104

Entertainer: Episode 4

Ha-neul sinks into a depression, ready to abandon his dream if it will protect those he cares about. But they don’t necessarily want to be protected, not if it means watching Ha-neul give up the thing he lives for. Seok-ho decides to take action and get to the bottom of Ha-neul’s problem, but he may not be ready for the secrets he unearths.

 
EPISODE 4 RECAP

Ha-neul decides that he doesn’t want to endanger his new friends with his past and quits the band, leaving Seok-ho a Nirvana CD and a familiar box of caramels. These clues tell Seok-ho exactly who this kid is — the younger brother of Sung-hyun, a young musician he used to know.

He visits Sung-hyun’s final resting place, tears streaming down his face. Ha-neul also cries as he takes the train back to Seoul, leaving his musical dreams behind.

Both of them think of Sung-hyun, who’d dreamed of being in his own band. He’d indulgently promised his little brother Ha-neul that he could be in the band too, and his friend Seok-ho volunteered to be their producer. Now Sung-hyun is gone, and Seok-ho reels at the knowledge that the Ha-neul he knows now is the same little boy he used to treat like his own brother.

He heads back to Busan and calls Geu-rin to meet him at the station. He tells her that Ha-neul has decided never to sing again, though they both know that singing is the only thing that makes him happy. With a faraway look in his eye, Seok-ho says that Ha-neul always hides his own feelings to protect others.

Seok-ho is here to learn more about Ha-neul, and by extension Geu-rin, his “noona” whom he now realizes must not be actually related to Ha-neul. They agree to meet later when they have more time to talk, but first Geu-rin wants to talk to Ha-neul about quitting the band.

Ha-neul just says that he decided being in the band wasn’t fun, but after all of his angst about doing it in the first place, Geu-rin doesn’t believe that for a second. She tells Ha-neul that she’s planning to be his manager, but he says that he’s already applied to shipbuilding school. Well, yuck.

He says he can still sing as a hobby, but Geu-rin’s heard him sing, and argues that it’s a waste. She tells him to apply to university in Seoul, but Ha-neul just barks, “I’m not going to Seoul,” and storms out. Geu-rin watches him go, and vows to make sure he sings.

As Seok-ho waits for Geu-rin, he can’t help but think of Sung-hyun and the last fight they had. We’re only shown Sung-hyun asking Seok-ho why he makes him so miserable, but by the betrayed looks on both of their faces, it was pretty bad.

Back at the Mango office, Kyle finds the lyrics that Ha-neul wrote for his song, and he calls Seok-ho, who tells him that Ha-neul quit the band. Kyle keeps up his grumpy attitude, but snaps that he’s coming down to Busan to help Seok-ho talk Ha-neul out of it.

Ha, then he has to call Seok-ho back to send him some money for the train, and Seok-ho is so broke he tells Kyle to take the bus. “Rookies are supposed to endure hardship!” Yeon-soo wants to go too, and when Kyle complains that he doesn’t like traveling with kids, he’s on the receiving end of their identical father-son glare/hiss again. So cute.

Kyle and Seok-ho are both grouchy, though for different reasons, as they wait for Ha-neul outside his probation home. His guardian tells them that Ha-neul doesn’t want to see them, though he asks what happened. Ha-neul was so excited for a while, and now he’s depressed.

He’s a nice man, and he even pleads their case to Ha-neul, who still flat refuses to see them. So they visit Geu-rin at her convenience store job (where Kyle stuffs his face with ramyun, complaining the whole time, hee), and Seok-ho decides that they just need to wait Ha-neul out — he’ll be released from the probation home in two days.

They pounce when Geu-rin offers to let them stay at her place until then, too broke for a motel, though they’re not quite so excited when they realize that means sharing a room. Seok-ho delivers a beatdown when Kyle suggests Seok-ho sleep in Geu-rin’s room.

Seok-ho goes outside for fresh air when he can’t sleep, and is soon joined by Geu-rin, who’s been trying unsuccessfully to reach Ha-neul. Seok-ho admits that Ha-neul gave him a hint as to who he really is, which is why he rushed down here today. She asks what he means, but he wants to talk to Ha-neul first.

Geu-rin asks Seok-ho for his promise to make Ha-neul a successful singer and not just scam him, but Seok-ho just gives her this searching stare. He pulls her close and says he has a confession to make — she’s right that he’s a scam artist. He did plan to scam Ha-neul at first, but now he says he’s changed. Looking confidently into Geu-rin’s eyes, Seok-ho promises to make Ha-neul a gem that the whole world will admire.

Seok-ho seems lighter after having unburdened himself, and wishes Geu-rin a good night. She’s a little dazzled by the intensity he was putting off, and literally has to shake it off.

In the morning, Geu-rin makes her own confession, telling Seok-ho that she went to KTOP because she thought she saw Ha-neul’s accuser there. Seok-ho asks her about Ha-neul’s conviction, and she tells him the whole story.

Ha-neul and Ji-young had had a hidden hideout, an empty house where Ji-young would practice to become an idol, even though she’d already failed several auditions. The night of the incident, Ha-neul (who had his own key) went there after dark to retrieve his mp3 player that he’d left behind, but the door was unlocked and slightly ajar.

He’d gone inside, worried that Ji-young might be in trouble, and had seen her being assaulted (… or not? It’s hard to tell) by a young man. Ha-neul had tried to pull the man off her, but someone had come up behind him and cracked him over the head, knocking him unconscious.

The police where there by the time he revived, and he was arrested. Seok-ho believes Geu-rin’s version of events, but points out all the inconsistencies in the story — who was the second person in the room with Ji-young? Wouldn’t Ha-neul have seen the attacker’s face? And isn’t it interesting that after many failed auditions, Ji-young is a trainee at KTOP now.

Geu-rin admits that Joo-han told her that Ji-young isn’t at KTOP, but she’s certain she saw her there. She asks Seok-ho for help finding her, since she’s the only one who can clear Ha-neul’s name. Seok-ho promises to look into it for her, seeming to relish having an excuse to confront Joo-han again, and leaves her and Kyle to convince Ha-neul to change his mind.

Before he heads back to Seoul, Seok-ho gives Geu-rin a box to deliver to Ha-neul, telling her to do it as dramatically as possible, since it could affect his decision to return to the band. His one rule is that she can’t open the box, or she’s fired as Ha-neul’s manager.

Kyle camps out on the steps outside the probation home and finally catches Ha-neul on his way back from school. He snarks that he still doesn’t know why he’s here to convince Ha-neul, even after thinking about it all day. But when Ha-neul shoos him off, Kyle says that maybe he’ll just trust him anyway.

Ha-neul growls that Kyle should just give up and go — otherwise they’ll all end up hurt because of him, just like Geu-rin and her bleeding hands from trying to clean the graffiti. Besides, he couldn’t sing with that much pressure, even if he tried.

Kyle calls that out for a giant pile of BS — it’s arrogance, not consideration. He gets angry, saying that he saw how talented Ha-neul is at their audition, and he’d thought that giving up Julliard had been the right decision. He repeats that he came all the way here to tell Ha-neul that he wants to trust him, and that it’s arrogant of Ha-neul to push them all away as if they have no say in what happens.

