Lee Min Ki | A Quick Guide To The Cast Of My Liberation Notes

It wasn't really My Liberation Notes that first introduced this actor to me. It was actually when I've known Lee Min Ho during his skyrocketing career that I also managed to discover Lee Min Ki. Well, their names really are similar, right? So during Lee Min Ho's Boys Over Flowers (2009), Lee Min Ki's profile also popped out whenever I did research about Lee Min Ho. Internet back then was introducing this actor to me, I just didn't paid too much attention to him. Ain't it funny? I'm holding annoyance over Lee Min Ki over the years because of this reason too.

It was only until The Beauty Inside (2018) that I've finally gave attention to him... kind of. Lee Min Ki became the male lead in a drama where my Red Velvet bias Wendy got to sing an OST called Goodbye. Daang.. that song is one of my favorite OSTs of all time. So yeah, I watched the drama but sadly, I liked the side character's love story more than the leads. I'm sorry Lee Min Ki. 

But here I am! The time that I didn't foresee coming... it has happened! I have watched Lee Min Ki's full drama My Liberation Notes and now doing a write up about him because I got curious with his excellent acting as Yeom Chang Hee in that drama. I am solely doing research about him and not Lee Min Ho this time. Haha! 

Enough with the back story, let's get to know more about actor Lee Min Ki.

Explanation To My Liberation Notes Ending | Episode 16

Now that I've watched the ending, everyone seemed to be on their proper places now. Did the characters got the liberation that they wanted? I'd say YES. But does it stopped from there? NO. I think that's what the open ending told us too. Liberation is a process that you'll live with throughout your life. 

As someone that could fully relate to Mi Jeong's character, I am truly satisfied with how her character developed. She obviously outgrown her character from the early episodes. Remember how she was like a lost soul loitering around, without a clue on why she's feeling awfully exhausted all the time? Throughout her liberation process, at the finale episode, she finally was able to distinguish the problem. 

Life Doesn't Always Work The Way We Want It To Be A Reminder For Us From My Liberation Notes Episode 15

Life goes on and whatever state or feeling we're all having, it won't pause nor slow down for any one of us. It's just how it is. Though, we're not completely hopeless as we're always presented with choices to take, to redirect our direction to a better path if we're lucky. But if we're not lucky, then.... Sigh.... sometimes it ain't easy to make decision on which choices presented to take either. Ugh. Nothing is easy in this world.

Anyways, after episode 14 ended with a happy note, Episode 15 reminded us that happy moments don't last for long. In fact, nothing would. Just because time fast forwarded to the future doesn't mean the characters have moved on from whatever baggage they were all carrying from the past. Life doesn't work that way at all, especially in a Kdrama which plot depicts reality. 

Why Is My Liberation Notes Getting So Much Attention?

My Liberation Notes is the drama that took the time slot of Forecasting Love and Weather starring Song Kang and Park Min Young. My Liberation Notes started with only 2.94% of nationwide viewership rating. It is 1.57% behind Forecasting Love and Weather's premiere episode nationwide viewership rating of 4.51%. Unlike Forecasting Love and Weather that showcases a typical rom-com Kdrama, My Liberation Notes has a different theme. The slice-of-life story has a slow-burn pacing and has an unusual set-up when it comes to the romance between the male and female lead. It's a mature and serious drama that most viewers avoided at all cost. However, despite this, My Liberation Notes is continuously creating some noise inside the Kdrama world. In fact, it's reigning for already 3 consecutive weeks on Good Data Corporation's list of Most Buzzworthy Drama. Son Seok Ku and Kim Ji Won also took the 1st and 2nd spot of The Most Buzzworthy Drama Actors. And from 2.94% of nationwide viewership ratings, My Liberation Notes has now achieved 6.07% with it's 14th episode. 

Son Seok Ku And Kim Ji Won FINALLY Reunited In My Liberation Notes Episode 14

After watching episode 14, my anger finally dissipated towards Yeom dad. I called him names and now I regretted calling him trash the most. I guess I was just so affected by Yeom mom's death that I needed someone to blame in order to vent out my pain. I seriously just couldn't believe that she passed away so sad like that. It hurts. ugh. When we're facing such adversity, our extreme emotions seemed to be unstoppable that results us to have an irrational approach over some other things. Sigh. I'm so affected and yet this is just a Kdrama!! kkk

But still, my reaction and observation about Yeom dad's behavior during the previous episodes still stand. Nothing could change my mind. However, each one of us have faults and deserves second chances. We learn from our mistakes after all. It's just sad that right after Yeom dad learned everything and slowly change his ways, Yeom mom could no longer experience the better treatment from him. I think it's something that Yeom dad would regret forever. 

