Footnotes to the TV series
MRS. KIM: Young Chui works for his father who builds Adventist hospitals. Young Chui will go to college at Loma Linda University. Then he will return to work for his father building Adventist hospitals.
Loma Linda University, private Seventh-day Adventist health sciences university in Loma Linda, California, near San Bernardino. It was founded in 1906, gained university status in 1961, and has about 7000 students.
MRS. KIM: This is Young Chui … He will take you to the prom.
Mrs Kim agreed that Lane could go to prom if she could approve the date. Lane thought that meant she had plenty of time to convince her mother that Dave would make a suitable escort for the prom. Instead, Mrs Kim blindsides her by suddenly producing a nice suitable Korean Seventh Day Adventist boy to take her.
Young Chui is a Korean boy’s name meaning “eternally firm”. The role of Young Chui is played by Samson Yi, who has had a few TV roles, and made his own comedy film.
MRS. KIM: Reception at Elks Lodge. Two hundred guests. Food goes fast. Let’s move.
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868, originally as a social club in New York City which borrowed rites and practices from Freemasonry. They focus on social activities, charitable causes, and patriotic events. Until 1973 they were an all-white orgnisation, and they only admitted women in 1995.
In real life, there are numerous Elks Lodges in Connecticut, including one in Hartford [pictured] – which you really can hire for weddings. I think this one is meant to be in Stars Hollow, which maybe seems a little small to have an Elks Lodge.
PASTOR: [to groom] And do you vow to uphold the principles of the seventh commandment as set out in Exodus 20:14?
JAMES: I do.
The seventh commandment is “Thou shalt not commit adultery”. Unless you’re Catholic or Lutheran, in which case it’s “Thou shalt not steal”.
This is the song at James’ wedding, performed by Dave Rygalski, and sung by Ho Kyung.
Composed by Franz Schubert in 1825, it was originally part of his 1825 Op. 52 a setting of seven songs from Walter Scott’s 1810 popular narrative poem The Lady of the Lake, loosely translated into German, where it is known as “Ellens dritter Gesang” (Ellen’s Third Song, in English).
It is often performed and recorded by many singers under the title “Ave Maria” (the Latin name of the prayer Hail Mary, and also the opening words and refrain of Ellen’s song, a song which is itself a prayer to the Virgin Mary), in musically simplified arrangements and with various lyrics that commonly differ from the original context of the poem. It was arranged in three versions for piano by Franz Liszt.
One of Schubert’s most popular works, it has become a fixture at weddings. Although an overtly Catholic song, it is sometimes performed at Seventh Day Adventist weddings, although with a certain amount of disapproval from strict quarters. Apparently Mrs Kim is not as strict in her religion as you might think – perhaps she simply loves beautiful music.
I presume that the pastor performing the wedding service is “Reverend” Melmin (he would actually be a pastor), previously mentioned as helping Mrs Kim select a suitable college for Lane to attend.
LUKE: No, no, no, uh, what I meant was – ah, what the hell? Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?
NICOLE: Yeah.
It’s pretty obvious that, besides being flattered by Nicole’s attention, Luke asks her on a date primarily because he knows Lorelai is dating Alex. Jess has already criticised Luke for waiting around for Lorelai like a faithful dog, and has nagged him to ask Nicole out. Finding out that Lorelai is out on a date with a coffee shop owner who’s outdoorsy and likes fishing (sounding suspiciously similar to Luke) is the final straw that pushes him towards Nicole.
In this scene we learn that a cup of coffee at Luke’s cost seventy-five cents. That sounds like a bargain for what every character seems to believe is the best coffee in the world.
Notice that in the background to this scene, someone walks behind Luke and Nicole wearing what appears to be a maroon and gold Gryffindor scarf from Harry Potter.
RORY: And who knows, maybe the next Kim wedding we do makeup for will be yours.
LANE: Too scary, don’t freak me out.
Lane’s wedding is indeed the next one held at the Kim house.
LANE: Everybody’s still married. It’s like a factory system here. They all come to the weddings, find a spouse, get married and stay that way ’til they die.
RORY: They mate for life, like the loons.
A loon is the American name for the water bird which is otherwise known as a “diver”. Contrary to popular belief, they rarely mate for life.
LANE: Great. [the door starts to open] Incoming!
[Rory pushes the makeup off the vanity as Mrs. Kim walks into the room]
Incoming, previously discussed.
Throughout this scene, Rory and Lane do the hair up and make-up for cousin James’ bride from Korea – a woman who remains nameless, and is played by Jessica Shim in her first role. She would go on to a smattering of small TV roles.
The bride is unable to speak English, but Lane speaks Korean, and exchanges a few words with her, asking if she likes her hair (not really, is the answer), and getting her water when she asks for it. Neither Lane nor Rory make any attempt to include her in their conversation, give her any comfort, or even try to teach her just one or two words of English.
She has come from another country, doesn’t speak any English, and is marrying a stranger described as “quiet and skulky”, which sounds like code for lacking the social skills to attract a wife among his peers. Cousin James is played by stand-up comedian and actor E.K., and whatever James’ possible faults, he is at least attractive.
Lane and Rory discuss an unhappy marriage which began with a wedding at the Kim house, between Min Cha, and the “mean man” she married, Wan Nam. There were seven years of Min Cha being told she was stupid and ordered around like a slave before she snapped and attacked her husband. They now live separate lives in the same house, still married.
The chances of the Korean bride having a happy marriage and happy life in America seem quite slim, yet Rory and Lane express no pity over her situation (and not really any for Min Cha either). She is marrying into Lane’s family, yet receives little welcome or signs of kindness from anyone. Mrs Kim doesn’t even bother speaking Korean to her, or in front of her, while talking about her.
It’s rather chilling that Rory and Lane get to have a heartwarming bonding scene together all while virtually ignoring this young woman, doing her up like a doll, and treating her as if she barely exists. She is a prop in the scene, rather than another actor.
The Annotated Gilmore Girls 