“Ji Yeon” is the seventh episode of Season 4 of Lost, originally broadcast on March 13, 2008. Juliet is forced to reveal some startling news to Jin when Sun threatens to move to Locke’s camp. Meanwhile, Sayid and Desmond begin to get an idea of the freighter crew’s mission when they meet the ship’s Captain.
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Real-time events
On the freighter
Keamy warns Frank
At nighttime, Frank, holding a small brown paper bag, is confronted by Keamy, who warns him, “Don’t be late.” Frank travels to the lower level of the ship, where he meets Regina, who seems somewhat distant and a little confused. He tells her that the captain wanted him to bring it, and that the book she is reading, The Survivors of the Chancellor, is upside down.
As Frank enters the room with Desmond and Sayid, the door can be heard locking from the outside. Frank says that the captain was upset about them ‘busting out’ of the old room, and Sayid responds that the door was left open and he had assumed that Frank did it. Sayid asks if he has had communication with the Islanders and Frank remarks that their satellite phone must be broken. He then dumps the contents of the bag to reveal several containers of lima beans and says they had a problem with the kitchen. He gives Sayid a can opener, tells him to ’stay put,’ knocks on the door, and is let out by Regina.
Regina commits suicide
Gault reveals the identity of the freighter’s owner
In the morning, Desmond awakens to find Sayid eating a can of lima beans. A folded note is slipped through the vent on the cabin door; as Sayid picks it up he tells Desmond that Ben claimed there was a spy on the boat. The note reads, ‘DON’T TRUST THE CAPTAIN.’ Desmond remarks on a knocking sound that can be heard through the walls, and Sayid tells him that it is not mechanical; he thinks it is being made by a person.
Sayid and Desmond are released from sickbay for their meeting with the captain. When they emerge on the deck, they immediately notice the helicopter is gone. They are told Frank is going on an “errand” and are led to believe he has returned to the Island.
Gault with the black box from the fake 815
Regina then appears draped with large chains, and, as if in a trance, walks over to the side of the ship, climbs over the railing and throws herself into the ocean. Desmond and Sayid attempt to rally the crew to save her, but the captain appears and orders the men back to their posts. When they meet Captain Gault, Sayid and Desmond begin to get an idea of the freighter crew’s mission. The captain shows them the flight data recorder (the black box) of Flight 815 and tells them it was obtained by Charles Widmore. He explains that the wreckage was found in the bottom of the ocean and included 324 dead bodies.
Kevin Johnson is revealed to be Michael
He then explains it was obviously a staged find, but that it is frightening to think about the fact that somebody has the the power and resources to do such a thing, especially procuring 324 bodies. The captain remarks that this is just one of the reasons they need to capture Benjamin Linus.Later, Ray, now with a wound on his cheek, takes Desmond and Sayid to a filthy new room, on the “quiet part” of the ship. Desmond notes that the ship is not moving, to which Ray responds, “if you say so.” Upon entering the new room, they find it contains cockroaches, rats, and a large bloodstain on the wall. Ray observes that the room “should already have been cleaned,” and calls Kevin Johnson - who is down the hall, mopping the floor - to wipe up the stain. As Johnson walks down the hall and into light, Sayid recognizes Johnson as Michael Dawson. Desmond introduces himself, this being the first time the two have ever met. Sayid is shocked, but plays along with Michael’s lie in order to feel the situation out.
On the Island
At night, Sun and Jin are on the beach when Sun questions why Sayid and Desmond have not come back after 3 days. Jin comforts her and tells her he wants to talk about baby names. Sun does not want to discuss it, saying it is bad luck. Jin, who is confident the baby is a girl, suggests the name Ji Yeon. Sun says it’s a beautiful name, but she doesn’t want to jinx the baby. They make a deal to get off the Island first before discussing it further.
