I love, I utterly love all these examples. Kim Mi kyung is amazing in everything, but she has done more than amazing jobs as the mother of any of our leads. She made me cry rivers in Go back couple as well, but also in "20th century boy and girl", and in "Oh Hae young again". It must be because I didn't have a mother (or maybe because I had it, but she was more or less like Hye na's mother in the drama "Mother"😒 Sorry if it gets confusing, I better not talk to much about privat affairs and traumas of my childhood), but anyways... these Korean moms, even if they have come into my life as a character, they have been a consolation to my soul. Definitively scene stealers. Great acting that goes into your skin.
Thank you for your post, @Andy.

Thank you for the write-up, @fencejumper

Oh man, mother-child bonds in a drama for me are such a sacred thing to behold and cherish 🥰🥰🥰🥰 Reading this reminded me of one of my all-time favourite mother-child pairings/bond: Little Eun Sang & Hye Soo, portrayed by sweet little Shin Rina & Uee, from “Marriage Contract”.... It starts out from the get-go as an already set apart mother/daughter bond because the mother is literally ready to sell her organs for pay to secure financial stability for her own daughter. The scene that really—and I mean, REALLY— sold me in their already-unbreakable bond as mother and daughter, come hellfire or shine, was the scene where Hye Soo — despite just coming off a pretty frustrating argument with her daughter— takes little Eun Sang out for ice cream to talk to her to smooth things over and (re)assures the little one that no matter what— NO MATTER WHAT— it doesn’t matter what Eun Sang may say or do to Hye Soo, especially in times of heated arguments, Hye Soo knows that little Eun Sang doesn’t really mean it when she spouts hurtful things to her mom but that little Eun Sang just says those things in the heat of the moment and out of spite, but Hye Soo loves her daughter regardless and despite all the hurtful words spouted out of spite...
This scene was done with such subtlety and quietness, yet, Uee and Shin Rina we’re both able to hold their own in a scene that held so much more meaning and significance given the circumstances, what was to come (in terms of plot revelations), and the underlying theme of the drama as a whole

Just— ugh.... PERFECTION 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

Loved the write up @fencejumper! Though I didn't cry for GBC( but that's because I'm emotionally constipated), I did empathize with Jin Joo in regards to a second chance with her mother and doing everything with her that she couldn't do before. Seeing her made me appreciate my mother a little bit more, though I'll probably never be able to say that to her.
I also want to give a shoutout to Lee Il hwa, who played the heroine's mother in the answer me franchise. Her perseverance and patience with her family, coupled with the love she had not only for her own children but also for others was one of the highlights of the show. Reply 1988 especially was amazing with not one but 3 mothers, played to perfection by Ra miran and Kim sun young. They not only loved their children to death, but also took care of the others like a very big family.

@fencejumper you had me at 'fantastic moon-walker'. The actress Kim Mi Kyung stole my affection as Ajumma in Healer, but she became my absolute favourite actress after watching her in GBS, and that breakdancing scene... I must have rewatched it twelve times.

The final picture also reminded me of Gang Doo's fantastic relationship with his adopted Halmeoni in Just Between Lovers. Their scenes together made a wonderful show even more memorable for me.

Thanks for a lovely tribute to brilliant mums everywhere.

I knew this was going to be good as soon as I saw the Go Back Couple pic of mother-daughter. One of the few dramas to have made me cry. T_T What great choice to end this month's theme. Thanks @fencejumper for this piece.

I came because of the pic of Mom with her puppy-daughter.. her character left a very deep impression to anyone who watched the drama. I spent too many tissues when Ma jin jo travels back in time and sees her moms alive and follows her around the house like a puppy.. it broke my heart but at the same time for had an awakening about people who lost their parents.

Thank you @fencejumper for this, and its worth my time rewatching Go Back Couple recently.

Thank you, this was a very moving piece @fencejumper! i loved how you captured one of my favorite elements of kdramas, the human bonds. I missed GBC, but OHYA is still one of my absolute favorites- due in big part to the incredible relationship between mother/daughter.

Awe! This is so good! Mr. Sunshine’s first episode would not have been anything without the women you mentioned. Their stories and sacrifice set the stage for the tragedy and redemption our OTP. Being a mother myself, wonder if I were in the same situation would I be as brave and not just sacrifice my life, but do it in a way that my kids are aware it’s for them. Gives me chills.

Thanks for publishing this DB! 💕
*squeals and hides*

@fencejumper *looks down at the puddle forming at my feet* Thanks for that.

(But really, I love your writing, I love this post, and now I really need to go find the tissues. And hug my mom.)

Nice read Andy!
More love to our Matrimonial Chaos Halmoni!! Thanks for writing about her.

And I absolutely loved Go Back Spouses - especially the mother. The bond was so beautiful and the actors nailed it.

@fencejumper
I haven't watched any of these shows, but I agree with you 100%; sweet mom-daughter relationships always get me! I wish these could be more common in dramaland.
Thanks for sharing!!

@fencejumper Great piece! Really enjoyed reading this! Three cheers to Matrimonial Chaos' Halmoni!

@andy makes me want to watch MC!

Kim Hae Sook's mum to Lee Bo Young's Hye- sung in I Hear Your Voice deserves a shout out too... she is as fiercely protective and badass as they come, even to her last gasping breath.

I read somewhere Kim Hae Sook was a leading lady to be reckoned with, much like Judi Dench.

I watched back a few scenes with mom in GBC and i'm bawling my eyes out with just that few scenes

Thanks for your essay, @fencejumper Andy. Kim Mi-kyung has been one of my favorite Kdrama actresses since first seeing her as the totally badass Court Lady Choi in FAITH. While she wasn't Choi Young's mom, she was his auntie. I loved her to bits.

KMK turned up in OH HAE-YOUNG AGAIN as the title character's mom, and joined her daughter in the epic Dance of Frustration. She is the only actress I can think of who could keep up with Seo Hyun-jin in such a dance scene. I wasn't keen on her proclivity for parental violence, which was a turn-off. But when she finally accepted Do-kyung as her son-in-law, it was all worth it.

Na Moon-hee is another memorable Kdrama mom. I loved her turn as the feisty Malsoon in the film MISS GRANNY, and as medicine seller halmoni in JUST BETWEEN LOVERS. Not all moms have kids of their own.

Kim Hae-sook is another wonderful screen mom. Although she didn't have kids of her own in ROOM NO. 9, she surely had a motherly vibe as she watched over the other prisoners. Her own painful back story in LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL was very touching, as was her relationship with her hard-bitten mother-in-law and problematic father-in-law. But it was her relationships with her husband and stepson that I most appreciated.

Thanks for writing this lovely piece @fencejumper. I haven't watched anything other than Go Back Spouses in the shows u mentioned but the mother-daughter relationship in GBS was love. It made my eyes sweat so much every episode! I miss that show so so much!

Mrs. Cha’s exit scene in Mother. Wow.

My Ajusshi - Ji An taking her grandmother to see the moon...