"Incarnation of Jealousy" Episode 3 recap

"Incarnation of Jealousy" has taken on the idea of identity and how that is shaped whether it be by gender, career, or social status. Both Na-ri and Hwa-sin suffer identity crises on a strangely parallel journey as they try to redefine themselves after a period of hardship.

Hwa-sin's dilemma mirrors one that many women with cancer of the breast and reproductive organs suffer. Are women still women without their distinctive body parts? Is Hwa-sin still a man without the breast tissue that helps shape his form? In a society that ranks men as the dominate sex, it is difficult for Hwa-sin to come to terms with a disease that is known to be a disease for women. It's difficult for him to absorb the news that he has cancer and the humiliation of having a cancer for "women" is even more so. The acceptance he is going to have to learn will make a wonderful journey coupled with the redefinition of his career after being expatriated in Thailand for several years. The reason for his escape from Korea is one fraught with good intentions gone awry. His set up is quite rich and I'm looking forward to his journey. Perhaps "Incarnation of Jealousy" will even attempt to bridge some gender barriers, which would be amazing.

As for Na-ri, she suffers from a career crisis because she is a contract worker who needs money more than she needs to fulfill her dream of becoming an announcer. Her quietly defiant nature is what wins over Hwa-sin and Jeong-woo, but it is also what gets her in trouble with authority. Maybe it will drive her towards her goals. Currently, she suffers from a benign lump in her breast that places her in the hospital at the same time as Hwa-sin. Their parallel journeys through physical health and career insecurity is a nice touch. Although their paths aren't perfectly mirrored, it gives them a serious point of relation that I feel Hwa-sin will cling to.

The streak of quirky happenings continues in this episode with a musical number that appears in Hwa-sin's older brother's dream. It is a marriage of his unusual family: his ex-wives, his child, those who live in his apartment, and his brother. Again, that idea of family is explored by grouping all of these people together and I really like that. It gives me hope that this drama will explore the unconventional in a clever way.

A shout out goes to Jo Jeong-seok who is so expressive. All of Hwa-sin's feelings and especially his sufferings are clear and transparent. And his pairing with Ko Kyeong-pyo is absolutely charming, a bromance to remember even at this early stage. I am happily moving along to episode 4!

Written by: Lisa Espinosa AKA Raine from 'Raine's Dichotomy'

"Incarnation of Jealousy" is directed by Park Shin-woo, written by Seo Sook-hyang, and features Jo Jeong-seok, Kong Hyo-jin, Ko Kyeong-pyo, Lee Mi-sook, and Park Ji-yeong.

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