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My Name Is Kim Sam Soon: Episode 13

At the end of Episode 12, Sam Soon made the decision to climb Mt. Halla alone. Jobless and the loser in yet another game of love, she would remake herself once she reached the top. She would be Pâtissier Solitaire Kim Hee Jin, her own boss and free from the tragic baggage of her old life. And after the long march up Mt. Halla, after the struggle against gale-force winds and driving rain to reach the top, she makes and triumphantly calls out her victory to Sam Shik. But who does she find at the top but Jin Heon, waiting for her.

Anyway, given some of the mature themes dealt with by immature characters in this episode recap, I slapped the Korean television rating of 15+ on the intro picture. Not that that will stop anyone, but someone’s gotta think of the children.

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Episode 13 – The Way To Break Up With Her

You can like someone. You can have strong feelings that person. And then, *poof* that person can appear like magic on top of a mountain. But so what? If we all did what our feelings told us to do, we’d just end up in front of the computer, drinking coffee, eating choco-pies and watching k-dramas all day… and of course, we don’t do that (right?). The point is that adults do what they must do, not necessarily what they want to do.

And yet, here’s Sam Soon sitting with Sam Shik, sharing sea urchin sea-weed soup. To her credit, Sam Soon isn’t all swoon-y like Mrs. Samsooki was when she saw Jin Heon standing at there at the top of the mountain. It’s Sam Soon’s birthday and Jin Heon brought the traditional food for birthdays so that Sam Soon would have it and have someone to share it with. Where was this romantic person when Sam Soon was plucking flower petals and crying her eyes out on her swing? Oh right, sorry, I forgot – he was sleeping with Hee Jin that night.

That night, Sam Soon and Jin Heon do shack up in the same hotel room but there’s no touching allowed by Sam Soon. Well, let me rephrase that. There’s actually plenty of groping and moaning going on, because Jin Heon is totally rubbing his hands all over and squeezing Sam Soon’s swollen….um, legs. Hehe!

Sam Soon permits the chaebol massage on her bod, but this isn’t really surprising. One, she’s probably thrilled at the physical contact and has turned all gooey on the inside like a 10-second microwaved marshmellow. Two, it’s not like they’ve not had previous skin-shipping encounters. And three, it’s not sex – it’s just a massage because Sam Soon’s sore legs and butt really need some TLC (tender loving chaebol).

Of course, there are massages, and then, there are… *wink* massages. Jin Heon decides that he should change his name too, because Randy seems to fit him better. But Sam Soon totally does the Little Samshiki Block though. Not because Sam Soon is angry, but because she’s embarrassed at being overweight. She wants Jin Heon to wait until she loses a few.

Note: I was going to let this one go, but I can’t. Now, I’m not talking about the “No Sex Until I’m Thinner.” In just about every k-drama rom-com I’ve ever seen, the heroine doesn’t play the Hide-The-Kimbap-Roll game with a guy until (a) marriage or (b) a formal declaration of serious gf/bf. In fact, generally speaking, the heroine is even a chaste V. Contrast that with Sam Soon. The only reason Sam Soon isn’t making the Beast With Two Backs with Jin Heon is due to Sam Soon’s issue with her weight, and not cuz she’s STILL the other woman! I’m NOT judging Sam Soon, mind you, I’m just noting!

Anyway, Sam Soon takes out her name-change application approval that she has to file with the district clerk, and Jin Heon yoinks it from Sam Soon and tears it up. He’s a man and Sam Soon’s his woman. Didn’t he tell her not to do it? Of course, Sam Soon is enraged by this completely inappropriate act and starts beating Jin Heon. finally ending up kicking him off the bed and giving Jin Heon a bloody nose. Not that that prevents Jin Heon from climbing back into bed, of course. I love this scene, as Jin Heon drops his arrogant chaebol attitude and just becomes his cute and immature self. The real Jin Heon fits snugly with Sam Soon like lock and key, even if nosebleeds occasionally happen.

Still, they aren’t the only two with chemistry! Back in Seoul, Henry and Hee Jin go do a bit of sight-seeing and find themselves at Chang Kyung Palace, one of the main palaces built during the Koryo Dynasty almost a 1,000 years ago. Hee Jin spreads her arms out wide and welcomes Henry to humble abode, she’s got a few empty rooms so there’s plenty of room if he wants to crash. Hee Jin then teaches Henry a bit about the historical site, and Henry breaks out a bit of Korean – no doubt charmingly (Mrs. Samsooki says, “Absolutely perfect pronunciation – he’s perfect!”).


Hee Jin, even as she is with Henry, still checks her phone for calls from Jin Heon. She doesn’t know where Jin Heon went the night before and he’s evidently not picking up his phone. Out of the blue though, Hee Jin asks Henry to go to royal palace pond and catch her some golden carp. Henry is understandably confused, but goes to the edge of the water and tries to grab a few fish as they swim by. This is forbidden of course, and Hee Jin tells Henry that she’s just kidding.

This might (MIGHT?) seem a little weird, but there’s a few things to this. First, as to why Hee Jin asked in the first place- carps are associated with courage, endurance and success. There’s this legend of carps swimming against the current in this one particular stream and the one that would survive the journey would turn into a dragon. Similarly, in the olden days (back when Korea was called Joseon), individuals who would successfully undergo the tremendous hardship of trying to study and pass the royal exams would be seen as dragon carps. Second, since they lay so many eggs, carps are a reproductive symbol. And third and more to the point, Hee Jin just basically wanted to see if Henry would do anything for her, which, of course, he would. Amazing what love can do.

