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Flower Boy Ramyun Shop: Episode 16 (Final)

Best. Finale. Ever. Okay, not EVER, in the history of all dramas. But goddamn, is it awesome. It’s even better than what I had hoped for, and bubbling over with so much laugher and heart, and surprise – heroism – that I’m still grinning from ear to ear. I love it when a drama saves its best for last. Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, I love you so. You may not be everyone’s favorite flavor, but for me, you’re seasoned just right.

The drama went on out on solid ratings for cable network tvN: average 2.86%, and an episode high of 3.54%.

 
EPISODE 16: “The Heart Boils Over”

It’s Christmas time and the boys watch old movies by the tree. Hyun-woo asks where Teacher went, and Ba-wool says she went to go look at dresses…

At the wedding dress shop, someone comes out wearing a big white dress… and it’s Dong-joo, of course, shopping for the big day. She sort of half-assed picks the one she’s got on, not really caring what she’s going to wear. That’d probably be a message to you about marrying the wrong guy, yeah?

Eun-bi doesn’t really feel comfortable in her white bridesmaid’s dress, and Dong-joo snaps, “Are you going to stand in my wedding wearing your volleyball uniform then?” Heh. I bet she’d try. It’s mostly ’cause she feels nekkid in the strappy dress, and Dong-joo adds, “…we’ll have to stand Chi-soo in the back.” Haha. To keep him from overheating at the sight of her? I love that people talk about him like he’s a bomb.

Chi-soo wallows in bed, covered with his Pororo blanket for comfort, and listening to his mother’s song over and over on repeat. Dad looks in on him and sighs, asking his secretary what he thinks. Secretary reminds him that this is what Chi-soo’s mom used to do, every day.

Eun-bi’s not faring much better, as the boys discover her cooking in the ramyun shop in the middle of the night with the lights turned off, like a ramyun ghost. They get the daylights scared out of them, but she hardly even registers their presence, answering them with far-off looks.

They watch from outside the store, and Ba-wool says this sight is a familiar one – it’s what her dad used to do when her mom died. Aw.

Chi-soo sits in his room and cooks up a silver pot of ramyun, as Eun-bi does the same in the shop. She takes a taste, “No matter what I add, it’s bland.” Chi-soo takes a taste of his, and sighs, “This isn’t the taste. Why is it so salty?” Go figure it’s the ramyun connection that melts my heart.

Kang-hyuk watches Eun-bi day by day with a heavy heart, and tries to lift her mood with his usual flirty ways, but she remains cold and distant. He picks up on her chin-scratching habit, though it looks like his is a reaction to being rejected.

There’s a scuffle in the ramyun shop over some customers who refuse to pay for their meal (because the ramyun is all curly, ha) and when Hyun-woo gets yelled at, Ba-wool steps out in front of him. Awwwwww.

Then Eun-bi walks up, and Ba-wool does this adorable you guys are in big trouble now ’cause my NOONA is here! But then he quickly deflates when Eun-bi apologizes and bows, telling the idiots that it’s her fault the ramyun was all curly. Gasps abound.

The whole room goes silent, and Kang-hyuk says enough is enough. He closes the shop and calls an emergency meeting, “Everyone gather in front of the Pillar.” Ha. He tells them about Chi-soo’s big sacrifice to save the ramyun shop, and the boys are moved, though Ba-wool covers it up with annoyance at Chi-soo acting all cool by himself.

Everyone looks at Eun-bi, waiting for some reaction, something to change and snap her out of it. But she just nods, takes it in, and says that it’s for the best, since everyone went back to their rightful place. They watch her walk off like a zombie.

Everyone gets ready for Dong-joo’s wedding, and Kang-hyuk asks Eun-bi if she’s going to continue like this, to not peer into her heart. She’s firmly planted in the land of denial though, and says she’s already done so.

She smiles and leaves him in her room, and he puts his hand to his heart, “She smiled again. That sexiness is gone.” He lies down for a nap. It cracks me up that Eun-bi’s baseline is sass and anger, so much that her smiles are an indication that something’s not right with her.

She heads downstairs and stops to look at the Christmas tree, and finds a card from Chi-soo to Kang-hyuk. It just says: “Onion, No problem. –Chwaa.” She puts a hand to her heart, and then lowers it to her stomach because her constipation is acting up. Heh.

She manages to take care of business in the bathroom, but then the toilet gets clogged and won’t flush. So she ties up her dress and grabs the plunger. She tries half-heartedly a few times, but it still won’t unclog, and she wonders aloud, “What’s stuck there?”

The words trigger flashes of who else, but Cha Chi-soo, shouting after her, “Intern!” over and over, and then his outburst at her, that she got stuck in his heart. Plunge, plunge. Chi-soo telling her not to go touching any old poop, as he pulled her away from Kang-hyuk.

Plunge, plunge. Chi-soo telling her that he knows it’s stupid for lions to go eating grass but he doesn’t care, because “I just want to hold you. Eun-bi-ya.” She lets go of the plunger, everything in her heart finally unclogged and coming to the surface.

Everyone gathers outside the bathroom door, waiting for her, asking if she’s okay. Suddenly she comes bursting out, waving the plunger in the air like it’s a battle sword, screaming that of course she’s not okay, because how could they have sent Chi-soo away like that, and they don’t even know how he’s living or if he’s even eating, for crying out loud!

Ba-wool beams, “You’re finally my noona again! Noona, you’re back!” Aw. Kang-hyuk chimes in, “Now you seem like my wifey. Sexy again.” So-yi tells them they ought to hurry, since Chi-soo is leaving for the States… today. WUT? Eun-bi: “Hap-nyun-sshi, WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS NOW?!” Hee. I love that she still calls her that.

She calls Dong-joo to say that she won’t be able to make the wedding today. “I’m going to pluck a rose!” and runs out, plunger still in hand.

The boys watch her run off and then ask So-yi if Chi-soo is really leaving today. She smiles, happy as you please, “Nope.” Hahaha. She was messing with her? Okay, I love this. She’s running there all high drama, and he’s not even going anywhere? LOL.

Dong-joo actually smiles to hear that Eun-bi’s running off to follow her heart, not even caring about her wedding. She puts a hand over her own heart. And then Coach walks into her waiting room, with Love Actually placards.

“They all say you’re the perfect bride / [picture of Dong-joo, arrows pointing out features] / But I know all the plastic surgery you had done five years ago / [picture of the chubbier high school volleyball player Dong-joo] / But even since then you… / were the perfect woman to me. / Be happy.”

Oh my GOD, I’m a freaking blubbering mess right now. Could he be any sweeter? I always thought this couple was cute, but I didn’t think they’d make me CRY.

Tears pool in her eyes. He smiles at her, gives her a thumbs up, and walks out. He heads down the hall with a hand over his heart, murmuring to himself, “Nothing happened.”

And then… she appears behind him, “Really, was there nothing?” And she swoops in for a kiss. Yay!

Meanwhile, Eun-bi runs through the street like a crazy person, wielding her plunger and trying to hail a cab. I sort of don’t blame anyone for not stopping. So she just hauls ass down the street, running like the wind in her dress and heels. The boys run behind her, and then they pick up a tail, first Chi-soo’s posse, then the neighborhood ajummas (who marvel at how many MORE flower boys she’s got following her around now).

They run and run like a really wacky marathon, as Eun-bi flashes back to memories of Chi-soo. At home he does the same, wanting to run out of there, but hesitating at the memory of Dad’s warning, and at Kang-hyuk’s words that he’s not alone.

There’s a demonstration going on outside Cha Sung, against the new development plans. Eun-bi happens to run right past them into the lobby, waving her plunger, and they take it as a sign to rush in with her. Ha.

So suddenly there’s a mob and she’s stuck in the middle of it, separated from the boys. She struggles through the sea of people, and then suddenly floats above them and gets lifted out, by one very tall Pillar.

He’s brought her running shoes too, and stoops down to help change her out of her heels. That’s so cute. He tells her that this is the last of her being his wife: “Now you have to go it alone, as Yang Eun-bi the woman.” He asks if she’s ready, and she gives a big smile. He points her to the stairs, and she takes off running.

He lies down for another nap, though this one is strategic – he trips the security guards that run after her. She gets to the foot of the stairs, and then her ex shows up, out of the blue. He stops her with a big grin, “You’re not here for ME, are you?”

He can barely the get the sentence out before she PLUNGES HIM IN THE FACE. Hahahahaha. Okay, I love this drama. How hilarious is it that they brought him back to give us that moment of satisfaction? It doesn’t even slow her down, and she just keeps on runnin’.

Upstairs in his tower, Chapunzel lives out another day, just staring at the wall. Dad comes in to try and snap him out of it. “Do you want a new car?” Pfft, oh Dad. You have so much to learn about life.

But Chi-soo shakes his head no, and then, familiar words – Eun-bi’s when they first met:

Chi-soo: No matter how much the world changes, there are things that should be protected. Someone said that even if we trade in our cars, we don’t trade in our loves. No matter how dispassionate the world becomes, love shouldn’t get that way. [hand over his heart] Dad, love happens here.

Eun-bi trips over her long dress as she runs up the stairs, and then as a line of security guards runs toward her, she realizes this is straight out of her dream. But no dream vision’s going to stop her now, and she tears her dress to make it a mini, and uses the hem and her shawl as weapons against the guards. Heh, gotta love a resourceful girl.

She storms into Daddy Cha’s office, asking if his terms still hold. He says yes, if she dates Chi-soo, he’ll get rid of the ramyun shop and kick Chi-soo out without a dime to his name.

Chi-soo walks in, startled to see her, “Yang Eun-bi!” I love it when he calls her by name. Swoon. She beams at the sight of him.

She nods at Daddy Cha with a steely face, and sticks out her righteous dragon-slaying sword, er, plunger, and declares that she will take Chi-soo’s broke ass and support him. Oh. My. God. I love her.

She runs up, grabs him by the wrist, and rescues her princess right outta the castle.

He stops her on the stairs, asking what she’s doing. If they go like this, Dad will take the shop, and then what will she do? Where will the boys live? Eun-bi: “What about you? Can you live without ramyun? Can you live without seeing me?”

He looks into her eyes, “No. I can’t do that.” She sighs in relief, to finally confirm his feelings. A tear falls. “I knew it was a dog dream” (meaning that it was full of crap).

And then, she gets up on her tippy toes to kiss him. He closes his eyes and kisses her right back.

Downstairs, Kang-hyuk looks on with a smile.

Back to the ramyun shop, where a sign on the door reads: “We’re ruined.” Aw. Kang-hyuk tells his staff that originally their recipe challenge was to be determined at a later date, but seeing as how they’re belly-up, they’re going to do it today.

Hyun-woo presents his dish first: Ba-wool-ie Ramyun. He describes it as a large dish, because Ba-wool gets hungry really often, so it needs to be super filling. He starts to sniffle as he adds, “And then you have to put rice in it, at the end.”

Kang-hyuk says it sounds very filling, which is also a turn of phrase that means dependable, or supportive. He turns to Ba-wool next, calling him “Runaway Boy,” and then we see that Ba-wool is more teary-eyed than Hyun-woo is. AW.

He describes his dish, Woo Hyun-woo Ramyun, as a steamed egg dish, because Hyun-woo’s teeth are weak, so you have to crush everything into little pieces for him to eat it. His voice breaks and the tears come.

Eun-bi is next. She opens up the silver pot in front of her, and it’s empty. “Cha Chi-soo can’t become ramyun. Accepting Cha Chi-soo exactly as he is. That’s my recipe.” That’s so cute.

