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Coffee House: Page 15

There’s only a week left of Coffee House (and three more recaps after this one). What’s interesting is that I am really enjoying the episodes, and the acting, and the characters (mostly). And y’all know how much I love Kang Ji-hwan. So it’s a curious how this drama has consistently entertained me, but it hasn’t taken root in my heart/mind/feelings. I don’t even share a lot of the bigger criticisms about the show that many others feel, and have been content to let the plot play out without feeling upset about it. Maybe it’s just the season. Or timing. Or something about the show itself that keeps things sort of at a surface level, even despite incorporating some serious emotional beats. Oh well. I’m not beat up about it. (And yet, that’s what I find so weird.)

SONG OF THE DAY

Space A – “섹시한 남자” (Sexy Man). I laughed out loud when this song cropped up in this episode, because it’s one of those old-school kpop hits from a group that (like so many expendable kpop acts) had a pretty short shelf life. But I seem to recall the song being popular during a trip to Korea, which means for a short while I heard it everywhere. [ Download ]

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PAGE 15 RECAP

In the studio, Jin-soo reads Eun-young’s text message, which is a essentially a pre-emptive rejection. The radio show staff members cast worried glances at each other because his silence is making things awkward, but he snaps back to the moment and everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

The rest of the interview goes off without a hitch, and the staff is pleased with Jin-soo’s performance — he’s witty, smart, and funny. They sigh that it’s too bad he was only available for this short stint — how about Seung-yeon try to persuade him into a regular guest spot? She tells her sunbae he’s overreaching, but she enjoys the praise directed her way over scoring such a prime interview subject.

Seung-yeon offers to buy Jin-soo lunch in thanks for the interview, and he accepts the offer. Determined to impress, she buys heaps of food and presents them proudly. She recalls that she’s still wearing his ring and starts to return it, but he tells her to keep it for a little longer. He wants her to continue acting as his girlfriend while he’s in Korea — to friend gatherings and Eun-young’s wedding, for instance.

This time Seung-yeon is quicker on the uptake and thinks of a way to work this to her advantage. With her boss’s suggestion to increase Jin-soo’s guest participation on the show in mind, she plays coy, and Jin-soo realizes what she’s up to. A little impressed with her bold move, he asks, “Are you trying to make a deal with me?”

Seung-yeon names her price: Be a recurring guest on the show, just 30 minutes a week (for a few weeks, until he leaves Korea). In defense of her manipulation, she reminds Jin-soo that he was the one who taught her about being a pro.

His grumbled response makes me laugh: “I taught you a hundred things — how is it the only ones you remembered are the ones that suck?” Still, Jin-soo agrees to the exchange, telling her, “You’ve grown up.”

Seung-yeon further impresses/surprises him by playing this up with her boss — she calls and makes the deal seem extra difficult, so that when she announces that she succeeded, it will seem an even greater accomplishment.

Seung-yeon’s father makes his first overture to the pretty lady running the dry-cleaning shop in their neighborhood. It’s a pretty paltry move, and one that I suspect will backfire on him, but he’s pleased as punch with himself. (He offers her a free coffee, making up some excuse about all his neighbors getting one free drink per day, which is bound to turn out badly, no?)

In any case, that night father and daughter are both in excellent moods over their productive days. This is something I miss from this series — the cute family moments. Seung-yeon’s family members never had prominent storylines, and perhaps the drama didn’t want to focus too much on them when the story was focusing on the Eun-young angle. But I wish they’d had slightly bigger parts, even if they’re just breezy interludes.

Ji-won recruits a bewildered Jin-soo to help him sneak into Eun-young’s apartment, as he has misplaced the engagement ring. It disappeared sometime after he showed it to her and got in his car, so he suspects it’s still in the house. However, he’s afraid of Eun-young’s reaction if she found out he lost it, so he begs Jin-soo to help him look. He’s only got a short time in which to search, because he sent Eun-young to pick up his parents.

Jin-soo’s not comfortable with this task, and he lets Ji-won look while wandering around. He gets a call from Seung-yeon, who wonders what they ought to call each other while acting as a couple. It’s a valid question but she also has some extra fun with this, knowing that Jin-soo’s not going to like any of her teasing suggestions.

She proposes Jin-soo-sshi, which puts them on equal footing; it’s acceptable in a dating relationship despite their former social and professional gap. Jin-soo ajusshi is another option, since he is a bit older than her — ajusshi preserves that age gap, but would have an affectionate ring. Then there’s Jin-soo oppa — and we all know what baggage oppa carries. She laughs to herself while Jin-soo balks at each suggestion, and enters him as “Jin-soo oppa~” (with a heart) into her phone.

But Jin-soo cuts short her fun, warning her that she’s going to have to write all his parts for the radio segment. Ordinarily her station unni would write the parts, but he insists because he won’t risk his image with bad writing — and while he can’t correct her co-worker, he sure as hell feels comfortable ripping her writing to shreds. Seung-yeon’s enjoyment thus killed, she pouts that Jin-soo can’t ever just let someone be happy.

