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I Need Romance 3: Episode 16 (Final)

It’s a sweetly satisfying conclusion for the third installment of the I Need Romance franchise, with enough closure to feel like we’re sending characters off as better versions of themselves than when we met each of them, but also enough open-endedness to remain realistic and true to the tone of the series. Well, as realistic as a fantasy world in which Wannie is a real man. But my world has aliens and gumihos and ghosts, so what’s another sweet potato to add to the mix?

 
SONG OF THE DAY

Sung Joon – “사랑은 웃는 것 (Love Is Smiling)” for the OST [ Download ]

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FINAL EPISODE: “The words ‘I love you’ are…”

It’s the morning after love confessions and heady first nights, and Joo-yeon wakes up early to gaze at Wan and run her fingers along his face in wide-eyed wonder.

She narrates, “Just one word—love—and one night’s time has passed. But you’re different than you were yesterday, in my eyes.”

She kisses his cheek and he stirs awake, requesting another on the lips. She complies and they snuggle blissfully. Can we just stay in this scene for another few hours?

Elsewhere, Hee-jae is having a little more trouble enjoying the morning after because she wants to look her best. She even turns down breakfast in bed (What. Why.) but Woo-young just finds her adorable and jumps back into bed to keep her from getting dressed.

As Wan drives Joo-yeon back, she says to herself that she suddenly understands things she never could before. She flashes back to a conversation with her team, where the other girls fawn over the hottie waiter straight out of Coffee Prince and talk about the endless body parts they find sexy on a man, like his neck while he shaves or his arms while he drives.

Throughout the entire conversation, Joo-yeon and Woo-young just shake their heads dubiously. But now, Joo-yeon finds herself completely enamored with the perfect specimen of a man at her side. I love that she outright ogles him, taking in his arms and his hands while he isn’t looking.

He asks if she wants to stop for brunch, and she just shuts her eyes and squeals internally, “That voice!” You’re so cute right now. Are you seriously only noticing all this for the first time??

And in another car, Woo-young makes sure to point out that he’s about to look sexy while driving, since he remembers Hee-jae swooning over the way a man looks while driving in reverse. She laughs, and rewards him with a kiss on the cheek.

At brunch, Joo-yeon is in full love-struck mode, now noticing the way he looks from behind, the way clothes hang on him, the way he so perfectly touches his lips to his coffee mug. This is cracking me up.

He calls her out for being weird all morning, wondering why she isn’t eating or saying anything and just staring. All she can do is berate herself in inner monologue: “What woman called this man a sweet potato?!” Ha.

At work, she asks the girls (plus Se-ryung), “Have you ever seen a man so perfect? Have you?!” When they all agree wholeheartedly that Wan is hot, she chirps in delight at their good taste. But when they point out that the entire world knows he’s hot and he has the fans to show it, she starts to get a little nervous.

She gulps to hear how many young pretty girls send him gifts, and she admits to Se-ryung that being with him does make her really anxious. Se-ryung assures her that there’s no such thing as a safe relationship—only ones that make you feel less nervous because you care less.

Tae-yoon comes up to them and mentions that he heard Se-ryung will be sticking with their company, and she says she never intended to leave in the first place. She reminds him that he knows why she came here in the first place.

Joo-yeon marvels at her confidence, and Se-ryung just says that in the dating game, the final match is the one that’s most important and she has no intention of fighting through the first ninety-nine rounds only to lose in the end. She has one last chance and she’s going to take it.

Wan interviews a pair of idols on his radio show, and when he asks about their ideal men, one of them confesses to having a huge crush on him. The best part is Joo-yeon’s face as she watches this online, grumbling jealously at every word.

But after coaxing compliments out of them, Wan says cheerily that he hopes his girlfriend is watching this, and adds: “Are you listening, Shing Shing? I love you.” Aw. Joo-yeon lights up and says in voiceover: “My man. Try as I might, I can’t not love him.”

She’s waiting for him outside when he arrives that night, and he bounds up the stairs to meet her. She denies having missed him all day, but says she’s curious about something now and asks why he likes her when there are so many pretty young girls around him.

Wan: “So what? Those women aren’t you.” Good answer. He asks if he makes her feel insecure, and she admits he does a little. Wan: “You like me a lot, don’t you?”

He tells her not to feel insecure, and instead to just be good to him as much as she likes him, starting with the truth—that she missed him all day. She openly confesses to both, and he kisses her.

As they head inside, she narrates that they’ve gone back to living together, and other than being love, nothing is all that different day to day… except for things getting slightly awkward at bedtime.

They’re snuggling on the couch when Wan suggests they go to bed, at which she suddenly darts up nervously, blurts goodnight, and goes to her room. I love the incredulity on his face.

He texts her to ask his room or hers, and she spins her wheels trying to figure out how to answer. She starts to think of dating in terms of marketing strategy, since that’s all she knows, and decides she doesn’t want to be too easy and therefore unappealing.

She decides to play dumb, which makes him scoff. It backfires on her, and she lies in bed wondering why he isn’t responding. She tries Home Shopping Strategy No.2: make him think he only has a few minutes left to buy.

When that doesn’t work, she remembers that sometimes a free gift with purchase is the way to hook people, and sends him a picture of the giraffe: “The giraffe misses you.” It works to get him down to her room, and she asks what he wanted to say, still playing coy.

He skips straight past the playing dumb: “Wanna kiss?” He kisses her and asks if she wants to return or buy, and she declares him a keeper.

She gets on top of him for more kisses (rawr), but then he stops her for a second to say that he doesn’t like all this dancing around—he likes being direct, like saying he wants to sleep with her when he wants to sleep with her.

He asks her to do the same, because he can’t read her mind, and doesn’t want things to end in a haze of misunderstanding. So he asks her point-blank if she wants him to stay or go, and she shyly tells him to sleep in her room tonight. Kiss!

At work the next day, Joo-yeon asks the girls about initiating sex, admitting that she’s never been able to do it. Unsurprisingly, Se-ryung and Min-jung have no problems asking for what they want when they want it, while Hee-jae falls much more into Joo-yeon’s camp.

Hee-jae says she’ll reject sex in cars outright, while Min-jung says she has fantasies about having sex in public places. They all agree to name fantasies (while attributing them to “a friend I know”) and Hee-jae admits to wanting to be tied up, and hating the fact that her boyfriend always has to turn the lights off.

Woo-young arrives from a meeting two seconds later, and everyone freezes up awkwardly. Hee-jae runs to her desk, and when he prods to be let in on the conversation, Min-jung tells him to turn on the lights, and Se-ryung tells him to try bondage. Pffft, poor guy.

He calls Hee-jae up to the roof and has it out with her for blabbing about their sex life with everyone. He’s understandably pissed, countering that she could initiate sex once in a while but he doesn’t go talking about it with his friends. But he doesn’t stay mad and ends with: “See if I ever turn the lights off again!”

Min-seok starts to freak out while fake-babysitting when it starts to sink in that twins mean literally doing everything—feeding, rocking, changing poopy diapers—twice.

He tries to figure out where to cut down on his work, wondering if he should cram in more work now so he can cut his hours when the babies come, only to wonder why he’s thinking about this when he’s planning to run away.

He’s even more shocked when a deliveryman arrives with a mountain of baby supplies including a twin stroller, and he brings it over to Min-jung and admits that he must’ve ordered the stuff while drunk. Hahahaha.

He doesn’t even remember doing it, but his credit card receipts revealed his new drunk baby shopping addiction. She asks how he feels about living their separate lives and not getting married, but just raising the kids together.

She promises not to hold onto him if he ever wants to run away, but asks him not to be so scared about stuff that hasn’t happened yet. She hands him her baby diary and tells him to take a look when he’s ready.

Hee-jae tells Woo-young that she has something to say, and turns on the radio. It’s Wan’s show, and he starts to read a message sent in from a listener, and Woo-young realizes that it’s from her.

She says in the message that she’s spent years working herself to the bone and saving all this money, but it suddenly dawned on her that she didn’t know what it was all for. She decided that she wants to travel the world for a year, but worries that her boyfriend won’t cheer her on.

