47

Run On: Episode 10

It’s never easy to face up to our true feelings about relationships and careers, but our protagonists learn how to muster up the courage to admit their innermost thoughts and fears. Emotions rise as they struggle to understand each other’s feelings, but learning to communicate is necessary if they want to move forward together.

 
EPISODE 10 RECAP

Dan-ah and Young-hwa continue their tense stand-off, with Dan-ah realizing that the painting Young-hwa’s just ruined was meant for her. Dan-ah asks who he is to expect anything from her, or be disappointed with her. He shoots back, “Who are you to treat me like a vending machine?”

She coldly informs him that can make or break him, and Young-hwa says his question was rhetorical–he’s teaching her he’s a human too. Dan-ah cuts him down angrily, nitpicking his use of banmal and to watch his manners. She adds as an afterthought that she couldn’t possibly expect a peasant like him to have manners anyway. Ouch.

Young-hwa asks if all this is part of being rich, trying to control people you need and throwing away who you can’t control. Dan-ah’s only angry because she hates to lose, and he asks if she finds it fun to live like this. She doesn’t give him a direct answer, but she does say that it would be fun to ruin him since she can’t have him. The disappointment and hurt is clear on Young-hwa’s face and he tells her she’s the worst. She tenses at his reaction and calmly tells him she hopes he learned not to expect more from a business transaction.

From the primal scream Dan-ah lets loose once she’s outside, it’s pretty clear her composure with Young-hwa was an act. She calls up Mr. Jung and tells him to find her a new artist and emphasizes that she wants a purchase contract with a clear completion deadline.

Alone at home, Mi-joo prepares juice, then opts for a real meal, keeping in mind what Sun-kyum said to her about eating properly. Young-hwa trundles home, carrying his ruined painting and looking downcast. When it rains, it pours; before he can go inside, his landlady stops him to ask why the rent is late.

Still in a foul mood after her fight with Young-hwa, Dan-ah hangrily searches for her jellybean stash. She spots Young-hwa’s rent money, still neatly in its envelope and Young-hwa agonizes over which he should choose: rent money or pride. Another member of the Seo family has Young-hwa on the brain, and Tae-woong fumes when he sees Young-hwa’s uploaded a photo of Dan-ah on his social media.

Sun-kyum drops off Woo-shik after a day of working together and Woo-shik asks for advice on the legal aspects of ending his running contract since he’ll be meeting the head coach soon. There’s still a lot of time left before Woo-shik’s contract is done though, and Sun-kyum says thoughtfully, “We only have to make a decision when we’re at the starting line.”

He means to discourage Woo-shik from quitting, but Woo-shik just smiles and says that’s why he didn’t bring this up sooner. He gives Sun-kyum two thumbs up; and marvels that Sun-kyum is bolder than people give him credit for.

After Woo-shik heads off, Sun-kyum schedules an appointment with Dan-ah via Mr. Jung. Before he can drive home, he gets an invite to meet up from Young-hwa. 

Young-hwa is one gloomy Gus, and he confides to Sun-kyum that he’s depressed. He’s living in this great apartment but he’ll have to move out since he’s late on rent and has no way to come up with the money quickly. He gives Sun-kyum a Look and without missing a beat, Sun-kyum asks if he’s asking for money.

Young-hwa pleads for help, promising to serve him like a king. If Sun-kyum is willing to lend him the rent money now, he can move in and Young-hwa will take care of all the other expenses. Without any hesitation, Sun-kyum asks for Young-hwa’s bank account info. That earns him an ecstatic “Hyung!” and Young-hwa goes in for a hug but is quickly denied.

Grateful but slightly put out that Sun-kyum didn’t want to be roomies, Young-hwa has something else he wants to get off his mind. Young-hwa asks if Dan-ah had ever walked over Sun-kyum. Sun-kyum says he’s never felt like Dan-ah abused her power, and Young-hwa glumly wonders why he felt that way.

Mae-yi gets home to a dispirited Mi-joo lying on the sofa, and tries to cheer her up by getting her out of the house to buy groceries and cook together. As they cook, Mi-joo confides that she feels like a loser. She’s been afraid to confess to Sun-kyum and afraid of rejection and losing him, but she had also been waiting for him to confess first. Mae-yi advises her to confess instead of ranting to her, using the honey he left behind as an excuse.

They imagine a few scenarios, including the famous scene from A Moment to Remember where Jung Woo-sung tells Sohn Ye-jin they’re dating if she drinks the shot he poured her… except when Mi-joo tries out that line, it ends with Sun-kyum emptying his glass mid-air.

