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Coffee House: Page 8

A picture says a thousand words, doesn’t it?

I could tell from the way the Episode 7 recap went that the fan fervor would increase for this episode, which surely delivered. Aside from the laughs and the chemistry between the actors, one thing I’m really loving about this drama is the loaded conversations — there are a few really interesting passages of dialogue that play a lot with text/subtext and nuance, which I always enjoy.

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PAGE 8 RECAP

Later that morning, Eun-young wakes up and thinks back to the dawn hours, when she had woken up to see Jin-soo deep in thought by the window. All he had said was for her to go back to sleep, but she had sensed the change in his attitude — serious, pensive — and comes out of the room wondering how Jin-soo will act now, in the light of day.

But he acts totally normal, chatting easily like nothing happened, and Eun-young looks disappointed. Like she’s bummed out at herself for expecting anything more.

When she heads to the bathroom, Jin-soo makes it a point to wait until she’s out of earshot to turn on some music. Whether he’s setting the mood or not, it’s a conscious move that tells us he’s aware of the change that Eun-young sensed, and that he’s purposely putting on his nonchalant front. As for Eun-young, she sighs to herself for bothering to come here to check on him.

Over breakfast, Jin-soo chuckles at his memory of last night’s movie outing and prods Eun-young to guess who Dong-wook likes. She guesses everyone else first (the cafe employees, her employee Hyun-joo) before landing on Seung-yeon, and marvels at the unexpected pairing. He jokes that if he’d interfered the date a little more, he probably would have been killed.

Having revised her opinion of the secretary, Eun-young gives her due credit — although she doesn’t seem to be especially sharp, she’s determined. With more development, Seung-yeon could become quite useful the more he continues to use her. But Jin-soo says that he can’t do that, because “I’m going to leave.”

This brings a serious note to the conversation as he says that he’s worked hard and written diligently for the past two years, so he wants to disappear for the next two. He feels he’s been here too long and wants to get away; they can always re-sign their contract at a later date. Eun-young’s sharp, and asks if that’s why he has thrown himself into his writing now — to finish quickly and get out of here. Jin-soo teases that yup, he wants to go far away to escape her nagging, but she doesn’t find it funny; he assures her it was a joke, but she corrects him — it’s the truth disguised as a joke.

Jin-soo promises he’ll stick around until the manuscript is done, and even agrees to do the TV interview, just this once. However, Eun-young sees that he’s keeping his gaze away from her, and she prods him to look at her.

Eun-young asks, “Did I dream last night? You’re the same person, but how can the look in your eyes be so different?” He knows exactly what she means but he throws humor up as a shield and makes exaggerated faces to keep the tone light.

Sigh! There he goes, pulling a Troy from Reality Bites. I hear Eun-young’s frustration with this, having known a few of those boys in my day. He’s using flippant jokes as a defense mechanism, and it’s clear that he’s desperately trying to avoid any sort of genuine emotion to protect himself, and Eun-young is the only one who sees that and can call him on it. But even though she understands, she’s disappointed at his response. Like he thinks it’s just not worth the trouble to be honest.

That feeling grows during their drive in to work, and she gets sick of his glib veneer. She calls him hopeless, but not in an endearing way — it’s in an “I’m so upset that you’re actually beyond hope” sort of way. Pulling over to the side of the road, she tells him to get out of the car, frustrated with herself as much as with him for thinking that things might be different this time.

Jin-soo starts the long walk to the office, where Seung-yeon waits at the door. He gives her a key with the excuse that it’s inconvenient for him to always open the door for her, but she appreciates the gesture.

Jin-soo asks Seung-yeon how “ice cream” went last night, said in a knowing tone since he’s really asking about her date. She doesn’t get it, of course, and says he should have come along, to which he laughs, “I can’t risk my life over ice cream.” He muses to himself about her curious appeal — he could kind of let Do-sang slide, but now Dong-wook as well? She looks at him questioningly, not quite able to hear and not understanding what he means anyway.

While checking some camera footage, Jin-soo finds something odd and instructs Seung-yeon to take a look, then leans over her shoulder to peer at the screen. The sudden proximity sends her nerves all a-jitter and she hunches away from him nervously. When he again leans close while she’s making his coffee, she lurches and exclaims wildly that he should stay at a distance, and complains how he’s always hovering.

This is all to cover up her uncomfortable budding attraction, but Jin-soo misinterprets her snappishness for rebellion. Offended that his employee is now putting on airs and daring to talk back to him, he gets mad right back and scolds her for taking advantage of his lax attitude. Lol.

In the safety of the bathroom, Seung-yeon scolds herself for suddenly losing control of her hormones, reminding herself that this is her workplace.

Ji-won drops by the cafe hoping that Disapproving Grandpa has gone by now. However, the employee informs him that Grandpa is sitting right outside, then calls out to get the old man’s attention. Ji-won reacts hilariously, saying furtively, “Don’t call him!” and ducking out of sight. But the employee then moves aside and points down at him, telling Grandpa, “Ji-won hyung is here.” Hehe. Ji-won forces a nervous laugh, bows respectfully, then turns to leave. (And almost runs into Jin-soo on his Segway. He’d like to give him a piece of his mind, but he’s too eager to get away from the dreaded Gramps.)

Grandpa recognizes Jin-soo and requests a chat with him. He dislikes Ji-won’s constant lurking around his granddaughter and asks Jin-soo to do something about it to get him away from her. It’ll be a temporary fix, because Grandpa figures that the ultimate solution is to marry her off — perhaps he should start sending Eun-young on blind dates. Mention of this dims Jin-soo’s smile a bit.

Eun-young joins them in the cafe, where Grandpa asks if she met that guy she was supposed to be set up with. She sends a quick look Jin-soo’s way before smiling it off.