And then, Dong-wook appears outside her family’s cafe, all spiffed up and driving his fancy red car. Seung-yeon doesn’t even recognize him at first, and when she does, there’s no romantic excitement there, just pleasant surprise.

Dong-wook has come into an inheritance, which explains the changed appearance. He is now Eun-young’s business partner as the new cafe’s investor, and it seems like he’s hoping his upgraded image will impress Seung-yeon. Alas, when he asks if she’s dating anyone, she answers that she is and shows him her ring.

His reaction to news of a boyfriend is particularly hilarious because he has an “I knew it!” moment, and this confirms all of his old jealousies of Jin-soo — which we know are actually completely unfounded. He growls to himself in frustration, asking what good money is to him now. Poor Dong-wook! He deserves someone much more into him than Seung-yeon.

Ji-won has to run out and still hasn’t located the ring, so he pleads with Jin-soo to keep looking. Jin-soo doesn’t want to, and doesn’t actually do any searching after Ji-won leaves. Instead, he spots Eun-young’s wedding-related materials and rifles through them. As he registers the bridal magazines and her annotated scrapbook, he starts to see this angle that he hadn’t considered before, that Eun-young is looking forward to her wedding.

Just then, voices sound at the door, and he only has a few seconds to dash into the bathroom before Eun-young enters with her in-laws-to-be.

She treats them warmly and attends to them, and it’s clear that they have a lot of affection for her as well. In particular Ji-won’s father, who promises to beat some sense into Ji-won if he ever acts out of line.

Jin-soo peers out of the bathroom door to see her interacting with them, and starts to see that this is about more than his feelings for her, or even hers for him. Her decision to move on and marry is also about family, commitment, faith, and other relationships.

Jin-soo finds the dropped ring in the bathroom just as he hears Ji-won’s father ask to use the bathroom. Panicking, he lurches for the door, locking it just in time to prevent being discovered. He dashes off a quick text message to Eun-young, who gets out her spare keys and lets Dad try the locks while she reads the message.

Her eyes widen in shock at the warning that Jin-soo is in the bathroom, and she leaps in front of the door to prevent Dad from seeing that compromising scenario. She makes a hasty excuse that her underwear is hanging inside, and slips into the bathroom.

Jin-soo explains the ring situation, and they both have to laugh at the absurdity of this situation. He tells her to act surprised when Ji-won gives her the ring, and readies to slip out of the apartment while Eun-young distracts the in-laws.

In a brief pause, Eun-young tells Jin-soo with a sincere tone, “I’m sorry.” They both know what she’s referring to without addressing it directly, and Jin-soo’s answer is also an indirect way of replying to that as he says that her in-laws look like good people.

Eun-young goes out to distract her in-laws by asking them to help her choose what to wear for dinner. When Jin-soo leaves, he briefly makes eye contact with Eun-young and offers her a rueful smile.

Then, as he is about to hand the ring over to Ji-won, he holds it back for a second to tell his sunbae, “Treat her well.”

Ji-won has no idea of the significance behind that, but we can see it as Jin-soo relinquishing Eun-young to Ji-won’s care.

Later that night, Ji-won heads to the writer’s studio to persuade Jin-soo to join him for drinks with some university buddies. Instead, he finds Seung-yeon there alone, who has arrived to run through the radio show ideas with Jin-soo. Taking advantage of this moment, Ji-won pressures Seung-yeon into joining him for drinks, since everyone will be eager to meet Jin-soo’s girlfriend.

At the bar, the sunbaes push drink upon drink on Seung-yeon, so by the time Jin-soo hears what happened, she’s thoroughly drunk. Thus he’s forced to come to the gathering — which was Ji-won’s strategy in bringing Seung-yeon along — and is greeted by his “girlfriend” with an enthusiastic and singsong, “Jin-soo oppa~~!” The mood is convivial and as the only one sober, Jin-soo grits his teeth while everyone parties.

While the others are distracted, Jin-soo tries to sneak out with Seung-yeon, but they are stopped by a sunbae. Demands for a song are pressed upon them, and although Jin-soo refuses, Seung-yeon bounds up for a round with the karaoke machine, dancing suggestively as she belts out the lyrics.

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The song she picks is the same one that’s posted up top (Space A – “섹시한 남자” (Sexy Man)), whose lyrics include a rousing chorus of “You’re my sexy man, my handsome man… I’ll only love you, why can’t you trust me? You’re the only one for me until I die…”

Against his better judgment, Jin-soo starts to enjoy himself, finding her amusing and silly.

Things are a little less amusing at the end of the night, when he has to deal with a drunk and unhelpful Seung-yeon. In the morning, Seung-yeon wakes to the ringing of her phone. She answers groggily and finds herself chewed out by an irate Dad, who demands to know what the hell she was doing out all night. Suddenly alert, she hastily lies that she had to come out early to the radio station and hangs up.

