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Heart to Heart: Episode 5

Look at that face — that’s a lovestruck boy if ever I saw one! Last week, we were treated to adults acting like adults in bed, and this week we get to see adults acting like adults OUT of bed, which is just as refreshing. This episode is all about frank talks and honesty, and finding out that sometimes the fear of something is a thousand times worse than the reality. But the best tactic is to face things head-on no matter what the outcome, because often you find that you have friends, and maybe more, in unexpected places.

EPISODE 5 RECAP

We’re taken back to seven years ago, on the night when Hong-do’s home was broken into and she met Doo-soo. There’s a crowd gathered, and Doo-soo finds Hong-do huddled in the crawlspace between homes, hiding in fear of either the home invader, the crowd, or both. He speaks to her soothingly and crawls in with her to cover her with a blanket.

Soon after, Doo-soo had delivered a cute pair of coffee mugs to Hong-do’s doorstep, with a note apologizing for a glass he broke while in her house. He’d come back later to replace the bulb in the street light over her front door, to make her place safer. That’s so thoughtful — no wonder she fell for him.

Back in the present, it’s the morning after Hong-do and Yi-seok went to bed together. Yi-seok’s phone rings, waking Hong-do, but Yi-seok ignores it to pull her in for sleepy cuddles and kisses. Hong-do stays frozen, looking unsure how to react.

Yeon-woo chooses this of all mornings to let herself into Yi-seok’s apartment, and is greeted by the sight of him and Hong-do in bed together. Hong-do spots her first and rolls out of bed to hide, while slower Yi-seok gets a pastry to the face, and follows Yeon-woo to the elevator.

He calls that it’s nothing serious with Hong-do, but Yeon-woo is more distraught by the fact that he slept in the same bed with Hong-do all night, when he never could do that with her. He doesn’t have a good answer for this, and just hangs his head as she gets in the elevator to leave. As the elevator door closes, she says this was the final step in their breaking-up process (wait, her getting engaged wasn’t?).

Hong-do uses Yi-seok’s distraction to slip behind him and into the stairwell, in no mood to talk about all this. Poor Yi-seok is left to snarl at his neighbor’s little girl, who adorably orders Oppa not to yell. Hong-do runs all the way home and all the way to her closet, shutting herself in the dark.

Butler Ahn is frustrated with Chairman Go, who nixes every assistant candidate that he puts in front of him. I love how comfortably Butler Ahn speaks to the chairman, saying that he’s frustrated that he fired “Madam Oh” and championing her when the chairman criticizes her.

Yi-seok spends the day grumbling that Hong-do didn’t come to work and calls her, though she never answers. He calls Doo-soo for her address, who refuses to give it, but does offer to check on her if something happened. Yi-seok sends a message with him, to either call him or show up for work tomorrow, or she’s fired.

Hong-do is still hanging out in her closet when Doo-soo calls her, though she cringes in horror from the phone instead of answering. Memories of the night before flood her mind, and she sees scenes of herself and Yi-seok in bed as if they’re projected on every wall. She may be embarrassed today, but they sure looked happy together last night.

Doo-soo and Yang sit on a bench on a semi-stakeout, and conversation turns to Hong-do. Doo-soo says he told her to stop bringing him things, but Yang is skeptical that she’ll be able to do that. Doo-soo says he’s worried about her, so Yang offers to check on her in his place since it might be awkward if Doo-soo goes to her place now. Doo-soo’s knee-jerk reaction makes Yang think he actually does like her.

Yi-seok visits Dr. Uhm, worried that he’s having trouble seeing patients since Hong-do isn’t around. He thinks whatever is causing him to react to people is getting worse, or that his nerves are more sensitive now that he knows Hong-do’s closeness calms his symptoms. Haha, Dr. Uhm is all, “Stop being so complicated, and just admit you like her.”

She reminds Yi-seok not to cross a line since Hong-do is also his patient, and he admits he already slept with her. He’s so cutely befuddled as to why though; I love it. He wonders out loud why things progressed so fast in spite of her emotional issues, and wonders if Hong-do intentionally came on to him, which earns him a painful double-ear-twist from Dr. Uhm.

Doo-soo caves and goes to Hong-do’s house, calling to her from outside. She slides open the closet door to listen but doesn’t answer him, and he sits on the wall to talk. Doo-soo chatters about things like her disguise and how smart she seems, while Hong-do despairs to herself that he’ll never like her if he finds out she slept with Yi-seok.

Doo-soo says that in his opinion, when Hong-do finally comes out into the world, she’ll do great things because she’s so smart and clever. He apologizes for upsetting her, and says that she should forget about him and stop locking herself up, and come out for herself and nobody else.

Yi-seok visits his sick grandfather, and it’s really sweet how doting and caring he is with the chairman. The chairman asks if he smells anything, but Yi-seok gets a good whiff and says that he just smells like an old man. Hee. He promises to buy him some cologne to mask the old man smell. These two are cute together. Yi-seok tries to call Hong-do again but she’s still not answering.

In the morning, Butler Ahn calls her, confused because the home address she gave him is actually the bakery. This finally gets her out of her Closet of Shame, and she gets in her disguise to meet him at the bakery for coffee. He tells her (with kind laughter) that the chairman is very upset because he thinks she looks down on him, which she vehemently denies.

Hong-do tells Butler Ahn that she thinks the chairman misunderstood something, and he gives her a tip: First give the chairman a compliment, then be honest. If you always give him a compliment first, then you can pretty much say whatever you want. He suggests that she go apologize in person and she may get her job back.

Hong-do cringes at the thought, but Butler Ahn matter-of-factly says that he’ll die if they don’t hire someone, soon. Hong-do still tries to decline citing personal reasons, but Butler Ahn’s good-natured, “I didn’t peg you as a quitter,” gets her back to the house.

She gingerly enters the chairman’s bedroom, where he’s still sleeping like a Victorian lady with the vapors. In trying to adjust his covers, Hong-do loses her balance and falls on him, waking him up. He tells her to leave but she launches into her apology, and explains that she wasn’t implying that he smelled, but that it was actually herself who reeked of alcohol that day.

Hong-do uses Butler Ahn’s advice and compliments the chairman on firing her in that situation, but regrets that she can’t do the job anymore. She starts to go but the chairman grumbles that he read her wrong, and says that when a person starts something, they should finish it. There’s that prod to her pride again, and it stops her.

At his office, Yi-seok stares at Hong-do’s empty chair, then gets an idea. He sets up a helmet-shaped lamp and pillows in her chair, arranges her coat around it, and gives it some work and a pen. A bit less lonely, he pats Lamp Hong-do and gets back to work. Cute.

Hong-do heads home but runs into her landlord, who has evidently met “Hong-do’s grandmother” before. She reminds her that the rent has been raised and is due immediately or she’s out. She has no pity, and tells her to just do whatever she has to do to get the money.

Later Hong-do listens to a voicemail from Yi-seok, telling her she’s overreacting to their night together. He grouches that she’d better not try to hang onto him or tell him to take responsibility or, God forbid, say she loves him. Ha, it sounds more like he’s trying to convince himself, and Hong-do marvels at his behavior, worried that he thinks she likes him.

Doo-soo and Yang have dinner, where Yang tells Doo-soo that it’s always the one who did the dumping that feels worse. Doo-soo is all, “Who dumped what?” and says that since she’s so closed-off to the world, their relationship isn’t a simple man-woman one. Yang tells him that he’d better just leave her alone or things could get worse, but Doo-soo insists he’s just worried something bad happened to her. Uh-huh.

Doo-soo tells Yang that she’s being treated by Yi-seok, and Yang tells him about all the bad rumors saying that Yi-seok’s a player. Ha, he uses face-reading to “prove” it, and concludes that he probably seduced Hong-do. This gives Doo-soo something new to worry about.

He calls Yi-seok out to talk, but Yi-seok says he’s already fired Hong-do and it’s all over. He says the only reason she got treatment from him was because of Doo-soo, figuring that Doo-soo must secretly like that she’s so fixated on him. He advises Doo-soo to forget her and just get married, and hangs up on him. (Actually, he always hangs up on him, which totally gets Doo-soo’s goat every time.)

