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Do You Like Brahms: Episode 2 Open Thread

With all of our main characters on the stage by the end of Episode 1, we’re ready for a rich second episode that’s all about deepening those first impressions — a deeper look at the emotions that drive our characters, at the history that binds them, and the longing that fills them.

 
EPISODE 2 WEECAP

It took me two episodes to fall in love with this show, but by the end of Episode 2, I’m up to my neck in all the emotion, subtle tension, and little complexities that fill this drama, and loving every minute of it. Our plot might still be falling into place, but we have some strong dynamics set up; watching how our characters interact and interface with each other is already more than enough to have me invested.

Deepening the story means going back into the past, so Episode 2 opens in 2013, when Song-ah announces her intention to change her course, and study violin. Min-sung is aghast, but Dong-yoon immediately announces his support: he knows how much she agonizes over making a decision, and playing the violin must really be her dream.

How much of a part did Dong-yoon play in that dream? He seems to be a part of the world that Song-ah adores and wants to be a part of — and his sudden return to Korea from abroad cements that fact for us.

The Dong-yoon we meet is sweet, smart, and seems to be interested in Song-ah more than his ex-girlfriend Min-sung. After all, it’s Song-ah who he asks to meet him at the airport, and it’s her that he’s with before their reunion party. The scene in his workshop is an especially lovely one; we see Dong-yoon’s sensitivity as a craftsman — and if you listen closely, you can hear Song-ah’s declaration of love (for her violin, into its sound hole) actually travel through the air towards him instead.

Ah, the longing. This drama is doing such a fabulous job of capturing emotions in the smallest of moments. Without telling us very much at all, we’re left to see and feel the emotions of our characters. Sometimes all we need is a fleeting glance, or a downcast eye — it’s enough to add just what we need to know.

Dong-yoon is not the only character recently returned to Korea, and at the end of Episode 1, Joon-young also meets the specters from his past in the shape of Jung-kyung and Hyun-ho. Our plot is very much built around the convergence of all these returning characters, and I can’t gush enough about the layer that it adds to the story. The attempt to re-adjust after being away, the pressure of returning to the past when one returns home, and for this story especially, the conflicts that are stirred when a group of people is reunited.

If seeing Dong-yoon again has an impact on Song-ah, it’s nothing compared to the inner turmoil that Jung-kyung’s surprise return causes for Joon-young. A beautiful narration from him confirms what we suspected — that over the years he realized that he loved her, but by the time he did, she was already paired with Hyun-ho.

To the story’s credit, everything comes off as quite a bit more layered than the token unrequited love, with a lot of emotional complexity added to the relationships. And in the case of Joon-young, that’s a little strand of guilt and/or indebtedness that haunts him, since he benefitted from the scholarship that was founded in memory of Jung-kyung’s deceased mother.

Our characters have a complicated past, and are pretty emotionally complex individuals — and if I may digress for a moment, I think this is a real strong point of the story. The musicians that we meet are at varying stages of their careers, but seeing how sensitive they are to the details and nuances around them only makes me feel more and more like we are actually watching a story about artists.

The teasing of Joon-young over how he can’t handle caffeine wasn’t just to show us a (wonderful!) moment where we again see how genuine and kind he is — it was also an important bit of characterization. Sensitivity to stimuli, lack of appetite when his nerves are pumped, difficulty sleeping — these little details all add up to Joon-young being this highly sensitive and artistic being. It’s no wonder he’s been agonizing over Jung-kyung’s tearful kiss for months on end.

Episode 2 was still very much about acquainting us with our characters and setting up their place in the story, but by the end of the premiere week episodes, the groundwork feels quite set. Our characters have come together, and are all now linked by their connections to the foundation, and the roles they’ll play there.

While I quite like our perceptive heroine, and the way she’s able to pick up on nuances that less perceptive people are not (ahem, Hyun-ho, the dullest among them), I think it’s Joon-young that interests me the most right now. There’s such a weight on him, you can practically feel its pressure on him in each scene, even when he’s smiling. One line from his narration was particularly telling: “The things that I was trying to ignore are starting to show one by one.”

Joon-young sorely needs a perceptive and understanding confidant, and that that role should be filled by Song-ah goes without saying. The sameness between these two has been lovely from the start, and even with some social awkwardness between them, it’s also clear that there’s a comfort and familiarity between them, too. We close our episode with them eating together one night after Joon-young’s performance, and we don’t even need to listen in on the conversation. Watching them through the window is more than enough for us to see the understanding that’s forming between them. They both need each other, and I can’t wait to see the ripple effect that their budding friendship will have on the story.

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Thank you db and @missvictrix for giving us a space to discuss this together!! 😍

I love the blooming friendship between Joonyoung and Songah. Not only do I think they’re well-suited to each other, but it’s also the case where each of them really needs someone they can find comfort in without all the complex baggage that comes along with their respective established friendship trios. That ending had me swooning.

I know I said in my comment on the Ep 1 post that I didn’t want to pin Jungkyung down as the bad guy, but Ep 2 left me feeling so resentful towards her. I think I didn’t quite grasp the extent of what was going on but now that we know that she’s going to continue to actively lie to her boyfriend and emotionally manipulate Joonyoung... well. Blacklist it is. I think Joonyoung really needs to have a chat with Hyunho about this whole mess so that they can reconcile and become a piano-cello duo 🙂

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I hate to think that Jungkyung is just stringing our male lead along but that is what it looks like. Let us hope that we are wrong.

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She seems like she wants the best of both worlds and is determined to just be as selfish as possible. It's a no from me until proven otherwise.

