Review: This is a review article written after watching the broadcast.
[OSEN] On "My Heart Is Soft Counseling Center," the first romances of young people with developmental disabilities began, bringing warm emotion. The broadcast was harmlessness itself. In particular, the couple, married 14 years, acted as warm supporters by being close to the romantic lives and daily routines of the young people with developmental disabilities.
The SBS special "My Heart Is Soft Counseling Center" that aired on the 8th premiered. On that day, the celebrity couple known as a representative lovey-dovey couple in the entertainment industry, Lee Hyori and Lee Sang Soon, drew attention as the counseling center chiefs helping young people with developmental disabilities who dream of love, the so-called "Monggle-ssi," with their romances.
In the full counseling session, the honest stories of the Monggle clients were revealed. One client with an intellectual disability said, "I have no friends," and confessed, "I was afraid they would dislike me because I have a disability, so I couldn't even ask for their phone number." He recalled being ostracized, saying, "It was very hard at school. I heard people say the intellectual disability is contagious and told me not to play together."
He continued, "It was so hard that I once went up to the roof intending to jump," and showed tears as he said, "A male teacher grabbed me. He said, 'I know it's hard. But going to the roof is not the answer. I'll help you.'" He added, "I don't know why I have an intellectual disability," evoking sympathy. Hearing this, Lee Hyori and Lee Sang Soon warmly comforted him, saying, "That must have been really hard."
Another client revealed being on the autism spectrum and spoke about difficulties with unfamiliar environments. He said, "I get nervous when I go to unknown places," and even brought cheongsimhwan to take when anxious. Saying, "I'm anxious but I like meeting people," he also shared his inner thoughts: "I wish I had been born without autism. Then I think I would communicate better with people and not seem strange." The client's mother also said, "One day my child said, 'It's sad that I have autism,'" and added, "Having a disability doesn't mean you are unhappy, but I still hope they can live an ordinary life." She went on to say, "I hope they can have ordinary daily life and romance like other people in their 20s."
On that day the program finally depicted the Monggle members' first blind dates. The meeting, which began with nervousness that prevented them from looking at each other, gradually turned into a softer atmosphere. The two showed fresh scenes by feeding each other or spreading food for one another, and cute moments continued, such as attempting a "love shot" while drinking wine. They also drew attention with natural manners like helping each other into outerwear and pulling out chairs. After the blind date, a client said, "I was really excited today. I felt like the female lead in a drama," and added, "My heart raced when someone wiped the sauce off my mouth."
But there were also difficulties with unfamiliar environments. The client on the autism spectrum confessed that he feels anxiety about crowded places, saying, "Other than home and the pool, I've hardly gone out. This is my first time going out alone, so I have no confidence." He showed a nervous appearance, saying, "It's not easy to face a stranger for more than 30 minutes." The other client comforted him, saying, "You'll get used to it as you do it," and, "You should move forward with the confidence that you can do it," adding a warm note. Nevertheless, the two smiled about their first blind date, saying, "We were excited."
The preview also revealed another Monggle client hesitating, saying, "If I date, I have concerns. I have an intellectual disability." He said, "So far I've been used to hiding it, but this time I'm trying to be honest," showing he was gathering courage. Watching this, Lee Hyori and Lee Sang Soon also expressed deep emotion, saying, "It's touching and beautiful," raising anticipation for the next episode.
The country's first real dating project for young people with developmental disabilities, "Monggle Counseling Center," is a three-part program that follows adult young people with developmental disabilities who dream of romance as they find love and partners in their own ways. Their stories of preparing for their first blind date, first date and first romance delivered a pure emotion reminiscent of a real-life "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" romance, eliciting viewers' support.
[Photo] "Monggle Counseling Center"