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Nice Guy: Episode 3

There’s plenty of win to go around, but possibly more so than that is the subtly awesome subtext undercutting each scene (almost more present than the actual text). We’re stuck in this whirlwind of wondering whether to trust what we’re seeing, and whether characters are being sincere or manipulative. I love that what we’re seeing isn’t necessarily what we’re getting, and that in a format we all may think we know, surprises are still possible, still exciting, and still just nerve-racking.

Ratings are on the rise, with Nice Guy neck and neck with Arang and the Magistrate at 13.8%.

SONG OF THE DAY

Scott McKenzie – “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” [ Download ]

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EPISODE 3 RECAP

We jump back a bit as Eun-ki tries to have a dialogue with a group of workers demanding her resignation, only to get egged for her trouble.

As she washes her hair we hear Maru’s voice listing off Eun-ki’s traits as though reading from a file: She’s first in line as heir to Taesan Group, and currently operates as the group’s Executive Director.

“Rude, arrogant, fastidious, cold,” Maru’s voice goes on to explain. “She has no friends, no hobbies. Shopping centers, theaters, museums, golf courses… they are her entire social life. Her only hobby is motorbiking.”

Strangely, she pulls out a Barbie doll and smiles fondly at it while she invites the doll on her ride. That’s… kind of terrible that Barbie is her only friend.

As Maru motorbikes, we see the end of the police station meeting with Jae-hee, where Maru finally spoke up and asked: “Can I ask you a question? What kind of world is that? The world that Madam lives in… just what kind of world is that? To frame an innocent man, to crush him. To let them lose their rationality. To let them give up on their life.”

He uses the term ‘Madam’ since that’s what both her lawyer and the police officer called her, but it almost seems sarcastic coming from him. Jae-hee turns on him and asks him if he would understand even if she explained how amazing and luxurious her world is. “Would you even be able to imagine it? A person like you?” Really? Really, Jae-hee? Really?

So now we’re back to the motorbiking scene from the last episode, and Maru successfully pulls Eun-ki to safety… only to have her try to scramble back down the cliff for her bike.

He thinks she’s nuts to try to save something that’s replaceable, but she’s in tears when she cries out that the doll is over there. Maru’s ready to drag her away forcibly until she cries, “Mom! Mom!” like a frightened child. This is definitely a side of Eun-ki we’ve never seen.

Maru puts the pieces together and volunteers to go get the doll, using a rope to rappel down to the bike, where he retrieves the doll. As he holds it up for her to see, the rope snaps, sending him falling backward…

Cut to: The opening credits. Man, with Gaksital and now Nice Guy, I’m kind of loving the new cold open trend.

Eun-ki seems pretty spacey as she waits in the hospital hallway, where a doctor informs her that sans a broken rib and a hurt leg, Maru will be all right. When asked about their relationship, Eun-ki replies that she doesn’t know him.

Maru wakes up to find her glaring at him, and the first words to come out of her mouth are about him having ulterior motives in helping her, perhaps looking for a lawsuit. Reading her like a book, Maru asks straightforwardly if her parents taught her to become more temperamental and stubborn if she had something she was grateful or sorry for.

Maru: “If you are grateful, you say ‘thank you’. If you are sorry, you say ‘sorry’. My parents were illiterate, uneducated people, but still, they at least taught me this well.” This does seem to catch Eun-ki by surprise, or at least get under her skin, and he cuts off any retort she could have by telling her that he did what he did out of his own volition. “So from now on, let’s pretend not to know each other.”

He shoos her out so she can rest, and as she limps away she flashes back to the accident and the loss of her doll, seeming to wonder whether Maru’s words were true. She can’t seem to understand why he would put himself in harm’s way for her and her doll, either still out of suspicion, or a low amount of self-worth.

While Maru struggles with his pain, Jae-hee flashes back to the angry fight Eun-ki had with her dad, which she overheard by eavesdropping. She smiled at the bit about Dad replacing Eun-ki with herself or her son, and holds her son in the present, beaming with pride as she tells him that they’re considered heirs now.

“You have to grab hold of it all,” she stresses to him. “The world that I can’t imagine, the world that I can’t even dream to imagine… Don’t be ostracized. Don’t let anyone take it. You have to take everything.”

Watching Jae-hee is the other family lawyer, Ahn Min-young. He knows that Joon-ha has been using another family asset, Secretary Jo, to dig up Jae-hee and Maru’s past. Since Lawyer Ahn is on Team Jae-hee, he tests Secretary Jo’s loyalty by asking for everything he knows.

Secretary Jo caves in and reveals Jae-hee and Maru’s intimate past, which is a truth that he’d purposefully kept from Joon-ha. (He’d lied and said there wasn’t a relation between them.) At least Joon-ha still seemed dubious that Maru was merely an extortionist.

Meanwhile, Maru gets a prettily sunlit scene to silently scheme. Try saying that seven times in a row.

At another family dinner peppered with lawyers, Eun-ki can’t seem to get Maru off her mind and absentmindedly writes his name over and over as she saw it on his medical chart.

The air grows even tenser as Lawyer Ahn gets a call from a doctor giving Eun-ki the go-ahead for a transplant as a donor, with her ailing father as the recipient. Dad hadn’t heard about any of this and reacts poorly, chastising Eun-ki for bothering with his health when she can’t even control the protests against her.

Jae-hee sees Eun-ki’s act of supposed selflessness as a way to ingratiate herself to Daddy Dearest, and so she takes Dad’s side and tells Eun-ki to listen to her father, in a weird motherly tone (considering their age difference).

So she turns the situation around, claiming that Eun-ki is the only one to take her father’s place when he dies of illness, and that she should guard her health. It’s all false sincerity, made to make her look better to Dad.

To make things worse, Jae-hee is all, Oh, I also went for transplant testing and I’m the best donor candidate since Eun-ki is far too precious to lose and I’m lowly and worthless anyway, which is So. Manipulative. But well played, Jae-hee. Well played.

And then she butters Dad up by cutting his steak for him. Eun-ki fumes silently. (It’s weird to keep calling him Dad when it’s Jae-hee, so I’ll just refer to him as Chairman Seo.)

Jae-hee’s machinations totally work, since Chairman Seo tries to put her name on one of the upcoming shopping centers, which she demurely refuses on the grounds that she’s only doing what a wife would do for her husband and needs no payment for love.

There’s a chance that she’s being sincere, but I’m not quite buying it, even though Chairman Seo is eating out of the palm of her hand by the end of her “I’m so selfless” song and dance. In fact, he wants to make the whole world aware that she’s his family, the mother of his child, and his wife.

So Eun-ki gets the word that Dad has announced that he’ll have a public wedding ceremony with Jae-hee. She finds her doll, and remembers when her mother gave it to her right as she was leaving the house for good.

Dad once purged Eun-ki of all her dolls, but Mom had held onto this one and gave it to her daughter as she wished her well. But she’d broken and asked Eun-ki to leave with her, which she flatly refused, “I will endure until I win. And after I’ve become victorious, I will crush everything underneath my feet. I will definitely never live like you, Mom. Running away and escaping just like a defeated loser… I, Seo Eun-ki, will never live like that!”

There’s a lot more going on than meets the eye, but it’s safe to say that Eun-ki staying and succeeding where her mom couldn’t is her way of getting back at the world, and her father.

But as for the doll, a secretary tells her that Maru gave it to her, which means he’d held on to it even as he fell. Also, he rejected a gift from Eun-ki.

Eun-ki decides to head to the hospital herself to deliver it, only to find that Maru has been discharged already.

Speaking of, Maru gets a weird goodbye text message from Choco, who tells him that she’s gone to the mother who gave birth to her. Her number is disconnected when he tries to call back.

Jae-hee follows him home, but Lawyer Ahn stops her from going inside, where Maru finds Jae-gil and his new girlfriend enjoying some spa time. When she notes how handsome Maru is, Jae-gil chalks it all up to plastic surgery. Hah.

Instead of Jae-hee outside, Maru finds Eun-ki, who launches into this spiel about how she’s never been in this kind of neighborhood and asks if the houses were built from leftover construction parts. Ha.

She asks him if she’s made him feel bad and says she didn’t mean anything by it, which I totally believe when it comes to her. But Maru is blunt where she isn’t: “Are you interested in me?”

Eun-ki’s caught off guard, but once again, Maru has read her like a book and knows that she’s compensating for her feelings by going overboard with her words.

He says it like her being interested is a bad thing, even though she claims that it’s because she doesn’t like to be indebted to anyone. Maru tells her that he’ll write off her debt and leans in close to illustrate his point before heading into his surprisingly nice car.

Choco’s goodbye didn’t last long, since she calls Maru with a bruised face, talking about how terrible her mother is while she gets chased by another ajusshi. Eun-ki lets herself in his car before he can drive off, and tears into him about his rude behavior.

Any attempts to get her out are useless, since him being prickly has no effect on her. She volunteers to go along for the ride just so she can keep admonishing him, and Maru veers off for some aggressive driving, which doesn’t scare Eun-ki one bit. (I also love that she calls him Ajusshi.)

They bicker back and forth in the car, even though Maru deadpans things like how they’ll be out of Seoul until tomorrow and how he’s not stopping at any rest stops just for her. Eun-ki just takes this all as a challenge, and tries to re-gift him her gift, which he declines, again.

Eun-ki: “Could it be that you want more?” She pesters him out of his silence, and finally he asks whether she’d give him something one-hundred times more valuable than her gift if he were to ask.

I love her retort that he should get his head checked, and he admits that since his accident, he looks at women differently. “When I saw you back there, I was a little captivated. A style like yours, before my accident, I was never attracted to.”

Now that it just got real Eun-ki wants off, but Maru has no plans on stopping until they get there. She stares holes into his head as he easily replies that his ideal type has changed since the accident, and now he likes women with bad tempers who are picky, and are like spinsters. Cue Eun-ki.

It’s interesting to see her so rattled, and it’s probably because she has a major crush. Well, who can blame her.

She does seem to stare at him for the whole drive, as though she’s studying him. Maru keeps his poker face, even when they finally stop in the countryside, where he nonchalantly bids her farewell after telling her to take a bus back to Seoul.

I like that his words are all, “I can’t help how beautiful I am” but always said in a dry, uncaring tone. It gets to Eun-ki, and it’s enough to have her following him around, even when he stops at a cafe where his mother(?) is getting harassed by a man looking for Choco.

Eek, and a tighter shot reveals that her face is battered and bruised too. The man is on a rage since Choco reported him to the police for domestic violence, which only makes the man more violent as he starts beating her because he feels so wronged. Can we send this guy the way of Eun-ki’s motorbike?

Luckily, Maru steps in, but the man’s actions end up putting him on the receiving end of Maru’s punches, which has him crying like a baby. To make matters worse, Mom(?) defends Mr. McBeaterson by hitting Maru, which doesn’t do well for his broken rib.

Eun-ki looks about ready to step in and help him, until Choco finally comes to hold Mom back.

