Playful Kiss: Episode 7
by javabeans
This episode had more than one plotline going on, but there was a general arc to the emotional progressions, so overall I was happy with it. I’m liking the characters more and more, and although He-ra is in the role of the hateful romance-spoiler, Lee Shi-young is playing her with this interesting mix of confidence, softness, and bitchery that makes me like her. Well, like to hate her.
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EPISODE 7 RECAP
Curiosity piqued by the sophisticated Yoon He-ra, Ha-ni asks Seung-jo about her. She’s surprised to hear that He-ra is their age, and furthermore, she’s at the top of their class, like him. Ha-ni tries not to feel intimidated, and stammers a denial when Seung-jo asks if she’s jealous.
But Seung-jo can read Ha-ni like an open book and decides to have a little fun. He says a little jealousy isn’t out of the question, given that they did kiss. He leans in close, making Ha-ni close her eyes and wonder if this is going to be Kiss No. 2… until he laughs at her gullibility. You bastid!
Ha-ni realizes he was messing with her, discouraged at this indication that the kiss meant nothing to him. Her friends commiserate, but are unable to stick around for their planned lunch date — Ju-ri got a job at a beauty salon, while Min-ah has to eat lunch with her department.
That leaves Ha-ni to eat alone. Although she can’t bring herself to ask Seung-jo to join her, it’s a pleasant surprise to run into him anyway.
Another surprise: The guy behind the counter — who gives Seung-jo an especially small serving of rice — is Joon-gu. He’s taken a job working here, in order to keep tabs on Ha-ni.
Ha-ni finds a table for them, but to her disappointment, Seung-jo joins friends at another table without so much as a word. (To be fair, it looks like he initially intended to join her, but got called over. Still, dude, you can’t even give a teeny explanation? I know, that’s not your style. That would be — gasp! — polite.)
Later, she spies Seung-jo sitting at a bench, and eagerly makes her way to join him. But just as she does, he’s joined by an older student, Kyung-soo, who tries to recruit him to his club. After some resistance, Seung-jo agrees.
Ha-ni is, naturally, curious to know which club it is. It’s why Seung-jo purposely doesn’t tell her, because he knows she’d follow him there.
Being called out on it doesn’t stop her: When he heads to the club’s meeting room, Ha-ni stealthily follows. He’s on to her, and leads her astray, but she eventually finds the right room. This is Top Spin, the tennis club.
Spotting her arrival, Seung-jo doesn’t even look surprised and mutters that she found him after all. To her surprise, there’s another familiar face in the group: He-ra. Seung-jo and He-ra were both champs in the national high school tournament two years ago, explaining how they know each other.
By now He-ra has sized up Ha-ni as a rival, and although she maintains a pleasant tone of voice, her words border on bitchy — that Ha-ni shouldn’t have come since she doesn’t know how to play tennis. Ha-ni replies that she was told that all she needed was interest.
Seung-jo tells He-ra to let it rest, but he can’t have us thinking he’s doing it to be nice, can he? He has to tack on the comment, “She’s a thoughtless girl anyway.”
At the first practice, the gentle and welcoming Kyung-soo takes his place as their training coach. (Shockingly, he’s only a second-year and 21 years old — his older appearance is a key gag with his character.) Ha-ni finds Kyung-soo very kind, but He-ra and Seung-jo trade smirks, because Ha-ni’s about to find out the truth.
Which is? Kyung-soo transforms into a fearsome drill sergeant the moment he gets on the court. He tests the members’ proficiency levels one by one, barking orders and delivering fierce serves that can’t be returned.
Kyung-soo is nervous around He-ra, though (methinks it’s a crush), and gives her an easy serve. She wants a proper one, and this gives her the chance to show off her prowess. Seung-jo is next, and he crushes Kyung-soo. This earns him the others’ admiration but sends Kyung-soo’s temper up another notch, with only one member left: Ha-ni.
Ha-ni’s scared to go out after Seung-jo has pissed him off — particularly since this is her first time holding a racquet — but go she must. She dodges a few balls in fear, and then one flies at her face. She blocks it with the racquet, which recoils into her face and knocks her out.
Funny enough, this impresses Kyung-soo; he praises Ha-ni for her focus on hitting the ball, disregarding her own safety. This guy’s a NUT.
Once he’s off the court, though, he’s back to his mild-mannered self. When the club goes out for drinks, he separates himself from the group, embarrassed of his behavior.
Everyone marvels at how perfect and talented He-ra and Seung-jo are, and speculate that both were very popular in high school. He-ra says she wasn’t interested in dating, spouting off a bunch of Sartre about loving the self and the nature of human existence. Blah blah blahhhh.
And then, Seung-jo completes her sentence for her, continuing the pretentious display of pseudointellectual quotitis. (What? That’s a thing. I sure saw plenty of it at my school.)
Everyone is lost in all this philosophical flim-flammery, particularly Ha-ni, feeling the gulf between her and them. (And this is when I realized why I love this dynamic so much — it’s totally Bridget Jones and that stick insect lawyer bitch Natasha. I’m fine with He-ra running about with her nose in the air because despite painting herself as the Perfect Mate to the Perfect Man, she’ll never beat the Lovable Everywoman because she’s lacking something fundamental. Like a heart.)
The trio’s next run-in takes place in English class, where they’re joined by a fourth — Joon-gu. When the lecture starts, the instructor asks Ha-ni a question, but as she doesn’t understand English, she turns to Seung-jo for help. He ignores her, so she makes a garbled apology in her broken English.
Joon-gu also attracts the teacher’s notice, who asks if he’s a student in this class. Joon-gu can communicate in English about as well as a monkey, so He-ra speaks up and explains to the teacher that Joon-gu’s not a student, and that he’s only here because he likes Ha-ni.
Then she turns to Joon-gu and, with her steely-sweet voice, calls him a public menace. She adds under her breath that she hates stupid guys, which are the same words Seung-jo used to describe Ha-ni.
