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I’ll Find You on a Beautiful Day: Episode 9

We’re finally given some concrete details about our lead’s backstory this hour which go a long way in elucidating his motivations and fears. Both our leads have been shaped for good and ill by their complicated family situations and traumatic childhoods, leading our heroine to realize they may have more in common than she thought. Although he’s been hurt in the past, there’s plenty of people surrounding our wounded lead now who love and want to connect with him. The question is whether he’ll let them.

 
EPISODE 9: “The Secret of the Boy Who Hated Dung Beetles”

As Hae-won and Eun-seob kiss, we flash back to their first meeting. Little Eun-seob was sleeping on the floor of the guesthouse when Hae-won came down the stairs. Eun-seob had his first Hae-won induced daze as she’d asked who he was. In voiceover, Eun-seob wonders what Hae-won’s expression would be if she found out he’s loved her since then.

Hae-won thoroughly enjoys their trip back down the mountain now that she’s free to demand Eun-seob’s hand whenever she needs “help.” When they get back to town, Eun-seob promises to call when he gets to Seoul. They part ways with smiles, both looking a lot happier than they did earlier that morning.

At home, Hae-won can’t stop grinning and enthusiastically greets her aunt who’s back from Seoul. Then, she cries “Gunbam!” as she runs toward the frightened dog. Myung-yeo watches in befuddlement as Hae-won declares how cute he is, even after he bites her. She cuddles him as he growls, wondering who could call him shabby when he’s so handsome. HA! Talk about hot and cold.

At the bookshop, Eun-seob’s mood is a lot more complex. We see little Eun-seob holding a chick as he narrates that warm, sweet things have always made him anxious. Little Eun-seob touches adorable baby Hwi’s cheek. He worries that the happiness of that moment will suddenly vanish. Present Eun-seob sits filled with worry.

It’s a typical day in the town, but for Hae-won, the day has gotten a lot brighter. Myung-yeo notes her good mood at breakfast. Hae-won hilariously acts like it’s the most natural thing in the world, despite her moodiness of late. She comments that Myung-yeo has been cooking a lot these days to which her aunt cryptically states there’s a reason.

The phone rings and Hae-won bounds up before realizing she’s too eager. Myung-yeo nods for her to answer it, so Hae-won runs to pick it up. (Gunbam runs after her growling. Ha.) Hae-won’s face falls when it’s just the repairman.

Meanwhile, Eun-seob is touring a book warehouse in Seoul. The worker asks, on behalf of the editor, if Eun-seob really has no interest in publishing his book. She’s confused since she heard the manuscript is finished, but Eun-seob thinks there’s already plenty of great books out there.

She insists his book has its place, even so. “Maybe later,” he vaguely responds. The woman wonders why would he hesitate when his dream is to be a novelist. After she walks away, his face clouds over.

Hae-won grabs a cup of tea and a book as she waits by the phone. She narrates that, in life, there are bright and dark days. Some people always seem to be in the light while others are in darkness. “Do you know what people are afraid of?”

Eun-seob’s voice answers, “Losing the sun that’s been shining on me. Having the light fade and not being able to see the dazzling sun ever again.” Eun-seob stands just out of the light in the warehouse and thinks it’d be better not to have seen it. He thinks of Hae-won smiling brightly. Having felt its warmth and been dazzled by its brightness makes him afraid.

Eun-seob takes slow, deliberate steps into the light. (You can do it, Eun-seob!) He thinks, “Even so, Hae-won, I like you.” Bathed in light, he takes a deep breath.

At home, Hae-won is now practically on top of the phone as she waits. She checks to make sure it’s plugged in properly and has a dial tone. See, this is why you shouldn’t have ditched that perfectly good cell phone.

Like the ball of energy she is, Hwi barrels through as usual on her bike, yelling at people to get out of the way. Yeong-soo pulls ahead of her, and it suddenly becomes a race. Well, for Hwi, anyway. But she has to stop due to her uncomfortable seat, and Yeong-soo dryly quips, “out of the way” as he passes by.

Eun-seob still hasn’t called by evening, which makes Hae-won grumpy. Eun-seob gets back the following morning to a miffed Hae-won trying to act like she’s not miffed. She asks a couple questions about his trip and gets up to go. He tells her that he’s headed to Jang-woo’s soon for an event Jang-woo insisted he attend.

Hae-won tells him to have fun but immediately turns around to ask if she’s not allowed to go. She points out that he didn’t invite her. Eun-seob grins and tells her they can go together. But she declines saying she doesn’t want to go. Pfft.

Eun-seob calls her over to him. “I don’t want to,” she pouts. Oh my gosh, she’s being so petty. Ha. Eun-seob laughs like she’s adorable and calls her over again. She reluctantly obliges and moodily asks what he wants.

Eun-seob playfully asks why she’s picking a fight, and they go back and forth over it. He laughs and says they should go together. Again, she responds she doesn’t want to. She thinks he seems uncomfortable around her. “It seems like you’re regretting it.”

She tells him it’s okay if he thinks the kiss was a mistake. She’d rather things not be awkward. Eun-seob: “It wasn’t a mistake.” Hae-won asks how she’s supposed to believe him. He takes care of that by kissing her again in a way that confirms he means it.