Eun-young and Ji-won go to the jeweler’s, presumably to take a look at wedding jewelry. As they do, Eun-young scolds Ji-won for dragging Jin-soo and Seung-yeon along to his party, because she knows its’ a fake relationship put on for their benefit but can’t be the one to spill the beans about it. So instead, she takes out her frustration on Ji-won, telling him to butt out of their relationship. Ji-won protests that Jin-soo had fun last night, and the couple looked really cute together. This surprises Eun-young, who expects Jin-soo to have fully hated the party.

While Eun-young steps aside for a call, Ji-won chats with the store employee and takes this chance to brag about his friendship with Jin-soo. The woman not only knows who Jin-soo is, she was the one who helped him purchase a ring recently. Ji-won assumes that this is where he bought the engagement ring for Seung-yeon, but the saleswoman adds that he’d been worried about the choice, which he was going to give to an old friend.

Ji-won scoffs at that, since his relationship with Seung-yeon hardly qualifies as old… and then another thought pops into his head and wipes the smile from his face. Eun-young joins him, and he looks at her with new eyes… wondering if perhaps… his suspicion is right?

Little snippets of last night trickle back into Seung-yeon’s memory, and they’re all embarrassing — like Jin-soo carrying her piggyback-style with difficulty. Or refusing to answer when Jin-soo asked for her phone PIN so he can unlock it and call her family. She runs into Jin-soo at the doorway, and rather than face him she dashes out.

And then, even more memories make their way back into her consciousness, each one more mortifying than the last. She’d been jokey and irreverent, which is bad enough, but then she had even taken his face into her hands and planted a big kiss on his lips — twice!

I love the look on Seung-yeon’s face below as she recalls this horrible last detail. And then realizes that she has left her cell phone behind in Jin-soo’s studio. There’s no way around it — she has to head back.

With not a small amount of dread, Seung-yeon returns to the building and cautiously makes her way back… quietly creeping up the stairs… where a pair of shoes enter her field of vision from the level above.

Aaaaand nope. There’s just no way getting out of this one.


 
COMMENTS

Are we heading to a Jin-soo & Seung-yeon pairing after all? I still say no — there just hasn’t been enough emotional groundwork for it — but this episode did plant a few seeds in that pot, and more believably than any previous episode has done, in my opinion.

What it does do is set up the possibility for an unconventional ending, i.e., no romantic couples affirming love and heading off into a blissful happily ever after. That was always a possibility, of course, but not one I placed much stock in because the plot didn’t justify it. But in this episode, Jin-soo makes the realization that Eun-young’s happiness perhaps hinges upon more than he can offer. Before, it was never questioned whether Jin-soo had it in him to make her happy, just whether he was ready for it. Now it appears there’s more to the picture, more things that he can’t give her.

I’m not referring to tangible things like a mother and father or whatnot, but the sense that his love for Eun-young was selfish, based on himself only. You like me, I like you, therefore we should work, right? Like he said in the previous episode, now he’s doing things for her benefit, not his own — and letting go is for her benefit.

Then again, maybe this is the very kind of change he actually needed to make to deserve Eun-young. And he’d never have arrived at this point if she didn’t go back to Ji-won and turn him down. Oh, there’s all sorts of irony built into that, isn’t there?

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I love KJH in this role, he's brilliant.

My favorite scene has to be when JS handed the ring back to JW. He took it back around 4 times before he actually gave to it to him. I mean one, twice can be teasing but the 3rd and 4th time is sad and meaningful. It's like he had a hard time letting go. Touching scene for me.

From the beginning until this episode, I did not see any sign that JS's feeling has changed. He is still in love with EY( and seems always will be). For ten and two years, he always has her there, EY is everything to him. This man can't live without her, he needs her for his being, she is his life security something to hang on to. I can't imagine how he would live on after her marriage. That's how I see JS.

If just once EY realizes that, doesn't matter how he acts on the outside, I doubt EY will go ahead with the wedding. She had seen him once in the past when he totally broke down, she will not want to see that happen again. That's how I see EY. If JW also realizes this, he will have a hard time marrying EY. The ending will be compelling if the writer uses these (which is how the drama was build up from the beginning).

I am enjoying this drama. It is very entertaining and refreshing. The problem is that I don't really understand/know what it's all about or trying to do. What is the main storyline? I hope the remaining episodes will conclude everything and let me get the message of the drama at the end.

Thanks for your recap. *smile*

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that kiss was so passionate and nearly made her lips bleed, dont tell me JS and EY are not gonna end up together? they have to. they must! jy and the secretary has no chemistry all.

thanks for the recap!

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Hm... Kind of silent this time. Perhaps people are just burned out from both the drama and the shipping wars.

I think the problem has to do with the unclear shipping... I know that as a romcom kdrama lover, I've gotten used to a sense of security about a couple, and so look forward to every "cute scene" in new episodes, but with this one... It seems people are reluctant. Also, none of them are 100% likable.

It's kind of the opposite of Personal Taste, in the fact that the music, director, pacing, plot are all really good, and yet there's something not so winning about the pairings, and less fun about the side characters (despite all the good acting, oddly enough). PT, while suffering from bad writing, had extremely winning characters.

