Golden Pouch (2016)

Love Triangle and Signs from the Other

I just finished watching all 122 episodes and have been re-watching the series for more than half a dozen times from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the series because it tells us about how to live our lives to the fullest, and the meaning of families in our lives.

The wisdom and advice from Mr. Geum Jung-do to his adopted son (Dr. Han Seok-Hoon) and his three daughters (Geum Doo-na, Geum Seol-hwa, and Geum Se-na) are so meaningful and heartwarming. The phrases that Grandma Yoon uses also remind me of our elders when they describe the most basic rule of good manners. Also, "Golden Pouch" tells a story about Signs from the Other Side. Dr. Han Seok-Hoon's deceased Mom is sending signs to his son through Seol-hwa in the form of mandu/dumplings and embroidery pouch, including initial meeting between Dr. Han and Seol-hwa in the river in Namwon (the city where Dr. Han was born and almost drown in the river when he was six year old). The Signs from the Other Side are so vividly narrated throughout the series.

There is Love Triangle or rather three sided love triangle in "Golden Pouch". This K-drama series is so engaging and so memorable. Firstly, there is Dr. Han Seok-hoon's past relationship with Bae Min-hee, and secondly, both Dr. Han Seok-hoon and Yoon Joon-sang fall in love with Geum Seol-hwa. All lead characters have their own motivation, hopes, values and fears.

There is Bae Min-hee's ambitious motivation after Dr. Han rejects Min-hee when she wants to come back after she left Dr. Han when he loses his memory and cannot perform any surgeries due to his injury. Min-hee's "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" is so dreadful and horrifying to the end of the series.

For the audience, it seems that both Dr. Han Seok-hoon and Yoon Joon-sang are "perfect person" for Geum Seol-hwa. Seol-hwa has feeling for Dr. Han, but Seol-hwa's adopted mom, Kim Choo-ja, wants Seol-hwa to marry a perfect and flawless man, the son of the wealthy Yoon family. I find this unique love triangle story does not drag on too long, but is engaging. Will Seol-hwa choose the man that needs her (Dr. Han Seok-hoon) or the man that wants her (Yoon Joon-sang)?

Dr. Han Seok-hoon and Miss Geum Seol-hwa have excellent on-screen chemistry, one of the best I have ever seen, it is unrivalled by any other K-drama series. We really think they have been in love for centuries in “Golden Pouch”. I truly believe I am watching a true story rather than fictional K-drama series. Seol-hwa is so lovely. Dr. Han is so kind and never gives up on his patients, including his love of his life "patient", Seol-Hwa. He is really serious on his work in the surgical theater. Dr. Han and Geum Seol-hwa's love is so pure and genuine.

However, I find the ending of the “Golden Pouch” series is inconclusive and unsatisfactory. There is no wedding for Dr. Han and Ms. Geum Seol-hwa nor do the Yoon and Geum families eat dumplings at the Dumplings Shop to conclude the drama series. I would be profoundly delighted if you could produce a two-hour feature TV movie that starts with the wedding between Dr. Han Seok-hoon and Ms. Geum Seol-hwa and ends with Yoon and Geum families eating dumplings together at the Dumplings shop.

I truly hope for a happy ending for both Yoon and Geum families, and for Dr. Han and Ms. Geum, a match made in heaven.

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