Responses
Some materials if you want to listen to some video essays
Video essay about why being transgender is more ok than being gay in japan / asian conformity:
https://youtu.be/gRrVkZoN93c?si=zLpMoUYs_tcZJDle
Deep dive into asian bullying: https://youtu.be/kyfK1v1RQxs?si=CVCgL_atiZYX-uSm
And I can't find the one explaining how in Korea everyone wears the same parka jacket because everyone wants to look the same and the only difference is the brand so if they will go broke just to get the one from North Face - but yes, the whole cultural thing is pretty complex
The more I think about this situation, the more complex it becomes. Hear me out.
First of all, Asian culture is very different then Western culture - with that in mind, I think what this is actually about is conformity and bullying.
In Asian cultures like in Korea or Japan, you supposed to adhere to social norms, you're not supposed to stand out, individualism is not welcome there. Being gay in asia is seen as being abnormal and thus should be shunned.
When you live in a culture that is build around groups and unity, the most hurtful form of bullying becomes exclusion, and I think this is what Mi-Ok experienced because of the neglect - she didn't have parents around and being care for so she was standing out from the group and it was painful enough that she thought 'it would be better if I wasn't here' which I am taking as suicidal thoughts.
She has been friends with mr Kwon for year so in her misguided way she was trying to help him get back on the track of conformity, and this is also why she finds it hard to accept that mr Kwon willingly chooses to disregard the social norms.
She's still in the wrong, but I can see how her experience lead her to believe that she was doing the right thing.
So with all that in mind, I actually think the author did a very good job in showing what struggles out couple will be facing in the future