Answer Me 1994: Episode 17
by javabeans
Big things are in store for many of our characters, and a few mysteries are answered for us (though not, of course, the main one. Goodness knows we couldn’t have that). It’s a rewarding hour for those of us who’ve been waiting for concrete movement on multiple fronts, and the payoff is both sweet and a little melancholy, which is pretty much what this series does best.
SONG OF THE DAY
Jung-woo, Yoo Yeon-seok, Sohn Ho-joon – “Feeling Only You” [ Download ]
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EPISODE 17: “Love, Fear Part 2: Answer Me 1997”
In 2013, Haitai wonders where Binggeure went, to which Yoon-jin asks, “Can’t you guess?” Haitai can but we can’t, since we’re being kept in the dark. Thanks for that, drama.
Back to May of 1997, where post-bus-accident Garbage now has his arm in a sling and his neck in a brace. That’s what you get for messing with fangirls, dude. He assures Na-jung over the phone that he’s totally fine, and his friend Min-jung raises an eyebrow at the obvious lie. He makes sure that Na-jung is coming down tomorrow for her birthday, and it’s sweet how much he clearly wants to see her, busy schedule and practicality be damned. The next day he sleeps in the break room sitting up, afraid he’ll oversleep if he lies down.
Na-jung arrives at the hospital, and for a moment they both light up to see each other. Garbage hurries to her with arms outstretched for a hug, but Na-jung registers his injuries and starts in on the worried scolding. He’s all, I’m not even that hurt, and Na-jung screams (while hitting his cast, ha), “You call this not hurt?!”
Na-jung asks about her birthday present, and Garbage puffs up proudly to assure her that he bought it ages ago. She warns that if he bought “something strange like last year,” he’s dead and they’re over. Garbage tugs nervously at his collar…
In a flashback to 1996, Garbage leads Na-jung to her room, building up the suspense while promising her the thing she wanted most. She’s about to burst out of her skin, saying that it might be too small to see as she rubs her ring finger in excitement (uh-oh… is she thinking a diamond?). Garbage scoffs, saying there’s no way he’d buy a small one, and then, TADA!
He opens the door giggling in glee… she bursts in shaking in excitement… and then she sees the gym equipment standing there with a big bow around it. OH, OPPA, you didn’t.
Okay, it’s for her back exercises and not a hint to, say, lose weight or anything. But still! One can see exactly why she’s so skeptical this year. It’s hilarious the way that Garbage registers Na-jung’s less-than-enthused reaction and knows something went wrong, but he can’t quite figure out what. His voice trails off as he asks, “Was this… not it? Did you want something else…?”
She blows her top and looks at him through angry tears. A suspicion dawns on him, and he asks if she wanted the more expensive exerciser, lol.
Back to 1997, where he asks how she can threaten a breakup so easily. He says he gets nervous if a day goes by without her calling, knowing he’s going to get even busier and worrying that she might really dump him. She says he’s worrying for nothing, and he starts to ask something in a serious tone… but then decides against it.
Samcheonpo he tries again to wheedle Yoon-jin into meeting his old school buddies, which gets a flat rejection. He slumps in his seat and wonders if she doesn’t like him much. Yoon-jin doesn’t see why he should connect those two things and says, “I like you a ton, you know.” Which, aw.
She gentles her tone and explains that she’s terrible at these forced social niceties, feeding him coffee to soften the blow. He grudgingly lets go of some of his crankiness.
Then as they’re paying, his dorky hometown sunbaes drop in coincidentally and Samcheonpo proudly introduces his girlfriend… who is nowhere to be seen. Hee.
Na-jung and Garbage go to his apartment for her birthday dinner, and she glares at the mess—it’s nowhere near as bad as the last time, but let’s face it, that’s a pretty low bar we’re talking about. Garbage gets simultaneously nervous and defensive, and lands on the one thing keeping her from blowing her lid: “I’m hungry, can’t we eat? [aegyo whine]”
So Na-jung cooks and sets the table, but before they can eat a bite, he gets paged by the hospital and has to dash. She urges him to go quickly and not to worry, and he promises to get back in time to light the candles of her cake. As he leaves, he pelts her with kisses.
Garbage goes about his rounds efficiently, but gets held back with more and more work. Na-jung waits at the table long into the night, falling asleep by her cake. It isn’t until early morning that Garbage finally gets off duty, and he races home.
By the time he gets there, though, all he finds is an empty (and freshly cleaned) home, with the birthday cake still sitting there unlit.
Binggeure gets another voicemail from the Die-Die sunbae (named Jin-yi), in which she nervously says she hopes he didn’t show up last time because she couldn’t make it. It’s one of those embarrassingly nervous messages where she rattles on, and right after she says goodbye the recording catches her muttering to herself, “Ack, my heart is pounding.” Cute.
Yoon-jin still has ruffled feathers to smooth over, since Samcheonpo is still annoyed that she ditched him at the cafe (she panicked out of nerves, she says). But she drags him along to partake of a cool new trend—sticker pictures, haha. (He sticks a photo onto her wallet, only to get yelled at for it.)
Garbage gets a voicemail from his mother, whom he’d promised to pick up at the terminal for her physical and has forgotten to meet. He’s in a bind because he’s got a patient to attend to, so Min-jung offers to pick his mother up for him. Uh-oh. She makes me nervous; does she have designs on Oppa or not?
Garbage’s reaction suggests he’s aware of some strangeness going on, and he asks Min-jung plainly why she’d meet his mother. Instead, he foists off his rounds on his (male) friend and heads out. Phew for Oppa drawing lines.
Turns out he doesn’t need to do that, because his mother pulls up in a taxi, accompanied by Na-jung. Mom had called Na-jung’s pager just in case, and is thankful that she came to pick her up. Garbage gapes the whole time, having thought she’d left.
They have an hour to wait while Mom undergoes her exam, so Na-jung tells Garbage to take a nap. He suggests they both take a nap together, which is a prospect that makes her a little nervous. Not that she dislikes the idea, since once he cuddles with her she breaks into a giddy smile.
Binggeure gets another call from Jin-yi sunbae, and she starts off with more nervous chitchat before inviting him to her study group, which she says is really coveted. She makes a slip of the tongue when she orders him to be there, saying, “You’d better not be like last time when I waited two hours—er, would have waited for two hours!” Aw, so she told him she skipped it so he wouldn’t feel bad?
You can see that Binggeure doesn’t quite know what to do with all this, though he isn’t necessarily indifferent. And on second thought, this time he reaches for the phone to make a call.
Na-jung jerks awake and finds that she’s slept the day away. Oppa guesses that Na-jung barely got any sleep last night waiting up for him and apologizes for not spending her birthday with her. She’s not very upset and says it’s understandable, but he has his serious face on as he kneels to look her in the eye and says this could happen again, no matter how he tries to avoid it.
She laughs, “I know, it’s okay.” Garbage replies, “It’s not okay to me.” He gets really serious and takes a deep breath, and takes something out of his pocket. Then he gets up, and then kneels down again, only this time it’s on one knee. Omg. Is this what I think it is?
Na-jung looks half-terrified waiting for the ball to drop. Garbage asks, “Jungie… will you marry me?” He opens the box and shows her the ring. “Please marry me,” he asks.
Na-jung breaks into a big wet smile and throws her arms around his neck. And then they seal the deal with kisses.
That night, Garbage gets a surprise visitor in front of the hospital: Binggeure, who is for once pretty forward about asking for dinner and for more food. He’s usually so shy and passive with Garbage, but he’s clearly got Things On His Mind today. And when he gets to the point, he says that Garbage no longer has to buy him meals after today—in the future he’d like to be treated to just drinks. Puppy’s growing up.
The song scoring the moment is Kim Dong-ryul’s “Truth in Wine,” and after a long moment, Binggeure says, “Sunbae-nim, because I have you, I’m happy.” Then for the first time ever, he calls him hyung. Omo. More than anything, that simple “hyung” brings a tear to my eye.
His narration says, “Now, this blank space that I’d left empty for a long time… I will fill with the answer to my confusing love.”
Next thing we know, Binggeure’s out for drinks with Jin-yi’s study group, playing a game of Spin the Truth Bottle. When she’s in the hot seat, they ask why she invited Binggeure—does she like him? She drinks to avoid answering, and Binggeure smiles to himself.
