City Hall: Episode 8
by samsooki
(written by Samsooki, editing, layout, design and “CSW is ours” by 0timelost, cleown, and mead33)
City Hall: Episode 8 – “Wonder Woman” or “The Other Woman”?
What a beautiful opening scene, with flower petals and budding crushes in the air. Smells like spring love, perhaps. As Episode 8 begins, we see Jo Gook giving Mi Rae a bouquet of flowers and inviting her to go on an overnight trip with him. That’s like a 5th or 6th date kind of thing, but I guess both Jo Gook and Mi Rae are old enough that they don’t need to go to dinner and a movie first, with mom riding shotgun.
But is this really even a date? The flowers could have been merely a congratulatory gesture for taking down the Mayor, and the trip, well, what’s that about? Mi Rae doesn’t look quite convinced that she should go. In fact, Mi Rae looks a little frightened here, which says a ton considering how much courage this woman has in her pinkie finger alone would be more than the rest of City Hall combined.
Mi Rae asks if Jo Gook is being sincere, and Jo Gook says, sure. It is a congratulatory victory trip. Mi Rae replies that it is Jo Gook’s victory, not hers. Jo Gook smiles and tells Mi Rae that she should just congratulate him then. LOL! At least he is honest.
Jo Gook: Oh, and I’m no longer Deputy Mayor. I gave my resignation.
Mi Rae: Resignation? Why?
Jo Gook: Because I wanted to go on a trip with my hamster.
Mi Rae: …
Jo Gook: You have no reply? Perhaps you need permission from your previous owner? Hyun Bin or whatever his name is?
Mi Rae: Why are you bringing that up?!!
(Note: Yooo, Cha Seung Won, them’s fightin words! It will take a LOT more than talk of “your hamster,” a nice voice and tall genes to make us forget about Thumbelina and Hyun Bin. A lot more.)
Before leaving on his trip, Jo Gook stops by City Hall to pick up his belongings and welcome in the interim Mayor (the Deputy Mayor who was chased out when Jo Gook took his place briefly). The interim Mayor tries but fails to determine Jo Gook’s real motives for stirring things up and then leaving abruptly. What is Jo Gook’s goal? Even Soo In is puzzled by Jo Gook’s resignation, since BB’s orders were to either become the Mayor or install a puppet mayor. What is Jo Gook up to?
Jo Gook: Who wants to know? Is it you or the Elder (BB) whom you really serve?!
Soo In: Hyung…
Jo Gook: Here’s the update. I am going on a trip with a woman and I had to resign in order to do it.
Soo In: Hyung!
Jo Gook: Listen. When I was abandoned by him, I endured it. When I was ordered back to his side, I accepted that as well. When I was tossed to this poor Moo Yang province, I handled that as well. And even I was transferred to this country bumpkin city, I was patient. Day or night, I was at his beck and call. Are you asking me why I did this? Now, it is the Elder’s turn to come and look for me!
Powerful words from Jo Gook. Where is he getting the strength and the courage to stand up to BB? What has made him change like this?
Ahh, well, perhaps those answers will be revealed in the future. And Jo Gook and Mi Rae are off on their trip! Ohhh, nice!! It’s a camping / bike trip! What a great idea! One point for the eco-friendly travel, and one point for trip creativity, one point for asking directly and not by phone or email, and a special bonus point for making the trip intimate and yet casual at the same time. Single guys out there, take notes. Jo Gook is the man.
The cool and distant Jo Gook has turned into a rarer bird indeed, inviting Mi Rae to an overnight camping trip, cooking for Mi Rae and even carefully cleaning Mi Rae’s hands before eating – is this a Jo Gook ploy to butter up Mi Rae, or is this the real Jo Gook?
In no uncertain Kim Sam Soon terms, the things that Jo Gook are doing mean, “I like you.” In Mi Rae’s world, these things just mean that Mi Rae is happier than she has been in a long time, although she remains skeptical of Jo Gook’s motives. As night falls, Mi Rae asks the question that guys just hate to answer; she asks Jo Gook how he feels about her. Jo Gook demurs answering, and that leads Mi Rae to note that at least she knows that she shouldn’t be going on a camping trip with someone else’s boyfriend!
