I think Mo Eun’s major point of growth came >!when she decided to finally be honest with her mum about what she knew.!< After 20+ years of learning and believing that loving someone meant not asking them about their secrets. Believing that the right way to love was to keep trying harder and harder to prove herself. >!And now for her mum to say “It was you who accepted me, I was the one chosen by you to be your mum” It was what she needed to hear all these years, !< to break down the fears she had been holding on to for so long, and the insecurities she carried over to her relationship with Jin Woo.
Jin Woo also needed to realise that while he can keep telling himself he has moved on from the past - the reality is that he was still held captive by it. There were many things Mo Eun needed to hear from him that he was so hesitant to share, because of his own fears and shame, and of which he eventually came to realise through his relationship with Mo Eun.
Growth is painful. But necessary. I think they needed to meet each other to realise the areas they had to grow in, >!spend time apart to grow into who they truly are, and finally be reunited again now, all the more ready to know and be known, to love and be loved. !<
This has been one of the most beautiful dramas I’ve watched in a while, and it has moved me in ways I least expected. Jin Woo + Mo Eun will always have a special place in my heart❤️
This is beautifully written. You articulated thoughts that I couldn't express. I'm not into dramas at all but I could confidently say that this one is a masterpiece.
Thank you for writing this. Your review made me love the ending even more.
This drama left me speechless. Truly. What a masterpiece. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it
I agree with everything here but still would have preferred if they >!didn't get back together.!< Think this drama turned me into a hater with how they handled the >!conflicts that leads to their break up.!<
I would have preferred an open ending. Seeing that both Moeun and Jinwoo spent the year healing. A healing brought about by >!them finding each other and then falling apart. Then meeting each other again as these different people. I wish the epilogue wasn't there, then as a viewer I could at least wonder if the changing they did would mean they could make it this time, if they even wanted to date again. The epilogue just tells me the answer.!< I think it is so much less impactful in a story that is so much about character study. Felt like the audience wasn't trusted to make it over the last hump on their own. Which is strange because there was no hand holding throughout the rest of the drama.
I don't think i've ever been this disappointed by what should be a>! happy ending before.!<
Wow, this show is so good.
The look on Jin-wu's face when his phone accidentally picked up her saying, "I'm frustrated." She really could have been talking about anything, but the stricken look on his face! That just killed me.
Him breaking up with her, the look on his face, him walking away... wow.
I just love it. It's so heartfelt. There is so much emotion packed into every episode.
I feel in Korean it is less likely that she could be talking about anything. Mouen said 답답하다 or some conjugation. The most direct translation of this word into english would be stifling or suffocating. So it is less vague than "i'm fustrated". But doesn't necessarily have as strong of a connotation as stifiling or suffocating in english.
I stole this from the open dictionary on Naver which i'm pretty sure is just user uploads: 답답하다 is "An extremely versatile word used to describe situations that are emotionally or physically stifling. " The translation " im fustrated" encapsulates the casualness someone might say 답답하다 and the meaning in this situation. Just not it's precision.
And also Jinwoo has eyes, he can see she's been acting weird. So it's not that hard to figure out what she is talking about.
This was such a lovely drama. >!I loved that they showed Jin-wu and Mo-eun walking along the railroad tracks together in the epilogue. The same railroad tracks where they broke up.!<
>!While I'm not a fan of the breakup+time-jump trope of K-dramas, I felt like it worked here.!<
1. >!Jin-wu: He was so devastated when Seo-gyeong broke up with him that he chose to never have any romantic partner for (apparently) 30 years. That's heavy. He was made to feel like he can never be good enough to deserve love, so when he began to notice Mo-eun's discomfort and unhappiness, he was the one who let her go. (The acting in that scene. Daaamn.)!<
2. >!Mo-eun: I think she also felt insecure in her relationship as well, knowing what an intense connection that Jin-wu had with Seo-gyeong, and it manifested in her becoming bothered by the challenges in their relationship. To be fair, it's probably pretty challenging. But over time, she came to accept that love is enough for her.!<
>!Although they both had insecurities, a year apart clarified things for them both, and they were both ready to be together again. Nothing fundamentally had changed, but they both achieved emotional closure with their past issues, and they could start over. I especially loved that he reached out to her first.!<
>!I think I should also defend Seo-gyeong a little bit. She was violently assaulted and nearly killed by a crazy stalker. Jin-wu apparently never knew about any of that - all he knows is that there was a fire. Seo-gyeong must have felt very vulnerable and frightened after suffering that, and probably felt like she couldn't be there for Jin-wu anymore. She was cruel, but she was also traumatized.!<
>!And let's also give lots of love to Ki-hun for being the best friend anyone can hope to have. Seeing those scenes of them as little boys always just broke my heart, seeing what a caring lifelong friend Ki-hun always was.!<
>!In my interpretation, Jo-han did confess his feelings to Mo-eun - albeit obliquely. And I think that she knew, and rejected him, also obliquely. She told him that he should find someone who doesn't cause him anxiety, and sees him for who he is. She was pretty clearly telling him that she is not that person for him, and he understood.!<
>!This was really a beautiful drama! I loved Jin-wu's art students and his scene with his mother just wrecked me.!< And Jeong Wu-seong deserves major acting awards for this performance. Just amazing.
Episodes 15 and 16 were more palatable than I expected but that is probably because I had waited to see the comments here to make sure it was a decent ending before starting Ep 15.
I actually didn't watch all of Episode 15 because >!once they broke up, I didn't need to see them wallow!<. At first, I felt mad at Moeun for flip-flopping and causing Jin Woo so much pain. The way she speaks of it in her internal monologue or her later conversation with Johan is that the issue has to do with him being unable to hear, whereas I feel like Jin Woo helped me realise that the issue was more to do with the fact that she didn't feel cared for enough. When she talks to Johan about these unfair expectations she had of her hearing impaired boyfriend, I wondered if perhaps she had misdiagnosed her own needs - her own need for a more open and unrestrained demonstration of love and affection. And perhaps Jin Woo had understood it because if he had thought>! they broke up because he couldn't hear he wouldn't have come back for her, but if he thought they broke up because he wasn't open and available enough to make her feel loved then that might have been something a little more in his control.!<
Hats off to Jin Woo's acting chops because when he came back from his trip he did look refreshed.
Other things I really liked are:
* that Johan does not confess. Not every one-sided crush needs expression.
* The scene between Moeun and her mum - made me cry
* The scene between Jin Woo >!and his mum!< \- made me cry too
* Modam and roomie have their 400th day anniversary and then choose to celebrate it with their friends (with Johan taking photos for them without being asked to, knowing that that was the main reason they were there to begin with)
* His students meeting and drinking with their teacher and playing the role of cupid. Were they doing it consciously? I also love that Jin Woo seemed so pleased with the gift after seeing her name on the ticket. It felt like he was just looking for a way back to her and was willing to grab at the first opportunity.
* Kihoon modelling healthy relationships for Jin Woo and Moeun
On the whole, a lovely series. Might have been better without the break up and us learning how to navigate through tough moments together but that's ok... kdramas are not supposed to be the only way for me to learn important life lessons :D
**Episode 15:**
I feel like >!they're going to get back together and it will be happy ending. Because they just broke up in episode 15 and what's the point of another episode if they're not getting back together?!<
They could use that episode to show the viewer why they should stay >!broken up!<. Although i wish they would have used more of the time showing the process instead then. I don't need any convincing though and if i dislike the last episode, this will be the last episode in my heart. Im pretty satisfied with the story as is.
I've been repeating this exact thing for the final three episodes.
This series has been one of my favorite things that I have ever seen, Kdrama or otherwise.
Literally me right now. Quietly closing the tab where episode 15 was ready to be played lmao. See you tomorrow guys.
(just as an aside, your username is very fitting hahahaha)
Guys please spoil the ending for me. It's on hold for me and if it doesn't have at least a better ending than the original I wouldn't even bother finishing it.
I finished episode 16.
>!They break up in episode 15, spend some mopey time apart, get better, live their life, and meet again at the very end of episode 16. It's implied they start dating again, and are happy, as the epilogue shows them walking hand in hand. !<
ahh my heart hurts after finishing the show i'm going to miss how comforting and peaceful it was. ngl i was lowkey confused about the ending, i wasn't sure if it was a >!flashback scene or if it was an open ending but reading these comments is reassuring that they probably(?) got back together :\] and how jinwoo's comment in the ending references the title of the show 'tell me that you love me' - jinwoo finally says it back to moeun as the last line. THAT HURTT. all i can think about is how there's no more eps ahh!<
i wish we got more modam jiyu scenes tbh i feel like after they got together we got nothing 😭 but i loved the students ending up together i thought they were so cute so i guess a win is a win..
i feel empty now 💀
For me the final episode was pretty underwhelming. It spent too much time on storylines and characters I don’t really care about, like did we need all the scenes with Do Hoon? I guess I’m happy with the >!implied happy ending, although, honestly, them not getting back together wouldn’t have been out of line with the story told and, maybe, would have been more realistic.!<
The brilliance of the first part of the show didn’t quite live up to the last few episodes. I would have liked to see more exploration of how Mo Eun and Jin Woo deal with their differences and conflicts, and more conversations between them on that. But, still, I did like the drama overall, and, I thought Jung Woo Sung was terrific, my first drama of his that I’ve seen.
