Secret Garden: Episode 8

274 December 6, 2010January 24, 2016

by girlfriday

We’ve got kissing, handholding, bed-hopping, and towel-dropping, and that’s all in the first half hour. Our body-swapped souls get entangled in each other’s affairs, further complicated by the heartbreak rivalry going on between Oska and Seul. It’s funny that both cousins are fighting, but neither is fighting for the same girl…except for purposes of maximum annoyance. Let the best man-child win.

EPISODE 8 RECAP

Oska repeats that he won’t give up on the bet over Ra-im, which we see is entirely for Seul’s benefit, as he watches her leave with angry tears forming in his eyes. It has the added benefit, though, of stunning Ra-Him, to Joo-wanda’s great displeasure.

But Oska confesses to Joo-wanda that he’s just using “her,” in this fight against Seul…because he wants the fight to last a little longer. Joo-wanda sees that his cousin is actually sincere about this, whatever mixed-up feelings he’s got going on with Seul.

Meanwhile, Seul leaves to go back to the golf course, and she broods over a past love triangle with a jealous other guy who had promised to show her that Oska was just like other men. Well that’s just too easy, isn’t it? That’s the reason you broke up? Some doofus framed him? Gah.

Joo-wanda caves, and Ra-Him drops the charges. Outside, Oska enacts his revenge on Ra-Him in a childish headlock, which Joo-wanda refuses to help her out of. So she resorts to tickling Oska to get him to let go…and he starts to lose his balance. He lurches forward not to fall, landing him smack dab onto Ra-Him’s lips.

Hahahaaaaa. I knew this “kiss” was coming, but damn if it isn’t still gloriously lulzy.

Joo-wanda’s eyes widen in horror, and Oska is the first to pull away in disgust, spitting and freaking out. Ra-Him just grins sheepishly, as her foot goes up and she touches her lips, with that I-just-kissed-my-idol-oppa dreamy look on her face. Well, on Joo-won’s face that is.

He’s quick to remind her of that fact, running up and rubbing water on Ra-Him’s lips, yelling at her to scrub them clean. He accuses her of doing it on purpose. Well, she certainly couldn’t hide her reaction, though it was a happy accident.

Oska has already fled the scene of the kiss, having been freaked out by Ra-Him’s reaction more than anything. He tries to grab a taxi with no money, pathetically trying to jog the taxi driver’s memory with a song to prove that he’s famous. Joo-wanda drives right past him.

Magic veil of Un-switchiness: Ra-im gets out of the car and tells Joo-won to go ahead without her, as she plans on going back to get Oska. Joo-won doesn’t understand her over-extending care for his hapless cousin…does she like him?

She asks if that’s jealousy, but he scoffs that he’d ever be jealous of Oska, and HER, of all people. Joo-won: “You’d love it if I were jealous, wouldn’t you? Why are women like that?” Because it’s the ass backwards way of getting you to confess your feelings. Don’t you know anything about girls?

He concedes that he’ll be jealous then, if she stops caring about Oska. Haha. Are you actually trying to pretend like your jealousy is a favor? Pffft.

Ra-im isn’t falling for it, and explains that it’s not because she likes him, but because she’s his fan. For all the tough moments in her life—enduring abuse on set, losing her father—Oska’s songs were there for her through them all. She adds that it’s the first time she’s grateful for the body switch, because she has the chance to help Oska.

Joo-won promises to make her regret those words, just as Oska pulls up to the golf course in a cop car. Back to switched bodies. He yells at Ra-Him for leaving him behind (Even as he covers his lips at the sight of her. Heh.) and Joo-wanda steps in to say that it was his idea, because he dislikes Oska, and begins to rag on his has-been idolness, with has-been hair. Haha. Ra-Him can do nothing as she watches Joo-won in her own body insult her idol oppa.

Seul arrives and invites them all to stay for a weekend, since the golf resort is her family’s. Joo-wanda and Oska decline, but Ra-Him sees an opportunity for retaliation. She accepts the invite, and when Seul comes to her side and links her arm, Ra-Him pointedly takes her by the hand instead, to the horror of Joo-wanda and Oska. Kekeke. I love that they’re milking this switch for all its worth.

They start to walk away hand-in-hand, and Oska breaks them up, leading Seul away to talk. He asks what she’s trying to do with Joo-won, who is his cousin, and his younger brother. (Aw, I adore their love-hate brotherly relationship.) He tells her that Joo-won isn’t interested in her, and she laughs that Ra-im isn’t interested in Oska either, since she and Joo-won seem to be dating.

He asks what she’s doing with a guy who has a woman, and she spits back that she has lots of experience with those kind of men. Oska hangs his head at that remark. She adds that she’s not interested in Joo-won anyway. It’s his money and his status that she’s interested in. Ugh. Uh…points for honesty? I guess?

Oska wonders why she’s doing this to him when she’s the one who ended things, but she remembers it differently, as she flashes back to the love triangle, in a moment when the other guy baited Oska into denying that Seul meant anything to him. She of course overheard.

He reminds her that she’s the one who turned down his proposal and went abroad with the other guy. Geez, well then didn’t you already have your revenge? She muses that she was so pretty and naïve back then…what did she mean to him? He thinks she ought to know, since he said it all in the proposal.

They both agree to drop the music video, since Oska plans to scrap his seventh album anyway. Seul confesses to having used the video as an excuse to get close to Joo-won, but now it seems like marrying him will be the faster route. I can see why you loved her in the past, but do you still love her now? Really?

