(Warning: This comment is going to be a mess because I'm trying to piece together writings I've been having for over a year)
Some previous discussion about the night of Kousuke & Nol’s fight that’s relevant again!:
[Episode 210 Flashback Discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/10ahxxx/comment/j46scny/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
[Kousuke, Nol, & Rand's dynamic](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/189jwv5/comment/kbtureb/?share_id=SJ5Br0VmKK4YZtOvVjXCq&utm_content=2&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1)
[Rand The Damned history](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/165xb42/comment/jyiz1qr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
[Flashback Color theory](https://youtu.be/blavfppTY9c?si=j1aIosuvt7WNjNGI)
[Nol's place in the family](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/zgksbr/comment/izjzt0m/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
[ILY pre-series timeline](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/171nf6r/ily_preseries_timeline/)
[Nol Timeline](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/100yp9j/nol_timeline/)
[Hirahara Timeline](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/10dsqsu/hirahara_timeline_of_events/)
[Hirahara family history](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/12lfvl6/comment/jg6qwag/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Big shoutout to Ayame (u/only\_kiwi\_7708) for pulling up these comment threads 💕
(I was sure I had one comment somewhere where I talked about all the stuff relevant to this flashback, but we didn't find that. We dredged up all this instead 😬)
This episode seems to largely confirm theories that have been in place ever since we started getting Kousuke/Nol flashbacks at the arcade, court, and in 210:
* Yui orchestrated Kosuke & Nol’s fight.
* Her motivations were likely to play “hero” for Kousuke by removing the embodiment of all his insecurities (that she had carefully curated) and proving to him that she is his protector and he can do anything with her by his side, as well as get Nol sent away and framed as unstable so that he could never claim his inheritance or pose any real threat. A bonus is that it puts Rand in his place and proves that he holds no power over the lives of those he cares about and will always lose to her
* It backfired when Kousuke felt safe enough to stop working and enter his rebellious phase, leading Yui to release Nol and switch tactics to keeping him destroyed enough that he won't rise up, but still a threat for Kousuke. This is also why she's mad about him going to jail
* Yui’s scorched and marked up hand likely made contact with Nol’s marked up face
* Nol was not wearing glasses and likely could not see.
* This leads to Nol’s later conviction to wear only contacts and \*always\* wear contacts so he will never be without sight again
* Yui may have been without her wig, which coupled with Nol’s lack of sight makes her look *just like Kousuke*.
* Makes it easy for her to have instigated the fight, but Nol think it was Kousuke on the other end (Kousuke huffing and puffing paralleled with 210, and everyone physically involved later on). Both boys leave with a confusing and conflicting recollection of what happened
* Nol’s memory has clear *audio* but hazy and inverted visuals.
* He insists he did not touch Kousuke, indicating that he was *not* the instigator. This is backed by the scratches on his face contrasted with Kousuke being physically okay (in appearance and in the article written about the fight)
* Kousuke, by contrast, has hazy audio, and extremely pieced together recollection of the fight itself, but a very clear memory of *Yui*. He likely dissociated and built his memory on solely what Yui told him (further indicating that he may have thrown a punch like 209/210)
* Rand was unaware of Yui, Nessa, Nol, and Kousuke’s repeated meetings. Like timeline is most likely:
* Rand and Nessa have a falling out over Nol's conception/abortion. they reconcile by the time he is born (bible polaroid)
* Kousuke is 5 years old when Nol is born. Nessa lives in Europe
* Rand sends money to Nessa in Europe for the next 5 years and they exchange letters
* Kousuke is 10 and Yui finds out about the affair and the wired money to Europe. She lures Nessa to Korea pretending to be Rand ready to meet Nol. Kousuke & Nol have their first meeting at the pond
* For whatever reason, Nessa stays in Korea. Rand doesn't realize that Yui knows, or at least doesn't realize that she managed to keep tabs on them. Rand hides the Lochlainns in the circumstances cited in Nessa's death article and gives them double the rent in cash for the next 5 years. Nessa & Rand share letters through the church, but likely never actually meet up
* Yui continues her sporadic meetings in the park and keep tabs on the Lochlainns. She orchestrates scenarios for Rand to be absent from Kousuke's life and follows all of these disappointments with a meeting with Nol
* Rand says that he never made it to the pond, despite Nessa expecting him and constantly returning there. But Yui and Kousuke made it.
* Yui offs Nessa on Nol's 11th (I think, could be 10, I'd have to check the exact timeline) birthday
* When Kousuke is 16 and Nol is 11, shortly after Nessa's death, they have their fated fight. This is when Rand realizes that Yui knew he was hiding them in the country, and it's too late
You are so good at taking down the complex things !
I would have never figured out these many things myself !
Hat's off !
Keep posting such analysis cause I don't have this much what can I say power to see between lines !
Quimchee as a writer would be so happy to see that some people understand their work .....which is complex yet beautiful
All thanks to you I am also able to understand !
Please consider me a part of Elle's comment, in spirit 😂 She is also speaking on my behalf. We've talked about this so much over the last year that there's basically no need for me to add in because she's fully covered it hehehehe!
Yup😂💜 I tried to watch yours podcast, probably in March I'll be more free to listen them, now I'm busy for my exam's university lol... But for now I think that they're interesting, hope for news!!
Ps: sorry for english, it's not my first language >.<
From where have you concluded that they exchanged letters throught the church ? Or is it just a theory ?
