Giant:: We'll take revenge for our Father. . .by making you lose a political race

[walkwithheroes]

Giant is a sixty episode Korean drama that tells the story of three siblings over a period of forty years. It's described as an "epic", and the description is true to its word. Giant spreads from 1970 to 2010, and has many historical moments that really make you think about the way people lived during this time period. There are huge plot twists and turns, major character development, struggles, and, of course, love.


The thing is, I adore epic dramas like this (Sandglass, East of Eden, Seoul 1945) - I love when there are shows that have lots of characters, struggling and fighting for their dreams. This show has something for everyone, so I was really looking forward to watching it. I started with episode one three weeks ago, and have watched all thirty-six episodes that have been released. My verdict? It's epically awesome!


The story follows the three Lee siblings: Lee Sung Mo (the oldest brother, born in 1953); Lee Kang Mo (the second brother, born 1958); and Lee Mi Joo (the only sister, born sometime between 1962-1964) as they struggle to stay alive (and get revenge) after their father is killed and they are separated for ten years.

Spoiler-filled info about the Lee siblings and all the angst that has happened behind the cut!




We start off in 1970, in a rural area, where the three siblings live with their father and pregnant mother. Sadly, things take a turn for the worst when their father is killed (it's not a spoiler, it's in the drama summary and happens in episode one) and the family is forced to go on the run. Sadly, mom is sick, the baby has malnutrition, and Lee Sung Mo is forced to leave his mom and siblings - in order to distract the men that are after his family. Mom dies early on, and twelve year old Lee Kang Mo is left in charge of a newborn and a seven/eight/nine year old. Then, things get worse for the siblings. . .


Sung Mo ends up joining the KCIA (faking memory loss), gets beaten, kills innocent people, and works for Jo Pil Yeon - the man who murdered his father. Sung Mo hopes to get revenge one day, while also hoping to find his lost siblings and mother. (He doesn't know mom is dead and believes they are all living in Seoul.)


Kang Mo ends up losing Mi Joo and giving the infant up for adoption. He also ends up working for Hwang Tae Sub, a business and (unknowingly to Kang Mo) an old friend of Kang Mo's father. Tae Sub puts Kang Mo through middle school and more or less has Kang Mo look after his daughter, Hwang Jung Yeon. He's sort of her companion/body guard. Kang Mo grows up well, and has a hidden love for Jung Yeon.


Mi Joo gets separated from Kang Mo and the next time we see her, she's in an orphanage. She lives in the orphanage, doesn't go to high school, and makes her way to Seoul. There she gets the job as a housemaid. Her employers are good to her (the man offers to send her college; the woman may treat her harshly, but she clearly cares a lot about Min Joo) and she grows up religious and cheerful.


All three suffer hardships, but all have the dream of finding one another and living happily together. Sadly. . .

Sung Mo ends up shooting Kang Mo; the two brothers are rivals because their bosses are rivals; Kang Mo gets arrested for a murder (he was framed); Kang Mo is forced to leave his "wife" Jung Yeon because he finds out that she is the daughter of one of the men who killed his father; Mi Joo falls for Min Woo (the son of Jo Pil Yeon) without knowing who he is; Mi Joo becomes pregnant with Min Woo's baby, but is forced to leave him and her brothers; Min Woo falls apart and becomes harder and crueler; Jung Yeon misunderstands many things and becomes a twisted and hard business woman, determined to take down Kang Mo; Kang Mo becomes a hardcore business man, wanting to take down Hwang Tae Sub - and that's just episodes 10-36! We still have twenty-four episodes left.


According to the drama summary, things are going to get much more dramatic and even more angst-filled for our characters. And I, for one, am looking forward to it.


Giant is a well-written, well-acted, and beautifully filmed drama. It truly has something for everyone, and despite being a drama, it has some beautiful humor and heart. The characters are all complex and interesting with many underlying layers. Just when you think you know someone, they change on you. Characters start off likable (or unlikeable) and then change due to tragedy or finding happiness.

Currently, the drama is in 1983 - we've got twenty-seven years left. I'm guessing several time jumps are in store. I'm looking forward to where these characters go and how all their relationships change in the coming episodes.

Comments

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

In a way I want the revenge, but in another way I don't. Simply because Miju has been the only sane and truly good person in this whole mess. And, it was her goodness and straight-forward manner that has helped to make Min Woo a better person. I just don't want to see that loving and cheerful girl become a bitter, revenge seeking mess. If the shooting happens, well, I'd be interested in the hows and whys. While Min Woo has grown anger and while he is becoming like his father in order to defeat him, I can't see him shooting SM.


They've changed a lot of things for Miju and Min Woo, which I'm happy with. I think they were going for a tragic thing, where Miju would love MW more and go from cheerful to a woman on the revenge path. So, far I'm not seeing that.