Binggeure gets the next question, a yes or no: “I came here not to study but because of Jin-yi sunbae, yes or no?” He answers yes, and Jin-yi gets giddy.
He walks her home that night, and when he doesn’t make any kind of move, she asks for a handshake. He looks at her in his pensive way, thinking:
Binggeure: “1997, age 23. I wanted to confirm whether this heart-pounding feeling, or this person who kept weighing on my mind, was out of simple curiosity for the first person to approach me from the opposite sex. Or whether it was that thing called love that other people keep talking about.”
Binggeure says aloud, “Confirmation.” Then he moves in to kiss her.
We come back to the curbside scene in 2013, with Binggeure standing by as a red car zooms past—ha, total fakeout. Are we surprised? It’s the next car that brings a smile to his face, and Jin-yi pulls up to say she just wanted to see hubby’s face on her way to the hospital. She drops off a cake for the party, then asks for a kiss. Like a good husband, he complies.
Ah, and we finally hear his name, Kim Dong-joon. Not that he was ever seriously in the running, but I suppose we can officially strike him from the list now.
Back in 1997, Samcheonpo and Yoon-jin make another visit to the army. Haitai’s on his final 100-day countdown, eager to get back to the outside world, convinced that he’s kept current on trends to fit right in… though his clipped army speech will need work easing out of.
Mom and Dad watch a commercial of that one-way cell phone they invested in, positive they’ll be rolling in the money soon. Na-jung tells Garbage about it, and he thinks those phones sound cool… until he hears that you can only make the calls in range of a phone booth. “Then why don’t you just use the phone booth? Why would you use that phone?… How much did you say he invested?” Gulp.
Mom asks after Haitai, and Samcheonpo chuckles that it’ll take him a long time to get rid of his army mannerisms. But then Samcheonpo’s father calls with bad news: Samcheonpo’s draft papers just arrived. He’s being enlisted in a month.
He locks himself in his room in shock, and Yoon-jin beats on his door assuring him that she’ll visit every day. But that’s not comforting enough, and Binggeure notes that Samcheonpo was already worried about Yoon-jin getting tired of him. With him off in army, who knows how her feelings might cool.
Na-jung chats with Garbage over the phone and starts in on him for not eating a proper breakfast. Halfway through her tirade, though, he goes silent, and we see that on the other end of the line his attention has been diverted by the TV. He and his buddies look on as Chilbongie is interviewed on Japanese TV, which is a nice reminder that Chilbongie still exists in this world. Not that I’m bitter. (Much.)
Chilbongie interviews in fluent Japanese, and is asked about a girlfriend. He doesn’t have one, but admits that he does have somebody he likes, though he declines to give details. It puts Garbage into a funk.
Binggeure: “If you have nothing to lose, you have nothing to fear. The deeper love grows, and the more you don’t want to lose it, the more your fear grows. Love feeds on fear.”
In the early hours of the morning, Yoon-jin sneaks into Samcheonpo’s room and wakes him. He resists until she says they’re going on that trip she’d refused before, and then he bolts up immediately and half-sleepily stumbles around getting ready as fast as he can. Lol, boys.
Binggeure: “But what overcomes that love-fueled fear is love itself.”
2013. Na-jung and her father head upstairs to deal with the noisy neighbors… and who should open the door but Sung Shi-won (Jung Eun-ji). Omo, more 1997 crossovers?
Shi-won politely apologizes for the noise, and the ladies bond over being from neighboring cities in the south. Shi-won invites them in for coffee (and is briefly startled at Dad’s familiar face, pwahaha), then roars for her husband to come out and say hi. She lets out a string of swears under her breath, and Dad mutters that she has a temper to match Na-jung’s.
So Yoon-jae (Seo In-gook again) comes out, and he recognizes Dad as a famous coach, saying that he heard a lot about him from his father-in-law, pfffft. (Who, just to make the joke clear, is also Sung Dong-il in 1997′s alternaverse.)
Yoon-jae calls his father-in-law out to say hi, and ’97 Dad comes out grumbling to greet ’94 Dad. To make it even stranger, the two Dong-ils recognize each other as former teammates and distant cousins (well, there’s only one Sung clan, so all Sungs are considered very very distant relations at some point).
The two Dong-ils trade stories of their well-married daughters, and all we get from this exchange is that Na-jung’s husband is rather famous and he’s heading up to join them in a minute. Husband rings the bell moments later, and Shi-won opens the door, only to recognize him. “Wait… are you…?”
And we fade out, because of course we don’t get to see him.
We jump back to 1997, before the proposal, with Garbage shopping for rings. He picks the gaudiest, ugliest ring of the set, but thankfully someone with better taste speaks up to veto the choice. It’s Shi-won in her high school uniform, and she steers him in the direction of the simple diamond solitaire.
Things are all fun and cheer until Garbage asks for the radio to be turned down (H.O.T’s “Candy” is playing, uh-oh), and Shi-won immediately argues for it to be turned up. Tempers flare and he recognizes her from the bus, and Shi-won goes running. Let’s consider that a boon—Garbage can’t afford another broken arm.
Na-jung begins tutoring the troublemaker student she has just taken on, and now we see that it’s Eun Ji-won! (Er, Hak-chan.) I hadn’t even realized till now how bummed I was at not getting a full cameo set, and now that we have it, I can rest easy.
Na-jung isn’t having any luck ordering him to join her at the desk, mostly ’cause he’s so uncomfortable around her. I’d totally forgotten how hilariously awkward Hak-chan got around girls, but this is a pretty great reminder. Na-jung interprets this as rebelliousness and bellows at him to study, chasing him around and hitting him with pillows.
COMMENTS
You know, I’ve totally accepted that Garbage is the husband and Chilbongie is no longer in the running, and my emotional investment in the husband question is pretty low (at this point it’s everything other than the mystery that keeps me interested), but I’m still super annoyed at how they’ve just dropped him off the map. Haitai too, whose trip to army I thought would be fodder for some poignant character moments. But I feel like Haitai and Chilbongie have been eliminated from the husband question and have been unceremoniously dropped from the drama as a result—whether or not that was the intention—and that just highlights how little story there was in the first place.
I don’t like any drama that treats characters as mere plot devices, and despite the fact that Chilbongie was played with warmth and sweetness, it’s only too clear now that he wasn’t really given much depth as a character on his own. That makes me seriously sad, because I absolutely loved him. I still do, in fact, but I feel like he’s become an afterthought. That’s why as much as I awwed over the progression of Na-jung and Oppa’s romance in this episode (the proposal was a lovely bit of acting on her part especially), I can’t shake my dissatisfaction over the mishandling of the whole love triangle aspect.
I don’t think the crux of the dissatisfaction on Team Chilbongie was because supporters felt Chilbongie was a better person than Garbage, or “deserved” love more, or was better hero material. Honestly, I think it’s a simple matter of the drama literally setting Chilbongie up to be the love interest, and making him the primary contender for ten episodes. So when you suddenly take that away from him (and from us), of course we’re going to feel cheated. I will argue that this was done strictly to preserve the mystery, which makes it a fault of the production for serving its gimmick more than its characters. It has nothing to do with which character is the better man, and everything to do with the fact that the writing bait-and-switched us, and I think we have the right to feel unhappy about it.
Binggeure’s slow development, on the other hand, feels more like a planned arc. I suppose our confusion over his feelings wasn’t too far from the mark, since he himself was just as confused. At first when Jin-yi was introduced (in the last episode), I was disgruntled with the drama for jerking our expectations around yet again in service of a gotcha moment (making us think he was gay and then giving him a girlfriend). But I’m more appreciative now, because I do think the orientation ambiguity was a genuine issue for him.
I don’t think Binggeure is bisexual (and I chafe when stories paint bisexual people as the catch-all category for people who haven’t decided whether they’re gay, because I really don’t think sexuality works like that), but I do think he was working out what exactly he felt for Garbage, and that there were moments when it was more than plain friendship or affection. It was nearly hero-worship, and I can see how that can confuse the romantic-platonic question when you’re an inexperienced young adult who’s never had any romantic relationships before. For instance, we might talk of girls having girl-crushes and understand that this doesn’t make someone gay. In Binggeure’s case it’s possible he conflated his emotions with other feelings, which led to him taking his time sussing everything out carefully and methodically. That fits with what we already know of his character, given that he took time off of school to work through how he felt about his future, so this feels consistent with his personality.