Jin Heon heads into work and after a brief discussion with his mom (who wants to set him up with another blind date, this one to get rid of both Hee Jin and Sam Soon), he heads into his office. He turns on his phone and he sees he’s missed 3 texts and 2 voice-mails. The first voicemail is from Hee Jin, who remarks that Jin Heon didn’t seem to be eating the kimichi that she made for him so she’s taking it back, but that he should still try to eat well.

Jin Heon is stuck. He stares at his phone and let’s out a deep breath.

How do you tell someone with whom you’ve had an eight-year relationship it’s over? That the love is gone and you’ve moved on? Is it possible to love one person for one reason and love another person for another reason? Let me make one more comment here – more than a few peepz have said that it is unfair of Jin Heon to string along both women, to rather cowardly waffle between them. But in Jin Heon’s defense – he would not be so ambivalent if he didn’t care so deeply about both.

As Jin Heon is staring at bathroom mirrors and reflecting on the past, others are in motion – life moves forward even if you are standing still. Yi Young and Sam Soon are hunting for a retail space to set up their pastry shop and shopping for commercial appliances. They are moving forward to build the foundation for their dreams.

And in more contrast, Jin Heon’s mom has gone straight for Sam Soon’s mom in a flanking maneuver to bypass Jin Heon. As SOON as I saw this scene, I cringed big-time because when a couple’s respective moms go tête-à-tête, there are always issues. Class, money, employment, education social status issues. Whose son or daughter likes or needs the other more issues. Family background issues. Beauty, style, language and culture issues. Come to think of it, there’s not a SINGLE thing that isn’t a bomb waiting to explode when two Korean moms get together.

So, here’s the set up. Jin Heon’s mom comes in a chauffered car, right to Sam Soon’s door. But she doesn’t get out of the car, she sends her assistant to do the initial meet. And so when Sam Soon’s mom comes out, she is accosted by Assistant Yoon, who tells her rather disrespectfully to get in the car. In fact, Assistant Yoon is addressing Sam Soon’s mom with her arms crossed (a no-no) and with lack of sufficient honorifics for a first meeting (a big no-no). Given the circumstances, Sam Soon’s mom refuses to do anything until she finds out more, and this forces Jin Heon’s mom to exit her car – bringing her back down to Sam Soon’s mom’s level. Jin Heon’s mom hands over a fancy business card as her introduction, and asks if Sam Soon’s mom knows who Hyun Jin Heon is.

Sam Soon’s mom says (without a trace of irony), “ohhh, you’re talking about that ill-mannered Samshiki or whatever his name is?” LOL! Jin Heon’s mom is forced to say that that’s her son. Then Sam Soon’s mom says, “oh, then that means you are that motel owner…” Hehe! Now we know that Sam Soon’s blurt-out-the-first-thing-that-pops-into-your-head gene comes from the maternal side.

Jin Heon’s mom asks Sam Soon’s mom to take a ride with her. Sam Soon’s mom refuses, and instead offers her home to sit and chat. Jin Heon’s mom refuses. Jin Heon’s mom loses the subsequent staredown, however (she’s the one who needs to talk), and she is forced accept standing in the street as neutral ground. And in delicate terms, Jin Heon’s mom notes that while the two kids might have feelings for each other, marriage is another story altogether. A surprised Sam Soon’s mom drops TWO bombs in return: (A) Hey, I ain’t about to give my daughter to a jerk who buys love for money, and (B) their relationship was just a fake-love contract thing. Ooops! Jin Heon’s mom never got that memo….

Jin Heon’s mom heads directly to the restaurant but Jin Heon is not there. Instead, she runs into Hee Jin. Seriously, Jin Heon’s mom’s head must be spinning as her son seems to be dating two women at once. Where is that rascal anyway?

Why, he’s off to visit… Henry? Henry seems to have taken Jin Heon’s place as Hee Jin’s support/help/comfort, and I guess Jin Heon wants to know why? At this point, I can’t really say for sure about anything that’s going on in Jin Heon’s head. This part is more of a guess-cap rather than a recap; one would guess that he’s there to see if Hee Jin would be in good hands if Jin Heon dumps her, but I’m not so sure.

Henry comes back to see Jin Heon sitting in Henry’s room and rifling through Henry’s stuff – including a Practice Korean book where Henry has written the words, “Hee Jin, Henry, Jin Heon, Fried Octopus” about a dozen times (weird!). But rather than be offended by the invasion of privacy, Henry smiles broadly.

Jin Heon challenges Henry to a game of one-on-one basketball and they head to a court at Jin Heon’s club gym. A bunch of guys there are running pick-up 5’s half-court but Jin Heon doesn’t want to be part of a team. A stray ball rolls over to Henry and grabs the ball, starts dribbing between his legs and runs the length of the court and DUNKS it. This surgical oncologist has got game.

Running pick-up fives means that teams are made on the spot and winners stay on. Henry dominates and so Jin Heon watches in dismay. EVERY guy on the floor looks to be 6’2 or taller (in a random pickup game??) – eh… but I get it. If Henry had been playing and dunking over average-height guys 5-6 inches shorter than him it wouldn’t have been as impressive.

Jin Heon asks to go swimming with Henry, and happily Jin Heon finds that he’s slightly bit faster at swimming than Henry (still, proving absolutely nothing but that he’s a bit faster at swimming). An understanding Henry pats him on the check and tells him he’s cute. In response, Jin Heon punches him.

Henry: Are you crazy? What are you doing?
Jin Heon (in Korean): If you have a problem, do something. Come on, boy! (And then in English) I don’t like you. You suck.

This is the problem with straight translation, and a problem that is well-known to drama subbers everywhere. What Jin Heon says to Henry in English (“I don’t like you, you suck”) is pretty much verbatim what Sam Soon’s sister said to Jin Heon (but in Korean) last episode. Jin Heon says the exact same thing in English, but it comes out sounding weak. If only Jin Heon had a translator in the pool with him to tell him to tell Henry to go eff himself. Still, Henry didn’t need the words since he received the punch. Henry finally punches back and the fight that needed to happen finally happens.

After the fight, Jin Heon asks Henry if he loves Hee Jin. Henry says yes. Jin Heon accepts this and mumbles to himself that Henry isn’t such a babo (a fool) after all. (Jin Heon’s point is that only a fool would be so dedicated to someone without loving them). They go to dinner together, and Jin Heon does two things: (1) Jin Heon helps make Henry’s soup – an act of service (like a Dad might do to a son-in-law) and (2) Jin Heon tells Henry (in Korean) to take good care of Hee Jin, just like Henry has always done. Henry doesn’t understand the Korean, but that’s okay – it’s more for Jin Heon’s sake than Henry’s. It’s Jin Heon’s first official act to give away someone who has been so special to him for so long.

Back to Sam Soon, who has picked up another certified name-change authorization form to replace the one that Jin Heon had ripped up. She gets off the bus at her stop but doesn’t see the flour ambush attack by Chae Ri, who is upset at the ruination of her marriage to Hyun Woo. Sam Soon instantly understands, as that was her position less than a year ago. Rather than slap her around again, Sam Soon takes Chae Ri to a jim-jil-bang (sauna / spa) to talk things over.

Sam Soon notes that she actually did Chae Ri a favor by revealing how much of a cheater Hyun Woo really is. Chae Ri scoffs at that – if Sam Soon knows so much, how come she went out with Hyun Woo too. Sam Soon starts to say that she did because she was young at the time but now that she’s 30… Perhaps thinking about Jin Heon, Sam Soon admits that really, everyone is in the same boat when it comes to love – we all end up fooling ourselves.

Sam Soon ends the discussion by noting that since she saved Chae Ri, Chae Ri should buy the soup. Chae Ri responds cheekily by saying that Sam Soon should buy the drinks since Sam Soon keeps hitting her. That brings more klonks to the head – and Chae Ri retains her spunky side by insisting that all of the food and drink should be paid by Sam Soon. A mirror to the Henry-Jin Heon scene, and one that reinforces the notion of how the unni-dongseng relationship works – at least when man-chasing doesn’t get in the way.

Anyway, it’s taken a while for Jin Heon to get around to it, but here he is.

Jin Heon is there waiting for Hee Jin as she arrives home from a day of errands and shopping. Hee Jin takes out a shirt that she bought for Jin Heon but Jin Heon doesn’t wear it. There’s something on his mind. Hee Jin asks if something happened, and if there was a reason he turned off his cell phone.

Jin Heon looks Hee Jin and Hee Jin is suddenly scared. She gets up hastily, saying she wants to soak her feet. But Jin Heon grabs her and hugs her for a second, but in a way that a child might hug his mom. Hee Jin is more than a little anxious now, especially when Jin Heon asks to wash her feet for her.

Jin Heon: During the three years we were apart, I changed a little too… Let’s stop this, now.
Hee Jin (shocked): Look at me. I said look at me. Is this because of Kim Sam Soon?
Jin Heon: Eo (yes).
Hee Jin (delicately): Do you love her?
Jin Heon: …

Hee Jin (insistent): Hmm?
Jin Heon: I can’t. Stop. Thinking about her.
Hee Jin (sobbing): Do you love her, I said.
Jin Heon: I miss her.
Hee Jin (upset): I asked if you love her!
Jin Heon: When I am with her, I’m happy.

Hee Jin: She might be all sparkly now, but with time, she’ll be just like all the rest. However bright she may shine now, as time passes, it will be like she’s a nothing, just like the way we are now. Jin-Heon-ah, even knowing this will you still go (from me to her)?
Jin Heon: People, even knowing that they will die, still try to live.

Then Hee Jin cries as she beats on Jin Heon, with whom she had always thought she would marry and grow old together one day. And actually, so did Jin Heon. He grabs her and hugs her tight, even as she strikes him multiple times.

And so with that history and expectation, how do you wipe away those dreams? How do you break up with someone that you’ve held in your heart for so long, especially when that other person still loves you?

Comments:

For everyone who said that Jin Heon was this or Jin Heon was that – you gotta at least give props to the man for facing up Hee Jin and telling the truth. No deflection or prevarication. At the very least, to honor and respect the woman he loved for so long, Jin Heon owed it to Hee Jin to tell it to her straight up and he did.

This episode might have started out all fun and games but there was always the other shoe that was dangling by a lace, just waiting to drop. Well, it finally dropped and it hurts just as much as you thought it might hurt. There’s no getting around it. For every beautiful relationship that begins, there may be another just like it that must end.

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I have to laugh...right now I am sitting at the computer, drinking coffee and eating a choco pie (ring ding)...LOL

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Thanks again for the recap and insight...loving MNIKSS the second time around.

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wow
1st

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i have watch & rewatch again & again
never get tired of this series
luv yr acting hyun bin & kim sun ah

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Ah..is it wednesday already? Gotta love Sam Soon's mom attitude, just because you're rich doesn't mean you can order me around.

Is there any reason for Assistant Yoon to become so emotionless? She always talks in monotone and uninterested

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I'm pretty sure that's just her character. I mean, I don't want to spoil it but at the end what she does kind of makes sense with her personality.

I've seen her in other dramas and she's definitely not as listless. XD

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opps
no 2

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Thanks samsooki! Another awesome recap!

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love your recaps, samsooki! thanks.

what you wrote about the break-up really captures what it's like to be in that moment. gaah, breaking up sucks, really. the hurt you feel on your chest is just horrible, isn't it?

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You got a point there Samsooki. We are the mold of our own desires. I admire people who can impede their desires....to tell the truth....we are a team jojo... (^-^) I am also sitting at the computer, drinking coffee, just missing the choco pie (^V^)

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Lol count me in the team too. Computer, check. Coffee, check. No chocopie, but, uh, I have a cat doing her darnedest to lay across my keyboard ("PET ME PET ME LOVE ME LOVE ME")

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::looks around for the spycam:: It was like samsooki was looking through my monitor! I'm sitting at the computer, drinking tea, eating a See's candy and reading about k-dramas. In my defense, the candy was a present, the tea is oolong, and it's lunch time, but ooooh - spooky!

I have to say, one thing I always loved about Sam Soon was that she was so unlike many k-drama heroines. On paper, she's the poor spunky girl who meets the cold chaebol, just as so many other drama descriptions would say, but boy is she different. She not only wants to jump Jin Heon's bones but she actually says so. She has the whole pastry shop dream going on, she's not the pretty dress-up doll so many of them are.

BTW, I love her sister and the Chef. That subplot is worthy of a recap in and of itself!

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We are in too deep fellow team mates for Samsooki to second guess us. Pss… Let's change our routine and see if Samsooki can out guess us (^_^) need spy 101 advices..call Hee Bok ajusshi ASAP..… (*-^)

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I think it's fantastic how Jin Heon's life works around three-word life-changing sentences:

1) I Like You
2) Let's Stop This

Even though I knew it was coming and I wasn't a Jin Heon/Hee Jin groupie, I still sobbed when he broke up with her.

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You know that last line he says to Hee Jin that people knowing that they will die someday still try to live for some reason really gets to me. T_T

Now finally we get to have our happy SamxSam couple! XD

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Oh, so that's what that 15 means.... Silly me! Here I was thinking it was the channel :)

Thanks again for a wonderful read!

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come again? am also one kdrama newbie that's been wondering what that ubiquitous "15" means! you see it in all! dramas. HELP! can someone be good enough to explain to me the exact meaning of this? why is it ever there every time?

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Well, it's a port of the television content rating system. At the time of MNIKSS, the rating system was not really there for dramas.

The rating that mattered was the "Better Not Watch If You're Not At Least 19 years Of Age" and if it had the "19" label, it couldn't be shown before 11 p.m. A rating of "19" would kill a drama because a sizable portion of the drama watching audience would be asleep by then.

A few years ago, they added the TV rating of "15" and still kept "19". The "15' is probably most dramas out there, and sometimes you see the "15" on a teddy bear that floats on balloons or something at the beginning of the drama.

A "19" drama would be like the current cable drama series "Girl K" (and like horror dramas) and you'll see the circle 19 on EVERY screen shot because by law, it can't be allowed to disappear like the "15."

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Wow! that was fast samsooki! thanks very much. i feel like you are just in front of me right now! i'm thrilled to be like talking to you. you made my day! it's like two fifteen a.m. here in the Philippines and i'm ready to hit the sack, and i'm happy!

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LOL! I thought it was the channel too!

By the way, that bear with the balloons looks like he is using flatulence to power his flight!

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When I rewatched the drama, I realised why Sam Soon's Mum would say "the son of the person who owns the motel". Cus Jin Heon told his Mum that he tells his friends that his Mother rents out rooms. HAHA Which could mean anything from a motel to a hotel.

It makes the scene that much funnier when you cross-ref it. hahahahaha

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I've been wondering why at the end Jin Heon doesn't say he loves Sam Soon. Any opinions?

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In an later episode that comes up and Sam Soon has to literally strangle Jin Heon to get him to say "I love you."

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i think it was mentioned somewhere that Jin Heon is just one guy who is averse at saying those 3 words to anyone even Hee Jin.

or maybe to him those words does'nt really carry any real meaning, remember he is a very self-absorbed rich kid who thinks he is above the rest of the ordinary members of humanity!

and probably when he first fell for Hee Jin, he was still too young to really understand the weight of loving someone and have'nt fully realized that what they have is true love.

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I like the way Ji hoon comforting Hee Jin when he said that he loves another woman. sure he is a gentleman. that scene is really sweet when ji hoon sit on the floor while holding Hee jin's stomach. just like a man whose asking for forgiveness...
I love U Ji Hoon...

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Samsooki, I cant thank you enough for these recaps. MNIKSS is my fave drama that no other K drama will ever overtake because it was my first and it resonates with me personally ( similar thing happened to me )

You strike me as someone who is incredibly perceptive, emotionally tactful and experienced in life. For someone to have such matured views on life and from the way you write/comment. I gather you are not that young, are you ?

You write and recap these episodes so well. Just like javabeans and girlfriday. I love you all !

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LOL. Mrs. Samsooki would roll her eyes and say, "Yeah, but he acts like he's 12 sometimes." Yes, that may be true, but... um, I'll think of a comeback sooner or later.

As to the other part - if you start out with the premise that people are for the most part, "good," then the next part is, then that means that they have just as much right to be as the next person. So there's almost always a back-story, a reason, a purpose, an intent. We may like Person A more than Person B, but what if you switched places and now you are Person B? Then what you would think?

What makes Korean dramas so flavorful is that you are always given the opportunity to see through Person B's eyes. Shouldn't Person B have just as much right to be happy as everyone else, despite being less popular or being slightly crazy or whatever?