Later that night, Yi-seok is woken by another, more drunken call from Doo-soo, who’s waiting outside his house. He demands to know if Yi-seok did anything he shouldn’t have done to Hong-do, and Yi-seok is sick of all these games so he baldly admits to sleeping with her. Doo-soo responds with a right hook, but Yi-seok doesn’t rise to the bait and determines that he’s upset that Hong-do stopped speaking to him.

He avoids another punch and Doo-soo accuses him of trying to scar him on purpose, but Yi-seok (rightly) asks what’s scarring about two people having sex by mutual agreement. He claims he’s the injured party in all this, not Hong-do, but laughs in Doo-soo’s face when he asks if Yi-seok loves her.

Doo-soo hollers that it’s not normal to have sex with someone without any feelings attached, and asks if he’s not guilty that someone who only just came out of her house is now confined again because of him. This renders Yi-seok speechless, and Doo-soo just calls him a dog and leaves. I can’t help but laugh at Yi-seok’s need to get the last word, but he’s only able to call a feeble, “You too!”

Yi-seok retires to his car, gasping at the giant raspberry Doo-soo’s fist gave him. He closes his eyes, but startles when a finger touches his sore cheek. It’s Hong-do, who kisses his boo-boo before laying her head on his chest, and they both drift off to sleep. Of course, we see that he’s dreaming, and is actually alone in the car.

Yi-seok is given tea and a lecture by the housekeeper for sleeping in his car and thoroughly chilling himself. Grandma Hong-do tries to sneak past (having gotten a call from Chairman Go to come talk) but Yi-seok spots her and greets her politely. She flies up the stairs when just glimpsing his face brings back the sexy memories.

The chairman tells Hong-do that he’s thinking of re-hiring her, offering her one more chance. She tells him that she thinks kitchen work suits her better, and that this job scares her. He tells her that life is about taking risks, giving her something to ponder.

She goes to the bank to ask for a loan, but they say that since the lease is under her “granddaughter’s” name, she has to come apply for the loan. Hong-do lays on the concerned grandmother act with a huge side of guilt, but she’s distracted by a text from Yi-seok telling her to just come apologize and he’ll give her her job back.

Se-ro is at another audition, telling the interviewers honestly that she’s not afraid of taking her clothes off for her art. She’s ready to disrobe right there to prove it, but they stop her to read a scene instead. Something about the scene involving the death of an older brother makes her uncomfortable, and she asks if she can make it a sister instead.

Yi-seok spends a productive day reading manhwas in his office until Hong-do shows up, and his smile is so cute when he sees her. Ohmygosh this is the best thing ever, because Hong-so actually apologizes for getting drunk and using Yi-seok, HAHA. His expression is priceless, but she explains that when she realized Doo-soo was getting married, she went a little crazy. He’s still confused, so she says she feels bad because it seemed like he likes her. Oh, you think?

She says that she doesn’t see anyone but Doo-soo as a man, which makes Yi-seok scoff (a bit too loudly?) and insist that he most certainly does not like her. But Hong-do calls him out for the way he looked at her that night, like she was precious, though Yi-seok insists that she misunderstood because she’s inexperienced. They both decide to just agree that they don’t like each other and pretend it never happened. Yi-seok laughs Hong-do out the door, but when she’s gone he stares like a confused puppy, wondering what he’s feeling right now.

Doo-soo and his fiancee (her name is Da-young) go to try on wedding dresses, but Doo-soo is so distracted that he literally doesn’t even notice when she’s revealed in all her wedding finery. He snaps to when she calls his name, and says all the right things, but Da-young unhappily watches him take a call as the curtains close again.

It’s Yang calling — a drunk Se-ro has shown up at the station to complain (in drunken English) that it’s all Doo-soo’s fault she lost another acting role. She’s slurring that she’s going to sue him again, as she starts taking off her clothes right there in front of everyone. Yang manages to steer her to the couch until Doo-soo can come help.

Hong-do folds laundry, grinning sheepishly when she gets to the pair of panties she wore the night she spent with Yi-seok. She notices a hole and wails, because of course Yi-seok must have seen it. Right then he sends her a text, cryptically telling her to keep a journal.

He’s currently home and bothered that she apologized first (uh, didn’t you TELL her to?). She texts him asking if he saw “it” that night, and he calls her for clarification. She’s evasive, so he tells her to just concentrate on writing a journal, expecting her to do it right now while they’re talking.

She pulls out a journal and he gives her an assignment: to write down her daily thoughts, especially everything she’s felt after meeting someone, or doing something new. This is such a transparent way for him to try to find out what she thought of him in bed, ha. He instructs her to be honest and use as much detail as possible.

Se-ro is asleep when Doo-soo gets to the station, and it’s funny how Yang loudly protests that he wasn’t the one who took her clothes off. Doo-soo lifts her to take her home, and Yang’s offer to take her himself gets him a knee in the stomach. At her house, Yang carries her in while Doo-soo makes the connection that she must be Yi-seok’s sister.

Hong-do outlines her day in the broadest of terms, knowing that Yi-seok will ask for details she can’t give without blowing her cover. She starts over but is distracted by a pair of knitted mittens. Later, Doo-soo arrives home to find those mittens hung on his door, with a long letter from Hong-do.

In the letter, she admits her feelings when they first met and how she would stake out his home to get a glimpse of him, and how back then that was enough for her. But now she’s getting greedy, even dreaming of marrying him. She says that dream helped her through her grandmother’s death, and his telling her to go out in the world gave her courage to get treatment.

We see her knitting those gloves during the day she spent in her closet, as she goes on to say in the letter that she wanted to get over her illness and stand confidently in front of him. But now, even if she got better, she wouldn’t be able to do that because she’s embarrassed. She thanks him for the last seven years, as we see that when she dropped off the mittens, she also took down the cooler that she’s been leaving snacks in for him all this time.

Dr. Uhm teeters up to Yi-seok’s house in high heels and turns an ankle, but she’s caught by Butler Ahn before she falls. He carries her to the door, adorably complimenting her on being so light and offering to carpet the whole grounds if she wants to wear those pretty heels here again. When did he get all swoony like that?!

She meets Yi-seok on his way out and asks about Hong-do, making him grump that he was fine until she made him think of it again, HA. He says that he doesn’t think Hong-do has anthrophobia (fear of people) after all, because she had no problem talking to him. (He even wonders if she has a split personality — a friendly poke at some other shows airing right now?).

Hong-do is already at his office when he gets there, and he asks if she wrote the journal. She did, though she says it was hard to write her emotions since they’re all alien and confused right now. He notices that she’s blushing, and she’s all, “Well duh, we slept together.” They both claim breezily that they’ve forgotten aaaall about that, while giving each other challenging eyes, and did it just get warm in here?

Yi-seok reluctantly holds a chair so Hong-do can change a lightbulb, and their faces end up very close when she reaches past him for a new one. She reaches out to touch his healing bruise — then, rather than pulling away, she leans in closer and stares at him with wide, curious eyes. She starts to touch his hair and face, saying that she’s testing her feelings, while Yi-seok protests (but does absolutely nothing to make her stop).

Almost dreamily, Hong-do says that she thinks she liked “that moment.” She says she kept thinking about it and feeling weird, but she continues touching Yi-seok as she sighs that she really likes Doo-soo. They look into each other’s eyes for a long, charged moment, and Yi-seok breathes that he liked that moment, too. It definitely just got hot in here.

Doo-soo arrives at the hospital looking for Hong-do, and as he approaches Yi-seok’s office, he hears loud, suspicious noises coming from Hong-do and Yi-seok. As he rounds the doorway he sees them lying on the couch together — but instead of doing anything sexy, Yi-seok is lying on his back on top of a laughing Hong-do, pinning her to the couch and daring her to get free. HAHA, that’s hilarious.

Yi-seok spots Doo-soo first and asks why he’s here, but doesn’t make a move to get off of Hong-do. She sees Doo-soo standing there with a confused look on his face, and they all freeze, unsure what to do.

COMMENTS

Okay, first and foremost, I absolutely adore how many frank adult discussions went on in this episode. Nobody was coy or pretended to be all innocent, nobody acted like nothing happened, and nobody got all weird when it was time to work out the issues caused by Hong-do and Yi-seok’s night together. Well, maybe Doo-soo got all weird, but I’d argue that from his perpective, punching Yi-seok’s lights out was absolutely an appropriate reaction. He’s been Hong-do’s only protector all these years, and to watch some player come in and lure her into his sinful clutches would be hard to stomach, even if there weren’t all the confused feelings between them.