I also think that’s why he was so adamant about sticking to using “sunbae-nim” for Garbage, because he hadn’t quite decided yet how he felt about him, and thus he didn’t know what to call him. Until he did, he would keep to the nice formal “sunbae,” and taking a clear step by calling him hyung denotes that he’s come to a point of acceptance, where he’s comfortable defining their relationship as a friendly brotherly one. And only then does he feel able to move forward with those other feelings and pursue a romantic relationship as well.
RELATED POSTS
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 16
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 15
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 14
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 13
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 12
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 11
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 10
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 9
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 8
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 7
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 6
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 5
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 4
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 3
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 2
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 1
Tags: Answer Me 1994, featured, Go Ara, Jung Woo, Yoo Yeon-seok
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101 Katie
December 16, 2013 at 5:01 AM
I actually laughed reading this recap. Javabeans is a shipper, but is trying to portray herself as an informed drama pundit. Not that there's anything wrong with being a shipper, but if you're a shipper, just admit it, rather than trying to portray yourself as neutral.
Anyone who has been watching with no particular alliance (go back and read the comments of the previous episode recaps, there's plenty of us) know that Chilbongie was NEVER a contender, and has always been the stereotypical second lead. The fact that Javabeans actually thought he was the primary contender for 10 episodes shows that she has an incredible amount of naivete when it comes to analyzing dramas.
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atz
December 16, 2013 at 7:26 AM
Regarding your comment for Javabeans;she has an incredible amount of naivete when it comes to analyzing dramas.
I am afraid that your comment is a bit harsh and rude.
Javabeans does brilliant job for putting all those comments on this website. She can be bias if she wants to be. whether it is going to be Garbage or CB, the writing has many flaws. It is not Javabeans has naivete but rather the writer's viewpoint of love has naivete,,, Often Korean drama can get caught up with first love. It might their obsession and they can kiss in most dramas but not much more,,, that is very unreal even in real Korean society, I bet.
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Yamapisukii
December 16, 2013 at 7:53 AM
I would think that it take a lot of guts to come onto someone else blog and bash them about how and what they write. so far, Javabeans hasn't stated that she wasn't bias. through the recaps, everyone can see that she adored Chilbong and when you adore someone, of course you're going to want to gush about that person, it's only natural. I seriously don't see where all this negativeness is coming from. don't like it? don't read it, it's that simple.
onto your point about how Chilbong was never a contender, if he was never a contender then he can't be considered as a typical second lead either. what does a second lead do? they are considered rivals for the main female's heart and just because the said female does not return the feelings does not mean that they weren't still considered as a contender. and for 10 eps. Chilbong was the only main contender seeing as how everyone was unsure of how Trash felt so it was hard to interpret all of his actions. if you were one of the ones who caught on that Trash would be end game from the beginning then bravo, good for you. other people on the other hand, saw Chilbong as the main contender because of all the things he did for the first 10 eps. and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
if you've got nothing nice to say then maybe its better to say nothing at all.
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lolita
December 16, 2013 at 9:08 AM
The level of snark behind your post...
It's times like these that I wish javabeans drop the recaps for this drama. She doesn't owe us anything; she has her own interpretations of AM1994. She slaves through hours to finish a recap so that we can have thoughtful discussions together. Your post is insulting. And 9 likes for that post? I can't even anymore.
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dpm
December 16, 2013 at 9:33 AM
I love how you declared yourself without alliance and in the same sentence affirm CB was never a contender in the first place. If not even once you considered CB or even HT could be a candidate, I fail to see what makes you any less biased than the people you're mocking the naivety.
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disfigurine
December 16, 2013 at 6:47 PM
I've read many of Katie's post and her comment about having no particular alliance is a lie. I know that she's an Oppa shipper based on all her past comments and that she believes Chilbong is creepy. There was also an infamous breakdown/drama that involved me on one of the past am94 recaps because of her comment ;)
So Katie, I found your comment directed at JB really rude. If I was JB, I would feel hurt and quit recapping this drama. I don't understand why you are calling JB naive when in my opinion, she is very intelligent and an expert to me at analyzing dramas. Please create your own blog if you think you can do a better job. I love JB for recapping and sharing interesting new articles everyday with us. I feel as if you're upset about her comment, which I'm confused as to why. But you shouldn't bash JB for having a different perspective as yours. Honestly, I agreed with everything JB had to say.
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KrisS
December 16, 2013 at 10:22 AM
And in cases like this how I wish there is a thumbs down button.
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Hana
December 16, 2013 at 12:58 PM
I second Yamapisukii's comment...if you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. It's one thing to disagree with perhaps the viewpoints or preferences of the JB or GF or any other recapper on the site - of course we will all do that at times. It's another to begin insulting them, based on just a few recaps, for something they believe.
For the record, I was a heavy Trash/NJ shipper for about 5 episodes before I suddenly switched to CB/NJ and now I've become "I don't care/NJ+Oppa are super cute as they are" with a heavy love for Chilbong and thus disappointment in the story. The writers very much gave us hope that NJ MIGHT change in her love - yes we knew she didn't like CB, but the drama was introduced in a way that suggested she could suddenly change.
So does the fact I saw Oppa is the primary contender, and then Chilbong as a real possibility, mean I changed from some intelligent, observant person to a biased naive watcher who knew nothing?
Honestly I think the fact that people are becoming so insulted by JB and GF's opinions over CB shows very much how he was a very important character, and could have been so much more. If he truly didn't matter, the "other sides" wouldn't care either.
JB and GF, thanks as always for your recaps. Even when I don't agree/ship what you ship (which happens from time to time), your recaps always brighten my drama-watching experience (or non-experience, as is the case for some...). Y'all are awesome.
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skelly
December 16, 2013 at 6:00 PM
Hmm. Being "nice" often implies no criticism, analysis, or disagreement. I would rather wish that Katie be "nice" in that she accept that everyone has biases including herself, and to present her arguments in a clear, straightforward manner without resorting to insults. And that she not bite the hand that feeds her.
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minea
December 16, 2013 at 4:08 PM
Well, I actually laughed in disbelief when I read your comment. Of all the nerve. JB can write whatever she wants to write because it’s her opinion and it's her blog. Like what Yamapisukii said, if you don’t like it, then don’t read it.
And it's a matter of perspective you know. A lot of people saw that CB was a strong contender and a lot of people saw CB was not. We all have differing opinions about it because we have different points of view. To each their own. Don’t disregard other people’s opinions just because you think yours is the right one.
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mel
December 16, 2013 at 6:20 PM
oh wow, you've got unbelievable guts to come to somebody's blog and bash her.
i think you're rude and anybody with manners would have just kept quiet and rant IN HIS/HER OWN BLOG.
it's her opinion, so respect that. learn to accept the fact that others don't have the same opinion as you but that doesn't mean they're wrong.
i think you should apologize to javabeans.
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alcoholicbubbletea
December 16, 2013 at 6:37 PM
sigh... this is her blog afterall? maybe dont read recaps from here anymore?
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alcoholicbubbletea
December 16, 2013 at 6:40 PM
also, if you dont think CB is a real contender you would not be this worked up dear. youre so angry cus you KNOW, deep there hidden under your snark, that CB was indeed a contender. and he might win.
if CB doesnt stand a chance at all then youll just sit back and chill haha.
here ill give you a hug.
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Asa
December 17, 2013 at 12:35 AM
Haha @ all the shippers riding your ass. Calm down kiddies, I'm pretty sure jb is a grown woman. She doesn't need you protecting her honor as a blogger from a comment.
And yes, I do love being snarky and condescending...to shippers.
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Yamapisukii
December 17, 2013 at 11:44 AM
she might not need it but it's always nice to know people are backing you up.
nothing wrong with being snarky or condescending, those are a dime a dozen. teehee.
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102 jomo143
December 16, 2013 at 5:02 AM
Thanks for the recap. I agree with you on the writing.
I love love love NJ with Trash, or better yet, I love love love Trash with NJ. He has been there for her in big and small ways forever. The seal sealed it early on.