When he pulls back, Hae-won admits she thought he disliked her. “There’s no way,” he replies. Hae-won smiles in relief as he hugs her. Eun-seob apologizes, as does Hae-won.

They go to that event together after all, which turns out to be a meet-and-greet with author Shin Yeong-joon who’s famous for never showing her face. (Isn’t that the woman Myung-yeo saw at that editor’s house?) Jang-woo looks into the crowd and does a double take at how cozy Eun-seob and Hae-won look.

From the stage, Yeong-joon introduces her editor—yep, it’s the flirty duo Myung-yeo saw—who happens to be Yoon-taek, Myung-yeo’s old flame. Jang-woo is still looking disturbed over the other flirty duo, Hae-won and Eun-seob, as they whisper to each other.

Myung-yeo walks out of the event and thinks back to a meeting with her publishers. They’d spent the time discussing the successful Yoon-taek and Yeong-joon, to Myung-yeo’s consternation, and how they’re rumored to be dating. In the present, Myung-yeo is almost out the door when she hears Yoon-taek call her name.

Min-jeong and Jang-woo clean up, and she mentions she spotted Eun-seob there. Jang-woo seems in disbelief about how close Eun-seob and Hae-won acted, but even Min-jeong notes it looked like Eun-seob and the “really pretty” girl are dating. Jang-woo firmly denies it, but he seems thrown.

Myung-yeo and Yoon-taek go to the only café in existence and lightly trade barbs. She asks if he’s still a crier, and he wonders if she still curses in public. He blindsides her by mentioning he saw her outside his house. Caught, Myung-yeo admits she went—she wanted to see how big his house was.

In the village, Jong-pil heads out to meet some guys for drinks. Yeo-jung wants him to pass along word that they should stop asking for Eun-seob’s help in the mountains. Jong-pil hesitates, so she shares what Eun-seob told her about following “that woman” into the mountains. Jong-pil is stunned, especially since that woman is dead. But it’s enough to convince him Yeo-jung is right.

At the café, Yoon-taek says he heard Myung-yeo is publishing a book. Also, he knows her publishing company has been dying to find out when he’s publishing his book. Myung-yeo asks him straight out, and he claims he’ll publish his when she publishes hers.

Myung-yeo thinks it’s pathetic that someone so successful would try to sabotage her book release just because she was always a better writer than him. Heh. He shocks her by suggesting she let his firm publish her book instead. Yoon-taek suggests she write a novel based on her life.

After the event, Hae-won and Eun-seob eat dinner with Jang-woo and Park Hin-dol. It’s the first time Hae-won and Hin-dol are meeting, and he comments that she takes after her mom which surprises Hae-won. A man abruptly bumps Hae-won’s chair, making her spill her drink. Hin-dol watches as Eun-seob attentively helps her clean up.

Jang-woo’s attention is elsewhere as someone he knows spots him and engages him in conversation. When he turns his attention back to his table, Jang-woo is startled to see Eun-seob helping wipe Hae-won’s chair as they talk and laugh quietly together. Of course, being the outspoken guy he is, Jang-woo directly asks them about it.

Hin-dol cuts in that it’s obvious what’s going on. “They’ll probably get married soon.” Ha. Jang-woo looks like he’s malfunctioning. “So is this how that story ends?” he asks. Jang-woo clarifies for Hae-won he’s talking about the story of Eun-seob falling for her.

Hae-won and Hin-dol latch onto that, to Eun-seob’s distress, and want to hear all about it. Jang-woo reminisces that it all started with the train. Eun-seob yells, “Hey!” in a (failed) attempt to make him shut up. We flash back to a teenage Eun-seob staring out of the station window at Hae-won standing by the train tracks.

As they walk back from dinner, Hae-won admits she can’t remember when that was since she was at the train station a lot. Eun-seob thinks it was the time she ran away from home. Hae-won stops in surprise. Jang-woo yells at them to hurry up, so Eun-seob grabs Hae-won’s hand with a smile, and they run.

In voiceover, Eun-seob reveals that he already had a crush on her by that point. We see little Eun-seob running through the woods and startling Hae-won. On another day he’d, for some reason, gifted her a live beetle which she did not appreciate.

In the present, they wait at the bus stop, still holding hands. Eun-seob tucks their joined hands into his pocket. He feels Hae-won staring at him and wonders what’s up. “I was just thinking, what if you suddenly vanish?” Hae-won is smiling, but Eun-seob’s smile slips.

A man walks up and tells Eun-seob there’s a commotion at the market. Jong-pil’s request that everyone leave Eun-seob out of dangerous mountain situations didn’t go well. He and another man are screaming at each other while their friends hold them back. Jong-pil accuses people of treating Eun-seob like the “town servant” since he’s not their son.

Eun-seob comes running in as the man tells his father, “‘My son?’ People will think he’s actually your kid.” Whoa. Hae-won stands shell-shocked while Eun-seob rubs his brow in frustration. The man continues, “Where did you even find that street urchin?” What the hell is wrong with this guy?!

