Through the Darkness: A Commentary

I have been interested in crime solving mysteries since I was a kid. I really don't know why but maybe it was because from an early exposure to these kind of shows like McGyver. Or maybe I am just so into this kind of stories. Anyhow, this is a genre which can interest me for a long time. Even in my choice of books, I prefer to read novels by Stephen King, Dan Brown and John Grisham. 

As for TV shows, I used to like the original CSI but my interest declined when more series of this program had emerged. The latest, I think, is CSI: Cyber (is the title correct?). I also watched MindHunter in Netflix but was not able to follow through the second season due to its slow pacing. That's my own opinion, though! I know a lot of people were able to finish the two seasons. Maybe it's because I don't want a scene or two dragged like forever! The scenes where they interviewed the serial murderers were interesting, though!

When I heard that SBS was going to make a drama series about the first South Korean profiler, it piqued my interest and started to research more about the said drama. What's more interesting was the fact that the main character would be played by Kim Nam Gil, the actor who played Fr. Michael/Kim Hae Il in the Fiery Priest (2019). The one thing that I like about South Korean dramas is that the pacing is fast and the viewers can still follow up with what is happening in the story. 

Actor Kim Nam Gil is a very versatile actor. He played as a warrior, a pirate, a psychopath, a life insurance examiner whose wife died, and a priest in different Korean dramas and movies. If you want to know more about this amazing South Korean actor, you can click this link for more info: https://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/films/index/peopleView.jsp?peopleCd=10003788

The new drama "Through the Darkness" (English title) is one of his most successful drama. This was adopted from a non-fictional book written by the real South Korea's first profiler Kwon Il Young and Go Na Moo. The story was based on Kwon Il Young's personal experience as a profiler. I won't go into the details of each actor and their roles since it has been covered by several writers and articles both offline and online. For reference, here's a link where you can access this info: https://asianwiki.com/Through_the_Darkness

As a viewer and a mystery lover, I got hooked from the very first episode of the drama. My curiosity aroused when the main character, Song Ha Young, started to show his innate profiler behavior when he was working as a police inspector. He questioned every thing that a suspect did and the reason why they did those inhumane deeds. During this time, the behavior analysis concept was also starting to form when a former KCS director, Kook Young Soo, played by the actor Jin Seok Kyu (Extreme Job) who knew about the FBI's profiling system, started conceptualizing the new police department with his superiors and friends. He was the one who recruited Ha Young to become the very first profiler in South Korea. 

As I was watching this drama, it reminded me that solving cases aren't just about catching criminals but also about the victims' families and loved ones whom they had left behind. I was so into "understanding" or "studying" the serial killers' reasons but, as Song Ha Young said, they are all "pathetic killers". The reasons each serial killer character gave has something in common, they all wanted to justify their evil deeds.

I could feel Song Ha Young's emotions when he was so deep into his "study" that he almost lost himself in the process of behavior analysis. The truth is, I do understand how he felt. I might not be solving cases and profiling criminals but what I had experienced when I was younger, feeling too much sometimes could compromise your own mental health. That's why I cannot forget Nietzche's quote, and this was also said in one of the episodes: "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." Ha Young's personal journey of his emotions made him reflect if he was really made for this kind of job or not. 

Kim Nam Gil's acting was applauded as excellent by both fans and the media. His character here was an introvert and felt emotions deeply since childhood which made his mother worry all the time. His mother, played by veteran actress Kim Hye Ok, was always on her toes whenever she sees Ha Young looked depressed or tired especially right after she watched the news about the serial murder case that he was working on. Mr. Kim Nam Gil showed different emotions and facial expressions which was appropriately needed for each scene and was deeply felt by viewers around the world. I think Kim Nam Gil's "magic" is to send out each emotion to the audience so they could feel how the character felt. This is one of the characteristics of a good actor that I am looking for. 

My take about this drama? It's very obvious, isn't it? It's a 5/5 for me! I was even looking for an English edition of the book where the drama derived but failed. They are only available in Korean and Chinese Mandarin. I just wish that there is an English version of it so fans from other parts of the world will be able to buy and read it. I also love to have it as part of my book collection as well.

For those who haven't watched the drama yet, better watch it now! The last episode just finished last March 12th. Congratulations to the cast and crew of this drama! It was very interesting to watch! I, myself, was analyzing each murder scene and suspect along with the main characters. ^^

Kinds of Happiness

In life, one of the most important things is being happy.  Our parents would ask us, "Are you happy with your relationship?" or "Do you think you are happy with your chosen career?"