She finds Joo-wanda, and Ra-Him joins them, noticing that Seul’s cheeks are red from the cold. She warms them with her hands, making Joo-wanda’s eyes bug out in anger. Seul blushes and puts her hands on Ra-Him’s cheeks too, as Joo-wanda yells, “Take those hands off this instant!”

Later at dinner, as Ra-Him and Oska barbeque, Seul notes that she loves a man who cooks, and Ra-Him lays it on thick, that she thinks women who appreciate her cooking are the prettiest. She invites Seul over (to Joo-won’s house) so she can cook for her again, making sure to invite her over “late at night, so you can sleep over.”

Both Oska and Joo-wanda gag out loud at the disgusting display. Oska’s had enough, and he drags Ra-Him away to the sauna, to wash everything clean (starting with their lips, heh) and start over.

Oska soaks and Ra-Him comes tiptoeing into the men’s sauna, wrapped up to her chest in a towel. Oska yells at her, thinking she’s doing it on purpose because of their awkward kiss, and so she gingerly lowers her towel to her waist.

She’s about to step in to the pool that Oska is in, so he gets up to get out…

…as Ra-Him screams, bug-eyed, then faints. Pwahaha. What exactly were you expecting, in the men’s sauna?

In the women’s sauna, Seul blathers on about her “perfect” body, and Joo-wanda guesses that it’s all fat, while the body he’s in is all muscle. Heh.

Outside, Ra-im and Joo-won sit down for a drink, back in their own bodies under the mystical veil. Ra-im asks how it was, going to the sauna with a 36-24-34, and he counters that his ideal type has changed, to “a woman who can’t run for Miss Korea.” [Note: Kim Sa-rang, aka Seul, was a Miss Korea contestant.]

It’s not that she can’t; it’s that she won’t. Joo-won: “Yeah…because your skin is dark and you’re ugly.” Ra-im retorts that it’s not a thing for a guy with uneven butt cheeks to say. HA!

He points a finger at her perviness (yeah, takes one to know one, buddy) and she asks him why he’s even out here instead of sleeping. He’s curious about something that kept him up. Why she’s missing something that everyone else has. Ra-im: “There’s so much. What? Money? A House?” Joo-won: “A family.”

She sighs, as she tells him that her mother passed away soon after she was born, and her father told her that her eyes and her laugh were the same as Ra-im’s. Her dad was a firefighter who was brave and saved lots of lives, and he died on the job when she was seventeen.

Joo-won: Who raised you?
Ra-im: I grew up on my own.
Joo-won: On what money?
Ra-im: What the government gave me.
Joo-won: So all my taxes went to you.
Ra-im: Does it seem like a waste?
Joo-won: I should’ve paid more, if I knew I was raising you.
Ra-im: When I look at you like this, you’re not a total jerk.

The next morning, Seul and Oska each wake up in their beds…to find surprise visitors asleep next to them. They both freak out, while Ra-Him and Joo-wanda don’t realize that they’ve slept in the wrong beds, in their drunken haze.

By the time they realize their mistake, Seul and Oska have a glare-off in the hallway.

Commence breakfast of most awkward proportions. Thankfully, Oska’s manager calls to break up the frivolity with some bad news. Someone leaked the title song to his seventh album—the one that was plagiarized. He rushes off in Joo-won’s car, and Seul goes with him, leaving her car with Ra-Him and Joo-wanda.

Ra-Him gets a text from Jong-soo about the script for Dark Blood and asks Joo-wanda about it, excited for the film she’s been waiting her whole career for. She’s dying to do the stunts, until Joo-wanda has to remind her that she’s not a stuntwoman right now; she’s a department store boss.

But HE isn’t, since he’s in her body…so she tries to get him to at least audition for her. She insists that she can teach him, and Joo-wanda calls her crazy and walks off.

On the way to Seoul, Oska can’t take the tension with Seul anymore and ditches her on the side of the highway. That’s what you get, princess.

He goes after Tae-sun, thinking that he leaked the song (not so bright, our Oska) only to find out that the leak came somewhere from Seul’s office.

Joo-wanda decides to do a little shopping in the meantime, and takes his own credit card for a spin, buying sequined dresses that cost a small fortune. Ra-Him refuses to be party to it, so Joo-wanda signs for the purchase himself, telling her that he’ll just take all the clothes back once they’ve switched back.

I love that he actually relishes shopping for himself as a woman, like he’s living out some fantasy of dressing a Barbie doll or something, only now he gets to dress himself like his ideal woman. God, it’s sick AND hilarious.

Upstairs, Director Park gets wind of Ra-im signing for Joo-won’s purchase (hitting a particular nerve because he’s been trying to perfect Joo-won’s signature for weeks). He announces that there is only one reason why a man would be under a woman’s thumb: she must be pregnant. OH, BARF.

Joo-won’s mother keeps tabs on him via a housekeeper, who confirms that he’s acting a little strange lately. She confirms that Ra-im has been around, sending Mom into a tizzy for her secretary to track Ra-im down for a chat.

Joo-wanda steps out of the department store sporting yet another sequined tracksuit. Hahaha, it really IS the tracksuit that would not die.

Ra-Him takes even more issue with it now that it’s on her body, asking if that’s a tracksuit that a person in his right mind would wear. Well, no is the answer, but neither is Joo-wanda of sound mind. Just sayin’.

Ra-Him: “I’m going to kill that Italian artisan!” Hahahaha.

Joo-won’s mother calls Ra-im’s phone…only her son’s voice picks up the other line. She flips her lid that he’s answering Ra-im’s phone now, and demands to see her at once. Joo-wanda shows up, and as soon as Mother sees that tracksuit, she asks warily if they went to Italy together. Heh.

