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Jealousy Incarnate: Episode 10

Now that is what you call upping the game, and the name of the game is, of course, jealousy, and my oh my, what a lot of it there is to be had! But this hour really belongs to Na-ri, as she’s drawn gently out of her shell by her Mr. Dreamboat who, yup, does more dreamboaty stuff (aka “being a good guy”). Damn.

 
EPISODE 10 RECAP

Jung-won and Na-ri get into his car to escape the rain. He coaxes her into admitting that she had a hard time today because of the articles about his apparently impending marriage, and thanks her for coming back. She confesses that she wouldn’t have had the courage to if Hwa-shin had not brought her, and they resolve to be good to him. But they suddenly realize he’s not there, and get out to look for him.

Hwa-shin stumbles through the rain and gets drenched by the spray of a passing car. At the stoplights overhead, electronic rain falls over the red man, too.

Madam Kim drops in on Chef at Rak Pasta to give him something she picked up for him in Paris. It’s…French Viagra? Dude, why does your sister know this about you? She rails at him for wasting himself in this backwater, and finds his impotence embarrassing.

Frustrated, he snaps that his doctor said it must be a punishment for him treating women too carelessly before. That’s a medical opinion, y’all. Not giving up, she explains the pills have a mild side-effect of making you wink, but what of it, she says brightly—it means it’s working! How many ways can this go wrong, haha.

He tells her his condition is psychological, and growls at her to get out. She leaves the bottle on his counter.

In her room, Pal-gang has the TV switched on to Sung-sook’s report, and the radio tuned to Ja-young. She tries to cut her nails but can’t, and breaks into wailing for her dad.

Hwa-shin lurches into the SBC building, wearing a focused look that can only come from drink. Why are you drinking, you stupid fool? He asks a passing weathercaster, “Do you want to date me?” and she hurries off in disgust.

When he reaches the elevators, Joo-hee and the morning announcer, Jin, are about to debark. “Let’s date,” he proposes, blocking the doors. They push past him in distaste. He makes the same invitation to the next woman he meets: “I’m charming, it’s hard to turn me down, right?” But he looks up to see Sung-sook. Haha. “Yeah, let’s date,” she says sarcastically, “I’m your sister-in-law!”

Hwa-shin ends up in an empty newsroom where Hye-won practises her newsreading. Hands braced on the desk, he dips forward…and slurps up Hye-won’s coffee. “Do you want to date me? In return for the coffee,” he says, straightening up. She criticizes his behavior when he should be preparing for the auditions.

“So you don’t want to date me?” Hwa-shin says. She asks if he even knows who she is, “I don’t know,” he replies, head lolling. Ire rising, Hye-won curses him out fiercely in banmal, and tells him to go sleep off the drink instead of sullying the newsroom with his nonsense. Through his drunken haze, he praises her impressive cursing…and dips for her coffee again. Thoroughly unimpressed, she leaves him there.

Jung-won calls Soo-jung out of her house, and tells her that he can’t marry her. “Let’s marry people we like,” he says. She asks if he has someone he likes and is momentarily shocked to find out it’s Na-ri.

He clarifies that he first met Na-ri after their arranged date, and Soo-jung nods in understanding. He tells her that he’ll take the blame tell the elders, but Soo-jung good-naturedly tells him not to worry about it, she’ll take care of it.

In her dorm, Na-ri sighs over her way-down-the-list candidate number for the auditions, and wonders where she can film her introduction reel. Just as she’s grumbling about Hwa-shin and his aborted hospital visit, the door opens to let in the man himself.

Na-ri can tell he’s been drinking, and rips into him for vanishing, but pulling up a chair, he just laughs. “Are you upset because of me?” he asks, mumbling that that’s the only time she looks for him. He answers her questions with his own: “Do you want to date me?”

Na-ri blinks, and then laughs that everyone already thinks they’re dating. But Hwa-shin leans in and asks again. She points out that she’s dating his friend Jung-won, and says she means to give it her best shot.

He stares at her with that unnerving focus and says, “I’ll do everything you want, so let’s date.” She’s about to brush him off when she gets an impish look in her eye and asks, “Really? Everything?” But he flatly refuses her first wish: to sing Wrongful Meeting again.

He sings a different song instead, and she claps along, getting into it. She asks him to dance too, and falls about laughing when he immediately does. He gives her a ballad next, but she supposes he can’t rap. Except he totally does it, haha, ending with the line, “Let’s date.”

That stops her mirth, and so she tells him to make her laugh. He turns on her with cross-eyes, and she crows, showing him her own. They laugh with glee, and Na-ri issues rapid-fire commands: Stand up! Dance! Sing! Like an amped-up personal jukebox, he belts out songs and complies with every order…until she asks him to fart, like that time in the hospital.

Something like embarrassment comes over him then, and he drops back into the chair. She coaxes and cajoles, and tells him she sometimes thinks of the sound of that fart. But whyyyy would you do that??

Voice dropping, Hwa-shin asks her if she doesn’t think it’s a shame to let her three years of unrequited love go to waste like that. With a quiet smile, she replies that she doesn’t, and Hwa-shin asks, half to himself, how a crush can change.

Head dropping to his chest, he says pitifully, “I want to eat cup ramyun.” But it ain’t his day, neither for women nor for ramyun, as Na-ri can’t find any in her stores. She doesn’t see the lone cup that’s fallen into a dark corner.

Elsewhere, Dae-goo and Chi-yeol come down to the darkened restaurant to make themselves some night-time ramyun. Chi-yeol spots the Magical Man Pills and Dae-goo disses Chef for hoarding goodly vitamins for himself. He pops one in his mouth and tosses another to Chi-yeol. This surely cannot end well.

The next morning, Sung-sook and Ja-young wait to see Pal-gang off to school. Sung-sook tells her to take an umbrella, since Na-ri’s forecast predicted rain. Pal-gang points out that the other moms come to pick up their kids when it rains, and Ja-young immediately says she’ll come.

Sung-sook is concerned about Pal-gang’s report card and the moms gape when they find out she’s bottom of the whole school. They follow her outside, scolding her (and each other), and Pal-gang finally looks up from her nails. She asks them who they are to play at being mom when they’ve never once cooked her a meal or gone to her school.

Appalled by her rudeness, Sung-sook asks if that’s how her father raised her. Ja-young says that she won’t let Pal-gang run wild, and demands she trim her nails. Pushed over the edge, Pal-gang yells at the two women, accusing them of trying to act like her mom when they’re not. Ja-young slaps her across the face.

Near tears, Pal-gang tells them how Dad looked after her: how he came to school with an umbrella if it rained, a jacket if it was cold, sweet potatoes when it snowed. She says that he always cut her nails, and since he died, she can’t bring herself to do it. He was always sorry that that was all he could do for her, since they had no money. “What were you ahjummas doing then?” she asks, crying.

Hwa-shin wakes up in Na-ri’s bunk, and everything that happened the night before flashes through his mind. He groans. When Na-ri returns with a cup of tea, he flees.

Hwa-shin snaps at Na-ri not to follow him. Amused, she tells him she’s going her own way. But he freezes in horror when the elevator doors open to aaallll the women he propositioned last night HAHA. Sung-sook barks at him to get in.

When the doors close, Joo-hee mischievously asks which one of them he’s going to date. Sung-sook declares that she’s the one, and they all snigger. Sung-sook teases him to pick one of them, and even gives him a wink, and Na-ri quietly says he should stop drinking now.

Eyes fixed on Na-ri, Hwa-shin says he’s going to date Hye-won, who’s been silent so far. You’re not actually meant to answer that, you goat! Sung-sook congratulates Hye-won on being chosen, and gives Hwa-shin a wink on her way out.

At school, Pal-gang looks in the mirror and touches her face. “Mom’s hand sure burns,” she says, and smiles.

Hwa-shin gets a call from the realtor, who’s found him a place near Pal-gang’s. Dong-gi comes over to tease him about dating Na-ri, and Hwa-shin retorts that he isn’t dating anyone. He heads out to his car, still plagued by his performance the night before.

Na-ri throws herself in his car’s path, because she has an urgent request. She makes him pinky-promise not to reveal her past crush on him to Jung-won, and also reminds him of their hospital appointment. Quietly crestfallen (having entertained a different hope for a moment), he tells her to get out of his way, and drives off.

Watching him go, Na-ri scoffs to herself that of course a crush changes—it’s not like she’s a statue in a museum. “He doesn’t even like me. And he always looks down on me,” she says, eyes narrowing. Meanwhile in his car, Hwa-shin curses himself for an idiot, for falling for her now.