Mi-joo worries that Sun-kyum might not even want to meet her, and Mae-yi firmly tells her to just do it. This results in Mi-joo calling him, demanding to meet to return his honey, and hanging up before he can say a word.

On the other side of the phone, Sun-kyum’s puzzled since Mi-joo hadn’t mentioned a time to meet. Young-hwa tells him that they’re close enough to call her to ask, so Sun-kyum does just that. But Mi-joo freaks out at the incoming call, and can’t bring herself to answer it, instead sending him a text response.

Young-hwa says he didn’t expect Mi-joo to be such a wuss, and says he had to muster up his courage to side with Sun-kyum on this, since he likes Mi-joo. His comment reminds Sun-kyum of what Mi-joo had said about her always having to be the brave one, and he wonders if he’d made her do it again. Young-hwa sighs and offers his own courage to Sun-kyum, since he won’t be needing it for a while.

When Young-hwa asks if the two are having any problems, Sun-kyum admits he’s the problem, because he’s boring and doesn’t know how to share or give to others. Young-hwa counters that Sun-kyum is interesting, but Sun-kyum is distracted by Young-hwa’s ruined art. The two stare and analyze it. When Sun-kymu decalres that it’s art, Young-hwa says it must be true, since art becomes art only when people think it is. As an aside, Young-hwa suggests Sun-kyum can speak casually to him, and Sun-kyum says that he already is… in jondemal. Young-hwa sighs and says he now knows what Sun-kyum had meant about not being able to share his thoughts.

The next day, Sun-kyum goes to meet Dan-ah at her office, and bumps into Ms. Dong. Sun-kyum asks if she had meant what she said about his gift of motivating others, and Ms. Dong says that even Sun-kyum’s focus on his career the last two years was enough to motivate her. She advises him to make good use of his talent now that he knows about it.

Assemblyman Ki waits for Chairman Seo at a comic bookstore, grumping about the chairman’s taste (the chairman loves comics). He’s there for a “casual” get-together, i.e. trying to push for the arranged marriage between their children. But Chairman Seo doesn’t want to commit, making digs at Sun-kyum’s unemployment, since Dan-ah is always busy and working too much. Assemblyman Ki tries to pacify him by saying that Sun-kyum is coaching a young team with potential and will bring them to Dan-ah’s charity run.

The fact that these two are having this conversation cozied up in a comic book store, resting on pillows and ordering ramyun, makes them seem almost boyish, and certainly less authoritarian.

Back in Dan-ah’s office, Sun-kyum thanks her sincerely for what she did to support him while he was sorting out his feelings over retirement. But he’s also there to talk about Woo-shik, and asks Dan-ah for her opinion. As a whistleblower, it would be hard for him to both stay on his old team, or find a new team to transfer to. Sun-kyum hints that her agency might be able to help Woo-shik, but Dan-ah says he has nothing to offer, unlike Sun-kyum with his background, looks, and second-place medal.

Sun-kyum, however, believes in Woo-shik’s potential, and cleverly spins it how Dan-ah likes it, saying she could be portrayed as a kind philanthropist who helped a hopeless athlete get a second chance. She’s not unreceptive to the idea, but cautions Sun-kyum that it won’t be easy. On his way out, Sun-kyum spots his discarded photograph, but says he’s not upset by it.

Assemblyman Ki calls his wife, asking her to attend the charity run with him since Sun-kyum will be bringing the team he’s coaching, but she chides him for giving their son a hard time again. She’s not willing to go for her husband’s sake, and uses her shooting schedule as an excuse to hang up.

Sun-kyum and Mi-joo both watch a movie separately, him in the library, and her in a theater. They meet the next day in the park for the Very Important honey jar return, and Sun-kyum tells Mi-joo that he finally watched Jerry Maguire. Mi-joo asks if he enjoyed it, and he quickly says no. But he related to it. The male lead in the movie had not been able to withstand his failures and ended up hurting the person who stayed by his side. Sun-kyum confesses that he, too, had been scared that things would end between them if they got closer.

Mi-joo seems a bit surprised at this sudden heart-baring, but Sun-kyum has more to say: Mi-joo’s affection for him gives him meaning and value, but he wasn’t sure if his feelings were reciprocated, so he hesitated. Does she also want to hold hands, hug, and even kiss, like he does? When he ends off by asking her not to hate him, Mi-joo answers him with a kiss.

She tells him that that was her answer, and Sun-kyum asks: “Then can I keep doing it?” Mi-joo questions if he means liking her just to do her a favor. He assures her he means liking her sincerely, and says that he won’t stop liking her even if she says no.