Kang-hyuk calls on “Brother Boy” next. Chi-soo says he doesn’t have one either, and turns to Eun-bi. “Yang Eun-bi is, as Yang Eun-bi, the only ramyun in my life.” Omg, that’s EVEN CUTER. Gah.

He squeezes her hand, and they stare into each other’s eyes. The rest of the boys watch them with fake smiles plastered on their faces, until finally Ba-wool busts out angrily, “The store is ruined, and you guys are busy with your romance?!” Hahaha.

They’re interrupted by Dad’s secretary, who comes to give Chi-soo… his draft notice for the army. Chi-soo gapes, “Why?” Secretary says that as his legal guardian, Dad has the right to forfeit his American citizenship. So off to basic training you go. He salutes, “See you in two years.” Hee. He’s totally enjoying it.

(Obviously, the age gap necessitates a time jump in dramas like this. And army is my favorite of the choices, since it’s actually something you need to do, not like a sudden need to go learn how to make coffee abroad or whatever. Just sayin’.)

Chi-soo screams, “Nooooo!” and then Eun-bi comes out behind him, screaming even louder, staring up at the heavens, “Noooooo! Army? ARMY!? You’re asking me to do that all over again?!” Hahaha. Poor girl. Always waitin’ for loverboy to get out of the army.

Ba-wool and Hyun-woo lie awake that night, wondering where they’ll go. Ba-wool figures he’ll go home, and Hyun-woo says he’ll apply for the dorms. Ba-wool guesses that they won’t have cause to see each other anymore, but Hyun-woo’s comfortable enough to cut through Ba-wool’s crap now, and just gets all upset that he forgot to give him his Christmas scarf. He says he’ll give it to him in the morning, and Ba-wool sighs, heartbroken about having to leave.

Eun-bi looks out over the roof, hand to her heart, and then sees Kang-yuk heading out, bags packed. He stops in front of the shop, memories of his time here flooding back, and turns to go.

Eun-bi stops him, asking how he can just go like this, without a word. Kang-hyuk: “Because a hero leaves without saying a word.” She tries to say how she feels but she can’t get any words out, so he just hugs her and pats her on the back.

Kang-hyuk: “I know, Wife. It’s okay, Wife. And… thank you, Wife. Because I’ve liked, because I’ve boiled, that’s enough. I have a memory now that I can always take out and look at.”

But then he goes on… and on… about how he’s sure he’ll get over her someday, and how he’ll just have to heal his wounds with booze and women, all while growing old and bitter and alone and cursing her name. Hahaha. So funny when he’s petty.

He pets her on the head so adorably, and then turns to go. She calls out after him to ask where he’s going. He stops and doesn’t turn back, because his eyes are filled with tears. He says, “To cook ramyun,” and walks away.

She watches him go, and tearfully says to herself, “Goodbye, Pillar.”

She comes inside to find Chi-soo sleeping underneath the tree, which kind of kills me for some reason, like he just wants to be near it physically, because it gives him emotional comfort. She covers him with her jacket, wondering aloud how he can sleep.

But he’s awake, and without opening his eyes, he asks if she sent Onion off, and if she hugged him. She says yes. Chi-soo: “From now on, you can’t do that anymore. Onion isn’t your husband anymore. Because now he’s my hyung.” Aw, yay.

He asks if she’s going to visit him when he goes to the army. She sighs that yes, she’ll visit. Chi-soo: “Every day?” Eun-bi tells him that’s ridiculous, besides, it’s not like he can come out to meet visitors every day, and overnight leaves are given sparingly.

He gets up with a start. “Over…night? How do you know about that?” She looks in the other direction, trying to deflect, but he’s not letting it go. Did she visit overnight with Water Balloon? She turns her back, and he pokes and prods her, finally devolving into a tickle fight that knocks over the Christmas tree.

Ba-wool and Hyun-woo come out to find them love wrestling, and yell at them like parents to two teenage kids.

Time passes. Chi-soo’s flower boy posse is in the army, and they gripe about how Chi-soo got himself stationed elsewhere because he got to keep longer hair and the uniforms were prettier. Pffft. I’m glad to hear some things don’t change.

Kang-hyuk narrates that there are all different kinds of ramyun in this world. “Ramyun that’s bland because you can’t control the water.” Dong-joo and Coach out on a date on Christmas Eve, bickering over the little things.

So-yi is out on a date with I’m sure another “oppa she knows,” and they get a singing Santa telegram… played by Ba-wool Santa and Hyun-woo Reindeer. Omg. They are so cute.

Ba-wool realizes it’s So-yi and pulls down his Santa beard to yell up a storm about how he told her to wait till he got off of work. But she is still the same So-yi, and says that it all worked out ’cause look, she got to see him anyway! Keh. Kang-hyuk: “Ramyun that’s too salty because the fire burns too hot.”

Daddy Cha asks his secretary if he took care of the assets to be given over to Chi-soo, (Aw, I always knew you were a big ol’ softy, Dad) and then tells him to go home. The secretary looks back at the lonely President Cha with a sigh. Kang-hyuk: “Ramyun that’s been cooked so long ago that it’s bloated.”

Hyun-woo sits on the toilet in a public restroom, cursing Ba-wool’s name for ruining yet another part-time job for them. And then suddenly a woman comes storming into his stall, leaning in close. Ha, does he get his own reversal of the Eun-bi/Chi-soo meeting? Kang-hyuk: “Ramyun that’s not cooked yet, because it’s just begun.”

Eun-bi’s back to studying for the civil service exam, becoming extra cranky at a pair of neighboring students who are busy gushing over their love on Christmas eve. She goes to a convenience store to eat instant ramyun, as Kang-hyuk continues in voiceover: “And instant cup ramyun, that you eat by yourself.”