Eun-ki finds Maru brooding later and offers her own brand of comfort by telling him that he looked pretty cool back there. It’s not much, but he takes it.

Mom falls under that class of battered women in denial, as she tells Choco that getting a beating isn’t so bad – after all, bruises just come and go. It’s not long before she drags Choco to Maru in order to lighten her own load, claiming that if it’s between her own daughter and the man who beats her, she chooses him.

So we find out that Maru and Choco are only half-siblings with the same father, but different mothers. Honestly, hearing Mom talk about how much she doesn’t care for Choco seems harder on me than it is on her, but at least Maru seems to be barely holding himself back when Mom spouts gems like “I don’t have that much affection for you anyway” and how she’d all but forgotten about the daughter she gave birth to twenty years ago.

After Choco goes off to get her bags, Mom tells Maru to call her when Choco gets married. Maru is trembling with barely-contained rage: “I’m not going to. I’m never… going to call you.”

Mom acts like she’s unaffected, but cries once her back is turned. Like before, Eun-ki watches everything in silence.

Maru and Choco have a wordless exchange, but Choco’s quick to ask who Eun-ki is once they’re all in the car. Eun-ki doesn’t know how to answer, so Maru steps in for her and just calls her a person he knows. When Choco asks if she’s his girlfriend, Maru denies it.

He’s all about car safety as he leans in close to put Eun-ki’s seatbelt on for her and checks his rearview mirror like a model citizen. Everything hits home for Choco and she starts sobbing in the backseat, and Maru expressionlessly hands her some tissues before turning up the radio to drown out her sobs.

You can tell Eun-ki is a little uncomfortable with the situation, as though she thinks Maru should be doing more.

We find Jae-hee cruising along, and get an out-of-place but not unwelcome series of closeup shots of Lawyer Ahn working out. I thought that there was something weird going on between them, since lo and behold, Jae-hee shows up to his place with a bottle of wine.

There doesn’t seem to be an affair going on, since Jae-hee seems to have come to confide in him: Her mother was a prostitute, she never knew her father, and her mother and brother repeatedly tried to sell her to a brothel.

She’s explaining her presence in Maru’s neighborhood earlier, since it used to be hers for twenty-five years. She talks about Maru fondly, as the man she loved like her own life, and how to her he’s like a house that always has the lights on and a warm fire burning.

Lawyer Ahn pours her another glass as she admits that she betrayed Maru when she killed someone and let him take the blame. And she betrayed him again in order to survive. She seems torn about it, at least, as she downs half the bottle in one go and admits that reaching the top of the food chain after coming from a life like hers still seems like a dream.

Jae-hee: “I want to stay in this place for a long time. If I am just dreaming, I don’t want to wake up till I die. Please help me.” And Lawyer Ahn starts wringing his hands. What exactly is she asking for?

Chairman Seo wakes up in the middle of the night to find himself alone, and starts seizing from whatever he’s sick with.

Maru drives Eun-ki home just as Lawyer Ahn is helping her out of his car, since she’s had a lot to drink. He sees everything, as Lawyer Ahn asks Jae-hee why she’d trust him when he’s served Chairman Seo for over twenty-five years, and could ruin her if he told his benefactor what she told him.

Jae-hee: “I know you won’t do it.” He asks why, and she knowingly replies that it’s because he loves her. Just when you think she’s being sincere, she pulls out these little hints of manipulation.

Then, she kisses him. Eep. Maru sees everything from the car, and if only Eun-ki weren’t asleep in the passenger seat, she would’ve seen too.

Jae-hee turns around as Maru gets out of the car, and he has no qualms about meeting her gaze. As Jae-hee looks terrified that she might have been caught, Maru helps Eun-ki out of the car by leaning close to her to unfasten her seatbelt.

That’s an extra shock for Jae-hee, but at least Eun-ki has learned from Maru’s earlier lesson and says ‘Thank You’ when she’s supposed to. She knows very well that Jae-hee is watching as she tells Maru: “Let’s meet again. You and I. Also tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, too.”

Maru smiles knowingly as Eun-ki smirks.

 
COMMENTS

It’s like a plan within a plan wrapped in another plan inside a MASTER plan, and I’m totally loving it.

This show does a great job of toying with our perceptions, and this ending scene was no exclusion. Take Eun-ki and her feelings – I’d be surprised if we later found out that everything with Maru was a lie, because there does seem to be a vulnerable part of her that comes out whenever she’s around him. Also, the fact that he can psychoanalyze her in the drop of a hat must seem new to her, since she’s used to putting a wall between herself and others at all times.

That’s why it’s a little unnerving that Maru rattled off Eun-ki’s traits like he was reading a grocery list, since we know from the premise that something is going on with him, but not how deep it goes. We know he looked up her favorite hobby so that he could conveniently be motorbiking on the same mountain as her, but how deep does it go? Did he plan the whole thing? Did he cut the brake line?

So I find it simultaneously cruel yet helpful that Maru talked out of Eun-ki the same thing I’m feeling now, which is her tendency to jump to negative conclusions first and always be suspicious. That’s why, if Maru is just playing her and Eun-ki is really falling for it (without a separate plan of her own), it’s about the worst thing that can happen to her in terms of ever trusting anyone again, EVER, since she’s been burned enough times to know better.

There’s a certain amount of the plot built into the premise, which is kind of sad when we’re just waiting for events that we’ve been told are going to happen to happen. It doesn’t leave me wanting, but it’s like the premise was a lot more straightforward than the writing is turning out to be, since we know from the premise that something’s up with Maru… but if we didn’t know that beforehand, we might not be able to tell. I mean, just look at that face.

Even now, I’m still having a hard time reading Maru, and that’s a nice surprise. He does seem like he’s being straightforward, but if it’s all part of some greater plan, then Maru might turn out to be the worst schemer of the bunch. Likewise with Jae-hee, it’s hard to tell when she’s got her manipulator mode on or off because she mixes her machinations with truths, which make me feel almost bad for her in one minute, only to be totally repulsed the next. That kind of girl is scary.

But so is Maru, if that innocent face is just a cover for the monster underneath. My nerves, they’re a wreck already.

 
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Sweeeet.

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actually im a lil dissampointed
cos whilst im watching this ep last nite
at the same time im watching GIANT
it turns out that most of my attention goes to GIANT

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are you kidding meee ?! this is by far the best drama of the season! but that's my opinion !

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No, it's understandable. Giant is K-crack.

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i just wonder.. why Eun Gi become sarcastic in front of her step mom when Maru is around.. does she know about their past relationship.? maybe there is also a mystery about it.

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Eun Gi is always sarcastic towards Jae Hee. She doesn't care if her father's there or if Maru's there: unlike her stepmom, who acts sweet towards Eun Gi when people are watching and acts different when their alone, Eun Gi's always rude to her.

Eun Gi can be blunt and harsh, but at least she's honest about it. It's people like Jae Hee that are scary; she can weave lies with half-truths so well, that if I didn't know she was lying, I would believe her. That crying act she did with the chairman? It just makes me more aware that the emotions we see on her face may not be the ones she's truly feeling.

I found the recaps enlightening. I forgot about how Ma Ru read Eun Gi's character description. All his actions towards Eun Gi looked so ...authentic and with no ulterior motives. I'm kind of feeling uneasy now, whereas before I felt kind of happy that Eun Gi found a nice guy like Ma Ru. (I feel all naive now. Why didn't I read the oddly short summary more closely?)

One thing I want to see by the end of this series is Ma Ru fullfilling his dream to be a doctor. He's too talented to remain in his bartender/gigolo position--and I'll be way mad if that ends up happening. So Ma Ru, I cheer you on in your revenge! While you're just as scary as Jae Hee, you at least have a half-decent reason. And it helps that you don't turn on and off your innocent and malevolent/scheming side. He always has that innocent, nonchalant face.

Odd. Now I want to see him all angry and riled up. He never blew up, even after everything. . . who else wants to see Ma Ru loose his cool completely? I wonder what it would take for that to happen?

This is my first comment, though I've been reading dramabeans recaps for awhile. Hello everyone!

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You should comment more often. I highly enjoy your insights :)

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So this is the first melodrama I've ever watched and I now fully understand the hurts so good mentality because even though I know there will be pain. I just can't stop watching. This show is addictive!

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It is totally addictive. Lol but do all characters in kdramas have some kind of supernatural healing ability? Because those bruises and cuts on Maru's face sure vanished quickly...

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The healing powers of make up remover...

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The interesting thing is that other than the the 6 years difference, 5 yrs jail time, and approximate ages of the main characters...time in the present is really not defined and forthcoming in this drama.

For example, broken ribs needs at least several days of hospitalization. But the drama is moving so fast we really think EG is sending gifts and MR is leaving the hospital the next day. Or how long time has passed in ep 4 when MR and EG see each other again.

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Time is not the only thing that's not forthcoming in the drama. Information and even character development is obscured and revealed strategically. The director and writers seem to be having a lot of fun playing with the audience's perceptions, which is awesome. The creative team is confident and I love it. It makes me feel like we're in good hands!

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Oh and another thing about time in this drama. The watch in the opening credits tellingly runs backwards. Similarly, there are repeated shots of characters as seen in the rearview mirror, as though to reinforce Maru's fixation on the past.

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Woah. Great catches.

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Yes, it's not too clear the number of days that have passed. But with the ribs incident I feel like Maru may have insisted on leaving the hospital immediately,because EG went to give the gift expecting to still find him at the hospital.
I really like to read these recaps as it helps me understand the episodes better. For example, the recap mentions that EG asked if Maru's house was made from leftover construction material, but when I watched the episode my English subtitles read "do these buildings even have permits". I think the "leftover material" comment makes it more witty.
Also, I already feel like it's so obvious Maru isn't serious about Eun Gi ,he is only trying to ruin Jae hui. But by the time EG figures this out and leaves him, he will realise he has actually developed feelings for her.
One thing I don't understand though, how can EG be so meticulous in finding out the money JaeHui withdrew was for a man, and this man happens to be the same one who was on the plane, but SOMEHOW doesn't even have a picture of him.
I love the storyline so far, and can't wait to have all my questions answered. It's 1a.m currently and I'm still awake watching this, I have work tmrw!! 😁

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I really liked how we got a larger glimpse of ma ru's family dynamic. Heartbreaking, really. This drama is so good so far.

Also, before I forget, I really like that sequence toward the beginning of each episode with ma ru dropping the pocket watch. I don't know why, but it goes so well with the drama.

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I know. It really speaks about the time he lost while he was in prison. It makes me think of how time is such a horrifying concept, if you think about it too much. Like, you can never get any of it back. Before he went to prison time was on his side but afterwards time is kind of besides the point for him, isn't it? It didn't think I'd like the theme song, but it's growing on me.

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And then, of course, Eun Ki apologizes to him with a watch. Interesting stuff!

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Wow interesting point. It's like EG offer happiness time to MR but he refuses. Now can he be happy again.

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OMG OMG OMG Princess Man reunion! As much as I heart Song Joong-ki, part of me (a large part) is excited at the thought of Park Shi-hoo getting all revengey in the corporate world.... Mmmmmm, what this storyline could do with a man, not a boy.

