... In Translation

 

After watching … In Translation I realize this was the Jin flashback episode and House of the Rising Sun was of course the Sun-centric episode.  With that info under our belts, we go into this episode seeing Jin meeting with Sun’s father Mr. Paik.  The same meeting we saw in Sun’s flashback where she was waiting for Jin during the meeting.  What we see is that the meeting didn’t exactly go as well as Jin made it out to be.  Sure Jin was allowed to marry Sun but at what cost?  After telling Mr. Paik his dream is to own a restaurant and hotel he tells him he would do anything for Sun.  Something Mr. Paik will definitely test Jin about.  Jin also tells Mr. Paik that his own father is dead.

 

 

On the island Sun is wearing a bikini and Jin rushes to stop her and cover her up.  The two argue and Sun is shoved down into the sand.  Michael rushes to her aid and threatens Jin.  To Michael’s surprise Sun slaps Michael in the face and walks away with Jin.  Later Sun explains to Michael the reason she slapped him was because if it had gotten physical between Jin and Michael it would have ended up badly for Michael.  Michael is working on the raft and Jack asks him how many people the raft will hold, and Michael says he has room for one more as the raft will only hold four people.  Jack asks who the third person already on the raft with Michael and Walt.  The answer is Sawyer who has paid his way onto the raft.  That night the raft catches fire and many of the survivors including Sawyer and Michael think the fire was set by Jin.  Sun then finds Jin in the caves needing attention to burns on his hands.  Sun accuses him of burning the raft too.

 

 

Continuing the flashback, Jin is promoted and given a job where he has to “take a message” to the Secretary of Environmental Safety who has decided to shut down Mr. Paik’s factory.  Jin delivers the message and as an apology Mr. Han gives Jin a puppy to give to Mr. Paik.  This is the same dog we see Jin give to Sun in her flashback but again the story is a little different from Jin’s perspective.  After dinner, Mr. Paik calls Jin and tells him he didn’t deliver the message properly as the factory is still closed.  Jin didn’t understand his job was to threaten Mr. Han physically not just talk to him.  Jin is sent back to Mr. Han with another big brute of a guy who brings a gun along.  Jin brutally attacks Mr. Han in front of his wife and daughter but he also tells him he just saved his life.  It’s interesting to see that while this is going on Mr. Han’s daughter is watching TV and we see Hurley is on the news for winning the lottery.  Jin tells the other hired thug that Mr. Han got the message and they leave.

 

 

Sawyer ambushes Jin knocking him out and then tying him up and taking him to the beach.  Michael then attacks Jin beating him up.  Sun begs Michael to stop and surprises everyone by speaking English.  Jin is shocked as well.  She explains that the reason Jin’s hands are burnt is because he tried to put the fire out not start it.  Locke states that it was probably the others that are on the island who burnt the raft not any of the survivors.  This was Locke’s “We’re not the only people on this island and we all know it!” speech.  Sun goes to Jin and tells him she was going to leave him (she says this part in English) but decided not to.  Then in Korean she asks Jin for a fresh start.  He says it is too late for that and walks away. 

 

The next scene in Jin’s flashback we saw before in Sun’s flashback where he comes home and washes off the blood from Mr. Han.  The only difference is after Sun slaps Jin we see Jin break down and cry after Sun leaves the bathroom.  Jin is realizing he isn’t cut out for this type of work.  The next day Jin goes to visit his father in a fishing village proving Jin lied about his father being dead.  Jin begs for his father’s forgiveness for being ashamed of him.  Jin tells his father about his marital issues and his wish to start over.  Jin’s next job is to sell watches for his father-in-law in Sydney and Los Angeles.  His father tells him to go to American and with Sun and start a new life there. 

Back on the island Locke asks Walt why he set the raft on fire.  Walt says he did it because he is tired of moving around that he’s done it too much lately.  Walt also tells Locke that he likes the island and wants to stay there.  Locke says he likes the island as well and promises not to tell anyone Walt started the fire.  The next morning Sun, wearing the bikini again is seen standing on the beach as a free woman while Jin helps Michael rebuild the raft.  I wanted to also point out that I do not know who was the cinematographer for this episode but they did one hell of a job.  This is one of the episodes that was beautiful and caught all of Hawaii's natural glory.