The aftermath of the duel in ep 7 reminded me of the recent Olympics Ladies figure skating event, when the Silver medallist threw the mother of all tantrums over her medal and the Gold medallist was just standing there looking like she was slowly dying inside.

Show is making me feel for Yurim. I understand her situation and where she’s coming from. But sometimes, I want her to see Heedo for who she is and not as a punching bag for what’s going with her. Nonetheless, the media, national bearded coach and the federation are to blame. They should’ve guided these two athletes but instead they focused on their own agendas. Tsk tsk tsk

Anyways, our OTP! I think that scene in the basement with that arm thing exercise when Hee-do got embarrassed with her expression as Yi-jin looked at her was a shout-out to WFKBJ Iirc, Joon-hyung said he did not mind that expression or an athlete should not ashamed of that or something like that. Or maybe it’s just me connecting the two NJH roles. 😅

Based on the premise, we are now finished with 19-23 and will be entering 20-24, when they both got hurt. Angst territory, must prepare tissues.

Thanks for the recap!!
It was really fresh (and gutting) how they turned Hee-Do’s fairytale achievement into a heartbreaking moment. I’ve not liked Yu-Rim’s bad attitude the whole way through the series, so she’d better do some reverse grovelling now she knows who’s been supporting her all this time!!
I still wish they hadn’t included the present day timeline as it makes the story less of a youthful discovery and more a sad look at the past…
Love Yi-Jin and Hee-Do and hope that she keeps her young wise mindset instead of trying to grow up too fast. CAN’T WAIT TIL SATURDAY!!!

I love Hee Do but i can understand Yu Rim too. But the latter needs to grow and now knowing who she was talking to all along, maybe she'll realize how Hee Do sees her and what she does in return. I can't understand Hee Do's mom though. The girl already has it tough, if she can't be biased on the news atleast she can show some affection to her in person. Hee do really has no place to belong to other than her coach and BYJ. Coming to that, I'm not happy with BYJ being the mistaken Injeolmi. They should've kept that Yurim. Plus one person knowing and the other doesn't disturbs the equilibrium of their relationship. Let's see what they'll do with that. Overall this show has my heart, all of it. But i really want Hee do to graduate high school and leave that uniform. Now that she's starting to see BYJ in a new light the uniform creeps me out because she's still a minor (korean 19 is 17 or 18 elsewhere). As the synopsis goes, there will be no romance till she's 21 at least, which seems more acceptable lol even if the age difference remains the same.

My interest waned this week. Episode 7 was good as usual. I felt for Hee-do, wanted to knock some sense into Yurim and that scene with Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk standing in the middle of nowhere with Heedo trying to prove her win was valid is special. Heedo's dad's smile was a bit creepy though (over sweet parenty stuff).
And I don't remember what happened in Episode 8 at all. There was some singing in the pool area and breaking in the school but it didn't hit me like the previous episodes. Oh Oh I liked Hee do noticing Yi Jin being a grown up and feeling the age gap. I was quite okay with them not having any romance between these two from the beginning but I liked that they showed quiet observation and awareness/ acknowledgement of the age gap from the younger party of the lead pair.

The story reached its limit with their age. I didn't think the story in highschool would last so long. I think episode 8 was the weakest for that.

For Yoo-Rim, the first time she met Hee-Do, the coach said explicitly that Hee-Do gave her expensive baskets, with her reputation to have accepted bribes from parents when she was coach in the national team and the fact Yoo-Rim lost her sponsor because of IMF crise, she put Hee-Do in the category of the rich brats. Sometimes, teenagers need a ennemy to focus all the bad things happening in their life, Yoo-Rim doesn't want to see Hee-Do's hard work. Teenagers are stubborn :p

For the competition, both of them let their emotions dictated their behavior.

I was so sad they didn't meet as pen friends. I was expecting this moment!

Yu Rim is a conflicting character. You see the pressure that grown ASS adults put on her, as well as, the pedestal that her loyal fans put on her as well. The middle man. Get's treated like crap, so she treats others like crap. With the chip on her shoulder from dealing with loss left and right, I can understand why she is the way she is. However, I will NEVER, excuse the kind of behavior she has towards Hee Do.

Watching the last episode, another pet peeve that I had was the friends putting all the blame on Hee Do. That the cause of the awkwardness was due in large part to her. Or maybe it was the guy telling Hee Do that she should be the one to leave. That pissed me off. Bruh...

I have to have you.

Yessssss Hee Do! I love her take charge attitude, it honestly balances with Yi Jin's calm nature. Even when he is flustered, he still maintains calm and I think his flirtiness flusters Hee Do and I absolutely love him for it. I wonder how he will explain about the pen pal though. I don't need that to be a miscommunication issue. Those two have done so well without that kind of trope.

Episode 7 damn damn. I understand Yoo Rim, and I honestly do believe she didn't realize the consequences of her arguing with the ref. She feels inadequate to Hee Doo already, so it didn't occur to her that most people would bash Hee Doo. She was fighting for her right as an athlete. At the same Hee Doo deserved none of that and her mother is a piece of work. She couldn't even tell her daughter congrats on the medal. She was hurting and rightfully so. I cried when she cried. I too am disappointed in the Injeolmi switcheroo I hope they clear it up quickly. I also want them out of high school now too, it has gone on long enough.

