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Mr. Sunshine: Episode 7

The rivalries are brewing, as Ae-shin’s courters are beginning to realize that they’ve got company. They’re all pretty bad at making their affection known, but Ae-shin isn’t waiting around for someone to make a move. She makes some big moves on her own in her new partnership and against her enemies, which is both dangerous and promising for her future involvement in saving her nation.

 
EPISODE 7 RECAP

Eugene approaches Ae-shin and asks if her offer still stands. He’s referring to her request for him to be her partner in “love,” the mysterious English word that Ae-shin vaguely understands as something more desirable than civil service. Eugene agrees to do “love” together with Ae-shin, and Ae-shin is satisfied with his response.

She asks what they do first, and Eugene instructs her to introduce herself. She follows his instructions and says that she’s already familiar with her partner, Eugene Choi. But Eugene corrects her and introduces himself as Choi Eugene, pronouncing his last name as the familiar Joseon surname. Ae-shin nods in understanding of this subtle difference and admits that she has plenty yet to learn.

Eugene reaches out his hand to offer a handshake and explains the gesture as one signifying that you have no weapons or intent to hurt the other person. Ae-shin gladly takes his hand and says that “love” is easier than she expected. She then asks when to let go of his hand, and Eugene responds that she can let go when she wishes to hold a weapon against him.

Ae-shin notices the ceramist’s apprentice approaching with her items, and she excuses herself first. She rides in the boat with the innkeeper and glances at her hand, thinking back to the handshake. The innkeeper returns to retrieve Eugene, and he also looks at his hand, reliving the moment.

When Eugene returns to the hotel, he passes by Hee-sung struggling to open his door. Eugene can’t open his door either, and he realizes that their keys have been switched. They exchange keys, and Hee-sung asks Eugene if it’s his father or grandfather that makes him the target of Eugene’s hatred. Eugene says that he didn’t like Hee-sung from the start, and that makes Hee-sung smile in relief.

Eugene seems curious about why Hee-sung is always jolly and positive, and Hee-sung admits that he’s not like this all the time. In a more serious tone, Hee-sung asks Eugene who his oppressor was — his father or his grandfather? Eugene finds offense to Hee-sung asking the oppressed who his oppressor was and tells him to ask his parents directly. Eugene shuts his door and leaves Hee-sung with his key on the ground.

Hotel owner Hina waits for Eugene at the reception desk after purposefully switching the keys and calls herself pathetic for this ploy. She stands up at the sound of a new guest, but her face freezes when she recognizes the man. It’s Wan-ik, and she doesn’t seem to welcome his presence.

Speaking in a familiar manner, Wan-ik comments on the grand scale of the hotel and asks Hina how she’s been doing. She describes the uncomfortable assumptions she faced after being widowed by her rich husband, and Wan-ik apologizes for not attending the funeral. He says that he noticed her mother’s face being posted on a bulletin, and Hina admits that she’s sent people to search for her every three months. Wan-ik derides her attempts to find her mother, doubting that she’s alive.

Wan-ik asks for a room at the hotel, but Hina refuses. She says that she’ll allow anyone but Wan-ik to use her hotel. She asserts that she has no obligation to listen to his demands because her surname makes her loyal to the Kudo family. Wan-ik claims credit for her surname, since he’s the one who sent her off to marry that old man, who bequeathed this hotel to her. Ah, Wan-ik is her father!

Wan-ik says that he’ll send correspondence soon and turns to make his exit. Before he leaves, Hina warns him that her husband was one wrapped in secrets. She tells him to beware of frequenting this hotel, since he’ll never know what he’ll eat there, implying that he could be poisoned.

Later in her room, Dong-mae responds with surprise at Hina’s disclosure of her husband’s cause of death, which we assume is poisoning. She asks if he’s scared, but he proves otherwise by saying that he accepts his fate if he must die in her hands and takes a sip of his coffee. Hina sighs and admits that she’s angered by both this impressive man and that disinterested man who only show interest in another woman. She says that if she bites Ae-shin, then Dong-mae will be partly to blame.

Dong-mae stops drinking his coffee, triggered by the mention of Ae-shin out of the blue. He tells Hina not to mention Ae-shin abruptly again and asks how she knows Wan-ik. Hina truthfully reveals that Wan-ik is her father and asks Dong-mae to affirm that she’s nothing like her father, which Dong-mae does. She says that he’s the reason why she needs a personal bodyguard — she won’t bear to be stolen from again. “He stole my mother, my youth… my name.”

Dong-mae asks what her stolen name was, and Hina discloses: Lee Yang-hwa. He says that it’s a beautiful name, but unfortunately, he can’t fulfill her request because he’s already being paid a massive amount by Japan to guard Wan-ik. Dong-mae gets up to meet Wan-ik, and Hina childishly wishes him all the worst, which amuses him.

Wan-ik asks about the location of the bank document, and Dong-mae assures him that it hasn’t been found yet, meaning that it’s really lost or someone who found it doesn’t know its value. But Wan-ik isn’t content with the bank document just rotting somewhere because it’s worth too much. If Japan gets its hands on the document, then more railroads will exploit and ruin Joseon. If the Righteous Army finds the document, then they will have the funds to buy dynamite to blow up these railroads.

Dong-mae asks what will happen if the document gets in Wan-ik’s hands, and Wan-ik smirks as he says that he can make sure the emperor can never sleep peacefully. Wan-ik claims direct influence on whether Japan rises or falls. Dong-mae laughs that he’s found the ultimate rebel, and Wan-ik belittles him by ordering the eternal butcher to just find the document.

That mention of his butcher roots provokes Dong-mae, and his eyes turn bloodthirsty as he warns Wan-ik not to target his inferiority complex. He threatens him with the hypothetical in which this eternal butcher finds the document and makes sure that Wan-ik never sleeps peacefully. Dong-mae threatens to invalidate their agreement and storms out, leaving Wan-ik shocked and furious.

The Japanese ambassador, Hayashi, scolds the two Japanese soldiers who stormed into the U.S. embassy without reporting to their superiors. Hayashi can’t stand being humiliated and being the target of the Joseon people’s gossip, and he demands to know who was behind this.

One soldier throws Baldy under the bus, and Baldy accepts his fate. As Hayashi approaches him with a sword, Baldy also takes out a knife to pierce himself. But the sword slices the tattletale soldier, and Hayashi says that a crazy is better than a tattletale.

Hayashi warns Baldy of his fate if he acts out of line again and orders him to clean up the mess, meaning his dead bloody comrade. Baldy isn’t fazed by the death of his comrade and digs into the fallen soldier’s clothing to find their salary payment from yesterday. Baldy sits on his dead comrade and counts the money, which the Joseon translator watches with horror.

Horrified by the sight he just witnessed, the translator finds Gwan-soo to share what he just experienced. But when he sees the man he’s talking to, he realizes that it’s not Gwan-soo but Il-shik, the look-alike pawnshop owner. Ha, it’s another poke at the visual similarities between the two actors.

Gwan-soo is sitting at the next table, and the translator runs over to him fretting about the crazy Japanese soldiers. He tells Gwan-soo to relay his warning to Eugene, who’s bound to be their next victim. But Gwan-soo isn’t worried because Eugene can clearly hold his own. He repeats Eugene’s solemn vow to get revenge, and the eavesdropping pawnshop duo at the next table realize that they’re doomed.

Il-shik and Choon-shik try to temporarily close their pawnshop out of fear that Eugene (who they’ve figured out to be the young slave they lost in their slave hunter days) will seek revenge on them. Cue: Eugene entering the pawnshop and telling the duo to lock the door behind them. Il-shik and Choon-shik look to the heavens, accepting their looming fate.

Late at night, Ae-shin practices her English and gets distracted with Eugene’s name, which she spells and repeats. The next day, her maid stops the carriage in front of the bakery and tells Ae-shin that her cousin once again opened a tab under Ae-shin’s name, this time for bingsoo (shaved ice). Ae-shin is curious about this popular dish and enters the bakery to try it with her maid. They both thoroughly enjoy the bingsoo, and Ae-shin expresses her enjoyment with English exclamations (“D is for Dance!”)

At the English school, Ae-shin and her classmates sing along to the alphabet song. Afterwards, her friend tests her on the letters she’s learned so far. Ae-shin proudly zips through the letter and word associations for letters ‘A’ through ‘F’ (A is for apple, B is for boy… ). But at ‘E,’ she says: “E is for Eugene.”