Jong-pil punches him, and Eun-seob rushes over to break them up. He leads his father away and manages to get him into a taxi. Eun-seob apologizes to Hae-won for leaving her there as he gets in the taxi with his dad. Jang-woo walks up to Hae-won who’s still reeling.

At home, Yeo-jung tells Eun-seob not to blame his dad; she’s the one who pushed him to confront those guys. Eun-seob promises not to say anything to his dad about the incident.

Meanwhile, Jang-woo shares some of Eun-seob’s story with Hae-won. He was in second or third grade when an “aggressive” Eun-seob transferred in. There were rumors he was raised in the mountains with wolves. We see an angry little Eun-seob beating up a kid who was taunting him about his dad being “a hobo.”

Eun-seob’s birth father lived isolated in the mountains. Hae-won asks what happened to him, but Jang-woo isn’t sure since Eun-seob doesn’t talk about it. Jang-woo assumes his father must’ve died. Hae-won recalls the wooden headstone in the mountains. Eun-seob had told her the grave belonged to the person who told him the folktale “The Wolf’s Silver Eyelash.”

At home, Eun-seob smiles as Hwi comes in talking nonstop about the new bike she wants her dad to buy her. Hwi returns his wallet which Eun-seob didn’t know she had. Hwi can’t believe Eun-seob doesn’t even notice when his wallet is missing. He just tells her to ask him next time.

Hwi tosses him the picture that dropped out of his wallet. She asks if it’s his dad and thinks they look alike. Ah, so she does know. Eun-seob is taken aback when she asks him to throw the picture away. “You’re carrying around a picture of someone I don’t know. It makes me jealous.”

That makes Eun-seob laugh, but Hwi insists she’s dead serious. Eun-seob laughs again, sending Hwi running inside to inform her dad Eun-seob is weirdly laughing to himself. Ha.

In voiceover, Eun-seob states, “Did I ever tell you? I used to be really happy.” We see little Eun-seob talking and laughing with his birth father as they live their lives peacefully in the mountains.

One day, he’d run inside their cabin to show his dad the beetle he’d caught, but he wasn’t there. With that, Eun-seob narrates, his happiness disappeared. Jong-pil found him sitting by the roadside and brought him home to a very pregnant Yeo-jung. Eun-seob narrates that it made him anxious that he didn’t feel unhappy in that situation. He had started fearing happiness.

Hae-won waits for the bus and sees her conversations with Eun-seob about the mountains in a new light. She thinks of the man calling Eun-seob a “street urchin.” In voiceover, Hae-won revisits the story of the mistreated boy who used the silver eyelash to search in vain for real people.

We see Eun-seob biking as Hae-won narrates, “The boy was lonely. He couldn’t trust anyone.” When Eun-seob was little, his birth father told him they needed to read faces well since everyone would try to deceive them.

Little Eun-seob asked why people would deceive them. “In this world,” his father replied, “there is no such thing as real people.” Encouraging life lesson for a kid. Hae-won narrates that Eun-seob was wrong. We see flashbacks of his loving family worrying about and caring for him.

Outside the bookshop, Eun-seob turns at the sound of Hae-won’s voice. “You were wrong, Eun-seob.” He told her the boy didn’t find the village with real people, but that’s not true. The boy finds real people and lives happily ever after. “Like you right now.” Hae-won steps closer and puts her arms around him. With tears in her eyes, she thinks, “You were that boy.” He was cold, like she was.

She pulls back and places her hands on the sides of his face and kisses him as she thinks, “I’ll hug you from now on. Can you hug me as tightly as you can, too, so what we have won’t suddenly disappear … so we can stay warm like this forever?” She hugs him again and thinks, “Can you hug me, Eun-seob?” He hugs her back, and she smiles.

 
COMMENTS

Eun-seob’s background is quite dramatic. It was a strange childhood, that’s for sure, but he was happy before his father disappeared. Did they have any contact with the outside world? It seems like Eun-seob was pretty isolated and wasn’t in school before he was taken in by his current family. Based on his dad’s philosophy of people, that fits. I wonder what happened to him. All evidence points to that headstone Hae-won saw belonging to his father, so maybe he got into an accident in the mountains. But what about Eun-seob’s mom? I’m assuming she died earlier since Eun-seob and his father lived alone in the mountains. Even that picture was only of the two of them. Did his father take to the mountains after her death? Still so many questions.

I’m glad to see Eun-seob has started to let down his walls and let himself be happy again. He smiled so much this episode! His overt happiness even freaked Hwi out. And Hae-won was like a ball of sunshine after Eun-seob kissed her. Her moodiness is so entertaining. I think what makes it endearing is that there’s no reading between the lines with her—whatever she’s feeling is on full display. And he clearly finds her moodiness adorable as evidenced by that “fight” over going to the event. It’s nice to see a more playful side of Eun-seob when he’s around her. I thought he might waffle over his feelings, but I was relieved to see Eun-seob stepping up this time and providing security for Hae-won. He seemed affected when Hae-won casually brought up that he could vanish, so maybe he’s realizing how much of an impact it has when he just takes off without warning. He certainly knows what it feels like to have someone suddenly vanish.

