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Sassy Go Go: Episode 2

Argh I love it, I really really do. It feels like a composite of the good bits of several past shows, a little bit Shut Up (bromance!), a little bit School/Angry Mom (those Tae-kwang/Bok-dong vibes!), a dash of White Christmas (elite boarding school), and even a hint of Heartstring. As a creature of habit who takes comfort in familiarity, I’m perfectly happy to watch the same story told over, as long as it brings the feels and characters I care about. So far, the story is engaging, the leads charming, and the teachers entertaining. So the question is, am I setting myself up for disappointment? Bring it on, show!

EPISODE 2 RECAP

Yeon-doo greets the Baek Ho kids with a cheery, “Hi, next-door jerks!” She tells them she’s joining Baek Ho, and Soo-ah sneers that she’s not qualified. Nonsense, says Yeon-doo — they just made that part up to keep the rabble out. Yeol looks pretty entertained, but Ha-joon erupts, yelling at her to get out. Maddened, she bites him (haha!). She won’t leave — she has nowhere else to go.

Cut to: A fuming Teacher Im dragging her to the staffroom by the collar. They both freeze when a voice screams at him to let go of her — it’s Mom! She lays into the whole establishment, and threatens to report them for mistreating her daughter. She wants a transfer right now. Oh this is splendid…and it just gets a thousand times better when Yeon-doo undercuts her moment with a frantic whisper that she’s not leaving. Hahahaha!

They get out, and Yeon-doo wonders if Mom heard the haps from Dong-jae. Mom just collapses onto a bench and spazzes out, sure she just ruined everything, but Yeon-doo is seriously impressed, and counts the ways she talked down to them.

Mom admits she’s relieved Yeon-doo is staying, and asks if she’ll really be okay. Yeon-doo assures her she’ll stick it out no matter what, and get back Real King. Mom agrees that studying is overrated and she should dance — as long as she doesn’t hurt alone. They hug and Yeon-doo tells Mom she was awesome.

Cocooned in a sleeping bag, Yeon-doo studies on the floor…of Baek Ho headquarters. Teacher Im threatens her with yet more demerits, and she tells him to bring it on. He resorts to dragging her out, tail-first.

She continues her resistance at lunch, now joined by loyal Hyo-shik. They hold up placards with civic messages — on one side. When Teacher Im isn’t looking, they flip them around to show a different message. “We want to dance,” says one. Hyo-shik’s quotes a line from an old song, “Play, play, because we’re young!”

Naturally, Yeon-doo gets caught, and they’re set to cleaning the gym. Two more Real King members join them, mops in hand, and end up having lots of fun. When they move on to watering the plants, they’re joined by fourth member, curly-haired SEUNG-WOO, and it degenerates to a friendly waterfight.

Yeol looks on, perplexed by Yeon-doo’s tenacity over her lost cause. Ha-joon gets riled up when a spray of water hits them, and Yeol holds him back. Almost wistfully, he says they’re just acting like 18-year-olds.

Of course, Teacher Im is never far away, and he stubbornly gives chase. Yeon-doo runs smack into Yeol (again) and topples onto him. She immediately tries to rise, but he pulls her closer. “You’re always ambushing [me],” he says, smiling up at her. Harking back to their last close encounter, he starts to offer his options again, “One—” She leaps off, babbling, “one, one, one!

Yeol grins. She’s nonplussed, but spots Dong-jae. He asks if she’s all finished, like nothing happened. He hands her a strawberry milk and they stroll off together. Yeol ends up picking up a strawberry milk himself from the cafeteria, and professes curiosity for it to Ha-joon.

Dong-jae towels off Yeon-doo’s hair in the gym, and she sighs that her group got in trouble again because of her. How can she face them if she never gets Real King back? Dong-jae wordlessly picks up a basketball.

“Kang Yeon-doo will persist until the end,” he says, shooting a hoop. “Kang Yeon-doo will fight Sevit High and win,” he says, shooting another. Yeon-doo perks up and tries herself, but doesn’t make a shot. Glum, she heads out. Dong-jae makes one last shot for her: “Kang Yeon-doo will get Real King back.”

Soo-ah stews over the memory of a mock Ivy League entrance interview. The panel shake their heads at the list of her many specialisms, remarking that she’s lacking in the human connection that makes her skills meaningful. Afterwards, she turns on her consultant, DIRECTOR LEE, to find a way for her to attain that necessary “impact.”

Heading out of the dorm to meet Director Lee, she finds her way blocked by a mop-wielding Yeon-doo, who tells her to clean. Soo-ah scoffs, and says that if she were Yeon-doo, she would keep her head down. Yeon-doo makes it clear that she’s sticking school out, and vows to watch her fail, and apologize to her. And clean. Soo-ah angrily pushes past.

Director Lee backs up when she passes Yeol in the corridor. She coos that his talents would be wasted at home — why not aim for Ivy League? She leaves him with her card. Soo-ah confronts her around the next corner, and Lee breezily assures her she’s here to make sure Soo-ah reaches Harvard.

Principal Choi has a tantrum in her office, while Teacher Im cowers. The phone’s on fire with calls from angry parents (but what are they angry about?), and Im whimpers that he can’t break the Real King kids. Can’t they reinstate their club, he asks — they’d be happy with even a broom cupboard. She refuses to give in to them.

Director Lee lets herself in with a cursory knock at the door. A civilized tea later, we find out that Lee’s idea for giving Soo-ah the impact she needs is to win a cheerleading competition. Principal Choi argues that it’s just not realistically achievable for them to win a cheerleading competition overnight. Lee’s parting words are for her to make it happen.

Close to tears, Yeon-doo watches a washing machine full of her treasured possessions spin. Among them fuzzy slippers, a trophy, a framed photo of the Real King members. Soo-ah deadpans that she cleaned, as per Yeon-doo’s demands. She turns heel with her tittering minions.

Setting the photo atop the machine, Yeon-doo warns that they went too far. They sneer, calling her things trash, and the minions push her around. It’s a losing battle with three against one, when the rest of the Real King members pour in to join the melee. They stuff the Baek Ho girls’ belonging into a machine in retribution.

The group laugh with exhilaration and take in the night air together. “Real King isn’t dead yet!” Yeon-doo celebrates. But the mood is broken when the quietest member JOON-SOO smashes the rescued group picture. Real King is dead, he says, and they should wake up. If they stay quiet as death and just make it to college, they can dance as much as they want.

In the crestfallen silence that follows, Yeon-doo asks how they can live like the dead, when they’re alive. Why can’t they be with their friends, dance, be happy now? Joon-soo replies that they don’t have permission to be happy now, so they can’t. Exasperated, he abandons them.

The next day, the gang (minus Joon-soo) join Yeon-doo and Hyo-shik in their Occupy Baek Ho campaign. Buoyed by their support, Yeon-doo stages an impromptu dance practice, and before long, all five are dancing and laughing.

Principal Choi passes by with Teacher Im, who hares off to chastize them. The principal pauses to observe the group, speculative.

Teacher Im doles out their punishment, but is dismayed by the air of celebration about them as they decide running laps would be fun since it’s such a nice day. Principal Choi comes by to summon them to the Baek Ho clubroom tomorrow, along with every Baek Ho member.

The two groups face off, and Hyo-shik tells fellow member DA-MI to go easy on these skinny anchovies, ha. Ha-joon lunges for them, and Yeon-doo clarifies that they’re here by invitation today, just as the principal arrives.