Wan thinks her worry is unfounded: “Of course he’ll cheer you on—the person he loves wants to be happy. I hope the two of you will meet again as happier people.”

But Woo-young isn’t quite so open-minded about the fact that his new girlfriend suddenly wants to be apart for a year. She reminds him that he’s the one who encouraged her to figure out what she wants.

She says she needs to do this alone because she wants to become someone who can stand on her own and be happy on her own. Good for you. She thinks that they have all the time in the world because they’re still young, but he refuses to see it her way and tells her she’ll have to break up with him first if she wants to go.

Wan finishes up the radio segment by saying that being insecure in a relationship’s future is a given, but it’s more important to focus on being happier in the present: “Because there is no future if there is no present.” Deep, yo.

Joo-yeon listens to his show while bumbling her way through making dinner at home, and he’s a little taken aback to come home to her in an apron: “You didn’t cause an accident did you?”

He finds the kitchen a mess with her half-burnt, half-raw meal in process, but encourages her not to give up on it, deciding that she should cook one day a week from now on. He sighs while washing up because he already ate before coming home, but he braces himself to eat another meal (and of questionable edibility at that—now that’s love).

She watches him eat with such expectant eyes. He’s a trooper about eating her food, struggling not to grimace and bust out laughing at the same time. He can’t help but point out the things she did wrong, but then one compliment puts a smile right back on her face.

As they brush their teeth together before bed, she tells him that she’s going to sleep with him tonight. That catches him off-guard, but he recovers and decides to play hard to get. She asks if he’s tired, at which he spits back that he is NOT, nor will he ever be, lacking for stamina. Ha.

She asks what he’ll do if she rejects his rejection, so he challenges her to make it so that he can’t resist. Challenge accepted. She drops her robe to reveal a tiny leopard nightie, and if he had cartoon eyeballs, they would be jumping out of their sockets.

She tells him to go ahead and resist, and backs him out until she’s got him pressed up against the wall. She kisses him lightly and throws his line right back at him—he can tell her to stop if he wants.

She leans up to kiss him on the neck, and he can’t take it anymore, and picks her up and carries her inside.

Hee-jae hesitantly tells Woo-young that she’s going to hand in her resignation today, and he answers coldly that he doesn’t care because they broke up yesterday.

Joo-yeon and Min-jung get called to the boss’s office, where Tae-yoon is already explaining Min-jung’s pregnancy and asking for some leniency in letting her run her team. What, are you actually being human now?

They’re shocked to hear that Tae-yoon went to bat for Min-jung, and their boss asks if they’ll be able to handle the workload when it doubles, because Tae-yoon is leaving for Hong Kong to run their office there. They reassure her that they’re up to the task.

Hee-jae gets up when Joo-yeon walks in, but Woo-young suddenly darts up and cuts her off before she can say anything and drags her out of the office angrily. What are you going to do, lock her in a file cabinet?

He’s still roaring mad, but despite it all, he takes her shopping for a new suitcase and a camera. He demands the shopkeepers to give him everything on a twelve-month payment plan, refusing to do it any other way.

It seems like a strange fixation until he grumps at her that he’s still mad, but this way she’ll have to come back to the man who’s paying for her suitcase in monthly installments. Ha, that’s cute.

She hugs him in the middle of the store and thanks him for coming around, but he’s still too pouty to enjoy the hug.

Hee-jae hands in her resignation the next day, and Joo-yeon starts to argue, but then decides to let her go. She admits to needing her here at work, but tells her not to listen to her if she tries to talk her out of it tomorrow, and just leave to go find herself.

She offers advice, not as her boss but as an unni, not to live by her “Because it hurts, it’s youth” motto. She tells her to stop and figure out why she hurts and fix it then and there, and not waste her youth becoming a robot who doesn’t know who she is and what she wants.

Min-jung and Min-seok go in for an ultrasound together, and he gets adorably concerned about the number of fingers and toes on babies that are still the size of a peanut.

Wan sets the table and calls to see when Joo-yeon is coming home, and insists she sign off with an “I love you.” She adds a kiss for good measure.

Tae-yoon gets ready to leave for Hong Kong, and Joo-yeon calls to send him off and promises to hold down the fort here while he’s gone. Se-ryung shows up at the airport and says there’s one more thing she needs to say so that she doesn’t have regrets later.

She hands him the necklace he once gave her when they were happy and in love, and says that words don’t work on a man like him, and he’s not going to answer her or give her promises anyway.

She simply asks him to put that necklace back on her neck when he returns, and walks away without looking back.

At a different terminal, Woo-young hugs Hee-jae and puts in one last-ditch effort to say she doesn’t have to go. She sticks to her guns and says goodbye with a kiss and “I love you.”

Wan (voiceover): “‘I love you’ isn’t just a phrase that means ‘I like you’—it means ‘Through you I’m going to discover a new me.'”

Joo-yeon finds Wan waiting for her outside when she arrives home. He says he wanted to see her one minute sooner, and sticks out his arms for a hug. I love it when he does that. Now Joo-yeon is the first to say it, unprompted and without reservation: “I love you.”

Wan (voiceover): “The words ‘I love you’ are an oath to conquer insecurity and make new moments every day.”

Min-jung and Min-seok argue over what they can and can’t see in their ultrasound picture, and then he coos, “I love you,” at the babies… only to turn and kiss Min-jung on the cheek. Eeee. Did you say that to her?

He swears he directed it at the babies, so she kisses him on the cheek right back and says, “I love you,” also at the babies.

Joo-yeon (voiceover): “The words ‘I love you’ are a promise to think of the present moment as forever, and not worry about the future.”

Back on their doorstep, Wan and Joo-yeon say “I love you” one more time with a kiss as stars fall from the sky.

Wan (voiceover): “I was happy that you remembered the meaning of the words you had forgotten, and were able to say them again, that you’re able to dream of love, and believe that love exists once more.”

 
COMMENTS

Not that I was ever worried, but I’m happy with where we end up, with our main characters each finding love or a new version of themselves to make them happy. The commonality for all of them isn’t love but courage to do the scariest thing they face, whether it’s sticking around to be a father, leaving everything you know to go find yourself, or the courage to grab hold of love. I was a little concerned that one episode of happily ever after wasn’t going to be enough for Wan and Joo-yeon, but they sure managed to cram a lot of kisses into one finale. How much do I love that they somehow spent an entire episode on arguing the merits of equal responsibility in initiating sex, like this was their biggest problem in life? First world problems, y’all.

I certainly credit Kim So-yeon and Sung Joon for being the reason I was invested in this show from the start. I’d watch an entire drama for either one of them, so their pairing buoyed what would’ve been mild interest because of the franchise alone. And of course the fact that they had fantastic chemistry sealed the romance. I loved every bit of Kim So-yeon’s performance, even when I was frustrated with the character—she played every moment with depth and vulnerability, and carried the show.

In many ways this season of I Need Romance was the least like its predecessors and much more like a standard workplace rom-com. The lack of a strong girlfriend trio was keenly felt, and though I came to love Joo-yeon’s growth in that department, I would’ve much preferred to have her discover friends early on so that the conversations we got in the last two episodes could’ve been spread out over at least half the series. There’s only so much you can get out of a one-sided conversation with a judgy giraffe. I didn’t mind the fact that the romance took a rather straightforward trajectory, given that Wan’s character was more in the mold of the previous seasons’ second leads (whom I preferred), but it did lack a bit of suspense and tension as far as the plot goes. But yunno, cohabitation hijinks wins you a lot of love in my book.

I’ve enjoyed all three seasons of I Need Romance, and it’s clear that everyone has a different take on which installment is their favorite, because we’re all going to have different characters we feel are closest to ourselves or our ideal. This third season is the most satisfying for me, mostly because I never quite got over the jerkiness of the first two seasons’ heroes, despite understanding why those heroines loved them. Wan is basically their polar opposite in every way, enough to actually be unrealistic as a human being, but whatchoo gonna do—a perfect puppy noona-killer is just my number.