I think all of these things combined with my earlier expectation and desire for a sweet romcom might've made this less enjoyable for me than it should've been. Maybe I'm just not in the mood for this.

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Thanks for the recaps.
I try to read all the comments so I can look at the episode or drama from a different viewpoint. I see that there are lots of different opinions - Here's mine

I find all the characters endearing in some way. Kang Ji-hwan is so hot and a fine actor and right on the mark with the character throughout. I find the 'mental health' parts of the story significant to the characters behaviors and the story line. The hard closed 'I am always alone and right' moving to openness and 'being out of one own way' so to speak and softening like only Kang Ji-hwan can do.

I can look out side and see real life. I want to be entertained and this does it for me.

I think the jerk is just after her money... there is that quick reference to a law suit ... would fit with his uselessness. Just saying...

Thanks

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Thanks for the recap JB.
Apologies to everyone for this extremely long post. This Jin Soo's story is actually of episode 14 and 15. Since I couldn't do the 14th on time at first I just want to forget the whole thing but as I love that particular episode and Jin Soo....

Jin Soo part five:

His life has ended. Just like that. Without prior notce or warning it just ends. He lost her. His reason for living. The reason for his heart to beat. The most important and precious thing in his life. The only thing that matters to him.

It hurts so much. The pain assaults him with such force that he could barely breath and every breath he takes is burning everything in its path. He aches all over. He's been hurt before. Every single time he tried to stay away from her he was hurt and in pain. But not like this.

What's the point of living now that he lost her. Nothing matters anymore....

But then something slips through the torturous pain which numbs him to everything else. Eun Young's anxieties. Something is bothering her. Why is she so anxious? He struggles to find some strength to fight the paralyzing pains and darkness that tries to envelope him.

Did she ask him about her appearance?

It takes him a few moment to realise what that means. Slowly he tries to take a deep breath. No matter how much it hurts he can't die. He needs to find the strength to live. Eun Young needs him. She needs him to tell her to go on with this wedding. She's asking his approval now. His practical and sensible Eun Young who always makes good decision and executes them effortlessly now looks so uncertain and self-conscious.

All these years despite loving her more than anything on earth he doesn't think he'd ever given her what she really wanted. He spent his time trying to keep their relationship the way it was. He lied to her and went extra mile to rile her just to insure that she'll have reasons to detest him and to keep a safe distance between them.

He must be crazy. He knew he had problems. But looking back at his past actions they all seems so unreasonable now. How could he do that to the person who means the world to him. He would have given her his life if she wants it. But instead of showering her with his endless love he only gave her pains and made her life miserable.

And although she doesn't look miserable now she sure looks uncomfortable. The way she looks at him with apprehention in her eyes causes a little tug at his dead heart. He doesn't know where he finds the strength to do it but he managed to tell her how beautiful she looked to assure her that he's fine with her surprising news.

After she went back to her room he looked at her wedding invitation once again. The names written on that paper should be his and hers. It never occurs to him that she wouldn't be with him. In his mind he always pictures them together. He takes it for granted that there'll always be her in his life. That they're never going to be apart. Not even when he thought they couldn't be together!

Yes she told him she would move on but somehow despite knowing how practical and sensible she was he never thought she would really left him like this. Deep down inside he always feel that just like him she'll love him forever. And just like him who considered himself hers she would also consider herself his. But he should've known that she couldn't entertain any notion that she was his because when she offered herself to him he rejected that precious gift and told her he couldn't take it. He's the one who told her he didn't want her to be his!

His own stupidity and twisted mind are killing him now. But he's done being stupid and crazy. This time around he's going to do it right. He'll do and try his best to make her happy. Her way. If she wants him to be happy than he'll pretend he's having a great time. From this moment on at least until the day she marries JW he'll serve her in every way he could. He's going to be her humble servant with her every wish as his command.

And based on her conversation on the phone his service is needed now but apparently she's not going to ask for his help. Well, he's the only one around here and she couldn't wear her wedding gown for their meal. He wasn't surprised when she refused his offer to help her. But he wasn't surprised either when she changed her mind and admitted she needed help with her gown. The ever sensible and practical Eun Young.

But it's obvious from the way she chatters that she's unnerved by the whole situation. Their closeness is also unnerving for him. His dead heart starts to pound a little in recognition. The things she said while she continued to chatter served as a reminder of how at fault he really was. They could be together if he made the right moves at the right time. But that's always been his problem. It seems that he still doesn't learn from his past mistake with HS.

Helping her with her zipper is a sheer torture. He wants it to end but he also wants this moment to prolong. But Eun Young is always the one to take a decisive move and she wants to end it quickly. In her haste to move away from him she tripped thus forcing him to catch her and hold her in his arms.

Like other times whenhe held her in his arms he lost contact with reality. Everything else ceases to exist. All the old arguments of why they couldn't be together disappear like they'd never been there. All his good intension of being a noble selfless person doesn't even make a sound to protest.

In that moment when he holds her in his arms he realises with acute clarity of how much he really wants her. Not just loves her. He also wants her. Desperately. He needs her to be with him. He couldn't let her go to someone else. He's more than willing to forsake anything - he doesn't even care about anything else - just to have her in his arms like this.

He doesn't know what crazy thing he would do if that moment continues a second longer. Eun Young will always do what's right even if it's going to cost her dearly. And she sticks to her words and commitment like a leech. Yes she could be mean and harsh on occasion but deep down inside she's a softie. As for him he's selfish enough not to care about what other thinks and just do what he wants.

But then that balsted ring fell out of his pocket and rolled down on the floor with a meery sound! His supposedly dead heart felt like it's also jumped out of his chest in a frantic chase. His momentary on the leave sanity returns full speed with every unpleasant reality he has to face now.
He couldn't even look at Eun Young's face. He's too afraid to see her reaction. How could this happen?! If only he didn't buy that ring! He bought that ring to propose to her only because that's how normal people do it. And he wanted so much to impress her with the usual thing that will impress other woman.

Personally that ring has no value nor meaning to him. Giving her that ring is only a gesture he imitates from a long lasted and what seems to be cherished tradition. What's the significant of that little ring when he's already given himself, his heart and soul to her. That shiny little thing could be misplaced, lost or rejected by her. But his love which is given freely and willingly will always be hers. It'll never be lost nor misplaced. And even if she rejects it he'll love her still.

As he walked to retrieved that hated ring he has a very strong feeling that his day is just starting from bad to worst. Although he has no idea how the fact that he just lost the love of his life could be termed as just bad. But at the rate this thing is going it starts to feel like that.
He pretends to love his food so much by shoving them down his throat as quickly as possible in a desperate attempt to avoid her suspicion. He wants her to believe that there's nothing wrong with him, that he's healthy and happy. Just look at his appetite. He thinks he might have put a convincing performance for she doesn't bring up that blasted ring into their conversation yet.

His mood has slowly improved untill her phone rings and that bastard JW wants to talk to him. He told her he doesn't want to take his call but as she's getting married to that man she couldn't just hang up or tell him to shut up.
So he ended taking that phone and forced to listen to that cheater brags about how good he was during these past two years. What's so great about being faithful to Eun Young for two years? It's not a chore. He's been faithful to her all these years simply because he loves her and he belongs to her. And he never thinks what he's been doing as something special.

If JW really loves EunYoung it goes without saying that there's no other woman for him. He would never find otherwoman appealing if he really loves her. If JW really loves her there's no need for him to get rid himself of temptation because he wouldn't be tempted no matter what. Yes he still very much wants to kill that bastard!
But as Eun Young excuses herself to continue her conversation with the said bastard outside his slightly improved mood speeds downhill. He no longer feels the needs to shove down this tasteless food as he looks at her. It hurts. It hurts like hell.

The problem is no matter how much he's hurting he could never let Eun Young knows. And no matter how much he really loves her he could never let her know that either. As Eun Young stars to ask him questions, questions he doesn't know how to answer he tries to stall.
He's made so many mistakes. The last thing he wants to do right now is making another one that'll ruin her happiness. He doesn't have the confidence to decide what to do right now. With his selfish nature he's afraid he'll give a wrong answer and destroy everything that she wants.

What should he do now? He's good at lying and pretending. So he'd better used that rare talent to down play how important her questions really are to him. Let her thinks that he's in a playful mood when instead of answering her questions he asks her back what kind of answer she wants to hear.
But when she said she wanted to hear the news about his girl friend his dead heart dies another death. Unlike Eun Young who is practical and sensible when it comes to her he could never be practical let alone sensible. This senseless heart of his is still harboring a silly hope that deep down inside perhaps in a very tiny corner of her heart there's still a place for him that would make her wants to keep him just for herself.

And whwn she cautiously asked him how long he would be staying here he wasn't sure what kind of answers he should provide as her choices. He wants her to tell him to stay here by her side. To never let go. But he also wants to disappear into nothingness. Not to see herwedding and pray for oblivion.
But Eun Young wants him to stay and attend her wedding. Meaning she needs him to be around to see for herself and assure herself that he's alright. That everything is really okay. Not because she still loves him. She let him go two years ago.

Every time that thought crosses his mind his whole body is tensing with pain. And he felt this familiar urge to run away and hide in the darkest corner he could find. But he had made her worry too many times in the past whenever he did his disappearace acts by not giving her means to communicate with him. He's not going to do that ever again.
She looked surprised when he told her he would by a mobile phone so she could call him whenever she needs him and she looked even more surprised when he agreed to move back to his old apartment. The surprised but happy looks on her face managed to reduce some of his pains.

But although he's a pro at lying providing a girl friend out of the blue to convince her of his story isn't an easy task. He knows no woman to ask to pose as his girl friend. But as he looks at his far from smart secretary who comes by to woo him for aninterview he gets his answer. Just perfect.
All he has to do now is up grading her appearance to match their expectation. Unfortunately even with her expensive clothing she doesn't look that impressive. He knows that it's not her fault that he still finds her lacking for despite his disparaging remarks she's actually pretty enough. It's his fault that he still finds her lacking. He realise that he would find every female is lacking compares to Eun Young no matter how beautiful, classy, and dazzling she is. But he has his secret weapon. The engagement ring. That should convince them.