Teacher Im presents Project Win Cheerleading Competition and spouts off reasons like reclaiming their glorious past, blah blah blah, when Principal Choi cuts in. She’ll be frank: It’s required by the Education Ministry, since Yeon-doo’s fiasco. Therefore, Real King’s Kang Yeon-doo and Baek Ho’s Kim Yeol must team up and win the regional competition.

Her declaration is met with indignation by both clubs, and Yeon-doo declares it “mission impossible.” Choi plays her last card: If they win, she’ll reinstate Real King. That gets their attention. Get it in writing, Yeon-doo! After a round of frantic muttering, she’s about to agree, when Yeol interrupts. Even if she’s dumb, he snaps, she should have some common sense and see what’s really happening here.

To prove a point, he dials a number — it’s Soo-ah’s consultant, Director Lee. He puts it on speaker and pretends concern about his lacking specs. To everyone’s shock, Lee divulges that Baek Ho is going to enter the cheerleading competition, which would be great for his chance at the Ivies.

Yeon-doo is gobsmacked, and Yeol speculates that, one, someone here needs the cheerleading spec for their Ivy League aspirations. The camera pans to Soo-ah and we quickly flash back to Director Lee telling her and her mom just that. Their chances are good since they only have two competitors, she says. But Mom is doubtful that kids who just study can win a physical contest. Which brings us back to Yeol, who concludes that the principal therefore plans to use Real King for Baek Ho’s advancement. And the story’s protagonist? Soo-ah, of course, Yeon-doo realizes.

The principal coolly points out that Yeon-doo just wants Real King back. Incredulous, Yeon-doo tells her that for a second, she was elated to finally be given a fair chance — but she refuses to be played for a fool by Soo-ah.

Soo-ah flounces out and Yeon-doo follows, demanding an apology. Voice rising, Soo-ah asks why, when Yeon-doo enjoys the privileges of this school thanks to everything her family paid for. “So what’s the big deal about shaking your body a bit?” Oh wow. Yeon-doo finds her pitiful, but Soo-ah tells her not to kid herself. They might be in the same school now, but she’s way out of Yeon-doo’s league, so she’d better watch herself.

Alone on the rooftop, though, Soo-ah loses her composure and screams into the phone at Director Lee. Her mom calls immediately after, and she reassures her that she’ll make it to Harvard, cheerleading or not.

Out of the blue, she gets smacked on the head by a basketball — it’s Dong-jae’s, and he immediately apologizes — this time it was really an accident. He remarks that she lives a hard life, and admits he heard everything. “But I’ll forget it all,” he assures her.

Elsewhere, the Real King members rehash things. Seung-woo and Da-mi want to take the chance, but Hyo-shik calls it allying with the enemy — Soo-ah’s the reason they were disbanded in the first place. Just then, Hyo-shik gets a message to confirm their participation in a dance competition, and everyone is stoked about it. “Go go!” they cheer.

We detour to Yeon-doo’s mom, hanging out with Yeol’s dad, flailing about how best to appease the teachers after her outburst. What does he take? She groans at his answer (seriously, buses, YOU CAN’T EVEN COMPETE) and good-naturedly ribs that it’s because of parents like him that the school doesn’t care for the other kids.

She sighs that Yeon-doo is having such a hard time because she sent her there. Yeol’s dad tells her not to beat herself up about it — all they can do to equip them for the world is pile on the specs. She asks if that’s why he sent his son there, and he confesses that his son went to get away from him. She teases that the son takes after his father, playing hard to get, and she wonders if he’s as cute.

Dong-jae gets back to his dorm (their dorms are like, amazing apartments with bunks) and heads to the bathroom, where, oh my god, Ha-joon lies limp and bleeding. The sight triggers something and Dong-jae hyperventilates, unable to do anything. Yeol arrives and yells at him to help, but he’s still frozen, so Yeol carries Ha-joon out himself.

They slip and slide, and Yeol accidentally drops a bloody towel. Soo-ah picks it up and watches them go. She pays Principal Choi a visit, and says she may have found a way to get the Real King kids on board. She holds up the towel with a smirk. Ugh.

Yeon-doo screams and pushes through a crowd, and Hyo-shik follows in a red cape — onto the stage at the dance festival. When the group throw off the capes, their school uniforms have been replaced with an edgier look, and they perform a dance number (to Halo’s Fever). Yeon-doo twists her ankle midway, but carries on, although we can see she’s in pain.

Now safely ensconced in hospital, Yeol asks Ha-joon why he did it, “Didn’t I tell you I would kill you if you ever did this again?” Ha-joon looks away. Yeol wanders the hospital hallway, haunted by the memory of another time Ha-joon was brought in unconscious and bloody. Tears rolls down his face.

The dance festival over, Yeon-doo and her friends are grave. Then they break into song, congratulating each other on their popularity award. But it turns solemn again when two of them — Seung-woo and long-haired JUNG-EUN — announce that they’re quitting. They took part in this festival for Yeon-doo, but Real King is gone.

Yeon-doo accepts responsibility, and proposes a consolation noraebang outing, but the two claim that they need to be back at school. Yeon-doo takes it all in stride — she’s got somewhere to be as well.

She gets treated for her ankle at the hospital. On her way out, she notices Yeol slouching against a wall. He tells her to mind her own business, but Ha-joon appears, and she takes in the bandage on his wrist and the blood on his shirt. She didn’t see them today, Yeol instructs. With a last look, she limps away.

She ducks suddenly when she catches sight of Teacher Yang, who’s having an argument with the admin desk. She successfully creeps past, but the boys’ approach has her waving frantically to get their attention. They duck, too, and Yeol makes it past behind a gurney, but Ha-joon scuttles off.

Yeol ends up beside Yeon-doo. Teacher Yang heads their way and he throws himself into a corner with Yeon-doo, hand over her mouth to shush her. Once Teacher Yang passes, Yeol (unconsciously?) leans his head on hers for a second in relief. Pulling back, he smiles a little and says she’s not so bad when she shuts up. Yah but you can take your hand off her mouth, now, okay?

Ha-joon finds them, and they part ways. But Yeol, addressing her as “our Yeon-doo,” calls out a sincere thanks, adorable crinkly smile and all. She brushes it off.

Teacher Yang hears Ha-joon’s name called out by a different desk, and he asks if that patient is a Sevit High student. Uh-oh.

Yeon-doo gets back to school, where Dong-jae is waiting on the steps. She holds out her arms for a hug, but he walks right past her to the boys. Yeol tells him to get lost and sweeps past. Yeon-doo asks Dong-jae what’s going on, and becomes frustrated that he won’t tell her — he can’t, he says, expression empty. Teacher Yang emerges from the shadows, watching the kids head in with concern.

In an empty classroom, Teacher Yang shows Ha-joon a hospital report — his. Yang pushes up the boy’s sleeve, revealing not only the new bandage, but countless scars from previous cutting. Worried, he tells Ha-joon that he should get help if he’s sick. To his shock, Ha-joon begs on his knees that he not tell the principal — if his father finds out, he’ll probably end up in a mental hospital.

Principal Choi asks Yeol if Ha-joon is self-harming again. She alludes to the fact that his parents will look into alternative facilities if he is. Whether she contacts them depends on whether Yeol enters the cheerleading competition. Ah, and he’ll have to bring the Real King kids back, too, she smirks, to make up the numbers.

He scorns the lengths she goes to for Soo-ah’s mom, but she knows she has him on Ha-joon. She heard he wanted to graduate with him.

Yeon-doo lights up to see Seung-woo and Yeong-eun (the two who left the group) in the hallway, but they don’t notice her, and enter a classroom — followed by Soo-ah. She peeks in, where Soo-ah plays them a video of stunt cheerleading, asking if they can do it. Yeon-doo realizes this is what they left the festival for.

Yeon-doo stretches out on a picnic bench under the stars, next to Dong-jae. She tells him she got betrayed again. He asks how that happened, and sadly, she wonders the same.

A cloud of threat hangs over Yeol and Ha-joon as they emerge from their respective interviews. When they meet, Yeol just smiles at his friend and asks if he’s hungry. Over ramyun, Ha-joon says sorry. Yeol snorts, calling him a crazy guy, and they break into grins.

It’s a new day. Dong-jae asks Yeon-doo why she’s avoiding the Real King kids, but she denies it. Yeol comes over to ask her for a private word, throwing a glance at Dong-jae. Dong-jae obligingly steps back all of two paces.

“Kang Yeon-doo, let’s do cheerleading together,” Yeol says. His abrupt about-turn confuses her. She tells him that, one, she doesn’t hang with people who go back on their word. Two, she refuses to be even slightly connected to Soo-ah. With each point, she takes a step closer to him. “Three. Therefore, I definitely won’t be doing cheerleading with you,” she finishes.

COMMENTS

Despite the early days, the intricately built in emergent themes make me incautiously optimistic about this show. With a count of only twelve episodes, we can hope that things will move fast as they did in these two episodes, and there won’t be any unnecessary dragging out.

There’s lots of stuff to unpack in the relationships here, so let’s start with Yeol and Ha-joon, who are practically attached at the hip. A warm relationship in a cool character always tells you (and intends to tell you) something about the character: “This character has a soft center,” or, “This character is someone who inspires loyalty.” The really fascinating one here is Yeol, and Lee Won-gun certainly has charm (those L-like dimples, crossed with Park Shi-hoo) and chemistry. As Yeon-doo rightly observes (and wrongly interprets), he does indeed use the same mouth to say opposite things, in one moment hurting and the next, helping.

A morass of tangled motivations drives his conflicting actions, and his interest in Yeon-doo starts off as little more than the caprice of the moment. So it’s a satisfying development to see that turn to curiosity already, and believable that Yeon-doo is affected by his proximity and mixed messages. You can look at the strawberry milk assay as his way of relating to her — a symbolic attempt to cross into her alien world for a moment — and it reveals the underlying earnestness of his character. Whether he’s really part jerk, or if the jerkiness is an outer shell, is open to debate, but that he’s not rotten at the core is evident enough that I’ve come around to root for him already.

Yeon-doo is no less appealing, with a quiet and consistent dignity about her that isn’t immediately obvious. I notice that she doesn’t strike first, and only speaks up when there’s no other way — and when she does, her words are succinct and weighty. It’s an compelling quality, especially for someone who seems to have such a bright, fighting personality. It’s most evident each time she confronts Soo-ah, determined to hold her peace, but forced to react to the situation. The rest of the time, her parsimony makes for entertaining conversation — it’s not quite tactless, but it’s close enough to be just as uncomfortable for whoever it’s directed at.

I love that we can see exactly where Yeon-doo gets her sense of loyalty and understanding of friendship from. She and her mom are on exactly the same wavelength, and it’s a really heartwarming exposition of the nature of their relationship, that Mom brought her kid up to value character and people, not to chase achievement after achievement. Her love for her daughter, her willingness to take up her battles, isn’t contingent on her grades and class ranking. I love it. It’s such a needed contrast with the other (highly dysfunctional) relationships, like Ha-joon’s or Soo-ah’s. Yeon-doo might not have the specs to make it to college, but she has an emotional mooring that no amount of money and specs make up for.

And when you’re young and disenfranchised, loyalty is a powerful thing, and it’s our dominating theme these opening episodes. The freedoms and trappings of adulthood not yet being within reach (i.e. wealth and influence), equalizes them all for this short period. It’s what makes this school such a pressure cooker: It’s a type of madness that puts wildly different volatile substances into a reactive environment, and doesn’t expect explosions. What Soo-ah tells Yeon-doo about being unimaginably beyond her reach in the “real” world isn’t untrue, it’s just sad.

As for Yeon-doo, loyalty is the only currency she has — that’s why it means so much to her (and so little to Soo-ah). She’s sustained by her connections to her friends, and that’s what makes their betrayals all the more crushing. So it’s gratifying, then, to find out that loyalty is also everything to Yeol, despite all his other privileges. This is why he’s no friend of Soo-ah’s (and why she has no friends). His distaste for her underhanded machinations and backstabby ways are another reason he ends up closer to Yeon-doo.

I love where this takes us in the story, putting these two fiercely loyal and embattled characters opposite each other. It sets them up for an eventual coalescence of their worlds — and not just by cheerleading together, but in earning each other’s allegiance. That’s the ride we’re all here for. When he calls her “our Yeon-doo,” it’s a symbolic moment that foreshadows their impending arc, encapsulating the second most important thing to her after loyalty: belonging. The loss of Real King hit her on more than one level — not only depriving her of dance, but also her sense of home.

It’s interesting how much more isolated Yeol is than Yeon-doo, Ha-joon seeming like his only real friend. She still has several faithful friends, even after the subtractions these episodes make. Hyo-shik is her trusty second — the first to stand beside her every time she sorties — while Dong-jae consistently provides background support and advice, rather like general and vizier. They feel like real people, and I’m curious about what makes Dong-jae different. There was a brief allusion to something in the first episode, but we’ll have to wait for more. Is he going to be a cheerleader? And is Bok-dongie destined to be beaten by father-figures forever?

And so, although it’s “only” a cheerleading competition, the stakes are high, and they all have everything to lose. Though their reasons for needing to go along are profoundly different, I think we can hope for much more than wobbly human pyramids. Go go!

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Ah, you're recapping Saya! ????❤️

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I would like to see Ji Soo in N's character. At least he should be the second lead and bring the cuteness overload.

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Although it's an ensemble cast, i'm pretty sure Jisoo is higher in the callsheet than N is

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Me, too because Ha Dong is the Tae Kwang of this show. He clearly has a crush on his best friend, while I don't think Ha Joon is going to fall for her.

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I don't he has a crush on her at all. At most, as far as I can see, they're like BFFs.

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I was a little annoyed that jisoo wasn't lead but after watching I get it. The leads chemistry is of the charts. I'm so in Iove with this show. Eunji is so true to herself and I wish I was as strong as her at her age. I don't know the male lead but he's so charming I'm already falling for him. This drama will deffo set his career forward like angry mom did for jisoo . I do hope jisoo has a large role tho he's too talented to be cast aside.

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Yeol is an interesting character. They're scripting him so he seems to know exactly how the system is rigged, but doesn't think it's worth fighting it (which sounds a lot like his Dad). He's still fully present, he's still observing everything, and it's not that he doesn't care... He just won't throw back the curtain and reveal what's actually happening unless he sees a good reason to do so, but more often than not he's revealing all because he finds it too annoying to let the false reality stand, not some bit overwhelming principal.

Yeol feels a little like an old soul trapped in high school. The only time he indulges in actual high-school stuff is with Yeon Doo, and those small moments kind of delight him, maybe because she's the only person around him who is truly living in the moment. Studying her isn't going to do him much good, because she's really going off instinct and moment. For a guy like Yeol, it's understandable that he'd find that intriguing.

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Good observation!

Angry Mom gives us dark reality but this drama give a lighter side which makes me want to watch it more.

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Hi lovely recap.....I'm kinda new to this blog but I have to say, I'm already a huge fan. The way you write, it just brings life to the words, it's really amazing. Keep up the good work

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Thanks for the recap and I have a new favourite show. This will sooth the emptiness Twenty Again would make in my heart later.
Jung eun ji is killing it. I laugh and root for her and even cry for her when it's only been two episodes. Kim yeol with his eye-smile is just soo adorable.
I like the fact that Soo ah's and Principal's intention were exposed early on so that at least Yeon doo and Kim yeol sorta like have the same enemies.

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I really enjoyed this episode - I love Yeol and Yeon-do already! I'm hoping to see MUCH jealousy from him towards Dong-jae! I am highly anticipating the next episode, so I really hope I won't be disappointed. Go, go!

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Was I the only one who chuckled at the slide show of the US presidents as cheerleaders and the comment that the US really respects cheerleading. Clearly the Ivy league coach has never watched any 80's movie or seen the stereotypes of cheerleaders as blonde ditzy academic underachievers !

And, boy, is the reason for the cheerleading competition contrived and kind of out of character for the principal lady. So she'd risk the opportunity for any of the rich kids to study and get into a SKY university, all for the (risky chance) of getting Soo-ah gaining a sob story to attend an Ivy league.

Not to mention Soo-ah happens to pick up the bloody scarf? What are the odds?

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Nope. You are not alone, i found that slide show funny as well.

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Same!

I was like "...huh?"

I mean, I get cheer-leading qualifications being an impact maker since it's very temwork based but saying that Ivy-league universities like cheerleaders...? Whaaat?

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I think they were rationalizing that a lot of American big shots were cheerleaders...*shrug*. It's a case of outside looking in and grabbing any excuse. LOL, alot of westerners do the same thing anyway.

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I was like...have they even seen the Harvard cheerleading squad???? My friend and I watched this together (and as former dancers and cheerleaders) we just had an absolute fit.

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hhahah me too i actually went to google to verify i was like waah oh! hahah

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The consultant's not wrong, but I don't think she's taking into account the combination of gender and time lapse in those examples - girl cheerleaders are a dime a dozen applying to US universities, and there are much more relevant hobbies that would get more traction. Cheerleeding isn't a prestige extracurricular anymore, and it's not quirky enough to be notable, like - I don't know, glassblowing or attending a language camp each summer. Soo-ah would be more able to glide under the radar with a team hackathon or something.

As for Harvard... Eh, it's okay? I don't know, the Harvard kids were kind of nuts when I was in college. Some were fine, but a lot of them were socially bizarre and aloof. So the show is pretty accurate in noting that Soo-ah might get rejected for being a terrifying type-A personality who would continue the school's social integration problem. (The MIT kids were similarly socially bizarre but in a fun way, like driving motorized couches around the city.)

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also, they mentioned that Soo Ah does ballet...how is that much different in specs from cheerleading? If they need a human dimension to her, send her to volunteer at a homeless shelter or orphanage or battered women's center, or some combination of the three. I'm sure her mom could buy her one.

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Ballet is a much more singular pursuit versus cheerleading, I guess...?

What made me laugh the hardest during that exchange was the image of Soo-ah wandering children's cancer wards playing her flute. I didn't hear that wrong, did I?

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pwhaHAHAHAHA I didn't catch that, even on the second go-round. What do they want this girl to do, cure cancer?

I guess ballet is more individualistic, but is cheerleading that much more humanistic? ... ?

I'm actually just going to stop asking questions and just take what comes. The plot setup was like watching someone try to run a marathon in high heels...I was exhausted for them lol

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I've kind of given up when it comes to English in kdramas, as long as it's grammatically correct I don't even care what absurdities the drama makes its English speakers spout.

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think maybe that is the reason that cheerleading is a wholesome teamwork thing than ballet.

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noooo you're not the only one, I almost died of laughter at the thought of Eisenhower and Bush shaking pom-poms lol

and yes, a lot of the setup is bizarre and contrived on coincidences but it does its job and hopefully we won't get too much of it again.

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I laughed so hard I had to rewind the vid and watch that part again. Of course they were cheerleaders! After the laughter died down though I had the same thoughts as Miranda, cheerleading sure doesn't have the status it used to, especially not for girls.

To get even deeper into the whole Harvard thing, Soo-Ah is killing herself to get into the ivy leagues so that she can...what, exactly? Work at her mother's company? Going to a good school is important, but it's not the end. It's supposed to be a building block to something else. She needs to look to the future and think of what she wants to be (besides terrible. absolutely terrible.).

Watching this show, I really felt like they were jumping through hoops to make the cheerleading make sense. It's never going to make sense, show. It's okay though, I'm still 100% on board. It's a good thing I watched both eps laying down, because the main leads' chemistry just about knocked me over.

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One thing I do realize about Harvard, in retrospect, is that it allowed those students to make connections with similarly privileged people. So the network you come out with is amazing - a network full of some seriously strange people, but they're all useful people who can help you get work and build contacts for literally the rest of your life.

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Ahhh true, you're right. I go to a 'top tier' school in my country and sometimes I turn on the tv and see my fellow students (sunbaes) on the news for something or another and am reminded that my school isn't the garbage hole we all complain it is. The people you meet in uni can't be underestimated, I still can't believe some of the amazing people I've gotten to know. Now I'm curious about what Soo Ah's mom even does, and why she needs Harvard connects for it.

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It MIGHT make sense to people not familiar with U.S. culture and schools; or someone who thought Texas was how the entire country operates.

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Thank you for recapping this, Saya!! I have enjoyed both the epis. The characters are good and engaging. I root for yeon-doo as much as i want to know soo-ah's deal. Yeol and ha-joon have amazing friendship and they both have only each other. Dong-jae seems to be suffering from something- "don't worry, i'll forget soon".

And i just loved Yeol winking at Yeon-doo during that club meeting. He enjoys teasing her, spending time with her. It would be great seeing them when they fall in love. Awesome Chemistry<3

Keep it up, Show!!!

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And Yeon-doo's mom is the Second Best Mom of Dramaland after Hye-sung's mum(IHYV)
She was so adorably spazzed out after shutting up all the teachers!!:)

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This show caught me slipping, I was not prepared for how immediately invested I am. I thought the pace of exposition was weird, but then I realized there are only 12 eps. Expose away!

But yeah Dong Jae (is that it? N's character) has a good chunk of my feels. I've seen people say that the acting isn't great, but it seems that they've missed where there is something definitely wrong with him-- dramafever translated it as 'physically disabled' but I suspect it was for lack of better wording. During the scene where he discovers Ha Joon, I was screaming at the screen trying to get him to break out of his protective shell, but he had clearly shut down. At first I wanted more out of the actor, but as the scene went on, I had to admit that if he is somehow mentally disadvantaged (with what looks like highly functional autism?) then that is probably exactly how he should react. In any case, I'm also looking forward to finding out more about him.

p.s. are high schoolers allowed to have this much chemistry??!!!

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He dislikes confrontation or even being physically touched except by Yeon Do, he doesn't seem to have any other friends and doesn't even work well with his basketball team mates. I think there is a mental thing going on there, especially with the way he reacted to finding Ha Joon.

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Scratch that, he doesn't like being touched by Yeon Doo either. She never deliberately touches him and vice versa - the moments where they brush by each other seem to be accidents (when they body slam the poster against the table lol, and when Dong Jae runs past her to check on Ha Joon). Moments where they're relaxing together or talking go completely without physical contact - when he's drying her hair, he doesn't rub at her head or even scoop up her hair, which would have been much easier. The towel isn't enough of a barrier, not even for his best friend. What Yeon Doo's plea for a hug tells me is 1) that wasn't actually a plea for a hug, but a signal that she wanted some kind of affection that they both understood, or 2) Yeon Doo was in dire straits for affection and went for a hug because she forgot that Dong Jae isn't capable of hugs. Which could mean nothing, or it could mean that she's actually used to getting hugs from him... which would mean this condition is in fact a recent thing. Which would make things very, very interesting if that's the case, and would make this a fun case of foreshadowing. But even if it's not, I think the two have put in a lot of time and effort into thinking about how two childhood friends who don't share physical contact would show affection and support for each other, which reflects well on their interactions throughout the show. It's very nice.

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I checked on the last two episodes and you're right. There's not much touching between them. I also remembered that I thought the way he was drying her hair was weird, but I thought that it was sweet that he was doing it at all.

And yeah, you make a point that they have an understanding with each other. BFFs for the win.

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Omg I was too! I was yelling at the screen N WAKE UP BABY CALL SOMEONE! I had to stop watching and wait for my friend to get home so I could have someone to watch with. I thought his acting was just find, he's never really had a role this heavy though? Plus it is only the beginning. However, I am biased towards N anyways as I love VIXX and I have watched all their stuff (VixxTV, etc) but I'm glad to see so much of his natural sass coming through and I am waiting for the moment when we get to see N's sassy face (example: http://38.media.tumblr.com/396b4849c64611fbc1211e015258ab49/tumblr_n3qugmeI4a1s5wunfo1_250.gif ) . I already know his character is going to hurt me on so many levels, I haven't decided yet whether or not to wait for all the episodes or to watch as they come out.

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imo N is doing a good job. never seen him before in anything but he totally reminds of the boy with mild autism I know. he's believable.

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Ah I am in love with yeol <3
He's so charming and his smile is adorable. First time watching this actor, he's doing good and really suit kim yeol.

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One word. Ji-Soo.
Why don't you kill me already?

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Then who will live to see him romancing?? And smiling?? And giving us boyfriend goals??
Yamini be strong girl. You gotta live for that right?

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Thanks Saya! That was a great recap and especially your comments on how it is understandable how the couple comes together. The build up is good and solid, even for a show this short. It has successfully brought us viewers on board to accept the pairing of a couple who just one episode ago were at loggerheads. That's a great accomplishment! I look forward to reading you again! :)

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Ah my first time commenting! Although I've been following this lovely site for years now ☺️ Love the chemistry between the leads! Didn't know the lead actor was in the moon that embraces the star. He's so charming that I immediately went to find his other works and ended up watching soybean and wild chives haha can't wait for more episodes to come!!

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Ooooh, so that's where I've seen him before.

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...Mom brought her kid up to value character and people, not to chase achievement after achievement.

I'll make it clear first that I don't necessarily disagree with you but I'd like to explore the notion that valuing people and character is more important that chasing after achievements (and more achievements).

I think there needs to be a balance in which children need to be taught how to respect and value others but at the same time, the lessons in instilling the desires for achievements cannot be neglected. We want people who love others AND work well in a society socially and economically and not people who embrace others so much that they take the fall for others (like being guarantors and getting cheated) or sacrificing oneself to let others go ahead (which definitely does not help their kids and other dependents) - in short, the goodie good guys. We want people to be good to others but not so much that they take on more than they can just because of affection and loyalty. We want people to reach for the stars and innovators to work for the betterment of humankind and not really people who are nice but static.

But of course the reverse situation is terrible too and leads to toxic environments and kids as shown in this drama.

But back to the drama - I really, really like it. It's a very light offering, grounded by reality and all its problems. It's not very original nor will it be a game-changer in this era of drama but I think it serves as a reminder of the existence of simpler fares.

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@Peeps: "the lessons in instilling the desires for achievements cannot be neglected"

I think the problem here is accruing achievements for achievement's sake. Ticking boxes helps no one; there are some situations where that rule might bend (like a kid who doesn't like piano or Chinese, but his mom makes him take a few years of lessons anyways) but mostly it's a meaningless exercise to get medals for excelling in something you don't care about.

The problem here is that Soo-ah has excelled in areas she doesn't care about at all. There's no passion there or ambition to excel in those areas, just ambition to get to Harvard. If you asked her to describe something she actually enjoys doing, she'd probably be at a loss.

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exactly, Soo-ah seems to participate in all her activities on the basis of what they'll look like to other people, NOT because it's what she wants to do.

A 17-year-old choosing activities she's supposedly passionate about on the basis of how they fit into her cv/application, is really sad.

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True - which puts her in the second category where the imbalance leans towards achieving too much (of which I agree that she doesn't really care for). That's why there must be a balance. I'm just bringing this up because I feel like there's a lot of one-dimensional-advice being pushed through such high school dramas when whether an action is right or not actually depends on the situation. I'm not specifically writing about SooAh. I'm just stating my random thoughts about it because I thought it's a good thing to discuss about, for example:

like a kid who doesn’t like piano or Chinese, but his mom makes him take a few years of lessons anyways
I understand the difference between the above and making your kid be the best performer but fundamentally, what's the difference? The moms still think they're what's best for their child - be it prestige or skills - and the child still doesn't like what he has to do. So they are both accruing achievements for achievement's sake. And honestly, for some goals, you gotta work hard to score some passes even if you don't care about them because some or many achievements have pre-requisites that you need to fulfill regardless of whether you're passionate for it or whether you like it or not. The difference lies in whether or not one goes too far.

I was actually kind of ticked off when that mock-interview guy told SooAh that her achievements are not real. Like what? She worked hard for them! Even if she didn't like it, she poured sweat and blood and sacrificed. Who are you to tell her whether her achievements are "real"/recognizable or not. Way to bring down a child. Honestly, I see SooAh having a mid-life or quarter-life crisis down later in her life.

I think I'm rambling and making no sense... I think what I'm trying to express is that many shows are pushing one-sided advices which I'm not very comfortable with. It's like telling a kid: "Listen to your mom!" And said kid listens and follows even when she's wrong. I think I'm trying to say that life is not black and white?

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I should've elaborated - I leave a loophole for getting a kid past the "don't wanna!" phase so they'll actually know enough about the activity to make an informed choice to not pursue it.

For instance, my mom made my sister take a year of ballet. Then my sister sat her down before the next signup session and told her she'd rather do soccer. Mom said sure - it really wasn't an effort to make my sister into a ballerina, it was just exposing her to enough stuff to form opinions. A more expensive, long-term version of "You have to try a bite of the cauliflower before deciding you don't like it".

I think the guy says her skills aren't real because they're a means to an end. I think this was clumsily written and might have been better illustrated by an actual interview follow-up like "I see you have practiced ballet for 12 years. What would you like to do with that skill?" A good applicant might respond that ballet is too strenuous to pursue professionally but she'll continue dancing and possibly try ballroom dance, or she'd say she finds that the body control and ability to perform onstage have helped her in other areas of her life, etc. Soo Ah's qualification is empty because truthfully, as soon as she steps into Harvard, she will drop it. It'll be like wisdom tooth surgery - just something that had to be done.

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Soo Ah’s qualification is empty because truthfully, as soon as she steps into Harvard, she will drop it.

But many people drop activities when they go into college. And Soo Ah did learn from her many achievements (I mean, she has to. She wasn't born infallible) like confidence, handling stress under pressure, determination... etc etc that has been and will be applicable to other parts of her life. I guess for me it doesn't matter whether the passion is there or not - I think it is unfair to discount her efforts just because she isn't that quite passionate about it.

I don't know, maybe I see this too simply but a possible example would be a job. Many people don't actually know what they want to do when they start on their career path. But as they work harder and get better, many become attached to their job and sometimes feel affection for it. Does that mean that they shouldn't be recognized for jobs well done when they were starting out their careers with the sole purpose of being paid?

Maybe I even think that colleges are having some very ridiculous entry-standards with demanding for students who have passion for many things and excelling at many things. It's like they want the perfect kid, although who can blame them when they're the ones in the position of power?

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Great recap, Saya! Thank you! It's to read the thoughts of others who are enjoying this as much as I am! My only fear was the fact that the parents relationship might for a barrier to the kids? Does anyone know if that law about family applies here? I can see a way around it though if the kids end up going to college in America and dating there but I know I'm getting way ahead of myself there. I'm already mapping out their whole life! Haha!

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Love this show already. I'm surprising myself by already loving Kim Yeol, usually 'jerk' male leads are really off putting in the first few episodes of a new drama. Though he was petty about electricity and unsympathetic to Yeon Doo's circumstance he was really only true to the circumstances they've been placed in. Rich, smart people have power, what is the incentive to be compassionAte? Exactly as he says to the principal when Yeon Doo is trying to get into the room to plead her case. I really liked how clever he was in working out the Soo Ah plot and calling out the principal for her machinations with a smirk. Love his loyalty and how that and her passion are piquing his interest in Yeon Doo. The two of them have chemistry that is off the charts. Mouth covering aside that whole hospital scene was magnetic!

Love Yeon Doo. Utterly.

Dong Jae has some sort of psychological and possibly physical trauma right? Not just the panic attack, but the whole 'doesn't want to get hit' basketball thing in the first episode. I actually thought he had a hidden physical injury but the panic attack makes me think it was all psychological. I wonder if they're setting up Dong Jae with Soo Ah. That girl has a ways to go, if they are going to redeem her at all.

H a Joon's bromance with Yeol is gorgeous., Ji Soo - already breaking my heart.

This series has so much potential I'm almost afraid to watch, in case they can't focus on what matters, the kids.

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I don't know what to make of Dong Jae. Yeon Doo standing there with her arms open for a hug makes it seem like he's not completely against physical contact - is it just guys he can't touch? Is it a touch that has anything to do with violence? Whatever it is, it seems that he's mostly got it under control by avoiding situations where he'd be triggered.

But then Ha Joon is covered in blood and slumped over looking possibly-dead, and that's what really snaps Dong Jae. He's not totally checked-out either, he clearly WANTS to help and is visibly overpowering his own panicked response, but there's something about the actual physical contact he can't overcome.

Whatever it is, it seems to be pretty serious trauma and he's buried it deep enough that not even Yeon Doo knows the root or extent of it.

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Im in love with this show!Can't wait for the coming eps...

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Bok-dongie ! Well, I want to see Ji Soo in that role forever. If Dramaland is kind enough to give me that all the time, I'm onboard for the ride.
He just crushed me in this episode. It's like... the role resonnates so much with Angry Mom. It nearly feels like a sequel.

Awesome !

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This show is adorable. I didn't think I'd like it... but it's infectiously fun!

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Totally - reminds me of Monstar in the best ways!!

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My thought exactly. Loving it!

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Those images before your name! :O

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I enjoy this drama, esp Yeon Doo, she is sassy. This drama deserves a higher rating.

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This drama is perfectly charming~♥

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This show is so dumb (the introduction of the cheerleading stuff is so ridiculous) but adorable and earnest enough that I still really enjoy it. I love these kids already, and I want them to be happy.

(Did anyone notice that they've got a cheerleading club sign in the White Tiger's study room in this episode even though the club isn't up and running yet? How did they not catch that?)

(Also I really hope they treat Ha Joon's mental issues seriously, but this is kdrama, so I'm doubtful they will.)

I really love Yeon Doo - Eunji is so good in the role it feels like it was written for her. No wonder Yeol is so smitten with her already!! I love her so much. Maybe it's because I can relate to her too - I also feel pretty stifled by my educational environment atm (I go to a high achieving university and everyone is so smart and privileged... and I'm not). Sadly there's no dance club that I can join though, haha. The Real King kids are so cute. Can't wait to see everybody bonding as they work to win the cheerleading competition (I love this kind of stuff).

The cheerleading stuff is so ridiculous, but hey. I can deal with it. I can't deal with the Principal using Ha Joon's serious mental health problems as leverage to get what she wants though (+ what Soo-ah's mum wants). She's despicable. In fact, apart from the maths teacher (his heart is in the right place) and Yeon Doo's amazing mum (and maybe Yeol's dad, he seems okay even though Yeol can't stand him), all the adults in this are horrible. I really hope the Principal gets her comeuppance and gets fired asap.

Yeol is growing on me fast. The love and support he gives to Ha Joon is amazing. He only snapped at Yeon Doo and Dong Jae this episode to protect Ha Joon. You can tell he really admires Yeon Doo, for her loyalty and her determination. He obviously loves being a smart arse but he isn't incredibly arrogant about it (imo). I don't know, I just love him and Yeon Doo already. The way he smiles at her after she clambers off him! So cute! The strawberry milk! Him winking at her! He's so cheeky and flirty, I like him so much.

Even though Soo-ah is horrible, I still have sympathy for her. It's weird. She certainly is a product of her mother's ruthless ambition. You can tell she's near breaking point already (screaming down the phone), I wonder when she's gonna realise all this (backstabbing everybody, being a general nasty piece of work) isn't worth it to get to Harvard. Achieving something like that isn't worth it even you're miserable and you've had to step on people to get there and everyone hates you. I'm intrigued about her relationship with Dong Jae and where that's going.

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Well, BaekHo or White Tiger is a Cheerleading club from the beginning even if it's in name only. The students, instead of "wasting" their time in club activities study in their clubroom, and hence the cheerleading club sign.

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As @JessiaCat notes, BaekHo has always been the "cheerleading club". The members use it to bolster their resumes.

It's kind of like athletes who are recruited by colleges, then put into classes that they "attend" (the only way to keep the kids playing in college leagues is if they're actually college students). There's been a fair amount of scandal over the past few years as schools have been revealed to have created sham classes and awarded inflated grades to student athletes who never actually go to class (or are such horrible students they should flunk out).

BaekHo are doing the same thing, but the reverse; they're awesome students who need to look like they have a life, so the school rubber-stamps their participation in a cheerleading club and then looks the other way when it's actually a study group.

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One thing I love about this show that I hope they continue is that everything is out very quickly. There is nothing that frustrates me more then some silly secret that drags for 20 episodes. I like how everyone knows its all for Soo ah and that her mom is paying off the school. I like how everyone knows that the principle is a paid for puppet who only cares about money. I just don't understand why they don't report her? That aside I also like that the romance is zipping right along and I believe it, it doesn't feel forced. Even when he was being rude to her nothing he said was untrue. He's only a jerk in the sense that he calls it like it is. He's rich so that allow's him to do things that she can't. The way he said those things too looks to me like he himself doesn't like it but thats the reality. He has already stood up for her on several occasions and also prevented her from being teased. He's not an outright typical rich snob A-hole.