When Jin-soo comes back to the office, Seung-yeon hands him the phone, awkwardly holding the receiver as far from her body as possible to keep Jin-soo at a distance. The call is from Eun-young, and he asks if she’s going on blind dates now, telling her that they don’t suit her. She jokes that he probably thinks she’s more suited to being a forever-single cat lady.

Eun-young is calling to give him her answer to his breakfast proposal regarding his future plans. She recognizes that he’ll leave no matter what she says, and from a business standpoint he’s too valuable for her to just cut ties. She adopts a philosophical tone — it’s not ideal for him to go off for months or years, but he’s bound to pop back up bearing a new book. As far as hypothetical situations go, it’s neither the best- nor worst-case scenario.

This is her way of saying she’ll accept his decision as his publisher. Jin-soo asks for her opinion from a different perspective — meaning, not as his publisher but as a person. She says matter-of-factly, “I told you earlier, the person Lee Jin-soo is a lost cause.” And hangs up.

Spurred by Grandpa’s request (and maybe some of his own personal motivations), Jin-soo gives Seung-yeon an assignment — to write her very first synopsis for a story. Her task is to work out possible ways to get rid of Ji-won from Eun-young’s life for good.

Seung-yeon is taken by surprise, since writing scenarios is hardly something she’s good at, but Jin-soo insists that he’s giving her the opportunity to develop her skills. Even Seung-yeon is smart enough to know that that’s a crock of bull, and retorts that the only reason he’s telling her to do it is because he doesn’t know the answer himself.

He gives her an hour, after which she comes up with the idea to set Ji-won up with a new love interest. But she hasn’t thought out the particulars, and Jin-soo ruthlessly pokes holes into her idea — who? Where would they find her? What would she be like? How would they find someone even more impressive than Eun-young herself?

As he points out each flaw, Seung-yeon’s half of the split screen starts slowly shrinking, to match her falling spirits. Jin-soo sends her back for another pass, and this time she takes more care, interviewing Hyun-joo to ask about Ji-won’s past relationships. Eventually she ditches that idea and tries out a couple new theories.

The first involves a fortune-teller she knows, who can be persuaded to read Eun-young and Ji-won’s couple fortunes and declare them a disastrous match. This is such an obvious line of thinking that Jin-soo declares it completely lame. As he again criticizes her lack of imagination, her split-screen box starts shrinking again. Aw.

She retorts that HE ought to give it a try, to which he replies that this is HER homework — he’s purposely not giving her the answer just so she can practice. Seung-yeon calls him out for the lame excuse, pointing out that he’s foisting this off on her because he doesn’t have a better solution, and this time his box starts to shrink. Haha! (I love the shrinking screen motif, because it’s so simple and yet says so much.)

Her last idea is to get someone to act as Eun-young’s new boyfriend. Jin-soo starts to ask about the particulars, ready to shoot them down: What would it entail? Who would be the boyfriend? By now she’s lost confidence in all her ideas and blurts that he should be the one to play the boyfriend.

She points out that it would be believable, and if Ji-won saw it with his own eyes, he’d have to accept it. Jin-soo asks what would serve as “proof” of the romance, and she mumbles, “Stuff that dating people do.” He asks if this would require “a bed scene,” to which she nervously says no.

Jin-soo sends her back for more thinking, and Seung-yeon brainstorms various scenarios, like getting them drunk and “proving the romance” with a grand public display of affection.

Eun-young sees her name scribbled all over Seung-yeon’s notebook and peers over curiously. Seung-yeon tries to cover it up and explain that this is just an exercise — absolutely imaginary, with no intention of real-life implementation! — while Eun-young ponders why Jin-soo would make her the subject of study.

Reading over the list, Eun-young muses that No. 1 (setting Ji-won up with a new woman) is something she’d have done ages ago if it were possible. On to No. 2 — but that won’t be convincing because their parents already had them go to a fortune-teller when they were engaged, and the forecast was positive.

Now for No. 3 — having Jin-soo pose as her boyfriend. Seung-yeon hurriedly explains that it was just a stupid idea, but Eun-young looks at her with interested eyes: “Now this, I like,” she declares. It has a high possibility of working — how can they work with this?

Eun-young dives into the scenario, thinking of a way to engineer a scenario that is so natural that Ji-won would fall for it. Uneasily, Seung-yeon is forced to sit with her as Eun-young lays out the details: Ji-won has a habit of looking in on her office from his window, so they’ll set this scene in her office. She also figures that a kiss scene is necessary — using a kiss that is convincing even from a distance.

Even more unsettling to Seung-yeon is Eun-young’s decision to keep it secret from Jin-soo, because he wouldn’t cooperate if he knew. Eun-young makes her pinky-swear to it, then praises her for her idea. Afterward, Seung-yeon looks at her promise-pinky in dismay, as though thinking, “Oh, what have I gotten myself into?”

That evening, Seung-yeon waits nervously for the hour of doom, aka 8pm, when Eun-young will put her plan into motion. Jin-soo gets the call requesting his presence in her office, and Seung-yeon bites her tongue anxiously, wanting to warn him but afraid to ruin the plan. (I can see her hesitation, because this is another exercise in loyalty. In an earlier episode, she had decided to stick with Jin-soo no matter what, but the last time they did that we sorta came to the conclusion that Jin-soo’s escape from the interview was childish and caused more damage than it solved.)

Good thing for her she realizes that this time she doesn’t have to go either to Eun-young or Jin-soo, because there’s a Door No. 3. She races next door to Ji-won’s office, intending to stop him from seeing anything.

Eun-young greets Jin-soo with a suspiciously bright smile and a glass of wine. He immediately knows that something is up, although he can’t pinpoint what she’s planning. At first she enjoys leaving him in the dark while she toys with his hair and touches his face, before she tells him through clenched teeth that Ji-won’s watching.

She also calls him out for dismissing Seung-yeon’s idea, because she thinks it’s a great plan — it’s the most realistic and has the highest probability for success. He was just letting his personal distaste for playing the boyfriend color his opinion of the idea itself.