He experiences a perverse pleasure when he puts that ring on his secretary's finger. Getting rid of that thing this way gives him not a small amount of satisfaction. He wants to shout to all those stupid people who adhere to this silly custom. He wants them to see how meaningless it really is. It's just a ring. It could be discarded quite easily. Just like what he did.
Unlike the feelings he has for Eun Young that will never be lost. Even without giving her that stupid ring he loves her just the same. Even without giving her that ring he would always be hers. She doesn't need that ring to own him.

He's doing this charade to make her happy. To help her find a peace of mind so that she could continue with her wedding without lingering feelings of guilt and anxieties over his feelings. But when he asked her whether she's at ease now that she's seen his girl friend her answer made his foolish heart beats a hopeful beat.
He's still hoping that she still loves him and that was the reason she felt uncomfortable when she saw him with another woman.

But he never thought that his choice of SY would give her another feelings. It bothered her because she thought he's already moving on when he doesn't. And it seemed that his choice had hurt her a little for he left two years ago with an excuse to start fresh but now she learnt that he ends up with SY after dumping her.
He soon found out how hurt she really was when she called him just as he was about to start his radio interview. She found out about SY. And the fact that he keeps lying to her, that he doesn't change at all when the only consolation that she has after he left her is a conviction that he would be different if he ever gets back hurt her a lot. The fact that he's dashed her hope for a relationship which would be based on honesty has upset her.

This time he realises how bothered she was by his lies. Perhaps two years ago she didn't even believe that he truly loves her and would come back to her. And thaks why she settles with JW. But how would he know how she really feels about him now? How would he know that she's still in love with him regardless of her suspicion that he doesn't really love her? She's marrying that bastard after all. How would he know that she really wants to hear the truth?
And it's not true that he doesn't change at all. He's changed. He sees things differently now. Before he lied to her to protect himself. Now he lied to her because he wants to protect her! Before he only did thing that suit and pleased himself. Now he does thing to suit and please her.

He lied because he's afraid of making another colossal mistake, of taking the wrong moves for right now the stake is too high. It's her happiness. His own happiness isn't even an issue here. He couldn't risk her losing her happiness because of what he has to say.
If she wants them to be honest with each other he's all for it. He would concur with her wish. But as it's her happiness which is at stake here she needs to decide whether she really wants to go to this unchartered teritory. She has to tell him whether she wants him to tell her the truth or she could tell him to continue lying.

The seconds when he's waiting for her response he forgets about everything else. Her happiness may be at stake but so does his life. He's putting everything that matters to him on her hands now. He let's her decides what he should do. He let's her to decide their future.
When he sees her response that she wants him to keep lying he wonders how many times a person could die and how many heart break a heart could take. Her response doesn't really surprise him. Trust Eun Young to do what's right. But still his foolish heart had hope for a miracle.

It takes a lot to focus on the things that happen around him. Nothing matters to him anymore. But as Eun Young wants him to continue with this charade he'll continue this farce. When SY wants to return the ring he told her to keep it as he still wants her to pose as his girl friend. The foolish girl might have a heart attack if he tells her he wouldn't even care if she throws that ring into a rubbish bin.
Yes she's still foolish but not that stupid anymore for in order to continue posing as his girl friend she wants him to come to her station as a regular guest. Not that he minds. He actually feels rather proud of her achievement.

What he minds a lot is having JW treats him like his best buddy. And he doesn't know why the bastard always has something unpleasant to drag him into. This time he drags him to Eun Young's place to look for his missing engagement ring! Being in her place made him uncomfortable. Seeing her personal things makes him feels like a voyeur. As if that's not enough the crazy bastard decides to delegate his task to him as he needs to go. And he's left all alone in her apartment with her things around him.
The time he spots her wedding plan is the time he gets the chance to look into her mind. It's hard for him to guess what's in her head let alone what's really in her heart. But looking at these things he finally understands how serious she is about her wedding. He knows she would do what she said she would. But he never thinks that she's going to be really into it.

Somehow despite her telling him to lie he feels that she's the one who's lying. That deep down inside she loves him still. And his ever foolish heart keeps telling him she's only doing what she has to do. But these things....

If he has any more doubts regarding her feelings on the matter he gets his answer when Eun Young suddenly comes home with her future in laws. They look like a very nice couple. And her father in law clealy dots on her. She looks extremely happy while she basks in his approval. It hurts to look at them like that but he couldn't tear his eyes away from her blushing and smiling face. That's what he wants for her. To always look that happy.

This scene will help him to find the much needed strength to continue this path. Whenever things become unbearable and he comes close to breaking point he'll relive this scene. He'll see her the way she's now.
As he looks aimlessly in her barhroom he spots JW's ring and at about the same time he hears her father in law is heading this way! There's no way he'll let them see here! Eun Young to come to his rescue!

