Character Relationship Map: Oasis

Characters

• Hong Jong-du (played by Sul Kyung-gu) — protagonist

  Protagonist serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence for a hit-and-run (actually committed by his brother). After release, he struggles with social integration, works odd jobs, and falls deeply in love...

• Hong Jong-sae (played by Ryoo Seung-wan) — supporting

  Jong-du's younger brother who bails him out of police custody and facilitates his reunion with the estranged family. He reluctantly takes Jong-du back into their household despite his social difficult...

• Han Sang-shik (played by Son Byung-ho) — supporting

  Gong-ju's brother who abandons her to move out, leaving her with neighbors. He exploits her disability status to secure a subsidized apartment while deceiving authorities about her residence. He is in...

• Jong-sae's Wife (played by Chu Gwi-jeong) — supporting
• Woman Neighbor (played by Park Myung-shin) — supporting

  One of the neighbors entrusted with caring for Gong-ju while her brother relocates. They provide basic supervision but are largely unaware of her secret relationship with Jong-du.

• Woman Neighbor's Husband (played by Park Kyung-geun) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

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

• Woman Neighbor's Husband → Woman Neighbor (husband)
• Jong-sae's Wife → Hong Jong-sae (wife)

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Hong Jong-du → Han Sang-shik (Conflict) — Their relationship is defined by hostility, guilt, and opposing responses to the abandoned sister's situation.

  Hong Jong-du visits the family of the man killed in the accident and encounters Han Sang-shik, who is horrified by his intrusion and has abandoned his...

Story Analysis

A socially isolated man seeks connection and love while repeatedly colliding with family guilt, public prejudice, and legal consequences.

Plot Progression

1. A Prisoner Returns — Hong Jong-du returns to Seoul after prison and finds himself excluded from his family and ordinary social life. His attempts at reintegration lead to unstable work and a visit connected to the hit-and...
2. The Abandoned Apartment — Hong Jong-du discovers that Han Sang-shik has left his sister isolated with neighbors. His curiosity leads to an invasive visit that becomes frightening and harmful.
3. Secret Affection — After losing his delivery job, Hong Jong-du finds work at an auto repair shop. A midnight call begins a series of secret meetings that develops into an intense attachment.
4. Truth At The Birthday — The couple confronts public discrimination while seeking private comfort. At a family birthday, Hong Jong-du learns that he accepted prison for a crime actually committed by his brother.
5. Branches Against The Shadows — A private intimate encounter is misunderstood after Han Sang-shik arrives, resulting in Hong Jong-du's arrest. Hong Jong-du escapes, cuts away the threatening branches, and is returned to prison.