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My Name Is Kim Sam Soon: Episode 6

Here we go! Can we have the main characters stand and be accounted for?

Kim Sun Ah as Kim Sam Soon? “WHAT?! Er, I mean, Yes?”
Jung Ryu Won as Yoo Hee Jin? “Here!”
Hyun Bin as Hyun Jin Heon? “Yo.”
Daniel Henney as Dr. Henry Kim? “Right here, ready to help Hee Jin, any way I can!”

Hey, I know the k-drama audience is slightly more way more female than it is male. So I get it. Daniel Henney is good-looking, and that’s important. Mrs. Samsooki says so, and I gotta believe she knows what she’s talking about. Javabeans herself leaked a bit of drool onto her keyboard over Mr. Henney as well. He’s a hottie, not a nottie. But is it realistic for a guy, who could walk into a speed-dating shin-dig and come out 3 minutes later with every single phone number written on his arm, to follow a girl across the world when she likes someone else? Just sayin.

SONG OF THE DAY

Seo Yoo-suk – “아름다운 나의 사람아” (My beautiful person) [ Download ]

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Episode 6 – The Calories of a Kiss, The Calories of Love.

Okay, it’s taken 5+ episodes, but Dr. Henry Kim has personally arrived on the scene to help “heal” the wounds of Yoo Hee Jin. Dr. Henry Kim is a doctor of love, and he uses hugs and kisses to treat his patients. Not that Yoo Hee Jin seems to mind.

Jin Heon watches them head back up into Yoo Hee Jin’s apartment, where Dr. Henry Kim will administer some personal therapy to Yoo Hee Jin that possibly involves a physical. Jin Heon is… well, he’s got nothing to say. He watches them go up, he turns around and walks away. I guess Jin Heon has figured out what Hee Jin wanted to say that Jin Heon wasn’t aware of.

Back in Sam Soon’s neighborhood, Sam Soon’s former love of her life, Hyun Woo, has been waiting for Sam Soon at the bus stop. He starts walking with Sam Soon, and tries to restart things with Sam Soon even though his engagement party with Chae Ri is the next day.

Sam Soon tries to beat sense into Hyun Woo but he just doesn’t get it. He asks her to be his “affair woman” even if he gets married to Chae Ri. Sam Soon, as angered as she is, is saddened a bit here too. She has been trying to hold onto the memories that she had with Hyun Woo as something to cherish, but Hyun Woo’s true colors are tarnishing her memories.

What’s interesting is that Hyun Woo is 100% genuine about his wanting to get back together with Sam Soon. But earnestly being a dirt-bag doesn’t make him any less of a dirt-bag – it just makes him a sincere dirt-bag.

The next day it’s engagement partee-time!

Bon Appetit turns out for the party and the guests arrive in splendid fashion. The mothers of the two engaged kids arrive, decked out in beautiful han-boks that set them apart from everyone else. Even as Korea continues to modernize, the traditional aspects of life’s important milestones (birth, marriage, death) are kept, and I think that rocks.

Sam Soon herself is hard at work, building a cream-filled pastry tower cake. As she finishes the tower cake, she hears the cheers of the on-lookers as Min Hyun Woo and Jang Chae Ri are introduced as a couple. And as the couple take turns bowing before the respective parents-in-law, the final element is placed on the cake – an iced cookie to be used as a plaque, with delicate writing proclaiming congratulations on the engagement.


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Sam Soon wipes away her tears as she looks upon the cake that she had always thought would have been for her and Hyun Woo, not Chae Ri and Hyun Woo. As Sam Soon watches Hyun Woo and Chae Ri place promise rings on each other's fingers, Sam Soon's thoughts go back to when she first started dating Hyun Woo in France, back when Hyun Woo didn't seem like such a jack-ass.

Where did all that passion go? Back then, Hyun Woo wasn’t a jack-ass! He was kind, thoughtful and a romantic. Sam Soon wouldn’t have gone out with a person like that, right? What went so wrong?

Jin Heon sees Sam Soon’s tears and asks if she is okay. Sam Soon can’t hide but brushes away her tears. Jin Heon very gently and thoughtfully stops asking if she’s okay (no, she’s not) and moves on. Sam Soon’s cake is a rousing success, but this doesn’t make Sam Soon feel any better.

The party over, Sam Soon receives congratulations from Chae Ri and her mom. Sam Soon also gets a cash gift from Chae Ri’s mom, who also unintentionally rubs salt on open wounds when she tells Sam Soon to try to get married quickly. Chae Ri follows with more inadvertent salt, when she says she wants Sam Soon to do her wedding cake as well. Ouch! A heavy-hearted Sam Soon heads back to the kitchen but is accosted by Hyun Woo, who still hasn’t learned his lesson. Sam Soon, speaking both for her sake and for Chae Ri’s, gives Hyun Woo one last piece of advice:

Sam Soon: Do you know that even the rear of a car has a facial expression? When a student driver cuts in front of you, the back lights are so bashful that you see exactly how nervous the driver must be. And a violent driver has blinkers that are intense as well. The back of his car has “Don’t mess with me” carved into it. When even pieces of metal have expressions, what do you think human beings have? Instead of sullying the memories we have, walk away with dignity and coolness, leaving a beautiful face behind you.

Sam Soon turns to walk away and she sees that Jin Heon has been standing there too; he has heard it all. An embarrassed Sam Soon runs past Jin Heon. Now, Jin Heon may or may not have feelings for Sam Soon, but one doesn’t need to be in love with Sam Soon to feel anger towards Hyun Woo.

