Mental Coach Jegal: Episodes 9-10

13 October 13, 2022

by missvictrix

As our mental coach continues to do what he does best and mentor athletes sorely in need of him, an old enemy boomerangs back to the ice rink (again). Meanwhile, love is in the air, and the confessions are not subtle.

EPISODES 9-10 WEECAP

Mental Coach Jegal: Episodes 9-10

I’m beginning to lose track of what this show’s actual plot is — since it seems like the same basic arc each week on repeat — but I’m still enjoying our wacky warm-hearted Gil get right to the soul of the matter with the athletes he helps.

This week opens with the training trip promised to Dr. Park, Gil, Ga-eul and Mu-gyeol at the end of last week’s episodes. They’re tagging along with the archery team though, so it means scary trust training, all-nighters, and the like — but don’t worry, there’s still room for comedy and a good pep talk. For instance, when they visit their first stop and take photos in that giant nest — I was dying! There was something about Jung Woo and that caw sound effect that killed me. I rewinded that scene way too many times.

Mental Coach Jegal: Episodes 9-10

But laughs aside, the “trip” is actually about hardcore mental training. We see Dr. Park try to get through to Ga-eul as she trains, DOCTOR SONG (Cha Soon-bae) try to get through to archery star SHIN YE-JI (Song Ji-won), and of course we have Gil trying to get Mu-gyeol to make it through his water trauma training. All the athletes have heavy duty emotional baggage around their fathers, and our mental coach is to the rescue!

Gil is the one Ga-eul now trusts and cries to — coming face to face with her sadness and guilt around her father. Gil also helps Mu-gyeol to realize that his own trauma is about his (horrible) step-father and childhood. And it’s the same for Ye-ji, who has her own guilt around her father’s death and must come to terms with it and allow herself to grieve. Whatever the issue at hand, Gil seems to have the warmth and encouragement to get these kids to address their shiz and learn what it is that is truly blocking them. Even Ga-eul now shares with others what she’s learned from him: we grow when we’re at our weakest.

Mental Coach Jegal: Episodes 9-10

One of the events during the trip is a bungee jump, and before Mu-gyeol jumps, he screams out: “I love you, Ga-eul!” He’s been not-so-subtly hovering around her like an adoring puppy, and wants to date her again. I so love this smitten version of our swim star! His kiss might not come to fruition, but his selfless care for Ga-eul gets him into the water again (yay!) when he rescue-dives to save her.

While all this healing is going on, though, the scheming is still going strong, and Tae-man is at it again with the boring blur of unions, committees, and power-hungry men that are rubbing their palms together for a scheme better than the last. The long and short of it is this: Coach Oh is back in charge of the short-track team (again)(for the third time), and Tae-man resigns his spot at the Human Rights Committee only to also boomerang back as head of the skating union. Huh? I am not amused by any of this; it’s getting old, and I would rather these guys get beaten already so we can focus on the healing and all the other, more interesting characters.

Mental Coach Jegal: Episodes 9-10

Coach Oh, of course, is back to his usual crap. He sets up another selection race, torments the girls, pits them against each other, and tries to fix the race yet again. But by this third time (though it feels like the 500th time!), the girls are finally starting to stand up to him. They skate their race the way they want to — like real athletes — and we see the value of that in Ga-eul’s beaming smile afterwards. She might have fallen and gotten disqualified, but she skated freely, and that is the answer to the question that’s been haunting her: what is it I really want?

But that’s not the end of Ga-eul’s jubilant moment. After standing up to the Coach and getting saved by yet another epic Gil slo-mo punch, she bursts out with: “I love you, coach!” And I don’t know who is more horrified: Mu-gyeol, standing down the hall; Dr. Park, standing beside him like she’s looking at the wreck she saw coming; or Gil, who is just standing there in shock, only to grab his face in torment that’s comedic genius. Roll credits.

Mental Coach Jegal: Episodes 9-10

I definitely didn’t expect them to go this way with the Gil/Ga-eul rapport, but I should have — it’s working so well and feels so smooth because it’s bringing hints and jabs from earlier in the drama full circle. Our early episodes had those jokes about Gil’s age and the blind date misunderstanding, but more recent episodes (and this week’s in particular) leaned a lot on the same, as if telling us what was going to happen next.