Mi-joo grants him the permission, and he’s so relieved that it’s impossible not to melt at this moment (and the entire scene). Then it’s Mi-joo’s turn to be honest, and she says she was worried she really offended him the other day. She adds that she doesn’t want to just be a one-month girlfriend like the rest of the girls who chased him, and that needs his help on that (since he “helps people for no reason” lol). He agrees to do his best.

They eat lunch together, and as they walk back after eating, Sun-kyum tries to take her hand, but that damn honey jar thwarts him. They start talking about Woo-shik, which leads to a meaningful conversation about their professions. They both viewed the people in each other’s professions as passionate and happy in their field of work, but now realize that it’s much more complicated than that, and they each have their challenges and misperceptions.

Sun-kyum asks Mi-joo where she’s heading, as he wants to walk her there, but Mi-joo insists on doing the same for him instead. He ends up stopping at Young-hwa’s place, saying that he now lives with Young-hwa, and Mi-joo is happy that he’s back living in her neighborhood. She bashfully admits that it’s because they can be closer if he lives nearby, which prompts Sun-kyum to wonder to himself if he should really do that.

Mi-joo asks him to let her know when he’s going to bed, and leaves after promising to be good to him, and telling him how much fun she has with him (aww!). When she’s walking away, Mi-joo repeats that she’ll be good to him, and that she’ll spoil him. Then, she asks if they should use banmal, and Sun-kyum quickly refuses (of course), and Mi-joo laughs saying it’s true — they argue enough already as it is.

Sun-kyum heads upstairs to find Young-hwa trying to sweep his angst away, complaining to himself about love, romance, and all the homework that’s due. Young-hwa is surprised to see him and asks what he’s doing, but Sun-kyum is too busy tutting to himself like a mother hen, worrying over Mi-joo walking home alone.

Young-hwa asks why he’s being so chatty, and suddenly we realize that Sun-kyum only pretended to be staying with Young-hwa, as it was a more convenient place for Mi-joo to walk him to. Sun-kyum suddenly brings up the offer to live with Young-hwa for a month, and while Young-hwa is understandably confused by the lack of context (and the fact that Sun-kyum gave him the rent money without wanting to move in), he goes along with it anyway.

Back home, Mi-joo unloads her bag at the door and thinks of when Sun-kyum asked the point of carrying a fake gun around. She puts her lighter gun in the cabinet, saying that she has found the real deal now and doesn’t need it anymore.

In her office, Dan-ah beams at her new photograph of Eun-bi, but realizes that she’s not actually that excited after all. She can’t understand why, and tries to psych herself to be hyped up to meet Eun-bi. When Eun-bi arrives, she sees Sun-kyum’s discarded photo and gets angry on his behalf. Dan-ah asks if all biological siblings behave that way, and Eun-bi takes it as sarcasm, although Dan-ah says she’s genuinely surprised by how different they are.

Eun-bi says that she and her brother are kind-hearted, but Dan-ah is just obnoxious. When Dan-ah talks business, Eun-bi brings up retirement, but Dan-ah looks horrified and says, “Our journey has only begun!” Eun-bi confirms she won’t retire yet, and will continue being Sun-kyum’s shield for a while longer, since he did the same for her.

That night, Dan-ah struggles to sleep as she thinks of her quarrel with Young-hwa, and talks to herself, trying to figure out why she’s upset, since she had a good day. She realizes that it was because she only faked being happy, and concludes it was “all because of you.”

Dan-ah calls Mr. Jung to take her somewhere, armed with a bottle of whiskey. She doesn’t want to go to her usual bar, though, as books can’t talk and won’t help her sleep. When we see her next she’s standing in front of Mi-joo’s house, staring down the chicken deliveryman outside. Dan-ah asks if he made an appointment with Mi-joo, but he answers that he’s just here to deliver chicken, hah.

Mi-joo opens the door to grab the delivery, but shuts it just as fast when she sees Dan-ah standing there. Dan-ah all but forces her way into the house, though, and Mi-joo begrudgingly lets her in. Mi-joo asks why she’s here, and if she doesn’t have any friends, and simultaneously Dan-ah asks why Mi-joo was going to drink alone. Good news, she says.

Dan-ah has her expensive whiskey from a giant juice glass, and Mi-joo has her soju shots. While drinking, Dan-ah admits that someone had called out her lack of empathy, even though she finds it more convenient that way. She wonders why she has to empathize, and Mi-joo explains that you do it because you are concerned and care about someone, and Dan-ah must have a screw loose if she doesn’t understand. Dan-ah says she’s been called a sociopath many times, but this is the first time it’s bothered her.