An intense Jin Heon walks up to Hyun Woo and gives a warning to stay the hell away from Sam Soon. Hyun Woo brushes it off with a joke, perhaps not realizing how angry Jin Heon is. Is it “Go-Time”?? No, it’s not Go Time yet but bother her one more time, and it will be, Jin Heon promises.

PCB – Philosopical Comedy Break!

The female wait staff of Bon Appetit are out drinking their single-woman-hood sorrows away, thinking up reasons why they can’t meet great guys. Here’s what they have come up with:

1. The nice guys are all bad-looking.
2. The handsome guys, well, they ain’t so nice.
3. The handsome and nice guys are already married.
4. The handsome, nice and single guys are are penniless.
5. The handsome, nice, single and rich guys don’t have interest in them.
6. The handsome, nice, single and rich guys who are interested, are two-timers.
7. The handsome, nice, single and rich guys who are interested and loyal, are gay.

What a crock! Want samsooki to break it down like a fraction?

Know why y’all Bon Appetit agasshi’s are single? It’s cuz you are looking for a finished product. The most important part of a guy is not what he looks like or his wallet, but his heart. If you find the right heart, then the rest can be developed. Is he a bit overweight? Join a gym with him. Spends all his time watching Flames of Ambition? Volunteer together at a homeless shelter. Smokes and/or drinks too much? Sign up for a triathlon and train with him daily. A bit light in the wallet? Explore your passions together to see if any of those can turn into money-making activities. The point is, a great guy is built, not found. There endeth the lesson.

Late that night, Sam Soon still hasn’t left for the night. She’s drinking wine and playing chopsticks by herself. Until Jin Heon appears. He hasn’t left either. They bicker then play chopsticks together, which is nice, because chopsticks is one of those pieces better played by two people than one.

Then Jin Heon asks a mood-killing question – why did she cry earlier, does she still like Min Hyun Woo? Sam Soon says, nope.

Jin Heon persists, then why? Sam Soon wonders if she has to answer, and while Jin Heon says that she doesn’t have to, he still waits for an answer.

Sam Soon: Because I was so surprised.

People change, hearts change… even love changes. When it hit me that there wasn’t such thing as everlasting love, I was so surprised.

That’s why.

Jin Heon nudges Sam Soon to get more liquor, and Sam Soon heads off to the kitchen, leaving him free to play another piece on the piano. Sam Soon collects the bottle and a bit of nosh, but stops on the return when she hears him playing.

The look on Sam Soon’s face is interesting. Guys, piano-playing is a freaking awesome way to get a girl. My advice is to memorize three ballad-y songs and have at it.

Sam Soon and Jin Heon get to talking, and Sam Soon gives more of her life history and dreams to Jin Heon. Since they aren’t facing each other, it isn’t really like they are talking to each other. It doesn’t count. It is the kind of “date that isn’t a date” kind of thing that makes everything okay.

But then it starts to rain. Heavy rain. It’s a downpour. And Jin Heon reveals that his relationship with Hee Jin is all over. And then Jin Heon plays “My Beautiful Woman” on the piano while Sam Soon sings. And then it happens. Sam Soon bites a bit of cake and frosting remains on her lips. Jin Heon touches her lips to wipe it off. Awkward moment.

They get up to leave, but Sam Soon almost falls. Jin Heon grabs her tight but doesn’t let go. Sam Soon tries to get loose but Jin Heon interlocks his fingers at the small of her back and closes in for a kiss. Is this a patented Jin Heon fake-out no-kissy kiss? Jin Heon notes that this time, Sam Soon’s eyes are wide open.

Sam Soon, wide-eyed, doesn’t wait to see if Jin Heon is trying to fake her out. She kisses Jin Heon first! When Jin Heon doesn’t back away or flee or say something awkward, Sam Soon kisses him like she means it.

Woo.

Until Jin Heon starts kissing back. Sam Soon is startled and pushes Jin Heon away.

Then Sam Soon flees.

What? Can somebody explain to me why she flees?

Awkward Town has replaced Bon Appetit as the finest French restaurant in Seoul, and Jin Heon brings Sam Soon into the office to get things cleared up.

It was a mistake. He wonders how she was able to get him so drunk. Was it the cake? Well, whatever. Jin Heon apologizes. Sam Soon apologizes more. No, Jin Heon apologizes more. The Jin Heon accuses Sam Soon of being a fox. Sam Soon counters by calling Jin Heon a wolf.

Hey, hey, HEY! Can’t you guys just admit you guys are crazy about each other? Sheesh!

Still there’s a job for Sam Soon to perform. She is an actress and her role is “girlfriend.” Jin Heon needs to be at the grand opening of his family’s newest hotel in Jeju Island and that means that he’s gotta be there, and so does Sam Soon.

Meanwhile, Dr. Henry Kim has set up his room in a hostel and Hee Jin is visiting. Though Henry has come to see Hee Jin, that’s not all he’s here for. Henry’s mom is Korean and Henry has come to see her as well. Hee Jin opts to help Henry explore his mother’s origins, much to Henry’s delight. Still, it is apparent that Henry’s love for Hee Jin is just a one-way street, as Hee Jin just doesn’t feel the same way. Odd, but inasmuchas that would crush a man, Henry merely swallows his disappointment behind his megawatt smile.

And wouldn’t you know it, but Henry’s mom’s origins are in a Jeju orphanage. Guess it’s time to make that trip, right Heej? Maybe we go right now!

Still, that’s not quite enough people in one place who have issues with each other. Who else can we include?

Ahh, there we go. The more the merrier!

Comments:

First things first. Kim Sun Ah’s acting? Superlative. Kiss scene with Binnie? Hot.