We not only saw Mu-gyeol getting a little jealous of Ga-eul’s obvious easiness when she’s with Gil, but balking at his friendly physical affection, and mistaking the word “rapport” for “ppo ppo” (a quick kiss). Then, there was the scene where Dr. Park solemnly warned Gil that she thought Ga-eul was developing a crush on him. Gil had laughed it off as absurd, but they agreed to watch out for any emotional transference going on. I bet that conversation was rolling through Gil’s horrified thoughts after Ga-eul’s hallway confession lol.

Mental Coach Jegal: Episodes 9-10

As much as I catch myself wondering why this drama needs 16 episodes if we’ve already been through three rounds with the same villain, I really did enjoy this week’s episodes. The drama is at its best when Gil is free to be sweet and encouraging, and I love his wacky methods and pep talks and improv music concerts for the kids.

The drama is rich and interesting enough without the redundant villain plot arcs, so I’m hoping we can lean a little less on Coach Oh’s whiny voice and Tae-man’s tantrums and/or threats and instead spend more time with our athletes and their coaches. Although, I will say, the little dip into Tae-man’s crush on Dr. Park was strangely amusing. It doesn’t seem to fit his character at all — all of a sudden he gets derpy and likeable — which is what made it feel all the more entertaining when the drama committed to it. (But still, Kwon Yul, why’d you pick this role?)

Mental Coach Jegal: Episodes 9-10

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1 Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️

October 13, 2022 at 5:24 AM

@missvictrix thank you for the weecap and saying exactly what we are all thinking about the abusive coach plot line.

So let’s get it out the way Coach Oh has been given way too many chances to be ousted by the media let alone the authorities that are supposed to govern so I am just bored with his storyline now.

I get that everyone has been consistently unsupportive so Gaeul would feel disappointed and disillusioned with her situation and any ray of sunshine in that darkness would seem bright. Therefore it would be easy to confuse her feelings of gratitude and appreciation for Gil’s unwavering support as being love but we have been shown her previous taste in boyfriend material being the age appropriate swimmer. So it makes no sense that her love ‘for’ Gil would be anything other than that for a special friend rather than being in love ‘with’ someone so much older who is also her brother’s friend.

I enjoyed the retreat and the comedic elements. I can not believe that Seungha was so obvious in her behaviour that she literally gave away Gil’s hiding spot.

I am glad that Mugyeol’s rescue of Gaeul lead to him rescuing himself. How sad that he feels that he is responsible for carrying his mum’s happiness. These dramas tend to show parents who need parenting by their own children. How come the only parent not like that was killed off so his death became a burden instead?

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knewbie

October 14, 2022 at 2:29 AM

For me, Ga-eul's declaration of "love" is just one of the many aspects of mental coaching portrayed by this show, i.e. transference. I was more amused by Dr Park ascribing her racing heart to counter-transference.

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2 Kurama

October 13, 2022 at 5:36 AM

The politics are boring and I just don't care about them...

The athletes and coaches are interesting part. I really liked to see them evolve and grow. I was really hoping that they won't make Ga-Eul falling in love for Gil (because Mu-Gyeol is super cute) because overall their relationship was perfect as such, mentor-mentee. At least, Gil doesn't seem to share this kind of feelings for her, so I hope they will keep it like this.

Kwon Yul needs a role like in My Unfamiliar Family >_<

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3 scully

October 14, 2022 at 1:50 AM

While I would love the drama to show us more about our main and side characters rather than Coach Oh and Tae-Man, I am not too upset at how long it's taking for them to get their comeuppance. Coach Oh has the longevity of chewing gum stuck on a shoe sole, and is just as unwelcome. But to me, this just shows how ingrained self-interest and corruption is in the ranks of the decision-makers to the point that decisions and behavior which would be unacceptable elsewhere are deemed as par for the course. It's not just the sports officials, but the short-track athletes' parents too who don't just close one eye to the abuse their children suffer under Oh, but willing send them back into the arms of their abuser for the sake of medals and bragging rights. Just like the sports officials. I do think the writer is re-treading this path with the latest plot developments but I also think it's on purpose to lead up to something else. Keeping fingers crossed that the setup and payoff for viewers will be worth it.