Jack, Jin and Sun at the breakfast table
In the morning, Sun wakes Jin and informs him that Kate and Jack have returned, and Sun finds Kate and asks what happened. Kate tells her how Charlotte hit her and that they had gone to a “poison gas factory.” Kate remarks that they “were trying to earn some brownie points.” She also says that Juliet lied about the Tempest being a power station, “probably out of habit.” Sun asks Kate if they are really here to rescue them, and Kate replies that they have talked about a lot of thing, but none of them were about rescue.
Juliet confronts Sun
On the beach, Sun approaches Daniel, who has the phone taken apart, and they introduce themselves. Sun asks him if they are going to rescue them, and Daniel says that it isn’t his call. Sun asks whose call it is, and he doesn’t respond. Sun thanks him and leaves.
Jin is making breakfast and Jack compliments him on his improving English. Jin says that both Sun and Sawyer have been teaching him but that Sun is better at it. Sun comes running up but stops at the sight of Jack. Jack inquires about her health, and she says that the morning sickness has stopped. After Jack has left Sun tells Jin to pack food for two days because they are moving to Locke’s group.
Sun goes through Juliet’s medical supplies to find her pre-natal vitamins but Juliet suddenly arrives. She confronts Sun about why she would need a new bottle, unless she is going on a trip. Juliet reminds Sun that pregnant women die on the Island and Sun needs to escape, but Sun doesn’t trust Juliet and takes the pills anyway, still determined to go to Locke’s group.
Kate has drawn Jin and Sun a map to Locke’s barracks. She warns them she will have to tell Jack that they have left but says she will give them a good headstart. Sun and Kate agree that Jack wouldn’t understand why they are leaving. As they are saying goodbye, they are interrupted by Juliet who forbids Sun to leave. Juliet warns Jin that Sun is very ill and will die within three weeks if she doesn’t leave the Island. Sun is not swayed and Jin supports her, says: “Where Sun go, I go”.
Juliet then tells Jin that Sun had an affair. Sun slaps Juliet and Jin runs off.
Jin and Bernard fishing
Jin forgives Sun
Sun catches up with Jin and tries to plead with him to stay, saying that the affair was a long time ago. Jin is leaving with fishing gear when Bernard unknowingly interrupts their argument to ask Jin if he can go fishing with him. When he notices that they are having an argument, he apologizes saying it was a bad time. Jin tells Bernard he can come along.
Later, Jin and Bernard are fishing on the outrigger when Bernard points out they are the only two married men on the Island. He talks about how difficult marriage is, and how it takes twice as long to make all decisions. Bernard then confides in Jin, telling him that Rose had cancer before coming to the Island but that she now claims to be better.
Bernard also says he was expecting Rose would want to go with Locke since Rose doesn’t want to leave the island. When Jin asks why they didn’t join Locke, Bernard says it’s because Locke is “a murderer.”
Bernard’s talk about marriage seems to convince Jin, and he finds Sun to tell her he knows why she had an affair — because of the man he was before he came to the Island. But he is a different man now and will do anything to protect Sun and her baby. He then asks her to tell him the truth about whether the baby is his. Sun cries and tells Jin that the baby is his.
Flash events
Sun in labor
Jin buys a panda
The Chinese ambassador with the offered panda
Jin and Sun’s family tombstone
Sun packs a suitcase and is applying makeup while watching the Korean-dubbed episode of Exposé, when she begins to feel pain. She phones for an ambulance and the camera pulls back to reveal that she is very far along in her pregnancy.
Jin is on his cell phone, saying that he will be at the hospital soon. He rushes into a store and buys a large stuffed panda.
At the hospital the nurses comment that Sun is one of the Oceanic Six. She is going into labor and the baby is, according to the doctor, “in distress”. Sun asks them to inform her husband and repeatedly calls for Jin, indicating her desire to not give birth until he arrives.