Her friend stops her to repeat the word association for the letter ‘E,’ and it takes Ae-shin a moment to correct herself: E is for English. Next, her friend teaches her the letter ‘L’ and says that everyone at the school likes this letter because it stands for “love.” Ae-shin looks eager to learn and confirms that this “love” is the thing that is more difficult, more dangerous, and burns hotter than shooting a gun.

Her friend seems jealous that Ae-shin can exchange love with her fiancé, but Ae-shin flatly denies this. She admits that she’s agreed to “love” with someone else and says that it’s easier than she thought. Her friend freaks out and says that’s not allowed. She finally explains what love means, and Ae-shin yells in shock. She grasps the letter card in her hand and screams once more.

Mortified by her misunderstanding, Ae-shin lies down in her room and thinks about her conversations with Eugene regarding “love.” She comes to the conclusion that Eugene was trying to ruin her, and she sends off her servant to surreptitiously deliver a letter to the U.S. embassy.

The servant tries his best, but he gets caught by American soldiers while clumsily trying to hop over the wall. He gets brought to Eugene, and he delivers the letter from Ae-shin. The servant then takes out this sickle and threatens Eugene to keep this a secret lest he feel the wrath of the sickle. Eugene doesn’t seem threatened at all but plays along.

Eugene opens the letter and stares at it intently, but little Domi points out that he’s holding the letter backwards. The cheeky boy says that they now share another secret, and embarrassed Eugene tries to cover up his illiteracy by clarifying the difference between choosing not to read versus not being able to read. Eugene realizes his futile explanation and Domi gratefully leaves before Eugene embarrasses himself even further.

Sitting outside with her working maids, Ae-shin stares blankly, deep in her thoughts. One of the servant girls finds her with a delivered letter, and Ae-shin assumes that it’s from the U.S. embassy and fakes her unwillingness to head over. But the girl clarifies that it’s from Hee-sung, who’s sent yet another love letter and carriage for Ae-shin to come to the hotel. Deflated, Ae-shin orders the girl to send the carriage and letter back.

Hee-sung sits in the hotel restaurant, brooding about why Ae-shin won’t accept his affection. Hina fills up his glass and advises him on the matter. She instructs that in order to pull on a woman’s heartstrings, he must express his sincere feelings to Ae-shin instead of sending her temporary seasonal flowers. Hee-sung admits that he doesn’t have much to offer since he’s just met Ae-shin, and he proposes the idea of lying that his admiration for Ae-shin started before he left Joseon. Hina opposes this idea, and he accepts her advice.

Hina suggests that he just send the letter confirming their engagement, which is an easier way to secure Ae-shin as his wife. Hee-sung knows that this option exists, but he admits that he’s scared that he’ll resort to this easy and bad method. Hmm, interesting.

The worker at Glory Hotel meets with Dong-mae, trying to take Hina’s advice to use her weapons instead of crying in the face of difficult situations. The worker needs to buy medicine for her ill mother, and she offers information about Eugene in exchange for Dong-mae’s sponsorship.

She reveals that she saw an envelope in Eugene’s room with English writing. She didn’t open the envelope to make sure it wasn’t moved from its original location, but that’s enough to plant suspicion in Dong-mae’s head. Dong-mae hopes that it’s the document he’s looking for because he doesn’t want to make a certain woman cry.

Dong-mae shows up at Eugene’s door and announces that today is the day of their search. The gang scours through Eugene’s room, and Eugene asks Dong-mae if he’s also searching Hee-sung’s room, trying to figure out if this is for work or due to a grudge. Dong-mae finds no difference, since both his work and his grudges involve a sword.

Yujo presents an envelope to Dong-mae with Eugene’s name on it. Eugene says that it’s a personal letter that he hasn’t (not can’t, he insists) read. So Dong-mae offers to read it to him, and his smile drops when he realizes that it’s written in Korean. He reads Ae-shin’s letter, which asks him to respond immediately upon reading the letter so that they can discuss a change in their arrangement.

Dong-mae seems disappointed by this personal letter, but Eugene looks relieved that someone read it to him. Referring to the letter’s contents, Dong-mae says that a change can lead to misfortune and avoidance can lead to bloodshed.

Dong-mae warns him to beware since he seems to be a wanted man and threatens to kill him if he has anything remotely close to a letter in his possession again. As Dong-mae and his gang retreat, Kyle arrives and asks if Eugene has been hurt. But Eugene just stands there, flabbergasted that Dong-mae can read Korean.

Hina hears of this nuisance and runs into Eugene as she heads up the stairs to his room. She says that it’s a relief if someone’s been injured, because usually someone dies. Eugene shows her the broken music box, a casualty of the search, and asks her if she knows anyone who can fix it. She refers him to the best mechanic she knows, who happens to be Seung-gu’s friend who disassembled the American gun.

Eugene seems suspicious of the mechanic, who says that it’s his first time seeing a music box. But he’s the best Eugene can find in Joseon, and just as he gets up to leave, he notices a familiar piece on the ground. He recognizes it as the missing piece on the stolen American gun.

He asks the mechanic if he really knows what he’s doing when he takes apart these items. The mechanic admits that he doesn’t fully reassemble items belonging to people he doesn’t like, but he reassures Eugene that he’ll fix the music box because he’s curious what song it’ll play.

That night, as Eugene tries to read Ae-shin’s letter, he’s attacked from behind by none other than Ae-shin. She’s dressed in her all-black shooter outfit, and she orders Eugene to meet her at the medicine shop near the area where they first met. She runs off over the embassy wall, and we see that Eugene dropped the letter and a basic Korean language book.

When they meet, Ae-shin demands to know why Eugene hasn’t responded, and he tries to explain that he has yet to read the letter. Ae-shin thinks this is all a cheap excuse, and Eugene infers that Ae-shin discovered the translation of “love.”

Proud Ae-shin claims that she knew the meaning of the word all along and that she’s just there to warn him that she may kill him. Eugene is amused by her reaction and says that she was the one who made the initial offer.

Ae-shin takes offense to Eugene’s light nature and grabs his gun. She points it at him and cocks it properly, despite not knowing how to use it. Eugene looks surprised and raises his hands in surrender, suggesting that they use words. Still pointing her gun, Ae-shin asks why he chose to “love” when he previously admitted that he wouldn’t do anything in Joseon, and if he did, it would be to ruin Joseon.

Eugene clarifies that his action wasn’t intended to ruin Joseon but a person. But he admits that he realizes now that this was path to ruin himself. She asks why he did this, and he says that he doesn’t know if it was revenge or jealousy.

She asks him to elaborate on this revenge, but Eugene wonders if she’s not curious about the jealousy. She says that she interpreted that as a confession, which he’s already done multiple times. She’s caught on to his admiration and admits that she’s also subtly confessed to him herself. Eugene seems betrayed that seemingly innocent Ae-shin detected his admiration all along and tries to leave to collect his thoughts, but he can’t budge under Ae-shin’s watch and under the point of the gun.

Meanwhile, Baldy eats at an expensive Japanese restaurant, where he spots a server in the next room to his liking. He barges into the room and points his gun at the two men, threatening them to leave. He sits next to the server and asks where she’s from. She says she doesn’t quite know where in Japan, but she came to Joseon to make money. Baldy says that he also came to Joseon to make money and plans to own a house when he returns to Tokyo.

They discuss that spring is upon them, and Baldy asks the server how many beans she plans to eat this season. She says that she likes beans, so she’ll probably eat around a hundred. Baldy laughs and then suddenly accuses the server of being a Joseon person. He angrily explains that there’s a Japanese tradition (mamemaki) in which people eat the amount of beans to match their age. He grabs her by the hair and drags her out.

Baldy drags the server into the streets and hits her brutally, punishing her for being privy to all the secrets of the high-ranking Japanese officials who frequent the house. She demands that he just kill her, and Baldy yells at her to speak in her mother tongue to prove his accusations. He starts dragging her by the hair down the street, and when a man tries to intervene, Baldy shoots him dead.

The sound of gunshots interrupts the argument between Ae-shin and Eugene. They peer out of the shop and notice the scene outside. Ae-shin recognizes the woman as the one who opened the window at the Japanese restaurant for a clear shot at Logan Taylor, and of course, she recognizes Baldy as the arrogant soldier who pointed his gun at her on the train.

