SUMMARY: In “Inseparable Brothers”, two men who grew up together in an orphanage. One has a physical disability and the other has a developmental disability. They develop a bond that is possibly even closer than blood brothers and together they can survive in this world. But what happens if they get separated?
In “Inseparable Brothers”, two young boys live at “The House of Responsibility” which is managed by a priest and is a home for orphans with disabilities. Se Ha became physically disabled when he was 2 years old as a result of an accident and also, his mother died. Dong Goo has a developmental disability and was abandoned by his birth mother at a swimming pool.
The priest paired Dong Goo with Se Ha because even though he was physically disabled, Se Ha was very intelligent. Dong Goo could help Se Ha with his physical disabilities and Se Ha could help Dong Goo with his mental/developmental disabilities. They actually made quite a good pair, were as close as blood brothers, and became inseparable.
When Se Ha and Dong Goo became adults, the priest passed away, and all of the orphans who lived at “The House of Responsibility” had to be moved to a new home because the building was going to be demolished. Se Ha and Dong Goo did not want to be separated and with the help of a friend, they were relocated to a new home. Dong Goo had a gift. He could swim like a fish.
One day when they were both at a public swimming pool watching a competition, Se Has noted that the winner received $1000. That gave him an idea. They met a woman name Mi-Hyun who was also an excellent swimmer. Se Ha convinced her to train Dong Goo so that he could compete in the next competition and hopefully win the prize money. Mi-Hyun agreed and also became close friends with them.
Life carried on and the two disabled men did their best to live each day to the fullest. The priest taught them two guiding principles for living their life:
One day Dong Goo’s mother showed up and she wanted take her son back home. Se Has protested vehemently. How could she dare show up after 20 years and act like she was a loving mother? There was a custody battle in court over who Dong Goo should and could live with. Since he was an adult, even though he had the mind of a 5-year-old, the judge allowed him to choose. Dong Goo chose to live with his mom, although he did not realize it meant that he would be separated from Se Ha. Oh no! Too late!
When Mi-Hyun would visit Dong Goo, he always asked about Se Ha, and repeated over and over that Se Ha couldn’t push his wheelchair by himself. He must never be left alone, all by himself. Clearly, he was fretting, and being separated from Se Has was causing him angst. Se Ha, on the other hand, was seething with anger because he lost the custody battle. He had practiced and practiced and told Dong Goo exactly what to say when the judge asked him who he wanted to live with. But Dong Goo gave the wrong answer!
Se Ha was so furious that he didn’t want to forgive Dong Goo. So what if he had the mind of a 5-year-old? They practiced the answer! How could he pick his mother? But what could Se Ha do? The court gave custody to the mother. All those years the two had been inseparable. Now he had to carry on living separately without Dong Goo.
My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewers.
“Inseparable Brothers” was added to my watch list after having watched the Korean film “The Bros” and the K-drama series “Miraculous Brothers”. This movie is a Kdrama with disabled characters, and it is very touching and inspiring. I appreciated the quote: “Once you are born, you have a responsibility to live until the end.” The relationship between the brothers, the strength of their bond … that moment when they both cried … everything tugged at your heartstrings. Kudos to whoever cast these two top-notch actors ~ Shin Ha Kyun and Lee Kwang Soo ~ as the male leads. I love those guys!!
SIMILAR K-DRAMAS: (Bear with me dear readers. I grew up with 7 brothers. OK? LOL.) Two more Korean dramas about brothers are on my watch list: “We Are Brothers” (2014) and “My Little Brother” (2017). Reviews are forthcoming.
K-Movie Review: Inseparable Bros (2019) | MaryMeKpop
Flash Review: Inseparable Bros [Movie] | The Fangirl Verdict
Inseparable Bros (2019) 나의 특별한 형제 Review | EonTalk
(Movie Review) ‘Inseparable Bros’ shows water thicker than blood | Yonhap News Agency
Viki Global TV. “Inseparable Bros – OFFICIAL TRAILER | Korean Film | Shin Ha Kyun, Lee Kwang Soo.” YouTube Video. YouTube, December 2, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8swTihqTm8Y.
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