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knewbie

October 14, 2022 at 2:21 AM

I actually found the reasons for Coach Oh's turning up like a bad penny pretty varied and interesting. Earlier, as you mentioned, even the parents played a role in reinforcing the status quo. This time, his return is at least partly due to issues with hiring a new coach: Yeo-woon, throwing cold water on her juniors' elation, pointed out that no one would want to take on such a burden at such short notice.

To me, the bigger picture has already emerged. Much as we all love Gil and the No Medal Club's escapades, the healing stuff, etc, none of it would be possible if the current institutional culture continues to dominate. The fact that the dim and obvious Coach Oh keeps returning in spite of Gil's best efforts is a riposte to all those shows with triumphant vigilante groups like Taxi Driver. You can hack CCTV or go undercover or whatever till you're blue in the face, but in real life it just doesn't work. What might really work is when more and more people start to fight - not just Gil, but Dr Park, Tae-man's secretary, etc; not just Ga-eul, but the other skaters on her team.

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scully

October 14, 2022 at 10:52 PM

I agree with and share your views about Oh's pesky 'whack-a-mole' resilience. The reasons why he can keep returning are varied and plausible, and that's one factor why I can accept that this part of the plot is taking up such a significant chunk of time. It also supports the argument that among reasons why these type of bad eggs are so hard to get rid of and/or find it so easy to stay in their positions is because of systemic flaws and priorities which allow the abuse to continue. Organizational politics have a role for sure but if winning medals is the only factor that counts (and various parents, the sports federation and KOC officials in the drama have repeatedly emphasized this), as a viewer, I find it very plausible that those who can actually put a stop to the abuse are willing to overlook a multitude of sins for the glory of an Olympic podium finish.

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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️

October 14, 2022 at 2:36 AM

It is the bleakness that makes it realistic for an athlete to see suicide as the only option. It also makes the fear of the nightmare image becoming a reality the fuel that keeps Gil on track despite the many setbacks. However, my choice is entertainment that treads a thin line between realism and fantasy. When real life is steeped in harsh reality then an hour of unrealistic triumphs can help to recharge the battery alongside other elements of joy making activities. I put my tv in the garage because the content was too harsh and realistic.

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knewbie

October 14, 2022 at 8:47 AM

IMO this show, like its writer's previous two dramas, does tread a very fine line between realism and fantasy, between despair and optimism. Gil's triumphs and the growing numbers of people on his side are realistic in that they are gradual and subject to plausible obstacles (probably taken from real life). But many of the triumphs - including what I'm sure will be a happy ending - are fantasy. Frankly, the very existence of the No Medal Club is a fantasy.

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Joe

October 14, 2022 at 11:00 AM

Reply 1988: I don't watch many Korean shows, that's mainly my wife, but I've noticed you always have good comments on these boards.

As far as this show, I can speak with experience at least as regards to the U.S. that the nightmare side of athlete exploitation is there but so is the triumph, assuming this show ends with a happy ending.

Korea might be different, but in the last couple years in America we've had the terrible sexual abuse of gymnastic athletes, the emotional/physical abuse of track athletes by a Nike coach, and a current scandal sexual/abuse/corruption scandal in women's high level and professional soccer. Its awful that this happens, that the abuse is there and covered up by corrupt officials. But the publicity given these events, and the people jailed disgraced and fired show that athletes are eventually willing to stand up to it and expose it.

In fact, in my opinion, if anything the show is unrealistic by how hopeless they portray the situation. I have a lot of experience with teen and high school sports, mainly as a volunteer coach but also as a parent and occasional official. The emotional and (sometimes, not so often) physical abuse from parents and coaches is frequent and real, and then way too often you get these pervert coaches who exploit the girls sexually.

BUT even among parents of top-level athletes at the club level, there will always be at least one reasonable one, who, even if they want their kid to succeed on the national level, will make a big stink about abuse when it occurs. (I was one myself, BTW.) The fact that the show has EVERY mother, father, brother corrupted by ambition and pushing the athletes to just accept abuse is not the way it happens.

