Answer Me 1994: Episode 11
by girlfriday
Here we go. We knew the pendulum was bound to swing back this way, because, well, that’s what pendulums do, and also Oppa is Oppa. We finally corner Garbage long enough to ask him some questions, and in true Answer Me style, what we find out only opens up countless more questions. It’s a doozy of an episode, perhaps to make up for the fact that we only get one installment this week.
Ratings continue to inch upward with this episode clocking in at 9.3%, with a 10.6% high during the hour friggin’ hour-and-a-half.
SONG OF THE DAY
Kim Gun-mo – “혼자만의 사랑 (Alone in Love)” [ Download ]
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EPISODE 11: “The only way to end a one-sided love”
It’s February in 1995, and we open on a public notice for changes in proper garbage disposal, hur. Dad rushes the local grocery ajumma to hurry it up before he’s late for the opening. He cries as he runs off that it’s her fault if he misses it, and dashes home to the family waiting in the living room for snacks. They’re glued to the television, and soon we see why: the title card for Sandglass’s finale comes on the screen.
The men all swoon at Choi Min-soo, who is now the ideal of every man in Korea, and Dad asks stupidly whether Mom thinks Choi Min-soo or Dad is more handsome. Mom: “Lee Jung-jae!” HAHA. This lady knows what’s up.
Na-jung agrees wholeheartedly, swooning at Lee Jung-jae’s brand of silent, loving-from-afar stalwart bodyguard hotness: “That’s my ideal man!” LOL at Chilbongie side-eyeing her as she says this, practically harrumphing out loud with his eyes. It’s priceless.
Binggeure points out that in the end it’s still a one-sided love, and Dad agrees that the man Go Hyun-jung will remember is Choi Min-soo, not the silent bodyguard who loved her from afar. It deflates Na-jung, and Chilbongie most of all.
We fast-forward to the spring of 1995, and Na-jung sits with her head on Haitai’s shoulder as they look at pictures of Brad Pitt with his Legends of the Fall/Interview With a Vampire hair. Haitai wonders if it’s time to change up his hairdo (Yes, yes it is, Haitai) but Na-jung tells him not everyone can pull off his look. One might even argue not anyone.
Binggeure joins them, noting that they’re always together at school and now they’re joined at the hip at home too.
Na-jung finds an article about the signs that you’re in love, and the group stops at a weird one, that says a woman will show the nape of her neck to someone she likes. Na-jung tests it out, and Binggeure decides the writer must be a pervert.
Cut to: Dad getting all hot and bothered by Mom showing off her neck. Heh.
Yoon-jin holds up breakfast, and when she finally comes downstairs, everyone’s jaws drop in unison. She’s no longer hiding behind a wall of hair, and she’s got it curled and up, out of her face.
Everyone takes turns oohing at how pretty she looks, nobody catching on to the fact that she’s wearing a couple shirt identical to Samcheonpo’s. Garbage strains some brain muscles and declares that something’s different about her, and asks if she’s dating someone.
And to everyone’s double shock, she nods shyly. The trio who read the magazine article about nape-baring all turn to each other with wide-eyed wonder. The group starts to ask who the boyfriend is, wondering how she could’ve dated someone when they were always together in a group.
It’s pretty hilarious that they wore the couple shirts expressly for this purpose, but no one even thinks to mention Samcheonpo as a contender, and then he finally bites the bullet and throws his arm around Yoon-jin.
Chilbongie actually covers his eyes in horror, and Na-jung outright asks, “Why?” Ha. Garbage asks Yoon-jin if she needs money or something, and offers to save her from this obvious arranged contract relationship.
Dad leads the group in cheering for Shincheon Boardinghouse’s first official couple, and Haitai accidentally lets it slip that he always assumed Na-jung would be the first to date in the house. That gets Dad’s future son-in-law radar up, and he looks around the table asking which of the guys it is. Dad, don’t play that game if you don’t have to. Trust us.
Dad’s sweet on Chilbongie of course, while Mom likes Binggeure, and Haitai pouts in a bit of meta that no one is putting him in the race. Mom points out that girls don’t like boys like their father, and Haitai is pretty much Dad the Second.
Haitai keeps blathering on about Na-jung’s love life until she finally has to run over and clamp a hand over his mouth to shut him up, and she ushers him away to school before he does any more damage.
Samcheonpo and Yoon-jin are off in their own world of adorableness, and I love that Garbage smiles sweetly when they’re not looking, but scowls whenever Samcheonpo looks over at him, as if to say Oppa Is Watching. It’s very cute.
The whole discussion about Na-jung’s future husband has Chilbongie in a funk, and he looks over at Garbage, who’s equally ill at ease.
Chilbongie lets his mood get to him during baseball practice that day, mixing up signals and arguing with the catcher (who responds with the middle finger, heh), eventually giving up hits to the other side.
Elsewhere on campus, Haitai runs alongside Na-jung, apologizing profusely for his blabbermouth and swearing that Mom and Dad have no idea that she has a crush on Garbage. He asks if she confessed, and she tells him that she did, but she hasn’t been technically rejected yet because Oppa said nothing.
Haitai is a good friend, and tells her the harsh truth that no response probably means she’s been rejected. He follows it up with an offer to buy her drinks, and she sighs that maybe he’s right, and maybe she’ll let him buy conciliatory drinks after all, ready to face the truth. Haitai: “Just don’t bite me after.”
He tells her that he might be a little late because he has a chance to see his latest crush this afternoon, and Na-jung sighs at his constant stream of one-sided loves that go nowhere. Aw, is this why you two are such good friends?
Na-jung guesses that this one’s got a killer body as per usual, while Haitai insists vehemently that she’s pure and lovable and kind-hearted… and then drools openly at the dance instructor’s pure, kind-hearted chest.
Na-jung heads to her movie club meeting, where she’s told to bring a date to the club’s fundraiser this Friday, or pay a fine instead. Her friend asks her to bring an extra guy from her boardinghouse for her, and Na-jung heads to the payphone.
She pages Garbage, deleting the first message where she accidentally says her sunbae ordered them to bring boyfriends, and then asks if he’ll come. She sits watching her pager until it rings, and lights up to hear Oppa say he can make it. And then he adds that he has something to say to her tonight. Uh-oh.
At home, he’s already delivering the news to the rest of the kids: He’s moving out. He explains that his hyung is due out of army, and that’s where he lived before coming to the house. Apparently his hyung is even more garbagey than he is, and needs Little Bro around to keep him from living like an animal.
Na-jung comes home and the group tells her that Garbage is moving out, and she goes running to her room. Oppa goes after her, and Chilbongie grows stone-faced.
Oppa swears this has nothing to do with her, and says Mom and Dad already knew he was only staying at the house for a year until his hyung was discharged. Na-jung cries, convinced he’s running away because she’s making him uncomfortable, and he promises that it’s not because of that.
She throws her arms around his waist and buries her face in his chest, asking for reassurance that it’s true. He pets her sweetly and swears it over and over, until she finally believes him.
They come back up to join the party, and it’s no time before Na-jung starts winking at Samcheonpo. Yoon-jin starts doing the same thing, and the boys wonder when she picked up a new drunk habit. It sure is less destructive than her other one.
But just as they say it, she launches into her real drunk habit, and tells the whole group that Binggeure got scammed by a producer who told him he’d make a demo if he handed over cash, and Binggeure blew months of part-time pay for nothing. Garbage looks alarmed and asks why he didn’t say anything, and Binggeure swears it was months ago and he already took care of it, more embarrassed than anything.
And then she tells the group that Haitai still hasn’t used his condom, and it’s still tucked away in his room, past its expiration date. Oh noes, don’t jeopardize the roommie bromance!
Samcheonpo starts to drag her away before she ruins anyone else’s night, but she gets one last one in, and it’s the biggie. She yells at Oppa for letting Na-jung’s confession just hang there, and tells him he’s a terrible bastard for not telling her yes or no. Yikes. Chilbongie leaves the room, and Haitai asks Garbage if he wants to grab another drink.
At the local market, Haitai is a godsend and asks Garbage straight-up what his deal is, and if he doesn’t see Na-jung as a woman, or if he has a girlfriend, or if he sold his soul to the devil to get into med school and is therefore wary of forming any lasting attachments (okay, so he didn’t ask that last one, but this is what happens when you make us wonder for eleven freaking episodes).
Garbage asks Haitai if he’s Na-jung’s friend, and Haitai suspiciously takes a beat before answering yes. Garbage sighs that he wishes he had met Na-jung as just a friend and classmate. He explains that their two fathers are closer than brothers, and that when his own father went bankrupt or had heart surgery, it was Na-jung’s father who was always by his side.
The same goes for Dad being there for him and his brothers. In other words, they are irrevocably linked as family and family first. (I wonder if that’s the whole story, but at least it’s a start.)
