Seoul Mates

"Seoul Mates"
Season 3, Episode 10 (?)
Airdate	December 16, 1991
Writer(s)	Diane Frolov Andrew Schneider
Director	Jack Bender
Guest star(s)
Kim Kim as Yung Yong Ja Kwi Hyun Song as Yung Duk Won Chi-Muoi Lo as Yung Bong Joo William J. White as Dave the Cook
←   Episode sequence   →
"Get Real"	"Dateline: Cicely"

Summary

The holidays are celebrated with a pageant of the raven by the townsfolk, and bring mixed blessings for an accident-prone Maggie, a first Christmas tree for Joel, and a foreign family for Maurice.

Plot

On KBHR, Chris-in-the-Morning announces preparations for the annual Raven Pageant, a holiday tradition in Cicely. Maurice arrives to talk to Chris, and seems depressed because he is alone during the holidays. Just then, Shelly enters and tells him that there are people to see him. Two Korean men and one woman are waiting to talk to him, and the younger man introduces himself as Yung Bong Joo, the other man as his dad, Yung Duk Won, and the woman as his grandmom, Yung Yong Ja. Maurice is confused, and asks why they are there to see him. Bong says that Duk Won is Maurice's son.

Joel watches eagerly as Ed and Dave unload a Christmas tree for The Brick, and talks about how much he's always liked Christmas trees. When Ed asks if Joel would like to have one, Joel reminds Ed that he is Jewish. However, despite his heritage, Joel has always loved Christmas. Maggie enters and trips over a pile of logs. Joel tells Maggie that this is a subconscious indication that she doesn't want to go home for Christmas.

Shelly explains to Holling that she is depressed because she watched a Christmas television special with a "really fat Italian singer" and "this little boy's choir" that reminded her of Christmas Eve mass from childhood.

Maurice enters The Brick to find his son, Duk Won, and his mother and son, sitting at a table. He tells them that Bong's story checks out, and that he may have committed some improprieties in Korea when he was 16 years old. However, Bong is apparently the only one who understands any English, so he has to translate for the others. Maurice asks them how much money they want, and Bong tells him that Duk just wanted to meet his father. Despite this show of affection, Maurice's paranoia causes him to fear a lawsuit.

At Joel's cabin, Ed and Bong carry in a Christmas tree. Joel goes on for a while comparing Christmas and Hanukkah. When Ed is about to leave, Joel asks what he should do with the tree. Ed tells him to decorate it. Joel later talks to the tree, saying that his ownership of the tree does not betray his own religious beliefs. Maggie stumbles in to see him with a hurt ankle, and comments on the tree. Joel gets defensive, becuase he is Jewish and owns a tree. Maggie is more concerned with her impending trip home, and knows that she will soon find a round-trip ticket to Grosse Pointe in the mail.

At Maurice's cabin, the Yung family has apparently moved in for a few days. As Maurice brings in the laundry, he apologizes to Yong Ja for his corduroys bleeding in the wash, ruining her kimono. He offers to buy her a new one, but she refuses. Maurice appears genuinely sad and regretful when he tells her that, although he's been trying, he can't seem to remember her. Although she can't understand what he's saying, the sentiment is clear. After expressing his regrets, Maurice rather bluntly comments that she would probably be more happy with someone of her own "persuasion". This comment is based on Maurice's egocentric belief that she returned to marry him. When he makes that comment, Yong is obviously hurt and sad.

At Ruth-Anne's store, Joel comes in to buy Christmas tree ornaments, but all Ruth-Anne carries are raven lights and ornaments. Maggie shows up to pick up her mail, and finds the expected letter from home. Upon opening it, she finds that her have decided to go to St. Thomas this year by themselves. Joel tells Maggie that now she can relax, and Maggie agrees, but she is obviously bothered by the fact that her parents didn't even invite her to visit. She plays off her disappointment and quickly leaves.

The Minnifield household is having dinner and, in the middle, Duk calls Maurice "Dad". Clearly, Maurice feels uncomfortable with this show of affection, especially from a grown man. Duk begins pouring his heart out to Maurice, but Maurice is unfeeling and unresponsive. Finally, Bong puts on a cassette tape and Duk sings "Fly Me to the Moon" to Maurice, making him even more uncomfortable.

