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Playful Kiss: Episode 8

Episode 7 was the first one I connected with on an emotional level (there was something in my eye, I swear), so I had higher expectations going into 8. We’re definitely in a better place than previous weeks, and I do think that this show actually improves from week to week.

Truthfully, it still hasn’t gripped me, but I enjoy it immensely, as the characters are all so lovely, quirky, and sweet. I think the style of the show is actually a nod to 50s Japanese cinema—it has that retro vibe to me, and it’s paced like an Ozu film, full of ellipses and driven by character rather than story. It’s not a horse that’s going to win any races, but it’s the underdog that keeps chugging along, just like Ha-ni would.

 
EPISODE 8 RECAP

Ha-ni looks out her window in her room above the noodle shop wistfully. Dad comes up and tells her it’s just a temporary room, while work on the new house is being finished. She puts up a stiff upper lip and heads downstairs, but Duckie and Dad can’t manage to cheer her up.

At Seung-jo’s house, Mom is in a funk over Ha-ni’s departure. Seung-jo tries to convince her to go out, but she doesn’t want to do anything anymore, and nothing makes her laugh. She asks if he’s okay (a little accusingly) and he answers flatly that he finds it peaceful.

Mom: Peace? What is that peace? Is it knowing exactly what to expect? Having everything in the palm of your hand? Isn’t that why you were bored and suffocated before? Isn’t the reason you went to Parang because you disliked that peace?

Duckie gets permission from Dad to take Ha-ni out on a date, in an effort to cheer her up, but she doesn’t answer when he calls. Seung-jo takes out the present he got from Ha-ni before their college exams, and thinks of her.

The next day, Ha-ni announces to her friends that she’s not only left the house, but given up Seung-jo for good. She declares that she’s going to find a really awesome new boyfriend, and says goodbye to Seung-jo in her mind.

They drag her to lunch, saying that she has to face Seung-jo at some point, and sooner is better than later. But everyone stares at them oddly as they walk into the cafeteria. When they walk in, they see why. Duckie has put up an embarrassingly giant banner that declares Bong Joon-gu’s Current Love Mood: “Oh Ha-ni got tired of Baek Seung-jo so she said goodbye!” Okay, worst tweet ever.

The girls fear that Seung-jo will see it and assume the worst, but too late…he’s standing right behind them, and with He-ra at his heels, no less. He-ra further rubs salt in the wound by commenting on the childish ploy to get Seung-jo’s attention, but Ha-ni retorts that she’s forgotten Seung-jo already. He doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t look happy about it.

At Top Spin, Kyung-soo asks Seung-jo to attend their weekend retreat, and when he refuses, he challenges him to a doubles match: Seung-jo and Ha-ni vs. Kyung-soo and He-ra, and if Seung-jo loses, he has to attend the retreat.

Mom finds out that Seung-jo went to a Top Spin meeting, deducing that he must’ve gone to run into Ha-ni. She puts on sunglasses and goes herself, and runs into Min-ah and Ju-ri, who tell her about the ensuing match, and the fact that Seung-jo and Ha-ni kissed the night of graduation.

They lose the match, of course, due to Ha-ni’s inability to, well, play tennis. Kyung-soo rubs it in that it’s Seung-jo’s first loss ever, and challenges him to a rematch at the retreat, with the same partners. To Ha-ni’s horror, Seung-jo accepts, clearly because it’s an excuse to spend time with her, though he wouldn’t admit it.

He trains her, even putting his arms around her to show her how to swing, and she tries hard in her Ha-ni-esque way. He-ra notes to Seung-jo that Ha-ni seems to be working at it quite fervently (in her condescending tone, of course), and Seung-jo smiles as he tells her that Ha-ni is fun, and there’s a “fun in raising her,” because you can see directly that hard work equals results. She admits that it must be a new feeling for him, since he doesn’t have to try to be good at everything. He notes that He-ra is the same way, which is again a nod to the pot-lid metaphor.

Ha-ni packs for her retreat, and Duckie, taking some advice from Dad, chooses not to follow her, and instead packs her a lunch. He tells her to always think of him as “home”—the place where she can come back to, and he’ll always be there. AW. Ten points, Duckie.

At the retreat, Ha-ni gets singled out for being late, and gets saddled with dinner duty, missing out on training. He-ra also decides to tell her that she’s interested in Seung-jo, and plans to tell him. Why are you even saying this to her, you smug little princess? I can’t wait till he flat-out rejects you. I hope it’s in public.

Ha-ni struggles with dinner prep, so she pouts at Seung-jo to help her. He totally caves, making the entire dinner. The best part is, he lets her take all the credit for it. Cute.

At practice, he works her to the bone, but she doesn’t give up, sticking it through. He of course doesn’t say anything nice to her, but he smiles to himself, impressed by her snail-paced brand of doggedness.

The next day Seung-jo has to attend practice during dinner prep time, so Ha-ni has to go it alone. Everyone’s bewildered at the table full of burnt food, wondering what on earth happened to the master chef (they call her Dae Jang Geum, ha) from last night. Seung-jo gets outed as the culprit.

Later that night, Ha-ni keeps an eagle eye on He-ra, who is about to make her move. She calls Seung-jo outside for a private conversation, and Ha-ni can’t help but follow. She eavesdrops as He-ra tells Seung-jo that she likes him. She asks how he feels, and he doesn’t answer.

It turns out they have quite an audience, however, as Kyung-soo creeps up from behind them, running smack dab into Ha-ni and scaring her. They make enough noise to get caught red-handed by Seung-jo, who uses the opportunity to dodge He-ra.

He grabs Ha-ni by the wrist and takes her away for more practice, leaving He-ra behind. Well there’s your answer right there, Miss Perfect. She looks down in disappointment, then throws a glare at Kyung-soo.

It’s the last day of the retreat and Ha-ni practices hard till the match. She manages to get her serve down, which is a huge accomplishment, and Seung-jo smiles as he watches her. He congratulates her on a job well done and flashes her a smile, and Ha-ni’s resolve melts in all of .5 seconds.

But of course, being Ha-ni, she can’t do anything without incident, so she slips on a tennis ball and sprains her ankle. Seung-jo tends to her sweetly, telling her to get on his back. He’s voluntarily piggybacking you now? You are totally the winner.

He tells Kyung-soo that they’ll play the match another time, and carries Ha-ni away, smiling. Aw. You lurve her! Even He-ra smiles as she concedes defeat…at least for now.

Following more of Dad’s advice, Duckie undergoes a makeover. Kyah, hello, Cutie! You were adorable before, but now you’re kinda manly AND adorable. But Ha-ni has no chance to react, as she gets brought home by Seung-jo, limping from her injury.

Seung-jo’s presence totally steals his thunder, and Duckie slinks away dejected. He takes it hard, but is soon enough back to his usual chipper self, loving Ha-ni from afar. Poor puppy. Your devotion is sweetness itself.

He-ra asks Seung-jo to a movie after class, and Ha-ni follows them. You’re turning into a regular stalker, aren’t you? She sighs that she’s always dreamed of going on a date like this with Seung-jo, picking out what to wear, where they’d go…but now all of those things will belong to He-ra.

She turns around to stay hidden, and lo and behold, Kyung-soo’s here stalking them too. He suggests they join forces, in an attempt to stop the unholy union that is He-ra and Seung-jo. They head into the movie together. (Gah, does everyone get to watch Cyrano Dating Agency but me?)

During the movie, He-ra tries to lean on Seung-jo’s shoulder, but Ha-ni blocks her with a magazine. Heh. They finish the movie without incident, but when Ha-ni sees Seung-jo being kind and friendly with He-ra, she doesn’t want to follow anymore. She asks herself what she’s doing, and faces facts—if they like each other, there’s nothing she can do.