He sighs that his head is swimming these days. Na-jung keeps coming closer, “And I can’t accept her feelings, but I can’t NOT accept them either.” What… the fuck does that mean, Oppa?
Haitai presses for an answer, which I love him for, and asks again if Na-jung were just a friend he met at school, would he like her and date her then? Oppa thinks on it, and for now we don’t hear his answer.
He pops in to check on Na-jung, who pretends to be sleeping while he lingers in her doorway. He heads out to his balcony lost in thought, and above him on the second floor is Chilbongie, doing the very same thing.
On Friday, Na-jung gets all dolled up for her fundraiser, and totally forgets her friend’s request to bring an extra date for her. She quickly covers it up with lies and then runs to the phone to call Haitai, then Binggeure, and even Yoon-jin (to borrow Samcheonpo for a night, ha). She gets turned down by all.
I’m cringing at the thought that she’s about to call Chilbongie, but she doesn’t, thank goodness. And then to top off her bad day, Garbage calls to say he’ll be late because of class. She rips her stockings on the way out, and then leaves her wallet at the payphone. What a day.
Haitai, meanwhile, is finally getting somewhere with his crush, who flirts openly with him while getting drunker and drunker. He piggybacks her home happily, convinced he’s getting lucky tonight.
Na-jung only realizes she lost her wallet when she gets to the convenience store to buy new stockings, but just then Chilbongie and his friend (the catcher) happen to pass by after dinner.
He pays for her stuff and his friend introduces himself as Chilbongie’s wife. Hee, I can’t be the only one who heard their pitcher-catcher husband-wife explanation and went to a dirty place, right?
Na-jung perks up and asks the catcher if he happens to be free tonight, and scores him as her friend’s plus-one. Chilbongie asks if she’s not going too, and then realizes from her awkward silence that she must be going with Garbage.
She says Garbage will be late, so she’s planning to just hang out here with snacks until he shows. Chilbongie jumps on that and says he hasn’t eaten either (even though he literally just walked out of a restaurant not five minutes ago), and offers to wait with her. Kid, you’re killing me.
He eats some ramyun while Na-jung settles on eggs, and she cracks one on his forehead without warning… and it’s totally raw. Eww. She drips runny egg everywhere, but it does the trick of breaking the ice between them, and they giggle and laugh like the old days.
Na-jung eventually goes to her party and sits at the bar alone, looking up expectantly every time someone walks through the door. Her one beer turns into two beers, and then three, and with each new guy that isn’t Garbage, her shoulders sink a little more.
Garbage sits in his lecture hall dying of impatience and checking his watch every other minute. The delay grows longer and longer until he finally can’t take it anymore and gets up and walks out of class.
He rushes to the bar, and finally the sound of that damned bell is followed by Oppa’s arrival… but by the time he gets there, Na-jung is gone. Oh no.
He stands there in the doorway and thinks back to the question that Haitai asked him. If he were just friends with Na-jung, would he accept her feelings? He waits for what seems like forever before answering…
Garbage: “Yes.” Eeeeeeee! He continues, “If I had met her as a friend, I would’ve confessed first.” Dagnabbit, Oppa, then what the hell is holding you back? He admits that he has feelings too, because otherwise he wouldn’t be torn about it in the first place.
Haitai’s date takes forever and a half to open her door, and he’s nearly undressed by the time they finally make it inside. He throws his arms around her saying that he can’t wait any longer, and he looks up to see her entire family gaping back at them. Ack.
She slurs that they can have a drink with her whole family, and then his pants drop down to his ankles. Hahahahahaha. Poor Haitai. I literally don’t know what’s worse—standing there with your pants down, or wiggling them back on in front of everyone.
Garbage sits in his car outside the house that night, when Chilbongie comes out and knocks on his windshield, wondering what he’s doing home when he’s supposed to be out on a date. Garbage doesn’t explain, and asks to tag along to the park to throw the ball around.
He asks Chilbongie to teach him a few signals between catcher and pitcher, and he shows him a few, including the one for “frontal attack.” They toss the ball back and forth, and Chilbongie shows him how to pitch.
After a few rounds, Chilbongie works up the nerve to tell Garbage that he confessed to Na-jung, knowing that she likes Oppa. He says that just having a one-sided love was so pathetic that he figured even if he gets rejected, it was better to confess.
Chilbongie: “But honestly, it’s your feelings that I’m most curious about. Whether Na-jung really likes you on her own, and if you really don’t have feelings for her—that’s what I’m most curious about. Because the way I see it, that’s not the case.” Omo.
Garbage lets out a breath, and Chilbongie asks, “Na-jungie isn’t in a one-sided love, is she?” Garbage: “And if you’re right? What will you do then?”
Garbage admits that he didn’t think he was allowed to like Na-jung. There were their parents, and her oppa who died. And he thought that maybe he was just confused and it would pass, so he ignored it thinking time would change things. “But then I see her having a hard time on her own…” He knocks the baseball against his chest: “And it hurts my heart.”
“If what hurts Na-jung’s heart hurts mine…then that means I like her, right?” He lifts his head and looks Chilbongie in the eye: “You’re right. Na-jungie isn’t in a one-sided love.” Oof.
Even Garbage admits that it’s Chilbongie who made him wake up, and says he’s going to accept her feelings and confess his own, before he loses her to someone else like a fool. He muses that this will probably be the last time they play catch, and Chilbongie just answers with a fastball that knocks the wind out of him.
Chilbongie: “The game isn’t over. I won’t give up. You could still lose her, like a fool.”
Dad breaks up the tense moment when he arrives swinging a bat, and laughs at Garbage trying to pitch properly. He tells him to pitch one, and tells Chilbongie to play catcher. So Garbage takes the ball and looks up at the catcher, as taught.
And there it is: the signal for frontal attack, with Chilbongie looking straight at him, prepared to go to war for Na-jung’s heart. Garbage says in voiceover:
Garbage: Love and life are a lot like baseball. No matter what dangerous situation lies ahead, no matter how you try to avoid it, you have to win against someone else in the end to have victory. One-sided love hurts the heart, but you do it alone so there’s no other way—whether you win love or get rejected indifferently, the only way to end a one-sided love is to confess it. Only when you choose a frontal attack will you know the outcome. Maybe love is a lot like baseball.
He winds up for the pitch, and we fade into Chilbongie’s scrimmage game earlier. It’s the bottom of the 9th, and Chilbongie’s side is technically winning by two runs despite his earlier missteps. This time when his catcher signals him to walk the batter who scored on him earlier, he complies without arguing.
With the bases loaded, he finally gets the signal to go for it, so he lets one rip… and the last batter hits it into the outfield, and they score four runs on him, winning the game. Aw.
As the runners circle him in the field and Chilbongie watches dejectedly, Garbage continues in voiceover: “And the world is wide and the rivals are many. Maybe love is a lot like baseball.” Wait… are you trying to say that there could be a surprise batter who wins the whole game that you didn’t anticipate? You’re just saying that to mess with us, right?
At home, Na-jung consoles poor Haitai over beers, thinking it a good thing he didn’t end up in jail tonight. He sighs that he’ll never understand girls, swearing them off forever. Na-jung tells him he’ll never get to use his condom that way, and he grumbles that she’s poking a sore spot.
He asks if it’s any better doing it her way, but that just leaves her sighing, and she asks if maybe she’s just not that appealing as a woman—maybe the problem isn’t Garbage, but her?
Haitai turns to her: “If it were me, I’d have dated you. Long ago. If only you and I hadn’t become such good friends… I would have.” Awwwww.
The air gets awkward for just a split-second, until they both laugh it off as a joke. Haitai chides Garbage for not seeing what a great girl she is, and then tells her that Garbage has feelings for her, and would have readily dated her if she weren’t his almost-sister.
But Na-jung laughs in his face, thinking Haitai is just saying it to be nice to her, and no matter how many times he swears it’s true, she gets madder that he’s messing with her and grabs him in a headlock and gnaws on his arm. Haitai’s voiceover adds another layer to the unrequited love cake:
Haitai: But of course there are many more one-sided loves in the world that never get confessed at all. The idiots who know how to get out of one but can’t do it. That’s why one-sided loves pain the heart.
It’s moving day for Garbage, and Mom and Dad send him off like their own son, with a box full of rice and nagging reminders to check the expiration dates on things before eating them, and to stop wearing unmatchy socks.
Dad wonders why Na-jung isn’t showing her face, and Oppa lies that he saw her this morning, and leaves (with a kiss for Dad, hee). Na-jung sits in her room listening to Kim Gun-mo’s “Alone in Love” (posted above), refusing to come out. Garbage gets into the moving truck and smiles down at the massive box of individually wrapped rice from Mom, and the truck pulls away.
We go back to the world’s longest wedding in 2002, and Na-jung’s little brother interrupts Mom and Dad for a bathroom break during the ceremony. Dad sneaks out to help the tyke, who turns out to be Sung Dong-il’s real-life son Joonie, playing his fictional son Joonie. Oh, the meta.
