Character Relationship Map: Barking Dogs Never Bite

Characters

• Go Yun-ju (played by Lee Sung-jae) — protagonist

  An unemployed academic and Yun-sil's husband struggling to secure a professorship. He accidentally locks a neighbor's Shih Tzu, later steals an old woman's Min Pin, and throws it off a roof. After his...

• Park Hyeon-nam (played by Bae Doona) — protagonist

  The lazy bookkeeper and custodian who dreams of fame. She witnesses Yun-ju throwing a dog off the roof and chases him. After the old woman dies, Hyun-nam discovers the kidnapped Toy Poodle Soon-Ja wit...

• Bae Eun-sil (played by Kim Ho-jung) — supporting

  Yun-ju's pregnant wife facing job loss and marital strain. She buys a Toy Poodle named Soon-Ja with her severance pay, showing more affection for it than her husband. When the dog goes missing, she sc...

• Janitor (played by Byun Hee-bong) — supporting

  A basement worker with a disturbing habit of cooking and eating dogs. He prepares to cook the dead Shih Tzu Yun-ju locked away, later digs up the buried Min Pin to make stew, and is caught by a homele...

• Seul-gi (played by Chae-rin Hwang) — supporting
• Yoon Jang-mi (played by Koh Soo-hee) — supporting

  Hyun-nam's friend who shares her desire for fame. She assists Hyun-nam by knocking out the homeless man who kidnapped Soon-Ja, leading to his arrest. Later, she accompanies Hyun-nam on a long-awaited...

• Seul-gi's Mother (played by Sookyung Lee) — minor

Canonical Relationships

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

• Seul-gi's Mother → Seul-gi (mother)
• Go Yun-ju → Bae Eun-sil (Family Husband) — They are married, but financial pressure and resentment damage their relationship.

  The plot identifies Eun-sil as Yun-ju's pregnant wife. Their marriage is strained by his unemployment and ambition.

Story Dynamics

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

• Bae Eun-sil → Park Hyeon-nam (Alliance Dog Recovery Beneficiary) — Hyeon-nam's rescue indirectly helps Eun-sil recover Soon-Ja.

  Hyeon-nam rescues Soon-Ja from the basement and returns the dog to Yun-ju, restoring Eun-sil's missing pet.

• Janitor → Go Yun-ju (Narrative Unwitting Consequence) — The Janitor's actions intensify the consequences of Yun-ju's cruelty.

  The Janitor discovers the Shih Tzu Yun-ju locked in the basement cabinet, pulls out its dead body, and prepares to cook it.

• Park Hyeon-nam → Janitor (Alliance Practical Associate) — Hyeon-nam relies on the Janitor to conceal the disturbing aftermath of the incident.

  After the Min Pin dies, Hyeon-nam gets the Janitor to bury the body.

• Park Hyeon-nam → Yoon Jang-mi (Social Friend) — Their friendship provides Hyeon-nam with companionship and emotional support.

  Hyeon-nam and Jang-mi share a desire for fame, and Jang-mi later accompanies her on a long-awaited hike.

• Go Yun-ju → Park Hyeon-nam (Conflict Witnessed Adversary) — Hyeon-nam becomes an unwitting pursuer of Yun-ju after observing his crime.

  Hyeon-nam witnesses Yun-ju throw the Min Pin from the roof and chases him, although she never sees his face.

Story Analysis

A darkly comic chain of cruelty, guilt, domestic resentment, and unexpected compassion unfolds around missing dogs in an apartment complex.

Plot Progression

1. Barking Beneath Ambition — Yun-ju struggles with unemployment, marital tension, and his desire for a professorship. His search for a barking dog leads him to imprison an innocent Shih Tzu.
2. The Cost of Mistaken Cruelty — Yun-ju realizes that the Shih Tzu could not have caused the barking, but the Janitor's discovery makes the consequences horrifying. Yun-ju then steals the old woman's actual barking dog and kills it.
3. Domestic Losses — Eun-sil brings home Soon-Ja, but Yun-ju loses the dog and responds with anger. Eun-sil's revelation about her financial sacrifice forces him to confront his selfishness.
4. Rescue Beneath the Roof — Hyeon-nam learns of the old woman's death and continues pursuing a meaningful rescue. She finds Soon-Ja with the homeless man, while Jang-mi helps her escape and secure the dog's return.
5. A Hollow Success — Yun-ju confesses his responsibility for the Min Pin's death while drunk. Later, he becomes a professor, whereas Hyeon-nam finally enjoys a hike with Jang-mi despite her unresolved disappointment.