Melancholia (멜랑꼴리아)

All characters, groups, and events are fictional.

2017

Episode 1

Security

Hi.

- Hi, Hye-mi. - Oh, hi!

- Hi. - Hi, there.

Hye-mi!

- Oh, hi! - Hello.

Asung High School

Asung High School

Thank you for taking your time to come here today.

I'm afraid I have to start today's event with an apology.

I'm sure you were surprised to read a recent article about our school,

referring to Asung High School an advantage department store.

"Advantage".

We call it "chance" these days.

"Mom chance", "Dad chance",

"Grandparents chance", "Principal chance"...

That's right.

Asung's students do get a benefit from those "chances".

It is true.

Humans have always been competing to pass exams in history.

Asung High School

A long time ago, in Ming,

a scholar failed every exam he took.

As he was about to hang himself, he got upset

and decided to talk to the king.

"I worked so hard even my beard went gray."

"Why did I fail?"

"Why did those who didn't try as hard"

"or not as good as I am pass the exam?"

Then the king called in two deities.

Asung High School

The deity of hard work, and the deity of destiny.

The king asked them to drink as much as they could.

Guess how it went.

The deity of destiny had seven glasses,

while the deity of hard work only had three glasses.

That's where this old saying came from.

"Seven luck and three hard work".

It means, no matter how hard you work, you can't fight your destiny.

- Nonsense. - People call...

our Asung students' destiny, "advantage".

When they're asked this question, what do you think they'll say?

"If you can choose between hard work and luck,"

"what would you like to have?"

We're living in times where luck is more important than hard work.

Nonsense.

The world is already being ruled by those who are lucky.

That's totally nonsense.

- Oh, my. - What's wrong with her?

Goodness. How embarrassing.

You changed the story, Ms. Noh.

It wasn't the deity of hard work who competed against the deity of destiny.

It was the deity of justice who competed against the deity of destiny.

The true meaning of "Seven luck and three hard work"

is that luck plays a certain role in matters,

but there is also justice,

so luck doesn't decide everything.

It's okay if the teachers and the parents here

don't want to listen to this.

However,

I hope the students,

our children,

remember this.

Many people say that.

Those who don't have luck nor the courage to make justice.

In other words, losers.

Aren't you supposed to be under police investigation today?

Goodbye, Ms. Ji Yoon-su.

- Take her out. - Take her out.

Security

- Hurry. - There's no time.

Ms. Ji!

Stop him.

I'll prove it.

I will prove it.

Take her away.

Police

Police

- She was a great teacher. - A great teacher?

Then how did this happen?

Many things in this world won't become a problem

as long as it's kept hidden.

But she was unable to hide it.

Ms. Ji wasn't able to.

- Are you out of your mind? - You call yourself a teacher?

- Say something! - Hey!

- She's driving me nuts. - Aren't you ashamed of yourself?

- Gosh. - She's not reflecting at all!

My goodness, Seung-yoo's mom.

Her affections, special feelings,

and overflowing emotions she had towards him.

That's why this happened in the end.

Ms. Ji Yoon-su.

Did you sleep with him?

I'm asking if you slept with this student.

With Asung High School's junior

- (Personal Information) - Baek Seung-yoo.

4 months ago, Cheongju Station

- Oh, my goodness! - My gosh!

How could this happen?

Are you all right?

There's been a hit-and-run in front of Cheongju Station.

A motorcycle hit a lady and ran away.

The license plate?

North Chungcheong Province Cheongju C 2418

Vroom Express Delivery, 010-891-0276

Has anyone seen the license plate?

North Chungcheong Province Cheongju C 2418.

The license plate on the motorcycle.

And 010-891-0276.

That was the number on the delivery box.

Rich Tour

That's not how you do it. Give it to me.

Come on.

This should be how you do it.

You can't do it!

But you can't either.

- Not like that. Try this one. - Be quiet.

- Guys! - Mom's here.

Hurry up!

- You got everything, right? - My pyraminx!

- Darn it. - You should've been careful.

Safe Bus

What? Why is it solved?

- Hey! - You're here!

Everyone's here.

Let's go in.

- Welcome. - They sure make a big fuss.

Please take good care of it. Don't mix it up with theirs.

Understood.

Seung-yoo's mom.

- Get up. - Why?

This table's reserved.

For who?

- Hye-mi! - Hi.

Hye-mi!

Oh, my! Seung-yoo's mom, it's been a while.

Yes, it has, Ye-rin's mom.

- Goodness, she called her "Ye-rin's mom." - To Hye-mi?

I don't think you know since it's been a while,

but our seats have already been arranged.

It has? But I don't see any name tags.

What decides our seat isn't our name.

- Then what? - Our children's name.

To be precise,

it's where our children's names are on the school student ranking.

I think Seung-yoo's seat...

is around there.

But do sit here if you'd like.

- My gosh, look at her. - What an embarrassment.

If she's dumb, she should at least be quick-witted.

Hye-mi, here. Sit here.

- Come on, quickly. - Okay.

Thank you.

This is your seat.

Hello?

- Are you there? - Yes, I'm in the hall.

Don't hang up. Keep me on the line.

Okay.

Husband

Oh, my! She's here.

Goodness, she is!

- Hello. - Hello.

What brings everyone here?

Are we having a parent meeting?

- We're here to eat lobster! - We're here to eat lobster!

- Gosh. - Oh, my! Ji-na, you're so pretty!

Everyone!

Parents of Asung High School

gathered here today for a meal.

And coincidentally, it so happens to be

the director of school affairs, Ms. Noh Jung-ah's birthday.

Shall we make a toast together?

- Yes! - Yes!

Director, happy birthday!

- Happy birthday! - Happy birthday!

- Happy birthday! - Live a long and healthy life!

Director, please say a word.

Firstly, thank you for wishing me a happy birthday.

The second semester will begin soon,

so as Asung High School's director of school affairs,

I'd like to say a few words.

You must all be worried about the constantly changing

educational policy.

Your heart must sink even by the slightest news.

Eliminating private high schools.

Reducing rolling admissions.

Standardizing high schools.

In other words, the standard of high school will be lowered.

But the students of Asung High School

will not become ordinary even if other schools are standardized.

Our students are special.

And we will provide a more differentiated education that fits that specialness.

But is it all right to go in a completely different direction from the policy?

Of course not.

So starting this semester, Asung High School has decided

to participate in the trial of the Ministry of Education's new policy,