But as she’s eating, she gets a text from someone and darts out, running up to a bridge and searching through the crowd. There, standing on the other side, is Chi-soo, sporting jet-black hair. He greets her asking how his Eebeunie is doing.

Kang-hyuk: “What’s important is not which ramyun you eat. When you eat ramyun, the most important thing is timing.” Back to Dong-joo and Coach, who smooth over their bickering with a kiss.

Ba-wool storms back in the restaurant to pull So-yi up for a big dramatic kiss from Santa. Daddy Cha has a glass of wine with his secretary, not alone on Christmas after all. Kang-hyuk: “If in this moment, your heart is boiling over for someone, then right now is the best moment.”

Hyun-woo’s mystery woman calls him Reindeer Boy, and tells him that his eyes are pretty, leaning in for a kiss.

Eun-bi asks Chi-soo if he really went to the army after all, judging from his appearance, and he smirks that he’s Chwa – did she think he’d show up to see her in a ratty old soldier’s uniform?

She asks why he didn’t write back, why he didn’t call. Chi-soo: “Because if I heard your voice I’d want to see you. And if I saw you, I’d want to hold you. And if I held you…” He grins from ear to ear, “…I’d want to go AWOL.” RAWR.

Eun-bi: “Do you… call that an excuse, DOG CHI-SOO?!” HA. She storms over to him, all fired up.

But then as soon as they get close, they just melt at the sight of each other, and turn all gooey. Kang-hyuk continues in voiceover: “Other things don’t really matter. Ramyun just tastes best when it’s eaten at the moment it’s boiling over.”

Chi-soo takes her face in his hands, and they kiss, as the snow begins to fall.

 
GIRLFRIDAY’S COMMENTS

Auuuuugh, I LOVE this show. It’s so great to watch something that’s satisfying from beginning to end, that carries thematic resonance through everything, and stays comedic with a healthy dose of heart to the last drop. I love rom-com endings like this one – neat enough that we get couples and resolutions, but open enough that it implies that life is life and some relationships might burn too fast or too hot or not hot enough, but if you get the timing just right it could boil over for a good long while, and grabbing love while you’ve got it is what matters.

I’m so much happier with an ending that’s got a more realistic bent to it, that doesn’t make everything easy for our couple. No magic answers (though the magical lack of army hair makes me laugh), and no swooping in to save the day with a deus ex machina which always takes the wind out of my sails. Nope, just people continuing to live, choosing new paths and protecting what’s important to them.

It breaks my heart a little that the ramyun shop couldn’t live on forever with their little makeshift family, but then, it’s not the kind of life you want for Eun-bi or Chi-soo forever – they can’t be ramyun proprietors for the rest of their lives. That one last look at the empty ramyun shop gives us that perfect bittersweet tinge, like it was just the place and the time that they all needed to set them on their courses. And in that, the ramyun shop served its purpose just as Eun-bi’s dad had wanted – to provide her a home to come back to. But now it’s just not a physical one – it’s Chi-soo, and the shop is what turned him into the man (and human being) who could be that for her.

What I really love about the finale is that it’s more about Eun-bi’s growth as a woman than it is about Chi-soo. He actually made his big strides in the last episode, choosing for the first time to think of others before himself, and to sacrifice what HE wanted for the greater good. But the finale is about Silver Pot Eun-bi, finding her fire, her spike, and owning who she is, deep down. I love that she gets to be the prince charming who rescues the princess in the tower. THIS is what I wanted from Best Love and didn’t quite get, and why this drama totally rules. Because that reversal KICKS ASS.

She’s no damsel in distress, and she’s never been one – she just didn’t know how to be the hero. And the heart-tugging part is that Kang-hyuk helps her realize it, and physically arms her with the things she needs, like her running shoes, so she can go get her princess. Eun-bi has to be the one who realizes that Hwanung is not untouchable – you just have to be willing to reach the heavens to pull him down to Earth. It’s also a great way to bring home the age difference too, because in this case, Chi-soo really does need her to make that leap and rescue him, not just as a clever gender reversal of the fairy tale. I love that she storms in there and her declaration means that she will take responsibility for her man. So cool.

It’s always really satisfying too when the metaphors all series long get turned into the big climactic eureka moments for Eun-bi – like when her constant battle with constipation turns into a literal stoppage in the toilet, and trying to unclog it is what makes her realize that she’s got her heart all clogged up so that nothing of her real self comes through. Armed with the Plunger of Uncloggyness, she storms the castle to claim her love, which makes me laugh and clutch my heart and pump my fist in the air, all at once.

And that? Is why I watch dramas.

JAVABEANS’ COMMENTS

Aw, what a satisfying ending. Sometimes a finale will disappoint me enough to downgrade my opinion on the entire drama, but most of the time it confirms how I’ve felt all along. In a few rare cases, though, a finale impresses me and improves my opinion, and for me Flower Boy Ramyun Shop falls into that category (along with the recently ended Vampire Prosecutor).

I love the reversal of the fairy tale nightmare, which I wasn’t expecting to make a reappearance but which came back with surprising added meaning, which was hilarious to boot. I love that the dream represented something real, but that its re-enactment in real life wasn’t a call to let Fate take over and play out the way the dream dictated. Not when Eun-bi had sneakers on her feet and a prince to retrieve. And I love her declaration to Daddy Cha, using the words most often uttered by men when claiming a woman away from her family in marriage: “I’ll take him and live with him now.”

I also love that the endgame wasn’t the ramyun shop after all, because you know, in real life you can move and rebuild or find a new shop. It was framed as the endgame in Chi-soo’s mind because that’s the extent of power he held — to leave, and save the ramyun family — but when the others realized the full situation, they were able to roll with it. And as we saw in the epilogue, some things don’t change all that much anyway. A bromance, once nurtured by mutual ramyun-sharing, is not so easily broken.