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Thank you for joining me in my extreme dislike for Jung Kyung despite her tragic backstory.

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I have seen the error of my ways. I can't stand how manipulative she's being. It's awful.

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Thanks for the weecap @missvictrix. I also fell in love with this show after this episode. The leads are really killing their roles here, you can clearly see the characters and the personalities they are portraying without so many words. The music and the soundtrack is sublime!.

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I started this kdrama because it was a little bored and I didn't know what to expect and I didn't know that I would fall in love after the first episode was over.
I love how the main characters are shy and their chemistry works completely, It seems that the two mirror each other's gestures.
The actors are in tune.

I liked how Park Joon-Young had an immediate interest in Chae Song-A but wasn't intrusive with that interest.

The two waiting for the taxi because of each other, it was the cutest thing I've seen in kdrama in a long time.

I also like how they are in different aspects of life, but feeling the same thing.

Chae Song-A is passionate about music, but feels completely lost because she doesn't know which direction to go after she graduates.
And Park Joon-Young despite his success as a pianist, he also feels lost because music feels like a passion that is long go.
I can't wait for these two to help each other on this journey of discovery.

I saw on a fanpage on Instagram that SBS said there would be no romance between these two characters, can anyone say that this statement is true? Because it looks like a waste to me if this is true.

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If it's true.. it's gonna be weird.. Because the genre itself is "romance." :) Oh well, I don't know the romance between "who" and "who." But their chemistry is off-chart and makes heart fluttering whenever they're together! :D

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Yeah it would be quite disappointing, and if I remember correctly wasn't it promoted as a classical romance drama?

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This can’t be true. There are times when I really want the friendship to remain the same without crossing that line but not in this one.
It’d be a waste if it’s true.

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It's possible; in the character map on the official site there's no love line (literally haha it's the red one) between them https://programs.sbs.co.kr/drama/brahms/basicinfo/65915. But if the drama is still being filmed there may be changes to the script.

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Maybe the poster is a ever evolving one....that the red line will start to emerge as we progress through the show! 😆 #posterplottwist

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Haha yes! But I have to say it'll be quite something if the show takes the leap to make a whole drama without romance being central to it. It's really rare in dramas other than genres like crime/ action/ legal.

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I don't think there will be no loveline. I saw the presscon and Min Jae and Eun Bin were talking about their romance. So there will be one between them, definitely!

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I’d actually be disappointed. I can’t wait for them to be besties. I can already imagine them as an old married couple - they’ll communicate lots seemingly through telepathy and they gently be ribbing each other the time they were both in emotional triangles.

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Ep 1 shone for its pensive mood and how we are quietly introduced to the leads' inner worlds. But ep 2 had me head over heels over head over heels (I was basically a pretzel of feels by the end) with how it sank its teeth into the merciless forces governing the classical music industry.

There's the privileging of rankings over actual musicianship (and the female conductor's words of advice to Joon-young brought tears to my eyes); the constant race against time, the utter cruelty that a musician almost-30 is considered past their prime. We see vividly how these weigh down on our young characters.

But countering all of that is Joon-young and Song-ah’s warmth and perceptiveness, as they quietly take in the hints of each other's pains. More than that is how they never fail to respond with small kindnesses: pretending to drop a score, accepting a coffee despite being caffeine-sensitive, keeping a conversation going after an awkward, pregnant pause, and buying an extra CD in show of solidarity after a callous verdict is passed.

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Perceptiveness and small kindnesses, yes!

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It's definitively a difficult industry, but I find the notion that a musician who is almost 30 as "past their prime" weird, since most famous musicians in Europe are at that age or actually much older. To me, 30 is quite young! A musician needs time to mature. So I'm confused about the expectations of Korean audiences according to this drama. They want musicians to look young and flawless and also play perfectly?

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For me the comments in the show about how Joo-young is past his prime is more about celebrity culture about always looking for the next young and hottest thing. In reality It makes absolute no sense that a classical musician would be passing one's prime age after the age of 30 and we see plenty evidence to contrary. As matter of fact for opera singers many would not even reach their vocal maturity until after their late 20's or 30's.

It is weird for me though that Joon-young is definitely written as a very capable pianist who has won all these major international accolades but Song-ah's colleagues would still make a comment about how he was able to achieve his fame mostly through his looks. 🙄

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Interesting. I guess my idea of celebrity culture was kind of different... *imagines Beethoven in a tux directing the Ninth Symphony with disheveled head*

Glad to know I'm not the only one puzzled by the snide remarks on his career. He "only" has 90-100 performances per year. Oh really, is he some kind of machine? What more do they want?

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🤣Beethoven is the OG oppa!

Yeah 90-100 performances a year seems pretty unrealistic for even the top echelon and most popular of classical musicians if not downright possible thinking through preparation of varied programs and traveling. That schedule feels like someone who is continually on tour throughout the entire year.

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*impossible

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Beethoven Oppa 😂😂😂

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I don't know if my sensing of this can be representative, but I'm from a Southeast Asian country and sadly the child/ young music prodigy is very much glorified in the media, the way young entrepreneurs are.

My own music instructor used to drop comments in the vein of "You have to make use of your 20s to push your technical boundaries because once you're past 30 you won't be able to anymore". Of course, performing is more than the technical aspects; there's also the musicality that matures with age and experience. But unfortunately, technical excellence is quite lauded here, often above musicality.

In this drama it seems that this ideal (of the young prodigy) interacts with the widespread lookism attitudes to produce comments we see from Hae-na and that jerk working in Song-ah's office whose name I have not bothered remembering.

