Aahana Swrup
‘Mousetrap’ is a Korean mystery thriller series in which the protagonist finds himself in a fight to prove his own identity. Je Moon-jae is an acclaimed writer who lives the life of a recluse, locked away in his lavish apartment. However, one morning, he wakes to discover that everything he owned, his property, his belongings, and even his name, has been taken from him. The imposter, who calls himself the Rat, seems to have overtaken his identity entirely, leaving the writer with no easy way to verify that he is the real Je Moon-jae.
As a result, the latter has no choice but to work with Jona, a loan shark who is somehow entangled in this large web of manipulation and gaslighting crafted by the elusive Rat. In the show, Moon-jae’s career as an author who has published titles like Interview and Evil Always Prevails becomes a central point of narrative focus. As such, despite the chaos the writer finds himself in, his character retains a grounded background.
Je Moon-Jae’s Character Depicts an Extreme Case of Identity Fraud
‘Mousetrap’ charts a fictitious narrative based on Ludovico’s Kakao webtoon ‘Field Mouse.’ As such, the story and Je Moon-jae, the protagonist at its helm, remain complete works of fiction with no roots in reality. Thus, the author’s character is confined within the premises of the series with no comparable real-life counterpart. In fact, the narrative penned around the character presents quite the outlandish scenario where a recluse’s fairly private life is stolen by an imposter seemingly overnight. Even though the idea itself is imagined, at its core, it explores a plausible and relatable fear. Moon-jae’s life is defined by his inclination towards isolation. He has no direct family or close friends, and he hasn’t left his house in three years.
As a result, Moon-jae effectively turns self-isolation into a kind of erasure that makes it convenient for an old enemy to prey upon his life and steal it from under his nose. In the aftermath, the writer is forced to undertake an uphill battle of mistrust, gaslighting, and suspicion, in hopes of proving his own identity. This journey ends up touching upon various themes, such as the harmful effects of isolation and the significance of community. Moreover, it also delves into the world of identity fraud, exploring a dark underworld where identity is currency. While the systems within this realm depicted in the show are fictionalized elements, identity fraud and theft are real-life concepts that remain a pervasive social threat. Nonetheless, while these building blocks ensure that Moon-jae’s narrative remains somewhat grounded in reality, the character isn’t based on any real-life literary figures.
Interview and Evil Always Prevails are Fictional Novels
Much like the on-screen author, Je Moon-jae’s novels Interview and Evil Always Prevails are also fictional creations crafted in service of the series. In the story, the books become the writer’s name to fame and grant him a life of wealth and accolades. However, along with everything else he owns, the books are also taken from him once the Rat steals his identity and drives the real author out of his own life. The books themselves play a subdued role in Moon-jae’s narrative.
Yet, as the story progresses, it’s revealed that these novels have been at the core of the Rat’s scathing vendetta against the author. The books themselves seem to have some connection to the Korean folkloric tale about a rat who becomes human by eating a person’s fingernails. The story itself is a classic Korean folk tale about carelessness with one’s essence and the fear of identity replacement. ‘Field Mouse,’ the Kakao webtoon that serves as the source material for the series, is inspired by the same folk story. Within the narrative of ‘Mousetrap,’ these familiar elements that are referenced in Moon-jae’s novel find effective thematic resonance with the rest of the story.
Read More: Where is Netflix’s Mousetrap Filmed?