Ha-ni glumly says to Seung-jo’s mom that Seung-jo must like those pretty, smart, skinny girls — the kind that abound at school. Mom immediately understands that a third wheel has hitched herself along for the ride, and reassures Ha-ni that she and Seung-jo are the type who have to be together to be perfect, like a pot and lid. It’s a cute way to show that they’re complementary, not carbon copies of one another.
Ha-ni drops by Eun-jo’s school to deliver some school materials, where she sees that he has a crush on a classmate. To help him along, Ha-ni approaches the girl and invites her home and, naturally, she and Mom spy. The playdate doesn’t go very well — the girl’s bored and petulant — until Seung-jo arrives.
Suddenly, she perks up, wowed at the handsome oppa. In fact, she’s bold enough to ask at dinner whether Seung-jo believes in love at first sight. Seung-jo hasn’t ever thought about it, but the little hussy says she believes in it now, then requests, “Oppa! Please just wait seven years!” (I presume she’s 13 and means until she’s of age at 20.)
POOR EUN-JO. Mom tries to give him a pep talk, but it just doesn’t have much impact to hear mom tell you how cool you are. Ha-ni asks if Seung-jo even cares how Eun-jo feels, and calls him a player.
This gives her the chance to unload her frustrations about He-ra, and I love that she calls him out for playing around with her feelings — he smiles at her intentionally to confuse her and never is clear on whether he means something or is joking. She grumps, “Go ahead, you guys suit each other… you’re both mean anyway.”
Catching on to the source of her complaint, he asks if this is about He-ra instead of Eun-jo. Ha-ni says they’re the same thing.
Eun-jo lashes out at Ha-ni when she comes to talk to him, saying this was all her fault for asking the girl over. Ha-ni agrees, apologizing for overstepping. Eun-jo is feeling raw and retorts, “What do you know?”
But one-sided love is something Ha-ni knows very well — she understands exactly what it feels like to be ignored by the one you like. She sighs, “Eun-jo, I think that for two people to like each other at the same time is nearly a miracle. One day, will that miracle happen for me?”
She says it wistfully, and Dad overhears from inside, perturbed. With that on his mind, he asks Joon-gu if he really likes Ha-ni that much. Joon-gu explains that when he was always getting into trouble and avoided by the other kids, Ha-ni was the only one who befriended him. There’s a moment that’s a bit sad when Joon-gu calls himself pathetic, working while all the other kids are off joining clubs in college. But he’s intent on building himself up quickly so he can propose to Ha-ni. Oh, Duckie. My heart, it bleeds for you.
Seung-jo brings He-ra home to work on an assignment, and Ha-ni finds herself caught on the balcony outside the living room. She scurries behind the screen to avoid being seen, but alas, the two settle down to work there and she is forced to keep hiding.
The report is on cultural studies and leads to some more philosophical musings about the crux of Nietzsche’s ideas. He-ra has the idea to make their project with a visual medium rather than a written report, and they get out the camera to create some homemade claymation.
Ha-ni sees Seung-jo’s absorption in his project and finds it discouraging — she’s never seen him look like that, and it further highlights the gap between them.
Mom arrives home and hears from Eun-jo that Seung-jo’s friend is super pretty, and immediately her Momdar pings — this must be Ha-ni’s rival, and this automatically means she must be discouraged. (Mom is awesome.) Thus she receives He-ra coolly, much as she once saw through the B.S. facade with Jang-mi. Go Mom!
I’m starting to love to hate He-ra, because she’s so uppity that you can’t help but root for her downfall. For instance, when He-ra finds that Ha-ni didn’t know Seung-jo is only a special member of the club (i.e., he can skip practices), she laughs that they’re not even that close — it means she finds Ha-ni utterly unthreatening: “It’s no fun without any tension.”
Yeah, she’s that perfect bitch who likes to make things harder on herself because otherwise life is so boring, poor baby.
Bothered by Ha-ni’s explanation of her one-sided crush, Dad decides that it’s time to move. He makes this decision with a heavy heart, but feels that it would be best for Ha-ni — he doesn’t like seeing her struggle.
Mom doesn’t take this well. The parents had meant it when they said they wanted the Oh family to keep living with them. Ha-ni’s father answers that this will help Ha-ni give up on Seung-jo faster — they all know that he’s not interested in her.
I love that Mom insists that Seung-jo will come to like Ha-ni, and she clutches at straws by asking if it would be okay for them to stay if Ha-ni married into the family. She just really loves her and her bright energy.
Overhearing, Eun-jo tells his brother that Ha-ni’s leaving, and while Eun-jo says this is good news, Seung-jo’s reaction proves that he doesn’t consider it as such.
Seung-jo heads to Ha-ni’s room to confirm that it’s true, at which point he says (completely unconvincingly, I might add), “Well, I can finally get back to life as normal.”
In a sad voice, she says she hopes so. He leaves her with the words, “Have a nice life.” Not exactly the most charming goodbye, is it?
But even if he can’t say it in words, Seung-jo’s disappointment is clear. I think the above images just about sum it up.
Soon, it’s moving day. Ha-ni and her father ready to leave, and it’s a sad day all around, particularly for Seung-jo’s mother.
Ha-ni thanks Mom for everything she has done for her — from buying pizza for her classmates to inviting her friends to the family trip and just being an overall awesome mom.
Seung-jo studiously keeps his gaze averted — I wonder if he feels partially guilty, especially with his parents so heartbrokenly saying their goodbyes. He says a quick and casual “Bye.”
After the Ohs drive off, Eun-jo exults in getting his room back. Seung-jo asks for lunch, and I love Mom’s response: She whirls around and glares at her boys, saying it’s all their fault. Yeah, I’m gonna bet there was no lunch that day.
