The Swarm
Hi Bye, Mama returns this week with a slightly slower episode with more flashback but still manages to deliver some touching scenes as Yu-Ri slowly gets used to her humanity and start to reveal herself to the people around her. There are some amusing moments too as we see more of the ghosts, while she tries figuring out just where her place may be. Episode 3 of Hi, Bye Mama starts with a flashback of Yu-Ri arriving in Hyeon-Jong’s restaurant with a suitcase, crying as she just had a fight with Gang-Hwa. We then cut back to where the last episode left off as she hugs her daughter in the playground while a shocked Gang-Hwa watches on. As she tries to walk away he stops her, asking how this is possible. They both decide to go in a coffee shop to discuss the situation. While nervously drinking, Yu-Ri is torn about how to explain her reasons for being alive. After much deliberation, she decides to pretend she doesn’t remember anything and that she just woke up, thinking that maybe she behaved so well in the after-life she was given a vacation. Realizing that Gang-Hwa is not telling her about his new wife, she decides to run off. He goes after her again and decides to pay for her to stay in a hotel for now and gives her his card. Meanwhile, Min-Jung wonders what is happening and where Gang-Hwa is, while Geun-Sang speaks to his wife and insists that he saw Yu-Ri. She berates him again and a hilarious argument ensues in the restaurant between them. Hyeon-Jong later walks down the street and comes face to face with Gang-Hwa claiming that Yu-Ri is alive. She doesn’t believe him and chases him away. Back home, Gang-Hwa lies to Min-Jung as he tells her it was his friend who picked up Seo-Woo. He suddenly sees on his phone a lot of transactions recently made with his card, as we cut to Yu-Ri ordering plates of food and watching TV while drinking a lot of beers. In the charnel house, the ghosts watch a cooking program while wondering where Yu-Ri is. The Pil-Seung family decide to lie as they don’t want all the ghosts knowing she is alive as they would keep asking her for favours. They follow their son around and as they realize he is on the toilet without any paper, they seek Yu-Ri’s help to bring him some. All four head outside and as she explains what has happened to her, all the ghosts around them realise Yu-Ri can see ghosts and swarm around, demanding favours. She runs away from them and after a long chase, Yu-Ri hides in a market where she sees her mother browsing the different food stalls. Thinking that Yu-Ri is going to see her family next, Gang-Hwa calls his ex-sister in law, warning her that something crazy is about to happen and to take a calming pill. As Gang-Hwa arrives, Yeon-Ji opens the door but they both see that a bag with medicine was left by the side. He realizes that Yu-Ri must have dropped them there and leaves quickly to go looking for her. Yu-Ri decides to go to Seo-Woo’s school to speak to the little boy ghost. One of the teachers wonders what she’s doing there so she offers to apply to be a kitchen assistant. As she waits to be interviewed, she overhears the three mothers complaining about how odd Seo-Woo has been acting lately. After coming out of her lawyer’s office with divorce papers, Min-Jong heads to the hospital. There, she finds out what happened with the surgery and that Gang-Hwa will face a disciplinary hearing. She later texts him to say she will pick up Seo-Woo but realizing she will see Yu-Ri, Gang-Hwa insists to go himself and runs towards the school. Min-Jong arrives first though and is shocked when she comes face to face with Yu-Ri. In the epilogue, we see a flashback of a day Hyeon-Jong had Yu-Ri’s usual birthday meal prepared for her, while her mother went into her old room which she has kept exactly the same. We then see Yu-Ri in the present as she drops the medicine to her mother’s house and drinks by Hyeon’s house. Hi Bye, Mama had quite the powerful message in this episode. As the title states “Realising the beauty of life is only possible after death”, shows that even the little things like eating and drinking should be appreciated and every day should be lived to its fullest. Yu-Ri realizes she took a lot for granted now that she has been given a second chance. This episode had quite a few flashbacks and felt a little slower than the last two, however the drama carries on with its engaging and enjoyable tone as Yu-Ri tries to figure out what she needs to do. There were some fun scenes too with the ghosts and I am hoping to see more of those in the weeks to come. The clock is ticking for Yu-Ri as she only has a limited amount of days on earth before a judgment gets passed on her. It will be interesting to see how the events unfold and if she will be allowed to stay on earth to finally be able to be in her daughter’s life. In the meantime though, Hi Bye, Mama delivers another decent chapter which makes this weekend drama well worth persevering with.
