[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Kind Words" Episode 17

"Kind Words" took its first step towards too many tears this episode. It's been good on monitoring the angst and the quivering lips - until now. Many emotional breakdowns were to be expected, but this episode was tears overload. Despite that, it still managed to be a very solid drama, which is impressive going into the second to last week.

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The first reason for all of the tears is that two characters, Eun-jin and Min-soo, sink into despair and wallow in huge pools of pity. It's difficult watching people be so idiotic, but at the same time, when a person has that many emotional blows, it's only a matter of time before he or she breaks. In this case, the full revelation of all secrets has turned both Eun-jin and Min-soo into sobbing messes. They walk parallel paths now, which was a nice writing move. More careful handling of their breakdowns would've made them less annoying, but at the same time, their situations are difficult and stressful.

Min-soo, like many of us have felt before, feels he is a terrible person because of his mistakes. It's a good concept to explore. Are we defined by the mistakes we made if they are grave in nature? Many people ignore minor mistakes. It's the big ones that make a splash and alter opinions. The concept of being defined by error can expand any number of ways. So far, no one has answered that question because everyone is too busy crying.

Then there is Eun-young, the wounded. She is so hurt by her sister's carelessness and her family's shoddy situation that she lashes out at anyone who gets near her like an injured animal. Now she's racking up the mistakes with the rest of them with her quick-fire temper and sharp tongue. Despite the nastiness she attacks people with, her character's honesty is refreshing. There are no secrets left to fester. That, and Han Groo is masterful with her line delivery and tears.

Special note must be made of child actress Lee Chae-mi, last seen in the highly successful drama Two Weeks. She adds the kind of sorrow that only a child can with acute emotional delivery and finesse that is rare in someone of her years. Her role is one heavy with sorrow and very difficult emotions and concepts. She pulls it off masterfully.

"Kind Words" is a show that takes its time showing that problems are not solved in one go and that progress in a relationship is never a straight line. The characters learn as they go, gleaning knowledge and wisdom from their mistakes. The ability of this show to focus on so much character development is due to its clean writing, clever direction and well-selected cast. For a melodrama about adultery, it really hasn't relied on too many tears (until now) and I hope that it will do the same in it's last three episodes.

Written by Raine from Raine's Dichotomy

Follow on Twitter @Raine0211

"Kind Words" is directed by Choi Yeong-hoon and written by Ha Myeong-hee and features Han Hye-jin, Ji Jin-hee, Kim Ji-soo and Lee Sang-woo.