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Answer Me 1988: Episode 8

Today’s episode is about brothers, the kind who’re weird and drive you crazy most days, and are kind of embarrassing. But put them in danger, and suddenly it reveals so much about everyone around them, and what they’d do to protect someone they love.

Episode 8 logged the highest average ratings for the entire Answer Me franchise, coming in at 12.2% and beating out Answer Me 1994’s finale.

 
SONG OF THE DAY

Deulgukhwa – “사랑한 후에” (After Love) [ Download ]

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EPISODE 8: “One warm word”

It’s two days after Christmas in 1988, and like clockwork, Taek’s dad wakes up at the crack of dawn to go make Taek a warm breakfast. He then goes outside to sweep the street like usual, but this time the other parents stop when they see him wearing his new pink mittens. He proudly tells them that they’re a birthday gift from Taek, and everybody finds it adorable.

Deok-sun bundles up for the cold day and opens up her drawer… where she’s got a pair of pink gloves (from Jung-hwan) next to a pair of pink mittens (from Taek). Well doesn’t that just sum up her predicament quite nicely? She sits there contemplating them for a moment, then decides on the mittens. One point, Taek.

Deok-sun meets her friends at the ddukbokki place, where she shouts at them that she’s not stupid. They swear that this time, it’s really for sure—Jung-hwan likes her. Why else would he dash all the way to Gangnam at a moment’s notice for her? Deok-sun snaps that she’s not about to let them make a fool of her twice after being wrong about Sun-woo, and points out that they know nothing about boys anyway. That shuts them up instantly.

She notices that her friend dyed her hair lighter and wants to do the same, but they warn her that using hydrogen peroxide burns and smells disgusting. Their solution: beer. Deok-sun goes straight home and pours four giant bottles of beer into a basin, then dunks her head in. Oh, the things we do.

Mom is upset about something and asks Deok-sun where she went earlier today. Bora unni says that some money is missing from Mom’s wallet, and though Deok-sun claims to know nothing about it, Bora goes to check Deok-sun’s wallet anyway.

Deok-sun bursts into tears and cries that she didn’t take the money, horribly offended that Unni or Mom would suspect her. She wails to Mom, who feels bad and feeds her sweet potatoes while wiping away her tears.

Deok-sun figures that this only leaves No-eul as the possible thief, and Mom just asks her not to say anything because he’s at a rebellious age. That just hurts Deok-sun’s feelings all over again, and she asks Mom why her feelings weren’t spared when she’s also at a rebellious age. Lol.

Today’s the day that the college entrance exam results will be announced, and by the heavy silence in Jung-hwan’s house, I’m thinking there was no Christmas miracle for Jung-bong hyung. Dad says maybe he heard wrong and calls again, but this time it’s for sure—he failed, yet again.

Jung-hwan gives Hyung a silent tap on the shoulder before heading to his room, and Dad plays peacemaker to try and lift Jung-bong’s spirits. Dad reminds him that he has to be admitted into the hospital tomorrow, and it’s important not to be stressed out. Hm, what’s going on with Hyung?

Mom sighs that if it hadn’t been for the surgery… but Dad says he’s just grateful that Jung-bong grew up well. I wonder if he’s been sick his whole life or something? Dad asks if she’s forgotten, but Mom says she hasn’t.

Bora talks to her boyfriend on the phone (she’s actually rather sweet when she’s talking to him) and defers meeting up until next week. But then another friend calls to see her today, and she heads out right away.

Sun-woo is hanging out in the street and greets her less formally than usual, and she corrects him to use jondae with her. Jung-hwan and Dong-ryong come out too, and she says pointedly that she’s heading out to see her boyfriend, and snaps at Dong-ryong for not greeting her formally either. He quickly bows at the waist in apology.

Jung-hwan asks Sun-woo if he still likes her when she’s like that, and Sun-woo admits that he doesn’t like that part. Jung-hwan feels bad that Bora is going out to meet her boyfriend, but Sun-woo says she’s lying—she always wears skirts when going out with her boyfriend, and lied for his benefit. Jung-hwan stares like he’s gone crazy.

The three of them hang out in Taek’s room, and when Dong-ryong decides his new favorite star is Lee Ji-yeon, Jung-hwan teases that Sun-woo likes the strong type. They exchange silent looks over Dong-ryong’s head, but Jung-hwan keeps going: “You know, like Bora noona.”

Dong-ryong says that’s possible, but they shouldn’t assume that Bora is any different in front of her boyfriend. Both boys turn to look at him, and Dong-ryong sighs that they know nothing about girls. He says that no matter how much a girl does silly dances at home, she’ll be totally different and act coy in front of the boy she likes. He points out that the reverse is true too: If a girl dances like that in front of you, she doesn’t see you as a man.

Cut to: Deok-sun doing that very dance in front of them a few minutes later, as Jung-hwan scowls in the corner. Hahaha. You can practically see it stamped on his forehead: Not a man.

Taek opens the door and almost runs away scared at the sight, but Deok-sun mime-reels him into the room, and he just smiles SO wide, it kills me.

The moms have a beauty day when Jung-hwan’s mom has the Amore lady come and give them massages (dude, I totally remember my mom doing this back in the day!), and when the saleslady says that Jung-hwan’s mom looks like she’s never had a day of stress in her life, they laugh.

The kids play rock-paper-scissors and Jung-hwan is the loser who has to go make ramyun, and no amount of complaining gets him out of the task. They shoo him out, eager to start watching La Bamba.

Dong-ryong asks Taek if he remembers their group movie date tomorrow, and doesn’t even seem surprised that Taek asked them to go and forgot. He says he has a match tomorrow, and they remind him that they already accounted for that.

They tell him not to bother trying to find the theater on his own, certain that he’ll get lost, and Deok-sun pats him on the head like a little kid and tells him to wait at the training center until “noona” picks him up. He doesn’t seem to like that very much, though he doesn’t say anything.

Dong-ryong assumes that Taek hasn’t been to a movie theater in ages, but Deok-sun says the two of them went recently. Aha, so the movie date DID happen! Sun-woo asks what they saw, and Deok-sun says Taek wouldn’t know—he slept the whole time. HA.

She says Taek had pulled two all-nighters in a row before seeing the movie, and we flash back to the theater, where Deok-sun shoveled popcorn in her mouth and Taek fell asleep on her shoulder. That is tiny and adorable.

Jung-hwan finally arrives with ramyun, in which everything from the fridge has been thrown into the pot. He calls it his hyung’s style, which sounds about right. They ask about Hyung’s surgery, and he says that this time it’s only an hour-long procedure, so they needn’t come visit in the hospital.

Deok-sun remembers the surgery taking ten hours the last time, but Sun-woo says last time they were replacing valves; this time they’re just replacing batteries. Taek asks about Hyung’s exam, and Deok-sun quietly tells him that he failed.

Jung-hwan suddenly gets a bloody nose, which they all seem to be used to. Dong-ryong asks if Jung-hwan isn’t sick too (NoooooooooooOOOOO!), and Sun-woo says he’s already been tested—he’s fine, but both Jung-hwan and Jung-bong are rather weak. Deok-sun jokes that the bloody nose is because he’s seen too many racy things.

Taek says that Jung-hwan’s mom must be really worried even if it’s a routine procedure, and Jung-hwan scoffs. Mom is currently getting her second massage of the day, and making sure that her friends get a boatload of free samples after buying enough beauty products to fill her entire vanity counter.

The moms chuckle over how the salesladies all tell Jung-hwan’s mom that she’s likely never touched a drop of water or had any hardship in her life, when they know that she’s had the toughest life of all of them. They remember how hard things were for her back when Jung-bong was sick, and how she ran around doing odd jobs like wallpapering, delivering newspapers, and working in restaurants.

Deok-sun’s mom says that if her child had a heart condition, she’d likely just collapse. Jung-hwan’s mom says she didn’t really have a choice—Jung-bong needed surgery and she had no money, so she had to go earn it wherever she could. She remembers starving for two days along with her husband, and the other moms chide her for not telling them back then.

They ask what the procedure is this time, remembering that last year he had a valve replaced because it’d been ten years since the original surgery. They’re amazed that she doesn’t seem worried, but Jung-hwan’s mom says now they have all the money they need and the best doctor possible. In his room, Jung-bong quietly puts away all the things he’s been obsessed with lately—telephone books, Rubick’s cubes, stamp collections—as he cries.

Bora prods her friend to quit stalling and say whatever it is that she called her here for. Her friend hems and haws, and accidentally refers to Bora’s boyfriend as “oppa” instead of “sunbae,” alerting her to the bomb that’s about to be dropped.

The friend starts crying as she tells Bora about a drunken “accidental” kiss they shared on a trip when Bora wasn’t around, acting like she was suffering because she felt so guilty all this time and couldn’t look Bora in the eye. Bora remains stone-faced, then finally tells her friend to stop crying because she’s going to stop seeing her boyfriend. She gets up and adds that she’s going to stop seeing her too, because they’re not friends. Yeah, no kidding. Good for you.

Deok-sun’s dad comes home drunk yet again, and oh noes—he’s bought another useless thing on the subway. This time it’s magical ink-eraser, and he’s gone and bought three bottles of the stuff. Mom is stressed enough as it is with money missing from her wallet, and this time she just snaps and grabs a bottle of ink and pours it on Dad’s white shirt.

Dad remains calm and says it’s fine because he has ink eraser, and begins to pour the pink liquid on top of the massive stain… which of course only serves to spread the ink around. How can a man be so funny and so infuriating at the same time?

They launch into a huge fight, and Mom starts throwing random things in front of her at Dad, like a towel, a bag of popcorn. But then she doesn’t realize that she’s picked up a decorative rock until it’s too late and she’s already hurled it at him. She gasps, and the rock slides off Dad’s face, revealing a giant red bruise around his eye.

Hyung comes into Jung-hwan’s room carrying a giant box of his stuff, and shows him all of his prized possessions one by one. He says solemnly that Jung-hwan can have all of it, and Jung-hwan scoffs that this is going a little overboard for a one-hour routine surgery. He says that he looked it up, and there’s only a 3% failure rate for a surgery like this.

Hyung turns to him and says that there’s only a 2% chance that a child will have heart disease: “So that 3% really scares me.” Aw, Hyung. Jung-hwan grows quiet at that, but he decides that Hyung is still going overboard and tells him that everything will be fine. Hyung asks hesitantly if Little Bro wants to sleep in the same bed tonight, and Jung-hwan shoots that down right away. Jung-bong pretends to be too old for that too, but he looks a little disappointed as he shuffles away.

Deok-sun comes home and gasps to see Dad’s bruiser, but is more weirded out when Mom and Dad speak to each other pleasantly and formally in jondae. She asks No-eul what’s going on, and he tells her that Mom threw a rock at Dad, and they’ve decided that speaking to each other in jondae will force them not to call each other names and fight all the time. Deok-sun thinks this is more embarrassing than them fighting, and No-eul agrees.

It’s the morning of Jung-bong’s surgery, and for Mom it’s business as usual, while Dad and Jung-bong are subdued and have to be coaxed to eat breakfast. Deok-sun’s parents are still speaking in jondae at the breakfast table, though hilariously they’re still arguing about the same old things and pointing out each other’s flaws, just in formal language and pleasant tone. No-eul answers a call for Bora and repeats her brush-off: “She said to say she’s not here,” and Bora retreats to her room for the day to brood.

Jung-hwan joins his family at the table after another bloody nose (you’re starting to freak me out over here. I will DIE if something happens to you, ya hear me?!), and Mom and Dad tell him not to come to the hospital until tomorrow since there’s no place for him to sleep anyway. Jung-hwan just puts another reassuring hand on Hyung’s shoulder as they eat.

The kids head out to go pick up Taek at the training center for their movie, and Deok-sun loses the boys on the way there because they’re too busy snacking. They send her to go fetch Taek on her own, reminding her to hold his hand the whole way so they don’t lose him. Hee. He’s not five!

Deok-sun kills time making funny faces on the glass in the phone booth outside, and sees Taek being led out by his coach. He gets congratulated on another win, and then a bunch of aspiring players line up with stars in their eyes, eager to just shake hands with Taek, trembling nervously as they tell him it’s such an honor.

He gets to the end of the line and beams to find Deok-sun standing there, and he pats her on the head sweetly. She asks where he left his bag because he was carrying one when he left this morning, and yells at him for being so forgetful.

It startles everyone else to hear someone talk to the God of Baduk that way, but Taek just goes to fetch his bag like he was ordered. One of his hoobaes raises his hand and offers to do it for him, but Deok-sun says Taek needs the exercise and nags him not to dillydally, and everyone gapes as Taek just smiles and runs off.

Jung-bong’s doctor (cameo by Kim Tae-hoon) comes in to explain the procedure he’ll be getting in two days, which actually doesn’t sound all that minor. They’re going to replace his artificial pacemaker, and though they usually last five to ten years, in cases like his, they can be positioned in a difficult place and need to be changed out. That… sounds way more serious than a simple battery replacement to me.

Mom and Dad just want reassurance that it’s a simple procedure that’ll only take an hour, but the doctor refuses to confirm anything, leaving them all on edge.

Bora’s boyfriend calls again, and this time Bora just hangs up on him and tells Mom that he’s a crazy bastard. She buries herself in schoolwork, which somehow makes it sadder than if she just had a good cry.

The kids take the bus home after the movie, and Sun-woo is lost in thought over what he heard earlier that day, when Deok-sun and Taek joined them at the street stand. (I love it when Jung-hwan wipes Taek’s face with his own spit like a mom.)

Dong-ryong asks why Bora noona is extra pissy lately, and Deok-sun tells him that she had a massive fight with her boyfriend and is probably going to break up with him soon. She adds the jab while glancing over at Sun-woo: “He’s probably not in his right mind if he likes Sung Bora.”

Sun-woo just takes all this in quietly and mulls it over on the bus ride home. A bus seat opens up in the back row and Dong-ryong tells Jung-hwan he can sit down now, but Jung-hwan says he’s fine standing. It’s because he gets to be near Deok-sun that way, though it’s not exactly romantic when she’s fallen asleep with her mouth hanging wide open.

Once Jung-bong is asleep, Mom heads out to the waiting room to watch some TV, and Dad notes that she’s gotten so much stronger now. Mom scoffs that this is nothing compared to the big surgeries he’s had, though Dad seems a little more worried. He gets emotional and quietly wipes his tears as he watches Jung-bong sleep.

The boys sleep over at Taek’s and they ask about Jung-bong hyung, remembering how they used to play soccer with him all the time when they were little. Sun-woo remembers that Taek used to be good too, and that Jung-hwan’s dream was to become a soccer player. Jung-hwan doesn’t answer. The night ends with Dong-ryong’s farting shenanigans, as usual.

Jung-hwan comes to the hospital the next day with a banana and a pineapple from Taek, and Mom insists on asking the doctor if Jung-bong can eat that first, and then start his fast after. The doctor just sighs that she can do whatever.

When Hyung turns the fruit away, Jung-hwan realizes that he must really be nervous about his surgery to say no to food. Jung-bong sighs that he doesn’t have a good feeling about this one, and Dad snaps at him not to say such things. They notice more dried blood on Jung-hwan’s shirt (eeek), though he doesn’t even remember getting another bloody nose since this morning.

Deok-sun nags her little brother for hogging the phone, and realizes from his conversation that he has a girlfriend. She threatens to tell Mom, and he swears that it’s not even a girlfriend and he’s going to end things with her today anyway.

No-eul seems afraid of his girlfriend and her group of friends, and his meek attempt to break up with her doesn’t go very well. It seems less like a relationship and more like a group of gangster girls are bullying him into things, really.

Deok-sun and her girlfriends head out and happen to see No-eul and the girls down the street, and though No-eul looks like he’s about to piss his pants, Deok-sun seems oblivious and walks on by. Her friends are more observant though, and ask No-eul if he’d rather come with them.

He looks too terrified to answer, and Deok-sun’s friends ask if he’s crying. It’s as if that’s some kind of trigger word for Deok-sun, because she suddenly turns on a dime and grabs his girlfriend by her hair: “DID YOU MAKE MY BROTHER CRY?!” Hahahaha. Noona to the rescue!

The most hilarious brawl ensues, with girls everywhere yanking on hair and swatting at each other, while No-eul cries and tries to protect Deok-sun. Police officers come running over and girls scatter, but Deok-sun’s got a death-grip on the girlfriend and refuses to let go.

She’s quite literally a dog with a bone, and chomps down on the leg like a ferocious beast. This. Is. Awesome. The soundtrack plays cartoon heroine music, and we cut over to Sun-woo and Jin-ju singing along.

Bora heads out to buy a pack of cigarettes and discovers her boyfriend outside waiting for her (cameo by Park Jung-min). Sun-woo heads out to bring in the laundry and looks stricken to see her with another guy.

Boyfriend apologizes and asks her to let it go this one time because it was a mistake, but he doesn’t sound all that sorry. She’s the heartbroken one because he cheated on her with her best friend, but because she’s not readily accepting his apology, he starts getting defensive and blaming her for being cold. Ugh.

He complains that she’s a perfectionist who doesn’t even let him hold her hand whenever he wants, accusing her of not having any feelings at all. He says he felt suffocated while dating her, and might as well have been dating a block of ice. He tells her to fix her personality or else no one will date her: “As a woman, you’re the worst.” No, you’re the worst, asshole.

He walks away and Bora slumps down on the stairs, her hands balled up into fists so hard that her knuckles turn white as they shake. Droplets fall on her hands as she begins to cry, and as if on cue, rain starts to come down and she lets loose a flood of tears.

Sun-woo appears before her with an umbrella overhead, and sighs, “That hyung doesn’t know you at all. You’re a warm person. You’re a good person.”

Flashback to two years ago. Bora arrived at a funeral in her high school uniform, and the dads told her to head inside. But she stopped when she saw Sun-woo sitting outside by himself, hands balled up into fists just like she’s doing now.

It was the day he’d lost his father, and Bora had sat down next to him and said, “Just cry. At times like this, you’re just supposed to cry, Sun-woo. It’s okay, you can cry.” She hugged him, and he broke down and wailed into her shoulder. Awww. No wonder you love her.

It had started to rain then too, and she’d taken him by the hand to head inside, urging him along by saying that she hates to get rained on. He’d asked why her hands were so cold, and she’d said that it’s because her heart is warm.

Back in the present, Sun-woo buys Bora a warm cup of coffee with the last 100 won in his pocket. She notices that he scraped up his hand while going upstairs to pick up the laundry, and chides him like he’s a kid. But she can’t ignore it and takes his hand to look at it, and Sun-woo suddenly kisses her on the cheek and then runs away, leaving Bora stunned.

Deok-sun, No-eul, and Girlfriend Soo-kyung sit in the police station waiting for their parents to pick them up, and when Mom runs in and fawns over Deok-sun, she immediately starts crying like a little girl to her mommy. Mom is up in arms over someone laying a hand on her precious daughter, and wonders what kind of parents raised a thug like that.

But Girlfriend’s sister comes to pick her up and explains that their parents died in a car crash last year, and Mom suddenly feels really terrible for the things she said. Both sides apologize, only to have Dad bust in and do the same thing all over again. Mom finally has enough of that and snaps at him in banmal to stop yapping, and Deok-sun mutters, “And that’s the end of jondaemal.”

And just when you think it’s over, Dong-ryong’s dad busts in as the school representative with a (fake) prosecutor in tow to fight on Deok-sun’s behalf, and everyone shrinks back in embarrassment and Dad regrets having called him. This scene goes on way too long.

The point of it is, Mom hears Soo-kyung’s stomach growling and invites them over to eat dinner at their house, and Soo-kyung politely declines at first but Deok-sun tells her to hurry up and come over so they can eat.

Both Soo-kyung and her sister are grateful to have a home-cooked meal, and when Deok-sun asks Soo-kyung how she died her hair that color, Dad snaps that he’ll shave her head if she dyes it. Then he tells Soo-kyung to put her hair back the way it was and stop wearing makeup because he’s going to check on her once a week, and everyone is shocked when she complies readily.

Deok-sun asks why Soo-kyung likes her brother, and Soo-kyung says it’s because he’s the first person who ever told her not to smoke, and treated her normally after her parents died.

Jung-bong can’t sleep on the night before his surgery, and Mom tells him that there’s zero chance of things going wrong. He says that Mom is strong while he’s weak, and scared, and she has to force her tears back. She says that he’s strong because he endured much bigger surgeries: “That’s impressive. You’re a much stronger person than I am.”

She rushes out of the room before the tears come, and Jung-bong reaches over to tuck Jung-hwan in beside him before trying to get some sleep.

And out in the waiting room, Mom sits in front of the TV by herself, shoulders shaking softly as she cries. The doctor sees her on his way out, and at the sight of her tears, his cold exterior melts and he says all the things she’s been wanting to hear—that it’s an easy surgery and he’ll be done in less than an hour. Mom thanks him and just continues to cry, letting out all the tears she’s been holding back for days. Around the corner, Dad listens with tears in his eyes too.

In the morning, the family waits nervously in the hallway until the doctor comes out of surgery to say that everything went well, and that they won’t have to come back for another ten years to replace the pacemaker.

Jung-bong slowly opens his eyes, and Mom tells him that the surgery went well. She breaks down and cries that she’s sorry he was born unhealthy, like it’s her fault, and Dad holds her as he assures Jung-bong that everything is fine.

Hyung calls Jung-hwan’s name and asks something so softly that Jung-hwan has to lean in, and Hyung repeats, “Is your bloody nose okay?” Aw, you were worried about that? Jung-hwan’s eyes fill with tears and he grouses as he turns his back to cry in private.

Deok-sun narrates: “Words hold your heart, so words have a temperature too. The thing that makes this cold, malicious world a livable temperature isn’t famous wise sayings, but one warm word filled with your temperature.”

Deok-sun takes No-eul out for ddukbokki, and wipes his mouth and licks her fingers like a mom. She really does see him as a tiny child, which is doubly adorable because he looks twice her age.

No-eul wonders who stole Mom’s money and swears it wasn’t him, and Deok-sun goes through the possibilities, which of course only leaves Dad. Cut to: Dad stealing more bills out of Mom’s wallet in the middle of the night.

In 2015, Deok-sun gets up to answer the door when No-eul comes by, and ha, he still looks way older than everyone (adult No-eul is played by Woo Hyun).

He’s a 40-something ajusshi now, but still Deok-sun coos at him like he’s a baby, and when she sees that he injured his foot while playing baseball, she gets up and grabs her coat to go give the other guy a piece of her mind. Husband snarks that he’ll have to get surgery on that foot for sure.

No-eul whines that he’s not 17 anymore, but Deok-sun says he’ll always be a 17-year-old high-schooler in her eyes. That’s so cute. No-eul: “How come you never age, noona?” Deok-sun: “How come you just keep aging?” Husband: “He finally looks his age!”

 
COMMENTS

This was the first episode this season that felt especially long. Granted, they’re all ACTUALLY long, coming in at a whopping hour and thirty minutes each (guh), but I’ve found that the writing has adapted to the length and the episodes are usually filled with enough story to feel less like they’re stretched thin. I liked the main story in this episode just fine, but there were scenes that went on too long, and today I grew tired of Deok-sun’s parents arguing over and over when I wanted to spend more time on the other characters. We did get some great moments, so it’s not like I didn’t like the episode, but it lagged a little more than usual.

I was scared that Jung-bong would die, mostly because everyone kept insisting that it was no big deal and he’d be fine, and the more they said it, the more I grew suspicious of getting the rug pulled out from under me. Truthfully Jung-hwan’s bloody nose freaked me out more (I just love him too much, okay?), but that was the kicker, when Hyung woke up after being so freaked out over his own surgery, and the first thing he does is voice concern for Little Bro. I spent the episode thinking it would be about Jung-hwan coming through for his brother, but it was actually more about Jung-bong being a big brother and taking care of him, even when he’s the sick one. His illness finally explains why his parents are so lenient with him when it comes to college and his myriad of weird hobbies, because I’d wondered until now why they’re so indulgent with him. Mom’s tearful outburst in the end was obvious but no less heartbreaking, because she’s the type of character who hides all her emotions under her tough façade and prickly words. Jung-hwan clearly gets his personality from her, but even though he and Mom are prickly and Dad and Hyung are weird, they’re all so warm and squishy on the inside.

Deok-sun’s fierce love for her little brother was my favorite thing in the whole episode—she’s so immature on most days, and I loved seeing her protective side come out when someone messes with No-eul. We’ve mostly seen her complain about her siblings or feel like she always got the short end of the stick at home, but the way her eyes changed when someone made her brother cry? That was priceless. And the way she babies him is just the icing on the cake, because he looks like he could be her uncle. It’s just nice to see Deok-sun taking charge and being a noona, because that’s an important part of her identity too, even though I get why on most days, Bora out-noonas her and she’s in little sister mode. It also explains why Deok-sun sometimes treats Taek like a little brother (which he doesn’t seem to like very much), because she’s a noona at home and it comes naturally to her.

Bora obviously sees all the boys on the street as her little brothers, which is the obstacle that Sun-woo is desperate to overcome. But I see now that he’s not just blinded by his crush—she was there for him in a formative moment when he lost his father, and is as warm on the inside as Jung-hwan’s mother or Taek’s father. She’s just not very expressive and keeps everything bottled up inside. The way she reacted to her best friend and boyfriend’s betrayal actually helped me identify with her a great deal, because she was obviously heartbroken—she just also wasn’t about to break down in tears in front of them. That kind of stubborn pride feels genuine, and Sun-woo was right about her actually being a good person underneath it all. I think he’s already on his way to getting her to see him as something more than a pipsqueak little brother, especially if he keeps being there for her in her moments of need.

 
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I hope Jung Hwan is the future hubby, or he would be more chilbong than the chilbong himself.

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"...he would be more chilbong than the chilbing himself," LMFAO.

I swear if he isn't the husband, the writers are really... something. It would really ruin this drama for me tbh. With how the husband acts and how future DeokSun is with him, it just can't be anyone but Junghwan.

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“…he would be more chilbong than the chilbong himself,” my thought, exactly.

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More chilbong than chilbong himself...lol...

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haha, spot on

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What if the husband was Dongryong? HAHAHA

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AHA I thought the same too! Chances are unlikely since we've seen so little of any romance between the them, but it's a possiblity lololol

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LOL that would be epic, TAEK and JUNGHWAN will be chilbonged, and the unlikely Dong-ryeong will be the husband. I'd give a 10% possibility on that

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Dongryong is kind of my spirit animal. I love that dude.

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totally LOL esp when the husband in present time said he couldn't speak to no-eul informally for a long time....

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HAHAHA. Where is the like button??? Haha.

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Man the comedy of Deok Sun fetching Taekie at the Baduk center and then sending him running...

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if only Taekie was end game ... *sigh* He would be the most original male lead in a k-drama ever. Alas, I've divined the k-drama stars, and all the plot points direct away from Taek-ah.

Jung Hwan is a darling, and I find him pretty sexy, but you can't really argue that he's all that different from, say, Yoon Jae from AM 1997 or a lot of other 'tsundere' romantic heroes (cold exterior, gruff vocabulary, but not-so-secretly gooey on the inside). If I were new to kdramas/mangas/ya novels, I'd be in love and furiously rooting for Jung Hwan for sure.

But as it is, (and maybe it's because PBG is acting so well), Taekie is becoming my fav.

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Exact words I've been afraid to say.. slow claps

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Thank you for saying what I was thinking!

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I have to agree on this. JungHwan is adorable, but he's the typical Kdrama lead. It's just that Ryu JunYeol is so freaking great. I can def see him as the husband, especially the way adult DukSeon acts around him.

But just like you, Taek is my fave, and i'm ready to get my heart broken for him. /sighs

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Second that... And i'm just feeling a little sad for taekie...

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Love this franchise!!! Thank you staff and everyone who works in it!

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The production team and the writers are so great. Make me want to see SJS and SMA in something this great rather than Oh, My Venus.

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Taek!!

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Taekie.... Sisters united! Taek.... Taek... Taekiya...

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taekie taekie taekie!! Movie date with Deok Sun, in the preview, Taek's dad states that Taek like Deok Sun. em....but I still like Taek more, don't know why, I think it's his puppy eyes and boyish smile. hehehe

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I saw the previews and I know they like to fake us out but the last part when Dukseon walks into the room saying Taekah~ and looks shocked could be her walking in on something between Taek and a fan girl. That would be the shows way of taking him out of the running to be the husband. Just because he's nice to her doesn't mean he has a crush, it could all be a misdirect like with Sunwoo. Although I like Taek and Dukseon together I don't think thats the end game. It will break my heart a little if she walks in the room and sees him flirting with the fan club president. Remember he said they are close.

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My fav moment in this ep is when Taek comes out of the Baduk Center, and everyone bows to him, wipes their hands before they dare shake his, can't do enough for him to show their awe and respect, when heas all stone faced; Then comes DS who orders him around and yells commands at him like he's a dog. He complies with the biggest smile on his face. LMAO.

Now we get why SW has fallen for Bora. It's understandable.

The rest of the ep does feel long in places, e.g. the police station scene, and the hospital scene. For how much the latter drags on, I really was afraid that hyung would die! Pfft!

So happy he is okay tho. I've grown fond of him and his weird hobbies. I wouldn't be surprised if he hits it big again with his stamp collection 1 day! Hyung, fighting!

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I've always thought Jung Bong to be a bit weird and childish for his age and I've wondered if he is sick or something...aaaand I was right. lol

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Yes yes and yess. That scene was way too cute!!

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I haven't even watched these episodes yet, but I spoiled myself worried about something happening to Jung Bong Hyung. He's such an endearing character. I love his weird hobbies. I always felt for him for being sort of left out as the one forever failing college entrance exams but I'm glad to know why people give him such an easy pass too.

I'm glad we got more of Bora Unni too and why Sun Woo likes her. Reminds me of the drama Foxy Lady with Chun Jung-Myung a little. This is going to be a cute second pairing to watch at least.