Jo Gook indirectly corrects her, by (a little too) casually asking if Mi Rae is concerned by his fiancé. Mi Rae is absolutely stunned, since she thought Go Hae was just his girlfriend! The difference between “girlfriend” and “fiancé” is a magnitude of difference, a world of difference – and the look on Mi Rae’s face shows exactly what she thinks of Jo Gook now.
But then Jo Gook reveals what most women suspect and what most guys think about but don’t do.
Jo Gook: Look, this is what guys are like. Bring 10 women and we will like them all. A woman you want to marry, a woman you want to date, a woman you want to go on a trip with, a woman you want to have a drink with, a woman you want to hug. They are all different. So that’s why you shouldn’t believe in what men say, especially a guy like me.
Mi Rae isn’t one to remain silent though.
Mi Rae: What are you saying?! Should I be punished for looking at a tree that I am not supposed to climb? And let’s say I can’t climb, am I even supposed to avoid looking? Are all arrogant men like you? You should have just let me be, why did you mess with my heart? “I missed you.” “Let’s go on a trip together.” – you totally messed with my heart, so why are you telling me not to believe in you?
Jo Gook has no fast answer for Mi Rae. Was it wrong for him to be truthful, though? And, while he may have been truthful about what most guys are like, was Jo Gook not being truthful about how he feels about Mi Rae? It is a difficult night’s sleep for the both of them. Sensing Mi Rae’s unease, Jo Gook yet again shows his sensitive side by pretending to snore so that Mi Rae can go to sleep peacefully.
Morning comes and the bickering continues as Jo Gook challenges Mi Rae about the meaning of politics, since Mi Rae seems to accuse Jo Gook of being political.
Mi Rae answers that, to many, politics is about being dirty, but for her, politics is just about trying to make people’s lives better. Jo Gook seems to have found his moment to pop the question he might have been planning to ask the entire trip. Does Mi Rae want to run for Mayor in the upcoming election? Mi Rae gags on her breakfast. Clearly, the answer is: heck no!
With that, the trip is over. Back in Inju City, it is Jo Gook’s turn to pester Mi Rae over multiple days, giving 1,001 reasons why Mi Rae should run for Mayor, and why she would be better at it than the ex-mayor. Finally, Mi Rae has had enough.
Mi Rae: Why are you confusing me like this. Since I am naïve, I will believe anything. Haven’t you always had an ulterior motive? Is this what that motive was? Using the trip as an excuse to ask me this?
Jo Gook: No.
Mi Rae: Don’t make me laugh. Can’t you speak honestly for once?
Jo Gook: Do you want me to be honest? Can you handle it?
Mi Rae: (silence)
Jo Gook: I didn’t use the trip as an excuse to ask you about this. I used this as an excuse to go on a trip with you.
Jo Gook’s eyes soften as he looks upon a confused Mi Rae, and he takes his hand and tussles her hair before walking away. And everywhere, women are pounding sofa pillows and shouting at their significant others, “What does that mean? What does that MEAN, exactly? Does he love her or not??!!” Ow! I don’t know! Stop hitting me, I’m not Jo Gook!
The camping trip is now just a memory; Jo Gook has his sights set on making a candidate out of Mi Rae, even if Mi Rae hasn’t yet agreed. In the meantime, he takes a little time out to exercise on the basketball court and finds fellow unemployed academy graduate Jung Do there. They decide to play for dinner.
After their boys-having-fun basketball game, Jo Gook presses Jung Do for more details of the unforgettable (for Jung Do, anyway) night they spent together. Jung Do finally relents and tells the story. Back in their training academy days, right after graduation and having just received their job postings, Jo Gook, the #1 ranked student with connections that went as far up as the Ruling party chairman, is devastated that his posting is to Moo Ang Province government, rather than some place important. All of the training academy graduates are at a bar celebrating, but Jo Gook is not celebrating. In fact, he is an inconsolate crying drunk and makes a mess of the bar before leaving. Jung Do notices Jo Gook’s briefcase on the seat, retrieves it and heads outside to see a collapsed Jo Gook on the pavement.
