I’ve been seeing a lot of backlash thrown at Koogi for the recent chapter and it’s really disappointing. Yes, it was obvious that Sangwoo had expierenced sexual abuse from his mother so the confirmation of him having been raped wasn’t much of a surprise. It had been hinted at since season one. Still, it should be considered horrifying that it had happened, and that Sangwoo had to suffer with his abusive mother since even before he was born.
A lot of people are saying they miss the angst and the murder from the first two seasons, but seem to forget that this is also a physiological story. We’re seeing what makes a serial killer. Sangwoo having “mommy issue” isn’t something being thrown at us for no reason. If you look at cases from the real world, a lot of other killers had similar issues resulting from their parents (particularly their mother) (Ed Gein had a super religious mother who forbade him from even thinking about a woman, and in turn he resorted to skinning women and wearing it to appear like his mother).
That being said, we knew from the beginning that he was being haunted by his mother. We know that Bum helps him keep the visions of his mother away. We see him as chapters pass that the more time he spends the Bum, the more he starts seeing Bum as his mother, no matter how hard he tries to deny it. We, as a reader know this. We see it happening, so it doesn’t come to a shock to us. But you know who doesn’t know this?
Bum.
Bum is completely clueless. Even when Sangwoo does actually decide to reveal something about his past, Bums never conscious to actually hear and process the information. For this story to move along, Bum NEEDS to find out about Sangwoos past, just as much as Sangwoo needed to know about his. After the whole Uncle incident, it’s pretty obvious that Sangwoo is on the verge to losing it, especially with the constant flashbacks. If Bum never finds out, then who knows what would happen when Sangwoo actually snaps. Bum would have no way of knowing what to do or say to protect himself, and I think after Sangwoo realizes what he’s done to Bum, he will be totally broken.
Of course, Sangwoo would never actually come out and say that he was being haunted by the memories of his mother and he associate Bum with being her. That’s why it makes since that they were both drunk. We know that Sangwoo has a hard time holding his tongue when he gets like that. And Bum becoming more “dominant” while having sex only brought back the memory of his mother raping him. It just shows how close Sangwoo is close to losing it.
(See how scared/shocked he is that he had outted himself)
Koogi showing their developing relationship isn’t to squash the murder and angst she had in the first two seasons. It may not be as heart stopping as them either. But seeing their developing relationship and Sangwoo slowly losing it is a major plot point to both of their character development. We get to see what makes a serial killer, as well as what’s really makes Bum tick.
The psychological affects of abusing a child and them having to witness abuse themselves is what’s keeping me on my toes, and I don’t know what Koogi is planning to do with this revelation, but I can’t wait for the next chapter. But I commend her for taking this bold step of explaining Sangwoos past in the way she did.
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