However, I adore and want to have children with CB. If they weren't going to let him get the girl, they shoulda had some second lead girl interested in him who could put PAS on his sore heart. (Me. I should be putting PAS on him.) Or, at least, have NJ slightly confused on her feelings for him. Maybe a conversation where she admits to a third party that, "DAMN! He's hot, I get fluttery near him, but Oppa owns my heart." Something that shows CB's purpose in the story. I have said this before, take him out, and the love story doesn't change even a little.
Anyway, I blame science for my love of Chilbongie.
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103 YoonJi
December 16, 2013 at 5:27 AM
At the first time watching this, i've always thought that this drama would be different from typical korean drama, where the love line consists of a love triangle or love square, and there will always be a lead guy who whatever happens, will always get the girl and the second lead, who no matter how hard he tries, he will never get the girl. I also used to like that this drama doesn't use a character as a mere device to deliver the main character's story. I used to like how they give every character interesting details about their life, ever character has their own stories which are equally interesting. But as the time passes, i think the plot faces its downfall. Not that i hate Najung/Trash ship, it's just they make too much unnecessary romantic scene between them, making all side character's side story to be pushed aside, and making the plot of latest episodes become stagnant with no development at all. I also think that they tied up Binggeurae's story rather messily, with out of a sudden popping Jin Yi sunbae and then just blam! they married. And also, their decision to make Chilbong's character just go away without any traces is rather disappointing. They've always made him as the biggest contender for Trash, and shipping him out of the country without tying the loose end of his story cleanly just made me so damn annoyed. I wonder how will they use the remaining 4 episodes to give this poor guy a satisfying ending. And no, i won't accept if the writer ties up his story as messy as Binggeurae's. For a character whose role is as big as him, giving him a girlfriend all of a sudden would be too dragged.
And if i think again :
1. If they make Trash as the husband, what for they stressing out this phrase 'It ain't over 'till it's over' again and again. It would hurt the story. And it would be so damn cruel for Chilbong, because his character has so much potential, which sadly, the writer didn't manage to show.
2. If they make Chilbong as the husband, it would be too dragged. The writer spends too many episodes with Najung madly in love with Trash, and all of a sudden, with only four episodes, Chilbong came and get the girl? Even though i'm on Chilbong's side, plot wise, it's too dragged.
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Laura
December 16, 2013 at 11:48 AM
" Not that i hate Najung/Trash ship, it’s just they make too much unnecessary romantic scene between them"
And other people claim that there aren't enough of these scenes to make them feel the love between them.
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104 CB
December 16, 2013 at 5:46 AM
Chilbong still my fave character... I want more screen time for him in the last 4 episodes. We know now trash and najung are going to end together so i hope they spend the last episodes to develop Haitai and Chilbong's character.
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105 JJ
December 16, 2013 at 5:46 AM
I know everyone has their own opinions, but I feel like in every deconstructing post, trash and najeong moments are downplayed while chilbong is highlighted. I HIGHLY disagree that chilbong and Haitai are mere 'plot devices' like you say. For chilbong, I think what the writer is trying to teach is that sometimes in life, people will lose no matter how hard they try. Love and feelings aren't like baseball, where effort and persistence equals victory. I think this is an extremely important lesson for chilbong, who's always thought that effort translated to results. This, I think, will help chilbong grow and mature. As for Haitai, it's hinted in the preview that next episode will have a lot to do with him and the mystery girl, so he's going to have a lot of character development I'm sure. I don't think oppa puts his work before najeong, but rather, it's his moral responsibility to take care of sick patients. He was more hurt and frustrated for missing najeong's birthday than she was. I think the writer is trying to show that in a relationship, it's about reciprocity. As for people saying the proposal was not romantic or rushed, let me tell you that I've watched the scene 4 times now, and it gets me every time when najeong sheds her tears of joy. I cry along with her because the love and raw emotions are the purest I've seen in a long time in any Korean drama.
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106 kles
December 16, 2013 at 6:28 AM
Does anyone else here watch the raw on ffwd just to look for Chilbong scenes? I do, since episode 7. It's not that I'm a CB-NJ shipper, I think we can all agree that that ship has sailed... I just am so invested in him as a character that I want to see how he is doing, and to my utter dismay this week, there's... *drumroll*... nothing at all this week, other than the 2013 scenes and that short scene in e17 of him on TV being interviewed!
AFter reading that post of the Aurora drama, I'm thinking this is almost as bad, the writer practically wrote CB out of these 2 eps! Almost as good as killing him.... for now... Is it just to shush everyone who was shipping CB? Like "take that, of course CB is NOT the husband! He's not even in the drama!" What the...
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anne
December 16, 2013 at 9:38 AM
i do that! i fast forward to his scenes, since i won't be able to understand anything without subtitles anyway.
also, when i re-watch the show on the side and do something else, i am always attentive when his scenes come up.
but that's me. i love him, i love his character.
i don't really have a problem if his story arc is the unrequited love, same like joon hee in am1997. he doesn't have to get the girl, for me.
i just want his story, you know? i've already been there with him as his feelings grew from interest to like to love. i've seen him get hurt because his feelings are not reciprocated. i would have liked to be with him as he deals with this, like how he moves on. and maybe finds a new love. i don't know.
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irugnotmis
December 16, 2013 at 4:07 PM
well said. we just want to follow Chilbongie's growth and development (that includes the process of moving on, if this is where he's heading). it's the denial of being included in that journey that's disappointing.
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107 greenteaicecream
December 16, 2013 at 6:58 AM
GARBAGE IS THE HUSBAND!!!
and i'm basing that in Shiwon's reaction (after opening the dood) and not for anything that happened in the entire 17 episodes of this show.
i will forever remember the face of the f*cker who calls my oppas gangsters who can't sing.
and unless Chilbongie has made a much greater impression on Shiwon as Garbage did, then i wouldn't think (at this point) that he is indeed the "elusive" husband
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mel
December 16, 2013 at 6:28 PM
but how come Shiwon didn't even recognize Garbage when they met at the jewelry store a few days after they fought in the bus? Garbage was still wearing his neck brace so that means it was still very recent.
that's why I don't understand how she suddenly 'recognized' him twenty [?] years after in the apartment...
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108 Omona
December 16, 2013 at 9:02 AM
Hm... I do get the CB love. I do get why people should be upset - however CB had much screen time than the other secondary characters had before.
Now, they are focusing more on the other characters, and imo CB will come back soon and they will give him closure. However I feel like his fans will never be pleased about this 2 episodes he is gone.
I think it was done on purpose, CB will come back already with a new girlfriend or moved on I'm sure. They didn't give us CB for two episodes because then people would compare his scenes and say it was never hinted, but by not showing him on screen, and not telling us what he has been doing there for 2 years, is better to make his story with a new girl more accepted imo. CB pretty much said goodbye to NJ and T in the last episodes, even though he still held some hope. I think he likes someone new, and they didn't let him be his usual self ''I won't give up'' this time because they will troll us next episodes about it. I'm sure lol
Plus I feel sad how much people don't root for NJ and T together, their relationship is so sweet...
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109 leeezzzzz
December 16, 2013 at 9:22 AM
The most disappointing this about this thread is all of the Javabean bashing. Really is that okay? It is one thing to comment back and forth but something else bashing the person who is writing the blog. If I was Javabean I would feel very hurt by your comments. It not only attacks her words that we wait patently for but attacking her. How incredibly rude and thoughtless.
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Omona
December 16, 2013 at 9:34 AM
I see one or two bashing, but the rest of comments are just disagreeing with her and I don't see anything wrong about that.
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cafelatte
December 16, 2013 at 11:11 AM
I apologize if my disappointment comes off as bashing. Maybe it is wrong to hold the writers of the blog to a higher standard than ordinary people but I can't deny that I do because of my respect for their writing and analysis in the past. Which is why I am trying to understand them by questioning and offering my side of the story. Of course, there is no obligation on them to view the story from all perspectives but that one-track mindedness is the root of my disappointment and I want to discuss it.
As you can see, there is a huge faction of people who see the story fluidly moving how it was intended to and loving the series more and more as the episodes proceed. Why should we not voice our opinion just like everyone else who is in agreement with JB does? And responding to what JB has said to express our disagreement equals bashing?
For me personally (and most of the posts I have seen), I do believe that we have cited reasons for our disagreement. JB has given her opinion and her interpretation and we have questioned it - not attacked it. And I stand by everyone who's pointed out that JB's declaration of CB being the only contender until episode 11 came off as stating it as a fact rather than an opinion. Hence we tried to provide evidence to the contrary.