I feel bad for Doo-soo because, though he seems like he’s got it all — a good job, a stable future, and an upcoming marriage to a good woman — I think he must be as lonely as Hong-do is, in his way. He doesn’t really have anyone to talk to other than Yang, and yeah, I wouldn’t tell that guy my deepest feelings either. So instead, he goes to Hong-do’s house to talk to her wall. It seems like he’s there to help her, but the more I watch, the more I think he’s really doing it for himself. Doo-soo talks most when he’s talking to Hong-do, even though she’s not next to him, like she’s a safe place to let out his true feelings. It’s good that he has someone like that, in a way, but not so good because she’s never been able to respond. So it’s only an illusion of closeness, and I think that illusion is wearing thin for both of them. Hong-do is growing greedy for more, but her timing is terribly off, and Doo-soo can’t get her to actually meet him on common ground no matter how hard he tries.

Then on the other hand, the more time Hong-do and Yi-seok spend together, the more their interactions become not only comfortable, but honest and open. And rather than make things even more awkward, their spending the night together seems to have brought them closer. Under the circumstances, I think they both expected things to be weird afterward, but when they finally met face to face and had a frank discussion about it, they both seemed surprised at how easy it was and that they felt even more comfortable around each other. I loved how Yi-seok was so adamant that he didn’t have any feelings for Hong-do, and her being all, “Yeah, I saw how you looked at me, you’re not fooling anyone.” And he’s not… not even himself, anymore. He had to admit that he did feel something, when it came down to it.

I think one of the best things about this show is how it constantly subverts expectations, both ours as viewers but more interestingly, the characters themselves. Dramas seem to often follow such a formula: longing looks + admission of feelings = kisses, for example. It’s reliable and predictable and I have zero complaints about kisses in any form, but it’s not exactly exciting after you’ve seen it a few times. But in this case, I’ll admit I laughed out loud to see Hong-do and Yi-seok NOT making out after such a vulnerable moment, but just playing and laughing and having fun together. It’s that, more than anything, that makes me ship them so hard it almost hurts. Because first they’re friends, then they’re attracted to each other, which is just so healthy. So when those charged moments happen between them, all they have to do is look at each other and I’m swept away in their feelings, and I consistently find myself literally losing my breath at their intense chemistry. It’s the best kind of feeling as a viewer, to actually physically feel what the characters are feeling, and I think those moments are what keep me thinking about this show and these people long after the episode is over.

 
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People actually talking about things! And kissing! And responding realistically to said kissing! And dealing with situations in an adult manner!

It makes me so happy that I just used my yearly allotment of exclamation points.

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Right its really refreshing and surprising but it should be expected from PD Lee.

No stupid mental gymnastics to prolong retarded thinking and burn out scenes and dialogue over unreal, unadult reaction to situations.

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who is PD LEE? :(( ive been hearing that name for quite some time now, but i dont know who that is.

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I think she is the one who deserves the credit for Coffee Prince.

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Here are some more.
It makes me so happy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Having watched so many K dramas, I fully expected them to go the normal route of waking up in the morning and screaming in fright, as though they were totally comatose the night before.

Instead, how lovely to see them smiling and cuddling and planting small kisses...... it's been a great ride so far.

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Couldn´t agree more. I was so afraid of the "scream":)

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lol, why do you have a yearly allotment?

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Exclamation-mark-related trauma from my seventh grade English teacher. It haunts me.

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I promised myself to not watch a new drama since life somehow runs over me...but reading the recap, I just folded and started this drama. Sooooo guilty...yet soooo gooooodddd

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Started later than everyone here, just marathon ed 1-5 and I've got 7 more to go till I catch to ep 12. I just love it when hong do touches him and takes away her hand later, I could see that his face moves towards her hand. Chung jung myung, you're doing it again!

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Loving it more and more!!! Also, your analysis at the end is so spot-on I don't even feel the need to write anything! You said it all :)

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Thank you for the recap!

Yeah, Yi-seok, kind of hard to buy you have no feelings when you were the one initiating all that morning-after skinship!

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My favorite moment was the flashbacks in Hong-Do's closet, the awkward kissing and the exploring playfulness after. I love the fact that he was caught off guard when she apologizes for using him.

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I can't praise this show enough so far!!! I love how Hong-Do rationalizes it as a heat of the moment event and Yi-Seok's bewilderment. Everything between seems so natural and the curve balls thrown at our expectation are perfect as you said. So excited about this show

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First, thanks Lollypip for the recap.

Awesome chemistry between our OTP. Like you, I keep thinking about the show and the lead characters long after I've watched the episode. Which leads me to rewatch the leads' intimate scenes again. I especially love how Yi Suk cuddles and caresses and kisses Hong-do (on her back, shoulders, all over her face)--that is some scene. And he spent the whole night with her, a first!

It seems the show is taking us to a Doo Soo and Se-ro love line. Can also smell a possible romance between Butler and Professor psychiatrist.

Hmm, what if, down the line, Grandpa starts developing a crush on Grandma Hong-do? That would be complications galore!

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I also loved that cuddle scene the morning after. I thought it was very sexy and unique and fresh.

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@dramabliss: Yes, I was thinking that too - please don't let Chairman Grandpa get any ideas! (on the other hand, it would be very good for Yi-seok's overinflated ego if he had to fend off not only Do-soo, but also Grandpa as a romantic rival!

@Lollypip - that line: "sleeping like a Victorian lady with the vapors" just cracked me up! :) I expected her to start waving the smelling salts! (and yes, the perfume talk between Grandpa and Yi-seok was so cute)

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That line made me laugh so hard too! Grandpa was acting like Elizabeth Bennet's mother, just taking to his bed when things don't go his way. Gosh, I love this show.

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Your analysis of Doo-Soo's loneliness makes soo much sense. I'm loving how much Yi-Seok is loving being with Hong-do. If the writing and directing continues like this, Heart-to-Heart, is going on the list of favorites. Thanks for the recaps :-)

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This show snuck up on me. I didn't know the actors and the premise seemed uninteresting.

I started watching after reading the recaps here and the show is fun and refreshing. I like that the ultimate goal of most shows, the penultimate kiss while the camera pans in 360 has been tossed. I know we'll probably get back to that but, it's been way bypassed.

I'm hoping that grandfather isn't harboring secret feelings for Mrs Oh because that could get real weird real fast or I suppose it could veer right into P.G. Wodehouse territory. I'm guessing probably not.

At any rate, keep up the good work. Thank you.

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I love this show more and more each week. I was worried how they were going to handle Hong-Do reaction to her "first time", but her response of "sorry to have used you" was most amusing.

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i got to be honest, i kept refreshing DB hoping to see this recap. Thank you lollypip, for the recap and awesome insight. i haven't been this excited about a show in quite sometime. watched in raw 2 times (while trying to guess what they are saying using my very limited korean), then 2 times after the sub is out. this is bad.

im glad they show the after effect of HD locking herself up after sexy night, because there were some comments in ep 4 about how not realistic it is for someone like HD to be calm about her (maybe) first time. i'm glad that show didnt make HD freak out that night, because, she maybe have some social phobia, but she's still a well read gal, who of course knows about sex, and have the needs and wants. she just let her self go in the moment of passion and despair. but as we can see in ep 5, it's the morning after when brain took over that regret, guilt etc start building.
what im saying is that, give the show some time to flesh things out before jumping to conclusion. i found that way it's easier to enjoy the show. This show is going to be on my top 10 if they continue this awesomeness.
Saturday feels so far...

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Ah, another thing, i love YS puppy confused look, DS jealous counfused look, and hong do's 'im sorry i used you' look. haha, the girl really got spunk behind that silver helmet of shyness.

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Loved all the said looks above:)

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This show makes me squee???soooo much!! It makes me giddy and I loved every second of it!! I watched this episode multiple times and I hardly do that, but this makes me crazy addicted!!

Thanks lollypip for another wonderful insight, as much as I wait for this show, I also anticipated ur recaps!! Soo spot on!!!

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"I consistently find myself literally losing my breath at their intense chemistry."

Me too! It is sizzling, and the soundtrack helps A LOT.
Especially the scene in the closet had me in hot flashes, whoo.
(And the starring gave me flutters.)

I did get angry at DS though. Dude, maybe you have to let your feelings out, maybe you don't like awkward silences, but LET THE GIRL SPEAK, for god's sake!
I wonder if she would get over herself and talk to him, if he actually gave her the time.

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What do you mean by 'let the girl speak'?

It's not like he spitted whatever he wanted to say in one breath and then left, nor was it like he was speaking 200 words a minute nor was he steamrolling over her. Or maybe he wishes he could, if she would just TALK to him. It's normal that he doesn't seem to expect a reply because she's never replied in 7 years.

Maybe they should have written letters early on.

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I feel like everytime she is about to say something, he awkwardly starts talking again.
It's exhausting to watch them 'communicate'.

Letters would have indeed been a good idea!

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Her journaling can serve the purpose of letting him hear her.

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I can totally understand Yi Suk's ex. Seeing him cuddle with a girl hurt more than knowing that he was sleeping with someone else. He is capable of intimacy but just couldn't muster it for her. He couldn't even say anything when she called him out on it.

The morning cuddle was my favorite scene followed up by the light bulb confession.

Hong Do was playing with his ears, saying she was testing out her feelings... and he was experiencing some feelings too. Which he expressed! I'm overjoyed that most of the time, the OTP says what they feel. It's so refreshing.

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YES! That YS expressed his feelings too had me catch my breath for a moment. I was squeeing when HD touched the ears :-)

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HD and YS are like super charged energies when they are together!! Liked their skinships!!!

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LollyPip, thank you for the wonderful recap! I just love these characters and their world and can't wait to join them again the next week. It's a pleasure to be able to spend more time with them through your recaps.

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Well, am reading recaps again :). It's been a while. Even though I occasionally love dramas and characters that are man child asses, I have never found them sexy. But this one, I am starting to find him sexy somehow. Help!

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Yi-seok is such a man child and it´s a blast to watch. I find myself looking forward to his self-righteous statements and wackadoo logic whenever he´s onscreen, all ready to laugh my ass off, heh.

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You'd like them more if they all have sexy morning cuddles and kisses.

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I don't know what it is. But he's sexy as he'll to me now.

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PD Lee Yoon Jung is amazing!

I freaking love Coffee Prince and this new work of hers explains and shows. Why i love that drama so much and hold it in such a high regard among my favorite dramas of all time.

(A very short list)

Ms. Jung understands, actual human emotions (extremely complex), complex personalities, dialogue, and making sure to show damage individuals and how they work that out or how they could or should work it out, with or without help. Or at least allude to it. Plus she knows when and how to turn traditional, cookie cutter drama tropes on their head. Because when she does it , it's amazing to watch.

Whether it be female or male, within a dream/flashback or with getting across a characters current standing in their certain situation and showing that there are multilayers to everyone/each person. Despite what they might showcase on the inside or outside.

Goes to prove to me that the PD and the actors are on the same page. An the Actors are truly giving it their all and it shows. With every nuance, tick, movement, touch or kiss or skinship for that matter. I mean the closest scene, the bed room flashback and the office moment were all just beautiful and really make me feel REAL emotion coming from them.

HD and YS my favorite characters and really do mirror the dynamic between Choi Han Kyul & Go Eun Chan in a fantastic way and both have a different feeling but both contain the things that made me like the Coffee Prince couple.

Also can i say that i would love to cuddle with HD!! ;p

(Saw episode 6 already, things will get interesting real quick)

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I hope Jung has something else after this drama ends!

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I am with you on that one! PD Lee sure has a way of setting up a scene for maximum FEELS. Like everyone else, I have my own list of favorite kdramas but Coffee Prince is not on it because it's on a separate list all by itself. No matter how hard I try, no other drama I have watched has ever surpassed or even equaled the emotions I felt when I watched CP. I don't know if this drama will go on that special list but PD Lee is surely weaving her magic again. I am definitely addicted to this drama that it's a bit scary since I have re-watched all the episodes multiple times already.

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I just hate that is on Friday and Saturday!! i want it early and on Monday and Tuesday grr!!

But at the same time i like the wait of knowing that in 4 days it will be Friday again. ;p

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Well said!! Coffee Prince was my first exposure to Korean dramas so it will always hold a special place in my heart. Despite that, I feel that it's in a group of its own against all dramas because of its unique vibe. Like, it's so normal (as in, normal characters, normal reactions, etc.) and still very atmospheric. I feel so much in each scene...and best of all, I can feel the budding romance. My heart swells and aches as I watch Hong Do and Yi Seok interact just as it did with the leads in Coffee Prince. I also love the other characters which is a feat since I tend to care less about characters beside the leads. So kudos to PD Lee. I am happy to have this drama.

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Thank you for the recap LollyPip!

Oh, just let me vent a little how adorable this show is. I laughed so much while watching this ep and went all "aww" at the sweet moments (wasn´t the morning-after cuddling the cutest ever?).
As everyone already mentioned, it´s really fresh to see some adult behavior or just "normal" reactions for a change. I loved Hong-do´s flashbacks in the cupboard, because as much as I wanted to hide myself under a pile of blankets like her they also showed how Hong-do was actually "using" Yi-seok. He enabled her to discover a new world and despite feeling embarrassed the next day, she explored every nook and granny with gusto. And it all was treated with delicacy and with just enough sweetness, that...ah, well, the PD did a perfect job here.
Thank you, LollyPip, for carving Doo-soo out so beautifully. I didn´t think about how much solace he must find in Hong-do. I usually manage to avoid SLS, but with episodes 5 and 6, I´m feeling so sorry for Doo-soo. I´m all for Hong-do and Yi-seok´s ship to sail, but I haven´t felt that terrible for one odd one out for a long time. Doo-soo is haplessly slow regarding his own feelings, though most of the slowness comes from trying to please as much people around him as possible. He´s good at following the rules, while Yi-seok is good at ignoring them, so he´s always one step behind. Oh, the final scene hurt!

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Hey Eva,

I totally agree with you. As much as i ship the OTP, I find myself unconsciously frown when Doo-Soo is about to find them together on the couch at the very last scene. I was actually worried for him! Not that I wasn't excited seeing Hong-Do touches Yi-Seok's ears though.

Somehow, it's such a pain to see Doo-Soo realised that Hong-Do is laughing with another man, being so comfortable, but when she's with him, she's so shy and not able to open up as much.

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Shall I say me too!!! ME too!! I already have SLS for DS coz he's such a nice guy and he values and cared for HD on his own way...
I feel so sad for him.. Can I just be greedy and have two HD!!

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@4drama

Can I pretend that Doo-Soo is a split personality of Yi-Seok since there's so many drama about DID airing right now? Then we can have them both! Lols!!!

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@cathing!! Soooo true!! Totally agree!! Lol!

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I thought it was an elegant touch. That Doo-Soo was about as upset over Hong-Do laughing with Yi-Seok as having slept with him. It shows that while he may be clueless in male/female relationships as they relate to him, that he does understand people and Hong-Do laughing with someone as Hong-Do and not granny is as revolutionary as her sleeping with someone. Kudos to this scene.

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@Jolie

And it totally gets the plot moving in the right direction, for Doo-Soo to finally realise what he feels for Hong-Do is more than just friendship.

Can't wait for the actual love triangle to finally takes place! As much as I'm waiting for Healer, I'm anticipating Heart to Heart ep7!!! Can Friday comes faster?

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Didn't like the story at the beginning, but the chemistry between Choi Kang Hee and Chung Jung Myung drew me into poor Hong do and Yi Seok's unlikely romance.
I was surprised that he would sleep with her. Isn't that unethical - doctor to patient?
Can't wait to see how Dong Soo who is SO dumb to wait 7 years reacts to Yi Seok antics with Hong do. How could he eats all that food that she made and not suspect that she liked him and do nothing? Yi Seok got to first base long before Dong Soo.

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Its not even an official doctor to patient thing at all. Hes doing it for free and there's no paper signed at all.

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It is unethical, though she's not officially a patient, which earn him some scolding(and ear pulling) from his mentor. Besides, i think it's totally in character, as eva above said, "....Yi-seok is good at ignoring them(rules)...."

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(Not really directed at you by the way)

Yes, yes we get it. Its unethical but man people need to get over it. Its a drama..there are much more illogical things that have happened in kdramas. An a good two hand full of those have done far worse and have applied a lot less care or just cause. In regards to the growing relationship between the to mains.

Sssh people act like doctors, businessmen, managers, employes or whatever else. That goes on in the real world don't do this exact thing and people never know about or just keep quiet about it. Especially if its between to consenting adults. But since this is a drama, and not real life we can actually have kind of a look into a heightened view of a relationship, that should not have happen in normal circumstances or could happen in abnormal circumstances.

Yet can and do happen. People are only human despite whatever ethical values are presented within their field.

I mean this story is about two broken, people with problems. That have a connection, that is growing deeper and are seemingly unable to stay away from each for different reasons. But at the end of the day, attraction can be fatal no matter the career or the costumer. Though its only fatal if their situation stays the exact same way. Which will not be the case.

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haha, i think you totally misunderstands my comment up there. what i meant was, i dont really mind the fact that they slept with each other, eventho some people say it's unethical, as it's totally within YS character to bend rules. and the show did address it by having the mentor scold him for sleeping with HD. maybe my english is not really understandable. not native english speaker here.

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Now i understand!!

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The way I see it, two single, non-related adults have the right to sleep with each other as long as there are no manipulation or coercion involved.

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Thanks soo much for the recap!! I really love your insightful comments about Doo-Soo especially.

I can't type too much right now but I must say I LOVE THIS DRAMA! So good!!!

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This drama is blessed to have a great ensemble of cast and an equally great production team. (PD LEE, I LOVE YOU!). This drama is even more blessed to have an appreciative reviewer as Lollypip. Your commentary on the drama in general and on DS for this particular episode does the right justice to PD Lee's project. In the press conference, she emphasized that this is *not* another drama about abnormal personality. The story is about those who don't love themselves enough heal each other through falling in love.

Isn't DS another one who doesn't love himself enough? He is devoted to administering help to others and being a pious son. He never truly considers what he wants, except becoming a policeman. At the end of the day, he is also a lost soul, like many of us, despite the fact that he is the most "normal" character in the drama.

I am on team Doctor from episode 1, but it's kind of bewildering to see how some "demonize" DS, especially given that Lee Jae Yoon really gives a consistent, sincere and stellar performance from the very beginning. DS misses the boat and he is not the right one for HD. He still is a decent guy with his own set of problems and merits. I am pretty sure YS's sister will bring a new life experience for him. HAHA

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I'm on Team Doctor too. DS annoyed me in that , she's been basically wooing him with food for 7 years, and he didn't notice her feeling or reciprocated. YS's sister is going to drive him crazy, she is so off the charts.

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The only thing that annoys me about DS is that he is sooo slow on the uptake when it comes to the opposite sex. Like he's lived like a monk all these years. The whole ramyun incident proved that. Good thing it's only with the opposite sex or else he'd make one lousy Detective.

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Good insight into DS - he goes with flow without really knowing what he wants.

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@fandomscape:
"DS misses the boat and he is not the right one for HD." - yep, I agree, it's typical love triangle, nice guy second lead stuff. His timing sucks, and after eating Hong Do's food for 7 years, he ... goes and gets engaged to another girl? Man, talk about dense! Still, now that Hong-do and Yi-seok have spent a night together, it will be interesting to see how Dong-soo asserts himself as the 3rd wheel.

"I am pretty sure YS’s sister will bring a new life experience for him." - hahaha, I'm sure she will - with a vengeance! Like brother, like sister! After all, Hong-do and Doo-soo are too much alike to end up as a kdrama OTP :)

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Hong Do's reaction: "Sorry I used you" was daebak!!! I was surprise by her reaction lol.

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Thanks for the recap. Been waiting for it since sunday.

I love this drama. I love the interactions between YS and HD, love how expressive YS is with her and her with him. So honest and open. I love how HD would cursed him openly for someone who barely talk to other person in her life... Hahaha.. I was laughing so hard when HD came to see YS to apologize for "using" him. I think she totally is messing with him, she knows that YS will act like that. She can be YS's psychiatrist, hahaha..

I love it that YS is so kind to his mother and Grandfather, so cute and adorable. What a loving man.

Well.. being a psychiatrist, I like it that he would think and analyse and discuss with Dr. Uhm what is happening to him instead of denying them or ignoring the symptoms.

In short, I love CJM in this drama, and his chemistry with CJH is daebak.

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Each episode I watch makes me like the drama more and more. Yi-Seok and Hong-Do are great to see together, they have always have these frank conversations, and they have great chemistry. I love how sweet Yi-Seok is with his family, it's like a different side of him comes out.

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i am really enjoying the soundtrack. is anyone familiar with the artists or know the titles to the songs?

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Really loving this show´s soundtrack, would also appreciate some hints on the songs.

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Yasssss, i have tried to search the soundtrack on google, but i got nothing lol. If somebody have the list of the soundtrack, please tell me :)

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I had no intention of watching this because I disliked Choi kang-hee but it has turned out to be the one drama I most anticipate each week. She's really excellent in this role and not being the typical meek, helpless female makes the story fresh.

A suggestion: please rewatch this drama again on Darksmurf. I'm so grateful for the Viki subbers because they are really fast and good. The subber on Darksmurf is also excellent and she brings out the nuances that I was missing from Viki.

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thanks for the suggestion. i may do that.

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Thank you LollyPip for recapping this show.

I am enjoying this drama very much. Thank you cable, thank you PD Lee, thank you to the lead actors.

Looking forward to more frank discussions and bringing things out in the open.

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I really love all the characters. Yi seok is so cute most of the time. laught out loud seeing his expression evrytime. he is so blunt.

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Hurrah for Heart2Heart.

This is my go-to drama at the moment.

I'm loving Hong-do and Yi-seok.

I do feel sorry for Doo-soo though.

And even though she will be important in the future at the moment I think Yi-seok's sister is annoying so I fast-forward whenever she's doing a long monologue.

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I just love and am so addicted to this drama. I love all the characters especially Hong Do. I like seeing her with Yi Seok only because we get to see her awesome true self whenever they are together. It's almost like we are seeing 2 dramas. One that is full of innocence where DS pursues a girl and might get skinship after several episodes and another with Yi Seok where everyone is an adult and people deal with skinship and sex like real people. Also, I have never noticed this before but Choi Kang Hee has such beautiful light brown eyes. It's mesmerizing!

Thanks for the recap Lollypip!

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OMG yiiiiiiiiiieeee

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Thanks for recap LollyPip!

One thing tHat struck me while watching both episodes multiple time over the weekend is that Grandpa is somewhat lonely and that he was positively chatty with Mrs. Ho/HD when she is around. So it looks like Grandpa also found a friend.

Must say that all the leads have good chemistry/vibe - for sure HD-YS - and also DS too - the good friend/protector vibe.

DS had made efforts over the 7 years to coax her out of her shyness. I noticed that he has repeated this a couple times already ‘Ah I am talking to myself again' - because most of their interactions so far are monologues becasue HD is mostly silent! So he did try for the last 7 years - he was totally Not passive.

This is my favorite show of the week. YS making the pretend Helmet at the office was LOL moment!

BTW - love yhe way he calls her Helmet!

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I agree with you. I dont see DS as passive, or blind for not seeing how HD likes him. He's been trying to coax her to open up for 7 years. And it's save to say that it's part of his coax that made DH decide to find cure for herself.

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It would be hilarious if YS's grandpa also falls for "grandma" HD. =P

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That would be sooo wrong on so many levels! lol Gramps will be all sad as it is when he finds out he's been lied to. I'd hate to see him all devastated with a love not meant to be.

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I feel for gramps, but he is lonely...and he's probably thinking that "grandma" is someone who understands him the most. =P I really hope that he'll only see HD as a kindred spirit, and not be attracted to her. Then again, imagine all the hijinks-- 3 men after HD. Kekeke

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Sorry, but a brokenhearted grandpa would be hilarious! I doubt that they´ll go there, though, perhaps a very mild crush for some laughs.
Anyway, however they´re going to play it out, things are on the move already considering that pretty passive-aggressive vacuuming by the housekeeper at the doorway(s), while miss granny was paying the visit.

