concerning woo jin:

Someone once told me that Woo Jin's feelings towards Tae Min is superficial and they were, understandably, not a fan of Woo Jin (issues related to Si Won). One of the major problems with abused children is aggression and cruelty. This is related to two primary problems in neglected children: (1) lack of empathy and (2) poor impulse control. The ability to emotionally “understand” the impact of your behavior on others is impaired in these children. They really do not understand or feel what it is like for others when they do or say something hurtful. Indeed, these children often feel compelled to lash out and hurt others. One of the most disturbing elements of this aggression is that it is often accompanied by a detached, cold lack of empathy. They may show regret (an intellectual response) but not remorse (an emotional response) when confronted about their aggressive or cruel behaviors. This is older Woo Jin after he had to leave Tae Min. You know what can help children like Woo Jin? Nurture. It’s important to be aware that for many like this, touch in the past has been associated with pain. In these cases, you have to carefully monitor how they respond—be “attuned” to their responses to your nurturing and act accordingly. You’re basically providing replacement experiences that should have taken place during their infancy—but you’re doing this when their brains are harder to modify and change. Therefore they will need even more bonding experiences to help develop attachments. Interestingly enough, Woo Jin was able to make a bond with someone—Tae Min, which is why Woo Jin is so terrified of losing him even though it should be clear at this point that Tae Min wouldn’t abandon him. In the end, Woo Jin and Tae Min were separated so Woo Jin’s fears weren’t completely unfounded (considering how important Tae Min is to Woo Jin, we can assume that it wasn’t his choice to leave). Say what you want about their romantic relationship, but Tae Min is very important to Woo Jin and nothing about that is superficial.

ALSO: The brain develops at an incredible pace during the early developmental stages of infancy and childhood. Studies about early childhood development indicate that the brain develops in response to experiences with caregivers, family and the community, and that its development is directly linked to the quality and quantity of those experiences. Meeting a child’s needs during these early stages creates emotional stability and security that is needed for healthy brain development. Repeated exposure to stressful events can affect the brain’s stress response, making it more reactive and less adaptive. Research has found that children exposed to violence or abuse, if left unaddressed or ignored, are at an increased risk for emotional and behavioral problems in the future. This doesn’t excuse anything Woo Jin did (or didn’t) do (concerning Si Won), but it does explain why he is the way he is. Woo Jin is so fascinating because of his many layers, but I was genuinely surprised by Tae Min because he managed to miraculously grew up to be a well-rounded person. We don’t know whether these two got help or not, but I’m betting no.