Fencing is a sport I've never had any interest in, but this show has me so hyped up during the matches that I wouldn't mind watching some real competitions. It was so sad seeing Hee-do's moment overshadowed by controversy, mostly thanks to people jumping to conclusions about something they don't understand. I cried along with Hee-do when the grandpas knew exactly how things were and congratulated her.

Episode 8 had some good moments, but I feel it just kind of stalled out in this awkwardness so I really hope they clear up that misunderstanding fast. Then graduate.

Episode 7 was hard to watch for me because I can't imagine how hard it must have been for Hee-do to have her win vacated or doubted. This sort of behavior is not too far off from real life though.....everyone wants their favorite candidate to win, whether it is sports, or politics (no examples need to be provided here). The scene in the little restaurant where the old guys offered Hee-do a drink though was a nice touch!

I'm a little confused about where next week's episode is going because this whole potential romance angle between Hee-do and Yi-jin feels inappropriate. I did wonder if Yu-rim was about to not surface from a pool for a moment though.

One of the things I really like about this drama is the inclusion of tiny details which reveal lots. Ep7: the moment when Yi-jin tears up at Hee-do's victory was beautiful. It gave us such insight into the way he genuinely wants her to succeed and gets as much out of her success as she does; also how he is her support team despite everyone else failing spectacularly. With the assumption that they don't end up together (Min-chae's lack of knowledge as to who he is), I am puzzled as to how and why it's all going to end - especially as we're 8 eps in and they're not even together yet...

The slow burn is KILLING me!! Esp as the show so far seems to delight in making it clear that NHD and BYJ didn’t marry each other! *bawls*

still continue to love the tone of this show and can't wait for each episode!! honestly haven't felt like this about a drama in a long time. it's so hopeful and all the characters have a great deal of depth. of course heedo is the fave for me as well. similarly to what others have said so far, i hope we move into the 2521 territory sooner rather than later because as much as i love seeing any heedo/yijin moments, i'm getting a bit impatient about the ages. i'm pretty sure yijin already is starting to realize what's happening and i'm kind of curious to go into his headspace in regards to his feelings. also are we gonna get to the beach scene they have in the opening anytime soon? we're already halfway through and still waiting on things that were teased before the show started lol

Hee-Do's mum is very hard to like, and the scene where she's talking to Min-Chae about how Hee-Do ought to have understood she had to be impartial as a reporter was frustrating, to say the least.

I actually found it a bit of a stretch how the reporters just invented a bribery scenario on the spot and then everyone treated that as the most plausible scenario, and Hee-Do's mum helped to cement that narrative by referencing it on the news. The fencing coach, for one, would know how ludicrous that situation was and should have spoken out during the conference (even if he'd favoured Yu-Rim to win). I get that the goal here is to make our hearts ache for Hee-Do over the unfairness of the situation, but I didn't fully buy as a plausible series of events and therefore felt a bit manipulated by the show.

Along the same lines, I feel a bit gaslit by how mum/grandma is portrayed as so warm and likeable in 2022, and acts as if she wasn't in the wrong back then. Nothing we've seen so far gives her the right to do that. Even if she had to be a professional at work, how hard would it be to say "good job" at the very least? She puts her work role miles ahead of her role as a parent.

Like others have said, I'm getting impatient with Yu-Rim, but I still love love love this show. Hee-Do is one of my alltime favourite kdrama characters.

My heart ached for Hee-Do amidst the medal controversy. She worked so hard for it and until she met the kind grandpas at the restaurant, no one had told her, “You done good.” I liked the father storylines in Ep 7. Hee-Do’s memories of her dad and how she wished he was alive to share it with him. She probably felt like if her dad was still alive he at least would have her back. The look on her face when she saw Yoo-Rim’s father pick her up was tough. There was no one waiting for Hee-Do. But I also like the fact that although Yoo-Rim’s father was there for her, he didn’t coddle his daughter. He imparted fatherly wisdom and tried to guide his daughter. Speaking of Yoo-Rim, she really came off as a Prima Donna. I wanted to tell her to get over herself. Quick.
I’m glad this show balances the heart wrenching with comedy. The last scene of Ep 7 when Hee-Do is listening to Yi-Jin’s love confession on tape was hilarious. Especially with the look on Hee-Do’s face accompanied by the menacing music.

My only gripe with the show is the parents!! Adult hee do and her dad cannot for the love of god act, at all!!! I mean, guys how are you this bad?! Also seems like they never understood the characters or envied themselves as the adult version of the characters njh and ktr are playing! Feels like two complete dramas when they show the adult version vs the past versions. Feels like show ran out of budget when they cast big names like ktr and njh, so they just cast however to play the younger versions.

And hee do’s mom, although can act is a terrible mom who is very hard to like.

