family.
Family isn’t about being perfect or useful.
It’s about staying together in the rain and having each other’s backs despite failures, disappointments, and imperfections.