Mr. Jeong rants to Min-joo about his bad fortune lately — he lost the chance to produce a Jackson album, and now there are delays with the ballad singer he’s been roped into investing in. Min-joo breaks the news that it’s a band now, and Mr. Jeong just hangs his head, then accuses Min-joo of convincing Seok-ho to create the indie band she’s been wanting to promote.

Back in Seoul, Seok-ho confronts a former coworker, a man he knows from KTOP. The man grows noticeably nervous when Seok-ho mentions Ji-young, but he’s so scared of Seok-ho that he spills his guts. Apparently, Ji-young was added to a five-girl group called Twinkle, but her addition angered one of the members and that girl left.

The really strange part is that they just let the other girl, Luna, go without a fuss. Seok-ho knows that it’s highly unusual for a company to let a trainee go that they’ve spent invested eight years training, especially in favor of a newcomer.

Since Mr. Jeong is determined never to produce an indie band, Man-shik thinks they should convince Seok-ho to drop the band concept, and just make Ha-neul a ballad singer. Min-joo’s response cracks me up: “Have you seen the bassist?!” Agreed, he’s such a dumpling — I couldn’t send him away again, either.

Seok-ho tells Man-shik and Min-joo about Ji-young, and Man-shik admits that he’s seen a new girl practicing with Twinkle. They wonder what Joo-han could be thinking, and note that it’s also strange that Luna has been so silent about it. Seok-ho thinks it’s all tied in with Ha-neul’s conviction.

Luckily Man-shik has Luna’s number (along with most of the other trainee’s numbers, ick), so Seok-ho asks her to meet with him. He asks Luna (cameo by Min Do-hee) why she left after spending so many years training to debut, and she says that they were planning to give half of her singing parts to Ji-young.

Seok-ho wants the truth — what did they have on Luna? She says that in her opinion, it’s more like Ji-young has something on Joo-han. Iiinnteresting.

Just coincidentally, Twinkle is debuting the next day, and CEO Lee checks in with Joo-han to make sure that Luna will keep her mouth shut. He’s not happy that Joo-han let her go, commenting that his work style is much different from Seok-ho’s.

Ha-neul gets to go home when his probation is over, but for some reason he hesitates outside the house. Ji-young’s little brother sees him and hides, and Ha-neul doesn’t notice him there.

He finds a note on the front door from Geu-rin, welcoming him home and telling him there’s a gift inside for him. He follows her cute little trail of notes all over the house, eventually finding the box from Seok-ho in his desk.

Inside the box is an old Nirvana CD, but not the same one he’d given to Seok-ho — it’s one that he’d pasted stickers on as a child, decorating the baby on the cover to look like he has sparkly wings. Ha-neul’s hands shake when he also finds an old note that Seok-ho had signed, a promise to little Ha-neul, to one day form a band for him. Oof.

Just the fact that Seok-ho cared enough to keep the CD and note all these years has Ha-neul gasping for air, and he collapses to the floor. He cries like a baby, no doubt missing his brother and overcome with the realization that all this time, he’s meant something to Seok-ho.

Seok-ho visits Twinkle right before their debut performance, and Ji-young stands out awkwardly as the only one who doesn’t know him. She introduces herself as Luna, having taken the real Luna’s stage name when she left, and Seok-ho gets reeeeal close to tell her that he’s having a hard time right now because of Ha-neul.

In private, Ji-young drops the fresh-faced rookie act, and pretends to have no earthly idea what Seok-ho’s talking about. Seok-ho messes with her a little, then says that when he left KTOP, he realized that the music industry is rotten. But, what goes around comes around, and he’s been punished pretty severely, so his time is coming.

He offers her a chance to come clean before he digs up whatever nasty deal she’s entered into to be here, but Ji-young is fully prepared to fight. Seok-ho warns her to remember later that he did offer her a chance, but before they can split, a voice thunders, “What are you doing?!”

It’s Joo-han, furious (and probably scared) to see these two talking, and he and Seok-ho go somewhere else to talk. Seok-ho tells Joo-han to drop the act, that he knows Ji-young is here because they’re hiding something, and that it involves Ha-neul. He demands to know what happened that night, and why Ha-neul is being sacrificed to hide it.

Unfortunately, he loses his temper, which gives Joo-han the upper hand. He refuses to tell Seok-ho anything, but as he makes his exit, Seok-ho warns him, “I’m onto you.”

Geu-rin is bouncing with curiosity to know what was in the box for Ha-neul, but he stays infuriatingly silent. She asks if it changed his mind about joining the band at least, and he just quirks a tiny smile.

They both freeze when they see Ji-young on television, dancing with Twinkle in their debut performance. Ha-neul is painfully confused, but Geu-rin feels vindicated… she knew she’d seen Ji-young at the KTOP building.

Geu-rin turns off the TV when Ha-neul grows genuinely angry, and she justifies his upset – Ji-young hurt him, and now she’s being rewarded for it, and it’s not fair. She thinks this gives him the right to pursue his own dream, but Ha-neul is just so scared that she and Seok-ho will get hurt. How could he knowingly hurt them?

Geu-rin shocks him by saying that she’ll just have to move out. She’s been here since she was young, when her parents died and his parents took her in. They’d made her feel loved, like a gift to ease the pain of losing Sung-hyun, and she’d only gone to college to make them happy.

She admits that she wanted to protect Ha-neul the same way his parents protected her. But now he’s willing to roll over and take it after being framed for something he didn’t do, and even give up his dream. She says that she has no more reason to be here.

Ha-neul grabs Geu-rin in a hug, begging her not to go. “Let’s go. Let’s go to Seoul. Let’s go, and sing.”

CEO Lee orders Joo-han to bring back Luna, and add her to an established idol group that’s about to release their third album. This is unprecedented, and Joo-han argues that the group will flip their lids, but CEO Lee won’t listen to any dissent.

Joo-han says that the real problem is Seok-ho — he’s caught wind of something fishy about Ji-young, and they should address that first. CEO Lee just smirks that Joo-han is scared of Seok-ho, and tells him to make a show of strength first, to show Seok-ho who’s boss.

Ha-neul visits the spot where he nearly tried to kill himself, this time smiling and thanking his hyung for sending Seok-ho back into his life. He promises to do his best, asking Sung-hyun to convince their parents to believe in him.

He calls Seok-ho and tells him that he’s standing in the place where he almost died, and met Seok-ho for the second time in his life. This time, he says, he’ll go to Seok-ho. Satisfied, they both look up to the sky and smile.

Seok-ho calls Geu-rin to congratulate her on her successful first task as Ha-neul’s manager. He tells her that he’s about to meet with Joo-han, and will let her know what he learns.

Joo-han claims to be here to make a confession, in the hopes that it will earn him some leniency from Seok-ho. But he takes sick pleasure in surprising Seok-ho, and announced that he’s brought the person who framed Ha-neul here today. There’s a knock on the door, and in walks — Jinu. What??

Jinu looks just as surprised to see Seok-ho, and tries to flee the room. Seok-ho screams at him: “Why are you here?!”

COMMENTS

That was a pretty decent cliffhanger, and I honestly was expecting anyone but Jinu to walk through that door. He certainly looked guilty, though I have no doubt that even if he is involved, he’s more of a pawn can a co-conspirator. He’s made some questionable decisions, and seems like an awfully troubled kid, but the show has been careful to show us that Jinu does care about Seok-ho, and misses him. I suspected that he would play a larger part in Seok-ho’s story than just a former client, but this was a pretty good twist. I’m dying to hear his explanation.

Ha-neul is really carrying this show for me, which is surprising considering he’s only getting half as much screen time as Seok-ho. Though Entertainer is primarily about Seok-ho and his fall and (eventual) redemption, Ha-neul is really the emotional axis around which everything turns, and I do like how different that is from most dramas. Ha-neul manages to be closed-off to those around him, yet still completely emotionally accessible to the audience, which I’m finding extremely compelling and unique about him as a character. It makes me even more interested in his character arc than anyone else’s, because I can see how much he’s walled himself up in an attempt to protect those he cares about, but still struggles with his desire to share his love of music with the world. And I think that Kang Min-hyuk is just slaying this role, walking that tightrope of extremes very well, which helps us connect with him and care about what happens to him. And wow, the moment when Ha-neul realized that Seok-ho kept that “contract” was killer, he’s really pulling the emotional weight of this show quite well. (And I’m not gonna lie — Min-hyuk is the idol who made me a kpop fan in the first place, so I’m inclined to be biased towards him, but if he were a terrible actor I wouldn’t be afraid to call it out. I genuinely think he’s doing a fantastic job, better even than I expected.)

But there’s still something about the show that feels as though it’s keeping me at arm’s length. It’s a cute show, and engaging enough, but I just wanted it to be… better. I suppose I’m struggling with Entertainer because I badly want to like it more than I do, and I can sense that with just a bit more attention to detail I really could, but it feels like it’s getting in its own way. Details are fuzzy on so many important things, and not in a clever-storytelling we’ll-get-to-the-juicy-bits-in-good-time sort of way, more like a we-forget-to-tell-the-audience-what-we’re-thinking sort of way. It drops clues as to character motivations, but then has them behave in ways that seem to indicate that they actually feel the exact opposite — one example is Seok-ho telling Min-joo that he really just grabbed the first kid he found with a decent voice, and plans to use him to re-ignite his own career, but that he really doesn’t think Ha-neul is all that special. Then he goes to the ends of the earth to get him to sign with him, even after finding out about his conviction, when it would have been much easier to just find another good singer with a clean past. We were never given a reason why Seok-ho fixated on Ha-neul in particular, before he had a personal motivation for it.

When they first met, Seok-ho didn’t know that Ha-neul was his old friend’s little brother, so it made no sense for him to concentrate on signing this kid, since he admitted he didn’t think he was particularly special. At least now we have a proper narrative purpose for Seok-ho’s changing — his history with Ha-neul’s brother, his guilt over what happened to his old friend, and the promise he made to a young boy ten years ago. So whether or not the initial fuzziness over motivation versus behavior was because of lazy writing or what, now we can proceed with stability and clear explanations for Seok-ho’s insistence on Ha-neul being in the band. Seok-ho’s redemption story could be a great one, provided his actions match his emotions, which I hope now they will. I do like that he decided to trust Ha-neul’s side of the whole Ji-young issue before he even knew who he was, and that he’s willing to use whatever influence he has left in the music business to dig up the truth, whatever that happens to be.

Also, I’m heartened that some of the things which initially seemed like loose plot holes or sloppy story details were actually intended, when I see things like Seok-ho’s promise to a young Ha-neul to form a band for him one day. Until we saw that, it felt like Ha-neul’s determination to be in a band and not a solo singer was just sort of unfocused, that he was being stubborn for no real reason. Now we see that he actually had a very solid reason for wanting that, especially from Seok-ho, because he knew who Seok-ho was and he wanted that old promise fulfilled. I can’t fault the acting for not getting across the fact that this insistence was for a reason, because as I said, Kang Min-hyuk is certainly doing an excellent job with what he’s been given. I just wish the writing were a little tighter, so that if we’re being kept in the dark for dramatic purposes, at least we could relax and feel certain that our questions would be answered. But now that the show is pulling details like this together, I think I can trust that it will continue, so I’ll stop whining when I don’t understand something and, as Kyle says, I’ll just decide to trust anyway.

RELATED POSTS

Tags: , , , , ,

104

Required fields are marked *

Maybe I am the exception but I love this drama. And thanks for the super fast recap. Ji Sung makes me so conflicted. Hate him but he tugs at my heart.
Ha Neul and Geu Rin are definitely not siblings because the photo at the crypt does not include her. Will definitely continue to watch this drama even if I am in the minority.

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

You're not alone; I love this drama, too ?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Me three!!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Me four! And I agree that Kang Min-hyuk is slaying his role.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Me 5!! HAHAHAH yeah nah i love it I don't get this massive hate and criticism being thrown at Entertainer T_T

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Me 6! :) I am so hooked on this drama, it's ridiculous.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ohhh, so THAT'S how Ha Neul got involved in Seok Ho's downfall.

If I'm piecing this together right: Evil company president was irked enough at Seok Ho leaving that he decided to cripple Jackson if they really left. He enlisted Joo Han to "make a movie" with a girl who's clearly from an audition pile. It looks like Ji Young made a deal with the devil and agreed to honeytrap Jinu, and that was likely the Grand Plan: take video of Jinu and Ji Young and use it as leverage. Then the company gives Jinu a choice: either stay in exchange for silence, or go with Seok Ho and get destroyed.

But then Ha Neul walked in (the taped door was bizarre, making it easy to get noiselessly in or out) and everything went wrong. The video isn't a sex tape anymore, and if Ha Neul reports what's happening there's no leverage over Jinu because he's been outed already. Ji Young might have threatened Joo Han if he tried to back out of their deal, and he panicked and had her accuse Ha Neul. And the little brother clearly knows something about this entire deal.

It was right on the verge of going wrong for the company until Seok Ho got in the car accident. After that Jinu was open to pressure, and eventually cracked. It's just terrible luck for the company that of all people in the world, Seok Ho ended up teaming up with Ha Neul.

0
16
reply

Required fields are marked *

Wow! Good analysis to the drama. Looking forward to how the drama will unfold all those dirty secrets in the entertainment industry. ?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

You nailed it. "Make a movie" I thought he meant a real movie. I'm such an idiot. This show is the highlight of my life now.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

What I still don't get is how they can still use the tape to hang onto Jinu? If Haneul's entrance turned it from a sex tape into 'not a sex tape' and Ji Young points out Hanuel as her attacker, how can they still use the tape against Jinu? Or is it that they can spin it into Jinu attempting to rape Ji Young? Can anyone explain this to me?

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think it's because no one ever saw the tape so it was conviction simply through JiYoung's accusation and circumstantial evidence in the form of HaNeul simply being at the place at the time.

If the tape were leaked, I think many people would recognize JinU from the back, who, even from just the still above, looks like he's atop her and seemingly sexually harassing her, with him being the leader of apparently a very famous boy band. So, if the tape were leaked, JinU would be in trouble, no matter what JiYoung says.

(And if we follow the conspiracy theory, HaNeul had the ability along with the company to accuse JinU of sexual harassment but the company decided to take that ability from HaNeul by discrediting his words by having JiYoung call HIM the "rapist". So now only the company has the ability to threaten JinU with it's "sex-tape". It doesn't matter if HaNeul got caught entering the room or not because there's such a thing as video editor.)

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Agreed - the company really doesn't want to publish the tape. They planned to use it as leverage to control Jinu, but they'd only actually use it if they were ready to totally destroy Jackson, in true "if I can't have it, no one can!" style.

Of course, if the tape does surface now it's got a lot of inexplicable elements: why does the girl suddenly join Twinkle? Why is there someone taping? Obviously Ha Neul was telling the truth, so Ji Young's word is worthless at the point - it wouldn't be a simple scandal/sex tape things anymore. If the tape get out NOW, the company is clearly deeply involved at multiple levels and would have a ton of explaining to do. Before, they could've just anonymously posted the footage with the girl blurred and had no provable connection.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think the tape was a loss as soon as Ha Neul showed up - instead of getting a sex tape, they ended up with a witness to either a sexual assault or scandal. Joo Han probably tried to weasel out totally, but Ji Young held him to their deal saying she'd accuse Jinu if he backed out. So at this point the trump card isn't the tape, it's Ji Young blackmailing her way into the agency and Ha Neul as collateral damage to ensure she can't come back and re-accuse Jinu (and that Ha Neul can't be a reliable witness that there was someone else there).

So if the tape's a wash, then the company's screwed... Except that Seok Ho's accident took him away from Jinu's side. Suddenly, the company has a month of total access to Jinu, through a formerly-trusted Jackson manager. They were already making a risky move tryin to leave with Seok Ho, and now he's in jail and Jinu's got the guilt of a borderline scandal to be exploited. He's ripe for manipulation, and it sounds like he was the one Jackson member who held out the longest - the only reason Seok Ho gets out of jail is Jinu finally caved. A month!

I might be wrong about all of this, of course, but I thought they set up the scenario pretty well. And the line Seok Ho has about "I'm not 16 and easily manipulated"? Well, Jinu IS, and I think WAS manipulated. It took a while, but risking his career, his bandmates' careers, possibly his manager's criminal record, and his own sexual assault accusations? That's a lot for a young guy to take, especially when his protector is taken out of play entirely.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't think Jinu was conscious when Ha Neul tried to shove him off Ji Young. Maybe it's even more complicated and that Jinu is also a victime? They made it looked like he did something to her when he was drugged...

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I thought that as well - it looked like the guy was really out of it, imo.

0

That.. makes sense..
I'm still wondering what Ji-young's brother knows. Perhaps he will be the one who helps clearing Ha-neul's name eventually.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think he knows he wasn't supposed to be there that night, that he got warned off by his sister and disobeyed. So he very likely witnessed some, if not all of what went down, but can't tell because it means outing his sister as the architect of the trap.

But clearly the guilt's eating him up. If only the three of them had keys, he's probably close to Ha Neul too.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

It seems that Jiyoung threatened her lil bro.
There was a scene about her lil bro had a new smartphone and got shocked when Geurin notice it. Then he abruptly explained that he got new smartphone because the old one was broken.
Jiyoung might bought him a new smartphone if he keep silent about the whole scandal he witnessed.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think you, girls, have watched lots of Dramas! LOL... but everything said make sense.

Now i felt with the previews that they will uncover this issue rather soon.

If Ha Neul gets clear (which i doubt), what else will happen with the plot?

There doesnt seem to be other conflicts, except from the part of actually formimg the band with so little money....

We will see :)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes, I think you've got it pieced together well here!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

WOW, good prediction!!! I could totally see that happening.

I thought Jinu must have had some reason for going back to KTOP even though he wanted to be with Suk Ho.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Wow, Miranda! I think you've totally got this on the money. They were gonna bring Seokho down by setting Jinu up, and when Haneul accidentally interrupted their plan, he became their scapegoat. I hope Jiyoung's little bro will come around and do the right thing by telling the truth and clearing Haneul's name. Can't wait for Jiyoung, Joohan, and the CEO to all go down.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks for your analysis! This makes soooooo much sense! But I wonder who cracked HN over the head?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Wow, LollyPip, you're super duper fast! I wasn't expecting to see this recap when I opened DB this morning, but, Tada! What a wonderful surprise, thanks!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i could watch this show purely for the band and the bromance that will surely ensure! and no, lollypip, you are not biased, i also think kang min-hyuk is absolutely slaying this role - i am really surprised at how great he is doing! (not that i had low expectations, but just thought he'd be alright).

i honestly have to say, i am not feeling the ji sung - hyeri pairing right now... hyeri's acting isn't the best though i liked her in 1988.. oh well. at least i'm glad the drama's not really focusing on the love-lines right now

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Definitely with you on the Ji Sung-Hyeri pairing. I can't decide if the show wants me to ship it or not. There's been some moments, but mostly they were so cheesy that I honestly wasn't sure if I was meant to take them seriously. The whole window washing staredown and slapstick business. There's nothing there for me and I have no idea if there's SUPPOSED to be.

I might be in a minority, but I'm all for the faux sibling love line, primarily because I enjoy watching Kang Min-Hyuck be all stoic-y doting.

But, all in all, I wouldn't mind at allllll if there wasn't much of a romance at all in the show and it was more about the bromance and band and character development

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am rooting for a SuekHo-MinJoo pairing because I have only ever seen Chae Jung-an as a second lead who doesn't get the dude! In both cases she was not eeeeeevil second lead, and actually held her own as an independent professional. For her to pair up with Ji Sung here would be nice change!

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't understand the Suk-ho, Geu-rin pairing. There's hardly any chemistry nor a compelling story behind their love line. Except for the random acts of skinship, which just doesn't cut it for me in a show that generally shows a lot of heart. I feel like the Geu-rin, Haneul couple has a better storyline. I think part of it is that I like their shared heartache and hardships growing up. They're both orphans and basically only have each other.

However, the chemistry between the two is questionable. Hyeri is pretty disappointing in her execution of her character, although some of it may be the writing. I just feel like her character is not quite clear... she works hard, and cares for Haneul, and is at times sassy, but then also seems sort of clumsy.... It's just too many stock characteristics rolled into one. I really want to like her, it just seems like her character is still wandering about, trying to figure out her place in the drama.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Me too,it's like they're trying to shove that pairing down our throat lol.Do these casting directors never take a screen test of the actors together? :S

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Agreed! Seuk Ho/Min Joo and Ha Neul/Geu Rin makes more sense to me than Seuk Ho/Geu Rin. But it is early - we'll see how it all develops...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree with lollypip Kang Min-Hyuk is doing a great job in this drama but I can't wait till this show picks up the pace it's a little slow for me but I'm in it for the long haul crossing fingers that this show isn't a complete let down

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Well, I agree with the arm's length part. This show's got it's charm, but I'm not super compelled to watch the rest of the story unfold(even though I do want to hear Jackson's explanation).

I felt this way after 5 episodes of Descendants of the Sun, too. Maybe it IS because of a lack of character growth; I so wanted to see Seok-ho actually come to the realization that he's a jerk on his own, but the obscurity of his motivations and the 180° flip in his attitude completely dispelled that possibility. If that's not it, then I think the predictability of the OVERALL plot may cause this show to be less enjoyable. I don't know, this entire watch is just...a little robotic, and it's off-putting.

I'd like to compare this to the recently started Master: God of Noodles(which someone should do recaps on, please). Granted, they're different genres and Noodles is a lot heavier, but it's much more appealing. I'm left with an anticipation with what happens next, and it's given me much food for thought(disregard the pun). The execution's dramatic but entrancing, and the show appropriately engages the watcher in the characters' emotions. This is show that's hit all the right buttons, unlike Entertainer, which is missing a few.

Entertainer started out with some great ideas and still has some that appropriately fit the entertainment world. But it doesn't have the fizz or spark that others(like You're Beautiful or My Love From The Star) has, and that's what disappoints me because I wanted it to be something that did. And like Lollypip said, I can't help but attribute this to slightly less quality writing and execution. Granted, it's hard to come up with fresh ideas, but it's not impossible to make another appealing show, and unfortunately, I don't think Entertainer will be one.

Also, one tiny complaint about Hyeri here: I'd like if it she had some comedic sense. She's got emotion down now but it feels like Ji Sung's the only funny here personality-wise and that makes him an oddball. He and Ha-nuel are fine the way they are, but man, Hyeri feels bland in comparison.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

The poignant moment which for some reason everyone is forgetting was when he sat on the bottom of those steps after chasing his hyung around Busan. He heard Min-Hyuk's lyrics and he got back up. I think that's why I like Seok-ho's character so much. He doesn't wallow, he learns and moves on. Although episode 5 might be a bit rough. It's got heart and I think when it reaches the climax, we're going to get sweeeeeet revenge. I hope.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm on the same boat as you, someone should recap God of noodles, I'm loving the villain there. The execution is so well done and it is emotionally engaging to boot.
The only thing I find similar with Entertainer is that the main pairing doesn't have any chemistry at least not yet, while the secondary pairing is so cute!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks for the recap Lollypip! I'm really starting to enjoy the show (well mostly because of Ji Sung and the music). With regards to Sukho's attraction to Haneul before he knew his real identity... Well I thought it was simply cos he had heard Haneul's academy jingle telling him to get up and move on (or something) and that really spoke to him when he was at his lowest.

Kang Minhyuk is doing a great job I agree! Except for that crying scene when he saw the old contract... Thought his crying was a bit awkward but maybe that's just me haha...

Can't wait for next week!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks for recap @Lollypip!!

I am liking this show more and more! I usually quit a show if I am still not hooked by te 4th episode, and I will support this one.

I love that somehow Seok-ho and Ha-neul have found what they needed in each other. Not in a romantic sense, but more in a redemption sense.

In Ha-neul, Seok-ho is probably reminded of a time when he did stuff because he liked to and with people he genuinely liked. A commitment from that time would probably feel to him now as one of the few things he knows he has done right.

In Seok-ho, Ha-neul has probably found the person who will root for him no matter what- apart from his Noona of course. He knows that the Seok-ho he knew would move heaven and earth for him and the fact that Seok-ho still treasures those memories is a validation to Ha-neul that he was born to sing and that he has someone at his back.

I can't wait for the band to complete. I like that so far, we have had individual interactions between each of the members. I am waiting for Yeon-soo to interact with Kyle and hope his sweetness and humility rubs off on him.

I also like the concept of a single dad in a boy band. Conisdering even how a dating incident is labelled a "scandal" in kpop, this is something new and much appreciated.

The only thing I wish they would do away with is the possible loveline between Hyeri and Jisung. It seems completely out of place at best and downright annoying at worst. If they do have to bring in that angle, I hope it will remain a crush on Hyeri's part and Seok-ho will be married to what he loves; being an entertainer.

And that father-son pair is just too cute and their smiles are just too precious. Please don't let anything wipe that smile off his face, Show!!

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Granted,ha neul and seuk ho,seems like they are each other's savior..but why do I feel like seuk ho has some thing to do with ha neul's hyung's death/suicide [?]..He had this look on his face,when reminiscing of the past.Also ha neul's hyung said something like,why you're being so inconsiderate towards me or something like that.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

What I'm wondering though is, if Seok Ho has to choose between ruining Jinu's career (say there's no way to clear Hanuel's name without dragging Jinu through the mud even though Jinu might be innocent as well) and getting Hanuel's off the ground, who would he choose? Because he seems to have a close bond with both boys and I'm sure Joo Han knows that and is banking on that.

Also, all this digging into the depths of things is making me wonder when the new band would get to start making music and making a name for themselves? When would the drummer join the band? Would them call an impasse now that Jinu is involved and take time to build the band? I don't know though but I think this is building the conflict in too early.

All the same though, I'm loving this drama :).

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I totally agree with you. and in few episodes next, we'll see Suk Ho run away from this situation because he can't choose between both boys.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah... Dropping this one. I always stick out for the first 4 episodes of a drama and if I'm not engaged by then, it goes bye bye.

Second one in a row I've dropped after Goodbye Mr. Black.

-sobs- I just want a good drama to air!!!! Last year I picked so well and this year I've been picking so poorly. Is Noodle any good? Will Flower in Prison be any good? Lucky Romance? Pleaaaaase!

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh, noodle is good. So far, it's what Goodbye Mr. Black wanted to be and failed so spectacularly. And the way the worked in the noodle into the quest for revenge is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. The villain would give you the chills, the acting is spot on and the cinematography is dark, suiting the mood and the theme of the drama. I've only watched two episodes so far, but what I've watched has me on the noodle train.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

wow... 4 episodes are daebak... i dropped this one on ep 1 and came here literally for reading the recap until ep 4. hehe... but... it's still slow for me. i think, i should start noodle too.. it seems good.

Mr black? haha i dropped it since ep 1. and sometimes, read the recap.

dramabeans is the place i 'watch' dramas, hehe.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

i mean, to watch until ep 4 is daebak! hehe

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

+1
Same with me. I think I will drop it too. BYE

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I really tried my best to stay tuned for this drama since I am very fond of Ji Sung,but the story is sooo boring and my eyelids weighs a ton for me to open while watching it.The loveline was too forced that instead of making my heart flutter when Hyeri and Ji Sung are face to face with an inch of a distance ,it made me feel off as in ewww. Ji Sung is a very good actor,but right now her acting is not shining because he is all surrounded with mediocre actors and since first episode it is a one man show.He should have been given a powerful lead female that will compliment his acting.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

That cliffhanger.... wow!
Its been a long time since ive seen a drama wih this much heart. The last i saw that gave me this warm fuzzy feelimg was Falling For Innocence. I like witnessing the development of each of the characters here, not just the mains. The motivation of people for doing things they do and decision they make. Apart from the smiling hyung that i think is smiling just too brightly all the time yoid think he lost some screws up there (he has a nice smile though), everyone is nailing their part well. Even the traitorous JooHan who is very convincing as a spineless, wannabe. And I agree that MinHyuk is giving life to his HaNeul amazingly. I feel the same frustration, pride, awe towards him as if Im one of those characters having to deal with him in this story. I like his seeming nonchalance yet obvious fear of wanting too much. And Ji Sung is Ji Sung. What else is there say?

