Did Junseok Do It His Way?

While at the karaoke bar, Junseok asks the barmaid to play his favourite song, My Way by Frank Sinatra. Before the vocals start, Junseok dedicates this song to his two friends, Joongho and Sangtaek. He had been anticipating Dongsu to be there as well, so he probably would have mentioned something about Dongsu had he been given the opportunity.

 

When Junseok starts singing, the scene cuts to that of Dongsu and his father arguing about Dongsu’s future. When the scene cuts back to the karaoke bar, you can hear Junseok singing in the background, however the conversation between Joongho and Sangtaek is about Dongsu. When the camera finally comes back to Junseok he is singing the final words of the song…

“For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught

To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows and did it my way!”

Junseok, in my opinion, does try to live by these lyrics. He tries to live by the gangster code of loyalty above all. He does speak his mind when he tries to get Dongsu to go the karaoke bar. He seems to always be honest with Sangtaek, especially about his drug use. Junseok moved beyond his drug use; he learned his lessons (‘I took the blows’) but he persevered and now has control of his life. Even though he did take the drug route he did end up in a position of success and relative (for a gangster) stability.

The most important question is did Junseok have a choice? Did he do it ‘his way’? Right from the beginning it wasn’t his way. He was born into a family of gangsters, and this field was expected of him. Dongsu on the other hand had a choice, he was given the opportunity to follow his father’s footsteps but instead of watching people mourn until he died he chose the life of a gangster.

Junseok’s appreciation for this song probably stems from the fact that he never had control in the first place. He spent his life fighting for his right to be ‘on top’ of the gang. He has proven himself to finally get there. Therefore, though his life was not his choice, he has since become the person controlling the actions of those around him. Junseok’s most regretful moment is probably that when he loses control of those under him. No longer are things working out his way. But he takes the blows once again, and goes to jail. He did not listen to the opinion of others… He did it his way.