Jang-woo’s reaction to Hae-won and Eun-seob getting together was interesting. I couldn’t tell if he was just in shock or if he was concerned by it. To me, he seemed worried, but I’m not sure why. He’s known about Eun-seob’s feelings for years, so that part isn’t surprising. Was he surprised that Hae-won reciprocated? Maybe he was just surprised that Eun-seob actually did something about it. I guess when your friend has nursed a decade-long crush it would be shocking to see it come to fruition after all that time. But I love how direct Jang-woo was about it. The second he was sure something was going on, he just blurted it out. It’s noteworthy how both people closest to Eun-seob, Hae-won and Jang-woo, are direct in expressing themselves and don’t fake anything.

Come to think of it, Hwi is like that too. Even with the picture she found in Eun-seob’s wallet, she didn’t pretend not to see it or beat around the bush. She just asked if it was his dad like it was no big deal. I think Eun-seob needs that since everyone else in his family skirts around the issue. Hwi treats him like any little sister would and doesn’t give special treatment due to his circumstance. He’s just her annoying older brother who acts weird sometimes.

In light of what Eun-seob’s birth father told him about people being deceptive, Eun-seob surrounding himself with people who are outspoken makes sense. Eun-seob instinctually mistrusts people, but it’s hard to mistrust someone who will say whatever they’re thinking right to your face. Maybe it’s not always what you want to hear, but it’s honest. I can see why he acts most comfortable around Hae-won, Jang-woo and Hwi.

I’m curious about Eun-seob’s book. Is it about “Irene” or something else entirely? It sounds like it’s been finished for a while, and a publisher has even seen it. What’s stopping him from releasing it? Seeing as the woman at the warehouse said it was his “dream” to be a novelist, maybe it’s another form of him denying himself happiness. With everything, it’s like he gets right up to the finish line and steps back. He acquired a great family but doesn’t let them in. He wrote a book he won’t publish. And, if it weren’t for Hae-won’s honesty and persistence, he would’ve liked her for years without doing anything even when she reciprocated. But slowly we’re seeing him change, and maybe he’s finally ready to start letting go of his fear and allowing himself to live.

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Little things:
- Eun Seop whisper-shouting "Hey!" to Jang Woo reminded me of Baek In Ho (Cheese in the Trap). Naturally, I replayed it.
- I'm sure this is the case for every episode, but the voiceover from Eun Seop (and later Hae Won) is like a long poetic letter. A poem of a man who's afraid of happiness which is read and answered by a woman who vows to help him overcome it.
- If a boy gave me a beetle, I would love it.
- Eun Seop just smiling and laughing at Hwi is so darn precious. More to come in next ep.

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I think that if the children's adventure book The Beetle Boy was published at that time it would be his favourite one.

Beetles are fascinating. Especially those big ones. Even when they seem to be black with sun we can see beautiful scale of shiny colours.

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Reviews in Dramabeans are so biased and subjective specially if the commenters like the oppa actors in the drama. I used to love this site but now this site has become meeeeh. Sorry for saying ths but you should give objective reviews.

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I can never find beetles like that anymore. We've found one outside but it was super tiny. It would be fun to find one that big. My kids would be ecstatic.

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I live in the countryside, and I've found beetles and scarabs, not often, but I've seen them. I love these insects so much, I'm a fan of them along with the Praying Mantis (so so so fascinating).

I find mostly females, but I've seen a male 2 or 3 times since I live in the countryside. Males are rare and absolutely beautiful.

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Aww sounds awesome! Do you ever find them as big as the one that was shown in the drama? That was particularly big.

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I love taking photos of Praying Mantis. They're such good models! They don't move fast. There's a beetle farm in UK and you can see lots of different species there. I hate when people crush them with their feet.

I love to find Lucanus Cervus, they're protected in my country and very rare to see.

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I've found big yes. But, not sure if they were the side that they showed in the drama. It's been a while since I've found one. Maybe I'll find more in the upcoming summer. But, I've never found smaller ones, always medium to large.

I've been trying to find the ones (dolls of course) that resembled the ones worshipped by Ancient Egypt. After this pandemic goes away, I'll plan a trip to Egypt and try to buy one as a souvenir. ;)

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EunSeob and Hwi are just 💗
His big wide smile to her was priceless.

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I don't know how to put into words how much I love this drama but one thing is for sure, I'm cured of my Seo Kang-joon Illness. I hope I don't relapse.

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Hoping for the same thing

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Same, friend!

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I love him so much from...ever!!
I'm so glad beanies are just seeing what I've always seen in him.
*squeeeeee*

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I found him interesting from the Roommate TV show. He was sharing his room with Jackson. He was so shy and quiet!

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I keep repeating I loved him since Cheese in the trap, and then in Are you human too (in which I think he was so good, playing the two characters) and Entourage. And of course, Watcher!

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It was 2 years after Roommate and I was like "finally I can see you act." I didn't understand why he was so hated, he did so well that he overshined the lead 😉 😂. I think he did a good job and the webtoon wasn't finished at that time so while reading it I loved his character.

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I, too, have really liked him ever since Cheese in the Trap, and I honestly think most of the hate towards him was not because of his acting but because of the direction of the story towards the end--which was NOT his fault!