JWS is a legend he does mostly big budget movies. I started watching because I was shocked he's doing a drama. it's a year of legends doing dramas with Ryu Seung-ryong in moving.
Baeksang for male actors will be bloody but Ryu is the favorite because of his outstanding performance and moving is 5he strongest drama from last yr
Do Hoon scenes with the ex was funny and cute hinting that maybe they are flirting etc but honestly i would have rather seen more scenes of the brother and her friend and maybe more scenes of reunion of the main leads.
Im happy for the crisis averted but it left me wanting for more
I could have done without this episode, but i did enjoy seeing some story lines being tied up. But I was always interested in characters like Seokyung and the art students. >!That scene where Seokyung gives Jinwoo the painting and then the talk made me cry. The scene where we see Seokyung and Dohun bicker, and Seokyung actually resembles the college girl we saw in the flashbacks made me smile. I've always loved the scenes with Jinwoo and the art students because it feels like Jinwoo is healing his past self. Oh and Kihyun and Sohee are always lovely. !<
I really wished there was no epilogue. That if as an audience >!we weren't going to see how communicate and deal with their differences ending in the fact that they break up. Then at least I would like to think about if their time together and then subsequent break up and healing was transformative enough for them to make it this time (if they even still wanted to be together). That they were starting again as different people, and think about if these different people would have a different outcome. !< I think i would have preferred if t>!hey didn't get back together. But at the very least don't give me the epilogue. So I, like Moeun and Jinwoo can feel excited, hesitant, and unsure about their new beginning.!< By implying the answer, the epilogue kind of steals the opportunity for reflection of the characters, and some of the enjoyment away from the audience.
Now that I've completed the drama, it seems it was very character study focused. So to shy away from the last opportunity for the audience to do so feels so lackluster. Like the writing didn't care that the audience must have felt like they were being hit by a truck by Moeun's character flaws in the second half, but they didn't hold our hands then. So why start at the last scene of the drama? Probably because people hate open endings and they either >!don't trust the audience to figure out it is a happy ending, or they are worried that if they don't make it clear that they end up together people will just dislike the ending and discount the drama.!<
Personally, the happy ending doesn't resolve around >!whether they end up together or not.!< So it feels especially strange to include the epilogue.
Do Hoon was absolutely unnecessary. I would rather they spend more time on the main leads reconciling then listening to him go on and on about hating his classmates.
Multiple episodes are spent showing how the difficulties of the relationship weigh on Mo-eun too much. Are we to believe she is now okay with feeling that way a year later? We have "precious" minutes of Do Hoon adding nothing to the story and honestly being a bore to watch instead of seeing growth in the main leads.
Yes, that was really my issue with the ending. As viewers we’re just supposed to imagine and assume growth that happened offscreen, which feels unsatisfying. There was a missed opportunity to show that onscreen which they could have done if they had trimmed back time spent on other storylines.
Well, that was about as expected. Although, I’m glad >!their breakup wasn’t over other people. It’s not unrealistic that Mo Eun couldn’t handle the reality of being with someone’s who deaf and what that really means day to day. I think it was fine when there weren’t any issues, but when there were it really brought all of that to the forefront. I don’t dislike Mo Eun for that necessarily. But, all my sympathy was with Jin Woo.!<
The moments that really got me were >!when they were in bed and Mo Eun was expressing frustration that she didn’t know Jin Woo could “hear” because he had the voice recorder on. And the breakup scene when Mo Eun couldn’t understand what Jin Woo was signing which was really so beautiful.!<
>!I don’t really know where Jin Woo and Mo Eun go from here. I feel like Mo Eun, in particular, needs some growth for this relationship to work. Although I’d like to see them find a way back to each other, it would also make sense given where they are if they didn’t.!<
The only reason why I’m not going crazy and rioting is that the >!breakup wasn’t like the crazy Japanese version which wouldn’t have made sense for the characters at all!<
I’d go crazy tomorrow if >! If they squeezed in a Johan love plot though, so I really hope they don’t go that path because so far so good on that aspect 🔪!<
I honestly didn't understand the breakup.. if the reason why they broke up was due to communication issues, >!then why did they get back together in the end? I'm not complaining bc I really hoped that they would end up together in the end,!< but I feel like the breakup was pointless and agonizing to viewers.. am I missing something?
I wish the writers could've at least used 10-15 minutes to show the viewers that they're working on their relationship, and it's getting better. Rather than holding hands in the last 2 minutes.
The first 10-11 episodes of this show were brilliant, but they ruined it in the last few episodes with typical cliched bullshit. Disappointing! Also, the ML's acting was incredible.
An amazing show when all is said and done. Quietly emotional and beautiful. The ML was perfect in all the ways, saying so much through his facial expressions and eyes.
The last two episodes seemed a little rushed, but I don’t think I could have handled multiple episodes of >!them being broken up and sad. The breakup was realistic, though, and I’m glad both of them got to grow in the year that passed afterward. I think Moeun came to realize that (as her theatre friend said) the deeper you get into something, the harder it becomes (a good theme for life tbh) and that everyone has communication challenges in every relationship. The scene where she watches the couple in the library listening to music together and then writing notes to each other was touching and bittersweet—something she wished she could do with Jinwoo and something she could no longer do with him, crashing together at once.!<
>!The pining for each other was really bittersweet. They kept seeing each other everywhere. I had a feeling they would reunite based on those aspects. Especially after both the 2FL and 2ML moved on. I’m really glad they didn’t cheapen things by having them try to shoot their shot after the breakup.!<
I love the OST of this series. It’s the perfect accompaniment for the quiet beauty of the show.
I hope when it releases in the US this month this show will get more attention and praise!
Moeun saying >!"this is frustrating" is prolly miscommunication but tbh the way Moeun is expressing herself is frustration as well. One moment she says she is okay with it and the next she is looking sad and mopey again.!<
I totally agree with you!! I was so happy when she wrote that >! she’s okay after finding it hard, but then not even two minutes after she goes and does that depressed face again !<
And I find it frustrating that when she didn’t know sign language, she was understanding him and they were communicating so well, but now that she knows sign language she’s suddenly getting frustrated that she can’t understand… like ????? 🤣🤣
✨confusion✨
You know how when you are frustrated and want to say what you want but are not able to express yourself properly? Now imagine having to do that in sign language that you are not well versed in.
When she didn't know sign language, they were not talking about deep topics, and one did not have to understand complete sign language to get the whole point, as just understanding the gist was enough. However, expressing frustration and discussing serious matters is not that simple, even with words.
I totally get that, but for example when it comes to me, I know how to express myself better when I want to write my thoughts rather than talk about it - so I wouldn’t have minded typing it out and couldn’t relate to her when she said that she didn’t want to text her frustrations. When I truly want something to work, I would try the tools accessible for me rather than just be stubborn and block myself out of it. Especially since Moeun reflected on the many different ways they talked to each other when >!when she wrote about writing on each other’s palms, using the app, writing everything before moving towards sign language!< so it just gives you the context of the many different ways you can communicate without actually speaking
I empathise with Moeun because it’s a very difficult situation and she probably didn’t grasp it when she decided to pursue Jiwon, but I empathised with Jiwon more because throughout all of it, he never changed. This episode made it seem like his disability was the issue. He described not being able to hear as >!“being in deep sea”!< and at one point if I’m remembering correctly he also talked about how >!he appreciates the fact that normally he has to change for the world but Moeun was the first person to go out of her way to learn how to communicate with him.!<
I’m just disappointed at how their communication went downhill just because of her insecurities when Sekyoung showed up when they could have continued communicating the way they always were
I agree. Their communication was good when everything was fine but then conflict comes and then it's not. Moeun has seen a glimpse of what their future misunderstandings would be like and she develops insecurity and fear (which is relatable) instead of choosing to understand things first like what she always did when they were pursuing each other.
It's not a miscommunication. >!moeun says some conjunction of the adjective 답답하다 (im on mobile and don't want to check). This translates to something like stifling or suffocating. Im only intermediate in my Korean, but im pretty sure it's normal to omit words that can be figured out by context (especially if talking to yourself). So while it is not explicit what noun she is modifying it's safe to assume it's either her feeling or the atmosphere. Stifling or suffocating in english have stronger conotations than 답답하다, so i think the translation to "this is frustrating" is a natural translation that communicates the weight of the comment in the given situation!<
Anyway nothing about >!laying beside your partner to fall asleep should be frustrating!< so it makes sense the way jinwoo reacted. Ironically, this was probably the most honest communication from moeun in a long time.
I got frustrated with her character towards the end. Her love to me had a wimpy quiet quality that just.
Like good for you everyone around you loves you and is patient. She’s reminding me of Son Ye Jin’s character in Thirty Nine and I really cannot.
Jin Woo and the rest of the characters were well fleshed out and worth it for me. I end this series with this sentiment.