But honestly, as to my recaps, it's the drama, not me. I can't write about what isn't there. If the recaps are good, it's because the drama is awesome.

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How about, "but it's a sophisticated 12..."?

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I'm a mature 12.

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and you sound really cute!!!

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Mr. Samsooki,

I think I'd actually disagree with you about the whole "as to my recaps, it's the drama, not me." I still hold my stance that I enjoy your recaps way more than I enjoyed MNKISS when I watched it. That isn't to say I hated it or anything close, but the recaps have me absolutely loving it, which I know wasn't the case when I was watching it.

Anyway, thank you for the recaps and for all the added information that puts some of scenes into context. I totally didn't catch on carps=courage, endurance and success. Ah, the gripes of being a non-Korean who love kdramas.

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I think Mrs. Samsooki should totally join us on Dramabeans. XD

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They could do tag team recaps. Just imagining them makes me chuckle.

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absolutely and permanently...hehe

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"Hide-The-Kimbap-Roll game" :D I've never ever heard this before.

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The real reason why you should never go out on a date when you are hungry.

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Thank you Samsooki for bringing your definition for TLC into my life...tender loving chaebol--love it!

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Thanks for the recap.

Also thanks for explaining the cultural dynamics of the two mothers meeting. Needless to say I missed all the subtleties.

The foot-washing break-up scene is my favorite breakup scene I've ever seen. It ranks as the most lovingly done break-up ever. It was clear that so much love was there, even if the nature of that love had shifted.

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He should have waited until he was washing the other foot....

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thanks for the recap
wished a day had 48 hrs or that I could do with 2hrs sleep a day
still to rewach this

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Thanks Samsooki... I needed this. I'm seriously undergoing major Scent of A woman withdrawal and reading a recap of this episode of Kim Sam Soon made my longing for Sun Ah just a little bit more bearable.

This is one of my most favorite episodes out of all the drama. It has the right ingredients to just drive a Kdrama addict crazy. Serious skinship, sexual undertones in the conversation, a definite change of heart for the arrogant male lead where he finally accepts that he is indeed in love with a girl that he swore he'd never fall in love with plus all the angst and drama of heartbreak for the other party.

What i really love about the writing for this series are the metaphors that the writer inserts into her dialogues and how it seems so poetic given the context of the whole situation that the love triangle was in.

I don't know if it was just the way i interpret it but in the previous episode Jin Heon talking about Hee Jin's kimchi being bland may have been a description of how he feels less passionate towards her now. That whole break up dialogue was so spot on and yet so beautifully written as well. I can cite other examples like Sam Soon writing about the yeast in her notebook which may be a good metaphor for a love that slowly develops as compared to one that happens in a flash.

However, no matter how philosophical i might want to sound in this comment. Truth of the matter is i just love seeing Jin Heon get all horny because it was such a breath of fresh air to see a male lead character in a kdrama acting like a real man would if one is in a relationship in real life...

No wonder this episode is all blurred in my DVD set because i may have just repeated this scene about a thousand times. (I especially love the part where Sam Soon was telling him to get down from the bed and he was convincing her that he would not touch her but only sleep beside her... wahahaha! I bet all of us girls can relate) and maybe you too, samsooki... :)

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Thank you for the recap!! I love the explanations of each scene - totally did not get that vibe when the two moms were meeting when I watched!!!

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Is it cruel that the break-up is my favorite hee jin scene? I value it for what it means for sam soon and ji hyun, but also because the actress really delivers.

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Ahhh...so THAT's what that 15 means when I watch Korean shows...I had initially thought it was a channel number but then all the different channels I watched had the same number...it confused me :-(

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"For every beautiful relationship that begins, there may be another just like it, that must end."

This insight got to me the most. During this show's broadcast in my country, I watched it on and off and was therefore not at all invested in its story. Watching it religiously episode for episode this time makes me appreciate how realistic the story really is. In real life, there really isn't a protagonist and an antagonist. We all just inadvertently hurt some people we meet in our journey towards maturity and seeking, finding and claiming that whom we are meant to be with.

I am someone who had to go through the exact same situation as samsoon, ji heon and hee jin. And its only now that i realized how difficult it must have been for my own ji heon to end his 10 yr relationship.

The memories and emotions this show evokes in me astounds me.

Thanks samsooki for the great summaries. I'm done with the episodes but will eagerly await your recaps for more fantastic insights.

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Ahhh, samsooki, your recaps are always so enjoyable. I look forward to them. Good job!

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Thank you soooo much for the recap of this episode.
I am prolly repeating myself, but what I enjoy about your writing is how much you love these shows, too. You bring a fresh view into focus on a show I have watched about 8 times. And that makes me want to watch it again!

I agree that Samshik gets the AC/DC award for his confession (as in crime) to Skinny and taking the heat right there right then. I think there was less force in her thunder because she had felt the drumming in the distance while fearing the writing between the lines. (mixta-phor-the-win!) If Skinny didn't have Henry, I think the break-up would have been a LOT messier, with more ankle hanging on.

Yes, we got to see a horny male lead!
Unfortunately, KSS's seemingly ridiculous problem with the perception of her weight is real. Would Samshik see or feel the difference of 5lbs while they shared love? A-ni. Will KSS ever feel skinny enough when she is naked? Double a-ni. Then, again, she is very very sore, so it wouldn't have been fun for her. I guess. I think I was as disappointed as Samshik.

See you all tomorrow!

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I really liked that scene too. "Jin Heon: People, even knowing that they will die, still try to live." That rang true and it was poetic.

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the part at the hotel after their halla expedition is my favourite moment! it is so hilarious and i still laugh out loud even after watching like the 20th times...