On their way back in, Joonie sees a group photo of the boys and says that his brother-in-law is the handsomest, while Dad thinks he’s the worst-looking. Dad leads Joon away by the hand and he asks, “Dad! Where are we going?” Pfft. I luff that kid.
Back in 1995, Na-jung comes home from a week-long MT with her movie club, and is disappointed that her parents aren’t more enthused at her return. They just tell her that they’ve been waiting for her so they can eat, and add that they already have a new boarder living with them. She asks the group which department he’s in and gets a wall of blank stares back from every last one of them.
And then… out of Oppa’s room… comes Chilbongie. Eeeeeeee!
COMMENTS
These boys. They won’t stop making me swoon one right after the other. Okay, so Oppa. Yay for answers, for starters. Thank goodness the people around him finally got fed up and asked him what the heck his deal is, though I still resent the fact that the other boys had to poke and prod for some real answers. I mean, would it kill you to fess up on your own? I feel like the writers took a misstep with his character in waiting too long for this reveal. At this point the expectation has been built up (because we wanted to trust that he’d have a valid reason for playing ostrich) such that him saying that their sibling/family relationship is his main deterrent feels like a weaksauce answer. That’s a thing you maybe wait five or six episodes to sort out, not eleven. In being made to wait this long, we’ve gone down the path of assuming grandiose theories for why Oppa is so elusive, and when you give us the obvious answer, it’s a little disappointing.
Granted, there’s still lots of time for a twist on the family angst, but today I sort of shook my fist in Oppa’s face, even as I was phew-ing that he wasn’t dead inside and did return Na-jung’s feelings. It was refreshing to hear what he really thought (for once), but it did nothing to make me stop being frustrated at him for the past ten episodes’ worth of denials. I still love Oppa, because how can you not, but he’s also equally infuriating. I want his reason for being so cagey, for letting Na-jung hurt on her own, for making all of these one-sided loves hang in the balance for all this time—to just be better. Why can’t you be better, Oppa? I think if he had just answered Na-jung back when she confessed, even with the denial version of this, I’d be more onboard.
Sigh, I know it’s not all his fault, and Garbage is still the lovable perfect oppa. But I’m not gonna lie about the fact that while he was sitting around sorting out his feelings, Chilbongie won me over with his brand of un-hedgy romance. And now that Oppa has fiiiiiinally stepped up to the plate, I find myself reacting as if he’s encroaching on Chilbongie’s loveline. I know that’s not the order of how things happened, especially not from Na-jung’s point of view, but that’s the result of taking the long way around with Oppa’s feelings—I somehow end up all turned around. And okay, in the interest of full disclosure, I loved Lee Jung-jae over Choi Min-soo, so I might just be hardwired that way.
It’s not like I don’t understand that his dating Na-jung would upset the family order of two households. But to deny feelings that you feel for over a year? There’s denial, and then there’s futility. At least we know the important answers—that he does like her back, and that he feels a responsibility to be an oppa to her and a son to her parents. It’s almost enough to resent Mom and Dad for being so good to him, except of course you can’t resent Mom and Dad for being so good to him. I think overall the bigger reveal will be his confession to Na-jung, and how timing figures into it. Will he be perennially one step too late, or will he finally figure out how to be there at the right time and place to win her heart? Clearly we’re being told that love is not a game where you can declare a winner until you reach the bottom of the 9th with two outs and the last batter has his turn. And based on Chilbongie’s I-will-not-back-down attitude and Haitai’s late-addition regrets at being friend-zoned (sooooo cuuuuute), it’s just the beginning of the fight. Batter up!
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51 eaglette
November 24, 2013 at 6:20 AM
I am almost convinced that Haitai is the husband. That said, I think CB moving into Oppa's room may actually be a bad omen than good and why does everyone ship them? Is that how love works. ...If one person loves another too much the other is obligated to reciprocate? Then, why aren't we all happy in this world? We will get who we love if we shower then with puppy eyes and keep loving them openly while disregarding that they too is going through difficulty with love...
I am not hating on CB shippers but they too shouldn't hate on the girl for not seeing him, and she may never see him. ...she's allowed not to be attracted to everyone that likes her!
As for Oppa's confession being late and all; I call it the case of a 20 episode drama and it doesn't bother me except for the fact that he told others before her but I expect that to be rectified next episode else he would have just missed his window. His reason didn't turn out to be something we haven't thought about but why complain unless you wanted him to be gay. He thought their feelings will go away by just ignoring it but it took a year for shit to get real. ....that may be long to everyone but even CB hung on to his love. Now it's "play time" with one hidden player in the miss who might just win it all while the other two are busy fighting.
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Marie
November 24, 2013 at 6:33 AM
It’s not a problem if one does not reciprocate another person’s love. But if that person takes a long time to reject another or leads him on, then that’s a problem because of course that person is suffering because of the indifference and carelessness.
He can think but does he really need 14 months to realize things? Because there are a lot of unknowns. Na Jung could move on, or die like someone else said.
Na Jung also had to contend with brother-sister issues like trash, and also be worried that their families are close like trash. But she followed through and confessed directly a few times.
She thinks he's worth it. And it seems,with him hemming and hawing, that he doesn't think it's worth all that trouble to be with her. Which is a pity.
It's not just the numbers of episodes that matter, it's the dramas time frame. He took a year thinking things? All the while na Jung is waiting? If he needs give to ten years to thnk, then should na Jung wait got him to finish thinking indefinitely?
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TIKA
November 24, 2013 at 7:04 AM
Agree if only he just reject her.. i'm fine with it..
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Katie
November 24, 2013 at 1:37 PM
Can't the same be said to Chilbong though? Na Jung has basically rejected him for 14 months...he should move on as well. That's the problem with one sided loves, you can wait and wait and maybe the other person will eventually come to like you, but you'll always have a nagging feeling that what if the other person doesn't love you as much or the other person's first love comes back?
I was on a ship initially but I've basically given up because I'm confused with how the writer is playing this out lol. I'm not a big fan of having so many possibilities for Na Jung's husband because even though the focus is on her and her college years, we've kind of lost sight of everything else. I'd like more on Binggurae and SCP and YJ, as well as basketball! Where is Lee Sang Min??? lol.
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Saima
November 24, 2013 at 3:14 PM
CB confessed on New Year's Eve... so, it's been 3 months (going by how long SCP-YJ have been dating) since NJ's been in the know of his feelings for her.
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Katie
November 25, 2013 at 2:00 PM
Ehhhh, semantics :p but still a similar time frame for Na Jung then as well. A little longer, but still my point is that if you're rejected even if the other person accepts you eventually you'll have a nagging doubt in your head if that person is constantly nearby the girl you love.
Annie
November 24, 2013 at 7:45 AM
I agree so much with you.
In real life, if someone told me that I should be with someone simply because he put some effort towards wooing me, I would tell them to f off. Na Jung doesn't owe Chilbongie squat. She's not blind, she just has someone else in her heart. The idea that she should just settle for whoever's convenient is so gross to me.
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bigwink
November 24, 2013 at 3:45 PM
That is so true. Just because Chilbong is perfect and adorable doesn't mean Najung have to end up with him if she doesn't want to. If I'm in Najung's situation right now, I wouldn't even be nice to Chilbong just because....
And his moving to the dorm to me seems a tad bit pushy.
I have this perfect vision of Chilbong who is sweet, considerate, and understanding. It would broke my heart if he became the typical obsessive second lead.
I want him to be the endgame sooo much, but if things are going where I think it will be, he's better not ending with anyone (yep, Miso included).
Ohmygod what this drama do.. it makes me obsessive, its not even funny. Its a drama FGS! *fist pump to drama heaven*
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Abby
November 24, 2013 at 8:12 AM
Of course, she's not in any way whatsoever obligated to reciprocate any of Chilbong's feelings. But getting his feelings acknowledged should at least happen! And I'm not saying this because I'm Chilbong-biased, but it is for the NARRATIVE'S SAKE. You honestly don't expect the writers to plant so many CB-NJ moments without them getting payed off later on, right? It will always be just a matter of *when and *how* they will do it.
In real life, obviously things like this could happen and never get resolved in the end. But this is a DRAMA and if they don't tie up loose ends like that, then it constitutes as bad writing.
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Shizuka
November 24, 2013 at 10:50 AM
" We will get who we love if we shower then with puppy eyes and keep loving them openly while disregarding that they too is going through difficulty with love…"
ditto. i know that there's that saying that in love and war everything is allowed, but i find cb's behaviour not that nice. for starters, he is disregarding her feelings, and secondly, now that he knows that her feelings are reciprocated, he is disregarding that too because he wants her. i suppose it's just me, but the right thing to do if you really care for someone, is to back off and not butt/try to come between two people who love each other, especially when they've had such a long-standing and complicated relationship. i've been in a similar situation when i was in my early 20s and felt that it was not my place to butt in, i helped in fact. and no, it wasn't because i didn't love enough, it was precisely because i did (in fact i have never loved anyone that much again, and a good 8 years have passed). so for me, he's just being selfish and competitive. it's not the kdrama 2nd lead manipulative behaviour, but it's not really all that nice either. IMO of course.