Oh, I was on soompi - looks like there will be another time jump in episode 38. This time to 1988. And, the episode summaries make it seem like Miju and Min Woo won't be meeting anytime soon. With the time jump, it will be five or so years that they've been apart. :( Angst awaits us.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am not sure whether they will keep "miju wants revenge" plot at all. As of now, she is the wronging party in their break-up. But we will see. I hope they will keep her cheerfulness and innocence (it's not as if her earlier innocence was born out of lack of experience to start with - she had a lot of hard knocks and still kept her sunny personality).

Yes, I can't see MW shooting SM. Even if he learned SM is a mole, so what, MW loathes his father, why would he care?

That's a lot of time jumps.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

The only reason (as of now) that she could possibly want revenge is because his father played a hand in her father's death (and in a way, the death of her mother and the separation of the siblings), but out of all the Lee siblings, Miju seems the most willing to move past it. After all, Min Woo is (as of now) not his father. In fact, he could join the siblings in revenge. Now, if MW finds out SM is a mole, and due to some twisted loyalty to his father/part of a plan, shoots SM - that could bring the revenge. I want Miju to stay somewhat innocent and cheerful, because she is the only sane person in this show.


Well, the show is only 60 episodes and it does have to cover 40 years. Really, it's slow in terms of time jumps. Episode 36 was just 1983. They have to get to the early 90s, because, according to other epic dramas, that's when business-related and political things got crazy in Korea.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, I don't see her caring enough about her father's death (and not even by MW's hand) to bring don her kid's father. Though I suppose she could decide blood=thicker than water and help her family because of that. I really hope Seungmo is not shot by Min Woo (I really think they may be a remnant from when they were going to go into a different, daddy Jr direction with his character). I also agree - Miju is the only non-bitter/vengeful/evil/screwed-up person and I hope she stays this way.

Re: time jumps. I don't know, If I were them, I'd wrap this up in mid-1990s and have the rest as a postcript. But I am not writing a hit show so what do I know :)

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Miju was between seven and nine when her parents died. I'm sure she wants the people that had hands in their deaths to go to jail, but I can't see her blaming Min Woo - he had nothing to do with the murder. That's what gets me (and what confused me in many other dramas) - the children shouldn't have to pay for the sins of their parents; especially when the children were, like, 12, when the incidents happened. I think Satan should shot Seungmo and pin it on Min Woo - that way we get the wanting of revenge, but Min Woo doesn't become crazed.

We started in 1970, then went to 1980 in episode ten. In twenty-six episodes, we've apparently gone four more years; Miju has had at least two birthdays. The time line is confusing me, especially as episodes more or less flow into one another. I won't mind if episode sixty starts in, say, the mid/late 90s, and then we get a small time jump to GM in 2010. I just have a feeling there will be a couple of more large time jumps before it's all over with.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

That's what gets me (and what confused me in many other dramas) - the children shouldn't have to pay for the sins of their parents; especially when the children were, like, 12, when the incidents happened.

That's what I like about Giant - nobody's revenge plan involves going after Jung Yeon or Min Woo or Mama Satan or anyone who is not either Taesop or Jo Pilyeon (well, Gangmo may want to go after MW due to the jail thing but that's justified). I mean, they may be collateral damage because the Lee siblings want to take away the two men's ill-gotten gains which means a lowered standard of living for the kids and wives, but they are not going after them directly (that is why I could NEVER warm up to Kim Nam Gil's character in Bad Guy - he was going after the kids who had nothing to do with his issues).

I think Satan should shot Seungmo and pin it on Min Woo - that way we get the wanting of revenge, but Min Woo doesn't become crazed.

That sounds good to me. Because whatever Min Woo will turn into (and I can see him going pretty dark post-Miju, especially since he now took his father's word that the only way to beat him is to be like him), somehow I can't see him shooting to kill his hyung. That would just be...bizarre. Well, we'll see.

Your time-frame makes a lot of sense.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

That's what I like about Giant - nobody's revenge plan involves going after Jung Yeon or Min Woo or Mama Satan or anyone who is not either Taesop or Jo Pilyeon

That's what gets me about the character summary that says Miju and GM go after Min Woo. Unless he hurts SM, I can't see Miju going after him. Yes, GM might want to because of the jail thing, but he seems to have more or less gotten over it, because by taking down Manbo Corp and Pilyeon, he hurts Min Woo.


that is why I could NEVER warm up to Kim Nam Gil's character in Bad Guy

Totally agree. I never cared for his character because of that very reason.

That sounds good to me. Because whatever Min Woo will turn into (and I can see him going pretty dark post-Miju, especially since he now took his father's word that the only way to beat him is to be like him), somehow I can't see him shooting to kill his hyung. That would just be...bizarre.