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Ooooh that makes sense. Over here, it's true that acquiring technique is seen as something that's best done while young (hence someone who started late like Song-oh might have trouble fitting in at university), but the child prodigy doesn't seem to be that important anymore. (Or maybe I'm not moving in the elite circles where this might still be a thing LOL).

Hae-na and the jerk from the office should just shut up (it doesn't help that he played a jerk brother in Crash Landing On you - everything he says annoys me).

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Haha yes!! I can't help but see him as the awful brother in CLOY!

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Such lovely attention to detail. Just as you said, @missvictrix, a glance, a fleeting expression tells us all we need to know. This team knows how to reveal a story so that not just the characters but also we the audience have to be perceptive, and it's so satisfying.

Thank you for this weecap, and I'm looking forward to have a place to talk about what happened this week. It's really encouraging that DB responded to beanies' interest in this show.

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Dong Yoon's a luthier right? He definitely likes Song Ah but I doubt she'd do anything that can hurt Min Seung. As for Jung Kyung, she is using Hyun Ho as a backup and pining for Joon Young. That's just plain shitty. You don't do that to others especially considering they are long time friends. Joon Young and Song Ah are both sensible, kind and perceptive. I like how they are starting off by getting to know each other. Later, when things get messy, these quiet conversations and heart to heart will help the two navigate it all. I am sold, like sold. This gives me Chocolate feelings.

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I’m giving Jung-kyung a bit more leeway since we haven’t seen too much of her motivations. I wonder if she agreed to date Hyun-ho because he’s just easier to read.

Given the loss of her mother and how her father doesn’t seem very kind and supportive towards her, I think I might be able to understand why she chose security—someone more predictable.

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Well, I am no longer amused by her antics whatever may be the reason, she is hurting people, ruining friendship and right now Joon Young is actively trying to set boundaries.....she is not spoiled in worldly sense but emotional sense....Joon Young's family situation puts him at a very stressful situation as is, the boy is gasping for air barely and she is adding added drama on top of it....to what end

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Hmm I don’t think her character is written for us to agree with her actions. But one of the draws of dramas that focus on growth is seeing characters who make flawed decisions/ take wrong actions, witnessing how the consequences pan out, and how the character in question changes (or not) from the whole experience.

So while I get why it’s hard to want to see things from Jung-kyung’s perspective, personally I’m still curious about the full picture of what compels her to do something she knows is wrong. I sense that the writing is sympathetic to all of the characters—there aren’t any obvious villains here, only misunderstood/ lonely/ broken people.

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I think you are on to something here @purpleteapot. I see that folks are coming down hard early on Jung-kyung but I would suggest we hold off a bit until we see more.

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I'm with you @gem28. I find it impossible to excuse Jung Kyung's behavior so far.

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No leeway, no mercy. 😂

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Thank you @gem28 for expanding my vocabulary. This is my first experience with the word ‘luthier’.

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Same here! Thank you @gem28.

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Please, not Chocolate. Or maybe like Chocolate minus the ridiculous numbers of additional tragedies?

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the thing is u can tell these dramas are not written by people anywhere close to our age and it drives me CRAZY lmao i would like something with just a little more excitement

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I am confused...I am their age group and I lead a pretty mundane, in routine life with petty to large issues rearing its ugly head from time to time...I really wanna meet 29 year old who are living this very exciting life...haven't seen them around...occasional laughter, going around, fun yes but not on daily basis...everyone I know is histling so I would love to meet people who have this fun daily life.

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I think that’s assuming that people of the same age group look for similar things (more action, plot movement). I’m actually around the same age as the characters, and I like this show precisely for its slow, thoughtful pace that sets it apart from many others.

Also, I don’t think it’s true that writers have to be the age of their characters to write their stories well. One of my favourite YA authors is in her 40s, but she nails the teen voices of her books.

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I am 28 and believe me my life isnt exciting but i dont think it is anywhere near as Almost frozen as many shows of this genre have made it seem. I think it’s a bit of wish fulfillment. By exciting i mean more lively. But the aesthetics are a huge part of these kind of slice of life and coming into adulthood are about. But as a millenial i do not connect at all and i know music kids be cuttin it up. Theres only so much i can take and for me personally it really shows a projected image. Even if things are messy, theyre still neat. I just dont connect which is why i try then give up. (Also it’s a pandemic any millenial doing anything other than necessary is a dummy)

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Song Ah's korean age is 29 (27 for international age), and I'm 26. I'll get a master's degree in arts (psychology) in May 2021, but I am taking MBA courses because I'd like to change my life and start a business at the age of 27. Even tho it is more reasonable for me to become a lecturer in psychology at a university.

I don't know about other people, but somehow I feel I relate so much with Song Ah, I was really excited to think I would start a business and I love to read many books about it.

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I'm even younger than them and my life is totally boring 😂

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i think my comment is a bit misinterpretation. what i mean is that their world is so sterile and with all its imperfections it's perfect. nice places to sit, nice cozy apartments, their everything. also we are in capitalist hell. idk how to explain it, the emotions are contained. and since i feel like this is a pattern it really disappoints me. i'm like who are these freaking PEOPLE i wish my life looked like that. even in my misery looking at them it's like not misereable.
on top of that we are in such dire straits. in sk getting a job and housing is hard, same in the US, but there's a fire under this generation.. i dontknow if it's a generation x kind of approach. idk the passion and fire isn't what i have and it isn't what i'd like others to have. sometimes chaos even if it's internal is exactly the things we need to see ourselves on screen do. AOY2 kind of achieved that—somewhat. i just wonder about acontained sort of mess. but the late 20s are the things that are harde to pin down imo when not written by them. it's a strange limbo (and i am drunk)

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There is no doubt that this is the life of the elite in SK, and it's not meant to be your average middle class person. Already, with the theme being classical music, you have taken it out of the realm of the working class, who - anywhere - are (unfortunately) unlikely to have the luxury to indulge in the commercially uncertain world of classical music as a career.