Son Seok Ku Discovered A Drastic Change In Kim Ji Won's Family In My Liberation Notes Episode 13

Oh guys, you don't know how much this episode brought tears to my eyes. I'll give it to Chang Hee and the mother this time. They're the stars for this episode. 

Geez... my heart aches for the mom. She was taken for granted and her sacrifices weren't appreciated at all even if it meant her whole life and happiness being sacrificed. I literally was like a crying mess because nobody... as in nobody in her family bothered to check on her well being when she's going through so much. They all just noticed that something was wrong when she's already dead. Gosh, her death was so effin' sad. Like, it's the worst ever for a mom and wife that sacrificed so much for her family.

Watch how much she whined over her children, because she only wanted a good life for them. Watch how she cooked and took care of his husband that she even sacrificed the only thing that made her feel alive and at rest when she's at the church. Shit, I really hated the old guy. His husband in particular. 

Son Seok Ku Left Kim Ji Won's Side In My Liberation Notes Episode 12

Oh-kaaaaayyy.... What did just happen? Someone tell me what just happened? Previous episode Mr. Gu and Mi Jeong were all sweet and now this? Talk about how fast the night changes, huh? Lol 

Mr. Gu leaving Mi Jeong and come back to Seoul is I'm sure all of us have expected already but of course witnessing how it unfolded is a different story. Like Mi Jeong, I really am not angry with him either for leaving. In fact, my heart aches for him. Clearly, he didn't want to leave but he has to in order not to complicate nor put anyone's life in danger especially Mi Jeong. Mr. Gu knew that when his colleague discovered about having a girlfriend in that area, reason why he's stubborn in staying, he knew that one day these people from his work would do something hideous in order for him to come back with them. Mr. Gu was left with no choice. 

Son Seok Ku And Kim Ji Won Shared A Kiss In My Liberation Notes Episode 11

Before I talk about the main event of this episode 11, let me talk about first what I found so special in it other than our main couple. 

I honestly think that this is the episode where we got the results or rather just realizations from the characters getting the liberation that they wanted. I cannot fully say that they are there already but I'm sure they found the right way to it. 

First, Chang Hee. The episode started off with him feeling the life of a person that owns an expensive car. An occurrence that he long dreamed of. I really am quite surprised though that he didn't lie about owning the car to the people around him. He was just really feeling it in the end. But along the way, while he's travelling around with the car, he realized that it didn't seem like he's on top of the world that he had imangined. It did gave him that pride and short term happiness but all of it was pointless having to share the moment to no one but himself. 

Son Seok Ku Is The Solution Not Only To Kim Ji Won's Problems But Also To Lee Min Ki's? | My Liberation Notes Episode 9 & 10

I honestly am having a hard time to compose my thoughts about the latest 2 episodes of this drama which is why it took me a while to post something in here. Hmmmm.... Well, I don't think that I'm liking where the story is going. I was expecting the complications that may occur in the 2nd half of this drama due to the mysterious past of Mr. Gu. However, this isn't the way I was expecting. Hmmm... I mean, okay, I was a fool to actually assumed that Mr. Gu is an athlete due to that long jump and similarity of names that came out from the previous episodes. I forgot that Koreans do have similar names within different fields so.. I was totally folled by that one. But, I just couldn't decipher yet on what Mr. Gu really is.

From the 2 latest episodes I'm so confused, really. Is he a gangster or member of mafia? I've witnessed him being ragged and like what Mi Jeong assumed what others may think as a first impression of him by others if ever they see him, looking like a homeless person. And then suddenly the tables have been turned and came out that Mr. Gu is actually rich to the point that people in suits somewhere in Seoul bow their heads to him. Even possessing the dream car of Yeom Chang Hee.

Son Seok Ku Made Kim Ji Won's Imagination Come True In My Liberation Notes Episode 8

We are halfway through this drama now and for sure the problematic past of Mr. Gu will slowly reveal itself. I assume that it is problematic because if not, then why would Mr. Gu choose to isolate himself from the world and stay hidden in the country side?

I think most of us already get it that Mr. Gu is an athlete because of that mystery man constantly messaging/calling him. From previous episode of this drama wherein Mr. Gu did long jump to fetch the cap of Mi Jeong, Chang Hee got amazed and tried to guess and disclose Mr. Gu's identity by searching national level athletes on the internet. He mentioned Gu Ja Gyeong as his full name but without confirmation from Mr. Gu himself. On the next episode however, the mysterious man from Mr. Gu's phone left a message mentioning his name to be Gu Ja Gyeong. So if Mr. Gu is an athlete, I guess, he ain't hiding for some crime, right? I think he's a genuine and kind person, so I hope whatever it is about Mr. Gu's past won't really affect negatively to his relationship with Mi Jeong.

Kim Ji Won Makes Son Seok Ku Smile In My Liberation Notes Episode 7

This worship couple really makes my heart flutter. They don't even display skinships yet they still successfully makes me smile everytime they show support to one another. They speak little in this drama but when they do, each words spoken are really heavy that I can feel it through my bones. Lol The writing of this drama is really good and it's expected coz the writer for this and My Mister drama is the same. That alone speaks so much with why this drama is so good.

Even though Mr. Gu admitted that he already started worshipping Mi Jeong, I was curious as to what's his next gesture in showing that aside from picking up Mi Jeong's hat, cleaning his messy house, getting her number, driving her to the station and waiting for her to come back. I guess this episode 7 says a lot as to what more he could do. We witnessed how Mr. Gu is opening his world to Mi Jeong, little by little and his concern for her is starting to become evident. 

Kim Ji Won And Son Seok Ku Officially Started Worshiping Each Other In My Liberation Notes Episode 4

EDIT: Title should be: Kim Ji Won And Son Seok Ku Officially Started Worshiping Each Other In My Liberation Notes Episode 6

Oh GOSH! This ain't really that typical romance that I'm always seeing in a Kdrama but I think it's one of those series that really made me smile from ear to ear! Yeom Mi Jeong and Mr. Gu, seriously, they never talk that much nor show 'obvious' display of intimacy/romance but even so... their little words and actions really seeps through my heart because I know very much how hard they were trying... for each other.. for themselves. Whew! I love it. I love it so much! Those smiles of Mr. Gu and Yeom Mi Jeong really is everything! They make me wanna fall in love and not ask anything in return. This is noted for my next relationship! I'll worship then! lol 

Kim Ji Won And Son Seok Koo Are Ready To Face The World Together In My Liberation Notes Episode 4

With this episode 4, I think we now have better understanding of the 3 siblings just by observing how they are treated at home. There seems to be some kind of barrier between the parents and their children here. This is perhaps the barrier created by a strict family culture in Korea and in other Asian countries wherein the father in the household holds the power within the family. With this being said, some fathers really act tough in front of their children and at at times (if not most of the time) they are misunderstood. Just like what was shown in this episode. 

Kim Ji Won Is Finally Ready To Step Out Of Her Mundane Life | My Liberation Notes Episode 3

This drama hits close to home. Really. 

It's scary how Kim Ji Won's character, Yeom Mi Jeong, depicts how I see the world. It feels like I'm being stripped just by watching this. I'm not kidding. That's how this drama is to me. 

Liberation

Oxford Dictionary: freedom from limits on thought or behavior

Britannica: the act or process of freeing someone or something from another's control

I feel like there's a need to put that word and its meaning in here before I start writing/reacting to the episode 3 of My Liberation Notes. 

But why? 

It's only because, the characters in this drama start to gain the freedom that they wanted. It's not freedom to gain equal rights as the others nor discharge from prison literally. It's a freedom from themselves. They're working on it, to gain freedom from their mundane life that they were so used to and bored with. 

Let me point that out starting with Yeom Chang Hee portrayed by Lee Min Ki. 

My Liberation Notes Episodes 1 And 2: Elaborates The Lonely Truth About Adult Life

I started watching this drama today, after seeing a few screenshots of it on twitter. The subtitles really stood out to me because I really like dramas that revolves around the struggles of life, more specifically... about adulthood. kkkk Adulthood is probably sinking in to me now at my age (well I was still in denial despite my age lol). I'm such a late bloomer. sigh. But yeah... I like dramas like this now coz I find consolation from them. It feels like I am not alone that's having a hard time. haha I've said that already in my previous blog post, you may read it here: Nam Joo Hyuk Steals Everyone's Heart In Twenty-five, Twenty-one

Here are the photos from twitter that I saw, in case you are curious about it.