Ae-shin tells Eugene that she’ll be borrowing his gun, and he tries to stop her from intervening, since she’ll be in danger. But she insists that she’s always been in danger, and she must go to save this woman because one day, that woman could be her. Eugene drops his case and informs her that the gun only has five bullets. Ae-shin confidently says that she only needs two.

Ae-shin heads outside and uses her first bullet to shoot the street lamp on her side. Once she’s hidden in the darkness, she aims at Baldy and shoots his hand. Baldy lets go of the Joseon woman and falls to the ground, screaming in pain.

The woman runs away, and enraged Baldy begins to shoot randomly into the void, cursing at the person who shot him. Ae-shin points the gun at Baldy once again, but Eugene takes the gun from behind and approaches the volatile soldier, who continues to shoot randomly everywhere.

In his last step in darkness, Eugene shoots his own hand with his gun and then steps into the light. Baldy points his gun at Eugene, but he’s out of bullets. He demands to know who shot him, and Eugene says that’s not important because Baldy just shot an American soldier. Ae-shin watches from the protection of darkness as the Joseon army gathers around the two rival soldiers.

Ae-shin sits in her room, engrossed in the thought of Eugene claiming that he ruined himself and shooting his own hand. Meanwhile, Eugene sits in a jail cell quietly in thought while Baldy screams wildly in the cell next to him.

The Japanese server and disguised Joseon woman reports to Seung-gu and Eun-san (the ceramist) about the incident, and about Ae-shin and Eugene saving her. Since she’s no longer safe working in Joseon, they plan on sending her to Shanghai, and the innkeeper provides her with money to settle there. In a flashback, we see that this Joseon woman was the young girl who mourned her father’s death right next to young Seung-gu at his father’s grave. Eun-san calls her by name, So-ah, and tells her that they will meet again, assuring her that they’re stronger than they think.

The next morning, Seung-gu and Eun-san discuss their wariness of Eugene. Knowing that Eugene is the young slave boy he saved decades ago, Eun-san infers that he must have some grudges that could taint his intentions for getting involved with Ae-shin. Seung-gu decides that he’ll need to pay him a visit.

They wonder how Emperor Gojong will determine Eugene’s fate, and Seung-gu comments that he still doesn’t trust the emperor. He remembers in his youth that Wan-ik had told the war survivors that Gojong had abandoned them. Eun-san scoffs and asks why Seung-gu is trying to save the nation if he doesn’t honor the ruler. Seung-gu answers that he must save the nation so that he can be a rebel, as he’d originally planned.

Kyle and Hayashi visit Emperor Gojong to make their arguments for who deserves the blame for this. Hayashi claims that the American solider was also responsible, but Kyle blatantly argues that Baldy is the sole assailant in this situation. Hayashi continues to argue otherwise, and Gojong takes offense to Hayashi’s lack of remorse and responsibility for the two innocent Joseon people that drunk Baldy killed. Gojong declares that the Japanese soldier will be subject to Joseon laws and consequently be sentenced to death while the American soldier will be released.

Kyle is waiting for Eugene when he’s released, and they head back to the hotel on horseback. On the way, Kyle comments on Gojong’s royal garment and wonders where he can find one for himself. Eugene notices a familiar carriage on the side of the road and passes by slowly. In the carriage, Ae-shin hears the horse pass by and glances through the small opening in her window.

Dong-mae steams in anger at the dojo, and Yujo asks what’s going on. Dong-mae explains that he recognized the handwriting in Eugene’s letter. We see that Dong-mae had collected pieces of Ae-shin’s writing from her visits to the book shop by demanding her shopping lists from the owner once she was gone. As he looks through his collection of Ae-shin’s handwriting, he thinks back to the letter addressed to Eugene and repeats the contents to himself as he simmers with jealousy.

Hee-sung meets up with the servant in his home in his attempts to figure out what secret his parents were keeping from him. He noticed their weird behavior on the day he arrived, so he asks the servant what his parents were investigating. The servant explains that his parents sought out slaves in their household from thirty years ago after an American soldier barged into their home recently.

Hee-sung confirms with the servant that this American soldier looked like a Joseon person, and he wonders why Eugene would look for slaves and not nobles. Hee-sung seems to assume that Eugene comes from a noble family, considering his rank in the U.S. navy.

Eugene unfolds a piece of paper hidden in his bible and thinks back to his exchange with the pawnshop duo. He had asked them to hold the bank document, and he looks at the receipt of the exchange before slipping it back into hiding.

Ae-shin visits the medicine shop and makes eye contact with the owner, who shakes her head. She must be waiting for Eugene to make a visit, but he hasn’t shown up yet.

At the hotel, Hee-sung notices Eugene arriving and asks if he was the soldier involved in the Japanese soldier case. Eugene seems annoyed and tired, but he turns around at Hee-sung’s comment that Eugene seems to be busy making appearances everywhere. Eugene notes that he’s finally seeing Hee-sung’s unsmiling face, which makes him look like a nobleman’s son.

Dong-mae listens in on this tense conversation and joins the two. He wonders if his words became seeds for reality: change leads to misfortune and avoidance leads to bloodshed. Dong-mae wonders if next time, he should just tell Eugene to die instead of taking care, since it could once again become seeds for reality.

Eugene feels like he’s being ganged up on, and Dong-mae vaguely explains that he feels like he’s been cut in line, even though he’s never had anything to begin with. Hee-sung glances at him with a surprised look as Dong-mae continues with a warning to Eugene to just linger around as the American soldier and do no more. Dong-mae no longer cares about what document he holds because he already holds something too great.

Hee-sung intervenes and says that he’s grasped why they’re so angry. He asks if the person by their side is the same person by his side. This person isn’t here now, but she’s been with them from the beginning. That person is Ae-shin.

Ae-shin waits at the medicine shop and thinks back to Eugene’s intervention to face the Japanese soldier. She hears someone approaching and looks at the door expectantly.

Hee-sung tells the two men that this person had better not be his fiancée, because he doesn’t want to have to hold any bad intentions. At least not yet, he says.

 
COMMENTS

Hee-sung has my heart in this episode, with his clumsy yet sincere efforts to win Ae-shin’s affection. He’s not trying to be disrespectful, but he only knows how to court ladies with his playboy smile and gestures, and that is no way into Ae-shin’s heart. With Ae-shin and his attempts to absolve himself from his family’s sins, I can see how much he cares to make things right. Unlike his father and grandfather, he has a conscience that makes him so much more complex and desperate for resolution. And while he may not want to hold any bad intentions, I cannot wait for his patience to run out. Things are just waiting to get interesting when he goes rogue and spices things up.

But wait, Dong-mae also has my heart in this episode, because how frighteningly cute is it that he collected those papers with Ae-shin’s handwriting? I’m pretty sure that he had been collecting Ae-shin’s book request papers before he read her letter to Eugene, which explains his severe disappointment when he saw the letter’s handwriting. He’s even worse at expressing himself than Hee-sung is, and he really needs Hina’s coaching, if only she would offer it. Hina held herself with a tender confidence that was beautiful to watch as she confronted her father. Wan-ik as her father adds another layer of tragedy in her life, and it will surely make things interesting when she decides which side to take, which will never be her father’s side.

The “love” partnership felt a little contrived, so I enjoyed how quickly this mystery was dispelled for Ae-shin. I found the banter between Ae-shin and Eugene held at gunpoint more natural than their previous interactions. Their conversation was quite humorous and surprisingly candid, with each of them confirming their interest in each other while also feeling betrayed by the other person’s lies, which are a given when you need to keep up an act. I could watch more of this roundabout love lost in translation (literally) over the slow-motion glances with lens flare for extra drama.

While Ae-shin and the boys will surely be a fun source of drama and action, I’m more interested in Ae-shin’s arc as a resistance fighter. She’s a talented shooter with sharp instincts and almost too much courage, and I want to see how she grows out of her noblewoman disguise to fully embrace her true calling. You could just tell how much her heart was in the movement when she explained with conviction that one day, that woman being dragged by the enemy could be her. She’s able to be carefree and adorably naïve as a noblewoman, but I want more of that badass shooter on the screen. Raise the stakes, y’all. I’m ready!

 
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The mask is off. I repeat, Hee-sung's mask is off. This is not a drill!

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i love the unmasked Hee sung.

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Loved that transformation!! The mask literally came out in slow motion. My heart. Oh my heart.

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I think I believe you, but if so then he needs to start carrying a weapon, like the other two are.

