Character Relationship Map: My Son

Characters

• Lee Gang-Sik (played by Cha Seung-won) — protagonist

  Lee Gang-Sik is a prisoner serving a life sentence for robbery and murder. After fifteen years of good behavior, he receives a one-day leave to visit his family. He is the father of Joon-suk and spend...

• Joon-suk (played by Ryu Deok-hwan) — supporting

  Joon-suk is Lee Gang-Sik's eighteen-year-old son, whom he has not seen since the boy was three. Forced to mature early, he cares for his elderly grandmother with dementia and initially views his fathe...

• Kang-Sik's mother (played by Kim Ji-young) — supporting

  Kang-Sik's mother is Joon-suk's elderly grandmother, and she has dementia. Joon-suk has been caring for her on his own while growing up without his father. Her condition helps explain the difficult re...

• correction officer (played by Jang Young-nam) — supporting

  A correction officer helps arrange Lee Gang-Sik's brief visit outside prison. The officer's assistance makes it possible for Lee Gang-Sik to travel and try to see his mother and Joon-suk after fifteen...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• correction officer → Lee Gang-Sik (Professional Correction Officer And Prisoner) — The officer facilitates Lee Gang-Sik's chance to see his family during his limited leave.

  The correction officer helps arrange Lee Gang-Sik's brief visit outside the prison.

• Joon-suk → Kang-Sik's mother (Family Grandson And Grandmother) — Joon-suk has cared for his elderly grandmother with dementia while growing up without his father.

  The character description identifies Kang-Sik's mother as Joon-suk's grandmother and says Joon-suk cares for her.

• Lee Gang-Sik → Kang-Sik's mother (Family Son And Mother) — After years without seeing her, Lee Gang-Sik finds that she appears confused and has difficulty recognizing him.

  Lee Gang-Sik visits Kang-Sik's mother, and the plot identifies her as his mother.

• Lee Gang-Sik → Joon-suk (Family Father And Son) — After fifteen years apart, they meet during Lee Gang-Sik's brief leave. Joon-suk confronts him about the violence he remembers, but their time together gradually becomes more tender.

  The plot identifies Joon-suk as Lee Gang-Sik's son and says he was three when Lee Gang-Sik left.

Story Analysis

A father serving a life sentence receives a brief chance to see the family he left behind, confronting old harm and finding a fragile moment of closeness with his son.

Plot Progression

1. A Prisoner's Appeal — Lee Gang-Sik describes fifteen years without seeing his son or mother and applies for a chance to visit them. A correction officer helps arrange a brief leave, but Lee fears that time will run out bef...
2. An Unfamiliar Outside World — During the journey, ordinary sights and sensations overwhelm Lee Gang-Sik. His visit to his mother is painful when she appears confused and has difficulty recognizing him.
3. A Reunion Burdened by Memory — Lee Gang-Sik and Joon-suk finally meet, but the reunion is strained. Joon-suk confronts his father about the murder and the violence he remembers from childhood, while Lee struggles to express remorse...
4. A Brief Tenderness — The conversation becomes more tender as Lee Gang-Sik recalls places he visited with his young son. Walking together through a changed neighborhood gives them a moment of closeness, though their future...