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My Name Is Kim Sam Soon: Episode 5

K-drama watchers know that the bottom generally drops out when things are going well, because dramas fade without conflict. But conflict shouldn’t just randomly happen – conflict should be set in motion because of choices that people make. A few episodes ago, Sam Soon makes the innocuous choice to trade her date-able-ness to borrow $50,000. It took some effort, but things were going peachy until Jin Heon’s former girlfriend returned. And now Sam Soon has to face up to the fact that her choice is now hurting not only that person, but ultimately Sam Soon herself as well.

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Episode 5 – Love Is Supposed To Be Childish.

Sam Soon has somehow dragged Sam Shik, er, Jin Heon to his apartment and into bed. For whatever reason, Sam Soon feels she has to strip him and not just leave him there fully-clothed. Now, I’ve passed out drunk in bed many times fully clothed, and to be honest, I don’t recall ever feeling worse off than had I been stripped first. That said, Sam Soon has taken responsibility for her drunk boss.

Of course, when Jin Heon wraps Sam Soon up in his arms and legs (Not quite as drunk as he first appeared??? Copping a few feels??? Arguable!) , she might be thinking differently about her effort to be a responsible person. Sam Soon would have to be a nun to simply remain still and think of nothing. Sam Soon is not a nun. Jin Heon seems to be having his pastry chef and eating his cake too.

Jin Heon awakes to find Sam Soon swinging her hips, playing the part of an ahjumma who got lucky with a young buck. Jin Heon can’t remember much at all, and Sam Soon plays it for all it is worth. Hehe! Note: I just realized something – If the bed wetting incident really happened, then Jin Heon saw Sam Soon nekkid, since he would have had to strip her entirely to get rid of the… um, soiled garments (ew). Therefore, by the Universal Law of Tits For Tats, Sam Soon certainly gets to see Jin Heon’s little Jinnie.

Sam Soon’s delightful deadpan and needling continues through breakfast, but her fun is about to end. This morning brings another guest to Jin Heon’s apartment – Hee Jin is at the door.

Note: you may wonder why Hee Jin comes back. Well, you know how k-drama characters sometimes submit their resignations, but then STILL show up for work the next day? Well, submitting a resignation doesn’t always mean The End – the expectation often is that you still can keep your job (the resignation being the required act of humility). Similarly, Hee Jin likely has the expectation that she just has to humble herself and after Jin Heon’s anger has cooled, and then they can get back together.

Hee Jin has too much history with Jin Heon to just let things go. And besides, Jin Heon doesn’t know something that is all-so-important – the reason why Hee Jin left 3 years ago. Maybe Jin Heon won’t be mad any more, or, more likely, Jin Heon will still be mad but at least he’ll understand. At the very least, he won’t have that “you ran over my dog” look on his face every time he sees her. Hee Jin walks in to the apartment and… Sam Soon is there, looking a little bit guilty.

Cake Lady?! What’s Cake Lady doing in Jin Heon’s apartment? It’s too early for cake deliveries, unless… the cake was from the night before… Hee Jin has apparently walked into something here. Rumpled bed, unmade. Two bowls of after-sex soup, two bowls of post-snuggle rice. Yeah, this isn’t quite the right time to spill your guts.

Hee Jin asks Sam Soon to leave but Jin Heon grabs Sam Soon and makes her part of the show. Hee Jin is humiliated and storms out. Sam Soon is also humiliated by Jin Heon’s display and made to feel like a whore, and after yelling at Jin Heon, she storms out.

Back at Bon Appetit, Chef Lee can’t believe his eyes or his mouth. His steak tartare has come back untouched, but his mouth says that the dish is killer. Apparently, the customer at table B-3 isn’t satisfied and dismissed her dish, and Chef Lee doesn’t know why. Plus his assistants are screwing up. The pot-au-feu is a giant mess (seriously, simmer, not boil!) and his sous chef apparently can’t work the santoku. B-3 sends back her dessert (looks like a mascarpone-filled crêpe with cherry syrup) without touching it, and that tears it. Chef Lee on the war-path.

Chef Lee prepares and then brings out a more basic version of the quintessential French dessert dish called a Crêpe Bretonnes and serves it personally. B-3 refuses the dish, the lame explanation being that she’s on a diet. What?! Even dieters eat! Why come to a French restaurant, order a gorgeous steak tartare and mascarpone crêpe, and then NOT eat? Are you a crazy person? Oh, that’s right. A DIE-IT-TUH. A DIE-IT-TUH. You go on a diet to wear slutty clothes and so you intentionally miss out on one of life’s great treasures, the Crêpe Bretonnes? Why, this crêpe is no ordinary crêpe and certainly not a crêpe that can be found anywhere in Korea. Eat it! Eat it!

The commotion brings out Manager Oh, and then Jin Heon, who gets hit in the face with a flying crêpe. Sam Soon arrives too late to stop the crêpe’s mad dash for freedom. Oooh, sorry, where are my manners! Jin Heon, this is Sam Soon’s older sister Yi Young. Yi Young, this is Sam-Shik, the rude dude President of Bon Appetit who is pretend-dating your baby sis. And I see that Chef Lee and Yi Young have already met.