Though SJK and MCW's acting and characterisations are done so well.....

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RIGHT?! It's so cool that Lee Se Ryung's parents in The Princess's Man is Seo Eun-Ki's parents in this drama!! :D

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IKR!! This HAS to be a meta of sorts!!!

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I'm a bit on the fence about Jae-hee. I'll be really disappointed if Park Si-Yeon took on a character that's your traditional, straight up femme fatale because that'll just be predictable and boring. I'm hoping the writer takes us for spin and surprises us with a deeper more compelling character because although I find her intriguing, I'm nervous the writer will not take us there. Basically I want her to be the female version of Kimura Shunji and Ueno Rie combined. How daebak will that be?

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DAEBAK INDEED

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Totally. I would hate Jae-Hee less if she ended up being your atypical enemy.

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I think the comlpexity and possible manipulative aspects of the other two characters will mean our loyalities will start to split down the line.

Well, at least, I hope so!

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PSY seems to enjoy playing the gold-digging type.
Reminds me of her character in Story of a Man.

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Yes! That was what I was thinking too, that her character is similar to the one she played in Story of a Man.

The girl who was a childhood/college sweetheart with the male lead, but he went to jail and along the way she left him and sexed up with a richer guy. Childhood sweetheart wants her back, asks her if she's happy in her current life, but she condescendingly asks if he can "handle the riches". UGH hate her. She's more hateable (I know that's not a word) here though.

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Can't wait for Choco and Eun Ki to become friendly and stuff, Lord knows at her age Barbie needs a rest!

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Haha agree.

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LOL yeah that barbie is looking worse for the wear indeed.

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haha. Violently thrown on the floor, barely surviving a motorcyle crash..
I'd say this barbie deserves more.

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This drama has got me hooked and good! Love the interactions between Eun Gi and Maru. I hope that Jae Hee gets what's coming to her in the end. I can't wait to see it coming right back around to return her to her nightmare world.

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Jae Hee had better get what she deserves at the end and SUFFER everything she put Maru through and MORE. I sure hope she won't be let off the hook easy like so most drama villains. She can talk and CRY all she wants about how much she "loved" him but let's cut the BS- she loves herself infinitely more than she has EVER "loved" Maru. She may have cared for Maru but nothing more than a superficial level. Talk about being heartless. Maru loved her more than himself that he'd throw his life away in a heartbeat for her while she can throw him away while thrusting as many knives as she possibly can in the process, in a heartbeat.

I truly wish happiness for Maru and Eun-Ki at the end of the drama but being this is a melodrama with the biggest draw being revenge and amnesia in the process- there's gonna be plenty of bloody torture with body-count by the end.
Ha, I was going to try my best to ignore this drama since hearing about it so I won't put myself through this kind of angst but it's too addictive. :O What should I do. lol

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I think part of Jae Hee's motivation is that she feels she's suffered enough. You know, considering her family basically tried to sell her into childhood sexual slavery and all. I feel like for her it's more than about loving Ma ru and Ma Ru loving her; that's besides the point for her. For her what matters most is never being a victim again, never having so little power again. I think the possibility of that is really scary for her. Not that this excuses any of her actions. And, of course, it looks like Ma Ru is intentionally using Eun Ki; she doesn't have a say in her being used, unlike Ma Ru initially did. But I want Eun Ki and Ma Ru to end up happy, too.

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I agree completely. It's not about love for her, not even with her own son, I think. It's all about how she can grasp as much power as she can, with whatever tools she has at her disposal, whether that be beauty, brains, or her own child.

On a separate note, has anyone else raised the question of whether that son is Chairman Seo's or Maru's? The kid is what? 5? And Maru was in jail for 6 years? Methinks there's something to that, but I'd also hate for it to be true. It would crush Maru even more if the mother of his child tossed him aside so coldbloodedly AND stole his kid from him.

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The kid is 4 (clearly written on his character profile and said by JH herself in 1st episode). Maru went to jail for 5 years and the drama begins 1 year after he released from prison. If looking from the timeline, he is not Maru's son.

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I agree with you ladida; I also think Jae Hee's motivations go beyond just love. Yes, it's no excuse for her to do all that she's done, or what we think she has/is doing since we haven't seen the whole picture yet, but for sure, the darkness she lived has scarred her for life. To her, the life she's living now is a dream and the life she came from is her reality and worst nightmare.

I really hope there's more flashback of her and Ma Ru's childhood and what happened to her while Ma Ru was in jail. I'm curious to know that point of no return for her...and I hope there's one cuz I'll be angry if we end up with one dimensional characters!

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I want to know what she did after Ma Ru went to jail, too! How exactly did she and the chairman get together? Who was that man she (supposedly) kill? Why'd he get killed? I mean, does Ma Ru know the answer to these questions already? You can't just begin a story with a dead body and not ever return to it! This drama revolves around the act that brought about that man's death!

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Yeah, I have those same questions too and I can't wait to see how the story will unfold to answer them.

So far I'm finding JH's character to be the most interesting b/c from all the posting, there's so much hate towards her, but I'm not hating her for similar reasons as why I don't hate Joo-wal in Marang.

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This show will have me analyzing everything soon~ that's just so complicated and confusing. I hope at least one person in this show gets a happy ending, because as the show continues on, their plans are just getting bigger and bigger, then it will blow up taking down everything attached to it.
Thank you HeadsNo2!

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Wed/Thu's are daebak with Nice Guy and Arang. I get all the cute and heebie jeebie scary with Arang, then OMG humans are frighteningly cruel with Nice Guy.

They're both very beautiful to watch. The cinematography in both are appropriately stunning. The leads in both are just sumptuous to watch. The acting in both pretty fabulous.

Gah, this will be a long week ahead.

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In K-drama history.,the best drama always come from WED-THU drama slot..you shouldn't be surprise about this..
In record.,
most high rating drama come from this two night..,
Full House.,
Iris.,
My girlfriend Gumiho.,
Hwang Jin Yi.,
The Princess Man.,
My Girl...and more..
and don't forget about the rating monster drama
like My name is Kim Sam Soon.,Baker King Kim Takgu..
and this year rating breaker MoonSun..
That why i really love WED-THU drama because this year they show METS.,K2H.,RP.,TEM.,BM.,Arang.,Ghost and of coz NG...thanks for recap the best drama for this 4th round..

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I am so obsessed with this drama, and I might have gotten my friends obsessed too *innocent shrug*. I love how the parents from Princess' Man + Moon Chaewon have reunited! We don't get a lot of the mom, but I love the rapport and chemistry the family have with each other.

Park Shiyeon plays this type of character really well (Marine Boy & Story of a Man). The writing is amazing since I can't choose which team I want to win. The scenes between Jaehee & Eunki are always crackling!

No one in this world could dislike Song Joongki. He is an actor I have watched for a really long time. Tree With Deep Roots was one of the first projects to really show us a glimpse of the kind of acting chops he has. This drama is blowing me out of the water. I can't wait for this drama to progress. I'm already chomping at the bit this early. Nice Guy please don't let me down!!!

I agree that I have no idea what Maru's agenda is, and I think we're all waiting for the amnesia part to happen so that we can move past the setup.

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"No one in this world could dislike Song Joongki. He is an actor I have watched for a really long time. Tree With Deep Roots was one of the first projects to really show us a glimpse of the kind of acting chops he has. This drama is blowing me out of the water. I can’t wait for this drama to progress. I’m already chomping at the bit this early. Nice Guy please don’t let me down!!!"

Completely agree....addicted in the extreme 2 NGuy. I've hearted SJK since RMan w/ Ji Hiyo and have thoroughly enjoyed watching his impressive acting growth thru SSKS...TWDR. I've also read he's freakin brilliant in WolfBoy.

I so don't won't 2 watched a WEAK Eunki, brought on by amnesia. I wish they would fore-go/rewrite that scenario.

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haha, did they cast Eun-gi’s mom so they could complete the princesses man’s family? We’ve got mom, dad, and daughter all reprising roles in a messed up family. Modern-day style. Can we get park shi hoo to join in on this party?

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Haha! How weird would it have been if he were the one playing the lawyer? Maybe he'll have a guest appearance?

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Hahaha he should some guest appearance as a lawyer! (prosecutor princess, anyone?)

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oh yes.
i loved the character he played.

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I’m glad that we finally see Eun-Gi let her guard down – she expects that a kind gesture is never given without motive, always pretentious and never an easy target. Even if the description says Maru “uses” Eun-Gi, I’ll bet my cards Eun-Gi will be more than happy to make Jae Hee’s life a living hell, and they’ll both team up – only to fall deeply for each other and hopefully life happily ever after. No expectations about the ending though. This writer is not known for the happy endings.

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Umm hello new drama obsession.

I was intrigued by the first two episodes, but this one catapulted me into full blown LOVE. Best thing I've seen since The King 2 Hearts, hands down.

There's just so much depth and subtlety to all elements of this show--the acting, the writing, the directing, even the music and lighting (GORGEOUS lighting). I love the black/white color scheme that seems to be governing the costume design, and similarly the use of shadows in the lighting. Both reinforce the good/evil duality that the show's exploring while also complicating it. ALL characters are to some extent struggling with their own inner darknesses, just as all of them (well, maybe with the exception of the demonic chairman) have their redeeming qualities. Some more than others, naturally. (Jae Hee! Bitch is SCARY!!!)

I don't believe for a second that Eun Ki doesn't know that Maru's the mysterious doctor who saved her. She is too guarded and paranoid to open herself so willingly to a stranger, no matter how disarming he is. I would be shocked and more than a little disappointed if it turns out she's unaware. And just watch that last scene and tell me that she wasn't reading the situation like a boss and asking Maru out (loudly!) just to see how much she could make Jae Hee's skin crawl. Oh, she knows all right. Which is not to say that she's not falling for Maru. I think it surprises her that he's actually a decent person.

I just adore the subtle ways in which we're told just how perfect Maru and Eun Ki are for each other. Insomniac Eun Ki falling asleep (!) in the car with Maru (!!) who she let DRIVE HER AROUND even though she always takes the wheel (literally and figuratively) in her relationships! Maru's repetition of the same phrase that he used when taking the blame for Jae Hee's murder--that it's not her fault because he made the decision himself--and the fact that it doesn't work on Eun Ki! She refuses to let him just self-destructively absorb responsibility and shows more concern for his well-being after meeting him twice than Jae Hee did after knowing him for 20 years! The fact that he compulsively tries to protect everyone around him, and that everyone but Eun Ki takes advantage of that! And indeed, how quickly her walls start to fall down when she encounters someone who genuinely seems to be a decent guy and who desperately needs someone to look out for him for a change! And Eun Ki actually feels the impulse to protect him when Choco's horrible mom starts attacking him! Eun Ki, who's probably never met a person who didn't just selfishly take take take and then viciously fight over the remains!