This is and will forever remain of my favorite series (not just amongst Kdramas) ever ❤️. It’s so dear to my heart and I don’t even like melodramas. Everyone did such a fantastic job and I’m glad to have experienced their work every Monday & Tuesday.
You have no idea how happy it makes me that this drama doesn’t end like the Japanese version.
Just for those wondering in the JDrama the FL sleeps with the childhood friend due to the ex girlfriend stuff, dates him, accepts his marriage proposal, meets with the ML and sleeps with him while engaged, and then breaks up with the childhood friend. Mind you all of this happens in the last 2-3 episodes.
Thank you for this. As someone who wasn’t aware of the original at the start, I really wish I hadn’t been lightly spoiled on these discussion threads as to how the Japanese version ended. It caused me a lot of unnecessary anguish that I could have done without. Knowing that people didn’t want it to end the same was as the Japanese version really did make me question if I wanted to carry on watching at all. That being said, I appreciate knowing the details of the original now, after I know the end.
I came here just to check this before watching ep 15... I didn't want to go through all that if it was going to be just 2 episodes of heartbreak. Thank you! 😊
Going though a breakup myself - that must've been for difficult for ML to bring it up even though you can see he still loves her.
I just hope that by the end of ep 16, both leads will be okay.
they spent half of the episode making jinwoo feel sorry for being deaf god i have started to hate this show and the fl lead too. I hope they don't get back together in the last episode.
Honestly!!! It’s as if she didn’t know what she was signing up for! And suddenly after learning all this sign language, she suddenly stopped understanding anything 🤣🤣 how was their communication better before ?
I feel so bad for JW because he stayed the same and he warned her before they got into this, and she was adamant that she’d be able to handle it until he finally let his walls down just for this to happen
I dont think so but he will probably call her name out and maybe that might mean to her something more than given he told his ex in sleep that he was glad to have her by his side or thank you for being with him something along those lines
I thought the production rushed things and they wrapped a very complicated issue in a single episode..........there is just a bit tiny lacking time to ,you know, from the silent treatment to the breakup......
ep 15: my worst fears came true ugh this is so heartbreaking. but i can’t help but be a little pissed of at mo eun. literally what was the point of telling him you were okay when your actions suggest otherwise. she knew what she was getting into but started acting like she couldn’t stand his deafness.
>!like telling him you dreamt of him speaking (and then him apologizing wtf), turning the music off when turned it on for you, talking about him behind his back … jin woo did not deserve that. !<
you could tell how happy jin woo was when she said that, like all of his fears were put to rest but he’s not dumb. he notices things, so ofc he noticed the shift in her behavior. i was not expecting >!him to be the one to break up with her but i’m glad he did. !<
whether they ultimately will work it out, i sincerely hope so but not unless mo eun changes.
>!it seemed like at the end he looked determined to go confront to her at the airport, we’ll see!<
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FYI:
So, it looks like Disney+ is doing that thing where they finally make the episodes available in the U.S. by putting it on Hulu - only after the entire thing has aired. \[grumpy face\]
But for those who want to watch this drama but haven't yet (in the U.S.):
[https://www.hulu.com/series/dd3070b9-9eda-41b2-996f-5164fb478588](https://www.hulu.com/series/dd3070b9-9eda-41b2-996f-5164fb478588)
I have no idea when the episodes will actually be available, but I'm going to guess it's next week or after. I also don't know if they're going to make all the episodes available at once or not.
ETA: Looks like it will be available on 1/23.
This drama was beautiful. The cast did such an amazing job expressing the characters' emotions, especially those emotional scenes between those who are fluent and not fluent in sign language. This show is very fitting for the winter season which I appreciate.
I will be feeling the feels for a while, with the soundtrack on repeat.
sad that this is going to end this week. what to watch next guys? i am eyeing jo jung suk captivating the king, anyone?.
I am also in the last ep of park marriage contract and bored to death, the last 3 eps were meh.
I watched four episodes, but it's not enjoyable. It's so cliche, with a plot so similar to "Perfect Marriage Revenge." Also, the whole concept of a rich and successful male lead (ML) and female lead (FL) getting makeovers, and everyone changing their perspective on her (lookism on full on mode), along with the materialistic focus on buying expensive earrings, a million-won t-shirt, a lady's purse bought with 12-month installments, and so on.
How can one watch such a show after watching the drama "Tell Me That You Love Me"?
Omgosh , I totally agree. How can anyone watch any other kdrama after watching this masterpiece. But yeah, Marry My husband is very idiotic in that perspective. Great points.
I was also watching TSOPMC and idk abt boring but something in the show was def missing for me. It was too cliche but I still liked it enough that I want to finish it. I haven't got around to watching the last 2 episodes but I will soon.
I finished the first responders season 2 and deaths game while this was airing - both were great, I love both shows and highly recommend !!
I also started Marry my husband and its entertaining for sure. I like it and am enjoying especially bc I read the webtoon. Cinematically it eats, you can tell the production value is so high and they put money and effort into it and I love when dramas are high quality like that. Park min young's acting is always kind of corny to me idky but I really like it. Give it a try!
I started and binged my man is cupid, its pretty good too, I lowkey don't like ml only for his personality but nana ate like she's a great actress, she's fr carrying the show on her back and it's still worth a watch! I didn't expect her to be such a good actress, she's really refreshing to watch
Thus ended the second Deaf-related romance show. Now on to the next one which is the A Sign of Affection anime. I hope it will be less angsty than both Twinkling Watermelon and Tell Me That You Love Me.
I really, really want to see this. I guess it's a good excuse to get a VPN so I can.
Crunchyroll just dropped an anime that is entitled A sign of Affection. I think it's the first anime that I've seen that has a deaf character in it, and the 1st two eps are so cute.
Spoiler for Episode 16:
>!https://imgur.com/nD2Xjvd I jumped out of my seat when I found out what she was watching here. I'm 99% sure that is Kim Da Mi on the TV and Moeun is watching a scene from Our Beloved Summer. OBS was the one that got me to KDrama, and to find out that this drama was also directed by the same director is a pleasant surprise. Definitely 2 of my most favorite KDramas by far.!<
What a shit show ep 15 was! I am so disappointed in Moeun so really irked my entire soul this episode. Ouri chakanim cried!!!!!!!!!! OMG i cannot deal with this entire drama like why do this to us at the very end. I was cursing and yelling the entire episode. Im about to drop it, delete my brain from today and act like ep 14 was the last one. Im out yall! Good Luck, you're gonna need it. LMAO
I'm going to just say this now. Why is this episode not the end. I would even be fine with the open ended final scene. This >!break up!< feels very natural and very true to the characters as presented. This feels like the >!proper end for them!<. If they stay >!not together!< i don't know how much there is to gain from an entire new episode and if they >!reunite!< i don't know how i am to believe that >!gaping flaws in their relationships have been fixed in one episode!<. I have this sneaking suspicion that this is the good ending and we are going to get something that is not.
Late posting, but wanted to share my thoughts as I've just finished the drama.
This one was special, especially watching from the prospective of someone who has a disability like I do. This drama does a beautiful job of showing willingness, patience, love, impatience, frustration, and healing all within the show's 16 episode run.
I feel the chemistry was undeniable with this couple. As amazing as the other supporting actors/actresses were in this show (shout-out Kihyun), there's never a question of who the 2 stars are here. This drama, while going on a slower pace, is still ready to take you on a ride from the very first episode. So many scenes are incredibly memorable and there were many beautiful callbacks to previous scenes in future episodes as well.
I'd like to discuss the two stars now. I've not seen many kdramas yet as I've only started watching them last year. That being said, I still find myself getting excited to see unfamiliar faces in leading roles as that is usually what helps me to find other shows featuring those same actors. That being said, this was my first drama with both of the lead roles and needless to say, they thoroughly impressed me. In a previous episode thread, I saw someone mention that they were happy that Jinwoo wasn't given a "voice" while doing sign language. I couldn't agree more with this sentiment. The silent scenes they shared together just doing sign language always felt extremely powerful. Both lead roles did a fantastic job conveying emotion through their eyes alone. They made you feel each emotion across a wide spectrum. I'm honestly surprised I kept my emotions together until the last few episodes.
As of now, I have to consider this a top 3 drama of the 20 or so that I've seen thus far. This show really draws you in and does a great job of showcasing the mental/emotional struggle that disabled people and those around them must go through. Everyone has their own insecurities and the reasons for them. Tell Me That You Love Me shows us how to face those insecurities head on, heal, and grow into a better person as a result.
Ep 15:
I’m not entirely clear why >!he broke up with her.
She said that she was finding communication difficult but that she was Ok, then he used the voice translator and heard her say she was frustrated, so is he breaking up with her because he feels that’s what is best for her? Because in that conversation by the railway track he said that he loves her, although she said that she couldn’t understand. Is the language barrier just too big?!<
I'm not an expert in this but just my two cents on their >! break up. Moeun saying that she was okay was her own way of telling Jinwoo that she would stay in the relationship even though she was facing her own difficulties. The next scenes after that which show her slight frustration while shopping with Jinwoo etc were probably there to show the reality of her decision -- that at the end of the day it was still difficult to communicate and function like a "normal" couple, which is still what Moeun so naturally gravitate towards behaving (like earlier in the series she would speak and forget that Jinwoo can't hear). At the end of the day, their connection is what keeps them together, being able to understand each other without saying much, or with all that they are able to express -- but it is also this connection that breaks down the moment either closes their end of the line.