Outside the store, Jin hails a cab and puts the bear in it, but before he can get inside another pedestrian gets in and the cab speeds off. Going back into the store Jin attempts to buy another bear. The store owner suggests a stuffed dragon since it brings good luck in the “Year of the Dragon” (which implies the timeframe is within 5 February 2000 to 23 January 2001). Jin insists that he “must have the panda”. He ends up paying an exorbitant price for one which had been reserved for another customer.
Sun, distressed from the labour, mistakes a hospital visitor for her husband. While the doctor debates whether to perform a cesarian section, the baby crowns. Soon a daughter is born.
Jin rushes through the hospital entrance carrying the stuffed panda. Upon arriving at the maternity ward, Jin approaches a room which has a man standing guard outside. Jin identifies himself as working for Mr. Paik, offers his congratulations to the Ambassador on becoming a grandfather, and states that, as a representative of Patik Automotive, he has brought a gift. Before the guard, to tells Jin to wait there, can enter the hospital room, Jin asks the baby’s gender. The guard responds that it was a boy, and as the guard turns to enter the door, Jin throws a pink ribbon on the waiting area table and wraps the panda’s neck with a blue ribbon. An older man comes out of the room, and Jin presents the bear as a token of Mr. Paik’s esteem. Jin informs the Ambassador that Mr. Paik is looking forward to doing business in China. As he is leaving the hospital a nurse asks why Jin is leaving so early. He informs her that it’s not his baby. She says “Well, maybe someday…”, to which he replies “Don’t rush me. I’ve only been married two months.”
Sun is back at her apartment, applying her makeup, when she hears a knock at the door. It is Hurley, who has come to see the baby. He asks if anyone is else coming and seems to be pleased when she answers no. While admiring the baby, Hurley comments that she “looks just like Jin”. Then he suggests that the two should “go visit him”. They travel to a cemetery and stand in front of a tombstone with the date 9/22/04 inscribed on it. Sun looks at the tombstone and tells Jin that she misses him and that she named their daughter Ji Yeon, as he had wanted.
Trivia
General
Michael can be seen before he is revealed as the janitor, seconds after Regina’s suicide.
- Michael can be spotted on the boat before he’s revealed as the janitor. When Regina jumps off the boat, the camera cuts to a group of people standing at the boat’s edge. Michael appears to be the hooded member. He seems to be hiding his identity from Sayid and Desmond until he is forced to confront them by Ray.
- Jin’s tombstone has the date September 22, 2004, on it, the day of the crash | (See Inscriptions).
- The tombstone says Jin was born November 27th 1974, and Sun was born March 20th 1980. This difference of 6 years is considered the least compatible according to the Zodiac.
- Sun claims early in the episode (on the night of Day 97, the scene at night when they are discussing baby names) that it has been 3 days since Sayid and Desmond left the Island, matching the helicopter flight at dusk on day 94. The next morning (Day 98?), Sayid says to Desmond that 3 days ago Ben told Sayid that Ben had a man on the boat. That was the same day that Sayid and Desmond left with Lapidus on the helicopter, suggesting that Sayid and Desmond have lived 3 days since the helicopter transport where the Island population is now in their 4th day. This matches the flight time discrepancy of a 20-40 minute flight taking a day and a half in Island time.
- Assuming minimal or no time differences between the Island and South Korea and the correctness of Juliet’s estimation of Sun’s date of conception (~10/26/2004), (”D.O.C.“) the flashforward takes place in July or August 2005.
- Jin is the first 815 crash survivor eliminated from the possibility of being one of the Oceanic Six since the concept was revealed.
- Several hints are given that Jin’s flashes are actually flashbacks:
- Jin exhibits his characteristic pre-Island violent temper when his cab and panda are stolen.
- The timeframe is made explicit when Jin says he’s only been married for two months.
- The “year of the dragon” reference which implies a timeframe between February 2000 and January 2001.
Production notes
- Ben, Claire, Locke, Miles, and Sawyer do not appear in this episode.
- Charlotte appears without speaking lines.