Jung-won’s mom needles him about Na-ri, and says his girlfriend must be a liar because she said it’s going to rain, but it doesn’t look like rain, does it? Schooling himself to patience, Jung-won says that whether it rains or not is the clouds’ fault, not the weathercaster’s.

Mom tells him that his father called her—for the first time in three years—to say that if she can get Jung-won married to Soo-jung, he won’t divorce her. Why does that sound like a lie? Wheedling, she says, “Jung-won-ah. Save me. Don’t make me a divorcee.”

“I want you to be happy,” Jung-won replies, “You want me to be happy, too, right? That’s fine, then,” he finishes, turning away. She follows him outside, and says that Na-ri only wants him for his money, unlike Soo-jung, who is far wealthier. Mom says she just had brunch with her, and she said she likes him and means to introduce him to her parents.

Jung-won tells his mom that Soo-jung lied to her, and drives off alone. He mulls on Soo-jung’s stealthy betrayal. “I hate people who backstab the most,” he glowers to himself.

At his bank, Hwa-shin tries to pay the deposit on the new place and finds out he’s been the victim of voice phishing (from back in an earlier episode), and has lost 10 million won. Ouch. He tries to sell off some of his stocks to raise funds instead, but that doesn’t work out either.

Na-ri tries to record the intro reel for her audition. She quickly hides away her camera when Ja-young appears, with juniors Soo-jung and Jin in tow. Soo-jung glares at Na-ri, who deflects attention from herself by offering to run any errands for Ja-young.

Instead, Ja-young sends the other two away. With sidelong glances, she asks Na-ri to let her have the puppy keychain Pal-gang gave her. Na-ri agrees easily. Before Ja-young goes off, Na-ri asks, “You’re a fair person, right?” She bows to the older woman, and tells her that she wants to be acknowledged by her at least once.

Hwa-shin pulls up to a jjimjilbang, which isn’t quite as it seems. He shows a special text message at reception, and is let into an underground gambling den. With a camera hidden in his towel, he takes extensive footage of the place, which we see later airs on the evening news.

His furtive filming is quickly discovered, and Hwa-shin takes a beating. In the newsroom, he’s covered in cuts and bruises as he takes questions on his investigation. Jung-won slips into the studio, Na-ri joins him with a smile. From the newsdesk, Hwa-shin watches them whisper to each other.

After the broadcast finishes, Hwa-shin goes up to his friend to say hello. Jung-won slings his arms around Hwa-shin and Na-ri, excited about the three of them going on dates together. He steers them out, but Hwa-shin insists he’s already got plans.

Jung-won grabs him in a friendly headlock, but Hwa-shin yells angrily at Jung-won to leave him alone and stop dragging him into his dating life. But Jung-won finds his desperate rejection all the more reason to stay close to his friend.

Na-ri edges away, saying that the two men should go by themselves…she’ll just have some cup ramyun. The mention of cup ramyun is the last straw for Hwa-shin, and he flails, “You said you didn’t have any!”

Hye-won emerges from the studio and coolly reminds Hwa-shin about their dinner-date. He snaps at her, and a beat later, barks agreement. He puts his arm around her and stomps off.

Na-ri whispers to Jung-won that those two are dating, which surprises him since Hye-won is not Hwa-shin’s type. He confides to Na-ri that Hwa-shin’s type is similar to his. Na-ri disagrees: “He doesn’t like women like me.” Jung-won pinches her cheeks and tells her that Hwa-shin definitely likes her, otherwise he wouldn’t have set them up.

Across the lot, Hwa-shin watches them from his car, and Hye-won observes that he and Soo-jung have been made laughingstocks.

“Jagi-ya, what shall we eat?” Jung-won asks Na-ri, and she smiles at the endearment. As their car passes his, Hwa-shin wonders aloud what they’re going to eat.

Chef helps Sung-sook out with heavy shopping she brings home that night, and to Sung-sook’s shock, he gives her a big ol’ wink. Ha, so he’s taking the pills! He slaps his face in dismay and apologizes, but the winks keep happening.

Inside, Sung-sook squees a little, thinking Chef is interested in her, but the sight of a newly-placed giant portrait of Grandma makes her scream. Fleeing to the fridge, she gobbles up the dumplings she finds there, seeing too late Grandma’s note that says they’re for Pal-gang, and if either mom eats a single one, she will cut them.

Ja-young goes to pick Pal-gang up from school, but Chi-yeol and Dae-goo come out first. She fusses over them, and blinks in shock when Chi-yeol winks at her. He gasps. Apologizing, he styles out that it’s because he wishes she were his mom. She offers to be his mom, too, if he doesn’t have high expectations, and gives him a wink back.

Hwa-shin brings Hye-won to a rooftop apartment. The building is directly adjacent to Pal-gang’s (and therefore Na-ri’s), far closer to than he expected—too close, he says, looking troubled.

Jung-won drops Na-ri home, and her polite farewell makes him ask her why she keeps treating him so formally. She eventually confesses she hasn’t really dated much and doesn’t know what to do, but wanted to make a good impression. Jung-won gently argues that he’s the one who has to make a good impression, and tells her to do as he says: “Everything. All of it.”

He repeats back all the polite platitudes she’s given him all night, and exclaims, “I’m a man who wants to love you, jagi-ya!” She confides frankly that she doesn’t remember when she last received love, and Jung-won playfully retorts that she doesn’t seem to be used to giving it either.

She asks him super-formally if he finds her frustrating, and he laughs, bringing her speech down level by level. But he groans when she reverts a sentence later, to ask if she’s already been dumped. This conversation is ridiculously adorable. Eyes merry, he says goodbye, but to his surprise, Na-ri leans into his car and kisses him on the cheek.

As he’s driving away, Jung-won pauses when he spots Hwa-shin’s car a building over. On the rooftop, Hye-won asks Hwa-shin why he brought her there.

“Lend me some money,” Hwa-shin says. “How much?” she replies. Ha, that seals it, I definitely like her. She asks if that’s why he asked her to date, but he says even if she lent him it, he wouldn’t date her.

Squeeing to herself as she comes up, Na-ri doesn’t yet notice the pair on the other rooftop. Meanwhile, Jung-won has left his car, and looks up at Hwa-shin’s new building.

Hye-won tells Hwa-shin not to be a fool and tell Na-ri properly that he likes her. He refuses, but Hye-won argues that that he could easily steal her away from Jung-won.

For some mad reason, he actually entertains the thought. Of course, it’d make him a total bastard, Hye-won adds, and Hwa-shin finally realizes that she’s trolling him.

Hye-won enjoys a good laugh, but around the corner, the camera reveals an unsmiling Jung-won, who’s heard it all.

On her own rooftop, Na-ri turns around at the sound of Hye-won’s laughter. Surprised, she waves, and is about to call out when Hye-won puts a finger to her lips.

Eyes on Na-ri, Hye-won tells Hwa-shin not to be a jerk, but to do the 9 o’clock news with her, date her…her voice trails off.

“Do you think I can’t do it?” Hwa-shin asks. He finally raises his head, and with a look of dark determination, he says, “I’ll have a go at being a bastard.”

COMMENTS

Uwaaaaaaaaa. Gauntlet, thrown! But as much as I want Hwa-shin to stop being mopey and passive, I also don’t want him to be a buttface. And as much as I think a fierce friendship needs a few good fights to strengthen it, I don’t want him to destroy the one good relationship left in his life, which he clearly relies on despite his bluster. Is it bad that I kind of don’t trust Hwa-shin not to do something that makes him irredeemable?

I think Hwa-shin’s real confession to Na-ri came last episode (when he told her all the reasons why Jung-won was better than him) in the classic Hwa-shin way: ass-backwards. As diverting as his performance as a human jukebox was, it’s no real proof that he’s capable of being a good boyfriend. Despite his secret defences and stealthy caretaking, he still has so much more to prove: that he can openly respect Na-ri; that he’s capable of intentional emotional honesty not only to himself, but to her, while sober. He also still has to deal with all his self-loathing, and by extension, all his self-destructive behavior.

I know the Jung-won ship is like a transit flight, but I’m on it until we sail into Port Hwa-shin, because I love what he does to Na-ri. Like how he’s able to coax her into frankness, with confessions that could be embarrassing, but he never lets them be. It’s such a great dynamic, because it cuts away at the cloud of insecurities that surround her, that make her feel like she’s not good enough or worthy of being loved. I love that the show let her kiss him, too—most shows only let a heroine kiss her One True Love. But with that kiss last episode, it’s saying that they’ll let this relationship go all the way to its natural conclusion. So when she does go to Hwa-shin, it won’t be the pull of an old crush. It will be something new, and a meeting of equals. As much as Hwa-shin needs to tame his ego and stop self-sabotaging, Na-ri needs to open her heart.