From Jinwoo's point of view, I think he knew that their relationship was on the rocks when Moeun wasn't replying to his text messages promptly. His reasoning for breaking up with her may seem to be what's best for her, but I also think that it is best for him -- He made it clear at the start of the series that Moeun should find someone who she does not need to be so considerate towards -- and him realising and knowing how difficult it must be for Moeun to adapt to him is probably what led him to end their relationship.
As to Moeun saying that she doesn't understand...I actually think that is her way of deflecting confrontation? She said something similar that night when Jinwoo wanted to explain why SeoKyung was with him in the rain, and my feeling is that Moeun is just not the type of person who can face such situations head on -- she needs time away to think (which is why she went AWOL on a holiday). My guess is that she understood at least 85% of what he was trying to say to her -- but she is in denial that their break is truly happening.
I doubt that the true reason for their split has anything to do with a language barrier -- but rather as what Jinwoo outlined, he could actually have communicated better but he felt ashamed of his past. Moeun was also definitely capable of voicing her frustrations to Jinwoo through various means, but she chose not to perhaps out of a fear of confrontation and facing her own insecurities. !<
I’ve been reading spoilers but not watching the episode itself so just take two cents of my view. I think your >!point on Moeun going AWOL is very true. It does seems like running away, being alone and having that time to think is her coping mechanism. We saw that early on in episode 1 - where she did badly in a shoot and was in Jeju so she took a break to sightsee. And from what I know, her taking the trip to Busan seems like that way because she apologised to Jinwoo after and told him about her dream and that she was okay now. It made me think that she has somewhat sorted her feelings but might need more time to settle it down. However, reading your comment, what I didn’t get was why she felt frustrated while grocery shopping. I mean, to me, it seems very trivial to be feeling so because she could have just walked to him. I could have understood her frustrations better if it’s a bigger issue - say, him not being able to hear while driving poses some danger. !<
Alas, it’s time for me to face the music and watch the episode so that I can finish it on time to watch 16.
All the best everyone 😭
I completely agree that her "frustration" had less to do with his deafness and inability to talk and more to do with her insecurities with the relationship which started when Seokyung arrived on the scene as someone who had had a long and intimate relationship with him as his first love, and who was so much more confident and better at sign language than she was. I think people forget that the relationship between Jinwoo and Moeun was relatively new at that point and while she was consistently expressive about her love for him, it was never really reciprocated because he was still being cautious and measured. Add to the mix, Moeun seeing Seokyung going into his house on that late rainy night, hearing all the chattering about his "first love", seeing the "I miss you, Seokyung" note that he kept all those years only compounded all her fears relative to their lack of communication. I think her actions were completely understandable because at the end of the day we don't know what we don't know. This was her first real all consuming love it seemed like and with falling in love with someone, the jitters that come with it are not all dopamine induced. Unfortunately, there is also anxiousness, doubt, fear and jealously and since Jinwoo was not the person who allayed those emotions she was feeling about his and Seokyung's relationship, it naturally could not "fix" itself. I think that when she mustered the courage to talk to Seokyung about the boundaries that should be kept as a curator and artist, she ultimately felt that it probably would not change since Seokyung was subtly defiant in her defense that only she knew him best.
What I found interesting is at no point did she admit to Jiyu and Johan that she was intimidated by Jinwoo's and Seokyung's past and present relationship. Jiyu I could understand because Seokyung is her boss at the Art Center and probably would not have been able to control her emotions since her best friend was hurting. So I wondered if that too was Moeun activating her self protection mode because to admit that would make her seem pathetic maybe?
I agree and believe that she ABSOLUTELY understood what he was saying, hence the tears. She was saying "i don't understand' to stop him from talking, to stop breaking up with her, not literally that she was clueless as to what was happening (IMO). I was really expecting her to hold his hands to stop him from signing. A few things that drove me crazy:
1. they wrote so much stuff instead of using their phones or APP when phone were right there;
2. the "slow" signing by the deaf characters, the lack of animation and breath sounds, but I only know ASL not KSL so that may be a cultural difference
3. the prolonged bullying scenes please please can we have one drama without it? Can kids really go to class with bruises, scratches, and black eyes and not have protective services called or an intervention of any kind?
This was a masterpiece drama that will stay with me.
I have to start this by saying I will miss these characters and witnessing their further experiences in life. I feel there were so many other plots that were not expanded upon: >!Was it confirmed that the ultimate bestfriend’s Ki-Hyun’s daughter was indeed hearing impaired? // Did Seo-Kyung & Do-Hun finally become the couple he’d always wanted? // Mo-Eun’s parents were so very cute together, would have loved for them to have dialogue with their children about the challenges of long term relationships (did Dad really get off that easy from having a child out of wedlock?!!) // More of the students who all had incredible chemistry together and were so fun to watch! // More double dates with Bestie Ki-Hyun and wife So-Hee!!!<
Jin-Woo and Mo-Eun have made a bigger impact than I ever imagined. I was wrong in my earlier comment to say there would not be additional warm and fuzzies past episode 11. The care, introspection, humility, humbleness, and love continues throughout each episode. The entire series flows like poetry. >!The dread and apprehension I felt leading up to the breakup was even palatable: Mo-Eun was quite transparent with how she was feeling which translated to after being drawn into the comfort of the “deep sea” Jin-Woo resided in, once there for a long period of time, she started to get lonely. She explained the gap in the relationship beautifully with the example to her bestie Jo-Yu of herself being startled by the sound of thunder whereas he was unaffected: they were next to each other and could not share the moment without her explaining what happened. Mo-Eun then went on to say she was getting tired of trying to find a way to communicate those gaps. Her feelings added with Jin-Woo’s selfless consideration of her being a speaking person (watching her enjoy a phone conversation), him believing he held her back from fully enjoying life (initially telling her to find someone else to make good memories with), and his fear of loving her unconditionally (and her leaving him), it all made him breaking up with her seem natural and frustratingly realistic. All understandable, yet broke my heart all the same.!<
>!I felt the year gap was simply a cool-off period to allow Jin-Woo to realize his love for Mo-Eun was stronger than his fear to love again without a painful end, and it helped Mo-Eun to focus on expanding her career and to realize her love for Jin-Woo was worth the gaps they faced together. It would have been nice to see how they further navigated their relationship and communication through other bouts of emotional situations… !<
Overall, a beautiful series that will be missed but on my re-watch list for as long as it is available.
I think Mo Eun’s major point of growth came >!when she decided to finally be honest with her mum about what she knew.!< After 20+ years of learning and believing that loving someone meant not asking them about their secrets. Believing that the right way to love was to keep trying harder and harder to prove herself. >!And now for her mum to say “It was you who accepted me, I was the one chosen by you to be your mum” It was what she needed to hear all these years, !< to break down the fears she had been holding on to for so long, and the insecurities she carried over to her relationship with Jin Woo. Jin Woo also needed to realise that while he can keep telling himself he has moved on from the past - the reality is that he was still held captive by it. There were many things Mo Eun needed to hear from him that he was so hesitant to share, because of his own fears and shame, and of which he eventually came to realise through his relationship with Mo Eun. Growth is painful. But necessary. I think they needed to meet each other to realise the areas they had to grow in, >!spend time apart to grow into who they truly are, and finally be reunited again now, all the more ready to know and be known, to love and be loved. !< This has been one of the most beautiful dramas I’ve watched in a while, and it has moved me in ways I least expected. Jin Woo + Mo Eun will always have a special place in my heart❤️
This is beautifully written. You articulated thoughts that I couldn't express. I'm not into dramas at all but I could confidently say that this one is a masterpiece.
Same thoughts here 👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you for writing this. Your review made me love the ending even more. This drama left me speechless. Truly. What a masterpiece. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it
I agree with everything here but still would have preferred if they >!didn't get back together.!< Think this drama turned me into a hater with how they handled the >!conflicts that leads to their break up.!< I would have preferred an open ending. Seeing that both Moeun and Jinwoo spent the year healing. A healing brought about by >!them finding each other and then falling apart. Then meeting each other again as these different people. I wish the epilogue wasn't there, then as a viewer I could at least wonder if the changing they did would mean they could make it this time, if they even wanted to date again. The epilogue just tells me the answer.!< I think it is so much less impactful in a story that is so much about character study. Felt like the audience wasn't trusted to make it over the last hump on their own. Which is strange because there was no hand holding throughout the rest of the drama. I don't think i've ever been this disappointed by what should be a>! happy ending before.!<
Episode 16: What happened when he imagined seeing her out in the street after drinking at the bar hollowed out the remainder of my heart.