She shows her distaste for Ra-im quite clearly, and offers up an envelope of money, along with a contract that she won’t go near her son again. Joo-wanda peers at the envelope, noting what a tiny sum it is, and then asks if she’s done this sort of thing before. She confirms that it’s hardly her first time buying off an unworthy girlfriend, which Joo-wanda hears with a heavy sigh.

He goes straight to Dr. Lee’s office, and tells her what just transpired with Joo-won’s mother. He asks what “she” should do.

Dr. Lee sighs that his mom is still doing such things (seeming to confirm that she was once on the receiving end of just such a dismissal attempt), and tells him not to see Joo-won anymore. She doesn’t say it in a jealous way, but rather in a very pragmatic way.

Dr. Lee: He won’t be able to protect you. Because he has no reason to protect a common woman.

Whoa. Harsh. And yet, totally true. It definitely hits Joo-wanda right in the kisser, as it starts to dawn on him that perhaps he isn’t such a saint. It also makes me really curious as to just how close he was with Dr. Lee…before she became his shrink.

Meanwhile, Ra-Him gets stuck having to deal with Director Park, who presents her with a slew of things to decide on, and one in particular that Secretary Kim motions for her to sign herself.

Director Park walks away from the meeting bewildered at the sudden 180-turn of polite Joo-won, wondering what on earth he’s up to now. He opens the file that Ra-Him signed off on, and shrieks in horror: He’s changed his signature! Hahaha. Ra-Him signed his name in the girliest manner possible, all hearts instead of O’s, and meanwhile Director Park thinks it’s a way to undermine all the work it’s taken for him to learn Joo-won’s signature.

On her way out, Ra-Him stops to tell Director Park that his voice is “totally awesome.” Heh. She asks Secretary Kim what kind of boss Joo-won is, assuming correctly that he’s pretty much as rude and condescending as he is elsewhere.

They happen upon an uproar in the men’s department, where a VVIP (Really—they make it a point to call them V-V-I-Ps, like one “very” isn’t enough.) is accosting a sales clerk, grabbing her ass and then announcing that she’ll be fired when she dares to talk back.

Ra-Him walks up and tells him to shut his trap otherwise his jaw will come loose…and then decks him. Ha! Love her driving Joo-won’s body around. Such glee.

Ah-young comes home and tells Joo-wanda what happened, as his eyes bug out in horror. He texts Secretary Kim to call his lawyer, confusing the poor guy since Ra-Him is sitting right next to him.

He rushes into the police station, appalled to see Ra-Him sitting there handcuffed, eating soup. She admits to being in the wrong, but Joo-wanda rails into her for being exactly the same as she was that night, when she showed up with that dreaded handbag—that she’s never once thought about him. Somehow you live in a universe where that makes sense, but it doesn’t to the rest of us.

He decides to let her rot in jail, and calls off the lawyer, and even tells the pervert VVIP to press charges and not let up. Ra-Him tries to remind him that it’s his body (which Secretary Kim overhears), but Joo-wanda is having none of it, and leaves.

Just then, a mystical storm brews outside, and it starts to pour. As soon as Joo-wanda steps out into the mystical rain, their souls magically get swapped back. Joo-won finds himself in his own body, handcuffed in the police station, and Ra-im is back in hers, standing in the rain.

She rushes back inside, and she and Joo-won look at each other, as smiles spread across their faces, and Ra-im jumps for joy.

They’re back!

COMMENTS

Really, Show? Mystical hoodoo rain? That’s the thing that brings them back? Apropos of nothing? No lessons learned, no big revelations, no walk a mile in her shoes kind of thing? Just whammo, presto, change-o? Boo. Big fat boo.

Is that all they were going to do with the body switch? What on earth is the point of that? I mean, comedy aside (which is a big reason to love it, sure) I hope we’re going to get bigger consequences. There’d better be, Show.

Truthfully, as much as I loved Episode 6’s crazy switcheroo antics, I wasn’t as into 7 and 8, because they seemed to hit a stalemate as far as how much each was going to budge (in concern for each other’s lives and such). I was beginning to wonder if the switch was going to change either of them at all.

So now I’m confused, because neither character has changed sufficiently for me to be done with the body swap narratively, and yet I miss their crackling chemistry when they were in their own bodies pre-swap, so I’m torn. I suppose the door is left open for them to re-swap and un-swap at length throughout the series, every time it rains or whatever other mystical precipitation is in the forecast.

And this is maybe a nitpick, but I’m a fan of rules in a genre piece. If you’ve got a mystical world, there ought to be rules that govern that world, and we as the audience have to be let in on those rules. Why? Doesn’t it take all the mystery out? No. There’s plenty of ways to frame the rules of your world as oblique, and you can always find clever loopholes to surprise us—that’s the fun in ALL of us knowing the rules, ya dig? If the circumstance just changes, for no rhyme or reason and worst of all, in a seemingly random fashion, we lose faith that the mystical world has a purpose and an internal logic. This is going to sound inordinately picky to those of you who aren’t obsessed with supernatural, mythology-laden narratives, but I swear, there’s a reason behind my nitpickery. No matter how loosey goosey you are with the rules, you have to establish them. Because otherwise there is no meaning behind the mystical events.

Whether or not Ra-im’s father is pulling all the strings, or Fate intervened to un-swap them, or the swap is only temporary, or someone spiked the rain with magic mojo…matters, and it matters more than the un-swapping itself. Either I’m going to feel like the body swap was merely a gimmick, or someone’s got some ‘xplainin’ to do.