Later that night, Maurice is walking around town by himself, thinking, and he runs into Chris, who breaks off from the carolers to talk to Maurice. Maurice is bothered by his family, disappointed that his son is "a middleaged Chinaman", and generally annoyed by the fact that he's not white. However, he also feels guilty for rejecting his own flesh and blood. Chris simply tells Maurice that it's learned behavior and it can be unlearned. He walks off, leaving Maurice alone with his conscience.

The next day, at Maurice's, he tells Duk that he'd love to take a hike with him, but he has some work to do in his office. He rather sheepishly returns to his office, trying to avoid facing up to his prejudice. Yong bursts in on Maurice with Bong by her side translating. She tells Maurice that her son wanted to see his father for Christmas, and when Maurice tries to interrupt, she cuts him off. Maurice is quiet as she tells him that it was mistake, that they never should have come. She is on the verge of tears as she leaves. Maurice finally hears her words, and invites Duk to have dinner with him at The Brick.

Over dinner, Maurice tells Duk that, although he's not the son Maurice bargained for, Maurice is still his father. Duk is without a translator, so he has trouble understanding, but they soon begin communicating. When Maurice asks him what he does for a living, expecting Duk to be a barber or a tailor, he is amazed to find that his son is an electrical engineer. He even shouts out proudly, "Hey guys, he's an engineer!" For the first time, a sense of respect comes into Maurice's eyes. He pats him on the shoulder, and notices that Duk is rather muscular. Duk looks Maurice straight in the eye, slides the drinking glasses aside, and puts his elbow down on the table, in a challenge position. A look of determination crosses Maurice's face, and they arm wrestle, with Maurice beating Duk only after a tough battle. But after the match, Maurice has gained more respect for his son.

Maggie arrives at Joel's cabin to help him decorate his tree on Christmas Eve. After giving him a few simple pointers about how to put ornaments on, she says she's going to leave and work on her taxes. Joel is shocked, and reminds her that it's Christmas Eve, but Maggie tells him that she's not in the mood and leaves. Hours later, Joel shows up at Maggie's cabin, where she is alone and doing her taxes. He tells her to close her eyes, walks her outside, and when she opens them, she sees a magnificently lit and decorated tree. Joel explains that, under it all, he is still a Jew and the tree belongs to her. He wishes her a merry Christmas and her spirit is restored.

As Maurice returns home that night, Yong is performing a Christmas prayer to a Buddhist shrine. He tells her, with great honesty and sincerity, that she should be proud of the son she raised. He tells her that Duk is a strong man, and Yong says "big and strong" in Korean. Suddenly, Maurice's face lights up, as he remembers that "big and strong" was her nickname for him back in Korea. Suddenly, it all comes back to him, and he says her name, remembering for the first time. He looks at her, finally seeing, and asks quietly, "So how are you?"

Holling tells Shelly to meet him at the church, where she finds that he has set up a lovely Christian scene with candles and two holy figures. As she walks in, Holling begins to sing "Ave Maria", and Shelly is visibly touched by his compassion. 

That night, the whole town gathers for a musical Native American performance of the Raven story, which Marilyn is a part of. Everyone stares in wonderment at the mesmiring dancing, costumes, and acting. The ending provides lovely Christmas themes of togetherness and reconciliation, as Maurice happily accepts his new family and Maggie is cheered up by Joel. 

Quotes

Chris (on-air): Season's greetings, everybody, from KBHR, the heart and soul of Cicely, Alaska. This is Chris-in-the-Morning. From where I'm sitting, I've got a great view of all the yuletide decorations going up all over town. That's right, everywhere I turn my head I see ebony birds roosting for the holidays. You know, twinkling colored lights are nice, and so are plastic Santas and reindeers and manger scenes, but I'll tell you something, friends...nothing like the sight of beautiful black-as-pitch raven to get you in the Christmas spirit.