Seung-yeon races into Ji-won’s office, ready to distract him from the scene at the window, but as it happens she’s too late. He is already looking over in shock while Eun-young moves even closer and starts to slowly unbutton Jin-soo’s shirt.

While keeping up the appearance of being locked in a romantic moment, Eun-young tells Jin-soo that she worked out this scenario with Seung-yeon, and they planned out the script for the evening. He asks nervously how far she’s going to go — “You want to keep going? How far?”

All this time, Jin-soo has been a little nervous and uncertain, but at her confirmation that there will be a kiss scene involved, his mouth quirks up in a self-assured smile and he challenges her to show him what she’s got. Eun-young moves in, pushes him back onto her desk, and leans over him.

I love the spectators’ response to this — they both recoil in shock, and Ji-won finally notices that Seung-yeon is in his office. He asks what she’s doing here, but she’s so stunned that she just presses her face to the window dumbly. Ji-won does the same. (Seung-yeon knows that Eun-young is faking this, but she assumes that Jin-soo is unaware of her motives and is reacting accordingly.)

There’s a hilarious pause while Eun-young is leaning over Jin-soo’s torso, practically on top of him, and he tells her to go on. She mutters, “You want me to do it? I pushed you, so you should do it [kiss].” Jin-soo: “What are you talking about?”

This pause has the effect of killing the mood — not that the mood was romantic, per se, but it has been charged with tension as they both waited to see what the other would do. Eun-young’s expression had gone from teasing to questioning, and at his terse response she now becomes serious.

With some anger creeping in, Eun-young tells Jin-soo not to mess around with her life: “You do all these things that I don’t ask for, and then you don’t do what I do ask for. I’m not thankful at all. If you have even a little thought for me, you’d do what I wanted you to. Don’t keep doing things I don’t ask you to do. When did I ever ask you to help me?”

Ooh, banjun. I love when scenes suddenly turn on their heads, and that’s what happens here. The comic uncertainty and jokey tension dissipates entirely, and Jin-soo asks, “So what is it you want from me? A convincing, magnificent kiss?” Their exchange is loaded with meaning — not about the words at all but in the way they say them.

Eun-young (Duh, exactly): “Yeah.”
Jin-soo (challenging): “Yeah?”
Eun-young (matter-of-fact): “Yeah.”
Jin-soo (very interested) “Yeah…”

However, Eun-young’s confidence seems to falter, and her gaze wavers uncertainly, like she’s about to back down and give up on her crazy scheme. Which is when Jin-soo decides, “Then let’s do it my way. I don’t like this way.”


Ji-won and Seung-yeon watch in horror and disbelief as Jin-soo leaps up and clears off all the papers from her desk. Moving with decisive assertiveness, Jin-soo flips around their stances, lowering Eun-young onto the tabletop and leaning down over her, one of her legs bent and raised up by his waist.

Then, Jin-soo gets up to face the window, where he looks tauntingly at Ji-won. He reaches toward his waistline… and pulls out his belt… and pulls the blinds shut. HAHAHAHA.

As soon as he pulls the blinds closed, he’s back to his old self. Putting his belt back on, he points out that it’s more powerful to leave them to their imaginations. Eun-young, however, is just as shocked by his sudden romantic fake-out and takes some moments to recover from its effects.

Ji-won and Seung-yeon are both so stricken by the events that they stagger from the window in a daze.

Jin-soo suggests heading out for something to eat. Eun-young, now recovering her composure, tells him that he’s right and wise — he’s more logical than her. “I understand,” she tells him. She’s referring to his tactic, but it also mirrors her perception of their emotional paths as well — he puts on a good show and comes out of it totally unmoved, while she can’t be that detached.

Jin-soo points out that no matter how worked up she gets over something, she’s always able to return to her original state. Eun-young forces a smile and agrees — that’s her, all right. Coolly, she turns down his dinner invitation, and he heads back to his office.

Once he’s gone, though, Eun-young lies back down on her desk, still feeling all that pent-up anticipation.

When Jin-soo gets back to the office, he tsks-tsks over the silly plan Seung-yeon had worked out with Eun-young. Seung-yeon realizes that this means he was aware that the whole thing was faked, which means that his part was also just as faked. (Her shock came from thinking that Eun-young had made an advance as an act, which he reciprocated in reality.) This is a thought that vastly relieves her — until she recalls with frustration that she shouldn’t feel relieved about that, as he is her boss and et cetera.

A few nights later, Seung-yeon is working at her family’s coffee shop when Dong-wook comes by. He’s happy to see her through the window, but his path is blocked by her curious family, and he has to endure a brief interrogation before he can head inside, answering questions about his family situation. Grandma likes him, although Dad has a few reservations. (Grandma points out that his reservations are unfounded, since Dong-wook is no worse off than Dad himself.)

I wonder if it’s worth noting that Dong-wook appears to be getting sloppier (outside of work) while Eun-young continues to get sharper — her hair is smooth and straight, and her dressing style is becoming more put-together.

Seung-yeon hasn’t been to the office in three days, because Jin-soo had been busy writing and told her not to come until he called. Dong-wook perks up, as this means she has lots of free time, and just as he starts to ask her to a movie, she gets a phone call that cuts him off.

Seung-yeon answers eagerly, hoping it’s Jin-soo calling her back to work, but it turns out to be Hyun-joo. The publishing office is cluttered with birthday presents, and they were hoping she would take them up to Jin-soo’s place. Seung-yeon had been under the mistaken belief that Jin-soo’s “real” birthday was months later and that this was only his “profile birthday.” Of course, it turns out that Jin-soo had lied — she’d been going on and on about throwing him a party, so he picked a different date to shut her up.