And ooooh, Jae Hee's terrifying PhD-level ability to manipulate those around her. She goes beyond manipulative--she's a sociopath. I'm not even kidding. More proof that Eun Ki is not paranoid; she's realistic. And how repulsive was Jae Hee's characterization of Maru? He's not a person to her, he's a home. She doesn't care about him even now; she only remembers him in terms of how he has taken care of her and protected her from the elements.

Heads, you make some really interesting points about how limited our view of Maru (and actually all of the characters, come to think of it) is. Part of me really hopes that he's not a total evil puppetmaster (because Eun Ki is the most sympathetic character by far for me and I couldn't bear to see her broken because of him) but part of me thinks that would be pretty awesome.

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Heartie, love that you are enjoying this show as much as I am!
Totally agree with you about Eun-Gi. I mean, she has to know that Maru is the same guy who saved her in the beginning. That end, where she looked right at Jae Hee and then practically slapped her across the face by asking Maru out. She has to know at least a bit of their history. And then Maru's devilish smile at the end. Come on. Something tells me they're both conscious with using each other to get back at Jae Hee. But that doesn't mean Eun-Gi doesn't like him. She definitely be crushin'. I mean, with that face, who wouldnt?!
I absolutely LOVE the fact that both eun-gi and maru's motives are still somewhat blurry. We don't know for sure the exact details of his motives/planning for revenge. So the question is if whether or not he really did go to the dark side. And eun-gi. I don't think she's really falling for him as much as she's letting on -- girl is definitely playing her cards well.

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So excited to have something really meaty to discuss on these boards! I too love that the director is taking a strong hand in strategically obscuring and revealing the facts. It reminds me a little of the first half of Big, which (for all its faults) did an excellent job of playing with the audience's perceptions of the characters and reality. The direction and the storytelling is so assured, I can't wait to slowly learn more about these characters and their actions.

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Omg, I LOVE your analysis of Enu Ki and Ma Ru's relationship. every time I see them I have to hold myself back from whispering, "You belong together," at my screen. One thing I noticed was how they both invade each other's spaces, Ma Ru with how he gets all up in Eun K's face and with his buckling her seatbelt, and Eun Ki with her getting in his car and witnessing his familial dysfunction. And I was clapping my hands in delight when he was such a serious driver because when he was on the plane he asked if Eun Ki had ever been in a car accident! Squee! And even better, they both use the same tactics to try to unnerve people; Ma Ru initially drove his car recklessly to get rid of Eun Ki, just like she did to get rid of that guy who was stealing money from the company. God I love them.

I like your interpretation of how much Eun Ki knows, too. At first I thought Ma Ru was totally playing her, but now, after having read your comments, I can take hope that she won't be totally screwed over!

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YES! They are SO GOOD together! And great point about Maru driving recklessly just like Eun Ki did in the first episode. I noticed that too. These two are too perfect for each other.

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Exactly. The ending of ep 3 made me doubt that she doesn't know who Maru is or what he wants from her. I'm sure she has an inkling.

Eun Gi is someone that doesn't waste time i.e. doing work from the hospital, getting down to work after bathing without even changing, etc. So for her to jump in the car with Maru and not care how long it takes, just for her to get him to accept her gift.... Idk. Just seems a bit off to me. Considering how angry she was in ep 2 with Maru for saving her when he wasn't even a doctor. Plus she did her research on Maru, so I don't think she doesn't know.

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I totally agree! During the whole episode I was wondering why Eun Gi was wasting time so carelessly when she's supposed to be running the company too, so when I saw her look at the end of the episode I got convinced that she had that planned out!

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@lemon & Waca: Yes, totally. Unless Eun Ki got a personality transplant, I just don't buy that she suddenly did this extreme 180 and abandoned work to follow some random guy around. I don't care how hot he is, haha.

And it just makes the Maru/Eun Ki relationship so much compelling for me if she knows more about him. I so desperately want them to team up together against this corrupt messed up world, rather than destroy each other because they have been taken advantage of their whole lives.

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I'm so curious. Why is there such a discrepancy between our perceptions? Did I miss a scene while subbing? From my perspective EG has information to make the connection that MR is the same man who saved her on the plane aka blackmailer.

Lawyer Park hasn't shown EG MR's picture, nor has he seen EG's "new boyfriend" aka motorbike savior. Lawyer Park nor anyone else has also not been ordered by EG to investigate the motorbike savior aka MR. Is this an assumption that Writer Lee and PD Kim will reveal that EG knew all along...? Or did I miss something?

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*does NOT have information to make the connection that MR is the same blackmailer/phony doctor.

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She should have remembered the name while doing extensive background check on him.
Kang Maru is an easy name to remember me thinks. Given how smart she is i'd say she remembers atleast that.
She has to know. At the end of ep. 2 when she shot Jae Hee that look and then asked maru out the next day, and the day after that, tells me she knows of their history, which in turn would verify what she found out when she was given the background check.
or, we could all just be assuming, and the direction of that end scene in ep.2 could just be misinterpreted.

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But there is no indication that she knows the phony doctor/blackmailer's name. She has not personally seen him, or investigated him. She had Lawyer Park do it. And as we all know he hasn't been given correct info either.

There is still a possibility that PD Kim wants to reveal this all later on...even though there is no look of suspicion or recognition when EG saw MR's patient name tag at the hospital.

I'm not saying this isn't a possibility, but from the current eps, there hasn't been any indication.

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Ditto what ilikemangos said.

We of course don't know for sure right now, but these are the reasons that I think Eun Ki knows Maru is the one who saved her on the plane:

-Eun Ki's spies on basically everyone in her orbit. It's her modus operandi.
-She has essentially unlimited resources to investigate Maru, and a simple background check on him would reveal that he was arrested recently for the blackmail incident. Yes, Lawyer Ahn is corrupt, but he's far from the only source of information that Eun Ki has access to.
-EK is a total workaholic. Do you really think she would abandon the job that keeps her up at night for an entire day just to apologize to some random guy?
-Furthermore, as Jomo mentioned further down in the comments, EK is even wary of letting her four year old stepbrother into her life. Her first impulse when Maru saved her on the plane was to sue him. Why would she suddenly feel this great sense of responsibility because he saved her (after nearly running her off the road, mind you)? And given how suspicious she was of Maru the first time he saved her, why wouldn't she be even MORE wary of someone who saved her under shadier circumstances (racing with her when her brake cables are cut)?
-Eun Ki constantly watches Maru as though assessing him. Particularly when she watches him interact with Choco's mom, Eun Ki looks almost like a detective sizing up a suspect.
-Rewatch the last scene of the episode. As soon as she realizes that Jae Hee is watching her and Maru at the car, she LOUDLY asks him to date her and gages Jae Hee's reaction the whole time. You can tell that scene is entirely for Jae Hee's benefit and that Eun Ki is enjoying JH's horrified response, too. It is crystal clear that Eun Ki is asking Maru out so that Jae Hee will overhear and get jealous. Why would she do any of this if she didn't know that Jae Hee is somehow connected to Maru? It just doesn't make sense.

No, we don't have concrete proof that Eun Ki knows...but look at what ELSE has been left out from the episode. Someone tried to murder Eun Ki by cutting her brakes. Given her character, do you think for a second that she would let slide an overt attempt on her life without getting to the bottom of it as quickly and efficiently as she knows how? I cannot fathom how the Eun Ki we encountered in the first two episodes would delay an investigation of who cut her brake cables (and with it the possibility of implicating Jae Hee in the crime) just to apologize to a random guy. I don't care how handsome he is or how much she may like him, I just don't buy it.

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Lols, I understand where you're coming from. Going to play devil's advocate here.

1) EG orders all the investigations and I'm sure her spies know her "get to the point" personality. Spies have not come across MR as Motorbike hero yet.

2) Per EG's thoughts: Brakes not working happens, esp since I probably abuses my brakes too much. Motorbike is already crushed and ruined. And she was in a daze after the accident.

3) She was preoccupied over her father's pending very-public marriage ceremony, JH, and business in general.

4) MR left a deep impression on EG. Further more when he rejected her gift. There is every bit of reason for EG to fall for this guy so easily. B/c he does read her like a book...he's so different than anybody she's ever met. Plus, there's something about a person risking their life for your precious doll that touches you, even if they want something from you.

5) There was no time wasted before EG found out all about MR's family dysfunction, before she even order/hear reports about MR given #3 above. It strikes a cord with EG to have similar dysfunction. EG believes in herself and what she sees/feels/analyzes. It's obvious she's a very emotional person underneath all those cold walls built up.

6) EG rubs it in to JH that she can have a young, devilishly handsome, and charming boyfriend, while JH can not. Sorta like gloating about a cake JH can see, but can't eat - she's now a married woman who'll be known publicly to be attached to EG's father.

Don't worry hon, I'm sure Writer Lee and PD Kim will sort this out for us. I think it's so interesting that we have so many diverse perceptions on these characters' motivations. Makes for great debates - which I love. :)

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LOL, I'm not convinced but I LOVE that there is so much depth and mystery to this drama that we are both able to have well-reasoned, logical, completely opposite opinions on something as major as this. I think it speaks to how well this show is being constructed. I can't wait to continue debating the show's mysteries with you in the future! :)

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I know I wouldn't. ;) But that's OK, having a different perspective is what makes this all interesting. I wish you would go to Soompi's NG forum too. As much as I love all these debates here, scrolling up and down gives me a headache. You'd be surprised at how lazy and fastidious I can be. Lols.

Oh and I'm too lazy to scroll down to reply (see?) but I'm so intrigued...Do you think this absolution that MR is trying to go through with...is it to also keep JH by his side? I can't convince myself that MR does not still love JH.

Also, in Ep 4...why do you think Writer Lee/PD Kim let MR hesitate to shake hands with EG as you tried to break up with him? Do you truly think it was only out of wanting to prolong his affiliation with EG?

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I'm totally prepared to eat crow (and send a sternly-worded letter to the writers) if I'm wrong, haha.

And yes, I absolutely think part of this "revenge"--maybe the driving force of it, actually--is to keep Jae Hee by his side, even though that pisses me off to no end. I doubt he would actually take her back, (*MINUSCULE SPOILER, SO UNSPECIFIC AS TO NOT REALLY BE A SPOILER AT ALL BUT I MENTION THE NEXT EPISODE SO I'LL PUT A SPOILER ALERT*) especially after the events in episode 4. But you never know. Jae Hee is crazy manipulative and Maru is like a boat without a sail.

Jae Hee has been the center of Maru's universe for so long, I honestly don't think he knows how to live outside of her orbit. In vowing to take her down, she's still dictating the terms of his life. He is still single-mindedly devoting himself to her, just to different ends. Rather than protect her, now he wants to destroy her. But he's not any less under her spell.

I know a lot of people are impatient for Maru to turn dark and go revenge-crazy, and I am absolutely looking forward to seeing this horrible family (sans Eun Ki) implode, but after he goes through all of that, I would love to see Maru get to a place where he can be completely, 100% indifferent to Jae Hee. That woman does not deserve to have such control over his life. And I really hope that being with Eun Ki helps him see that.