Okay, let’s talk Hyun Woo for a second. You might think that Hyun Woo’s proposal to Sam Soon to be his “romantical affair woman” is just crazy. After all the time Hyun Woo spent with Sam Soon, shouldn’t Hyun Woo know better? Sam Soon would NEVER let herself be that woman for Hyun Woo, right?

Before re-watching this episode, I thought Hyun Woo was too stereotypical of the clueless evil guy. But now I think Hyun Woo isn’t clueless at all.

Hyun Woo’s tactics (financial stability in exchange for “friends with benefits” status) are actually likely to be the most effective when targeting realists – of which Sam Soon is most certainly a member. If Sam Soon’s dreams of marrying the perfect guy and opening her own shop remain unfulfilled for just a little while longer, it is possible that Hyun Woo’s tactics might work on her. Should Sam Soon’s dreams all go down the tubes, Hyun Woo is in the best position to manipulate whatever is left of Sam Soon’s shattered ego and heart.

Interesting then, that Hyun Woo and the person in the world most unlike Hyun Woo – Dr. Henry Kim, are both going to be in Jeju at the same time with Jin Heon. Can such a small island hold all three guys and Sam Soon and Hee Jin?

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Like your choice of headlining pic! The colour is awesome.

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I heart this site ^.^
Keep up the good work!!

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That lesson you gave on great guys being built? completely true! thanks :)

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This was one of my favorite episode and your recap was superb! Thank you, this is definitely a walk down memory lane for me!

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She flees because it's a very real kiss and a very real moment in a very fake relationship. Scary!

More later. Must ponder a bit. I love this ep. :-)

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no, no.. that seriously already makes a lot of sense as it is. it's expectations versus reality. not even situational reality, but the reality that you can still surprise yourself like that. that wasn't in the plans, yo. and yet, it happened. and now.. the plan's out the window. i wanna make new plans. except.......... what is this for HIM?! will he wnat to make new plans with me, or keep the old plans? I. CAN'T. DEAL.

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well said !

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So well said. You've just summarized that in one sentence. Wow!

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"She flees because it’s a very real kiss and a very real moment in a very fake relationship. Scary!"

But isn't HER kissing him a real kiss too? Why was that not scary?

She only pulls away (almost angry-like) after he starts kissing her back...

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I think she was lost in the moment (she didn't immediately pull back, but let him kiss her back for a little bit) and then she was startled and little angry when she realized what was happening and ran away. I like the scene because it's one of the few times in a kdrama where the girl earnestly initiated a kiss and it wasn't just a peck on the cheek.

(...makes me think of Ji wook leaving after his hot tango dance with Yeon jae)

I have to say that whole scene starting from Sam soon in the kitchen by herself to when she's running away in the rain is one of the best written, acted and directed sequences in a kdrama. The music is also really appropriate as well as the lighting. I really appreciated how long that scene was and the length of their conversation. I love it when a director let's the scene "breathe" and doesn't rush it. This scene is also why they are one of my favorite OTPs. You can easily imagine them still playing piano and talking for hours when they're 70yrs old.

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Malta, this is exactly what my interpretation of that kissing scene, and it will forever be one of my favorite scene.

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I'd rather think of it like this:

samsoon: What, is this another one of your fake-kissy-kissing-scene? Well, let me get that one for you, Mister.

*smooch*

samsoon: see what I did? I can surprise you, too..

*1 minute later*

samsoon: hmm.. this is awesome. WAIT! Why did he kiss me back? He's supposed to act anything but this..

~yeah.. well..

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Well... there's kissing and there's KISSING. ;-)

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No kidding! I think I've found my favorite Kdrama kiss here!

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It's battle of the wits between these two leads.

Sam Soon: I like this guy. I want him to know. Kiss.

Jin Heon: WT... oh, I haven't kissed a woman for a while, oh... what the heck. All right.

Sam Soon: He didn't reject me. Okay, let me make my next kiss more romantic. Kiss.

Jin Heon: I usually am the one doing the initiating, hmm, this is kinda nice being the recipient. Come here babe, let's make it a night we'll never forget.

Sam Soon: WT... he kissed me! He kissed me! Oh shit, does this mean Prince Charming is warming up to me? No way. No guy like that will EVER fall for a piglet like me. I better make a run for it before he breaks my big heart. And that's just the only thing BIG about me, you bitches. Take all the fat jokes and criticism up your own fat pale asses.

That's how I interpret it. ^ , ^ v

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It's the reciprocated sexual attraction. He responded to her and that freaked her out. I would have done the same. Awkward!

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Can I just say that as a young women, I really appreciate actually learning life lessons from kdramas...no laughing, you do learn stuff.

But I think the best line that every girl should know is "The point is, a great guy is built, not found."

So hats off to the always awesome Mr. Samsooki =)

We DB'rs tend to worship you even if we don't agree with you =P

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Man, what a great drama! Thanks for recapping this oldie but goodie, for us first timers!

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lol, i haven't even read it yet, but i HAD to comment on that intro--- YES. yes, it does make sense, samsooki, sir. :P personally, i wouldn't have done it for hee jin. just. coz. she. is. such. a. princess. ...but yeah, when you know, YOU KNOW... yunno? 50 phone numbers of girls you aren't sure about vs. that one phone number of that one girl you felt a connection to. ....or... i dunno, i guess it depends on the person's priorities/issues, eh?

but given henry kim's choice--- handsome, doctor, loyal AND well-adjusted, i'd say. hence, the appeal for me. :P

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........so, maybe not unrealistic, per se. but RARE. like... snow tiger-rare.