The moment she comes into the bathroom he feels at ease because togethe they could overcome anything. The moment he explains that JW lost the ring and then recruit him to his aide and they start to laugh all his pains disappear. But the harsh reality returns when she says he apologies.

It hurts. He wants her to be happy with his whole heart but it still hurts. But as her happiness is more important than his pains he managed to tell her that her future in laws look nice. If only he could say the same thing about the bastard she's going to marry.

JW doesn't seem to understand when he tells him to be good to Eun Young. He looks more interested in seeing his ring than paying attention to what he says. Idiot. What did he expect. JW is the one who thought about a grand proposal complete with its yellow ribbons. He wouldn't understand that it's not the grand gesture that matters but what's in one' heart. It's so like him to place such importance on a ring.

He wish he could also make a grand and memorable gesture like saying I'll kill you with my own bare hands if you dare hurting her again. And I'll personally come to turn your life into nightmares if you ever make her sheds even one tear. Unfortunately he could only make that bland statement. If only he has a chance or a reason good enough to justify killing the bastard before he marrie Eun Young....

That lucky bastard manages to further annoy him but sadly not enough to kill him by dragging him to his party wherein he has to deal with his very drunk secretary. She's always been rather silly and crazy enough when she sobers that he couldn't even imagine what kind of craziness he would have to endure when she's so drunk
And he's right for not being able to imagine the thing that's been going on inside her silly crazy drunk head. That crazy girl dared to kiss him! Not even once but several times! Him! Lee Jin Soo the famous author! Her former boss! Her station's precious honerable guest! And the most important thing of all he's Eun Young's!

JW brags about watching his behaviour for two years, well, he guards his precious body as closely as any body guard guarding the VIPs in their charge. He belongs to Eun Young from head to toe. Every single part of his body is hers!

He's going to kill SY when she sobers up! That silly crazy girl is so dead!

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The acting may be great, and the characters are interesting, but this series has no plot. This is a boring and disappointing series.

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I didn't have time to read through all these posts, so I have no idea if someone's already suggested this possibility or not . . . but I'm starting to think there's a good chance Ji-won will be the one to ultimately bring them together in the end. It would be a perfect (and hilarious) ending for such a wacky, but lovable character. I'm sure he'll try to pass himself off as a noble hero, while patting himself on the back for his grand, selfless gesture. ;)

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Thank you very much, pipit & JB.

I enjoy your post and recap of JB a lot! Love it.

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I adored the last 10 min of this episode. I laughed so hard. The interaction between JS/SY was the funniest thing I've watched in a long time. The facial expressions are priceless. That song really got into my head, too. Those 2 guys dancing in their seats were too much! LOL!

I really am enjoying this drama.

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the last scene in this episode made me laugh the most, when he is standing there smiling and she also smiles, then she realizes his expression changes and hers changes too..sooo funny!
with this drama, I don't really care about the pairings for some reason

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lol diane, that´s true
the two guys are somehow the best in the scene, rofl. I´m wondering, if all korean men do something like that, when they go karaoke, haha

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You're right on about JS and SY. There has been very limited scenes which hint that they could end up together. In addition, the scenes that hint they could end up together have primarily (if not all) been SY's perspective. There is no way they would end up together - it just doesn't make sense logically. The drama has been pretty good about being logical so I don't expect it to stray from its path especially at the end.

Can I just say that I LOVE EY? She's so independent, driven, funny, yet vulnerable at the same time. I can totally relate to her. SY on the other hand is rather annoying - pre-episode 14. I don't think anyone at her age is that naive. There's totally something missing there.

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@57: what the ???

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@pipit, I'll never have a better understanding of Coffee House if not for you.. thanks!! =) you are one of the best anchor of EUNSOO.. your POV comes close to what the writer intend to make the viewers understand in a way.. hope to hear from you 'till this end!!! *hugs*

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AH Thanks you JB!!!!
After this episode I decided to give another chance to CH!!!!
EunSoo couple is so BORING, this relationship we just don't know the whole thruth about its failure.....A drama when we don't know when EunSoo fell in LOVE!!!!
JS/SY it's like another drama so much better....I love THEM ! They he=ave chemistry, these episodes were the best for me!
EP 17 we go back to cries and sadness ....Maybe not for me^^

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Wow, Pipit, that was ... really long.

@ 61 diane, @ 63 cassie

Indeed, those two guys at the karaoke bar were hysterical. I had to rewatch that bit several times. I don't know that all Korean men do that when they go to karaoke, BUT THEY SHOULD! And I'm going to have President Obama pass a law saying that all American men need to bring the crazy to karaoke bars too. That was hilarious.