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June
November 24, 2013 at 1:51 PM
He isn't disregarding her feelings. He just wanted to confess because he might have regretted it. And for him going to live in Oppa's room. I don't think that he is doing something bad. He just wants to see her. I doubt he will do anything bad to ruin their relationship. he might as well be just waiting, while caring for Najung and treating her like before. Just be there for her. I think Trash was a trigger for this ''I can't give her up'' mindset of Chilbong. Because Trash has said that if it wasn't for him he wouldn't wake up. You could see Chilbong being hurt. it was written all over his face. And there is a good side to it. Even if Chilbong doesn't win Najung's heart. He can also give up while seeing Trash and Najung really happy. And love isn't all about being nice. It's about being selfish too.
But kudos to Chilbong...I was never able to confess. I don't regret it, though.
I just wish the husband was anybody but oppa XD I like him just as a caring brother.
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Saima
November 24, 2013 at 3:21 PM
We know that CB is tight with his boarding house friends in 2013. Hypothetically, if he's not the husband then he really didn't have any reason to hang out after confessing to NJ, facing a non-rejection, and hurting with NJ pining after oppa. UNLESS, he moves in and forms deeper relationships with the others.
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eetsuko
November 24, 2013 at 6:15 PM
I agree with your comment on love isn't all about just being nice for the other person, it's also about being selfish too. And Chilbongie and Oppa especially has both demonstrated this. Oppa did not give her a reply for about a year or so, not allowing her to move on in the process. He might not have intended for Na Jung to suffer but that was what ultimately he had done.
For me, as long as Na Jung still doesn't know about Oppa's feelings then there is still a chance for Chilbongie and Chilbongie should go for that. As he said in this episode, the game is not yet over.
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52 eaglette
November 24, 2013 at 6:25 AM
One hidden player in the mix, I meant. ..
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53 barbara black fox
November 24, 2013 at 6:31 AM
Wow. This was a paradigm changing episode for me. I had decided that Oppa was gay. He was so sweet, understanding, and loving to her that the ONLY explanation was that he was gay. THAT'S why both he and Chilbong look so comfortable with each other in 2013.
But I was wrong. (I still love this show.)
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54 eaglette
November 24, 2013 at 6:33 AM
But that may destroy their family bond if things end badly plus he's the oldest and probably thought she only has a crush on him and it will go away after a while;he was probably waiting for this moment when he moves out and she doesn't see him all the time. ...you know what they say, "absence makes the heart fonder" and for him, "you never know what you have until you lose it". Him moving out is going to be a defining period in their relationship.
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55 meanrice
November 24, 2013 at 6:34 AM
javabeans, I'm curious to know what you think Oppa's reason for his reticence should be?
The way I see it, it is perfectly understandable. Oppa never denied her feelings previously, he just looked so damn pensive every time. I'm not excusing his sloth altogether, but i think for him his reason is valid, I can understand that for the viewer it is not.
My main reason for thinking he is justified (and not because he is an Oppa that rivals Noel Crane oppa for my heart of hearts) is the breakfast scene. Mom and Dad do not even think that garbage is a possibility, they don't even glance in his direction. I think that is why he got up and went to the fridge. So if mom and dad don't think it is a possibility, that reveal that it is actually a fact that he likes Na Jeong would upset the family dynamic of both households right?
I may be over-identifying because I am a slow mover too, over-thinking and over analyzing things.
I'm just saying I think Oppa is valid in his waiting, he thought he had time, she's only 20 for pete's sake. And if they don't work out...well he can't just stay out of her life, their families are so intertwined.
Props to him for stepping up once he knows he has a rival though.
PS - why is Binggurae in the middle of that wedding photo??????
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mayanne
November 24, 2013 at 6:38 AM
I take offense that he needed a rival, chil bong, to decide to confess. What if na Jung is the female version of hai tai, the one that gets friend-zoned all the time and she ended up not being courted until she’s 30? Without a rival to go against, then he wouldn’t figure out his feelings and confess to na Jung? What the eff….
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meanrice
November 24, 2013 at 6:46 AM
He may have continued to sit on his feelings if he didn't play catch with Chil Bonggie right? It was the catalyst that started the pendulum swinging back in his favor.
While he was thinking for a year, how long has he known that she reciprocated his feelings? Hasn't it only been a few months of that year? I honestly have no clue b/c I don't remember the timeline.
He would have eventually gotten there, but Chil Bonggie's confession sped up his time table.
Also I want to give Na-Jung credit that she would not have held on to one-sided love for the rest of her life right? She could stop having feelings for him if he let it drag out and friend zoned her. That is the premise that Chil Bonggie is operating under isn't it? That he can court her /has a chance because Oppa doesn't value her feelings as much as he does?
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meanrice
November 24, 2013 at 6:52 AM
well not the only premise, he does luff her. :)
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56 eaglette
November 24, 2013 at 6:39 AM
She's not obligated to wait; she could demand an answer and move on from there but she didn't want one that may involve a rejection, this way, she keeps loving him without making a decision to give up. All in all, everyone was being selfish to their own end!
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meanrice
November 24, 2013 at 6:50 AM
+1
I don't know how old you are eaglette, so I hope this next bit is not offensive to you:
They are all in their early 20s (I am way past 20) so young and inexperienced in things; just fumbling around.
Plus Oppa's nickname is garbage. he literally has no common sense, this wait and see attitude jives with his character (at least to me).
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ilikemangos
November 24, 2013 at 10:23 AM
+1
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57 eaglette
November 24, 2013 at 6:43 AM
Mayanne, you can take offense all you want but your not involved in this love triangle, so chill! Matters of the heart is not so simple, if it were, everyone will be happy.
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58 autumnscribbles
November 24, 2013 at 6:46 AM
Was it my wishful thinking, or was Na-jung subconsciously staring at Chilbongie in the convenience store? Perhaps she's slowly moving on? The fact that Chilbong has taken Oppa's room could mean that he's slowing taking over Oppa's place in Na-jung's heart? right? Somebody please stop me from raising my expectations before I fall down and belly-flop into a puddle of my own tears.
As for Oppa, I really do love him as a character, but the fact that he has taken so long to sort out his feelings is making it hard for me to root for him to be the husband. It has come to a point now that no matter how legit/serious his reasons are, I will still be on team Chilbong. By the way, did he end up confessing like he said he would?
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momosa
November 25, 2013 at 12:07 AM
That's not the only scene where she was looking. Remember the ice-pack bare-chested scene, she fan-girled a little, I fan-girled a lot.
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Cam
November 25, 2013 at 1:27 AM
^^ Stretching scene where their faces get really close and they both look away. Also, I missed it on the first watch but both their voices after that cracked a little.
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59 eaglette
November 24, 2013 at 6:46 AM
Meanrice, am with you on this!
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60 kellyldramas
November 24, 2013 at 6:55 AM
I love it. This makes total sense. That Na Jung will got out with Trash for awhile, then C will fight, Na Jung will see the light, time jump NJ and ChilB get together just like in 97, the older brother dated the girl, then break up, then younger brother comes in
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meanrice
November 24, 2013 at 6:59 AM
You know I asked that back in ep 1: if confessions galore in 94, why was the wedding in 2002? What happened in those 8 years (other than graduating college)?
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maldita
November 24, 2013 at 7:33 AM
Well, maybe the drama will show what will happen in those 8 years, but maybe not. I remember in Reply 1997, they jumped from 2001 (I think) to 2005 (also 8 years after the story started) when the main couple FINALLY got together. The cast basically aged from new high school grads to young professionals by the time 2005 happened and not much was mentioned about the years in between.
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Abby
November 24, 2013 at 8:17 AM
Military service for the boys is the only thing I'm quite sure of to happen.
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Katie
November 24, 2013 at 1:42 PM
But unlike 1997, Chilbong and Oppa are neither related and Chilbong is technically the older brother in this drama so far. He's the one who's in a one sided love with Na Jung (like how the older brother was in 1997) while both Oppa and Na Jung like each other but are beating around the bush. It makes more sense if Chilbong and Na Jung date (now that he's moved into the house) and break up because Oppa finally decides to tell Na Jung.
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salt n' pepper
November 24, 2013 at 3:04 PM
Yup, this. But I'm hoping for Chilbong as the husband because I don't want it to be just a rehash of Reply 1997.
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kellyldramas
November 24, 2013 at 7:47 PM
hmmm, yah that could happen, my point is more this is a typical love triangle/square/quintet plot gimmick, she goes with one guy, realizes she loves the other guy, or the other guy confesses, whatever, but I think there is going to be much more actual dating in this second part cuz the first part has all been set up, I mean they can't keep having all these unrequited feelings keeping hanging in their air without some resolution, well they could since it is a Korean drama, but these writers seem better then most
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61 eaglette
November 24, 2013 at 6:55 AM
I am past 30 and I know most people in here are young and green in love that's why I have patience with most of the comments, it's everyone's expectation of what love should be like.
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62 kellyldramas
November 24, 2013 at 6:56 AM
And personally it doesn't bother me that Trash took a while to figure out his feelings, even though I'm shipping ChilB, people aren't perfect and if they are meant to be together then Trash and Na Jung will forget about in about five seconds after they realize their feelings are mutual
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63 Chichiri
November 24, 2013 at 6:57 AM
Oh, oppa.
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64 eaglette
November 24, 2013 at 7:00 AM
Did the guys go to the army yet?
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65 eaglette
November 24, 2013 at 7:02 AM
Oppa is 25 but 3rd year in med school and the others are still young; maybe they will go to the army!
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66 Bonnie
November 24, 2013 at 7:03 AM
Chilbongie is out! :( the dad loves him but in this ep, when pointing to the 5 men in the photo at the wedding, he said the son in law is the ugliest. The dad adores chilbongie, so he wouldn't say such a thing about him.
Think Haitai may win in the end as the "other" players in the game.
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67 Anne
November 24, 2013 at 7:14 AM
I have this feeling that my Chilbongie ship is sinking!!
But, Oppa in this episode rocked!! Ok, I wanna be Na Jeong!!
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68 saranga
November 24, 2013 at 7:16 AM
awww little joon!!! (can we get the rest of the kiddie cast on here too? little league baseball maybe? hehe)
i'm scratching my head, but i still think oppa is the husband. when dad goes "your brother-in-law is the ugliest" (referring to the photo) i'm more inclined to think he's talking about garbage; i presume he loves him like a son, and thus he's very familiar with him, having watched him grow up and all. he's also fond of chilbongie, but in a revering way. of course, the wedding scene is 8 years down the road, which is more than enough time for him and chilbongie to become dad-son familiar too.
random question- it could just be my files, but does anyone have random scenes suddenly skip backward and replay themselves? i've been having this since the first episode, and i don't know why... i don't think reply 1997 did this...
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nut
November 24, 2013 at 7:47 AM
i had this problem too! but it only happens when i download the episodes, not when i watch on streaming sites
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supeng
November 24, 2013 at 8:27 AM
Yes my files played with this issue too.
I don think its any problem, just that the part that they skipped backwards and start again probably is the part after commercial breaks.
TV in my country does that, giving a slightly short reverse play of the previous scene before continuing.
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adette
November 24, 2013 at 10:35 PM
it's not just your files. in the normal broadcast, there are commercial interruptions. after each commercial break, they play a bit of what happened before the commercials. in most download versions, the commercials are cut out so it seems like it's skipping back.. it's kind of jarring, but there's nothing really wrong with the videos. where it replays bits, that's just where commercials would've been
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YoonJi
November 25, 2013 at 8:40 AM
I've read an article in tumblr, there's some hypothesis like this : Appa Sung Dong Il had said once, that if Chilbong doesn't join Seoul Twins in the future, they'll be enemy... well in scene 2013, it has said that Seoul Twins hasn't won any games since 1994, so presumably, Chilbong didn't joing the team, therefore they become 'enemy' and he calls him 'the ugliest of them all'.
Well... kind of makes sense, though..
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69 farrrdus
November 24, 2013 at 7:28 AM
Yay Trash's finally gonna confess, himand na jung suit more than chilbong and na jung cause although chilbong's nice and all they just don't seem that close/ comfortable with eachother like they're relationship isn't natural if you get what i mean whereas, obviously, na jung and oppa's relationship is. Even haiti and na jung's relationship seem more comfortable and close than na jung and chilbong's...they just don't seem to click with eachother (na jung and chilbong i mean). I wouldn't be surprised if haiti gets the girl in the end but the dad did make a comment saying that (referring to the picture of the guys in the wedding) he thought the husband was the ugliest which makes me think the husband is Trash cause he always says stuff like that about Trash
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70 wina
November 24, 2013 at 7:33 AM
Oppa face expression at the dining table scene is classic, he actually know that najung parent never see him as the one for her. The scene with CB...the most intense and deebak for both (oppa & CB)...9 episode to go..may the best man win (oppa fighting)...
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71 dashi
November 24, 2013 at 7:36 AM
THIS DRAMA WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME!~ *dies because I can't say anything else and I have so much to say*
*Comes back to life* Thanks for the recaps GF! I love that snarky humour! *dies again, stays dead*
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72 anna
November 24, 2013 at 7:40 AM
#TeamOppa all the way, but man, I have a feeling he's already too late. He needs to confess already! AND SOON!
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73 Viki
November 24, 2013 at 7:43 AM
Team Chilbong all the way. Poor Chilbong this episode...Na Jeong didn't even do anything after his sweet confession!
I did like Oppa...at first...but...after 10 episodes, I seriously want Na Jeong to end up with Chilbong. He's just so sweet.
This drama is diff than the typical "2nd lead syndrome" thing 'cuz it seems like most of them are leads (except for Baro?)....so I hope the writer will give us a good ending for Na Jeong.
Anyway, now I want NJ with Haitai more than with Oppa...whha? and I was so Team Trash in the first couple of eps...
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74 Barbara Starks
November 24, 2013 at 7:54 AM
sighs that his head is swimming these days. Na-Jung keeps coming closer, “And I can’t accept her feelings, but I can’t NOT accept them either.” What… the fuck does that mean, Oppa?
Let me see if I can answer that question, It mean he will die for her but he won't kill himself for her... I love Trash and I love that he so mature. Trash live his life thinking of the entire picture not just his feelings. We got a lot out of episode 11 including the confirmation that Trash is her husband. I personally didn't need this because I could not see Najung married to Chilbong and trash still around with the way she loves him. The father would never call Chilbong ugly, but he will call Trash that and other things as while. I can totally see Najung Najung brother loving Trash because that what he does best, make people love him because he honest care about others. I see Chilbong with the locker girl.
On the funny side I piss in my panties when that girl family was in the room and his pants come down I don't think I every laugh so hard in any k-drama addiction!
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75 TP
November 24, 2013 at 7:56 AM
I heard that some people are not happy with Chilbongie moving into the boardinghouse. I did not see the actual comments per se, but apparently, they don't like Chilbongie moving in because he might be "taking advantage" of her, or something like that. Even though I got this from a secondary source and these comments possibly cannot exist, I would still like to state my decision: I disagree with the comments above.
Chilbongie has been nothing but patient and respectful of Na Jung's feelings. He has never threatened or harmed her in anyway, and I doubt he ever will even if moving into the boardinghouse. She knows how he feels when he confessed (or probably forgot, since she never mentions it again) and all of a sudden she seems surprised when he moves in? He practically lived there! The only possible complaint I can find is that he already has a dorm and some people need a place to sleep, but that's about it.
My point is, when Na Jung regards love, she always disregards Chilbongie. The fact that he is willing to take action w/o harming anyone tells me that he is considerate. Oppa is not considerate to me at all, b/c it's only after that Na Jung confesses many, many times and Chilbongie confesses that he finally decides to go in too?
Right now, Oppa has a very huge advantage, because Yoon Jin and everyone knows, but nobody knows about Chilbongie's, and that really hurts me. Because to me, he is the one I am rooting for, and who I want to end up with Na Jung.
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AJP
November 25, 2013 at 1:06 AM
I actually like the fact that Chilbongie moved in because:
1. He would be able to form stronger bonds with the other boarders and not just Najeong.
2. It will give Najeong a chance to see him in a different light.
3. He will know what it is like living with Najeong on a daily basis and might realize that his ideal of Najeong is far from reality hehe
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76 samiha
November 24, 2013 at 7:59 AM
I'm not sure if I saw the subs for this right, but did anyone notice that Oppa said his brother's name is Jae Hyung? So then Oppa's name could be Jae-something, like Jae Joon...but then there's Chilbongie whose name is something-Joon too.
These writers just keep on trolling don't they?
As for this episode, I'm getting frustrated at Oppa. His reasoning isn't cutting it. If he'd said something like this any earlier, and NOT have had t be asked by everyone else, then I could have thought of him and Chilbongie as equal contenders. But that didn't happen, and so I've been on the Chilbongie team for a while now. I love his way of approaching things, and sincerely hope the writers don't make him screw up!
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geese
November 26, 2013 at 5:34 AM
Somebody found out and tweet that Trash Oppa's name was Kim Jae Soon..
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77 ems
November 24, 2013 at 8:01 AM
Team Chilbongie! Fighting!!!