And though Joo-yeon was at times frustratingly blind to her own heart, I understood every bit of her kneejerk reaction to build as tough a shell for herself as possible. A woman who protects herself so well that she forgets to sometimes let others in—that’s a character I fundamentally understand and relate to. I didn’t love that Wan was relegated to a fixer role in her life, because for one, that’s presumptuous, and two, it left less room for him to be an independent character.

But I’m glad the show took care to make him wrong at times, and have him realize that he doesn’t know everything and that he isn’t actually a love guru trapped in the body of a young man. He doesn’t know better than her—he’s just braver than she is, because he’s less hurt and jaded. But that’s what I love about noona romances (well the ones that work), because they counter cynicism with relentless optimism. She’s a realist enough for both of them and maybe an army, so it takes his starry-eyed belief in love to move her heart at all. And two people who acknowledge that the future is uncertain but they’ll choose to live in the present for each other anyway—I’m going to root for them to have many more todays just like this one.

 
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I am just putting these questions out, in case some beanies have any (constructive and positive) thoughts. My questions: 1-JY told SR that she would like to have the kind of confidence that SR has. And SR answer was that “(she is that confident because she is) well-off.” I was wondering, did she mean financially well off? I doubted that, because SR’s company was not struggling, so I am assuming that she did not recover that fast? (But that she could be on her way out of her hole). 2-Why was it uncomfortable for JY to sleep with JW? They had already slept together, once. Shouldn’t it be a little easier, or at least not as uncomfortable as it seemed to be for her? It felt like there might be other things at play, and I wasn’t sure what they might be.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the finale I loved that JY felt insecure because JW is so attractive and has many other good qualities, it meant to me that she is human and I could relate to that. I also loved how JW (in true JW’s fashion) dealt with it: by acknowledging publicly that he had a girlfriend, and by telling her that he loved her on the air (for everyone to hear). JW usually deals with things head on, and that’s a good thing. JW had me LOL when he tried to play hard to get, only to fail miserably. And he was adorable when he tried to pretend that JY’s cooking was OK (his effort to chew and swallow the food had me smiling). I love that in their relationship, he is the more domestic one, knowing exactly what seasoning goes with what dish. And JY’s face when he started criticizing her cooking, awww… Good thing JW stopped on time.

WY made me go through several emotions in this ep. I was with him, when he got upset because HJ revealed some personal bedroom information about him. I could understand, because JY and MJ are his sunbaes, they work together, and they won’t be able to help but think about those juicy details whenever they see WY, or at least often. It would have been different if he didn’t work there. HJ should have been more mindful of him. And MJ and SR did not help (at all) but telling WY exactly what HJ thought was wrong in the bedroom. That was not cool. And then WY lost me, when he didn’t want HJ to go (when they were in the car) on her trip. She had actually taken his piece of advice to her heart, and now he didn’t want her to go. I understood why, however, I agreed with HJ, they are young, they would be back together (physically) in a year. I felt that WY was not being supportive. And then later on, to see that WY had to process HJ’s desire to go, and that he was actually supportive of it (and that he bought her everything he thought she would need to have a good trip), even though he was still angry at her for leaving (and anger is often a symptom of feeling hurt), made me really like WY. I love that he stayed angry for a while, yet he still saw her to the airport. I could feel his pain, and his anguish. I do love that couple.

And JW and JY are together, learning to live together. JY has healed from her crustacean nature (or she is well on her way), and JW has the girl he had always wanted. He also went through his own growth process, which was good. I really loved that TY advocated for MJ way before her pregnancy start to show. Kuddos to him. And MS, I have liked him all along. Of course he is in love with his babies, I didn’t expect anything less. And having gone to that doctor’s appointment, I don’t see him running away from MJ and from the babies.

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I have stepped in before and hate that I have to step in again.

Ivoire is free to comment. However, I caution Ivoire to read the recap before posting comments, which will answer many questions and also circumvent some of the frustration from other readers, which I understand.

This is not a race to be first to reply.

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I meant to say this, but I forgot to do it and then I had to go attend to real life. Thank you GF for the recap, as always.
There are a lot of comments to read, take in, and process. I cannot respond now, I would like to do these comments justice. Thank you to all for your comments.

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I enjoy visiting DB because I feel that I am among my people, other KDrama loving fans. I come with an open mind and want to read other people's thoughts. Ivoire spends a lot of time and effort in writing her comments and is looking for answers, not judgement. The world would be a wonderful place if everyone treated each others with respect. For those who do not enjoy reading Ivoire's comments please scroll down. Thank you.

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Ivoire,
Moll has written words of wisdom.
If you don't have to be first, you'd have time to read the recap; and you can wait for better subs instead of using poor, half-finished fan subs, that only serve to confuse you.

No one has asked you not to post or not to ask Qns, just the ones that are created by the rush to be first.

You are a nice person; you come here to make friends, not enemies. It is good etiquette to the recappers to read their recaps before asking Qns, and take into consideration the feelings of the many other visitors in the Way that you post. People will love to read and answer you posts even if, even more, when they are not insistently First.

As Moll said, you do write well and in great depth about dramas such that you can really write your own blog if you so choose! Happy viewing and commenting!

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Oops, wrong place. Meant for it to appear after Moll's post.

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I've read through the replies to this debate/discussion, and since no one else brought it up, I will...

Javabeans brought up the idea of it being "a race to be first to reply." I don't mean to speak for all Beanies, but I think what many of us have an issue with is that Ivoire is the first to comment on many recaps, to the point where it feels that for her, it is just a race to be first. So it's not the fact that she is commenting; it is the way she is doing it.

Based on Dramabeans traffic these days, one may wonder how she is consistently first to comment and based on the length, if these are pre-written.

Ivoire, I'm sure that people know you well enough and are interested in your thoughts that they will reply to your comments regardless of whether you're first or not. As another poster below suggested, perhaps you could open a blog where you post these thoughts, regardless of whether or not you continue commenting in this manner? Then those who are interested can engage in their discussion with you in a locale where it is more welcome.

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@Moll & @Passerby(below), Thank you for such great suggestion! I agree with you!

@Ivoire
I am sure those who love you will certainly follow you to your new blog then the persons who annoyed by your long comments will not have any says as it is your own space. I think your comments cause too much chaos that it necessary for now from time to time. I don't think moving to a new blog will dampen your spirit since as you said you love to analyse every drama and question a lot then I'm sure you will continue your way.

The ending of INR3 is suppose to be happy for all of us too. :)

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Well said Moll.

My 2 cents:

As a non-Korean Kdrama lover, I can't watch and understand Korean dramas without English subs. Viki I think has them up the quickest for most shows, but usually by the time DB's recaps are posted, they may still not be 100% subbed, and many times when I "cheat" and try to watch partially subbed dramas, the subs are indeed sloppy as when I go back to rewatch the fully subbed version later, a lot has been corrected, someone probably goes back for a more finished edited subbed version, which is good, as yes, partially subbed versions may not be accurate and really can confuse you more. Which is why I come here, as the recaps and comments give me a fuller and better understanding of what is going on.

All this to say that yes, Ivoire, spending time to read the recaps and waiting for finished subbed versions will really help you better understand the dramas as others have mentioned. When I am totally addicted to a show and can't wait for more, I visit other sites, like Soompi, their forums might actually be a better platform for you Ivoire as you can post and discuss at anytime, you wouldn't have to wait for the recap to let it all out. Anyways, just some suggestions. I don't post a lot myself, and when I do it may be lenghthy too, but I love coming to this site and yes as others have said, let it be a fun place for everyone.

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finally...
I agree reading recaps first before commenting is basic courtesy. Hope this will come to an end. I sure both of them means well.

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JB: please give Ivoire a spot as a recapper already! maybe then she will stop these novel-ish comments

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huh...that might just confuse us more no???

A recapper who is confused and has a lot of questions and may not know what actually happened in a drama recapping that drama...but I guess it could be refreshing, then all of us could be the ones with long posts asking a lot of questions on what wasn't clear on the recap...

or it could be a new section called "help recap this drama!" and all of us could piece by piece insert our own thoughts and versions of what we think happened and why so that it would be a group effort to recap a drama! That actually sounds like fun...each commenter could insert what is missing or their interpretation from the previous posts...and maybe by the end we would have a completed recap! Or at least an attempted recap of what actually may have happened in the drama...or not!