I don't really want to get too into episode 4, since I'm sure a recap will be forthcoming, but honestly I don't know exactly what to make of that. Maru is still the most opaque character for me in the show, interestingly, especially when it comes to Eun Ki. The ending of the episode was DAEBAK, though. OMG. Ok, that's all I'll say.

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Also we must totally reconvene in the episode 4 recap, because I'm dying to get your perspective on some things from it. It's fun to have an intelligent convo with someone who has a totally opposite interpretation! Hehe.

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I do believe this might be a case of reluctant star-crossed lovers. As cold as EunGi and Maru may act, as calculating as their minds have been trained to become, they are still uber vulnerable people.

From what I'm getting... it looks like they both plan on consciously using each other: EunGi to rattle JaeHee and to dig up enough about her past to dethrone her as the "evil" step mom. Maru to either take JaeHee from this world she doesn't belong to while she might have an iota of humanity left (she does, after all, hesitate every time she stabs him in the back) or to just take her down with him.

It's obvious that EunGi and Maru have chemistry and that both have revealed a vulnerable part of themselves that was completely unplanned: Maru had not planned for EunGi to see what went down when it came to picking up Choco from a dysfunctional, abusive and piss-poor situation. And EunGi did not plan for Maru to see her lose her sh*t over a doll that is so closely tied to the memory of her mother.

In any case, I think they're both cool with using each other for the present.

But it's going to get even wayyyyyyyy more intriguing to watch once they realize that their feelings are real around episode 7 or 8. (Isn't that around the time characters mutually acknowledge their feelings for one another in dramaland?)

I still wonder what the deal is with EunGi's lawyer. He's way more concerned about her than he should be, just like the Chairman's lawyer is, well... it's already been revealed.

EunGi's lawyer looked way too nervous during her just-stepped-outta-the-shower scene. I mean, wouldn't a gay man be either SCARED or totally comfortable with exposed lady bits? Her lawyer kept looking like he's doing his best to look away, and scared out of his mind that a part of him's still trying to sneak a peak. (Did we NOT see his gorgeous eyes flit back and forth whilst she was standing in her towel?)

I wonder what his ties are to her. He just seems to care too much about the ice princess's welfare, even for a gay lawyer friend.

INTRIGUE INTRIGUE INTRIGUE

This is a drama that really shines in all those little gray areas.

Though JaeHee bothers me, her inner conflict is supremely evident. It's like she's been trying to kill her humanity and vulnerability from the get go (with the exception of her golden time with Maru). You can see her killing a little bit of her soul every time she betrays Maru, and for her, yes, it's a painful process.

The tension is so interesting because the situation on all sides are precarious, like plates being juggled and jostled for balance on moving sticks.

EunGi has so much to lose, JaeHee has so much to lose.

Her Chairman dad is pretty close to dethroning her as heir. Their relationship is nothing short of toxic and she's not winning any allies in her company with her icy demeanor and hot temper. Even if the Chairman were rooting for his daughter, she's like a caged animal, a battered rescue dog, ready to bite at anything and anyone who approaches: in effect, she may well be a poison to his company if she continues her ways. If only she could let go of the chip on her shoulder, and all that anger, cuz she's got such an intelligent head on her shoulders. Tragic.

And it'll be a challenge for JaeHee to keep the Chairman from knowing her behind-the-curtain manipulations and her affair with the one person he trusts most in the world -- the tragedy lying in the fact that she's not even in love with the lawyer, who, too, is also well aware of this fact. I think it's really her ambition and greed that will be her downfall.

She really only had to continue playing the part, it seemed EunGi would have been dethroned eventually if she'd just let it play out. In some ways she's not too different from EunGi. Tragic.

And Maru's pretty much lost everything, so he has much to gain depending on where his loyalties will ultimately lie.

I mean, there's a reason why he doesn't out the fact that he saw JaeHee kissing the Chairman's lawyer just a few moments ago.

It's delicious and nerve-wracking to watch, the way they all bait each other.

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On the dramawiki site, there's a correlation chart that shows all the relationships/connections between the characters in the drama. It shows Joonha with a one-sided love line connecting him to Eunki. So I think it's safe to say that someone is not actually gay. Ahem.

source:

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Oh, she knows all right. Which is not to say that she’s not falling for Maru. I think it surprises her that he’s actually a decent person.

Perfectly put.
I also think she knows, but remember, what she thinks she knows isn't true.

Yes, JH and MR know each other.
Yes, this is the guy who saved her.
but
No, he was not blackmailing JH because of her past drug history.
No, JH did not hire him to kill her on the plane.
No, there is no current connection between them.

She must know that he returned the money. Her spy noticed it went into his account, wouldn't he report that came back out?

I like that Maru says, "What if I ask for something even bigger than a watych? What would you do then?" because he totally is going to do that later. He is being upfront about his plans to manipulate her.

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her spy didn't notice that. she was only informed that JH took out a large sum of money. plus, maru never deposited the money.

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I thought JH transferred the money into his MR's account, which he withdrew in cash are returned to her.

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One thing I find hard to grasp is how these people view eun-gi as too “weak” to handle this company. I mean come on, have you MET her? And her dad keeps saying she makes stupid choices – I say she gets the job done, even with her over-controlling ways.
That epic, blunt voiceover.. “Rude, Arrogant, Fastidious,Cold. No friends, no hobbies.” Ha I love her. Probably cause k-drama land rarely ever makes this kind of character the heroine, so it’s so nice to see something new.

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Yeah, I don't get that either. I could maybe understand that if they were referring to her physical condition, since she seems to have some serious health issues. But she is CERTAINLY someone who could handle herself (and hand everyone else in the room their heads on a platter) in a board room.

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I think her dad is anti-women especially in the business world.

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Her dad's just an abusive asshat. I feel like he's one of those people who takes pleasure in belittling those around him. He calls her a failure, and then if any little thing goes wrong (and wrong is anything that deviates from what he wants) is confirmation of it, and he glories in it. Ugh, I hate him so much. I'd be perfectly happy if Eun Ki and Ma Ru teamed up to take his company away from him and then sold it off, just so he could live to see his life's work taken away from him.

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Yeah, good point. And the fact that Jae Hee has him wrapped around her little finger just speaks to how scary she is. When she was crying with him in the car about how he shouldn't repay her for the transplant (subtext: give me your company), I simultaneously thought that she should be institutionalized AND given an award. Wow. Those two seriously deserve each other.

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Actually, I think it's the fact that she has morals which makes her father view her as weak (though his hatred of women probably has something to do with it too). For example, when Eun Gi wanted to make some concessions to the workers' union and establish a good relationship with them, her father accused her of being stupid and naive. He seemingly wants her to be completely ruthless; that being the case, Jae Hee might very well be a better company leader from his point of view -- except that he doesn't actually know how ruthless she is.

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What makes this really intense is that we don't know how much of their actions are sincere, or part of a scheme. AND. I. LOVE. IT.

I used to feel bad for eunki completely when i thought she would just no-questions fall in love with Maru and that Maru was the only one scheming. So to see her be the proactive one in seeing/dating him, makes me feel better. It still does suck for her, but she was the one who gave Maru the opportunity. But she sort of started it, clearly she has a plan to use Maru as well.

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"What makes this really intense is that we don’t know how much of their actions are sincere, or part of a scheme. AND. I. LOVE. IT."

And I, too.
So. Anxious. So Curious.

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Yay, I can now properly hate Jae Hee now. There’s only one villain I hate more in k-drama than an evil one. It’s the evil one that pretends to be an innocent lamb when it’s really a manipulative snake. She’s playing that pity/guilt card. That car ride where she’s all “Don’t, worry, don’t give me anything,” I was like, don’t fall into her evil trap!

p.s. I am major crushin’ on lawyer joon-ha. Face so flawless, so handsome!

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OMG Lawyer Joon Ha makes me swoooon. Why can't we see him working out instead of stupid Ahn?

Also! New theory! I think that Jae Hee's child is Lawyer Ahn's.

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omg i was possibly thinking that while watching this episode. that the kid might be lawyer ahn's (lol, in makjang mode here) BUT it seemed like when she was talking to him that she was outing his love for her for the first time.. so it seemed like he was trying to hide his love for her. It doesn't seem like they had an affair.. considering how taken aback he is by her confession that she knows that he got a major crush on her since forever..
Then again.. anything's possible in the melo-kdrama world.

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Totally makjang, haha. And yeah, I was sure about it earlier in the episode (when it became clear he had a thing for her and she was capable of doing anything to get what she wants) and then not so sure by the end of it b/c of his reaction. But the fact that he knew her/loved her before she married the chairman really piqued my interest. I think that they had a fling (who knows what she slept with him for--certainly it was not for love), she found out she was pregnant, never told Ahn it was his, and pursued the chairman to secure money and social standing for her kid. The fact that she points out that he's always liked her--he used to and he still does--makes me think that his surprise could be that she knows he's never stopped liking her & likes her even now.

I dunno, it's just a thought...because I really don't think the kid is the chairman's.

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I hope it's not Maru's! I hate it when dramas do that... haha... I guess it's impossible for Jae Hee to get preggers because Maru was in prison for 6 years...

I hope it's Lawyer Ahns! hahaha and yeah... I don't believe it's the Chairman's either... Oooohhh Jae Hee, my skin crawls because of you!

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Is it bad that I'm *hoping* the kid isn't Chairman Seo's? Double backhand to Jae Hee, stripped of rights to the company and Chairman Seo, stripped of his dignity...!

Now look at me. Seems the manipulation virus is contagious, because what'd happen to the kid if he's disowned?!

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I hope the child is MR.

The lawyer just followed JH around perhaps and kept quiet what he knows of her comings and goings because he was infatuated with her.

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Oh dear god I hope it's not Maru's kid! He has enough emotional ties to Jae Hee; I don't want yet another (even stronger) connection to emerge.

And Saner, I TOTALLY feel ya on the hoping it's not the Chairman's son. Though I justify it by saying the kid will be better off without a father like that. Not that his mother's any better. Yeesh.

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waaa.....this drama only need 2 episode to make Arang nervous..
AWESOME...
Nice Guy daebak!

i believe they will rip Arang when MCW got amnesia..!

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from the rating from ep. 4, they already have.. but just by a tiny bit only

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but Arang is really good show though...i equally love Arang and Nice guy.

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so far so good. thanks headsno2

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I watch this drama and aLso read your recaps
thank u for the hard work!!

The acting in this drama is very good, I feel so absorb with all the scenes and characters. I love the dialogue between eunki and maru in the car. And when eunki was analyzing the motorcycle accident, maru saving her feels so sincere.

Im already addicted in this drama in terms of all level. SJK and MCW are the best!!

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it IS good that this plot is turning out to be so twisted... but I fear this is gonna lead to lots of heartache and tears when everything goes up in smoke. oh no... I have an ominous feeling.

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LOL! SugarPunch, what makes you think it'll all go "up in smoke?" Have you watched LKh's "Will It Snow for Christmas?"? Of course there is her "A Love To Kill"....