- Michael reappears in the series for the first time since “Live Together, Die Alone“, a span of 28 episodes.
- This is Jin and Sun’s only centric episode in which they do not appear together in any off-Island scenes.
- The scene at the Korean toy store was shot at the “Toys N Joys” store on Waialae Ave in Kaimuki.
- Writer and story editor Christina M. Kim has a cameo appearance as the admitting nurse.
Bloopers and continuity errors
- The first scene of Jin in the toy store shows items on the back shelf from the shows Ben 10 and Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive. These shows did not begin airing until 2007. Another shelf carries Nintendo DS and PSP consoles, which were not available until late 2004.
- In Jin’s flashback, the establishing shot of the Korean city disappears in later scenes.
- After Sun wakes up Jin telling him Kate and Jack are back, Jin asks Kate “What happened” without any hint of a Korean accent.
- When Sun is fighting with Juliet and right before and after she slaps her, there is a clip in which Juliet is missing her bruises/cuts from her previous fight with Charlotte.
Two of the crew’s shadow can be seen in the road after Jin throws his phone on the ground.
- In Jin’s flashback, he pulls South Korean won bills that recently came into circulation out of his wallet. The ₩10 000 he pulls out were released on January 22, 2007.
- In Jin’s flashback, as he throws his broken telephone on the ground in anger, when the camera pans down, you can clearly see the shadows of two crew members in the road.
- At the end of the episode Sun takes a ring out of a hospital bag labeled with the name 권성혜 (Kwon Sung Hieh), which is not Sun’s name (백선화).
Recurring themes
- Jin buys two Panda dolls. (Animals) (Black and White)
- Sun gives birth. (Children)
- Sun takes her newborn baby to Jin’s grave. (Life and Death)
- Bernard tells Jin that they are the good guys. (Good and bad people)
- Jin and Sun deal with the fact that she cheated on him. (Relationship Issues)
- Michael is on the boat, using the name Kevin Johnson. (Secrets) (Deceptions and cons)
- Regina kills herself. The captain prohibits anyone to try to save her because of the risk of more people being killed. (Life and Death)
- Desmond discovers that Charles Widmore sent the freighter. (Character connections)
- We see the old Jin in the flashback, while on the Island Jin says he is not that man anymore. (Good and bad people) (Rebirth)
- Jin forgives Sun’s affair in an attempt of redeeming himself for being the man he used to be. (Redemption)
- Juliet tells Jin something she knew about Sun and that Jin should never know. (Character secrets)
Cultural references
| Cultural references in LOST (direct references only) |
|---|
| Art • Books • Cars • Games • Movies and TV • Music • Philosophy • Religion and ideologies • Science |
- Captain Gault: is a fictional sea captain created by English writer William Hope Hodgson. A captain for hire, Gault is a morally ambiguous and mysterious character. A collection of his stories can be found in the book Captain Gault, Being the Exceedingly Private Log of a Sea-Captain, published in 1917. (Literary works)
- Atlas Shrugged: Alternately the name of the Kahana’s captain may be a reference to a character in Ayn Rand’s 1957 novel, which is a story about the producers, the movers and shakers in society who decide to go on strike because they are not appreciated by the masses, and create a separate utopian world, a “village” hidden from view from people, planes and the world. (Literary works)
- The Survivors of the Chancellor: is the Jules Verne book, about the last voyage of the British ship Chancellor, that Regina is reading upside down. In the novel, at the beginning of its voyage, the Chancellor carried eight passengers and twenty crew members. By the end, only eleven people (five passengers and six crew) remained alive. In the novel, several characters commit suicide, at least one of them by jumping off of the raft and into the water.(Literary works)
- Dragon (zodiac): The shopkeeper claims that a child born in the Year of the Dragon brings good luck. (Religions and ideologies)