Sam Soon drags Yi Young out of the restaurant to yell/talk. Not to be distracted about disgusting crêpes and such, Yi Young immediately quizzes Sam Soon about not coming home last night and wants details. Sam Soon is in no mood, given the morning. But Sam Soon’s face gives away too much and Yi Young knows trouble when it is spelled out so clearly. Yi Young asks what Sam Soon and Sam Shik did together and Sam Soon says nothing, we just slept together.

Yi Young’s face is shocked, but it’s not a “OMG IT’S AN ASTEROID COMING TO KILL US ALL!” shocked face but a “O-MO MY BABY SISTAH ALLS GROWS UP NOW” shocked face. But Sam Soon says, no, not that kind of sleep, you know, SLEEEEEEP!

LOL! What is it about older sisters that make younger sisters sound so…. young? Sam Soon’s voice has lost all her whiplash bite and she sounds like teen who’s been caught with a pack of smokes or with a bottle of liquor. These days, dramas, especially rom-coms, have a tendency to be heavily stylized. Not dissin’ nobody, but these days you have so many dramas with comic book characters who over-act at the slightest breeze. A straight up Yi Young (superbly played by Lee Ah Hyun) and annoyed-sheepish Sam Soon feel so real together. Just wonderful, brilliant acting!

But then here comes the grown-up part. Sam Soon heads back inside the restaurant and crosses paths with Jin Heon. Heart on sleeve, Sam Soon tells him to go see Hee Jin and apologize. Jin Heon says nothing and begins to walk away but Sam Soon isn’t done, calling him cruel and a coward. Jin Heon is ready for a fight, and he acidly wonders at Sam Soon’s motivation in all of this. Sam Soon immediately notes the rude use of ban-mal.

Jin Heon: You really have that little to do (except butt into other people’s lives)?
Sam Soon: By what God-given right do you have to use ban-mal to me?
Jin Heon (louder): This is why I told you not to interfere!
Sam Soon (louder still): Then you shouldn’t have involved me in the first place!!

Wow, but I’m not sure. I feel like grownups are talking in the kitchen and I’m sitting at the top of the stairs just listening. Sam Soon KNOWS that Jin Heon has been seriously hurt by Hee Jin. Sam Soon also should know that any pretend-dating contract would cover situations like this. Plus, this ain’t none of her business, right? On the other hand, no where does it say that Jin Heon’s money buys silent acquiescence. And Jin Heon using Sam Soon to hurt Hee Jin was a little bit a lot cowardly. I see the wonderful acting in a scene like this, and I just wonder how many full episodes it would have taken by today’s drama standards to be able to put out the same amperage as was shown in these short scenes.

A bit later, during lunch in front of the restaurant staff, Chef Lee gives Sam Soon her blue scarf; no more yellow scarf! Sam Soon is a newbie no more. Of course, Jang Captain comes around to use this public opportunity to reveal Kim Hee Jin’s real name as Kim Sam Soon, and Sam Soon is forced to admit it. However, the Bon Appetit staff was already told by the wise Manager Oh and so Jang Captain’s scheme to embarrass Sam Soon was exposed. Too bad, Jang Captain!

At closing, Hee Jin is there waiting for Sam Soon. Maybe it is time to clear the air a bit. Hee Jin, though younger and in the unfortunate position of not being introduced properly yet (and therefore unable to approach Sam Soon without being disrespectful), asks Sam Soon for time to chat. The fact that Hee Jin feels the need to eschew formality bespeaks to her rising level of concern here.

Hee Jin starts it off, asking the questions using joen-deh-mal. Sam Soon answers politely as well, noting that she has been to Jin Heon’s house and got approval from Jin Heon’s mom even. Sam Soon then asks some questions, but Hee Jin doesn’t respond to the one that mattered (why did you go away in the first place). Hee Jin notes that she and Jin Heon never did break up, they were just apart for the 3 years. Hee Jin then asks another question, the same question asked by Jin Heon’s mom: do you love Jin Heon? First of all, trick question! It’s been just a few months, and you ask that question? Second, you won’t answer why you disappeared three years ago, and you want an answer to whether Sam Soon loves Jin Heon?

Sam Soon thinks about it and thinks about it, and for whatever reason, Sam Soon says that she loves Jin Heon very much, so please don’t get between them any further. WHAT?!?! Is she telling the truth now (remember, last time she was dry-heaving in the bathroom after saying that to Jin Heon’s mom)? Or is she just following through the pretend-dating contract? Hee Jin, upset, abruptly gets up to go without any apology or preamble. Then Hee Jin makes another disrespectful gesture by grabbing for the check. Sam Soon yanks the check from her, however, as she can’t let too many of these gestures go without response.

Hee Jin just isn’t getting anywhere. She tried a direct approach with Jin Heon, and that failed. So she does a rather shameless end-around with Sam Soon, but that was a fail. What to do now? Before she has much time to think, Hee Jin’s phone rings.

It’s Henry, Hee Jin’s American friend, the extraordinarily handsome man from the videotape who can dunk a basketball, the wonderfully good-natured man who openly professes an unconditional (and unrequited love) for Hee Jin. Guess who’s going to be spending the next 6 months in Korea? Hee Jin’s life probably could not get more complicated. Ruh roh…


Yi Young, after hearing how the evening went down, also wonders if Sam Soon’s life could get any more complicated. At least Sam Soon isn’t in love with Jin Heon… .right? Sam Soon answers no, not even. Yi Young doesn’t seem that convinced at that answer, and as Sam Soon goes outside to think, even she isn’t convinced. She plucks the leaves off of a tree branch, and recites the age-old “he likes me / he likes me not” except that she is reciting whether she likes Jin Heon or not. The last leaf plucked is “I like him” but she repeats “I like him not” at the end to comport with what would hurt less.

A few days later, Mi Joo comes for a play-date with Sam Soon, making animal cookies. Jin Heon drops by as well and with Mi Joo as the focal point, Sam Soon and Jin Heon find that their hard feelings toward each other have softened.

Hee Jin makes one last attempt to tell Jin Heon the whole story, this time waiting up late at Jin Heon’s apartment complex for him (rather than going to the airport to pick up Henry). Jin Heon hasn’t gotten past his anger, however. Jin Heon relates how he was abandoned by Hee Jin right after his car accident… because she had to go to school in America??? Jin Heon chokes back his emotions as he notes that he looked her up in every college in America and she wasn’t listed as part of any of them. Why did she lie? Was it the disgusting prospect of being with a guy with broken legs? Did she leave to be with another guy (Henry???)?

And Hee Jin apparently has nothing but crocodile tears to show. Jin Heon tells her to stop acting like she’s hurt as it disgusts him. This is too much for Hee Jin. She storms out again. After a moment’s pause, however, Jin Heon chases after her. He stops the elevator from going down and tells her to come out. With her pride on the line, Hee Jin will only get out if Jin Heon says that he will break up with Sam Soon. For whatever reason, Jin Heon won’t say those words. Jin Heon orders her out of the elevator. Hee Jin again refuses unless Jin Heon says he’ll dump Sam Soon. A game of chicken! And while Jin Heon says nothing and Hee Jin won’t budge, the elevator doors close.

A pregnant pause, and Jin Heon race down the stairwell to catch up with Hee Jin. He just misses her as she zooms away in her car. Jin Heon hails a cab to follow her and when he finally reaches Hee Jin’s apartment, Jin Heon sees her crying… and a man comforting her! It’s Henry!

And he’s hugging her!

And he’s kissing her! (Mrs. Samsooki adds, “Squeeeeee! It’s Daniel Henney doing the kissing!”)

Wow. Jin Heon, buddy, you’ve been played…

Comments:

How awesome is this episode? In refreshing bluntness (and almost opposite from the usual k-drama fare), the main characters in this drama are so direct. Sam Soon tells Jin Heon what he is (a childish coward) and what he should do (apologize to Hee Jin). Jin Heon tells Sam Soon how he feels too (mind your own damn business or pay up the $50,000). Sam Soon, to her face, tells Hee Jin to stay the hell away. Hee Jin, also to her face, tells Sam Soon to back the heck out, since Sam Soon’s 3 month relationship is nothing compared to Hee Jin’s 8 year relationship. Sam Soon’s older sister rather crassly tells Sam Soon to continue seeing Jin Heon, not because he really likes her, but because “something” might happen and they might start really dating (wow, that’s kinda… cold?).

And Sam Soon is caught in this maelstrom of mature opinions, hurt feelings and blunt talk, and still doesn’t know how she feels about anything. Mayhaps she is just envious of being in love, but is that really it? Just about everything is out in the open, and yet we still have a whole epic story left to unfold.

The wonderful thing about MNIKSS is how Jin Heon and Sam Soon can only get closer to each other if both start to change. It isn’t that Jin Heon and Sam Soon are MFEO (made for each other), because they clearly aren’t. How could it, since Jin Heon is a childish piece of work, and Sam Soon totally isn’t the physical or economic representation of the woman Jin Heon would expect to be dating. And yet, in this Episode 5, we are starting to see small changes in both Jin Heon and Sam Soon that will start to bring them into each other’s focus.

Koreans have this idiom to describe being in love, that one’s heart is snagged by another person, much like a person’s shirt sleeve might get caught on a protruding nail. Since both Sam Soon and Jin Heon wear their ragged hearts on their sleeves, is it any wonder how they might get snagged upon the other?

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Hyun Bin looks like a baby here. Hehe.

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I love baby Binnie <3

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agreed

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He does... I just watched this show last week and I thought he looked way younger than the 3 years that's he's supposed to be compared to Sam Soon and I wondered why they casted a 23 year old to play a 27 year old... I find him hotter now at 28 may be b/c at my age, finding a 23 year old hot feels a little icky, lol!

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Hehe, love it!

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Koreans have this idiom to describe being in love, that one’s heart is snagged by another person, much like a person’s shirt sleeve might get caught on a protruding nail. Since both Sam Soon and Jin Heon wear their ragged hearts on their sleeves, is it any wonder how they might get snagged upon the other?

...THIS.

Reading your recaps makes me feel the way I felt watching Samsoon for the first time - squealy and ouchy and OMGWHENISTHENEXTONECOMINGOUT?!?! :)

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Hoaaa, Hyun Bin very cute, love youu :*

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May I ask, what happened to episode 4's synopsis?