Jo Gook cries out to no one in particular that he has worked so hard, done everything that he was supposed to do, and yet a certain someone won’t acknowledge the efforts of his own child, and has exiled him to some country-bumpkin provincial government job.
So the story of Jo Gook’s past seems to be clearer now. Jo Gook has done everything that he could possibly have done to win the approval and respect from his father BB, but rather than keep his son close and help his career like other dads might have done, BB has sent his son far away, to a job unbefitting the #1 ranked graduate. The questions of why BB has treated Jo Gook this way, and why Jo Gook still went to work for BB even after the exile upon graduation, however, remain unanswered.
Meanwhile, plans are afoot to find the next mayoral candidate. Since Jo Gook is unlikely to run as a Mayoral candidate, Joo Hwa thinks her dad would be the perfect candidate to run for Mayor. In the meantime, Mi Rae’s friends are also thinking about who should run for Mayor, and they decide that there would be no better person to run for Mayor than their own Shin Mi Rae. But Mi Rae is not really in the mood for anything, as she is troubled by the fact that even ousting the Mayor did not result in Boo Mi getting her job back, she is also jobless, and nothing else seems to have changed. That, and the confusing behavior and statements by Jo Gook has her completely blind to what is going on around her.
Her friends, unbeknownst to Mi Rae, start putting up posters of Wonder Woman with Mi Rae’s face all over downtown Inju. Who better to lead Inju City, than the woman they believe to be Wonder Woman? Still preoccupied, Mi Rae walks along the streets in a daze, until…
… her ears perk up as she realizes people are talking about her, and Mi Rae looks up and finds her picture posted everywhere!
But Mi Rae is not the only one who is dismayed at the posters. Others now have seen her Wonder Woman picture too, including Council Member Joo Hwa and the remaining political cronies of the now-ousted Mayor. The Deputy Mayor takes the posters as a threat to their party (the Victory party) and whoever they nominate to run as Mayor.
As usual, it is up to clever Joo Hwa to calm everyone down and take it upon herself to neutralize the Shin Mi Rae wild card. How? Bring your friends close, but your enemies even closer. Joo Hwa meets up with Mi Rae and begins by offering her old job back.
Mi Rae is all ears (especially if Boo Mi and Jung Do can also get their jobs back), until she learns that Joo Hwa is only offering the chance to get her job back if and only if Mi Rae supports Joo Hwa’s party in the upcoming Mayoral election by being the party flower (sort of like a mascot). Clearly, Joo Hwa doesn’t know that Mi Rae is no longer a person to be used, be it by Jo Gook or by anyone. It is exactly the wrong thing to say. For all Joo Hwa’s native intelligence, she is really is blind to what makes Mi Rae the person that she is.
Mi Rae: Why do you always think of me as a fool?
Joo Hwa: Ohhh, this isn’t the time or place for that kind of question… Do you think that someone like me, who from the day I was born, had a golden spoon in my mouth, can be compared to you, just because you also have a mouth? It would be weird if we were the same, don’t you think?
Mi Rae: You’re right, I forgot. But even so, because I thought of you as a friend, I thought you might change. But you won’t change. You won’t change until you die, right?
Joo Hwa: And why would I change? Am I some sort of Transformer?
Mi Rae: Shut your yap and listen well. If you aren’t going to change, then fine. I will be the one to change. I will change so that you won’t be able to look down on me again, so that you won’t be able to think of me like a fool again. And so, for the things you did to me, I am going to pay you back in equal measure. No, you know what? I will pay you back even more.
Joo Hwa (sneering): Well, I guess I understand how you feel, but how exactly are you going to pay me back?
Mi Rae (determined): How? Well, I guess I’m going to have to become Wonder Woman! I guess now I’ll have to become Inju City’s Wonder Woman! I guess now, I will have to run in the upcoming Mayor election!