---

Maurice: I understand the suicide rate goes up dramatically around Christmas time.
Chris: Yeah, well, you know, it's a stressful time of the year for most people, Maurice.
Maurice: Yeah. The thing is, you go through the rest of the year fine. You've got your friends, you've got your business, you're part of the community. And then, 'round the middle of December, if you're alone, you start to feel like an outsider.

---

Marilyn (telling Joel the legend of the Raven): A long time ago, the raven looked down from the sky and saw that the people of the world were living in darkness. The ball of light was kept hidden by a selfish old chief. So the raven turned itself into a spruce needle and floated on the river where the chief's daughter came for water. She drank the spruce needle. She became pregnant and gave birth to a boy which was the raven in disguise. The baby cried and cried until the chief gave him the ball of light to play with. As soon as he had the light, the raven turned back into himself and carried the light into the sky. From then on, we no longer lived in darkness.

---

Chris (on-air): "'I', said the cow, all white and red. 'I gave him my manger for his bed. I gave him my hay to pillow his head. I', said the cow, all white and red. So every beast by some good spell, in the stable dark was glad to tell, of the gift he gave Immanuel. The gift he gave Immanuel." It's an old legend that, on Christmas Eve at midnight, all the animals fall to their knees and speak, praising the newborn Jesus. Back in the winter of '69, my dad was serving a short time for a DUI, and I don't know where my mom was. Anyway, I was home alone Christmas Eve, and I stayed up extra kind of late to see if my dog Buddy would talk. And he did. I don't remember his exact words, but that's not important. What matters is that a 7-year-old boy experienced his own personal epiphany. What's my point? Well, it's that Christmas reveals itself to us each in a personal way, be it secular or sacred. Whatever Christmas is, and it's many things to many people, we all own a piece of it. It's like...well, it's kind of like Santa's bag. Inside there's a gift for everybody. My Christmas wish for you tonight: may your dog talk.

Music

• "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" by Booker T. and the MGs
• "Dig That Crazy Santa Claus" by Oscar McLollie & His Honey Jumpers
• "Il Est Ne/Ca Berger" by The Chieftains
• "Christmas Time's A-Comin'" by Peter Rowan
• "Silent Night" by ?
• "Fly Me to the Moon"
• "White Christmas by Allen Toussaint
• "O Come All Ye Faithful by The Chieftains
• "The Christmas Song" by Tony Bennett
• "White Christmas" by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
• "Ave Maria" by Schubert

Trivia

• Joel was raised by Herb and Nadine Fleischman.
• Joel always envied Tom McGovern's autographed Bobby Murcer gloves; he used to watch the McGovern's trim their tree.
• Maurice forged his dad's signature in order to get into the Marines at age 16.
• At first, Maurice only remembers a Korean girl named Kija who was a favorite of his buddy Mike "Scooter" Wilson.
• Shelly's Christmas past: midnight mass at Our Lady of Refuge with Father Perone; a Charlie Brown, not a raven Christmas.
• The O'Connell Christmas past: Mom ("When are you going to get married? When am I getting grandchildren?"), fight with father; brother, the iceberg, fondles his old swimming trophies.
• Last Christmas, Joel was on a 4-day house call and missed the Raven pageant.
• In the winter of 1969, Chris' dad did a short-term prison sentence for a DUI.
• 7-year-old Chris had a dog named Buddy. Chris experienced a personal epiphany when Buddy talked.
• Duk Won's son Bong wants to see the new sinkhole on the "Canook" or "Kinuk" (that's the way Ed says it; "Konoka" in script) fault.
• Duk Won is an electrical engineer.
• Ruth-Anne is an atheist (who reads the The Christian Science Monitor).
• Dave the Cook is an animist.
• Maggie meets Dave's parents who are from Barrow.
• Marilyn tells Joel the legend of the Raven and how it carries the light so we don't live in darkness.
• Joel has a raven menorah (can see it when Ed and Bong bring in the Christmas tree).
• Shelly's earrings: Christmas light bulbs, 1 green and 1 red (Maurice's son arrives outside KBHR studios), Christmas stockings (Shelly plays with nativity scene in The Brick), Christmas angels (at Raven Pagent)