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I have to admit before that scene HB was kinda, well, blah for me. The fact that he reeeeeeeeeaaally was attracted to KSS body made me very happy with him. Like he got grown up when I wasn't looking. And, especially after all those hurtful things he said about her being too fat to hug and having ugly pig hands. I know he was pulling her pigtails and all, but he picked the two worst things he could to insult her with.

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I agree. It's time for another cuddly k-drama heroine.
With some hunk after her.

I vote the actress who plays wrestling BFF Myung Ran (sp?) in Protect the Boss. Wasn't she also part of the Playful Kiss trio of friends? She's a good actress and I'd love to see her in a leading role. She'd be adorable.

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Oh, she was, wasn't she? I love her, too.

That is a great idea, Powers that be!

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I think it is this episode that hooked me, totally and with no looking back, on Korean dramas. I'm not Korean, the only Koreans I know are friends of my daughter, and I came to Korean dramas sideways via manga and anime and Japanese dramas, but MNIKSS convinced me that Korean dramas are better than just about any other dramas on the planet. And this episode clinched it.
So many things ring true: JH's sorrow and ambivalence even in the face of a new romance, the moms jockeying for position, a romantic evening that's really about sore legs and body issues.
Real life is rarely poetic, and this is a great example of a drama that is not afraid to show it. When Sam Soon goes off to drown her frustrations in a spell at the piano, she is not playing Beethoven on a wind-swept beach, she is pounding out nonsense in the teacher's parlor with a little girl calling her "Ahjumma" and lecturing her about how it's not music. And our noble hero, instead of building a financial empire and crusading for world peace, kicks over a bike in a fit of temper, gets stuck on the toilet and picks fights with clueless bystanders. And the "villian" has yet to put out a contract on Samsoon.
But we love them just the way they are. They are not quirky and charming in order to amuse the audience (a common trait in American dramas) nor do they fight to knock an audience out of a TV-induced stupor (ditto) but in service of a very human story.
Thank you, samsooki, for reminding me why I became a kdrama nut (or kdrama bore, depending on your viewpoint) in the first place.

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I got hooked on kdrama for the same reason. It is just the right blend of reality and fantasy.

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OMG. TLC. *cracks up*

Love your recaps!!!

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Samsooki...you outdo yourself with every single recap. Props!!

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Thanks for the recap. This is one of my favorite episodes.

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again thanks much for u're recap. i admit to have to read the begining 2x to get it. samsooki u r witty & i'm a bit slow today my apology. i especially want to thank u for the cultural clarification for us non-koreans. somethings i had guessed at like the seaweed soup being a birthday ritual. but others i had no clue about like the carp hee jin ask henry to catch/even the disrespect that sam shika's mom's assistance gave to kim sam soon's mom/sam shika passing on the care of hee jin to henry when fixing his soup. in that 1 i was a clueless as henry!

i agree w/another ranter/raver who ask that u give sometime to yi young & the chef's relationship. cause especially at the end i'm not getting what yi young feels for him.

as others have stated u have made this more solidly my favorite & 1st k-drama of all time i could watch it 100 of x & w/u're insight i'll be cracking up & tearing more.

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Dear Samsooki,

I will not be adding anything new to the comments above but felt compelled to write and thank you. I too am a non-Korean and greatly appreciate the wonderful cultural context that you give in your recaps. I was also brought into the Kdrama fold by MNIKSS and have seen it many times and yet love reading your recaps and seeing things in the show I never saw before.

If you are indeed a Mr. can I just say how lucky your wife must be to have someone to share and talk kdramas with. My husband thinks I am nuts! My 9 year old daughter is actually coming over to the dark side now that her reading is fast enough to keep up with subtitles. I have often thought about posting something on the OT to see if I can't find another ahjumma kdrama addict in Seattle so that we could get together for coffee (in my case tea but since I live in Seattle I don't spread around that I hate coffee for fear of being thrown out of the city!) to talk dramas with but until that time I have Dramabeans, wonderful recappers like you, Javabeans and Girlfriday and the amazing people that post comments.

Thank you all.

Amy

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Would you believe, Mrs. Samsooki and I don't talk about dramas too much. We have such different ideas.

She thinks Jang Nara is annoying (*blerg*), she thinks Sung Yuri is really annoying (double *blerg*, seriously), she hates it when I toss her the remote and run out of a room when an embarrassing scene is about to happen and then come back and ask her what happened. Mrs. Samsooki likes to watch dramas at normal speed rather than fast-forwarding through annoying parts (like the Dae-Woong's Aunt and Director Ban's REALLY annoying relationship). I get annoyed at stupid drama scenes and I ITCH to fast-forward but Mrs. Samsooki gives me a staredown and I just make up scenes in my head until the annoying scenes are finished.

It's not all fun and games watching k-dramas together.

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Would it be too pervy of me to say that I would pay money to witness this? ;)

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Hi samsooki,

Now that you mentioned Jang Nara, i'd like to ask... what's your take on her recent drama 'Bab-Faced Beauty'?

I totally loved the drama - her and Daniel Choi.

And once again, thanks for the recaps. MNIKSS to me is one of the classic k-dramas and to top it all with some awesome recaps.

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Baby Faced Beauty is on my watch list, along with Protect The Boss, Birdie Buddy, Poseidon, City Hunter, Flames, jeez... I got a ton to watch.

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I'm watching Birdie Buddy on Dramafever and it is really good! UEE is doing a fantastic job!

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I swear Samsooki you and I must have been separated at birth. I too throw the remote and run out of the room before a character is about to do something embarrassing. For example, I can never sit through the scene in "Bridget Jones Diary" when she has to give an introductory speech for her boss. My daughter is the same way so it my be hereditary. I totally understand what you mean about Dae Woong's Aunt and Director Ban's scenes - like watching a train wreck. I watch most kdramas on my laptop and I am a big fan of the fast forward.

I am just grateful that Mrs. Samsooki allows you the time to do all these wonderful recaps. Thank her for me.

Amy

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but just the same samsooki, i too are envious of you and mrs samsooki for sharing a common pastime. here in my home, i am considered a late kdrama bloomer. most of my sisters/friends have been at this and most have outgrown kdramas and onto other things already and i'm like the only one left on the bandwagon!

another thing, it's only now that i am compelled to write my comments and reactions to all this. i feel i needed to be heard too!

needless to say, samsooki, your recaps are so powerful and helpful in making me understand the quirks and nuances of korean culture and beliefs. these recaps indeed made me appreciate more the beauty and meaning of this my personal favorite kdrama.

encountering anew the break-up scenes of this drama, even if its only reading about it, i am once again moved to tears, the little pinch in my heart, the sadness i feel but can't seem to express in words. you just see those two in locked in that heart-rending embrace that you know will be their last!

i like the treatment of this breakup the most, so far, in my kdramas. so humane, so inevitable, so heartbreakingly true! so final.

yet so hopeful..

thanx again samsooki, i await your ep 14 recap! ( i must ask tho, are you really of this world? where do you get the time to watch, write, work?) just asking.

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I love the phrase, "beast with two backs." That and 20 toes. ><. Oh man when you said hide the kim-bap-roll I was lol-ing, mostly due to what my sister would say to that comment. Oh god. Hilarious.

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thanks! Wednesdays and Thursday are not complete with recaps! :D

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just wanted to add that i thought this was the epsoide the sam shika looked the cutest! especially when he was trying to get some! hehe

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Thanks for the recap! Just wanted to comment that if anyone out there is still doubting is Samsooki is truly a guy writing about kdramas, these paragraphs ought to prove it:

"A bunch of guys there are running pick-up 5′s half-court but Jin Heon doesn’t want to be part of a team. A stray ball rolls over to Henry and grabs the ball, starts dribbing between his legs and runs the length of the court and DUNKS it. This surgical oncologist has got game.

Running pick-up fives means that teams are made on the spot and winners stay on. Henry dominates and so Jin Heon watches in dismay. EVERY guy on the floor looks to be 6’2 or taller (in a random pickup game??) – eh… but I get it. If Henry had been playing and dunking over average-height guys 5-6 inches shorter than him it wouldn’t have been as impressive."

Men. If this gal had written about this scene it would have been
"They played basketball."

:)

Thanks again Samsooki for awesome recap!

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Looking at the screen caps, do give Kim Sun-ah a round of applause for willing to be photgraphed in such an unflattering pose. I'm reminded that she only put on fifteen pounds for the role . . . while Henry has to play against tall Koreans to look challenged, KSA has to be cast against waifs to look "fat" and be shot to look "dumpy." The climb up the mountain reminds us that some of it is acting; as Kim Sam Soon, she walks like a middle-aged truck-driver.

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that's the exact reason why i love KSA so much...though she's always been thin and stylish...she's so real and grounded in her actions (on and off camera)...because of that, no matter how horrible her characters look physically...she's just plain beautiful to me...

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My Name Is Kim Sam Soon got me hooked on Kdrama, without this drama I wouldn't even known about Kdramas. Youtube made Kdrama, Kpop popular around the world lol.

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Omo, thanks, samsooki! :D

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Thanks for the recap! Good episode like always~! I'm loving those two captions of Henry's smile and Jin Heon's smirk! haha..

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Well done Jin Heon! I am very proud of you!

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Thanks Samsooki!

I'm glad you took the time to provide some really good insight into this drama. You are a good writer... Yes, I am being serious.

Also, please give my thanks to Mrs. Samsooki and baby Samsooki for giving up their precious time with Hubby/Daddy Samsooki so he can watch and write and upload all those pictures. I truly appreciate their sacrifice.

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While looking up TV Parental Guidelines for the United States on the internet I found this:

South Korea - Television content rating systems
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The South Korean television rating system has been in force since 2000, and it started with only four classifications which are All, 7, 13 and 19. In February 2001, all programs except domestic dramas (which had been enforced since November 2002) has required to have a rating system. In 2007, rating 13 was changed into 12 and a new rating, 15 is introduced. Most programs have to be rated, except the "exempt" rating below. Even if it qualifies for being exempt, a broadcaster may apply a rating.

• All (모든 연령 시청가, Mo-deun yeon-ryeong si-cheong-ga) - This rating is for programming that is appropriate for all ages. This program usually involves programs designed for children. For example: Pocoyo and Teletubbies. This rating doesn't have an icon.
• 7 (7세 이상 시청가, chil-se ii-sang si-cheong-ga) - This rating is for programming that may contain material inappropriate for children younger than 7, and parental discretion should be used. Examples include SpongeBob SquarePants, Fairly Oddparents, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and the edited version of Crayon Shin-chan. Similar to TV-Y7 or TV-Y7-FV.
• 12 (12세 이상 시청가, sib-ee-se ii-sang si-cheong-ga) - This rating is for programs that may contain material inappropriate for those younger than 12, and parental discretion should be used. Usually used for animations that have stronger themes or violence then those designed for children, or for reality variety programs that have mild violence, theme, or language. Examples include Naruto, Infinite Challenge and One Piece.
• 15 (15세 이상 시청가, sib-o-se ii-sang si-cheong-ga) - This rating is for programs that contain material that may be inappropriate for children under 15, and that parental discretion should be used. Examples include most reality variety programs, dramas, and talk shows on OTA TV (KBS, MBC, SBS), and many American TV shows/dramas on Cable TV channels like OCN and OnStyle. The programs that have this rating may include moderate or strong adult themes, language, sexual inference, and violence. Since 2007, this rating is the most used rating for TV. Examples include The Simpsons.
• 19 (19세 이상 시청가, sib-gu-se ii-sang si-cheong-ga) - This rating is for programs that are not recommended to those younger than 19. 19-rated programming may air only after 11:00 PM and before 7:00 AM[citation needed], thus after the watershed. Examples include CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on MBC, and Grey's Anatomy on KBS. If a program is classified as this rating, the icon has to be displayed through the duration of the program.
• Exempt (no icon or name) - This rating is only for knowledge based game shows; lifestyle shows; documentary shows; news; current topic discussion shows; education/culture shows; sports that excludes MMA or other violent sports; and other programs that Korea Communications Standards Commission recognizes. Disclaimer or rating icons are not needed.

Ratings are displayed every ten minutes, lasting 30 seconds. It also has to be displayed after every commercial break. Ratings may be displayed either on the upper-left or upper-right corner of the screen, with a size of at least 1/20 of the screen, and in black writing on a yellow circle with a white outline, except for the "All" rating, which doesn't have an icon. A rating disclaimer is displayed on the start of the program for five seconds explaining "Because this program is not appropriate for children/youth under the X years old, parental viewing discretion is required"(이 프로그램은 X세 미만의 어린이/청소년이 시청하기에 부적절하므로 보호자의 시청지도가 필요한 프로그램입니다, I peu-ro-geu-raem eun "X: se-mi-man ui eo rin-i/cheong-so nyeon-i si cheong hagi e bu-jeok jeol ha-meu robo hoja ui si cheong-ji doga pir-yo han peu-ro-geu-raem ipnida) for 7, 12, and 15 ratings. "All" and "19" ratings have a different disclaimer, which say "This program is watchable by audience of all ages"(이 프로그램은 모든 연령의 시청자가 시청할 수 있는 프로그램입니다) and "This program is not suggested for children/youth under age 19"(이 프로그램은 19세 미만의 어린이/청소년이 시청하기에 부적절합니다) respectively.

South Korean television ratings do not include content descriptors or viewer advisory as they do in the United States and Australia. The ratings are therefore used in a broader sense. Based on the impact of one element, for example, an otherwise "12"-rated show with occasionally stronger violence (or other element) may receive a "15" instead of an additional advisory.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_rating_system#South_Korea

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Work Cited:

"South Korea – Television content rating systems". Welcome to Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. September 7, 2011

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hey....mr. samsooki, you are new to dramabeans...?
and you do have a wife....nice>_<

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Laughed a lot and learnt a lot.
Thanks a lot! :)

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dude. ur words are so awesome. ur writing is really really really good. you should recap more series. "Everyone is in the same boat when it comes to love – we all end up fooling ourselves." seriously man. u should write more often here.

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I think it is part of the power of MNIKSS that even as a new K-drama watcher, I "felt" most of the cultural conttext without really knowing it. Thank you for fleshing out these details, like the two moms and the carp and SS and Henry-ah fighting. I was really looking forward to this recap so that Samsooki could help me understand the line about "even knowing that they will die, people go on living". For some reason it always felt like the depth of that line escaped me. But Samsooki knew that all he needed to do was to show the dialogue. Now I get it. As I hope I've said now 14 times, Thank You so much for these wonderful recaps.

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Loved this ep! Finally Jin Heon is stepping up to the plate!

Thanks for the recap, Samsooki!

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"For every beautiful relationship that begins, there may be another just like it that must end."

Such a sad truth. I think they played it beautifully in this drama though, with Jin Heon admitting it openly. Not with her seeing him and Sam Soon together or something like that.

I also really loved his statement when he said "People, even knowing that they will die, still try to live." I thought that was lovely.

God this drama has been wonderful so far! Thanks for the awesome recaps!

Belle

PS seems like I'll be starting every comment with my favorite quote from your recap, haha!

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Samsooki mentioned in an earlier recap how on point the acting is in this drama.
Nothing so far surpassed the break-up scene between HJ and JH.
All the tenderness, dread and hope that flashes over JRW's face at various times amazes me. How she portrayed this so convincingly made me a fan of her for life, as much as I always disliked Skinny for being a credible threat.

Break-ups suck, don't they? And nobody wins during one.

Btw, the background instrumental during the foot washing scene has always evoked Who's Sorry Now?, the Streisand duet, for me. I finally googled the lyrics and was stunned how apropos they are TO THIS DRAMA. Could it have been on purpose?

There was a time when we were down and out
There was a place when we were starting over
We let the bough break
We let the heartache in
Who's sorry now
Who's sorry now

[Barbra:]
There was a world when we were standing still
And for a moment we were separated
And then you found her
You let the stranger in
Together
Who's sorry now

[Barbra:]
Who's sorry now
What, what kind of fool
Tears it apart
Leaving me pain and sorrow

[Barry:]
Losing you now
Wonderin' why
Where will I be tomorrow

Chorus
Forever more that's what we are to be
Without each other
We'll be remembering when...

[Both:]
There was a time when we were down and out
(We cried)
There was a place when we were starting over
(We lied)

We let the bough break
We let the heartache in
Who's sorry now
Who's sorry now
Was there a moment when I cut you down
Played around
What have I done
I only apologize
For being as they say, the last to know
It has to show
When someone is in your eyes

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