She gives up, not wanting to become any more pathetic. She turns to walk away before her tears come tumbling out, but in her haste she runs right into a large guy with an ice cream cone. The guy freaks out about his expensive jacket being ruined, and starts demanding money from Kyung-soo.

He turns out to be a gangster, and his backup arrives as he starts pushing Kyung-soo around. Ha-ni gets knocked to the ground in the scuffle, and Seung-jo appears by her side, to help her up. He gives Kyung-soo the signal to take care of He-ra, and on the count of three, each of them grabs a girl and runs in opposite directions.

Seung-jo takes off running with Ha-ni, both of them smiling as they leap in step with each other.

 
COMMENTS

Not as good as Episode 7, which had such a strong emotional beat in Ha-ni’s departure from Seung-jo’s house. But I enjoy her current arc of attempting to get over Seung-jo and put herself first, which is never easy, but important for her to learn. I like that her crush has taken on a more serious tone, as Duckie’s has too. The changeover to college is a nice tonal shift, because the narrative is finally attempting to put more emotional weight behind each significant moment, rather than glibly stringing along a series of cute scenes, as it did in the high school segment.

I think proactive Seung-jo is definitely a step up, even if he’s still kind of emotionally unaware. I sort of wish they’d play up his social ineptness a little bit more, actually, because it would help to tip the scales in his favor. I want his flaws to be…more flawed.

The love triangles are also taking up a lot more real estate, which I’m good with, since it’s really the only dramatic tension we get in this drama. I hope He-ra continues to be a fierce opponent for Ha-ni, because I can’t wait to see her fall off her high horse.

But what I’m really dying for is a main loveline for Duckie. He’s finally starting to step up his game, and I want him to have a fighting chance for Ha-ni’s heart. Seung-jo deserves to be on the bench for a while, stewing in some good old-fashioned jealousy. I want him to know what he gave up and regret it, and realize his mistake when he sees Duckie being there for Ha-ni.

What we need is something to take the tension past lukewarm. I want some turning of the tables, because I want Seung-jo to earn Ha-ni’s devotion, even if he doesn’t need to.

 
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GF thank you for your hard work, I am really liking this drama, its mostly sugar, and easy to digest! thank you again!!

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What is up with Kim Hyun Joong's hair? It's extra poofy! hahah

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It's because Javabean likes it that way! hurhur

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Damn straight!

(er, uh, damn curly?)

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im right there with ya. he was never that cute in my book UNTIL he got the curls. i love messy hair. they make me wanna grab him by the hair and..... uh, i like the curls.

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What? You really love messy, curly hair, did you??!!

BRILLIANT!!!! =D =D Me 2 too! I love seeing that person who have a messy, curly hair, of course!

*** LOL! I don't mind that if I'd goofy around and playful with a person with messy hair ****

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I'm trying hard not to stare at his ahjumma hairstyle. it's kinda hard to digest. I hope they just stick to straight hair.

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poofy? lol. nevertheless, me love it! it's actually HOT in my opinion. so yeah, i'm with JB here, damn curly!

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lol... I have to agree with JB here tho... the guy sure can pull off out-of-bed hair...

ooopsies.. i got a bit too carried away with the pic spams.. sorry. -_-" and i never thought i would spazz about a perm. i remember being horrified by it when yamapi had it. perhaps that's what helped me get over the shock with KHJ.

http://img809.imageshack.us/i/55885947201009261013371d.jpg/ sorry but that's just hot

http://img155.imageshack.us/i/1285406119.jpg/
http://img824.imageshack.us/i/43190f3c28c72546bba1672.jpg/
http://img641.imageshack.us/i/55885947201009261013371.jpg/
http://img836.imageshack.us/i/d5b04dc5b70d758d38db499.jpg/

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Thanks for the recap, I'll be reading then...

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I am surprisingly liking this drama so far... I guess I'm just really entertained in a totally shallow way.

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I'm so bummed I have to wait for subs. Hence I'm only on episode 3, but unlike Snikki, I'm totally liking this drama in a deep and meaningful way.

I don't even mind that there isn't any real Big Concept going on here. For me, it's the underdog that will hopefully continue to win people over with it's subtlety.

Fighting!

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you know you can watch them on viikii subbed right?

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yup...and the subbers there are usually done the day after the episode airs!

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I wish, I wish...but I'm not living in the U.S. right now so I can't view it :(

Thanks though!

P.S. I really like KHJ in this drama.

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you can view up till ep 6 on hulu.com. they have the viikii subs as well.

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try http://www.mysoju.com

it's kind of like a one-stop shop for kdrama goodies.

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Aw! I was so hopeful but like Viikii, hulu.com is only streamed within the U.S.

Yeah, I love mysoju, which I need some now to reduce my sad situation, but it hosts viikii :_(

Thanks for your support though!

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aw... that's too bad. did you try midnights-dreams.com? it's up til episode 6 BUT you have to download since all their utube links have been erased.

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I tried midnights-dreams.com but I have a mac so it didn't work; however, I found a website for those who can't view it on viikii!

http://www.dramaload.com

:)

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yay! congratulations!

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there's also someone on youtube posting up subs til ep 9
http://www.youtube.com/user/PlayfulKissFan

but frankly, i don't know if those r her subs or not and if she's authorized or not to upload them. if it's not, i dont think it's right to watch it.

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thank you for the recap!

currently salivating over post-makeover Duckie! KHJ/Seungjo- who?

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hehe me too!! he's one (not so ugly) duckling turned swan, and me-likes what me-sees.. :)
perm-seungjo gtfo..lmao :D

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Hair cuts on this show are not kind to everyone. I'm digging post-hair cut Duckie more than SJ at this point. Am I the only one?

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I'm with you on that. I was never fond of curly hair so any perm related haircut/style makes me cringe a little. I think a lot of Kdrama has this whole hairstyle change as part of the normal course. Duckie's hairstyle change is for the better. I'm glad they changed his wardrobe too. If I'm not mistaken, the Taiwanese version had the similar hairstyle change for SJ's character. Ha-ni is way cuter than Ariel Lin though.

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I don't know what I can say but I think baek seung Jo deserve oh ha no because you can see that even when oh ha ni
left the house, they got to see each other again.

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actually, for me, although it's certainly an improvement, i wasn't wowed by his transformation as i should...
i think duckie is the hottest when he has his cap on... i just really love him with hats on.

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Duckie's looking quite fine after the makeover, even if that adorable curl is gone. I absolutely agree that Seung-Jo need a good dose of jealousy, and that's also going to give Duckie a chance to step up on his game.
Hope this drama starts to pull some punches and really start to wow us soon, because I'm feeling that it's just mediocre.
As always, thatnks for all your hard work!

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When He Ra mentions that Seung Jo never had to work hard for anything unlike Ha Ni and Seung Jo said "You're like that too," I swear there was a moment of vulnerability when she paused for a second before saying "You're right." I assumed there was more back story to her...like she actually worked herself to the bones to be Little Miss Perfect which is why she hates people who fail at what they do because she managed to succeed with hard work.

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I agree, I had the same feeling.

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I saw it too. Agree with you

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I agree completely. I'll bet she studies for hours to come off as a genius.

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same here. i don't think her perfection is as effortless as Seung-jo's and i really believe that she worked really hard for it. and yes, i'm dying to know her back story. for instance, we all know why Seung-jo is at Parang Uni, why is He-ra there when its not the top school in the country? did she perhaps "follow" Seung-jo?

its really interesting how all the characters have one-sided love except Seung-jo. i know how it ended in the manga, but i'm excited how the korean version will resolve all this one-sided loves with only 8 more episodes to go.

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well, it's actually something that bothered me about this version... that they never quite explained why haera came to parang. and it's actually quite possible that the reason they will find is completely different from the previous versions (which is that she wanted to be with, as in study and be challenged with, the number-one national scoring guy in the country) and i don't care if it's different as long as they come up with some sort of explanation before the end of the drama.