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What's up with the post not being available although it was posted and appears on the home page? O__o This is the second or third time it has happened, all with this drama (well, it might be happening with others, but to be honest 1988 the only one I'm constantly refreshing DB for :P). Weird.

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that happened to me also

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Oh, my 2nd fav moment in this ep is DS making faces on the glass in the phone booth! That girl!! Hahaha.

My fav girl in this show at this pt is still Jin Joo. The little girl has my heart on a string. Curious how she'll grow up to be.

I miss my fav couple: Hyung w DS's bro. They sure were sweet together in the previous ep. ?

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Taek is soooo adorable in this episode I can't even

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When he smiles I just want to give him a cookie and a warm glass of milk.

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...and hug him..

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not just one cookie. he looks thinner now...

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and squish him...

and cuddle up with him on a cold night...

and cuddle up with him on any night....

XD

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Hahaha. Youuu!! Well, even the boys loves to cuddle with him!! :p

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actually I wonder if Taek finished high school? Looks like he is one of those child geniuses who is excluded from the real world, maybe Taek is autistic, hence taking in the meds?

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@Yanange

Taek was pulled out of high school, or finished it early (the more likely explanation).

He's definitely not autistic, but from his mannerisms one can argue he has a mild form of high-functioning Asperger's, which would explain why he's so monolithically focused on Baduk but seems helpless at everything else.

As for the meds ... looks at eastern medicine to me. I took similar stuff when I had to pull several all nighters in a row during college finals. That stuff comes in packs that you dissolve in hot water to make a tea-like drink. I probably consumed just as much as Taek in those days, so I'm hoping our baby will be all right (fingers crossed).

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Yes, it is. But a distinction is frequently made between Asperger's vs straight up autism. I've known people who are autistic and I've a good friend with Asperger's ... the latter is socially awkward and doesn't like strangers, but is ridiculously smart and kind to his friends (I also love driving around with him ... dude has a near eidetic memory and can draw out all the freeways in california on a blank sheet of paper). The same could not be said for many who suffer from the deeper end of the autistic spectrum.

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@Yvian @Yanange

Taek did not finish high school. In ep3 Junghwan told Taek that 'This is why I told you to continue to attend high school. It sounds bad with only a middle school certificate'.

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and put him in bed and cover him with a blanket xD I might stay with him all night until he falls to sleep.....

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I can see that Taek has induced the motherhood in all of us :) He makes me feel wanna do all the things above too. Not the kind where I get all giddy and thinks the guy is sexy, but the kind where I get all gooey and wanna cuddle and protect him always.

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Yeah, not a huge fan of Deok-Sun's parents fighting. I thought we had that issue settled. This episode did feel slightly fillerish, but still good.

I love all the sibling relationships. I'm still waiting for my Bora/DS moments, but I do love seeing another side of Deok-Sun and her love for her little brother. It's so true though. You can dislike your siblings at home all you want, and hit them and make them cry, but if someone else does it... that doesn't fly. And Adult No-eul cracked me up seriously.

Taek and Deok-Sun are just so cuute together, and they both just really like each other. It's not romantic, but Junghwan and her aren't either right now. I know he's not the husband, but I wouldn't really be opposed to Taek and DS dating. Who says you have to marry the first person you date. Taek really needs his normal friends to treat him like a regular person. Though I am looking forward to him growing up and have his friend treat him like an adult.

I really do worry about what Junghwan will do when he figures out Taek likes her. It seems like his reaction won't be the same as Sun Woo. He's a lot softer on Taek and they protective of him. I fear he's going to ignore his feelings and let Taek try to win over DS with no fight.

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"You can dislike your siblings at home all you want, and hit them and make them cry, but if someone else does it… that doesn’t fly."

THIS IS SO TRUE! I testify to it! LOL

OMG, not again with the noble idiocy. But I don't think they'll go there. Hope I'm not wrong.

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dude I smell noble idiocy from 100 miles away.

which sucks, because Taekie deserves much more from the story than 'puppy who triggers a case of noble idiocy from Jung Hwan'.

But, I mean, look at the set up:

- Taekie has sad backstory, and seems so fragile most of the time
- the four other neighborhood friends adore, treasure, and protect him. In some ways, they are all surrogate mama bears. Look at Sunwoo cuddling with him. Look at Dongryong buttoning up his shirt. Look at Deoksun holding his hand all the time. Look at Junghwan wiping a stain from Taekie's face with his own spit.

so, soon as it becomes clear to everybody that Taek really likes Deok Sun, Jung Hwan will back away and date other girls. (Present day husband, a.k.a. Jung Hwan was accused of dating numerous girls before ending up with DS ... so yeah...)

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Yes, Taek does deserve more than than to be treated like a child or someone they need to feel sorry for. His friends shouldn't see him like that. It would be awesome if Junghwan just laid it out to Taek and they both had a "may the best man win" type of thing and no nobody idiocy on either side. But I fear that won't be the case. All male leads in the Reply series have gone down this path before.

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Well I guess it's not totally noble idiocy since Deok Sun doesn't have any romantic feelings towards him yet (since in most noble idiocy cases is when the couple are almost going to be together or already together when one side backs out due to circumstances), but I guess he would probably back down and not express his feelings until her relationship with Taek (if that happens) ends.

But I guess looking at him, it doesn't seem like he will be confessing anytime soon anyways, so it'll probably be just a delay if he finds out Taek's feelings.

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In my opinion, I don't really think it's noble idiocy? I mean, look at The Heirs (I know this is a bad reference but bear with me please :D) the whole 'let the best man win' turn out badly didn't it? Young Do did not even get any bit of chance at all, and that's not fair since Eun Sang is already keen on that idiot Kim Tan (BTW #TEAMYOUNGDO) I think it's kind of nice if Jung Hwan decides to give up on his feelings because of Taek. Shows that he actually cares about Taek, and since Duk Seon isnt showing any signs that she's starting to like him (YET), I think he's gonna give up for a bit. Which is cute cause if you think about it, he's going to be more awkward with Duk Seon after he gives up on his feelings (OH WELL WE ALL KNOW HOW THAT BOY IS) and we get to see how Duk Seon starts to realize there's something wrong with Jung Hwan (hopefully we get to see Duk Seon develop feelings towards Jung Hwan too).

No matter who wins, this season we're tougher than ever (Chilbong thank you). And let's have fun watching 1988!! #ALWAYSTEAMJUNGHWAN

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Ugh, I'll be right back. Just gonna say thank you to my older sister. This is why I love this show so much. Despite the fact this was set more than 20 years ago, it never fails to make me realize the important things in life, like friendships, family, and love. I hope this show keeps up the wonderful work, hwaiting!

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i Taek is very cute,,,but im cheer up for Jung Hwan ❤

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Team JH... praying JH's not the Chilbongie in this series.

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I hope so too. 'Cause you know, husband's attitude kinda resembles JH. All the side comments he's saying are connected to 1988 JH. If he isn't, man I'll give them a troll award!

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aww Taek shii you are very cute,,,but sorry,im cheer up for Jung Hwan lol ❤

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I swear to god if any one else in this drama gets sick (im looking at you, Jungwhan and Taekkie) I am gonna cry and cry and cry some more because I love every character a little bit too much.

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Wonho PD nin has said in an interview that he hates killing of characters. Which is why he always had them already dead before the show or if characters do die they're always minor ones like dad's friend in 94 and granny in 88. He doesn't like giving the audience an emotional connection and then killing them off. Rest assured no one in the current families will die in the past, and even if some of the parents have died by 2015 the show wouldn't show it to avoid grief. They'd probably just mention it in passing. Although I believe they wouldn't kill of even one parent :)

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*nim *off

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I have a feeling that with Taek it's just something like a migraine - dude never sleeps and stuff..
I keep thinking that JH just has a nosebleed whenever he's stressed or worried about something. This is how I make sense of everything :D

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I think it is something to do with anxiety and emotional stability rather than a clinical problem, but nevertheless, if he has to take pills for psychological reasons, they must be pretty bad.

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Yeah, it's a migraine or stress. Notice he sleeps totally fine around his friends. He's at ease and happiest around them so he can just relax and sleep.

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The recaps keep my alive until Mondays...

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I hope Junghwan stays ok. I will cry buckets if he's actually sick.

(P.S. I related to this episode so much. I hate, hate, HATE when my mom has to get anything done to her pacemaker. Even though it's not a big risk, it's her heart and they're messing with the thing that keeps it beating and that's terrifying. She doesn't look sick, but once of her most important organs has to be controlled with a machine and it's scary. She had a congenital condition but it wasn't discovered until her heart stopped when she was 48. This episode brought back the feeling of waiting for her permanent pacemaker to be installed while she was walking around cheerfully in the hospital carrying the temporary external one.)

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Praying your mom would have more healthy years to come!!! Thank heavens for science and technology!!

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Thanks! Technology is pretty awesome. She would have died without it but she's even running marathons these days.

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I totally agree with GF about some scenes in the episode being unnecessarily long and for me it felt like it was simply a filler. But Jung Hwan's family had me at the edge of my seat. I was so nervous about Jung Hwan's bloody nose being more serious than they implied.

This franchise sure has a knack of making me suspicious of the characters' fate and future.

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I agree @Mariana. If Junghwan is not the husband "Chilbong" is no longer the vocabulary. I have been Junghwan-ed shall be the new word.

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LMAO

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I liked the police station scene. Thought it was hilarious. I think they spent that much time on that scene because Noeul's girlfriend is most likely going to be a recurring character. Great episode for me, although i can understand that many people would've wanted more romantic developments. :)

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Me too! Love the police scene.

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Omo - what the hell is up with Teuk's dad in the preview????

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Taek's smile is lovee <3

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My spidey senses are telling me that the husband is Junghwan. I mean the personality of the husband just doesn't fit Taek at all. Taek is nice, sweet and downright adorable. But the main reason I think the husband is Junghwan is because their hair is similar.

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very original.

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Especially the clues the husband's been saying, like he knows that DS was rejected by SW on the first day of snow on 88, that DS keeps sending postcards to the radio show before, the chocolate DS never gave him.

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Yeah, the hair for sure. They even look alike and has the same grumpycat expression when Deosk Sun is dancing

I looooove Taek... But am not even going to hope for one second that he could be the hubby. Narratively it makes no sense.

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If Taekie does date Deok Sun at some point in the show, all I can hope for is that it helps him more than it'll eventually hurt him.... :((((

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That clue about old husband knowing that DS got rejected by SunWoo, it can be JH told that to the boys (their close relationship that likes to always tease DS) and I more thing is that what if DR also hears it since he and JH will be the only one who may hear it (LOL). Troll writers I will not fall for it by not but my gut feel is more on JH being the husband

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Am I the only one who has seen the preview for next week and is super worried?! Is someone going to die?!

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I am more curious about what deuk Sun SAW when she goes to look for Taek and opens the door (as much as I understand) what is it? a pretty sunbae? The president of the country? umm... what else

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Taek holding a sign that reads "Deok sun ah, will you be my girlfriend?" ?

Oh right, that's probably in another drama...

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or just someone shirtless... or aliens this needs a gif

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maybe she saw taek with another girl...

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maybe DS saw Taek reading that racy novel all other boys were reading before. Maybe all the other boys on the street thought Taek needed to grow up. hehe

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I think Sobangcha? She had a sobangcha picture on her study desk when she tried to study.

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what was that again?

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Taek being accosted by a baduk saesang fan wearing only a bikini made of baduk stones. lol

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Aaand you score gold!

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I also felt that it was particularly long but I thought that just has something to do with my laggy stream last night. But I loved it nevertheless especially with the over-all theme that went around this episode. I really love how this series is straight to the point but is still quite subtle in themes that it wants to explore. And it adds so much more impact by the end of each episode since the experiences go all around the different characters. I love their own expressions of care, may it be direct or indirect, subtle or overbearing. I'm still even more amazed because the family is never lost underneath the romance. The romance too is never lost under the family. Everything just hits home and the rating viewership is definitely worth it.

You've said pretty much everything I wanted to say, GF. But I'd just like to commend Deok-sun in this episode for being so awesome a noona to No-eul (and noona-like to Taek, as well). Hyeri is definitely growing on me as she makes Deok-sun totally loveable and worth cheering for. Jung-hwan also got me again this episode especially with his subtle ways of reassuring Hyung with his worries. He's really like his Mom in that it's difficult for him to drop his cool-guy facade, which makes him extra endearing (If those nosebleed make another reappearance, I WILL freak out). Last, Sun-woo. I love the dedication of this guy. I have no more words other than he is the best oppa ever, to Jin-joo and to his future girlfriend (even if she's possibly the noona for him). As always, thank you for the recaps that quench our thirst every week. At this point in 1988, I'm just prepared to get to wherever it takes me.

P. S. Also in connection with the post earlier about Jung-hwan possibly not putting up a fight once he knew Taek likes Deok-sun, that's very likely, but I hope it doesn't because that will double the heartache on both sides. I just wish that this does not turn to an ego battle to win the girl like in the previous installment. I'd be very much endeared if what they did is just have the boys do their own thing to win Deok-sun's heart and accept her decision w/o putting up tension unto the other... if that's possible haha

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did anyone else go "Oh bloody s*** when Kim Tae-Hoon walked into hyungs´ hospital room? I was so sure once THAT guy is there, it will be certain death. way to go ruining your credibility with just a few bad guys...no, more than a few though.
I wwatched raw and didnt understand much, but emotions spoke for themselves.

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ya I totally did! Plus he was kinda mean in the beginning!

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junghwan constant nose bleeding is freaking me out???so concerned that I googled the consequences or reason for frequent nose bleeding which includes high blood pressure, bleeding disorder, nose clotting disorder , Cancer and other illness ) u can't have anyone of these not even a minor one. Love his character to the core? well ❤️ every one inside this drama

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blood vessels in the nose are the thinnest in the whole body, and any kind of infection, stress, inflammation, cold etc can make it bleed. even sleeping on your face. my Mom has had nose bleeds practically every night, she always keeps tissues around. dry air can also make a nose bleed, I´ve had that a couple of times in the museum, where the air is so dry you feel like you are turning into a concrete pole.

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My brother used to get nose bleeds all the time - it's normal...they eventually cauterized it. Now he doesn't get nose bleeds anymore. But in this episode I think it was symbolizing how nervous he was about the procedure for his brother.

(Cauterize: burn the skin or flesh with a heated instrument or caustic substance, typically to stop bleeding or prevent the wound from becoming infected)

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same with my sister, it's the dry weather which causes the blood to flow excessively hence the bleeding. but she also cauterised it and the condition improved a lot.

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Noeul's girlfriend and her sister were highlights for me. The police scene was definitely too long, I skipped over the dads. But I still loved the characters - she's the from Hogu's Love! She was excellent there, excellent here. Both really gorgeous omg. I know a lot of people could read the tone wrong (what's wrong with dyed hair?) but the whole 'nallalee' thing was a legit problem, especially because a lot of them were chosen from a high school age to get into the local gangs. The desire for a father I felt came out too strong in those two scenes, with her accepting what the dad said straight away, but I hope she becomes a fixture and we see that relationship grow.

Also: bora telling him she hates getting wet! The reason why he's particularly careful to shield her with umbrellas every time! :3 I loved the scenes with them, and also how he forthrightly said he doesn't like how she snaps at people either. He's not blind or an idiot, but he can see past the prickles (which we've seen from 2015 have generally faded).

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OMG thank you thank you thank you!! I kept looking at her and never figured out where I knew her from. That's such an annoying feeling :D Anyways. I like No-eul's gf too.. She seems sweet :)

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YES YES OMG THANK YOU.

I was like "if it's not in the Dramabeans recap or the comments, I can probably kiss any chance of finding it out goodbye."

I LOVE that actress though! Hoping she gets more roles in great dramas. :-)

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Oh! And! The extra 'clue' of DS's husband saying it took him ages to speak 'lower' to his brother in law. Am I right in thinking that's them trying to throw in another screw, because if it was Taek that would perhaps be a larger problem? (JH is older than NE so it would just be a problem of talking to him as family rather than a dongsaeng, but Taek is younger than them too right.)

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No, maybe I should've clarified that. That was a joke about No-eul looking old. Both Jung-hwan and Taek are the same age anyway. The five friends are all born in the same year.

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let children dream, girlfiday. let them dream.

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*laughing so much*

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@sereena yes his hair and Skin tone

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So THAT was what Hyung was saying to Jung hwan after the surgery! "Is your bloody nose okay?" My eyes were full when I watched that scene, and now... ;_;

I am among those, probably the minority, who doesn't really mind the long duration, but we haven't been given much on Dong-ryong and wished that this episode had showed us more about him and his family instead of, say, the long scene at the police station. But there will probably be an episode about DR soon anyway, so all is still good with me :-)

How cute is Taek at the training center? And when DS pats his head, calling herself noona, and Jung hwan when he wipes Taek's mouth like a mommy. But my most favorite is Taek's reaction when he opened his door and saw DS's crazy dancing! LOL! Priceless! He seemed genuinely scared for a moment! Ahahaha! But then his wide smile afterwards...eeeeeeeee I rewound that scene for I don't know how many times LOL!

Did I already mentioned that I love every characters here? No? Well I do. To the point that I don't care who ends up with whom, as long as everyone's healthy and happy :-D

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Second to that!! I just want everyone happy too :)

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Omo! So the girl playing No-eul's girlfriend is Lee Soo-kyung? I thought it's just a look-alike. I hope she's a recurring character. I really liked her prickly self in Ho-gu's Love, and am sure that she won't be short of awesome here yay!

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I know I'm minority but I am so shipping the Taek-DS couple after this episode and the preview of him smiling is too cute to ignore. Pls don't break his heart.

I think JH is stronger and can easily get over his crush for DS but not Taek. He needs a light bulb like DS to be his partner.

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But he kinda needs to get his heart broken to grow up lol. I got my heart broken only once (at least I only consider that one time as being heart broken) but it was such a great learning experience about love and how to get yourself back up after. The first heartbreak always feels like you'll never get back up, but after some time passes you just suddenly wake up and realize that the pain is gone and that you've already adjusted to your current status. From then on I started dealing with painful situations better, because I knew that no matter how much I wanted to wallow in hurt and self-pity, time would pass, pain would fade and a new day would always come. Mazeltov lol

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+1 to this!

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"I think JH is stronger and can easily get over his crush for DS but not Taek."

First of all: LOL. Second of all: WHAT. I love Taek, but I don't think he should be baby-ed for the rest of his life. He needs to experience a lot of things to get out there in the world. And if heartbreak is a means to break him out of his baduk shell, then why not?

I just don't think we can set aside Jung-hwan and his feelings because he's supposedly strong enough to handle getting over his crush. That dude's feeling is growing every day, and I don't think it's fair to give that up because the other guy is "weak" enough to go through a possible rejection. I'm pretty sure the show will let Taek experience all that hurt because that should be the realization of his character.

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I am shipping Taek-DS. I always feel though the writers makes the husband the person that is later to confess. See Chilbongie and the 1997 old bro confessing first, (sorry forgot older bro's name) In the preview, Taek's dad declares his son like DS, so I semi feel like Taek's chance to become the hubby to be slimmer now. JH's chances are higher now. But that being said, I still have a major soft spot for my Taekie!!

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I ship both couples. DS doesn't seem either one as men, so they can both work hard to win her over. I like both guys equally and I like DS, so I'm not settling. I want to see which guy now does the best and who she ends up caring for. I know we know who she most likely marries, but I want to see if before I decide to ship it.

I don't think either girl needs her anymore than she "needs" them to date. They'd all get over it and move on eventually if it didn't work out.

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this episode was really beautiful. i am worried about junghwan now too i hope he's ok.. i'll admit that i did like getting to know bora more this episode but although im happy the drama is focusing on so many other things apart from the main romance, my worry is that the main romance is taking too much of a back seat at this point. with an episode as long as this, that really is taking the mick. like im practically thirsting for any deoksun romantic scenes at this point.

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oh and i freaking knew i recognised the boyfriend and i searched him up and realised he's was one of my faves from bleak night omg!!

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I just love this drama and its no joke.even outs oh my venus.gosh have to wait for another week. Now I get ot why hyung drop his brick,or what is that thing he's holding when he enter the bathroom and saw jung pal noosebleed while washing his face.please don't be something dangerous for him. Now I'm tor because taek become cuter and cuter that already my heart afraid that if he does like dok sun. I want him with dok sun but jung hwan also so swoon. Oh my torn heart. The family story also so much love.much more than the previous francise. Now I want to be selfish and want another one after this one end. Big wish

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Yeah. I totally agree with the previous comment from @ lemondoodle.
Junghwan really takes care of Taekie (and so does everyone). And one day when he will have found out taek's romantic feeling for Deoksun, i think he will be the one who give-up-for-good in the beginning. He will let taek develop his romantic feeling for deoksun and he will just bury his own feeling. But it wont stay long i guess LOL (bcs typical of kdrama is full of twist and rivalry).
i'm just cannot wait for that moment to come! *crossfingers*

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I actually had to stop myself from hugging my screen when junghwan showed tears in his eyes. Lol Kim Joohyuk has convinced me even more that Junghwan is the husband. They say he doesn't know which 88 character he's basing his acting on, but I think they were just directed to not say anything that would be the spoiler-of-all-spoilers. First of all, he looks like Junghwan. i actually was surprised when someone told me that the actor is kim joo hyuk, because he for real does not look like that in 1n2d. Styling and casting was on point for adult Junghwan, he had the hair, the coloring and the look. But aside from that he has all the verbal cues down which would make it impossible for me to think he was anyone else. I even watched separate scenes of 88 Junghwan, Taek and Sunwoo and compared it with the husband's speech pattern in this episode. Kim Joohyuk obviously based his character on Junghwan/Joonyeol (Joonyeol actually speaks like Junghwan in real life). It was like seeing an older Joonyeol. Taek sounds just like how Bogum does in all his roles and even in real life so this older character would not only look nothing like Kim Joohyuk (different actor would have been cast), he should speak like Park Bogum. It's like how Park Boyoung studied Kim Seulgi and nailed her on Oh My Ghostess.

On the same note, the comedic actor for older Noeul also did well in copying Noeul's key points which were those droopy eyes LOL and his baby-like speech pattern... However, Lee Miyeon doesn't strike me as Deoksun yet. Even the last scene was weird to me. She's that way with Taek but not with Noeul. She's a loyal sister as evidenced by how she took down the GF, but she doesn't baby him that way... In fact the siblings' dynamics in her family is all about bickering and teasing each other. I think Lee Miyeon was cast as Deoksun mainly because of her popularity in real life during 88, so it brings in some good meta.

Not too worried about next episode, the Reply series always stay light and stay away from makjang elements. Only the teasers are makjang for the troll factor lol

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At just one glance, you can say that the hubby is Jung Hwan, the hair, the way he moves and his way of talking is very Jung Hwan. But with the series history of confusing the viewers, I can't help but to think that it could be Dong-ryong minus the eyeglasses. The hair is somewhat similar to Dong-ryong too. Among the four male friends, he is the only one without any hint of love line with the female lead and the 2015 Dae-sun said she never thought that her husband will be that person. Just sayin'

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Deoksun never thought any of them would be her husband. I don't imagine any of my childhood friends would be my husband either, I mean they kinda know too much of my embarrassing history... And I've heard them talk about their girlfriends in embarrassing ways, and I've also wanted to smack them a bit when they treated girls badly while growing up so I've always sweared I would never see them as good BF material lol

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omg girl you living deoksuns life urgh. i so wish i had male childhood friends and fell in love with one. i know it has its flaws because you would lose a best friend if things didn't work out but heck let me romanticize it a little longer.

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Thank you girlfriday. Your recap made my day ?

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Finally caught up (aside from these 2 eps) and have to say that any concern of the "Answer Me/Reply Series" being played out were overblown.

The strength of the series has always been the writing revolving around the daily interactions btwn family and friends and as long as the writers can keep up (if not surpass) the standard, then this series can keep going w/ different times and characters (yes, sometimes the whole "husband-hunting" has gotten dragged out, but here, it's more first crushes/loves and the like).

What each of the series have had is "heart."

At this juncture, not sure if this "gang" will surpass the gang from 1994 (which I prefer over 1997), but could very well do so.

Finally starting to stop seeing Kim Sung-kyun as Samcheonpo; while the character of the father is interesting, prefer the old-looking university student.

Ryu Jun-yeol was a familiar face even tho this was the 1st time I have seen him act in film/TV.

Starred in the MV for the Clazziquai song - "Still I'm By Your Side) - great song and video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlAMgpfgQQE

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That braces....

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Did you see how the 40-something Noeul is wearing every other color of the Olympic Rings except 'Green'.....Ahem.... Jung Hwang .......

And, with Taek smiling ear to ear and Jung Hwan being an adorable goofball, how is my heart going take all the cuteness ...... I LOVE this showwwwww!!!!!!

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*Jung Hwan*

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Junghwan only pretends he's strong... I think he needs the gang, Deokseon, his parents and his hyung more than anyone...

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Taek's smile as Deok Sun reeled him in with her imaginary lasso just killed me.

I think I will be happy if she ends up with either of our boys!

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Basically, whenever Taek smiles at Deok Sun I'm a goner.

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^truth

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Teakieeeeee

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Regarding the nosebleeds ; maybe it will be used to get JH out of military duty. As a world champion in baduk, I think Taek will also get an exemption. We shall see soon...

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Everybody treat Taek like he is still a child. But i have a feeling that he not that childish and week as boy. He guite and reserved yes, but not week and toughless. When he know that Jung Hwan liked Deok Sun, it's possible that he is the one who give up his feeling and ack more adult than JH and DS. I feel he is someone who silently give his best in his way to love peoples around him.
Just my own opinion.

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*weak, *quite, *knew,

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Quiet not quite

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oh yeah of course

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Same here, I don't think he's weak or child-like, he's just absent-minded. It takes a whole lot of will power, dedication, focus and concentration, not to mention confidence, to be where he is now, he's a world-champion FGS. I think if he could take even 5% of what he gives to baduk to his life, he'd be epic. Not that he isn't already.

I still maintain, if he set his sights on DS like he does to baduk, girl wouldn't have a chance. LOL.

Besides, I'm seeing him look and act more manly in every season, he speaks more, and he tries to connect more.

I am worried about his headaches though. And the amount of medicine he takes. As I suffer from migraines I sympathize.

BTW. How awesome is it that DR is like the wisest of them all, about parents and about girls, he's like where the others come to for advice. He's certainly the more stable one, I think.

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I love the wisdom of Dong Ryong. He reads people sooo well! He seems to have an innate ability to decipher meaning behind actions. (or he has picked it up from reading books.) Either way he's a wise soul.

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@redfox
LOL thankyou very much for your correction...?

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You know what I love about this episode? It's because we got all the answers to the questions I read on the comments of last episode.

For ex: Like did DS and Taek got their movie date? Or did Taek finally gave DS the mittens? Or why SW likes Bo-ra? Why JH's parents are so lenient towards the eldest brother?

I just laughed as I watched the answers popping up on the screen, it's as if the writer anticipated our questions.

As well as about brothers, this episode was also about other people's perception of the characters. Like Bora isn't as heartless as she looks, or that JH's mom is as strong or chevalier about hyung's operation.

How Neol's girlfriend is not just some bad girl. How Taek is not just a gifted baduk player, or that Deok-Sun is just a childish and silly girl, she's a big sister that is fierce about protecting her bro.

I can't take Taek smiling at Deok Sun and I adore how DS can be so sweet around Taek.

And JungHwan is the cutest thing on Earth and his relationship about his bro is adorable. Remember when the friends were competing for the pizza and DR mentioned JH's sad story was that his brother is JR and JH says that he likes his brother? I'm happy that we get a similar scene in this episode, when bro asks JH about his nosebleeds.

I smiled, I laughed, I flail and I cried. So far, this show is perfect. And come on guys, let's not fight in the comments.

So excited about the previews!!!

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Me in every episode. "I smiled, I laughed, I flail and I cried."

I'm so inlove with this show, that I stopped watching other ongoing dramas. With reply 1988, I watch it on live stream, DL and watch it in raw, read recaps from GF, then patiently wait for the subs. LOL.

How obsessed can I be? LOL

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SAME.

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SAME SAME.

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Still in agony waiting for subs.

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@Julia
I think the level of "fighting" between shippers for this installment is way lower than the previous ones. From what I've seen so far, a lot of viewers who wants or guesses that JH is the husband also loves Taek, and the other way around, so... I guess we're good :-D

@tata
"I’m so inlove with this show, that I stopped watching other ongoing dramas. With reply 1988, I watch it on live stream, DL and watch it in raw, read recaps from GF, then patiently wait for the subs. LOL." --> This is me also :-)

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Regarding JH's "sad story" being hyung, think that JH and most of us took it as a parallel to DS and her rather volatile relationship w/ unnie, but w/ this ep clarifying things, seems to be that it was thrown out in the context of those w/ the sad story being a deceased parent - that JR as a brother was a sad story due to his heart condition.

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I can't tell how much i love this ensemble. I really dont' care anymore about DS's hubby. They're playing the old ploy. Its not fun anymore. I rather watch the entire street interactions.

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Oh I love Taek and defiantly don't want him to cry. But the same goes for Jung-hwan. It doesn't feel like the husband is the main focus which I am loving and I think 1994 got wrong they started primarily focusing on the husband question and lost some of that interaction. That being said why are the episodes so long? Oh and just on the husband's interaction with with Deok - sun I believe it is Jung -hwan who else could it be?

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Been in a kdrama hiatus for three months and this one got me back in. Gahhh I adore the relationships in this drama. I feel like each episode I'm shedding a tear because it's heartwarming and also sad at times. So far my fave among the Reply series...Thank you GF for the recaps. It's helping a lot of us here since the subs come wayyyy too late. Sigh.

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