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One of the most memorable kiss scenes in a Kdrama. Love that girl Sam soon. Sometimes you just gotta kiss the guy first or else nothing gets done. :)

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LOL.

That's so perfect, I wish I thought of that line myself.

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Man, thanks for pointing out Daniel Henney is hot again. Because seriously, he is (acting and whateverness aside - yes, whateverness is a word... as said by me).

I gotta say that Lee Kyu Han is a total creeper in this show, which is funny since I totally loved him as the stick-up-his-ass Professor in More Charming by the Day. He was so stuck up and he had a really stupid haircut (seriously, his haircut in MNIKSS/MLKSS is not awesome either), but I loved how he would get competitive with his younger brother and is a total scary butt that his roommate fears and I loved him more when he started liking then dating Yeo-jin it's like we started to see the more human part of him. I can't wait to see the bar scene between him and Sam-soon again.

Anyways, thanks for the recap. And I gotta say, I love your lesson about how the perfect guy is built but.... Realistically I would still prefer a guy who's financially stable, not rich, just can hold a job. Other than that? The rest works itself out. With the global economy in the drain, it's not so easy to spout sonnets of love because that doesn't always pay the bills. Heh. X/

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hot hot hot kiss! jin heon + sam soon = LOVE <3

thanks for the awesome recap, samsooki!

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I love Henry and Hee Jin's relationship because it's realistic. The way they act towards each other, I feel like i'm just watching a couple of friends who happen to have some cameras filming them. Hee Jin telling Henry she just doesn't feel anything for him, and his response, I just think it's spot on. They're both honest about their feelings, and they can have a good healthy friendship despite them.

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Actually, I had the opposite impression, just because all of this friendship and healthy honesty and smiley faces felt too good to be true, not like any male/female relationship I know of. I didn't really believe it for a second, it felt like a scriptwriter's dream. And it made my detestation of Hee Jin expand, too - sheesh, she is so self-obsessed she has no compunction trampling on the feelings of two guys at once.

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She was honest with Henry from the start though. He knew she had no romantic feelings for him. He was choosing to stay with her despite her chasing after Jin Heon. I guess I think it's realistic because I was in the exact same situation as her, and we pretty much acted the same way. No deep & meaningful conversations but more, him being open about it without making it too heavy, and me responding in kind. And we still remained very good friends.

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I wasn't going to comment until I saw this:

But is it realistic for a guy, who could walk into a speed-dating shin-dig and come out 3 minutes later with every single phone number written on his arm, to follow a girl across the world when she likes someone else? Just sayin.

The guy in my life didn't move across the world...just the country... for me. I can't say I'm thrilled about it since I don't love him. I know he's going to make some girl a wonderful husband but to me, he's my best friend. I believe that you can't make yourself fall in love with someone you're not attracted to on any level.

So... anyone want a really great and attractive guy?

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erm. only, like, YES.

:P

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erm. only, like, YES.

....except samsooki makes me think now with this whole a-good-man-is-built business that there is that certain charm and merit to getting a guy who still just on his way. just like myself. building a life together sounds attractive. more to the point, sharing/building a life together sounds like the point, actually, of even finding someone at all.
is it weird that now, the idea of a guy who's all *together*
already kind of disappoints me? hahahahaha

god, samsooki and your stupid (and unnervingly accurate.) PCB!
:P

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I kinda agree that a great guy is built not found, but the same goes for a woman. A great woman is built not found. And in both cases it matters whose doing the building. Is a man expected to work earnestly to build himself while his love is at his side? Or does he expect to find a woman who will build him into a great man?...a great guy is built works for Ji heon, but neither Sam soon or Chae ri could help build or should be expected to help build Hyun woo into a great guy. That's something Hyun woo ultimately has to do for himself based on his own will.

So while I do a agree to a certain degree that a great guy is built not found, I'm wary of the whole "nurturing woman provides the means for her man to grow and shine" ideal/expectation. Women need support too.

One thing I wondered with MNIKSS is what is Sam soon's flaw that she has to overcome throughout the story? I loved Sam soon from the very 1st episode. She's not "perfect," whatever that means, but she's pretty awesome. She's funny, insightful, mature, hard-working, honest, and very kind...much kinder than I could imagine being in respect to Hyun woo and Chae ri. So IMO Sam soon was already built a great woman, through her own effort and her family's.... So as I revisit MNIKSS, I'm trying to see how Sam soon changes and grows as a person as a result of her relationship with Ji heon.

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re: the "building a guy'" theory

a catch to this idea of polishing a rough diamond when you can always see and recognise potential that others don't is = you can never be certain the core is 100% solid.

if it isn't, you may just end up unleashing your own monster who's all of that, and more.

because, your evolved product would be exactly what many other (possibly more aggressive) girls out there are hunting for.

transformation = building of self confidence and esteem.
imagine if that became over-confidence, an inflated sense of worth, coupled with an increased addiction to a new life and possibilities never imagined before.

these would be doors YOU opened and exposed, creating a passport to rooms previously uncharted, unknown and unexplored.

even worse than the 'ok ones with potential' are the hopeless uber-geeks who seriously need to make up for lost time and uncharted territory (at their makeover artistes' expense).

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Thanks for the recap. MNISS was one of those dramas that I watched as my right of passage into kdrama land, but I never really understood the hype. However, reading these recaps has made me realize that maybe I misjudged while watching. If nothing else, I like the recaps a lot more than I remember liking the drama. So that's gotta say something about samsooki's writing. :D Careful though. As you said, kdrama watchers are predominantly female, and I'm sure that extends to DB as well, which means Ms. Samsooki may get jealous of all the attention coming Mr. Samsooki's way.

On a lighter note, I always thought Daniel Henney's character was unrealistic. Can't necessarily complain about his presence though.

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I'm glad I'm not the only one that didn't get the hype. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I started reading the recaps because I thought that maybe there were things I was missing in translation. So far, I'm enjoying the recaps more than I did the drama itself. Maybe they'll inspire me to rewatch it from a new perspective.

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It took me months, but I found a version of that song Sam soon was singing at the piano on iTunes. I looked up the translation and just loved the words so much so I searched for it.

copy-pasted from my iTunes

아름다운 사람
서유석
생각 / 타박네 / 아름다운 사람 / 가는 세월

...wish I could read Korean. oh well :/
Next episode will have lots of shenanigans on Jeju!

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me too
these 5 years, i had been wondering what is the tittle of da song....
today i owe to samsooki for telling me bout it <3

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Oddly enough, she actually tells you in the episode all about that song. And not so oddly somewhere here on DB's is a listing - it's My Beautiful Person by sung by Seo Yoo Suk, words by Herman Hesse, originally came out in 1976, but it's on the Memories of SamSoon album - Hesse's poem is Die Schöne -

So wie ein Kind, dem man ein Spielzeug schenkt,
Das Ding beschaut und herzt und dann zerbricht
Und morgen schon des Gebers nimmer denkt,

So hältst du spielend in der kleinen Hand
Mein Herz, das ich dir gab, als hübschen Tand,
Und wie es zuckt und leidet, siehst du nicht.

-
Give or take, since I haven't really warmed up my German this morning -

Like a child, who has plaything given to them,
Examines it, hugs it and then breaks it,
and the next morning gives it no more thought.

You hold in your small hand
My heart, that I gave, as a pretty thing
and though it twitches and suffers you don't see it.

Was more or less transformed by the songwriter into this - as given by the DVD subtitles -

I'm sorry
Like a child who forgets
Who gave it to her the next day
My beautiful lady
You play with my heart
With your small hands
I'm always thinking of you
But you don't care, my lady
My lady
My beautiful lady.

And that's way more than anyone really wants to know!

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Sigh, and of course, there are two n-s in Hermann - honestly, I really should stop using a screen reader and just get new glasses....

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momosan, that is exactly what I wanted to know! thank you. it's a beautiful song that seemed to have a story behind it and I've been wanting to find the history of it, but google was not helping me. now I know. thank you!

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Thanks for the recap! Always I am impressed how simply yet powerfully you put together sentences that delight me.

I know I am in the minority but Henney doesn't do anything for me. It isn't that he is too pretty, The Hand Towel is too pretty, too. He's just blah. Cute, but no spark.

Love the kiss, love the hunger in the kiss from both sides.

And let's not forget how surprised Samshik was by the whole thing. The original tug forward after she recovered her balance did not stem from him thinking about Sam Soon, but feeling something about Sam Soon. Although, I don't think he was expected THAT.

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u got me ... i'm not exactly nuts about the Henney guy.

in fact while watching this drama, i was complaining about can't he make his move and bring hee jin back to america faster ?!

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haha me three then. i was completely bored by daniel henney. not that he isn't good-looking, but between him and hyun bin, i'd pick hyun bin any day!

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me four. strange enough i think the chemistry between henry and sam soon is in fact much more interesting than henry with hee jin...

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It's funny, because I think the same about Henry and Sam Soon.

The part where they sat down at the lobby of a hotel in Jeju (next episode if I remember correctly), and talked about their missing partners? Much more interesting and more sparks than any Hee Jin/Henry scenes. I remember even wanting them to be together, hahaha.

And my conclusion?
1) Hee Jin is a boring character, and therefore anything with her in it slows to a crawl.
2) KSA is a much, much better actress, who can spark chemistry with anything, including a log.

I prefer #2 :D

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@ doodle

(ok, spoiler below in case anyone here hasn't watched =P)

Exactly the scene I was thinking of! It's so memorable that it's like the first scene I will think of when someone mentions Henry in MNIKSS. And YES, I admit I did spend a few minutes shipping Henry and Samsoon too LOL

(another scene would also be Henry with Samsoon, where Henry ended up saying "Do I look like a fool?" to Samsoon - sparks of chemistry everywhere again!)

Oh KSA can have chemistry even with a wall. period.

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I think KSA just sparks chemistry with whoever she's interacting with - Lee Dong Wook strikes me as half asleep in Scent of a Woman until KSA prods him into sentience. Mind you, I've only seen him in My Girl and I guess that role called for a certain restraint too.

Hee Jin just strikes me as a passive-aggressive drag until they play Go Stop together. That was funny, and she definitely improves after that.

Henney - meh. Yes, a Significant Other needs heart (as Samsooki points out), but it's personality that will keep you entertained when you're old and grey.

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If you watch the BTS shoot of the scene between Henry and Samsoon, you can see that Daniel Henney is blushing when KSA is talking to him. But I think that's because he's trying to hold the laughter in.

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@Josina-
It is a tough one to watch, but LDW in La Dolce Vita is white flame hot. Not just in one or two scenes, either. He plays intense from the moment he appears to the bitter end.

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Jomo, is that the one which co-stars Park Si Yeon? I'll have to consider it carefully, melodrama really isn't my thing at all.

I was thinking of giving Partner a go first, it sounds less daunting.

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Agreed with everyone here..Daniel Henney never did anything for me..he's very good looking but blah to me..I take hyun bin over him anyday!! And yes his scene with sam soon was really funny!! Love her!!