Dong-wook tries to ask Eun-young out again, but now she’s distracted by this news, and barely hears him. She decides that the day isn’t over yet, so there’s still time to plan some birthday events. I love that her reasoning isn’t (only) to celebrate his birthday, but to get back at him for lying to her in the first place. Hee. She’s learning!

At the store, she picks up an array of party supplies, choosing items that will most annoy Jin-soo, and heads over with her items of torture. However, Jin-soo looks out the window to see her walking up bearing her festive atrocities, and decides to sneak out before she gets there. He drops by a local convenience store to pick up some snacks, then makes a phone call.

Seung-yeon now has an apartment key so she lets herself in and starts to decorate. When she answers the phone, it’s Jin-soo demanding that she remove every little balloon and party favor immediately. If there’s anything left when he gets back, he’ll fire her. She protests (and despite her desire for a little “revenge,” she really does mean the best), but she senses he means it and glumly starts to collect the decorations.

Jin-soo steps out of the phone booth just as a sudden downpour starts. Without an umbrella and with no particular place to be, he retreats back into the glass booth and pops a beer. Happy birthday to me.

A knock on the glass draws his attention — it’s Eun-young, standing just outside.

She is on her way in, having had a few drinks herself, in celebration of signing a new contract. She tells him to come with her, since she’s got an umbrella, so Jin-soo grabs his plastic bag and starts to leave, but the contents spill out and beer cans fall to the ground.

He kneels to pick them up, while she comments on the oddity of him drinking alone in a phone booth on his birthday, especially considering that he’s a star author with crowds of fans. He thought she’d forgotten his birthday, to which she responds that since he’d prefer that she forget, she has to act the part to oblige him.

Jin-soo likes that about her, in contrast to his dense secretary who insisted on going out to prepare him a birthday party. Eun-young points out that Seung-yeon’s the normal one — it’s Jin-soo who’s abnormal. Eun-young adds that in going out of her way to suit him, that has turned her into another abnormal one: “I can’t buy a present for a friend on his birthday, or tell him congratulations.”

Jin-soo replies that he doesn’t need words of congratulations, “But a present is good. Just give me a present.” He’s happy with that, just as long as it doesn’t come with a birthday card.

At that, Eun-young’s gaze changes — she stares at him more intently as he continues to chat. Then, without warning, she drops her umbrella, steps inside the phone booth, and moves in for a kiss.

 
COMMENTS

I have gotten questions about a Coffee House novel, which appears to be a different case from Coffee Prince or Personal Taste, where the drama was adapted from a previously published book. It looks like the Coffee House novel — or I’d call it novelization — was published after the drama began to air, and one of the writers is the same writer of the drama. Based on a few reader reviews, the characters are the same but the storyline is a little different. So I wouldn’t go around worrying about what happens in the book version.

However, if you are curious, here are the chapter titles. (Highlight to read; I’m keeping them hidden for those who wish to avoid the spoilers.)

CHAPTERS

1. Meeting at Palace Coffee
2. My enemy, my treasure
3. Love’s emergency landing
4. I’ll become a pro secretary!
5. The Jang Dong-gun and Go So-young of the publishing world
6. Dreams can’t come true
7. 척하면 착!
(This is the thing that Jin-soo tells Seung-yeon, and I don’t have a good direct translation for it. It basically means that if he gives the signal, she should know what to do immediately.)
8. This is Jeju Island
9. Things that change, things that don’t change
10. Ten-year friendship
11. Goodbye, Palace Coffee
Epilogue

END CHAPTERS

It’s funny how I’ve never warmed to Park Shi-yeon before, and suddenly love her. Even after she improved mightily in La Dolce Vita and Story of a Man (as well as several movie projects), she was no longer bad but I still didn’t connect with her. But I find her absolutely endearing, adorable, and winning in Coffee House, and I love her chemistry with Kang Ji-hwan. She banters, teases, taunts, holds herself confidently, and even manages to show glimpses of uncertainty and vulnerability, all with a natural charm.

It’s partly that she’s improved, but also that this role really shows her off to her best advantage. I wonder if she’s one of those actresses whose perceived image and persona are quite different from her real personality, and therefore when she acts in roles that require her to be haughty or glamorous (which is how most people see her), it doesn’t work as well because there’s a disconnect in the acting. But I love her as this character.

As for the chemistry? Off the charts. How hot was that last kiss, huh? But not only that, I particularly dug the fake-out scene, because there were a lot of different layers operating there. There’s the outward “show” to convince Ji-won that they’re romantically involved, and their facade with each other that this is all just a ploy, and that they’re cool and unperturbed by the act. Then there’s a tinge of hope (for instance, in the way Eun-young looks to him when she wants him to kiss her), and then the flash of contained disappointment (when he doesn’t kiss her). I didn’t think this pair would be so well-matched at the beginning of the drama, but I’m a big fan now. And if THIS episode didn’t convince you… well, then, I guess nothing ever will?

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is it just me or is it starting to feel like if it wasn't for Kang Ji Hwan's awesome portrayal of Jin Soo, like Jin Soo himself, as a person, just does not deserve either of the ladies just right now...? MAN, i am so heavily invested in this drama, jun28th CANNOT come fast enough! ARGH!

thanks, jb! i needed a fix! this is the new coke here on dramabeans heheh :D

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^ sorry to double post, just wanted to clarify:
that yunno-- don't get me wrong, i was in the eun young jin soo ship too, but now i'm starting to feel like it's more a story of personal growth, than just a love story. like the ships are actually... individual. and that they all need to get somewhere first before any of them could be good FOR and WITH anyone else at all. so. that's the story i'm rooting for. the entanglements between each individual story of growth just make it all the juicier. loaded conversations are the BEST. THE BEST. YAY COFFEE HOUSE!

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i loved this episode. and i thought the fake out kiss was enough EY-JS action. haha i really wish the world cup didn't cut into this show. i'm urgently waiting to see where this drama ends up.

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"Good thing for her she realizes that this time she doesn’t have to go either to Eun-young or Jin-soo, because there’s a Door No. 3. She races next door to Ji-won’s office, intending to stop him from seeing anything."

wow i did not think of that! i actually thought she was trying to find the best view in the house to see what was going on, and she ended up realizing that Ji Won would have the best view since they were doing the show for him! heheh!

i loved the fake out scene because it built the tension up so well - it paid off that tension with the kiss. i totally got on the EY/JS boat after ep 7 and hearing about the "infamous kiss" of ep8, because i can't see it going any other way.

i never felt particularly strong about the chemistry though - but their parts are well acted.

YES - I CAN FINALLY SLEEP! BEEN WAITING ALL NIGHT UNTIL THIS RECAP CAME UP!!! =D

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that's what I thought, too. She couldn't really do anything about the situation, so her "budding attraction" for Jinsoo (as jb calls it) forces her to run to where she can at least see what's going on.

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Is it safe to say that Eun Young and Jin Soo are the main pair now?

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Three weeks till the next episode! Dagger through my heart. I love the kiss and their chemistry, I'm excited because i know the twists and turns are coming and just when we get complacent with the storyline we're going to be blindsided, or so I hope. Please please please let's not start with the SY/JS vs EY/JS thing, please!

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I kind of get what you mean about PSY. I was never a big fan of hers, didn't really liked any of the characters she played or the actress herself really. But this drama really turned me around. It's like she's softer now. I've seen some episodes of her on Family Outing, and this personality is more close to the her on there (although it is a scripted show, sort of). I like =).

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You know, all the previous talks about who the leading lady will be kind of brought to mind a couple of kdramas for me, ones in which the leading lady doesn't end up with the leading the guy. So, for all those who think that knowing is important, this much I can say: kdramas have broken the rule before, giving the leading lady to the second guy, while the leading guy is the one that let's go. The particular drama I'm thinking of right now is:

[SKIP THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW] Someday starring Kim Min Joon[...]

Anyways, I'm all for EY and JS as long as Dong-wook is with SY....

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Thanks JB, been awaiting your recap, and as usual you deliver in spades! ;)

"Eun-young, now recovering her composure, tells him that he’s right and wise — he’s more logical than her, and “I understand.” She’s referring to his tactic, but it also mirrors her perception of their emotional paths as well — he puts on a good show and comes out of it totally unmoved, while she can’t be that detached. "

I didn't catch that, but you're spot on. EY is tired of the perceived 'insincerity' (being all warm and genuine through the night and then announcing cheerfully in the morning that he's leaving- "Ta-ta now for 2 years!") in him, and annoyed that she's more affected by it that he seems to be.

I'm buying them as a couple- swallowed them whole... bait, sink, lure and line!

That kiss... and I think it was KHJ's response that got me... the kiss itself which was hot, but it was the follow-up that made me catch my breath.

He didn't open his eyes at once, but stood there with his lips parted, as if he wanted to savor the kiss just one instant more... then he very slowly, as if in complete wonder and amazement at how perfect the moment was, opens his eyes to gaze at EY.

Cut.

Movie magic.

No wonder it took 20 NGs.

And boy it would have been worth 20 more and another 2 hours.

KHJ is God.

PSY is no cupcake herself... I loved her facial expressions here- varied, nuanced, with comic timing to match KHJ's (no mean feat!), simply captivating!

JB, would you kindly arrange for a time warp and get June 28th to come in 3 days?

Pretty please?

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is it bad of me to still hope for some JS and SY romance? I mean, i'm not shipping for them per se but i enjoy their interaction with each other just as much as i enjoy the EY/JS pairing.

this is just a such refreshing drama!!!! and i totally agree with you javabeans about not having that OTP so obvious because it takes the realness out of the scenarios.

<3 it!

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Yess I was hoping you'd have this recap up by tonight and voila! I absolutely LOVED this episode and the underlying significance of the discussions between Eun Young and Jin Soo. I was always shipping them but now I will boycott this drama if Jin Soo winds up being paired with Seung Yeon. The chemistry between Park Si Yeon and Kang Ji Hwan is beyond blazing and honestly I'd quake in my shoes if I were her and Kang Ji Hwan stared at me the way he does her. I can't wait 'til the next episode!

Thanks for the recap, Javabeans. :)

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ahh.., my friend and i have been waiting for this recap for a looong time. (way to spend the first day outta school, riiight?? x3)

When she saw the first sentence, she said, "Ohhhh boy... Now it's a Ji Won-Seung Yeon pairing. Gross...." HAHA xD

Oooh EY and JS make one sexy couple! when they did the fake kiss thingy, I held my breath and totally crossed my fingers!

And the kiss....!! Let's just say it's enough to keep this girl up all night! ;)

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This drama is getting kool. I always wondered how they could portray the typical 'second lead' to get the guy.

too bad theres a two week delay...

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Thank you so much for the recaps!

I am so going to watch this Coffee House now. Love the Ey and JS relationship. So real.

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I loved this episode. The whole episode was one long tease. It made the kiss even more surprising and satisfactory at the end. I had given up on anyone getting any action this episode and then BAM! What an amazingly yummy kiss.

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I love this drama now.

The ending was amazing in this epi.

I like KJH & he is now my wallpapaer on iphone!!!!

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I love this drama!! Anyone has any good guesses where the story's going to go from here? =)

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Oh and can I make a plug for the musical/sound crew here?

Libretango for their 'sex-on-the-office-desk' scam
"Disney" tune for JS's idea of "let's break the news of my leaving to EY in a light-hearted way"
Classical music for gramps' heart-to-heart with JS
Fizzle of bear and rain drops for the kiss.... culminating in the theme

Very, very nice going... specially on Libretango, which had me rolling! ;)

That scene btw, was fabulous chemistry all around.. I thought JW and SY were amazing in their synchronized gulps, gawks and gasps! (Even the way they were pressed up against the window together was awesome!)