There are a lot of questions when it comes to happiness... as well as a lot of answers.  I am no expert in this kind of stuff about life but what I know is if I am happy with what I do, I feel satisfied too.

We are all different from one another, thus, we experience different kinds of happiness.  There are others who are happy with material things that there are times they forget what real happiness in life is.  The opposite of these people are those individuals who are happy and satisfied with their simple life... especially if their families and love ones are with them.  And so on and so forth.

So, what is happiness?  For me, happiness is an event where you feel light-hearted, where you want to smile a lot, where you want to do good things for others without asking in return, or an incident where you feel fully satisfied, physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.

There are different kinds of happiness, as of what I know.  First is what others called "happiness with God" or spiritual happiness.  This is when you travel in life to seek peace, love and joy towards the Divine Presence.  I am not a religious expert but it is true, if you seek God, you will find true happiness.  Just like any other journey, there will always be a stumble block that you will encounter in the way.  It is an easy way towards God kingdom, just do what God wants us to do, but it is up to us if we are going to get distracted by other things around us... and by temptation.


Another kind of happiness is what a lot of people is seeking nowadays, the so-called "material happiness."  This is all about money, riches, fame, career, etc.  In other words, the worldly happiness.  I have to admit, I do look for satisfaction with material things to find support in my needs on earth as person but I don't let these things take over my whole life.  This is what I think people should know... We should take over, to be masters, of the material things in the world, not them to be our masters.


What being discussed here are just two general examples of happiness.  It may be incomplete in details but I hope you get the idea.  =)

Happiness is not just coming from the things we see around us but also it comes from within us.  The motivation, the interests we have, the love... these are all sources of happiness that we, as human beings, sometimes ignored.

What To Do in a Heated Situation

When I was younger, I dreamt of working at a hospital or having my own business where I know I can be happily work in. However, as I get older and graduated from college, it seemed that my dreams of getting things were quite harder than I thought. Fortunately, reality was not really hard on teaching me the lessons in life.

Through the years of working and playing, I felt that Somebody was guiding me the way through life. I still feel it even at the present. I haven't realize this until now. Guiding? Yes. Spoon-feeding? Nah! Not really. How did I come up with this conclusion? This is how.

As a staff for years, I learned how to become a real follower. Being a follower doesn't mean that you have to obey and oblige to all the things your employer or your boss has to tell you... even if it affects you as a human being and your capacity to do work. I am fortunate enough that all of my bosses are okay to deal with and very understanding about their employees. However, there will be other bosses that are not like that.

There will be someone above your ranking that is hard to deal with sometimes. From them, I learned (and still learning) how I want to be when I become one of them. The incidents with them will always be different from each other, from each human to another human. On how to deal with it also differ from each person and their personality.

I know that there are times when you really want to punch your boss's nose really hard just to get even but that is not the case. My friends and family told me several techniques on how to deal with this kind of person, not just in the office setting but also in other stuff:

1. Take a deep breath first just so to clear your mind. Oxygen helps, remember that.

2. Smile, inside and out, even you feel like stabbing that person. Smiling makes us feel more relaxed.

3. Count. This is an old advice but still it works! Even if it will take you to a hundred!

4. Face that person slowly. Slow movements make our muscles loosen up.

5. Talk slowly so you won't eat your words and just to avoid misunderstandings. Again, slow movements help us feel relaxed. In this manner, you can clearly hear every word you say.

6. Be assertive, not aggressive. These two words are really different from each other. Look up at the dictionary to find out their differences.

7. Think of what you should say. If actions cut deep, words cut deeper.

8. Take a pause for a breather after each exchange of ideas, words, reasons, etc. Again, oxygen helps to relax our minds and muscles. This also aid us in thinking and deciding clearly.

9. Pull the reins harder when it comes to your emotions. Yes! I have to admit it that it is hard to hold back what you are feeling especially if your anger is about to burst out. Being emotional will not help resolve the issue/s you are dealing with. If the other person you're talking to is telling other people who are not involved about what happened, then let it be... for the moment. However, if it is already too big to handle, then you have to do something else...

10. Like I indicated, if things are out of your hands already, talk to your supervisor or manager, whoever has a higher rank than you, about this dispute. They can help you. Let them know your side but never get too emotional. Keep the respect. Be assertive.

11. Do not forget to ask God for guidance. He never fails!

12. And last, admit your mistakes. This shows that you are humble enough to claim that, as a human being, you do commit mistakes.