Later that night, they’re sitting in front of the couch, and Dan-ah’s whiskey bottle is completely empty. Mi-joo offers her her first taste of soju. She’s still asking Dan-ah why she’s there, and Dan-ah finally answers. She says she thought Mi-joo would understand Young-hwa’s actions as a fellow peasant. Mi-joo tells her to get out, but of course Dan-ah ignores this.

Dan-ah explains the situation with Young-hwa and the ruined painting, and asks how to return Young-hwa’s money in a way that will enrage him. But she refuses to call it revenge, as that will mean admitting she cares, and Mi-joo says that Dan-ah obviously does. She’s distracted, however, by Sun-kyum’s sweet goodnight message, and Dan-ah sadly muses to herself that she had really liked Young-hwa. It’s not every day that she opens up to others, but when she likes someone, she likes them forever. Mi-joo again tells her to go home, but Dan-ah ends up falling asleep at the table.

Mi-joo drags Dan-ah to her room for the night, but the next morning, she’s back home by the time Mi-joo wakes up to check on her. Her father voices his concern over her health, and Dan-ah asks him not to treat her like a patient as she hasn’t been sick in ages.

Still hungover, Dan-ah can’t concentrate at work (blaming the soju), and Mr. Jung brings her honey water. She chides him for being slow in finding a replacement artist, and Mr. Jung tells her that it seems like her purpose has changed. She originally wanted Young-hwa’s painting because Myung-min replaced hers, but it now seems like she’s looking for a painting because of Young-hwa. As this realization dawns on Dan-ah, she asks Mr. Jung to return the honey + money and tell Young-hwa not to bother her again.

Mr. Jung meets Young-hwa outside his apartment and relays the message. Young-hwa’s not happy with Dan-ah’s methods of doing everything through a messenger, and bitterly deletes her number in front of Mr. Jung by request.

Back in Dan-ah’s office, Ji-woo waits to see Dan-ah, wanting to show some support for her daughter by visiting her agency. She doesn’t have the time to wait longer, however, and Ms. Dong passes her Sun-kyum’s discarded photograph before she leaves. Ms. Dong notes that Ji-woo has been spending more time with her son, and Ji-woo agrees that she has been thinking about acting more like a mother once in a while.

Woo-shik meets the head coach, who only offers him two options: to terminate the contract (without a penalty fee), or transfer to another team. He suggests Woo-shik trains alone, but the reality is that Woo-shik (and every other athlete) needs the money and can’t run just out of passion. The head coach scoffs that Woo-shik should have kept quiet about the incident then, and puts the blame on him for not thinking of others, since he will be reminded of his mistake whenever he sees Woo-shik now. He tries to convince Woo-shik to start afresh, but anyone can tell it’s for the Coach’s own sake.

After the meeting, Woo-shik asks his grandmother about his possible career options, and his grandmother sweetly supports all his decisions. He sends a text to Sun-kyum to inform him of his contract termination.

On his way home, Woo-shik sees Sun-kyum waiting for him, and the second he recognizes him, he bolts. Sun-kyum chases him, but Woo-shik’s leg soon gives out in pain. He yelps for Sun-kyum to stay away as he doesn’t want to waver from his decision.

Sun-kyum asks him how it feels to run again, and Woo-shik says that it’s too difficult. He doesn’t think he can do it. Tearing up, he tells Sun-kyum that he’s not just physically injured — he’s hurting inside too. He’s dedicated ten years of his life to running, and what is his performance will never be the same again?

Sun-kyum is moved, but asks Woo-shik why he’s voicing all of his worries here. Instead, Sun-kyum tells him to bring them to the track. He should try again, knowing that he can always give up then, if it’s too hard. He then promises to be the person that will help Woo-shik, if Woo-shik is willing to trust him. “But for today,” says Sun-kyum, holding out a hand, “let’s get you back on your feet first.”

 
COMMENTS
Seeing Woo-shik collapse in pain made me want to cry as well. He’s been through so much and it’s not surprising that he’s feeling the mental burden as well as the physical burden of his injuries. It’s likely that the people around him would have focused more on him healing from the physical injuries, because those are more visible and tangible, but Woo-shik’s been through a fair bit of mental trauma. He’s had to endure years of bullying, and made a difficult decision to stand up for himself despite knowing the consequences. On top of that, injuries are tricky and Woo-shik’s probably afraid that his and Sun-kyum’s efforts could go to waste–he might never be able to run as fast again. I can only imagine the amount of mental stress this fear is inflicting on him.