Kim tae ri is just amazing. I believe everything she does and she elevates everyone around her, including NJH. Hee-do’s pain is my pain, her defeat is my defeat. Her embarrassment is my embarrassment. I’ve been looking forward to the time jump since the second episode. Just give it to me already! IT IS CALLED 25-21, why aren’t they 25-21 yet???????? Wae!!!

Abt the media part, they'd have attacked HD regardless of YR's statement, but what she did gave the audience who had been frustrated with her character, a chance to dislike her further (given her previous actions haven't been too glorious either).

Which makes me think that if HD were the only one behaving unprofessionally at the conference, she wouldn't have gotten off easy from the sports council, i guess HD kinda got saved cuz the 💩 council is pressuringrelying on YR.

Honestly, I find the male lead a little boring, and I'm not very invested in him as a romantic partner for Heedo. On the other hand the dynamic between Heedo and Yurim is great. Neither of them knows the other at all, and a lot of their rivalry is based on that. On top of that, you have the (fanfic and romcom trope) of them being secret penpals who have a really strong connection. I'm way more invested in their relationship, even if it will be the Korean classic of "all the story beats of a romance, but we'll call them friends and give them boyfriends at the end". Definitely feels like that's the route it's going.

This is probably the most outlandish long shot ever, but why do I get the feeling that there has been a baby swap between these two frenemenies? But don't ask me where Ye-jin fits in. Just saying....

I need Hee-do to stop talking to Yu-rim. Ignore her like she ignores you. She should've asked, "Ji-woong, can you pass me the scissors?" I was proud of Hee-do when she asked the reporters, to Yi-jin's dismay, if she was supposed to throw the match because it was what everyone was thinking. After she took off her gold medal, I wish she handed it to Yu-rim for maximum pettiness.

I cheered so hard when Hee-do won. She deserved it (Yu-rim deserved it too). Aww, Yi-jin with tears in his eyes. Thank you, Harabeoji, for comforting and congratulating our girl. I cried with her. Forget Hee-do's mom and former idol (who already has been forgotten). She has three people in her life who believe in her and support her: Dad, Yi-jin, and Coach Yang.

I need Yi-jin to stop being so swoony because before when his feelings for her were ambiguous (despite looking at her with heart eyes), it was fine, but now that Hee-do has a crush on him and keeps thinking about their age gap, I am uncomfortable. When she yelled at him to stop treating her like a kid, I was nervous she would accidentally confess. I wish Yi-jin had picked up Hee-do's gold medal and returned it to her with her cell phone and had figured out the combination to the rooftop storage room like the bathroom door lock.

So Show is going to gloss over the apology Yu-rim owes Hee-do because now Hee-do feels sorry for her after witnessing her breakdown and will find out Yu-rim is Injeolmi? So much for the less you know about each other, the more open you will be because clearly our chat friends have never really shared their personal lives over the three years. It's unfair how Hee-do always has to be the one to give in and forgive.

Besties Seung-wan and Ji-woong have so much chemistry when they scared themselves over the toilet ghost and casually talked about living together, but too bad Ji-woong has no taste.

The episodes 7-8 were bitter sweet. Some moments i liked were:
1. Yi Jin being so happy that Hee Do won the match. His smile was so genuine.
2. Yi Jin finding HeeDo and giving her phone back which she left back in the pharmacy. The small sword fight between Hee Do and Yi Jin explaining her stance.
3. The grandpa in the restaurant who acknowledged Hee Do's win.
4. Yi Jin coming to rescue Hee Do when she was trapped in the storage room.
5.The funny moment when she heard Yi Ji and his FIRST LOVE Da Eun's confession on that tape..
6. The house moving scenes all of it. From the moment when Hee Do accidentally broke the window, how he picked her up as she might get hurt from the glass, her getting jealous of learning on Yi jin's ex girlfriends.
7.The bus scene where Yi Jin teases her with her bad spelling.
8. The Ice cream scene and Yi Jin pulling her close as a bad cyclist went by.
9. Yi Jin sending the message to Hee Do apologizing her on his teasing.

I love this show too much to even know where to start to comment on it. this always happens to me with things I love—I have too many feels to put it all into words!

I can say, as a story, it does a great job of showing rather than telling how characters feel. The moment when YR’s dad picks her up and HD see it was another little jab (and we’ve gotten a lot throughout the drama so far) to show that no one really has it harder than anyone else. Everyone is struggling with their own situations. YR may be low income with a lot of pressure to win, but she has the support of her family (two parents) and that is valuable in itself. HD isn’t struggling financially but she has no personal support (and even some abuse) from her mother. (and if the present-day storyline is supposed to be humanizing Hee-Do’s mom, it is not working for me. She is not just putting her career above friends and family, she is actively hurting her friends and family through her job. That’s not the same thing.)

Lastly did anyone catch Yi jin teasing Hee do about Dalgom(cutie pie)? After the ajummas fawned over Yi jin and Heedo accusing him of being a ladies man Yi jin says that 80% is because of her while the remaining 20% is because of the dalgom i.e him who is standing in front of her. Atleast that was what I understood. Can anyone who knows hangul clarify this?