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yeah, it really helps that the drama is so zippy - sure, it uses contrivances to maneouevre its plot, but the speed at which things move really does help to just keep it going.

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I guess it's because the show is only 12 episodes. That certainly helps to speed the plot along. Although... if I fall in love with this show, I am certainly going to wish it were longer! (Big Sigh) Can't win either way.

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12 episodes is actually an ideal length - just long enough to stop the pace flagging. jdramas had the right idea, 16 episodes is 4 too many for fluff dramas.

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+1.

Agreed.

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Anyone else notice that Ha Joon is teasing Yeol about the strawberry milk at the beginning of the scene where Yeol talks to the ivy league consultant? It's: "I just wanted to try it" "...yeah, right" "really!"

Also, this may be my delusional shipper's heart talking, but I swear Yeol thinks he's flirting with Yeon Doo half the time. Other than calling her stupid a couple of times, and refusing to help her at his own expense, he mostly seems to not be bothered by Real King the way his fellow club members are. He gives it back as well as its given, but his first comment about the fire extinguisher was that it was creative. And then, he backs way off when he sees how upset she actually is, and tries to help her- first with the posters, and then stopping the bullies. The rest of the time, when Yeon Doo is fighting back, he really just seems to be enjoying himself. There's a really interesting wistfulness in him, in that he's more aware of the problems and hypocrisy in the school than anyone else, but chooses to go along with it even though you get the sense that he would also like to be a typical 18 year old. I wonder why? From what we've seen of his dad, he's not terrifying or overbearing. So he's choosing to fit in, not forced, even though he doesn't like the system.
So I think he has been intrigued by Yeon Doo and her nonconforming, on some level, from the very beginning, although he's naturally put his position in the school and his best friend above her at times.

Also really looking forward to seeing cheerleading practice begin! It will be nice to see the Real King underdogs be the people with the skills and superiority, and the snobs in baekho way out of their comfort zone with something they aren't good at. I hope the Real King members bust a gut watching those bratty girls attempt to dance for the first time. It will be a nice reversal.

Thanks for the recap! It really gave me a lot to think about :)

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masterful description of yeol. clap clap.

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A+++ assessment of Yeol.

And it isn't just you who thinks Yeol is under the impression that he's flirting with Yeon-doo (he is, but ironically, probably because he only does it when they're alone together, she probably dismisses it as just him playing around).

I find it interesting that not a single kid in this drama so far seems to have two living parents. No mention of Yeon-doo's father, Yeol's mother, Soo-ah's father, Ha-joon's mother......

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he’s not terrifying or overbearing.

I'm not sure I'd state that so boldly given that his dad outright gave the school buses and a front lawn. When one is young and disillusioned, that power and willingness to use it so flippantly can be scary, hur.

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yeah, but Yeol himself doesn't appear interested in actively making anyone's life hard, he's not Choi Young-do with an eyesmile.

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Huh? I was referring to Yeol's dad being seemingly "not terrifying or overbearing". And Yeol seems like he cannot be pushing him away hard enough because of his possible disgust for dad's power and willingness to use money to buy people over so easily.

Ain't saying that Yeol is a Choi YoungDo. (I had to think about that a bit because I'd erased Heirs from my mind.)

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oh ok, I thought you were talking about Yeol because you mentioned being young and disillusioned.

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Despite this show's lightheartedness and sometimes goofiness, it's quite dark. Yeon-doo and Yeol are both stuck between a rock and a hard place. Yeon-doo is being betrayed all over, and Yeol/Ha-Joon/Dong-Jae are all quite dark.

Inside the school, it's really the relationships between Yeol and Yeon-doo that make it shine. Plus how Dong-jae manages to put Soo-ah in her place every once awhile.

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Personally, I think this drama will be chock full of cliches. the one thing I'm hoping will keep me though is the chemistry of the leads. And of course Yeol's pervy high schooler antics xD

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I enjoyed this drama. Nice recap, thank you for your deep thought Saya! ???

Does anyone love Yeol's smile like I do?
Lee won geun, my new major crush haha

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Just posting this fanvid here for any fellow shippers :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIHcHGfMvpI

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it's been a while since I found a "bad boy" so compelling.

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he is a good, good boy....

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Wait, there's a ship mv already.

I'm so on board with that.

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I've not had the chance to check out this show yet, but thank you for recapping, Saya! I'm also liking the star rating - a nice addition to the site!

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The cheerleading excuse left me at a loss for words. Seriously? So ridiculous.

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I appreciate the healthy platonic male/female friendship between dongjae and yeondo. Is this kdrama's first? Or at least a first for the teen kdramas?
Based on articles and charCter descriptions, seems like dongjae is just going to be a friend. No unrequited love angle so yaaaay

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I do hope N's character doesn't end up liking that snot-face girl

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Oh God, me too. But the signs are there.

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it's an ensemble cast but i'm pretty sure jisoo is higher in the callsheet than N.

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I love Yeol's pervy high school antics. They are high schoolers after all! Hehe honestly love the chemistry between Yeol and Yeondu.

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Saya, thank you for your intelligent insight in recapping this drama. This is first time to write a comment and just had to tell you I admire your even-handed writing of this episode. Love this show...am a fan of Eun-ji.

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My new favourite drama. I was wondering what I would watch after 20 again, (well, aside from Pretty.. but you know, 1 drama is hardly enough of a fix. lol) and I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm loving this already so much I seriously would bet my hard drive on it ending up in my Top list for this year.

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omo. I just checked the ratings for this drama and my heart broke. I hope ep 3 will get higher ratings bc this drama is much better than what its rating is reflecting.

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this drama is aimed to a younger audience, and they all use internet these days, that explains the lower ratings on national television

at least it's getting very popular online =)

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i'm liking this drama more and more. can't wait for episode 3

and btw, Eunji and LWG have amazing chemestry

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I love this little drama and want to pet it (can one pet a drama?) and console it for the low ratings. And while it's bright and funny and lives up to its name - which I also LOVE, btw, it's so silly and cute - as someone said, it has some fairly real and dark issues (academic pressures, parental pressures, attitudes to learning) wrapped in its bright and cheery skin.

I also REALLY love our OTP now. Yes, the falling on top of each other/being crammed in a small space together trope is contrived to death, but when the actors spark off each other the way Lee Won-geun and Jung Eunji do, it makes me squee rather than eyeroll. Yeol's not a jerk for the sake of being a jerk, or because he has some deep trauma that excuses it - he's more the type that has a smiling face and a smartarse remark on hand, i.e. NOT a Ji Sung-joon level of asshole. But what he is (relatively rare for kdrama heroes at the start of a drama) is a total flirt to Yeon-doo. He likes to needle her, but he does stuff like leave her the note about the poster and take every opportunity for skinship (if it bugs her, even better), and even looks a little put out by how easily she goes off with Ha-dong, which leads to strawberry milk lol. I wouldn't be surprised if he sorta-liked her even before the start of the show.

And for all their differences, Yeon and Yeon-doo have one thing in common, which is that their friends are the most important thing in their lives. Which is how you get them at odds, with Yeol driven to begging for the cheerleading thing to actually happen, for Ha-joon's sake, while Yeon-doo refuses because Soo-ah's betrayal stung her so badly.

While I'm at it, hats off to Chae Soo-bin for making Soo-ah perfectly hateable and very convincingly two-faced but also clearly very brittle and traumatised by the thought of failure. I hope she'll have some personal growth over the course of the drama. Same with Ji-soo, who really is great even if this is a trope repeat for him.

(the only bum note in the acting so far as been N, who was obviously trying very hard to act distressed/borderline catatonic during the wristcutting discovery, but ended up coming across as blank)

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I can't believe I'm saying this but I want Monday to come fast!
There's something about this drama that really pulls me in, one of them being that sizzling chemistry between Eunji and LWG. I can't get enough of them! The casting was spot on for these leads if you ask me. I simply cannot imagine anyone as Yeondoo. Eunji has totally made the character hers. And I really want Eunji and Jisoo to have some bonding because Hajoonie needs more people like Yeondoo in his life.
CSB is doing pretty good job as sooah, as I already dislike Sooah too much.
I hope they shed light on Ha Dongjae's problem soon as I feel like we don't know much about him as a character.
One thing I was really uncomfortable with was yeondoo's mom and yeol's dad's relationship. I don't know what exactly is their relationship but I hope it's just friendship as I don't want unnecessary angst for the main pair in future.
I hope the show doesn't disappoint in future episodes!

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Mentioning Yeondoo's Mom and Yeol's Dad affected me so much. I wish it is not something I cannot even name.. You know, it will be great if their relationship is like Yeondoo and Ha Dong's friendship. I will be super fine with it.

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IKR. I mean, what's up with the parents.

Well, if the parents do get married, they'll still be step-siblings and we get under the same roof hi-jinks. I mean, it's still legal for them to be in a relationship right?

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Yay SGG! Once you get past the seriously labored set up, (which from the title alone I was already anticipating) it should prove quite a fun little show.

Though again I am stuck with how i always come into these high school dramas expecting something wacky, light, and breezy... Though this is no Angry Mom levels of intensity, it certainly contained some dark stuff.

So far my only complaint lies in that I keep thinking there will be more depth to Principle Choi, mostly because she played a totally kickass character in Miss Korea.

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Thank you for recapping this series.
I've seen a lot of high school dramas,so right now there is nothing fresh to set it apart. The male lead has a very cute smile to die for.
In the U.S. , cheer leading is a very serious sport. Most of the teams that I've seen very powerful acrobatically and gymnastically. I didn't know that some of our past U.S. presidents were on the cheer leading teams.
I don't know how cheer leading is performed in Korea so it will be an interesting contrast.

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Saya, many thanks for recapping Sassy, Go Go (aka Cheer Up!).

Lee Won Geun has such an infectious smile. It's adorable.
Can't look away from the sizzling chemistry between Jung Eun-Ji & Lee Won Geun...for those of that watched Wild Chives and Soy Bean Soup: 12 Years Reunion this harkens back to the memories & feels of LWG's chemistry with Yoon So-Hee.

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I loved the childhood portions of that drama, Lee Won-geun and Yoon So-hee were everything. And they had really sizzling chemistry there too, I remember getting annoyed that we didn't get to see more of the scene that leads to tshirts being discarded on the floor....

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This episode should come with a trigger warning. I like that Yeon Doo is getting closer to both Yeol and Ha Joon in that they all have a common enemy. But this show's premise is ridiculous. Since when did Harvard care about cheerleading?

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Thank you for the recap Saya! I really enjoyed reading how you wrote everything :)

I totally did not expect to be so into this drama at all. Just started watching out of curiosity and boredom and now I'm totally hooked. I actually enjoy ALL the characters' arcs which made watching both these 2 initial episodes go by in a breeze. It's fun and entertaining but seem to have lots of heart as well if they keep developing the friendships as they have done.

I definitely agree with you and love how Yeon-do is being written right now. She's not a a total 'take shits from noone badass' but not a pushover either. I love how she stands up for herself when the situation calls for it and with dignity. And the best part was to have all her buddies backed her up without her even asking for it was just so awesome.

As for the OTP coupling... holy moly I didn't expect to feel this much sparks between a drama couple before, let alone a high school love line. Aren't those supposed to be sweet and not sizzlin'? haha. They hooked me instantly.

With all that said, here's hoping I am not being set up for major disappointments in the end.

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Sigh. If teenagers all watch this show on their phones or laptops, shouldn't online ratings be put into consideration for how popular it is? At this rate, high school dramas will go extinct, or be relegated to the web entirely.

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I am actually curious about the cheerleading part. I hope the excecution will be good.........

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Question for anyone who is fluent in Korean:

On Viki the part in the hospital where Saya said that Yeol calls Yeondoo "uri Kang Yeondoo" was translated as him saying "loyal Kang Yeondoo".

Did they translate wrong and he really did say "uri"? I'd much prefer this to be the case because I like Saya's interpretation of it.

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Hi, i'm not really fluent in Korean but the first time i heard what Yeol said to Yeondoo, it was "Loyal" or 'euiri=의리' not "Our" or 'uri=우리' (though I also would loooove it if Yeol really said "Our Kang Yeondoo"
Yeondoo also said before that she's pretty loyal as a human being so she's not going to talk anything about Yeol & Hajoon in hospital.
May it could help~ (I could be wrong tho lol)

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Lol, yah, sorry to break your shipper heart but he did say "Loyal Kang YeonDoo". If he had said "Our Kang YeonDoo", HaJoon would have stared at him like he'd grown a second head (but instead his reaction was like: wow. you thanked her). From what I heard and HaJoon's reaction, I'm more partial towards "Loyal Kang YeonDoo".

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I also found it, 'Loyal Kang Yeondoo', and it did make sense remembering Yeondoo mentioned how loyal she is..

Anyway, can I mention how Jung Eun-ji looks great in that messy hairdo? I love it better than in her usual bun.. Hhaha, so random..

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Ack, you guys are right, I misheard! (oops!)

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Ah okay. Thank you very kamsa all for the clarifications :)

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The male lead has an infectious eye smile. When ever he smiles he becomes so handsome. I cant wait to see more interactions between our OTP and also the rest too

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it's really disappointing to see low ratings for this show . the drama is amazing . i think parents should also watch this so they can also have the ideas about their kids and their feelings specially when it comes to teens . parents these days give lot of pressure for kids because of education system . kids with low /high marks are both struggling . and this drama gives a big example . Sassy go go Fighting !!!! i cross my fingers......

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This drama is cheesy but fun as well. I was giggling ear to ear while watching this. Ah Jang eun ji and Lee woo geun have amazing chemistry. God, can those two just kiss already........... awwww. Can't wait for next episodeeee

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I just hope that when the long-awaited kiss scene does happen, it won't be some dead fish kiss or 'oops-we-fell-and-our-mouths-collided' kiss. This pairing deserves better!

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I wish the same too actually, I wish it so hard, and even do praying. But then, remembering that this is a school drama, added it, it is KBS school drama, I doubt they will give us such fanservice.
Kiss on the cheek would be the best we could wish.... argh, I feel lost already...

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Noo!! This sizzling chemistry deserve much more that a kiss on the cheek T^T
I still have hope in you, KBS. You better give us kisses!

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You know what we have to do, right? Pray hard, or prepare to burn KBS building!

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This drama is giving me so many feeeeeeeeeeeels. ♥♥♥

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