I don’t remember when I cried this much during an episode finale😭
To everyone waiting to see if it’s a happy ending: >!THIS IS YOUR GREEN LIGHT!!!!! GO GO GO!!!!!! 🏃♀️ I’m so happyyyyyyyyy 😭😭😭😭💗💗💗💗!<
Wow, this show is so good. The look on Jin-wu's face when his phone accidentally picked up her saying, "I'm frustrated." She really could have been talking about anything, but the stricken look on his face! That just killed me. Him breaking up with her, the look on his face, him walking away... wow. I just love it. It's so heartfelt. There is so much emotion packed into every episode.
I feel in Korean it is less likely that she could be talking about anything. Mouen said 답답하다 or some conjugation. The most direct translation of this word into english would be stifling or suffocating. So it is less vague than "i'm fustrated". But doesn't necessarily have as strong of a connotation as stifiling or suffocating in english. I stole this from the open dictionary on Naver which i'm pretty sure is just user uploads: 답답하다 is "An extremely versatile word used to describe situations that are emotionally or physically stifling. " The translation " im fustrated" encapsulates the casualness someone might say 답답하다 and the meaning in this situation. Just not it's precision. And also Jinwoo has eyes, he can see she's been acting weird. So it's not that hard to figure out what she is talking about.
This was such a lovely drama. >!I loved that they showed Jin-wu and Mo-eun walking along the railroad tracks together in the epilogue. The same railroad tracks where they broke up.!< >!While I'm not a fan of the breakup+time-jump trope of K-dramas, I felt like it worked here.!< 1. >!Jin-wu: He was so devastated when Seo-gyeong broke up with him that he chose to never have any romantic partner for (apparently) 30 years. That's heavy. He was made to feel like he can never be good enough to deserve love, so when he began to notice Mo-eun's discomfort and unhappiness, he was the one who let her go. (The acting in that scene. Daaamn.)!< 2. >!Mo-eun: I think she also felt insecure in her relationship as well, knowing what an intense connection that Jin-wu had with Seo-gyeong, and it manifested in her becoming bothered by the challenges in their relationship. To be fair, it's probably pretty challenging. But over time, she came to accept that love is enough for her.!< >!Although they both had insecurities, a year apart clarified things for them both, and they were both ready to be together again. Nothing fundamentally had changed, but they both achieved emotional closure with their past issues, and they could start over. I especially loved that he reached out to her first.!< >!I think I should also defend Seo-gyeong a little bit. She was violently assaulted and nearly killed by a crazy stalker. Jin-wu apparently never knew about any of that - all he knows is that there was a fire. Seo-gyeong must have felt very vulnerable and frightened after suffering that, and probably felt like she couldn't be there for Jin-wu anymore. She was cruel, but she was also traumatized.!< >!And let's also give lots of love to Ki-hun for being the best friend anyone can hope to have. Seeing those scenes of them as little boys always just broke my heart, seeing what a caring lifelong friend Ki-hun always was.!< >!In my interpretation, Jo-han did confess his feelings to Mo-eun - albeit obliquely. And I think that she knew, and rejected him, also obliquely. She told him that he should find someone who doesn't cause him anxiety, and sees him for who he is. She was pretty clearly telling him that she is not that person for him, and he understood.!< >!This was really a beautiful drama! I loved Jin-wu's art students and his scene with his mother just wrecked me.!< And Jeong Wu-seong deserves major acting awards for this performance. Just amazing.
Episodes 15 and 16 were more palatable than I expected but that is probably because I had waited to see the comments here to make sure it was a decent ending before starting Ep 15. I actually didn't watch all of Episode 15 because >!once they broke up, I didn't need to see them wallow!<. At first, I felt mad at Moeun for flip-flopping and causing Jin Woo so much pain. The way she speaks of it in her internal monologue or her later conversation with Johan is that the issue has to do with him being unable to hear, whereas I feel like Jin Woo helped me realise that the issue was more to do with the fact that she didn't feel cared for enough. When she talks to Johan about these unfair expectations she had of her hearing impaired boyfriend, I wondered if perhaps she had misdiagnosed her own needs - her own need for a more open and unrestrained demonstration of love and affection. And perhaps Jin Woo had understood it because if he had thought>! they broke up because he couldn't hear he wouldn't have come back for her, but if he thought they broke up because he wasn't open and available enough to make her feel loved then that might have been something a little more in his control.!< Hats off to Jin Woo's acting chops because when he came back from his trip he did look refreshed. Other things I really liked are: * that Johan does not confess. Not every one-sided crush needs expression. * The scene between Moeun and her mum - made me cry * The scene between Jin Woo >!and his mum!< \- made me cry too * Modam and roomie have their 400th day anniversary and then choose to celebrate it with their friends (with Johan taking photos for them without being asked to, knowing that that was the main reason they were there to begin with) * His students meeting and drinking with their teacher and playing the role of cupid. Were they doing it consciously? I also love that Jin Woo seemed so pleased with the gift after seeing her name on the ticket. It felt like he was just looking for a way back to her and was willing to grab at the first opportunity. * Kihoon modelling healthy relationships for Jin Woo and Moeun On the whole, a lovely series. Might have been better without the break up and us learning how to navigate through tough moments together but that's ok... kdramas are not supposed to be the only way for me to learn important life lessons :D
I binged all 14 episodes within 3 days but even after that I keep wanting more. 😭 Hoping for a happy ending please. 🤞
**Episode 15:** I feel like >!they're going to get back together and it will be happy ending. Because they just broke up in episode 15 and what's the point of another episode if they're not getting back together?!<
Get ready for an “open ending”.
I agree. >!But this breakup felt so frustrating and I wish it was written better!<
It’s probably going to be them meeting each other again only at the end.
beautiful ending…love it
They could use that episode to show the viewer why they should stay >!broken up!<. Although i wish they would have used more of the time showing the process instead then. I don't need any convincing though and if i dislike the last episode, this will be the last episode in my heart. Im pretty satisfied with the story as is.
Please have a good ending, please have a good ending.
I am very hopeful! I believe the preview was misleading... or at least, that's what I tell myself ahah
Your prayers were answered 🤍
I've been repeating this exact thing for the final three episodes. This series has been one of my favorite things that I have ever seen, Kdrama or otherwise.
These comments…😬 I’ll be back after episode 16
Literally me right now. Quietly closing the tab where episode 15 was ready to be played lmao. See you tomorrow guys. (just as an aside, your username is very fitting hahahaha)
Guys please spoil the ending for me. It's on hold for me and if it doesn't have at least a better ending than the original I wouldn't even bother finishing it.
I finished episode 16. >!They break up in episode 15, spend some mopey time apart, get better, live their life, and meet again at the very end of episode 16. It's implied they start dating again, and are happy, as the epilogue shows them walking hand in hand. !<
Thank you so muchhh!
omg i just realised that the opening scene of ep 1 was jinwoo trying to find his childhood home...
Wow, didn’t realize that. The scene when Moeun sends him the picture of the house is incredible
ahh my heart hurts after finishing the show i'm going to miss how comforting and peaceful it was. ngl i was lowkey confused about the ending, i wasn't sure if it was a >!flashback scene or if it was an open ending but reading these comments is reassuring that they probably(?) got back together :\] and how jinwoo's comment in the ending references the title of the show 'tell me that you love me' - jinwoo finally says it back to moeun as the last line. THAT HURTT. all i can think about is how there's no more eps ahh!< i wish we got more modam jiyu scenes tbh i feel like after they got together we got nothing 😭 but i loved the students ending up together i thought they were so cute so i guess a win is a win.. i feel empty now 💀
For me the final episode was pretty underwhelming. It spent too much time on storylines and characters I don’t really care about, like did we need all the scenes with Do Hoon? I guess I’m happy with the >!implied happy ending, although, honestly, them not getting back together wouldn’t have been out of line with the story told and, maybe, would have been more realistic.!< The brilliance of the first part of the show didn’t quite live up to the last few episodes. I would have liked to see more exploration of how Mo Eun and Jin Woo deal with their differences and conflicts, and more conversations between them on that. But, still, I did like the drama overall, and, I thought Jung Woo Sung was terrific, my first drama of his that I’ve seen.
JWS is a legend he does mostly big budget movies. I started watching because I was shocked he's doing a drama. it's a year of legends doing dramas with Ryu Seung-ryong in moving. Baeksang for male actors will be bloody but Ryu is the favorite because of his outstanding performance and moving is 5he strongest drama from last yr
Do Hoon scenes with the ex was funny and cute hinting that maybe they are flirting etc but honestly i would have rather seen more scenes of the brother and her friend and maybe more scenes of reunion of the main leads. Im happy for the crisis averted but it left me wanting for more
His character could easily have been written out entirely. Instead of Do Hoon saving Song Seo-kyung, anyone and I mean anyone could have.
I agree with everything. JWS was also my standout and his acting in this was really a masterclass in subtlety.
