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Radio Romance: Episode 11

Su-ho is smiling so much these days, and I love it! And not that fake smile he learned for the cameras, but real, happy-boy smiles. Unfortunately, things are coming to a head with the various power plays surrounding him, and it’s time for Su-ho to truly stand up and take charge of his own life. He’s going to need that smile—or more accurately, the reason for it—for the upcoming battle.

 
EPISODE 11 RECAP

After promising Geu-rim that he will keep doing radio with her, Su-ho shows her an interview in which he says that he’s trying to find a way to be in the drama, while still DJing the radio show. He’s a little annoyed that she didn’t trust him after he’s been bending over backward to like the radio as much as she said he would.

He reminds her that she said she wants to hug him, revealing the real reason he’s here (so cute). But instead, Geu-rim leans over and gives Su-ho a kiss. It’s a pretty effective way of shutting him up, hee.

Su-ho just blinks at Geu-rim, making her shy. He asks what she just did to him, looking like he’s trying not to grin like a fool. She says she lost her mind, and Su-ho just can’t stop smiling.

Watch the video

Shutting him up with a kiss

 

He drives her home, Geu-rim protesting that she does trust him, she was just afraid to confront him. She whines that they’ve been arguing for two hours (lol!), but Su-ho just asks why she was afraid of him. She says that she was scared he really was leaving the radio show and that she’d be hurt.

She asks him not to be mad at her, and has him give her his car keys so she can look at the present he got her. She finally gets out of the car, and Su-ho heads home looking pretty satisfied with himself.

Geu-rim goes to tell PD Lee that Su-ho is going to arrange things so that he can do the drama and keep working with them, too. She says that she believes Su-ho is sincere, and PD Lee agrees that he owes Su-ho an apology for yelling at him at the drama press conference.

Watch the video

I kissed you! So what?

 

Geu-rim tries to write, but she just pokes at random keys and thinks about kissing Su-ho (can’t say I blame her). When he calls, she picks up with a defensive, “Yes, I kissed you, what do you want?!” Amused, Su-ho says he just called to wish her goodnight, and they both end up giggling like children.

In a meeting, the drama production company claims that Su-ho’s comment that he’s not going to stop doing radio damaged them. Su-ho’s mom starts to speak, but Su-ho interrupts to point out that not only is there no damage, but that his comment actually increased the public’s interest in the drama.

The production company says that since there’s a signed contract, they intend to proceed with the drama’s overseas shoots. Again Su-ho interrupts to say that he’ll pay the penalty for changing the schedule, and he even offers to repay his acting advance by a factor of twenty.

He makes sure that they understand that if he backs out of the project entirely, they’ll be hit a lot harder financially than he will, and tells them to write a new contract that will accommodate his radio schedule. He leaves, and although Mom looks positively furious, Joon-woo smiles.

Later, Mom says that Su-ho’s plan to do both projects is impossible. Su-ho tells her that he’ll make it possible, adding that he’ll be in control of his own schedule from now on. Mom blames this mess on him, but Su-ho says that he didn’t cause this situation. She tries to threaten Su-ho with the picture of him kissing Geu-rim, but he says there’s nothing wrong with kissing the person he likes.

Meanwhile, Station Manager Kang’s higher-ups tell him that they consider it worth losing Su-ho from one show to preserve their relationship with JH Entertainment, who provides a lot of their talent. Station Manager Kang argues that Su-ho brings in listeners, but he’s ordered to dissolve the team.

The next morning, Geu-rim ignores another of Su-ho’s calls, grumbling that he calls her constantly. She spots a poster of Su-ho’s last drama and sighs that she forgets what a big star he is.

PD Lee calls Su-ho on his way to work to ask for an update, but Su-ho wants an official apology for the way PD Lee yelled at him. He gets Geu-rim, and while they’re headed to see Su-ho, Station Manager Kang checks in with Writer Ra and Seung-soo to see if they can manage a daily show on short notice.

Su-ho’s steel-trap mind remembers every angry word PD Lee said, and he parrots them back to him verbatim. PD Lee manages to apologize respectfully while still seeming disrespectful. Su-ho says that he gave up a lot to do their radio show, but PD Lee fires back that he also gained a lot.

Later, Jason makes dinner, but Su-ho just stands in the doorway making faces at Geu-rim, trying to get her to follow him. She ignores him, and eventually he stomps off while glaring daggers at her, which is worth watching at least three more times, PWAHAHA.

After dinner, Su-ho pops out of nowhere to yank Geu-rim to his bedroom. He asks why she’s not answering his calls again, admitting that he only called this stupid meeting so that he could see her.

Okay, I know he’s pissed, but that is so adorable, and Geu-rim is obviously charmed. She jokes that he’ll be moving into her house soon, and he’s all, You think I won’t? When Geu-rim asks why he’s so obsessed with the phone, he snaps, “It’s not the phone I’m obsessed with. It’s you.” Well, swoon then.

Over in Jason’s room, PD Lee casually wanders the room and asks what happened to Su-ho twelve years ago. He mentions the postcards they’ve been getting accusing Su-ho of being a murderer, looking pointedly at an identical postcard on Jason’s desk. Jason just smiles.

Geu-rim and Su-ho are still in his bedroom when they hear a screech. They find Tae-ri in the house, furious and assuming that Su-ho won’t do the drama. She blames Geu-rim, but Su-ho tells her to leave Geu-rim out of this. PD Lee takes Geu-rim out with him, leaving Su-ho and Tae-ri to talk.

Su-ho tells Tae-ri to stop acting like this, but she says she won’t stop until she gets the leading role opposite him. She vows to do whatever it takes, and when he asks why it has to be him, she says simply, “Because you’re Ji Su-ho.”

As PD Lee and Geu-rim drive back to the office, Station Manager Kang calls to tell them that the show is canceled. PD Lee barges into his office to ask why he’s doing this when they’ve created a good show with good ratings.

Station Manager Kang says that JH Entertainment made a deal regarding Su-ho, and PD Lee storms right back out again. Geu-rim guesses that he’s going to see Su-ho’s mother and insists on joining him. They find her at the gallery in the middle of an interview, and stand there glaring to get her attention.

Joon-woo takes Tae-ri home, and when he gets back to Su-ho’s house, he says that he thinks she’ll be upset for a while. Su-ho tells Joon-woo that he’s going to focus on the radio show and continue with the drama negotiations, and he asks for Joon-woo’s help. Joon-woo agrees, and Su-ho says that his plan is to do both the drama and the radio show, but his way.

PD Lee asks Su-ho’s mother why she wants to pull Su-ho from the radio show so badly. She says it’s about money, and PD Lee admits that if it’s because radio doesn’t make Su-ho much money, there’s not a lot they can do. But he also says that if Su-ho leaves JH Entertainment to do the radio show, then they’ll do anything necessary to protect their DJ.

Geu-rim tells Su-ho’s mother privately that she knows Su-ho is a valuable asset to her company. But to their listeners, she says he’s their precious DJ, friend, and family. Geu-rim adds that he’s precious to their team as well, just for himself.

Writer Ra and Seung-soo run into PD Lee and Geu-rim on their way to pack up their office, and Writer Ra lies that she’s sorry to be taking over their time slot. PD Lee wishes her luck in kissing up to JH Entertainment, but warns that she’ll accomplish nothing the way she’s going.

They call Su-ho out to give him the bad news, and as the guys drink, Geu-rim tries to cheer them up, saying it’s only temporary. Wait, did PD Lee lie to them? When Su-ho asks why it’s happening, PD Lee takes the blame and says they’re being punished because of him.

Geu-rim chirps that things will be fine, but a few shots later, she’s moaning that nothing will ever be fine again, ha. She whines pitifully that she only got to be a main writer for one month, and although Su-ho looks concerned, PD Lee laughs at her and calls her cute. Su-ho tries to take Geu-rim home, but she makes a frowny face and tells him to go alone, making PD Lee laugh even harder.

Geu-rim drunkenly informs PD Lee that she always did what he told her, and took his abuse, but she learned to write scripts so she was happy (ha, he’s so entertained right now). She turns on Su-ho next, calling him “Su-ho-yah” for the first time and completely disarming him.

She grumbles that she put aside her self-respect to follow him around and beg him to do the radio show, but that she got to be a main writer because of him, which made her happy. She manages a sleepy “thanks” before passing out on the table.

PD Lee calls Geu-rim cute again, and this time Su-ho calls him on it. PD Lee asserts that she is cute, and he starts to slide his scarf under Geu-rim’s head as a pillow. But Su-ho is fed up, so he grabs the scarf and flings it across the restaurant.

That sparks a shoving match, then a punching match. After, they sit on the curb bruised and bleeding, and Su-ho brags that Geu-rim is closer to him because she started liking radio when they listened to it together years ago. PD Lee fires back that he’s the one she’s making radio shows with now. LOL, these two.

Joon-woo finds Tae-ri huddled outside his apartment and helps her upstairs. He goes out for hangover medicine, but she’s gone when he returns, having gotten what she came for — an old audio recorder.

PD Lee hitches a ride home, and the guys get Geu-rim into bed. They sit in the kitchen glowering at each other, and Su-ho says he’ll stay, but PD Le refuses to leave him alone with Geu-rim (her mother is visiting family).

They end up camping out on the living room floor. Su-ho says he has a meeting with the drama team tomorrow, and PD Lee promises that he’ll do his best to give Su-ho a radio show to do. Su-ho says that he just doesn’t want Geu-rim to cry, since radio is her life.

In the morning, Geu-rim looks disgusted with them both for sleeping over, ha. They all head down when Joon-woo arrives to pick up Su-ho, and Su-ho asks Geu-rim what she’ll do today.

She jokes that she’ll be very busy eating and reading comics now that she’s unemployed. PD Lee shows up saying that he’s taking Geu-rim on a date, surprising her and Su-ho. They can’t think of a reason to object, but only a few minutes later, Su-ho is slumped in his seat in the van texting his woe to Geu-rim.

A short flashback shows that Joon-woo asked PD Lee if Su-ho is really leaving radio. PD Lee told him to keep it a secret, because he has a plan for Su-ho. Joon-woo starts to ask Su-ho something, but he remembers PD Lee’s request and keeps it to himself.

PD Lee takes Geu-rim to the mall, and when he notices her looking longingly at a particular coat, he buys it for her. He claims that it’s a gift for her last two birthdays that he missed.

In Su-ho’s meeting, he points out that the drama is nearly identical to another well-known drama and that there’s no reason for the drama to be filmed abroad. He asks for a more reasonable proposal, then excuses himself to call Geu-rim.

She’s walking with PD Lee at the park, where he apologizes for not making her dream happen, but he promises they’ll try again as soon as possible. Geu-rim thanks him for trying so hard to cheer her up, and for making her into a writer, then cringes at her own cheesiness.

When Su-ho finally reaches Geu-rim, he’s upset that she’s with PD Lee and tells her to go home. She snaps that she’ll do as she pleases then hangs up on him. Good girl.

Tae-ri finds Su-ho’s mom at the gallery and plays her the recording she swiped from Joon-woo’s apartment. A younger Su-ho can be heard telling Joon-woo that his mother told him on his ninth birthday that he’s not her son, and not to do anything to harm her. He asks Joon-woo how he’s supposed to do that.

Seung-soo and Writer Ra happen to witness Su-ho having lunch with the drama executives, and they note that Su-ho bounced back quickly after his radio show was canceled. They end up bickering over their own failed marriage, as it happens to be the anniversary of their divorce.

On the bus, Geu-rim thinks about how much Su-ho’s changed since doing the radio show. She calls her mom to tell her that she’s not a main writer anymore, and to get Mom’s support. Mom asks how things are going with that “rude jerk,” and Geu-rim admits that she likes him but she’s scared because of his star status. Mom tells her daughter not to worry, and to follow her heart.

Instead of going home, Geu-rim heads to the station for some of her things. She finds the car key in her pocket and goes down to Su-ho’s car to open the gifts he left there for her.

They’re just regular gifts, but what makes them special are the handwritten notes Su-ho included with each thing: a fancy watch comes with a request to spend a lot of time with him, a pair of shoes include an apology for tripping her, and a box of herbal supplements are attached to an apology for making her jump in the cold lake.

There’s even a note in the passenger seat of the car, apologizing for making her drive him around, but requesting more rides so that he can see her more often. Geu-rim smiles, wondering when Su-ho became so lovable, but when he calls her, she complains that he needs to get rid of that phone.

He asks her to come to the hotel where he’s staying because (supposedly) reporters are swarming his house. He invokes the contract that says she has to do anything he says, so she goes, but she makes it cleat that she’s only staying for a few minutes.

In the elevator, Geu-rim remembers that this is the same elevator where Su-ho objected to the idol Mi-nu clinging to her. Su-ho meets her at his floor, and the smiles they give each other are just adorable.

PD Lee and Jason meet up, and PD Lee asks why Jason is sending the postcards to the radio station. Jason looks confused and says that not only isn’t he sending them, but he’s been receiving them, too. He says that the most recent ones are more specific, saying, “The person Ji Su-ho killed is Woo Ji-woo.”

In return, Jason asks PD Lee what Su-ho is to him. PD Lee say cryptically that the answer is complicated.

Su-ho paces nervously once Geu-rim is in the hotel room. She asks him to get rid of his phone, and when he protests that she’s the one who asked him to get it in the first place, she quips that he calls so often it runs down her battery, ha. Su-ho asks again about what she did with PD Lee today, and she figures out that he’s jealous.

He perks up when Geu-rim says she talked to her mom about him, demanding details. She admits her fears about being with him, then tells him that she looked at his gifts. She apologizes for calling the gifts a burden, when she truly felt touched by them.

Su-ho surprises Geu-rim by asking her to stay with him, but he shoots down her suggestions of cards or television. Silly girl, you’re in a fancy hotel — he doesn’t want to play cards with you! She asks what he wants to do, and Su-ho gets adorably stammery and just stares blankly at her.

She says she’ll go home, but he stops her and says that she can’t refuse his requests per their contract. Geu-rim reminds him that she’s been fired, and she orders him to tell her where the contract is, gaping when he sheepishly pulls it out of his pocket.

Geu-rim asks what kind of contract says that she has to do everything he says, and Su-ho blurts out, “It’s what I wanted! I did it because I wanted to be with you.” Awww.

He says the contract made him happy because it connected her to him. But he adds that he doesn’t need it anymore, and rips it up on the spot. As soon as he frees her from the obligation of obeying him, he asks nervously, “Will you stay with me tonight?”

 
COMMENTS

I love that Su-ho has started working within the system and taking charge of his own career instead of sitting back while Mommy Dearest makes all the decisions. I especially love that his solution wasn’t to cause a lot of problems by refusing to do the drama, because he knows that it would be futile. Not to mention, his mother can’t really object so long as he’s technically doing what she wants (the drama) and getting the executives’ agreement on the scheduling changes. Normally I would feel that a character changing themselves just because of a love interest doesn’t seem entirely healthy, but Su-ho seems pretty clear that he’s not pushing back because of Geu-rim, but because it’s what he wants. He knew the situation with his family was messed up before Geu-rim ever re-entered his life. She’s simply the first thing he’s ever wanted badly enough to risk upsetting the status quo.

However, I can see a tendency in him to try to dominate and control Geu-rim in much the same way his mother dominates and controls him. Luckily, Geu-rim tells him to shove it and puts him in Time Out whenever he tries to take over. I mentioned before that Su-ho’s coping mechanism while growing up was to become like his mother in order to survive her (which I think is a very interesting choice by the writer), so a lot of his healing is going to be about more than just to start making his own decisions, but finding who he really is underneath the persona he’s had to cultivate just to get along. It’s good, and healthy, that he’s got Geu-rim and PD Lee who just ignore his bad behavior, and he’s slowly but surely showing Geu-rim his insecure side, the side that needs someone to just love him regardless of how he acts. So far, Geu-rim is doing a great job of rewarding Su-ho with hugs and kisses when he lets that guard down and shows her his pain and need for reassurance.

Joon-woo seems to be earning Su-ho’s trust back now that he doesn’t work for Mom anymore. That makes me so happy, because he’s the one person who’s been beside Su-ho since before Ji-woo’s accident, and the only one who truly knows what happened back then. There’s still a lot between Joon-woo and Su-ho that needs to be healed, but it’s pretty huge that Su-ho even asked for Joon-woo’s help. I love seeing Joon-woo’s proud smile whenever Su-ho asserts himself, and how much more relaxed he seems now that he doesn’t have to report back to Mom. I’m just not looking forward to what will happen when Su-ho is finally ready to face whatever it is that happened to Ji-woo when they were young. Joon-woo let him down that day in multiple ways, and as much as Su-ho clearly loves Joon-woo, he’s still carrying around a lot of anger towards him.

On an entirely different subject, I really appreciate that Su-ho and Geu-rim’s love story isn’t treated as a middle school crush like some dramas will do, with grown adult characters act like sex between two consenting adults doesn’t exist or is too scandalous to even consider. They don’t actually say right out that that’s what Su-ho is asking of Geu-rim, but between his nervous glances and the delicate dialogue, there’s no doubt that Su-ho and Geu-rim both know exactly what he means when he asks her to stay the night. And normally I’d find Su-ho’s shyness to be disingenuous, but we already know that he’s never dated, and that Geu-rim is the girl he’s loved for half his life. The way that Yoon Doo-joon plays the moment comes across as very realistic under those circumstances… I believe that he’s a guy with very little experience, who’s in a romantic hotel room with the girl he loves, and is now freaking out because he wants to ask his dream girl to take things to the next level with him. Mostly I love that the show is going there at all, because I’m just glad that we’re not being asked to believe that Su-ho hasn’t been thinking about it for weeks now. And I think it was huge that he ripped up the contract before asking Geu-rim to stay, because it meant that she can freely refuse if she wants. Not that the contract truly obligated her, but Su-ho made himself very vulnerable in that moment, which is the most important thing.

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I love how Geu-rim still doesn’t change and stays to her character despite the fact that she finally, somehow, admitted that she likes Su-Ho too.
And I LOLed when she told Su-Ho to get rid of his phone. Haha.

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The reversal was funny.

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Damn you Yoon Doo-joon! You are quickly becoming one of my favorite rom-com actors.

For me this whole episode was about Su-ho. Everything from the giddy obsessive feeling of your first crush, petty jealousy (which is the best) to finally trying to find his own path in his own life.

With 11 episodes in though, am wondering when all the blackmail letters and Tae-Ri evil neediness will start to kick in. And will there enough time to get a satisfying resolution to the the series?

Come on Show! You exceeded my expectations so far, don't let me down!

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Totally agree with you. YDJ is stealing our hearts left and right hehe
Yoon Doo-Joon is such a cutie! He seems to keep his cutiepie-ness in acting out all the romcom leads he has played. I am of course referring to Splash splash love! ^_^

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For some reason to me it didn't feel like Su-Ho was asking Geu Rim to stay the night for sex. It felt like he just wanted to spend the time with her. But if he really did ask her for sex, it was be quite refreshing of Korean dramas to show this, would love it if Su-Ho meant that.

On a completely different note, doesn't manager hyung look like Park Bo Gum?! Damn, the resemblance is uncanny!

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Ohmygoodness! You're right! I never thought about it before but now that you mention it, they look like brothers hahaha

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I feel like with all the plastic surgery going on in Korea, everyone ends up looking like everyone else. 😮 Not to make any judgements on who is getting surgery, but especially in women, it’s really hard to tell the difference in a lot of them.

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You bring up a very good point. I was tearing my hair out trying to figure out who was who among the young actresses in GRAND PRINCE. It's even worse with the guys when they're wearing gats.

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I agree with you completely. While I would love it if Su Ho meant sex, somehow it didn't really feel like it.
And I've been racking my brains trying to figure out why manager hyung looked familiar. Uncanny resemblance to Park Bo Gum makes perfect sense. Thanks!

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Nah, wait, I always thought Manager Hyung looked a lot like Song Joong Ki.

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Yes, Joong Ki I agree with you

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Thanks for the recap, @lollypip!

Okay, assertive and confident Ji Soo Ho who won't be a pawn anymore to his Not-Mommy-Dearest is about the sexiest thing I have ever seen!

I also like how his presents were apologies and confessions of his affection for her....the fact that it warmed her heart was believable. I was getting worried that Geu-Rim would start liking Soo Ho just because the writers write that she does.

While Geu-Rim seems to be the main character, I can't help but notice that Show's focus increasingly fixates on Soo Ho, not that I mind more Yoon Doo Joon, but...but....I expect a bit more from a drama about a radio writer since (obviously) the script must be written by other writers. Maybe this is Writer #3.

While this episode was nice, the plot didn't seem to move much, and I worry we're running out of episodes to tie up all the loose ends, not in the least Jason's loyalties, who is writing the postcards, etc.

But, in this episode, I really liked PD Lee Kang facing off with Jason. I feel like Jason pulls more strings that he lets on, but PD Lee Kang protects his own, and Soo Ho is still his DJ. I like that, I hope we have enough time for bromance blossoming as well!

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The more romantic it gets, the more awkward it feels to me. I like the direction they are taking, but I can't get over how young the actress looks. I feel like I should be more accepting at episode 11, but I grow more uncomfortable than I was at the beginning lol.

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Oh Sara, I just commented and saw your post. I feel exactly the same about the female lead! Her unflattering big hair doesn't make her look more mature if that's what the stylist is trying to do.

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Maybe because of their desire to overcompensate for the age disparity and KSH staff's need to prove that she's ready for adult roles (25 onwards), hence we're seeing her in all these "mature" clothes, boots, dangling earrings, hairstyle and make-up, which makes it seem as if she's going to a party and not to work. Most of the radio staff are dress comfortably, but KSH is dress like she's one of the celebrities in the drama. A little authenticity and less concentration on trying to look good on screen.

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And that dress suit she had on in the previous episode, nope, very unflattering.

They need a new stylist.

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It’s like they had a sudden shift of tone midway through the show. Changed Suho’s hair color to convey his change of drive, made her a bit too dressy, dangling earrings, combed out her hair, from frizzy-electricuted curls to loose curls like a she has a glam team before heading out her door every morning.

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It's smart of her to move on to mature roles instead of struggling well into her mid 20 to break out of the child actor image. The public loves her in this adult role because she's selling it so well. The hair and style is spot on and is getting a lot of love in Korea. Perms became the new in thing thanks to her. Seolhyun and Park Shin Hye were both recently spotted with perms. She only started dressing differently after she became a main writer. Her style grows with her level of confidence and frankly she looks gorgeous in each and every outfit.

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Perm has always been the go to hairstyle of korean actress. It has been there before and never really went out of style. I would believe your claim of drama's (and hence actors increase influence on fashion, etc) if we see a country-wide sensation of fame (ex. Jisung's lipstick on KMHM, DoTS-SHK's lipstick, MDBC's bracelet). I guess my qualms with her styling is the fact that it doesn't jive with the rest of radio staff, who are not dress shabbily but instead sensibly (which is almost always the case in real life setting). I just felt that they had to dress her like this inorder to catch up with the age-visual disparity with DJ, which sacrifices abit of the authenticity. But then again this is a drama, so long as she looks good it doesn't really matter for fans.

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She started dressing differently when she started dating Suho. She dressed to the nines when they were planning to go on a date. She even applied lipstick and makeup from that point on. It wasn’t when she became the main writer. The outfit/styling no longer matches the vibe of her job or her previous self. While Seohyun is gorgeous, her outfits are not all flattering, only a few of it.

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MDBC bracelet was never popular. They tried but it never caught on. DOTS lipstick was popular but nothing like what JJH did for ChiMek which technically has also been a go-to food item in Korea. The perm was not in fashion this season until after this drama came out so your argument does not make sense. The visuals for the two leads match perfectly which is why the chemistry is amazing.

To the other comment, the style changed when she became a main writer to show improved confidence and the hair changed after she started dating him. Go re-watch the episodes to jog your memory.

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I’m the opposite. I don’t see the actor’s age difference, I see the male lead flouncing around like an overgrown man-child having a tantrum and think that he’s the one who’s too childish. I don’t like it. Every time they get this ship sailing, they have him and PD Lee behave like total douches. I can’t ship that.

I agree with @lollypip that Su Ho is channeling his mother because that’s the person who’s modelled relationships to him. But his mother is a nasty control freak whose faith in relationships is destroyed. So when he is channeling her, I think that Geu Rim should get out while she can.

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Yes, THIS! I don’t find the jealousy or controlling cute at all. She’s supposed to be a grown professional adult woman and a guy she just started dating telling her what to do and who to spend time with isn’t attractive.

(Then again, I’m married and 35- so I think about what a relationship would be like after 2-5 years of that BS)

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When I was her age, I had a lot of guys I just met behave like this. I ran away as fast as my little legs could carry me. We've been together for one day, mate. Back off!

I felt claustrophobic for her after one episode. Can you imagine how stifling that would be after a few years?

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He’s like a red flag factory. I get we are supposed to ship them and find it swoons- but nope.

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I don't find the petty cute always but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt because this is a drama. The thing is I actually like them whenever they are together because the way they look at each other. Plus they have some good conversations when he's not being a control freak. He's broken inside and desperately needs her so I'm willing to excuse the obsessive for now. I also think he never realizes that he is controlling or that obsesession is something negative. I don't think he ever stopped being 9.

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I feel like the show wants us to accept that Soo Ho's messed-up upbringing is what's making him so childish and obsessive in his budding relationship with Geu Rim, and we're supposed to feel a degree of sympathy for him because of his past. But because of the sporadic poor writing, we just end up getting irritated with his man-child antics. I do think that if Soo Ho had been played by an actor closer to Kim So Hyun's age, the immaturity of the character might not have stood out so much.

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It has nothing to do with who plays the character. The immaturity is a fault written into the character on purpose. It serves as a plot point.

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Sexist comment that assumes young adult women are somehow still children that must be protected from men and sex. Crazy to see this kind of infantilizing opinion expressed on a female-centric website..

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What are you on? The age difference makes me uncomfortable, especially since she looks like a child herself.

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I like the drama but why was such a young actress cast in this role? Kim So Hyun looks too baby-faced for a mid-20s character. She's great when she takes on roles that suit her real age. She didn't look so mismatched with Taecyeon but maybe it was because she was mostly dressed in school uniform.

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It's the other way round. Kim So Hyun is mature and poised like most 20 something people but it's Yoon Do Joon who is going around being a hapless teen. He's the immature one here not her.

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Awwwwwwww....*heavy sighs*

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Loved the personal handwritten notes that suho gave to geurim along with the gifts.
Nice to see GR won't tolerate any nonsense when SH is trying to order her around. When the hero is such a child (cute but still), nice to see the girl has got a sensible head on her shoulders.
JW's proud smile whenever SH makes a very valid point regarding his drama is so good to see.

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I don't know bout u guys, but i feel su-ho is tad too obsessed with geu-rim, quite possessive too. Generally a red flag in dating these guys, lol.

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Sums it up. I don’t know how she didn’t run screaming.

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@cat, @leetennant,

Maybe Geu-rim hasn't headed for the hills because she recalls how Su-ho was 12 years ago. She might see his possessiveness as some sort of progress for someone who was so painfully shy and lonely.

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it probably is that... But it doesn't seem to be a bad start to a relationship.

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I agree. Plus I think she's a very measured, mature person. But her maturity and caution jar even more with his childishness for me. I particularly didn't like the scene where he gets her in his bedroom.
He says, "why didn't you pick up my calls?"
And I thought, ok good, this is where she tells him that he's being too possessive and she's having issues with his fame and she needs some time to work things out.
But instead the conversation ends up at a point where he's saying, "I'm obsessed with you, do what you're told". That's not a healthy place for that conversation to end up.

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oops! I meant «it's seems to be a bad start to a relationship». You summed up my concern perfectly. I guess in dramaland this is acceptable because the lead is swoony. Or maybe it'll be addressed later on...

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@justme

I don't know. I thought that they were making a big deal of how sexist and overbearing PD Lim could be to deal with it later on but they've never dealt with it at all. Instead of it being kdrama's #meetoo moment about how uncomfortable Geu Rim finds his behaviour, it's become Su Ho instead.

So Geu Rim's treatment as a possession isn't being addressed, it's being normalised.

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This is all spot on, but I'm willing to see where the writer takes it. If they gloss over it then I'll be singing with this choir, but if Su Ho can come to see his misbehavior and make an effort to correct himself then it needs to be shown so that the spotlight can be on it. I really did expect Geu Rim to be more fierce with him about before now, though.

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@ChinguMode March 6, 2018 at 1:49 PM

But didn't the conversation get interrupted when Tae-ri showed up? Here's hoping Geu-rim calls him on it later.

Regrettably, Su-ho is indeed channeling Mommy Dearest. But with an ass like his father for a male role model, Su-ho is SOL, and it's amazing that he's turned out to be as decent as he is.

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Suho’s bewildered faces every time PD Lee got close to Geu Rim cracked me up, but he did slowly grate on my nerves a little when he got really needy about her. But I’m being patient with him since he hasn’t been surrounded by good influences before and hasn’t been in any healthy, loving relationships. Glad that Geu Rim can handle him just fine too.

I like how he dealt with the drama conflict. Calm, confident, and reasonable. He was super sweet with his gifts and handwritten sticky notes too! *swoon* Each note was meaningful, marking moments in their relationship. He apologized for tripping her.

I can’t often tell if Jason is telling the truth or not. He shows a lot of different expressions and he still keeps some motives hidden. It was strange that he just happened to have those postcards on his table and we haven’t seen him disclose them to Su Ho yet.

Su Ho’s pettiness can be funny, but I’d also like to see him and PD Lee become friends too.

This episode overall didn’t feel that strong to me. Maybe it’s more of a build-up to the next episode and brewing angst.

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Seeing our child/teen actress drunk and passed-out is an even harder adjustment than seeing her kiss or maybe stay overnight.
But it's set in Korea, so I should have expected soju to be the 2nd lead :)

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The way Su Ho acts towards Geu Rim is understandable considering his past, but she really needs to start setting some hard boundaries with him. I liked when she asked "Are you jealous?" like it hadn't even occurred to her, and then he's like "Go home" and she was just like "No, I'll do what I want" and that ended that. That's a good start, but they really need to have a real conversation about this, because eventually it's going to wear down any affection they may have. She should give him a chance, but not too many of them. It may be that he needs more time to help himself before he can offer her a true partnership.

Jason seemed almost possessive of Su Ho with PD Lee--asking him what he wants with Su Ho. I can't wait to find out Jason's real deal. Thing is, he's not much of a change agent---like he doesn't really affect the plot that much, so it makes me think he's got some bigger role to play in the final stretch, because so far he's been an observer/spy/enigma.

I missed the radio this episode, though I did appreciate her conversation with Mom. Can we just get them back together as a team and get those shows moving again? That's when this show really shines.

Honestly, I completely buy KSH in this role--I see her as a twenty-something mature adult. And Su Ho is so childlike in his emotional state that if anything he is too young for her.

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Geu Rim’s conversation with his mother was the only scene in this I truly loved. And it was obvious again that his mother was completely disarmed by it as she was by his radio show.

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I agree. In the begining I couldn't get on board with how young KSH is in this role. But she really makes me believe she is a mature adult. This is my favorite role of her thus far. She is completely likeable. It's been ages since I like a female character for what she truly is (without being helped along by the male lead) but I can't seem to find a flaw that I dislike here (Ruler - too much noble idiocy, WYWS - too childish, petty).

She does not overreact in any situation, just rightly so. She gives the right expression at the right moment and isn't too overly optismistic about unrealistic things but is very much grounded and sensible. All her actions are warranted and it's totally believable how unassuming she is sometimes without seeming totally naive.

I enjoy watching her so much here, and her interactions with others around her. It's not so much of what Suho does to her, but how she reacts and handles it. She doesn't let him do things to her that she does not truly want. He prods her and pulls her out to reveal and accept her feelings, as much as she does that to him.

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One of my favorite things about this drama has been the brilliant potrayal by KSH. She has carried her character like no other. I don't think any other actress her age could have played SGR with this much amount of beautiful subtlety. All that hard work is starting to show. I know people will still crib about KSH playing older characters but she's proving she can so I no longer mind.

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Something about this episode felt unsettling to me. I don't think it's cute or healthy for Su-Ho to call Geu-Rim endlessly and order her around. I didn't think his confession as him being «obsessed» with her as swoony. Bruh, it's all too real. I feel so harsh saying this but it really is not that healthy. And I know Su-Ho has loved her for many years, but asking her to spend the night with him seems a bit quick, no? (I mean from Geu-Rim's perspective, she only just started liking him). And yes, she kissed him, But she still seems to be in the early stage of not being sure she likes him and him, quite in love (poor guy!). I do believe, however, Su-Ho is changing for the better (and thank heavens it doesn't seem it's *just* for a girl)

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I agree with whoever said that he wasn't asking her to sleep with him. He just wants to spend some time with her.

But here's the thing: he's a very famous star with lots of money who ordered her to a hotel room ten minutes after they started dating and then referenced an incident in that same hotel where he implied that (a) she was sleeping around and (b) that he'd like to be a part of that some day.

If I didn't know he was a traumatised, emotionally-stunted man-boy, I'd think it was super creepy. Especially after the "I'm obsessed with you, do what I tell you" conversation.

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He can always ask, she can say no. People sleep together on a first date all the time. That part didn't really bother me, because I never felt like he would stop her from leaving or that he wouldn't be okay if they just sat and talked on the couch.

That said, I wanted to stop watching this after the ep because it really is so unhealthy the way he tries to control her, but I'd love to see Su Ho realize how much he is like his mom and to give him a chance to grow. So I'm gonna stick with it and give the writer some trust.

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I also don't think he could be really asking her to sleep with him. This is his first girlfriend, and she just kissed him for the first time and was very shy afterwards. He would have to be really clueless and pushy to be taking that leap forward.

What I'm afraid is that their mostly innocent night together is going to turn out to be the set-up for a scandal. Someone is going to have the media waiting when she walks out of his room in the morning.

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Thanks for your recap and comments, LollyPip!

Mommy Dearest's threat to the KBC brass -- to withhold JH Entertainment's talent from their productions -- is the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard. Her agency may be the industry's 800-pound gorilla, but it ain't the only game in town. She may have a lot of the big names, but we've seen only too many times in real life how over-hyped dream casting fails to save a half-baked script or a mediocre production. I nearly laughed out loud when she uttered that "threat." If anything, she would be destroying her talents' careers by keeping them out of circulation -- and that would open her up to a class-action lawsuit. (Granted, her attack lawyers would probably divide and conquer the actors before it ever got to court.)

Or is it possible that Su-ho's opposition to her scheming truly has rattled her cage, and she is losing her marbles along with her icy self-interest and shark-like composure?

It was even more ludicrous to me when Ms. Nam threatened Su-ho with the incriminating photos of him and Geu-rim canoodling after the remote broadcast from the school. Bluffing over creating a scandal to ruin his career? She'd actually kill the goose who lays the golden eggs that enable her to live her conspicuous-consumption lifestyle? I can just imagine how Useless Dad would whine.