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78 SunfloLeah
November 24, 2013 at 8:06 AM
I have to say there's no absolute rule like 'I love you so you must love me back' or 'I love you first so you have to choose me!' or 'I love you more, you cant love other person than me!'.. It's a matter of being chosen or not by someone's heart. Yeah maybe I was being too upset about Oppa's reason that I forgot that he's beloved by Na Jeong was not something dat he could choose. It was Na Jeong choice. And you are responsible for all the choices that you've made. So it was not like Oppa had to choose her too on first case. But as someone who developed same feeling for Na Jeong, the choices that oppa had were listen
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79 NubiA
November 24, 2013 at 8:10 AM
Again as always Ty for the recap,I enjoy them as always.
I loved this episode, it made me laugh, thing, and feel for the characters.
Chilbong!The feels son! That baseball confrontation was golden. They were great just acting that part out. I wasn't thinking on who deserves Na Jung more than the other mor on what was being said.It seems to me that not even Oppa knows exactly what is going on with his feelings. I have feeling he is still confused a bit. We might get a bit of that I think in episdoe 12.
I am with Chilbong but the story and these characters overall are just great.
I want to see what ends up happening with Haitai.
Also, the baseball manage girl, Misoo is starting to have some similarities with Na Jeong. Writers might be setting her up for a future reveal or just for something else. IT looks right now like she could be a contender for Chilbong.I do not know if that is what they want to make you believe or she is there for some future conflict.
All in all, I am enjoying the drama to its fullest. Oppa's declaration is a bit frustrating and I did notice that Na Jeong hasn't even mentioned Chilbong's confession. That is interesting as well. Whether we are shipping Oppa, Chilbong or anyone else I think all of them are presenting us with feeling and wanting to know outcomes and as a writer that has to be one of the greatest things.
Looking forward to ep 12! :) TY!
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momosa
November 25, 2013 at 12:16 AM
In fact, NJ didn't even want to mention Oppa as her love, she was discovered by Yoon Jin. That's her character, so it's not a surprise she keep CB confession to herself.
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80 paroles
November 24, 2013 at 8:10 AM
I don't think Chillbongie will get the girls, because Dad said that he thinks his son-in-law is the ugliest but he likes Chillbongie a lot so...
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paroles
November 24, 2013 at 8:11 AM
Sorry, girl* i.e. Na-jung
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81 lakshmi menon
November 24, 2013 at 8:14 AM
Haven't watched answer me 97, so i cant relate to the comparisions that have inevitably come up.. Frm a first timer of the answer me series, im absolutely in love! And i have to say this ur recaps brilliantly capture the essence of the show.. on a fairly boring bus journey nw, so thanks for catching me up to speed. :) agree on oppa dropping the ball on this.. Aaand how hot is chillbong?!?!?
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jomo143
November 24, 2013 at 9:42 AM
Really really really really really X100
hot.
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momosa
November 25, 2013 at 12:31 AM
He's hot, hot, hot ok!
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82 panda
November 24, 2013 at 8:18 AM
Chilbongie is adorable, but I think we've received zero indication so far that Na Jeong is actually interested in him. As others have said, the previous eps emphasised that no one is entitled to love and that love is a gift, so however heartbreaking CB's situation may be to us, Na Jeong doesn't actually owe him anything. And as long as she doesn't show the audience signs of noticing CB as a potential boyfriend, I just don't see it happening.
Moreover, I remember that in the first episodes Na Jeong narrated about experiencing and beginning her 'tacky, clumsy first love'. From the beginning I've interpreted this as a clue that her love for oppa is only a first love, but not her ultimate love and that she will in time move on.
Then there's the whole baseball metaphor thingie, about unexpected players defeating you. I've been considering Haitai as a contender for a while, especially because of the close friendship that's been developing between the two them. Because of all the awkwardness with oppa and CB, Haitai is the only one who has actually been actively bonding with Na Jeong and now there are also little hints that there may be more to his feelings. So I'm sailing the NJ/Haitai ship... for now.
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83 Panda
November 24, 2013 at 8:29 AM
My heart cannot take it anymore. Ahhhhh!! Friday needs to come sooner please? bong ah, fighting!!
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84 tapiocapearl
November 24, 2013 at 8:30 AM
I'm so far gone when it comes to Chilbong that it only irked me when Garbage finally admitted his feelings. Like what you said, girlfriday, it did feel like Garbage was butting in on Chilbong and Na-jung's relationship (even though I know that's completely not the case). I also feel dissatisfied with his reasoning. I saw it coming, and I guess it doesn't thrill me because so many other dramas use family as a deterrent in love. And I want this drama to be different! And if you look at Garbage's 1997 counterpart, Tae-woong had a lot more going against him and he still confessed to the girl! And in a shorter time too! I know I could write this off and accept the fact that they're two different characters in two different worlds, but when the shows are written by the same people, I expect something better the second time around.
This show still grabs me by the heart. I only wished we'd gotten to this part faster.
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salt n' pepper
November 24, 2013 at 5:07 PM
I, too, am Team Chilbong. But the way I see it, Garbage is the Yoon Jae here and Chilbong is Tae-woong. Granted, the fact that Garbage is older makes it seem like he is Tae-woong but if you think of the relationship of the characters (who is closer to the girl, the one that feels mostlike a brother to her), Garbage is more like the '94 version of Yoon Jae than Tae-woong. That's why I'm rooting hard for Chilbong (or even Haitai) to win so the writers can give us something of the other perspective, not the same basic plot all over again.
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85 greenteaicecream
November 24, 2013 at 8:31 AM
uhhh soo Chilbongie isn't a boarder yet until this episode? how come he is always in the boardinghouse?? and he sleeps there too!
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adette
November 24, 2013 at 8:43 AM
because he stays with his cousin binggeure sometimes and since he became friends with everyone in the house, of course he'd hang out there a lot...
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86 SunfloLeah
November 24, 2013 at 8:33 AM
I have to say there's no absolute rule like 'I love you so you must love me back' or 'I love you first so you have to choose me!' or 'I love you more, you cant love other person than me!'.. It's a matter of being chosen or not by someone's heart. Yeah maybe I was being too upset about Oppa's reason that I forgot that he was beloved by Na Jeong was not something dat he could choose. It was Na Jeong' heart choice. And all of them had to responsible for all the choices that they'd made. So it was not like Oppa had to 'choose' her too on first case. But as someone who developed same feeling for Na Jeong, the choices that oppa had were listening to his heart or to abandon his own feeling. For some people maybe it was easy to figure it out, for others maybe not. And it was his choice to finally face his own feeling and yes of course with his own risk of being late. And Chilbong it.was not wrong for him to fall for Na Jeong and It was his own choice too that he would not give up knowing that he was one sided love. But it's not Na Jeong mistake too if she still couldn't see him yet. What could dat girl do if all spaces in her heart are for Trash oppa? Was it her wrong to fall over his superoppa? What could she do when it was her heart beating for Trash oppa? *I sound dramatic XD* So am gonna stop saying Na Jeong should be with whom in matter of who love her first or who let her hurt. Cuz in the end can you love without having no hurt? Isnt love is being all in despite and inspite. I just want every character will value themself more too. Letting theirselves hurt for a long time is their own choice. So dont take other as blame. But hmm one thing I hope each of Trash oppa, Na Jeong and Chilbong will find love that worth all the pain ;)
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ilikemangos
November 24, 2013 at 9:31 AM
I think one of the best if not the best (or most objective) view on the overall love triangle.
I am finding it hard to find comments that aren't heavily chilbongie-biased or trash oppa-biased.
My thoughts echo yours down below.
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june_rain
November 24, 2013 at 6:28 PM
Well said, very well said.
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minea
November 24, 2013 at 7:30 PM
I completely and wholeheartedly agree with your comment. It is, after all, NaJung's choice that is important. Reading your comment is a breath of fresh air.
By the way, I love that you're not in anyone's team but NaJeong's :)
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87 earthna
November 24, 2013 at 8:37 AM
I forgot how many times I screamed because of Samcheonpo-Yoonjin cuteness omg they're adorable! This episode is actually good if only it wasn't too looooooong. That confrontation scene between Oppa and Chilbong was so intense. I knew he's gonna show him the finger. lol.
I'm glad that oppa moved out because it's like trying to be more like a man than a brother to Najeong. But now Chilboong is inside the house, in Oppa's room! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH. I need my next episode please!!!!!
Poor Haitai though. But I'd like to concentrate on Oppa and Chilbong because it would be more confusing to have another person to win Najeong's heart. And it's quite late to pursue it now.
Thanks for the recaps, girlfriday!
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88 porcelain
November 24, 2013 at 8:41 AM
Since much is being discussed about the love triangle or square if Haitai moves into the game...
Can I squeal for Samcheonpo and Yoonjin... so freaking cute!!!