Also, to have Dr. Park, as an expert psychologist providing support, say to Gil multiple times that he can't interfere in the athlete coach relationship because athletes are CHOOSING to accept abuse is just total BS. Especially at the national level, no woman professional after the 2nd or 3rd case would continue to say the male abuser should be left alone because its important not to interfere with the team, unless she was an enabler. As soon as it came out, she'd for sure be fired, probably made the scapegoat. But this show is portraying her as a good person who is making a good point.

One other thing, I really don't like the last part of the last episode, that seems to show that Gil will be blamed for encouraging "transference" or whatever. I've coached a lot of teen aged girls, and while some might come to think of you as a second "Dad," the only time they would think of you romantically is if you manipulated them to do so. As I said, there are way too many coach perverts out there who do that, but since Gil wasn't guilty, it just seems they set this up so that Gil can once again be banned, the psychologist can be proved right, and the show can continue to display abuse.

So I guess I would say if you put...

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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️

October 14, 2022 at 11:15 AM

Thanks Joe I appreciate your response to my comments and your taking the time to write a detailed comment. I think your comment was cut when you reached the word limit.

I have two brothers who coached when they became parents as they were not impressed with some of the coaches attitudes so wanted to make a difference from the inside as ex sportsmen themselves they came with the knowledge and expertise.

I agree it’s when good people do nothing that bad things are allowed to happen. Those facing gaslighting and physical abuse feel that if those witnessing this accept this as ok who will listen to them when they complain. We know from the Me too campaign that abuse can be undercover for a long time but like you said recently there has been a change in the way these situations are handled and voices are being heard and appropriate action taken.

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Joe

October 14, 2022 at 1:59 PM

Yeah, it could be Me too but I also think within both mens and womens sports in the 10-15 years there's been a change not in bad people's behavior but in how much athletes/parents/non-corrupt administrators are willing to put up with. That's why I think this show is unrealistic not about the abuse but about the weak response, especially from Dr. Park. Maybe Korea is behind the U.S. though.

I see in my first post I must have gone over the posting word limit, heh. Got a little too worked up.
I was just saying that you might want to put the tv in the garage for this one but if you don't then you can at least feel that a happy ending isn't total fantasy. Except, like Knewbie said, that multi-skilled no medal club. But it adds a Mission Impossible vibe I guess.

Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️

October 14, 2022 at 7:51 PM

My tv has been in the garage for three years and was gathering dust in the house for years before that when I started to watch Prime and Netflix. I only watch Call the Midwife for western tv shows and even that has started to raise concerns so may be taken off the watchlist depending on this seasons content. Everything else I view is K, J or C dramas and they are watched on my iPad.

I like the No medal club because they are a grown up version of the A team and it’s the fantasy element that makes me smile. How or why they have access to the high tech van is what makes it ridiculous but I prefer that to watching physical assaults and listening to parents shouting or calmly telling their children to suck it up when they know they are being exposed to horrific levels of abuse.

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knewbie

October 15, 2022 at 12:06 AM

I don't think Dr Park said the athletes were choosing abuse, or was happy to leave them alone with Coach Oh after she found out he was hitting them. In fact she seemed to appear at the rink more often after that, even shouting at or grabbing Oh when he attacked the skaters. Also, in the recent eps, she complained about Oh to her direct boss and also to the new manager of the skating association, i.e. Tae-man. Generally, it looks like mental coaching is a relatively new thing at the training centre, possibly almost a token gesture, with many of the ordinary coaches regarding the mental coaches as ignorant busybodies. The swimming coach does seem to be on reasonably good terms with Gil, but I think only because mental coaching is the last resort for Moo-gyeol.

As for the athletes' families, we only see a small group of them (no more than ten), and two of them, Moo-gyeol's mum and Moo-tae, have objected to the abuse. It's also significant that speed skating is one of the most elite and important sports in Korea, so everyone would be that much more greedy for medals in those events.

I don't think Dr Park was blaming Gil for the transference. She knows such things do happen, identified the potential problem and told him about it. In fact she will probably help him to deal with it.