But I agree about the "fire in the belly" argument. That was my gripe about the first episode, and it remains. I know a few people replied to my earlier observation saying that they were the same age and were as world weary as the characters in the show. Maybe I can't relate, and I apologize for that. But I do feel that the characters seem like 'old souls' more than 'young people'. It's expected to have one or two persons in a group to be like that, but I felt here, *everyone* was like that - and I found that unusual.

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i agree with you. and it's frustrating because the repetitive old soul narratives in these slice of life and/or healing dramas really reinforce this ridiculous life that we aren't living. at 28 this has been a ridiculously chaotic but stagnant year.

a forcefully stagnant year for many millenials. we have to sit home, we lost our jobs we may or may not have, the dreams we can't reach, the loans to pay back; all of this made worse by a pandemic.

i have a lot of trauma that makes me seem more mature than i am but that trauma also brings an immaturity and impatience that sometimes even shocks me.

i come from an upper middle class family, i have a lot of debt, i have my own woes as a black woman, and i have a dream of being an artist and wanting to help the world.

but these shows always make it seem like things HAPPEN to you at that age. it's fate and serendipity and beautiful because you're just floating along. that's fuckin bullshit.

there is no youth to them that i see and it has nothing to do with how much they go out, have sex, get fucked up, whatever. and i know classical musicians who are late gen z or early millenials who have lively inner lives (believe it or not we are not only what we do...) and the class part plays a HUGE part in it but even then these shows are almost never realistic about class. there's some guardian angel, there's no anxiety about a greater pressure (fuck somedays i don't give a shit about my loans and other days i'm like WOW I WILL DIE and i am materially lucky...so lucky)

all of these no matter what even if a character is in financial difficulties their lives are still visually pristine. their minds can be fixed with an equilibrium of space. love will come and things will even out. it's a worry but one that will be solved because the world around them deems it so.

by the end, things may not be perfect but they'll still be beautiful. it's even in the shots. and these are dramas meant to convey that (beauty, simplicity, time, etc) but they take the realism out of that.

most of us are not old souls, whatever the hell that means. a lot of us are people forced to grow up in really tumultuous times with a pressure that can make you choke. some days you can't shower, some days you don't want to talk to the rich person at school, some days your apartment isn't going to be nice (if you have one!)

i think you know what i mean but i don't feel connected with people whose external lives don't match internally because they're all mature and steady and instead of growing up and learning to deal it's like your circumstances change to adjust to you at just the right time.

life gets better as you get older because you learn how to handle the pain not necessarily because it everything changes. and once you get a grip on that you have more fortitude to push through. these dramas is always these pretty financial stable or "struggling" but not really struggling people who...

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this is personally how i feel. and i think the age of the writers and also the feelings within the writing room and even, to an extent, the actors probably being a bit more successful than the average actor really shows through it. and they know what they're doing. think about it: the streets are clean in the shots, the camera has that filter it puts on, everyone is good in the light. i'm sorry but even a classical musician isn't going to just sit by a window at a cafe at 28 and just frickin read and watch the sun. it's just so insane to me. and a lot of us love to zone out and shit but i'm like OH COME ON NO ONE JUST DOES THIS. also being an artist is more often than not filled with fucking chaos lmao it's fine if it's one or two but this is the image of youth projected that just isn't truthful lmao and if it's always gonna be focused on people that live in their nice bubbles then what's the point. doesnt mean ppl cant enjoy it it's just a pattern i realized that i cannot stand. you really summed it up with the old souls thing thank you so much. i have a lot more to say on this genre but lmao. i have been called an old soul and i am definitely world weary but i am not like this, i could never be, there's too much stimulation to be so dulled

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Well it varies from person to person. I have over time learned to enjoy a quiet day, coffee, meal, shopping, strollin, a book all by myself at a nice cafe or by a nice view. Maybe, its because I've had to learn to deal with lonliness as I have uprooted myself from all I ever knew and started life in a foreign land. Graduate study is a lot of time spent questioning your sanity, your self worth doing things on your own and over time you learn to appreciate what you never thought is going to be you at say when you're in college. I can see why Joon Young who probably spent a great deal of time practicing, in competition or playing at concerts all by himself at different parts of the world is the way he is. So, my own experience automatically told me, hey, its possible he adjusted to beat loneliness. Does it mean I occasionally dont go out, laugh, curse, get a drink with friends know, of course not. So, for me, Its not being an old soul...its a coping mechanism and adjustment. I've also met plenty of others who do that and encourage that. Otherwise, you will loose your mind.

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I think you want to watch something you going throught right now, you want something to relate but I don't understand this criticism particularly to this drama. Kdrama rare delves into financial matters and deals it realistically, even when the characters are poor. Maybe you should watch a Western Show instead.

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@lafrede criticizing a show and its genre has nothing to do with what i want. it's something that's out there and is supposed to mirror the lives of people who are doing things like i am and are my age. whether it's western or not has nothing to do with it.

again, it's just about the output and the patterns i see. and it's clear that you do not understand what i mean when boiled down to action. and i am saying that this ISNT realistic and it shows to me. the very reason people love it is why i don't. that's ok!