And Sung Joon... omg... I love it!!! So darn cute!!! Sung Dong Il ahjusshi and him is so precious...
Back to the main triangle... The park playing catch face off scene with Chilbong and Oppa... really awesome scene and hurt my heart seeing it... whatever that is holding oppa back, is really putting him in noble idiot characterization but I like to see Chilbong put up a good fight, but like another commenter said, its should be Najung's happiness above all, not who got the girl, but also agreed that their happiness is interwine...
So whoever that gets and don't get the girl, I hope they have their own happiness waiting for them.
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porcelain
November 24, 2013 at 8:58 AM
One more thing, if Answer Me series has anything to be successful about, its bring nostalgic back... apart from gadgets which we used... things we used to do like watching tv together, not sure how many people still do that, with large portion of us, watching things online... many other activities keeping us engaged...
So much reference to dramas watch back in the days... I guess its the same for many counties/culture around the world...
If I was asked prolly it be some HK dramas I watched years back, I might not remember the stories or a character well, but if I hear a certain songs, some bones in my body will remember it and before I knew I will start to hum together...
Omg, Sandglass, remember when A Gentleman Dignity bros were watching it and acting out in a nostalgic episode and playing with a new mobile phone... they were hilarious
Ahh nostalgia, so glad to leave behind the cheesiness, but such a pity to let go of the memories...
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89 supeng
November 24, 2013 at 8:42 AM
Haitai ACTUALLY IS a valid contender now for Na Jung's heart. And no one took him for serious when ep 11 has not even aired... my.
I'm surprised by this turn of events too and it scares me because I can see Haitai being the husband in the end now with the heart-to-heart talk with NJ.(seeing how i'm on Team CB)
Started this drama thinking that the two main male leads are not attractive (and still do, y'know in the handsome sense) but man, they are getting more and more charming as I watch. Its the acting I guess, as their respective characters.
Kudos to the crew for casting all these actors in the series. Rather unfamiliar faces to most I would think, except for Jung Woo and Yoo Yeon Seok.
I will never forgive MNET for broadcasting MAMA instead of Reply... counting down to episode 12 and let me see if Haitai is really going to be in this for the long run or its just a temporary facade.
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salt n' pepper
November 24, 2013 at 5:25 PM
You're right, the male leads aren't handsome in the, you know, literally handsome sense. But they are so charming and very good at portraying their roles that I can't help but find them very handsome and appealing now.
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90 NewFan
November 24, 2013 at 8:43 AM
1. I knew Oppa wasn't gay.
2. I think Haitai should end up with that baseball girl.
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91 Kat
November 24, 2013 at 8:58 AM
Plot twist: Haitai's the husband.
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92 Petmink
November 24, 2013 at 9:09 AM
Has anyone done the math on how long mom has been pregnant? Seemed forever.
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93 ilikemangos
November 24, 2013 at 9:10 AM
I think some people are forgetting that love is a gift, as JB has mentioned earlier in a recap. You can't argue who deserves love over someone else.
Chilbongie's dogged determination to win over na jung's heart is clouding people's judgement on who they think the end game SHOULD be. Don't get me wrong, i love chilbongie as a character and as a love rival, and i find myself rooting for the puppy who has such admirable determination.
But i don't forget once WHO na jung has in her heart currently. I'm open for the possibility of her opening her heart to chilbongie (yay!) down the road, but i always think that no one should have to feel pressured to love someone just because other people think they should. It's just not realistic even if it's an ideal we all wish would come true. If the day comes that na jung starts to see chilbong in that light, then i say they should just start kissing and making babies asap and everyone can live happily ever after.
Another area in which I think people's judgements are being clouded: I do think that if people are faulting oppa's inaction in love, then Na Jung has her faults too. She is apparently stringing along chilbongie. Until she officially rejects him, I will argue that if Trash isn't being fair to na jung's feelings, na jung is not being fair to Chilbongie's feelings. But here's where it comes back: Chilbongie, one could argue, is not being fair to na jung's feelings despite knowing the two have feelings for each other but doesn't back down. I think all characters are flawed, oppa being the most obvious. Sure, the above arguments can be refuted, but these are just some things that i think can get overlooked with a show that has such an intense shipping war.
I must be in the minority in this, but I am more than glad oppa's reasoning isn't some makjang reasoning like he caused her brother's death and therefore set on a mission to forever become her brother. His reasoning (although not excusable) is understandable to me because you've seen his conflicted emotions in those little moments throughout each episode. However, i do understand people's frustration because while he was busy with his conflicted emotions chilbongie came and stole the hearts of the viewers. That's where trash deservedly lost.
I think if the writer intends to make trash endgame, she has messed up big time. You don't take it so far for the sake of the mystery of "Who's the husband?" and sacrifice your character's development and risk losing the audience in favor of that character.. And then expect them to accept trash once you switch to his favor. It just doesn't work that way.. And i really do hope if she plans on making him endgame that she seriously makes it up in the next episodes, else people will leave AM1994 with a bitter taste instead of remembering all the OTHER things that makes this show good.
Officially moved on to TEAM HAITAI <3 <3 ha.
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Annie
November 24, 2013 at 9:54 AM
Against my better judgment, I kind of like Haitai. To the point where I almost wouldn't mind if he ends up being the husband :-)
I agree with everything you say, but I sincerely hope that the writer sticks to her guns and keeps her own premise in mind while visualizing the ending. Viewers are welcome to swoon over the uncomplicated guy who lives to worship the heroine but she's just not that into him and doesn't really seem to even notice him as a romantic prospect. I would buy it if the relationship w/ Trash doesn't work out and Na Jung and Chilbongie meet each other again further down the line (hopefully he develops some character of his own before then) and get together but to have Na Jung change her feelings so suddenly in the 1994 timeline would be out of character.
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tura
November 26, 2013 at 3:39 PM
As much as I would love it if chilbongi was the husband, I have to say enough is enough chilbongi. Its time to move on, have other girlfriends and forget about NJ who is so annoying. CB needs to direct all his sweetness and cuteness elsewhere cos NJ obviously doesn't want it. One would think NJ would know how it feels to be in a one-sided love and know what its like not to be given an answer. Cos we don't know she what told him after his confession. CHILBONGI FIGHTING pls try to move on
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mashimomo
November 24, 2013 at 11:08 AM
Yes to all this. Although I was a big Garbage oppa supporter on the beginning, the past episodes definitely put Chilbongie front and center, and frankly why would you NOT root for the guy? While I understand that this serves to the plot of who future Na-Jung ends up with( to confuse the fans even more, lol) this made his story arc more endearing. Like you, I had a feeling this is why Oppa had been holding back his feelings to na Jung so it was not all unexpected, but wished that they had revealed it much much earlier as girlfriday said since it definitely felt anticlimactic to me... Or is it because we are putting Haitai in the mix now so we shifting the focus away from Bongie?! Ahhhh!
I'm still standing by my guess though that Oppa is endgame, and a bit more hopeful than you that the journey getting there has to be worth it for Na-Jung (and us!).
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hm...
November 24, 2013 at 3:30 PM
the thing is, I would ship Haitai too, but then that part where he went over to his crush's house and almost violated her was a bit much for me.
I'm glad in the end he didn't, but what if her family had not been there?
otherwise I like Haitai too :P think he's really cute with najung
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salt n' pepper
November 24, 2013 at 5:32 PM
+1000
I agree with every word you said.
----
A huge part of me hopes that Oppa won't be end game because I want a change from 1997's overall storyline but I have a feeling he will still be the husband, which is a little disappointing.
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94 insomniac
November 24, 2013 at 9:25 AM
This drama is killing me... I love it as much as i hate it. Does that even make sense. I dont know what to feel who to love and who to root for...
This episode was fantastic.. I for one did not think trash's reason was lame. It made absolute sense . He seems like the sort of person who over thinks and over analyses every little thing. You cannot help how you feel about something. He feels him and Na Jung being together might be complicated and it sure as hell will be. Sighting family reason is not an excuse. It has been repeatedly shown that he values and cares about Na Jung's parents and their feelings. If they do not accept them dating it might hurt both of them deeply. There is a line that Oppa is afraid to cross with Na Jung Do i find him frustrating Absolutely but thats his character and i somehow cant help but love him.. from He loves Na jung and Na Jung loves him. It should be simple right. Why the hell is it???
Haitai -Am scared that am secretly starting to root for him and Na jung to get together. I did not even consider the possibility till this episode, bit when he hesitated a second to answer Oppa that they were friends i felt my heart skip a bit just like it did with the awkward moment (filled with chemistry might i add)between him and Na Jung. This guy makes being a pervert look adorable and chaming.. Damn I hate you show. I am(not was) team Oppa.