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WHERE ARE YOU TIM?

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But Eugene corrects her and introduces himself as Choi Eugene, pronouncing his last name as the familiar Joseon surname.

WRONG! Eugene told her his Korean name Choi Yoo Jin and said it has the same name in American but different pronunciation.

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RIGHT you are... Eugene sounds different from Yoo Jin -- even to a European-American ear...

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Her-Sung all the way. The man rocks. Love his character and the actor.
Finally the plot is moving!!

Btw, how did HS connect the dots about Ae-Shin being the common person. He has seen her leave with Eugene, so he know that. But does he know DM and AS have a connection?

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As much as I like almost everything in this show, my favorite moments so far are when all three men face off and have their little pissing contests. They are fun when each is so petty and jealous, with lots of snark and sarcasm thrown in for good measure.

But Ae-shin all the way - she is a total badass woman!
She is WAY too much for all three men combined in my opinion...

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Those 3 actors are simply great, and their chemistry (even adversarial) is stunning.

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The last scene with the 3 actors was NOT the reunion I waited for. But nonetheless, amazing

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Exactly she rises way above than these men together. I don’t think anyone deserves her.

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She can chew up all 3 of them and spit them out!

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In addition to being funny, those pissing contests are rich with meaning as well. Following from a comment in the episode 6 recap,
http://www.dramabeans.com/2018/07/mr-sunshine-episode-6/#comment-3277299

I think there's no happy ending to this show. Ae Shin clearly does represent Joseon itself, and the Americans (Eugene), Japanese (Dong Mae) & Joseon-men (Hui Seong) are all fighting over her. What's even more striking is that Eugene and Dong Mae came from Joseon - in other words, the situation the country Joseon finds itself in is of her own making, the problems are internal.

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I love these little insightful tidbits! Thank you!

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Thanks for reading. :) Like o say below, I don't like the implications of it, but I can't unthink it.

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Although, if Ae Sin represents Joseon and Dong mae represents Japan, ....who gets who in the end? Japan gets Joseon.

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It'd be interesting if the story goes there - both in terms of the characters and the international politics. ^^ Also Joseon doesn't want to be in Japanese hands.

I'm drawing parallels I don't like, to be honest. I hate the idea of looking at women as a country at war, a land to be invaded and conquered by the enemy if she loses.

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You're getting all serious on me here!
Does this writer usually make it clear who's going to love who from the beginning? I really didn't watch Goblin or DOTS so I don't know whether there was any sort of triangle or if she clearly puts the otp couple together from the beginning. The parallels are pretty obvious though for each party vying for Joseon. I doubt the writer takes it any further.

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HAHHAHA that's true. She does! So it's (Eugene's) America's victory then? XD

But basically I just think that final confrontation scene showed how unlikely a happy ending is, in this show.

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So much love here for Dong mae. I"m not that impressed with him...
He has a "thing" for Ae shin but it's going to be unrequited love and he's still going to be the tragic figure.
You have to take into account I'm usually wrong in my predictions...

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But isn't there still a tiny bit of Joseon in Dong-mae's heart? Hidden deep down - no matter how much he hates his roots and tries to leave it all behind and rise above that, those roots are there and he seems to have a soft spot for Ae-shin and I believe it could make him do things not in line with him siding with Japan, just so he can get a better chance at advancing in the other line, the one with all the men going after Ae-shin (which reminds me how much I loved that line Dong-mae had at the end of episode 7, with Eugene cutting into the line when he was not even given a chance - I think this is the exact moment the fiancé also figured out Dong-mae's intentions, and Byun Yo-han played this moment perfectly). I mean, Japan is just his source of money and power the way I see it, if he decides to go all for love, that would not really matter anymore - it would actually work best if he plays a double agent sort of character, deceiving the Japanese while fighting for the independence of Joseon. He sort of feels like that 'tsundere' type of character they use in contemporary drama, and I feel that showed best in the 8th episode...Typology aside, I really hope this softening of him in relation to him having feelings for Ae-shin is the path his character will follow (although that might get him killed either by his own people/Hina, or even Ae-shin if they end up facing such a me-or-him situation and he would so sacrifice his life for her at that point), because the only other alternative I see is most likely him going full evil despite liking Ae-shin, and I really think the writers could do this easily just by having him use force on Ae-shin or on someone she cares for and Ae-shin belittling him because he still remained a butcher's son despite all his efforts - that, especially coming from her, would really turn him not only against the one person he likes and sort of looks up to (she was the only one to ever talk about equality with him, after all), but also make him really despise Joseon with no way of turning back. But I really hope the writers don't choose this second option, I mean, both are sort of predictable in a way, but I feel the second one would shorten Dong-mae's appearance in the show and I certainly do not want that, his character and the tension he has with Ae-shin just add so much to the complexity of this drama...

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Dong Mae is practically an onion! Layers and layers.

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The way I read DongMae will not be loyal to any country but to Aeshin only. I read his actions such as enjoying the candies that Aeshin likes and picking up the mess brushes off the floor just like Aeshin did when in the beginning he only tried to "clean up" by kicking the brushes. Aeshin sees him as a human, not a butcher or a low life and for this DongMae will follow Aeshins lead. I'm hoping his soft spot for Aeshin runs deeper than "she saved me when we were kids and I owe her that much".

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I agree. I also hope the writers don't turn his character into full on villian one. If it does happen, it'd be very disappointing. :( From the very beginning itself, Dongmae's character intrigued me even when I felt bored with the drama I continued because the tension between him and Aeshin is something that caught my interest. But somehow that news article about knetz criticising and being not happy with how Dongmae is shown pitiful makes me worry though. :/

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Maybe DM is the the man that the court minister was talking about (a couple of episodes back) who is keeping an eye on Wan I’m. A planted spy from Joseon who is pretending to be a Japanese sympathizer.

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But it was an unwanted relationship that only had resentment.

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Tsuda is hilarious. The sad part is that it was probably unintentional. His Japanese sounds so forced - if he is actually a Japanese actor, I'll laugh, because Dong-mae and Yoo-jin's Japanese is so much more natural.

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Tsuda was revealed as a Korean actor (see my fanwall). The character is one-dimensional but he has won my heart as "Mr. Sunshine", lol.

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This seems like a good time for a shout-out to LBH for his truly outstandingly natural American English, he must have worked so hard on pulling that off.

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Yes, it's so good I am startled when the scenes suddenly shift to him and Kyle talking.

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True, that. LBH has amazing deep voice and his English is amazing

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I'm amazed at Korean male actors who have a deep voice when speaking in their native tongue but it's much higher pitched when speaking English.

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Bingo. Why does that happen? Everyone has such deep voices in Korean but in (generally, small attempts at) English . . . not so much.

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I think it really just happens naturally. My husband and his friends are the same way, even though they speak both fluently.

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Eveybody has a different voice (and personnality) when they switch language.

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Since, we're talking about deep voices, it's also worthy to mention Ae-shin's deep voice in Hangul. This actress is really something.

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I’m with you – it’s obvious that LBH put in the time and effort in order to add authenticity to his character as well as he did – in response to the Reviewer’s criticism of LBH’s American English, I’d like to render this explanation: after landing in the States at about age 10, and given that Eugene’s first language was Korean to begin with, it would be entirely plausible to have a few imperfections, here and there, when speaking in his adopted language – I have a friend who had come to the U.S. from Germany when she was 12; she is now in her 70’s and still speaks with an ever-so-slight accent. (and she still says “tousandt” and “supposently” – I’ve stopped trying to correct her after all these years).
An observation: most native Korean actors do not speak American English well – they may think they do, but they would never be able to pull off a part like Eugene Choi .
LBH is a committed and versatile actor, rarely playing the same character twice – and best of all – he’s a good on-screen kisser – what more can a girl ask for…

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I have a Korean friend who came to the States at 10 and has but the tiniest whisper of an accent, and LBH is really so close to her pronunciation.
(Although Eugene does not sound like he grew up with toughs on the streets of NY 😂 Thank heaven!)

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Nobody can tell I grew up in the southern U.S. I say it's because I watched too much tv and picked up all those yankee accents.

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@linda-palapala I had to work to rid myself of Chicago "a"s and acquire the tv accent. 😄
Someone amazing to me is Jung Ryeo Won who grew up in Korea, went to Australia as a grammar or middle schooler and has flawless American (and, I assume, Aussie) English.

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I think that there is a certain age limit, beyond which it is almost impossible to not have an accent. I forgot the age; it might be around ten or just before it. My father first visited this country when he was thirteen. He lived here for about a year before returning to Sicily. He moved here permanently when he was nineteen years old. Interestingly, many people do not seem to notice that he has an accent. Other people have assumed he was born in the U.S. I think his accent is more noticeable over the phone, but it is not heavy. He still pronounces words such as "pregnant" like "prenyant" (since the Italian 'gn' sound is quite particular). And he pronounces "road" as though he were British, lol. My dad, however, truly immersed himself in the English language, so much so that his Italian has declined a lot (of course, I think that it would be "revived" if he were to return to Italy and spend time there). My mom came to this country at nineteen and she has a noticeable (but not stereotypical) Italian accent. Both are fluent in English, but have different accents. I also know of other people who came around thirteen years of age and still have accents.

Funny story: My dad once spoke with someone from Italy over the phone. My dad was speaking in Italian and the stranger asked my dad if he was from Palermo, Italy. My dad was amazed that the man could pinpoint his origin so clearly, especially since he has been living in the United States for so long. I could go on an on about this topic.

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Can you name another LBH drama I can watch (to watch his "good on-screen" kisses?? Pretty please!

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I don't remember kissing details of any LBH dramas although I'm sure All In had good ones with Song Hye Kyo but there's an old film named Addicted that's very, ummmmm, intimate, at least it sticks in my mind that way 😬

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@bbstl: ha, I just watched the first few minutes of All In and ta-da, right away he kissed Song Hye Kyo. I'll look up Addicted.
btw, if you want to see some absolutely beautiful ummmm, intimate, scenes in a kmovie, have you seen Portrait of a Beauty with Kim Nam gil?

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@linda-palapala yes, thanks! 😉

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I’m with you – it’s obvious that LBH put in the time and effort in order to add authenticity to his character as well as he did – in response to the Reviewer’s criticism of LBH’s American English, I’d like to render this explanation: after landing in the States at about age 10, and given that Eugene’s first language was Korean to begin with, it would be entirely plausible to have a few imperfections, here and there, when speaking in his adopted language – I have a friend who had come to the U.S. from Germany when she was 12; she is now in her 70’s and still speaks with an ever-so-slight accent. (and she still says “tousandt” and “supposently” – I’ve stopped trying to correct her after all these years).

An observation: most native Korean actors do not speak American English well – they may think they do, but they would never be able to pull off a part like Eugene Choi .

LBH is a committed and versatile actor, rarely playing the same character twice – and best of all – he’s a good on-screen kisser – what more can a girl ask for…

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He's definitely a Korean actor, could tell straight away from the way he pronounces most of the words. I think most of the actors who play Japanese in this drama are actually Korean. His Japanese is actually not bad for somebody who's not a native speaker. I think this production spent a lot of money on coaching the Koreans how to speak natural Japanese with the right tones and everything, even if we can detect the accent. I think Yoo Yeon Seok is doing a fab job, sometimes I need to read the subtitles when they speak Japanese b/c their accent is so bad, but he's pulling it off really nicely

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YYS can do no wrong in my book. He sounds absolutely lovely in Japanese and I don't know any Japanese but I totally buy that he's got good pronunciation and flow.

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He got it right, babe. He does.. *swoon*

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First off, Ae-shin is super cool! I love her.

This episode of full of confessions. Eugene requesting to love Ae-Shin, Hina explaining that she is jealous of Ae-shin to Dong-mae, Hee-sung asking the other two if the person by their side is Ae-shin, and Dong-mae telling Eugene that he cut the line. I think the people on the other end of hearing these confessions were just as shocked as I was.

Also, the bing-soo looked instagram worthy.

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I wonder if the bingsu and candy are PPL. They are too pretty for just a movie props. There must be stores in Korea that sale them. Oh, also that coffee&sugar ball.

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*sell

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I wonder if candy is a new thing. As for bing-soo, it should definitely be featured in more dramas.

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They are! Not sure about the coffee, but that whole French bakery in the show is basically supposed to be Paris Baguette back in the day (although I doubt the franchise goes back in time to 1902 or so, but they made it work), and now all their stores here in Korea now sell the candy and whatever else they show in the drama...they also have posters of the drama and the bakery's name in the drama alongside the products from the drama...

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Hahaha! That's great. I laughed when I noticed the Eiffel Tower decal on the stall's window but now I'm really laughing 🙄

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I actually gave in and bought the candies - they come in this package that is supposed to look like something used a hundred years ago and it has the drama's version of the franchise's name written on it, obviously😁 But I was a bit disappointed by the candy itself, the flavour is not really that strong. It's just a bunch of pretty and really, really big candies haha Might try the bingsoo next time, although I would usually not go to Paris Baguette for that ... I find it funny that they named it "flower bingsoo" - it goes both with Ae-shin learning the first letters of the alphabet (and the F being for "flower"), as well as with she being sent flowers and being called a flower by her fiancé.

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@Andra, thanks for telling us that, it's really fun to hear the inside scoop on how the drama is being marketed in Korea. Those candies look enormous!

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I wonder if the Paris Baguette out here has it. Time to investigate.

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I think I saw 'dalkom coffee' in the background of Hina's hotel cafe. Haha!

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That bing-soo PPL had me craviiing. And the weather right now isn't exactly the best for shaved ice! hahaha

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Is it just me or is there no chemistry between Ae Shin and Eugene at all. The casting of Lee Byung Hun as Eugene Choi was a big mistake from the beginning. The only reason he took this role was because he saw that Gong Yoo and Song Joong Ki did well with this writer.

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Both actors are good but there are some scenes when I feel like something is off...like it's a mismatch.

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To each his own, I guess. I see enough chemistry between them.
Why casting LBH was a big mistake? Who do you think would be a better Choi Yu-jin?

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Honestly, I cannot imagine any other actor other than Lee Byung Hun to perform Eugene character so believable. He certainly looks like an army man who has grown up in a Western country...he shows no over-emotional acting and I believe his nuanced acting is so unique among K-actors...

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Won Bin. Whenever I see Eugene and his persona, I kept on imagining Won Bin's portrayal in The Man From Nowhere and how he would perfectly fit Eugene. Mysterious, quiet, appearing disinterested but he just smoldered with charisma, which in my eyes, LBH is lacking. LBH is a good actor sure he is and he delivers the acting fine, but he seems to lack the aura that pulls you in into this character. Won Bin actually fits Eugene's age description. But he probably can't speak English as well as LBH, plus he has never act in almost a decade so that was just a wishful thinking from my end. Sigh.

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Actually Won Bin came to my mind when I was writing the above comment, and I agree his charisma is no joke!! But I doubt if I could believe him as someone who has grown up in States... He's so Asian and has so much warmth, whereas LBH looks a bit cold and less emotional even in real life, that can distinguish him from other characters who have grown up in Joseon and I can believe him as a Western Army...

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No, Won Bin is way too handsome and charismatic for the Eugene role. Sigh, hurry up Viki and add Man from Nowhere. I have to watch it again.

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Well said, LJK!

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I agree with you -- can't think of another Korean actor that would be able to pull off playing Choi Yu-jin believably -- I think the 2 leads are very well suited -- I can't see the heroine with anyone else but Yu-Jin...

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Actually I think they have a great on-screen chemistry despite the age gap which is mainly because of Kim Tae-ri who acts like such a mature intellectual lady... the two other male characters on other hand look so immature (they might be more charismatic and complicated characters than Eugene [Eugen is more of a Western character], but both are too immature and unsophisticated for Ae Shin)

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Yes, and LBH is the most believable as a westerner because his spoken English is good.

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I would have dropped this drama if the make lead couldn't speak good English. I don't think I could go through 24 episodes of cringy English dialogues. 😵

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@tsinita I don't mind speaking English in different accents (I assume many K-drama audiences Speak English with accent), but I cannot really watch when they pretend to speak English but it sounds like an out of this world language (SJK in DOTS; LMH in The Heirs)... Any actor should practice with a native teacher before trying to speak other languages, there is no excuse for this, if they call themselves actors they should practice their speeches and dialogues...

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Thanks for this -- for a while there I thought I was alone out there... these 2 had me when they locked eyes as the 2 shooters... I think that was love at first site -- they may not have known it then -- but I did...

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Ooh, good point @ghazaal. Totally agree with you.

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I dunno, I think Eugene is a fairly complicated character and is beginning to show conflicting feelings about - everything.
What do you mean he's more of a Western character? That sort of implies we Westerners aren't very complicated beings. Oh, wait, I watch kdramas instead of western dramas because kdrama characters are more complicated and layered. Never mind then.

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Haha no offend @linda-palapala! I spent most of my life in Western countries, while I was born elsewhere! In my experience Western liberty and democracy can lead people to be more honest, transparent and straightforward! Whereas lack of liberty (as well as unequal and tragical life) can lead people to be more complicated, vague, and sly... If you pay attention to all the dialogues that have been written for this dramas, AS, DM, and HS's dialogues are very metaphorical and their characters seem very complicated, while Eugene dialogues are more straightforward and he seems to be the most level-headed among the four (thought he's not as simple as Kyle, since he had a tragical background and Eastern roots)...

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There's even an article somewhere about this. Let me see if I can find and post it.

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Thank you for sharing @linda-palapala , very interesting article... people with both Western and Eastern backgrounds can really appreciate this article... after living in Western countries for years, I faced the issue of not understanding my own relatives' conversation sometimes... there is always a hidden meaning behind what they say, it's for sure attractive way of speaking (metaphoric and poetic), but difficult to understand when you are not exposed to it frequently!!

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@linda-palapala Excellent article! should be required reading for anyone working in a multicultural setting. Reminds me of one of my fave books "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" about the cultural chasm between a Hmong family and medical providers over the care of an epileptic baby. In the end, being open to practices/beliefs outside your own is the key.

So I always tell my husband that I watch kdramas to enhance my practice...
(!)

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Ha ha ha ha ha!!!! So true, I guess we're busted!

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LBH exudes mature masculinity and quiet strength. He holds himself very well with the white folks too. A pretty boy won’t fit the part.

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LBH is the only Korean actor with the experience, depth and maturity to be able to pull off playing the part of Choi Yu-jin -- a Korean American would not do as well, because he would be stronger in English and not as strong in Korean, and the role requires the exact opposite -- most native Korean actors are not that fluent in English, they could not play the role believably. LBH is perfect for the part...

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It's kind of strange though, because realistically I would expect Eugene's English to be stronger than his Korean. I still can understand why the chose to go a different route. However, I do love LBH in the role

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*Correction*

"...why they chose."

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Really? I find every interaction between them taut with tension. I hang on every word they speak to each other because it's so full of subtext.
Granted, I think a lot of the credit goes to Kim Tae Ri - she's captivating. But I find no real fault in LBH - I love the way that Eugene seems so caught off guard by Ae Sin.

To each his own I suppose!

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I think what you find with EC and AS is a good kind of tension -- they're curious about one another and trying to figure each other out -- plus he probably has figured out that she's a better marksman than he is... DM is negative tension, and HS is probably the Scarlet Pimpernel in hiding...

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Yes, a good kind of tension. I am saying that *I* can feel the chemistry between them and don't see how it could be missed.

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I think he is a great actor, but my problem is the zero chemistry between him and the leading lady. It's almost uncomfortable to watch because they come across as father and daughter.

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Wait til she changes her hair and looks older.

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Actually,i find Dong Mae's action to see Ae shin's handwriting to be quite creepy..but that doesn't mean that i don't like his character. Honestly,i love yoo yeon seuk's voice😂
Also Eugene and Ae shin conversations
And interactions are intriguing that i find myself unable to tear my eyes off the screen in case i miss any of their expressions.
Thanks for the recap❤

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the episodes are hypnotic...

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Thank you, DramaLlama, for the most excellent recaps! The production values are stellar, each scene is filmed and framed gorgeously.

I find myself unwillingly caring for all our heroes, which just means even more heartbreak!

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People complaining last week that Eugene was slow or boring. Well, this episode I think he was pretty much like an action hero in front of the Japanese drunk soldier! I was proud of him.

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Shot his own arm? Sheeeeeezus 😲!

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But it was smart. Look at the results. 🤓

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Oh yeah. I meant that in a good way!

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I'm on Team Eugene!

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Thanks for the recap! This episode made me laugh so much! And for me, it was all about the supporting characters and Ae-sin. (Kim Tae-ri is amazeballs). I found Kudo hilarious with her deadpan humor, and the mistaken identity shtick had me in stitches. Ae-sin also had me rolling with laughter in so many scenes (from the school, to the bingsoo, to the house).

I am glad unhinged Japanese soldier's arc is over. Finally (eyeroll).

I liked that we get a glimpse of the resistance, and that it is all ordinary people fighting for the freedom of their home.

Oh, and one of my favorite scenes was the one at the pawnshop when Eugene asked the bounty hunters to keep the letter.

And I am getting tired of Dong-mae stalking all over the place like a petulant child. I know many people find him a romantic character, but I find him stalkerish (shrug).

Finally, I realized today that I do not at all care for Hee-sung and his entire family. I have no sympathy for him at all and have not yet connected with him as a character. Eh. Shrug. Bring the rest on! My body is ready.

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And I forgot to add - Kim Eui-sung is also acting his socks off as the villain in this piece. I am in awe.

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He does villains so well. I've seen him in a few dramas and movies but my eyes popped at how well he made me loathe him in Train to Busan. Now I look forward to anything he does, especially if it's a villain role!

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Don't write off Sergeant Tsuda so quickly! I predict he will be back! "Mr. Sunshine" can't leave the story this soon! :P

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I KNOW. I won't be satisfied he's gone until I see his head roll. (Too bloodthirsty? 😏)

Speaking of laughing, I just loved the sound Ae Sin made when she learned the real meaning of "love"! You'd almost have expected a few windows to crack 😁

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I had to replay her little shrieks, they were so adorable and unladylike! Ae-shin is the best! The faces she made in between each shriek were so spot-on.

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Exactly. It seems too easy to have his great villain disappear here. If he doesn't come back to cause more trouble, we'll probably get a pretty dramatic execution to watch!

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Yoo Yeon-Seok may be giving a fine performance as Dong-Mae, but it grates with me because every time I see him I think of Warm and Cozy. *shudders*

There's something to be said for type-casting.

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I'm so glad this is my first exposure to his work. He's an amazing actor.

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I think of his fluffiness in Mood of the Day. Or his arrogance in Romantic Doctor Kim. Or his completely disgusting villain in A Werewolf Boy. I think he's so versatile! (I haven't seen Warm and Cozy.)

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I thought I was the only one who hated him in Warm & Cozy! I really put me off his acting. I do find that he plays really good villains though. He did an excellent job as the bad guy in Werewolf Boy.
I never rooted for Chilbongie in Reply 1994 either. Honestly, this is the first role I've enjoyed him in. I hardly recognized him at first. I think his character is interesting but I don't see him romantically with Ae Sin at all.

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Wasn't he in Gu Family Book?

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Urgh that drama... i cant believe i finished binge watched it few weeks ago. The only scene that is worth remembering is when he realise he needs to leave so that his step-siblings can be happy. I cried for him. The emotion is well delivered. He is always an outcast, thanks to their mother. But the rest of the story can be ignored... not watching family gu yet... dont think will do.

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Still enjoying the Gwan-soo / Il-shik confusion. Of course, I went thru some "wait a minute, isn't this guy that guy?" when the actors were both in Goblin. Since it's the same writer and PD, I assume they noticed and had fun planning how to use them next time.

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I'm those persons as well in episode 1... I checked several times their profiles in Asianwiki to look them closely and see their differences.. LoL.

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Ha! So the first recorded Go Ae-shin Fanboys Club Annual General Meeting didn't go well. Apparently the founding member of the club has some issues regarding the induction of new members. Heh.

Gu Dong-mae is a Stan! Oh boy, never realised how much of an Ae-shin fanboy he was until we were shown that grocery list collection of his. With that kind of obsession no wonder he'd be pissed off. He's probably resigned that he will not get the girl, but to see someone immediately become close to her when he's held the torch the longest, someone who he thinks originally had no business to be involved whatsoever, man that's got to be the greatest insult.

Okay, Baldy was annoying as, but props to the actor for pinning down Crazy and Deranged. Ha! I actually like the conclusion of his story in the sense that he wasn't just randomly killed off or sacked or sent away.

Eugene shooting himself in the arm, is that an allusion to shooting one's self in the foot? Heh. I love the way that he is slowly unravelling, from his confession to Ae-shin to the realisation that he doesn't even know how to read Korean, to getting himself involved in the things he said he had no business doing. He had that smug look on his face when Dong-mae paused upon seeing the letter probably thinking he can't read it as well, not knowing that the reason for the pause was that he recognised the handwriting. Then that slow disappointment creeping on his face when he realised that even this self-proclaimed low-life can read.

As always I love that our girl is quick on the pick-up. And how sweet is that she shared her first bingsu outing with her maid. That's another wee family right there, her maid, her steward, and Ae-shin. Oh I will pull my hair out if this lovely trio gets harmed in any way! The way that they are there for Ae-shin is just so precious.

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I hope to see more Go Ae-shin Fanboys Club Annual General Meetings.

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Would Eugene take Hangul lessons from Ae-shin ?

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Perhaps his new little assistant will help him. He might feel too embarrassed to ask Ae-shin.

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And Gwan-soo, who's already teaching Kyle, might slip the cat out of the bag if he asks him. His wee assistant may be more discreet. :)

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Well, now I really want Eugene to have to learn his Korean letters from Kyle 😆

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*pssst* @annerl I was going to stay quiet but there is a historical record of a Japanese soldier being sent back to japan and NOT punished for his crimes in Joseon during this time period. Will KES use this event to surprise us with Tsuda appearing again in a future episode? Stay tuned, beanies!

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(😒 my vote is yessssss, we are not done with him chewing up the scenery yet).
I think it's true that at this point all Japanese troops would have been from the higher classes (his speech about getting rich in Joseon could still be logical), so I can see him having the connections to escape his punishment. Don't ask why Hayashi could kill the other Japanese soldier at will, I can't answer that!

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Oh crepe. I was dancing all around that he's gone for good. Haaaaaaaa. Oh well. Drama logic though, crazy and deranged are more likely to stay alive than saner people (like those poor two fellas he just randomly shot). But thanks to him though, we've got action! And oh, yes! There's also that Minister who is pro-Japanese (the one Wan-ik slapped)—the one the Emperor tasked to carry out his decision, I reckon he's not going to really follow through with the Emperor's orders.

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I could watch more of this roundabout love lost in translation (literally) over the slow-motion glances with lens flare for extra drama.

Yes, Eugene finally sold me with being held at gunpoint by Ae-shin. Too bad he had to be held at gunpoint before he did. I'm still in love with Kim Tae-ri the most in this though. I always start a drama to see one actor and end up liking someone else entirely. That's not a bad thing. I was, legit, scared of Dong-mae this episode. Good job, YYS!

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Kim Tae-ri is the WOW FACTOR in this saga. She has the least amount of acting experience, but she can hold her own with the best of them (and then some) -- Lee Byung Hun said as much about her.

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I feel like I'm missing something that's obvious to everyone else. Why is Eugene surprised that Dong Mae can read Korean?

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I think it's because it is evidence that Dong-mae has been formally educated, which Eugene didn't expect. I personally was surprised to see how well Dong-mae can shoot. He's obviously been trained pretty well, probably in Japan. I hope we learn more of his backstory.

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I am surprise too. Thought he was only into sword fighting and judo because we didnt see him practising with gun.

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Yes, I am surprised that DM can read Hangul. However, illiterate rates in Edo and Meiji periods in Japan were quite low. Generally speaking, European countries back then emphasized education on elite, such as aristocrats but Japanese educated common people using Terakoya system(寺子屋) in Edo period. They learned how to read as well as simple math. According to Wikipedia on Terakoya, the literacy rate in1850’s were 70-86% thanks to the system. This tradition thrived in Meiji period( the period that this drama takes place in). So DM probably learned simple math and Japanese on top of martial arts in Japan, if not Korean letters.

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Because Dong Mae's social class was below Eugene's (who was a slave), so it was surprising that someone that "low" could read.

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But is Eugene aware of Dong-mae's social status?

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Yes, Kudo told Eugene that Dong-mae is the son of butchers, but couldn't finish the whole story. However, Dong-mae does not know about Eugene's background...yet.

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Thanks for the reminder. I forgot about that part!

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I loved the scene where her school friend got the message across to her what "love" fully encompassed in the English meaning of the word. AS's reaction to the realization of what she had agreed to was precious. Her anxiety of figuring out how to handle her new knowledge was adorable. She was bold to write that letter arranging a meeting so she could confront him and negotiate her terms of what she, had really, agreed to.
When EC was caught holding the letter upside down, it confirmed my suspicion he could not read Korean. He was born a slave, he wouldn't have been taught to read it. His having it read to him by DM...how mortifying..."so that's what it says". Now he knows she knows more than she did before and he's in "deep kimchi". Loved it. The conversation they had w/his gun pointed at him was too good. She even, at one point, put some fear into the man. His admitting he may have destroyed himself was telling. Yes, he did compromise his own definition of being a superior person because of the timing of his decision to take her up on her offer, after he found out who her future in-laws would be. He did re-deem himself when he took the gun back from her and confronted the mad-dog, psychopath, Japanese soldier. I'm glad that soldier is gone too.
The fiancee may not be a bad person at heart. However, he does not have my sympathy because he has yet to stand for, take action with, how he truly feels about his rotten family's actions. He's been skating through life on his privilege while avoiding taking any responsibility or corrective action necessary to truly qualify as better than his lineage.
Dong-Mae does not deserve the definition of romantic under-dog because I think he has both Love and Hate feelings for AS. The hate part keeps him in the category of potentially dangerous to her. She senses this.

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I want to clap for you last paragraph! Exactly how I feel about Hee-sung. Feeling sorry for yourself while you coast on the privilege you have (by way of birth) through oppression does NOT make a tragic character at all.

You put my feelings into words. Thank you

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You may be right about Hee-sung, but I feel it's a little too early to judge him. He's definitely cultivated a persona that makes him appear that he's been "skating through life on his privilege", but we don't what lies underneath that façade, nor what he's really been up to all these years.

Perhaps all he's done so far is run away from his family, and if that's the case, then yes, he needs to take some responsibility and corrective action now that he's back in Joseon. But there are little signs that he's already on that path, such as the close relationship he seems to have with Domi. He's going out of his way to try to find out how his family wronged Eugene, and that's when I feel like we've seen glimpses of his true self, so I'm still hopeful that he's actually a much better person than he lets on.

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I agree with your last paragraph about Dong-mae. His "It's so sweet it is bitter" comment says it all.

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What about the scenes that we saw when the guys are reunited at the end of the episode!?
Hee-sung on Ae-shin lap?
Ae-shin handing something to Dong-mae?
And Eugene smiling while Ae-shin wearing western clothes is walking among americans maybe?

Are those future scenes? Dreams?

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I felt like those scenes were representative of how each one of the three imagined their future with Ae-shin, all three of them have some sorts of feelings for her at the end of the day and want their own happy-end. I doubt all those are actual future scenes in the drama- or they might turn into actual scenes only for the one who does end up with her. It was more of an interesting juxtaposition scene-wise of the three men in the present finally admitting to each other they are all going for the same woman and wishfully thinking of the future they have the chance to have...

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I'm always amazed with the cinematography! The scene where Eugene asked to do love with her was beautifully shot, and Eun-san's place looks so so beautiful! I love the angle this scene was shot!

I knew it! the geisha! there must be something with her when she opened the window during Logan's shooting!

Well, I'm more curious now about what happened between Hina and her father... And she told Dong-mae about what she lost, it's so deep: "my mother, my youth, my name...."

The last scene where HS, Eugene, and Dong-mae stood... it's literally a triangle, LoL...

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Curious about Hina too. She keeps her cards real close—she seems to know more about the rest of them than she lets on.

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I still don't get why Eugene needs to shoot his own hand to save Ae-shin though... :/ is it just so that the investigation will be over more quickly?

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To make it look like Baldy (the Japanese soldier Tsuda) ‘shot’ him. Otherwise, in a possible investigation, the Japanese Minister could have easily spinned the story that Joseon people with access to guns attacked a Japanese soldier who is on leave and the soldier simply defended himself. But Eugene shooting himself makes it look like the only assailant in the case is the Japanese soldier (which Kyle argued in front of the Emperor).

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Ok now it makes sense. And damn my heart melts for Eugene even more :’) He’s way more mature and clear-headed than Ae-shin, which corresponds the age gap, and I totally ship them HAHA. I like mature guys and LBH is just dreamy *sigh*. Thanks for the explanation!

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LBH is so dreamy! He is so handsome and charismatic that it's disracting. I find myself looking at his facial structure, his eyes, that little smirk and every other little thing instead of paying attention to what is going on. I often have to watch his scenes with KTR twice.

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This is the episode that finally reeled me in after a few weeks of struggling on the line. I watched it twice again, once to catch the subtitles and the second time to watch how great looking this story continues to be. Kim Min-Jung is a revelation here.

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AE-SHIN's shocked when she finally learned what LOVE means in KOREAN!!!! i was giggling so much!!!

every week i really get excited on what will happened to this drama!!! It never fails me. As dramallama said in the past episodes blog Eugene always goes back to his/being in the US Marine Corps power when he knows he can use it...especially when he shoot his own arm i guess to protect Ae-Shin from becoming the culprit in shooting the crazy-baldy-Japanese-soldier.... it is kinda like the Eugene's backup (KYLE included since he is very close to him like a very very very dear important friend... aside he is Eugene's superior)

I do hope we find out more about Hina....but man her dad i rerally can't quite guess what his real intentions are for Korea as a whole....does he like wanna make Japan conquer the whole Korea, but starting at Joseon?? I guess we will learn more soon like soon.

I hope Hee-Sung will have the confidence to face his fears (the sins his family made to people etc). Dong-Mae can be a bit like a stalker sometimes....but to be honest I am shipping him with Hina if ever! but that is just me!

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It's not just you. I think Dong Mae and Yang Hwa(i like her given name better) have explosive chemistry. Together they would be almost unstoppable. I hope there's a scene of Dong Mae snapping at someone (maybe Wan Ik) in defense of her and vice versa. That might bring to light feelings they each thought was soley a close friendship.

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I feel like this is a show to savor, episode by episode, not rush through. I’m actually glad I’m live-watching it because I really might lose motivation if I was trying binge it.

Kim Tae-ri is such a delight to watch. She has a bright energy and such great interactions with everyone, especially the main male trio. I love her so much, especially when she’s in her all-black ensemble, doing parkour and firing shots in the dark like a badass.

I’m also still really intrigued by Kim Min-jung’s character and wish she was featured more in each episode. She’s wealthy, powerful, and smart, and truly has the ability to tip the scales however she wants. She chats up her hotel guests, pours them drinks, and throws them little bones of her manipulation. Show, give Kudo Hina more to do!

The boys are fine. Yoo Yeon-seok is MOAR than just “fine.” (Swoon.) Byun Yo-han is showing more dimensions and I am ALL FOR that slightly-garish-but-also-amazing brown velvet coat of his. Lee Byung-heon looks great with his perfectly-styled disheveled hair and baby’s butt-smooth skin.

I'm shallow. I know.

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Show, give Kudo Hina more to do ! ✅

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:)

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My favorite scene was the at the of the three men. I love their chat.. TBH, I can not feel for Ae-Shin, for me she is still naive girl.

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byun yo han and yoo yeon seok are both so darn HANDSOME and DASHING in this drama....

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Let me just say that it's so weird to watch David McInnis play a good guy. Haha! I'm just not used to him being all nice and humorous in a role.

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I thought the same thing but I am happy to see him in the part of Kyle Moore.

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I'm 80 percent convinced that he is one of the good guys, I'm scarred! I hope he stays good.

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There's a part of me that rolls her eyes at the whole Will you do love with me? thing, thinking that it's contrived, cheesy, and unrealistic. (Ae-shin totally would've gotten a clearer definition of "love" before agreeing to "do it".) But there's another part of me, probably my inner-teen, that eats it up, and she really enjoyed this episode. I'm gonna try to consciously watch this show from that part of my brain from now on.

I'm warming up more to Eugene. I really like how honest and direct he is. Thank goodness he already admitted that one of his motivations for participating in the love partnership is revenge. I also really appreciate his sense of humor, and how he's so amused by Ae-shin.

Did anyone else rawr when masked Ae-shin pinned Eugene against the wall, then parkoured away? Gender reversal FTW. I enjoyed their banter in the apothecary scene. I love that Ae-shin is both fierce and naive. Oh, and I got a kick out of watching her proudly sing the ABC song, looking like a kindergartner.

Thanks for the great recap!

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Well, thanks for sharing the first part of your brain because I have stayed silent about feeling the same way (the the "Love" plot line was cheesy and unrealistic). I thought my feeling this way was just due to being a guy, and thus my mind works a little differently.

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I think I wrote a comment in that episode recap - well here comes the cheese...I chalked it up to being typical for the writer.

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It was definitely cheesy but I chalked it up to her still being so naive and innocent about certain things. Like relationships. But she has great instincts so that helps her in being honest and up front with all three men in her life.

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I loved when she jumped over the wall, I was like "wait what just happened?" Then, I asked myself if I could also jump over the wall... nope, I wouldn't make it.

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Thank you for your recap and comments, dramallama!

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Did Eugene tell AS that his parents were slaves? I do not recall him telling her his background. He kept his background rather secretive so AS has grown more curious about him. I would be if I were in her shoes.
DM went to Japan but Japan had a cast system where his parents would have belonged to the underclass. Though this system was banned around the time, the prejudice was deep back then both in Korea and Japan. Although he dived into a dark side in order for him to survive, I give a credit for his courage for not hiding his background to others. He understands that as far as his birth goes, his love for AS is an unrequited love. He cannot have a hope for AS and he knows that.
While Eugene was brought up in the States where those class system did not exist and his efforts and courage in the Navy made him how he is now. But he understands that he is still looked down if he revealed his slave status while he is
in Korea. What would DM reacts when he finds Eugene's class? How does he feel about the slave has an audacity to take in AS as his lover/GF?

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He has not told her yet. As of the end of episode 8, quite a few other characters know about it, so it seems likely she will learn about it quite soon.

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Thank you. I thought i might be wrong about that.

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She'll learn about it just after the next step (which must be a kiss). I think she still has prejudice against lower classes and that's going to be part of the angsty trope.

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"Hee-sung has my heart in this episode" Really ? For me, it's the opposite. I think the conversation between him and Hina showed that he could force Ae Shin in marriage because of their families and won't wait for her to like him. He's the weakest character and I hope he will become stronger and won't use his family to obtain what he wants but will use it to change things in Korea.

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I mean I get where he is an adorable puppy, but underneath it, he is a nobleman's son. A nobleman who used others to get what he wants. Not a good thing to be known for. I'm hoping for growth for him. To be a better man than his parents. The whole conversation with Hina seemed like two people with two childish hearts. Now that I think about Hina and Hee Sung are actually alike in that they had to grow up and leave their child quicker than most. Hina with her arranged marriage and Hee Sung's forced engagement to someone he didn't even know.

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I don't feel connected to lead actors, they are just doing random things whatever they want and also i don't feel any chemistry between them either, don't know the reason , may be the poker face of eugene . Lol

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My favourite moments are when Eugene gets the letter from Ae Shin and he unable to read it.. he goes into panic-attacked when his attendant boy found out he cant read Korean and hillariously fumbles with the letter and its envelope.

All these times i saw Eugene as a stone/solid rock/puppet doll/emotionless human but right after those scenes i finally see him as a human 😂

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I found it refreshing to see he has a limitation, because up until then we've only seen his strengths: fluency in English, Korean, and Japanese. We know he can read English. Not sure about Japanese, but he definitely cannot read Korean.

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Ikr .. i never watch LBH's works before except GIJ:R so now im watching him closely, maybe warming up a bit to his Eugene.

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Am I the only one who finda Dong Mae creepy as heck? I really didn’t find the way he stole her handwriting cute at all, and the way he stalks her and acts so territorial when she’s clearly repulsed with what he’s become just makes him plain scary. I love the actor, but I don’t get the devotion to his character (though I think he’s acted perfectly).

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I mentioned that Dong-Mae is terrifying to me this episode as well.

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He's terrifying indeed!! But then again he never received love to learn how to love! Also he witnessed her Mom to be raped by other men countless of time! He only learned violence in his life! From the psychological point of view I understand why he has grown up to a terrifying abuser who can kill people without batting an eye...

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He has a "thing" for her and when she rebuffs him, not only because she already likes Eugene, but also because he's a traitor and butcher's son, he's going to really turn to the dark side.

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But she's already told him as much. That she doesn't like him because he's a traitor not because he's the son of a butcher.

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