That’s what’s so great about Jung-won right now, because he pushes her—not to do things she doesn’t want to, but not to be afraid of being herself. He’s telling her, both implicitly and explicitly, not only that it’s okay to be herself, but that he likes her most when she is. In a way, he’s teaching her how to date and leading by example, which really is terribly sweet (obviously this guy can never be real). A big part of that is making her pull her own weight in the relationship and not letting her off the hook when she doesn’t. As he pointed out to her, they can’t have a proper relationship if he does all the work. And so Na-ri’s being slowly brought to this point where her heart is ready to bloom.

Despite her three-year crush, I feel like Na-ri’s heart has been furled tight all this time, with only room for her brother in it. Her generous spirit makes it easy to miss that she doesn’t really have anyone by her side, the way Hwa-shin has Jung-won. Hwa-shin told her that Jung-won was lonelier than him—so is she. It’s another element of what makes the Na-ri/Jung-won relationship so compelling, because they shine so brightly, defying all lonelyhearts stereotypes. Gahhhh. I love it. They’re so right for each other right now, and I think it has really important meta implications, too, because it promises our characters change and serious development. The endgame of this show is not a mystery and never has been, but the fascinating part is figuring out how we’ll get there in a way that is satisfying, believable, and true to the characters.

I’m really digging how the confidence Na-ri is gaining in her private life is also being mirrored in her professional life. She has an enviable sense of self-respect, but she’s constantly put down at work despite being great at her job (which Hwa-shin, to his credit, has always recognized). That’s what excites me a bit about Na-ri’s connection with Ja-young, who now has something to gain from her (because of her connection to Pal-gang). It’s not that Na-ri gains an advantage from the connection, but that her disadvantages are less overpowering, which does a lot to level the playing field.

If Ja-young and Sung-sook are forced to look at Na-ri as a person, and worth something by her own virtue, they won’t be able to dismiss her again. They’re women who’ve demanded recognition for their own skills, but along the way, become stooges for the very system they’ve fought, pandering to the wealthy, the connected, the elites, in a way that does disservice to their own struggles to reach the top. So it’s gratifying to think that Na-ri might at last get a real shot at these auditions. By this point, I think she must have aced the original interviews, but lost out to Hye-won and Soo-jung due to her lack of influence.

Speaking of Hye-won, apart from Seo Ji-hye finally having more to do, isn’t her straight-talking, blunt manner appealing? You get the sense that she’s sincere about doing well at her job, but her status gets in the way of her fairly earning her place. Although at the same time, I don’t think she wants to give up any of her privileges. But even if she wants to have her cake and eat it, you can’t help admiring her guts. I like her as a foil to Hwa-shin right now, too. Bearing unpalatable home-truths, she’s like an antidote to the self-pity he so enjoys. But she seems driven by ambition rather than malice, so I can’t quite figure out if she’s truly jealous of Na-ri, or just enjoys playing everyone. She seems like someone who makes a great friend and a terrifying enemy…oo, Na-ri and Hye-won as friends? Now there’s a ship I want to see!

 
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Laughed so much at Hye-won cursing Hwa Shin and after the karaoke moment in Pyo Na Ri room...Really hope the guys friendship won't be destroyed...

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Her cursing Hwa-shin gave her such a good dimension! I was expecting jealous second lead (rich, pretty, obsessed with main guy, eventual evil machinations & lies), but there it showed that she is her own person, having her own ambition and life. She looks at Hwa-shin as a good senior, a good (anchor) partner, a good reporter, a good potential boyfriend/husband, but it will be on her terms, not when he's drunk and avoiding his feelings, not "at any costs" like past second leads have uttered.

She's ultra cool, polished, and very well-presented, just like an anchor should be. woo!

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That and the moment she trolled him on the stairs sealed the deal. The writer is doing a fantastic job of letting characters have realistic layered personalities which is great. No one is one dimensional plot device here!

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we have it, the rich, pretty and obsessed with main guy character: Ms. Geum

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You know this show is super funny when you laugh while you watch it but also while you read the recap. Seriously, JI is ticking ALL the boxes in my list rn.

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Yes! I've already watched the episode and everything but reading the recaps just makes me laugh so hard again

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What's better is that I carefully read the recaps even though I've already watched it simply for the added fun of reliving the jokes.

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So, so true!

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I love this show still manages to balance the comedy and angsty (?).. after ep 9 I thought we will go with a total angst episode but all that 'Date Me' scene got me on the floor instead LOL

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I have not laughed/giggled/cheesed so hard watching a drama like this in AGES.. Jo Jung Seok, you work that magic, you work it!! How are you such a freaking awesome actor???? How does he layer all these emotions in such a raw and honest way - like dancing & laughing or while getting a beat down from his mom and conveying so much sadness/pain at the same time?! Ugh, love him so much.

HANDS DOWN, FAVORITE DRAMA OF THE YEAR FOR ME. I can watch this again and again and again. JJS is an acting genius.

That being said, I LOVE Nari and Hwa Shin's interactions more than the nari x jung won pair (altho i really like jungwon.. he is a sweetie.) But I feel like NRxHS's newly blossoming friendship is #GOALS. Them being together in that small room - dancing, laughing, having the time of their lives with just each other made me want them to be together SO BAD. Ughhhhh. In alternate universes, I'd have the drama play out both relationships.

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The way Hwa Shin was looking at Na Ri in the dorm room when he was drunk totally broke my heart. His expression was so, so, SO sad - he was communicating so much through his eyes.
You guys, this show is really taking my heart and throwing it into different directions. I really, really like Jung Won and Na Ri together, but I LOVE the way Hwa Shin and Na Ri act around each other.
UGH MY HEART

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Yes!! The part where Hwashin and Pyo Nari were crossing their eyes and they started laughing - Hwashin's eyes said SO MUCH (the angst) despite him laughing along and I couldn't help but get tears in my eyes.

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Right?? I mean I was laughing along, but it was more like sad laughing. (if that makes any sense)

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I fell in love w/ Hwa Shin during this scene. Hwa Shin and Na Ri were meant to be together. There were a myriad of emotions and it moved me much more than the Jung Won-Na Ri kiss, even though that was an awesome and beautiful scene as well.

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omg! that's my favorite scene so far! Hwashin's lovesick eyes.. I can't.. seeing him like that breaks my heart :( and i'm sold to Hwashin already !

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I love that part but I felt that na ri knows that he likes her but she decides to ignore it.

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I died when Hwashin started to rap . I quite love his chemistry with Nari, because it seems to me like they are their true self when with each other.

If Nari and Hwashin get together I want it to be satisfying and compelling and not regret her with Jungwon if that makes sense.

I also do like her relationship with Jungwon and I don't know how long is this drama going to be but Hwashin better speed up his game if he wants to get the girl, just sayin'.

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This show, this show❤️❤️❤️. Saya, your recaps just make it better - thank you!

But JW's mother, what IS her deal? Arrgghhhh. Can we please find her something real to do, because her messing w JW and Chef is ridiculous. I'd love to take a pie to her face. The whole French impotence pill thing is ludicrous but already funny so I guess, wth?

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Oh my gosh, the winking was KILLING me.

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The impotence pill thing aside she is clearly the women scorned trope. She's stuck in a terrible marriage trying to preserve the facade like all women are supposed to. Her failing attempts at controlling something aren't very amusing but she could be funny. I laughed at her terribly unfashionable gloves while she was talking to her son.

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Lol, why were they so bulky? I did however appreciate the rest of that outfit and the rocking body underneath. Korean middle aged women are in such good shapel

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Now we are talking! I loved the "Date me" scenes and loved Na Ri's confident response to it. She is no doormat and she is out there to prove it everyday. I did pity HwaShin when he kept dancing, singing and rapping- just to follow whatever Pyo Na Ri asks of him, but the scene was so hilarious that I couldn't decide whether to pity him or to laugh at him.

I too am on the Jung Won ship, but I am looking forward to the conflicts. Because as hard as Hwashin might try to be an ass, he would still give us plenty to laugh about. As long as their bromance survives, I don't mind anything that the show might throw at me!

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This show is a keeper. Writing, directing, acting...they're nailing it!

Jo Jung-suk in the dorm room scene was just brilliant! Most actors would've had a hard time doing that scene with a straight face, but he went beyond and delivered a humorous scene layered with poignancy and desperation. I was laughing out loud but at the same time I felt like I was a terrible person for enjoying his obvious misery. Even while chuckling I wanted to give him a hug and apologize. Poor puppy. :(

Btw, I think Gong Hyo-jin was genuinely laughing in that scene like we were (probably the whole crew!), no need for acting.

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even Jo Jungsuk laughed..