I know you might ask "Why come here and read the recaps then?" but why not? This blog is open to the public and is revered for being arguably THE GUIDE to korean dramas so when there's something I don't quite agree with, is it wrong that I want to discuss it or should everyone who disagrees be exiled? If it's that logic then why is everyone complaining and bashing the show, still watching it? One could say just don't watch it and avoid the annoyance. But as much as you might be annoyed with it, you are invested in the show at some level and it's the same for me with this blog. I am invested in it because of the good times following it in the past so every recap, i return with the hope that maybe it will be fair and objective towards not just both parties, but the story-telling itself. However, every week for a while now, I am left feeling disappointed because the declarations of neutrality feels like mere lipservice.
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Javabeans
December 16, 2013 at 11:19 AM
It's all good. We're all here for discussion and disagreement is part of that. As long as the disagreement doesn't get personal (a big if, admittedly) -- because disagreeing with an interpretation is not the same as assuming a person is an idiot because they don't see things your way -- we're fine.
I do wish people would refrain from creating sockpuppet handles to make it seem like more people agree with them than actually do, though, because psst! I can see who's agreeing with himself.
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mashimomo
December 16, 2013 at 11:32 AM
LOL - as i said, thread is epic ;)
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leeeezzzzz
December 16, 2013 at 11:32 AM
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
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MyKimchiPlot
December 16, 2013 at 11:41 AM
"because psst! I can see who’s agreeing with himself."
Winner! :)
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minea
December 16, 2013 at 5:26 PM
HAHAHAHA! Daebak!
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Grumpy
December 16, 2013 at 8:24 PM
Aaaaah hahaha, actually, that might come up with me and Earl Grey. We're actually related, so we live together and have the same IP address. We do tend to agree a lot and watch together, so there's a lot of cross pollination. You don't have to believe me, but I thought I ought to say something because once you said something, it seemed so awkward.
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kepogee
December 17, 2013 at 12:08 AM
HAHAHAHAHAHA. Epic!!
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cafelatte
December 17, 2013 at 1:52 AM
oh you replied to me! let me fangirl a little bit :D but thanks for understanding. yup we can definitely agree to disagree in a civil way.
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110 apollo11
December 16, 2013 at 9:35 AM
I loved the 1996 birthday scene, especially when Oppa tries to be all hero and kicked the door open and NJ just bounces in and Oppa spazzing opposite her. WHY SO CUTE?? these two reside in their world and its just so lovely to see the transition in their relationship throughout these 17 episodes.
granted its pretty stressful wondering if the plot will turn makjung, but if we look at it as a straightforward story of a boarding house setting, its inhabitants, the 90s and a the realistic portrayal of a changing relationship, its a lot more enjoyable. sometimes i wished i had waited for the series to end so that i wouldnt be distracted by all these CSI :(
also another great moment was after the proposal when Oppa rises to meet NJ in a hug, to me it symbolizes them coming together in their commitment.
while jung woo has been outstanding in the poignant scenes all these while, props to go ara for the reaction post proposal - the way she smiled through her tears listening to the love of her life. it was a touching moment and i enjoyed seeing how much her acting has improved since episode 1
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111 Fuujin
December 16, 2013 at 9:55 AM
My perception of this drama is vastly different from that of JB and GF. But I am so grateful for their insights and perspectives. I learn from them, and they also help me to formulate my own thoughts.
JB writes about these dramas for a living. From the perspective of actually analyzing all facets of a drama's construction and execution, I can see being disappointed with structural "defects," if you will.
I'm just a viewer, and one who's kinda old and hates angst. So what could legitimately be seen as structural shortcomings to me are little blessings that actually make the drama seem more organic, more lifelike. This is a massive departure from the other Korean dramas I've watched (which isn't a knock on them). I also enjoy the slow pace -- to me, it's realistic rather than languid. And I love that so far, we haven't had a real triangle. Instead, we've had a group of young people experiencing feelings in the way young people really do, which is messy and not linear.
Finally, I really like CB and I think we have gotten to know him, at least to a degree. It's gotta be hard figuring out how to flesh out everyone in a rather large ensemble. I think the writer hasn't done so bad with this. I care about all these people. And truth be told, if I were to write such a drama about my college friends, it wouldn't be so different from this. There would be one starring couple and the peripheral pairings.
In any case, I'm grateful to have this blog as a source of thoughtful commentary -- for this show and all the other shows that I do and do not watch. The writing is excellent, and I read posts half the time for that rather than any actual interest in the subject.
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Nubia
December 16, 2013 at 11:09 AM
Ah, Reply 1994.
We'll see what happens at the end of the series. It is a bit disappointing on how the story is being executed and the lack of Chilbong altogether because it is a character I grew to love. The fact that I squeeled when he came on in Ep17 through a TV no less made me realize how much I missed a drama in a Kdrama for the first time. So I am sad at the direction the character has been taken. IF they pair him up with some random girl or Misoo then it will feel kind of rushed. They did with BR but I am not sure how to feel about it all, really Lol. Just disappointed is all in it altogether.
I honestly come on DB just to read the recaps despite the subject because the writing is just great. Tied up with the sense of humor I just have a good time reading and participating. I honestly just love it because of what DB does well and that is sharing their talent in writing with anything Kdrama and movies related. As always thank you for just sharing your thoughts in a great way for me.
I enjoy it all the time and just look forward to the writing:) Keep doing what you are doing and always forward! :)
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Omona
December 16, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Miso girl was show even before, and we shouldn't dimiss her as not a contender for CB.
She had pretty scenes, and seems to treat CB different than the other girls do, so this can make him interested on her too, just like he was with NJ.
It wouldn't feel rushed to be honest.
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Nubia
December 16, 2013 at 12:37 PM
I wasn't dismissing Miso at all. It is just I was only given that she was the baseball manager. For me just a bit short, that is all. This could be my own problem with character development and execution.
It could be that he has come back with someone new and then that will be the end of Chilbong's love with NJ. Just in the overall development and arc of the story is my issue.
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112 Zainab
December 16, 2013 at 10:05 AM
Oppa is great and all but I would never marry a guy who has such pathetic sense of taste.. i HATED that ring :p
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melcos
December 16, 2013 at 10:53 AM
I thought you will end this sentence with something like:
"... a guy who lacks personal hygiene and basically lives like a filthy animal."
But your deal breaker is a bad taste in female jewelry. It made me laugh. ;)
(Personally I would overlook all of his flaws.)
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113 Buggy
December 16, 2013 at 10:26 AM
I think there is still a chance for CB. When NJs parents asked for coffee at their new apartment. I think it was CB who made it and not Trash. Plus the whole "it's not over until it's over" conversation? I think CB is going to come back. Don't get me wrong, it would break my heart if CB ends up being the husband. I love trash's character. I just don't think it's 100% trash is the hubby.
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yuna111
December 16, 2013 at 11:09 AM
i think so too. that chil bong can be the husband.
it's the 2013 scenes, which are very much part of the drama.
and the voice-overs, basically from whose perspective we were shown while watching the show. mostly, it's na jung and chil bong.
and the parallels between 1990s and 2002 and 2013.
and chil bong's mannerisms which has been pretty consistent.
- he laughs while covering his mouth, and it happened as early as in the ramen scene, and several other times in other situations
- the angle when the groom was laughing about the wedding date, the groom had the same mannerism
little things, admittedly. but maybe important things, however minor.
and the names! he’s the only one with a real name, not just a nickname since episode 3.
and how na jung changed how she addresses him, from chil bong to bong-ah, to joon-ah, to plain joon in the 2013 scenes when she asked him to order the food delivery.
in korean (and japanese dramas), there are formal (kr -shi and jp – san, -kun) and informal (kr -ah, -ie and jp -chan) attachments/honorifics to names but it is more intimate to drop said attachments/honorifics. when people call husbands/wives by name (not the husband/wife title but the actual name), there are no attachments/honorifics to signify that intimate connection.
joon has also changed how he calls na jung’s dad. in the past, it is always coach-nim (polite professional). in a recent episode, it was father (close).
joon has also changed how he calls trash. from hyung/hyung-nim (close informal/close formal), to sunbae/sunbae-nim (polite professional), then back to hyung-nim. obviously, the drama has shown why the way he called him in the past has changed, and we expect that the reason for the way he calls him again is also important/significant.
in the same way, how na jung calls him and how he calls na jung’s dad, there is an important/significant reason, particularly in changes in relationships.