It’s nice to see Sun-kyum taking charge of his life and making moves to do something that he wants to do (coach, manage, date). When he was speaking to Woo-shik at the end of the episode, you could see the determination in his eyes when he told Woo-shik that he’ll help him. I’m glad that Sun-kyum’s choosing to stick by him, and I hope he will be able to put his gift of motivating people to good use.

As for Dan-ah, when she’s in her defensive mode, she tends to lash out at the people around her, and it can definitely come off as heartless and cold. It’s obviously a defense mechanism for someone who’s always had to fight for her way in life and protect what’s hers. As Dan-ah says, it’s easier for others to see her as a sociopath than for her to admit that she cares, because caring would be a sign of weakness. Showing that you care about something gives it the potential to hurt you, and Dan-ah can’t afford that, what with her struggles to prove her worth to her father and as a businesswoman. Having a cold facade is also much easier than baring her soul and communicating how she actually feels. I think it’ll take time for Dan-ah to open up further to Young-hwa, and accept any form of emotional support from him, but fingers crossed that the two make up soon.

I cheered when Mi-joo and Sun-kyum finally sat down and had The Talk. The tension and feelings between them have been stewing for a while, and I can understand Mi-joo’s frustration over always having to be the brave one. She was in a position where she was unable and too afraid to push Sun-kyum for anything more since they weren’t officially dating. Someone has to take the first step over the line where friendship ends and romantic feelings begin, and neither had been willing to give it a try until now. I’m looking forward to see how the two’s relationship grows now.

I really do like the increased interactions between all the characters, and how they give each other advice and different point of views on the conflicts each of them is facing. Mi-joo’s lucky to have Mae-yi as a sounding board and an older, wiser friend who doles out practical advice, but the others don’t really have anybody around them to play that role. I think Mi-joo and Young-hwa can give Dan-ah and Sun-kyum more insights on what it means to build relationships and to empathize with others.

And on the other side, I’m hoping that Dan-ah and Sun-kyum bring some good changes to Mi-joo and Young-hwa’s lives too. It could be as simple as a lifestyle change for Mi-joo (eating proper meals, sleeping at night), or a slice of reality for Young-hwa, who’s younger and less experienced. After all, relationships and friendships are all about learning about each other’s opinions, communicating about our feelings, and growing together to become better versions of ourselves.

RELATED POSTS

Tags: , , , ,

47

Required fields are marked *

Thank you for the recap, lezah!

Insightful comments have been beyond my capabilities these days so I'll just be a broken record.
Yumbb, I love you and you should be in more vnmecks. Show, please deliver T__T.

7
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

:Kyaa:

3
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

:nervous: :love: :lanlan:

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Beaaaa, you’re watching! The Show has been delivering but of course, we still have few weeks left so we can’t be too sure.

2
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Neeneeerrrr~~~ Yes, I am!
A couple of us having been group watching so this is our current show!
We need more of Yumbb in vnecks! There is never enough, hehe. Show, are you listening?

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ooohh that’s cool!! Yes, we do! Give it Show!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Dan-ah + Young-hwa story started late but, boy, they sure heat up quickly; am totally enjoying the combustible chemistry they have with each other! He's been smitten from the beginning and am glad to see how far he's gotten under her skin, it's endearing how she liken him to soccer. Love it much that she chose to unburden herself to Mi-joo, yay for freenemies! And yay for new roommates!

Wishing so bad to hit the coach with a pitchfork or other sharp objects, how dare he made it as if it's Woo-shik fault for bing bullied? Somebody should ban him from being a coach, he'll ruin future athletes! Show also tried to give some cute vibes for both fathers but uh, sorry, show, am not buying it.

Another yay for our OTP finally becoming official! The confession was delivered in true Sun-kyum's style, no fanfare and matter-of-fact, but melting as ever, and Mi-joo's straightforward answer was a perfect response. Also, finding it super cute that Mae-yi and Mi-joo stick to the "Yangban" nickname they gave him ><

10
10
reply

Required fields are marked *

I rolled my eyes during the fathers scene as well, sorry show, won’t buy it either, keep it short. Just can’t with the fathers in this drama 🙄🙄

3
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't know if it's just me, but Dan Ah's dad reminds me a lot of Jiang Fengmian from The Untamed: Good intentions, terrible execution.
Like, there was one scene (I don't remember which episode) where he seemed to imply that he was getting Myung Min more involved in the business so that Dan Ah could take better care of her health.
Sung Kyum's dad is just a straight-up a*****, no question.

2
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Now that you write it, I see that too!!!!
I loved the scene in the comic book store and watching the two of them reading comic books.
Dan Ah's dad seems to be a good man so I'm hoping it really is the case.