I caught his laugh for a second when the camera angle was behind him, he did laugh a bit LOL who wouldn't tho

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I saw that part too! I was rolling on my bed watching him ? Have you seen JJS and GHJ behind the scenes videos? They laugh so much when they're together, it's hilarious ?

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I bet JJS ad-libbed all of that, with GHJ just throwing out suggestions. Anyway that's what all of them were doing the whole time in YOF Iceland.

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You're probably right about the ad-libbing. It seemed too natural to be scripted. Btw, when he busted out the hip rolls...I was done! Lol. :') :')

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The wordplays in this show kill me, even with my basic Korean - like his rap! The last two lines, 'you call me Lee kija/I reply to you saguija' hahahaha!

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For me that was the highlight of the episode.. U call me Lee kija, bla bla bla saguija..hahahag..

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It would be awesome if someone could tell me, what does saguija and kija mean? I think kija is like sir or something?

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kija means reporter. So Lee Kija means Reporter Lee. and saguija means let's date. :)

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I believe kija would be reporter and saguija is to date. Hope that helps!

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Oh! Thank you teiisha and ahap! :)

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Hi Beanies

So I will save the recap and savor for later, I went straight to Saya 's comment on the ep.
I must say I have been refreshing DB for days hoping that the recap would be up.
Ep 10 was a let down for me, because of HS. He appealed to me in ep 9 for the first time. Then blow it with the way he acted in ep 10. Asking Na Ri to dump his best friend for him was unacceptable for me, being drunk lessen his actions but it doesn't excuse it in the least.

TO Fellow Beanies, Would you kindly Give your Input on my QUESTION

A kind of unrelated Q, I'm sincerely wonders about the boundaries you should draw when interacting with male colleagues while dating?!
I realize that in normal conditions that is not a Q I'd be confused about but while watching the drama (HS & Na Ri) I find myself contemplating that Q
When interacting with a former crush, one who is rumored to be your boyfriend while dating another who happen to be best friend with ex-crush
Like in the Cosmetics Shop l, her putting her hand around his neck while I realize she doesn't mean to flirt or act seductively ... I wonder what if JW happen to see them .. what would he thinks , how would he Feel and Honestly I'm seriously wondering and my Q is not limited to the drama but also in real life.
I used to follow "If I'm not doing anything wrong, then f*&-$ and what would think & that also my significant one would not trust me then he is not the right one" but now I'm questioning what is actually the right thing to do ?!

Sorry for Rumbling

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Personally, I think she's crossing the line a bit.

This might be colored by the fact that we know (and JW doesn't know) that HS likes her now and that NR previously had a one-sided love, but I think regardless, if I were JW I'd be a bit jealous and uncomfortable if I saw that cosmetics shop scene. They seemed close, and remember that these were 2 people who weren't even friends in the beginning.

Like you said, I don't think NR is purposely trying to toy with HS's emotions. The show makes her seem pretty oblivious to his feelings, but if this were real life, they would rouse my suspicions.

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I think you can also argue that HS has so thoroughly friendzoned her (and don't forget, humiliated and rejected her), that she doesn't see herself as a threat to him. Add to that the fact that she really has ended her crush...I think she's now enjoying a friendship.

With the arms-around-the-neck thing, I think the show is just milking the ambiguity, since they then go a sec (lol a very long sec) later and show the point was to take his ID.

In the same way (to pick up a point in a comment lower down), JW has no reason to suspect HS likes NR - he introduced them! tbh, this whole mess is on HS for being so blind to his own heart.

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I agree completely with snailshell, every word! He has so completely friendzoned her and then fixed her up with his best friend (who might as well be his brother)and delivered her to him in the face of what appears to be his engagement to another girl. Right at this point, she and JW are two happy bunnies who want to include HS in their happy love story. She's at ease teasing HS like he's her own brother, practically and if JW had walked into the cosmetics shop he would have said,"what's going on here?" And she would have laughed,"I'm really going for his lanyard and discount!" And they (two) would have thought it was adorable how they all have fun together, and then JW would have had a lipstick in every color delivered to NaRi's office because he felt so bad that she needed HS's discount for such a small thing.

Sorry, got a bit carried away. But NaRi is not torturing HS, she believes he means what he says.

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Lmao i so agree xD JW would sponsor even the whole set of cosmetics to her feeling bad that she needed the discount

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More than the cosmetic shop, I'd be a bit more offended at the way Hwa-shin barges into the (girls?) dorm room. Like, this isn't her house or her office, this is a Workplace for people to Sleep. What if there are other reporters there to take a break? Even if it was her personal cubby, how can someone so arrogantly burst into the room and demand a phone, a ramen, to date, etc.

But I put that aside and watch for the story & the comedic moments.

As for their relationship - I think Hwa-shin has made it clear to Na-ri that he doesn't like her (the way he teased her and it having been 3 years). That's how she seems him. On top of which, she has a special connection (the hospital room and continuing treatments), while her love interest is Jung-won. So Na-ri completely totally only sees Hwa-shin as a friend, almost family, which makes her comfortable with him: admitting that she's happy about the come-around of the crush rumor, that it feels as relieving as diarrhea, that he can take her used tissue, whatever. \

Then the scene in the cosmetic shop was a bit long because of director, and not because she was really standing there for 2 minutes with her arms around his neck. (in my opinion).

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I think when Na ri said that she thinks about the sound of his fart she was talking about appreciating the uniqueness of their new relationship. She was probably the only woman he had ever farted in the presence of. In her thinking, he has never been attracted to her as a woman's do would never date her, but she wasn't just any ordinary woman now either. They shared secrets and intimate moments and she liked thinking that they shared a particular closeness.

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When I imagined NaRi recalling the fart, it was the memory that she and JW had such a laugh about the granny next door farting like a man. So, more a memory of bonding with JW than anything particular to HS.

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1st .. thanks for sharing your thoughts
My Q was more general than focusing on this particular situation but I don't blame Na Ri for the most of it. She is acting in a good hearted way. Actually I probably act the same way with regular friends who I'm comfortable with and certain my actions wouldn't be interpreted as something else.
But also, wouldn't the drunk proposal Should have at least sounded some kind of alarm in her. Like, ohh where is this going, is HS having romantic feelings or is he just drunk and it is the alcohol.
As for HS, I'm totally not ok with him going there, yes he is discovering his feelings for her. But that realization probably comes with him realizing that she is in a relationship and with his BEST FRiEND. He should have backed down or hesitated for a decent amount of time how his feelings actions would affect NR and JW. I'm not ok with ppl intruding on a relationship, and he is actively considering going after his BF girlfriend.
As for HS introducing NR to JW, I didn't take it as him not realizing his feelings as much as his refusal to accept them. That his ego was hurt that he would like NR, the oordinary weather podcaster !!! That he viewed her in a condensing light, looking down on her.
I know at least for me, when a male friend would act in a certain ways / more intimate or an attentive than how you would treat a friend ... My alarm rings like crazy.
For fun, I imagine it, ohh we have a prisoner trying to escape the friend zone .. then I would distance myself for a while to make it clear that I'm not ok with that, to avoid leading him on / hurting his feelings or the changes of running the friendship. Maybe my senses are heightened due to past experiences
Especially, if i'm dating ... A voice go off .. this is not to a pleasant place.
So I would expect her to distance herself a bit also I realize it would be hard because his cancer ttt. But she should have at least stopped for a second and question his actions. Even if she dismissed the thought as impossible. I just don't think it is realistic that she would not entertain the thought for a second. It leads me to the conclusion that she is ok with that and that just doesn't fit her character nor does it set well with me.

Also I think that being in a relationship demands that you consider how your actions would affect your significant one. For me I hate being limited to a certain way of behaving but when I flip the situation, I can understand why I should be careful with my actions. While I know that I'm doing anything wrong, but thinking about how would it be viewed from others perspective (my significant one). Now, I think putting myself in his shoes and asking if I would be ok if he was the one behaving that way and I saw the onlooker. Although I hate having to behave more carefully, I understand that caring about the other person and protecting his feelings is the right thing to do.

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About na ri not questioning hwa shin's feelings, I think its because
1. Because even though he knows she had a crush on him, he didn't actively do anything to show her he likes her too.
2. He asked her to date him when he was drunk and after she decided to date his best friend so she probably thought he didn't mean it.
3. Even if that had a chance to raise some kind of alarm in her, the next day she got to know that he had asked so many other women to date him as well, so now that statement would have lost all power for her.
So, I think na ri sincerely believes that Hwa shin doesn't like her that way. Maybe, she is more comfortable with him than before. But, unless hwa shin opens up to her and sincerely confesses in a straight forward way that he likes her, I have a feeling that na ri will never suspect.

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Team Hwashin! ( I dont care, if i am the only one rooting for this guy)
That guy is damn hilarious. I love Na-Ri and his interactions more, because they are so natural, comfortable with each other.

I really love Jung Won too. he one damn good catch. I will choose him for myself. I love him and Na-Ri's chemistry too. But nothing can match Na-Ri and Hwa Shin's hilarious conversations, most of which includes bickering and embarrassing moments.

Hye-Won cursing was so funny. She has that robotic, expressionless face,which i sometimes like, sometimes v v v boring, but her badass attitude is one thing i have started liking about her. She is growing on me for some reason.

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You wouldn't be the only one.. You have meeee <3 #TeamHwashin till the end.. I don't know I just love this kind of relationship, where u can be yourself, teasing your partner, bickering like an old married couple, etc.

I haven't had second lead syndrome till now.. still admit that Jungwon is really good guy and he undeniably has good chemistry with Nari, too. Just, he's not my cup of tea :)

for Hwashin.. his gazing at Nari in that "Date me" scene was so SO SAD yet funny. I feel like I was laughing on the outside yet crying in the inside, My heart broke into pieces.. Jo Jungsuk is amazing and I love the way he portray Hwashin..

I also like Hyewon.. LOL I like whenever she makes Hwashin stutter.. Hwashin looked really cute when he was half drunk sipping Hyewon's coffe <3

I like the song that's playing when Hwashin drunk.. I think the singer is the one who sing My Girlfriend is Gumiho's OST.. don't remember who

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I'm on team Hwa Shin too. I hope they don't do a reply 88 on us.

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count me in ! I’m on team Hwa-Shin as well :D

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For the first time, I actually do! But I don't think Hwa Shin deserves the Jungpal treatment, he should at least have an ending of some sort (unlike Jungpal).

But really I'd like everyone to have a happy ending (I just don't know how the production is going to turn the Jung Won/Na Ri ship around on us).

I really like Hye-Won, I loved that whole conversation but especially when she called him on planning to pretend not to remember it in the morning (and the expression on his face when she said it) and then launching into that swearing fit. Brilliant. I really hope they keep on messing with our expectations for the rest of the show.

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Team Hwashin too ! his fuss over the cup raman was hilarious I just love him

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Team HS. I honestly don't like JW. I know my opinion might be unpopular but I really don't like the way he acts. I just don't feel the chemistry between Na-Ri and him.

I also like Hye-Won. Unlike JW's way of acting... Hye-Won seems more natural and the part where she curses, stares at HS, etc. gives her character more dimension.

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Team Hwashin all the way for me!! He is complex and wounded and vulnerable and therefor capable of mush deeper and greater love when all the resolutions happen. Jung Won is lovely now but I think that all of us are already saying he's almost too perfect. He's so smooth that the smoothness could turn into violent jealousy - like the kind of man who ends up controlling your every move - how you dress, what friends you see, what you should be interested in. Yikes - I've known men like that!!! Two months or two years later, you dying to make a run for it to a real person with normal (albeit eccentric) behavior. I want a man I can play with and laugh with and be silly with....the loving moments can be that mush more intense. This drama is my crack drama right now and every other drama I'm watching (7!) I love too. It's a plethora of pleasure!!! WOW!

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Can't they both be great guys? They're best friends, after all. I'm sure she will end up with HS but does it have to be because JW is evil? I give this show credit for much more nuance than that, don't let me down, Show!

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As a purely mathematical/logical exercise, has anyone ever tried to count all the triangles in this drama?
I usually get cross-eyed when I do, but let's give it another go:
1. Hwa Shin - Na Ri - Jung Won
2. Hwa Shin - Na Ri - that newscaster circling Hwa Shin like a shark
3. Na Ri - Jung Won - the newscaster picked by mom
4. Mom1 - Mom2 - sexy chef
5. Mom1 - Mom2 - Ppal Gang
6. Mom1 - Mom2 - Ppal Gang's dad
7. Ppal Gang - Na Ri's Bro - Guy2
8. Mom1 - Mom2 - outfits/job
9. Mom1 - Hwa Shin - newscaster position
10. Na Ri - that crafty weathercaster - weathercaster position
Am I missing any?

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You had me @8 ?

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you're so right! that's the hardest triangle!
Who is OTP/who wore it best?! Mom1 and outfit or Mom2 and outfit?!?!

Now that they are living together, they'll have double the closet to wear! :O

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I was thinking it was good that they were living together because now they can properly coordinate their outfits!

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Yup. Everything in this show is of love triangles. The name of the show should really be Triangle Incarnate.

Some of the things i want to mention

1. Doctor- Hwa Shin- Nurse
2. Mom 1- Ppal Gang Door/bedroom- Mom 2
3. Jung Won- Na-Ri's sleeping Room-Hwa Shin
4.Plumplip Weather forcaster- Na-Ri- Girl going to marry JungWon

5. Na-Ri- Breast Cancer- Hwa Shin

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I think dramallama pointed out in one of the recaps that there was
Na Ri-- >Chi Yeol-->Ppal Gang (or anyone he likes)
Chi Yeol--> Na Ri --> anyone she likes
These two are the only ones for each other so there is also some sort of jealousy or insecurity for the third person who comes in between them.

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Jung Won - Jung Won's Mama - Na Ri
Jung Won - Na Ri - Sung Joon
NaRi - Jin - clothes from Jung Won's store

Can we please get Secretary Cha into a triangle with someone? I think maybe the Jin and the Devil Weather Girl?

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That's easy - Sec. Cha is in a triangle with Jung-won and his mother! Torn between them! I secretly adore the secretary, he really is torn between them!

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? DUH! So obvious! *shaking head at my own self*

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Time to bring out the venn diagrams.

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This show’s premise seemed so generic on paper, but it’s turned out to be quite delightful.

Gah...I love GHJ (unni, you just seem so cool in real life!), and at this point, I’ll pretty much watch anything with her name attached to it (I’ve never been able to get through a sageuk drama, so that would be the real test). She could have chemistry with a potato!

NR and HS have a very comfortable chemistry...like I buy that JJS and GHJ could be friends in real life. That scene in the dorm room was so playful and felt so natural (reminded me of her and JIS in IOTL...my favorite of her pairings).

I like where we are with NR and JW right now because NR deserves to be loved and treated kindly at this point. JW is a total gentleman, but I’m still finding him a little bland (hopefully his family issues and this jealousy arc will flesh him out a bit and make him a little less “perfect”). GPY’s attractive but totally not my style haha, and I haven’t been particularly moved by his acting, so conclusion: I don’t have SLS at all!

Also, I think I lost any SLS I may have had in that scene where JW is trying to have HS join them for dinner, and HS’s clearly not having it. I’m irrationally overly irritated by it because I’m an introvert with anxiety issues, but dude, stop trying to force someone to come to dinner when they obviously don’t want to go (and clearly you’d be making them the 3rd wheel). I’m kind of glad HS snapped because that was my exact reaction watching that scene, and I’m glad that Hye-Won intervened since clearly JW wasn’t reading any of the social cues. I’m liking her right now!

I’m hoping these middle episodes aren’t too angsty; I’m ultimately cheering for my HS/JW brOTP, HS having to win NR over (he can suffer in his one-sided love for a while), and NR being a boss in her professional and personal life!

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"she could have chemistry with a potato"

She did! In Greatest Love (or Best love?) she did have chemistry with a potato - er , Cha Seung Won did at least.... ahahaha

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Lolol yes she did

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The lone potato that survived the boiling pot execution. Hah.

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That scene in the sleeping room broke my heart a bit. Hwa-shin! ?

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Same. My heart aches for hwa shin !! JJS is so good and natural at acting...he makes me feel for his character so much !! I really love the dorm scene with him and pyo nari ♥

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Saya, that's some great stuff right there. Thanks.

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Agree. Sometimes I quote something from the recap that I really liked in the comments, but in this case I'd just quote the whole recap.

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Yeah! That was a great recap! Saya had thought of so many things I didn't realize at all. Thank you, Saya.

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Loved this review as well!

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now, someone please scrap this huge smile of off my face, i need to maintain my image.
: Ha Suk-Jin's level grumpy office worker:

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While I was still unsure about Hye Won this episode showed that she isn't malicious but simply straight forward with the way she's handling her life and people around it.

She knows what she wants and how to get it. Other second leads would have tried to fool Hwa Shin into giving up with some scheme but she simply tells him to give up on Na Ri because she's the better option. Gotta give her props for the boldness and arrogance.

Right now I only believe she likes Hwa Shin cause he's an asshole to her (bad boy syndrome) but I think she will grow to genuinely like him and be really jealous about Na Ri. Since Hwa Shin also holds Na Ri professionally in high status the auditions will be very heated.

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I love Hye Won, she's definitely one of the best characterized second leads out there. You can see her main stake is her job, and she's refreshingly forthright, even in telling Hwa Shin that her disinterest in her interests her.

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This is the only drama I've watched were I'm actually starting to like the 2nd lead female. It's the only drama where I didn't really want to curse her or wish her bad things. lol

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Ahh, I just have nothing to say about this show because of how legitimately perfect it is every week? It's one of the best shows I've ever seen because the tonality is just so different that it's resisting easy classification and over-relying on tropes as kdramas have a tendency to do (which is why even the relationship with Jung Won is set to reach its natural conclusion and be an important part of Nari's life, rather than a narrative detour.)

I really liked Saya's comments on this and I feel like it's a testament to the show just how many different angles it manages to explore through its characters and how much it prioritizes its women and their prioritization of their work. Even the working moms who were never there for their daughter are not vilified, they come across as incredibly human, and people who genuinely love Ppal Gang and want the best for her and are willing to work towards it.

Jo Jung Seok is absolutely phenomenal in this role, the performance is so nuanced, I'm in awe. He manages to make increasingly outrageous situations feel both ridiculous and natural at the same time, and his reaction time is incredibly fast. He's the character who can honestly make me feel a vast, contrary range of emotions in the space of a minute. Jung Won and Nari are pitch perfect too, undeniably.

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Yes! Thank you, Zoe, that's what I was trying to figure out. Why do I keep feeling like I want to cry when I'm laughing and I want to laugh when I'm crying at Jo Jungseok. He keeps making me do both at the same time. I'm so confused but am loving it.

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Yes! Like, till now I was convinced that this element of pathos and crying/laughing-while-laughing/crying was characteristic of the show itself-- which it is. But I just realized that it's Hwa Shin in particular, out of all the characters, who makes me feel this way. And Jo Jung Seok must be commended for that. I've never before been a fan of his, and I've never really bothered watching any of his previous works, but Jealousy Incarnate has made me a superfan. It's incredible how much I love him and his portrayal of Hwa Shin, considering that, in general, before this, I was completely Go Kyung Pyo biased, and he's even hotter than usual in this. So that Jo Jung Seok is still making me care incredibly much about him, despite him being up against one of my established favorites, says a lot about him.

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JJS has always been wonderful. After falling for his performance as Earnest Bot in The King 2 Hearts, I watched all his previous works and he always manages to make even the smallest supporting characters memorable. In What's Up (which had all the talented new and upcoming stars - Im Joo-hwan, Kim Ji-won whom I knew then would be big, and Im Joo-eun; It's a delightful watch but so underrated), he was this bumbling kid with a stage fright. I love it when he sings, he always sings with such joy that his voice takes on a character of its own. (Go listen to his rendition of Lee Moon-sae's Girl in TK2H, or any of his What's Up singing cuts, guaranteed to bring a smile to your face).

Then he was cast as Lee Je-hoon's funny sidekick friend in Architecture 101, ad-libbed his way to huge popularity, and the rest is history. His acting range is so wide, and he's such a natural. I'm very happy that JI exposed his talent to more people.

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What's Up is one of my absolute favorite dramas of all times, I'm so glad someone else mentioned it, because it's just so underrated. And while I loved him in it, maybe because I was so concentrated on Im Ju Hwan and Kim Ji Won in it (OTP to end all OTPs tbh), I didn't pay as much attention to Jo Jung Seok as I should have. And now that I recall, he really has an incredible voice, I still remember his solo performance on the empty stage. I feel like re-watching it for all the awesome now-famous cast-members and paying more attention to the other characters and details.

His range seems incredibly vast even in playing just one character (because Hwa Shin is so contradictory as a person), so I can well imagine he's brilliant in other roles as well. I'm looking forward to catching up with his performances.

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I'm the same. I cried and LOL at the dorm scene. Tragic and hilarious at the same time. So loving the drama.

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I am so glad that the temporary ship is sailing! They're so cute together so I'm glad we'll get to enjoy it for as long as it lasts until Hwa Shin and Na Ri start dating. I just hope that the writers allow for Jung Won and Hwa Shin to continue to be friends after all the drama and jealousy happens. They're such awesome friends!

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Wanted to pop in just to thank you for the amazing analysis at the end, Saya. Very thoughtfully crafted, with some insights I had not yet put together (it also probably helps that I adore JW as much as you seem to do :D ).

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Ppalgang is completely selfish, immature, and manipulative, and utterly undeserving of every kind of love she's getting--romantic love from the boys and maternal love from the ahjummas. The writers are doing us a great disservice making this girl so unappealing (to me, repulsive) when half this damn show revolves around her and the people who love and want to protect her.

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I diagree. For me she's very real. I still cringe in shame when I think of how I hurt my dad when I was going through my teenage rebellious phase.

You also have to think from her point of view. The moms weren't there for her for a significant part of her childhood. She is excused for inflicting the same pain she felt, if for no other reason than that she is still a child.

Give her some time. I think she will have a redeeming arc as the series goes on.

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I think Ppal Gang might openly be all of those things, and she's definitely not very endearing (which is clearly a deliberate choice the show is making, since it's not trying to sugarcoat her selfishness, etc.) but she's not very far removed from most regular teenage girls. Teenagers in general can be very self-involved, selfish, rude and manipulative. Not least in emotionally unstable environments. Which would make me hesitant to say that she doesn't deserve love, especially from the women who claim to be her mothers (and did, after all, abandon her for quite a while. A lot of children in that age-bracket wouldn't make that cut for love. It's a difficult time all around, and particularly difficult if you've lost a parent. She was a good daughter, she spent a lot of time with her dad at the hospital and clearly was extremely close to him.

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I agree with you. That outburst scene solidify my feelings for her. If she received all that love from her father, how did she end up like that? Sure her moms may have abandond her for a while but when they were together, they treated her well. Had the moms treated her bad in the past and had a turn around. I might get it.

I never go through a teenage rebel phase so maybe this is alienating to me. I just think her character is too much for me to handle.

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I think there's a whole lot yet to be learned about this part of the story. In the meantime I see a girl who heard bad things about both women from her grandmother, we don't know what she heard from her father, we don't know all the reasons why both marriages broke up and god knows what else in a family where grandma is clearly rich but wasn't there/wasn't allowed to be there (financially?) for her granddaughter and son. Man, I want to KNOW what the heck?
In what looks like such a cozy and supportive "made" family to us, how did this child grow up to interpret love as how far she can manipulate others into jealousy? Whoooeeeee.

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Agree that a Nari/Hye-won friendship would be all kinds of awesome. Maybe what the girl needs is a good GIRLFRIEND, forget boyfriends and boy-friends and all the other boys!

Also, Ppalgang, ech. I think it's the actress, but it's not helped by the writing. Like, HS has a character that does terribly unlikeable things at times, but you never quite hate him and dammit you even rather like him - and that's all JJS. I'm convinced Ppalgang would've been a sympathetic character in the hands of a more capable or experienced actress. I just looked her up and she's been in a lot of stuff...maybe Ppalgang is just too complicated for her, though. But also, she just doesn't get enough screentime to actually develop, so maybe she's done the best she can with the material she's given. I don't know, but it's a shame that she's such a weak link because pretty much everything everyone does is because of her.

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This may not seem like the best recommendation but Moon Ga Young was the lead in EXO Next Door and was utterly and completely delightful. She took a one-note, self-insert character and made her endearing and adorable. Which is why I don't think it's that the character is out of her skill-set, but more that this is how the character is, and is written as. She's deliberately difficult to like and we don't really tend to distinguish how much love children get or deserve on the basis of how nice they are, which is something I think the show is angling at. That teenagers are selfish, moody, irritable, and sometimes downright cruel, doesn't necessarily mean they are not worthy of love. All of us, I would believe, have been through a phase of being difficult with far less to commend us than the death of a parent. I think the writing and direction is so sure-footed for all of the characters that it would take a lot to make me believe that Ppal Gang isn't supposed to be exactly as they've written her, and as she's being portrayed, especially as the centre of the conflict.

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Actually, you totally converted me with your comment at 19.2 - really excellent insight and explanation, thank you! Now I'm thinking, hey, she is truly her uncle's niece - doesn't say what she means or mean what she says. I really wish they give her more time, but so many of her scenes are put in like afterthoughts or quick-as-a-flash inserts.

I really liked when she took the ahjummas to task - every word was true and they deserved the blasting.

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Haha, I'm glad! Though I don't particularly like Ppal Gang, I can see very honest beats of myself and various others I've known through the ages at that stage (in fact, sometimes with my dad, I tend to revert back to being a moody teenager, just because I trust him to handle it, which I've trying to get over.) But yes, I too wish that they'd give her more of a coherent story, and not just flashes, like I love that she burst into tears and guilt-tripped her mothers about how her father used to treasure her, and then later, at school, smiled and delighted over having been slapped, because that means her mother(s) genuinely care and aren't just trying to buy into her affection. If children can be difficult, I'm guessing part of being a parent is to step in right there and stop it short, even if it makes your child dislike you in the moment and feel like they're misunderstood.

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'..we don't really tend to distinguish how much love children get or deserve on the basis of how nice they are'
Beautiful @Zoe and absolutely true.

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I think this is why I like largely-unendearing Ppal Gang being the centre of it all, because she is so unlike someone whom we imagine as worthy of this kind of love. And yet most parents do not love their children because of their worth. So I'm glad that Ppal Gang-- despite her surliness, and despite being difficult to handle, and sometimes mean-- is still someone who has people who love her, and also someone who needs that love to be able to get over all the abandonment and betrayal she's faced from various parental figures in her life and its effect on her.

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Thank you for recapping and drawing out all the nuances of the show.

I would admit to wanting the JW relationship to go all the way. It is so rare for the 2nd lead to get a chance to shine. To be honest, he is such a friend I am more worried over the bromance more than the end game.

HS has to do a lot more to be even swoon worthy. I am not talking about JJS who is killing in this role. My heart bleeds for him then want to slap him for his idiotic ways. Hwashin- is just not there yet to be in a relationship. His relationships with everyone is in such a mess except with JW. This guy is not good relationship material.

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Me too...
JW should be with Nari... Why can't the second lead get the girl?? He is so sweet and lonely. If JW the first lead, people will support him too even if he is in a jealous rampage because HIS best friend is trying to betrayed him and trying to steal his girlfriend!!! I dont like people who backstabbed either...
HS?? Yes he is funny and sad... But HW is there and I think she's perfect for him. Please Dont be a jerk and let your bestfriend be happy!!
#teamJWNR

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Yes, I'm worried for their bromance too, they are adorable together, and I think Hwa-shin's friendship with Jung-won is the only relationship he has right now, and if he breaks it off or backstabs his friend for a girl, he'll never be happy, he'll be lonely, the loneliest among them in fact, plus I will never forgive him!

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Agreed. HS still has a lot to work on before he can be with NR.

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#teamhwashin! LOL

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This show is just so so funny. It's one of those rare occasions that I really enjoy the love triangle.

JJS is just terrific in this. His versatility in the role really shines.

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The part where Hye Won was cussing out Hwa-Shin and him just wailing his legs around whilst stealing a (few) sip of her drink was so cute Lolol

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Tq saya,

So this episode is winky day !
Now it is The blue shades for Nari's attire from the sponsor.

I am observing when the color will change to grey ?
even HS shirt is sponsored by his favourite pal.

I find it disturbing with the dorm scene and the cosmetic shop scene of their close proxy now that she is dating JW. And soon he will be staying at the same rented premise. JW your heart will be shattered to rubbles !

JW , beside being a fashion and shoe designer and coffee maker i am waiting for the shoe to be revealed ! Most probably before he leave for Milan and will he show any other hidden talent ?

So JW is also good as a pet handler from the dog to " kelly" and what next - a hossie or a chimp ! Nari has got long hands !

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don't tell me that the myth when you're giving shoes to someone means they're going to walk away will be true in this drama -,- why did I just realized that? i completely forgot about the shoes

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The broken shoe mould is not on display at the boutique gallery so will it be replaced ? Or left wth an empty frame with just her name on.

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Wait !
That frame with the golden footprint is Na Ri 's ?! or did i get it wrong ...
i was wondering what it means as every other little clue hidden in this show, then fellow beanies dismissed as nothing in ep 9 recap so i thought i was over analyzing.

No...
Don't give her shoes, i'm so superstitious about this "rule", but i think if you pay for it then you are safe.
I think there was a scene, although i'm not sure if it was even Korean, a movie or a drama. where A gifted B shoes but asked for 1 pound as a payment... i thought that was cute ad romantic in some way \ sense

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Yes that is nari gold foot replica that jung won mom threw it and it broke and it hurt his son cheek

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Does JungWon behaviour when he stated that 'he doesn't like when someone betray him' will affect his storyline in a bad way? It bother me a lil bit, he looks very angry and scary on that particular scene. I'm just afraid that he will unnecessarily turned into some kind of jerk character in the storyline only to change the loveline direction to both first lead

I just dnt want the story ruin the relationship from those three people at the end huvv. JI, you got me...

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yeah, im worried over this issue. I rather have jungwon gave nari to hwashin than change jungwon to villain just for the sake of changing the loveline direction.

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Right? I hope JW's character doesn't get ruined just for the sake of making HW stand out more.

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Palgang is an immatured teenager spoiled by her late doting father .

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Just wondering - is there a hidden CAMERA behind the ramen cup because the next day we saw the playback of HS drunk behaviour in Nari' room on the huge billboard.

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It was his memory!

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Nari - Hwa Shin ship all the way!

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Arghh..why you confess at your bestfriend's girlfriend hwashin ahhhh...aigo.....isnt that kind of betray your own friend? Even nari did not approved it. Haihh...do in proper way pls..

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Am loving Hye-won! So love it when second lead can be assertive in saying what they want, without being catty and backstabby about it. It's a relief to have Hye-won after a series of Joo-hee, the morning announcer, and icky Soo-jung. She needs some loving to softer her up tho, if not Sung-sook might be her future.
Kinda like her with Hwa-shin tho, she has enough backbone (and thick skin) to not get hurt by his prickliness. I love the 4 OTP much, so far the couples can change and will still be happy with either pairing :D
Off to rewatch BOF Iceland, just to see smiley Jo Jung-seok...

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Hwa-shin is such a repressed person. Kinda get the feeling that he doesn't do a lot of things he wanted to do, because he feels he shouldn't/not supposed to. He (and his family) guilt-tripped himself so bad, it's like he doesn't deserve to be happy after making hyung miserable. I think the powerful urge to be successful as an anchor also stems from that, coz if he cannot prevail in this area, then causing hyung's misery is for naught. And like all things repressed, it has to come out somewhere, hence his prickliness and smug-a** attitude.
That's why he makes me feel so sad even when he makes me laugh, coz it feels like he is under a very heavy burden all the time... (Thank God there's BOF Iceland.)
As for Jung-won, seems that Hwa-shin let Jung-won have what he wants, coz he empathises that Jung-won’s hands are tied in so many ways. But with Na-ri, he feels he cannot yield. Wonder what happen to the girl that they both like before? Maybe Jung-won is so worried over Na-ri coz he feels Hwa-shin woud actually win if he didn’t yield...
*thinking of Hwa-shin in insomniac hours*
Am getting invested much in this show, please don't be weird and kill my expectation in the final half, show!

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Well, I guess no more tip-toe-ing around his bff. And also say goodbye to that friendship. The show hasn't really made it clear that Nari is really over him so I think he still has a chance. She might be saying that she's really over him since she's interested in Jong-won now, but I bet there are still feelings for HS deep down. Three years can't be just for nothing. Funny how only two episodes ago I was completely rooting for Jong-won. What can I say, JJS has won me over with that epic rap.

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I read someone commented on Kkuljaem that that cup ramen could be a metaphor for Nari's feelings toward Hwasin. She said (thinks) she doesn't have it anymore for Hwahin but there's still one cup ramen left, hidden behind the drawer, which will be found eventually..

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wow! the writer is truly great :)

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O________O

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Oh wow. Thanks for revealing the mystery on that one. I was thinking why the emphasis shot on the cup of ramen. Damn, that metaphor is perfect!

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Winter is coming...i need Jung Won's warm embrace. :)

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I loved this episode.. especially the last scene..If not for Jo Jung Suk , the whole idea of becoming Son of a bitch would become more despicable one...But the actor just kills me away wth his expressions...

While I fully ship Jung-won ( That guy seems to know how to make a woman swoon <3 ) and Na RI ( Remember how giddily happy she was after the car kiss?) My heart still reaches out to Hwa shin..

This is one such series where i cant take any stand on who should get the girl... -_-

Sigh...

Can't we have two Pyo na ri s, each for both of them??? Or can we ship Hwa shin to an alternate universe where Na ri still waits wth her one sided crush??? Will the dramagods listen to me?? will they prove tht anything can happen in drama land again??

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Anyone else feel like Na-ri has kind of forgotten she has a brother? I wish those two had more screen time together....

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Hye-won can bring all the sass to this show and I wouldn't mind. Like I mentioned previously, she's a character that gives the whole "bitch act" justice. Her means, although mostly personal gain, might be a selfish act or just her simply being a princess brat BUT the girl makes sense. And by sense, I mean a very realistic perspective and approach on life in general. Personally, I don't see her coming across as someone who takes time to poke fun and instigate conflicts, rather I see her as someone who can distinguish the door of opportunity and if it trails along her set goals, regardless of the how, the who and the why, for Hye-won, it's not rocket science to let such an opportunity slip.
Yes, it's inevitable that she eventually might get her heart swept by the infallible Hwa Shin but at least she's the kind of girl that has a heart built by bricks if not, iron rods even, so we all know she is capable of drawing the line when it has to come to it being drawn.

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Thought of the day:

The Devil wears HERA.

- who is the devil? There's a bunch of them wearing the clothing line so take your pick.
- what's in a name? HERA, despite being the goddess of marriage was actually known to be jealous and vengeful. Hah. So....does that mean we are in for some Jung Won devilish acts of jealousy??

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I loved the scene where Hye-won cursed out Hwa-shin and he proceeded to sip her coffee. So funny...was that part of the script or was that just the actor? Love JJS, he definitely owned this role. I could watch him being jealous all day. Hope the writer can find a way to preserve the friendship because JW and HS would be too lonely without each other. Now, how do you violate the bro code (for Hwa Shin's sake)without ruining the friendship?

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Hwashin was so cute sipping the Hyewon's coffee :3

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Gahhh, how sweet is Jung-won?! I love this guy so much right now.

I love how he pushes Na-ri to be herself with him, and I love how he's teaching her the basics of dating and being just too sweet all the time, I just can't!! The moment he said he hated backstabbing people I got a little scared thinking of what may come and after he heard Hwa-shin's declaration, would it be a war?! NOOO! I love their bromance, they're adorable together, and you never betray your friend for love, never ever, that's a rule!

I laughed so hard at the little show of Hwa-shin to Na-ri, it was pitiful yet very funny, she doesn't know that he actually meant it so his confession didn't move her, but doing everything she asked him to do showed how desperate he was, I like him but I just don't want him doing anything that will ruin his friendship with Jung-won, if he doesn't have him then he'll be loneliest among them!

Thank you Saya for the recap.

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THOUGHTS:

-So happy to see Pyo Na-ri getting out there and standing up for herself.

-Watching Jung-seok fall apart and just lose it is still one of the most hilariously endearing and heartbreaking things ever.

-I'm glad they've cast Soo-jung as the two-faced bitch character to hate, because I love Hye-won as the fabulous shoulder devil-Jiminy Cricket. I do hope she gets into their friend group. Maybe Jung-woon could sweeten her up a bit once his poor heart is broken? Plus she could take his poor, awful, awful mom down in like half a second without her even realizing.

-Speaking of- Okay, even by dramaland awful mom standards, Jung-woon's reeeeeally takes the cake. Possibly a whole block of bakeries. Like hard-core French patisserie ones. You feel sympathy for her, and her motivations make sense because you can see she's trying to control SOMETHING in her shitty life, but DAMN, woman! Way to keep that cycle of abuse and awful relationships going, that will deeefinitely solve all your problems.

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I have my share of bad mom-in-law (not mine, my brother's) but when the Mom said to JW - why do you only yell at me? I can see the similarities to MIL-from hell. Like, the reason why everyone yells at you is because of YOU not because of the person who yells.

#rantover

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as much as I enjoy seeing JW and NR dating, I still pretty sure he's not the end game, because until today it's more into Jungwon doing things for her, lead her to what to do and all it seems unnatural? While with HS, everything he does become personal entertainment for NR, and despite the way he did was wrong, he able to push NR to be more vocal about herself, I think he also the one who suggest NR to still come to station after surgery because he knows it's important for him, imagining JW he will forbid her of doing so, he might take the whole station if he could, lol

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Well am not sure if JW loves NR.. pretender kinda guy... HS seem more natural but not romantic..(romantic words ?) Thats what ladies love anyways..

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Super love for JI. Well, I found myself smiled sheepishly when JW and NR started to date. They are so cute. Does anybody know the title of the song (backsound) that was played in the scene where JW drives her home and having adorable conversation? I recalled it goes with "..... yes yes yes yes love...." lyric.
JJS totally nailed it in the dorm's scene. That crazy drunk singing, dancing, rapping. As I know JW-NR cant be forever, I'll just ship them for now. IMO, irl it's kinda scary to hve mr. (too) perfect but in dramaland I enjoy it so much

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I kind of warmed up to the mothers this episode which I didn't think would be possible when I first saw them in this show. It just says how good the writing is, that no character is one dimensional, they all have their flaws and goodness just like real people.

You cannot really label anybody as a singularly bad person which is very true in real life. Like j.k rowling wrote "its not your abilities, but your choices that define you". So, all of these characters made some choices and they may or may not like how it turned out later but when they made it, I am pretty sure, everyone thought they are making the right choice.

I love hye won too, she is like the opposite of jo hee because jo hee tricked na ri by getting her so that she can get her position but hye won is kind of straight forward in getting the man. I loved it when in the previous episode when hwa shin asked her to help him out in telling the rumours are false, she didn't just use the chance to tell "we are dating" to the whole office or something like that. Instead she asked na ri to explain her feelings which is a clever way to know about na ri's feelings regarding hwa shin and for hwa shin to also to get to know that.

I am trusting the writer and hoping that the bromance wouldn't be destroyed but will just ensue some tension between the friends because of na ri and that they don't make either one of them into some kind of bad person so that the the audience will feel justified in the end that the good person got the girl.

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TOTALLY on the second lead ship right now.

I now want this show to break ALL TRADITION and give the girl to the awesome 2nd lead!

Can't wait to see how they turn the 1st lead's unpalatable behaviour around.

Explain yourself, Lee Hwa Shin!

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I have a suspicion that Jung-won is going to turn out to be the type who is INSANELY jealous. Like, to the point it would seem like character assassination if it wasn't set up well in advance. Which means that the snippet where his secretary set him up for signing paperwork right after swimming wasn't just for laughs - it was helping to set that pattern.

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Thanks, Saya, for the recap. i agree with everything you say. Right now, NR deserves the JW that we get to see in the drama. How they will change that in a believable way, without taking the easy route of making JW a villain will be interesting. As I said before, right now HS is all about HS. His focus on his pain, his incredulity at having fallen for the woman who had a one sided crush on him for three years all mean he is still immature and undeserving of NR right now.

JJS is really killing this role. I have not seen such a tragic and hilarious scene as the one in PNR's room. And her asking him to fart just about killed him, driving home the fact that she no longer sees him as a man now.

You are totally right too, that if they get together in the end, it will have to be a totally new relationship of equals this time.

Thanks so much for your insights. I love it

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A big part of the audience is completely enamored with Jung Won. I don't think even the writers expected him to be so charming and popular with viewers.

Why would Na Ri break up with him when he's so nice and perfect? How will the writers bring Hwa Shin and Na Ri together without bringing in the wrath of Jung Won fans? They can't make him bad suddenly without angering fans and it being OCC.

1. Jung Won realizes that Na Ri was a way to escape his predetermination from his background (expected to marry a rich girl) and didn't really like Na Ri but the notion of autonomy in his love life. After seeing that Hwa Shin genuinely likes her and that Na Ri deserves better he steps back.

2. Friendship over love? Seeing how him dating Na Ri is pulling such a big stroll on his friendship with Hwa Shin he steps back before their friendship is completely destroyed.

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1. The seeds have been planted in early episodes. I think his attraction to her is more of wanting a friend and perhaps a little bit of pity - the way he talked about her feet was disturbing. His mother could be right about his feelings for NR wants to dress her up.

He already knew HS liked her and was envious of their bickering relationship.

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He asked HS if he liked her! He said we always like the same girls before. And HS pooh poohed it. Also, there is nothing wrong with someone recognizing and wanting the girl who could be your friend to be the one you want to love.

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I heard that they're bringing an actress to be Hwa Shin's blind date. This Blind date would probably be the one who Pyo Na Ri was getting mad at him for in the elevator flashback. This could result to more flashbacks to how Hwa Shin really felt for PNR or just a way to make PNR jealous by reliving her past when she crushed on HS.

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Can anybody tell me the name of the song in english that was playing at the end of ep 9 when Hwashin was walking in the rain?
And I'm definitely shipping NaRi and Jung Won together!

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Loving the recap. Thanks. I can't decide as to which episode by far was the best I mean seriously from ep 1 to now 10 I can't choose they keep topping each other. The written is brilliant in writing an extraordinary story that everyone feels in their daily lives..

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i could see so much shadows within jung won, and im scared to see his emotion in future...
and i love how hye-won handle hwashin drunk behaviour, hehehehehe

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