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Thank you! I missed out on that one somehow and the above links mentioned episode 3 twice.

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Jin-heon [or Cyrus, the name he's called in the local dub] looks very cute here. Funny, when I first watched this, Hee Jin was a dead ringer for a local actress [Heart Evangelista] but I can't see the resemblance in the pics now O_O

Hehe, DB recaps like this are an education in how to write a good drama -- I even find myself applying this stuff to writing stories now! Thanks for the recap, o wonderful Samsooki!

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tlaga, nagsusulat ka? :) i thought i would love to try as well.. actually nakapagsulat na ako (output from a workshop nung isa sa writers ng abs-cbn) ^^... i know this comment is way off but i can't resist since it's not every time I get to 'meet' someone from the country who's into K-dramas and loves writing.. :)

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LOL, yeah. Usually for myself though... I just give them to friends for their birthday, post my stuff on blogs, and submit to contests [which I haven't won, haha, I'm not "literary" enough]. There's not much of a market in this country for unknown writers right now. I've attended workshops when I have the time-- one was by Butch Dalisay and another by Leoncio Deriada-- and they mainly say you have to write and write and keep going till you get noticed. I envy you-- always wanted to attend an ABS-CBN workshop!

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I know this is not the place for this but nevertheless:

I wonder where and when you get to attend a workshop with Sir Deriada.Per chance, are you from West Visayas? :) He is a professor in our university and I have once listened to him lecture in one of his classes. I am not a student of him though mind you :)

I envy you for being able to submit some works (entries) to literary contests. That alone says something of you as a writer. I can't imagine myself joining. I love writing but I don't think I have something extra plus I can't come up with anything decent :D Would you mind me asking a link to your blogs?

And then,no I have not attended any workshops organized by ABS-CBN, just this one which was organized by our university wherein they have invited Cordon (from Flor De Luna & Lobo).

Would really really love to read your blogs and some of your write-ups.. ;)

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Whoa, you're a student of Sir Deriada? UPV? :D I live in Manila now but I'm Ilonggo and grew up in Socssksargen-- our provincial government once held a writing contest, the winners got to attend a workshop by him. Best experience ever. Does he also give out candy in his classes? :D He did accept some of my poems for publication afterwards in a magazine, which was very encouraging.

One of my blogs is simplengkaligayahan.blogspot.com-- it links to my other blogs, maybe we can just go on and talk there :D And we're always told to go on writing and submitting, so... go ahead and submit entries, who knows. It's not as if the whole world will know you did, and as they say, if you don't buy a lotto ticket, how will you win? :P

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Thanks lots, Samsooki!

Before I watched MNKISS (some months back) I looked and looked for recaps and was really disappointed that there was none in this site. It was the commentaries and raves in DB that propelled me to watch the drama (failed to follow the dubbed version in our local TV when it aired) so it surprised me that JB did not recap.

So this retro recap is a boon. I will be rewatching some episodes as I follow your recaps, which are great.

I loved your City Hall recaps, btw.

Envy your handle and its origin.

Hugs to Mrs. Samsooki and Samsooki baby.

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HAHAHA. I gotta love how Mrs. Samsooki is squeeing over Daniel Henney. What's your take on his acting skills samsooki? I know I cringed with embarrassment everytime he spoke in this drama and in the movie with Uhm Jung-hwa.

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I gotta add though that I did feel bad for Henry, the character. Daniel Henney was cute and puppy dog enough that he wasn't soooooooo bad in this as he was in Seducing Mr. Perfect. Mostly I just felt bad for him since he was obviously in love with his friend but she was totally neglecting him. Aaaaw. Yeah, I have a soft spot for people who have unrequited love with their friends. Double aaaaw at the thought.

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I liked Daniel in that movie. That's the only thing I've seen him it so far though.

Now if you are talking, Dennis Oh (O'Neil)... He sorta needs some growth in his acting. I think that is why they sent him to China. He did pretty good in Fall in Love this year. But it was a total bummer that the dubbed him with someone else's voice, to know for sure how he is doing with his acting.

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Really? I'm not a great judge of acting, or even one, (heck, I didn't even know Keeanu Reeves was considered a bad actor until I was told so... Of course, the Matrix and Speed were too badass to care about acting), but it was awkward for me to watch his interaction with the female character. And I don't mean the situation they were in, I mean Daniel Henney made me feel awkward. It's kind of funny now that I think about it. Maybe I'm being too harsh. I should go back and rewatch Seducing Mr. Perfect. I might just change my mind... Maybe.

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Ani,

If you didn't like it, then you didn't like it. That's okay. Not everyone will always like the same things.

Who knows, you may like him in MLKSS or Runaway Plan B or something else. Or maybe like me, you may never like what he does (I have a few actors/actresses I have that reaction toward.)

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Yeah, but when you said you liked him in Seducing Mr. Perfect, I felt like I had to give it a second shot. I'm always down for trying out things again. First impressions may last, but they aren't always correct. I did like him (ish) when I watched MNIKSS/MLKSS a couple of years ago, but like I said, sucker for people in love with their friends. HAHAHA.