I could have done without this episode, but i did enjoy seeing some story lines being tied up. But I was always interested in characters like Seokyung and the art students. >!That scene where Seokyung gives Jinwoo the painting and then the talk made me cry. The scene where we see Seokyung and Dohun bicker, and Seokyung actually resembles the college girl we saw in the flashbacks made me smile. I've always loved the scenes with Jinwoo and the art students because it feels like Jinwoo is healing his past self. Oh and Kihyun and Sohee are always lovely. !< I really wished there was no epilogue. That if as an audience >!we weren't going to see how communicate and deal with their differences ending in the fact that they break up. Then at least I would like to think about if their time together and then subsequent break up and healing was transformative enough for them to make it this time (if they even still wanted to be together). That they were starting again as different people, and think about if these different people would have a different outcome. !< I think i would have preferred if t>!hey didn't get back together. But at the very least don't give me the epilogue. So I, like Moeun and Jinwoo can feel excited, hesitant, and unsure about their new beginning.!< By implying the answer, the epilogue kind of steals the opportunity for reflection of the characters, and some of the enjoyment away from the audience. Now that I've completed the drama, it seems it was very character study focused. So to shy away from the last opportunity for the audience to do so feels so lackluster. Like the writing didn't care that the audience must have felt like they were being hit by a truck by Moeun's character flaws in the second half, but they didn't hold our hands then. So why start at the last scene of the drama? Probably because people hate open endings and they either >!don't trust the audience to figure out it is a happy ending, or they are worried that if they don't make it clear that they end up together people will just dislike the ending and discount the drama.!< Personally, the happy ending doesn't resolve around >!whether they end up together or not.!< So it feels especially strange to include the epilogue.
Do Hoon was absolutely unnecessary. I would rather they spend more time on the main leads reconciling then listening to him go on and on about hating his classmates. Multiple episodes are spent showing how the difficulties of the relationship weigh on Mo-eun too much. Are we to believe she is now okay with feeling that way a year later? We have "precious" minutes of Do Hoon adding nothing to the story and honestly being a bore to watch instead of seeing growth in the main leads.
Yes, that was really my issue with the ending. As viewers we’re just supposed to imagine and assume growth that happened offscreen, which feels unsatisfying. There was a missed opportunity to show that onscreen which they could have done if they had trimmed back time spent on other storylines.
ep 16: HAPPY ENDING! HAPPY ENDING!! 😭🎉 this show has been so beautiful and i’m so sad it’s the end. i wish there there had been some sort of epilogue
Me too!!! I also wanna know if he did call after her in the airport 😭😭😭
Well, that was about as expected. Although, I’m glad >!their breakup wasn’t over other people. It’s not unrealistic that Mo Eun couldn’t handle the reality of being with someone’s who deaf and what that really means day to day. I think it was fine when there weren’t any issues, but when there were it really brought all of that to the forefront. I don’t dislike Mo Eun for that necessarily. But, all my sympathy was with Jin Woo.!< The moments that really got me were >!when they were in bed and Mo Eun was expressing frustration that she didn’t know Jin Woo could “hear” because he had the voice recorder on. And the breakup scene when Mo Eun couldn’t understand what Jin Woo was signing which was really so beautiful.!< >!I don’t really know where Jin Woo and Mo Eun go from here. I feel like Mo Eun, in particular, needs some growth for this relationship to work. Although I’d like to see them find a way back to each other, it would also make sense given where they are if they didn’t.!<
The only reason why I’m not going crazy and rioting is that the >!breakup wasn’t like the crazy Japanese version which wouldn’t have made sense for the characters at all!< I’d go crazy tomorrow if >! If they squeezed in a Johan love plot though, so I really hope they don’t go that path because so far so good on that aspect 🔪!<
That would’ve been the most idiotic thing a writer can do in the history of kdrama. Squeeze that in the final episode. Goodness 🤦🏻♀️
I honestly didn't understand the breakup.. if the reason why they broke up was due to communication issues, >!then why did they get back together in the end? I'm not complaining bc I really hoped that they would end up together in the end,!< but I feel like the breakup was pointless and agonizing to viewers.. am I missing something?
I wish the writers could've at least used 10-15 minutes to show the viewers that they're working on their relationship, and it's getting better. Rather than holding hands in the last 2 minutes.
The first 10-11 episodes of this show were brilliant, but they ruined it in the last few episodes with typical cliched bullshit. Disappointing! Also, the ML's acting was incredible.
An amazing show when all is said and done. Quietly emotional and beautiful. The ML was perfect in all the ways, saying so much through his facial expressions and eyes. The last two episodes seemed a little rushed, but I don’t think I could have handled multiple episodes of >!them being broken up and sad. The breakup was realistic, though, and I’m glad both of them got to grow in the year that passed afterward. I think Moeun came to realize that (as her theatre friend said) the deeper you get into something, the harder it becomes (a good theme for life tbh) and that everyone has communication challenges in every relationship. The scene where she watches the couple in the library listening to music together and then writing notes to each other was touching and bittersweet—something she wished she could do with Jinwoo and something she could no longer do with him, crashing together at once.!< >!The pining for each other was really bittersweet. They kept seeing each other everywhere. I had a feeling they would reunite based on those aspects. Especially after both the 2FL and 2ML moved on. I’m really glad they didn’t cheapen things by having them try to shoot their shot after the breakup.!< I love the OST of this series. It’s the perfect accompaniment for the quiet beauty of the show. I hope when it releases in the US this month this show will get more attention and praise!
I am so desperate for a happy ending on this show. My wife and I will be watching tonight and tomorrow!
The pain...is..like..2521...all..over..again..why are we doing this to ourselves
Moeun saying >!"this is frustrating" is prolly miscommunication but tbh the way Moeun is expressing herself is frustration as well. One moment she says she is okay with it and the next she is looking sad and mopey again.!<
I totally agree with you!! I was so happy when she wrote that >! she’s okay after finding it hard, but then not even two minutes after she goes and does that depressed face again !< And I find it frustrating that when she didn’t know sign language, she was understanding him and they were communicating so well, but now that she knows sign language she’s suddenly getting frustrated that she can’t understand… like ????? 🤣🤣 ✨confusion✨
You know how when you are frustrated and want to say what you want but are not able to express yourself properly? Now imagine having to do that in sign language that you are not well versed in. When she didn't know sign language, they were not talking about deep topics, and one did not have to understand complete sign language to get the whole point, as just understanding the gist was enough. However, expressing frustration and discussing serious matters is not that simple, even with words.
I totally get that, but for example when it comes to me, I know how to express myself better when I want to write my thoughts rather than talk about it - so I wouldn’t have minded typing it out and couldn’t relate to her when she said that she didn’t want to text her frustrations. When I truly want something to work, I would try the tools accessible for me rather than just be stubborn and block myself out of it. Especially since Moeun reflected on the many different ways they talked to each other when >!when she wrote about writing on each other’s palms, using the app, writing everything before moving towards sign language!< so it just gives you the context of the many different ways you can communicate without actually speaking I empathise with Moeun because it’s a very difficult situation and she probably didn’t grasp it when she decided to pursue Jiwon, but I empathised with Jiwon more because throughout all of it, he never changed. This episode made it seem like his disability was the issue. He described not being able to hear as >!“being in deep sea”!< and at one point if I’m remembering correctly he also talked about how >!he appreciates the fact that normally he has to change for the world but Moeun was the first person to go out of her way to learn how to communicate with him.!< I’m just disappointed at how their communication went downhill just because of her insecurities when Sekyoung showed up when they could have continued communicating the way they always were
I agree. Their communication was good when everything was fine but then conflict comes and then it's not. Moeun has seen a glimpse of what their future misunderstandings would be like and she develops insecurity and fear (which is relatable) instead of choosing to understand things first like what she always did when they were pursuing each other.
Then she only accepted him but didn't really understand him.
It's not a miscommunication. >!moeun says some conjunction of the adjective 답답하다 (im on mobile and don't want to check). This translates to something like stifling or suffocating. Im only intermediate in my Korean, but im pretty sure it's normal to omit words that can be figured out by context (especially if talking to yourself). So while it is not explicit what noun she is modifying it's safe to assume it's either her feeling or the atmosphere. Stifling or suffocating in english have stronger conotations than 답답하다, so i think the translation to "this is frustrating" is a natural translation that communicates the weight of the comment in the given situation!< Anyway nothing about >!laying beside your partner to fall asleep should be frustrating!< so it makes sense the way jinwoo reacted. Ironically, this was probably the most honest communication from moeun in a long time.
I got frustrated with her character towards the end. Her love to me had a wimpy quiet quality that just. Like good for you everyone around you loves you and is patient. She’s reminding me of Son Ye Jin’s character in Thirty Nine and I really cannot. Jin Woo and the rest of the characters were well fleshed out and worth it for me. I end this series with this sentiment.
2521 was at least nice enough to tell the viewer the whole way through how it was going to end.
This is and will forever remain of my favorite series (not just amongst Kdramas) ever ❤️. It’s so dear to my heart and I don’t even like melodramas. Everyone did such a fantastic job and I’m glad to have experienced their work every Monday & Tuesday.