- Karma: Bernard talks to Jin about Karma. (Religions and ideologies)
- U-Boat War by Lothar-Günther Buchheim (author of Das Boot). On the captain’s book shelf. (Literary works)
- Guide to the Soviet Navy by Norman Polmar. On the captain’s book shelf. (Literary works)
Literary techniques
- This is the first episode where we see both flashbacks (Jin) and flashforwards (Sun). (Flashbacks) (Flashforwards)
- The flashback in this episode is structured so that, on first viewing, it appears to be taking place concurrently with the flashforward. (Juxtaposition)
- The audience is led to believe that they are seeing flashforwards of both Jin and Sun, only to find out that Jin’s is a flashback, and that in the future, he is apparently dead. (Mindf*ck)
- Michael reappears on the freighter after betraying the other survivors and heading off the Island with Walt at the end of Season 2. (Plot twist)
- Jin buys a stuffed panda to give to the Chinese ambassador, with the panda being representative of China. (Symbolism)
- Michael is revealed to Desmond and Sayid to be on the freighter. (Cliffhanger)
- Jin tells Sun that she will never lose him. In the flashforwards we see that he’s either dead or was left behind. (Irony)
- It was indicated that Ben might have been the source of the second Oceanic 815. (Plot twist) (Mindf*ck)
Storyline analysis
| Storyline analysis |
|---|
| A-Missions • Crimes • Economics • Leadership • O-Missions • Relationships • F-Missions • Rivalries |
- Juliet tells Jin that Sun had an affair. (Relationships)
- Sun assures Jin the baby she’s carrying is his. (Relationships)
- Frank takes the helicopter back to the island. (F-Missions)
Episode references
- Nikki’s death scene in her Korean-dubbed show, “Exposé“, appears briefly on television in Sun’s flashforward. (”Exposé“)
- Sun has her baby in Seoul, just as she had told Jin she wanted. (”Eggtown“)
- When Jin says he is being taught English by Sun, he also laughs about being taught phrases by Sawyer. (”Tricia Tanaka Is Dead“)
- Daniel tells Sun that rescuing the survivors is not his call, echoing his words to Jack saying that rescue is not the Freighter’s primary objective (”Confirmed Dead“)
- Juliet reveals Sun’s affair to Jin. (”The Glass Ballerina“), (”D.O.C.“)
- Juliet tells Sun (and in less detail, Jin) what happens to pregnany women on the Island. (”One of Us“), (”The Other Woman“)
- Bernard tells Jin of Rose’s sickness and recovery. (”S.O.S.“)
- Bernard calls Locke a murderer. (”Through the Looking Glass“)
- Kate promises to give Jin and Sun plenty of time before she tells Jack, just as her father did for her. (”What Kate Did“)
- The blood on the wall in Sayid and Desmond’s room mirrors Radzinsky’s blood in the Swan. (”Live Together, Die Alone“)
- Michael is called on to clean up the bloodstains, just as he offered to clean up the blood of Ana-Lucia and Libby after shooting them. (”Three Minutes“)
- When going into labor, Sun calls for her absent husband. This mirrors the moment when Jack refered to his father as if he were still alive in his own flashforward. (”Through the Looking Glass“)
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
|---|
|
- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Ji Yeon/Theories
On the freighter
- What was Keamy referring to when asking Frank: “Are you ready?”
- Why did Frank attempt to dissuade Sayid and Desmond from speaking to Captain Gault?
- Where did Frank go with the helicopter?
- What was the nature of Regina’s condition?
- Whose blood was on the wall of Desmond and Sayid’s new room?
- How did Michael come to be part of the crew?
- Where is Walt?
- Who (or what) was making the noise that Sayid noted “was not mechanical”?
- Why does Ray have a wound on his cheek?
- Why were Sayid and Desmond warned not to trust the captain?
- Where did the bodies of the fake Flight 815 crash come from?
- What does Ben have to do with the fake crash?
- Who slipped the note about the captain, to Sayid and Desmond?
On the Island
- Why was Daniel working on the phone?
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