@gem28 i get it and i am the same but i ddo not agree with its presentation. i think these kidn of shows would really do well if they could kind of go deeper instead of equating peoples needs to cope and be alone with this spirit of maturity which isnt necessarily true or even good for creativity. automatically classical music conveys thsi detachment from youth and it's intentional when that's not exactly it. it's beautiful to hear people talk about music and the way artists view it. i am not talking about their physical active lives

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But the drama may not be realistic for you, you can't speak in behave of every millennium like you mentioned in the comments above.
There are some parts of the drama that I relate to and it is very close to home for me (very related to what the characters are feeling).

My point is that you are criticizing the series for not being realistic or not based pure on your personal life

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i dont think u know how critique works but that's not my problem lol enjoy

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Actually, its pretty realistic that Joon Young has a nice place and nice life. He is a famous pianist. Not like world famous but he sells enough tickets and was placed on a sabbatical. Classical musicians are often supported by patrons and it seems like the case for Joon Young to a certain level. Dong Yun has a business, Song Ah's parents are well off and she lives with them. Jung Kyung's rich and Hyun Ho comes from a modest background, leads a modest lifestyle and is again supported by their academy. So, they aren't exactly off mark here. They aren't financially struggling at the moment, some have future prospects to consider and unwanted financial burdens to bear but not on a 'candy level' we see on dramas for lack of better words. Are there those students who struggle to that point, I am sure there are but at the very least this story isn't about that group.

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my point is that the genre is frustrating to me and loses its allure after the 50th time. and lack of financial burdens doesn't mean dull. but this is how i perceive it, it doesn't really matter cos i get why people like it. for those reasons i generally do not and i think the age of the crew (who participate creatively) really influences it and it's a bit frustrating to see. but i know many feel different.

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I might disagree a little bit with the description of Joon-young’s situation.
One of the kdrama tropes that annoys me and has raised its ugly head is the one where the parent leeches off the child. Apologies if that sound strong. Mom already asked him about money and said something to JY along the lines: “Dad didn’t mean to use the deposit money” and my thought was: “Yes he did”.
JY should not have the responsibility of financially supporting his mom and dad.
His apartment in Seoul I am sure is being paid by the foundation thanks to Kyung-hoo Foundation Director Na Moon-sook ( the wonderful Yeh Soo-Jung).

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I found that so sad. His parents has no interest to his music and just see him as a money maker . He might feel he doesn't belong anywhere , not really loved .I am glad he found another lonely soul like him :)

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Shout out to Yeh Soo-jung - she's got such range - her performances in FOS1, Search: WWW and here are completely different from each other. And totally random trivia - I found out today that she's married to Kim Chang-hwa - another one of my favourite actors! So cool.

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I wish they'd find a creative way to inject conflict other than the shitty parent or shitty aunt angle. Its frustrating to watch. But Its not impossible to be in this situation and its also not as commonplace as they make it out to be. For example, Mamamoo's Wheein , Go Hara's mother do exist, Jo Kwon, IU, Chungha, Zico all did it willingly so there's always that filial piety angle.

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I haven't watched it, well the first ep, but maybe you'd like Shut Up Flower Boy Band. Though it is an older favorite of many so you may of seen it.

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i have seen it! i did like most of it. very cute but one particularly actor was phew.....A LOT TO HANDLE. lmao but it's cute

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This just came to mind because of what you wrote here and about React to the K, not trying to steer you away from watching and critiquing this.

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ik!! ty for the rec! i think nailing a high schooler voice may be easier since we know they have to be immature with all those hormones. idk i am mulling on this more! ty for indulging >:)

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Not, a couple, not love triangle, not a square, not even a pentagon but a love hexagon and the writer is doing it great.
I know this a "men and women can't be only besties, they always fall in love with each other" kind of feeling but I don't care. I think the writer is doing a nice job with this heartwarming and ultra cute script.
The relationships are real, natural and cute (most of them), I like that.
I love how alike SA and JY are. They're shy, cute, calm, nice and honest. I love when they act so relatable and I LOVE MIN JAE'S SMILE and how his character is so smooth.

Sometimes I don't get the edition of the video (chill editor-nim), and -I don't get why Viki has problems uploading the episodes forcing me to watch it first somewhere else because I can't wait- but the script and acting is killing me. I love this drama.
The second half of this year is on fire.

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Absolutely love Song Ah and Joon Young! I'm in for all the little quiet moments they share. They're both perceptive and can gauge a situation rather quickly, especially Song Ah. She may not say much but she knows what to say at the perfect moment. And it's not empty praise; it's sincere. I can't wait to see how these two cuties become each others' support system.

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i really wanted to give jungkyung a chance. but i just can't find anyways to justify her. stringing along her boyfriend in a relationship where her heart is not even in, and at the same time manipulating joonyoung, i just can't. this ain't it girl.

on the other hands, our leads. lemme kiss you, you cuties.

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How about group kisses?

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My thoughts exactly. She doesn't even seem to feel sorry about it. I'm sorry that she lost her mother and that her father is unsupportive of her, but that's no excuse to treat the people who love you badly.

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i know. she's conflicted and is going through things, but clearly the relationship she is in, is completely one sided. which i feel so bad for hyunho. and talking to joonyoung behind his back. both boys deserve better.

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I thought it was interesting that Joo-young thinks that she kissed him due to jealousy of what he has achieved in his career and wanted to "experience" that first hand (what kind of logic is that? 🤔) If true it is a very selfish action that she must know would cause a lot of pain of the two closest friends who love and care about her.