274

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101 dramalover2012

December 6, 2010 at 11:55 PM

Thank you for the recap! :) I love how you always add in your own commentary! :)

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102 Stephanie

December 7, 2010 at 12:07 AM

hmm I think they have learned enough of each other and I get a huge sense that the writer is tired of the body swap. He/She prolly thinks it's difficult to do what he/she wants. Seeing as how he/she keeps using the mystical veil thing. I definitely hope the higher power in the story justifies this later on and connects the dots for us...but as of now I am fine with it. I'd rather the writer do this than get sick of his/her script.

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103 Annie

December 7, 2010 at 12:10 AM

Didn't expect the body switch to be so short lived. But I am glad to see themselves in their own bodies again. Now can we get some kissy kissy time?

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104 glencorajane

December 7, 2010 at 12:28 AM

Love this show and all the characters. I do like Seul alot, I think she is very gorgeous.

With regards to the blue sequinned jacket, When Hyun Bin wore it I thought it look strange, now I know they picked it because its a unisex jacket. I think Ha Ji Won looks fabulous in it.

Yep I think they will switch bodies again.

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105 phokej

December 7, 2010 at 1:17 AM

thanks for the recaps :-)
I'd also like them to stay in the other body longer but I find it quite funny that JW told the VVIP to press the charges and now HE is the one to stay in jail :D :D :D
I think it might be RI's father doing the mystical rain (although I don't know how) to save his daughter from the prison. Also I think they will soon switch again because RI is supposed to addition for the dangerous role and, knowing her father's going to such extreme to save her, he'll do something to prevent her from getting injured or dead.

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106 mamaj

December 7, 2010 at 4:19 AM

There's an interesting theory that the body-switch spell gets broken each time one or both of them reveal the switch when other people are around. Interesting, bec. the switch-back did happen when Joo Wonita accused Ra Him that she never once thought of him before he acted and Ra Him call Joo Wonita by his real name within earshot of Secretary Kim. What do you guys think about this?

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107 sarangwo

December 7, 2010 at 5:21 AM

About the signature...RaHim remembered what JooWanda said about not to trust Director Park and not to sign any "suspicious documents" (from the long trailer of episode 8 which is not shown in this episode..I read the translation somewhere )

About their bodies returned back is just temporary...
I read that someone says that they're going to switch again ... probably after 2-3 episodes...

So i think in the next thunderstorm... the switch will be back again...

About RaIm's illness..I think it's about the pain she endured during her stunts in her previous movies and the next action movie made her illness worse... but the thing is ...Joowon has to suffer for it ...
(Joowon's is in RaIm's body and the crying Joowon is RaIm...I'm not so sure about this part)
They are going back to the SECRET GARDEN to find the cure...

About the ending... of course the ending is still happy!!! :)

Anyways..whatever happens in the drama..I'll watch it!
Can't wait to watch the next episodes!!!

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108 CS

December 7, 2010 at 7:00 AM

Hmm...I dun get the Dad part....isn't he suppose to be dead?

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109 tooizzy

December 7, 2010 at 7:20 AM

I think that after it stops raining they will both wake up in each others bodies.

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110 p3rk3le

December 7, 2010 at 7:39 AM

About the rain, I dont think its -because- it rained that they changed, but because they needed to be changed at that point that it rained.. As to why they needed to be back to their own bodies, like you felt that comedic purposes were served, now they need to get to the part where they understand each other. I know you felt like its gonna happen while they were in each other's bodies, and honestly they kind of did, first step. Joowon -actually- did make the first step. I really feel relieved they're back at this point. Of cource I kind of wait for them to re-change but I'm quite satisfied with what they did.
Now I (and Raim) only need to learn what happened to JW in the past!

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111 Rina

December 7, 2010 at 8:53 AM

Thanks so much for the recaps, JB & GF!

I'm hoping this mystical rain switch back is a fake-out...to make them think they're back/fixed but when they wake up the switch is still in place. Or maybe while they're caught in a sudden winds storm.
I like how the kiss came to be, since I wasn't sure how it was going to play out. I love that Oska kept covering his lips.

Oh, Joo-won and his love of shiny, sparkly clothing. He did seem to enjoy shopping. Hyun Bin & this drama is going to start a fashion craze for shiny tracksuits.

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112 halfmoon

December 7, 2010 at 8:59 AM

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113 Dorotka

December 7, 2010 at 9:06 AM

I did enjoy the last episodes, however I would prefer if Ra-Him more behaves as Ra-Im an Joo-Wanda as Joo-Won. Not that there were not scenes when I was watching Joo-Wanda thinking OMG now she even looks like Hyun Bin! And vice versa. But the over the top girlish behavior of Hyun Bin as Ra-Him (I really don't think that an action actress who is used to be surrounded by men would faint in the sauna) and the “typical” masculine behavior of Ha Ji Won (like scanning that woman in the sauna in ep.6) really bothers me (more in a sense of a disappointment that the drama could have been better).

And I miss those little magical things like Joo-Won imaging Ra-Im next too him... the lights in the house on that painting.... or that petal growing back... well, at least we got some lightening now :-D :-D

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114 swimmingrose

December 7, 2010 at 9:17 AM

I haven't read all the comments here but with regards to the whole "indian summer" rain phenomenon, I just realized this...has anyone seen the poster for secret garden. I know there are a couple of version but one is of JW holding RI by the hand with an umbrella in the other as they float in the sky in true mary poppins fashion...lol...so maybe there is something there with this whole notion of rain being the trigger for the whole mystical body-swapping action!

