Character Arc
Yeom Chang-hee is the middle Yeom sibling and the family's only son, a restless and talkative young man who feels boxed in by life in Sanpo and by his stern, hardworking father. Quick to complain and full of half-formed schemes to make money or escape the village, he provides much of the drama's humor while also embodying its frustration with feeling stuck. He resents the assumption that he will one day inherit and run the family's modest kitchenware workshop.
Throughout the series Chang-hee struggles with feelings of inadequacy, comparing himself to others and chasing a vague idea of success that always seems out of reach. His relationship with his father is strained and often unspoken, and much of his arc involves learning to see the quiet dignity in his parents' lives and to measure his own worth on his own terms rather than against the city he envies.
By the end of the drama Chang-hee arrives at a hard-won acceptance, finding a steadier sense of purpose and a more honest relationship with his family. His journey mirrors the show's central theme of liberation, trading restless dissatisfaction for a quieter peace, and Lee Min-ki's warm, naturalistic performance grounded the character's growth in real feeling.