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actually, I still think that she's doesn't have to spend much effort. Rather than seeing it as a hidden secret, I interpreted her vulnerability as the fact that she recognizes her intelligence and the lack of effort and passion in her life, something she's not too happy with even though she's arrogant about it. quite like when seunjo put his hand on his heart after he helped hani with her computer and said that he wished he knew how it felt like to be excited about something.

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I agree with you, I think she worked hard to be a successful student, not because she is a genius

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If that's so it would make me like her a lot more.

-I also love it when the guy (or girl) in a drama starts to treat the other people sweetly without even really knowing why XD Like the viewer already knows that they're falling in love but they have no idea.

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I enjoyed this episode much better then the last. There were funny moments, but many heart-touching scenes aswell. I appreciated particularly the scene where Hani was following He-ra and Seung-jo at the theater, but came to realize that following them and trying to mess up their "date" wasn't right. I think that for someone who is trying to gain the affection of someone she likes wouldn't want that to happen to her if she were dating Seung-jo, and I think her decision to stop following Hera and Seungjo really highlighted her good qualities and made me respect her more.

While Hera is like Seungjo's twin, Seungjo probably sees her as a friend who can understand him and can get along with well. The woman is probably more like Seungjo then Eunjo is to him. She doesn't really complete the other half that Seungjo is missing in his life.

Hani, on the other hand, is someone that he can pick on, play with, and will end up taking care of.. she's just personally closer to Seung-jo and brings a little spark to his life. I really enjoyed this episode where Hani and Seungjo had many interactions together that showed their comfortable relationship with each other.. whether it'd be cooking, piggy backs, bickering, etc... Also, the fact that he acknoweldges Hani's earnest effort when she puts her mind to something (in several scenes in this episode when talking to Hera or when he asked Hani where her attitude in trying to get in top 50 went) may mean that he does have some respect and admiration for her.

I know this is getting long, but as a last note, I had to cry for my Joon-Gu. Others may call him annoying, but the dude is loveable and really shined in this episode. He's like Hani; both with their one-sided loves but made self-sacrifices for the sake of the ones they care for the most. *tear*

Hani is underappreciated by Seungjo, and Joon Gu is underappreciated by Hani. I wonder how these people can keep up with their one-sided loves for so long *sigh*. If Joon Gu is the male Hani and Hera the female Seungjo... how would it be for Joon Gu to end up with Hera? Oh Joon Gu, if that were to happen, you'd need a special series of your own Playful Kiss (male version).

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THEY PUT SOMETHING
TO STIR UP
THE EPISODES TO HOOK you.. ^_^

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The idea of He-Ra and Joon Gu cracks me up. It won't happen, at least in my opinion, but its a really funny idea.

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I would really love to see a side story of duckie with his prospectuous love target

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He does have another love interest in the manga.. she's a white chick who was supposed to marry Irie, but she was in love with Duckie, not Irie... Kotoko tried to set him up with her, but he took a while to come around to loving the other girl.. but it was a very cute story!! :D I dunno if they will do it here.. I hope so! I'm usually a main couple supporter, but I always feel so sad that the other characters can't fall in love with someone else...

maybe it's not as realistic, but I really love that side couple.

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Oh, the foreign girl in the TW version was so so so pretty...xDD I adored her.
hmm, I'm not sure if they'll pull something like that here though. Didn't that girl appear in the second season of ISWAK?
Anyways, if the time span allows, I'd like to see Joon Gu gets his girl~! Cuz we all know, no matter what a sweet pie he is, Ha ni is falling head over heels over our Mr.Robot boy here. It's a pity really..><

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^_^ ihope it just just a bit but not too much.. but i like him too.. he LOOKKK soo... sooo.... GARFIELD eyes!!

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I hope Duckie gets an adorable Christine to go with with his hot new look!

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{If Joon Gu is the male Hani and Hera the female Seungjo… how would it be for Joon Gu to end up with Hera? }

That's what I wondered while watching, too!

{Hani is underappreciated by Seungjo, and Joon Gu is underappreciated by Hani.}

Agree on that. Whenever I've seen a similar storyline, I've wondered why we're supposed to feel sympathetic toward the underappreciated girl and root for her to get the guy she wants. However, in PK, she has such a fun personality that it's a lot easier to overlook that fact. (Still bothers me a bit.) I would like to see her have a talk with Joon Gu or something.

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GF, thanks for the recaps...
the best part is when SJ's piggybacking HN, gawd, I love...love...love...Hani's smile....

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I totally agree with your comments about the twist in the storyline, Duckie's chance and Seung-jo earning Ha-ni’s devotion... he clearly has to start acting up and be the kind of man he needs to be to deserve Ha-ni's love!

Love your re-caps ♥

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gah my heart breaks for duckie. i honestly think he loves Ha-Ni more than Ha-Ni loves Seung-Jo, i mean he knew she likes someone else, yet he still cares for her. poor boy.

are they officially cutting the bye bye sea interludes? i kinda liked those....

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I increasingly appreciate KHJ's new hair style and it looks better and better instead of the too often seen hair which tons of guys have. He has morphed into the part so well, acting is improving nicely, haha to critics. This drama is like strawberry ice cream with chocolate on top, a pleasure to enjoy.

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i agree. the messy waves is setting him apart from the usual hairstyles that male stars/idols are sporting these days and its makes him so smexy, IMO.

and yes, his acting is getting better. as a KHJ fan, i've gotten to "know" him quiet well in WGM and loved his randomness. it was so painful to watch him emote in BOF, mainly because i can see that he was trying so hard but ended up being so flat.

here, i can actually see him as Baek Seung-jo, not KHJ-try-so-hard-to-be-Baek-Seung-jo, which is definitely an improvement from BOF. he still has a long ways to go to, but i'm glad that his hard work has paid off and i'm really enjoying his portrayal as Naoki/BSJ.

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Thanks for the awesome recap! I'm totally w/ you on everything--I continue watching even though I'm not 100% on board. You're also right about Duckie's right to really throw down the gauntlet--it'd be such a cop-out if he lost to Seung-jo.

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that last screenshot of duckie killed me
ohmy

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Lol I thought the recap hasn't up yet so I made a comment about it on previous recap. I just want to say that I love eps 8 coz here BSJ starts looking at HN with admiration. Finally she gets his respect!!

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Duckie is breaking my heart, but in two earlier episodes, he'd also shown some concern over what her friend was eating (in a totally caring way, the one time), so I'm hoping for a really good ending for him! (Sorry, can't recall her name just now.)

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Joon Gu's eyes in the last pic are kinda like Rain's...that's what came across my mind the moment I saw it...

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I loved seeing Seung Jo soften in this episode. It also goes to show that KHJ is more capable than a stone cold expression; give him more lines!

Idk if anyone felt this, but I thought Haera seemed really human as far as bitchy love rivals go. Her encounters with Ha Ni are mean, but she comes off as pensive as opposed to manipulative a lot of the time. It could just be Park Shiyoung's interpretation of the character, though.

Also, I don't know why I look forward to PK so much more than MGiaG every week. I KNOW MGiaG is more solid in terms of writing and acting, and yet... PK brings out the squeeing fangirl in me.

And just wanna say, Jung So Min is SO lovely.

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I actually completely agree! MGiaG is more consistent, and on the face of it is really just a better show, but here I am waaaaaay more into PK! I couldn't put my finger on it, but I think it has something to do with Ha Ni, and how incredibly all-around wonderful and REAL she is without being too perfect. There are things that Ha Ni does that make her more than just a stock heroine or a "type" to me. She could easily only be the "perfectly sweet stalker girl with the patience of a god" character, but she's also the girl who danced around in the upstairs living room trying not to make any noise because the boy she loves has just chosen the same college as her. There's something about the way the actress portrays Ha Ni that just makes me want the world for her, and I somehow BELIEVE in her, even when she's being crazy.