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115 Supermar

December 7, 2010 at 10:16 AM

I heard they're done with the body swapping, unless they've decided to change the script. I was really disappointed too. They didn't change at all! No revelations or anything. Sure they found out more about each other's families, but it didn't evoke a change. I don't think another body swap would be fathomable at this point. They've already gone through the shock so it would just be another obstacle to wait out. They're used to it. They can deal with it. I guess now they just deal with the consequences of their switch. Joowon has to get out of the jail and VVIP mess, and Ra-im has her bone to pick with Jungsoo. 12 more episodes of consequences? There's got to be another conflict... and I hope they won't drag out SeulxOska too much X_X

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116 topgirl

December 7, 2010 at 10:20 AM

sparkly tracksuit is growing on me.
at first i thought it's really ridiculous, i mean who would wear something like that?
but seeing it with joo wonda and ha rim, heh they should get a couple tracksuit!!
look forward to what happens finally they are in their own body!

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117 fallcolors

December 7, 2010 at 1:10 PM

when they were buying clothes, isn't that the shiny black dress Joowan was imagining Ra-im wear? so funny~he's making his dremas real

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Alexis

December 9, 2010 at 10:33 AM

I noticed that too! It's really funny and sick of him!

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118 Afro Goddess

December 7, 2010 at 3:05 PM

I think that the switcheroo was just enough at this point. While Ra-Im may not have learned much more than how the wealthy live, Joo-Won did start to realize how spoiled his world is.

Given that it's only episode 8, chances are they will switch again.

I am really enjoying this show. I thought I was going to like Mary Out All Night and watch this show on the side, but I'm all about this show and not at all interested in Mary.

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cuddy

December 8, 2010 at 8:47 AM

same here !

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Jomo

December 8, 2010 at 7:17 PM

Me, three.

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119 mae

December 7, 2010 at 3:52 PM

Thank you for the recaps!!

Just a thought.....i think a key statement in this drama is the one made by Oska to his cousin Joo-Won in episode 5 when they were making the bet, when Oska states that Joo-Won is not one to give up everything for a girl. This statement is repeated a couple of more times, isn't it? i think this statement foretells of things to come.

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120 min gi

December 7, 2010 at 4:17 PM

isn't the dress Ra-Him is buying (the black sparkly one) is the one used in Joo-Won's fantasies about Ra-im?

XD i love this drama!!

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halfmoon

December 7, 2010 at 4:40 PM

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121 evelia

December 7, 2010 at 4:58 PM

Thanks for the recap. I also agree they both are still the same after the body switch. I am hoping that is temporary and that they will change bodies again.

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122 kc

December 7, 2010 at 7:43 PM

i would love to love this drama to bits but the serious confusion that comes along with the names-switching in the recap is a major major roadblock.

GF's recap tells me its Joowanda, the next episode its Rahim.

confusing.

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123 Francesca

December 7, 2010 at 10:05 PM

I suppose the door is left open for them to re-swap and "un-swap at length throughout the series, every time it rains or whatever other mystical precipitation is in the forecast. "

I cross my fingers to that. Coz uptill now I don't see the point of body-swapping here if it doesn't change the way they perceive each other.

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124 Yoonsy

December 7, 2010 at 11:59 PM

Am I the one who just drooling over Tae Sun (Oska-forced-trainee)? hahhaa..he really cute that sometimes he looks like Junsu DBSK..

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125 Omega

December 8, 2010 at 5:33 AM

I hope JW will learn something from Ra Im, " how man should be treating a woman.....holding her hand and putting his hand on Seul' s face to keep her warm " .

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126 rainerust

December 8, 2010 at 5:44 AM

Late to the party but oh I just had to comment on this episode - it was GREAT.

To be honest, I think they're actually learning a fair bit in each other's body - Joo-won, for example, learns about how his Mom treated his ex-girlfriends (it's obvious his doctor was one), and gains a little insight into how other (women) people see him. For Ra-im, I think she sort of gains more insight of the dynamics in his company, in his family etc.

But I hope that the body-switch-back is temporary too (either engineered by the Dad who doesn't want Ra-im in jail, or through the magical rain because...well... summer rain and all that jazz people were talking about in the earlier comments...or just because Dad's potion wasn't strong enough and now he has to figure out how to make it stronger and feed it to them again, which would be all sorts of hilarious). I feel like they haven't learnt enough about each other, and there's more they could be learning.

Love Secretary Kim and his OMO! at the deer scene, since people brought that up too, and I love his scenes, along with Ah-young's. Funnily enough, Oska and Seul don't really annoy me as much as they seem to annoy you, GF. I can sort of see where they come from? (Plus, is it just me, or is she actually prettier in their flashbacks?) I can also see where they still care for each other and why they pretend they don't really. When in the grip of strong emotions, people aren't really logical. Anyway. To sum it all up: I LOVE THIS DRAMA.

Thank you soooo much for the awesome recap, GF. You and JB are lifesavers - where would I go to rave about this drama if I didn't have this site to hang out at??

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Neurotic not Crazy

December 8, 2010 at 6:01 PM

I totally agree with you that a lot was learned during the switch.

The education was uneven. I think Joowon learned more than RaIm.

RaIm
1-Got confirmation that Joowon is very very rich.
2-Confirmed rich people and arrogant and expect to have their own way in all things
3-Learned Oska loves Seul
4-Learned Seul loves Oska
5-Joowon's mother is unlikely to think she is deserving of her son.
6-Learns that Joowon has made an alter out of her thing-bike key, money
7-Learned what Joowon's body looks and feels like.

This switch could be called the education of Joowon.
1-Got to access to RaIm's intimate relationships. Considering how private RaIm is, and how distrustful she is of Joowon, it would be months before he would have access to knowing who and what are important to her.
2-Learns how close RaIm is with her roommate
3-Learns that Director Im loves RaIm AND works to undercut the competition
4-Learns Oska loves Seul
5-Learns (maybe) that Seul loves Oska- RaHim told him that.
6-Truly gets an idea of how poor RaIm is and why.
7-Learns how he is seen by his employees.
8-Learns his mother is even worst than he imagined
9-Learns why one (and maybe more) of his relationship failed.
10-Got true insight into the nature of RaIm's career.
11-Learned what RaIm's body looks and feels like.

I'm sure I've missed some stuff.

But RaIm is more of a closed book than Joowon, so I don't see how else he would have gotten to know so much stuff about her (without a creepy private investigator that he said in an earlier episode was rude) without the switch.

RaIm saw some of Joowon's sweeter/softer side "I would have paid more taxes" "Carry you so I can see you" but he has been dropping the sweetness throughout the show, though not as consistently as the sourness.

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Alexis

December 9, 2010 at 10:42 AM

I think for the below:

"This switch could be called the education of Joowon.
5-Learns (maybe) that Seul loves Oska- RaHim told him that."

Seul actually confirmed it by asking Joo-Wonita to get away from Oska.. Also, I think because Joo-Won is too arrogant and straight-forward (read: talks without tact!), there is kinda no way for him to admit just how much he likes Ra-Im and for her to believe it. I remember in the earlier ep when he storm off after dissing Ra-Im about her bag, she took a walk with Oska and was shocked to find out that he was talking about her all the time. Thus, this may be a way of letting her know she means a lot to him truly - by letting her see for herself the keepsakes he keeps that is left by her.

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127 anne

December 8, 2010 at 9:15 AM

I love this drama. It's so good and funny, way better than Mary stayed out all night. How ironic, when I expected the latter to better. Can't wait for the next chapter.

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128 jktdrama

December 8, 2010 at 9:36 AM

"Secret Garden's screenwriter Kim In sook posted on her Twitter on the 6th, "There have been a lot of mentions that have to do with the ending recently," referencing to the curiosity of the netizens. Screenwriter Kim In sook posted "There seems to be a rampaged of false endings that I haven't even written ㅠㅠ" and dismissed all the false endings wandering about on the internet.

After, Kim In Sook cutely responded "If this keeps going on, I'm to become 'Femme Fatale(?) Screenwriter Kim!!'"

(Source: Soompi)

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129 Abdul

December 8, 2010 at 9:38 AM

I tend to agree with the others. Joo-wonda is being a little to girly, especially considering how ra-im was a tomboy.

Ah I don't mind switching back. If the drama really has 20 episodes, then there is more than enough time for another switch. Also, I feel like it might have started to drag a bit if they just continued with the same jokes.

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Joebs

December 9, 2010 at 10:50 PM

I don't think Ra-Im is a tomboy. Because she usually hangs out/works with men, and she's a stuntwoman/action actress, she tends to act AND sound like a boy too. But she unexpectedly has a girly side to herself -- seen that cosmetics stuff in her locker? I think deep down she really wants to look and act like a girl, but because of her job and the image she has to keep up, she needs to tone it down a bit.....

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130 Ar-Feiniel

December 8, 2010 at 9:49 AM

girlfriday I understand your complaints about the fact that the main couple didn't change during the experience, but I'm ok with that - for now. I prefer the switching to be the starting point, the trigger for their metamorphosis, not the reason. I think it's gonna be more meaningful if they start changing of their own accord and not because they have no other choice. At least, I hope that's the case.

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nia

December 9, 2010 at 5:34 PM

"I prefer the switching to be the starting point, the trigger for their metamorphosis, not the reason."

Exactly that's the reason why I like that they switched back so early. It's unexpected and it's different from most other bodyswap-stories.
They both got a lot to think about and some things will have to sink in. It's not necessary anymore for them being in each others body.
Though, I think they will switch again. The rain-theory sounds pretty convincing to me.

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131 Servarus

December 8, 2010 at 10:39 AM

Anyone have the Ra-Im ringtone? I'm trying to extract it, but the quality is not that good...

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132 jktdrama

December 8, 2010 at 10:45 AM

OMO! OMO! OMO! Please say it isn't so! cause if it is... (see below)... it better not be!

"...But right before the soul change, many foreshadowing, which may imply Lime's death later on in the story, were presented.

On the 5th epsidoe of "Secret Garden", Lime (Ha Ji-won) and Joo-won's (Hyeon Bin) experiences a soul change. They firstly visited a restaurant named 'Sinbi (Mysterious) Garden'. The restaurant's structure was exactly same as the Black House that Joo-won had trouble deciding whether he want to buy or not.

With all medical alcohol and creepy mood, one woman appeared and said, “My daughter is destined to be dead,” “the medicine that will let my daughter live.” This woman might be Lime's dead mother.

Also, Kim Joo-won said, “Gil Lime is not Cinderella, just mermaid. Please stay there as if you don't exist and disappear like a bubble.”

People who saw this commented, “Will Gil Lime actually be dead?” “Mermaid and mood of the restaurant is very strange”, “The foreshadowing that alludes to the death is not very suspicious. This drama might end with a sad ending”

(Source: http://www.hancinema.net/-secret-garden-is-spreading-foreshadowing-of-ha-ji-won-s-death---sad-ending--26330.html)

I'm screaming like; noooooooo! Huh! what! I think I need to find another drama to watch cause... this better not be the case.

GF! All of you! One of you! Please tell me this can't be possible!!!

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133 jktdrama

December 8, 2010 at 10:48 AM

sorry... here is the link to source again. http://www.hancinema.net/-secret-garden-is-spreading-foreshadowing-of-ha-ji-won-s-death---sad-ending--26330.html

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134 SG

December 8, 2010 at 12:05 PM

>>This is a sorta delayed reaction to Episode 5.....so feel free to skip. javabeans did stress that she appreciates meaningful discussions, even if they were spurred to life by dramas so I hope...posting this really long entry doesn't offend? Anyway, I love reading all the comments here. I hope adding another comment will help tide us over until the next episode.

journal entry dec 9
..Remember what I told you about SG..that it's funny and I'm addicted to it? Well, 5 episodes in the topic of MISTRESS came up. Eh. At first I wondered about the blogger's (in this case, jb) negative reaction to JW's proposal that RI concede to his "Little Mermaid" set up. Only as the story progressed (and I learned about how important the story of the Little Mermaid was to Joo-won>>how mistress-ship is The gold standard for JW until he "found" his IDEAL and how cold-hearted and practical he was about the whole thing) did the degree of his asshattery become clearer to me (I know, DELAYED REACTION o.0). I even wondered about the necessity of Ra-im's slap at the time (Shake me awake, considering I'm a GIRL. I must say I must have become truly jaded somehow, somewhere along the way :c) BECAUSE:
1.) Friends with benefits have become a "fairly common?" arrangement these days.
2.) In "their" case, since they hardly know each other, "FLING" would be the more appropriate term. And That arrangement is "fairly" common, too.

Granted that even if THOSE arrangements are "fairly" common, it STILL doesn't make them right, right?? I got DESENSITIZED somewhat.

I forgot that:
1.) In LOVE (in the truest sense of the word) stories (drama or the REAL world), the protagonists don't treat each other so cavalierly.
2.) HOW INSULTING GETTING PROPOSITIONED FOR MISTRESS-SHIP is, especially if you:
>>>Believed in your heart of hearts (as all girls are programmed to do) that you are leading lady material.

It took me a while to grasp the sensitive issue being tackled at hand (mistress-ship/flings) because:

1.) Joo won was so CUTE. He was portrayed as this vulnerable man-child who..I thought (at first) felt he "NEEDED" and was "LOOKING" for his Princess, etc. Only he turned out to be someone who believed in a very worldy, convenient set-up. (Really, DID his father cheat then left them or something for his beliefs to get as warped as this??!).....It was so left-field I felt like I was watching Mickey Mouse being Mickey Mouse one moment only to have him invite Minnie Mouse for a one-night stand the next. That was how bludgeoned I was.
2.) The drama was so LIGHT after that proposal. Nothing happened to address THAT issue for two episodes.

I wondered about what DEEP, IMPORTANT issues the writer (and audience) felt Joo won Needed to learn from the swap (Err...A LOT?).

Right now, though, I think JW needs to learn about Nurturing RELATIONSHIPS (That deep, lasting affections can happen and endure and that LOVE isn't dispensable) before he can proceed to DO SOMETHING about correcting social injustice, etc.

Right now, I think OSKA knows more about Love than Joo won does. I've noticed Joo won's voiceovers whenever he "realized" something (eg. Oska's sincerity for Seul.) What needs total focus and rehabilitation right now is Joo won's skewed view of the world. In my opinion, this explains his "inconsistent concern" for RI. He can only "care" towards a certain degree. It's INTIMACY vs. ISOLATION in earnest. He's selfish because he doesn't know any other way of relating. But still....I'd bet there are loads of adulterers out there (yeah, those who acquire/keep them even after marriage, thereby breaking the Princess' heart along with the Little Mermaid's) who KNOW what they're doing is unfair but don't care.

GETTING PROPOSITIONED for Mistress status is insulting because human rights/individual dignity almost got no say in who gets picked. Your "worth" as a woman (marriageable or plaything) gets dictated by some asshole who "believed" he had the right. Would that the affair be "two-sided" and both parties were amenable in 100% of the cases. But when one party is
1.) INDIFFERENT (at first)
2.) SUSCEPTIBLE to love
it's insulting. No?

I understood RI's insulted response now and I can so relate to it. More than humbling Joo won's arrogance in terms of the many many things he had that RI didn't, he really needs to learn about love (not the cheesy kind, but the real, caring type of L). The last two episodes didn't feel like such a waste after all (in terms of character development). If the switch were to serve as a springboard for growth, I'd say it still achieved its point.) I feel now that it might be Oska and Seuls love story, Secretary Kim and Ah Young's courtship, his grandfather's 4th marriage who would help our main characters get to their happy ending. Understanding EACH OTHER is not even the most important lesson right now. JW needs to understand some things on his own, some things about himself before he can begin to understand other people and acknowledge the realities of LIFE apart from his delusions. He has to learn that the Little Mermaid isn't the ONLY love story out there.

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Jomo

December 9, 2010 at 6:41 AM

The actor is not discussed much here, but he really is pretty.

I get the feeling the writer/director are still figuring out what to do with him.

Do they want to just tell us he is gay, or show us? Is the audience ready for that? Does that fact that he is gay going to be integral to the story later? Another scandal for Oska, perhaps? Or the beginning of his second career as a gay icon?

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Jomo

December 9, 2010 at 6:52 AM

So totally NOT the place I wanted this reply to go!!

This was in response to Yoonsy!

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135 Chelsea

December 8, 2010 at 12:55 PM

Wow! Well done review!

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136 Mia

December 8, 2010 at 2:32 PM

I don't think this switch back was random or because of the magic rain.

When he gave them the drinks, daddy clearly said it was because he hoped his daughter would change somehow.

