South Korea. Lovers. Корейские любовники

I have already told you Ms. Li’s last name, and now I will tell you her name, her name was Mei.

After that snowy night, when the girl stayed overnight at her employer’s house, she now often stayed overnight if she did not want to travel across Seoul home to the house where her grandparents lived. Kunqiu was responsible for the girl in front of her family, and was very worried when Mei finished work late and took a long time to get home at dusk. May tried not to abuse the host’s hospitality, but it turned out that three times a week she still stayed overnight in Mrs. O’s room. In general, a good relationship was established between the housekeeper and the owner.

Meanwhile, the artist’s illness was getting worse. When the full moon rose in the sky, the hope for a sound sleep evaporated. The artist tried to go to bed early in order to get at least a little sleep, but the clock struck midnight, and the sleep went away. It seemed like someone malicious was taking hour after hour from Kunqiu’s life. Previously, he woke up at 3:00 am, but now the sleep time decreased, and he began to wake up at midnight.

GREAT PHILOSOPHER

Lack of sleep at night turned into a problem. Kunqiu looked bad in the morning. He fearfully waited for the approaching full moon this month. For the role in the new film, the artist lost a little weight. In the new film, he played a not very healthy person, and his chronic lack of sleep played into his hands so far. In any case, no one has yet noticed how poorly he orients himself in space in the morning. In addition to the fact that he slept badly, his dreams, his short dreams began to influence reality.

Lately he has dreamed the same thing. He saw an ancient Chinese city in front of him, felt annoyance mixed with pity, and tried to help the inhabitants of the city whom he saw in front of him.

Sleep shots changed. He heard the screams of a woman, the woman screamed in pain, but no one was in a hurry to run to help, he saw jets of water, saw a source that suddenly began to beat from under the ground, his sleep ended with a cry of a baby. He saw women’s hands, which dipped the baby into the waters of the spring in order to wash it. After that, the source ceased to exist, and the water went underground.

In the morning, having drunk coffee, he thought about sleep for a long time. The clouded mind did not want to delve into anything, but the artist nevertheless came to the conclusion that strange dreams tormented him, because he still had not fulfilled his main purpose in life. Kunqiu was already 41 years old, but he still has not been married. Perhaps the thought of a son who would one day be born to him gave impetus to his strange dreams. There was nothing terrible in these dreams, there was no hint of any horror, or something malicious, just the dreams were chaotic and at the same time very clear. Kunqiu still saw the branches of a mulberry tree in front of him, under which a baby from a dream was born. In fact, he saw only the source, only the mulberry tree, the very woman who came there to give birth to the baby, he did not see. He saw only the hands of a woman who were holding the newborn boy, heard the crying of the child, and heard the voice of the mother, who was soothingly saying something.

I will not intrigue the reader, those dreams that the artist saw were dreams about the moment of the birth of the great philosopher Confucius. The artist did not immediately realize this, but after comparing different moments from his dreams and the facts of family chronicles, he came to the conclusion that he saw exactly the moment of the birth of his great progenitor.

So, there are two interpretations of strange dreams, strange painful and chaotic dreams of the artist. The first interpretation, since Kunqiu was still not married, he thought that dreams were a hint that he would soon meet a woman who would become his wife and give birth to a son. The second interpretation is pictures from the past of the great philosopher and thinker Confucius.

There is a version that the events of the life of the progenitor are recorded in the genes of all his descendants, when these events emerge in the memory or in the dreams of modern people, this means that for some reason the ancestral memory came to life in a person. Whether it was true or not, the artist did not know, and would prefer not to know in the future, all he wanted now was to get enough sleep.

WHY IN SOUTH KOREA IS MARRY SO LATE

South Korea is an unusual country, to start with the fact that in this country, however, as in all Asian countries, there is a very tough selection, a very fierce struggle for a place in the sun. If young people in Russia can freely get married when they come of age, that is, at the age of 18, then in South Korea, girls and boys at this moment only awkwardly begin to glance at the opposite sex.

Education begins at colleges and universities. The learning process is so difficult and cruel that it leaves no time, or almost no time for personal life. In some universities, it is directly stated in the charter that students of a given university are not entitled to some personal preferences, that is, to put it simply, young people do not have the right to privacy, let alone sexual contacts.

In Russia, it is quite normal for a girl and a boy to live together before marriage to get to know each other better, and marry only when they find out that they will soon become parents. This trend is not only in Russia, but also in other Western countries.

In South Korea, if young people suddenly announce that they have decided to live together before marriage, not only older family members, but also their peers will look askance at them. About family, marriage, young men and women in South Korea begin to think about only at the age of 35—38, that is, at the moment when their studies are over and there is work, there is a good salary to support the family.

I do not give my assessments and do not say good or bad, I just point to a fact.