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I am literally obsessed with this drama! I'm dying, having to wait every week for it to aired then for subs to be up.

I really love the writing and depth that this drama offers. Jae Hee with that attorney, whoa! Didn't see that coming, just had a feeling but wasn't sure. I love Maru and Eun Ki together too. They have amazing chemistry and I love how the two of them both have plans of their own but in the end, both of their plans involved the fall of Jae Hee.

Really looking forward to the next episode!

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I'm like, legit getting chills from this show. Hmm...judging from how he was giving us a whole list of traits on Eun Ki, like he'd done research one her, I felt that Ma Ru was playing her the whole time, especially in light of how he toyed with Jae Gil's ex. It was so weird, too, because in my head I was telling myself that this was all a part of his plan and poor Eun Ki was falling for it, but at the same time I just enjoyed their banter and the dynamic between them so much. I don't want it to be all fake on Ma Ru's part. I don't want Eun Ki to be playing perfectly into his hands. That kind of shit is debilitating, whether you've been burned before or not.

Oh, and thanks for the recap!

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Wait, EK didn't know MR helped her on the plane, right? Or did she? Because her lawyer told her that man knew JH, could it be she saw his picture? If so, she too has her own plan.

This is the game where every player has his/her own motives but also mixed with true feelings making it's hard to tell who's the worst one. And 20episodes feel so long for the torture. Thanks for the recap.

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And EK knows that MR tried to blackmail her for 1 Billion. JH said she got the money back because MR failed to kill EK,

20 eps suck, but LKH's dramas move very fast, except for "Will It Snow for Christmas?" which felt like 50 eps even tho it was 16.

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Is it just me, or is the mood super dark with everyone's downer life stories? Don't get me wrong, I love Maru, but could his life be any worse? From med school to the slammer to back to poverty to extortion, I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel for him. Second Madame, wow, her pitiful and selfish tatics sure work. Since she gets what she wants, why would she stop? Loved how she slugged down the whole bottle after a couple of dainty glassfuls of vino. Barbie doll lady shoots revenge from her glaring eyes and has such a sharp agenda that everyday conversation like "hello" slices like a knife. She's bad mood all over, not pleasant to be around and doesn't try to be, either. Even Choco is kind of a drag, sick every day and all. And pleez, write out the annoying red haired guy already. I am not sure I get it. But I'm a kdrama addict and will hold out to see if there is a jump start on next week's episodes. Oh, ping! Do give Attorney Ahn more screen time, soooo pretty! But he can't end up with Second Madame Jae Hee - she only thinks of one person - herself!

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Oops, I mean Joon Ha

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As dark as it is right now, it will only get darker.

Ususally the OTP is allotted about 60 mins of real happiness in a Lee Kyung Hee drama. Her specialty is giving the hero the choice between misery and sorrow, then hitting him with a bit o torment.

It's all about yearning and suffering, and being apart, and more yearning and suffering.
Then finally, in the end, they get another 30 mins of happiness for us to cheer for.

We walk away bruised, heartbroken, shaken, and very very happy we watched.

I don't understand it myself, but that's how it is.

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Hahahaha...so agree. The good ol' "hurts so good" tactic. Drawn into it like a spider's web.

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I'm sorry, this is trivial. But, is there a reason why Maru's younger sister is called Choco ? I can't help getting the image of Eunhyuk's little dog whenever "Choco" comes up. *sigh*

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They said when she was little she really liked chocolate, so her dad just named her cho-go aka choco.

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I'm just confused about one thing. Wouldn't Eun-ki be suspicious of any guy named "Kang Ma Ru"? I thought she did background checks on the "guy who saved her life in the plane and was in cahoots with Han Jae Hee".

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AND blackmailed her for $1 Billion. I think EG has a plan that targets JH.

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"There’s a certain amount of the plot built into the premise, which is kind of sad when we’re just waiting for events that we’ve been told are going to happen to happen. It doesn’t leave me wanting, but it’s like the premise was a lot more straightforward than the writing is turning out to be, since we know from the premise that something’s up with Maru… but if we didn’t know that beforehand, we might not be able to tell. I mean, just look at that." - HeadsNo2

That's where I am feeling the drag. Thanks for pointing that out.

I still think that the development is okay but I don't know (probably it is just me) but things are becoming slow for me. Am I that too excited for them to jump off the cliff? Not sure. But yeah, Episode 3 and 4 sure do have moments.

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No, ep 3 threw me out of the moment that was eps 1-2.

For me it was that the events betw MR and EG were forced and did not flow naturally and EG's fb with her mom was not really heartwarming.

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Well, it depends who's the audience. Probably because I was still too excited for the first 2 episodes and a one week break from the excitement kind of settled me down a bit or because I love that we dwell enough (or too much) in presenting how broken our leads are.

I know the purpose of episodes 3 and 4 in laying down all the cards to us - presenting us what are the reasons and motivations behind goodies (EunMa) for teaming up and well same with Jae Hee and Ahn. We now know why they'll scheme together till they get what they want.

But I don't know. I am feeling that we should start with our agenda already (the revenge party thing).

Hahaha. I couldn't think straight right now really. But I want to discuss things. Urgh. Been tired for a week. It probably affected my appetite for drama series. Oh well. Haha.

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So they're going with "teams"? Ok.

It's somewhat linear narratively, but I hope HN2 is correct in that this is a, "It’s like a plan within a plan wrapped in another plan inside a MASTER plan, and I’m totally loving it."

I like being surprised with revenge, to redemption, to back to revenge stories. :)

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Linear and kinda slow. We know where we're heading and yet we're still not there. So yes, redeeming part, there is a
GRANDER plan we're not yet fully aware.

Let the party start next week because we've been waiting far too long for some bombs to drop off.

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Thanks girl..^^ I've already watched it with subs.. but still really want to read what you have to say.. Im loving how Song JoonKi Innocent guy portrays Maru.. another emotiinally intense drama after TK2H..

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woah! great episode,great show,fantastic acting LOVE IT :*

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Mr. McBeaterson :DDD couldn't resist :DDD

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and as for the drama, I really like its dark tone. I really want Eun Ki to not become a helpless heroine when she'll start to open her heart.

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It sounds SO GOOD. Thank you for the recap; I'll need to watch this soon. :)

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is it terrible that i am still associating the name Maru with the japanese cat on youtube who climbs into boxes?

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Thank god I'm not the only one!

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AHAHAHAHAHA YES!!!!!! Thank goodness I'm not the only one!

Especially since they spell and write write his name that exact same way in the subs/in reviews too.

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Im sorry and hope u dont mind abt it but, other people say it was Joon Ha, Eun Gi's lawyer, who was telling us about Eun Gi in voiceover. Then Maru and Eun gi meet accidentally during motorbiking. I dunno which one is true though. Is it the lawyer or Maru? I think it's the lawyer since he is always around her so he would know Eun Gi very well,and they would have show Maru searching her details if it's him. And is it only me who think the lawyer has a little crush on Eun Gi? ^^ the way he's always protecting her even when he knows she's rude and all. I dont know..

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It's Maru. It's SJK's voice for one thing :) but also why would Joon-Ha need to read up on Eun-Gi, he's known her all his life (pretty much). It's Maru who wanted to find out about Seo Eun-Gi, the girl whose life he saved on the plane, Taesan's heiress and Jae-Hee's stepdaughter.

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I thought it was the lawyer too but then after reading Headsno2 recap and replaying the video, that is definitely maru's voice. hehe.
So I guess we deduct that he was the one who did the background check and actually planned to meet up with her in motorbiking. but like it's been discussed before, we don't know exactly to what extent that planning goes. Did he really cause the accident? hmm..

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He didn't. Tempering with someone's brakes? Could have killed her and what purpose would that have served? He's not a killer, for one thing. All he wanted was to approach her. Everything else--the accident, both of them nearly getting killed in the process, Eun-Gi "calling" at his home, then following him on his search for his sister, THEN asking that they see each other "tomorrow, and the day after"... NONE of that he planned.

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Thank god, he didn't cause the accident! Wouldn't be his nature as a person who takes care of everyone.

I just want them to run away together... away from all this scheming!

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nope, imo, Maru had all plan well... dunno with the tree but I saw the rip rope Maru use to hold himself.
but it could also because Maru wasn't aware, though again, I dun think Maru with al his planned character will be that clumsy.

I really love this drama, watch it in raw, with sub and still reading all the recaps....

I really hope the writer can come with smooth plot in every episode. It'll be such a waste if they slop just bcoz of bad writing.

Hn2, I totally agree with you, it is like a plan within a plan in a master plan.

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I've read the scripts for these episodes, I've read the synopsis (the 39-page synopsis writer Lee Kyung-Hee submitted to the production company), and no, he didn't tamper with the brakes. He didn't plan anything except racing with her on that day. The accident, rescuing Eun-Gi, rescuing her doll & nearly getting killed in the process... FATE planned all of that, if you're looking for a master planner (aka Lee Kyung-Hee), not Maru.

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ugh, typo. temper => tamper

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Thank you for pointing that our, kristi :)

Now, could you please have mercy on us and give us just a tiny bit of hint about Maru-Eun Gi's relationship in next week eps? *winks*

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I think the preview for ep. 5 and the highlight reel are spoilery enough. :) The clues are all in there, it's just a matter of putting it all together.

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I was actually thrown by EG in this episode and did not like it one bit. Especially if the girl has actually fallen in love with MR already. Wuh?! No EG. He aims to rock your world and cause it to come tumbling down. Wait for it....Fools rush in. Just ask MR.

Can the grown ass woman put down the plastic doll please?! Emulating a doll....Pfft

It really takes watching this drama with subbed episodes to spike the appeal. Raws are out. Subs are in.

If our leads are not all leading some sort of masquerade with one another at this point [exc for MR and JH who are trying to stop on another] even through the short stint of amnesia where EG does remember but chooses not to tell.....I will love this even more.

Thanks HN2.

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If you don't like it, don't watch it.

I don't have the feeling that you're watching Nice Guy with open eyes but with full of "I want to see something I don't like so I can write about it"-eyes.

BTW, EG never said that she is in love with MR already but she is interested in him and THINKS that she might have a crush on him - that's a BIG difference.

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I can comment on what I want here respecting JB and GF and HD2 who is the recapper.

And this is the DRAMABEANS site, not soompi. We say what we like here as adults so if you don't like what a person writes, don't read it.

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What's the difference between DB and Soompi, both are public... so you have to live with it when somebody is reacting to what you write. I have to live with your opinion too which doesn't mean I have to keep my mouth.

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@Jilla, this is really inconsequential to my "life" as you did not try to comprehend what I wrote so I'm calling a truce dear. Peace out.