Ok, I need a moment...

Ah, I miss Sweet Potato, I am still lurking around here...

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Hello WanAbe~

I don't know if you will see my response, however I totally loved your comment! You are so funny!!!!! Thank you for making me laugh. And I actually liked your suggestions, they make sense to me :-)
How are you feeling, in your missing Sweet Potato? Any better? And about this, "Ok, I need a moment…" Awwwww :-) ... I have more to say, and I will try and be back later to write more, if that is OK :-)... Thank you so much for your comment :-)

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i'm sorry, but why do you ask so many questions after EVERY single drama episode you watch? when these things can be answered by
A) common sense
B) the recap
C) google

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I agree...Not to be rude or anything, just genuinely curious.

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That was actually quite...mean and patronising to write that.
I think Ivoire's questions shows engagement about the drama and the fact that he/she cares about it, and asks the questions some of us also think about.

In a way the questions also help us to recap the episode and make sense of it.

A) dramas are subjective. Not everything is answered by common sense. That's where the layers and depths in stories come from, that everyone has their own intepretation.
B) a recap functions as that, a basic retelling. It doesn't answer and make sense of every facet of the episode.
C) how do you propose to google "Why does Shing Shing feel uncomfortable asking Wan to sleep with her?"

I rather see comments for a drama rather than a lack of comments, or people hesitate to comment because you know, what if some commentators like you will jump out to respond snarkily at them?

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+1

@wannabean - Honestly, I think your comment was seriously uncalled for. If people want to discuss a drama and ask questions on things they don't understand, why do they need to stop themselves from asking it here and instead use your suggested alternatives? If no one responds, then its just one extra comment to take up space, and if someone responds, then it helps the questioner understand a drama better. I see no negatives in that...

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Being nice doesn't mean that you can't disagree. I think it's reasonable to wonder why Ivoire has so many questions. @wannabean doesn't say, "I think you're asking for attention" like other comments.

Also, questions like: "Why does Shing Shing feel uncomfortable asking Wan to sleep with her?" That deals with character motivation, and how can you watch a show if you don't have your own interpretation/understanding of a character? Sure, reading recaps helps shape your understanding and your interpretation may be different (or wrong), but at least you're thinking about it. E.g., maybe she feels uncomfortable initiating sex because mostly the guys did that in her previous relationships. Maybe it's because navigating sex with a new partner can be awkward at first.

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Hi HN,

Just for your information, Ivoire's comments showed up in mostly EVERY recap and asked many questions as though she really really really totally in different world or culture. I understand she might not know very well about the Korean culture but the way she ask is very long.

Although her comment is related to the drama (VERY RELATED)but it would be a lot better if those comments are short and sweet.

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Ditto -- my first and last comment on this issue. First of all what i think Ivoire needs are better subs. If you can't access dramafever, try dramafire, it would clear up a billion and one of those questions of yours. I think what annoys people is that some of the questions you post are really off what happened or what was said. i for one love reading the comments section to see if people felt the same way as I did, enjoyed or hated the drama or episode as I did, and even gain more insight into all the things happening in the story that I may have missed. And I know we are all allowed to post our comments and opinions here, but I do get how some people are feeling about the multiple questions and the nitpicking -- which would be good and fun if they weren't so off sometimes. Try better subs, also read up a bit more on Korean culture, I bet it would help more, but I also think you should just breathe a little, enjoy the story for what it is, yup somethings may be a bit strange, over the top, confusing or weird, but that's what a makes a great story, after all it is what the kdrama universe that we all love is .

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+2
Long comments on a forum page is nothing to get worked up over.

Just scroll past if you don't like them.

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+3 (since another beanie's agreed below)

Is it worth stressing over Ivoire's comments like this? Can't you scroll past it to other comments without the remarks if you have nothing nice to say?

For me, your comments on Ivoire's are starting to edge toward bullying.

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Oh... you are taking this way too serious.

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I think the comment is more like curious than mean. Haha... So, the defenders calm down. Ivoire, maybe you should join the recapping. Chill~

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LOL! I was about to say that!! Ivoire should've have applied as a recapper :)

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I'm curious as well. How do you even come up with all these questions?

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I think she's just trying to recap the show in her own way...

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I agree...reading Ivoire's essay sized comment first thing after the recap is getting immensely annoying.

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You could hmm just skip the comment if you find it annoying,its not like its compulsory you read it

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I'M sorry, but maybe she cannot get these answers from your A/B/C, and even if it is possible isn't it the same as asking the questions here...at the comment section; which I honestly think is as equally reliable (maybe, more precise) as the references given. Besides, it's Dramabeans, a place for people who enjoy kdrama alikes to discuss their common interests, and that includes satisfying any curiosities. Please. Let's be graceful at all time, especially when there is a clash in opinions.

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I just want to say that while i don't always read ivoire long posts but when i do i enjoy it, and hope @ivoire would Continue to share her thoughts with us bennies as her posts has certainly been Part of db experience at least for me

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...What? This is so rude. Let her comment what she wants, it's not like you're forced to read it seriously. People who want to reply will.

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A) we have freedom of speech. Everyone can ask and comment whatever they want.
B) if you don't like it, Don't read.
C) there's no need for this unnecessary meaness. Being a little bit understanding won't hurt, right?

C'mon let's use this place as positive as possible. Let's use this site to share our common love for drama. No need to write mean stuff to others, just keep to yourselves. Mean things doesn't need to be posted,

(I know kinda cheesy)

I love dramabeans 'cause I can't watch dramas due to my busy schedule so reading recaps makes me feel like I'm watching the actual kdrama. (Though I know,,watching the drama is still the best experience). So thank you for your wonderful recaps.

I need romance 2 is my favorite.(Pls dont kill me.,haha i just find the since childhood couple story cute, although the sickness thing. Ughf. plus i love the 2 best girl friends stories) However, this season got me hooked more than the first one. I didn't expect the finale to come this fast, from the ending of the last episode, I thought they would show how Wan and Jooyeon will overcome their didfferences and the issue that Wan is going back to the states. Plus, I also thought Minjeong story to be lacking. Like there are still uses I think must be resolved that I think I love you can't resolve.

But I like, how this is so much different than the last one. I like ending sthat will show what happens after (i know, i'm corny) Minjeong with the twins, Heejae coming back,,Se ryung with Taeyoo, Wan with Jaeyoon in the states. I know it's left to is viewers how we imagine the endong but I would love to it on screen. HAHA! I love the INR because this franchise is realistic(-ish) it's a drama with less drama that doesn't make you want to pull your hair. These INR dramas are light and makes you enjoy the little things.

I would definitely have to watch this during my vacation. 'Cause maybe my opinion would change once I'vre really watches thia drama.

Based om what I know I give drama a thumb's up (maybe yhe other thumb can be aaded once I've really watched this seriously)

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Yes, yes. Dear old Google.

I remember googling why Sam Soon called Jin Hun Sam Shik.

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Well that escalated quickly....even though seeing these comments on all the recaps can sometimes get annoying you don't have to be so rude about it. Everyone is entitled to write what they want on the comments sections if it gets to you so much just ignore it!!!

Anyway thanks for the recap I loved this series and especially Wan :D

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Honestly, I do not get why there is such a rush to be first to comment. There's no prize and no guarantee everyone'll read it anyway...

I've come to accept there are people out there who enjoy this, along with asking questions that seem redundant and could likely be easily answered by better subs or Google.

But as for me? I start reading comments from the bottom up...no more problems of possibly getting irritated. It's her prerogative...it's not like you have to read her post. Honestly, I don't most of the time because of comment fatigue...and that's up to me - my prerogative.

