Point Counterpoint: Is Dad's Death Related To Joo Won?

All rise, for the sifu has spoken. Time to give your two cents on this, people. I thought I had one, but both parties' arguments pack a punch and their words are so sneaky I find myself nodding in agreement to the BOTH of them. *Sigh* My head hurts from the math and theories, I didn't even use so much brainpower for jdrama Liar Game.

Four Clues/Key Points

1) Joo Won = 34 years old
Evidence #1: Episode 12; JW's mom mentioned it during the family gathering which Seul attended.
Evidence #2: Episode 12; the conversation between Cupid and Joo Won. Cupid talks down on him, unaware that he's older than him -he's 31. He tells JW he has a "baby face".


2) Ra Im = 30 years old 
Evidence: Scene in Episode 10, when Oska sends RI back and Joo Won interrupts them, suddenly appearing out of nowhere. He's pissed that she uses "oppa" for Oska but no him, when clearly she's 4 years his junior.


3) Ra Im's dad died when she was 17 
Evidence: Episode 8; the I'll Pay More Tax For You scene at Jeju-do.
Therefore that means it was 30-17=13 years ago. 


4) One key scene: JW Mom says he has been training Joo Won since he was 12.


So if RI's dad DID indeed died to save him, that would make him 
34-13=21 years old at the time of the accident. 


Point
Sifu: It's a bit odd to be training at such a late age (i.e. 12) when the average family in Korea will send their children to extra classes to cultivate their talent starting from their kindergarten years. Thus, one can conclude the late age is due to JW's mom having to train him AFTER the accident, which happened when he was twelve. Hence, dad may have saved him before, but he did not die until years later in another rescue.


Futhermore, Korean men usually pay their military dues when they're around 21-26 years old, an age AFTER graduation but BEFORE working as they do not wish to quit work just to serve their duties. Only k-stars tend to go in late, as they work during their youth and go in nearing their 30's (30 is the age limit, you MUST go before then, or be prepared to go to jail).


In Episode 14, when they're in each other's bodies, their conversation in the cafe revealed that Joo Won has received the Notice of Civil Defense Training, which one only gets after 8 years after completing their military service. Therefore, it has been at least 8 years since his service (i.e 34-8=26 years old). Hence he must have been in the army when he was 24 yrs old or earlier (subtract 2 years for army duty). 


That means the chances of him getting rescued by RI's dad at 21 years old is very slim, since at 20-24 he must have been studying (at Colombia University, might I add) or doing his military service. 


Conclusion: There's a possibility dad might have save Joo Won when he was twelve, but that's not the rescue mission he died in.

Counterpoint:
Lucy: Refering to Point 4), training him since he was twelve does NOT mean that he had an accident at that time, it probably means JW's dad died/divorced during that time, hence the mom has to take up the responsibility of raising him.


Although it was not mentioned, the accident probably happened during his 20's. At the scene in Jeju-do where Oska, RI and JW had a conversation in the hotel room, Ra Him said that Joo Won has completed his army duties. 


Then Oska said something that implied that Joo Won need not do do his service. Why? It's because he is mentally unstable, due to the accident (which can get you exempted from military service). Therefore the accident happen prior to his military service.


Conclusion: Accident happened when he was 21, followed by studies and military duty.


Chloe Says: Hmm...the key to this seems to be JW's mom statement about training Joo Won since he was twelve. To summarize the both, it could either mean:
a) The accident happen when he was 12. 
b) His dad divorced/died when he was 12.


Via Baidu's Secret Garden (pics and Chi trans)