Comments –
And with that brilliant scene, the Mi Rae vs. Joo Hwa battle, Part II, is now on! Mi Rae might have won the first battle, but now Mi Rae seems to be stepping into the home turf of Joo Hwa – the local political battlefield. And there may not be a more skilled political operator at the local level than Joo Hwa.
Still, an unlikely and unwilling superhero has been spotted in the streets of Inju City, and she is none other than Shin Mi Rae as Wonder Woman. The Battle for Inju City is about to commence. It used to be about the prize money, and about getting fair and just treatment for herself, Boo Mi, and Jung Do. But with a few careless words tossed about by Joo Hwa, a superhero has just been born… but isn’t Mi Rae biting off more than she can chew (especially trying to go against Joo Hwa)?
And if Mi Rae decides to take on the challenge of representing all of Inju, then she will have to take on all of their burdens as well, and to do THAT, she will indeed have to become Wonder Woman. And even if Mi Rae ready to accept that kind of responsibility, would the people of Inju really be willing to vote for a secretary with no education to become Mayor?
And the other main story is, of course, the budding relationship between Jo Gook and Mi Rae. Jo Gook has his fiancé, Go Hae, but it seems he wants more. Can he really have his billionaire cake and pet his hamster too? And while Jo Gook follows Mi Rae around, secretly watching her, what does he really think will come out of any of this? And Mi Rae, I think, has strong feelings for Jo Gook at this point, admitting even to Jo Gook that she has been shaken by him. But Mi Rae sees herself as… what, exactly, to Jo Gook? Does she think of herself as “the other woman”?
It is a little difficult for me to understand what Mi Rae must be feeling at this point. She now knows that not only does Jo Gook have a woman, but that woman is his fiancé, the woman to whom Jo Gook has promised his life. And more than that, Jo Gook has said that Mi Rae shouldn’t trust men, especially not a guy like him. So how can there be anything between them?
The thing to watch for in this Episode: The chemistry of Jo Gook and Mi Rae.
The camping scenes in this Episode are really something, and the chemistry between the two, even in simple dialogue is so apparent. It is sort of like Cha Seung Won and Kim Sun Ah were made to play those roles, to talk to each other in such a natural and comfortable manner. Chemistry in a drama series is not so easy to come by, and even compared to other drama series were there was undeniable chemistry between leads, there is still something else, something a little bit different about how CSW and KSA interact with each other. Their chemistry is aromatically complex and mature, something that you might not find with drama series that merely mash together young actors and actresses.
And I love the way that they look at each other. Jo Gook looks at Mi Rae with eyes that change between humor and sadness, as he is tickled by her warmth, honesty and lack of guile, but he knows that those very elements of Mi Rae will be the ones that will be her biggest weaknesses if she gets involved with him. And if he gets involved with her, her weaknesses become his weaknesses too. Mi Rae looks at Jo Gook, and she sees a brilliant and beautiful man, one that has so much to offer and give to everyone, but a man who is greedily hoarding his talents for his own gain. Everytime she looks at Jo Gook, her eyes show longing and fear, and they show how even the strongest and most courageous person can be made the weakest.
You have to wonder what this series would be like, if someone else had the role of Jo Gook other than Cha Seung Won, or if someone other than Kim Sun Ah had the role of Shin Mi Rae. I just can’t see it.
On To Episode 9!
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Tags: Cha Seung-won, City Hall, Kim Sun-ah
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51 alodia
July 23, 2009 at 11:22 PM
a bit late... but still with a brand-name handbag full of thanks to Samsooki and 0timelost, cleown, and mead33 who owns CSW --- hey hey! Say what? "CSW is ours"? CSW is mine! -- ok, fine. OURS!
@1 anonymous
Mi Rae, the character, being one-dimensional never occurred to me. Even on earlier episodes. A one-dimensional character, for me at least, is a flat-cardboard like character that is purely black & white with no grayness in between. No depths at all. Mi Rae, transparent as the sun - as how cityhallers call her, is easy to read and understand. But that doesn't make her character shallow simply because we see everything about her. Yes, Jo Guk is the mysterious one, who needs a lot of analyzing in order to get a glimpse of what is going on in his complex mind. But that doesn't make Mi Rae's character one-dimentional.