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I follow this site religiously. I swear. And I'm not even a religious person...I mean really... I don't have time to watch all these dramas when I'm trying to study! So these recaps are like my lifeline in the kdrama world. But anyways, this is the first time advice like the one you wrote on making the perfect guy made me actually ponder on my actions..... So thanks for making it go into my brain that no matter what, there will always be an imperfect guy who might just be Mr. Right for me :)

On another note... <3 Hyun Bin in this and Secret Garden <3

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That list about all the guys... so true everywhere :D

Thanks for the awesome recap, o great samsooki! Were you a sage in a past life or something? :D

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Thanks for the lesson, I will remember it well and hopefully will find him soon! kekeke

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"a great guy is built not found" it's a nice sentiment, and I'm sure lots of us want to believe it, but honeys, that there is a whole lot of heart break waiting to happen. People change, but you can't shape them like they're clay- that's not how it works, and I'd be wary if you could!

That said I do believe in the previous sentiment- about finding someone with a good heart, who is not necessarily perfect.

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Well said....you're just setting expectations on your partner who might not be willing to live up to.

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Thank you! I was waiting for someone to point out the better life lesson: Don't try to change a man.

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Or a woman, for that matter (or maybe I'm just talking for myself.)

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I'm lovin' these recaps Samsooki. I look forward to next weeks!

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Thank you so much for the recap. It is sad to me how Hyun Woo makes her feel worthless by making her an offer like that, but I would not blame Sam Soon for considering it - the way he crushed her in the first episode would make anyone give up on their dreams (despite the comic hilarity depicted).
However I am hopeful because to be a true realist you have to be negative, and Sam Soon isn't a negative type of chicka. Sam Soon Fighting!

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As Bob Hope might croon, "Thanks for the Memories."

And the recap.

This is one of my favorite kisses in K-drama, along with Best Love's "recharge" and Scent of a Woman's non-kiss "if its like this how will feelings be put aside."

What makes that kiss a kick in the hormones is the interaction before the kiss between Jin-Heon and Sam Soon that conveys the sense of two hurt lonely people providing a shoulder for each other. The scene built to the kiss, yet in someways the kiss was a surprise--especially when Kim Sam Soon made the decision--I don't often see women make the decision to initiate contact in K-dramas-- and tested the waters, deciding the water was fine, decided to dive in.

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Thanks for the recap :)

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So instead of a finished product, women should try and change men.

That doesn't really sound right either.

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It doesn't sound right because it isn't. You can't "change" a guy - basic personality is just that - basic. It'd be like trying to change eye-color.

Instead of using the word "change", think of "adding to" instead. If something is bothering you about your intended, come up with a way that will make that (as you see it) flaw tolerable to you, without being obnoxious or hurtful.
Husband material can be raw stuff but they can be civilized - it's like the carrot and stick philosophy - think of what you want as the carrot and how to get it as the stick. Push & pull, give & take - it's the same game the sexes have been playing since time began. Compromise.

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I know what you mean about not being able to change another person, but still I feel that it's a woman-like thing to try and change or add to her man. And that kind of bothers me.

A while ago my boyfriend told me that he has now come to the realization that a woman doesn't always look for the most perfect man, she looks for a man who has the potential to be the perfect man, to add onto a stable base. And the sad thing is I couldn't really disagree either.

And maybe that's why the whole build-your-perfect-man bothers me. Not that I don't do it myself in some areas. Nevermind this just ended up in ranting.

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Except game-playing does not a marriage make :).

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PS - So to be clear, I just disagree with likening compromise to games that the sexes play. Games sound simply too manipulative in my book and a bit dishonest.

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I think Hyun Woo is a very unique jerk in any kinds of drama... there's this kind of "sincerity" in his jerkishness and he presents it matter-of-factly and in such boldness (yet not agressive) that really makes him one of a kind. It's almost like his bible is called "how to become a jerk" and he gives his whole heart to live up to it.

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Thanks for the recap!

I gotta agree with some of you guys about Daniel Henney. The only time I thought he was attractive was when he was wearing all black, had a sniper rifle, and was trying to take out Wolverine.

Now about Sam Soon/ Jin Heon kiss. After actually watching the scene I think she pushed him away and left because she, at that moment, realized she wanted him... felt something for him. It scared/confused/shocked her. That was a nice slap of truth in the face. Sadly, it was short lived with a nice dose of denial on both their parts. Even though you can see that they were thinking about the kiss the whole time with all lip touching and rubbing. Can't wait till Truth comes back with a punch and a swift kick to the nads next time.

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I think what Samsooki was getting at in the PCB is the whinging and the unrealsitic expectations. Not so much that women should change men.

I think we will all have a better chance at lasting love relationships if only we would stop thinking with our hearts and loving with our minds.

My late grandma once said
-First, know yourself; be grounded in your own self awareness and have an idea of the fundamental basics for a workable relationship.

-Then burn all the unrealsitic "ideal partner lists" you have made over the years. (You should however keep the "good character with a heart, makes you laugh, feel good and happy to be with etc..." guide)

-At some point, you will realise that the heart makes the final call (like the case of having the most perfect gal/guy on paper in front of you and not a whimper of a reaction from the good old heart!).

-Still, once the heart gets rocking and he/she is nowhere near your ideal, that's when you know you will need the serenity mantra : "to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference."

Why do kdramas work? The variations of recurring themes of uplifting hope, family values and inspired love " in spite of whatever circumstances " do actually feed millions of starved souls across the world! We all need to be reminded.

