Five Lessons Viewers Can Learn From Watching ‘Pinocchio’

One of the things viewers love about k-dramas is how much a drama characters can grow and change. A weak or vulnerable character can learn how to be strong. A bad character can learn the error of his ways. A well-written k-drama can show you things from different points of view, proving that there is often more than one way to look at a person or a situation.

"Pinocchio" is one of those dramas. It stays interesting because its characters are busy growing and learning. It's a drama that asks questions and occasionally offers some answers on how people ought best to behave with each other. And the writers were not afraid to explore opposing viewpoints.

Here are just five of the lessons we learned from watching the last few episodes of "Pinocchio."

1.     Achieving success through another person's misfortune is never worth it. It corrupts your soul and even if you succeed in hiding what you've done, the deed may come back to haunt you. That's what's happening to broadcaster Song Cha Ok. She could have been a competent newswoman but she chose to exploit the misery of others and ruin innocent lives to achieve even greater success.

2.     Telling the truth is always a good idea but it's not always easy to know what the truth is. It may seem like you know the truth but you may not know the whole truth. That's what happens to Choi Dal Po, when he attempts to ruin Song Cha Ok over a past incident in which she did not report the whole truth. Because of a falsified death certificate, he was not going to report the whole truth either. It's not smart to jump to conclusions.

3.     A family can be created out of love and some families created out of love are closer than biological ones. Because of the circumstances of his real parents' death, Choi Dal Po's adoptive family is closer to him than his real brother. But he's prepared to push them away because of his brother's suffering. That's not a good idea.

4.     People are complicated and capable of both good and bad deeds. Jae Myung, Choi Dal Po's brother was a genuine hero but he's also a murderer. Seo Bum Jo's mother nurtured and cared for him but she's also a cruel person who thinks nothing of manipulating a terrible situation for her own financial benefit.

5.     It's wise not to believe everything you read in the news. The desire for a career-boosting scoop will lead a reporter to make some bad choices. And each reporter sees things from their own perspective. It's important to consider the source.

Are you enjoying "Pinocchio?" Let us know how you feel about this drama and what you like best about it.