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Jung Kyung is really hard to watch with everything she is NOT saying and then things she is doing. However, in many dramas characters like her do get a chance for growth and redemption - in other words they do some honest growing up.

So as much as she bothers me, I'm hoping the writer has her in the show for a purpose and that we viewers end up not disliking her so much by the end.
please writer nim okay?

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In K-dramaland unusual behavior, ranging from random kisses and hugs to holding the door open for someone, tend to be blamed on spending too much time in the USA and 'going native'.

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The second episode solidified my love for our OTP. They are both kind and quiet people who are lost and somehow found solace in each other. I love how awkward they are, a reality for most people who meet new friends at that age.

I've also read many times that this isn't a romance drama but the chemistry of Song Ah and Joon young speaks otherwise.

So in love with this drama 😍😍😍

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If this is not a romance drama, does it mean that the drama will exclude romance? That would indeed be a plot twist especially in a drama that features two well formed love triangles! 😱The chemistry is so strong between our leads that it is almost unthinkable that in a K-drama they will not fall in love with one another. These two are such wounded puppies that I will definitely be rooting for their supportive and caring friendship and hopefully romance will be the cherry on top.

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Maybe romance isn't quite the right word. They are going to become close friends and help each other heal and then realize there is more to their relationship.

And there is a lot of romance in the music as well.
Either way I'm all in and loving this show like everyone else here.

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I watched the third episode (Inning Heartfelt) and I made me sad. I saw Song-ah tearfully rejected in every exam-like(?) at Seoryeong University and that saddest ending in this episode was she cried and peacefully hugged with Jung-kyung. That next episode was still great for me despite of Song-ah's emotional scenes.

But I can't believed that the PoD (piano of doom) scene might happened as well as evil villains (or bullies I think) during episode six and afterwards when I made me hurtful a lot. If the piano of doom scenes and scenes of revengeful villains (or bullies) didn't happen, I might not drop this show yet but I still remains to struggle this romantic drama show.

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I like how the fact both of them are in love triangle makes them to understand each other very well. Both are very observant and sensitive too but overall they're lonely. I was really happy that Song Ah went back to the restaurant.

I don't hate Jung-kyung. She's a very interesting character. She was a genius but the death of her mother seems to have impacted her music and now she has to find her place without living in her mother's shadow.

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A lot of people hate Jung-kyung, but I like her. She clearly has/had feelings for Joon-young, but for whatever reason, something stopped them from turning their friendship into a relationship. She has her own issues with not living up to her child prodigy status and losing her mother. None of our characters are happy.

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@panshel 'None of our characters are happy."

I think you just nailed it for the show as I see it. They are all wounded and broken in some way and we will see how they grow and help each other as friends and musicians.

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I appreciate this show is portraying vulnerability. Both of our OTP are sensitive and vulnerable, but neither seems to fight that. Instead it feels naturally included in their personalities. At first glance they felt a bit like spun glass, but by the end of this episode it's clear that they are both actually incredibly strong in their vulnerability. I really like this. It can be so difficult to stay true to yourself under the weight of other people's expectations and projected aspirations and beliefs, and both Song-ah and Joon-young are navigating that honestly. It's obvious that they're kindred spirits in that sense, and I'm really hoping that as their relationship develops it doesn't collapse into a one-dimensional trope.

For me, Jung-kyung's character is saved from being a stereotypical villain (for now) by the sole fact that she's clearly so absolutely miserable. It's subtle and provides an excellent contrast to the OTP in dealing with vulnerability - through trying to control and over-engineer life and those around her. I'm not excusing her behavior and I hope she's well-checked, but I feel at least that we the viewers can at least understand her motivations to some extent. Park Ji-hyun pulled this off well in her role in Rookie Historian, providing some complexity to another supporting character that at first glance seemed pretty straightforward, so I hope she does the same here.

DYLB feels like it will unfurl softly and flow like a lazy river, and I am all for that. It feels an apt companion for northern hemisphere autumn right now, like the way the air feels crisp and clean under the sun. Thank you @missvictrix for the weecaping - so excited that we'll get to enjoy the ride in DB world all together!

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That's a really interesting observation about how Jung-kyung is a foil to Joon-young and Song-ah. I hope the show gives us more insight into why she's so maladjusted in the way she copes with her loneliness and insecurities about her career.

Some questions that ran through my mind include: When she started liking Joon-young--since middle school? Why didn't she act on her feelings then? And if it's more recent, is it really Joon-young she likes or the idea of where he seems to be with his music career? I think the show is taking its time due to deliberate pacing, but it seems to be moving towards the secondary characters soon.

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But also, what exactly are her feelings? Is it really love? And if it is, is it selfish love that just wants the person to be with her, or unselfish love that wants what's best for the person? From what they've shown us of JK, it seems like she has channeled her loss into wanting what she can't have. She hasn't developed her musicianship but wants to be a pro. She hasn't said no to HH, but wants JY behind his back. But JY and SA both seem to be selfless.

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It's probably too early to tell, but JK's behavior seems in line with someone who was at the top and then unexpectedly tumbled hard and fast. Her mom died suddenly, her star apparently went dark, and her dad treats her like a washed up disappointment - and she's not even 30. I think you're probably onto something about her feelings about JY being selfish - nothing is right for her, and she's doing her best to wrest pieces of life into place for herself. But I guess we have a long way to go until we find out - and who knows, maybe the show will surprise us.

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I'm also really curious as to why she ended up with the cellist - they seem like they were close in middle school. Did she just impetuously make a decision? Did she not realize the extent of her feelings until it was too late? As you said: Does she like him or the idea of him and his status? It will be interesting to see where it goes.