But yeah, I totally understand the whole everyone has different tastes thing. One of my besties loves Eragon, and I'd rather die than watch that movie again. But I just grin and bear it when that's her movie choice for girls night. Yeesh. X/

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OMG There's another movie with Daniel Henney? *scurries to find a copy to d/l....Then runs back to wipe the trail of drool*

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This was the perfect scene for Daniel Henney, no lines. We can drool over his hotness without marring perfection.

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My take on DH's acting skillz?

Well, I'm going to limit my response to MNIKSS.

I gotta imagine that it's pretty difficult to act in foreign language play/drama/movie, even if you are speaking your native tongue. Nothing clicks - the story may not make as much sense, the script may have you saying things (whether in English or another language) that you would NEVER say in real life, the other actors may treat you differently, both on the set and in scenes.

For example, there's the old joke about clueless Americans going abroad to Europe, and trying unsuccessful to communicate. They end up speaking LOUDER and MORE SLOWLY, as if the Europeans were either idiots or had a hearing problem. No, it's not their brains or their ears, they just don't speak English, sorry.

Similarly, many scenes between people with language barriers tend to be unintentionally hilarious for its dumbed-down-ness. i.e., you have all these great emotive scenes, with great lyrical dialogue, and then, all of a sudden, the dialogue switches to elementary school broken English / broken Korean and then everybody stops acting and just starts repeating dumbed-down lines.

So, if you want to look at DH's acting in MNIKSS, you sort of have to do it where he's alone with JRW (Hee Jin). Then you can judge for yourself. :)

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So, Samsooki, what is your take on Daniel Henney's acting skillz when he was alone with JRW (Hee-jin)? Bone, meet dog.

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LOL.

Emmmm. I think with respect to the scenes with JRW (Hee Jin), he was great.

Mrs. Samsooki says she really liked Dr. Henry Kim when he was alone with Hee Jin. He was patient, at ease, attentive and funny - with only a small trace of bitterness that Hee Jin doesn't feel that way about him.

Mrs. Samsooki and I talked about this at length. I think women can relate to Hee Jin - the woman who had someone but lost him and is now trying to get him back, all the while knowing that there's a fall back option available. Of course, not many women (probably) have a fall-back option as good looking as Daniel Henney (or had Binnie has a first choice bf), but the principle is still the same.

Initially I thought that Dr. Henry Kim's character was a bit off - unrealistic. But Mrs. Samsooki says that's not true - there are apparently a lot of guys like Henry who just... hang on.

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Hmmm. Not sure about "relating" to Hee Jin. I either detested her or pitied her, depending on whether she was acting on her spoiled/arrogant assumptions or dealing with the outcomes of illness and/or her very poor choices.

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"...He was patient, at ease, attentive and funny – with only a small trace of bitterness that Hee Jin doesn’t feel that way about him."

give mrs. samsooki a *high five* me for me, please, coz i totally agree. it helps that easy undertone that characterizes the Henry persona is a lot of Daniel Henney, himself, i think. so while it's not great "acting" per se, i think it's quite enjoyable to watch.
i don't know if hee jin's that relatable, though... maybe relatable for those girls i gripe about who keep the men i like strung along, while they never quite ~decide~ if he's the one or not. :P HAHA! if i am not a kim sam soon, i am definitely henry. :P

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I like your explanation about trying to act without knowing the full story – although, I would hope he had an agent/manager who was smart enough to explain it to him… But still, it makes sense.. I think, if anything, I want to see Henney be a dork in a kdrama. Heck, sort of like how he was an adorably awkward dork in his Family Outing episode, and was respectful (smart enough maybe?) to know not to correct Lee Hyori about how Kara's "If you wanna pretty, something something pretty" was grammatically incorrect. But when she asked him if he liked that song (supposedly it was popular at the time), man the look of confusion/shock-horror/I-don’t-know-if-I-should-laugh-or-cry was a moment of pure gold (WINNING!). Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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*the look of confusion/shock-horror/I-don’t-know-if-I-should-laugh-or-cry on his face

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Yeah its up. I;m too busy to watch so I wait for the recaps. Thanks a lot.

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Thanks Samsooki!!!! I am really loving your recaps. Can't wait for tomorrow's I know what is going to happen but you somehow make it feel like its my first time watching it.

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Thanks Samsooki and Mrs. Samsooki!

I loved the Squeeeee!

It's tough, being hurt by the person you love. I remember my Main Lead guy who rejected me... It tooke me eight, yes that's right eight months to let go (I counted on my fingers :-) ).

But when I finally did, look out MJP Hubby, my Second Lead! When I realized what a catch I had right beside me, we were engaged in less than a month! That sly MJP Hubby, just stayed quietly by my side as I worked all my issues out.

I really feel empathy when I watch or read about fictional characters going through similar circumsatances. So I have a tendency to get angry over their situations.

Difficult failed relationships and the recovery process also helps when conversing in 'real life'. I find myself more able to express empathy when comforting friends going through similar circumstances.

So, don't spoil it for me commentors, I'm riding the Samsooki Recap Railway! I am hoping that Sam Soon and Jin Heon are able to help each other through their difficult broken relationships too!