But I would suggest reading the recap first before posting...I watch episodes raw and pretty much understand 80%, and then read the recap to help clarify the rest. Just my two cents...as you (and everyone else) have the right to do so. Please just give it a thought for next time, please...maybe then there won't be so many irritated posts afterwards, thank you :)

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On my, you are pretty annoying to appear in every article in long and first of the comments.
Every time I'll scroll pass but just let me vent out the first&last time.

Get your zillion questions by google it, ok?

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Wow, why all the mean comments re someone's questions? Her questions are just as valid as others sharing that they enjoyed the drama and the recaps. To me her questions are a little like some of the comments/ questions made in a book group discussion. And so what if she's the first one to comment? As you said you can just skip past.

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The way I see it, she's been doing her brand of commenting for a while now and no amount of backlash has slowed her down one bit. I say just let her do her thang'.

Can probably add an Ignore button under the Like button?hehe That would be another solution. j/k

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For those who don't like Ivoire,
1) Please do not to say mean words.
2) Try to ignore? (I know many of you already can't) because beside ignore you can't do anything about it either.

Hi Ivoire,

1) Not sure if you are an attention seeker or not but I think maybe you can open a blog and put your blog link to direct your friends/supporters/defenders to your site (or maybe facebook page) to state your questions since now seriously I think no one will focus to answer your questions anymore because there is a dispute about it. I am sure those who interested at your insight/commentary will certainly browse your site.

2) Maybe you can take one of the commenters who always reply your questions's email so that you maybe can ask privately?

3) Maybe you can find a better subtitle? I'm sure most of the commenters will gladly show you a better site.

4)Maybe you could try not to be the first and keep it within 5 lines? Just saying.

5) Maybe you can explain that you are from which region or state your cultural is very different from Korean/Adult world? (just guessing)

Please don't get too defensive because clearly this is not a good thing to argue any longer.

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@ Passerby: I think your idea is great.
@Ivoire: I think you should take her advice!!!!

The main problem is you are always the first commenter and it gets really tiring to always scroll past your comment. Your questions are valid to some point but keep it short. Don´t mean to be rude. It´s just a suggestion. Because I remember there was once a discussion about your habit to always write "Thanks!" as first commenter without any further comment and then coming back later to reply to your own post, so that you will always be a on top of the comment section. Just saying. It´s not about bullying but about common courtesy I think.

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Good idea of Passerby's. It means I'll get a new site to follow. Sometimes I just want to get clarifications on certain plot points, so a site like Passerby proposed would be ideal.

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To Wannabean:
Maybe because this is the comment section....? Get it?

Also, did you even watch this series? You seem to have missed some key points like being humane and understanding (i.e. not being a crustacean).

To Ivorie:
Thanks for posting. Your comments tend to add to the discussion whether on this site or for those like me who simply reflect over what you've asked.

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Hey guys ,I'm going to take the wan route and say ,if u don't have something good to say don't say it .I'm not taking sides because I get it both sides. first off you know you pretty much ruined her day with your comment moreover to many of us drama beans is our place of solace and escape from harsh reality where we are free from judgement with other kindred spirits ,that being said as much as her comments are not everyone's cup of tea , its her thing its harmless (only tires ur thumb muscles especially if ur using a mobile)curiousity,bear with it,use your inside voice ,if u have to and just scroll down as I do when I don't want to read it . I get u ,but words cut and this is no place to be doing any cutting.Peace and Love my beanies,Peace and Love.(wish I had mademoiselle's emoticons right about here)

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Depends on how you view her comments. I also curious too. =)

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To be honest, I think most of the people who come here won't say anything negative. They are in the "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all" camp. BUT if you look at how many "thumbs up" that wannabean's comment got...it looks like ALOT of people here feel the same way but are nice enough to refrain from posting about it.

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I will just jump in and say I love your comments, Ivoire. I love to fangirl as much as the next person but getting deep into character analysis and motivation is my thing. So I applaud your efforts for exploring it. And for making me think and look a little bit deeper about some of these dramas :)

As far as INR3, I thought this was a very interesting show and like GF loved that it had a male lead I could truly cheer for. Even though I thought the portrayal of JY's lack of self-awareness was exaggerated somewhat, I appreciated them showing a woman who didn't naturally have all these friendships and was closed off and had been hurt by relationships. I found this to be far more relatable then the main woman having dated the same guy for ten yrs like the last INRs. Overall, nice show, and thanks for the recaps :)

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I'm curious about those things too, Ivoire. They're good questions, ignore the jerk.

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Ivorie,

I like your comments, I usually learn things from them. So keep them coming.

But, how are you always first? Do you read the recap before posting? Or, do you prepare the comments ahead of time?

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Ivoire, I really wanted to apologize for my stupid behavior and insulting comment. i did it without a second thought, and I regret it immensely. I had no idea it'd blow up like that, and I feel truly terrible. Thank you for accepting my apology on the Three Days post, you don't know how relieved I was that you replied. I also apologize to the dramabeans community because I was being totally rude and I am frustrated at myself because I really didn't do it on with any intention of hurting anyone's feelings. It's really not my character to do that, and I don't want to create bad blood with anyone on this site that I really love to use.
Ivoire, thanks so much again for responding to me, I will never do something of the sort again.

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Over. Analyzing.much. Lol.

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Hooray! That's a wrap! Thank you, lovely ladies, for recapping this through. I really enjoyed it, start to finish. :)

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For some reason, I wasn't expecting it to end here! Haha. I guess I didn't realize things had flown by so quickly and that the main conflict was resolved. A relatively drama-free drama; who knew?

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Ikr! A drama free drama
Though I've not seen the drama itself just recaps I really enjoyed it and I can't wait to marathon the entire drama
It was a really sweet drama,it just grabs you and makes you satisfied and satiated
I've nt seen INR1 and didn't finish INR2(I hated the whole sickness intro thing) and INR3=lovely
Nice work sung joon(I love your deep voice) and shing shing

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Thanks for the recap gals :) I'm sad because there'll be no more cutey pie wannie to destroy real life expectations from boyfriends :P

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Haa haa. As JB and GF have been saying all along, I want my own Wan.

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Cheers to all 16 episodes of I Need Romance 3!
Hip hip hooray to love, the romance, the kisses, the skinship, the chemistry, and to the music OST’s.

Well done, Kim So-Yeon, Sung Joon, Namgung Min, Wang Ji-Won, Park Hyo-Joo, Yu Ha-Jun, and Park Yoo-Hwan.

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Here's hoping Kim So Yeon and Sung Joon collaborate again soon! Sizzling chemistry (and did you see the lil tongue action while on that bed? Rawr).

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Pretty sure you did! :)~

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Pretty sure I did...that is. ;)

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I saw that too lol

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me too LoL *suddenly hot here*

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I wanted to hear a voiceover from Wan when she was seducing him! Would have been great lol!

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I don't think he would have had anything coherent to say. More like, "uhhhhhhhhh".

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a very hot visual of wan might as well be attached to that comment.

There's hardly enough sexy time in KDramas, not even for TVN. Hehehe

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it does make me wonder how difficult (hot) it must be to act out scenes like that *thoughts drifting off in Wan Wan land*

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i so love both of them too!

Can they do bad-ass action next time? with hot romance in the mix of course =)

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yes, please! a movie!!

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Hot Hot ! Joo Wan & Shing Shing

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Literally the first time I ever saw tongue action in a Kdrama. Still trying to push my eyes back in their sockets. lol

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Didn't love the plot of this series just because it felt like there wasn't one most of the time. I guess I'm just not the biggest fan of workplace dramas because most of the time we're dealing with conflicts that I don't really care about. I LOVED Wan however even though I understand that he is completely unrealistic. Joo Yeon being so completely dense bothered me a lot of the time because it felt a bit absurd a lot of the time, but I still liked her for the most part.

I basically stuck with this because the main couple was just so adorable and the side couples had their moments as well. I couldn't even get through more than a couple episodes of the first two INR series so I would say that this is the best one. Overall, it was pretty flawed but cute enough to be worth the watch.

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First world problems, y’all.

Girlfriday! I LOVED that line!

Thank you for recapping this drama.

