This “what does LOL mean?” article contains spoilers for The Brothers Sun on Netflix.
The Brothers Sun premiered on Netflix on 3 January. Starring Michelle Yeoh, Justin Chien, and Sam Song Li, the series follows two completely different brothers reuniting after a long time as they delve into the Taiwanese criminal underworld together.
When the Triad boss, Big Sun, is killed by Sleepy Chan, a rival gang leader, his son Charles rushes to Los Angeles to protect his family. Charles is tough – he is adept at kung fu and we even see him kill men with a rolling pin – while his brother Bruce is a shy college student driving for Lyft.
In LA, Charles faces an ambush from Sleepy Chan’s men. Meanwhile, Bruce finds a stranger in his changed brother and a dead man in their kitchen. This sudden twist pulls Bruce into organised crime as they both aim to take down Sleepy Chan and his crew.
After Bruce comes face-to-face with Sleepy Chan, it is revealed that the latter was not actually behind Big Sun’s murder after all. Instead he wishes to join forces with Charles’ crew to combat the threat.
Chan is then killed by masked assailants who were hiding in clay ball pits behind him. Before this, he tells Bruce that this unknown foe is after luo luo. Bruce doesn’t understand and interprets this as LOL (laugh out loud).
When Bruce reports back to his mother, she immediately realises what Sleepy Chan was saying. So, what does LOL mean in The Brothers Sun?
What does LOL mean in The Brothers Sun on Netflix?
While Bruce interprets Sleepy Chan as saying LOL, the English subtitles reveal that he is actually saying luo luo. To English viewers, this doesn’t mean much either. However, in the following episode, Xing (Jenny Yang) explains to Bruce that he was actually saying Rolodex.
“Idiot. He wasn’t saying L-O-L. He was saying luo luo. Luo luo de ke shi. It means ‘Rolodex'”, Xing explains. “He was saying they want your mom. Your mother’s nickname is the Rolodex” she then reveals.
With her nickname being the Rolodex, this means that LOL actually means Eileen “Mama” Sun (Michelle Yeoh) in The Brothers Sun.
For those who don’t know, a rolodex is a type of desktop organiser that is often used to store personal contact information.
The reason that Eileen is called the Rolodex is because she knows the names and personal details of many triad members, including the top bosses. Usually, the names of triad criminals are kept secret by the use of nicknames and monikers. This is to protect their families, friends and personal lives from the repercussions of their illicit work.
With this information, Eileen and her husband, Big Sun, were able to keep other triads at bay by threatening to expose them if crossed.
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