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Aw, MJP Hubby sounds like a darling! It's so sweet how he stayed beside you while you worked things out. But I have to admit to laughing like a hyena when you said you were engaged in less than a month. That is TOTALLY NINJA! You locked that ish down right-quick, didn't you?
:D

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Well, when you know... YOU KNOW!!!!!

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Samsooki! Thank you, I've been waiting for this recap!

I'm following the drama now as your recaps come out. Even though this is the 3rd time I've watched this drama, I still watch the episode first and then read your recaps.

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I have not watched MNIKSS but the way you do the recap pretty much feels like i'm watching the show through somebody's eyes.. Thanks for the efforts Samsooki.. ^____^.. Looking forward to the next episode recap! BTW, you are funny :)

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OMG. OMG. It's true LMAO!

Sorry but as soon as I saw the picture of Binnie with his one arm, one leg over Sun Ah I just remembered something my sister told me. Oh god. This is so weird.

Thanks for the recap Samsooki and for unintentionally confirming something for me.

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Ok, now you've made me curious!!!

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Me too!

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Gah, I'm too slow, by the time I read (and reread, haha), everything I want to say someone's already said!

So I'll just say ditto to everything complimentary that's been said already, because this wonderful drama deserves wonderful recaps, and now they're here.

By the way, I love your song choices, they're always so spot on.

Can't wait til tomorrow!

:-)

P.S.

Everyone knows that you must undress your hot drunk boss... I mean, duh. But not everyone might go so far as to check out his "Little Jinnie". GO SAM SOON!

:-D

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How old are Sam soon and Jin Heon?

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In the drama, Samsoon is at or about 30 and Jin Heon is at or about 27 (both in Korean years - when you are born, you start at 1).

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I don't understand why they start at 1. The fetus is only in the womb for an average of 40 weeks. A year is 52 weeks.

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The Korean system is ordinal (they "rank" their years) and not cardinal like the Western system. When a baby is born, they're starting their "first" year of life. First year = year one = 1. Makes sense to me.

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Capisce!

My brain was on a different train!

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Thanks samsooki! MNIKSS was my door into the world of k-dramas and it's really fun to read these recaps after all these months that I watched it. I also really enjoy the little commentary tidbits that come with the recap. Again, thanks!

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Thanks, Samsooki-- this trip down Memory Lane is just what I needed.

What a juicy recap! I really appreciate how you don't just season your recaps with humor and commentary-- you make them an integral part of the meal. Yum yum!

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" And he’s kissing her! (Mrs. Samsooki adds, “Squeeeeee! It’s Daniel Henney doing the kissing!”)

HAHAHA I Love this, i'm doing it to..

daniel hanney is TOO HOT ...swooonn..

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Samsooki, I have been reading this site for years for different dramas but this is the best ever recap I have read. You write in a really hilarious way too.

Ragged hearts on their sleeves. That sounds like me!

I watched this drama more than 5 yrs ago ( it was my first, and remains my all time fave) but reading this recap makes the trip down memory lane so much more enjoyable!

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When I looked back, I truthfully like the Kim Sun Ah with meat than the one who is so slender. :(

I hope I offended no one with my comment.

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Don't worry Eri, KSA is supposed to look unhealthy in Scent of a Woman.

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I was wondering about that... whether she's actually that skinny in RL or if she lost more weight for the show... she's too skinny!

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I missed this post!

Thanks again, Josina! :)

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Hahaha. I find it funny that I only realized the reason when I was riding the bus a while ago!

Thanks, Josina. :)

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Daniel Henney. OMG. Faint. *-*

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*Splashes Water on Christy's face*

Are you alright?

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Christy, hands off. He's mine! :D

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Ohhhh I'm soooo loving the recaps, I watched Sam Soon in three nights a few months ago and I laughed and cried so much. I couldn't help but to feel related with Sam Soon and her personality and personal situation: strong, direct, and blatantly honest. I can't think of many kdramas with strong and deep dialogue/conversations/quotes, but I know that Sam Soon is on top for me.

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Thanks for the recap Samsooki! It's reminding me once again why this is still my all-time favorite drama. Can't wait for tomorrow's episode recap! =)

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Yessssss. I was looking forward to this. Thank you for your recaps.

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@Samsooki

Strangely enough, or maybe not, I am most interested in your perception of MNIKSS and its characters, as stated in your 1st recap, than the drama itself.

Btw, I have noticed your very frequent and accurate use of French words, especially the circumflex/aigu/grave (much better than my English skills). A tiny exception on life's great treasures: the singular form is crêpe bretonne while the plural is spelled crêpes bretonnes", with an "s" at the end of both adjective and noun. I happen to live in the area, Brittany, where this dish originates. ;)

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Denali, I would like to thank you in advance for all of the delicious French desserts that you are going to send me.

Le sigh. I used to be completely fluent in French, but I find my skills atrophying rapidly. I can still read big, complicated French tomes, but when I'm speaking French I sound like I have a syndrome. It makes me sad.

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Lahlita,

You omitted to tell me the kind of crepe you would favor. Please make a choice from the pic below, taken in a nearby big grocery store: http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/6515/img0379oz.jpg

By the way, you also forgot to write your address, otherwise this dessert will never reach you. And I have seriously considered to send you (only) this treat, as a reward for your reply. Hope Samsooki won't be offended.

Quel soupir ! I totally see your point, having the same concern with English. Aren't there any French-speaking people in your area, to decrease your worries on your skills? By the way, congrats for still managing to read French! Over here, I've had to "correct" my English, because they don't get my US accent at all, but eventually I sound like a mix of British / US / French English. :/ Hopefully I'll catch up once I get to travel abroad. :)

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Fave scenes:
-The first scene, of course! The funniest scenes were Sam-soon removing Jin Heon's sock...and smelling it...and getting kicked off the bed...
Also, the scene where Sam-soon was praying to Heaven almighty, hilarious...
-Jin Heon's dream sequence. Jin Heon & Hee-jin were playing footsies when in comes...Sam-soon...and ruins Jin Heon's dream...:P
(BTW, I love their 2 NG's of the dream sequence...)
-Wake-up scene. Back then, I thought Jin Heonnie was nekkid, until I saw the shoulder strap of his wifebeater. Deyyyam...!
-The flying Crêpe Bretonnes...hilarious...
(might I add, I already miss the actress playing Yi-yeong...)
-Hee-jin vs. Sam-soon scene. Where Hee-jin is most probably under illusion that Sam-soon's gonna murder her in the middle of the street in her car, per se.
(BTW, the illusion sequence had an added scene in the BTS, mainly the extended sequence of Sam-soon uprooting the likes, well, realy playing with Jeong Ryeo-won's hair more likely...)
-Sam-soon with the quintessential "I love him/not" with the leaf stalk. The NG was funnier: the last leaf went "I don't". Sam-soon was like WTF?! in the BTS...

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If anyone finds the video of the final BTS, could you post it please?

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you mean the leaf thing? wait...

I think it's this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ioqo0QaQBak...

wait for the other links, my laptop's going weird again...

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Thank you very much.I love your recaps.Love love love it.You've made me more excited now for the series than even before.

The sillier thing is though is that I am as excited as if it's like a currently airing drama.I know I can watch it to the end but I am not...so I am in suspense now for ep 6.

I've actually downloaded the whole series this week off the Net even though I have the DVD set because the subs are better and it's such a hassle switching languages.Thoroughly enjoying your recap.

Mrs Samsooki...LOL.I never found him cute.No not all at.I don't know why but there are so many hotties in KD that Daniel just fades into the background.

oh should I be afraid for my life now from his fans @__@

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reading your recap is more hilarious than watching the drama.. great job, Samsooki..

I remember waaaaay back then, I totally hate the fact Sam Soon would fall in love with a guy like Jin Heon.. like, seriously? after what he did? the labile person that he is.. one time with Hee Jin and the other time with Sam Soon..

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Thanks, Samsooki... I'm enjoying MNIKSS again because of your recaps. Started to watch City Hall as I read your recaps, and CH remains my favorite. It was your CH recaps that actually let me to MNIKSS and that wonderful talent KSA. Is there anything she can't do?

Glad you're back...missed your perspective and your witty comments.

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Ahh another great recap to read with my morning coffee!! As you describe how everyone is so straightforward in this drama is what I actually love about it!! You give this drama soo much more insights than I can ever imagine by watching it alone! Thank you so much for recapping my all time favorite drama!!

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Thanks again SS - it's like watching the episodes through someone else's eyes. At some time in the future I'll be indulging in watching the episodes and your recaps in tandem.

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Thank you so much, THE Samsooki (I keed, I keed).

You know, I've been reading your recaps of MNIKSS and it's a completely different feeling from when I'm reading recaps by Javabeans or Girlfriday. I feel like I'm intruding on something private and intimate. I guess it's because JB and GF recap shows they haven't seen before, so we all fall in love with them together; it's a group love-affair. Whereas you've seen this a million times, you've analyzed it to the last quark, and you're already in a relationship. Your love for this drama just radiates from every sentence. It's like I'm intruding on a private connection, even though you're kindly sharing your love with us. It makes me feel voyeuristic, but in the best way. Plus, you're funny as fcuk.

I find Jin Heon incredibly interesting and complex. However, I am always on edge when faced with his tendency to resort to aggressive physicality when faced with stress-triggers. Punching the wall, dragging people around, and then something else that happens later on in the drama with Hee-jin. I can understand it. I really can. It's incredibly realistic. But it just puts my stomach in knots and dims my love for him, even as I recognize the very accurate portrayal of a person in acute psychological distress. But he matures and redeems himself. Isn't that what we want as humans? So why am I so bothered by him? Hopefully your love for Hyun Bin and Jin-heon will turn me around.

On a shallower note, I wanna hang with Mrs. Samsooki because Daniel Henney is foine, holla! Seriously. The acting might leave a little something to be desired but I really couldn't give a crap. He's just so gorgeoussss, and his character is just so kind and loving and tall and pretty and chiseled and English-speaking. *hangs head* I am ashamed.

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Thanks for the recap Samsooki, very insightful and entertaining as always. You got to hand it to Mrs. Samsooki, she made my favorite commentary of this recap. I truly admire her fangirlyness.