I presume that Seung-jo’s light send-off to Ha-ni was his way of overcompensating, since he can’t be earnest for the life of him and he sure as hell isn’t going to admit to any disappointment. But next he goes into Ha-ni’s room, looking around at the empty space, and he finds her doll on the bed, the one he’d won for her in the machine — she has left it behind.
(Worst episode ending ever! Well, not really, but I just wanted more of Seung-jo’s reaction before we cut out, and feel impatient for more.)
COMMENTS
Okay, so girlfriday’s gonna make SO MUCH FUN of me (I DON’T CARE JUST BRING IT ON, WOMAN), but I have never, and I honestly mean never, found Kim Hyun-joong attractive before — yeah, he’s beautiful, but I got no pull from him, no personal charisma — yet his messy perm is totally doing it for me. It’s weird. I know it’s weird. I can’t help it! It’s not that I like Seung-jo all of a sudden (he can still be an ass), but he’s starting to seem like a human now. A human you can rumple and do naughty things with, as opposed to a robot where you can’t. Or shouldn’t. (Really, really shouldn’t.)
It seems that messy hair in dramas (and not just Korean) has come to indicate a messy personality. I’m not saying that people think curly-haired people are messy; it’s just become this narrative shorthand. Some people commented on this straight-curly relationship regarding Lee Seung-gi in Brilliant Legacy. Another one is Hong Gil Dong — in the beginning when he’s a troublemaking wastrel, his hair is a bird’s nest of messy curls, and it gradually straightens as he matures. Whether or not it’s consciously meant to do this for Seung-jo, for me it evokes a loosening of his personality, and I like that.
Also, this episode (the ending, at least) brings us to one of my favorite points in any romantic kdrama — the reversal where the indifferent hero suddenly has to face the prospect of not being so indifferent after all.
Usually I’m dying for the heroine to take the hero down a notch or five after being underappreciated by him for so long — to just smack that smirk off his face and show him that you’re strong and worthy. I’m pretty sure Seung-jo IS trying to be nice to Ha-ni sometimes, but he can’t admit that to her or himself and tacks on rude comments to make it seem like he’s indifferent. He has the luxury of doing that because he smugly believes Ha-ni’s always going to be around, so he can tease and toy with her as much as he wants and never lose her affection.
But I understand that Ha-ni’s not the kind of girl to lash out at him — her very appeal is in how open, sweet, and genuine she is. So if she can’t knock him down a peg, how great for the circumstances to do that for her? She moves out, jolting him with the thought that maybe he can’t just take her presence (and by extension, affection) for granted anymore.
Or at least I hope that’s how the story progresses.
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Tags: featured, Jung So-min, Kim Hyun-joong, Playful Kiss
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51 Sam
September 23, 2010 at 1:04 AM
thank you for the recap. ngl, i was crying with the mom lol
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52 Stephanie
September 23, 2010 at 1:08 AM
I think what I initially not liked about the show was the moments that was excruciatingly hard to get through. I hate those moments when the lead just puts herself in a position with extremely good reason to be bashed by a person who deserves to bash her. I mean when the rich bash the poor or the white bashes the black, it's obvious that it's just plain wrong. And it's easy to go off saying "what's your problem?" But when a person who is smarter and views you as ridiculous incapable and on top of that you just fooled yourself... You really feel downtrodden.
I completely hate/abhor/detest that feeling because I have a knack of being in those situations. But I guess I feel more for her character and like this show because the smart either have reason to be hated other than being smart (He-ra) or eventually comes to love the not-so-smart. (Seuong jo)
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53 sumee
September 23, 2010 at 1:24 AM
ooooooooooooo..i am so late after like 77 comments ..but ought to mention JB u were like lightning in this recap :-))
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54 dramafan88
September 23, 2010 at 1:26 AM
Oo yeah i love the perm too! It makes him more human and not too perfect!
Ahhh I hope he feels the emptiness of not having Ha Ni around - they always take things for granted till it's lost!
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55 Beng
September 23, 2010 at 1:30 AM
this espisode makes me want to fly to Korea and watched the 8th, hahahah
I wish the producers will not push thru with their plans to cut the episodes to 16. There are still so many stories to be told. They might remove Joon Gu's love story =(
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56 Jenny
September 23, 2010 at 1:43 AM
Thanks javabeans! You're really churning these recaps out!
I'm loving the song of the day, "Rain Drop" by IU. It sets the mood perfectly.
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57 ank
September 23, 2010 at 1:57 AM
How awesome is Seungjo's mom??? I totally love this lady. She's the best.
It's good that Hani didn't bring the doll with her. I was kinda hoping she left the graduation picture as well so Seungjo will realize that Hani is ready to move on.
I don't like HJ's curly hair but now he looks quite good in it. His acting improves a lot!
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58 madzgo
September 23, 2010 at 2:00 AM
What a sad episode this is four our heroine! I so moved to tears watching this today w/ the english subs (Hallelujah for the subbers!! ;p
Joon Gu preparing the noodles and thinking about how pathetic his life is not going to college and joining clubs like the rest of his high school classmates...
Ha Ni eating her spicy noodles and tearing up bc of Dad's announcement to move out out of Baek's family house..
Baek Mom crying her heart out that Ha Ni who is such a happy presence in the house is finally moving out!!
Kudos to PK.. you've finally moved the ante, not just fluffy show with cute girl striving very hard to catch his dream guy's attention but literally wringing out buckets of tears from us gullible viewers hahaha..
PK fighting! eagerly awaiting for your next episodes..
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59 Emma
September 23, 2010 at 2:12 AM
PPle is not tuning in cos they will know the whole story if they hv read the comic or watch the Jap/ Taiwan version...like me...I am hoping the scriptwriter will change the story a bit -like the last time about the socks.... Funny....I love love love the mum...Isn't it weird if ur own mother like /love another child more than u???? "How can I live my life without you???" she said to HaNi I do do do hope that BSJ will verbally make some excuse to go to the Club - to show us he is missing her in his BORing Life....PK FIGHTING!!!
