Did your impression of Kumiko change once she revealed her past? Have you ever encountered a similar situation in which a discovery altered your perspective of a person?

Often the key to empathy lies in uncovering traumatic events that have shaped another person's life. Did your impression of Kumiko change once she revealed her past? Have you ever encountered a similar situation in which a discovery altered your perspective of a person?

Yes, my impression did change. And yes I have encountered similar situations. The older I have gotten the more aware I have become that there is a lot more to someone than meets the eye. In the end, it's good to give someone the benefit of the doubt, because you can often be pleasantly surprised as a relationship evolves and you find out more about a person

Absolutely, but I think my impressions of people usually do change when I know more about their backgrounds. It was easy to see Kumiko as rigid and overbearing, but when you learn about her history, you gain a greater understanding for why she may seem that way.

Absolutely! Before I disliked her character but after the reveal, I felt bad for her because of how rigid the traditions were and how grief is or isn't dealt with. Once I knew, I could understand how she had created an emotional barrier between herself and her loved ones, to protect herself from going through that deep level of grief again. It also made more sense about how she treated Maddie, it was more disappointment in herself that came out as hatred towards Maddie because she didn't have the courage to stand with her true love against all odds, she put her family wishes first and so she was always wondering what if she had the courage, would her life have been better and would she be a different person? I have many experiences where once I knew where people were truly coming from in their past affecting their present, I have a lot more empathy and understanding for them.

Yes it did. I believe that everyone has something going on in their life that is not visible to others. Until we truly know a person and their background or situations are made known, we might view them differently, sometime better, sometimes worse.