Of course, in South Korea, as well as in other countries, everything cannot be so unambiguous, someone breaks the rules, someone adheres to them, and I am only talking about a general trend.

That is, the story that you are reading now is about this, about people who have already crossed the threshold of their thirties and who hope that now, when they followed the path of life that the older generation prescribed them, they will have great love ahead and happiness. However, there is nothing definite in life, sometimes it happens that great love does not come in any way, and the clock is ticking, and the hope of running into the last carriage of the train called love becomes more and more illusory.

MEI WATCHING THE FILM OF KUNCHU

«I am not obsessed with politics or social problems. While filming, I always think: «I hope that someone will feel what I feel» and «Shouldn’t we think about it?» I like projects that provide an opportunity to reach out to people through the roles that I am offered. After reading the script for a film about unfortunate children from a boarding school, I got angry and thought: «Will people watch this? But I have to do it. "I had no idea it would have such a big effect, and the title of the movie would even be used for the title of the law.»

From the author’s interview with the artist

May asked the owner to reconsider her work schedule. The girl had another part-time job, and she also studied at some courses. An American diploma was not enough for her, having decided to live in Korea from now on, she wanted to get a Korean-style diploma.

The actor respected the girl’s request and her schedule was revised. On weekdays, she now worked in the afternoon, but on weekends, her schedule remained the same. Thus, on weekdays, she usually completed her work somewhere around 10:00 pm. If there was no bad weather outside, then the girl went home, but if she finished work late or it was raining or snowing outside, or all together, then she stayed overnight in Mrs. O.’s room.

Kunqiu, immersed in his problems, did not notice for several days that the girl’s eyes were red. Once, when he was having dinner, it seemed to him that the girl was crying, however, when he asked her what had happened, the girl replied that she was allergic, so lately she has been walking with red eyes. The artist did not insist, although he was firmly convinced that he heard the girl crying. Well, if the girl did not want to devote the owner to her problems, then this was probably only a plus.

Although the artist was a very kind and understanding person, human injustice made him indignant, but the matter usually did not end with indignation, several times in his life Kunqiu took measures to eliminate the injustice. One day he read a book where it was told how the workers of the boarding school abuse hearing-impaired children. It was a true story, but the book did not create much resonance. The orphanage workers only shook their fingers and nothing else happened. The actor was so indignant that he insisted that a script be written and a film was made according to this script, in which he played one of the roles. This time there was a big scandal. Not a single employee of the boarding school escaped responsibility, even laws were passed to protect such children.

But let’s get back to the girl story. Red eyes and tears were on Monday, and on Tuesday the girl was kind of fine. However, on Wednesday, when the actor approached the girl to find out if there was enough food for the party he was throwing for friends on Saturday, the girl’s eyes were red and puffy again. It might be hard to tell an allergy from just tear-stained eyes, but the actor was sure that he saw what he saw. But this time, too, he did not insist. The thought occurred to him that there might be a problem in him, maybe he was not attentive enough to May, or he was overloading her with work?

This time he decided to act differently. He invited the girl into the living room, sat her down in front of him, they chatted about meaningless things, about the girl’s life in America, about her studies, and when he felt that she was ready to answer, he asked her a direct question. The answer was in the usual manner of this girl, she smiled and said shortly «no». After that, she returned to work. Kunqiu felt that the matter was amiss, but he could not get the girl to talk. A week has passed. Now the most difficult shooting of the film was taking place, the actor came home utterly exhausted, all his thoughts were where the scenery for the film remained, but that evening he came early, the shooting was canceled. Walking into the living room, he was dumbfounded, May watched the movie I mentioned earlier and cried. Seeing the owner, she wiped her tears, got up, and not a word, not a word, went into the kitchen. She didn’t turn off the TV. She was probably washing the dishes, but the sound of pouring water could not drown her sobs. The actor turned off the TV. Climbing to the second floor, he leaned back exhaustedly in his chair. He did not understand this girl, he desperately wanted to feel sorry for her, but he could not find a way to do it. Soon the cleaning was finished, and the girl went to her room.

A PARTY

«I didn’t appear in romantic TV series that often. This project became significant because many viewers liked it. I felt happy and burdened at the same time. It was a project that I got at a time when I was in doubt about my acting career. I worked really hard to be sure. I wanted to be a unique and memorable artist, so I was very worried. But this project has awakened my fading passion, so it has a special meaning for me.»