Thanks, Samsooki for recapping a perennial fave with new perspectives!
: )

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About,

5. The handsome, nice, single and rich guys don’t have interest in them.

I think that they would have interest in them, since they are nice, they are rich, single (probably heartbroken) and handsome... well...I guess it depends on how nice you are and how good you look..

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Yea, and why would rich handsome guys that are nice, be two-timing but i guess that that's logic.
And are there actual Rich, Handsome, Nice, Single, Interested, Loyal gays out there?
I've never actually seen or even in shows saw a rich, handsome gay... lol

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I laughed so much !!! This epi's recap is HILARIOUS! I love your writing and your personal HUMOUR! THANK YOU so much for recapping MNIKSS!!!!

I do have a bone to pick though...as I know people who have tried to change boyfriend to slimmer version, spend & save so boyfriend can sponge off the living while he concentrate on his career... and guess where they end up... the slimmer version aka better looking (I didnt think so but whatever!) snagged a prettier girl and left my friend... the sponge boyfriend enjoyed the monetary support and then refused for years to marry and eventually successful in his career left my friend to 'marry' another...
Personally I dont agree with your 'HEART' theory! But hey that's my 2 cents worth!!!

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I know exactly what you're talking about! My college boyfriend was a new person two years into our relationship, shining so brightly with the new parts I put in and he subsequently met and married someone who liked those shiny parts best but didn't know him before when he didn't have any plans for the future etc. I'm not bitter about the experience I'm always open to showing others the light so to speak, but I don't want anyone else to suffer that kind of hurt.

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Ajbny, thank you for sharing!!! My heart goes out to you. I must confess I was that girl who gives and gives , built my life around him and after 7 years it, he is married and eventually I am too! As a romantic at heart, the flowers you planted and watered, never did bloom. It was the best time of my life I don't regret the love I gave . I think thatis what's important cherishing what was good!

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I know this might be a bit noobish and a tad off topic but why does Samsoon hate her name so much? I honestly don't get what is wrong with it. Could somebody please enlighten me!

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If you can wait a little bit, I actually explain the meaning of Sam Soon's name. :)

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Wonderful recap for a wonderful drama ! Thank you . I totally agree about your theory of building a man , that is a relationship .

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everyone seems to be okay with "developing" the perfect guy, I'm not completely against it, it just seems unfair that most women spend time developing themselves into independent/productive social beings and then have to develop their partners too. I'm not sure there's a way to get around this or that it is necessary to get around it, or that these women are ideal mates, I just hoped we were at at least both interested in being our best selves.

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Apparently I'm the only one who finds the idea this outrageous, outdated, and offensive:

"If you find the right heart, then the rest can be developed. Is he a bit overweight? Join a gym with him. Spends all his time watching Flames of Ambition? Volunteer together at a homeless shelter. Smokes and/or drinks too much? Sign up for a triathlon and train with him daily. A bit light in the wallet? Explore your passions together to see if any of those can turn into money-making activities. The point is, a great guy is built, not found. There endeth the lesson."

You don't find someone who's kinda sorta okay and then set to work changing the way they look, speak and act, forcing them to come in line with what you view as acceptable hobbies and habits. You stop having such specific expectations, find a real human being who you can connect with, and see if you can accept them as a total package. Everyone has flaws, it's just a matter finding someone who's flaws you can live with.

I think teaching young girls that they need to strive for a perfect prince charming, and that if they don't find one who's perfect they should find a guy and force him into their ideal mold, is poisonous.

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lol! you're not the only one. But, I don't think samsooki was saying that we should force people to change themselves, just gently nudge them if it is necessary. I think the cases he mentioned have minor flaws or minor stumbling blocks, they can benefit from motivation versus the taming a tiger kind of thing.

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I am of the 'live and let live' school seeing as I'm far from perfect myself, and certainly wouldn't recommend taking the Pygmalion approach to dating (we all know how that ended, don't we...?)

Then again, I was watching 'About a Boy' last night, which is about the impact that the people you care about have on your life - and it did strike me that when you care about someone, you stick your neck out and help them navigate the murky waters of life, and also help them to grow (up).

This could be in the shape of exercising together if the love handles bother them, or finding solutions to ease the economic strain together, but Twue Wuv should certainly not be contingent on the shedding of those extra pounds or credit card debts.

If it is: get a dog.

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I love about a boy.

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It's wonderful.

Only now I've developed this odd habit where, when watching a US/Euro production, I wonder who would be suitable if a Korean version were to be made, and vice versa....

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you know. I was thinking that too! I was thinking this has k-drama potential. The son isn't my son fake out thing. But I can't pick actors or decide how the story should be transcribed/translated.

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100% agree with this. Very well put. Thank you.

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One comment on the recap, I thought Henry's mom was in America and that she had been adopted and brought there as a child. I haven't rewatched the episode recently, but I didn't think he came to Korea to see her so much as to see where she came from and learn more about his roots.

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That's the plotline I remeber.

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Hee Jin opts to help Henry explore his mother’s origins, much to Henry’s delight.

That's one of the reasons he went to Korea.

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I missed you, Samsooki. So glad you're back! ♥

The point is, a great guy is built, not found.
*giggles*

As for Hyun Woo, he's a jackass, but I've always felt pity for him. IDK how Chae-ri can consider him "reliable" in any way.

On a side note, I recently saw Lee Kyu-han in Can you hear my heart and aww, he was adorable. I always thought the main reason I disliked Hyun Woo so much was because of the way LKH played him.

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Lee Kyu-Han was adorable in Can You Hear My Heart. I didn't recognize him as the same actor who played Hyun Woo.