You've said it all about KJH and PSY there... it's my favorite scene in the series so far, bar none.

Did you all also notice that the scene as JW and SY saw it was always a lot more dramatic than what actually happens?

When EY goes in for her hair, shirt play, JS is frowning and looking at her suspiciously and not touching her.

But cut to JW and SY's point of view, and you see JS smiling flirtatiously with his hand suggestively holding EY's hip.

Nice job on the details that add to the "Give them something to imagine about" theme. :)

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@9 Fan,
YES, YES & YES to everything you wrote :) <3

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thank you

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That kiss was hot, hot hot!
As was I too am surprised with PSH. She was definitely great in this episode. Never seen her play a character that will endear her to me as a viewer.
At this point I like the EY-JS pairing and SEY and Dong-wok. Makes sense to me more than SEY-JS.
I am really liking this drama more than Bad Guy right now even though I love KNG.
Thanks for the recap JB!

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All I can think about is what Jin Soo is going to say in response to the kiss. I'm preparing myself for his humor shield to come out...but I'm hoping he'll pull her back and continue what she started...muhahaha.

The chemistry between those two makes my tv screen catch on fire. Loving it, and I really want to see more flashbacks about their history as "friends"...there are so many layers there, and I'm excited to see them peeled back in the next few episodes.

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I opened the can of worms regarding the book thingy (axerine_1 in soompi =P) but after reading your comments I am all cheered up!

Like most of us, I didn't have a liking for Park Shi Yeon until now....finally! (it's like Gong Hyo Jin in Pasta...never took a second look at her until Chef-Goldfish comes along...hehe)...Converted fan of hers now and I am soooooo loving the chemistry between. I hope that if (touchwood) they didn't end up together here, there will be another project (hopefully a drama) where their sizzling chemistry would start from all the way from ep 1 to.......100? LOL!!

More angst more angst!

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Oh, really??? It is finally here
Thank you JB to clarify that and for the wonderful recap as always ( It 's just as fun as the show itself)

Phewww!!!
I can breath now, knowing that the novel may not affect the drama ending :)
My hope is up again!!! Yay!!!!
And I love this Ep so much that I come to like PSY and HJW myself- I have been reseached and looked for their profiles and previous works ( Yeah, I am one of those never cared for PSY after My girl day- but she slowly win me over here)
Just like most of you, I love the fake-out scene and the kiss scense so so much. There were loads of chemistry that my heart almost couldn't stand it
And I cant count how many times I repeat the KISS. It s just HOT and PERFECT.
... She drew back surpisely ( for how he kissed back?!?!) and he slowly ( and still dreamy ) opened his eyes, looking at her. ... Just love it <3
The music, the rain, the color, the symbolism and off-the-chart chemistry of the actors... Everything was done beautifully. ( no wonder they had 20 NGs to make it, I 'd love to see them ^^)
Am I the only one to think that ( by the look of his face), he wanted more?
So will he pull her back for a bigger, hotter one in the beginning of Ep9 ( I know I am pervy here, but I cant help it) :P
hehe
Thanks again JB!!!
And I really enjoy all the comments here so keep them comming , my lovely ladies and gentlemen !!!
Thank you <3

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What I absolutely adored about this episode is how confident Eun-young is. She knows what she wants. She's not necessarily telling Jin-soo outright that she likes him, but like you said, there are those layers in their conversations, and he knows, and she knows he knows. I LOVED that she didn't wait for him to kiss her -- she just went for it. (With the help of a little liquid courage -- someday, I would like to see a significant relationship-development moment happen without the aid of alcohol - I'd like them to be brave enough to just do it! Or say it, whatever the case may be.) I've been thinking recently on this topic, and it's not very often that kdrama heroines take the initiative, at least not that I've seen. I like that Eun-young is the one to make the first move. I can't wait to see where we're going from here!

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@ 9 Fan:
"That kiss… and I think it was KHJ’s response that got me… the kiss itself which was hot, but it was the follow-up that made me catch my breath.

He didn’t open his eyes at once, but stood there with his lips parted, as if he wanted to savor the kiss just one instant more… then he very slowly, as if in complete wonder and amazement at how perfect the moment was, opens his eyes to gaze at EY.

Cut."

---seriously BEST blow by blow of that i will ever see. congratulations!
that is precisely how it felt like to me, there was a lingering and a longing, almost like a dam had broken and that for a few seconds past the connect, there were no walls, and his longing was betrayed. his desire was betrayed. his fragility was betrayed. his need has surfaced-- and it is this very need to put down his defenses yet keep them, immaterial in that one glorious moment, that REALLY PULLS ME IN. i am staying tuned for the aftermath of this. the dissolution of the illusion that this was ever just a friendship will force them to build NEW WALLS (argH!) so they can save each other from all the still-hidden reasons why they can't be together. the the let's-stay-in-this-moment-and-render-history-immaterial second is not going to last for long. but i can feel like it's gonna give us a good ride, anyway. :)

good one, show! whatever ships thrive after this, all i'm saying is, that SOLD it for me. thanks for the intense blow by blow!

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“Eun-young, now recovering her composure, tells him that he’s right and wise — he’s more logical than her, and “I understand.” She’s referring to his tactic, but it also mirrors her perception of their emotional paths as well — he puts on a good show and comes out of it totally unmoved, while she can’t be that detached. ”

yeah i totally didn't catch that and kamsamnida to javabeans for the insight. i partially blame the barrier of translation from language to language because i was kind of like maybe..? no... uhm wait for javabeans to clear it up xD

as i said before, all the arguments of which couple to ship ASIDE. how the heck can they end it with JS/SY when the chemistry between JS/EY is smoking hot? one of the best kisses for a drama/show/movie i've ever seen. either they're too fake with the mouth-on-mouth-camera-moving-around-them-sun-blinding or like american television slobber fests with intense frenching. this was sweet yet passionate and i love it for that.