Last of all, I love the message we go out on, when I wasn’t even expecting one at all: That ramyun is best eaten right away. When your heart bubbles, you honor that bubbling and you act on it — don’t overthink, don’t be a noble idiot, just do what you can when you can. It’s a lovely, realistic way to look at a romance that’s the furthest thing from realistic on paper.

But it makes sense to me, perhaps because I’ve never seen Chi-soo and Eun-bi as the kind of One and Only that defines a lifelong love; it didn’t seem like that kind of story. The drama means a lot more to me with this conclusion — that they get their happy ending, not because they were Meant To Be or anything so dramatic as that, but because they followed their hearts. Honor the bubble.

 
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Thanks for the recap. Off to read!

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Nice ending... but I'm bit unsatisfied...
The ending of drama has kinda bit rush and there are parts left hanging.
I was expecting that after two years the ramyun shop is still there and running because it's Eun Bi's Dad's legacy to her and also KangHyuk deserves to find another girl who will love him.

Anyways, I love the drama.
Thanks so much FBRS! Thanks so much for the awesome recaps!

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I agree. I want KangHyuk deserves to find another girl who will love him.

But finally, it was one of the sweetest final in Korean Drama. Love FBRS!!! Love Kang Hyuk!!! ^_^

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Indeed, it was a "feel good ending", but i also wanted to find out what happened to the Ramyun shop. And the other flower boys also had their share of romantic scenes which was really cute. Its definitely one of the best drama shows I've ever seen. Thanks once again for your insightful recap(s).

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What's the prize for this seemingly first come first comment contest? Did you even read the recap?

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I totally agree. I don't think it was just about Eun Bi; it was about all of them. I want to know how Ba Wool and Hyun Woo were doing besides the whole reindeer gig. Where Kang Hyuk was, etc....

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YES WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO KANG HYUK?!?!?!??!?! WHAT. WHAT. WHAT.

That was a terrible ending for him. It gave no closure whatsoever, and javabeans and girlfriday you barely mention him in your comments ):

Also, while it was a cute and fluffy ending, I saw very little resolution. No idea what Chi Soo is going to do next, cannot believe after all that Eun Bi is just back where she was at the start of the drama (totally thought somewhere in the course of the drama she would find a way to teach again or something) am annoyed about the Ramyun Shop just being tossed to one side and MOST IMPORTANTLY THERE IS NO HAPPY ENDING FOR KANG HYUK. For all we know he could just be spending the rest of his life pining for Eun Bi as he cries over ramyun :'(

P.S. I don't really care as much about this but So Yi didn't change at all. Well she changed a little, but not by much. I was hoping for some big act of love for Ba Wool or something from her, something that would redeem her from all her bad behaviour. Speaking of, I thought Chi Soo's development-into-a-better-person came way too late. The act of selflessness only in the final episode? sigh.

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Although I did like how Eun Bi remained herself all the way, and how she did the rescuing; the toilet plunger battle attack scene was just hilarious and truly memorable, and KH was so adorable in helping her :')

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I agree with a lot of this. HUSBANNNNNNNNNNNNNNND! Where are you? Come my way.

still, I enjoyed this drama a lot!

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yes i really agree bout kan hyuk's story's ending. was it really right for her to let him just walk away. i CRIED my heart out for him. YES. its life. YES its supposed to be realistic. but i think a little ending segment should've been there for him too. no, i dont think giving him some identical angry girl that he randomly meets would work...too cliche. but i do think he needed a new ramyun shop....or something. seriously ><
So Yi REALLY did not learn her lesson and that really pissed me off. people dont change. but howabout for the sake of those u love? Bo Wool shhouldve atleast gotten her to change. but of course, u could always say, thats life, for practically any shortcoming one could point out. but this isnt life :P its a drama x] and i loved the pillar and the runaway<

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Thank you very much! Yours are exactly my sentiments! I was so disappointed that this drama left me with a bad taste! Ugh! So disappointed! Cha Chi Soo has been so annoying from beginning to end! So how the hell will I like him in the end? Whatever happened to character development? And the Ramyun Shop, whatever the hell happened to the Ramyun shop!

And finally, this series promised to be an homage to the coffee prince, to the baker king, to the greatest love, to the secret garden! But I ended up loving those dramas even more for what they delivered that FBRS could have and did not!

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Are you SERIOUS?! Well, it tried to give each character weight as coffee prince did, but phailed. It laughed at baker king's makjangness but did not bring out the love/technique for ramen, plus the competition was bbong! It was cheeze of greatest love times 10 but the second male lead was bland. I saw the effort to use secret graden music and the manga romance moments in the kimchi kiss but those moments were less than satisfying. FBRS, you make me cringe. AND YOU MADE HUSBAND TWO DIMENSIONAL. For that, I hate you.

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If you have lots of complain about this drama, why don't you try to be a script writer? let's see if you can a create a story better than flower boy ramyun shop. You know? Jung Ill Woo who played the character of Cha Chi Soo in this drama, he just only followed the personality and attitude of his character here, because that's what's the script writer wanted him to do. Being an annoying person, is not Cha Chi Soo's fault, it's the fault of the script writer! You have to understand why did the writer make him like that, because if she didn't do it, then the drama won't turn out to be one of the best.

You know ? I like how the writer put some changes to the characters of this drama. Specially on Cha Chi Soo, we all know that he is annoying from the beginning, but the writer give him a chance to change his life, she makes Cha Chi Soo turned to be a good man for the sake of Eun Bi, because Eun Bi loves him....

I don't think that this series is a homage to those drama you've mention. F.Y.I Flower Boy Ramyun Shop had it's own unique story that couldn't be found in those dramas you've talk about!

Can I ask you? do you think an annoying person doesn't have a right to change his life and learn his or her own mistake? You know? changing the lives of characters is very important to script writers who made the stories of korean dramas...