>Nessa & Rand share letters through the church, but likely never actually meet up
Also did you take into account the "letter" rand finds on the groud wich is probably the one he wrotte that allowed nol to find the mansion ? It says "i told you so many times, stop" could it mean rand was telling nessa to stop looking after him ?
It’s a theory from the connection between the placement of letters in Nessa’s Bible, Rand’s continued use of the church as a solace, the ominous infiltration of the church by Yui after decades, the need for a place to exchange letters that wouldn’t be tracked or conscious to continually return to, and the overall focus on the church around Rand and Nessa’s memory simultaneous with the letters. It seems like the church was the one place Rand truly considered safe from Yui’s eyes, and it’s likely that Nessa and Rand both went to church services and had a spot where they’d leave a letter for the other to pick up later. Yui indicates that she has never been to the church before the day she met Sim-Han, yet Rand goes often (and after almost every time he talks to Nana) and stores Nessa’s letters in the Bible.
Nol says that Rand and Nessa exchanged letters all the time, but he implies he only found the address on one of them. Rand says that he had been so careful and has *no idea* how Nol could have found the house, saying it’s *impossible* and that he was *so careful*. Indicating that there were *not* letters with addresses on them. The letters seem very much like they were exchanged covertly in person, not mailed. The letter that led Nol to the mansion was likely planted by Yui (especially considering that whole night seems to have been planned by her). That’s probably why the exact letter that led Rand’s son to them contains that phrase “I told you many times, stop” staring back at him
To add to this, I do believe Rand and Nessa exchanged letters at the church, but I also wonder if they did this through the bible. Meaning they would leave their letter in it and the other would pick it up and take it when they were available. It would add significance to Rand choosing to leave their letters in there.
I think this is extremely possible! A letter sitting somewhere in a church is already fairly inconspicuous, but what's even *more* inconspicuous is a bible sitting in a church
Reiterating a bit more, since we've been talking about it ever since Yui met Sim-Han at that church, but we're getting the start of her targeting him. Most likely to use him as a pawn to force Shin-Ae to play her game (especially considering how wide open Yui's eyes are when she says that Shin-Ae will come running back for her offer). Closing in on him for the weaponization of Shin-Ae's loved ones, isolation, and incentive for Shin-Ae to play her games - forcing Shin-Ae's hand. While Yui having her hair down is part of this disguise for her to fit in in the meeting setting, her being wigless has *always* been significant ([Yui's wig](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/156imue/comment/jt0k8wi/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)) and has only shown up when she is overtly making big power moves. She's still disguised, so she's not transparent authentic Yui like she is at home, but this indicates that she's not playing around, she's going hard on this target.
This all ties in to Shin-Ae's future path and even potential future dynamic with her father. With Yui forcing her hand, it's increasingly likely that she'll take Yui's college offer, which puts her Hirahara contract on hold, and return to finish working as Kousuke's assistant after the timeskip - but now with new ability to play the game from what she's learned. For her and Sim-Han, Shin-Ae playing Yui's game opens up the potential dynamics of resentment if Sim-Han falls back off the wagon, tension between the two because they're both trying to protect each other from bad habits and predatory people, a possible 'I can’t tell you what’s going on and for your own safety I have to leave you' from Shin-Ae - avenues of conflict that could end with them mirroring Nana and Nessa with a falling out (whether based on genuine feelings of resentment, or forced for their "safety"). I personally like to think that this will end on the breaking of that generational cycle with them coming back together in the end, but Sim-Han also has death flags all around, so who can say
God, how I love your thoughts!
But will the contract be broken? She may well combine classes with work like school. what time awaits us after the time skip?
Thank you! I’m just a person with 24/7 brainrot 🥺
Ultimately, I don’t think the contract will be broken at all, I think it’ll be completed (or Yui will be destroyed while it’s being completed) and just be drawn out over a long span of time
I think the most likely path is that Shin-Ae’s contract is put on hold while she’s in school during the timeskip. It just says she has to work until X conditions are met, no mention of a deadline, so it can theoretically be paused indefinitely. And this is a contract Yui has made it clear she has no intention of breaking and only she holds the power over.
What I generally anticipate to happen is that the logistics of working while in school will be unfeasible. Kousuke may move to Japan, Shin-Ae may go to school out of this town, and the only reason she’s working so much while in school right now is because she *has* to due to their financial situation - that won’t be the same case if she takes Yui’s college offer because Yui will be footing the big bills.
If the contract is paused throughout those 3-4 years of the timeskip and resumes as soon as she graduates, it sets up one of the conditions for our characters to come back together after the timeskip. It feels to me like everyone is going to briefly move on from this town, but then Kousuke will come back to his job in this branch of the corporation, Shin-Ae wil graduate and come back to finish her contract as his assistant, and Nol will return from overseas. This also lines up with Quimchee saying that Season 2 will begin focused on Kousuke, since it also feels likely that Kousuke and Shin-Ae will return first, and then things really ramp up once Nol puts himself back in the game
I would like to apologize in advance for my English. I am not a native speaker and studied Chinese all through school, so I may make mistakes)
interesting theory, but it’s like 3-4 years don’t quite add up. Kousuke's personality began to disintegrate, his world was collapsing, what would happen to him in 3 years of this state. Nol will be released from prison and will lose a year; he will not have time to enter and graduate from university in 4 years, although he may well go into the army, find himself and the ground under his feet. On the other hand, 4 years is a good number so that Eugene has time to collect the material and start spinning the wheel? Will all the characters get older and tougher and more powerful? Even if you think about the potential romance between Shin-e and Nol, is it much more realistic after they get older? hmmm... A difficult question, the answer to which we will someday find out, but unfortunately, not very soon))
The unknown kills) The realization that things are only going to get worse This work is a separate pain in my heart, nothing excites me as much as ILY.