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yes!! i think they have a great chemistry..!! and that last kiss scene was awesome!!..

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i really love this episode. thank JB for a great recap!! Man episode 9 is so far away!!!!

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@26 and 9
THAT is what had me replaying the scene 20+ times...
and why it's now on my ipod =]
and i usually don't fangirl over these types of things haha

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There is so much chemistry between those two, but considering we are only on Episode 8, I have to wonder if it will fizzle out. I hope this drama will stay away from formula and keep it up, other wise we might be going back into the realm of a Seung-yeon/Jin-Seo paring.

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OMG. AWESOME EPISODE. chemistry was amazinggggg.

aw i was actually a seung yeon- jin soo shipper. but now....i guess the main couple IS eun young and jin soo. but it made me excited and happy all episode so i guess its a good thing (:

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YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been waiting for this episode for FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hurray for the kiss at the end - about time! Can't wait to see how they're going to move on from here, totally on the EY-JS ship. *pumps fist*

And please, offer DW some candy. The poor boy's just too cute to ignore.

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why did SY cut her hair at the end?

she was just starting to look really nice

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I waited all night for your blog on this epi! i usually watch the epi and then come to your page to read up on it incase i miss something or misunderstood something!.... and i love your opinion on it too...i'm definitely on the Eun-young/jin-soon boat!!! from the beginning. and that kiss was definitely something....finally the girl doing the first move...i think thats what i love about her character...she's vulnerable but at the same time strong and independent!

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i think javabeans has covered everything, so there's little to say. yes, the chemistry is undeniable, and wow. the sexual tension was intense, and the kiss is one of the more romantic ones i've ever seen. i love that it was a woman who initiated it. ooh, hot.

ugh, and i absolutely loved SY here. truly adored her expressions. she was simply too cute, especially in the scene where she had her nose pressed up against the window and muttering assurances to herself. she looked like an anime.

regarding the book and its chapters ... like i said, the chapters don't fully correspond to the number of the episodes. so, there's still the uncertainty of the pairings :)

anyway, i'd like to bring over lalhita's question from the other thread: what does JS bring to EY and SY? what does he have to offer either ladies. much of the discussions have focused on what the ladies can offer JS. so, it would be interesting to read people's responses to lalhita's question. without a doubt, JS's character will grow. that is expected of most of the characters in this drama. but as it stands now, JS still has the emotional and professional capacity of kid, and yet, people focus on his lead status that some deem has an ideal catch, when he's really not quite there yet. i can give reasons for what he can offer either lead females, but if anybody would care to indulge me, then please share your insight into lalhita's question :)

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KHJ, PSY SO HOT together i want more the only thing i hate about this drama is SY dumb look is annoying me but i hope in remaining episode SY character become more confident remove that clueless look.

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What a tease! A great way to leave CH fans hanging, is to end w/ a banging kiss and NO TEASER. Good one!

I love the office deception. I keep screaming into my pc, "kiss him EY! don't let him slip away," but I suppose that misleading scene builds tension for that momentous real kiss at the end w/ JS. Yes, the demon has exorcise from w/in me. It's out there, so dodge it if anyone comes in contact w/ such evil torment.

@ 9 Fan

20 NGs for the kissing scene? Yeah, I can see it. PSY seems like a strong lady, or that KJH makes it look so. Did any KJH fans scream 'OUCH' when PSY pushed him into landing that bday kiss? I wonder if KJH's backside is bruised or not after 20 takes. Ok, I will stop putting blame on the actress taking advantage of a helpless KJH. Keke. We all know KJH is single and available, so the lack of (a gf) might trigger him kiss scene happy. Pahehe.

I still can't pick who JS should end up loving, EY or SY? I am simply enjoying all the (wrong timing) chaos and mockeries for now.

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If the seungyeon is watching them kiss then I'll be so disappointed with its clicheness...
other than that...
how nice was that kiss--finally a small release of all the tension between the two ^^
thanks for the recap.

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My reaction to the kiss in the last scene (and I quote): AAAAAAAAHHHHHOMGGGGG! :D

As much as I wanted Eun Young and Jin Soo together, I totally thought Seung Yeon was going to show up with the umbrella at the phone booth.

I have to say, this drama has pleasantly surprised me. The previews didn't catch my interest and neither did the first episode, which I only watched because I trust javabeans' opinion/recommendation. I kept watching because there really isn't much else right now. Having said that, I am LOVING the characters. As I said before, I love how the writers and PSY have portrayed an independent, successful female without the standard evil/crazy. But I also love how -- in the past 2 episodes especially -- they've also showed her to be confident yet vulnerable, successful yet fallible. Nuance in a Kdrama??? Can it be??? Additionally, I'm loving the relationship between Eun Young and Seung Yeon. Here are two female characters and possible love rivals and they a) don't hate each other, and b) aren't trying to sabotage each other at every turn. I almost left out c) neither is dying. I can't tell you how utterly refreshing I find this. Are the writers female by any chance?

And Ji Won... Bravo Jung Woong In. He's made his cheating scumbag character totally lovable! He has me laughing literally every time he comes on screen. I still don't want him back with Eun Young, but I love the energy and joy he brings to his performance. It's a cast of scene stealers, led by their merry, fearless leader Kang Ji Hwan! I can't wait to see how the rest of this drama unfolds.

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loved the episode..CH is shaping ouit pretty great isnt it??...(*knock on wood*... dont wanna jinx myself again)..i love how they switch all your kdrama cliches..i just wish they would have given us more on the backstory since they had been building momentum on that for the past few eps...you totally gotta love that kiss...SO hot...I ws on my toes wondering abt KJH's reaction to EY suddenly jumping on him..i thought we;d see the usual reaction we get when the main lead guy gets forced kissed by second lead girl)..... but then that close up of him with his eyes closed and resonding...i loved how you totally caught me offguard there, show!!(keke im borrowing some from you girlfriday)..... no matter who you're shippin you gotta admit that was one good kiss too....i loved hw u reversed my expectations...so like JB im just gonna trust you and go wherever this ship takes me

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@39
hahahhaha if she's watching i'm going to have HUGE BUTT DEJA VU from like a million other dramas

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I re-read the recap... again ( and all the comments as well- enjoy them to bit)
But I love how you explained this:
There’s the outward “show” to convince Ji-won that they’re romantically involved, and their facade with each other that this is all just a ploy, and that they’re cool and unperturbed by the act. Then there’s a tinge of hope (for instance, in the way Eun-young looks to him when she wants him to kiss her), and then the flash of contained disappointment (when he doesn’t kiss her). I didn’t think this pair would be so well-matched at the beginning of the drama, but I’m a big fan now. And if THIS episode didn’t convince you… well, then, I guess nothing ever will?

I knew something was there( since the sexual tension was so strong) but the translation wasnt clear enought for me to figure it out. Thanks for pointing it out!!!

And the part that SY went to No 3 option too... I just thought that she wanted to make sure JW watching "the show" lol ( silly me ^^;;)

Btw, anyone know if they release any BTS and NGs for this drama? Like YB... I thought it'd be fun to watch ( as CH fix) in the next 3 weeks

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Hillarious... I was rolling on the floor laughing while watching this ep hahaha.. btw, nice recaps:)

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i was one of the early PSY fans. heh, even during My Girl. partly because i was a little irked at Lee DaHae's acting in MG that i kinda rooted for PSY's character a bit. [but believe me, i was a yoorin-gongchan fan. i dont even remember PSY's character name. heh.] what made me love PSY, like i always say, was her movie Fox Family. till now i still listen to that song she sang. sadly, she got typecasted to that vixen/femme fatale role. this is indeed a fresh role for her.

i'm glad ppl are actually starting to like her [thanks to EY character!].

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I'm back again. But this time with a very big smile and benevolent mood for every one. Please accept my sincere apologies for ranting before. My only excuse is that CH has made me crazy.

I know CH is a good show. But that kissing scene is the proof which convinces me of how good it is. Some one has mentioned here (my apologies for not remembering who) that he/she doesn't really care for most of the kissing scenes in KDrama so she/he just waits impatiently for those scenes to finish.

That's exactly how I also feel about KDrama kissing scenes. Sometimes, I wonder why do they even bother to kiss in the first place. There's no reason to do it as it doesn't deliver any significant messages hence no reason for its viewers to even remember that kissing scene again afterward. BUT NOT THIS ONE!

I'm more than surprised by the scene. The kiss is hot. But, that's not what impressed me. I'm impressed by the feelings cause by the kiss. By how both Jin Soo and Eun Young react to the kiss. (I love what you wrote about how Jin Soo reacts to the kiss Fan! ) This is definitly the best kissing scene in KDrama!

Great acting, great directing, great script! Just great!

I'm starting to feel more than willing to put my trust in the show. And go with the ride!

But there's this nagging anxiety still (I've turned into a worrier because of CH): is it possible for CH to maintain its current level of excellent after such a hearthrobing scene? I'm wishing the very best for this show.

Anyway, thanks for making my weekend a great one everybody.

As always thanks a lot JB!

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Oh my God, I can't explain how I feel about this episode!!!! It's so...I don't know, awesome!!!! To me, I think this is the best drama of 2010 up till now. I really love your recaps, you just capture the moment, and turn it into words, which is actually a rare quality!

And that kiss was really...already at the fake-out, I thought: "If th ey ever really kiss, well that would be one heck of a kiss!!" So I couldn't believe when they actually DID kiss, and I just gawped at my screen!!!!

That is one couple I really want to see happening. But even if it doesn't, and he, who knows how, ends up with Seung-yeon, this episode let's me create a Coffee-House future of my own XD

Dong-wook is so nice, I really think that he's the type of guy Seong-yeon would feel she should have been with, in the long run, if she doesn't choose him, because Ithink they could just have something...something special, like a best-friend + lover type of relationship, without all toooo much passion, but lot's of genuine love.

Oh well, let's see where all this is going to lead =D I love the grandpa, by the way XD Still, even though my hopes are out there and vulnerable, I wouldn't mind getting burned, as this whole drama just equals love for me!!! It really makes me happy, watching this drama, and I'm really thankful for that : )

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JB

i've said this before and i'll say this again... you're one hell of a writer! i just admire how you put your thoughts into words... i hope you never get tired of writing :)

as for episode 8---
what else can i say????

THE KISS WAS TOTALLY HOT!

i read the chapters (of the novel) and if this drama will follow the story of the book, JS will probably end up with SY...and i will definitely be disappointed... but i'm still keeping my fingers crossed...

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i've not been so excited abt a drama in awhile with the exception of PT which we all know turned out to be a....well some things are best left unsaid....anyway CH is a damn fine show! im hoping tht it will not disappoint!

oh boy tht kiss! awesomeness! but my k drama training almost made be expect SY to happen upon them...loool.... which leads me to believe tht the triangle is still very much alive and kicking! KJH and PSY have some chemistry I have to say!

still 2 weeks without knowing is a bit much :( makes me wonder if it was planned this way with the WC in mind.....then boo writers boo :P

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I watched that kiss over and over and I suspect I'll watch it more as the 3 weeks go by. How hot was it, huh?! WHAT A KISS!!! So intense, and his reaction was acted perfectly. I think what I love most about this drama is the acting (and the way it turns k-drama cliches on their heads). This drama has broken so many "rules" that I honestly think JS will end up alone at this point, lol. I'm on board whatever happens; I've never been this excited about a drama before. it's just about perfect. I actually plan to buy it when it becomes available.

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