And, as epyc said, a lot of things will still unravel. Stay put. ^_^
@4 anonymous
I wish they would stop making CSA wear such tight skinny pants.
>>>lol i'm confused. CSA? "C"ha "S"eung Won or Kim "S"un "A"h? I wouldn't mind any of them wearing tight skinny pants! lol esp CSW! hahaha
@14 budsdiana
re: bodyguard
>>>i watched bodyguard first, in preparation for city hall, because i have no idea about CSW yet at that time. bodyguard is a good one too. but it made me frustrated because he never even kissed Yoo Jin when it's obvious that he likes her anyway.
@19 mems
re: joo hwa
>>>same here. as much as i want to hate her, her character (plus CSM's magic) is sprinkled with such cuteness and naiveness (to the really important things in life, at least). It would be very difficult not to hate her later on. i know someone here who despise joo hwa so much! lol
@20epyc
The hair ruffling scene is one of my all time favorites. This is, for once, an honest JG moment. And remember how much he hates her smelly hair in the beginning. How things have changed?
>>>love it too. cleown and I call it "his first confession" - it was cleown who coined the 'term' but i've always called it that way ever since.
@21 katwoman
At this point, I was still sitting on the fence about the love part…but I can’t deny that CSW and KSA has amazing chemistry. Still…I’m a SunBin shipper.
>>>well, you said you are just on ep14 right? i want to hear from you again once you're done watching, ok?
@27 ockoala
In re-watching CH, it never ceases to amaze me how complete the writer of CH has created the world and characters in CH, and all the invisible threads that tie our beloved CH characters together (for good and bad reasons).
>>>she's clever isn't she? i mean, it looks like she knows her story from the heart. Every bit and pieces have meanings on it, every action seems to have a consequence later. Yet with all her clues and hints along the way, she never spoon-fed the viewers. There are times when I thought she'll falter (like in some of her earlier works), but no, she didn't!
When JG is stalking MR and trying to persuade her to run for mayor, it is the exact parallel but in opposite of when MR was stalking JG in ep. 2 to convince him to allow her to enter the Baendaengi pagaent. Irony, anyone?
>>>hmm.. never looked at it that way... my heart's noisily beating all throughout the episode that i missed the irony even after watching it hundred times. thanks for pointing it out.
@cloveglove,
I see a trouble ahead.
Mi Rae’s “relationship” with Jo Gook may complicate her mayorial campaign. The opponents will paint her as “the other woman” in Jo Gook and Go Hae’s engagement.
This is getting predictable. But, all around, a good performance by the casts.
>>>Predictable? Well, I can see your point until this episode, but once you're done watching let us know if your predictions were correct and if you still find the circumstances/situations predictable, ok? ^_^
@epyc (and mzpakipot as well),
You have no idea how many predictions that we City Hallers made during its airing WERE WRONG! Episode after episode, we discussed and predicted but ….the scriptwriter had her own idea which surprised us one after another! T’is the fun of watching City Hall!
>>>why do you have to remind me of the good times we spent while watching it live? *sniff* *sniff*
@39 sleeplessinwgtn
When JG asked SMR “Do you want me to be honest? Can you handle it?”, I can’t help but look back years ago when I asked a boy what his intentions are. And I remember a response along the same line… “Are you ready for it? Will you be able to give me an answer?”
>>>*squels* no way! no way! you made me believe in fairy tales again... oh wait, is that a fairy-tale-ish answer? >.>>count me in. for 4years MNIKSS reigned as my number 1. It's down to number 2 - but with a very special place in my heart still.
--------------------------------
And I couldn't agree more on how perfect KSA and CSW as Mi Rae and Jo Guk. It wouldn't be the same if it's not them.
I might like RSW if he was Jo Guk. KSA always exudes chemistry with any guy paired to her anyway (young or old, popular or not). But I will never have loved Jo Guk and enjoyed City Hall as much, if Jo Guk is not CSW.
And CSW and KSA brings out, not only the best on their characters, but the best on each other. I believe KSA said she wouldn't be able to express the love and pain if it's not CSW she's acting with.