Yes, agreed. I do think MW will go dark post-Miju, especially has they (apparently) won't see each other for five years. However, I can't see him shooting his Hyung, whose his only real friend. Unless something major happens, I cannot see Min Woo physically hurting either SM or GM - he may want to take them down on a professional level, but I can't see him shooting anyone. At least not yet.


My time-frame is the only way I can think of this show to fill in the remaining 27 years in 26 episodes; unless they go crazy and have each episode be one year. That would so not work. I see another time jump happening around the mid-forties and maybe another in the late 50s, and then end it all at 2010 in episodes 58-60.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Unless he hurts SM, I can't see Miju going after him. Yes, GM might want to because of the jail thing, but he seems to have more or less gotten over it, because by taking down Manbo Corp and Pilyeon, he hurts Min Woo.

Exactly. I can't see her even wanting JPY dead and he is the one responsible and also superevil. Re: jail. I suppose if Miju found out I could see her wanting to help GM but if they didn't tell her during the big reveal in e34, I can't see them getting into it years later.

Yes, agreed. I do think MW will go dark post-Miju, especially has they (apparently) won't see each other for five years. However, I can't see him shooting his Hyung, whose his only real friend. Unless something major happens, I cannot see Min Woo physically hurting either SM or GM - he may want to take them down on a professional level, but I can't see him shooting anyone.

Yes. Even the very worst thing he did - sending Sotae into jail to kill GM and then not having any problem when Satan transferred Gangmo to camp - he didn't do anything himself - he sent Sotae in and then it was his Dad's idea about the camp. So for him to break this and off someone with his own hands, especially someone he grew up with - no matter how he changes, I can't see that. Not to mention if he deliberately cripples SM, forget all other shippy obstacle, this one would be impossible to overcome.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I believe it would be stupid for her brothers to mention the jail thing years after it happened. There is no point to it. Frankly, I was really disappointed in the brothers when they told Miju she couldn't be with Min Woo because his father killed theirs. Children should not have to pay for the sins of their parents; and, it's painfully clear that Miju was the only light in Min Woo's dark life.


So for him to break this and off someone with his own hands, especially someone he grew up with - no matter how he changes, I can't see that.

Yes, agreed. MW does not physically hurt people, he bribes people into doing it. But, that was before he knew who GM was, back when he wanted Manbo and he wanted JY to love him. Things are different, and while he may want to bring down GM's company, I cannot see him physically hurting either brother; SM because of their past and GM and SM because they are his only connection to possibly finding Miju again. The only way I can see him hurting either of them is via an accident that becomes a huge misunderstanding.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Frankly, I was really disappointed in the brothers when they told Miju she couldn't be with Min Woo because his father killed theirs. Children should not have to pay for the sins of their parents; and, it's painfully clear that Miju was the only light in Min Woo's dark life.

I had less of a problem with Gangmo's freak-out (because while what he is saying to Miju, and I am sure he means it "can't be with MW because of his father", I am sure he is also filtering though all the stuff MW himself had done to him - I can see why he loses his cool). It's much less excusable with Seungmo to whom MW has never done anything and who knows, firsthand, how awful MW's life normally is and actually likes MW. It really would have made more sense to mention what MW did to Gangmo as a reason, in any event, than what his father did when MW was a little kid..

Things are different, and while he may want to bring down GM's company, I cannot see him physically hurting either brother; SM because of their past and GM and SM because they are his only connection to possibly finding Miju again.

But he does not know GM has any connection to Miju (and to him, the only connection SM has is that he possibly helped get rid of her on his father's orders). Still, yes, I can't see him doing anything himself, that's for certain (and probably not even hiring others - he seems to have learned his lesson and also, it's one thing to do it to a nameless jailed someone and another to a powerful connected person you also have friendly feelings with). His father is a killer but I just don't see MW as one.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

But he does not know GM has any connection to Miju (and to him, the only connection SM has is that he possibly helped get rid of her on his father's orders).


Ah. I'm watching those episodes RAW, so I thought it had been mentioned. This way, it does kind of make sense that MW would no longer trust SM and may even shoot him at a later date. Still, I cannot see MW hurting anyone outside of business, simply because of the mess that happened with Gangmo.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you viikii but it has eps 33 and 34 subbed. The channel does not work for some reason but if you search the videos directly (i.e search for "Giant" in videos), you can get them.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I only Vikii when the show isn't being subbed by a group. I'm a VIA at WithS2 and they've just released episodes 33 and 34 soft-subs for VIAs. I watched episode 33 last night and plan to watch episode 34 (or as I call it - 'The episode where the Miju/Min Woo 'ship enters Angst!ville) tonight. for a side project the WithS2 people are subbing this one at a great pace. Which is great because I'm totally addicted to this drama.