Do we know yet what Dan Ah's health issue is?
Both she and her brother seem to have some serious health problems and maybe that's why the dad is nice and caring. or at least that is what I want to believe for now

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Danah's dad has three kids and neither of them has any genuine affection for him. He is similar to Seongyum's dad treating them as objects to use for his own benefit. He is just not as in you face about it as KSG's dad.

2

Am all for redemption arc and happy ending, but seems like a long road still because both of them delusionally believe they didn't do anything wrong to their children, yargh!

Looks like they have some kind of hereditary heart weakness but don't seem to be terminal if well taken care of. Guess it skips Myung-min, tho? Darn!

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I still think Dan-ah’s dad is a trash for thinking that a woman can’t handle a business. Clearly, bro seems like a puppet type or Se-ri’s brother (CLOY).

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I also hated the coach.
I hate it every single time a victim is blamed for being the one in pain, whether it's in a drama or in real life.
You never choose to be a victim, you suffer because someone thought he/she had the right to treat you poorly.
And this coach is trash. I do hope he gets fired one day.

7
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

He's also the one who sexually harassed Coach Bang back in the day and got rightfully punched for it. He needs to be excised like a boil, honestly.

5
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ooh, excised is a wonderfully appropriate word.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

This was really a perfect episode! Loved the confession scene, no ott setup or grandiose just sincere conversation between two individuals who care for each other. Even the kiss, a little peck if we are being honest was in-tune with their characters.

There was so much tension in scenes between Danah and Yeonghwa. In the early episodes I wasn't that invested in them , they were alright but these last two episodes were amazing. I love Wooshik and I hope Seongyum helps him successfully get back to running and finds a new path for himself as well.

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

That confession has got to be ONE OF THE BEST in Kdramaland. The delivery, the words, the setting, the confirmation from Mi-joo, everything (yes, even the wide-eye (?) kiss, blame ISW’s eyes so pretty), including the awkwardness after, just perfect 👌

I’m glad that SK is there for Woo-shik and that Mijoo and even Yeong-il is there for him. Now I’m kinda imagining what it would look like if Yeong-hwa, Tae-woong, Woo-shik, Yeong-il & Seon-gyeom are in one place 😂😂😂 the chaos.

11
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Omg, yes for all the boys hanging out together, that'll be something to watch! Maybe it'll be something like Tae-woong being impolite to Sun-kyum and provoking Woo-shik to speak up, while Young-il watched them disdainfully ><

5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Agree - confession was brilliant, not least because he spoke directly into her mind. All the things she been fretting over and all the things she wanted to say to him he ended up saying to her first. Everything she wanted, he confirmed. So life-giving!

7
reply

Required fields are marked *

Your last line 😂 I am waiting for all our four leads to be in one scene. I can't even imagine the chaos that will ensue.

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I’m all for the chaos! I’m just happy imagining it! A clear testament to the writer’s skills.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am absolutely loving the new found friendship between Mi-joo and Dan-ah. They are both badass women with individual quirky personality which is very refreshing to see to be honest. Also it is very much fun to see how much Young-ha has affected Dan-ah which makes the ever perfect princess lose her sleep! I just cannot wait to see how they finally date. It will be hilarious and sexy (hopefully). This role is a new one and adorable for Kang Tae-oh, compared to his chilling portrayal in Tale of Nokdu.

6
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I loved this episode so much. I rewatched the confession scene so many times. I declare it the best confession in dramaland. Period. I was so touched, and thrilled, and it felt so honest and real. I even didn't care there was not a proper kiss, or that they didn't hold hands, and that's because it's so true to their characters.

I loved, loved, loved KTO acting in that first scene (well, he's being extraordinary all over the drama) but YoungHwa's reaction was so powerful that he even shacked DanAh's foundations. I have to admit it's a long time since I don't see a second couple as powerful as the main one.

In this episode we saw so much character's growth: MiJoo taking the first step, SeonGyeom admitting his feelings, YoungHwa having a glimpse of the real business world and facing real adult life, DanAh realizing people can't be just business and relations are complicated, WooShik admitting he's scared of what the future would bring and learning deciding to trust SG and not run away.

Random things I also loved:
- Girls bonding even with a reluctant MiJoo. Their dialogue was really funny. I didn't love, though, the fact that DanAh had drank all by herself a bottle of whiskey, and the fact that probably that was not the first time she did it.
- EunBi defending his little brother and making it clear to DanAh.
- Assemblyman Ki and Chairman Seo bonding over comics. While they were reading, they were thinking about their son and daughter, and in a very twisted way I could feel they loved their children, and they truly believe they've always done the best for them, which was also so heartbreaking considering how much that twisted love has partially ruined SG and DA's life.
- WooShik halmoni being the sweetest grannie who's proud of whatever her beloved grandson chooses to be.
- Secretary Jeung sighing and confessing how hard it is to earn money.

9
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I can't believe how good that confession was. I rewound it about 50x, and it never lost it's luster. Everything - the words, timing, facial expressions, delivery - everything was just perfectly done.

I thought the same thing about Dan-ah and the whiskey - this clearly isn't her first time, and that is so sad (and worrisome).

6
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Hopefully, the whiskey is occasional and she binges more on jelly bean ^^

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

- That was indeed one of the best drama confession that I've seen (though I've been watching kdramas only for a year).
-KTO acting was on point during the confrontation with SDA. I agree with you about secondary couple being as interesting as the main one. Usually, they have a simple side story that often feel filler-ish.

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Mi-joo offers her her first taste of soju.

First? Really? A bit hard to believe of any kdramaland-dweller regardless of status or taste.

2
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

🤣 it's not a high class drink. Anyway it taste like highly diluted lightly sweetened malt whisky so I understand she can like it. It's like I always refuse to open good wine bottles to people who are drunk already, because it would be so much waste. So a famous cubby ( wine sold in 3 or 5 liter bags wrapped in cartoon) is more than enough.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's surprising that they show us how possibly could be those bullying scandals in Korean national team swept under the rug and unless is someone's important child things go unnoticed even when the suicidal rate is high. I don't know if the writer got inspired by the national team bowling incident or many others but I'm glad they do it. Although societies are silenced with money most of the time and people tend to forgotten when athletes are not enough successful. It would be nice if government will try to change it but unfortunately there is a long path to follow.

3
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

The confession was amazing. If anything can be perfect, or come close to it, this was it. I think because it, and the subsequent scenes, were so real. I loved the happy awkwardness between the two afterwards.

I like Dan-ah more and more as the show progresses. This is not to say that I approve of or like everything she does or says, but I like that her character is complex. It occurred to me finally that she may feel really lonely. Who has she really been able to depend on up until now? Who is in her corner? She must the interconnectivity of being in a chaebol family with holding her father and "oppa" at arms-length; she must guard what she builds and creates zealously, and yet may nonetheless find it plucked from her hands and redistributed for the "good of the family." She probably misses her mother. She has no friends (and struggles to make them clearly, but I'm so hoping somehow she'll make one in Mi-joo). She grew up with lots of money and privilege, and that's not nothing. And plenty of people grow up in dysfunctional families are are still kind, empathetic people (Mi-joo also grew up essentially alone, and she's a great example of this). But of all of our leads, in this episode I somehow felt the saddest for Dan-ah and the fact that she's grown up really without any real love in her life.

8
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

I like your comparison between MiJoo and DanAh. They both grew up alone and with little love and in a very aggressive environment where they had to fight for everything they got and were scared someone took it away from them. That is the main similarity. But MiJoo had to be nice to others because she didn't have anything of her own (not even a family) and DanAh had the privilege who made her learn to be arrogant, something MiJoo never could afford (and with this I'm not saying DanAh never felt lonely because it's so obvious she did!).
Mijoo was lucky enough to find May, and so her life changed and become better, because she found a place to call home.
Now I wonder if MiJoo can be DanAh's May, and be the opportunity to learn she can have a real friend.

8
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh, that's an excellent point! So true - Dan-ah could always get away with being arrogant and rude to people because of her status, whereas Mi-joo, in order to survive, could never afford that luxury. That is so sad.

I also really hope that Mi-joo can help Dan-ah like may did her (if she wants to). Whether or not she's conscious of it, Dan-ah certainly seems to think she can.

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Aw, what an apt comparison of Dan-ah and Mi-joo.
To add, I think Mi-joo is so amazing for not having the privilege of status or money but managing to grow up to be quite comfortable in her own skin. She's honest in all that she lacks; like, if she has to accept those pesky white envelopes, that's who she is and she made no apology for it. Maybe it's due to having Mae-yi around...
As for Dan-ah, she was so harsh about telling Young-hwa to not expect and not getting disappointed, is it because somewhere inside she feels like she is a disappointment, because of not being able to play soccer, not being chosen as the group successor..? Her life has luxury but also a super high expectation of how she should perform.

1
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I like your comparison. Mi-joo accepts where she's "lacking," but Dan-ah can't bring herself to. Mi-joo is still able to let SG precisely because she is comfortable with who she is and letting people see her, whereas maybe Dan-ah is afraid that if she lets YH really see her, it will be like revealing the man behind the curtain and his disappointment that she isn't really the wizard will just compound her general feeling of "never good enough?"

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

*nodding head vigorously* You said it so much better!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Both fathers in this show are cut from the same cloth. Both believe their children /family are their property and can be used for their own purpose. In their world they are the most important people and everyone else is just an accessory.
They might love their children but not enough to put their interest first.

7
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

As SeonGyeom said: Unwanted love is the same as violence.
These two men have been risen in the idea that their family and their children belong to them and can be used to their means and that their children should be happy to do so. We've seen this behaviour so many times in dramaland, and I guess it's just mirrowing what SK partially thinks (at least the most traditional part of it), as it's related to the "serve the family and the older ones" principle. Yes, it's totally twisted and I feel they are trash, but not only in SK but in the rest of the world so many parents think their children belong to them to fulfill their own dreams.

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I said it everyone said it many many times but does'nt change the fact that it was the best confession. No fuss starightforward honest perfect but sensitive. And another thing I really love is that many times we think that the ML is so perfect. But sun kyum and even mijoo both are not perfect and have many flaws just like real persons. They are great people but have imperfections and flaws that can be accepted and also are worth devoting time and effort to make the relationship work. And that's what they decided to do. They committed to make the relationship work.
Mijoo and dan ah are hilarious together in this episode. And I love the fake smiles and happiness of dan ah. Very cute. Poor wooshik so glad that he is atleast having SK by his side. Can't imagine the things he had to go through to while only having his sweet grandmother by his side whom he had to protect.

6
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

They are perfect because they are real, and that's why so many of us can relate to both of them.

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am glad that Mi-joo and Sun-kyum finally had a heart to heart. I know his "lack of enthusiasm" was frustrating for Mi-joo, but to be honest she frustrated me a bit more. His behavior was more consistent, yet she told him he was always putting up walls while her behavior remained hot and cold. I can see why Sun-kyum struggled to express his feelings since he was used to be people leaving believing himself to be boring (since that is what everyone told him). His confession was adorably cute and perfect for him.
Dan-ah is getting her comeuppance and I am enjoying her denial-of-feelings and will enjoy even more her light bulb moment. Young-hwa's pained expression during their fight was so sad, I wanted to give him a hug.
Now that Mi-joo and Sun-kyum are together, I hope we get to see more cute, awkward and adorable moments.

3
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I love how both Young-hwa and Mi-joo think the idea of Seon-kyum as boring is strange - they both find him funny!

Mi-joo's imaginary scenarios of how Seon-kyum would reject her were hilarious. The best one was of Seon-kyum as this internet troll. I love how post-confession she was like I'll take are of you.

The confession was so fitting for this specific couple. I hung on every word. I loved how Seon-kyum decided to go for it. Seon-kyum had been letting things happen to him, and it's great to see him become more active since meeting Mi-joo.

The Dan-ah and Young-hwa couple is smokin'. Soo-young did a great job letting that arrogant exterior slip just for a barest bit in the confrontation.

Actor who plays Woo-shik did a fantastic job with the scene with the coach. I hope for the day when Woo-shik can run competitively again and be scouted by all the coaches.

4
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

What really moved me most in this episode was the ending scene. I could relate so much to pursuing your dream and having to be at a crossroads at such a low point in your life, and that feeling of brokenness and helplessness. It was such a simple gesture, but loved how SK extended his hand and suggested what WS can do for today is to first get back on his feet. Didn't SK reference the quote that MJ shared from like episode 2? (“Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.”) Such a moving and well portrayed scene!! <3

4
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Aw, would totally love it he was referencing that quote! Means her words are that important to him *melts*

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Omo, this episode was just lovely! The heat in that painting studio though! I think Dan-ah kind of likes someone who will stand up to her. It’s kinda hot. Seriously, on another show in another country, there would have been some serious making out there. 😂 And the confession! Even sweeter was his reaction after she accepted it. Im Siwan is too adorable. Still enjoying this one and hope the mid episodes don’t have too much angst because that’s what comes next!

2
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This is the first time since High Society that I've found the second lead couple at least as interesting as the main one--fortunately in this case the OTP can rise to the call and give them some competition. I loved watching Danah fret over her obsession with Young-hwa, serves her right. She has some learnin' to do.
And of course, The Confession--so glad it came from SK, after all the practicing from MJ. It's early days, and I'm sure they have some rough spots looming (the dreaded episode 13 is still on the horizon), but they are the sweetest ever!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

The confession scene was one of the best I’ve seen in a kdrama! I love them so much. Can someone explain why SK didn’t want to switch to banmal with Mi-Joo? Is it because they’re newly dating?

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *