Movies and Role Models of A Man

As a child who watched television all day long, one thing I could never forget is watching Korean Dramas in Indosiar, one of the television channels in Indonesia. From 2000-2012 some of the most iconic Korean Dramas were produced. Autumn in My Heart, Winter Sonata, Stairway to Heaven, and Boys Before Flowers, were the first generation of K-Dramas that has been aired in Indonesia, they were so booming. They mostly offer a similar plot, a love story with the romantic couple as their main leads. Some older people like our parents probably watch Winter Sonata and Stairway to Heaven because it was produced in the early 2000s, at that time there was also a famous Taiwanese Drama called Meteor Garden, the main lead, Tao Ming Tse idolized by so many women back then. Those who were born in the 2000s will most likely watch Boys Before Flowers, like me, I watched Boys Before Flowers around 2009-2010 on Indosiar. As a first-timer watching K-Drama, Boys Before Flowers really caught my eye, the story is fresh, especially in Indonesia, I was 9-10 years old back then and of course, mostly I don't understand the storyline because I was so young. But for the first time in my life, I want to be like someone in that drama.

Boys Before Flowers is a story about a group of 4 young people, a high schooler called F4. They come from wealthy families, the main leader Gu Jun Pyo is the second son of a Korean conglomerate called Shinhwa Group. The second member of F4, Yoon Ji Hoo was born into a wealthy and illustrious family, his grandfather was notable for being the President of South Korea.?The third member of F4, So Yi Jung is a ceramic artist who was crowned as the youngest ceramic artist by UNESCO, his grandfather owned one of the biggest art museums in Korea. The fourth member of F4, Song Woo Bin whose family founded a construction company, was considered the "blue chip" of the construction industry and were wealthy real estate tycoons, his family was also rumored to have connections to the mob. The four of them live comfortably and have fun at school until one day an ordinary girl named Geum Jan Di came into their school and made a different situation. Geum Jan Di is the elder child of middle-class parents, her father operated a dry cleaning business named after her, Jan Di Dry Cleaners.

The story started when Geum Jan Di decided to go to Shinhwa School where those boys from F4 was also a student in Shinhwa School (because the owner of this school is Shinhwa Group). At first, Geum Jan Di met Yoon Ji Hoo while he was playing his violin, Geum Jan Di asked him anyway looking for direction in Shinhwa School since it was her first time. Yoon Ji Hoo didn't talk at all just pointed his finger in the direction Geum Jan Di wanted to go. One moment later Geum Jan Di saw F4 bully a young student and then she didn't like the seniority by the F4, especially Gu Jun Pyo, so she decided to have a talk with him (everybody's afraid to talk to Gu Jun Pyo) and the story continues.

Most people agree that Gu Jun Pyo and Yoon Ji Hoo is the most talked about member of F4 rather than So Yi Jung and Song Woo Bin. But there is really different characteristic of both of them Gu Jun Pyo is a really loud guy, a bully, someone who will say harsh words to people. Meanwhile, Yoon Ji Hoo is a calm guy, really quiet, a charming person and he is like having his own world. Anyway, a triangle love did happen between Geum Jan Di, Gu Jun Pyo, and Yoon Ji Hoo, and we can all guess who's end up getting her? Yes, it's Gu Jun Pyo with all of that characteristics. But I am not going to write about Gu Jun Pyo, I want to write Yoon Ji Hoo, the person I wanted to be, back when I was young, my role model.

Yoon Ji Hoo is a calm guy, he loves music so much, he can play guitar, piano, and violin. He loves riding horses. In his life he only loved two women, the first one is Min Seo Hyun, he knew her since he was little, and then they break up, complicated. The second woman he fell in love with is Geum Jan Di, as shown most of all time in the drama. With Geum Jan Di, you can see his compassion and love towards her, he helped her most of the time when she gets in trouble, Geum Jan Di even said he was her 'brave firefighter' because he always showed up whenever her heart 'burns'. Different than Gu Jun Pyo, Yoon Ji Hoo was never mad or angry at Geum Jan Di, never scream at her, and never throw a hand, instead, he always tried to make her smile, even buying her a present. He was always there for her, he helped her so many times, he was totally a good guy.

As a child, the character of Yoon Ji Hoo really stuck in my head until right now, even back then I asked my mother to buy me a piano because I really want to be like Yoon Ji Hoo ( I can play guitar and then trying to play piano as well). Most important things, I want to treat my girl just like Yoon Ji Hoo did, and it has always been until right now. I don't want to scream, yelled, mad, let alone throw a hand. I want to make her smile, buy things that made her happy, and help her whenever she needs help. Yoon Ji Hoo really set an example on how a gentleman should be. A pure good person.

Boys Before Flowers, especially Yoon Ji Hoo is just one example of how many good models could exist for us.

This story teaches us that sometimes we need a role model in our lives just to be a better person, sometimes maybe not from the real world, sometimes from a movie, sometimes from a cartoon, or maybe somebody you met in the street or coffee shop or it could be your bartender in the bar after hearing his side story for 2 hours or maybe your closest friend. We need examples on how should we behave, and always try to do better for somebody else. If you have been doing well, good, continue to do well because maybe somebody looks up to you as their role model.

Now I am wondering if any cases related to domestic violence that leads to divorce are just because most people don't have a role model and don't watch enough movies. They don't try to be a better person, a better version of themself, it is simply because they couldn't see other figures that inspire them to be better. Maybe they never know Yoon Ji Hoo or maybe they haven't found their Yoon Ji Hoo.

Watch a lot of movies and figure out, what kind of role model fits and inspires you.