I will forever and ever and ever be thankful to Song Yoon Ah (and to RSW as well for backing out! lol )!
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52 srk
July 24, 2009 at 1:00 AM
I Love it, thanks for recap
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53 csw&sn'sfan
July 24, 2009 at 1:41 AM
Great recap. Thanks
I think another thing which worth to mentioned is the funny scene, where JG was mumbling " what kind of woman is as strong as you....." and when he turned to MR, MR was holding the mini torch and making fun of JG " should i gave you the red med, or the blue one". The reaction of JG was priceless and hilarious. :D
I never know CSW before this drama but after CH, I looked up and tried to watch his previous work. He is a very good actor. When he was in Ghost House, the priceless scene was when we ran to the police station and told them his house is haunted. Superb for a tall guy like him to act like this!
He is also very good in "A Day with My Son" or " My Son" and " Eye for an Eye". ( two other more serious movies compare to the rest and he was able to give his best performance). He is not just a good looking oppa i have to say. I saw the trailer of South of the Boarder. I could imagine another good performance.
KSN is as usual...superb actress as always :o)
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54 omo
July 24, 2009 at 3:44 AM
I'm a little late too. But how can I not comment on one of my favorite episodes? (And favorite recap so far?)
When MR had those accu-suction cups on her back and there were 8 of them, I cannot help but admire her for going through that. It's really painful and leaves bruised marks for over a week! What an actress!
When this camping trip/stalking scene takes up about half of this episode, it has to be pivotal in developing the JG-MR relationship. Wow, this inside the tent scene was so intense and charged, I couldn't breath for a long time after that scene was over. Yet it was all innocent and not a single word was exchanged! Talk about a power scene.
And that last sentence when MR was stating to JG what politics meant to her : "Politics is dirtier than the stuff found underneath/below? Madam Jung's skirt.."
How original a line can you get? That was so hilarious.
Then the stalking scene at the market....just when MR was about to stuff a dried fish into JG's mouth to shut his mouth, JG turns into a fishmonger! Is this guy a chameleon or what? It's drop-dead funny! Perfect delivery, perfect timing, perfect everything.
Interesting to note though, after the hair ruffling scene, there were no more JG-MR scenes in this episode. I was keeping tabs because I was anticipating another exchange between the 2 of them. But it didn't happen. *pout*
------------------
CSW + KSA = City Hall
RSW + KSA =
I concur with the team and so many others in this regard.
@ 34 Anonymous
If RSW played JG as originally planned, City Hall would have bombed as well. Just seeing his pics for the upcoming drama Style makes me realize once again how lucky KSA was when he backed out and she got a co star like CSW instead.
>>Totally agree! RSW's acting range is quite limited. Lucky KSA and luckier us!
@ 27 ockoala
I feel so lucky to have found and watched this show. Have to thank all the early CH lover in Javabean’s open thread from weeks ago.
and
@ 44 celestialorigin
All thanks to you original CH fans’ unstoppable??? raving about it on “Open threads” for weeks, I finally got curious enough to give it a try again(following the advice of skipping through the first 3 episodes and it sure worked for me! And ,indeed, I went backed and watched them later) Really, thank you so much for your passionate support and recommendations for CH.
>> We are indeed pleased to have contributed a little this much. I almost felt quite bad about raving so shamelessly on JB's Open Threads. Thanks to her generosity and to Samsooki and team, we get to rave some more and so openly!
If I'm not mistaken, I think ockoala is our most vocal and eloquent CH (latecomer) advocate to date!
To Samsooki and team, you guys are making me fall in love with CH all over again!
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55 jessie b
July 24, 2009 at 3:53 AM
"Jo Gook’s eyes soften as he looks upon a confused Mi Rae, and he takes his hand and tussles her hair before walking away. And everywhere, women are pounding sofa pillows and shouting at their significant others, “What does that mean? What does that MEAN, exactly? Does he love her or not??!!” Ow! I don’t know! Stop hitting me, I’m not Jo Gook!"
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha..and I laughed some more...Sigh...
Amazingly, after gazillion viewings of City Hall, readings of CityHallers' plot predictions, it is still SO FUN to follow the recaps of City Hall by Samsooki and Co.!!!!!! Plus reading the comments of some CityHallers (u noe who you are ;)) and new fans.....
For newbies, just wait, you are in for wonderfully acted character transformations and rollercoaster rides....have fun!
For all those smitten by CSW, you are right, he is the perfect Jo Gook! Nobody could have pulled it off better...bring on the skinny pants! He's not called Daddy Long Legs for nothing :)
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56 epyc
July 24, 2009 at 6:27 AM
@ 54 omo
>> We are indeed pleased to have contributed a little this much. I almost felt quite bad about raving so shamelessly on JB’s Open Threads. Thanks to her generosity and to Samsooki and team, we get to rave some more and so openly/
Ditto! Your sentiment prompted me to re-read our earlier 'shameless' rave in Open Threads. On June 5 Open Thread #88, Samsooki asked 'Is City Hall really that good?" :D
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57 samsooki
July 24, 2009 at 7:03 AM
haha!
You went back to Open Thread #86, found my comment???
"33 Samsooki - Jun 5, 2009 at 11:22 am
@30 epyc -
Is it really that good?
Can you compare City Hall to other dramas you’ve seen?
I’m interested, but I’ve not heard much about reviews or tv ratings or percentages or anything, so I’m worried that people aren’t liking it…"
Yeap, that was me. hehe. In the span of six weeks, I went from asking about it, to trying it, to liking it, to obsessing over it, to joining BON to translate it, to asking JB to allow us to recap it... Just an amazing journey.
I feel like we were so young back then, just two months ago. Don't we all feel wiser and more mature now?
:)
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58 alodia
July 24, 2009 at 7:32 AM
awww~ down memory lane... giving me goosebumps...
those were the good old days... and yes it was just months ago. lol
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59 mzpakipot
July 24, 2009 at 12:28 PM
ahh, those good old days..how i miss those days..I think epyc was more vocal about City Hall from the previous threads and I thank her for that because she writes more eloquently about how she feels about City Hall. I even got a tinny wittle bit of bashing for mentioning the resemblance of Mr. Darcy and Mr Gukie. LOL, but some really thought I was spot on, so i was proud of that! LOL
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60 ockoala
July 24, 2009 at 3:31 PM
@ 54 omo
I agree with EVERY word you wrote about this episode of City Hall. Sigh, it's like we can't help ourselves, City Hall makes us feel alive, doesn't it? Hallmark of a true and unparallel classic TV-watching experience, and Ch goes so far as to unite folks of different cultural, social, gender, age backgrounds.
Also, thanks for the shout out about my being vocal about CH, I don't know about my eloquence. All of the Sunbei's of CH (you know who you are, alodia, Samsooki, epyc, langdon813, mzpakipot, mtoenlob, cleown, 0timelost, mead33, et. al), I am happy little Hoobei to you all, but I think we need to print out these recaps and save for posterity, as we will all do once we own the CH director's cut DVD.
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61 omo
July 24, 2009 at 11:57 PM
@ 56 epyc
Wow...you went back and read the Open Threads? Thanks for bring it up...about Samsooki's skepticism in the beginning. I have forgotten about that.... looks like I have been blinded by his current passion and obsession that this fact was completely obliterated from my memory. Hmmm...that makes him a CH convert too. Gosh, someone knighted him as Sir Samsooki here on one of the CH recap threads.
Ooops! I beg your pardon. So we now have Sir Samsooki and Lady ockoala tied for first place in reigning Inju City?
On a side note : Read on Dramawiki that CSW will make a cameo appearance in Friends, The Legend. Is that really going to happen? JG practically said, "Hyun Bin? Hyun Bin, my foot!" in CH and now CSW will appear in Hyun Bin's drama?
LoL! There might be a showdown between CSW and HB...I feel it in my bones. What if KSA shows up too? That's going to be a riot. They just might have to call this one "Enemies, The Legend".
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62 fishbud
July 27, 2009 at 9:56 AM
I agreed with you that for the case of Mirae and Jo Guk here, "chemistry is aromatically complex and mature", thus making the love story more believable and relatable to a more mature group of audiences.
I could not agree more that CH would not have been as great if CSW and KSA were not the two leads (I cringe just thinking about having Ryu Shi Won originally slated for this role...the guy is so dull in his performance). CSW and KSA performance and chemistry in CH are just incredible! I couldn't praise them enough myself. They kinda reminds me of the classic on-screen great couple like Gable-Lombard, Tracy-Hepburn, Bogart-Becall, or even Astaire-Rogers (after all, we have several musical number / dance scenes here as well). The ranges of their performances are first rate. It's so amazing how they can do just about anything...be it comedy or drama, so we can laugh and cry with them altogether in one series. I think having superb actors combined with great screenplay is what make this series such a great success.
Thanks again for another wonderful episode of recap!
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63 ockoala
July 27, 2009 at 4:29 PM
@61 omo
"There might be a showdown between CSW and HB…I feel it in my bones. What if KSA shows up too? That’s going to be a riot. They just might have to call this one “Enemies, The Legend."
Ha ha, seriously? I must definitely watch Friends, The Legend now. You know chemistry is really a wonderous unpredictable element in a visual medium. KSA has been in many dramas and movies, and all everyone used to talk about was KSA-Hyun Bin in MNIKSS, a drama where I think the unexpected story and refreshing characters rendered chemistry between the leads present and strong. This is the first time (CSW), where there is strong competition as the perfect male counterpart for our lovely Suh Na. If the three of them showed up in ANY visual medium together, I would literally be screaming OMG and hyperventiliating throughout the entire experience.
Btw, another random MNIKSS shoutout was in this episode - when JG was reading the women's employment center brochure and being all ridiculous, one of the suggested jobs was as "Patissier." Go chew on that pastry, folks. Our Mi Rae meeting Sam Soon! Aw, the k-drama paradox, world about the end.
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64 lovenyc52
July 28, 2009 at 12:56 AM
man this show is just getting better and better... haven't had time to read thru all the comments, just skim thru them but i did catch the part where epyc went back and found samsooki's original comment about city hall and i actually remember that! haha. i was like that the entire run of city hall - didn't know if i wanted to pick it up.. but soo glad i did. i may actually catch up to the recaps by tomorrow! absolutely loved this episode, especially when they go on their trip. the way she snuck in a camera pic and then scared him with ghost talk..hehe!! and the whole sleeping in the tent scene... *swoon*... lil less than halfway thru..can't wait to finish! goal = thursday so i can raaaaaaave about it on friday's open thread haha.
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65 sallyfields1227
July 29, 2009 at 5:09 AM
fishbud, you've said it to a perfect T, CSW and KSA are really superb actors. I have watched this drama a number of times (can't keep track of the exact number) each time I watch I can't help but still laugh and cry over scenes that are remarkable. When I saw this drama in mysoju I kinda thought that it is just a boring drama since I only know KSA and the title is City Hall, when I clicked on a scene it was about politics and I really wonder who CSW is because he is not someone with a drama that I know of and by our standards he is older than oppas like Hyun Bin, Jo Hyun Jae, Gong Yoo...etc and his hairstyle made him a serious looking guy not as goodlooking as he is in Ghost House. So, I did not push through watching it but then I again found it in the top 25 list of mysoju and it's "hot" as indicated so I tried episode 4... a very hilarious episode starting from the dance to the "acting" kissing... wow, I was not able to stop afterwards and just like history, I now keep on repeating every memorable scenes of the drama... which I have memorized now... and still craving for more, that is what brought me to go over these recaps... they're really something and thanks to the efforts of Samsooki and the rest of the guys responsible for this blog. I look forward to the recap and comments for the next episodes which gets more exciting and more lovable... It seems that I really can't have enough of CH as I am still listening to the downloaded soundtrack as I write this comment... Well done... Kamsahamnida...
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66 Lovers
February 3, 2011 at 2:06 AM
I like the camping scene in eps. 9. so sweet...
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