Chilbongie with all his earnestness continues to fail to be noticed by Na jung. You can try all you want but if it is not there it just is not. Oppa is just blocking her entire vision, though am curious why are there no complaints that she is trolling with Chilbongie 's heart. He has confessed with no reply from her yet though she continues to hang out with him. She should be more considerate. Personally I just dont see them ending up together somehow. I dont know why but it does not feel right to me. Maybe they are holding for a late realization from Na jung's part that all along it was Chilbong for her (or Haitai ).
Randomly the scene that struck me the most was when Trash comes into Na jung room to take off the ear phones from her ear.
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Merong
November 24, 2013 at 4:29 PM
I don't see how she's trolling Chilbongie's heart. He's aware of her crush on Garbage and he told her that he knows that she likes someone else when he confessed. What reply does he really need from her when they both know that she's pining for Garbage?
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95 eaglette
November 24, 2013 at 9:39 AM
Insomnaic, when CB confessed to NJ knowing full well he will get rejected because she's in love with someone else, he too asked her not to respond yet, didn't he?
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insomniac
November 24, 2013 at 10:07 AM
Eaglettee Yes same as Na Jung who asked Oppa not to respond, i just find it interesting that people are ready to pounce on him for being silent but not on Na Jung and want to know why the bias.
That said i did think during the tense baseball practice i found Oppa a tad bit irritating for saying Chilbongie made him realize his feeling. You are just hurting a guy who is already is hurt. Oppa i expected better from you.
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96 ilikemangos
November 24, 2013 at 9:48 AM
It almost makes me cringe when people start talking about someone "butting" in to another's relationship without considering (objectively) the feelings of each individual..
It's sort of like a game, now (which I sort of blame on the writer since the love triangle is starting to feel like one).
I think I applauded this writer's ability to create such a compelling love triangle from the beginning, but i'm starting to think it's at the risk of keeping the mystery (and maybe the ratings).
From 90's nostalgia and heartfelt relationships, Answer me 1994's thread section is heavily focused on the love triangle and less of what makes this show shine. (ie. in this episode, the orange passing, yoon jin's transformation, mom&dad's love, haitai(who's everyones friend) among them.
I do hope if this writer is set on one ship, that she nip it in the bud and start developing that ship asap, be it chilbongie or trash. If we're still 100% unsure of who the ship is by episode 18 or 19, i would say she has failed miserably at convincing the audience the ship she chose is the right one.
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97 adette
November 24, 2013 at 9:54 AM
why do I feel like I'm the only one who accepts oppa's reasoning without any issues? maybe it's just that he realizes that even if two people mutually like each other and decide to date, it might not last forever (of all the boarders, he was, after all, the least amazed about chilbong's parents being divorced, which indicates that he doesn't necessarily think people who are in love at one time will always feel that way). and if you do date someone, even someone who was a friend first, and break up, the relationship doesn't always go back to what it was before you dated... if two people meet as friends, and they date but things aren't perfect so they break up, they don't even have to be in each other's lives anymore. but oppa and na-jung's families are like family to each other, so if oppa and na-jung dated and broke up, it might make their friendship awkward, but they can't just end their ties because their parents are such good friends... idk. I'm okay with his reasoning. it was kind of expected, which may be disappointing to some, but it's still perfectly valid reasoning.
anyway. I loved the meta about no one seeing Haitai as a contender, and since I'm basically in love with chilbong I'm choosing to see his official tenancy at the boarding house as symbolizing him replacing oppa in na-jung's heart, cos he was always at the boarding house (just like he's always been around na-jung), but now he's there officially, as a real tenant/contender for na-jung's affections. and don't tell me my analogy doesn't make sense because I don't care ! things like reality and logic have no place in my fangirl heart! lol.
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meanrice
November 24, 2013 at 5:24 PM
you are not the only one. I want to say this to everyone who is griping about it: everyone has baggage. This was his, its not yours to judge.
My thoughts on the "unexpected" rival: Oppa is doing the voice-over for that scene right? Maybe he is referring to Chilbonggie? As in he didn't expect him to go head to head with him over Na-Jeong? Don't get me wrong, I don't mind if it is HaiTai, but I think it is a misdirect.
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98 elza
November 24, 2013 at 10:05 AM
until last week i couldve sworn that, chilbongie was 'it'.
but not anymore. oh why?! my ship sank. and it hit rock bottom.
now im thoroughly confused as to who it could be. if dad said he finds the groom 'bleh' then its not chilbongie for sure. rt? rt? rt?
aaah why show?? you have me good.
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adette
November 24, 2013 at 3:10 PM
i feel like everyones like "oh, her dad would never say that about chilbong!" but honestly? he could be kidding, and also, everything in the wedding and housewarming party scenes are meant to confuse us and subvert expectations. so i feel like we cant really try to logically deduce things like that, since the writers are actively trying to misdirect us. idk. i'm just assuming everything is a red herring, because i feel like if you were to list all the little comments and clues you'd end up with no conclusion. but thats just me hahah. even with 1997 i didn't really try to figure out the mystery. i kind of just quietly take my seat and let the show do its thing~
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salt n' pepper
November 24, 2013 at 5:40 PM
I agree with what you said. However, for 1997, I was 100% sure while watching that Yoon Jae would be the only end game. Here, though, I can't figure out who the writers are set on as the husband (which you could argue makes this a bit more thrilling in that aspect). arrrrrgh. That's why I'm just going along, moving from one ship to the other, so I don't get my fangirl heart broken. hahaha.
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99 ilikemangos
November 24, 2013 at 10:07 AM
Something that no one has brought up yet:
You could say trash moving out and chilbong moving in is representative of what could possibly happen in the love triangle. Trash leaves na jung's heart, chilbongie moves in.
However, you could say that trash leaving the house means he has a shot of loving her as a friend(more as an outsider) instead of that brother-sister relationship in the boarding house. This could be trash's way of trying to make the relationship work.
So while the former would be the most obvious explanation, the latter sounds viable too.
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100 feeling_down
November 24, 2013 at 10:11 AM
After I watched this episode, I felt like it's the end of the world for me and Chilbongie :(
Base on how the story goes, I think it'll fall the same story pattern used for oh so how many times in dramaland... especially now that oppa finally declared his love (the reason of which is pretty annoying btw)
The pattern goes like:
1. Girl and boy will have those cutesy moments while the other lead is trying hard to fight his love -_-
2. Girl and boy will face a great obstacle that will hinder them from going out in the open even if they might know their feelings for each other
3. Since our Chilbongie is very kind and sweet (hoping that the damn writers will not make him do anything stupid) will realize that he cannot fight girl and boy's love for each other
4. and worst of all, the baseball manager -_- will transform right in front of his eyes (literally, I imagine her changing his tomboy outfit to a pretty frock) and all will be well since he 'found' the 'real love' of his life -_-
I would have accepted this pattern if we have seen Trash Oppa actually fought his emo-ness that we can also convince ourselves that his problem with the situation is that it is a VERY big deal... but to just wait for 10 episodes and twist the plot for him doesn't actually favor his character...it's like it's making his character so shallow wherein it's not him who actually grew and matures in the process but the plot who continuously twisted just for him...
If the writer thinks it was really an awesome and new idea, well its not :p
I think I cannot fathom oppa and najung's cutesy moments (considering the preview of the next episode) and although indeed we cannot control the story nor najung's heart, may I at least have the right to hope and dream that Chilbongie will end up with her?
Because I cannot really imagine that they will not :( I cannot even imagine him for myself, haha...Can't you just give the kid a break?
Sorry for moping around, it's just there are too many clues against Chilbongie in this epi..
Appa's description of the groom..Chilbongie being the catalyst of Oppa's realization (which usually ends up with the challenger losing, writers really?)...Him being tooooo perfect to Na jung...
I've seen other perfect second leads for so oh many dramas, but what Chilbongie sets apart from the pack is that he REALLY gets under your skin.. Hope na jung was like that :p
And if you think it the other way and considering the dramaland rules, it's Oppa who is the perfect lead fit for na jung, you know, they grew together, He's super SMART, everybody likes him, he's having the ANGST syndrome... haist...
I think I won't watch the epi's for now, it's really affecting me -__-, haha, I think I'll just wait til its finished
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momosa
November 25, 2013 at 12:47 AM
For some comfort, some said Chilbongie goes on to play with Appa's strongest rival, therefore out of anger, CB is now being described at the ugliest of the lot instead of the handsomest of the lot.
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supeng
November 25, 2013 at 6:50 AM
i think this is it.
lol. my CB Team heart is saying this but honestly he's been nagging at Chilbong EVERY TIME HE SEES HIM to sign up with his team but I do think that the writers left this loophole here so that if people were to ask why is CB the husband in future, they can use this as an explanation to why he's "the ugliest" in 2013 Appa's eyes.
YAY!
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Saima
November 25, 2013 at 9:00 AM
*group huggles*
If this triangle/square is not resolved aptly I foresee ships seeking group therapy. HAA!! Writer-nim, you have no one to blame but yourself in wreaking havoc in our (drama)lives. ;P
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