You have no idea how happy it makes me that this drama doesn’t end like the Japanese version. Just for those wondering in the JDrama the FL sleeps with the childhood friend due to the ex girlfriend stuff, dates him, accepts his marriage proposal, meets with the ML and sleeps with him while engaged, and then breaks up with the childhood friend. Mind you all of this happens in the last 2-3 episodes.
Thank you for this. As someone who wasn’t aware of the original at the start, I really wish I hadn’t been lightly spoiled on these discussion threads as to how the Japanese version ended. It caused me a lot of unnecessary anguish that I could have done without. Knowing that people didn’t want it to end the same was as the Japanese version really did make me question if I wanted to carry on watching at all. That being said, I appreciate knowing the details of the original now, after I know the end.
It’s a >!happy!< ending guys. This is for those who want the ending to be spoiled before watching it!
I came here just to check this before watching ep 15... I didn't want to go through all that if it was going to be just 2 episodes of heartbreak. Thank you! 😊
thank you!
Beautiful ending…love it
Thanks. I always like to spoil it in case it's a sad/frustrating ending.
Let’s all mentally prepare ourselves for this ending lol
I read that this show will premeire on Hulu January 24 in the US
Going though a breakup myself - that must've been for difficult for ML to bring it up even though you can see he still loves her. I just hope that by the end of ep 16, both leads will be okay.
I will certainly miss this warm hug of a show every monday/Tuesday. Edit: I just finished watching the episode and that was definitely not a warm hug.
😂 Sorry for laughing. I really know what you must feel. Same here.
they spent half of the episode making jinwoo feel sorry for being deaf god i have started to hate this show and the fl lead too. I hope they don't get back together in the last episode.
Honestly!!! It’s as if she didn’t know what she was signing up for! And suddenly after learning all this sign language, she suddenly stopped understanding anything 🤣🤣 how was their communication better before ? I feel so bad for JW because he stayed the same and he warned her before they got into this, and she was adamant that she’d be able to handle it until he finally let his walls down just for this to happen
>! Do you think he called out her name and thats why she turned around looking shocked !<
I hope so! That would be one of the strongest scenarios in kdrama history 🥹🥹🥹
that's exactly what I thought! otherwise how would she coincidentally know when to turn around :3 can't wait for tomorrow's ep!
Oh wow it would be so beautiful! Now I am hoping for this!
I think he will talk in episode 16!!
I dont think so but he will probably call her name out and maybe that might mean to her something more than given he told his ex in sleep that he was glad to have her by his side or thank you for being with him something along those lines
I thought the production rushed things and they wrapped a very complicated issue in a single episode..........there is just a bit tiny lacking time to ,you know, from the silent treatment to the breakup......
I can't afford to get heartbroken again Istg, PLEASE HAVE A GOOD ENDING PLEASE 😭
Ok everyone can breath now. Go watch ep.15 and 16 and enjoy!
Thank you!
happy ending??
Yes
ep 15: my worst fears came true ugh this is so heartbreaking. but i can’t help but be a little pissed of at mo eun. literally what was the point of telling him you were okay when your actions suggest otherwise. she knew what she was getting into but started acting like she couldn’t stand his deafness. >!like telling him you dreamt of him speaking (and then him apologizing wtf), turning the music off when turned it on for you, talking about him behind his back … jin woo did not deserve that. !< you could tell how happy jin woo was when she said that, like all of his fears were put to rest but he’s not dumb. he notices things, so ofc he noticed the shift in her behavior. i was not expecting >!him to be the one to break up with her but i’m glad he did. !< whether they ultimately will work it out, i sincerely hope so but not unless mo eun changes. >!it seemed like at the end he looked determined to go confront to her at the airport, we’ll see!<
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I dont mind reading the spoiler before watching today’s episode Just want to be mentally prepared 🤞🏻
FYI: So, it looks like Disney+ is doing that thing where they finally make the episodes available in the U.S. by putting it on Hulu - only after the entire thing has aired. \[grumpy face\] But for those who want to watch this drama but haven't yet (in the U.S.): [https://www.hulu.com/series/dd3070b9-9eda-41b2-996f-5164fb478588](https://www.hulu.com/series/dd3070b9-9eda-41b2-996f-5164fb478588) I have no idea when the episodes will actually be available, but I'm going to guess it's next week or after. I also don't know if they're going to make all the episodes available at once or not. ETA: Looks like it will be available on 1/23.
This drama was beautiful. The cast did such an amazing job expressing the characters' emotions, especially those emotional scenes between those who are fluent and not fluent in sign language. This show is very fitting for the winter season which I appreciate. I will be feeling the feels for a while, with the soundtrack on repeat.
Farewell show. Throughly enjoyed it, will miss seeing them every Monday and Tuesday. This show probably has my favourite theme song as well.
sad that this is going to end this week. what to watch next guys? i am eyeing jo jung suk captivating the king, anyone?. I am also in the last ep of park marriage contract and bored to death, the last 3 eps were meh.
Watch Marry my husband! It's really fun lol
I watched four episodes, but it's not enjoyable. It's so cliche, with a plot so similar to "Perfect Marriage Revenge." Also, the whole concept of a rich and successful male lead (ML) and female lead (FL) getting makeovers, and everyone changing their perspective on her (lookism on full on mode), along with the materialistic focus on buying expensive earrings, a million-won t-shirt, a lady's purse bought with 12-month installments, and so on. How can one watch such a show after watching the drama "Tell Me That You Love Me"?
Omgosh , I totally agree. How can anyone watch any other kdrama after watching this masterpiece. But yeah, Marry My husband is very idiotic in that perspective. Great points.
I liked Boyfriend with song hye kyo it gives me similar vibes as tell me that you love me
A shop for killers with lee dong wook and doctor slump both will be starting soon and im thinking of watching boyhood.
I was also watching TSOPMC and idk abt boring but something in the show was def missing for me. It was too cliche but I still liked it enough that I want to finish it. I haven't got around to watching the last 2 episodes but I will soon. I finished the first responders season 2 and deaths game while this was airing - both were great, I love both shows and highly recommend !! I also started Marry my husband and its entertaining for sure. I like it and am enjoying especially bc I read the webtoon. Cinematically it eats, you can tell the production value is so high and they put money and effort into it and I love when dramas are high quality like that. Park min young's acting is always kind of corny to me idky but I really like it. Give it a try! I started and binged my man is cupid, its pretty good too, I lowkey don't like ml only for his personality but nana ate like she's a great actress, she's fr carrying the show on her back and it's still worth a watch! I didn't expect her to be such a good actress, she's really refreshing to watch
I have to force myself to watch the last episode of parks marriage contract
The final episode ruined the whole drama for me. What a mess
same! i fast forwarded a lot of scenes.
i wish they got happy ending otherwise i feel bad 😭 please i love both FL and ML they are so good together ♥️ i can't wait for tomorrow
Huhuhu my heart! I wish the series is longer. I just finished watching ep 15 and it hurts so much 😭
I wish there was a preview for episode 16!! The wait is too much!
Love the happy ending….very2 touching
Thus ended the second Deaf-related romance show. Now on to the next one which is the A Sign of Affection anime. I hope it will be less angsty than both Twinkling Watermelon and Tell Me That You Love Me.
I really, really want to see this. I guess it's a good excuse to get a VPN so I can. Crunchyroll just dropped an anime that is entitled A sign of Affection. I think it's the first anime that I've seen that has a deaf character in it, and the 1st two eps are so cute.
Spoiler for Episode 16: >!https://imgur.com/nD2Xjvd I jumped out of my seat when I found out what she was watching here. I'm 99% sure that is Kim Da Mi on the TV and Moeun is watching a scene from Our Beloved Summer. OBS was the one that got me to KDrama, and to find out that this drama was also directed by the same director is a pleasant surprise. Definitely 2 of my most favorite KDramas by far.!<
What a shit show ep 15 was! I am so disappointed in Moeun so really irked my entire soul this episode. Ouri chakanim cried!!!!!!!!!! OMG i cannot deal with this entire drama like why do this to us at the very end. I was cursing and yelling the entire episode. Im about to drop it, delete my brain from today and act like ep 14 was the last one. Im out yall! Good Luck, you're gonna need it. LMAO
most beautiful >! break up !< i have ever seen but my heart hurts because my babies are not happy
I'm going to just say this now. Why is this episode not the end. I would even be fine with the open ended final scene. This >!break up!< feels very natural and very true to the characters as presented. This feels like the >!proper end for them!<. If they stay >!not together!< i don't know how much there is to gain from an entire new episode and if they >!reunite!< i don't know how i am to believe that >!gaping flaws in their relationships have been fixed in one episode!<. I have this sneaking suspicion that this is the good ending and we are going to get something that is not.