This show is really cementing my love for him.

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@kerouregan @mindy I couldn't understand the hate, I also thought he was better that the lead and the problem was the drama, not him.
And of course, there is the undeniable fact that he's gorgeous 🤣

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My first time seeing him was also in CITP, and I actually didn't dislike him or his acting that much, but I just didn't like him either, bc I could never quite connect to his characters and he just always seemed to end up in dramas that I either strongly disliked or felt indifferent towards.

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I detested him in Cheese in the Trap; partly because I felt his portrayal was broad and one-note, but after seeing him in Are you Human too and here I realize he's a good actor, what I was really annoyed with in CITT was the writing and the direction.

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I think I've seen him about... 2 or 3 times before I actually started liking him as an actor.

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Omg I have seen him in that! Wow. The things in my brain I'm not using.

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If only I told you...

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SKJ is gorgeous to the point of distraction. I remember having to rewatch a few scenes from Watcher so that I didn't lose the plot - I was thinking at the time that it was because it was a complicated story, but now I think it was probably just SKJ.

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That happened to me in Entourage, mainly 🤣🤣🤣

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It was a good episode. We know a little more about ES. He looked like a cheerful kid, adults are so frustrating.

I love his actual family. And I was supporting the father that he hits this old man who showed no gratitude. Hwi's reaction about the picture made me feel uneasy, you can't ask him to throw his past memories like that, but her "I'm jealous" was so cute and lovely. It made him to feel loved.

I wonder about his book. The scene in the storage with the sun light was beautifully filmed.

Park Hin-dol is a nice ahjussi, he wasn't noisy about ES-HW relationship, he just watched them with a smile. Not like JW... I think he seemed a little bit jealous.

ES and HW are the cutest together! I want hapiness for them now!

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i think he realised that if eun seob ends up tying a knot....his mother is never gonna let up on him...you its like they are last bastions of bachelorhood.....and eun seob is falling....i know that feeling so....

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I don't think it's about his mum. KW likes to brag about himself, to be the number one. He failed to be the number one in the dating part.
I like KW, he's a nice character but he likes to show off :)

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On top of that, I wonder if it's also the fact that he's also got a long-standing school-days crush that he both denies and doesn't act on - yet his buddy was able to defy the distance and get the girl.

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I had the same feeling... If EunSeob gets a girlfriend I have no more excuses with mum!!

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I am really impressed with 21year old Lee Jae-wook’s performance as presumably 28 year old Jang-woo.
With his height (6 ft, 2 in), deep voice and dress (long winter coats) he sold me that he is a contemporary with SKJ (actual age 26) and PMY (actual age 34).

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He has been holding his own. I cant remember when but one moment in this ep the camera cut to him and I dont knowing it was angle or expression but it was like, "There is the 20 year old."

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You can see his true himself in all Extaordinary You's BTS, he was fooling around a lot :D

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He looks older than his real age. In Search:WWW, he was acting as Lee Da Hee's boyfriend when he was 20 years old (his character was older) and she was 34 years old. I remembered I was very surprised when I saw his real age.

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I was wondering about Park Hin-dol's observations on ES and HW - the recap gives a different translation than what I saw on Viki. Both seemed to me to be awkward translations. What did he actually say?

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Yes. If the translation on Viki is correct I thought Hin-dol’s comment was kind of blunt.
O/T. Maybe he has always been like that and that is why he wound up getting those letters returned to him. Lol.

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What was the viki translation!? I'm asking because his comment didn't seem blunt and rude to me at all so the fault must lie in translation!

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Well @bluewaters20 MeloMe you made me into a detective. Very interesting. The plot thickens (so to speak). I went back and reviewed on Viki the scene in question. My report. I will try to be concise because things have gotten a little bit complicated for me anyway:
1. The scene begins around 00:34:40. After the presentation ES, HW, JW and HD are seated at a table at the noodle restaurant. There is an accident where HW has a drink spilled on her. HW and ES are cleaning it up lovey, dovey. HD has been smiling at the couple.
The current Viki subtitles read:
JW: What is this aura I'm getting off you two?
HD: Why are you asking that? Even an old man like me can tell. These two seem to be ready to make us eat noodles* soon.
(=offer a wedding banquet)
ES: Oh, don't say that.
That sequence agrees with @quirkycase's recap.

2. I have a different recollection of what HD said in the scene above according to the subtitles. I don't have a verbatim transcript but the way I remember it is that in response to JW's question HD says something about ES and HW sleeping together.
That is why I commented that I thought HD's remark was kind of blunt.
I think the subtitles were later changed.
@pickleddragon, did you see what I saw or am I a bit crazy?

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The original translation said they seem like they will sleep together soon. I also thought it seemed rude.

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Oh Viki changed the subtitles! Yes, @marcusnyc20 you're right about the version that appeared earlier. I thought it was completely off. Honestly, even this version is kind of a strange remark to make to someone you are meeting for the first time, unless you want to rag them or something.

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Thanks @modestgoddess and @pickleddragon for the confirmations.
Lol. I didn’t see things! I am not going crazy (yet)!