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Thank you Girlfriday for your awesome recaps and insightful comments. A satisfying final episode indeed. I really enjoyed the show and love SJ and KSY 's performance. Can't wait to see their next projects :)

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I love that Min-seok is drunk ordering baby things! I enjoyed the whole show. Thanks for the recaps.

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His subconscious knows better than his conscious rational self! LOL.

This show is just sweet all over. I think:
The guy next door is a decent fellow at heart;
Ricky got a good part that suits him well;
the young girl his GF, needs more work on her acting;
the 3 cougars are all very lovely;
the pregnant mom has charms that go beyond her looks;
Nam Goong Min's character leaves me cold;--he totally needs that gf of his to shake up his world;
Allen Joo is too thin for me to find him sexy. His personality is absolutely perfect--too perfect and mature for his age to be real.
But thoroughly enjoyed the show.

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Loved it.Lived it.Will remember it.
Here goes to the lingering affect of love.

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Thanks, GirlFriday for the amazing recaps. I loved this drama for its realistic portrayal of a jaded woman, great lighting (everyone always had light shining on their hair haha!), amazing and palpable chemistry, and finally for introducing me fully to Sung Joon. I enjoyed the OST, most especially You by G.O. (it's been on repeat for months and is my default ringtone for everyone but my husband).

None of the upcoming dramas catch my attention at all ( been watching dramas since 2006 and have only fully completed 25 so I'm a bit picky)
I'll forever be here though, as always. See you all around!

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Loved it. Now, if we can just get a Wan each to take home that would be great.

xx

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Uh oh yes please. Where do I have to line up? Haha I haven't even finished watching XD

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I feel like I missed maybe not its so short lol ohhh well I did like it PANDA lolots wasn't like the first INR butbi like this 1

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so many thank yous for these recaps!

i loved every moment ive spent watching and thinking about this drama...and seeing what all the other lovely people have thought about this show~

now to be brave and find myself my own sweet potato <3

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Love will come when you least expect it. Be like Heejae and be fully happy on your own first. Good luck! <3

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Such a satisfying and heartwarming finale. If all noonas are as charming and as hot as Kim So Yeon, they will always edge out the ubiquitous sweet young things.

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i'll miss the drama and definitely the best "i need romance" amongs the 3....more of the wannie and jo yeon please...luv it....

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Happy squeeeee! The ending wasn't sappy at all, but satisfyingly sweet just like I like my desserts. They took time to address all the relationships in the finale, and it didn't feel rushed or contrived because of the way the relationships were handled so well all along.

It isn't one of my top 10 favorite kdramas, but it's probably in the top 25% . Man, were there a lot of great one-liners that hit it just right.

"She's at the age where her mere existence makes her sparkle."

"There is no future without the present."

"When you return, put it on me again." Boss.

"The words 'I love you' don't simply mean 'I like you,' it means that through you I've found a new me."

Above all, Shing Shing learned to give of herself at the risk of hurt, rather than be a crustacean with protective shell that didn't let others (and potential hurt) in.

Thanks, girlfriday for the recaps and comments.

\/

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Thank you Girlfriday for another great and last recap of I Need Romance 3! And thank you for Sung Joon's song!

I actually started watching this show late as I have not been following the I Need Romance series, but because of KSY and SJ, I wanted to give it a try. And I am so glad I did! Loved, Loved it!

I love that the ending music is SJ's song, I hope you know what is love, as that seemed the basis of this drama. Love is different for all the couples involved, because they are each at different stages, ages, phases...etc. but love is there and growing. They just all need to realize it, in all senses of the word.

I was satisfied with this last episode and everyone's standing as it ended. My only wish...I would love to see SR as the lead of the next I Need Romance installment! I think it would be so interesting to see what happens to her, whether TY is still in the picture or not. She deserves a happy ending too, not just an open ending! So please, can she get her own story??? And then we could revisit everyone again! See the twins! See little Wannies! Pretty please?

But I have to say for myself, I don't think I quite know what is love, can you please send a Wan my way to enlighten me? I will be waiting...wait, should I be waiting???

Thank you again!

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Don't be waiting for too long. Go out and find him. Or grab the first cutie and make him into Wan. Projection works.

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Or grab the first cutie and make him into Wan. Projection works.

Er... If you do that, I think sooner or later, there'll be relationship-tragedy on your hands...

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It's been a cute season, and I agree that we *finally* have the second lead-ish win for a change.

BTW, does anyone know the title of that cute little song they play everytime for Shing Shing and Sweet Potato? The english song that's sometimes sung by a child? I need it. Haha.

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*sobs* I've been looking for that song for so long now and still can't find any clue

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It is number 8 and 9(child version) in the full ost. Hope this helps!

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Thanks so much! Will go hunting now. :D

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Is there an official OST? I really like the songs for this show. They have a coffee prince-ish feel to them.

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In case you have not found the song, there you go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9XSUqpwSqc

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iTunes now has the OST available. I downloaded seven of the songs and have been listening it them all day.

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It's good that SJ previous project is "Can We Get Married?" because after this drama end, I can see they are heading to "Can We Get Married?" storyline with their moms problem. Hahaha.

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It's been hinted at, but in episode 16 we learn that Jung Hee-Jae has six (6) savings accounts. Is the writer Jung Hyun-Jung trying to start a new trend, educate the masses toward better saving habits, or simply preaching to the choir?

Maybe Jung Hee-Jae had the following:

1) Emergency savings account
2) Regular savings account
3) Savings account for household expenses and bills
4) Slush fund savings account
5) Out of sight, out of mind savings account
6) Savings account for Health/Medical expenses

Finance experts maintain that:
As a rule, 20% of our income should automatically go into savings each month.
As a rule, always keep a balance of 3 months living expenses in a savings account to avoid having to tap into emergency savings.
As a rule, save up enough to live on for at least 6-12 months.

"A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life."---Suze Orman

"Do not save what is left after spending. Spend what is left after saving."---Warren Buffett

"Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants."---Epictetus

"Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want to impress people they don't like."---Will Rogers

Financial freedom and independence really does allow one to have the satisfaction of being able to enjoy and live life on one's own terms. There is something to be said for peace of mind, being debt-free, and having sufficient savings and/or income.

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It's very difficult if one lives in a country where the govt takes away a big chunk of the pay check.
When I got my first pay check after graduation in California, I was alarmed that I only received 49% of my pay: I don't remember exactly now, but roughly it's like
25% for state govt;
11 % for Federal govt;
11% for social security;
10% for pension contribution;
4% for contribution to professional organisation.

Out of the remaining 49%, one has to pay for rent, auto insurance, car payments, health insurance, life insurance, gas, food....
It left me with USD200 as disposable income. I could save that IF:
I could go without haircuts, facials, manicures, movies, eating out w friends, clothes.
Then I got a letter fr AmEx telling me I was in the top 3% among salary earners!!
I thought, you must be BD joking!

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25% for state govt;
11 % for Federal govt;
11% for social security;
10% for pension contribution

WHAT?! So the government basically takes away 57% of your salary? Wait a minute... how does that even work... how do you still have 49% left? And, wow, taxes suck.

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They do. Don't they? Doesn't it bite to have that money taken out of your paycheck each time?

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Hmmm, how much are you getting paid?

The numbers for state and federal are reversed, and in addition the federal number is inflated unless you're making much higher than 6 figures. But even if you're getting paid 6 figures, you'd have 49K of take home.

Unless you're at a really, really cushy place, rent is around 2K/month at most so 24K/year.
Auto insurance ~ 2K/year (high end)
Car payment - again unless really cushy car, ~4-5K/year
Health insurance/life insurance - Those aren't paid by the company? If not, it looks around 5K/year.
Food/Gas - unless you commute every day, like < 3K/year

49K - 24K - 2K - 5K - 5K - 3K = 10K/year ~ 833/month.

And this is overestimating a lot.

There are always way to be frugal. It just takes some sacrifices.

-Not as cushy place (big one because rent is usually most expensive)
-Not as expensive car
-Less eating out
etc., etc.

Also, in a sense, your pension is part of your savings, so you might just be ok with saving that portion and tapping into it as the emergency fund.

For example, one year when I was making 6 figure.

