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Myung-wol the Spy: Episode 3

What a hoot. I think I may end up loving this show. The first episode piqued my interest with the gorgeous visuals and offbeat vibe, the second had me busting a gut with its quirky humor, and the third? It stirred that sense of excitement, that feeling that I could feel love on the horizon. It’s not quite here yet, but I’m eagerly looking to the next episode.

SONG OF THE DAY

Lena Park – “세상 그 누구보다” from the Myung-wol the Spy OST. [ Download ]

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EPISODE 3 RECAP

We back up from the ending scene of Episode 2 to show how we got there: Myung-wol is given three months to marry Kang-woo, and sleeper spy Ok-soon put in charge of her lady training. Thing is, she’s so bad at using her feminine wiles that Ok-soon decides the best strategy is to go in with a direct assault: a declaration of love.

Myung-wol studies Hollywood romances and their K-drama counterparts, taking in Im Soo-jung’s anguished love declaration from MISA (I’m Sorry, I Love You), which seems like exactly the wrong choice for Kang-woo. I’m giggling already.

A camera is planted for spy surveillance, and Ok-soon gives Myung-wol the advice that the key to Operation Seduce Kang-woo is “a quick progression and skinship.” Can that be the key to my mission, too? Heck, can this BE my mission? I’ll totally seduce Eric, FOR MY COUNTRY!

Ok-soon feeds Myung-wol lines for her love confession, and it’s the standard, prettily worded stuff: “I don’t expect anything from you — just let me be with you,” etc. Hee-bok scoffs that her dialogue is too old-school — men don’t want a clingy declaration — and it doesn’t appear to be working on Kang-woo, so Myung-wol goes off-script, and takes a page from the MISA handbook with a straightforward “I love you.”

That shuts Kang-woo up, and when he sees In-ah appear at a distance, he kisses Myung-wol as his way of making his rejection of her clear.

The thing is, Kang-woo’s reply to Myung-wol sounds ominous (“How far are you willing to go?”). Combined with the sudden kiss, the agents freak out and order her to retreat.

Alas, “retreat” stirs a knee-jerk reaction in Myung-wol, for whom that word is usually accompanied by a very different scenario. She instinctively lashes back at Kang-woo, which naturally makes it tricky when he asks, “What, isn’t this what you wanted?” Ok-soon urges her to retreat rather than attempt explanation, so Myung-wol just runs away. HA.

In-ah thinks he’s trying to make her jealous — funny how everything’s about her, no? — and tells Kang-woo to cut today’s shoot short because she’s in no mood to film. He tells her to be a professional and learn how to act, or go home. I love how very blunt he is about his disinterest in her.

Ryu picks up the phone In-ah throws out of pique, and she recognizes him from Singapore. He merely says they can attribute this meeting to “strange coincidence,” and leaves. Just the thing to keep him mysteriously interesting.

Kang-woo can’t shake Myung-wol’s declaration, because he can’t figure her out, and that intrigues him. He thinks back to all their encounters, and I love that this supposedly poignant reminiscence includes an explosion, ha.

In the following days, he sees Myung-wol everywhere — working at the cafe, posing as a stylist at the station — and naturally shakes it off, thinking he’s seeing things. HA. I love that in any other drama, this would be one of those “I can’t stop thinking about you” montages, but in this one, it’s Myung-wol playing stalker. And if she just happens to drive Kang-woo nuts in the process, all the better.

Ok-soon tells her that the plan is to make him doubt his own eyes (hee), because his interest will be stirred once he starts wondering why all the women around him suddenly resemble her. It’s like reverse-psychologizing his brain: If you mimic the symptoms of love, can you get him to think he’s in love? (Or, to cite a more recent reference, it’s like Dokko Jin confusing his pounding heart for love.)

The kiss — and this mission — gets Myung-wol all confused, too, and she tells the stone-faced Ryu that she’d always known who her enemy was — till now. Ryu tells her to think simply of her orders. Spoken like a true soldier automaton. I do enjoy how stiff and humorless he is.

In-ah’s grandfather, hotelier Chairman Joo, background-checks the helpful stranger he’d met in Singapore, and finds that Choi Ryu has quite the resumé with creds from Geneva University and such. Obviously his identity’s been padded, and succeeds in assuring Chairman Joo that Ryu is no danger to him.

Kang-woo meets with an elderly man in a teashop, a longtime acquaintance who is familiar with his quest for the lost ancient books. The man knows he’s been looking for the past decade, and advises him to give up the search now. Kang-woo says he has to find it, even though the only hard clue he has is a name: Goblin.