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He would keep her near if Doc and she get together.
He would gain a granddaughter!

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I'm finding it weird that once I started getting addicted to this show, my anticipation for a new Healer episode has diminished considerably. Maybe because the hysteria has died down a bit or maybe because my energy has been redirected elsewhere or maybe I have started feeling the weight of a 20 episode drama. Anyways, episode anticipation can be so exhausting at time. lol

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Hey aigoo!!! That's super true!! For me healer was daebak, but then I startted this drama and I am hooked! I'm a healer fan but I never rewatched an entire episode multiple times, perhaps only some "squee" worthy scenes but my golly this show make me rewatched ep 4/5/6 multiple times.. And still giddy that I even started participating in DB communities, which before I only enjoyed reading and be amused of the commentaries!! Now I even refresh my screen if new comments are posted!

Again lollypip, thank you for your recaps!!

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I concur with both of you. I feel EXACTLY the same way.

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Same for me!

I guess it is because we are at the 'shit is going to hit the fan' stage for Healer - and all kinds of melodrama is going to happen while H2H is at the beginning and zoom-to-romance stage that is giddy and addictive - like Yi Seok!

BTW - H2H is only 16 episode long - which hopefully the writer and PD will use next 10 well (just as well as they have given us 1-6) to bring us the rest of HD-YS-DS story!

It is fun to watch HD and YK as they try to find their footing as patient-doc-friend-suitor-whatever else.

I guess the 'shit will hit the fan' stage of H2H is when everyone in the family will find out about HD double personas !! Eeewwwk - don't want to think about that now!

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Yes, there might be a love square - the grandpa seems to like our undercover grandmother too well.

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@Aigoo and 4drama

I´m also really grateful that Heart to Heart just happened to stroll by and I had sense to check it out, because finally there´s something to cool my Healer-wrecked nerves down a notch. Otherwise the void between T-M seemed just...bottomless. Am I finally getting out of the drool-pool? Finally able to think along the lines of work and other duties? Hmm, not sure, but finally there´s HOPE.

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Lollypip, thanks for your recap! I am totally in love with this drama, this is the first drama where I watch it without subs with my limited knowledge of korean, with subs and lastly reading your recaps! I am totally shipping the OTP...the chemistry between CJM and CKH is so believable that I want them to date for real...can't wait for your ep 6 recap...this drama will surely be my 2015 "Marriage not dating"

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Me to! Marriage, Not Dating was my surprise favorite last year. I had no intention of watching it whatsoever and it blew me away. Same with this one, I actually expected it to be more focused on the the psychology and be more like a me medical drama. Plus, I kept getting it mixed up with all the other Mental Disorder Dramas out there right now so I wasn't interested in all. Glad I stumbled upon it!

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@Z and omona

Me too! I'm so glad I read dramabeans for recap and upon that decided to watch Marriage, Not Dating last year and it was so good. With another good rom-com from TVN (Heart to Heart i mean), I'm having more faith with TVN's rom-com.

To me, Marriage Not Dating is an underdog drama which is so underrated. Most of my friends, never heard of it and weren't even interested when I try selling it to them. Even my brother in law (a fan of kdrama) wasn't at all interested seeing that it's from TVN. I just wanna say, sometimes, cable channel may surprise you with better drama than the mainstream channels.

And like Marriage Not Dating, I love the cold opening very much! Hope the following episodes don't disappoint.

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Yes, the "cold open" really reminded me of Marriage Not Dating! Just finished watching it recently, and agree it was waayy underrated!

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Okay so I marathoned to catch up and while waiting for this recap I had to resist the urge to rewatch. I never rewatch dramas so this is new and damn is it the weekend yet?

Thank you so much for the recap you summed it up so perfectly and I appreciate especially your insight on Do-soo because I've been back and forth with him. On one hand, seven years, on the other chico is slow on the uptake thanks to the perm chemicals and I have to give him credit because he has tried. Poor guy is up against FAAAATE though with all its tinnitus-canceling match-making. If lil sis does date him I hope she makes him do something about that rat's nest on his head. Just sayin'.

Also I'm not sure if it wasn't mentioned before or if I missed it but AHHHHHH Butler Ahn is Safari!!!! With better hair. YAY!

Wow best morning after scene ever and no ridiculous screaming. It's nice to see adults not pretending to have the libidos of seven year olds. They don't even gloss over the "wait-that's-technically-a-patient" yet don't make it an angst-fest. Also I loved the light-bulb changing scene. My toes were curling hehe. Especially when she said he was like alcohol, cigarettes, drugs i.e. addictive. Squeed so hard at that and the morning cuddles. Pie was always adorble but man was he always this sexy?

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Yes. Last question. Yes.

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I second that. He can be cute with just one look and a second later he is SMEXY! He has the most expressive eyes!

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+3

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@museofmanymasks

"chico is slow on the uptake thanks to the perm chemicals "

Lol

Lol

and again

Lol

Awesome post, if I´d been drinking anything while reading it, I would´ve probably killed my laptop. Totally agree with everything you said, except I don´t mind the "rat´s nest". Now I´m probably going to think "rat´s nest" every time he´s onscreen, though. It´s going to be hard to take him seriously from now on. *sigh*

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hehe I say it all in love. I'm just going to pretend that it was me that got it all mussed up ;)

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Me too, I laughed so hard at the "perm chemicals" that I woke the cat up. I was hoping that after being jilted by his fiancée, DS would have one of those famous kdrama "my-relationship-just-broke-up" makeovers.

Related to DS's ex-fiancée, can anyone imagine HD actually marrying into DS's family where she'd have to do 12 family rituals a year in Andong and God knows what else? Although it would be fun to take that detour once she comes out of her shell (just for a visit)!

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LollyPip , thanks for the recap.

This show is a gem. Everyone is going a good job in their roles. This is the first thing I've seen Choi Kang-hee in , ( besides 1 forgettable episode of L7CS ).
Off to watch Ep 6.

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John, I saw her first in "Protect the Boos" and liked her there as well. Luckily skipped the drama which everybody seems to try to erase from the memory.

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I'd also recommend her in "Petty Romance" with Lee Sun-kyun - it's a movie, so only 2 hrs!

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This show is so super cute. I do think that the way this evolved was a bit unrealistic if you really consider their characters....but I don't care. I love that multiple people gave Yi-Seok crap about sleeping with a client. With all these kdrama psych romances lately, it was getting ridiculous with how much people acted as if being with your patient was normal.

I had actually completely forgotten that Yi-Seok couldn't spend the whole night with anyone. It was nice to see how human their comfort level seems to be. And his reaction in the morning wasn't disgust or immediate back peddling but instead he cuddled and kissed her...which have all seen is not is normal response.

I thinks she's so adorable and his pouts are ridiculous but cute as well. This was totally the Kline of feel goo rom com I wanted to see.

The second lead though.... Ugh. It's going to break my heart. He's sweet and handsome and yes, lonely as well. I don't want him with the fiancée or the stupid sister. But I know these next few episodes will most likely be painful on our lead actress getting and push-pull between the men.

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Thanks LollyPip for the recap! As usual, your comments captured my own thoughts and feelings so well, that I feel like I have very little to say about the episode apart from nodding my head in vigorous agreement.

I see a lot of praise being given in the comments to PD Lee, and she certainly deserves it; her directorial choices in this drama are wonderful and knowing. But I also want to acknowledge the work of the writer of the drama, Lee Jung Ah, who's worked with PD Lee before on Coffee Prince and Triple, because she's the one responsible for giving PD Lee such great material to work with. Lee & Lee team, fighting!

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You bring up an interesting point. If we examine how a good show becomes great, we have to look at all the creative inputs and how they work together.
Starts with story - a vision from the writer.
A good PD can successfully bring the words to life, making sure that the original amount of good is maintained, and then adds even more of her ideas with how it's photographed, paced and how much freedom is given to the actors to interpret it.

Throw in the actors - in this case doing an awesome and even surprisingly great job. They take the words on the page, the directors input and breathe life into the script.

The sparkly gem in this cast is CKE. She pulls everything together. Without her hitting that character, those characters perfectly with all the right notes, this would not have worked as well.

A good director can make a mediocre script better. A bad director can ruin even a great script.
Good actors with their skills can create something more than what is written and ignore a bad director's input. Bad actors can crush a good script, too. The director can only do so much.

Having all three being awesome is like alchemie. 1+1+1 = 1,000!

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True story!

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Thank you for the recap and your thoughts about the maturity of the drama when it comes to skinship.

H2H is quickly becoming my favorite and I find myself laughing hysterically and being able to relate to many characters. The lamp in place of HD, OMG, that was daebak!

Love the second lead who is slowly becoming self-aware of his feelings for HD only when he is about to lose her.

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So true about the adult behaviour and conversations. Very refreshing. I was shipping second lead (as usual) but now I'm shipping both guys. I know our psych is really quite a sweetie...but.... The problem I have with this is that once again (as in flower boy next door) we are being told that the way to cure someone with social phobia is to be lovingly pushy with them.

Of course the drama is qualifying this by saying she really isn't as emotionally wounded/agoraphobic as we initially thought. But it bothers me that once again the gentle prodder who has been attempting to cure our heroine won't win the girl.

Presumably cop'll end up with psych as a bro-in-law or it's all a red herring but I do wonder why women have to be needy and gentle to save/heal wounded male sociophobes but men have to be pushy to heal the female counterpart.

Am loving this drama nevertheless.

Thanks for the insightful recap.

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Yes, how is it that the gentle giant with tender care for the heroine got nowhere and this doctor with questionable ethics calling her names and bargaining for payment for his treatment quickly pulled her out of the closet?

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YES! Thank you--that was one of my initial concerns before I got sucked in--it still bothers me too, though its less ham-fisted than FBND. The lovingly pushy vs gentle prodding--it shouldn't be black and white like that. I've very nearly been that girl before and I know that Doc's method would not go over so well, esp from someone I just met.

And to generalize the curing motif even further, that a significant other will make all your issues go poof if you keep them around has always bugged me in dramas. Its a tv show, yes, and moreover a rom-com at its heart, so I can mostly overlook it but when dealing with a show that gives you people instead of caricatures I miss the inclusion of that fact.

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A part of me wants the psychiatrist to heal her FOR the cop to have her.

But one thing that these kdramas have taught me...the second lead has very little chance. Not quite no chance. But about 2% chance of succeeding.

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Good Answer!

Both guys are good for her in different ways. Too bad only 1 of them will 'get' her. - Can't they have a 'Valid/Sensible Love' arrangement?

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Ah, you fear that arrangement in VL as well, uh?

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@ Carole McDonnell

Ahh, FBND! The only show where I developed a serious SLS! I sooo wanted him to get the girl and it was such a bugger that he didn´t. I even didn´t watch the two last ep because of that.
That there are only two opposite views in dramaland on how to "cure" agoraphobia is quite disheartening, still, after six episodes I´m only able to see those characters now, the big picture has vanished somewhere out of sight.

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I got second lead really badly in FBND, Let's Eat, Ooh la la couple! And in Crule City I stopped watching because i was shipping the lead guy with the madam of the establishment. SLS seems to be my biggest problem with these love stories.

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Wonder, is it a sign?

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I always maintained that Oh Ji Rak should have gotten the girl in FBND!!

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I think the only other time I've had SLS (as opposed to either liking the lead better or not giving a freak either way) was Coffee Prince because Lee Sang-Gyun's character felt like he'd be an actual guy in actual life (with an awesome job and swoony voice to boot) where the Gilbertesque chaebol felt more cookie cutter fantasy (despite Gong Yoo's ability for pathos). Figures I would get SLS again from the same writer. Though this time its a bit more even. I'm rooting for both. I wish he'd cure her for the man she wants too, even if that's after they explore their connection (can't waste that chemistry) as long as Do-soo gets some time too.

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What if they are just going with what happens in fairy tales?

Didn't the opening scene of this ep make you thnk of Rapunzel, or whatever damsel-in-the-tower story you choose? DS, instead of climbing the tower to "rescue" her, helps ensure that HD is safe inside. He double-checks the bars on her windows. We see he has a ladder, but rather than climbing it to go into her rooms, he fixes the light outside.
Does that make him an enabler, or just a guy who respects her boundaries? Or a guy who hasn't tried to find out what the woman locked in the tower really wants, and just assumes she wants to stay there?

Then bring in the Hong-do tale. The translated lyrics are below. Oppa tells her not to cry. She doesn't need to buy and sell love (herself) to protect her family. She can stick to the path of a wife. Oppa will help now.
Interestingly, the lyrics also include Oppa telling her she is the moonlight shining above the world. How much more cool and distant an image could he have picked for this woman?

Amidst a flower wind of buying and selling love
You try to protect the pure light on your own
Hongdo, don’t cry, you have your oppa
Keep to the path of a wife

Did you see the moon shrouded in clouds?
The world is a cloud, and Hongdo’s the moonlight
For my love, who has faith in the heavens
the wind blows aside the clouds.

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hmm that distance analogy makes me a little nervous for him, but in my mind that's not enabling, that's boundaries. Especially because...Well imagine you meet a girl seemingly in terror after her house has been broken into. He didn't know she was already a recluse. Too seek her out is less far fetched but the same methods would be rude in that scenario.

And really the time she got caught outside his door--I'm pretty sure he said that was only the second time he's actually set eyes on her, so I can forgive him for his delayed realization of his feelings. Someone you don't see everyday, normal people don't constantly dwell on them like in dramaland where a "connection" at 10 yrs old is a sealed fate.

Out of sight, out of mind. Yes she brought food, but if she wasn't the main character, that'd be like falling for the pizza guy. I think its just his fate as a SL, the inevitable logic fail that is 7 yrs and only recently pursued interest.

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@jomo

Regarding the "moonlight shining above" I certainly hope that it´s the starting point, not the ending. The show would be a lot more boring, if we just wait for one of the guys to "fix" her (by marrying her according to the song). Besides, she´s shown already that she´s capable of seeking help on her own and also making decisions on her own.
In this ep I was quite surprised that while the guys were having a pissing contest (though very enjoyable and with sharp dialogue), Hong-do got help from different not-so-important side-characters urging her to not to quit and keep on going. Finally she made up her mind herself.

I think I started ranting a little off-topic. Sawry!

In Doo-soo´s case, it really is a nice parallel you brought out, jomo! And thank you for bringing the attention to the lyrics as well!

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"Hong-do got help from different not-so-important side-characters urging her to not to quit and keep on going."

Great point @eva! Guess it just reinforces that Yi-seok's family are part of the 'cure' for Hong-do, and vice versa (the fact that they've brought YS's family into it spells doom for Doo-soo, according to kdrama SLS rules)!

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Thank you! I have been wanting to find the connection between the lyrics in the song and her character.

I looked at a couple other translations as well as yours, and if I am understanding it correctly, then I think this show is making some really bold statements about virtue. That the things that keep you innocent, even if they keep others around you happy and keep conflict out of your life, are keeping you from being virtuous to yourself. I mean there's a reason why she call YS cigarettes and alcohol, and in a scene where she implies she isn't exactly the most virtuous in the literal virgin sense despite being on her own. I find this to be a bit of a revelation, not just for kdramas, but for television in general to portray these ideas in such an earnest and realistic way.

I liked what you said about DS, and I think you're right that he's the Oppa in the story who tries to protect HD from the world and tell her not to cry. What I think the spin the show is putting on the tale is that rather than needing song Oppa/DS's defence, she actually has her own already, only it's her disorder. The only way she can be free is to overcome it, and so she does what? Buys and sells herself by trading her presence in YS's office for treatment.

Lastly, I think it's brilliant that in the song Oppa tells her not to cry, but YS is trying to be a doctor that cries WITH his patients. That's what sets him apart from DS and why this drama totally wins.

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I disagree. Ehehehe you must be tired of my disagreeing though. I would love to write a bunch explaining why but I won't, not now at least. I did that with VL and look how it turned out! :)

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I am thinking how much value and talent DS saw in HD. He understood why she was impersonating her granny, the only person she was comfortable with. He understood her need to have boundaries and to make a choice to talk, to show up, to touch…

YS and HD may have shared a bed and they don't mind being physical, but with DS HD shared parts of herself, in bits, that were precious. The good bye letter was such a sweet love letter. She was not in a closet or up the tower, she was near DS, studying him, watching him, trying to find the way to communicate with him without disintegrating from fear.

I agree that with DS there was stagnation for 7 years and with YS it's a hurricane on stimulants.

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But YS and HD have been sharing bits and pieces of themselves and something more than just the physical. She told him about her grandma and how for so long she was all she had. She tells him in great detail the pain of losing her and having her phobia keep her from showing her last respects and saying good-bye (she did it twice with him and each time broke my heart). She tells him of her lonliness and how she came to meet and fall for detective Jang (both of whom I feel don't love each so much as find comfort, a safe haven, something to look forward to at the end of the day thus her preparing and delivering the food, and his anticipation to get it at the end of the day which he missed when it stopped; because DS and HD don't really know each other). HD thus far has shared of his brothers death, the effect that has had on his family and parents relationship as well as his with them. He also went a little into his relationship with his ex and lack of intimacy or ability to take the notion of feelings of love and just feelings as seriously as he should. For all his niceness and 7 years of being there, DS knows HD as much as YS has taken a few weeks or a month at most to learn and I would say YS knows and understands her and sees her HER just a little bit more/better than DS. I for one like when he was upfront that they slept together and confronted DS and why he never made a move on HD or recognize her feelings for him, or really see her as a woman. I don't know. I feel for DS but at the same time I can't tell if his new found feelings of I want her (after 7 years dude) is because of someone taking what he feels he has with her and leaving him all alone without that safe wall to talk to (more about him) or he has finally come to realize that he generally does care for her as a woman (more about her). For me my problem with DS is that as nice as he is, if YS never came into the picture and even when he did he was still going to marry the other homegirl and build that boring arranged marriage life with her. She ended things with him, if he really wanted to be with HD why now of all times....I can't tell if it is a case of "I didn't know what I had till it was gone." or "she's loved me first and she's always supposed to love me. I like the way she makes me feel about myself so you can have her" (not that she is an object that either man can toss between them). For me I generally have an indifference for the guy who when the female has moved on/is moving on with her life and finding happiness, he shows back up talking about how he's always loved her but didn't know how much/how to cherish it till now. For me its like "Nah, too little to late. You had a lot of chances, let her get with new and hopefully better." So I feel for DS because cause he's so sweet but at the same time don't and find some of his antics going overboard for a guy who was picking out wedding dresses with his finance and woulda married her if she hadn't called...

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Why now of all times? Because feelings do not know the right time and the right place.

It's undeniable that DS and HD also have strong chemistry, a different kind of it.

Maybe it's a collective regret that DS woke up too little too late. Seriously, the gentle giant has so much tenderness toward HD, it hurts to see him hurt.

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I am fan of problematic things. I know that the doc can be an asshole and as a training hopefully one day soon to be psychologist his behavior with all his patients is so unethical that his license would have been taken form him if this were real life. However this ain't real life, it's working for the drama, out leads have amazing chemistry, and CMJ is selling his character so well. He can do the most a-hole things then have his eyes scream such innocent and i am just a man child puppy learning to deal with adult feelings of my own please don't kick me stare that makes me melt. So I agree with everything you said but I tend to just let these things go when watching a kdrama or I would never like a male (and many times second male) lead ever written (expect for a small hand full).

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CMJ as the bratty "man child puppy" - LOL! And that's why he's the ultimate Oppajusshi!

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OMONA. Can we fast forward to the weekend?!??? i've rewatched episode 4-6 almost 5x already. i tried to watch the new hyun bin drama but it just won't do. will try to watch more Chun Jung Myung films this week to survive. FOR NARNIIAAA!!!!

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LOL... you're so right. Hyde Jekyll..pales in comparison...and to think i was going to drop this drama.

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I'm trying to convince all my friends to watch it. They stopped watching after episode 2!!! I said "NOOOOOOO... You gotta atleast try until ep 4. Trust meee!!"

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@바나나gurl

I totally understand your frustration! It's really upsetting when you try so hard to sell a drama but your friends just couldn't agree with you without even at least watch more episode before jumping into conclusion. And you know that they will certainly like it if they actually do.

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Thanks for the recap! Lovely lovely analysis.

So happy we don't have the insulting idea that "good" girls don't enjoy sex thrown at us here. What is especially cool is the kisses all by themselves are not the focus of the scenes.
But the intimacy. Both sexes crave that. But also, both sexes fear what being that naked - physically, emotionally - means afterward. You saw me at my most vulnerable moment. I saw you at your most vulnerable moment. What do we do now?

Is there enough trust between them that a relationship can follow? Was it intense enough a connection that they want to repeat it? It seems that the answer may be yes!!

I also like the fact we don't hear a lot of labels describing the characters, outside what the moms say. There is no gulf between rich and poor, handsome and ugly, deserving and not-deserving of love. The Doc likes Helmet for something we don't see, an invisible connection. I think that is true to life. It confuses him, sure, but he isn't trying to deny it.

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I soo loved the playfulness

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Okay, this recap just made me want to watch this show. And in the picture at the end, Yi-Seok looks besotted. He's done for...

SN: Anyone else watching Valid Love? Thoughts?

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I am and I love it as well (though currently a bit behind, watched first 12 episodes). Completely different show, of course. If you are interested there are some interesting thoughts on a blog of Mocorochi (just google with "valid love" together).

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"I'm sorry I used you"... hahaha... this is sooo much better than any of the possible scenarios crossing my mind after finishing ep.4. :--)

Doc and Helmet are just fantastic together (and how much I liked that SHE was active with the kissing (and other stuff ;--) ) as well...).
This couple is just addictive as alcohol, cigarettes, ...
And as many already said, this is a show where I rewatch the episodes (what I rarely do).
TvN is bringing it again!

PS Thanks for the recap.

PPS I actually don't think that Yi Seok sees Hong Do as his patient... he more uses it as an excuse to keep her close...

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I agree with your PPS especially since he needs her more than she needs him. He couldn't be in the same room as his patients without her there.

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I also think he is very fascinated with her and needs her around him... and he can't think about anything else...

And how fitting is his answer in Ep.6 when Hong Do asks if he has any guestions??? :--)
No no, no, he is not taking her as a patient, he is just playing doctor with her...hehe... :--)

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Sowry... this was meant as a reply to jomo (so 43.1.1.).

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God help me! it's so hard to wait for friday.

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I feel ya. I'm just glad that Monday is almost over. Gaaaaaah. I hate waiting. :(

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I took my time to watch this episode after it aired (aka I waited 2 days, I tried!!!) and I'm just rewatching the episode and also my favorite parts and then I'll try my best to watch episode 6 on Thursday.

I'm playing mind games with my self to make the wait more bearable :(

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Hope the mind games work for u @Deb!

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This is my fave. I still adore Healer, but I loved the ending of eps 4 ...the way he kissed her...looking into her eyes ...making sure it was safe. This episode it is her exploring him and making sure it is safe to touch and to speak.
TVN does it again...GREAT DRAMA!

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Loved this episode. That moment in the morning where at first she was like "oh fuck" and then she slowly started to relax to his kisses and cuddling. It was sweet. And that whole projector bit was beautifully done. I loved that choice. I don't know who decided that bit but I wanted to applaud them. So many memorable moments and aesthetic choices I just know that this drama was well thought out in its look and voice. Quickly becoming a top favorite of mine.

Thanks for the recap!

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Absolutely loving this show. I'm addicted to it. So excited!

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Thanks for the great recap, Lollypip!

Yi Seok's antics with Lamp Hong-do were the best! Especially down to the detail when he propped up the pen against her 'hand'.

Although I wasn't keen about their sleeping together so early in the story (given HD's reclusive tendencies), the way the writer followed through with the way YS and HD dealt with the aftermath was so refreshing. It's what FBND could have been.

I like how Hong-do is a capable woman who cooks and cusses - anthrophobia is the only thing stopping her, but it's not her defining feature, and I find her grandma-disguise to be both an ingenious way of venturing out of the house, and a beautiful tribute to the grandma who raised her.

By the by - Butler Ahn reminds me of Ahn Manyeo in Surplus Princess! I loved that character - please let him have a happy ending in this show!

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