Jo Yi-seo - Finding Love Between Sociopathy and Genius
A Shocking First Appearance
Jo Yi-seo's (played by Kim Da-mi) first appearance was shocking itself. A high school student who showed up saying she'd promote DanBam Pub on SNS. But she wasn't just any teenager. She was a unique character with an IQ of 162 who introduced herself as a "sociopath."
At first, I worried whether this character could gain empathy. A person with no emotions, insensitive to others' pain, moving only for her own benefit. She was a protagonist with typical villain characteristics.
A Sociopath? Or a Wounded Genius?
But as the drama progressed, it became clear that Jo Yi-seo wasn't just a simple psychopath. She didn't lack emotions - she just didn't know how to express them.
Yi-seo's past was gradually revealed. A lonely genius who couldn't fit in with her peers because of her exceptional intelligence, with no one who understood her true feelings. Her calling herself a "sociopath" might have been a defense mechanism. Drawing a line before getting hurt.
Before meeting Park Saeroyi, Yi-seo had no real goals. She had a genius mind but didn't know what to use it for. She just sought out stimulating things to feel alive.
The Process of Learning Love
Yi-seo's biggest change happens in the process of learning love. Falling for Park Saeroyi at first sight, she discovers that she can feel the emotion called love.
"Boss, I like you."
Yi-seo's confession was the most honest and direct scene in the entire drama. She didn't hide or beat around the bush with her feelings. She revealed her heart as it was. That's exactly Yi-seo's charm.
After discovering love, Yi-seo gets jealous, hurts, and sometimes shows clumsy sides. Because she's not used to handling emotions, she often expresses them more extremely. But all those moments made Yi-seo more human.
출처: NamuWiki
Using Genius Abilities Sincerely
Yi-seo's genius was initially used self-centeredly. SNS marketing, eliminating competitors, used only as means to achieve goals. What mattered to her was only the result, and it didn't matter who got hurt in the process.
But as she became part of the DanBam family, and as she fell in love with Saeroyi, Yi-seo's abilities began to be used differently. Her mind works for DanBam's growth, to achieve Saeroyi's dream, and to protect the people she cherishes.
Especially in the fight against Jangga, Yi-seo shows not just a strategist but a real leader. She grows into someone who has both cold strategy and a warm heart.
Contrast with Oh Soo-ah
What made Yi-seo even more three-dimensional was the contrast with Oh Soo-ah (played by Kwon Nara). If Soo-ah is cautious, introverted, and hides her feelings, Yi-seo is bold, direct, and reveals everything.
Both female characters love Saeroyi, but the way they express that love was completely different. Soo-ah waits, Yi-seo conquers. This contrast added tension to the drama and simultaneously made both characters more charming.
Kim Da-mi's Passionate Performance
When talking about the character Jo Yi-seo, we can't leave out Kim Da-mi's acting. Expressing both psychopathic coldness and the innocence of a girl in love simultaneously couldn't have been easy, but Kim Da-mi pulled it off perfectly.
Especially the eye acting expressing emotional changes was spectacular. The subtle differences in those moments when she'd laugh cynically but change to pure eyes when looking at Saeroyi. Those subtle differences made Yi-seo a living character.
Happy Ending, and Controversy
The drama ultimately ends with Yi-seo and Saeroyi getting together. Many viewers cheered for this ending, but some expressed disappointment.
However, if you've watched Yi-seo's growth process, you can see that this ending is natural. The process of someone who didn't know love learning it, someone self-centered learning to devote themselves to others. That was Yi-seo's story.
The Yi-seo Within Us
Yi-seo asks us: "If you have no emotions, are you a bad person?" She was someone who deviated from society's definition of "normal," but she could still love and grow.
There's a Yi-seo in all of us. Those moments when we lose our true selves while living according to others' expectations. Yi-seo tells us: "You can be loved as you are."
In Closing
Jo Yi-seo wasn't just a typical romance drama heroine. She was a complex, three-dimensional character finding balance between sociopath and genius, coldness and warmth, selfishness and devotion.
Her honesty, boldness, and the way she changed for love. Yi-seo was the core element that made "Itaewon Class" not just a revenge drama but a growth story.
Did you root more for Yi-seo or Soo-ah? Share your thoughts in the comments! 💙