The ajusshi passes along a contact, but adds the caution that what he’s heard of this man’s legendary ability to find anybody is merely rumor. Which turns out to be Hee-bok’s investigative agency. OOH. Worlds colliding in interesting ways.

Ryu is brought in by Chairman Joo, who asks if he knows of the four ancient volumes, and what they mean. As the story goes, one went missing before the four were even completed, so they’ve never occupied the same space together. Each volume is needed to unlock the other coded books, so one must possess all four to make meaning of the books.

Chariman Joo explains that there aren’t many people able to discern real artifacts from fake, and asks Ryu to work for him. Ryu answers that he’s never seen the real one, but he’s seen plenty of fakes to be able to spot one.

Kang-woo seeks out the agency and asks Hee-bok to find him the person named Goblin. It’s a boon for our spies, to have this opportunity fall in their laps, ripe for exploiting.

Hee-bok supplies Kang-woo with an address in the mountains of Gangwon-do, and when Kang-woo gets there, he finds the house empty. He settles down for a long wait, tired and thirsty, until finally someone arrives, calling for “Grandpa.”

Kang-woo starts at the sight of Myung-wol, who explains demurely that she’s here to drop off some potatoes for Grandma. Heeding Ok-soon’s words not to make the first move this time, she pretends she’s about to leave, making him call out to stop her.

Hearing his stomach grumble, she offers him some potatoes, which he declines haughtily. And then steals glances at, after she leaves. He’s just about to take one, pride be damned, when he hears eerie voices emanating from the house, and jumps back when a hand reaches up from under the house to grab his potato.

Turns out these are three neighborhood kids out searching for snakes (a prospect that makes Kang-woo jump and look around wildly), and he actually bristles when they don’t recognize him. (Kang-woo, miffed: “Don’t you have a TV at home?” Kid: “Why would you care if we have a TV, ajusshi?” Kang-woo: “I guess not.”)

The snake gives Myung-wol an idea, though, and she goes off into the woods looking for one — after scoffing, “What kind of man is scared of a snake?” (In fact, she’s gone on training missions where they’d been her source of food.)

Kang-woo finally helps himself to a potato (grumbling all the while, “This tastes horrible. Really horrible. Why am I eating this?”), but his attention fixates on the snake that slithers into the yard. He orders the kids to go get it (“Keep it away from me!”), and Myung-wol makes her reappearance. He’s so preoccupied with the snake that he only half-heeds their conversation, inching closer to her all the while.

Myung-wol picks it up with her bare hand and dangles it in his face, wondering what’s so scary about snakes. He shudders and tells her to get it away, so she tosses it outside (where Hee-bok gathers it up for future use). Myung-wol assures him that the snake has probably gone off and told all his snakey friends not to come ’round, and Kang-woo worries, “What if one of them doesn’t listen?” Aw.

Just then, another one shows up. Jumping away in fear, Kang-woo lands right in a pile of cow dung. Ha!

Off to the stream it is, to wash his hand. Once there, Myung-wol wades in and enjoys the water, while the Old Spies observe. Ok-soon’s plan: There’s nothing quite as appealing as a woman soaked with water, and this time they’ll make Kang-woo rescue Myung-wol, thereby making them each other’s lifesavers. Little do they know that it looks like Kang-woo’s already halfway in love (or at least attraction) with Myung-wol, stealing glances at her against his better judgment.

Plan initiated: Myung-wol fakes a leg cramp and goes splashing into the water, crying out for help. Kang-woo dives in after her…only to realize that somehow, the snake that the kids caught has slithered free and has become entangled with his hand. Heh, acting in water is hard enough, but giving us a reaction that great? Brownie points.

His (apparently debilitating) fear of snakes makes him oblivious to all else, and now it’s Kang-woo who flails in the water. Myung-wol is forced to be the savior once again, and takes him to safety.

He wakes up in the village hospital, where his agent, President Kyung, finds him. She’s in damage control mode, because the internet has exploded with news of the set accident and rumors that Kang-woo kicked his savior girl to the curb with nary a penny.

President Kyung finds it mighty curious that Myung-wol continues to bump into Kang-woo, although it’s a fortuitous coincidence this time since she was looking for her anyway. She wants Myung-wol to make a statement explaining that Kang-woo paid for her hospital bills and gave her a sizable reward, and hands over an envelope of money to make that statement true.

The Spy Squad decides it’s time to change up their strategy, and Ok-soon proposes that Myung-wol ask to be assigned as Kang-woo’s personal bodyguard. Whether he’ll accept that request is another matter.