I practically cheered when Su-ho pointed out in the negotiations over the scheduling of the drama that it was a recycled me-too plot that didn't need to be filmed overseas. He totally skewered it. The look on the scriptwriter's face was of total dismay. Har! Perhaps Su-ho will insist on pre-production so that he can read the entire script up-front. Without grueling live-shooting, he'd be able to schedule his radio show to recharge his batteries during the course of filming the drama. I'd call that a win-win.

As for Tae-ri, I know that she's been treated abominably by Mommy Dearest and the industry in general. She's desperate to make a comeback by riding on Su-ho's coattails, and is gunning for a leading role. Maybe she's just not a good actress, and should hone her craft in a 50-episode weekend drama with a solid cast of veteran actors. Just sayin'.

LollyPip brings up a good point about Su-ho's proposal to Geu-rim. It was highly nuanced, so I don't think he was suggesting an all-night game of killer Scrabble. A realistic development of this kind is a rarity in Kdramaland, and makes me wonder if there isn't a little cross-talk from JUST BETWEEN LOVERS -- or SHOULD WE KISS FIRST?. ;-)

It wouldn't surprise me if Su-ho neutralizes the threats of scandal by going public with his relationship with Geu-rim. But he better discuss it with her first.

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But is the show going there? Based on the kisses, I'm not so sure. The first one was backed out of pretty quickly, the third one was a peck, and did you notice that the second one was never alluded to at all at the beginning of this episode (when I was expecting them to flashback the hell out of it)?

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I'm getting really fed up with Writer Ra's excessive schadenfreude. She's so lame herself that I cannot stand it. As for her ex-husband, PD Lee Seung-soo, he seems to be unable to escape her gravity well, even though he strikes me as being a somewhat better person. But maybe it's all relative. (Kudos to actress Kim Hye-eun in a thankless role. She's making me really loathe this incompetent ditz.)

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But her collection of eyeglasses is making me jealous. I'm assuming these are PPL, because I want them. I want them all.

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Cue my comment a few episodes back that all the antagonists are one-dimensional and all women. No further comment on that.

I just found her ridiculous in this episode. Why would they end up at this expensive hotel just as Geu Rim walks in? And how did they follow her to that room? Telepathy? Magical scrying? Psychic tea leave reading?

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Writer Ra must have her own built-in GPS for tracking her victims. I couldn't figure out how she homed in on Geu-rim. Maybe she has a nose for news and is missing her calling.

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And that Chingu is what we call drama manipulation, ei. lazy writing of a precursor to future conflict and scandal.

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Yeah, they just happen to be at the same hotel? Their excuse for being there seemed odd too. An anniversary dinner even though they're divorced? I feel like they're gonna be the ones to discover Geu Rim in Su Ho's room and spill it to the media. Ugh, this situation will feel so contrived.

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Yep, they're observing the anniversary of their divorce. How do you spell "haven't moved on yet."

#GetALife

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I am all for Geu-rim not giving into Su-ho's demands and standing up for herself lol. I love it! It's so refreshing to see in dramaland where the girl usually just gives in but nuh-uh not Geu-rim. And I really do hope he gets rid of his the controlling habits he picked up from his "mom", otherwise, it's not gonna be healthy for him in the long run at all.
How cute were the notes and gifts from Su-ho though? Adorable. And no I don't doubt that you'll move into her house at all hahahaha. Get-rim is so done with his calls. I cracked up when she said, "I see why he didn't have a phone, get rid of it again."

I am really happy that Joon-woo hyung/manager is all on Su-ho's side now because they honestly do have a deep relationship. It might have a lot of holes but they can work on those. Plus he has a really handsome smile!

Jason, Jason, Jason. What on earth is going on with you?? His character is so confusing like!??

PD Lee and Su-ho's fight LOL. I can't believe they actually fought, I would have loved to see the fight, sad they didn't include it.

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Geu Rim dosen't have a lot going on in this drama. Other than being there for Su ho. There's no real struggle for her except for her writing. I would love to see they both grow together as a person.

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I am happy that their relationship is progressing, also I love the way Suho looks at Geurim like he cant get enough of her. Am still waitin to see how his past with Jiwoo plays out. I hope ts not really bad.

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Oooh boy!
I don't even know why I'm watching this drama anymore. Like, where is the plot going? SGR and JSH are oozing cuteness and all that, but that's it? I had higher expectations honest...

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Okay this episode was cute.. as usual Sooho is just *heart eyes* with THAT look he gives Geurim.

But man this episode's dialog was so.. choppy..? sloppy..? I dunno.. The flow of this drama has been bothering me. I really don't get why JSH and PD suddenly had a fistfight (maybe just to prove how much JSH has changed..?). It's still enjoyable to watch but man they have loads of loose ends to tie up and not enough episodes left.

Also, JSH being possessive on SGR is a red flag but she doesn't really take it from him so there's a glimmer of hope there. I understand that maybe the writer is doing this due to JSH's mental state and this would be the first time he's actually dating someone but yeaaah he needs to tone it down.

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