Here were some of my costs:
Federal Tax - 21%
State Tax - 8%
Social Security - ~10% (Don't remember exactly and too lazy to try to track down the W2 right now).
401K - 12%

Which left me with ~49% left.

Rent - $1.5K/month (had a decent deal previously/split $3K rent with roommate)
No car payments (paid off, would have been around $4K/year if I were still paying)
Auto Insurance - $700/year
Health/Life Insurance - Covered by company
Gas/food/transportation/essentials - $6-7K/year (I kind of splurged)

So, I had quite a bit left over to save after the $25.7K on the necessary spending.

I agree that 20% isn't always feasible, but if you're making 6 figures or close to it, there's always room to save a decent amount.

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And then you have children, and all of those careful calculations sortof go up in smoke...

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Children are a different story.

I assumed from her description that she wasn't married since that wasn't included.

It's definitely harder with children.

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I am a California resident, and I don't understand how you can claim that the state gov takes 25%, especially if your fed tax is only 11% (which is phenomenally low). The CA income tax is graduated, with the highest bracket being 12.3% and the lowest being 1%. You should see whether your W2s are filed correctly, if these amounts are truly being withheld.

I suspect, for one thing, your fed & state tax is flipped (as @Requiem points out above). And the 10% pension as well as 4% prof org contributions are your choice, with both being either pre-tax deductions or itemized deductions. And presumably, when time comes for you to file the income tax returns, you will be getting some of the taxes you paid back, as most people do (through itemized deductions, etc).

Anyhow, very few people in the United States walk away with less than 50% of their gross income.

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South Korea awards Presidential citations to celebrities for paying their taxes faithfully. Some celebrities are even appointed as honorary ambassadors for The National Tax Service (For example: Ha Ji Won and Gong Yoo).

Last year Hyun Bin received a President's Award for "Savings Day." Other celebrities who have received awards are Han Hye Jin, Kim Hye Young, Lee Dae Ho, and Goo Ha Ra, Lee Suk, Lee Moon Sae, and Top.

Can you imagine if the mindset of saving and faithfully paying taxes as a civic duty to your country was the norm for the majority of Americans? If this happens during our lifetime, it will literally feel like we are living in or have entered into the Twilight Zone.

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when she pulled out those bank books I feel ashamed of myself. lol

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In one of the earlier episodes, before her civil service boyfriend broke up with her, she showed him the bank books and explained what each savings account was for. Unfortunately I can't remember what the explanation was (sorry!), but it is in the show somewhere if anyone wants to go back and check.

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i want to fall in love already!!!!

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Initially, I really wasn't feeling the third installment of this franchise (loved the 2nd to pieces, with the 1st following closely behind). But I slowly started to follow all the little love-lines by the main cast, especially the M-squared line (which was the most adorable and realistic of the four) and just continued watching until the end. Can I just give a shout out to Sung Joon? Because he made some scenes look so steamy, I had to cover my eyes and squeal like a wickedly delighted fourteen-year-old virgin.

Only drawback to this drama, the way Wan's character is written makes the relationship seem so unrealistic. I just felt there was something dishonest (is dishonest the right word?) about the love between him and Joo-yeon. I completely get the major crush that he had harbored for her nearly his entire life, but it felt like he was still hung up on how she used to be way back when. I'm the sort to think that a woman, or man for that matter, grows up and grows out of who she was in the pre-adolescent years. Yes, there are similarities, but to me, he's still in love with the memories of the little girl. It bugs me whenever he picks up that old picture of her and talks to it. I'd rather there be a point where he switches to talking to a candid or a selfie of her grown-up self.

Maybe I'm over thinking this, and this is the kind of love where the guy also learns to love (always loved?) despite her apparent flaws.

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I agreed. I thought it was so odd that he still kept talking to a picture of her when she was 12 or 13 (?) and did not have a more recent picture of her. I wish the writer addressed this more and actually had JY and JW discuss it. JW had an image of her in his head and yeah he did grow to realize that the fantasy in his head is not who JY is presently but sometimes I wonder if he really sees her but I guess that would be another drama.

P.S. - I hope they go to the zoo and see a real giraffe.

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That photo bothered me just as badly. But i forgive it every time I think of that moment when wan determined to accept her for who she is *StairsHug

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AMEN! that made him look like a pediphile looking at the child version of her though they'd been living together and he had access to more recent photos lol

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First, thanks for the recap...

Now... *squeals* Okay, that was a good ending. Open ended - but, all believeable. It sorta makes me wanna hope for the best as well and God... Loads of kisses were like... Rawr... Me like ^^

Now I'm going to re-watch the ending a couple more times. Woop!

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Dramabeans folks, I was wondering, has your bbc interview been aired?? If so,, could you direct me. I very much would love to listen.

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Yes, there was a link in a previous post

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This is my favorite season (it had to be since it's the only one I actually watched from start to finish)..

Loved both leads AND the side love stories.

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Thank you so much GF for writing up this recap. You are awesome sauce.

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Aaaww the ending is just so sweet! Loved it!

Wannie is definitely too good to be true and perhaps that's why we are now dreaming to have our own 'sweet potato' at home now.

Gotta give credit to Sung Joon and KSY who made this show alive. I simply love these two and looking forward to more of their projects in the future! =D

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Thank you girlfriday for your excellent work
Thank you for this magnificent and beautiful drama
Love I Need Romance 3

Kim So Yeon, Sung Joon .. You are the best !!!

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That was fun. I will miss it. I look forward to your recaps as much as the viewing. Great work. All the kissing and hugging was so satisfying, yummy! Another round please.

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Lotsa lurve for d recaps!!! Xp

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...it's the end...

Stating from episode 13 up to 16, I lost the excitement of wanting to watch INR3... I better read the recaps than to watch... and I still like the 1st season.

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I followed this drama from the start and I didn't know it would end at 16th episode!

So imagine my shock when I checked the recap for the 16th episode here, it says FINAL! MYOHMY! But I totally enjoyed the drama! Love the kisses and the interactions between the characters!

I love every moment of Min-seok and Min-jung's relationship! And I'll leave it to my imagination that they will marry each other in the future! :)

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ohhh someone's been binge drinking on the hate-orade.

i think we could all use a refresher on the DB commenting policy.

http://www.dramabeans.com/about/commenting-policy/

thanks for the recap, gf!

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Thanks for the refresher commenting policy (read it loooonnngg time ago).
Anyway, I just want to say they are well written and so funny. It's probably the first time I laughed reading policy page in a website. Javabeans and girlfriday are really something. Love their writing skill. Always made my day.

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Thank you GF for quickly recap of the whole show. I love this drama even some bother point about script but awesome chemistry between KSY and SJ struck me till the end. Gosh!! plenty of hot scene between them in the last EP. Especially tongue action of Sweet Potato!!! Oh man!! How real!!

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I found INR3 to be ok. Not great, but as rom coms go, not bad. Honestly I would've enjoyed it more but Wan was portrayed way too unrealistically, he was always talking theories, which is great, but imo, he's never been in a serious relationship before Joo yeon or been scarred by failed romance, so it was easier to come up with all these ideas of how people should act or love. (Case in point what guy would enthusiastically support his girlfriend leaving him for a whole year on a trip around the world to "find herself"? A year is a long time and a lot can happen during that time).

And Joo yeon was a little too self unaware. Shouldn't a woman in her thirties know herself better than that? I've always thought if ones twenties are for experimenting, ones thirties are for acquiring self knowledge and ones forties are for living a version of life most true to oneself. To be honest, I was more vested in the side romances which I felt were more realistic and true to life. My final conclusion, not a bad show, just somewhat overrated.

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IMO, Wan would have lost a lot of points with me if he had not supported her in traveling. 'Finding yourself' may sound frivolous but traveling (especially alone) can be an incredibly rewarding experience and since they aren't married and don't have children to think about (thereby having nothing major tying them down), why shouldn't JooYeon take a trip around the world alone if she has the ability to? Opportunities like that don't come along every day and I personally find it infuriating when an individual chooses to forego an amazing, possibly once in a lifetime work/life opportunity just because they're in a relationship. A year is really not that long and while yes, anything could happen in that time, things can change and relationships can stop working even when you're in the same place and consistently working at it. Part of being in a healthy relationship is about supporting your partner and I think that encouraging her to take that trip shows great maturity, trust and selflessness on his part.

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thank u girlfriday for the recaps...WOW.. I love this drama... sure thing the romances,the skinship and everything about growing a heart...Kim So Yeon your acting never let me down, Sung Joon great to have you as a leading actor... the chemistry is good too.. All the kissing and hugging was soooooo yummy too! :-) make the atmosfere here hot tooo...HOT..HOT...

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I actually prefer Kang Tae Yoon's quiet, private love to the Allen Yoo "scream it from the rooftop" or share with all your girlfriends kind of thing.

I liked that Kang Sunbae wasn't emotional when they were at work or work functions and (except for dating his employee) kept things professional.

Their best friend relationship from the first episode -when Joo Yeon invites herself over to drink Kang Tae Yoon's wine (and he let's her) after being dumped-was so sweet and comfortable...I can see real love build out of that!

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Me too! In the real world that is. And I feel he was more accepting of her as a person. Wan was often trying to change her (for the better) and while I'm glad he was right at times, and it worked out for them. Isn't that a warning sign?

My feeling about the reason why Tae Yoon and Joo Yeon broke up, was that Tae Yoon was still in love with Se-Ryeong to have any real passion left for Joo Yeon. And what is a relationship without passion?

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Wan was often trying to change her (for the better) and while I’m glad he was right at times, and it worked out for them. Isn’t that a warning sign?

Nah, he realised long ago on JooYeon's steps that he should embrace her present self instead of clinging onto the past. It's in one of the past episodes. This time, he was fighting because he didn't want to be part of a one-sided relationship wherein the limits are decided by JooYeon's defenses and/or pride. He wanted her to want him as much as he wants her himself and wanted her to show it to him just like how he shows it to her, meaning that he wants them to be more or less equal in the relationship. He left it to JooYeon to take their relationship for real or leave it. JooYeon took it.

And I think if he really wants to change JooYeon and JooYeon disagrees, they're just going to fight again. Shin JooYeon is not a doormat. But then, they're probably going to make up again, like so many other couples.

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I have not watched the show... YET but have thoroughly enjoyed the recaps so Kudos for the job fantastically done!

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I loved this show for it's simplicity. It's like a drama-less drama with just enough drama to reflect daily, real life drama. Well, that's a lot of drama.

I know that so many people think that Wan is a totally unrealistic guy. I don't agree 100% though. It's been established that Wan was a composer (not the kind that writes stupid lyrics) and has been through a lot in life, so I thought that he just observed and reflected more than the average person of his age and therefore realised a lot more things. It also didn't hurt that he has the bravery of youth. So, to me, Wan's not unrealistic. Just really rare. Because in this fast paced world, very few people take time to think and be philosophical. (His "perfect" image is also softened by how his theories are dashed to smithereens regularly enough. Like the one with the GF leaving for a year overseas will equal a happy BF. What.)

Shin JooYeon's inability to recognise her feelings also frustrated some people, but I didn't think much of it, if only because I was able to accept it. I didn't see it as her actually NOT recognising it but more because of some strong subconscious denial. If it were any one but Wan, I think she'd recognise the attraction, especially since she had been with 'Alex' recently. It's not like she was dateless and loveless for years on end. But in her mind, Wan was just a sweet potato, a kid. Having him as a boyfriend, liking him was not even an option and she subconsciously struck that notion off immediately, so all her conscious self was with is what is this heart pain? I didn't think that she was aware that she was in denial the whole time before. Of course, her crustacean tendencies didn't help at all.

I liked how they reconciled and helped each other to grow.

I LOVED the MinJeong MinSeok plot-thread. MinJeong was just so opposite to JooYeon in that she's aware of everything about her, like how she feels, what she wants and so on. Like she had freedom to grow, away from the influence of stone-cold TaeYoon. She is a wonderful unnie and will be a wonderful mother. And MinSeok is just... adorable, lol. However as a professor, his logic is somewhat questionable. Just because his brother and dad ran away, it means that he's going to run away too?? What? Running away is not genetic you know? And it was so obvious how different he was to them the moment he brought them up, like how embarrassed or ashamed he was of them the moment he said it (well, as ashamed as he can seem while being hysterical).

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(to continue...)

I liked how MinJeong was able to recognise his fears and give him an out, giving him a chance to bask in the happiness of the present rather than be consumed by worries of the future.

I'll be honest and state that WooYeong and HeeJae's story line bored me to tears. I just didn't get anything from them.

Kang TaeYoon, while, yes, I really saw him as a jerk, I realised later on that he just really needs a female Wan in his life, to crack the cold hard exterior he's built over the years. He's just too afraid to become vulnerable again. He's become too weary. So he just goes with society's expectations and chooses the easy way out instead of fighting to become his own person. He's not a cold, unfeeling jerk in the end. There's still a nice guy somewhere inside.

SeRyong! Man, I hated her at the start of this show. I couldn't understand how she could be so full of malice ( if I can't get something, I'll break it before anyone else gets it-?!) But I realised later on that she's just really prideful and can't lose first, until she sees that the other party is on her side... which I understand... somewhat? Because it's really hard to seem vulnerable? Although I still don't understand why she refused to clear up misunderstandings in the beginning but at least she did in the end, with the issue of a competitor trying to lure her over to their side. She still confuses me, but I'm not hostile towards her anymore. Instead, I'm intrigued and proud(?) of her for being a go-getter and for knowing what she wants.

In short, I liked this drama, even if it wasn't perfect. I need romance~ to counter the harsh beatings of society(?)

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Also, I am jealous of Shin JooYeon's house. It's the ideal mixture of old and modern. *grumps*

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I love her house! I want the stairs that lead up to her front door too.

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I enjoyed the show, it's not the most thought provoking series but a very fun watch. Basically I loved the feel-good atmosphere of the last episode, happy endings are right up my alley.

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Loved this drama. Light, sweet and tasteful without being overwhelming. my logophilic self especially adored those memorable one-liners.

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Love Shing Shing & Goguma
Love MinSeok & MinJung
Love Giraffe ^^

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Giraffe didn´t get a lover and has to watch Wan and Shing Shing make out every day. blasted. it is stuffed animal discrimination.

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Out of 3, this is my fave INR series.. The story hits close to home, real close indeed.

Thank you so much for the recap, GF!

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I know the comments have wandered into the critical territory towards certain commenters, but I will just reserve mine for the show. WOW! This is my favorite installment. The first two delved too deep into the painful side of the relationship and it was so hard to "ship" the male leads. Here both lead actors were so good, and the chemistry was off the charts. Kim So Yeon has to miss kissing Sung Joon on a regular basis because some of those kisses were electric! I love a male lead that you can root for from start to finish. Sung Joon was perfect. I will miss this drama.

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Ahh this was such a satisfying end!! Most dramas- good or bad leave me cold in the end but this one was perfect. I only watched the first instalment till the end, and I was very annoyed to say the least. I'd rather seen that female lead end up alone than with the cheating ex!

Shing Shing and Sweet potato, live happy and loving.

I wish they had shown more of Min Jung and Min Suk, they're adorable. I didn't always like Hee jeon but props for thinking about herself for once. (totally envying her savings accounts!)

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can I just say I really want Sung Joon to play Chiaki in the korean version of Nodame, if anyone.

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Yes please!!!!!!!!!

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yessssss

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Finally! The leading lady chose the RIGHT guy! Hooray! Love Wannie!

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oh wow...i had to scroll quite a lot to skip all that ivoire thing XD
aahh it was such a satisfying ending, light and sweet in all the right places. and to me this is the best INR by far too.
Hot potato...noona gonna miss you <3

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I love this drama, loved the chemistry between Wan (his cuteness overload) and Shing Shing. I really enjoyed Min-Jung and her relationship with her neighbour . This season is the best I Need Romance for me , the ending leaves me very satisfied.

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