Life lessons to learn from ‘My Mister’ series
A peek-a-boo through the lessons I learned from the Korean drama ‘My Mister’.
I’m not a vivid fan of watching dramas, but this drama went straight into my heart. This drama is coherent with my current life situation, which made me follow it to the end. Life is like an unpredictable scene in a movie. We are all similar to the actors in the movie, playing our corresponding roles regardless of any tough situations. In our lives, we meet people who impact us at the most unexpected moments. This movie depicts one kind of impact created on male and female protagonists’ lives simply because of each other’s presence in their current situations.
Quick Summary of the Plot:
The male protagonist (Lee Sun-Kyun) works for a construction company, and his wife (Lee Ji-ah) is a lawyer. She cheats on her husband with the head of the company where her husband works. The female protagonist (IU) has a grandmother and is a temporary worker for the same construction company. Her ancestors’ debt has left her deeply in debt, and the devil's debt collector has scarred her. Her early financial hardships were the only reason she turned nasty, but meeting Lee Sun-Kyun transformed her and restored her inherent virtues. As more of the story unfolds, Lee Sun-Kyun simultaneously feels at ease with this stranger (IU).
- Kindness is the greatest of all virtues.
The male protagonist exemplifies kindness in every ounce of his actions. To be precise, he is a living god of virtue. His clarity in life decisions, even if it’s a small matter, is very appreciated, and we all need that level of clarity in our lives. Even while enduring the toughest struggles, he never forgot to be the kindest human ever, and how he always stretched out his hand to the people around him inspired me. Through him, I learned that kindness is the most powerful thing in the world.
Some people are born like that and never hurt others, even though others have hurt them.
I relate so much to this part since I am like that and have seen people tell me, “You are the loser at the end.” I never mind those comments because this is who I am, and I cannot change myself for the comfort of others. I laughed at myself since I was mocked for being kind. Finally, I understood that kindness is a precious gem owned by a few; if you are one of them, keep it safe.
2. Money does not matter; only love does.
The female protagonist goes to the edge of hardship to pay off the debts and keeps her grandmother free from lunatic and barbaric money lenders. She even kills the money lender at a young age to protect her grandmother, even if it costs her life. She even got the title of murderer at a very young age, only to save her grandmother from the devil. This part of the story makes me realize the depth of love one has for their loved ones. Bearing the title of murderer only to save her grandma shows her deep love for her.
“Our hearts don’t move based on logic.”
3. Ignorance is bliss.
The male protagonist was working as a subordinate under a junior in his college. The CEO took this advantage and made his senior respect him irrespective of his seniority in age and experience. But our godly hero never took anything personally and ignored him like he never existed except regarding work matters. The truth in real life: If we ignore some people or comments and give them no importance, our mental peace will be protected, or we will be in trouble.
We deserve peace in our lives by ignoring some absurdities.
4. Genuine friendship lasts forever.
The strange relationship between the male and female leads started to bloom. They supported each other indirectly and were unaware of it. This kind of support is real and exquisite. We all wish for real companions in this modern era where authenticity is hard to find. He is also a gentleman with her without crossing the limits, which is one character worth appreciating in the male protagonist. The female lead was leading a hellish life with no happiness in her life, and no one in the company spoke to her because of her character and lifestyle, which were drastically different from theirs. The male protagonist is the only person who treats her with dignity and respect, making her feel that her life on this planet is worth living despite the harsh realities she has faced.
“Hang in there.”
“You must have come to this neighborhood in order to save me. I was on the verge of dying, but you were the one who saved me.”
“I really lived my life for the first time ever because I met you, mister.”
“Let's truly be happy.”
My eyes were bawling up, watching them cheer each other up despite their struggles and trauma in their respective lives. We all have our own share of problems in our lives, but what matters is our unwavering support for anyone who needs it.
5. Gossiping is for small minds.
When coworkers of the male lead speak ill about the strange female lead, he abruptly tells them not to talk badly about someone they don't even know personally. This scene made me respect the character of Lee Sun-Kyun and admire his personality for respecting a stranger. This is one of the foremost attributes that everyone should stick to and stop unnecessary gossiping about others.
6. The past is past; move forward.
In this drama, the bad history of the female lead made an awful impression on others. They started to belittle and judge her based on her past. Here, also, our hero, aka male lead, never ever once judged her for her past; instead, he asked her the reason for killing the money lender. He also gave her the motivation to move forward in her life without thinking about her past. This also made me realize that we should not prejudice anyone based on their past or any factor because everyone has their own reason for doing something bad.l There is a saying, “Everyone is bad in someone’s story.”
“What happened in the past is no big deal, if you consider it to be no big deal.”
7. Being happy for other's success.
At the end of the drama, the female lead is transferred to a different city where no one knows about her past. After a few years, the male lead started a new firm on his own with the same colleagues he worked with before. He achieved success due to his consistent hard work and teamwork. One day, when the female lead visits the cafe in her old city, she accidentally meets the male lead. The male lead is stunned to see the change in appearance and personality of her and chats with her for a short period of time. Then the female lead left for an excuse. Both of them are genuinely happy for each other’s success and contentment in their lives.
The holistic experience of watching this series was surreal and like therapy. Only those who have undergone hardships and humiliation in their lives can relate so much to this drama. This drama gives hope and strength to everyone who needs it the most.
“When you just want to die, it’s great to have someone who tells you not to die, that you’re a good person, and that you should cheer up, that alone helps you breathe.”