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I said this before, but i think that Eun-Gi is not really falling as hard for Maru as she's letting on. Being the type of person she is, she wouldn't let her guard down that easily. She doesn't waste time on something that isn't related to company or is important. So think about it. With a personality like that, it would be inconsistent for her to all of a sudden "fall in love" with Maru. I personally think she knows maru's connection with jae hee, and although we're not shown exactly, i believe she's secretly getting close to Maru just to see Jae Hee quiver in her pants. But i definitely feel like she has this budding curiosity about him.
I guess it's due to preference, but i actually love the whole masquerade game they're playing with one another, because not only does it reveal so much about our characters, it's so fun to constantly be guessing. I guess with these kind of shows you need to use more brain power to try to perceive what isn't laid out plainly for us, as Headsno2 mentioned, there's alot of subtle subtext undercutting each scene.
I think the doll thing is really sad -- i mean, come on. the first time we see her genuinely smile is for a barbie. But eun-gi literally has no one. no love or affectionate relationship that i can see how she'd resort to that kind of stuff. We can't really judge or question someone if we don't understand what they've gone through.

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Well, I hope not too @ilikmangos because I liked EG's spit/fire from the get-go and don't want to see it leave her. She's already full of vulnerability and fighting the good fight alone with her father/company.

Again, this episode threw when I had originally watched it raw, which I now know will not work for me with this drama. I need the dialogue because it's matches the acting.

Let the games begin.

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Hah. They've played that vulnerable card of Eun Gi far too often than needed in episode 3 and 4. Same.

Let the party begin!

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I've never watched a show completely raw, but I do think that the dialogue is very important in this show. It's always extremely loaded and there is frequently a really interesting tension between what is being said, what is being felt, and what is being done. It's just lovely. I've been very outspoken in my hypothesis that Eun Ki knows that Maru is the guy who saved her and who she had arrested, so I agree with everything that ilikemangos said on that account. I don't think that Eun Ki knows about his pre-jail history with Jae Hee (yet) but I think she certainly knows he's the one Jae Hee gave $$ to and is investigating him just like she said she would.

At first I thought that the doll thing was a bit over the top, but when I saw that it was not just a symbol of her mother or of "better times," but rather a symbol of Eun Ki's guilt and self-loathing over not following her mother out of the house, it got a whole lot more interesting to me.

I also think that something really interesting is being explored about the two female leads' maturity (or lack thereof). Eun Ki is infantilized by her father but is in many ways jaded/mature beyond her years. In reality, I think that Jae Hee is the one who has never grown up. She manipulates other into solving her problems for her and just takes and takes and takes without regard for how she is affecting those around her. It's all or nothing for her, and now that she's got some power, she's indulging every spoiled fantasy a little girl would have--to be the princess in a grand castle and inherit the chairman's kingdom.

There was this one gorgeous overlap of dialogue that led into Jae Hee sitting in the ball pit with her son. The speech was the Chairman criticizing Eun Ki for being a little girl, for not taking responsibility, etc. but it was played over Jae Hee surrounded by little kids in a play castle. It really underscored that Jae Hee is the one who's really never grown up, and we'll see just how dangerous a little girl can be when she has discovered a taste for power. Haha.

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"The speech was the Chairman criticizing Eun Ki for being a little girl, for not taking responsibility, etc. but it was played over Jae Hee surrounded by little kids in a play castle. It really underscored that Jae Hee is the one who’s really never grown up, and we’ll see just how dangerous a little girl can be when she has discovered a taste for power."

Gosh, I love your analysis! Simply the best. :) Did you major in film because your thoughts are just amazing and I would never think of those possibilities/stylistic devices.

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@ rearwindow I totally agree with Jillia. Your postings shine.

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I agree with what you wrote about Jae Hee. It seems that she's been infantilized by most every man she's been involved with, and if they don't infantilize her then they deify her, putting her on a pedestal of the ultimate feminine ideal. I feel like Ma Ru did both to her. On one hand I understand the sentiment behind feeling sorry for Ma Ru because she didn't have as strong feelings for him as he had for her, but on the other hand I see his way of "loving" Jae Hee as a bit dehumanizing, because he didn't see her as a full person with flaws, but as this perfect being. It's like he was in love with being in love with her. Having someone love you like that can be awesome because they always see the best in you, but it can also be frightening because they put so much on you. I don't know if I'm explaining myself very well. And now Jae Hee seems to only know how to function in those two modes: infantilized victim or idolized beauty. Great exploration of femininity on this show.

I love that you use that word, "fantasy," in describing Jae Hee. She keeps on saying that her world is like a dream, now, and that she doesn't want to wake from it. The world that's dreamlike for her is nightmarish for Eun Ki. Jae Hee just benefits lifestyle wise from the corporate world, but Eun Ki's the one who has to work in it, who has to deal with the burden of her father's expectations. Just look at the difference in the way the two women experienced the chairman's rage: Eun Ki had to stand there listening t him rage all over the place and she got hurt, while Jae Hee stood outside, smiling and hopeful. And the whole fantasy/dreams thing reminds me of fairytales and how we collectively have this image of them as wonderful, romantic, harmless stories, but in reality (the Grimm ones) are pretty grotesque and violent. Like if you think about Beauty and the Beast, it's pretty gross.

Anyway, Jae Hee's best chance to mature would probably have been to continue being an anchorwoman, but that ship has sailed. She was never actually sincere about that, now that I think about it. (And how ironic is it that we first see her giving a report about people who gain power unethically?) And if we look at all the women, I think it's interesting how Choco seems really immature, too. She's at least 20 years old, but she acts like a child. No doubt her chronic illness has something to do with it, but if we compare her to Eun Ki, who's also sick, then there's a vast difference.

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@ladida You make total sense. In many ways, MR's love is dehumanizing because he's so enamored by this perceived perfection of JH that he doesn't allow her to deflect from his perfect image of her.

It's one of the most aggravating things about MR. He just can't let her go. It's really a very obsessive and unhealthy love. To me, his revenge isn't really revenge, it's more like absolution. It's as if through his "revenge" he's trying to cleanse and forgive her. Lols, now do I make sense?

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Thank you so much for the kind words, Jillia and InSu!

Jillia, I studied english and theatre at school, but I took a few film classes and am a TOTAL film analysis nerd. I probably would've majored in it if it were offered at my school.

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@ladida: I think I love you. BRILLIANT character analysis of Jae Hee, and I especially love your interpretation of the Maru/Jae Hee relationship and how that has informed her current behavior. I wanted to pull out favorite quotes from what you wrote but I would've ended up with too many.

I agree with you that Maru's love of Jae Hee is sort of detached from her as a person. I hadn't thought of it that way, but it's true. You know, I think he actually buys into the whole childish fantasy as much as she does. Jae Hee allows Maru to play the role of the gallant, selfless prince rescuing the fair helpless maiden. I wonder if he ever loved her because he enjoyed her company and respected her on a deeper level, or if it was always that she gave him a sense of purpose. Maru allowed Jae Hee to feel safe at a time when nobody else in the world was looking out for her. Jae Hee allowed Maru to feel brave and noble at a time when he was probably scared shitless trying (and failing) to take care of his sick little sister alone.

The problem is, Maru was so devoted to protecting Jae Hee that he literally threw his own life away. Jae Hee, in contrast, was so relieved to have someone take care of her for a change that she never really matured past that and now greedily clings to whoever she can manipulate into caring for her.

You know, there were two shots in this episode that really stood out to me visually and I wasn't sure what to make of them, initially. There was one where Maru was standing on the roof garden of the hospital at dusk, watching the sun dip behind the mountains beyond the glass wall. Then, later in the episode, there was a startlingly similar shot of Jae Hee in Lawyer Ahn's apartment at nighttime, gazing out beyond his floor-to-ceiling glass windows at the skyline. (Alas, neither are screencapped! But if you are total film nerds like me, Maru's scene is around 17.5 minutes & Jae Hee's scene is at 56.5 mins) Maru's scene was silent, but in hers, Jae Hee has her monologue about how reaching the top feels like a dream, a fantasy to her. This might be a bit of a stretch, but I think the visual parallels reinforce that both have their fantasies, but these fantasies are at odds with each other. The sun is literally and figuratively setting on the simple, natural life that Maru desperately wanted with Jae Hee. Try as he might, he can't ignore how far gone Jae Hee is from the idealized version he had built of her. Jae Hee's fantasy of clawing her way to the top of the city has plunged her into darkness, but she's so fixated on securing her place there that she doesn't see (or care) what she is becoming.

@Kgrl: "To me, his revenge isn’t really revenge, it’s more like absolution."

Love, love, LOVE this. It makes perfect sense that Maru would feel compelled to justify his sacrifice, in a way, by rescuing Jae Hee. Because otherwise, his sacrifice was meaningless.

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@ rearwindow: Omg. "The sun is literally and figuratively setting on the simple, natural life that Maru desperately wanted with Jae Hee." And Jae Hee's view was of this totally unnatural, man-made environment. (Makes me want the show to tell us what exactly Ma Ru thought his life was going to be like after he got out of jail. Did he think he and Jae Hee would start a family with Choco in some quaint little place? Interesting, because that's exactly what Eun Ki's mother tells her to do.) Both scenes reinforce their current class positions, too. There's something really interesting happening here in terms of class, but I don't know if I can articulate it well. funofit over on the episode 4 comments was writing about whether or not Jae Hee's upward class mobility was her real transgression, and if you pair that with Ma Ru's insistance that Jae Hee be brought back down to her appropriate level, then what is the show saying? Like why is that the punishment she has to have? The show can't possibly be trying to say something about staying within your own class, otherwise how will Eun Ki and Ma Ru get together? (Not to mention that's such a retrograde idea.)

You're really making me want to compare all the different shots of Ma Ru vs Eun Ki vs Jae Hee gazing out at stuff. This was a pretty cool post: http://stinabong.tumblr.com/post/31656118668

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This is so GOOD! It's only the fourth episode and I feel so invested already which is more surprising because everyone is so BAD.

I never doubted that Song Joong Ki wouldn't be able to bring that darker shade to this character because of seeing him all 'noona romancing' in Running Man. He has this charm that is unsettling yet captivating too. VERY DANGEROUS!

I am right there with Eun Ki; unable to stay because of the danger, that uncertainty BUT not wanting to go because of that angel face that is right on a brink, one one flicker this way or that way, between sincerity and surreptitiousness. Ah, the pain it hurts so bad...loving it!

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i just hope that the show will have a great and a satisfying end, not like Big or Fashion King, Ameeeen ^^

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Oh my god, I think I'm in love with this drama already~! The mother of all plots within plots~!!!

XD

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Thank youu!!

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I'm really excited about this drama... I love how the plot and the characters are developing and how it unfolds.

It's been awhile since I saw a drama which is more complicated then the premise (nice guy takes the guilt for the woman he loves; she betrays him by marrying another man; nice guy turns bad guy to get revenge) promised to be.

I'm really looking forward to see where this drama will take us and how Maru and Eun Gi will both overcome their conflicts and fall in love.

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As JB once said in one of her post about NG, "I guess Nice Guy isn’t your mother’s amnesia-revenge-melo"
Which i totally agree with, considering there's a quality about it that makes me love it, when usually, i'd drop a melo like that*snaps* if it got on my nerves.

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I think no drama is without flaws but with Nice Guy the whole production feels very confident, like HeadsNo2 mentioned in one of her recaps. Plus I have the feeling the plot will get more complicated then we thought.

So I'll with the melodrama (with tears and all) as long as I get a satisfying plot and good characters. :)

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Am just trying to compare NG and Arang and i see why they r toe to toe, cuz its Jun Ki vs Joong Ki, Melo vs Sageuk, Wed vs Wed (he he!) but am so sad subbers r favoring NG now, pretty pls kind subbers have mercy! There's dramas am satisfied to watch RAW but not these kinda dramas cuz i actually want to hear the convo!

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I love this show. Its the normal revenge themed drama but all the characters act so well.

Jae Hee is definitely the vamp, but I keep wondering if there is more to her character. She doesn't smile wickedly into space. She doesn't give evil glances. She looks so naturally manipulative. I truly think that EunKi is too weak an opponent for her. EK is just too straightforward in her attack.

And EunKi and her doll! So cute to see her soft side.

Maru is best though. His expression in that last scene! classic!!! so excited for him.

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I love that Jae Hee is not your average melodrama villain, with the sneers and the evil laughter and the searing glares. She's more realistic than that, and also more soulless in a way. The fact that she is so subtle in her manipulation makes her all the more terrifying. I hate her, but I also respect her on some level because she's just SO GOOD at what she does.

I never imagined I'd say this after the first two episodes, but after the third episode, I agree that Eun Ki alone is too weak an opponent for JH. Eun Ki actually has a very strong sense of morality, almost in spite of herself. She's just not underhanded enough to claw her way to the top like Jae Hee. She strikes me more as a prosecutor than a usurper, if that makes sense. I almost don't want Eun Ki to go after the company. I want her to leave this horrible family behind and set up a nice little house with Maru somewhere and Choco. But then we wouldn't have a show, would we?

Anyway, I can't wait for Eun Ki to team up with Maru and take these horrible people down. Because Maru, I think, is Jae Hee's one weak spot.

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End of ep3 showed me that EG had a plan in place and the plan is to use MR to destroy JH & son. The watch was just to set MR up so she could ensnare him.
JH was terrified that EG will find out about JH & MR history.

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Interesting point about the watch.
EG thanks him using the watch expecting him to take it, since she believes he attempted to kill her for a million bucks, BUT, he doesn't.
(Which, btw, of course, he doesn't take it if he's really there for long term gains.)
(which means EG maybe expected that he wouldn't and is waiting to see what his next move is.)

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Oh yeah, that's true.

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Omg, the watch! In the show's opening titles Ma Ru holds a watch and then drops it. Could it be this watch that Eun Ki troed to give him?

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That would be neat, but do you think she would give him a super cool pocket watch over a super dressy wrist watch?

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By the end of ep3 I was buying into this one, even though melos aren't my thing. Then the preview came and... if this drama is going to be about Ma Ru never getting past his affectionate attachment to Jae Hee and his revenge is to save her from her bad choices by interfering with her plans until she realizes her mistakes and goes back to the woman he was in love with 'back in the day', then, yuck. I'm never going to love her enough to care if she finds redemption or not. Maybe it's my impression of the actress in general, or maybe I'm just rigid, but that woman makes my skin crawl and the thought of her in a close relationship of any kind with the lead is creepy. Too many people are faced with cruel childhoods for her choices to be explained away by that. I my way of understanding the world, she was bad from the get go. A born sociopath. So if Ma Ru is attracted or attached to that, and is going to self destructively pursue Jae Hee's redemption, then he's not someone I can get behind with my support either. I really hope the show isn't going there.

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SAME THOUGHTS!!

But I don't think they'll end up together though. The break-up's been too nasty and I feel that he just cares because he knows noona too well. He's ready to move on from the stupidity that happened 6 years ago only to learn that the person he saved is as doomed as he is. Hmmm.

So let's pray that all of what's happening right now is just the tip of the plan that Maru has been scheming all this time. And that "there is more to him than meet's the eye". Because, what I am getting now is that Maru has this savior/messianic/superman/Harry Potter complex.

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In Lee Kyeong Hee's KDrama universe, there are no bad people. Her charcters are not simple dimensional people. If you had watched PSY and not the subtitles, you would have seen how much JH loves MR and her son. LKH's characters are in pain at the suffering they cause on their loved ones. Example would be EG the doll and guilt over the pain EG caused, especially after seeing Choco in ep3.
Again did you see how much pain & love Choco's mom showed? Even her performance was great.

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I agree that the actress playing Choco's mom was great!
Another great character, and she's only on screen for 15 mins.

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Don't trust the previews. Not going to spoil anything, but the actual scene in episode 4 gives quite a different impression.

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Yeah. That's why i'm saying previews are quite deceiving. The previews at the end of episode 4 for ep5 makes me feel uneasy, but i'm not believing all that it's really put together to be.

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Thanks for the recap!
I'm totally in love with this episode. :D
love seeing Maru & Eun Ki together. <3
also seeing how caring Maru is towards his lil' sister (and that explained that Jae Gil's statement on episode 2) , when Maru drives way back to Seoul, after realizing Choco crying at the backseat, he hands her a tissues, and turned radio volume up just to let Choco cry out loud. Yeah just cry if you're in pain.

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Hahaha. Could be that Maru's so pissed off of Jae Hee, he is so frustrated that his great sacrifice is of no real value whatsoever since the person he saved is still in a mess.

"This is what I saved you for?! WTH!!!"

That same kind of frustration that Chairman Seo has with Eun Gi, "I've taught you everything and you're still stupid."

Of course, I am just imagining things. Woooossshhh.

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I loved the ending, because we got to see EG scare the crap out ot JH!
For those who missed it, EG knows MR saved her life on the plane and blackmaled her. She also knows MR & JH know each other.

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I must have missed something. When did she find out?

Lols, must be Writer Lee or our penchant for drama with makjang dramas, but perhaps we're over-speculating.

ES being MR's son seems very unlikely given the time frame, nor Lawyer Ahn's son given him being so surprised by her confessions. I don't think Chairman Seo would NOT double-check JH's background before allowing her to interview him back then as a reporter. Then of course, make sure ES is his child through DNA tests. He obviously has something against women since he says he never trusts them in Ep. 4.

Interesting that so many ppl here think EG knews so much and is scheming on her own. EG, to me, doesn't seem like the scheming type. Granted, she knows how to hold her own, but she's the upfront type, which is one of the reasons why she can't stand JH's superficiality and fake acting.

I love that this drama makes us think so hard. Lols, and we have so many different interpretations of these characters' motivations and interests. Completely on the ChaeKi ship. Can't wait for when their passions start becoming real.

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We don't know whether EG is scheming or not, but we do know she trusts nobody.

I liked how she even gave JH's son a hard time, poor little thing. If she won't let a 4 year old call her Noona, she's NOT going to buy that MR just happened to show up and save her.

I can't wait till we see the flashback of when she connects the dots. I am guessing sometime after she left him in the hospital, and when she found out the watch was returned.

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Hi Kgirl,
In ep 1, EG knew JH gave MR $1 Billion. JH also told EG that she got the money back because MR failed to kill EG on the plane.

We know from synopsis that MR is seeking revenge by using EG.
We see him briefly watching EG inside his car secretly. MR's voice over shows that he's got EG's profile and uses it to meet her riding her bike.
As posted below, ep 3 had my hair tingling when EG looks at JH while saying to MR that she is going to hook up with him. YIKES! EG will find out everything about JH!

PS: I'm Korean and left when I was 10, so I still understand a lot of Korean which means I get to watch their acting and not so much the subtitles.
I've also enjoyed your excellent posting @ soompi.

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Do you mean in ep 2 when EG asked Lawyer Park to press charges for blackmail? Yes, she does know JH gave the phony doctor $1 Billion, and so to oust JH's lie, she order Lawyer Park to report the incident of blackmail to the police. But she has yet seen or been shown to the audience that she knows the name of this blackmailer aka phony doctor...since she keeps referring to the man as "that person."

Lols, thanks. I'm just so surprised everything has concluded that EG must know and made the connection that the blackmailer/phony doctor is the same person she met.

EG is definitely suspicious of MR, but him being so dismissive and not wanting anything from her sorta riled her up...and before she knew it, she was witnessing all of his family's dirty laundry. That really dropped her suspicions and opened her up to him.

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One thing i hate about this drama is the lead guy. How can one be so stupid? I could not believe someone who's considered a genius would fall for the same mistake twice. It wasn't enough that the girl betrayed you and caused you to lose 5 years of your life, but now you're going to the lion's pit trying to save a girl who doesn't want to be saved?

COME ON.

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When did they say he was a genius?

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That's young love. It persists.
In most of Lee's dramas she has at least one major character who fell in love at 13 or 14 yrs old.

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I don't think he's stupid -- a backstab like hers i don't think anyone but God could've see from a mile away. You've got to put yourself in his shoes. Obviously the relationship jae hee & maru had was very deep. Love blinds you.
Aside from that, is it the previews that is giving you the idea that he's going to try to save Jae Hee? I really hope that's not the case as we've yet to see. I think they're just all mashed together to make it seem like to us that he's going to save his noona.
Let's hope he's really just trying to crush her.
Of course, i could be in denial and he could still be retaining some of the old Maru.

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Thanks for the recap...I am still ruminating on all the plots and subplots...I don't think we will ever be sure of anything in this drama. Feels so good to be constantly assessing and reassessing what the heck is we see happen.

Song Joong Ki is beautiful.
(I decided I would have to write that on every recap in case people forget.)
Sometimes he looks five - with his little face all cut up - sometimes, 65, when the weight of world is on him.

I know he will be growing some steely resolve balls eventually, and I can't wait. I am not a fan of the man who wants to redeem his evil first love. I do want to see him join with EG to wreak havoc on the baddies, though.

Saving JH makes everything so.much.more.complicated.
He can't use the napalm approach and blast his way in and out of there for fear of hurting the Beautiful Bad. So what's an extractor to do here?
He doesn't have a plan formed yet; I feel he is still feeling things out now.

I have absolutely have no idea how he is going to succeed.

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I just hope he doesn't chicken out midway or half-ass his revenge if Jae Hee starts to get to him.
God, i hope that's not the case. I think there will be alot of gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair here at DB if Maru does end up resorting to that.
Where does Eun-Gi stand if he can't let go of Jae Hee? There's too much worries this show generates from us!

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Eun Gi's dad is so awful, makes me almost cheer for Jae hee for manipulating him...
He knows that Eun Gi is keen on running the company so he just never let's a chance slip for him to scold and belittle her. Maybe somewhere deep in him he loves her and just afraid that she would run away like her mother did, but then again that's just stupid, he should be lucky to have a daughter like her.
For an instant I even thought that there's a possibility that he isn't her real father...

All in all parents aren't the best characters in this makjang.

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I am fascinated by a show (despite its flaws) if it can generate so many possibilities, questions, and discussion.
These are the type of shows that stay in your head even when you're asleep.
And the time spent waiting for it to air is nail-biting.

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