Hee-bok’s employee Dae-kang bursts into the agency all torn up at being left out of the loop and essentially fired. Hee-bok hilariously talks about his wife and daughter like they’re really his true family, saying that the Missus didn’t want to make a big fuss over the wedding. He gives Dae-kang a tearful hug, sorry to lose him as a partner.

Now for the introduction of yet another entity: The NSA, the South Korean agency safeguarding national security. In a briefing, they discuss Chairman Joo and his recent trips in search of certain national treasures. But according to their intel, while in Singapore, he also made contact with the North.

OOH, interesting! Is this what they’re gleaning from his contact with Ryu, or is it based on something else? If it’s Ryu, it’s great because it’s a total crossed wire — yes, he’s from the North, but Chairman Joo doesn’t know he’s from the North.

The meeting is presided over by Agent Yoo Jung-shik, who is told (with some anxiousness) that this report was prepared by Agent Yoo Da-hae. Hmm, I sense familial tensions.

Sure enough, agents Yoo and Yoo battle it out over a session of kendo (or geom-do), where we are tipped off to some clues about this contentious father-daughter relationship. Dad worries overmuch for her safety and keeps her buried in paperwork, which Da-hae resents. She wins this round, and earns the right to be included in this case.

Ryu’s new position takes him to Joo Mansion, where he runs into In-ah. Who, naturally, presumes he must be stalking her. Oh, princess. Ryu just smiles in his noncommittal way, while she sulks about how he’s bothering her. ‘Cause you looooove him!

Chairman Joo presents Ryu with photos of the ancient book, and Ryu answers that he can’t judge its authenticity: “Although I might, if I could see the real thing in person.” So you can steal it! Chairman Joo chuckles that it’s up to him to earn that trust from him.

Ryu finds Myung-wol brooding again, and she confesses that she thinks she’s the wrong person for this job. She’s so unclear on how to succeed in this mission that she’s afraid she’ll fail her country.

Ryu asks why she applied for his special ops squad, and she answers that she wanted to die for her country meaningfully, as her father had done. His squad is a place she could entrust her life, because, “I have no family. So I want to enter in that one.” She promises to return to that family.

Hee-bok is totally enjoying his role as husband way too much, to Ok-soon’s irritation. Dae-kang walks in with new resolve, to their surprise, and declares that he can’t give up on his love over something so trifling as a salary. Initiate hilarious misunderstanding: Hee-bok: “You…loved me?” Ok-soon: Suspicious side-eye. Dae-kang: “No, not that!”

Dae-kang sidles up to Myung-wol outside, where her cat-like reflexes kick in; she grabs his hand and twists it before seeing that it’s harmless Dae-kang. He smiles up at the pretty noona and earnestly expresses his alarm over the mosquitoes that threaten her, “Since they’re bastards that attack you to steal your precious blood!”

Grasping her hands in his, he declares, “I knew at first sight that you were my fate!” Oh, puppy. Is this going to be a reincarnation of your adorable noona-crush in Wish Upon a Star? Lee Kyun does that combination of eager, sincere, and absurdly comical so well.

The news hits the media of Kang-woo’s superwoman savior, and the girl formerly known as the high school student is explained in the reports as Kang-woo’s bodyguard. Well, thank heavens for that! ‘Cause really, you expect me to believe she’s in high school? That was one of the most absurd bits of this whole plot — and that’s saying a lot.

With that, Myung-wol is installed as the bodyguard; President Kyung was forced to accept that condition, since it was the only way Myung-wol would participate, thereby stopping the rumors that dog Kang-woo.

President Kyung reminds her of the rules, and Myung-wol recites them: she is not to speak of her work to the public, she is not to tarnish Kang-woo’s image, and she is not to cause any unsavory incidents to blow up into a scandal. Furthermore, President Kyung has just fired Kang-woo’s manager for being lazy, so she asks Myung-wol to do basic manager duties, like running errands. Which keeps her stuck to his side, day and night. Oh, yeah.

Kang-woo’s frustrated, though I’m totally thinking this is in more ways than one. (Can we please get a Kevin Costner/Whitney Houston parody out of this? Please?) He finds her constant hovering unsettling, but she reminds him that she’s on orders not to let him out of her sight.

She does, perhaps, take her job a tad too seriously, practically terrorizing the dry cleaning deliveryman in her search for threats. A rogue staple merits a vicious patdown of the garments.

The next disturbance: a crowd of young men, demonstrating against Kang-woo. The hilarious thing? Their tone is all serious-political-protest, but their grievance is that Kang-woo despoiled the reputation of their favorite female star. They’re avenging fanboys, hee!

They demand that Kang-woo restore Hayuri’s angelic image, ignoring Myung-wol’s orders to be quiet. I love that she deals with them in an age- and occasion-appropriate manner, subduing them with twisted fingers and yanked ears, since they’re basically petulant schoolboys.