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Flower Boy Ramyun Shop had only 16 episodes OK?
Now, if the writer wanted to have a happy ending for Kang Hyuk, then it's already another story...you know..............

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I have to admit I am bit of disappointed about the ending. I wasn't expecting a "serious" tone ending to this fluffy, flurry, laugh-out-loud comedy. I kinda wish Kang-hyuk able to save the store somehow and everyone can stay together in the same house cause there are magic, wonderful moments when they all together in the ramyun shop.

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This ending sort of remind me of 'Shut up flower boy band', which had the band to really disband and the members did not choose to come back together to play music. At first i was dissapointed with this kind of endings, but now i appreciate that they did have the realistic touch in them, coz there is no 'forever' in this world. What is most important is that through the band/ the shop, new love, brotherhood , friendship and even kinship are found, and they are going on and be cherished for a long period of time, even though they won't be forever.

Furthermore, for this show, it really wun make sense if the shop is going on. From the start we all know Eun Bi wants to be a teacher very badly and only helped out because of her guilt towards her deceased father. As for Chi Soo, he became a worker because he like and wanted to see Chi Soo everyday. Their intitial aims are not to bring out the best ramyun. They have their own dreams to pursue. So while the other 2 high schoolers are ready to slog their lives out for the shop since wherever they worked dun matter as they just want to earn money, with our 2 leads not in the right place, the shop cannot go on for long, even without any 'external distractions'.

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Did you notice Eun Bi looks like Yoon Yun Hwa of CNBLUE?

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0_0..oh really? ..i'm a big supporter of CNBLUE , especially yonghwa, but ive watched all eps of this drama and ive never noticed any ressemblance. Lol :) But i strangely think the actress that plays eun bi looks like Ha ji won, somehow, something about her, haha :)

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I really loved the idea that kang hyuk did the narration part for the types of ramyun at the end. I was literally crying when he suddenly picks eun bi up during her rescue chapunzel (lol.....this name is totally hilarious). The plunger was so funny. I was crying throughout the whole episode thinking I won't watch any of these people tomorrow. The love story between dong joo and coach was completely adorable from the starting to the end. I knew they were going to end up together but then I thought that it could turn out being something that is similar to what happened in personal taste. I totally wanted young sun (age-in's best friend) and sang jun (jin-ho's best friend) to end up together but sadly that didn't happen. Thank god nothing like that happened in this drama. I love love loved this drama and I hope there will be many more dramas like this which will be enjoyable from the first episode to the last.

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Thank you recaping this series.

Enjoyed the drama going to miss it. Probably rewatch it some time in 2012.

Click the internet address will take you Flower Boy Ramen Shop Week 33 Caption Photo Contest Contest if you are interested in participating it's the final one:

http://blog.dramafever.com/2011/12/flower-boy-ramen-shop-week-33-caption-contest/

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Thank you for this wonderful journey.
Flower Boy Ramyun Shop. ♥

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wohooo!!!!!!!!! its here! my hands are shaking, i'm so excited. havent read it yet! ok calm down. breath in and out :DDD

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thank you for the recap .. :)

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Awesome recap. Can't wait to see the ending. Thanks GF.

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Waiting all night for the recap. Thanks

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AWW...it just ended :( i hope for a season 2! hehee~

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Amazing finale!

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y did i feel like the question & answer over the bridge is somewhat fimiliar with the script from My Lovely Kim Sam Soon's.....

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Wait a minute,
Am i missing something here?
It looks like its not the final yet.

Has Chi Soo graduate from Highschool before he enter to the Army?
Is he still cut off from Daddy Cha?
What about his life next?

OMO.....

Thankyou JB and GF for the best recap ^^ luv u both...
You are awesome....

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Chapunzel?!?!

Girlfriday...I really have no words. Reading that kind of made my night :)

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Exactly my thoughts!

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Yes! Mine too! CHAPUNZEL is just hilarious!

(Just finished watching this drama!)

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THANK YOU SO MUCH. You filled in some blanks that were making me a little dissatisfied with the episode, thinking too many relationships were left hanging -- especially Daddy Cha's puzzling stubbornness -- but now it all makes much more sense and there is better closure than I'd imagined from watching without subs. Especially knowing that Eun Bi said she'd support Chi-soo!

CHAPUNZEL! :) I. Die. I'll still be thinking of that nickname when I see JIW's new Mane Of Glory in January (happy sigh).

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Oh my goodness Fiercdiva-

"CHAPUNZEL! I. Die. I’ll still be thinking of that nickname when I see JIW’s new Mane Of Glory in January"

-that comment cracked me up!!!

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Oh my goodness Fiercdiva-

"CHAPUNZEL! I. Die. I’ll still be thinking of that nickname when I see JIW’s new Mane Of Glory in January" I forgot he is going to have a crazy new hairdo. :)

-that comment cracked me up!!!

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Hmmm am I the only one who interpreted the dad's convo with his secretary about the stocks and assets in Chisoos name as him getting rid of all that ? (in keeping with what he threatened - so Chisoo inherits nothing). That was my take on it, at least. Which makes things so much more interesting and realistic
for me...
Thanks for.the recaps of.this series. Best part of the whole experience for me.

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that daddy-softy? who even had trouble restricting car privileges? He may not tell Chisoo about it, but his son is the only thing he values in the world.

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I agree he does. All of his actions towards CCS were misguided attempts at protecting his son from a fate worse than CCS oma.

It reminds me a little of that line from Finding Nemo:
Marlin: I promised I'd never let anything happen to him.
Dory: Hmm. That's a funny thing to promise.
Marlin: What?
Dory: Well, you can't never let anything happen to him. Then nothing would ever happen to him. Not much fun for little Harpo.

After all these years, I still LOL at Dory!

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that's my favorite cartoon and we're on the same boat here. this drama also reminds me of that movie...words are spoken metaphorically. I'm kinda into read between the line kind of thing. ^_^

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I also thought daddy Cha was cutting Chi Soo off completely, removing Chi-Soo's name from stocks and assets. It was the DramaFever inferred translation. This is why I love reading the recaps from JB &GF because they translate more accurately and tell us about the nuances like all the puns and double meanings. Their recaps enrich the story for me.

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thank u for recap!!ba wool short love story is so cute!!!

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ahhh, thanks a lot for the recaps.....
ramyun that's bloated...LOL...

I think I'll never look at ramyun the same again....

such a wonderful drama...

happy holidays....

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It ended! Why???!!!

Thanks for the wonderful recaps, girls.
Dramabeans made the whole viewing experience so much better.

I'm going to treat this one like an early Christmas present :D

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It has to be ended. Otherwise, a lot of us will fail all sort of school exams.

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That's my boy he dunnit again. Cant wait for KSH and HGI and JIW pairings next!

Who's up for JIW dibs? *__*

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Thank you so much for the recap. I've been refreshing all night! I was really happy with the last episode but so sad it's over.

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I've been waiting for this all night. This is one of the best shows I've seen. I just have to wait till Sunday to see it. Thanks guys.

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Oh my -- I just loved this drama. It was so perfect in so many ways. Thank you Drama Gods for this one!

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well said javabeans and Girfriday.. I totally agree that not only was this drama funny, but relatable and that Eun Bi did what she was set out to do..

Funny thing though, I didnt watch this drama in the beginning but I started reading your recaps from episode 10 and beyond. Little did I know that this drama was very good and worth watching. Now I really will have to watch and read your recaps from beginning to end to enjoy what this great drama has to offer.

Thank you so much for your daily and weekly recaps of this show.. without it, I'd be so lost in this good Kdrama! :)

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AWWWWW..
i'm going to start with this dramas :)))
I'm currently downloading all the episodes
it's my vacation and i'm going to marathon it.
Yesss!

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And dammit, it was Bawool and Hyunwoo who stole my heart. There's just something about the hoodlum tough guy and the softy kid becoming close bros. Especially when the hoodlum, Bawool, our resident Yankee (hahaha, ok, maybe not that much of a hoodlum) is such a big softy himself. AAAAAAAAAAAW. I'll miss my wittle Crazy Chicken and Soft Tooth too. X)

P.S. Kanghyuk our Pillar and adorkable resident Panda will always have my heart. Always. <3

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I agree, Ba Wool never really was that much of a hoodlum. Sure, his gang was into fisticuffs with other gangs, but later on they're described as the Spirit Gang that does bible study. So I think they are basically good kids. That came dressed in suits just for their Noona.

I had hoped for a little spin of happiness for our Panda, but, still, fairly satisfying ending.

The coach also reminded me of Secret Garden: "The chestnuts were mine, but the cheesecake was some other b--ch!" especially with those SG shout outs sneaking in.

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Poor Panda/Pillar/Onion. I love him so...

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Bawool and Hyunwoo are the cutest couple in the drama! So sad Pillar had to leave with tears in his eyes, but I guess that bittersweet farewell only made him more lovable.

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awwwwwwww... everybody has their own ending.. sniff.. goodbye show.. you gave your viewer (me) a warm tug in the heart.. Thank u javabeans and girlfriday! my whole week is now complete!
ps : pillar has no ending? just narrating?

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Thanks!!

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You're so freakin' awesome. Your coffee prince reference had me laughing really hard.

Thanks for the recaps as always!

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Eagerly waiting for GF's rating since she gave CP 10/10. Maybe it'll be 12/10?? ;)

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the best ending ever (as expected a happy ending), i would say this drama as the best of 2011...VVV it's really sticked u'r bud in front of the tv...and thanks for the recap, love it!VVV.

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i've been refreshing page like crazyy this morning..tks JB and GF .. ^_^

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Excellent recap! exactly why we all watch dramas indeed!

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OH MY HECK I loved this ending. I almost GEEKED about it on Facebook, but I didn't feel like I could, cause nobody would relate...but here I can just say OMG I think Girlfriday had it right, this drama finale? Best Finale EVER. I saw the episode raw, and loved it, even though I didn't understand half of the Korean, and then I sat up on Dramabeans WAITING for this recap so I could understand the ending better....and just wow at how AMAZING it was! I wanted to cry those awesome happy tears, because this drama? It got me, at the heart. I love the ending, I love the humor, I love the message about love, and just going for it, and OH MY GOSH I LOVE Chi Soo's black hair :D so flipping sexy. This was the perfect thing to read tonight, so thank you SO SO SO MUCH Girlfriday (and Javabeans too) :D I loved this sooooo much.

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Always following ur recaps. Great ending. Tq jb n gf!

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BEST. DRAMA. EVER!!!!!!!! I had a lot of expectations going into this drama, and let me tell you. It did not disappoint! Jung Il-woo is an amazing actor, and this only proves it. He can make you laugh or cry, he can make your heart ache with his character and soar with it. I am so amazed and impressed with him, I can't even begin to describe it. I commend all the actors for their hard work and would like to see Ba-wool and Hyun-woo in other stuff. Lots of other stuff. Kang-hyuk's ending was sad. But I like what he says, that he's going to cook ramyun. It's like he's going to go seek out other lost kids or adults that need help in making a family. I also hope that he finds a girl as crazy and kind as he. Chi-soo was hilarious and charming. And the poor prince was finally rescued. Eun-bi was the epic heroine. The best one of the whole year. She's not wallowing in self-pity. She goes out there and grabs what or who she wants with style. She's cool!

I liked the ending. No. I LOVED the ending! That is how every rom-com should end. With enough closure and enough open-ended-ness that you are satisfied to let it go. Like ramyun. Not overdone or underdone, but cooked just right. Flower Boy Ramyun Shop is a drama cooked just right.

Thanks for all the recaps, Javabeans and Girlfriday!

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Plus I totally agree with the comment "This is why I watch dramas". Seriously? YES. :D Chi Soo, I fell in love with, and I didn't expect to, because he was suuuuuch a spoiled brat in the beginning :) but yanno it's alright, because he's just so freaking cute here!!!!!!!!

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wow.. nice ending.. love it!!! thanks for the recap JB and GF..

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BEST DRAMA EVER!!!!! In all my years of watching dramas, I've never come across a drama with such tight writing and thematic juiciness. It's amazing how the writer has made something mundane like ramyun mean so much more. I will never look at a bowl of ramyun in the same way again! I just LOVE and am obsessed with the charaters in this drama, especially the AMAZING female lead with so much sass and panache! *LOVE* She stole the finale and that makes me LOVE this drama even more!

Javabeans & Girlfriday, the both of you ROCK! Your recaps are what dreams are made of. You put into words what I can only think about and you make my drama watching experience SO MUCH better because I am able to "see" things I might have missed! Thank you for all your time & effort!!!!! The Drama Gods have the both of you to thank for making dramas so much more meaningful!!! Your recaps are like English papers I used to write in School... only, I don't think I had the ability to write with so much WIT as the both of you! *hugs*

And.... "Chapunzel"? OMG. That is AWESOME. Hahahahahahaha.... *MAJOR LOVE*

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Excellent write up, Rinka, and I couldn't agree more about our awesome hosts!

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Both of them really deserve awards!! I can re-read their recaps as much as I re-watch amazing dramas like this one!

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Aww, cutest, most enjoyable drama ever. It's light and fluffy yet profound in its philosophical underpinings. Congratulations to the cast, crew and writers of this amazing drama!

Looking forward to Flower Boy Band!

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OMG. Yes! FINALLY! Tha-tha-thank you. What would I do without you?..

I've been refreshing the main page for about two hours... LOL I was impatient so I watched the raw episodes.. I got the gist of what was going on but dayum...

I really enjoyed this drama... From start to end, it gripped me and never let go. I can see myself watching this over and over.. coming back to it for a laugh, to swoon, as well as various responses.

Like what GF said, all the metaphors that produced that omo.. climatic eureka for EB made the end oh so satisfying.

Java wrote, "but it makes sense to me, perhaps because I’ve never seen Chi-soo and Eun-bi as the kind of One and Only that defines a lifelong love; it didn’t seem like that kind of story. The drama means a lot more to me with this conclusion — that they get their happy ending, not because they were Meant To Be or anything so dramatic as that, but because they followed their hearts. Honor the bubble."

Yes. Here, here. that was spot on. i still can't get over the cohesiveness, the reverse roles, the jab on fairy tale endings...

I can't believe it has come to an end. I wonder how Shut Up: Flower Boy Band will live up to this?...

Once again. Komapseumnida. ;) Your recaps got me to understand things that were lost in translation, enabling me to enjoy the drama even more.

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Oh, Chapunzel. Haha!
Thanks for the recap girlfriday!

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i loooooooove this drama.

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well, I guessed right about the gap - it was the army. what else.
... goodness help, now I keep imagining what if the same thing had happened to Edward Scissorhands... yikes.

too bad it ended, I would like to see more of that bunch. I did not really get the satisfaction out of it all, it was illogical and kind of nonsensical. but nevertheless heartwarming. some characters would have deserved a more solid conclusion (Kang-Hyuk)

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one of my favorite dramas of this year! loved it. thank you for the awesome recaps!!

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Chapunzel is funny, and I like that just about every character is being given some sort of future...except Kang Hyuk. Why?!

Why is it that only Kang Hyuk doesn't have a match in the end? He just ended up being a narrator. I don't like that. But, I guess there's nothing that can be done. Oh, the tragedy of the second leads! Argh!

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KH is not empty hand. i think he win the heart of his brother CCS. Also, he has broken through his anxiety, dating a korean woman with warm heart, experience a life journey filling with love, caring, mutual support etc. He is really a GOOD and RESPONSIBLE man......a.considerate boss and a wonderful brother......

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I agree at first I was disappointed that KH didnt get an "ending" like everyone else, but after thinking about it, its kinda appropriate that he is the narrator. From beginning to end he is everyone's pillar, even if he isn't part of their daily lives he's still watching over them. First drama I wouldn't change anything, even KH's ending.

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You have a really good point. It still saddens me, though.. :(

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Thank you. That was one drama that surprised me this year. Who knew from such fluffy promo that we'll get one of the most coherently written drama this year.
Thank you for your recaps.

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Thanks for the recap <3 [And now I can finally watch it in full! /gears up to attack DVD shops.]

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I'm sad that it ended. I'll defenitely miss our ramyun family.

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Its a 10/10. Enough said.

Thank you Javabeans and Girlfriday. Your recap and review completes the show.

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Thank you ladies for a the wonderful recap! Laste episode is awsome! Just awsome!
I love the part where she plunged her ex. ahahahahahaha
Hilarious! I'm laughing and crying at the same time.
This rom-com has one of the best ending I've seen in a long time. Thanks to the writer/s. ^__^

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Perfect. Just perfect. THank you so much, JB and GF, for introducing me to this drama. What a way to kick off the holidays! JIW, I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3

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Goodbye Ramen Shop. It was fun while it lasted.
Goodbye cute bromances galore.

And, thank you tVN for constantly surprising :D

I'll look forward to the next pretty boy line-up lol

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thank you sooooo much i really enjoyed reading your reviews ......i cannot wait till the sub are put.....every day my moring work is it read your reviews of my favo dramas . thank you so much for the speedy reviews...... i just loved the way it ended wow wow awesome drama .......great acting by chwaaaa chi sooooo ...from brown color hair back to black at the end :).i loved and enjoyed this drama so much

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