INT: Mr. Ju Meok, can you have a seat? We will like to begin the interview
JM: (leans forward to whisper) this is like the Reply dramas right?
INT: yes please. Just answer comfortably. Only your friends will see this.
JM: Ok, Ok. But this has to be quick, Captain Pyo is looking for me...
INT: Alright.
Hi, I'm Ju Meok. I will be answering some questions about myself.
Q: What was your life like before your service in the army?
Well, my life was as simple as can be really. I grew up in a small village like the one Captain Ri lives in with my family. I'm the only boy with two older sisters. My mum was a tailor and my father was a career soldier at the border.
Q: What made you so attached to dramas?
Funny story. My dad used to record some clips on a cassette and bring it home because my mum liked them. At the time, only Choi Ji Woonim's Stairway to Heaven was recorded there so I watched it over and over thanks to my sisters and mum. It was then I fell in love with the dramas (😅😅).
Q: One could say you've had a relatively easy life. What are your thoughts concerning your military service?
Firstly, I will say that growing up with the kind of love I was privileged to have at my disposal makes one a well adjusted person. It does not mean you have not experienced hardships, it just means you choose to stay happy despite the hardship.
My military service was compulsory and thanks to my dad, my mind was somewhat prepared for it. While a large portion of my thoughts was agitated, I hoped also that I will meet good comrades and will get along with them. Although that was not the case initially, when I passed the training to be a special force border troop and met Captain Ri, my hopes were actualized.
Q: What are your thoughts concerning Captain Ri?
Meeting Captain Ri is a blessing. He was a strict leader but a hard worker. He didn't let us slack but he didn't bullied us either. He is like an older brother who cares about you but would rather show you he cares than tell you. You know, he knew we used to slack off during border patrol; that I used to watch dramas at the command center, that Comrade Pyo drinks and Eun Dong cries and reads letters from his mum, so he was more vigilant and allowed us be. He is that kind of person. I saw in Captain Ri, the kind of love for people I hope to have as well.
Q: How did you feel about about Comrade Seri?
When I met her, she was a reminder of the consequences of our negligence. I wanted to be done with her. But then I realized she was from the South and she understood my love for dramas. I was excited to talk to her and I don't recall when (probably the night we were drinking and eating oysters), I started thinking of her as a sister, like my elder sister. When she surprised me with the chance to meet Choi Ji Woonim, it made me understand why Captain Ri liked her. It is because they are the same kind of people; both are willing to go out of their way to make you happy. Be it rescuing you from a tight situation or surprising you with something you wanted.
Q: What are your final thoughts (since you need to get back to service)?
"People who love each other eventually meet, right? No matter how far you go, love returns in the end." This statement sums my final thoughts. That Captain Ri and Comrade Seri will eventually be together, that my Comrade brothers will be well and live to reunite with their loved ones and that all the happiness up ahead eventually, will be ours for the taking, holding on to it, never letting go.
A/N: Hi everyone. Please, check out my other works as well and comment. Your encouragements mean a lot to me. Thanks and God bless. Live and Love...