Bad Memory Eraser is basically Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, if the lead wasn’t erasing memories because of a failed relationship. Instead, Lee Goon’s memories were erased after a tragic accident that derailed his budding tennis career.
Goon was a tennis prodigy, but after winning a match, he broke his arm. His mother and father abandoned him to accompany his younger brother abroad to become a renowned tennis player instead. Simply put, Goon was traumatized because he was abandoned by his family after he lost the ability to play tennis. Now, Goon has become a lab rat for psychiatric researchers to try their memory-erasing tool on.
What makes Bad Memory Eraser unique is that it tackles the ethics of erasing someone’s memory for the sake of their psychological well-being. It poses that “what-if” scenario, and we don’t have a clear answer yet. We’ll just have to keep watching. Episode two of the K-drama came out on August 9, 2024, at Rakuten Viki. The fifth episode will be available for streaming on August 16, 2024.
The importance of a support system
It wasn’t losing tennis that pushed Goon to the brink. His family actively disregarded his well-being and emotionally neglected him. His mother would often critique him, comparing Goon to his more successful brother and calling him a failure by comparison. In reality, Goon could’ve recovered with a healthier support system. If both his parents didn’t give up, their son may have recovered from his arm injury.
We wouldn’t have a story if that happened, though. Goon’s arm made a full recovery, but he still felt phantom pains because of his childhood trauma. After his painful memories were erased, Goon was able to use his right arm as if nothing had happened, suggesting the source of his pain isn’t physical anymore and that all he wanted was to be understood by his family.
Hopefully, it won’t take another tragedy before his family realizes that what Goon needs is them.
Published: Aug 12, 2024 10:53 am