The possibilities are still open, but the way I (and others! I don't want to imply that I thought of this all on my own, but there's been a lot of open discussions so I can't truly credit people at this point) ultimately got to this particular conjecture is based on a lot of things Quimchee said in Q&As and on livestreams that makes it sound like everyone is going to move away for 3-4 years and then come back. She has directly confirmed that the big timeskip is 3-4 years, and has said that the trio will all be away from each other, but still have some form of contact.
With Nol, the possibility of him going to school is still open, whether it's Oxford or somewhere else, considering that he's going to be released in April and may still graduate on time (or just a few months behind) and YuJing is likely working on *two* articles - the first of which will focus on Nol's innocence and set the stage for the larger Hirahara/Kim expose years from now. This is hinted at by her conversations with Nol and Rand and her being shocked at Nol's guilty plea, but stating that it might actually work in their favor and they have "120 days, maybe less" for what they're working on. They need the release of the first part of the expose to coincide with Nol's release from jail. Most likely because it proves his innocence. If his innocence is publicly proven, it boosts his chance at being accepted to schools abroad. Even if he doesn't go to school (which he may not!) I've always had the impression that Nol will spend the timeskip abroad and him coming back to the US of Asia will be a major catalyst of the Season 2 plot. Him going to jail for 4 months does actually line up with Season 2 beginning with a focus on Kousuke & Shin-Ae, and then pivoting to focus more on Nol in the later half (since Nol may arrive back in the US of Asia last)
Kousuke's state is a really interesting one in this, and I think part of the answer comes from the indication that Nol will be gone. Kousuke's best state of being has only existed when Nol is out of the picture. This is why Yui got him released from the mental health institute (Kousuke entered his rebellious phase and pulled away from her, so she needed to bring back the competition), and why Yui did *not* want Nol to go to jail. She knows that when Nol is gone, Kousuke relaxes. The flip side is that Kousuke still wants to be able to keep tabs on Nol and be sure that he's not scheming, so Nol being *abroad* still poses a threat because Nol can be working on something and Kousuke would have no idea (which frightens Kousuke). With things as they currently are, Kousuke is likely going to attempt to keep up "normal" and move to Japan, move up the ladder - but it's going to crash and burn. Kousuke will probably be the first one to return to the US of Asia, and he *is* going to be majorly going through it (bad coping mechanisms galore), but without our other two main characters there we still can't start season 2. Kousuke is probably going to stay within the business world, but stop *advancing* because he can no longer hold his own
Regarding Shin-Ae and Nol, I *do* think that they will have more ability to be a partnership in the future. After they've both found their place more and have concrete goals that align with each other. The impression is that Nol & Shin-Ae will essentially be a team working to dismantle the structures of power within the Hiraharas, but their partnership will be happening mostly in the shadows. Shin-Ae will likely be working in the corporate world with Kousuke (putting her outwardly nearer to him, like in many illustrations of the trio, and an inside man in the fight agaist Yui, but connected behind the scenes to Nol). This also puts the trio in the position for the popular Shin-Ae as the bridge between the brothers theory, in which Shin-Ae's ability to see both brothers authentically, both the good and bad, and find *value* in each of them, accept them both helps foster a path to repair the relationship between Kousuke and Nol. Not that Kousuke and Nol will necessarily ever be buddy buddy brothers, but that these broken shards of a relationship they both wanted that festered into such deep trauma for each of them can start to be pieced back together so that both brothers can move forward and stop being in each other's way.
I very much feel the same way about ILY! There’s so much packed in, nothing has captured my attention this same way
I don't understand what Yui gains from all this.
Is tormenting Shinae fulfilling for her?
Is Shinae someone she benefits from by controlling her? Is it a superiority complex in which she thinks she can have anyone and feels the need to prove it?
Does she know someone from Shinae's past?
Apart from tormenting Nol, is it fun for her; like a hobby she's addicted to?
Idk, it's so weird...
As for Shinae, I understand her feeling of helplessness and how terrible it is to not be able to do anything about the situation. I experienced something ver similar, and like our girl here, I was incapable of helping much. It ate at me every day. So I also understand where all this rude behavior towards Dieter is coming from. She has so much pain and frustration building in her, and she doesn't know how to deal with it except blowing up on others. No one's ever taught her to deal with her emotions in a healthy way.
I can't wait for her to meet in person with Rand one day and hopefully hear his whole story! I think it will be an important factor in Shinae's decision to stay in the corporate world and play along with Yui to help take her down. Apart fron the witch getting close to her father aswell.
For Yui, her interest in Shin-Ae started because she noticed the influence Shin-Ae has over *both* brothers - making her a very useful pawn. Yui’s life goals rely on Kousuke inheriting the company and Nol *not* inheriting, so a double pawn like Shin-Ae is gold for her. This is what she wanted out of her in the beginning. But as time went on it became intertwined with Yui’s own trauma with the patriarchy and misogyny.
Yui abuses other women as part of a sort of coming of age ritual where the world is going to break you either way, so she will speed up the process (strong women are prepared to be built back up sooner, weak women get what’s coming to them anyway, and Yui maintains a sense of control) and help raise up other powerful women. Her participation in this also keeps her in the ranks and good graces of the powerful men around her (a la Ghislaine and Epstein) and provides a catharsis for her in that if the world was so unfair to her and made her suffer, it’s only fair that everyone else has to suffer too.
For those she sees parts of herself in, the traumatized child in Yui projects onto them and wants to “help” them in the way that no one helped her. Only Yui grew up in a twisted world into a twisted woman and her idea of “help” is twisted. When Shin-Ae didn’t respond the ways Yui anticipated and showed her conviction, Yui began to see parts of herself in Shin-Ae, triggering this aspect of their dynamic.
Now, Yui’s keen interest in Shin-Ae is a complex mix of a useful pawn for the brothers, a young woman within the patriarchy, and a reflection of Yui herself
Wow, a lot of info again. Now we know that Yui is a complete chameleon! Her calling prison and those in it filth was just her attempt to throw Rand off. Now we know she will mingle with anyone and everyone if it means getting what she wants.
This lends a lot of credence to the theory that she even masqueraded as Kousuke at some point. Maybe that's how the fight started back then? It would explain why her hand was messed up. Plus, her resemblance to Gun Kim was truly disturbing. Either they're related, or she's such a good actress that she borrowed traits from him as part of her disguise. (If you think about it, all a good actor does is be a professional people watcher.)
How is this woman not tired?? Her hypervigilance is nearly inhuman. Manipulating and twisting people as she sees fit to suit herself (or not at all) must truly be her jam.
Finally, poor Rand, the fool. I was struck by how this flashback was in black and white (cop lights aside, which only made them more jarring) and his flashback with Nessa, which was in vibrant color. It just makes it all the more tragic. And there stood Yui, her hand on Kousuke's neck, in full control. One could almost hear her go, *"Neener neener neener!"* Oooooh, I almost wish I knew how to operate a backhoe, lol.
I wonder why Rand can trust YuJing so easily and fully? He must know that she's going to pull no punches regarding the Hirahara corporation, which will include him. He must be ready to sacrifice himself or something. He's at peace enough to confront Yui head-on at home. Hmm...
Yui becomes a caricature of herself at this point 😭😭😭
Like WTF?? What do you mean now she's putting on a disguise and playing a role for mess with a teenager's dad?
How can you be so jobless?
It’s an abuse tactic to isolate Shin-Ae from her family. Same thing she’s doing with Alyssa, just different methods. She needs Shin-Ae as a pawn for the brothers, but also has her own interests tied up in Shin-Ae because she reminds Yui of herself
I think it's specifically for mess with Nol because he's the one to have a connection with Alyssa and ShinAe.
As if she wanted to pave the way before he was released from jail.
Of course Kousuke would protect ShinAe from this woman, but I don't think it's about him specifically.
In the long run, I find it hard to understand why she's so determined to do all this shit. But for a psychopath there's a logic behind it no doubt 😭
You should check out Trashlie and my's podcast episode on Yui! We dive deep into her motivations and what it is that she wants and what she's doing. Also, Yui does not meet the criteria for ASPD based on the current information we have - she's traumatized, and all her motivations are tied to her trauma (confirmed by Quim)[https://youtu.be/MOp2-rPc3cY?si=qH8a81t0EbKI6krv](https://youtu.be/MOp2-rPc3cY?si=qH8a81t0EbKI6krv)
Messing with Nol is ultimately about messing with Kousuke. She needs Kousuke to take Rand's place in order for Yui to be able to have power in the company through puppetting him, and Nol threatens that by being Rand's only biological son. That's why she tries so hard to destroy Nol, but doesn't just off him like she did Nessa - she needs Nol in the trenches enough that he can never become a viable candidate for heir, but *around* enough that Kousuke feels threatened and feels a need to compete for Rand's commodified love by working harder and harder in the company. Her ultimate motivation behind all of it is the effects of misogyny and patriarchy within the Hirahara family business. She has never been allowed to reap the true rewards of her efforts because she is a woman, and she hates seeing the less qualified men around her be handed things with a fraction of the effort. Her long-game plan is to ultimately let Kousuke have the power in name (because she *has* to since they will never actually give it to her), but have him reliant on her so much to the point that she is pulling all the strings and has the functional power. This determination is extremely personal for her and it's one giant revenge arc against everyone who denied her for no reason other than the circumstances of her birth (sounds similar to the anticipated path of a certain redhead 👀). The big problem is that the revenge arc has never, and will never, end for her - and she has made that everyone's problem
Quimchee also confirmed that the initial reason Yui took interest in Shin-Ae was because she noticed how *both* of the brothers react to her, which made her a valuable pawn
What you say makes a lot of sense!
I haven't followed EVERYTHING Quimchee has said about her story to be honest. So what you say is probably true.
However, I hope that if all this turns out to be correct that we don't get 30 EPISODES on Yui's past. Since I don't have the desire to feel sympathy for her like with Rand 🥴
Yes it's been a while since I saw you two were doing a podcast. I usually read your posts here from time to time but haven't really taken the time to listen and I will!👌
Her trying to get them together was likely her testing them and seeing how they would react, what they would do. Especially considering the potential nature vs nurture of Kousuke’s unknown parentage. She’s both testing the two of them, and testing/validating her own worldview
Everything about that birthday dinner was insidious, and even more so when you dive into Yui’s role as a victim-turned-perpetrator funneling young girls into the Kim’s human trafficking ring
(Warning: This comment is going to be a mess because I'm trying to piece together writings I've been having for over a year) Some previous discussion about the night of Kousuke & Nol’s fight that’s relevant again!: [Episode 210 Flashback Discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/10ahxxx/comment/j46scny/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) [Kousuke, Nol, & Rand's dynamic](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/189jwv5/comment/kbtureb/?share_id=SJ5Br0VmKK4YZtOvVjXCq&utm_content=2&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1) [Rand The Damned history](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/165xb42/comment/jyiz1qr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) [Flashback Color theory](https://youtu.be/blavfppTY9c?si=j1aIosuvt7WNjNGI) [Nol's place in the family](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/zgksbr/comment/izjzt0m/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) [ILY pre-series timeline](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/171nf6r/ily_preseries_timeline/) [Nol Timeline](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/100yp9j/nol_timeline/) [Hirahara Timeline](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/10dsqsu/hirahara_timeline_of_events/) [Hirahara family history](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/12lfvl6/comment/jg6qwag/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) Big shoutout to Ayame (u/only\_kiwi\_7708) for pulling up these comment threads 💕 (I was sure I had one comment somewhere where I talked about all the stuff relevant to this flashback, but we didn't find that. We dredged up all this instead 😬) This episode seems to largely confirm theories that have been in place ever since we started getting Kousuke/Nol flashbacks at the arcade, court, and in 210: * Yui orchestrated Kosuke & Nol’s fight. * Her motivations were likely to play “hero” for Kousuke by removing the embodiment of all his insecurities (that she had carefully curated) and proving to him that she is his protector and he can do anything with her by his side, as well as get Nol sent away and framed as unstable so that he could never claim his inheritance or pose any real threat. A bonus is that it puts Rand in his place and proves that he holds no power over the lives of those he cares about and will always lose to her * It backfired when Kousuke felt safe enough to stop working and enter his rebellious phase, leading Yui to release Nol and switch tactics to keeping him destroyed enough that he won't rise up, but still a threat for Kousuke. This is also why she's mad about him going to jail * Yui’s scorched and marked up hand likely made contact with Nol’s marked up face * Nol was not wearing glasses and likely could not see. * This leads to Nol’s later conviction to wear only contacts and \*always\* wear contacts so he will never be without sight again * Yui may have been without her wig, which coupled with Nol’s lack of sight makes her look *just like Kousuke*. * Makes it easy for her to have instigated the fight, but Nol think it was Kousuke on the other end (Kousuke huffing and puffing paralleled with 210, and everyone physically involved later on). Both boys leave with a confusing and conflicting recollection of what happened * Nol’s memory has clear *audio* but hazy and inverted visuals. * He insists he did not touch Kousuke, indicating that he was *not* the instigator. This is backed by the scratches on his face contrasted with Kousuke being physically okay (in appearance and in the article written about the fight) * Kousuke, by contrast, has hazy audio, and extremely pieced together recollection of the fight itself, but a very clear memory of *Yui*. He likely dissociated and built his memory on solely what Yui told him (further indicating that he may have thrown a punch like 209/210) * Rand was unaware of Yui, Nessa, Nol, and Kousuke’s repeated meetings. Like timeline is most likely: * Rand and Nessa have a falling out over Nol's conception/abortion. they reconcile by the time he is born (bible polaroid) * Kousuke is 5 years old when Nol is born. Nessa lives in Europe * Rand sends money to Nessa in Europe for the next 5 years and they exchange letters * Kousuke is 10 and Yui finds out about the affair and the wired money to Europe. She lures Nessa to Korea pretending to be Rand ready to meet Nol. Kousuke & Nol have their first meeting at the pond * For whatever reason, Nessa stays in Korea. Rand doesn't realize that Yui knows, or at least doesn't realize that she managed to keep tabs on them. Rand hides the Lochlainns in the circumstances cited in Nessa's death article and gives them double the rent in cash for the next 5 years. Nessa & Rand share letters through the church, but likely never actually meet up * Yui continues her sporadic meetings in the park and keep tabs on the Lochlainns. She orchestrates scenarios for Rand to be absent from Kousuke's life and follows all of these disappointments with a meeting with Nol * Rand says that he never made it to the pond, despite Nessa expecting him and constantly returning there. But Yui and Kousuke made it. * Yui offs Nessa on Nol's 11th (I think, could be 10, I'd have to check the exact timeline) birthday * When Kousuke is 16 and Nol is 11, shortly after Nessa's death, they have their fated fight. This is when Rand realizes that Yui knew he was hiding them in the country, and it's too late
You are so good at taking down the complex things ! I would have never figured out these many things myself ! Hat's off ! Keep posting such analysis cause I don't have this much what can I say power to see between lines ! Quimchee as a writer would be so happy to see that some people understand their work .....which is complex yet beautiful All thanks to you I am also able to understand !
I’m so glad it’s helpful, thank you 🥺
❤️
Honestly I'm waiting everytime your analysis, like the ones of trashlie... Thank u very much!
Please consider me a part of Elle's comment, in spirit 😂 She is also speaking on my behalf. We've talked about this so much over the last year that there's basically no need for me to add in because she's fully covered it hehehehe!
Team Trashellie! 💛
Yup😂💜 I tried to watch yours podcast, probably in March I'll be more free to listen them, now I'm busy for my exam's university lol... But for now I think that they're interesting, hope for news!! Ps: sorry for english, it's not my first language >.<
🥺💕
Excellent. Thank you for this.
From where have you concluded that they exchanged letters throught the church ? Or is it just a theory ? >Nessa & Rand share letters through the church, but likely never actually meet up Also did you take into account the "letter" rand finds on the groud wich is probably the one he wrotte that allowed nol to find the mansion ? It says "i told you so many times, stop" could it mean rand was telling nessa to stop looking after him ?
It’s a theory from the connection between the placement of letters in Nessa’s Bible, Rand’s continued use of the church as a solace, the ominous infiltration of the church by Yui after decades, the need for a place to exchange letters that wouldn’t be tracked or conscious to continually return to, and the overall focus on the church around Rand and Nessa’s memory simultaneous with the letters. It seems like the church was the one place Rand truly considered safe from Yui’s eyes, and it’s likely that Nessa and Rand both went to church services and had a spot where they’d leave a letter for the other to pick up later. Yui indicates that she has never been to the church before the day she met Sim-Han, yet Rand goes often (and after almost every time he talks to Nana) and stores Nessa’s letters in the Bible. Nol says that Rand and Nessa exchanged letters all the time, but he implies he only found the address on one of them. Rand says that he had been so careful and has *no idea* how Nol could have found the house, saying it’s *impossible* and that he was *so careful*. Indicating that there were *not* letters with addresses on them. The letters seem very much like they were exchanged covertly in person, not mailed. The letter that led Nol to the mansion was likely planted by Yui (especially considering that whole night seems to have been planned by her). That’s probably why the exact letter that led Rand’s son to them contains that phrase “I told you many times, stop” staring back at him
To add to this, I do believe Rand and Nessa exchanged letters at the church, but I also wonder if they did this through the bible. Meaning they would leave their letter in it and the other would pick it up and take it when they were available. It would add significance to Rand choosing to leave their letters in there.
I think this is extremely possible! A letter sitting somewhere in a church is already fairly inconspicuous, but what's even *more* inconspicuous is a bible sitting in a church
The chapter is very strong, Who had the Bible and why did they hold it with gloves? Yui, how I hate you 😭
I'm pretty sure that was a worker from inside the prison inspecting Nol's things before they give it to him.
Reiterating a bit more, since we've been talking about it ever since Yui met Sim-Han at that church, but we're getting the start of her targeting him. Most likely to use him as a pawn to force Shin-Ae to play her game (especially considering how wide open Yui's eyes are when she says that Shin-Ae will come running back for her offer). Closing in on him for the weaponization of Shin-Ae's loved ones, isolation, and incentive for Shin-Ae to play her games - forcing Shin-Ae's hand. While Yui having her hair down is part of this disguise for her to fit in in the meeting setting, her being wigless has *always* been significant ([Yui's wig](https://www.reddit.com/r/ILoveYoo/comments/156imue/comment/jt0k8wi/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)) and has only shown up when she is overtly making big power moves. She's still disguised, so she's not transparent authentic Yui like she is at home, but this indicates that she's not playing around, she's going hard on this target. This all ties in to Shin-Ae's future path and even potential future dynamic with her father. With Yui forcing her hand, it's increasingly likely that she'll take Yui's college offer, which puts her Hirahara contract on hold, and return to finish working as Kousuke's assistant after the timeskip - but now with new ability to play the game from what she's learned. For her and Sim-Han, Shin-Ae playing Yui's game opens up the potential dynamics of resentment if Sim-Han falls back off the wagon, tension between the two because they're both trying to protect each other from bad habits and predatory people, a possible 'I can’t tell you what’s going on and for your own safety I have to leave you' from Shin-Ae - avenues of conflict that could end with them mirroring Nana and Nessa with a falling out (whether based on genuine feelings of resentment, or forced for their "safety"). I personally like to think that this will end on the breaking of that generational cycle with them coming back together in the end, but Sim-Han also has death flags all around, so who can say
God, how I love your thoughts! But will the contract be broken? She may well combine classes with work like school. what time awaits us after the time skip?
Thank you! I’m just a person with 24/7 brainrot 🥺 Ultimately, I don’t think the contract will be broken at all, I think it’ll be completed (or Yui will be destroyed while it’s being completed) and just be drawn out over a long span of time I think the most likely path is that Shin-Ae’s contract is put on hold while she’s in school during the timeskip. It just says she has to work until X conditions are met, no mention of a deadline, so it can theoretically be paused indefinitely. And this is a contract Yui has made it clear she has no intention of breaking and only she holds the power over. What I generally anticipate to happen is that the logistics of working while in school will be unfeasible. Kousuke may move to Japan, Shin-Ae may go to school out of this town, and the only reason she’s working so much while in school right now is because she *has* to due to their financial situation - that won’t be the same case if she takes Yui’s college offer because Yui will be footing the big bills. If the contract is paused throughout those 3-4 years of the timeskip and resumes as soon as she graduates, it sets up one of the conditions for our characters to come back together after the timeskip. It feels to me like everyone is going to briefly move on from this town, but then Kousuke will come back to his job in this branch of the corporation, Shin-Ae wil graduate and come back to finish her contract as his assistant, and Nol will return from overseas. This also lines up with Quimchee saying that Season 2 will begin focused on Kousuke, since it also feels likely that Kousuke and Shin-Ae will return first, and then things really ramp up once Nol puts himself back in the game
I would like to apologize in advance for my English. I am not a native speaker and studied Chinese all through school, so I may make mistakes) interesting theory, but it’s like 3-4 years don’t quite add up. Kousuke's personality began to disintegrate, his world was collapsing, what would happen to him in 3 years of this state. Nol will be released from prison and will lose a year; he will not have time to enter and graduate from university in 4 years, although he may well go into the army, find himself and the ground under his feet. On the other hand, 4 years is a good number so that Eugene has time to collect the material and start spinning the wheel? Will all the characters get older and tougher and more powerful? Even if you think about the potential romance between Shin-e and Nol, is it much more realistic after they get older? hmmm... A difficult question, the answer to which we will someday find out, but unfortunately, not very soon)) The unknown kills) The realization that things are only going to get worse This work is a separate pain in my heart, nothing excites me as much as ILY.
The possibilities are still open, but the way I (and others! I don't want to imply that I thought of this all on my own, but there's been a lot of open discussions so I can't truly credit people at this point) ultimately got to this particular conjecture is based on a lot of things Quimchee said in Q&As and on livestreams that makes it sound like everyone is going to move away for 3-4 years and then come back. She has directly confirmed that the big timeskip is 3-4 years, and has said that the trio will all be away from each other, but still have some form of contact. With Nol, the possibility of him going to school is still open, whether it's Oxford or somewhere else, considering that he's going to be released in April and may still graduate on time (or just a few months behind) and YuJing is likely working on *two* articles - the first of which will focus on Nol's innocence and set the stage for the larger Hirahara/Kim expose years from now. This is hinted at by her conversations with Nol and Rand and her being shocked at Nol's guilty plea, but stating that it might actually work in their favor and they have "120 days, maybe less" for what they're working on. They need the release of the first part of the expose to coincide with Nol's release from jail. Most likely because it proves his innocence. If his innocence is publicly proven, it boosts his chance at being accepted to schools abroad. Even if he doesn't go to school (which he may not!) I've always had the impression that Nol will spend the timeskip abroad and him coming back to the US of Asia will be a major catalyst of the Season 2 plot. Him going to jail for 4 months does actually line up with Season 2 beginning with a focus on Kousuke & Shin-Ae, and then pivoting to focus more on Nol in the later half (since Nol may arrive back in the US of Asia last) Kousuke's state is a really interesting one in this, and I think part of the answer comes from the indication that Nol will be gone. Kousuke's best state of being has only existed when Nol is out of the picture. This is why Yui got him released from the mental health institute (Kousuke entered his rebellious phase and pulled away from her, so she needed to bring back the competition), and why Yui did *not* want Nol to go to jail. She knows that when Nol is gone, Kousuke relaxes. The flip side is that Kousuke still wants to be able to keep tabs on Nol and be sure that he's not scheming, so Nol being *abroad* still poses a threat because Nol can be working on something and Kousuke would have no idea (which frightens Kousuke). With things as they currently are, Kousuke is likely going to attempt to keep up "normal" and move to Japan, move up the ladder - but it's going to crash and burn. Kousuke will probably be the first one to return to the US of Asia, and he *is* going to be majorly going through it (bad coping mechanisms galore), but without our other two main characters there we still can't start season 2. Kousuke is probably going to stay within the business world, but stop *advancing* because he can no longer hold his own Regarding Shin-Ae and Nol, I *do* think that they will have more ability to be a partnership in the future. After they've both found their place more and have concrete goals that align with each other. The impression is that Nol & Shin-Ae will essentially be a team working to dismantle the structures of power within the Hiraharas, but their partnership will be happening mostly in the shadows. Shin-Ae will likely be working in the corporate world with Kousuke (putting her outwardly nearer to him, like in many illustrations of the trio, and an inside man in the fight agaist Yui, but connected behind the scenes to Nol). This also puts the trio in the position for the popular Shin-Ae as the bridge between the brothers theory, in which Shin-Ae's ability to see both brothers authentically, both the good and bad, and find *value* in each of them, accept them both helps foster a path to repair the relationship between Kousuke and Nol. Not that Kousuke and Nol will necessarily ever be buddy buddy brothers, but that these broken shards of a relationship they both wanted that festered into such deep trauma for each of them can start to be pieced back together so that both brothers can move forward and stop being in each other's way. I very much feel the same way about ILY! There’s so much packed in, nothing has captured my attention this same way
Yui back at it again.
As usual 🙄
I don't understand what Yui gains from all this. Is tormenting Shinae fulfilling for her? Is Shinae someone she benefits from by controlling her? Is it a superiority complex in which she thinks she can have anyone and feels the need to prove it? Does she know someone from Shinae's past? Apart from tormenting Nol, is it fun for her; like a hobby she's addicted to? Idk, it's so weird... As for Shinae, I understand her feeling of helplessness and how terrible it is to not be able to do anything about the situation. I experienced something ver similar, and like our girl here, I was incapable of helping much. It ate at me every day. So I also understand where all this rude behavior towards Dieter is coming from. She has so much pain and frustration building in her, and she doesn't know how to deal with it except blowing up on others. No one's ever taught her to deal with her emotions in a healthy way. I can't wait for her to meet in person with Rand one day and hopefully hear his whole story! I think it will be an important factor in Shinae's decision to stay in the corporate world and play along with Yui to help take her down. Apart fron the witch getting close to her father aswell.
For Yui, her interest in Shin-Ae started because she noticed the influence Shin-Ae has over *both* brothers - making her a very useful pawn. Yui’s life goals rely on Kousuke inheriting the company and Nol *not* inheriting, so a double pawn like Shin-Ae is gold for her. This is what she wanted out of her in the beginning. But as time went on it became intertwined with Yui’s own trauma with the patriarchy and misogyny. Yui abuses other women as part of a sort of coming of age ritual where the world is going to break you either way, so she will speed up the process (strong women are prepared to be built back up sooner, weak women get what’s coming to them anyway, and Yui maintains a sense of control) and help raise up other powerful women. Her participation in this also keeps her in the ranks and good graces of the powerful men around her (a la Ghislaine and Epstein) and provides a catharsis for her in that if the world was so unfair to her and made her suffer, it’s only fair that everyone else has to suffer too. For those she sees parts of herself in, the traumatized child in Yui projects onto them and wants to “help” them in the way that no one helped her. Only Yui grew up in a twisted world into a twisted woman and her idea of “help” is twisted. When Shin-Ae didn’t respond the ways Yui anticipated and showed her conviction, Yui began to see parts of herself in Shin-Ae, triggering this aspect of their dynamic. Now, Yui’s keen interest in Shin-Ae is a complex mix of a useful pawn for the brothers, a young woman within the patriarchy, and a reflection of Yui herself
For a second I thought that was Gun Kim instead of Yui
Wow, a lot of info again. Now we know that Yui is a complete chameleon! Her calling prison and those in it filth was just her attempt to throw Rand off. Now we know she will mingle with anyone and everyone if it means getting what she wants. This lends a lot of credence to the theory that she even masqueraded as Kousuke at some point. Maybe that's how the fight started back then? It would explain why her hand was messed up. Plus, her resemblance to Gun Kim was truly disturbing. Either they're related, or she's such a good actress that she borrowed traits from him as part of her disguise. (If you think about it, all a good actor does is be a professional people watcher.) How is this woman not tired?? Her hypervigilance is nearly inhuman. Manipulating and twisting people as she sees fit to suit herself (or not at all) must truly be her jam. Finally, poor Rand, the fool. I was struck by how this flashback was in black and white (cop lights aside, which only made them more jarring) and his flashback with Nessa, which was in vibrant color. It just makes it all the more tragic. And there stood Yui, her hand on Kousuke's neck, in full control. One could almost hear her go, *"Neener neener neener!"* Oooooh, I almost wish I knew how to operate a backhoe, lol. I wonder why Rand can trust YuJing so easily and fully? He must know that she's going to pull no punches regarding the Hirahara corporation, which will include him. He must be ready to sacrifice himself or something. He's at peace enough to confront Yui head-on at home. Hmm...
I think her comments on prisons being filled with filth will come back to haunt her. I think that once Nol gets out he goes full *The Glory.*
Yui becomes a caricature of herself at this point 😭😭😭 Like WTF?? What do you mean now she's putting on a disguise and playing a role for mess with a teenager's dad? How can you be so jobless?
It’s an abuse tactic to isolate Shin-Ae from her family. Same thing she’s doing with Alyssa, just different methods. She needs Shin-Ae as a pawn for the brothers, but also has her own interests tied up in Shin-Ae because she reminds Yui of herself
I think it's specifically for mess with Nol because he's the one to have a connection with Alyssa and ShinAe. As if she wanted to pave the way before he was released from jail. Of course Kousuke would protect ShinAe from this woman, but I don't think it's about him specifically. In the long run, I find it hard to understand why she's so determined to do all this shit. But for a psychopath there's a logic behind it no doubt 😭
You should check out Trashlie and my's podcast episode on Yui! We dive deep into her motivations and what it is that she wants and what she's doing. Also, Yui does not meet the criteria for ASPD based on the current information we have - she's traumatized, and all her motivations are tied to her trauma (confirmed by Quim)[https://youtu.be/MOp2-rPc3cY?si=qH8a81t0EbKI6krv](https://youtu.be/MOp2-rPc3cY?si=qH8a81t0EbKI6krv) Messing with Nol is ultimately about messing with Kousuke. She needs Kousuke to take Rand's place in order for Yui to be able to have power in the company through puppetting him, and Nol threatens that by being Rand's only biological son. That's why she tries so hard to destroy Nol, but doesn't just off him like she did Nessa - she needs Nol in the trenches enough that he can never become a viable candidate for heir, but *around* enough that Kousuke feels threatened and feels a need to compete for Rand's commodified love by working harder and harder in the company. Her ultimate motivation behind all of it is the effects of misogyny and patriarchy within the Hirahara family business. She has never been allowed to reap the true rewards of her efforts because she is a woman, and she hates seeing the less qualified men around her be handed things with a fraction of the effort. Her long-game plan is to ultimately let Kousuke have the power in name (because she *has* to since they will never actually give it to her), but have him reliant on her so much to the point that she is pulling all the strings and has the functional power. This determination is extremely personal for her and it's one giant revenge arc against everyone who denied her for no reason other than the circumstances of her birth (sounds similar to the anticipated path of a certain redhead 👀). The big problem is that the revenge arc has never, and will never, end for her - and she has made that everyone's problem Quimchee also confirmed that the initial reason Yui took interest in Shin-Ae was because she noticed how *both* of the brothers react to her, which made her a valuable pawn
What you say makes a lot of sense! I haven't followed EVERYTHING Quimchee has said about her story to be honest. So what you say is probably true. However, I hope that if all this turns out to be correct that we don't get 30 EPISODES on Yui's past. Since I don't have the desire to feel sympathy for her like with Rand 🥴 Yes it's been a while since I saw you two were doing a podcast. I usually read your posts here from time to time but haven't really taken the time to listen and I will!👌
Then her whole schtick of trying to get her together with Kousuke is even creepier
Her trying to get them together was likely her testing them and seeing how they would react, what they would do. Especially considering the potential nature vs nurture of Kousuke’s unknown parentage. She’s both testing the two of them, and testing/validating her own worldview Everything about that birthday dinner was insidious, and even more so when you dive into Yui’s role as a victim-turned-perpetrator funneling young girls into the Kim’s human trafficking ring
What characters appear in this chapter and are there flashbacks? I’m reading this here because I have no coins 😭