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I strangely like this drama, it's strangely heartwarming, it kinda feels like I'm living inside its world, I'm a part of it. I don't know, maybe it's just me
Thanks for the recap, it was so well written

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Don't know how many times ive replayed the 'fight' scene in the bookstore. The 'Hae won ah come here' OMG why is it so sexy when a man says come here-not in a creepy way of cuz, the Eun Seob way ha ha! My fav SKJ drama by a mile!

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Anyone know the coat she was wearing in ep 6/beginning of ep7? I love the style but can't find it anywhere

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hae-won is definitely the MVP of this episode...she confronts the issue head on and demands a conversation..at the same time comforts eun seob that he is indeed loved...and that is not going away so be honest...i love it...i think for her this is a precious relationship after long years of just coldness from her family..she will fight tooth and nail for it....go for it Hae won!!!

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This show does small things so well! I watched ep 9 last night, and now I need to go watch it again and squee at every little look and smile they send each other. And that restaurant interaction, "what's that energy going on between the two of you" is so funny, heee
Can we get 9 more episodes of HW and ES being cute with their cute Bookclub gang, reveal some misteries from the lives of the very cool Sim sisters, and totally forget about angsty stuff?

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Every week I grow more drawn to this drama. It hits all the right spots. It's not overdone. It is just a simple love story, set in an everyday town, with normal people. These people have baggage like everyone else. ES and HW are very cute together. She wants to love him and he loves her and wants to feel as if he deserves to be able to. Go for ES, you deserve to soak up love and you deserve to give love as well. There is so much to explore and I can't wait to continue seeing a normal everyday kind of love develop. watching this show has been a complete joy.

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After I watched the episode I had to write this before, I tend to forget, because life happens...

Black eye - ES was taught that he needs to see behind the mask of someone's face, voice or actions. He saw real HW's mom not the one with sorrows so that's why he told her that she is pretty. I'm sure that was as well she needed to hear. It consoled her. I wouldn't look for other cheeky intentions.

The village people who ask for help with finding someone lost - that guy is only considering him less as a dog not a proper human being. He asked him to find his lost dog, ES found him and brought him to his master and his words stink more because he's so ungrateful.

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It was hard to watch that ES was constantly being used by some in the village to help search the mountains, but only seen as the son of a vagrant. After all those years and how kind ES is, it hurts him that people still don't really respect him. Thats why he is so guarded.

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Labels are really hard to shake off in small communities... In every small village in my country, the first thing people ask you is "who are you from", meaning, who's your family. If someone in your family happened to screwup, somebody will remember and attach it to you, it's sad but it's true

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I'm from a very little town and I'm greatful to my parents that they've raised me well in this point - they've never gossiped, etc. I was very annoyed when I've had dinner at my partner's house and they didn't stop gossiping about others and poking nose in things that's not their business. Fortunately for a year I didn't understand much of their conversation because of the language barrier but later...

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My mom was born in Chicago but mostly raised in a small town, and she detested the gossip and labeling and pettiness. She always said, "Lord preserve me from small towns!" and as you would expect given her attitude I have never lived in one.

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It makes me wonder how it comes that he became best friend with JW. I love ES's mom and that she sees throughout people's masks. She wants everyone to cherish her great son.

I think ES was really a happy child until his dad went missing. Was he shot "by accident" by hunters or did he go to look for his wife? He had this magical world of nature surrounding him and the best dad ever.

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An accident it to me the most likely thing that could have happened.

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Ya, I'd like to know how JW and ES became friends too! I wasn't sure if the observer-child retelling ES's school-life was supposed to be JW as a child or not?

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There's a saying in my country: small town, big hell.
Small towns always make it difficult to outsiders, and even if ES is not really an outsider, he's treated like one.
And another thing: when people want to hurt the other, they will always go with the thing that hurts the most, and for ES's dad is reminding him that ES is not his blood, which is so, so cruel.

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HWIIIII, that last scene where she tells him to get rid of the picture because she doesn't know his father and is jealous, is both incredibly rude and so touching. I understand why he lays her get away with the nonsense that she does. What an excellent excellent character.

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We tend to let our "baby" siblings get away with a lot. My younger brother and I are in our 30's and I still let him get away with childish things.lol

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That line unexpectedly choked me up a bit. Hwi s just so straight forward. But her uncomplicated view of things seem to have brought comfort to ES at that moment. Yes, it was incredibly tone deaf but for her the fact that they are not blood doesn't really seem to be an issue. Her insensitive and uncharacteristic outburst seeme to have conveyed more comfort to her emotionally torn brother more than any sugary words would have.

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I was so shocked at first, because it was not like Hwi telling his brother to forget about his father, and then she said she was jelous... and awwwww. I just love you girl!

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The actress playing Hwi is such a scene stealer!! You just have to pay attention to her when she comes on. She's doing a fabulous job. Her character is also so well-written - street smart, a little bossy, entitled, talkative, and sharp-funny - she's my favourite person on the show!

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I love how intense these episodes are - without being cheesy, they convey so many emotions. It is a joy to watch Seo Kang Joon smiling openly and it comes to show how restricted (yet intense, as always) he was with his expressions over the first half of the drama. Even though we don't know yet how he came to live in the woods with his father, the whole atmosphere is so fitting for the man he has become. And though there is the childhood connection reveal, it fits the story and doesn't feel contrived to me.