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Thanks for the recaps... I only watched this drama last week w/o any recaps, but I love reading recaps b/c I find that even with subtitles and understanding some Korean that I miss little nuances.

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Hi everyone! Ok I admit it, I did squee and sigh. it's Daniel Henney!

Say what I will or won't about his acting chops, I do like him plenty as an actor (by which I guess I mean, his public persona as Daniel Henney - I can't say anything about him as a person in his private life) and I adore the puppy-dog sweetness & eagerness of the Henry Kim he portrays.

Poor poor Henry, gets used and abused by Hee Jin, and he's still there by her side, just happy to get the scraps! How can one man be so good looking and so nice? I mean, Hee Jin is cute and all, and skinny as a single Pepero, but c'mon, is she really ALL THAT??

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Oing! Mrs. Samsooki delurks!

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LOL, I hear you. She was my least favorite character, but it was so realistic, to have the guys falling all over the scrawny, self-obsessed whiner while the other women just shake their heads and wonder WHY...

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Hee Jin totally takes Henry for granted, but in her defense, I will say that, at least for me, I find her character still likable and relatable, unlike so many of the secondary female characters in k-dramas that seem so 1-dimensionally petty or vengeful that I just can't find a single redeemable thing about them. Usually this secondary female is an ex-girlfriend back in the picture after being abroad for study or other unspecified reason and often it's hard to understand why the main guy ever was in love with such a girl.

In this case, I don't know, I can say that Hee Jin still has some spunk and energy that I like and seems more like a real person than a caricature.

But my real point in the first place, was, Henry is too good of a catch to wait around for sloppy seconds! But poor Henry doesn't even get that! Poor poor baby, come to umma.

Going back into lurk mode now...

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I totally agree with this. MNIKSS was my first k-drama, and Hee-Jin drove me crazy, but the more I watched, the more I look back on her character as both deep and subtly played.

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Wow,& what have we've done to deserve this...Mrs. Samsooki delurked & posted not once,but twice...hehe,I kinda like having you here...thanks...
I'm not sure if @samsooki has told you,so I'll repeat it again..."Mrs Samsooki has good taste in men"...
I adore Daniel Henney,too

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Re: the part of undressing Jin Heon. I don't think Sam Soom completely undressed him as he woke up with his undershirt still on. In Sam Soon's case, he probably had to take off her underpants - evidence is the boxer shorts she wears when she gets out of bed but she is wearing a camo, so don't think she was totally naked.

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thanks for the recaps, i really enjoy them :)

random question though... is the actress who plays the sister Ji Young, the same one who portrayed Mo Kyul's pretty mom in Mary Stayed Out All Night?

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According to dramawiki, yes

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I maratoned this drama last weekend while I was sick.. I think the first time I watched it years ago I was really turned off hearing KSA voice, but I'm glad I give this a chance.. :D

I tried really hard to pity Hee Jin, but she doen't get any sympathy from me whatsoever >_>

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I liked this episode, especially since Sam Soon's ex-bf and fiancee weren't in it. I don't really care for those characters. Hee Jin is annoying, too. I don't really get why she came back! What is the big secret that Jin Heon doesn't know? I bet she was pregnant and went to get an abortion! I know, that's a little extreme, but that's all I can come up with at the moment.

I still don't see where this drama is going, but hope it turns out well for Sam Soon and Jin Heon.

Thanks for the recap, Samsooki!

BTW, I love Yi Young's character. She's hilarious!

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I liked the song you posted. It's from the Coffee Prince soundtrack?

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Well, sorta - not quite part of the OST. It was used in Ep 12 of Coffee Prince.

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Thanks for the recap!!!! I love Samsoon's sister!!! and her interactions with the Chef!

"Now, I’ve passed out drunk in bed many times fully clothed, and to be honest, I don’t recall ever feeling worse off than had I been stripped first"--- I had always wondered why people in dramas do that. I've never passed out drunk before and I've never had to take care of anyone who had passed out drunk, so I was never sure if it's the thing to do.

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wonderful the bit about the Korean idiom of how being in love is like one's heart being snagged by another. so perhaps, in the 1st episode, sam soon's hair getting snagged in hyun bin's buttons is symbolic of that. this is why i love dramabeans. even though there are english subs, there are still aspects of Korean culture not immediately obvious unless someone spells it out for you. ty

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Love your recaps - just starting watching this drama on reading your recommendation. You have got a great site here

Mark

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I am rewatching for the 11th or 12th time now.

At 21:02, when SS is walking out to the dining room to see what ruckus pulled everyone out of the kitchen, one of the staff says, "Sam-sooni, you be careful, too."
This was before Cap'n Jang outed her real name.

So, either the staff had been calling her that for a while, and that was a subtle way to tell the audience before we learn they were informed, or it was a continuity slip. I can't decide. It was so obviously spoken on purpose; I can't imagine the editor missing it.

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What is with some of these girls in these Kdramas that think they can leave their man for extended periods of time - with no contact in that time period - then come back and the guy will be waiting for them as though nothing has happened? What kind of narcisscist does this kind of thing? Ugh, it makes me ill.

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I don't know about the episode - I do not like Jin Heon and frankly think Sam Soon deserves better - but this recap is fantastic. Thanks so much, it makes a lot of thing clearer.

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