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114 Luna
December 16, 2013 at 12:12 PM
I really wish to Trash and CB have a real heart talk together.
But hope no punch involved, if Oppa punches CB, people will go crazy and hate him forever, even though CB behavior towards trash is quite abrasive, gosh if it was my boyfriend he would already punch CB once for stop telling things about stealing me from him. There is a limit.
But then if CB punchs Trash first, Trash fans would go crazy too, and say CB is too much and should mind his business, and saying it would be out of character - but maybe it wouldn't because CB did throw that ball against his baseball sunbae.
Well, I don't care about NJ-CB anymore, I just want Trash and CB, there are things that need to be talked between those two, and I want to see how they turned friends than CB suffering for NJ.
Many people say Trash seems jealous / insecure everytime CB appears... but sometimes I have a feeling Trash feels bad for CB still crushin on NJ after 2 years of NJ and T dating like that japanese interview. Don't know, was Trash really jealous, or pluzzed ?
I know they didn't show us much CB or T together, but they did play baseball before and could get along...
Plus, I was the one annoyed by YJ? CP is so insecure and she didn't want to throw a bone. I felt bad for him, CP usually does more things she likes, and she still feels reluctant to do what he likes. A bit unfair tbh. Remember CP had to go to 10 concerts of her Oppa, to YJ agree going in one concert of the singer CP liked? She also didn't want to go in a trip to the beach, I know CP might have second thoughts, but gosh he won't rape you girl.
Then she left him alone with his sunbaes... poor CP.
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115 Lily
December 16, 2013 at 12:51 PM
I'm one of the few that's all for Trash and NJ. Although I really like CB as well. But everytime I watch the scenes with him and NJ, it's so cute it hurts but it's just CUTE. Theres just so much passion when NJ and trash are together! Their kiss scenes are some of the best I've seen. (Although I guess how can there be passion when it's a one sided love eh). Either way, I think they will both be great husbands for her.
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116 amara
December 16, 2013 at 2:56 PM
i honestly feel like some of us are watching two dramatically different dramas. several episodes where CB was a serious contender? or like you thought they would get together? i have never gotten that impression and it's because NJ has never changed her mind.
i don't feel cheated, because that's just the way it is. i've written on my issues with this episode in other places so i'll just reduce it and keep it generally positive:
i think this show is still very enjoyable. i think nj/trash's relationship does make sense and i think it is largely positive in it's own way. i don't think there has been a huge decline and i think comparisons to the first series makes people massively disappointed when once again they are two different things.
it's all a matter of perception still though which i won't hold it against those who review these things.
wrt the drama, not everyone is 100% mature always, or has no flaws, that is literally impossible. however the ONE thing i see everyone expecting is some big twist, some big happening, horrible things when this drama has honestly consistently been not about the huge things but everyday life because huge and horrible and strange things do happen but not /all the time/
life doesn't go in huge leaps and bounds more of a slow scale or maybe a gradient and time progresses and that's okay. idk what im saying anymore though
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117 TVaddict
December 16, 2013 at 3:04 PM
My opinion is that Oppa was the writer's end game from the very beginning and after seeing the positive response of viewers to CB after the mom episode, his game, the burger order, and the crazy eyes decided to re-elevate oppa's character and simply make CB a plot device so that the end is believable. That is a huge disservice to CB's character, the viewers, and NJ/CB shippers. CB was never fleshed out like other characters. Heck he didn't even have a close relationship with his own cousin. Javabeans and Kate I feel your pain, because it has been mine for a while now. I am very disappointed in this writer tho because I expected more (1997 is my favorite KDrama of all time).
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118 Ang
December 16, 2013 at 4:03 PM
Reading all the recaps and most of the comments, it's interesting to me that we all know that the Reply franchise is about a "slice-of-life" approach to drama land, but some can't appreciate the slice-of-life moments between Trash and Najeong and disaregard them as love but is in awed by the grand gestures from CB (which lets face it, happens less frequently in real life).
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119 kristendaray
December 16, 2013 at 5:16 PM
I for one am just going to say that if they did turn it around to be CB I am going to be highly disappointed. I was really rooting for one over the other at the beginning, but the more NJ's feelings grew for Trash, my heart reached out with hers. She has never shown interest in CB so for me, it is too late. I like, prefer, dramas where the main love interests are shown throughout the drama. So if CB some how manages to sneak into her hear in the last 4 episodes I will be one angry fan. Again, not because I didn't like CB, but they could have introduced her affections earlier if that is the case. But, after watching many dramas I am almost convinces it is Trash and I am okay with that. Actually, more that okay. Like I said, the more I have watched their relationship, the more I ship them. For me, it is like that with all dramas. I'll start out liking the second leading male and once the relationship with the main leading male takes off I fall for them--everytime.
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120 Barbara Starks
December 16, 2013 at 5:40 PM
I'm sure it just me but when was Chilbongie, ever on the map? Really! He was a character that likes Na-jung nothing more and a lot less. The drama did not even play to Chilbongie as a real second lead. Viewer watching this drama made Chilbongie more then he was and I'm surprise because to me it always been Trash, the Sun and the Moon. I watch this drama from everyone perspective because every character seems to developed but Chilbongie will remain in 1994, because his entire focus was on a girl that had a MAN.
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121 alcoholicbubbletea
December 16, 2013 at 6:42 PM
JB, i just wanna say thank you. thank you so much for writing this recap and comment. youve worked hard. youve worked well. please dont stop writing this blog.
THANK YOU DRAMABEANS.
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122 alcoholicbubbletea
December 16, 2013 at 6:46 PM
hahaha isnt it funny how when trash was absent all the CB team was bashing trash and now that CB is absent all the trash team bashing CB. love is a great power huh.
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mel
December 16, 2013 at 6:56 PM
when was Trash ever absent? i don't remember him being absent. he always has about 20 minutes screen time per episode [estimate only].
chilbong was literally gone for two whole episodes, except that TV appearance in E17 that lasted less than a minute.
when H was in the army, he still got a reasonable screen time. i don't get this writer. will be avoiding her future works.
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alcoholicbubbletea
December 16, 2013 at 7:18 PM
no i mean when trash was being "absent" in terms of his feelings for nj etc. im team cb initially but the writers made him such a jerk imo.
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123 Leticia
December 16, 2013 at 7:07 PM
We can say anything and debate like, forever and ever...but if do it it's because we're hoocked to this drama and that's the Writer/director VICTORY!!!
As for the recaps and the ones writing them, I'm team oppa from episode 0 (when I thought this brother is daebak) but I'm dramabeans'recaps team also!!!
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124 KAddicts
December 16, 2013 at 7:58 PM
I understand the lack of CB and the disappointment others have on him and I do believe majority is because of the trolling of episode 0 that get watch but there is an important factor that I feel we are all forgetting with our bias that from the beginning this isn't a story about CB nor the intention was to focus on him and so there is a lesser focus on his growth because what Answer Me 1994 is about the countryside individual journey and growth as the adapt to the city life thus each individual experience growth and depth in their character because this drama is a focus on them... their experience in a different city, their journey of self-discovery and purpose and love in the big city ... isn't that something we all feel in our life when we graduate high school and venture out to an unknown city on our own, the fear, the self-discovery and growth, and us becoming a part of the people in the city ... this was the objective of the drama so far (thus wasn't that the reason with YYS was cast first while it was more difficult casting others) because the focus was the country individual based on all the article I read and the synposis ...
And one of the thing I feel so confused is the contradiction I read about CB as when he started many wonderful insightful individual has comment about wanting character depth that was constantly being shot down and rejected by his fans that he has depth and now with 4 episode to go they're complaining that he isn't getting depth ... I am at a loss as to what is truly wanted for CB ... and I say this because I was at the main thread in soompi and from ep 3-10 there were plenty of wishes in his depth that his fan had reject feeling as a bad talk on his character when intention is to benefit his character and now it seem they're complaining on wanting depth in his years
...aigoo aigoo
And it seem some are forgetting this drama is a slice of life drama that people can relate and understand so read comment about Trash picking his profession of NJ got me shaking my head ... are we asking him to forgo saving lives to be with her ... shaking my head I'm disbelief on those comment
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125 salt n' pepper
December 16, 2013 at 8:49 PM
I think this is the first time I'm having the second-lead-syndrome and as obvious as it was (IMO) that Trash would be end game, I still held a bit of hope that the writer's wouldn't make this too similar to Reply 1997 and would instead go with Chilbong as the husband. Now that it's pretty much 100% sure Oppa, I can't help but be a bit disappointed. I wish they hadn't devoted so much scenes in favor of Chilbong and that they hadn't put out that "it ain't over until it's over" bit if they weren't going to give him a fair chance in terms of plot development between him and Najung. /sigh/ Just ranting because I had so much hopes for it to top Reply 1997 as I love the characters here a lot and the beginning had so much promise. :( I feel the 21 episodes and 1 hr. 30 mins. air time is too long that we're getting so much filler (albeit enjoyable filler) and little integral storyline.
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KAddicts
December 16, 2013 at 9:15 PM
I will admit that there are similarity to AM1997 however we should look at it as a AM Franchise (so the similarity will be. We already expected that when the guess the hubby game) HOWEVER if we put bias aside and watch AM for what it is worth, then we really do see that some similarity BUT objective wise as to what the story is telling are completely different.
AM1997 theme is about first love while AM1994 theme is a person their journey of venturing into the world on their own, the experiences of ups and down, their journey of self-discovery and bond of friendship they built with others, journey to adulthood
So if we look at it, AM1997 reflect our experience of first love and letting go of first love (in Joonhee case) while AM1994 is a slice of life that we all related as individual as we take that step outside of our comfort zone, outside of our family to become adults thus many do enjoy the drama and it is based on reference that many will like 94 more than 97 and vice versa.
Overall I just want to point that there is a difference in story-wise from the AM franchise!
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126 Michelle
December 16, 2013 at 9:21 PM
im disappointed at the complete lack of any detailed analysis of the proposal. it made such a big impact on the korean audiences (made apparent by the numerous articles about how people were so moved by how realistic it was, how it was the most sincere proposal ever given in an kdrama, etcetc), but it seems that the sadness over CBs absence has completely overshadowed any meaningful NJ/trash scenes.
its like yes, i understand that the lack of CB devlopment is undermining the series... but shouldn't the recap focus more on analyzing what happened in that current episode than anything else? CBs absence getting more analysis than one of actual major events of the episode is kinda weird...
i actually agree with a lot of the analyses indicated in this recap, esp in regards to binggraes situation and how they writer is not giving enough development to CBs character.
i was hoping that the major development between NJ and trash's relationship would finally make ppl realize how much trash loves NJ.(since ppl for the longest time were questioning his feelings for her) but no, ppl simply find more things to criticize him about.
and ppl always somehow make oppas actions so anticlimactic. ppl argued for the longest time how oppas hesitant actions are completely inexcusable - then once we get a scene showing that oppas actions were valid --> no mention of this whatsoever. oppas makes a VERY decisive action to propose to her --> the reason behind the proposal is flawed.
i dont want to make this is a ethnicity thing, but there is truly a reason why trash is the favored character in korea. i def feel more at home with all the analyses presented in the korean forums - whether its pro CB or pro oppa. they all just make more sense in the context of korean culture. and one cant deny that korean culture plays a much bigger role in this particular series than any other kdrama.
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leeezzzzz
December 16, 2013 at 9:45 PM
The proposal was very beautiful. It was honest heartfelt and all the things a real proposal should be. But in the end it got under minded by oppa stopping his conversation with NJ when CB came on TV. That is not how you treat someone especially the person who you just got engaged to. If the writers would just revel the husband, then the audience could just enjoy the moment better, like the way it should be. By the way I am Korean too and I see love and dislike for both sides. Even in Korea people are getting fed up too. Thus the tad bit lower ratings in the past 2 episodes.
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amara
December 16, 2013 at 10:20 PM
i cannot see how it got undermined it wasn't even the next scene it was not that serious lol
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mashimomo
December 17, 2013 at 12:32 AM
Whether or not you think that interview with CB and Oppa's reaction undermined the proposal, what is clear is that the writers are trolls and will continue to troll us with these kinds of scenes until the final reveal. Trash and Na-Jung are engaged to be married already at this point so what's the purpose of this scene? Of him (seemingly) getting worked up over someone who's already a non-contender for Na-jung's heart? To me it's tired, and done for the purpose of dragging out the (non-mystery) husband gimmick. That is my frustration that I think viewers are trying to express that may hinder them from fully appreciating this episode (and perhaps many more scenes like this, one other scene that comes to mind is the It ain't over till it's over quote from CB after Trash finally confessed to Na-Jung) And yes, maybe most Koreans are not bothered by this scene as much and not a big deal because they get the humor (?) or reasoning behind it. Maybe it is these nuances that us non-Koreans are missing out on that we don't really understand, I don't know.
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amara
December 17, 2013 at 3:25 AM
i dont think it was humorous but i don't think it was this huge deal. oh gee someone is insecure a little bit (or a lot) when this dude who is constantly threatening to rupture a new and intense deeply loving relationship between two people and he admits on "national" television that he likes a girl....and that it's probably the girl you're engage to. oh he got distracted? like all these things are so easily understandable and can be seen but several people are acting like they can't think critically
amara
December 17, 2013 at 3:28 AM
also i'm (2nd gen) african american and idk i mean i have a very different approach to a lot of things and i'm not super sensitive and i do not connect to a lot of cultural things in dramas (even though sometimes i see a lot of the same things in my own culture) so everyone is different but i just find some things so much easier to understand than so many others are making it seem
mashimomo
December 17, 2013 at 6:30 AM
Don't get me wrong - i do not think Trash's reaction is inappropriate either and I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear. What I'm saying is the writers are annoyingly clever to plant scenes that are left open for interpretation because they know that others are still hoping for a different outcome when it's really clear for some at this point that Garbage will be end game already (and I'm saying this as a CB fan). This is what flames fan wars even more and I hate that they are doing this!
I'm speaking from experience since I let scenes like this get to me on the earlier episodes, the pendulum was swinging back and forth with T and CB but nope, I realized Na-Jung's heart remained the same. And while I'm still enjoying the drama regardless, the trolling and husband mystery gimmick is ridiculous at this point and that is my problem with this.
alcoholicbubbletea
December 17, 2013 at 12:04 AM
yeah i noticed how such an impactful proposal was only written in two lines.
but idk, maybe its the writers mistake? theyve shown us wayyy too many kissing scenes of t/nj that once he proposed its like oh... ok. their first kiss was magical. i was a cb shipper and i thought "lol sorry cb but you totally lost to this guy" but after so many cuddly moments between t/nj its like "just make babies already" to me.
sw/yj also got lots of airtime for the kissing only in R97 but it was because they havent communicate properly for so long so once theyre together im like YEAHHH.
and oppa, his way of gift-giving is just the most adorable but again idk why the writer had to do the love eating fear theme... its as if to me oppa is only proposing so he wont lose to cb?
dont get me wrong bcs i dont want nj to end up with cb in just two episodes. actually i dont even know who cb is anymore.
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mashimomo
December 17, 2013 at 12:31 AM
I too find the engagement scene realistic and very poignant. I love that Na-Jung was totally thrown for a loop and was very much surprised by what is happening. Go Ara was fantastic! and Trash, awe why are you so slick and awkward at the same time? Actually it did remind me of my own engagement as well (in bed, early morning), so kudos to the writers for making it so real!
As a CB supporter, I too am frustrated at his lack of character development because he's too darned lovable to be a plot device. But truly, while he stole MY heart he never really took Na-jung's. And I'm at peace with that now, so I'm looking forward to how the writers will close out his story.
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127 katyaluxe
December 16, 2013 at 10:17 PM
I will be okay if Trash is the husband, but I was so on Chilbong's side. But, due to Reply 1994 making us analyze the tiniest little details, how is Trash famous enough that Shiwon recognizes him at the door. Its either due to thr bus accident in 1997 or its Chilbong because he's a baseball player.
Anyway, the cameos delighted me. Especially when Shiwon was yelling at Yoonjae. Reply 1997 was a lot more funny and easy-going than Reply 1994. I'm the only one of my friends who watches it weekly because they want to watch it in one shot, but, so far, this series was at the beginning better then Reply 1997, but now, not so much.