The boys are both scared and incensed, and she casually flicks her wrist and tells them to go ahead, take her on.

The result? A line of duck-walks around the yard, with Myung-wol leading the recitation: “I will not interfere with other people’s business.” Hilariously, an afternoon of discipline has the fanboys all in love with her — ha! Boys are so easy.

She returns home, where Kang-woo tells her to leave him alone. She promises not to bother him and stays by his side, recalling Ok-soon’s advice that she’s to act the part of a woman “crazy in love.” Oh, why does that reminder have me both giggling in anticipation, and cringing at the thought?

Taking a page from lovesick Dae-kang’s book, she approaches to touch Kang-woo’s cheek, explaining that a mosquito was about to bite him. There’s something about Kang-woo’s own swift reflexes — much like hers, though he’s less, uh, violent — that has me wondering what his true deal is… I’m not convinced he’s just an ordinary Hallyu star… (Well, as ordinary as a Hallyu star gets.)

Myung-wol starts to repeat Dae-kang’s words about mosquitoes, only Kang-woo’s now batting at the air and misses her comment. (Ha! Is there really a mosquito there, or is he just really, really weak to the power of suggestion, as with the snakes? That would be hilarious.)

Myung-wol cringes before repeating Dae-kang’s corny words about the bloodsuckers, and mumbles in her embarrassment, “Kang-woo-sshi… blood… guys…” He totally kills the moment, though, by grilling her, military-style: “Blood? What did you say? What about mosquitoes?” All she can say is that she hates them, and he gets up to leave in exasperation.

With her moment slipping away, Myung-wol goes off-script and bursts out, “I don’t care if this is a crazy love. I’ll stay by your side and protect you, and if I say this is the reason I love you—”

But looking around, he’s gone. She’s disappointed, until he reappears to ask, “Do you know why I’m letting you stick around? Because you’re someone who risked your life for me. I feel like I ought to repay the one who saved my life.”

She’s touched, and smiles with a few tears in her eyes. Until he adds, “I’ll make sure you tire of your crazy love, wait and see.”

Meanwhile, In-ah hears about the new wave of gossip spreading about Kang-woo’s hot bodyguard, replete with speculation of there being more to their relationship. So she puts on her bitchface and arrives on set, where she sees Myung-wol standing guard.

Myung-wol blocks In-ah from approaching Kang-woo, saying he’s to be left alone. Bratty In-ah pulls the “Do you know who I am?” card, saying she’s somebody who isn’t to be blocked.

Still, Myung-wol tells her that she hasn’t gotten that report, and refuses to let her through, to In-ah’s ire. Like the child she is, In-ah retaliates in the only way she can, swiping in the air to slap Myung-wol — only, that gets her arm twisted behind her.

Kang-woo gets up to approach the two ladies, and his intervention mollifies In-ah. He tells Myung-wol to let go, which gratifies In-ah to have him come to her aid.

Or so she thinks — because she makes a second attempt at a slap, only to be stopped by Kang-woo this time.

Eyes widen all around, and Kang-woo glares at In-ah, ordering, “Don’t mess with her.”

 
COMMENTS

One thing I’m really enjoying is that the plot of Myung-wol the Spy is dense. It’s a show with a very strong silly bent, but that doesn’t mean it can’t have a story. There are multiple sides on multiple missions, and each of them have pieces of the truth that are mixed in with wrong information. That tickles my fancy like none other. I love how many different entities there are, and that they’re all operating on different levels of info, which makes this such a rich playground for conflict.

It’s not a case of A versus B, because there are so many motives at play at once. It’s a game of cat-and-mouse-and-bird-and-dog. I can’t wait to see how everyone gets completely, hopelessly entangled in each other’s business, busily trying to find out information for themselves while maintaining their covers. Heh heh.

Plus, how great that it looks like there are some connections (I hesitate to call them alliances) across the standard lines. Kang-woo’s contact takes him to the North Korean spy. Chairman Joo unwittingly hires a North Korean spy. The South Korean spies read potentially too much into this intel. And then: What’s the deal with Kang-woo? Is he a spy too? I mean, there haven’t been many clues hinting at that, but I can’t help thinking there’s more there to him.

On top of that, you have Myung-wol with her mix of naivete and asskickery, and Kang-woo’s curious interest/attraction/dislike of her (the dislike being somewhat forced, methinks, with him trying to convince himself he doesn’t care). And the goofy spy parents, with Ok-soon the legend apparently making shit up as she goes — that cracks me up like none other. There’s a scene where they all look to her expectantly to give them orders, and she shrugs like she’s got no clue, and makes up a believable explanation when it’s clear to us that she’s sorta flying by the seat of her pants. HA.

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Such a cute ep; thanks for the recap!

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Hear, hear! Thanks for the recap.

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watch Myung Wol the Spy Episode 3 English Subbed here:
http://www.kimchidramas.net/2011/07/myung-wol-spy-episode-3.html

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KYAAAA thank you :]
i think i will actually end up watching this drama after reading your recaps <3 eric

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yay!!! thank youuuu!! watched the raw again yesterday, couldn't wait for the subs ha :D off to read now :)))

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waaaaaaaaah! thank you! thank you!

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i'm already addicted to this drama, just hoping that it will develop more...

on Kang Woo... yeah, methinks too that there is more to him than just the Hallyu star... he can be an agent or something, he's got some reflexes and other things that screams "I'm not just you're 'ordinary' Hallyu star!".

I'm likewise wondering what connect it will give us later between the two leads on the book quest. My interest is quite piqued by Kang Woo's quest for the four books. What is the reason for him to be looking for ten long years.

and here too... i'm going crazy already picturing out Kang Woo sooooo in love with Myung Wol, while she is still clueless. She treats him like a real mission and he will later on know about it, be irked by that and pursues her passionately. Gah! I am already so wishing this would happen. ... and what way better it is for us if Kang Woo gets all jealous with Ryu, coz later the two will have interactions and dear Kang Woo will be fuming green! Hahaha... just some scenarios i wanted this drama to have.

to sum it up, i'm already crazy in love with this show!

SHOW bring it on!

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I think kang woo's more than meets the eye too. So excited about the romance between the two....Eric's slow slow smile when he stared at her in the water is sooooo exciting....can't think of any other word. Didn't realise what I was missing in other dramas until I saw Eric here....he's got the X factor that charges a scene with romantic tension.

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They have not said how her father died...perhaps linked to the mythical 'Books'.....

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yep yep, true!

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Cant wait to watch this one later on when more ep is out!! I fell in love with Eric in que sera sera!!!

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Great Recaps JB u totally awesome....and I agree with you KW is something more, and I might go out of the limb here and say that he might be a spy too..and how funny is that going to be two spies hooking up.... can't wait... thanks again... :D

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Like mr and mrs Smith! :D that would be such a great story line.. two undercover spies falling for each other

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This is such a cute, fun show. But i must admit, i'm in it for Eric 100% BUT i'm also loving her north korean officer Ryu.. please let there be a love triangle and immense jealousy!

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I didn't know anything about him before starting to watch this, but I'm rewatching episodes for him. ><

He made me realize none of the leads I've liked a lot have actually seemed that sexy to me, though they're attractive. How did this happen? Heh.

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I didn't know anything about him either! besides the fact that he was apart of shinhwa. He oozes sexy on the screen. I started youtubing him to see more of him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAgMZ7pA6W0 check out the funky hair ;)

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pipz, he is just awesome on his performance on episode 1!

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I am so starved for episode 3 of this show that I read the recap before seeing the episode... literally unable to stop myself! These recaps are like a crack addiction.

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Just how much fun is this! I hope it continues.

I loved the high tech equipment our resident spies are using on this mission. LOL! :) Nothing but the best for these guys!

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yayyyy..thank you.
yup..i think kang woo is a spy too...he gives off that vibe..(dont know how to exlpain it better ;)

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ahh~ this episode made me feel so giddy inside :D

1. i can tell Choi Ryu probably didn't want Myung Wol entering the special forces because he had already admired her/liked her for years when she was training and didnt' want her to get hurt in such an elite army force. :) did y'all see his shocked expression with Kang Woo kissed her today?! :D
2. Kang Woo...maybe his father was in the NSA and died trying to get these four special artifacts or something secret and this "Goblin" fellow knew what exactly happened that resulted in his father's death (or something to that effect)
3. Dae Kang's character is so cute! (definitely reminds me of Stars Falling from the Sky) haha

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I like your #1 theory. Have wait for the sub, but to have Ryu register a slightest expression of shock is already worth the watch...lol his soldier automaton conversation with Myong-wol.

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so true... the shock and clenching of the jaw form the sight of the kiss... he almost stood up from his seat...

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i totally agree to your 1st observation... i rewatched that part for a couple of times and deduced to the conclusiona s well... i was like, others should notice this... he's not that emotionless at all... glad im not alone in that observation.

will you agree with me with my theory that choi ryu's running into kang woo is not pure coincidence and not part of his cover as well? choi ryu's inside a van i believe when the whole kiss happened and there's no point of showing himself to him. well, not yet, i believe. HE DID IT OUT OF PURE ANNOYANCE AND JEALOUSY. it is backed up by the beady stare he gave kang woo behind his back.

waaaah.... i want to see love triangle scenes ASAP... that is between kang woo-myung wol - choi ryu...

as for IN AH.. just take her out of the story, i din't find her relevant just plain annoying...

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I agree! Kangwoo is more than just a hallyu star. He could be an undercover agent for NSA or another spy from the North as well (under different division from Myungwol & Choi Ryu).

If not, he could be working on his own.... hahah my mind is flying with all the possibilities now.... it could be his parents were some secret agents before and may be their death had something to do with the 4 ancient books that EVERY ONE are going after..... I don't hink Kangwoo bought that book in S'pore merely by coincident. He knows what he's after.... :)

This drama is full of anticipations :D

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Awesome recap.

I mentioned this over at Koala's Playground, but I'm super scared for the rest of this show. It will either be able to pull off all the plot angles, or it will fall apart because it gets too confused with itself.

If, like you mentioned, everyone ends up getting entangled in everyone else's business, it'll be a helluva fun ride. If not, I hope the wicked chemistry between the OTP keeps things floating. Myung-wol and Kang-woo are most of the reason why I've been watching, because their interactions are simultaneously hilarious and cute.

I'm also loving the two older spies. They're a barrel of laughs themselves.

If I have any complaints, it's that I hope the pace of the side stories picks up a little. The whole show is so fast-paced and quirky, that when Chairman Joo comes on the screen it's hard for me to stay focused. Scenes with him are so SLOW. Also, we need badly to inject some more personality in Ryu. He'd be such an awesome character, but they seem to be underutilizing him.

All in all, it's funny enough that I want to keep watching. Can't wait until tomorrow! Thanks for the recap. :)

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I'm beginning to like this drama.

Soo cute and very nice chemistry!

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tanxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Woot! It's up. Thanks for the recap. This show is so much fun. I can't wait for Ryu to get his feathers ruffled. It'll be hilarious me thinks.

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This show has become this year's Sunkyunkwan for me--completely obsessing, though I'm not sure why.

But whatever they're doing, with that kind of classic spy-camp feel mixed with the greatest K-Drama device ever (forced relationships!) is working all too well...

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i think am gonna like this drama. off to read.;)

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Thank you for the recap I am liking this one so far, to keep the addiction going. First time watching Eric and I like him already.

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LOL thanks for the recap!

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Ooooooh.....can't wait to watch. XD

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I am totally liking this drama.

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i too was a bit suspicious at first about KangWoo...is he really just a hallyu star? i'm curious as to why he's looking for those books too....hmmmmm....
i'm quite sure he's also a spy....

i love the preview for tomorrow, you can see the electricity between them when they were dancing!!!

Love this pair already!

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That would be awesome if Kang Woo was a spy as well!!!

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thanks for the recap!

I like that this show is silly and funny, but is also complex...but it's not too complex that I can't understand what's going on when watching it raw. That's always good, haha.

Although it's only the third episode, I think I'm becoming attached to these characters. They're really engaging. And for me, becoming emotionally attached to characters is my way of judging whether a show is really good or not :)

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Dear DBers,

I have a confession which I need your help.

I am totally in LUST with Eric. This is the first time I see him in anything err..drama.. I mean. I have not even seen him singing in Shinhwa (yep did some research) My brain went totally to mush just looking at him. Army sure do wonders for my boy.

I can't hear the dialogue cos by brain cannot compute anything. My brain fizzled out everytime he went on screen. I don't know what the show is about and I am hoping to get my sanity at some point to enjoy the show.

I am OBSESSED! Somebody...anybody..please save me!!!!

In the meantime, I am staking claim on Eric. Who do I have to fight to get the rights? :P

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well, well, well! ms. frazzled and bothered... you are staking claim into someone which A LOT have already staked their claim into... and me included! bwahahaha! but we're fair people, i say it's ok to share Eric with you!

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you HAVE to watch Que Sera Sera.

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I've got him on loan from ericlovesme for 2 days.

Since she is the main and about the only subber for viki for this drama...I say she has first dibs :-)

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hahaha you are lucky to get a 2-day loan from ericlovesme. It must be the days she busy with subbing right? :D

Agree, she should have 1st dibs! :)

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yup! you'll become more obsessed when you see him in Que sera sera...btw, youre allowed to share this guy with me too..because i claimed he's mine long long time ago XDDD

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:-)

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u must watch Super Rookie!

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lols, welcome the party! I've been in love with Eric since Shinhwa's Perfect Man song promotions way back when. He's also adorably sweet while simultaneously oozing all that sex appeal.

Just looking at screencaps makes my brain fizzle.

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So cute and funny. HAHAHAHA. Excellent casting for this drama. *heart heart heart*

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This is looking really good. When he started to see her everywhere I thought: "he likes her already? Yay!" and when I saw that he saw her everywhere because she was everywhere, that cracked me up. I laughed for 2 minutes straight.
This is funny and intriguing. I love the incidental music. It sounds like an old spy series and its great.
Myung-wol! I like her. She is so serious about her job but she is funny and likable too.
I would like a type Da-Hye to be the spoiled heiress and that would be more opposite for Ryu (heh, the opposites in kdrama world, i couldnt get out) but the way she is, fits with the Myung-wol-Kang-woo front.

I dont want to get my expectations very high, but I feel that tomorrow's episode will be awesome.

Thank you for the recap!

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LOVE THE MUSIC!

It's James Bond, Mission Impossible, the Incredibles - all of them.

The MI theme so evocative of cold war spy feelings is super cool. When they do the "Love theme," it is gorgeous.

I really enjoyed the feeling of the scene where Eric is waiting in the courtyard, the piano version is playing.
The performance of the song is so compelling. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous when it goes into the minor key.
Maybe that is MW's motif / theme...

So different from the electropoppy OSTs we sometimes hear.

I would love watch that person playing.

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OMG me tooo!!!!

Do you know what that song its called??? Seriously, I melt whenever that song is played (well, I'm sure Eric plays a big part in that too... lol)

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The song is the Mission Impossble TV show theme music - composer Lalo Schifrin.

The theme for that show has been re-used for the MI films, and lots of other soundtracks because it is so cool.

The composer was cheeky:
The main theme was composed by Argentine musician Lalo Schifrin and is noted for being in 5/4 time. Schiffrin declared about the unusual timing that "things are in 2/4 or 4/4 because people dance with two legs. I did it for people from outer space who have five legs."
source: Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission:_Impossible

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thanks for replying =)

Wow, so detailed! Haha, i kinda figured it was the mission impossible theme song, but do you know of any place where i can download it from? I fell in love with the piano "minor key" version as you put it. I really want to download it but i can't find it anywhere =(

Please help!!!

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Thank you so much for recaps. I love to see more her bodyguard task in next episode. Funny show.

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oh man the trailer for the next episode looks AMAZING!!!

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Can't wait for tomorrow! :D
Thanks For The Recap!
Off to read now! :)

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Soo glad you recap this

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while i like the drama, this is the first time i am watching eric act. is he usually so 'wooden' or is it due to his character? somehow he reminds me a lil of song seung hun....

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If you want to see him in 2 very serious roles you must watch him in the melodrama "Phoenix," one of my all time favorites or the other one "Que sera sera," which he is more famous for!!!!

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Eric really shines in Que Sera Sera. But before that he actually became a household name in Korea with the greatly popular Phoenix and there came Super Rookie, which I felt for his comic charm :D

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I liked him a lot in Phoenix .

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This drama is so cute :)

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i might actually end up watching this one too. but there is still CH, Heartstrings and soon Princess's man too.... omo can anyone help me get a DeLorean... pleeaase?
:)

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JB thanks for your hard work~~~

I am liking this drama a lot, it kinda reminds me of the drama "Call of the Country," with its off beat comedy set up, I think that Han Ye-seul's best work is in rom/coms....

Thanks again for your hard work!!!! : 0 }

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Reminds me a little bit of Mixed-up Investigative Agency, but a little less laughs so far...the comedy's subtler and I hope by episode 5, they'd get on with the hijinks. The romance is slowly progressing which I like (at least we'll know WHEN they'll fall in love, right?). Myung-wol reminds me a lot of Eung-jae in MIA. Maybe I'm just impatient but I do appreciate that they're slowly establishing the set-ups that will make this (hopefully) solid. Eric is so charismatic when he's on screen, I want more of him. The character Ryu is such a damper (yes I know that that's his character, but...), and In-ah's turning up to be the typical second female lead with more guts to spare since she could stand being rejected and humiliated, uh, how many times now? I like the puppy since he had the similar role in WUAS. The older spies are a hoot. I heard they're bringing in a new character "Yoo Dahae" (played by a Son Eun Seo), an NIS agent who will investigate Kangwoo relentlessly (so he's not what he seems!)

Anyway, thanks JB for the recaps. At this point, I'm enjoying it a little more than watching so I hope we'll get to the point where the love's equal. ;)

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looo~oove it! <3

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I haven't finished watching, but there's something so sizzly about ye seul and Eric....sparks just fly when the two are together. Eric is so broody charismatic.....he oozes sex appeal. Those hooded lazy eyes of his give me the chills. Love this show!

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Is this the Eric Bandwagon? Cause I am officially on.

Never saw him before, as in noticed, until I heard his voice all over drama OST land. His voice reminds of of Jose Feliciano.

But let's discuss for a minute how sizziling this pairing is?
By himself, dressed in his upper chest baring shirts - omo omo omo omo love that! he's lighting up my board.
When HYS comes around, he is so aware of her, I'm developing a crush on her. Meanwhile, lights are going off, smoke's coming out of things, and they aren't even touching! At first I thought he got interested in her too fast, but I can see why and how she is different from most of the girls stalking him. How many of them flew through the air to save him?

And now that I think of it, WHY did she fly through the air to save him?

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lol again javabeans is pouring honey over k-dramas - im now attracted to this spy drama but i do thg i would prefer watching more episodes in one go- feels a rush when you do dat and after several hours in one go you find yourself more attached to the characters- for now i'l stick with the recaps and jump onboard watching by ep10. thx for the recap!

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I have so much fun reading your recaps, laughing and imagining how the scenes are play-out.

This drama is so likeable, easy, funny and quirky, at the same time serves its purpose.

Love the charismatic Eric, naive & hilariously serious HYS, intense and stonefaced, yet suspiciously capable of romance/emotion LJW characters, and omg, the two sleeper old spies....

Can't wait for the subbed version.

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this drama tickles me haha. totally loving eric.. rawr!!

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Can I just say the duck walk round the schoolyard has got to be one of the most unexpected hilarious things from KD.Just loved it.

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Oh princess, you're a second lead with a shitty attitude, no one will love you, at least no male lead will. Now if you're a female lead, that's another story. You're probably won't be hated either and everyone will find your character sassy instead of bitchy.

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Thanks for the recap!

Really enjoying this drama, even if it does turn out not to be the best later on, I'm in all the way just for Eric! He is so hot and seriously looks better then when he first debuted in Shinhwa (my fav boy band of all time!)

Thanks again, I'll be back tomorrow hopefully to read the next one if its up :D

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that what i was thinking, Eric is getting hotter than the good old days~my fangirling mode switching on once again!

i really love the chemistry which i think its the best from the story so far..i find myself giggling everytime i saw MW-KW together <3

and although the storyline is still uncertain, but i'm enjoying it..i'm sure tonight's episode will be better..

cant wait for tomorrow's recaps

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I'm not an Eric fan.. never been able to watch any of his shows... I checked out Myungwol because of the storyline, and now I've been asking myself why didn't I check out any of Eric's previous dramas before.. hahahaha

I want MOAR!!!!

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QUE SERA SERA!!!! its the best of ERIC so far...HOTNESS OVERLOAD LOL

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shite, i watched it raw, now reading this. haha

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i love this drama..gogogo aja...

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Thanks so much for the recap!

"In-ah’s daddy, hotelier Chairman Joo, background-checks the helpful stranger he’d met..." ~~~ I thought Chairman Joo is In-ah's grandpa, no? :)

Although it's not really quite clear what secret the series of the 4 antique books hold just yet but we now know why they must get all 4 to unveil its hidden message/meaning.

Make me wonder if the REAL mission here is for Choi Ryu to intercept the books instead of assisting Myungwol with her marrying & defecting Kangwoo to the North.

Kangwoo's is certainly more than what we've seen. I also feel he's a spy from the North or an undercoverd NSA agent.... or he's merely a private agent himself hahaha there're many possibilities but yeah I agree, Kangwoo is not just a 'simple' Hallyu star! :D

With Myungwol marrying Kangwoo mission revealed I thought the main plot is out but there're so much plot/sub plots development in this episode. I can't wait for the next epi to come......

Love Eric's charisma on screen and even though there haven't a full blown kiss yet, I can't help but anticipate for one in each episode ahahaha

I love my Woo-Wol but can't wait to see the KW-MW-CR love triangle either. As for In-ah, she doesn't have much screen time to be a real threat to the MW-KW lovedome just yet but am sure it'll come in time when the other triangle is in full swing!

btw, some how I really like Myungwol in that long fiery red wig more than the boring shoulder hairs. It's really snazzy and she looks just like a doll there!

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I think that our Kang Woo is more than an actor/singer whatever; I think you are right- he has some swift moves that make me think he could be like an undercover agent or something similar. Thanks for the recap!

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love this drama ^^

i so second ur "Heck, can this BE my mission? I’ll totally seduce Eric, FOR MY COUNTRY!" !!!!

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