@ 49 Cris

Yeah, that tonal divide is unfortunate. But I think in the final episodes the drama has started to reign in both the abject misery and the slapstick comedy and is bringing out more well-rounded dimensions, mostly for SY/JS but also for EY/JS. I hope this is the case because much as I enjoy watching SY/JS, and cute as I think they are, if I go just by what the drama has presented to me, I personally do believe that the end result will be EY/JS. And since the PD said he feels that people should love in order to be happy, I want to see Eun-young and Jin-soo not being miserable creatures in the home stretch. If nothing else, Eun-young deserves better. She's wonderful, amazing etc. She should be loved fiercely, fearlessly and with joy. In short, she should be loved the way Ji-won is loving her ... but not by Ji-won because I still don't think he's good enough for her. Blech.

And yes, it's a pity that Jin-soo consistently awful timing was always blocking Dong-wook from getting to Seung-yeon, but Seung-yeon was never really into Dong-wook aside from initially thinking he was handsome. She was going to try to give their "thing" a shot, but she just wasn't feeling it. And as we stand now, there's just nothing there on her end. Zip. Zilch. Nada. It's a pity, but there we have it.

Anyway, here's hoping EY/JS gets their vibe back! I really liked them in this episode, and I'm looking forward to enjoying them again.
Coppee House hwaiting!

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@65
My sincere apologies.

@Lahlita
I guess I've turned really crazy. Thought about not doing it at all. Then to only do the 15th. Then the combination bust just with what really matters. But then I thought CH is going to ended next week and I'm not going to be this crazy again ever (trust me I'm very sane actually ^-^). So that's the back story of that extremely long writing. My apologies.
Btw did I ever tell you how much I admire your very balance and objective view of SY and EY? And I also love how collected and good nature you always sound in each one of your writingi
I really love you ^-^.

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@pipit

I read your comments again. I smile and saisfied with the last sentences:

JS '' belongs to Eun Young from head to toe. Every single part of his body is hers!''
haha, it is true!

Thanks a gain for very interesting post.

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@ Hannelora and @ Leila8mae

Thanks a lot for letting me know you like it. I feel rather guilty actually and kind of afraid to continue doing the Jin Soo's story.
And after episode 14 I'm in agreement with some people who feel rather disappointed with CH. I've a very high expectation for CH..
Yes I think we're going to have a happy ending. And I'm going to consider CH as my favorite Kdrama (definitely going to collect its DVDs and recommend everyone I know to watch it) perhaps ever.
But I hope the writers and director remember to tie some loose ends in the end. Wishing all the best for CH.

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@pipit

To be honest, after reading the recap of JB and your post, I am more confident about happy ending.

When I saw ep. 15, I felt like depression...haha... I was disappointed and hard to sleep at that night to wait for ep. 16... I were look like a kid.....

I wait for your post as well as the recap of JB for ep. 16.

By the way, I copied all of your JS posts to my files from part 1 to your current part. I want to read it again and again to remind me why EY is valuable to JS...

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@pipit

I am too. I will collect DVD of this drama and also consider as my favorite drama I have ever seen. CH seems to give me very deep and excellent impression in my heart. I have never been crazy with such a kind of drama in my life...haha

I also hope that PSY and KJH will become a true passionate couple and get married each other....( Probably I crossed the line, because they are professional actor and actress. It is hard to happen in this way although both of them are now finding the partner in their real life).

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@ Lahlita
I so wish I have your vocabulary because MTE, my thoughts exactly. To me, that's characteristic of a melodrama where the beginning of the story establishes very complex characters, then the angst comes in and renders everyone into 'sides', and so all their actions/choices are dictated by the divide. And then you know, it gets dragged on for about twenty episodes, in this case only four because of the fewer episodes. But I digress... The divide and set attributes between both relationship and the two ladies have become so apparent that I no longer care for a romantic ending. Or rather, I'd just be happy to see the characters that were so multifaceted before the angst to return to themselves. I agree, in flow with the story, it'd make sense for JS-EY to finally come clean and confess their love for each other. Though, the romance was secondary to me as I was more interested with SY's character development in the earlier episodes. Weird aren't I, I came for the romance but stayed for SY, the typical heart-winning character :)

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anyhoo, after this i feel like it's just reconfirming my aspirations for this drama all along.... SEUNGYEON/JINSOO COUPLE.

i mean honestly, i feel like ji won is an okay guy in the end. you can obviously how much he cherishes eun young now after what he did last time, and they're just a very realistic couple. i don't feel like she will regret marrying ji won even if she loves jin soo... you know? or idk, since it's a drama... but even if i don't have any "loyalty" per se to ji won, i don't think it's fair to have him hurt after he waited 2 years to finally date eun young... his persistence should matter!

and plus, the ring fit seungyeon's finger exactly! SYMBOLISM? :D

pleasepleaseplease. although i feel bad for dong wook, but there was just never any spark. what can we do about it? at least he's rich now :)

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I seriously JUST witnessed a super awkward and overly suggestive rendition of 섹시한 남자 in the noraebang a couple of weeks ago (a girl w/ someone else's boyfriend). That song just seems to invite scandal...

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Haha...I'm so in love with Kang Ji Hwan. Can't wait to see his future dramas. Too bad his next project is a musical...I won't be able to catch that!

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Eunjung sing better than original singer!!! i like her version more..the song get more energy when she sing the song ^^

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