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128 Asa
December 17, 2013 at 12:32 AM
"Honestly, I think it’s a simple matter of the drama literally setting Chilbongie up to be the love interest,"
LOL, what. It was a one-sided love.
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129 Kaji
December 17, 2013 at 12:36 AM
I'm a Chilbong shipper and so far the only thing the past 4 episodes has done to me is cut me up inside. But you know, no matter how logically it seems that CB is the hubby if we take the 2013 clues at face value... Well darn, nothing we can do about it. Its all up to the writer afterall. Sigh sigh. Don't get me wrong.. Trash and NJ's scenes were sweet and real but there's something about them that rubs me the wrong way (which can probably be largely explained to me being a CB shipper.. LOL).
Oh, the despair... Again its up to the writer. But OH DESPAIR...
Enough!!!!
I have to Sheldon-Cooper-"There, there" myself out of this.
*Pat pat pat*
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130 Tia
December 17, 2013 at 1:08 AM
I'm probably the only one... but i dont ship najung with Trash or Chilbong. I dont ship najung and trash cuz najung is like a puppy and i cant stand heroines that act like puppies to our heroes. go ara is doing a good job though. CB is an adorable guy and all but the writers didnt give me much to ship them. I just tune in for the comedy... its just brilliant and hilarious. love the side characters especially the dad lol. but i do have to say that the writers disappointed me. i thought reply 1997 was refreshing and almost perfect (those last 4 episodes were no good though) but this one lacks something i cant seem to pin point. oh well... god bless you dramabeans for these recaps and this blog... you guys are truly the best!
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131 bettinagurl
December 17, 2013 at 9:37 AM
I would just like to say.. when I started watching AM94.. I watched it straight ep1-15 but not once had I felt Chilbong had a chance. I think I was already set with my bias from the start but... if you come to think of it... no lead guy should have started appearing in episode 2 or 3. Peace out CB shippers. This is just my opinion.
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Kaybee
December 17, 2013 at 11:02 AM
Song Sam Dong (Kim Soo-hyun) did in Dream High for instance...
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132 MyKimchiPlot
December 17, 2013 at 10:06 AM
Hi Javabeans,
I'm not sure if you still read comments all the waaaaaaaaay down here.
But I just want to say thanks.
For doing this.
For everything.
Hang in there! <3
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133 tura
December 17, 2013 at 11:13 AM
I think CB giving oppa that baseball meant that he concedes to having lost the girl and that is his own way of keeping oppa on his toes in making NJ happy. Its like saying: 'okay I see now that she likes just u and u better treat her right or steal her from u, u wouldn't want that,right?
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134 Kim Yoonmi
December 17, 2013 at 11:41 PM
Not said in a boasting fashion, though I know it'll sound that way...
I pretty much knew it was Oppa from Episode Zero. They present him first, and then say he's her brother. But then by Episode 4, when we found out he wasn't her real brother, I was pretty sure it was him because he's classic Korean Literature Hero material and the same type of character the writers chose for the lead last time.
The following will sound cold and calculating...
Chilbong is the type of character that never declares his feelings and likes big events. He spends most of his time in the classic Korean secondary fashion of trying to get closer to the love interest, but doing absolutely nothing to move on her. (See Prime Minister and I). This is a repeat pattern that goes waaaay, waaaaay back in time. He also tries grand gestures that always succeeds, but then never says anything which the writers themselves stated last time during the proposal without the balloons they hated. The writers said they hated big events. He loses from the first time he asks Na Jeong to his game without telling her why.
Silently giving the seal and the episode about the gifts pretty much told me end game.
Oppa's style is the silent background support. He may not have the minam looks, but he has all the personality features of the classic hero. Gives the seal. Helps on the day of the remembrance. Helps her parents out without being asked.
Also from a writer's standpoint, though this isn't the good rule for life--he also has the most problems in getting Na Jeong which makes for a more interesting story arc, which means he will win the woman. Always. Longer arcs in storyland pretty much win hands down. More obstacles always results in wins in stories. (True of the Western world too.)
To me, Chilbong is pretty much the Western standard for the Main Male character. In the West his type wins a lot. (Though I could do without the armor... *gags* I have so much rant fest about the armor.) Oppa is the typical traditional Korean male lead. Silent, does little things to show he cares, doesn't ask for thanks or credit for it, but still is there to be emotionally supportive, even when not completely perfect and upright in his own moral way. Also not easy to read like a Confucian Scholar. =P
Plus they never gave NJ a real rival the entire time, like they chickened out of it. He was end game from the beginning. Also the groom's hair isn't dyed brown...
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135 Kdjjang
December 18, 2013 at 10:12 AM
“Oppa is a very sensitive namja, you wench” LOL, I’m dying!… I like how he calls her “wench” all the time (per the subs), though to me it sounds like a curse word but in a respectful way.
Anyone noticed his pseudo-handicap dance on the floor, omg! I can’t…lol
The show was never about najung’s story only, but a group of people from different backgrounds going through similar discoveries of life, love and whatnot, and to show that there is a bond that cannot be broken after so many years, friendship. You have to apprehend the growth in all of them not just Najung.
I agree Bingrae did have a slow development, because the writers never dropped a hint on us on his real feelings. We were leaning towards one perception based on what was given to us.
Yes Chilbong was a contender, and so did the other four characters. He just happens to be either first or second runner up in the race. Keep in mind that we are watching 21 hours worth of 20 years story, so for the writers the next 4 episode won’t be 4hrs.
Currently, I’m waiting on the full course meal, because the writer refused to let us in and take a peak in their kitchen, and know what's really cooking. Things can take an unexpected turn. I tried not to read too much in between lines, because when I do, it’s a tug-of-war. Everyone is putting so much expectation on the writers and the show, when it was always like “That’s the husband… or is he hmm??? doggulkayo?
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136 dude
December 23, 2013 at 12:27 AM
call me crazy, but i think dude who came back from army is the dark horse husband.
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137 Jo-hannah
February 13, 2014 at 8:28 PM
I'm really pissed off with this drama writers... I'm completely fine if the husband isn't Chilbong, really, I like Oppa too (although I'd rather Chilbong that's not what pisses me off) What makes me go nuts is that the writers completely vanished Chilbong character out of the map and that's not fair, he's such a great character that we (the ones who love him) enjoy so much aside the fact that he gets the girl at the end or not, he is a character that has a lot more things to contribute to this drama than just the main romance conflict... they can show us more of him and is not necessary to make him be with Na Jeong... And the fact that Haiti was also "almost" disappeared in these last episodes pisses me off, they could show his life in the army more deeply, but this thing is all about Trash and Na Jeong and their love (a cute love by the way), come on! the drama began focusing not just in one character story but in every character story giving each character such a great importance and that was something I really appreciated while watching this drama, because it wasn't as every common drama I've seen, but now BLEH! I don't even know... The best of these last episode it's been Binggeure story, I really enjoyed it and made me feel that vibe and sparkles again.
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138 Hmm
January 23, 2017 at 5:03 PM
Is it just me or is the shop he got the ring at the same shop that Taeki's dad used to own before they moved in reply 1988?
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139 Taehyungvie
May 5, 2020 at 10:46 AM
Trash has these very small, subtle moments where he says or does something (either to NJ or to someone else ABOUT NJ) and in these moments you can just see that he’s so genuinely in love with NJ that if they were to break up, his world would fall apart.
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140 Taehyungvie
May 5, 2020 at 11:03 AM
If CB ended up being the husband after all this, I’d just be bewildered and confused. Not angry or pissed off, just confused. And I just wouldn’t understand what the point in all the TrashJeong scenes would be. I mean, I’ve seen all the lovey dovey scenes between TrashJeong so I know Trash got a great deal of love from NJ (so I wouldn’t feel bad for him) but can we say the same for CB? With 4 episodes to go, can they fill the drama with CBJeong scenes, and will NJ’s heart really be filled with CB only, knowing that she loved Trash for so long?
If they make CB the husband now that we’re at the end, I’d actually feel really bad for him. He wouldn't have got the same love from NJ that Trash got from her. Or at least us viewers wouldn’t have been able to enjoy that knowing that most of the show was dedicated to TrashJeong.
That being said, I’m pretty sure the ship won’t change now. We’re too far into the story for the ship to suddenly change.
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