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I know right? as far as I'm concerned, haera is one of the nicest k-drama rivals out there.. i've seen way worse and bitchy.
as for you're thing with MGIAG, strangely, i agree. objectively speaking, MGIAG is a far far far better show. and that goes for SKKS as well. MGIAG has the cute, loveable characters, originality, exciting and suspenseful plot, emotional grip, action, humor, good writing, hot guy, evil rival, high stakes. you name it, it's there. SKKS has the hot HOT boys and to me, yoo ah in and song joong ki beats KHJ's BSJ anyday in terms of swoonworthiness.
and yet.... i find myself gripped by PK more than those two shows. why? i really find myself at lost of an answer.
i could say because of hani, and the mom but MGIAG has miho who is just as cute and awesome. i guess the chemistry and relationship between the characters is really solid but truthfully, there's nothing in PK that really lacks in the other two dramas. somehow though, PK has managed to touch me, or rather to let me dream. maybe because it is so simple, it is so much more relatable. suddenly, i want to become hani, and can believe it to be possible. not probable, but certainly possible. i've never been in love and is quite a cynic about it and yet, watching this drama, i dream of finding myself being in love with someone innocently, despite and in spite of the hardship. i just think it's so endearing to watch hani's simple and yet unshakable love for seungjo.
and i have to praise JSM for her portrayal of hani as well. usually, i hate it when the characters are being clingy and shameless and yet, i don't find it annoying in hani. because she might be shameless but she isn't conniving. sure, in MGIAG, miho was much more frank as well about her love and it was refreshing to see. but then, she never had such concept as pride instilled in her because she's not "human" whereas it's much harder for hani to throw away hers. maybe it's just me wishing and wondering that if i was hani and was so unafraid of pursuing my love, what could have happened. haha.
i realized ive just rambled... it's not very coherent. sorry.

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i hope his perm not being too much mushhyyy.. hahahah!

it's cool yeah..
disturbing.. yeah..
but still like it.. looking like Garfield in his tiring eyes.. heheheh

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thank for recap.. love it ^ ^

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Yeay for recap!! Thanks so much!!

I was so impatient to spazz, I did my own recap of my take on the unsubtitled episode in my blog (I dunno Korean). Reading your recap made me laugh at my own weird interpretation of the scenes. O wellz.. it was fun and got me to calm down a bit after all the tellingly 'touching' scenes, and may I add.. all executed voluntarily by our resident Roboto. If Seung Jo continues to play with my affection as if my heart is a yo yo, like in this ep... he'll end up being the only "Naoki Irie"-version I like out of all the previous versions I've watched or read. I hated Naoki Irie in the anime by the last episode.. so I'm happy I haven't disliked Baek Seung Jo beyond wanting to hit him with a brick every now and then up to half time (ep 8 out of 16).

Anyway. I'm worried when you say you want Seung Jo to earn Hani's devotion. I don't want him to be consciously trying to be in Hani's good book. I want him to be as oblivious to his own good intentions as now... helping with her cooking while ordering her around, training her in tennis while giving her those insanely difficult exercises to do... I love seeing him tortured, wanting her and yet not understanding this 'want' he's feeling.. ha! I want them to at last be together DESPITE him never really consciously wanting it, and therefore never really working towards it. I want some cataclysmic event to pop up that pushes them towards each other irrevocably. I don't want it to be a natural progression thing. That would lack drama IMO. Does that make sense? LOL

I thought this episode has changed the way the two characters will interact in the future and all the moves were initiated by the socially inept, no-human-touching-is-allowed Baek Seung Jo. It also makes it possible for several original characters to be completely wiped out as they're no longer necessary to prop up the story, I think. Hani-Seung Jo dynamics are differing more and more from the original story & the previous drama versions as well.. and I thought that twist was fun. It seems he's turned into a reluctant pursuer instead of the pursued in this ep, but since he grumbles all the time.. his pursuing efforts go almost undetected.. but I'm onto you, Robot Boy!

Can't wait for ep 9. I heard a boat is involved.

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oh.. and Joon Gu earns a lot of cheering points from me from this episode. Unfortunately, our lovely human iceberg (i.e. Seung Jo) is melting quite considerably as to make me lose focus on Joon Gu's transformation. Seung Jo as a likable human being proves to be quite a distraction.

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What gets me interested in here is that Seung-jo seems to notice BJG transformation, hehehe... He better be prepare for some fights haha

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Yes! I thought it was just me noticing subtle shifts in expressions on KHJ's face and making up wild interpretations on them LOL. I did notice him looking after Joon Gu sort of weirdly, like he's about to ask/say something, as the guy leaves.

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im with here. its too early for baek seung jo to realize his emotions towards ha-ni... if anything, i want that to be at the end of the series. for them to lovey-dovey early on will be boring.

the reason i love the koreans take on this mangga is the way the characters are developing. so far, no matter how cartoonish they are, the characters are real, believable and relatable. including duckie.

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I have to agree with you on BSJ being oblivious to himself, coz that's what makes him, him. I'm not saying that he will not totally change, but he will accept OHN in his life, and that having OHN by his side completes him. This what makes this story seems real. You don't change yourself to be with others, you adapt!

p/s : This is one of the story which describes to me what S & M really are, S being BSJ and M being OHN... or is it only me LOL

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It's definitely not just you..hehe.

Look at how Seung Jo rotates that racket about while Hani is jumping from spot to spot. His expressionless face and grumbling ways definitely mask his glee at this opportunity to torture Hani again. I think he's rather addicted to the feeling now.. ha~

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i like your opinion Ami.. ^_^

his character become more lovable
and shows human
than it was (referring to other actor who act it )

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Is it just me who laughed so hard at this scene? It's the scene when Ha Ni had to take each tennis ball to the other side, and collapsed from exhaustion, and Seung Jo *nonchalantly* pointed out to Ha Ni that there is still one ball remaining?

I am enjoying so much KHJ's interpretation of Irie. Irie does not show much expression either, he is mostly cold, irritated, condescending. And that makes small warm gestures Seung Jo gives to Ha Ni much more .... lovely.

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Loved ur point of view concerning how BSJ's character shall be developped in upcoming episodes , I also want him not to understand his feelings towards OHN while he cares for her or being jealous about her , this will bring much more fun and even romance to the show .

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I know GF and JB have found Joon Gu very cute all along, but to be honest I've found him kind of overbearing and pushy in episodes 1-7. He loves her a lot, no one could doubt it, but he doesn't really listen to her. (Unlike Seung jo, who is constantly observing Hani and can read her like a book, if only the better to humiliate her.)

But I feel sympathy for him for the first time in this episode. It's like his love for her is maturing from an all-consuming infatuation to something that is more like real love. He wants her to be happy in the way SHE wants, not the way he thinks would work. Poor Duckie-ah, I see heartbreak in your future. :(

I really loved Hani and Seung-jo's interactions in this episode. You can really feel the pull Seung-jo is starting to have towards Hani - it's so much more obvious now. And it's kind of fun that she's pretty oblivious to how much he notices her.

Not hating He-ra (as a character) as much as I usually do female leads. Which means, I hate her so good. :)

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i want Seung-jo and Ha-ni to kiss again....i want to see them being together now...waiting for the next episode!

thank you so much for the translation.

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yey, im on first page of the comment page. love this episode. seung jo is so transparent.. really.. going to top spin to see ha-ni... then the tennis lessons... i cant wait for wednesday.

aja aja fighting PK!!!

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More than Hera, I too am interested in Duckie. Lee Taesung's playing the emotional scenes so well that I think he would provide way better tensions than Hera, who frankly is useless, imo.

As gorgeous as she is, she is obviously not sparking any feelings from Seungjo whereas I think Duckie's sincere feelings CAN eventually get to Hani. It's like even if Hani doesn't exist, Seungjo would still not be interested in Hera. But if Seungjo doesn't exist, there's a big chance Hani could fall for Duckie.

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I actually agree with this. Plus, Duckie has become fun to watch since he became more mature.

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I think Haera was a nice, fair "rival." She wasn't too mean, she'd even smile whenever Seungjo would say good things about Hani. I think she didn't create much tension nor conflict -- she wasn't much of a threat either. She was just a classmate who was interested in Seungjo - that simple. :) I think the actress was very capable of creating tension, but it seemed that the director wanted a different projection of the third-party character. Duckie's character seems interesting though -- especially now that he started to change his image - would be nice if Hani would take a second look at duckie -- to the point that it he becomes a "threat" or make Seungjo insecure too.

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The thing is, i've been reading "The Roadmap to Korean" (a book that helps you learn Korean and explains body language or other indications of what they really mean)... and Koreans don't always smile when they're happy about something. Sometimes they smile when they are embarrassed or sad... so after very recently finding this out, i've been trying to figure out if she's really sad/angry/whatever instead of feeling touched like I originally thought.

Everyone should consider getting this book... I thought this section called "Almost Hard" was really funny. Koreans will not tell you something is impossible, they say it is "almost hard" o.O So the author went to go get a credit card and the guy kept telling him with a nervous smile "it is almost hard". The author get's irritated and says,"what do you mean?? Is it possible or not possible to get a credit card?!" - "It is almost hard." He says with a sigh... lol. This book is pretty entertaining at times considering it's a language text... although I didn't realize Korean is supposed to be so hard to learn into the author made it clear that it's a hard language...

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Ohhh we're half way there... Oh livin on prayer haha
Its round 8 and I'm loving the twist, the build up, the dynamics. Oh great job PK writers, you haven't let me down. Keep it up!

I wish that from here on the story will take on the anime storyline rather than manga/ISWAK coz 16 episodes are really really short!

BSJ now gradually show his attentiveness towards OHN. Its practically obvious to us audience, and not so to OHN off course... but that's the drama and I'm lovin every minute of this. I also like BJG transformation. it helps him to be a strong contender in winning OHN's affection.

I really, really, really hope that they tackle the 2nd kiss like in the anime rather than ISWAK coz it was too obvious. And if they do, for us who have watched the anime have to keep SHHHHH on what's what, coz it will spoil the fun for everybody, as that element of surprise is the main reason why I love the anime so much, so much more from the rest adaptations.

So I can't wait how would they tackle from here on...
Come on PK Fighting!!!

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Ooppss I forgot to add that this episode witness OHN to finally realize that she can make BSJ smile... If I was her, I definitely sees stars, moon, flying pony, rainbow... LOL

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CHshe
Was 2nd kissin the anime different than in ISWAK? I am sucker forpoilers but don't want to spoil for others...just answer yes or no

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yes and no. yes, same kiss and no, different setting+circumstance

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Ooohhh, like v said, its a yes and no....

Different setting and different reaction for us, the audience,

In ISWAK the kiss is a definite scene, we the audience knew about it, where as in anime its a.... SHHHH LOL

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thanks for all your hard work GF (and JB)! i was really looking forward to this recap and you never disappoint.

where to start? i love that PK is slowly evolving as the characters move from high school to college (and hopefully marriage?), the tone is also changing from cutesy/pluffy to somewhat somber as they mature.

i think the intro of He-ra's character is actually upping the ante here, making Seung-jo "see" someone who is very similar to him in so many ways and will hopefully make him realize that things that he is lacking. and as far as second female leads go, i actually think He-ra is one of the "normal" ones in k-dramaland (so far). she's not overtly evil and manipulative and she doesn't really go out of her way to sabotage Ha-ni. either she's too confident in herself that she's not threatened by her or she actually loves the competition.

and i agree, Duckie needs to up his game because i really, really want to see Seung-jo squirm a little. because let's face it, jealous Seung-jo is definitely more enjoyable to watch that mean and haughty Seung-jo. and yes, even if he doesn't need to, because we all know whom Ha-ni's heart belong to, i still want him to work for it.

on a completely shallow note, am i the only one who thinks that the piggyback scene is so hot? the way Ha-ni kept on shifting and moving a little, re-arranging Seung-jo's jacket, Seung-jo's expression that says "move a little more, i'm actually enjoying this"---- and yeah, props to the director for that close-up on KHJ's beautiful neck. if i were JSM, i don't think i'd be able to control myself, i'd probably kiss it, jealous fangirls be damned. LOL.

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about the piggyback.. nope.. you're not the only one. was babbling about it being the "hottest scene in the episode" too in my blog. Did you notice he walks verrrraaaa slowly going to absolutely nowhere? I was like.. Seung Jo, errrr.. are you trying to carry her to a clinic on foot or are you just meandering around trying to kill time with a girl on your back? LOL

That neck shot.. I think I can say I understand a bit how a vampire feels now. And yeah.. I have no problem being shallow where edible necks are concerned.. :P

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oooh...i like your vampire analogy even more. why stop with a kiss when you can have a bite? :P

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Ehm, I've been thinking about the same thing too. Never feel the urge to bite except this time...

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Your vampire comparison is hilarious because Ha Ni said the same thing in episode 1 of this show, remember?

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she did? whoa, that's hysterical. makes me love her even more! oh, hani...you naughty girl, you. can we switch places? hahaha.

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Yep! haha.. I remember that ep too~

But honestly, even without any mention in previous PK episodes.. KHJ's white neck (+ shoulder + jaw ...I mean, seriously.. are they doing this on purpose??) occupying nearly 75% space of a computer monitor area can turn any hot-blooded thirsty fangirl into wannabe vampires.. LOL

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yes!!! He walked so so so very slowly, i held my breath throughout that scene! That was soooooooooooooooo sweet!

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Me too...well it was like she felt him all over the back......LOL and BSJ enjoyed all the touch............
It was the best and sweetest*cough* love scene where each of the party was touching and was being touched *cough*

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On your last note, it was definitely, in my opinion, the sweetest moment in the drama so far. That neck...

I'm pretty sure I repeated that scene like 5 times.

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Oh Duckie!!!! I heart YOU! And awesome makeover, but I still love the Duckie-ness in you, and if you get your Duckie-do back, I'll be okay with that too.

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I liked the episode but at the same time, it's getting to be the same repeated scenes for me. I really do want to see Seung-jo earn Ha Ni's love, not just to have him appear and steal Duckie's thunder. Speaking of which, when are we going to let him have a moment of glory?

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oh oh oh..!!! i can't wait for the next ep..!!! :D

i don't want to spoil the fun so i'm not gonna mention what's going to happen after Seungjo & Hani ran away from the gangsters... [i'm dying here!!!] ~lolz

i like the way they 'changed' Duckie [unlike the TW ver.], but the scene in the movie house, in the TW ver. it was more 'active' - like when He-ra's character tried to hold Seung-jo's hand or any other activity that would lead to the slightest physical contact - Hani & Kyungsoo [TW character counterparts] would throw pop-corn on them which then ruins the 'mood'. Also, the run-in with the gangsters, in the TW ver. Kyungsoo actually hired some guys to pose as gangsters so he can 'save' He-ra so he'll appear as a cool 'HERO'. But they did run into a REAL gangster, Kyungsoo thinking they were his 'hired guys' acted tough while winking on the 'boss'. Seung-jo then notices a group of guys trying to catch Kyungsoo's attention, from which he'd [SJ] pick up that the guys were signalling Kyungsoo that it's not the 'make-believe' gang - rather Kyungsoo challenged a REAL gang boss :D ~lolz
Seung-jo then signals Kyungsoo that they need to ran away. in their haste, SJ grab Ha-ni's hand ang made a run for it.. all the while Ha-ni [& probably even He-ra] thought Seung-jo must have grabbed the wrong hand b'coz [in the TW ver.] Ha-ni & He-ra were right next to each other - unlike here [in the Kr ver.] it was clear that Seung-jo really intended to ran away with Ha-ni ♥♥♥♥ afterwards, this is the part that I'm not gonna say anymore ♥♥~ but this much I guarantee, if it follows the same flow as the story i know, it's going to be super exciting!! [esp. for Ha-ni ] :D

Many many thanks GF!! i always enjoy reading your recaps ♥♥~

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I also like the TW version here cos they prolong SJ jealousy with the fake dating...hee hee. Oh, so far the Korean version is following the Anime rather closely...Let's hope they used the 2nd kiss from the Anime too...

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:( awww no I need to know more , why did u stop , I'm already angry they didn't show a preview for next epi and now you don't want to tell me what's going to happen next :P
LOL kidding , eventhough I'm dying wanting to know what's gonna happen in the upcoming episode , but will have to patience to wait ;)

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you know, the long preview is out for the next ep... it doesn't have sub but it's easy to understand, even for a non-native like me.

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V my all the time saviour n where can I find the preview , is it on youtube ?
I don't care if it's not subbed , I know i won't understand the words but the actions will be enough .
Anyway thanks for the info :)

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yes, it's on youtube...
just type in playful kiss episode 9 preview by Momopor.. it even has text translation for you.

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Thankuu , found the video and dwonload it , I'm so eagerly waiting for the next epis

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Not watching the show, but totally enjoying your recaps. Thanks GF and JB!

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Can we still refer to Joon Gu as Duckie even though he got a, much needed, makeover??

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Thks for the recap..but it is only me...coz i found tt after JG transformation he looks like rain...but with bigger eyes :P

yah i like this episode n agreed with u all that SJ is melting n start to admire n respect HaNi in away that he does not really realised.

I really like the way he volunteer to piggyback her n from his smile, its seems tt it is wat he had wanted to do for awhile...hahaha...so he can b close to HaNI.

Also the way he come to rescue n cueing KS to take care of HeeRa..n he will take care HaNi...tts so sweet..but had been wondering whether he had awared that HaNi n KS had been stalking them since in the cinema...hehehe..if he had been aware...then it will b cute for him not confronting them...

GF thanks for ur great recap...n cant wait for the coming episode.. :)

wish u all have a good day!!!

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Cuteness! Seung Jo and Ha Ni but mainly Duckie! Whoa! Love it!

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100% love and agree with the second to last paragraph. I almost always want the main girl to recognize the second male, and be able to feel him as a man even if she doesn't fully fall for him. Its college, you're allowed to have side mini-crushes!
I want seungjo to earn hani. It doesn't hurt that I LOVE jealousy scenes (as long as it doesn't involve characters I hate bein happy)
I was hoping that seungjo would think that kyungsoo and hani were on a date

I was so disappointed that right after she said she'd get over him, hani had to spend all this time practicing tennis with him. I wanted her to really get some distance so she cN harden her heart. I want them to end up together, but hani doesn't have to be perpetually in puppydog-adoration stages of love.

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Hajung, Is was his Mom who discovered that it was SJ who wanted to meet Hani at the Tennis Club, he deliberately wanted to spend time with her. Which is why Hani is so surprised to see him at the Club when he usually don’t go there.

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Heehee thanks Girlfriday! Have been waiting for this recap all weekend, and it was great :D

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Is it weird that I've been continuously visiting Dramabeans for the past 4 days just to see if Ep 8's recap was up yet? For some reason, I can't watch the episode subbed until I've read your recap, JB & GF. It's just my order of doing things: watch live streaming, re-watch episode unsubbed but with better quality, read DB recap, then watch subbed episode, probably followed by the recap again. XD I am as hooked on your recaps as I am on the drama itself!

Thanks for another great recap, GF!

I totally agree that JoonGu has become adorable AND manly, and I also hope there are more JoonGu/Hani moments, sweet for JoonGu, and bitter for SeungJo, to raise the romantic tension. I was really hoping Hani would be wowed by JoonGu's make-over (like I was) and make SeungJo jeaous. We need more of this! (I'd much rather see Hani with 2nd male lead than SeungJo with 2nd female lead. -_-;)

But I have to say that I actually liked Ep 8 much better than Ep 7. True, the move-out in Ep 7 made a good emotional impact, but I didn't really like the rest of the episode. But in Ep 8, I liked the whole thing, and that's the first time I'm able to say that. Every time I watched Playful Kiss, I enjoyed it but felt it could've been better (and the show did get better each week, but was still lacking). But in this episode, I had no complaints. There were no boring or slow moment, no awkward editing or directing, just great scenes. I felt the writer FINALLY delivered the show's potential. The jealousy moments were painful, the quiet moments were touching, the comic relief moments were funny, and the sweet moments, oh the sweet moments with SeungJo/Hani were SWEET. ^o^ I even liked the end, which actually had a fun, exciting cliffhanger for once. And the fact that there's no preview makes me anticipate the next episodes even more, especially since we have 2 love rivals getting closer just as our 2 leads are connecting. Yes, I'm excited! :D

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i agree with you!
But there was one scene, just one scene, that bugged me.
You know the part where the tennis team found out it was Seungjo that cooked on behalf of Hani? I wanted to see MORE reaction from Seungjo, Hera, and even Kyungsoo. But they just cut if off like that!

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yeah.. i was just slightly bothered about that scene as well. in other versions, it is explained that the reason seungjo was embarrassed to be found out was because of his whole childhood trauma of being forced into girl's clothing and being mocked about it. so now he acts extra "manly" (aka. cold jerk) and cooking is a "feminine" thing. but they didn't really justify his cute awkwardness when it was he was found out here though.
other than that, i agree with the above. i couldn't pinpoint why i like ep 8 best until i read ur explanation. i think it was the first ep where i didn't have one moment where i thought boring or disliked.

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I totally agree with everything you said because that's exactly how I feel about ep 8 too. To me this is the first episode where I feel really satisfied watching from start til the end. All this time throghout ep 1-7, I do enjoy it much but I still feel something is lacking. But in ep 8, I feel satisfied watching the whole episode, and dont feel any lacking feeling like the previous ep. This episode has a good pacing, good blend of humor elements, touching, and sweet moments (the piggyback is for me the sweetest SJ-HN moment ever) no boring or awkward moments whatsoever. And while the editing of the previous episodes sometimes bother me a lot, the editing in this episode is really good I think (I wasnt bothered by the cut after they found out SJ is the one who cooked the food, I think it was alright). So I enjoy ep 8 so much, more than other episodes. If only PK can continue with tihis way till the end, I will be very happy.

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Why is he smiling only when he turn and talk to KS abt hvg a re-match another time...When he walk away with Hani on his back, he doesn't smile or look please???? But I do like that Robo-boy is finally melting...And Hani, should try to get her body away from him....Aren't she aware he could feel her heartbeats??? Oh, I love this couple....

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Not that I don't love me my dramas, but Ozu? *shrug*

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Gosh... SeungJo really knows how to melt one's heart with his smile. That boy has the most beautiful smile i have ever seen.

This drama is getting better and better. I like how the story goes, not too melodramatic, but very sweet and light.

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Honestly, I thought Hera was being nice, as far as love rivals go. Of course she could be condescending to Hani, as Hani is portrayed rather bumbly and dumb after all. However, I felt that when she asked Hani if she could also like Seungjo, I didn't think she was being smug. She mentioned that she asked because she felt like she was "taking some kid's candy". Which is true, because Hera knows how much Seungjo means to Hani, so she HAD to ask before she could "officially" like Seungjo.

And the scene where Seungjo was musing about Hani being fun to raise and stuff, Hera seemed to agree with him as well. She wasn't being bitchy/mean/annoying. She's actually rather mature.

I feel like I can actually like Hera. But its also because I know she can never be a true rival to Hani--she's too similar to Seungjo. Unless they show that Hera actually worked goddamn hard to achieve what she has now...then maybe she can be the pot lit to Seungjo's pot? Haha ok i know weird.

All that said, I'm ttly loving how Seungjo caves in to Hani and takes care of herrr :D Notice when he helped Hani up in the last part where she was pushed down, he was looking at her all along. Heehee and jungsomin is awesomely cute.

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yes lemon , I also noticed in the last scene that he was looking to her all the time and didn't leave her hand till they ran away, dunno if it was becoz he was worried or becoz he was wondering what she's doing and what happened , I wish It's the first .
Concerning he-ra , dunno why do I have the feeling she knows what are seungjo's feelings towards Ho-Ni , she's SJ female version na ? so she certainly knows SJ is falling for Ha-ni and that's why she was smiling when SJ talks or reacts whenever Ha-ni is concerned , maybe He-ra thinks that now the competetion ( to win SJ's heart )is starting to become interresting ;)

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thanks for the recap (^^,)

WEll.. I like Duckie who change himself bit by bit for Ha Ni..
I think Ha Ni saw it that's why she repeated the "Thank You" word for him (waiting to see the normal Duckie..
hehehe)but not claiming it verbally.

**thanks daddy Oh! Duckie making a move now
(but showing a sad sign at last screen) awts.

Hae- ra ... hmn... i like her when she's always with SJ-- every time they are talking about Ha ni.. the more SJ appreciate Ha Ni..

an irritated and sarcastic face looking up to Ha ni turns to alluring and appreciative face putting some smiles on to her.

..yup.. i think it's not Love what SJ feels toward her "for now"

he see Ha Ni as an interesting person,
clumsy but adventurous
and can explore everything bubbly than it is--

she's fills with FULL of JOY
(the way Hae ra & Seo Jung talks on how Joy runs when he see Ha Ni)

hoping too.. to have a big part Duckie for Ha Ni's attention..
so it can Kick Seo Jung to feels the right feelings towards her.. hahaha!

**mind me asking.. hehehe. is there a situation or a time that instead a 20 ep., it can extend to something for a drama?**

back again..
We'll I hope Hae ra noticed how SJ hold Ha ni to help her than her that SJ immediately put off his hand unto her.. (cinema scene)

Well.. Oh Ha Ni is not Oh Ha Ni if she didn't catch any trouble.. hahahha!

for me a double thumbs up.. for putting something to stir up the scenes and story..

the people are actually the one who posses the liveliness of the plot..

oh by the way..

" I like the way you present mommy Baek's line.."

it really caught SJ
it's like stabbing his heart twice or more...
(u can see in his face)..

it's like an arrow shot on his head like a bull's eye!

5stars to mommy Baek's Line! hehehehe

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Disagree about SJ not loving Hani now
(he see Ha Ni as an interesting person,
clumsy but adventurous
and can explore everything bubbly than it is–
He was jealous at the graduation party, remember?

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well.. yep.. but i think even to himself, he can't admit it...
he's in the stage of confusion..

a full kick from a man who can caught another Ha Ni's attention (I hope that would be Duckie or other cute guy shows) can give SJ a move to understand his feeling, right?
^_^

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this is gonna be the last time i'll be mentioning ISWAK. it has a special place in my heart and i do think that the leads' chemistry was unbeatable. the comedic. almost slapstick moments were also superior than PK. after 8 episodes, however, i'm ready to let go of the compare/contrast path.

PK has started to occupy a place in my heart as well. i love, love, love how they give HaNi more backbone. she's less annoying and more endearing. you can actually see she's trying SOOOOO hard at accepting that perhaps SJ can never like her [girl is dense cause clearly SJ has started liking her!]

also, i appreciate very much that JG gets to have that sentimental moment where he was alone, contemplating. Kinnosuke-ahjin-JG was there for comic support. he was never really quite a rival except towards pre-wedding story arc. however in PK, we're given a window to witness that beneath tough, comical exterior lies a man who's struggling in love, life and career. i love that.

i'd love to say screw the ratings but i do feel bad for the actors and the whole production staff. i think they're working hard to improve and capture.

ONE MAJOR FLAW! stop it with the flashbacks. most scenes are still very fresh in my mind. i dont need to watch a musc video-esque with all the flashbacks and ost songs.

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An Open Letter to Baek Seung Jo

YAH! Baek Seung Jo! You conniving little bast@rd, you!

I swear you're absolutely the kind of man a girl would love to hate and yet despite that fact, at the end of the day and after being with you for hours, one can only conclude that the results would lean more towards Love than hate...

For every 10 things you do wrong, you do one thing that makes the other mean things you do seemingly insignificant...

Just like in this episode of Playful Kiss wherein once again, just like Ha Ni you've managed to make me fall in love with you in the span of one second in a majorly BIG way...

(and yessiree that was the moment that you lifted Ha Ni on your back when she twisted her ankle and you smiled oh soooo deliciously...

I swear there was a pool of drool on my computer table right at that very moment... You sexy, sexy man! )

I can't help but giggle at the fact that you pretend that you're all that and yet deep inside you are just a besotted fool who's wrapped tightly around Oh Ha Ni's little finger that you'd do anything for her even if it's a thing that you SUPPOSEDLY absolutely hate...

EPICLY WHIPPED! That's what you are, i say!

Too bad Ha Ni doesn't get it and that you don't know it yet...

After all, who else would you cook hours for other people that you don't even care about for? Who else would you train incessantly without fail even if she tests your patience or who else would you get pissed at just because she was crouching in the bushes with a random guy that you forget that you're supposed to be pissed at her more for listening in on your private conversation?

But most of all .... i think it's a pretty telling sign that you are getting dull around your rough edges when you sacrifice your pride over losing a tennis match that you seem to stake your male egotistical pride on just to piggyback that girl you "dislike" (*me rolls eyes and scoffs*) off that court

Hae Ra might seem like a Supermodel but she doesn't move you in the same way does she? She can tell you that she likes you with all she's worth but you don't even have the time to listen?

So how come Ha Ni only has to throw tennis balls and yet you're smiling that million dollar smile that would one day, just be the death of me?

Admit it! You are beginning to like Ha Ni just as much as i'm beginning to have dreams of marrying you and having all of your babies...

And why not?

Ha Ni? This girl? WOW!

If faith can move mountains, i have no doubt that her determination also can...

I love the fact that little by little like the snail that she is she is starting to inch her way towards your heart and i love how in turn that softens you...

That tennis training scene probably says everything about the dynamics of your relationship... Ha Ni has determination and you have knowledge... Where Ha Ni is uncertain, you toughen her up...

And together? There is nothing that is insurmountable to you guys if only you'd stop being so darned stubborn and if you only stop thinking and start feeling...

(Call me weird or a crybaby but that training scene almost moved me to tears... Seeing you pushing Ha Ni to her limits to get her to succeed and her sheer perseverance in not failing you? That is love right there... plain and simple...)

Any which way... i'm just saying, whether you like it or not and no matter how much you say that you "dislike" dumb girls, there's no amount of smirking, glaring, eyebrow raising, goading, pouting and protesting that will change that...

You are going to end up with Ha Ni, I so know it and i also know that you know it...

So why not stop playing coy and give in as early as now so we can all move on and see you two being lovey dovey and maybe then i can accept that my chances with you are close to nil and i can start getting over you sooner...

Love always ,
Flower Pot

PS: If it doesn't work out with you and Ha Ni... i have facebook, twitter and email... sooooo... you know where to find me...

PPS: Ahhhhh... before i forget can you pass this advise on to Joon Gu?

Kindly tell him that he is sweet and cute and that his new hairstyle rocks but i wish he knew that it is a kdrama law that good guys always come last....

I know how he feels and i commiserate with him but.... you know that saying about how when one door closes another opens?

Ha Ni might stay locked for him in terms of love but at least he's got her friendship...

It might hurt right now, but believe me one day i'm sure he'd get over it... Just wait and see... It might be a long wait but someone that's meant for him would come along and when that happens? it will make all the hurt that he went through in the past mundane and silly and oh so childish because only then will he know what true love really means...

PPPS: I swear this is the last, but i just wanna say that you have the coolest mom in all of kdrama history that i wish she was mine... (it's never too late, you know, i'm just a text away)

However, on second thought, your father in law to be does not seem bad at all too so i guess that makes Ha Ni score more points than me... so what can i do? Darn it!

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I love YOUR comments almost as much as JB and GF's recaps! Oh you clever, clever flower pot! Guest recap anyone?

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Me too! I always look forward to reading YOUR comments after reading the recaps...

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HA! SeungJo being whipped by HaNi? never thought of that, but now that you mentioned it, it's so true!

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Oh..love ur letter to SJ..hehehe..hope it will open his mind...hahaha

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LOL.

Love your comment ! :D

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lol, i agree i love your letter!!!

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FlowerPot - I love this letter to BSJ!!

I've never watched a drama "in progress" before & it is killing me to wait a WHOLE WEEK between new episodes!

BTW - I think the perm is hot too, JB. :)

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Love your comment... very clever and well written!!

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YAH! Baek Seung Jo! You conniving little bast@rd, you!....

That was so funny, you had me in fits there, I really love your writing style, and you never fail to crack me up, plus convey all my innerthoughts and emotions with your insightful and meticulous analysis!

High 5, dear soulmate!

>.<

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High 5!

I swear this show (and Hyun Joong too) brings out all these emotions in me...

So glad to know that at least Girlfriday and Javabeans are now slowly getting into this story just as much as we all are...

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that's right, they should rename this show to "it all started with a perm" ;) i can't wait for tonight's ep! counting down....

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Flower Pot!!!!!!!!!

hahahahahahahaa

are you korean? hahahahahahahaha, that YAH...line nearly threw me to the floor!!!! you just plucked the words right out of my deranged mind!!!! its so spot on.... i think...since i am not korean....i have just recently started watching korean dramasfor 2 months... i have started drinking shoju and stocking up on Kimchi..like an idiot......it was BOF that got me hooked...i have seen some real garbage ...but for the most part they are really a balm to any overworked mind and soul....the cuteness factor of the girls and boys certainly have a lot to do w/ the addictive quality of the shows...it seems you can't just watch one episode....(so sorry to my clients waiting for new menus....)this however is my first time to watch a show in progress...i just stumbled on to your blog this very hour...not knowing what to do w/ myself w/o new episodes to watch....its freakin' awesome!!!! hahahahha its as riveting as watching the drama!!!!!!
you guys are great!!!! BSJ ....what a looker!!!....a bit off putting what w/ all the airs....but i look forward to him groveling for ohani's heart...she is the cutest most adorable dim wit ever!!!

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LOL!!!!!!! same here! hahahaha....... flowerpot, what would we do without your comments!

GF: i checked so many time waiting for your recap! love it!! ^_^
JB: I look forward to getting update in the next recap on your developing crush on curly baek seung jo!!!!

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Keeping this real short: NEW DUCKIE IS A HOTTIE <3 lol
Thanks 4 da recap GF

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Thank you GF for a great recap. I totally love this episode because of the "skinship"...lol SJ holding Ha Ni's hand, piggy back ride...or I can just say every scene that has the two of them together is enough to make me squeal.

I want more of SJ jealous moments to come. Now that Duckie is looking good, the rivalry should be more and that SJ will realize that he got some serious competition.

Thanks again...:))

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Oh....Hani should really pretend to date with her senior just to teach BSJ the meaning of JEALOUSY...I think she is so focus in just winning the tennis match that she never realise how much skin-ship she share with BSJ. This is by far the most time they spend alone!!!! Ah..pls torture him a little more....And please director, don't cut anymore of the ep...So much footage was shot but never made it to air...just so you can finish telling the 1st part of the story in 16epi...I am rooting for a PK 2...Fighting!!!

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I have to admit... I was checking for this recap for DAYS. :)

SJ's thinly veiled efforts to spend time with Ha Ni despite her departure from his house were adorable, especially since his mother saw right through them. He played it cool, but it was nice to see him "stalking" HER when he realized she wasn't stalking him anymore. In a way, his efforts were just as awkward as Ha Ni's, since instead of being completely open about trying to see more of her, he made up these excuses about hating to lose and being determined to teach her tennis. I laughed when he immediately voluteered to carry her after her fall. His face very clearly was saying, "SWEET! Skinship excuse!" I almost wish Ha Ni had made him keep it up. It was very much in character for Ha Ni to revert right back to her stalking ways, but it is ridiculously funny that she never noticed that as soon as she took a break, he turned right around and spent time with her.

I strongly suspect that SJ knew Ha Ni was following him on the "date," and he probably came back up the stairs when he realized she had not followed him. I know everyone wants to see him suffer/work more, but honestly, the guy put in some serious, albeit somewhat subtle, work in this episode. I agree that some jealousy and uncertainty would be good for the boy, but this episode was a pretty big milestone for him. After all, he agreed to play another match that he was probably going to lose JUST so he could force Ha Ni to hang out with him. The guy who never loses and never admits to needing anything had to do a little bit of both in this episode.

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I totally agree with you. SJ has a Ha NI radar so I knew that when Ha Ni was pushed, SJ will be there because he can't feel that Ha Ni was following him anymore...:)

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ahh! I'm so glad that you said that. I mean it sounds a bit silly but after watching I couldnt help wondering if he knew that she was there the entire time. I mean he didnt really smirk as a giveaway (like he did when she was chasing him for the interview) but...

she was standing outside his classroom door when he agreed to go out so he could have easily seen her, then...her disguise was about as well crafted as his mother's generally are. then ... there was a MAGAZINE on his shoulder. hahaha

so i kind of loved (hopefully) the thought that he actually noticed that she WASNT following him anymore, and was actually going back to see where she went!

I KNOW its a little unlikely but...i mean...swoon at the thought right?

on a different note. jealous sj...<3 yum.

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Seriously. He's more attractive when he's jealous :) And we now have confirmation-- he totally knew she was there :)

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I wonder if they'll make another season if this has only 16 episodes.
Because the storyline continues after Kotoko and Irie get married.

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doubt so, probably due to the low ratings, sad tho....

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They're gonna do that youtube 7 mini eps thing in Nov. As my understanding goes.. Group 8 is gonna open an official PK channel in Okt and I think we all get to suggest storyline for the planned mini eps. Those who know Korean can apply for subtitling job... or sumthg like that.

Anyway, let's wait until the official channel comes out with all the detailed announcement and stuff..

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Thanks for the recaps!
and i never thought i would say this but I kinda miss her fantasy sequences. they were terrible at first but they got funny in the end. haha.

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forgot to add... best ep yet in my book.. just because it's the sweetest. at this point, i don't care anymore about plot and whatnot. the cute and sweet made me lose my mind, i'm no longer reasoning and rational where this drama it's concerned. it could plummet to the ground, crash and burn (besides, it can't go much worse than how it began) and i'm still going with it, just to be able to see the cute. you're right, the characters are really central here.
it's official. it got me. real bad now.

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i was never a fan of KHJ , hated him in BBF. but man, what a difference a hairdo and tired eyes can make. cant help liking him now.

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The hair and the tired eyes make him more real and more man, not just a typical pretty face, i like the new rugged look too ;)

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