From the author’s interview with the actor

The party was planned for a small circle of friends, but this time the small circle was suddenly wide. Many more people came than planned, several friends came from America, whom the artist had not seen for a long time, and at the last moment the list of invitees suddenly expanded. The party was great, Kunqiu rested his body and soul

Uk, also an artist and close friend of Kunqiu, wanted to be a DJ, and this man knew how to amuse. The jokes flashed in the air, and the lawn shook with bursts of laughter from the satisfied guests. A team of waiters was invited for the party, but manager Kim refused the services of an administrator. It was decided that May would lead the household part of the party. And the girl did an excellent job with the role assigned to her. Waiters and service staff were placed in such a way that no guest was left unattended. The party was already drawing to a close when one of the American friends, who got pretty drunk and tried to swim in a decorative lake with fish, was inflamed with a passion for May. He suddenly pulled the girl to him and tried to kiss. The girl at that moment bent over the table trying to adjust the stand with starch napkins. The table was on the outskirts, almost in the shadows, and further events were seen only by the artist, who from time to time glanced in the direction where the girl was.

So, at that moment, when a friend from America tried to give May his kiss, the girl twitched and tried to pull away, but she failed. The drunken man dug into the girl’s lips. Kunqiu rushed to Mei’s aid, but only made it towards the end of the action. There were still twenty steps to the scene of the action, he did not hear what the girl said, but he saw that the man was sitting on the ground and he was bleeding from his nose. Having reached the arena of the battle, the artist heard that the girl was laughing and saying something in English. The guest was sitting with a red face, probably the girl’s words touched him even more than a blow to the nose, he began to rise, his expression left no hope for a successful outcome of the conversation. At that moment, Kunqiu finally ran to the scene of the conflict. The guest was eager to fight and promised to teach the arrogant waitress a lesson. The artist tried to explain to his friend that the girl was not a waitress, but the guest was already in such a state that he simply did not hear what he was being told. He rushed at May, but the girl, instead of fleeing, again said something mocking in English. The situation was getting out of control, the American friend was the same height as Kunqiu, but his weight clearly exceeded the owner by seventy kilograms. Despite this, Kunqiu would of course have covered Mei with his body, but this was not necessary. Manager Kim finally saw that the case was amiss and the drunk man was first calmed down and then taken home.

May took a napkin, brushed her lips furiously several times, and then smiled at the owner and, as if nothing had happened, went on to manage the party.

When the guests had departed, it was time for the waiters. It seemed that May was in several places at the same time, so quickly she moved from one end of the terrace to the other. When everything was finally cleaned up and the team of waiters left Kunqiu’s house, the artist decided it was time to rest. As he poured the coffee, he suddenly remembered the note that one of the waiters had given him. The waiter found this note under the tablecloth of the table where the artist was sitting with his friends. The note was clearly addressed to the artist, because it was lying under the tablecloth, exactly in the place where the dishes from which Kunciu had been eaten.

The note was found at the moment when the tablecloths were being removed from the tables. The artist did not immediately have time to read it, but now that time has come.

I wrote it so solemnly, but to be more precise, the note was handed over to the artist five minutes ago. So, the artist poured himself a coffee, stretched out his tired legs and opened the note. The note read:

«By credit card or cash?

Who will pay?

It doesn’t matter who pays. Both of you will pay a heavy price for this!»

At first, the artist thought that someone wanted money from him, and the extortionist left his demand in this original way. But on reflection, he suddenly became confused, and remembered that these are the words said by one of the heroines in the film in which he played the main role.

Oh, that was one of the key moments in the film, it was a little connection to the action, where, by the way, his close friend played the angel of death, the one who was at the party today. I mean Uka.

The hero and the heroine meet on bridge, their hands simultaneously reach for the ring, which is being sold by a jewelry merchant. The heroine and hero, once, several centuries ago, held this ring in their hands. The jewelry merchant is also a difficult woman, she is a deity who can take, when necessary, the appearance of a beautiful and mysterious woman.

In general, the phrase that was written in the note and, which, at first glance, looked so threatening, was just a phrase from the film that the screenwriter once invented. But, nevertheless, the situation remained incomprehensible, the artist did not understand what this note means, if it is a threat, what is the extortionist asking for? And if it’s a joke, what’s the point? The party was over, the extortionist did not show up, and therefore the artist, in the end, decided that the note was just a stupid joke.

May was crying, the artist heard this, the girl was in her room, but was about to go home. After the party, Kunqiu apologized for the drunken guest, and then asked what the girl said so insulting to the guest?

May said she accepts the apology, but has absolutely no memory of what she said. The words were spoken out of spite, and as soon as the guest left, the girl immediately forgot them.

But it turns out that the girl lied to him, she had not forgotten anything and was now crying from the experience of fear and humiliation. In order not to embarrass Mei even more, Kunqiu hastily grabbed his coffee mug and went up to the second floor.

KUNCYU’S BIRTHDAY

«Both actors admitted to sending messages to their ex-girlfriends in the middle of the night. When asked to choose between love and friendship, Wook chose the former and Kunqiu the latter.»