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CHshe
September 23, 2010 at 2:30 AM
Agree ^^
I did find some twist that actually pretty smart I'd say. If u notice that scene of OHN n BSJ taking photo during graduation, it was smartly incorporated into the ones they did at home.
Originally they would have taken picture twice. One is during graduation which was spoiled by Kinnosuke, and the other one was at home after Kotoko giving her gift to Irie.
I'd watch this story zillions times, yet I still come back for more ^^
p/s : Tennis club is a must go place in BSJ routine now, hehe
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v
September 23, 2010 at 5:45 AM
yeah.. it's such a shame that pple r missing this cute little drama.
as for the mom, i think the reason she loves hani so much is because she loves seungjo as well and she knows that only hani will bring something to her son's life. so yes, she loves hani, probably more than seungjo, but because of seungjo..
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60 Jobz
September 23, 2010 at 2:18 AM
Just curious on the recap order for this week. Are you doing it ABBA style?
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jeankaycee
September 23, 2010 at 2:53 AM
MGIAG didnt air episode 13 on wednesday that's why i think jb already recapped PK.
but i think when they resume on the regular programming the recap order will be back. MGIAG, MGIAG, PK, PK.
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61 shin mi rae
September 23, 2010 at 2:42 AM
again, another blockbuster recap JB!!! congratulations and thank you.
i'm in my office right now and giggling like a fangirl. happy. that's me. i love hani. i love mommy baek. i love this drama... and i love it when you mentioned by comment by lee seung gi's perm in Brilliant Legacy in relation to Baek Seung Jo's new hair do.
i hate this feeling. im beginning to fall in love with this character Baek Seung Jo. and this man, KHJ, just beautiful... i dont think he can ever be not beautiful... and thank you to KHJ for trying his absolute best to make Baek Seung Jo the character i really really want to hate but cant help loving.
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62 Ace
September 23, 2010 at 2:52 AM
@#49 JB & GF - you guys crack me up..=) But, GF I'd have to agree w/ JB that the mocking's weak. The K-I-S-S-I-N-G taunt was creative though and cute (that's why it lacks punch!) Just saying...JB, I wouldn't have you take back everything you've said about pre-perm KHJ. My respect for you would've lessened. ; ) Besides, pre-perm-outside-the-role-of-Seung-jo-KHJ is a different matter. Hope he really brings out something different as Naoki in this version. Siwon is still my first choice for the role, but KHJ is doing his best so I'd have to be satisfied with that. Oh Ha Ni and Seung-jo's mom are still the one who draws me into this series however. =)
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v
September 23, 2010 at 5:48 AM
don't get me wrong... i love siwon... i'm a suju fan. but when i heard they would do playful, i immediatly thought, HEECHUL, please, cast heechul. he was really good as the cold guy in banolim. XD
well, i'm satisfied with KHJ so far though. the boy definitely improved his acting.
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63 shin mi rae
September 23, 2010 at 3:03 AM
i cant wait tomorrow's recap. aja aja JB!!!
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64 GomenApple
September 23, 2010 at 3:24 AM
Mighty Javabeans Co. *bows*, thanks a gazillion for your full entertainment website !
OhHaniii AJA AJA FIGHTING !
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65 kc
September 23, 2010 at 3:25 AM
I cried in this episode esp when goodbyes' were said. Ugh. Shallow tears! But I love that little hussy girl! hahahah she's more vocal compare to Ha-ni. Loved Eun Jo sad face!
More to come pls.
JB I agree w/ the perm I dont really like him but the perm does it for me! Okay must admit he is cute ONLY when he has his perm on!
Thanks
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66
September 23, 2010 at 4:03 AM
Life is full of surprise! I disliked PK but now LIKE it, I disliked BSJ's new hair but I DO LIKE IT NOW!
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67 Lyla
September 23, 2010 at 4:08 AM
I actually believe not much happened on this episode but the finale pretty much did it for me. Clearly Seung-jo can't be indiferent to her or his feelings anymore and maybe we will get to see some reaching from him for the days she won't be living in the house.
I agree about the hair thing. At first I did not like it but now it's totally working and I think you are right when you say it's a sign of his personality being a little more loose and why not, hoping, softer.
I am dying to see them as a couple.
I do feel sorry for Duckie. He is kind of growing on me (althoug I still find him kind of annoying) and I know he is heading for a crush and burn.
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68 autumnscribbles
September 23, 2010 at 4:21 AM
oh ep8 please~~~ i need to see seungjo (and his terribly permed hair) suffer! suffer for all the pain he had brought on to HaNi; mere jealousy is no longer sufficient to compensate it.
i love HaNi and mom's relationship, honestly, i felt that the show had done a pretty good job building it. Eun-jo is super adorable btw. i always thought that at some point (in the taiwanese ver. as well) he developed a lil crush on HaNi, well that's just my opinion.
thanks so much for the re-cap!
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69 Infiniti512
September 23, 2010 at 5:36 AM
I'm not watching this because I've seen ISWAK. After seeing Meteor Garden and HYD and then trying to watch BOF, I kept feeling like I was watching a rerun.
But I thought I would take a look at your recaps. The hair thing is part of the character right? I remember Joe's hair going curly once they got to college but I'm not sure if the Japanese version doing that too.
And that girl looks way too old to be Ha Ni's rival. I guess that's just my opinion of her though.
I guess I should go through the comments and find out how people compare this to the other two versions.... *searches*
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a_fan
September 23, 2010 at 7:23 AM
I saw here and there of few episodes of the Taiwanese version. I must admit I am bothered by the casting of an tall Eurasian looking intelligent guy and a diminutive actress with an Asian-specific face playing a stupid girl. I don't think this was deliberate on the part of the producers but very insensitive.