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I agree. It seems natural that they would have met as children when HW would visit her grandmother.

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I usually don't love the fated to be connection that K-dramas love to throw at us. but this one might make ES's hidden love for HW more deep so I'm crossing my fingers till we see more. I'm curious to see how he can to be at HW's house though. Did HW's mom bring the boy in after finding that he was all alone in the depot? Was their meeting after his dad had disappeared? Still many questions unanswered...

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Although it isn't clear what he was doing sleeping in Hodu house as a kid...

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Yes, I'm intrigued by that too.

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I think it's because ES's mom was having a baby at the hospital that night, so ES stayed at neighbor's house and that's Hodo house.

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This drama has been an easy and soothing watch for me - but Ep 9 and 10 finally hook me heart and soul. The back stories of ES and the aunt are just so poignant and sad.

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Thanks a lot for that wonderful recap @quirkycase.. your descriptions of JW glitching and Hwi's race with her,herself and no other made me want to rewatch the scenes 👍
We finallyyy have some pieces of ES story. And as expected it was gutting. But given that his birth mother's story is still untold we can expect more angst in the next few recaps. It was wonderful how HW reached out to him after identifying in him the same familiar coldness she had felt all her life. HW hasn't lived in a cold mountain but she seemed to have plenty of experience with 'cold' people. It really underlines the power the word 'warmth' holds for these 2 lonely souls and it's telling how much she has come to care for him when she calls him a warm person.
My ideas about Aunt HW old romance took a turn!He wasn't her editor after all. But he seems as interested in her past as she looked to be of his present. But the familiar acrimonity wasn't what I was expecting. Well he's no longer the crying helpless boy she dumped but there seems to be so much undone between them. Looking forward to how this arc shapes up.
Hwi and JW were less in supply this EP, but they sure made their presence felt when they were.
ES's family was so warm. The parents so easily welcomed in a boy when they themselves were about to be new parents and must have been in a stressful situation as it was. Initially made me sad how even such a 'warm' family couldn't really erase his coldness. But on second thoughts, it's probably because he was surrounded by so much unconditional love that our aggro mountain boy turned into a quiet, mellow man. I was 💯 yelling at ES to step fully into the light and soak in that sun, but the fact that he made it half way's making me half sad and half anxious for the inevitable step back.

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Ooh and also..I love how HW turns into such an angsty teen being raised to the skies by a warm hand and brought to the depths of hell by a cold receiver. I only just realized that I haven't seen PMY play a 'lighter' person. Yes her recent work is all ROM com, but she's always depicted as such a competent, responsible person and think she would do such a good job being allowed to play into the flighty,silly,jealous ball of sunshine she can be.
Also special props for Gumbam's excellent support work. You did the indignant growl work so well,such a good boy ♥️

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Cheers to Gunbam, oh pretty boy!!

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Yes to the yelling, me too :) "Just move, go, you can do it, one step further, argh"

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I have so many (good) feelings about this show, that I feel like I can not accurately express it in words.

Watching this show is like reading a long poem, and loving it more and more as you go through it, while mentally taking a note to re-read it just to experience its beauty all over again, because the feelings it gives you are so emotionally complex that sifting through them once would at best not be enough, and at worse, a gross neglect.

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And as the focus of this episode was to get some clarifications about Eun-seop's past... let me say that as a viewer who is constantly preoccupied about characterization, I rarely get such a SATISFYING and eloquent answer to a character's disposition in a drama!!!

From the beginning, Eun-seop had such a deep, deep sadness about him that was obviously deliberate and you couldn't help but ask yourself "WHY IS HE LIKE THIS?"
I held off on expecting a comprehensive answer to that question, but I'm so glad the focus properly shifted to him for the explanation and that we got to see it from his POV!!!

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It really was a satisfying and eloquent answer to a character's disposition. I love that this drama doesn't give us massive info dumps in dialogue or flashbacks. Instead they give us pieces with beautiful, poetic voiceovers and imagery to tie it together. I thought it was very effective.

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Sublime yearning, and sadness all portrayed so beautifully by the male lead. I tend to watch dramas with A list stars, and watched this one because of Park Min Young, but surprisingly Seo Kang Joon has dominated this show completely with his quite, charismatic portrayal of a book owner.

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I think you expressed it beautifully, @yuyuu.

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Drama, I love you to the bones.
There's no much for me to say after what all beanies have said, but there's a couple of things I want to share:
- HaeWon behaving like a teenager when she arrives home after being with ES in the mountains, spreading love to everyone, Gumbam included. And then HaeWon feeling miserable because he doesn't call (oh, I've been there, being a teenager before cell phones were a thing). And then HaeWon "fighting" because she felt ignored. And above all, HaeWon hugging EunSeob and making him feel war.
- Hwi being possessive about his brother and the big smile it brought to EunSeob's face. If that's not true love.
- Mum and Dad. When dad first found the boy, warming him up with his scarf and hat, and then mum making him take a hot bath.
- JangWoo being both surprised and a little annoyed by his two friends being together. I think he feels the pressure to finally make the move with EunSil... if EunSeob could...

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This drama is receiving so much love here! It warms my heart.
I am only on episode four so I have some catching up to do, but I just had to be in on the party here.
One thing that stands out for me about this drama is the way it creates an immersive atmosphere. Right from the first episode it felt like I was stepping into the character's lives. After I finish an episode I require a second to come back to my reality.
And can I say how much I love the pacing? I know there were complaints and it is not everyone's cup of tea (sadly for them) but it is perfect for the slower small village pace and the reflective transitional time these characters are going through.

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ES and HW reaching for their happiness despite their feelings of unease ❤️. Very poetic way of conveying loneliness, love, family (what make a family) and happiness. It is like every shade to life that what make us human both in good and bad way.

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What a breath of fresh air, a drama that does not rely on communication problems to create conflict! Sure, discussing things is hard sometimes, but too many dramas use it as a crutch, an easy way to create angst and conflict and misunderstanding without having to think about it too much. So when you actually find a couple that will talk about things (after a few complaints and false starts, like normal people lol) and that will freely share how they are feeling in words and actions - how unusual, how lovely!

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Eun-seob is just too adorable and it was so so nice to see him smile throughout this episode and be playful with Hae-won. The scene between Eun-seob and Hae-won where she was grumpy he didn't invite her had me squealing so much! I love all the cute moments we had between them this episode.

I feel for Eun-seob and the way he had to grow up, but like Hae-won said I'm so glad he has found a warm family who he can trust. I love Eun-seob's family and his relationship with Hwi is so heart-warming... AHH I have so much love for this drama and it's characters!

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the only café in existence

Lolllll. I know it's a small town, but there has to be another cafe/coffee shop. I wish they would change it up.

Eun Seob's time with his father was so pleasant despite being isolated in the mountains. Because he experienced a deep loss of happiness, he became afraid to attain it.

Petty Hae Won and their back-and-forth were pretty cute. It was a little odd to see Eun Seob being quick with his replies. Even his kiss caught me off guard. I'm glad he told her that the first kiss wasn't a mistake. At first, I squeed at his bold move, but by the end of it, their second kiss seemed a little strained. Unnatural? More on Eun Seob's part. It ended with a feeling of melancholy.

I liked their kiss in the last scene much more.
Their hug was everything. I love their hugs so much!

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"Lolllll. I know it's a small town, but there has to be another cafe/coffee shop. I wish they would change it up."

In my town of 35,000 people, there is really only one coffee shop people go to (that's not Starbucks). Lol!

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*mind blown*

The suburb my parents live in has 15,000 people and 10 cafes...

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One one hand I'm thinking he's still in shock lol and he's fighting not to run and be happy. On the second hand, it's nice to see him be more open with her which I love. And those smiles and hugs are so damn cute.!

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Go into the light Eun-seob, go into the light!

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That scene of ES walking from darkness to light was so well done! It can be a cliche most of the time, but this was nice.

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It was not cliché- it was symbolic. There is a big difference. But notice the directing and cinematography here: That scene was shot beautifully and was neither too long nor too short. There is more than good writing going on in this show- Their is very good directing and shooting as well as excellent costuming. The sounds are wonderful- you can hear the sounds of the forest and the sound of the wind coming across the water. This is not just drama- this is art.

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Absolutely agree! I meant that using the literal movement from darkness to light for symbolic effect can be cliched (not figured out how to get accents on my keyboard!), but it was beautifully done here. I have watched very few movies or shows use this symbolism to good effect. This is definitely an incredibly well-crafted and artistically sophisticated show, and I am savouring every moment!

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I really want the aunt to have a happy ending (in whatever way her character finds satisfying) to her story too! - she's fun and thoughtful in her own way. We see the show taking her story forward, and I hope it's all positive. *fingers crossed*

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This story continues to unfold beautifully. The novel it was based upon must be chock full of insights- because we are getting them by the barrelful. The writing is so well paced that this story simply flows naturally.

It would be nice if we see his book get published but it probably is not necessary for the story.

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I feel like I am being redundant... but I really really like this drama! This week's episode were exactly what I needed with Eun Seob's backstory which is quite sad. I actually cried in some parts (kuddos to SKJ who truly embodies Eun Seob's emotions, feelings in such a good way). I totally get his character now, and I truly hope he'll be able to overcome this fear of happiness. Hae won anf Eun Sob are both what they need for each other. Lastly, shoutout to Eun Seob's adoptive Mama. This woman is just awesome, she filled him with so much love and demonstrates that love, true love, has nothing to do with blood.

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The chemistry between Seo Kang Joon and Park Min Young is off the radar, and very unexpected. They look so good together. Kudos to who ever paired these two together. ❤

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I have been delaying reading this recap! I wanted to be prepared for it. Every single beat of this episode resonated with me. I was there with Eun-seob every step of the way. I am open to happiness unlike him. But, as soon as that moment passes, I start thinking about what could go wrong. What price do I have to pay for this laughter and these smiles? Then, anxiety takes over.
I think all of us have to come to peace with the ups and down of life at some point. I am still not there. I am trying though, and for now I believe that's enough!

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Thanks for the recap.

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