Then right as joo-wanda says 'you haven't changed at all', they switch back, I don't think this is a coincidence at all

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137 Unnursvana

December 8, 2010 at 3:45 PM

I am so gonna miss Hyun Bin playing Ra Im for now... they will change back to each other again... I am sure of it and I hope so.

This drama is so good ^^

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138 kdlover

December 8, 2010 at 4:55 PM

I LOVE this episode!!! So funny..cant wait for more!! Im not gonna speculate just enjoying the ride!!!! LOVE LOVE this drama!!!!

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139 goldlilys

December 8, 2010 at 10:46 PM

I believe the swap back in the ending was done by the father. He wanted to protect his daughter and not land her in jail. Therefore, this swap back is only momentary. Once Joo Won is out of jail, I'm sure the dad will swap them back again (exactly why does he need to do that?, that is the mystery we want to find out).

Goodness people!!! It's only the 8th episode and you expect every mystery to reveal itself. Let the story progress, characters are still developing (both finding out about each others family or lack thereof, past relationships, present relationships and all the craziness in between).

Episode 7 and 8 were hilarious to me. Haha gender bender both ways under one drama. Awesome job scriptwriters and the scenic shots are beautiful. Can't wait for episode 9 and 10.

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140 maryclaude

December 9, 2010 at 3:26 AM

I think the reason why they swapped just like that is because Joo-woman asked that VIP to continue to press charges against Ra-him so that she will rot in jail. Now if Ra-Im's dad did the swap for his daughter's benefit in the first place, then he wouldn't let Ra-Im rot in jail just like that... So it would make sense for him to swap them back so that it would be the real Joo-Won getting all the punishment and not Ra-Im ^^

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141 Dwarf

December 9, 2010 at 6:44 AM

On the mermaid story, I keep hoping that there's something more to JW's fixation with it. Something more humane like the mermaid is the true love and in his twisted mind, only true loves can be mistresses (in tune with his logic when he went on that blind date, that marriage is not for love). But after reading the comments, I have to agree that he's probably not having this school of thoughts. What an ass. I hope RI can whip some real emotional pain onto him in the subsequent eps and make him realize his assiness before they fall in love. Make him earn ur love!

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142 ryeoha

December 9, 2010 at 6:51 AM

Agree there definitely needs to be rules for things to make sense.
However, i do have confidence that there is a logic to the swapping which will be explained. could be the rain. (which is a sufficient reason for me haha) could be ra im's father not wanting her daughter to suffer cos she might be in jail if she continues in joo won's body.
as for lessons learnt..look on the bright side maybe it's coming.
One thing we can be sure is, they'll surely switch again!

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143 Alexis

December 9, 2010 at 10:27 AM

Does anyone know how many ep is this show gonna be??

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Joebs

December 9, 2010 at 10:48 PM

It's going to be 20 episodes.

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Alexis

December 10, 2010 at 10:37 AM

Thanks Joebs!

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144 samiam618

December 10, 2010 at 7:42 PM

so i just rewatched the first episode and realized that the very first scene is with ju wan and the tv talking to him. and then the magical thunder storm appears. and then sudden scene change.
-_-
if this whole drama is a hallucination, i will flip and send a very hateful hate mail to the writer.

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145 tamtam

December 11, 2010 at 6:05 PM

I'm more intrigued by the side characters' stories than the main plot. Like Tae-sun's potential man-crush on Oska, and the stupid misunderstanding between him and his ex. That possible love triangle alone can go places.

And yeeees so much to your assessment of The Body Swap. I don't think it's over yet, but little character development at this point, or progress in their relationship. They still think the worst of each other even after walking in each other's shoes. Frankly, I'm a little tired of their dance, since it continues on in episode 9. Ga-Im needs to take more initiative at this point to understand Joo-won, now that Joo-won's did so much of the chasing.

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146 Sapphy

December 11, 2010 at 11:25 PM

So is it just me, or does anyone else think it won't be cancer/some other terrible illness, but a car accident that will endanger Ra-im? There's been a lot of focus on her doing a car stunt and how dangerous it is. Plus there was Ah-young's dream premonition involving Ra-im driving a car. And, interestingly, that brief comment Oska made about an accident that occurred in the past that has something to do with Joo-won (perhaps his claustrophobia is connected to it, too).

As for the transition back to their own bodies, all I can guess right now is that it happens when it rains/storms. I don't really like the idea that the father has that degree of control, although admittedly it would be dumb to leave his daughter's fate up to the weather.

I really, really want to see more development on Joo-won's end. I was beginning to get quite frustrated with him when he visited his shrink, and the realization that his mother's been isolating him may be a step in the right direction. Of course, he does a swell job isolating himself on his own but the way he was raised certainly contributed to his sunshine and rainbows personality today. I love Joo-won, actually, cruel condescension and all, because the potential for change could be amazing. I want to cheer for him so bad. I want him to get over himself. I want him not to be dragged down, but to throw himself down for Ra-im's sake because she's worth protecting.

This drama has surprised me so far with how good it is and how much fun it is to speculate about. This is my first time commenting here though I've enjoyed reading this blog for a while now!

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147 kary

December 12, 2010 at 8:49 PM

the scars! they were missing during the sauna session!....those on her arms too...hahaha

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148 Ashley

December 18, 2010 at 7:13 PM

How great is it that the rain swapped them back when you think of the opening sequence when the weather girl says, "Lets see if this rain contains any special blessings" :) I like that its all tied together like that.

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149 River.C

December 27, 2011 at 5:43 AM

I think the reason they switched back may have been because joo-won has now punished HIMSELF. I dunno but I think that it makes it funnier that it's his fault he's in such trouble now.