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70 sarah
September 23, 2010 at 5:44 AM
omg. i love the little brother. he's sooooo adorable. :D
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71 meteorflower
September 23, 2010 at 5:47 AM
i hate Seung Jo in this episode, he almost make me forgot that I love KHJ
and i also not so fond of KHJ perm hair, i missed his straight hair
episode 7 is heartbreaking, looking forward for episode 8
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72 KC
September 23, 2010 at 5:57 AM
Its tiring to watch one sided love for so long but its hard to blame Ha Ni because Seung Jo always finds someway to reel back Ha Ni when Ha Ni starts feeling like she should let go.
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73 DiOnIsSa
September 23, 2010 at 6:03 AM
THANKS FOR THE GREAT RECAP AS USUAL!!!!!
Oh, this ep. was the most dipressive and emotional for now! I cried twice and was about to cry, I guess, 3 times! The ending was really sad, however, we can clearly see Seung Jo's feelings which become more evident! He is definitely dipressed but doesn't want to show it cuz he used to be so cool to everybody never showing his true emotions! But he will suffer because of Ha Ni, and that's fair cuz that girl suffered enough too!
My favorite scene here is Ha Ni and her dad embrace! It shows the most important thing: when we face some really hard times, we go to comfort ourselves to our most native people - parents, who always can understand us without any words, and to whom we don't need to pretend and hide our true feelings! That scene was the cutest scene ever!!!
Also I cried watching her parting with the mom, and I could clearly see why the mother loves her so much!
Leaving the toy at the end means for me leaving Seung Jo...It was sad too :(
Looking forward to the next episode!!!
FIGHTING, PK!!!!!
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74 whoops
September 23, 2010 at 6:11 AM
speaking of hairstyle-change, ha-ni's funky hairstyles are disappearing aren't they? she seems to be sticking to that one loose-hair-with-hairclip style all the time.
maybe when both seung jo and ha-ni have more or less the same hairstyle, we'll know we've come to the happy ending, haha?
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v
September 23, 2010 at 7:25 AM
lol... wait till ep 8.. her funky hairstyles r back!!
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Jenny
September 25, 2010 at 9:56 AM
But the hairstyles are super cute!
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75 hunterbear
September 23, 2010 at 6:23 AM
Wow JB. You're on a roll here and so fast too. Thanks for all the hard work. PK and KHJ are growing on me. I even like the hair. Unfortunately I still don't feel the need to watch the episodes as soon as they come out, especially when MGIAG is on. But it makes for a good weekend drama. It's fluffy like cotton candy..yummay!
*SPOILER*
I"m a little confused on the pace of the story. Does anyone know if the korean version will go all the way till Ha Ni and Seun jo have babies? Get married? We're already at episode 8 and no confession yet? Gah. Confused..
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Laeah
September 23, 2010 at 9:56 AM
The Korean version is deviating a little bit. Some things have been in the wrong order or taken out... I personally think it's going a little FAST, not slow.
Cuz remember a whole bunch of stuff happens before Chris/Kin-chan show up with their marriage proposals. I guess in the manga, they just do the back and forth for a long time before they finally get to that point.
Are they going to actually have a white girl come and play Chris is what I'm wondering about???? I really hope so! :)
Anywho... I hope they go at least to the marriage, because those parts were really cute too. The baby parts also.
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76 ILUKD
September 23, 2010 at 6:43 AM
I don't know why i cannot connect to this drama ... only one thing i like in this drama is awesome performance by HA-NI .... SHE IS JUST WONDERFUL .... she is born to be HA-NI ..... main lead Kim Hyun-joong .... i even cannot complain him.... i know he is picture perfect but only in picture ... i know he is trying his best to act but infront of HA-NI, he is nothing ....
in recent ep Kim Hyun-joong looks so tired ... we know is everywhere .... working hard ....
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77 FasirisFay
September 23, 2010 at 7:05 AM
He is totally working that perm, baby! I never liked him much before either (especially in BOF) but maaaaan, that perm is totally hot.
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78 bjharm
September 23, 2010 at 7:06 AM
well from the TW version he refuses to really tell her he even likes her never mind loves till the last episodes where he thinks she finally given up following him around like a puppy dog and marry the ever faithful cook guy.
Indeed the only drama I have seen a lead guy with such serious trouble both expressing and even showing real emotion/affection would be the one from Wedding, talk about zero emotion.
Of course that is why the mother so fixated on the girl..its not only having a daughter thing, she knows her son is not normal and has never felt or shown normal feeling, and can see this girl is the one to make him whole.
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79 junaly
September 23, 2010 at 7:24 AM
i think playful kiss has a very light tone, like Oh My Lady. but OML was kind of boring for me; however, playful kiss is really cute and keeps me entertained. hani has so many cute expressions :)
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80 jomo143
September 23, 2010 at 7:36 AM
Loved that HN left the toy on her bed.
HA! Take that SJ! She can (sortof) let you go (not really) if you are not careful.
I can't believe I didn't recognize SJ's mother as the wonderful Baek Mae from Ret of Il.
And Ha Ni's father is Seon Dal. I wondered why I had such a wonderful feeling of warmth towards him right away.
Everyone cast in PK is excellent. It has to get better ratings soon...
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Anynomous
September 23, 2010 at 8:04 AM
lol ... i was also satisfied that hani left the toy. i guess the episode made me really want hani to forget seung jo.
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81 v
September 23, 2010 at 7:50 AM
haha.. i keep coming back... i'm going to wait for the recap of 8 patiently... NOT. not that it's pressure to have it out early... i'm just merely saying that i'll have a blast reading it once it's out, whenever it'll be.lol.
i'm so excited. best episode ever. there's more than 325 users in soompi reading the PK thread waiting for updates on ep 8. haha.