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm dropping this one ,although I love Ji Sung and his acting ,I'm soooo bored my eyes are dropping like hot potatoes last night.Since first episode ,it was a one man show, and I don't agree with Loloppip that Haneul is doing great in this show,his acting is so robotic,like the only moving parts when he talks is his lips,no body gestures,eye movements..none.Ji Sung is a good actor who will shine more if he is surrounded with good at acting co stars.He needs a strong female lead to compliments his good acting.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Well...they keep selling the Soek Ho/Guer-in pairing but I'm not buying. Ji sung just keeps getting uncomfortably close to Hyeri's face. Then he gets uncomfortably close to Ji Young and then Jo Han. Really in your face acting. I guess that's his character but really it would drive me nuts to work with someone like that. Personal space dude! I know its supposed to be an intimidation tactic but how do you keep from laughing.

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

So true!!!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Agree
Jisung and hyeri have zero chemistry so it’s really odd watching them fake it for viewers sorry but i'm not digging their romance. i thought it was a bad idea from the beginning. hyeri-minhyuk or even hyeri with singledaddy make a much more fitting pair.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Omgosh, yes! I thought that too about the geurin/ singledaddy pairing! It sounds bizarre, but it's actually less bizarre than seukho/geurin pairing.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

@toodles,true that.Very uncomfortable.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am okay with a loveline happening between Geu-rin and anyone (Haneul, single daddy or even Kyle) except Seuk-Ho.

No chemistry is one thing, but they are like 17 years apart in real life??? I know it's a common thing in show biz to have the male leads stay the same with younger and younger female leads, but this is pushing it.

For once, I would like to see Chae Jung-Ahn's character get the guy!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

So here is my theory....

Remember when Ji Young told Ha Neul that she wanted to date her Jackson oppas? I think when Jackson came to Busan to perform she obviously seduced Jinu and why would he say no as he was trying to over a breakup and Ji Young is pretty. When Jinus manager found them and knocked Ha Neul off, Ji young called the police and tried to bargain her way into KPOP. Since the police was called , they decided to frame the unconscious boy. And the reason as to why Jinu felt guilty was because he feels that Ha Neul took all the blame unfairly and it was his fault.

What I wish would happen is Jinu, Suk Ho and Ha Neul join forces and get Ji Young out of KTOP and Jackson joins Mango and both Jackson and Entertainer the band promote together.

Still...it sounds too good to be true.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Am i the only one or is Kang Min-Hyuck so cute without the hair dye and highlights and just his natural self, he looks huba huba, as in seriously, he just made it from my childishly cute k-drama actors to my seriously hot k-drama actors.

Plus it does help that he now has a chance to play a more serious role, do well in this one Kang Min-Hyuck and you will be on demand soon, with me (won't mention the others) cheering you on.

Kang Min-Hyuck! Kang Min-Hyuck! Kang Min-Hyuck!!!!!!

*sigh* What? a girls gotta show some love okay.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

kang min-hyuk <3 <3

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

when i first watched this show the chemistry between Ha-neul and Geu-rin was really high but that's just me, episodes 3 and 4 somehow found its foot and now i can see the chemistry sizzling from the main leads and man can Ji Sung sizzle up the screen hihi <3

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

its so boooring.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree100% Green sees HaNeul as his brother only and I am liking the banter between SukHo-Green to develop more.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

The love triangle that only exists in Man-shik's mind, between him, Min-joo and Seok-ho cracks me up.

I appreciated that Seok-ho still has genuine support from his olden scumbag days, in the two of them.

Though I'll be honest that Seok-ho's scenes with Min-joo comes naturally and less forceful, compared to him with Geu-rin.

But I'm not here for the love-lines, I'm here for their journey to stardom. Don't stop believin'~

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

That part cracked me up too! Glad Suk Ho has them too.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

The triangle is shaping up. I can see how the drama is going to unfold from now on. Hyeri looks bewildered when Ji Sung grabs her and gets too close. I love their chemistry now (Ji Sung can have chemistry with a rock) but if I were her, I would've asked him to shove off and give me my personal space instead of standing there like a dummy.

Seok ho has a lot of heart. I'd like to know more about his relationship with Ha Neul's hyung. It must have been pretty impactful for him to have kept a contract he signed with a six year old! The drama has multiple good threads, I just hope they can weave it together very well.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Am I the only one who can't stand min hyuk scene? ? he did okay with serious lines and facial expressions but not with a sad and crying scene. I'm cringed so hard watching him compared to Ji sung scene. Ji sung delivered everything at the best as expected of a Daesang-Worthy acting. Is Min hyuk still considered a rookie actor? Never watched any of his work

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I cringed at Min Hyuk's crying scenes too. They were awful, just awful. After last episode and seeing him on Heartstrings where he was able to portray a character completely different from this one, I did change my opnion of his acting for the better, but those two scenes pretty much ruined that.

I don't think you could consider him a rookie anymore. It's been six years since his first drama and this one is his 6th, though it is his first time as a lead.

3
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

*5th, not 6th

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

his last drama was 3 years ago and he never acted this kind of character before. he was always cheerful or cool so i guess crying is not his forte but that can be work on

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Minhyuk's acting is okay overall, just okay.
And I agree with you that his crying scene seemed unnatural.
I enjoy his singing in this drama tho. It's not an amazing vocal, but Minhyuk has nice calm singing voice.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thank you so much LollyPip for the recap . I was able to understand more after watching it raw .

I also agree with the absence of chemistry between hyeri and Jisung . I honestly hoping hyeri acting will be better- at least - than her acting in hyde jeckyl and me because she did wonderful in reply 1988 .
Gotta say I am watchinh for the bromance though ~ ji sung as always do a wonderful job .

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

+1 there is no chemistry between the leads and while they are facing each other,it was very off to me,plus the mediocre acting of Haneul,I don't find it touching ,it was really forceful and his acting is so robotic;that the only moving body part of his is the mouth,no eye movement ,no facial expressions ,no body movements. I think Ji Sung's acting became bland since he was surrounded with amateur actors.He needs a powerful lead actress to compliment his good acting.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

this drama is really bad, Hyeri enjoy you're Reply's year, because you're downfall is coming.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's obvious that the guy on the couch was unconscious. He was all limp and Ji Young clearly wasn't struggling to get him off. I really like @Miranda's guess at what kind of deal went down with Ji Young, it seems pretty spot on.
So far the whole framing plot is way too contrived. It doesn't feel real, even within the boundaries of the drama. I hope they resolve it quickly and move on, but that seems utopian.

This episode really made me feel like letting out a huge sigh of disappointment. Just when I though it was getting better it tries to push a loveline between Geu Rin and Seok Ho (which we already knew was coming, but I was delusional in my hope that it wouldn't happen) and spends an entire episode on nothing. I'm already tired of Ha Neul's back and forth with singing, potential lovelines with Geu Rin (at least don't let Ha Neul be in love with her. PLEASE. Then I'll break my own rule and quit the show) as well as not paying any attention to any of the characters aside from the main three. We all saw the not-real-siblings reveal coming and I'm just sad that it's another I'll-protect-you-forever-to-pay-back-what-I-received story. It's all getting too klichéed.

And where's the music? I need the music! Even if it's just the generic songs they've been spouting, it's better than nothing and well it is a musical drama. You can't have episodes where no one even as much as touches an instrument or hums a tune on their way to work.

I was really excited for this episode since the last was such an improvement, but now I'm back to not caring about having to wait for the new episodes.

3
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Kang Min Hyuck is solid and holding his own in this role, kudos! But chalk Hyeri up as another idol turned actor with very limited acting skills. She is not lead role caliber and is best left to secondary supporting roles. I certainly hope the writers veer away from a love line involving her with anyone. Her lingering close up scenes with Ji Sung evoked more cringe than chemistry. Her stilted monologue explaining her 'adopted' familial status as Ha Neul's sister was another gratuitous convenience to emphasize that their potential unfolding love line makes everything okay by drama standards and is not really incestuous. Eeww. The bromance development is far more compelling and heartwarming than the a love triangle with overtones of cringe.

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

The closeups were not good. They're unnatural anyway for two people who don't know each other very well, you just don't get that close to each other. They were practically brushing eyelashes for absolutely no reason.

The unfortunate thing is that Ji Sung could pull that scene off, even if they were standing 5 feet apart. He's perfectly capable of walking the line between confiding and slightly sultry and platonic all at once. But Hyeri can't, and she just looked like a deer in the headlights the entire scene. And to an extent I think it limited what Ji Sung could do in the scene without coming across as a perv.

I can imagine that scene working very well with an actress who layered in a bunch of conflicting emotions about Seok Ho, there are plenty to pick from: he's charismatic, but he's possibly a conman and he's definitely risky and it's best to stay wary of him even if you're allied to get Ha Neul back into music. Chemistry-wise, that could have been an explosive scene with the right partner, even with an age gap.

But as it was, it looked a little too close to a wolf and a lamb. She's just not on his level: Hyeri is too inexperienced to really take advantage of what acting with Ji Sung can really mean, and Geu Rin is coming across as a well-meaning but overall naive girl whose management of Ha Neul would be more worrywart mother-hen than tigress.

I would have loved Geu Rin to be characterized as a savvy, family-oriented woman whose real-world experience meant she could spot Seok Ho coming a mile away and was onto him. Eunji could have been interesting here, just to pick someone out of a hat. But Hyeri's Geu Rin is fretful and just doesn't seem sharp, she's too young. It's a shame, because come on - JI SUNG!

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Well rather than blaming hyeri,I blame it on much prominent age gap b etween ji sung and hyeri,and it comes off totally as it is on screen,considering how innocent hyeri's looking.It's more the awkwardness of the pair,because of which,you can't even imagine being a pair watching them together in a frame,while min hyuk and her just look quite attractive together lol,I totally felt it when he held her hand in the end of ep 4,that hug scene made the deal for me lol.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Well rather than blaming it on hyeri I think it's more the prominent age gap between ji sung and hyeri.Hyeri looks so innocent against ji sung's matured self,you can't even imagine any inclination for romance between these two when they're together in a single frame,while opposite to that,min hyuk and hyeri look electrifying together lol.Especially loved that scene at the end of ep 4,when ha neul held geu rin's hand.That hug made the deal for me.Somehow the old versus new pair concept does not work here,at all.LSJ and Uee are on a different page,and not every other pairs like them are supposed to be a success.They should have really made ji sung doing the job of the director,and left the romance part for min hyuk-hyeri.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't care for the Ha Neul/Geu Rin pairing either, particularly. I certainly don't see much chemistry there, at least not from her direction. The single dad seems more up her alley, which is telling - they're both pretty one-dimensional characters.

I don't think it's the age gap; I'm saying Hyeri was miscast. That's the production team's fault. She's not a mature actress - and by that I mean she's not an experienced actress who can really express complex, multilayered emotions and motivations. Part of Deok Sun's charm was how blunt she was, but that's a characterization making an actor's weakness into a strength. I'm confident other actresses her age could've pulled this off, but the production team apparently prioritized her popularity and idol status over everything else.

I don't dislike Hyeri, by the way - I'm just very aware that in this particular drama, she's the weak point.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Agree that age gap is not really a problem.

Han Hyojoo and Ji Jinhee (Dong Yi) have 16 years age gap. Miki Honoka and Furukawa Yuki (Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo) have 10 years age gap. But because of great actings and chemistry, they slayed it and brought the dramas to fame.

Park Shinhye, Kang Sora, Jung Somin, Kim Soeun, Kim Seulgi ... there are so many actresses who will do great with younger/older acting partner ... why is it Hyeri?

0

I like the scene when they reveal the contract they signed in the past but I don't feel emotional because of Min-hyuk's acting. I like Kang Min-Hyuk but his acting is awkward. He is fine doing the simple scenes and he did fairly decent in those scenes but any scenes that needed him to cry or show more emotions, he just cannot deliver. I cannot help but wish they cast an actor instead. Same for Hyeri. She is cute but she cannot act. I never watched Reply 1988 but hearing all the praises, I am surprised how awkward she is. I don't mind idol turned actor if they are good but if they are not, they should just act as supporting characters, not leading roles.

I didn't like Jisung's acting in Ep 1. Too over the top but i like him more in the later eps.

I hope they change the pairing. Jisung should pair up with Chae Jung-An. They would make a better couple. Min Hyuk and Hyeri also look more compatible. They look very cute together.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am a CNBLUE fan and certainly like Minhyuk but his acting is not very convincing to me. The scenes where he gets emotional or angry are very awkward. Jisung is doing a great job (as usual). I thought it would gross me out to see Jisung with someone as young as Hyeri but surprisingly its not that bad. This is the only weekday show I am watching now so hope it continues to be good.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

OMO OMO did you see the Protect the Boss reference? When SukHo and Kyle have to share a room, reminded me of that. PTB crew went to trip before the shooting started and Ji Sung and JaeJoong shared a room. JS stated that JJ slept in his underpants ? Only die hard fans would know and I am one of them ?

@adal I am also in same boat with you about SukHo-Green. I think writer is not trying to push forced lovelines down our throats but letting it develope naturally. While in Ep2 SukHo was staring at Green while washing window, he was just trying to get her consent. SukHo is like a kid and you saw that when Kyle said to sleep in Green's room. He is same with MinJoo as well.

HaNeul - I did not find his crying cringeworthy, just the opposit. It was very endearing. His virtual wall of aloofness is slowly starting to crack. As a young kid, he was lively. With Hyung, both parent group ne, being accused of rape, he closed himself off. With SukHo's gift, seeing Ji Young on TV and Green telling him that she will abandon him, that wall shattered.

@lollypip I will disagree on your evaluation of SukHo. In Ep1, while sitting on stairs contemplating suicide (getting out of Kpop industry is what I mean by suicide), HaNeul song stirred him up. Even when Kyle wanted to leave the band if HaNeul was going to be lead singer, he told Kyle that he would find another gig. That was before he knew about HaNeul and his personal connection.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I really like this show a lot. Min Hyuk's acting as Han Neul is so good. I paused it several times and I think he's able to cry on demand because that looks completely real. It's a great story and I want to hear some music from the band soon.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Did I see it wrong, because that did not look like an assault to me?

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think, based on what I saw and reading some of the above comments...that whoever that was (looks like Jinsu) was "out of it" meaning that he appeared drugged, drunk or unconscious. Perhaps he was being framed so that he could be "framed" and controlled later.

Just thoughts. Hope that helps!

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Sorry. I meant JINU...not Jinsu! :)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Wasn't the trainer with the motorcycle Kim Kilee? (from GAG concert?) I'm not good at identifying people (face blindness) especially when they have different hair styles. But I think that was him.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I thought he looked familiar too, I've seen him somewhere and recently I believe, but no, not kim Kilee!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Im liking the drama so far... imo its not a slow show and I understand they have to dig up some truths but I want the music rn!!! I could see that Jinu scene coming and SK conflicted choosing one of his proteges should be exciting but to me, the way joo han found to keep Jackson in KTOP was to blackmail them and well, Jiyoung did her part for a price... Jinu might have been framed too but I want to know why Haneul still seems o be protecting jiyoung

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i knew it was jinu although i didn't want to believe it. when it showed the flashback of him assaulting lee ji young he was wearing the same black bracelet that he was wearing in a previous scene.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Sorry, but to me Hyeri's character continues to be useless. Its not Ji Sung and Hyeri's drama, It is Ji Sung and the boy that plays Ha Neul's (dont know the actor/singer's name) drama.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

soooo boring drama.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Actually liked the 1st 3 eps better than this one.

While there was good reason for Ha-neul to walk away from the band and singing, was a bit of a rehash (been there, done that).

Show needs more Man-shik and Min-joo (together, they are funny and this show needs more comedic elements to offset the more serious moments).

Also not feeling the Ji Sung-Hyeri romance angle and hope it's just her developing a crush on Seok-ho.

Do like how the writer didn't turn Seok-ho into a goody-two-shoes all of a sudden and that he still has moments of his rascally old self.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

OK. I couldn't watch this epi with subs. So i watched raw so i'm so thankful for this recap
So far i'm happy to say i love this drama a lot
Ji sung is awesome the music really good the boys so cute. Loving the band and their first song
The love line i'm on board so far so cute. I can undesrtand a young girl falling for ji sung. Totally. One of my faves couples ever is jane eyre and mr. Rochester, he's 36 and she's 18.... so to me is fine the age gap. I just hope hyeri could act better
I like ha neul acting but found he's crying scene awkward. Ji sung's crying or almost crying scenes always got me crying too
The scenes between young seok ho and kid ha neul were adorable
To finish i must confess i'm a proud ji sung's fan since kmhm watched almost all he's dramas and he never dissapoints
Entertainer Figthing! !!!!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I feel like I'm probably in the minority that was actually moved by Kang Min Hyuk's crying. Maybe cause I've been his fan for awhile or maybe cause I've actually seen him cry on screen before and he actually cries like that.

The drama has been quite good so far but I wish the production wasn't so rush as there are a lot more things they could've executed better. Also am I the only one who's puzzled by Geu Rin's role in this drama? Besides as a potential love interest to both the male leads?

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks for the recaps, LollyPip!! I just caught up on the first 4 ep's!

I'm enjoying this show so far and agree that Minhyukie is doing great as Haneul. Ji Sung is wonderful as always and I'm really looking forward to his character growth and Haneul's story.

I like Hyeri in this and absolutely love the father-son pair!! ^^ The band has got me invested and I'm anticipating its completion and actual debut.

Jiyoung and Joohan just annoy me to no end. But I guess it's realistic in terms of what goes on in the industry. Can't wait for next week!! Need more Seokho-Haneul bromance plus the bandmates!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Okay, so I knew there would be a reason for Jinu to betray Seok-ho and stay at KTOP but didn't expect it to be this! Joo-han knows how much Seok-ho cares for this boy and how he raised him till he reached his stardom that's why he did this big reveal and he might even know about Ha-neul too, so he's putting Seok-ho in a really difficult situation, stuck between a rock and a hard place!

I don't think Jinu did it sober, he's a victim too, they might've drugged him or something to film him -I agree with the movie theory you guys are talking about- and now they're holding it against him.

The scene in which Ha-neul breaks down in tears after finding the Nirvana CD wasn't cringe-worthy to me but really moving, my heart was really breaking for him, knowing that Seok-ho had that CD and the hand written scribbled contract with him is knowing that he actually cared enough for the little Ha-neul to keep them, even if they were never going to meet again, even if Ha-neul was never going to hold him up for that promise, he still kept them, that was just AWW!

Can't wait to find out how Seok-ho is going to deal with this reveal, it's going to be hard!

And yeah, loving the boys, Kyle, Yeon-soo and chan-hee, just so cute!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I actually like this show so far. Can't wait to see how the storyline develops. But one thing am I the only one who wants to see more of JINU and his relationship with Seok-ho?

I want Seok-ho, JINU and Ha-neul to join forces. Here's me dreaming.

Oh yeah something that's bugging me who plays JINU? I mean I know he's had a small role so far but I really want to know

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Jinuu is played by the actor Ahn Hyo Seop. He was that musician from Splash Splash Love!

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh thank you ♡

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

The second week has been so much better than the first week, I like the drama more than I thought I would.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

And I would prefer a Haneul/Geurin-storyline more than a Seokho/Geurin-one.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I dont know who to ship yet. I need to see the characters interact more to make a ship in my mind

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

And I may get cursed by saying that, but I like Seokho - Geurin. I can feel the chemistry, but only from Ji Sung side. In every scene that they do together I can feel it, but only from him... Too bad, because I like the storyline so far...

Then again, this is only 4th episode, so I have hope :-)

Sorry to bother you with my opinion! Already waiting for 5 episode!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am loving this drama too.. my question is who was it that knocked out our darling Haneul with the plank? Ji-Young's brother? Her evil crew? Also, they still have time to make that age appropriate pairing between Ji Sung and Jung An. Fingers crossed!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Sometimes I just want to watch a simple drama, which is easy to follow and doesn't make my head hurts or my tears flow a river. Like Heartstring and Playfull Kiss. Honestly HS and PK's male lead didn't act that great, but their chemistry with female lead are on top, and that saved the dramas.

I follow Entertainer this far in hope to find something similar to HS and PK; something cliche and simple, but still eandering to watch because of cute characters and their chemistry. So far, Seokho-Haneul's bromance is spot-on. Jisung lives up to his name and Minhyuk does justice for his character.

As for Geurin ... she's still meh for me, either as Seokho's or Haneul's future love interest.

Well, I already noticed that Hyeri's acting is just not there yet. In AM1988, she was surrounded by great veteran and talented young actors/tress, her character was close to her actual age and personality, and the storyline were strong by itself (despite the death of my Deoksun-Junghwan ship). So, it was easy for viewers to be under impression that Hyeri's acting's great.

Now that she is acting as female lead of cliche drama (which requires and depends on the actress to add depth by herself) it's clear that Hyeri has loooong way to go. Let alone adding depth, she doesn't even know what she wants to do as Geurin yet. I hope she can improve before this drama ending.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *