WARNING: This post will contain spoilers about the currently airing drama, Reply 1997 (or Answer Me 1997). You really wouldn't want to read this if you're planning to watch it, which I say YOU TOTALLY SHOULD.
I decided that I need to blog about this character, because apparently reblogging 1001 posts of every single moment he's on screen on Tumblr is not enough to contain all these feelings that I have.
I love Junhee. He's possibly the most likeable character I've seen in a K-drama in a while.
He's that friend who sprays a cooling spray for you, when your arms are cramping up. He's that friend who chats with you at night and listen to your complaints about your parents fighting all the time. He's that friend who gets worried when you go off the chat room for a while to check on your parents who are supposedly fighting, and asks earnestly whether he should call the police. He's that friend who tells you his secrets, and keeps yours. He's that friend who offers to buy you food when you're down. He's that friend who consoles and hugs you when you cry because something bad happens. He's that friend with whom you go to the movies, wait in line early in the morning for CD shops to open, or hug in elation when the country's soccer team wins a match. He's that friend who knows who you are in love with, even before you realise it yourself. He's that friend who sincerely congratulates you that you've finally gotten together with the guy you love, even when that guy is the person he loves.
With Yunje, his best friend with whom he's in love, he's still that friend. He's that friend who gives you his notes when you miss classes because you're stuck in the hospital. He's that friend with whom you team up in basketball, because he's as good as you are. He's that friend who wants to give everyone a treat with the money he just won from a dancing competition, and when everyone but you has prior appointments, suggests going home because he knows you aren't in the mood. He's that friend who notices that your CD player isn't actually playing anything when you use it to avoid talking to the girl you love because your brother is in love with her too, and helps you to turn it on. He's that friend who lies to that girl that you have a girlfriend, because he knows you would want him to do so.
Yet, he's that friend who secretly sends songs to you. He's that friend who blinks and break away with a smile as you hug him saying that you love him. He's that friend who keeps the dog that you name after yourself and had planned to give to the person you love, and keeps the name as it is, saying that he likes Yunje. He's that friend who dances coolly in a dancing competition and afterwards look right in your direction and smiles, despite the crowd of girls screaming his name. He's that friend who wants to go into the same university as you, telling 101 lies in the process, just so that he can stay with you. He's that friend who finally confesses his feelings to you, after gathering his courage, and laughs it off good-heartedly when you take it as a joke. He's that friend who cooks ramen for everyone by himself with earphones on, and freezes for a few seconds when you pull one side of the earphones and whisper in his ears to not break the eggs. He's that friend who smiles when your friend comments about how lucky you are to be able to eat his cooking everyday when you go to university together, and that you two are like husband and wife. He's that friend who lives with you for 7 years and does all the housework for you without complaining. He's that friend who wakes you up in the morning for breakfast by whispering in your ear. He's that friend who lectures you to man up and face your feelings, and go be with the girl you love. He's that friend who moves out when he knows that you're finally going to be with her, and makes up lies about why he has to move out. He's that friend who looks disappointed that you don't ask him to stay, and smiles when you say that it's not as if you two are not going to see each other again, because even if he were to run away, you will chase him his entire life, because you two are friends.
Junhee is just.. perfect. He's kind, considerate, tactful, smart, athletic, good-looking. My heart bleeds for him, at how selfless he is. He gives and gives, not just to Yunje, unconditionally. He never blames anyone for his pain or expects Yunje to return his feelings. Behind each of those smiles lies sadness, but he chose to stay with Yunje and keep being his friend, even though it would have been a lot easier to just leave. He did not try to make Yunje see that he wasn't joking when he confessed, which goes to show how much he treasured that friendship, even though that means his feelings would never come to light.
I know a lot of people would dismiss the character as a gay, but really, Junhee is a lot more than just that. Most importantly, his love is love just like any other. One of my favourite narrations in the drama is by Junhee:
“The reason I like you? Because it’s you. Just you. That’s the only reason. I wish I knew. Then I could figure out how to stop liking you. If I can’t avoid it, I only want one thing. To stay as a friend who doesn’t change. For love, full of heartache.”
If that isn't love, I don't know what is.
I appreciate how after Yunje found out about Junhee's feelings for him, he pretended to not know and acted normally. Some might say that he was relieved that Junhee was moving out, and I'm not saying he wasn't, but even then he emphasised that they were friends, and from what he said it is implied that in the years to come, he still wants Junhee to be his friend. Junhee is important to Yunje, as a friend, as much as Yunje to Junhee. And I think that is the biggest consolation Junhee could ever have, if only he knew.
Even though there are still a few episodes left, now that Yunje and Shiwon are together, Junhee moving out, I feel that it's the end of Junhee's story. I think the writers ended his story well, by showing Junhee letting go and wishing his best friends well. Still, I just wish Junhee will get his own happy ending in the end. All the times when I was reduced to an ugly sobbing mess were during Junhee's scenes, and for once I want to feel happy for him. Please, writers? I don't care if it's a guy or a girl, or even no one if he hasn't met anyone else, but I just want him to be happy.
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