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82 rainyrainy
September 23, 2010 at 7:59 AM
Just loved the way PSJ was since je jeard about OHN leaving their house and especially his look when he entered the bathroom leaving her infront of her room sad and when he found that toy on her bed , the same toy she was overjoyed for just becoz it was him who wins it for her .
leaving that toy behind may mean lots of things to PSJ but I doubt for OHN ( especially after watching the preview of today's epi ).
Anyway I also want PSJ to suffer even a little bit for OHN and I want that last to ignore him also.
about he-ra : I have no comments , I just don't like her , she's too mean , she knew OHN was out in the balcony and that she's hearing everything but still she was still she didn't care , she was so mean , hate her .
I also was crying when OHN hugged her dad and cried and when they were begging good bye to the family , that was really touchy .
I'm waiting for today to watch the tennis lesson OHN is going to take from PSJ and I wish they will continue from yesterday scene I mean they will continue with PSJ and his expressions after finding the toy .
Please director and editors stop cutting scenes from the drama , it having anegative effect on the episode and doesn't let us enjoying many important moments of the show .
PS : JB thanks for the update , I also was watching in RAW so didn't understand anything except the word GOMAWAO .I'm not korean so ur update and GF's are all along with ur cute and funny comments are helping more to understand the drama and the characteres and their feeling .
Thanks once again and keep rocking both of you .
ah forget to add , yesterday I liked PSJ's hair dunno why , may be I'm getting used to it becoz at first I really hated his new look , now I'm ok with it ?
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83 pipao
September 23, 2010 at 8:04 AM
tnx for the recaps...u never fail to make me laugh & feel all mushy inside.. hahah though my peeps thinks im crazy coz i suddenly laugh or smile -more like fighting off a scream- hahahaah
as for this ep... i think it's great that the writers are staying true to the manga while adding bits & pcs..
im glad to see that FINALLY a sign that BSK is starting to like OHN.... the last scene where he is feeling a lil empty-sshh... *sigh* cant wait for the next ep..... hope viikii will release it soon.... then il crawl back to your site & wait for the recap... hehhehe >.<
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84 Anynomous
September 23, 2010 at 8:11 AM
thanks for the recap jb !!! it was so fast, i was delightfully surprised.
i kinda dig curly SJ too... sigh, i guess noone is perfect
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85 p3rk3le
September 23, 2010 at 8:15 AM
It was awesome how she left the teddy bear behind, but i wanted to see the photos there too. it'd be such a clean cut! would pain him more xD
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86 Flower Pot
September 23, 2010 at 8:17 AM
Sorry if my posts are very long whenever i comment but i just have so much to say about this series that i just want to share...
You know the reason why Playful Kiss story appeals so much to me?
It is because no matter how comical or exaggerated they show some scenes in Ha Ni and Seung Jo's life to be, at the heart of it, this story is as real as it could get...
After all there is nothing that can be as painful as unrequited love and Ha Ni totally makes the feeling relatable as we watch her go through the motions of trying to make a love that seem hopeless happen and become possible while battling with her own self doubt and insecurities in the process...
I love how this show depicts real feelings... real emotion... real friendships...real situations... real trials and real relationships and for that it is easy to remember and associate ones self with Ha Ni or Seung Jo...
It is interesting how this drama has put together a bunch of lovelorn people in one story and yet all of them have different stories to tell....
Funny how despite that fact and despite their differences, all of them have the same hopes and the same dreams and it is nothing else but to have the love that they offer to that one person they aspire for to be returned... (Seung Jo and Ha Ni, Joon Gu and Ha Ni, Hae Ra and Seung Jo, Kyung Soo and Hae Ra... even Eun Jo and his little gal pal...)
Makes one think that Love is really universal and no matter who you are or where you're from, once it hits you it almost always has the same effect...
I've read a lot of comments about how Ha Ni seems so foolish in this episode for running after a guy who seem not to even give her the time of day and who's seemingly mean to her to boot... but i say, the phrase "love drives us crazy" would never have been coined if we all followed logic and intellect in choosing the person whom we would love with all our hearts...
At one point or another, whether we admit it or not, there was or will be a time in our lives when we became or would become stup!d for love and just like Ha Ni, it is a given that we'd do something equally embarrassing or pathetic despite the seemingly daunting presence of a Hae Ra, all for the name of that feeling that poets write about and country singers croon about...
It is easy for us to draw conclusions as an audience for her to just walk away and forget about her seemingly insignificant crush towards Seung Jo... but in reality, given the same situation will we be able to do as we say?
The mind might be steered by logic but the heart?
The heart has a mind of its own... And if it is that easy to just forget and to turn our backs on that emotion? Then we need to think back and thnk twice because from the very beginning, maybe what we have felt was not truly love at all...
Ha Ni might be slow but she is not altogether immune to the fact that she's making a fool out of herself over Seung Jo... It was evidenced by that question she threw out to Eun Jo during their heart to heart talk and my heart literally squeezed to see her seemingly beyond the point of being able to control her feelings towards Seung Jo because the truth is even if she wants to, she can't... because she is now hopelessly and irrevocably in love with him...
And that love stems from the fact that she sees something in him that makes him worth loving and even if on the surface Seung Jo seems to be beyond redemption... it is that something that keeps Ha Ni hoping and praying that one day soon, Seung Jo will look her way and perhaps return the feelings that she has for him too...
What i'm just saying is that, it would be a different story perhaps if Seung Jo is a nappeun namja (bad guy) in the truest sense of the word....
But honestly... how can you walk away from a guy whom you had invested two years of your life on and who shows you hints of tenderness underneath that seemingly gruff exterior?
He might be a tease, sure... rude perhaps and obnoxious a given, but a jerk? I think Seung Jo is the farthest thing from that...
Which brings me back to the topic of his meanness...
I think being cold to Ha Ni is Seung Jo's defense mechanism... She rattles his world and it confuses the heck out of him...
Even normal people have offdays where we feel confused about the state of our feelings but to an android prototype like Seung Jo... something that he can't explain with logic is totally unheard of...
Ha Ni defies his reasoning and it makes him weak and feel vulnerable...So go figure... just imagine her effect on him...
And since he is at a loss as to how to respond to her? Then meanness it is... Even if the truth is, he is also punishing himself by deliberately stomping down on his real feelings for her and by staying away from her...
I think the moving out phase is a needed dynamic at this point to make Seung Jo realize that his feelings for Ha Ni goes beyond just patient tolerance...
With her hanging around him all the time, Seung Jo is lulled into a false sense of security that no matter what Ha Ni would almost always be around him but with her absence it will probably be an eye opener for him that that would not always be the case...
Though it breaks my heart to see Mama Baek depressed and Ha Ni too... i'm sure that i would enjoy every second of Ha Ni's being away from Seung Jo in so many ways whenever i see the glimpses of tortured longing on his face...
To me, love would always be 50% destiny and 50% hard work... Like Mama Baek says, if it does not fit, it would not but the rest is up to us...
Ha Ni has planted her seed of love, tilled it, nurtured it and is now just waiting for the day until it would grow and flourish...
If it bears fruit just imagine her harvest...
And when that time comes... I'm sure Seung Jo would get payback big time because wouldn't it be ironic to see how he can't seemingly live with Ha Ni and yet the truth of the matter remains that he can't live WITHOUT her even more than he seem to think that he can't live with her..
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Cloudysky
September 23, 2010 at 9:20 AM
Cheers to us and the rest who still believe in true, unselfish, uncalculating and dedicated love, sometimes i feel that we humans have became too jaded in the real world....what's wrong with loving someone wholeheartedly, do you walk away from someone you love, miss, worship or adore for so long....so easily, just because you are snubbed or rebuffed for a couple of times??
There's never a right or wrong when it comes to human relationship, and to be honest, i'd rather love a seemingly cold but sincere and honest guy than be with someone flamboyant who whisper "I luv you" every other day...
Ah...maybe this is what they call in youth, you learn, and in age, you understand!
I love this drama wholeheartedly, simply because, i can never visualize, imagine, feel or emphatise the feelings of being swapped at birth, falling in love with my long lost brother, marrying someone because our parents had a deal, losing my memory and loving the same person again....
BUT i can totally understand the feeling of that puppy love, that blushing and heartpounding feeling whenever he walked by, and how i seemed to suddenly possessed majical photographic memory and can remember all the things he liked or disliked....
That feeling of admiration and rush, and how the whole world seemed to have stopped when he turn back n smile at you....that pain and fear of rejection, or the twangs of jealousy emotions when you see him with someone better....that i can understand, and that's what makes this drama seems so real
Perhaps, I've seen or heard too much, and that's probably why this small, insignificant simple slice of life drama seemed to have really tug my heartstrings, and is slowly creeping into my heart...all because it's too real and we've all been in it somewhere in time
Cloudysky (aka old jaded soul)
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brookeeve
September 23, 2010 at 10:51 AM
I totally agree. I love the simplicity of this storyline. It is generic enough that it brings up our first crushes. I can remember 'that guy' from high school, too.
@Laeah- you are so brave to share that story! I lubs you!
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Laeah
September 23, 2010 at 10:15 AM
Yeah.. I'm not exactly like HaNi.. Actually I'm pretty smart if I do say so myself (not to be conceded). But I totally understand her.
In high school there was this guy I met and we became friends and I ended up falling for him. I never told him like she did, but it was pretty obvious and pretty well known around school that I liked him. He is pretty much is so smart that he doesn't need to study either. Very similar to Seung Jo, though more playful and less cold. There were times when he would protect me and watch out for me, but sometimes he would be so cruel when he played with me and he was the first boy to make me cry.
It's been almost six years now... still can't forget him. :) Even though I moved to Korea and stuff... I really miss him and sometimes I wish I hadn't, even though I don't regret it.
So I totally understand how she feels. Sometimes when you really care about someone it defies logic. I'm normally a very level headed/confident person... but when it comes to him, if I had the money, I'd probably fly out to see him immediately if he ever asked me to, damn playing hard to get. I go weak in the knees and blush when I see him and it makes me so mad because that's totally not who I am.
So this story is so beloved to me because even though I know since I'm so far away and he (though he did confess he thought I was cute and he liked me when we talked later) doesn't really think of me that way... and we will never be together.. I know that Ha-Ni will get her man!!
I really admire her for being so open about it too.. She does have a kind of courage and she is able to really follow her heart and give everything knowing she will get nothing in return... Seung Jo might have the brains, but she definitely has the heart. She is stubborn and never gives up even though she could. She lets go of her pride, but sometimes that's what's necessary.
I think you can watch this drama and get lost in the funny/cutesy storylines.. but there is a bit of depth to it if you look behind the obvious.
The both have what the other lacks and they both can give the other that kind of comfort/understanding that they need.
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anon
September 23, 2010 at 10:34 AM
hey guys.... same here. all kinds of memories resurface watching this drama. sometime we're so guarded in friendships and relationships. i really don't understand, but this simple cute drama somehow reminds me of the time when things were simpler, and loving and giving don't come with so much baggage.
JB, thanks for the wonderful recap!
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CHshe
September 23, 2010 at 7:05 PM
Ahh Flowerpot, you're officially my PK ambassador ^^
Every reasons you laid out are exactly why I love this epic story. Even one might wonder, how can a simple story like this could touches our lives so deeply?
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87 CapitalScandalRocks
September 23, 2010 at 8:25 AM
AWWWWWWW......Thanks for the update, I was not expecting it today......................
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88 CapitalScandalRocks
September 23, 2010 at 8:31 AM
Loved the line
"she’ll never beat the Lovable Everywoman because she’s lacking something fundamental. Like a heart.)"
KUDOS to JAVABEANS
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89 GreenTea
September 23, 2010 at 8:38 AM
JB, here I am again reading your recap for the second time! Really enjoyed it... including your open love declaration for curly SJ...