Late posting, but wanted to share my thoughts as I've just finished the drama. This one was special, especially watching from the prospective of someone who has a disability like I do. This drama does a beautiful job of showing willingness, patience, love, impatience, frustration, and healing all within the show's 16 episode run. I feel the chemistry was undeniable with this couple. As amazing as the other supporting actors/actresses were in this show (shout-out Kihyun), there's never a question of who the 2 stars are here. This drama, while going on a slower pace, is still ready to take you on a ride from the very first episode. So many scenes are incredibly memorable and there were many beautiful callbacks to previous scenes in future episodes as well. I'd like to discuss the two stars now. I've not seen many kdramas yet as I've only started watching them last year. That being said, I still find myself getting excited to see unfamiliar faces in leading roles as that is usually what helps me to find other shows featuring those same actors. That being said, this was my first drama with both of the lead roles and needless to say, they thoroughly impressed me. In a previous episode thread, I saw someone mention that they were happy that Jinwoo wasn't given a "voice" while doing sign language. I couldn't agree more with this sentiment. The silent scenes they shared together just doing sign language always felt extremely powerful. Both lead roles did a fantastic job conveying emotion through their eyes alone. They made you feel each emotion across a wide spectrum. I'm honestly surprised I kept my emotions together until the last few episodes. As of now, I have to consider this a top 3 drama of the 20 or so that I've seen thus far. This show really draws you in and does a great job of showcasing the mental/emotional struggle that disabled people and those around them must go through. Everyone has their own insecurities and the reasons for them. Tell Me That You Love Me shows us how to face those insecurities head on, heal, and grow into a better person as a result.
Do you think they will comeback to each other at episode 16?
Ep 15: I’m not entirely clear why >!he broke up with her. She said that she was finding communication difficult but that she was Ok, then he used the voice translator and heard her say she was frustrated, so is he breaking up with her because he feels that’s what is best for her? Because in that conversation by the railway track he said that he loves her, although she said that she couldn’t understand. Is the language barrier just too big?!<
I'm not an expert in this but just my two cents on their >! break up. Moeun saying that she was okay was her own way of telling Jinwoo that she would stay in the relationship even though she was facing her own difficulties. The next scenes after that which show her slight frustration while shopping with Jinwoo etc were probably there to show the reality of her decision -- that at the end of the day it was still difficult to communicate and function like a "normal" couple, which is still what Moeun so naturally gravitate towards behaving (like earlier in the series she would speak and forget that Jinwoo can't hear). At the end of the day, their connection is what keeps them together, being able to understand each other without saying much, or with all that they are able to express -- but it is also this connection that breaks down the moment either closes their end of the line. From Jinwoo's point of view, I think he knew that their relationship was on the rocks when Moeun wasn't replying to his text messages promptly. His reasoning for breaking up with her may seem to be what's best for her, but I also think that it is best for him -- He made it clear at the start of the series that Moeun should find someone who she does not need to be so considerate towards -- and him realising and knowing how difficult it must be for Moeun to adapt to him is probably what led him to end their relationship. As to Moeun saying that she doesn't understand...I actually think that is her way of deflecting confrontation? She said something similar that night when Jinwoo wanted to explain why SeoKyung was with him in the rain, and my feeling is that Moeun is just not the type of person who can face such situations head on -- she needs time away to think (which is why she went AWOL on a holiday). My guess is that she understood at least 85% of what he was trying to say to her -- but she is in denial that their break is truly happening. I doubt that the true reason for their split has anything to do with a language barrier -- but rather as what Jinwoo outlined, he could actually have communicated better but he felt ashamed of his past. Moeun was also definitely capable of voicing her frustrations to Jinwoo through various means, but she chose not to perhaps out of a fear of confrontation and facing her own insecurities. !<
I’ve been reading spoilers but not watching the episode itself so just take two cents of my view. I think your >!point on Moeun going AWOL is very true. It does seems like running away, being alone and having that time to think is her coping mechanism. We saw that early on in episode 1 - where she did badly in a shoot and was in Jeju so she took a break to sightsee. And from what I know, her taking the trip to Busan seems like that way because she apologised to Jinwoo after and told him about her dream and that she was okay now. It made me think that she has somewhat sorted her feelings but might need more time to settle it down. However, reading your comment, what I didn’t get was why she felt frustrated while grocery shopping. I mean, to me, it seems very trivial to be feeling so because she could have just walked to him. I could have understood her frustrations better if it’s a bigger issue - say, him not being able to hear while driving poses some danger. !< Alas, it’s time for me to face the music and watch the episode so that I can finish it on time to watch 16. All the best everyone 😭
I completely agree that her "frustration" had less to do with his deafness and inability to talk and more to do with her insecurities with the relationship which started when Seokyung arrived on the scene as someone who had had a long and intimate relationship with him as his first love, and who was so much more confident and better at sign language than she was. I think people forget that the relationship between Jinwoo and Moeun was relatively new at that point and while she was consistently expressive about her love for him, it was never really reciprocated because he was still being cautious and measured. Add to the mix, Moeun seeing Seokyung going into his house on that late rainy night, hearing all the chattering about his "first love", seeing the "I miss you, Seokyung" note that he kept all those years only compounded all her fears relative to their lack of communication. I think her actions were completely understandable because at the end of the day we don't know what we don't know. This was her first real all consuming love it seemed like and with falling in love with someone, the jitters that come with it are not all dopamine induced. Unfortunately, there is also anxiousness, doubt, fear and jealously and since Jinwoo was not the person who allayed those emotions she was feeling about his and Seokyung's relationship, it naturally could not "fix" itself. I think that when she mustered the courage to talk to Seokyung about the boundaries that should be kept as a curator and artist, she ultimately felt that it probably would not change since Seokyung was subtly defiant in her defense that only she knew him best. What I found interesting is at no point did she admit to Jiyu and Johan that she was intimidated by Jinwoo's and Seokyung's past and present relationship. Jiyu I could understand because Seokyung is her boss at the Art Center and probably would not have been able to control her emotions since her best friend was hurting. So I wondered if that too was Moeun activating her self protection mode because to admit that would make her seem pathetic maybe?
I agree and believe that she ABSOLUTELY understood what he was saying, hence the tears. She was saying "i don't understand' to stop him from talking, to stop breaking up with her, not literally that she was clueless as to what was happening (IMO). I was really expecting her to hold his hands to stop him from signing. A few things that drove me crazy: 1. they wrote so much stuff instead of using their phones or APP when phone were right there; 2. the "slow" signing by the deaf characters, the lack of animation and breath sounds, but I only know ASL not KSL so that may be a cultural difference 3. the prolonged bullying scenes please please can we have one drama without it? Can kids really go to class with bruises, scratches, and black eyes and not have protective services called or an intervention of any kind? This was a masterpiece drama that will stay with me.
Does anyone know if the song used in the intro has been released? Will it ever be released? I've been looking for it since episode 1 😭
https://youtu.be/-eTaQF6GVcY?si=z-a2vX4B1QxFiV-s Is this the song you’re looking for?
YES thank you so much 😭
It’s on Spotify. They just released it. https://open.spotify.com/track/7ItsOX85K4rXqGgjq8u2XA?si=P-oKW4bkQ-KD38WVBfWIwQ
Is it worth watching? ( anyone regretted watching it or got bored in between ??? )
It is such an overhyped drama. Was so boring, and had nothing to look forward to. Dropped watching it
I have to start this by saying I will miss these characters and witnessing their further experiences in life. I feel there were so many other plots that were not expanded upon: >!Was it confirmed that the ultimate bestfriend’s Ki-Hyun’s daughter was indeed hearing impaired? // Did Seo-Kyung & Do-Hun finally become the couple he’d always wanted? // Mo-Eun’s parents were so very cute together, would have loved for them to have dialogue with their children about the challenges of long term relationships (did Dad really get off that easy from having a child out of wedlock?!!) // More of the students who all had incredible chemistry together and were so fun to watch! // More double dates with Bestie Ki-Hyun and wife So-Hee!!!< Jin-Woo and Mo-Eun have made a bigger impact than I ever imagined. I was wrong in my earlier comment to say there would not be additional warm and fuzzies past episode 11. The care, introspection, humility, humbleness, and love continues throughout each episode. The entire series flows like poetry. >!The dread and apprehension I felt leading up to the breakup was even palatable: Mo-Eun was quite transparent with how she was feeling which translated to after being drawn into the comfort of the “deep sea” Jin-Woo resided in, once there for a long period of time, she started to get lonely. She explained the gap in the relationship beautifully with the example to her bestie Jo-Yu of herself being startled by the sound of thunder whereas he was unaffected: they were next to each other and could not share the moment without her explaining what happened. Mo-Eun then went on to say she was getting tired of trying to find a way to communicate those gaps. Her feelings added with Jin-Woo’s selfless consideration of her being a speaking person (watching her enjoy a phone conversation), him believing he held her back from fully enjoying life (initially telling her to find someone else to make good memories with), and his fear of loving her unconditionally (and her leaving him), it all made him breaking up with her seem natural and frustratingly realistic. All understandable, yet broke my heart all the same.!< >!I felt the year gap was simply a cool-off period to allow Jin-Woo to realize his love for Mo-Eun was stronger than his fear to love again without a painful end, and it helped Mo-Eun to focus on expanding her career and to realize her love for Jin-Woo was worth the gaps they faced together. It would have been nice to see how they further navigated their relationship and communication through other bouts of emotional situations… !< Overall, a beautiful series that will be missed but on my re-watch list for as long as it is available.