I never understood what Sam Soon saw in Hyun Woo. He wasn't attractive (to my shallow mind) and he was uninteresting. He didn't seen like a worthy rival to Jin-Heon. I thought as Hyun Woo was a weak link in the story.

I hated the character because of how he behaved.

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Thank you for the recaps. I watched this a long time ago and enjoyed Sam Soon's no nonsense authenticity - the kind that says what they are thinking or feeling regardless of how they and others around them might feel afterwards. That quality requires a strength of character not seen often.

I partly agree with you regarding "The point is, a great guy is built, not found." Yes a great guy is built but the quality of construction depends on the foundation(their character and attitude).

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Re: Yes a great guy is built but the quality of construction depends on the foundation(their character and attitude).

TOTALLY! That's the first premise.

But since there's also no absolute way we can guarantee that foundation/core is 100% solid (or that people may change or waver when their options/perspectives/environment/love change or put to unforeseen challenges) .....
Even a 'perfect end construction' can be found later to be totally flawed if put to the test (be it just a minor rumble or a real earthquake).

I also agree with someone up there who mentioned that support (makeovers are basically that = supporting, sacrificing on ONE party's part) should NOT be only one-way.

BOTH parties should be evolving, growing upwardly and MUTUALLY enjoying the journey. You take a guy flaws and all, it doesn't mean he will accept your flaws in return and all once he's 'evolved' into Mr Perfect.

Having been there and done that myself, and seen other situations where women do too much - wise words said @ #28 (Aquarius 9).

THANKS Samsooki for reviving this enjoyable journey.
KSS was a refreshing breath of air back then, and a must-watch show for all women (singles, mothers and their daughters).

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"People change, hearts change… even love changes. When it hit me that there wasn’t such thing as everlasting love, I was so surprised."

Even twenty years later, the truth in that statement still resonates in my broken heart. The deepest pain was not in losing my love but in losing my dream.

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Gawd!!! That is so true for me too!!! Personally that scene, those words still aches as I only knew this yesterday ... Like u ... It resonates with me too! Love that leads to marriage is about timing. Nothing poetic or romantic about it. :(

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"BOTH parties should be evolving, growing upwardly and MUTUALLY enjoying the journey. You take a guy flaws and all, it doesn’t mean he will accept your flaws in return and all once he’s ‘evolved’ into Mr Perfect."

I agree with that...That would be the Ideal to evolve and grow while mutually enjoying the journey, with both sides accepting the other, warts and all. Most often life's journey with others(mate, family, friend or collegue) usually lasts only until a lesson is learned then we move on, meet others, learn new lessons. Some people will stay with us through our lifetime, some will for an event or moment, some appear and disappear only when we need them but all of that is to be cherished in the grand scheme of things.

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To me the piano scene is one of the most pivotal scenes in the series. This is when they discover there might be feelings developing and both of them are shocked by this prospect. I've seen this multiple times and it's incredibly emotional to watch. They slowly dropped their defenses and grew closer. The Kiss was the outcome of this moment. But when Sam Soon suddenly realized what happened, she quickly withdrew confused at her behavior, as he just stood there dazed and then when she fled, he also was confused by his behavior.

This is the first true sign that they are attracted to each other. Have to say the music that played as she fled captured the feeling perfectly.

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love love love MNKSS love it

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Love this series! More than I thought I would! Thanks for the recap, Samsooki!

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I am currently re-watching... the recaps are to blame :(

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i agree w/miyo's assessment of the scene. but u all are forgetting that it to a bit of liquor was involved letting both their defense mechanisim down for they're exchange. i too want to know about sam soon name & why she hates it so much. thanks much for the recaps.

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yes alcohol played a part but it's clear both were not completely drunk either. There is an explaination as to why she hates her name but not in this series. It has to do with what the name literally means in Korean. I had to find out that.

Here is an excellent link to all things MNIKSS related. warning it has spoilers if you haven't seen the entire show yet. It will also explain her name.

http://sunbin4ever.17.forumer.com/a/the-real-drama-5/

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I hv many kdrama favourites but this one remains on top. I am so glad u guys recapped this oldie but goodie. It is one of the most intelligent, dialogue heavy, norm-challenging kdramas I hv seen and the ppl who comment here make sensible comments. Not to mention the way u write. I'm a journalist myself but sometimes I can't even write the way u do.

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Hey, you! Don't think I didn't notice your dig at the Twitter sisterhood. "Spends all his time watching Flames of Ambition?". Hee.

Love your recap, as usual. I've always wondered about the purpose of a recap (says one who's done a bout of recapping) - if all it does is tell us what happened, what's the point when we can watch the thing for ourselves? But your eloquence, wit and social commentory justify the genre all by themselves. Great work!

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Samsooki~! Thanks so much for the recaps of this much beloved series. It was no my first drama, but one of my first ones, which makes it all the more beloved. It's my favorite one by far and I'm so relieved to see you doing it justice. Your analysis and insightful thoughts on some of the moving moments during the series are witty and fun.

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a bit nostalgic while reading the recap of MNIKSS kim sun ah s my fav actress

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thanks for the recaps...

since 2005 until today, i have no idea how many times i had watched this drama series and yesterday i watched it again..LOL

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This was my first K-drama and it is the reason why I got into the band wagon of watching kdramas...such a good show and I love KSA ever since. Now watching Scent of a Woman but I guessed it will never be a happy and funny show as MNIKSS.....sigh but for her acting brilliance, i will still watch the show no matter what. Like someone said, KSA can have chemistry with a log or a wall...awesome...love her to bits!!!

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