@FlowerPot: I like Mama Baek's way of describing with the pots! And I like your wonderful analogy with seeds, I can relate to that. And I can definitely relate to doing crazy-embarrassing-awkward-unmentionanable things in the name of a crush ^^
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90 Meix2
September 23, 2010 at 8:39 AM
I do believe that PK is my favorite k-drama at the moment. Can't really say why but it may be due to the fact that I know the ending so it takes away all the stressful k-drama anticipation since I was unfortunate enough to get caught up in during my Coffee House watching!
It's fun and somewhat brainless, but its darn cute/ adorable and excellent after a day at work. My only gripe, I suppose, is the reason why HN likes SJ so much... yeah he's tall, gorgeous, smart but from the word go has been a complete ass. Why is he some emotionally stunted... because he is so smart?.. because his mom dressed him as a girl when he was young? Does this manifest itself to making him a complete 'Bastid' on so many occasions? For the love of god, HaNi... give it up. Go for Duckie. Happy Ending.
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91 smalltank
September 23, 2010 at 8:50 AM
i loved SJ's reaction when Eunjo told him Hani was about to move out. He had despair written all over his face and yet he gave her such a cold send off! only to realise she left the precious stuffed toy behind.. hope that jolts him awake.
he-ra looks way too old to be a freshman in uni.. and then in the ep 8 preview she professes her love for him! gosh. poor hani.
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92 chahaya
September 23, 2010 at 8:51 AM
lol for GF and JB's comments. This episode is a sad episode and I can't wait to see the next episode. Even though Hani is adorable, I'm kind of like He Ra here, hihi
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93 eelia
September 23, 2010 at 9:00 AM
wow..tis episode really something...n i cried for HaNi...
I have tried to watch the taiwanese version...but feels tt it is not tt good n it seems dragging..so since i yet to watch the anime / other version, i really anticipate the next episode...
KHJ's acting is much much better than in BOF..n he is getting cuter in PK...
n thanks JB for ur fast recap...really enjoy ur recap n those photos..
oh yah..also wish i can have an in-laws like Hani in the future..like the mum very much.. :)
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94 rainyrainy
September 23, 2010 at 9:25 AM
was the show telecasted on MBC or still not yet ?
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v
September 23, 2010 at 9:35 AM
yes it did already. go for it! :)
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rainyrainy
September 24, 2010 at 12:54 AM
Thanks :)
I'm watching it on RAW without understanding a word since I'm not korean , becoz I can't wait till the next day to watch the epi with subs :)
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95 Cloudysky
September 23, 2010 at 9:26 AM
@ Dramabeans
How can u not like someone who said "‘He who wags his tail to anyone is not my style. The one who gives loyalty and faithfulness to someone who honestly treats you with love and care is the “real” one.
That’s why I like dogs better than puppies. Dogs are sometimes cold and gives threat to strangers, but in front of his master whom he’s very familiar with, he then opens his heart with no reservations.’ - quote KHJ
Welcome to the club, even if it's just bcos of the perm...hopefully it'll last pretty long ;P
………………………………………………………………………………………………
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lillian
September 23, 2010 at 11:42 AM
love it!! i'm liking KHJ more and more!!
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96 Mia
September 23, 2010 at 10:06 AM
SeungJo is such a killer. He's darn gorgeous, yeah even with curly hair.
Love his episode! I feel so sorry for Hani. It's funny how the little girl, EunJo's crush, falls for SeungJo. So cute!
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97 Yuyu
September 23, 2010 at 10:12 AM
Cute drama with good acting from both leads.
I can't wait for the next episode. I hope they extend to 20 episodes.
I like the main lead's style of clothes; very subtle and sophisticate.
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98 danni
September 23, 2010 at 10:42 AM
Yeah, at the end, I was like, wait that's it? That's the end of the episode? The last fifteen minutes are so were building towards this tense ending but the last scene just deflated all of it.
PK is slowly becoming better, too bad it's so late in the game. Now that we're at the halfway mark, I wonder how they're going to fit everthing in.
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Ami
September 23, 2010 at 7:40 PM
Well.. BOF managed to compress the memory loss arc, which took Meteor Garden 1 season to complete, in just about 2 episodes. So I have complete confidence they can reach the "Seung Jo + Hani + baby" stage in just 16 ep of PK... :P
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99 Katiegirl
September 23, 2010 at 11:15 AM
You have to wonder, though, whether KHJ is unconvincing when he tells Hani it'll be a relief because his character is unconvinced, or because his acting is still developing. It's difficult to tell.
I'm loving Playful Kiss the more I watch it, but this episode made me a little sad for the Hera: doesn't it say something that the female version of Seungjo has to be demonized? (Not that his personality is very appealing, but it's given a chance at redemption.) Hera's a smart, athletic, ambitious woman. She's given a hateful personality, but for this drama there's almost a secondary message: for a female, being cute and spunky is more important than all the things Hera has when it comes to getting the guy. And maybe un-detrimental in comparison.
That said, Hani is an adorable character. I'm rooting for her because she's less thin, shorter, not booksmart, has a wider face...but no one cares! And that's awesome.
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September 23, 2010 at 11:36 AM
I don't know how they will do it in the Korean drama but in the manga Yuuko/Hera do become friends and she is "redeemed" too.
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100 Ladymoonstone143
September 23, 2010 at 11:32 AM
Love you Javabeans and thanks for the great recap. I am so glad that Jonggie is growing on you with his perm...:) There are scenes that his hair looks so great wit the perm...I love it when it looks like you just run your fingers thru it...lol
I am sad again facing the weekend because I want it to be just Wed and Thurs all the time after PK and MGIG will finish then the regular days can return. Hubby told me why I am glum on the weekends...told him Wed and Thurs can't come so fast...:))
Thanks again for the recap...looking forward to the next one...
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