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They both need each other

They're kindred spirits who heal each other. Joon-young's narration about having never enjoyed participating in competitions and having always lost weight and suffered from insomnia broke my heart into pieces. I want nothing more than for him to live his life for himself and not for others. Song-ah is the best for asking him, "But how did you like the performance?" and the maestro for telling him to follow his heart.

Joon-young is an angel of course, but I'm baffled at why Song-ah walked into the meeting room with one of the coffees in her hand and not just drink the spilled one. I appreciate Hyun-ho for not saying Joon-young doesn't drink coffee when Song-ah handed them out. If not for switching Song-ah's coffee, Joon-young would've just left his cup untouched until the end of the meeting.

I love how Young-in takes care of Joon-young and looks out for Song-ah. The trio calls her "noona" and "unni," so she must have watched them grow up. How do the friends know Dong-yoon? Did they all go to arts high school together?

Thanks a ton for the weecap, @missvictrix!

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I liked the two first episodes and although what I liked the most (by far) is the leading couple, I am fascinated with Park Ji-Hyun's skin, it has a variety of colors and tones that would delight a portrait painter.

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Thank you for recap .Loved it :) It is such a beautiful story telling . The lead actors are both so cute . How nice to see them get to know each other. I can predict 'lots of tears' in future episodes tough :)

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Seeing you @missvictrix fall for this drama hook, line and sinker is so entertainingly heartwarming. ^^

I wanted to discuss one particular scene with Song-ah getting Dong-Yoon to check on her violin in his workshop. Both initially are in the same room, then he heads empty-handed the open backroom for no apparent reason, and with his back turned to her, he softly says "사랑해" (Saranghae = I love you in banmal). His words affect her greatly and he plays it down from afar, asserting that such words she should say to her instrument. I have been thinking that Dong-Yoon has cowardly confessed his feelings to her but could not muster the courage to own up to them, the way Jung-Hwan did in Reply 1988. And Song-Ah's reply, indeed, was for him, not her violin in her hands. Any thoughts anybody?

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It did seem like he was testing the waters, but given what comes later, maybe his love for her is not as sincere or whole-hearted as she deserves.

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I agree and I believe his messiness will continue in this drama, he is to Song Ha what Jung Kyung is to Joon Young. In love but terrified of hurting their other close friend, but wanting to release the burdens of that "love" without actually doing anything.

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My heart breaks for Jung-hwan every time I think about him. If ever there was a case study in the need to sometimes just take your courage in your own two hands and go for it, it's him.

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"사랑해" was definitely Dong-yoon indirectly confessing to Song-ah. Even in 2013 when he volunteered to be her violin teacher, I figured his "난 어때? (How about me?)" had a double meaning as in "What do you think about me romantically?"

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With each new episode, I love how our OTP's have transitioned from awkwardness to familiarity. From that mutual understanding, they will get closer from helping and supporting each other along the way towards fixing their friendship/relationship, as well as their dreams. I think the drama is doing really well at pacing this and it makes me look forward to the new episodes.

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So everyone is watching this huh...

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et vous?

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Vous aussi ?

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mais oui.

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Everyone including you right?

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My first instinct is to say no...

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Ok, so you won't be joining our nerdy party... I guess I'll just sit in the palace gardens and watch the daffodils on my own then.

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*laughs* I'll be sure to join you in the evenings and set up the projector screen where I will join you in Definitely Not Watching this... 👀👀

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Oui merci!

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A hero who has a caffeine intolerance? 😱 There is a whole melodrama in my mind that can be written just based off of that!! Coffee, tea, and I have been involved in a messy (but also highly satisfying) love triangle for years so Joo-young has my deepest sympathy. ☕😍🍵

I love that our leads are such thoughtful and perceptive beings, but you know who are the worst in their sensitivity? Song-ah's parents. How could they not anticipate that their daughter with a name like that will end up apologizing needlessly to people all her life as soon as they meet? No wonder she has such little confidence!! Ugh.

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I am so excited this is being recapped. I wrote on my fanwall for the first time because of this drama. I just adore it. I like the slow pace, I like our characters, and I like how the leads aren't first loves. I like the kindness . I just like all the pieces of this drama. Hopefully it continues in that vein.

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Thank you @missvictrix!

I love this drama!
It gives me sort of Ahn Pan-seok's drama vibes (Something in the Rain, One Spring Night, Secret Affair etc)
His regular actor are in it too.

Probably just me, Kim Sung-chul (Hyun-Ho) doesn't look like a classical musician for some reason...

And I wonder if Park Eun-bin's hair is real...
Her hair was shoulder length in Stove League which was only in the beginning of this year.
It seems way too long in this drama.

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To me, out of the main cast, only Kim Min-jae and Park Ji-hyun look like classical musicians. They have a chaebol aura. 😅

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Yeah, Park Ji-hyun is regal AF.

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Honestly, I can't hate Jung-kyung because I adore Park Ji-hyun. She has such a bubbly personality in real life.

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I also thought it is not a real hair :) Long hair popular these days in dramaland :) Stranger 2 -Han Yeo Jin also has a long wig :)

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I was wondering if Song-ah will cut her hair off at some point in the drama.
That's why she is wearing a wig/hair extensions in the beginning?
We'll see!

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i really hope so. her hair looks so fake. it's seriously distracting from otherwise a good show.

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Thank you so much for giving a space to discuss this drama!

I just randomly decided to start watching this, 1) because I like both lead actors and 2) I have a classical music background and always have an extra affinity for dramas that include that. :)

I am really liking this drama so far. One of the things I appreciate is how each character has a lot of underlying emotions and experiences, but there are also some straightforward conversations that they have (i.e., between Joonyoung and Songah, between Joonyoung and Jungkyung), so not everything has to stay "hidden" or "unspoken." I also really like the two main leads, but like the re-capper, am a bit more drawn to Joonyoung right now because I think Kim Minjae is doing a great job of really balancing all the nuanced aspects of his character. The small moments of him laughing quietly with Songah, their brief interactions... it's all very sweet. This drama reminds me a bit of "A Piece of Your Mind" (maybe because there was also a lot of classical music!) and I think it's because I so enjoyed every interaction between the two leads of that drama and have the same feelings with this drama.

Also, I appreciate how the characters' ages are all either in grad school or post-grad (if they pursued it). I feel like this stage of life isn't portrayed as much in dramas, where you have finished your undergraduate studies, but are still not quite sure what your life is going to look like after (or maybe you have a career, but are still figuring out other aspects of your life)... This is captured especially well with Songah, I think. Really looking forward to more episodes!

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I loved a Piece of Your Mind and this has the similar vibe of longing...emotions better suited to music than putting into words.

I want to see more instrumental playing though. I want to see the trio play, and even JY and SA play a duet.

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@missvictrix we loves you!! Thank you for the surprise weecap! *dances around*

I'm also quite invested in Joon-young's struggles, and can feel him carrying the weight of the world on his young shoulders. On top of the instability and pressures of performing, he also has to support his family *growls at seeing yet another kdrama with parents who mooch off their children* I want to see more of Song-ah playing the violin though, because it's supposed to be her dream. It had not occurred to me that maybe she decided to study violin partly because of her crush on her bestie... interesting thought.

Looking forward to nerding out with beanies!

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i love it so far!

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Thanks for the weecap !
After watching ep3 yesterday i was kind or hoping for the recap, the timing is perfect ^^.

I love how the relationship between the lead is sweet and healing for them but also for us.

I am with thé minority so far I don't dislike JK.
The relation between her, hier boyfriend ans JY kind of remind me of the web-série W.H.Y. Her actions are wrong and she's flawed but the flashback let us understand her a little. Hope it's stay that way and there will no typical annoying second lead development.
What's missing is maybe a little more subtility from the actress that make her a little more relatable.

And if what everyone said is true and there will be no romance between the lead it will be an amazing feat from the writer if pull it right ^^.

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I keep going back and forth with this drama. The music is realized and compliments the tone and themes of this show. These people do not know how to communicate but through their music—which is both incredibly romantic, but extremely frustrating, because no one really knows what is going on with the other person. So much is said through the silence between them. I don’t get (at all) how Jung Kyung is desirable in any of the boys’ eyes. As for Song-Ah, please give this girl all the boys’ love. The luthier too. I like him. He’s the only one that smiles genuinely in the first two episodes. And the more scenes with Kim Min-Jae and Park Eun Bin the better. They are ah-mah-zing!

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Happy to see you're live-watching this too, Ally! And thank you for all the classical music recs in the fanposts, I've been listening to them 😊

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Thank you! I love listening to new pieces and new artists, so I’m enjoying putting those music recommendations on my fan wall too!

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I would love a scene where the musicians find a way to exchange feelings, to flirt, with music, not words.

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Thanks for the recap, @missvictrix I love everything about this drama. Like you, Joon-young has completely won me over and Song-ah is so lovely, I can't wait to see the relationships develop. All of them. I get the feeling the writer will have us changing our opinions about many of the characters as the drama progresses. I am here for it.

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I kind of understand why this show seems to be boring for so many people. But for me, exactly for the same reason, it is very very interesting, and I just can't wait to go into the rest of the story. 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀
These characters, mostly Joon-young, carry within them the heaviness of a melancholic totally bitter-sweet history on their shoulders, which is typical for classical musicians.

Joon-young is representing Brahms and he doesn't like Brahms. Of course, how would he?? Brahms had to live with a frustrated love for Clara all his life (although there are gossips that he and Clara had an affair behind Schumann's back, and after he died, they stayed somehow together) but they never got married after she became a widow.
It is a sad story to the bones.

Now put yourself in Robert Schumann's shoes. He had to fight and wait for years until he could marry Clara, because her father didn't allow. He had to live more or less under her shadow for she was better musician than him, and he was even supported by her economically because he fell into a breakdown and was burned out, soooooo bad that he became insane and ended in a metal health sanatory. 😱😐😱

Usually, music from these artist in the XIX century is very sensitive and even sad. People tend to believe classical music is boring but that's not true at all. It is just a type of music which requires lots of attention and introspection even from the listeners, otherwise how can you enjoy it?
Most people nowadays cannot deal with introspection; it is easier to let yourself go with whatever is happening in the outside. (My humble opinion)

Me, I enjoy almost all kinds of music but my introspective and melancholic soul has a very special place for classical music. So, I am very very happy and excited with this show! 😄

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I’m glad you’re here, @javinne, so we can enjoy this little gem together!

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Hey, Ally, yes!!!!😀
When I read your comment on the show, I wanted to tell you the same.
😍😍😍😍😍😍

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I got the feeling that Young In understands and appreciates both Joon Young and Song Ah and she already guesses that they would be good for one another. She keeps asking Song Ah to do tasks related to Joon Young, rather than asking the other intern. And noting their same age etc. She is kind and perceptive!

I think Joon Young is paying more attention to Song Ah now, starting to be interested, and Song Ah is already there!

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