Your destinies cannot be severed. Accept it.

As anticipated, I do not like the presence of the Love Potion, and there was no twist good enough to save it.
Nothing wrong with a destiny entwined love line. I can be a complete sucker for it. 9T, Mystic, My Dearest. (Or I can hate it… Hi, 19th Lyfe… 👀)

But it would be much more interesting if this^ line came at the same time (ish) but through different circumstances. If there was some other reason they had to accept that they're completely intertwined, other than being forced there through a love potion.

It’s a basic cop out, for one. Stop TELLING me the emotions to feel. Literally.
Make me believe them. Show me them. Show me why these two being Destined should matter, and why I should care. Show me how and why fate should or could be challenged or accepted. The inexorable nature of that, should, har har, be woven into the story itself, not floating along the surface, expecting cheap emotional engagement.

Enemies to Somethings to Friends to Lovers, characters who initially clash, but become strongly connected, inescapably entangled with each other, even or especially non romantically at first, which is shown through multiple narrative points and devices, (fate itself can be one of those), can be a very compelling character and OTP set up, but you gotta put the work in, you can’t just hand it to me, and expect the shiny Destined Label to make it all perfectly complete and prepackaged all on its own.

(Don’t make an ATLA reference, don’t make an ATLA reference FRAK I wanna make an ATLA reference… Zutara. Ok. They weren’t even end game in canon but this was still THEM.).
(Trying not to compare everything I’m watching right now to My Dearest also, but it’s equally SO HARD.)

The Love Potion was used alas instead, and played through for comedic purposes, but that I did not find very funny at all.

This was partly the writing, and the existence of a love potion at all, which as above stated would need to be a. removed and then b. need a lot of reworking to get me to like it anyway.
But it was also in large part for me due to, once again, broken record, Rowoon’s uhm… “acting”:

It’s official, Rowoon has a vast sum total of two acting modes.

Rowoon trying very hard (and failing) to NOT be Rowoon: Sin Ju in episodes 1 through 3.
aand
Rowoon just being Rowoon aka his default setting: Sin Ju under the influence of a Love spell.

I genuinely thought he was getting a bit better in 3, and then 4 happened and he was too Rowoony and I started keeping a Smarmo-Metre;

This is hard to explain and I’m gonna sound insane but, in case it wasn’t obvious by now, I do not like “cute” Rowoon, I do not like “sweet” or smirky Rowoon, right- this is the Smarmy Rowoon that sets me the most on edge. And, if 4 was anything to go by, I’m dreading how he’s actually going to act when he’s actually in love with her, because, deliberately, on purpose...

This show is capital Q Quirky and I LIKE IT! Sure there’s a half a dozen things that could be changed or done in a different way, but idk it’s doing something right for me and I really just dig it as it is right now. I guessed it’d be Shin-yu who’d drank the potion the minute we had the classic ‘interruption at a crucial moment’ scene, and I was a bit deflated at first because I’d hoped we’d not go down this route BUT they more than made up for it with the direction they took with it (especially because they had the ML work it out quickly and tell the FL too).

The spell - I’m getting the feeling it doesn’t just make the person fall in love with Hong-jo but instead makes them more expressive towards the person they have some level of attraction to? Like amplifies it x 1000000. Because Mr Gong sure doesn’t seem like he’s in love with Hong-jo lol

Ms Grandma Shaman is the new Cat Man but tbh at least there’s an actual spell book this time.

Anyways, I’ll also fully admit that I’m probably the exact kind of person they had in mind when they cast Rowoon as the ML, because I’m too busy making heart eyes to pay proper heed to any gaps in his acting. So there, all cards on the table now but I honestly thought he did shine best in ep 4 and was a riot with his ‘get a grip Jang Shin-yu’ moments. Ep 4 was just hilariously delightful in general, between his antics and Mr Gong’s “I guess you should call me Gong Yoo” followed by mumble singing Beautiful from Goblin under his breath 😂

Also - I feel bad for the SFL (Is Jang-yu pulling a Kang-min?? He totally did right?) BUT honestly glad they went down this path, instead of having her be a catty and evil for no reason girlfriend just to write her out of the way. Sympathy over villainising any day! The only slight sticking point for me this week was Hong-jo getting annoyed at Shin-yu when she’s the one who caused the mess in the first place - you should take some responsibility Hong-joo!

It's so darn fun!!! Between last week and this week I might sound like a Rowoon apologist, but it's just that good grief, this show is working HARD with his visuals, and is doing a very good job at it. He's almost like the human embodiment of the Uncanny Valley phenomenon, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. It's such a different character from the bland niceness that idols are often cast as, that I'm really having fun with his efforts at coldness - it's like that re-write of Haru in Extra-Ordinary You, but as a main character. I dig it, because it's more interesting to watch, and makes the contrast with the begrudging Love Connection all the more fun. Hong-jo continues to remind me of Leslie Knope, and I love it.

I'm really, really enjoying the dynamic between the ML and the FL. They're both a little weird in their own special ways. The "I am Groot" scene was such a non sequitur that it made me snort, and then every "get a grip on yourself, Shin-yu" monologue escalated to be funnier and funnier. Already this week, the ML wasn't as cold, and the FL wasn't as needy - she literally enchants him (thanks to that love spell, and much to his dismay), and he frustrates her. It's a fun push-and-pull. All the crazy love confessions he said, and then tried to backtrack, but physically couldn't, were SO funny. I mean, her telling him to pee out the love spell, and then him explaining that he went to the restroom 32 times and needed to go again but CAN'T because his feet wouldn't move - ludicrous, absurd, and absolutely hilarious. It surprised me just how much I laughed at ep 4! Also, this drama is really pretty in a dreamy, slick way, and the instrumentals add to the vibe (including that dramatic musical sting when his finger heart was revealed). And the whole reincarnated lovers thing is totally my jam, so this is a super fun watch for me so far! I don't even want to critique or analyze it - I'm having too much fun! To summarize: I like Rowoon, I like Jo Boa, I like the writing (*so far*), and I like the humor. WIN!!

From the moment I saw that love spell ended up being a love potion, I knew what shenanigans were to follow. Imma keep it real with you, kdrama writer, I don't think it's love if the guy is drugged into it.

I think it would be more wholesome if it turns out neither of them ended up taking the love potion, they just fell for her charms naturally.

Ok I admit, I laughed out loud when he was like, "don't make that face, it makes my heart flutter ... Dammit" AND THAT POUT ... AND 'DON'T GO 🥺🥺 '... I haven't laughed like this in a while. This is the best ep so far.

sis really needs to retire that thermos/bottle, it is such an agent of chaos. anyways, i found her cute before but - and i can't believe i'm saying this, I never have before - but the FL is kinda grating on me. i was legit surprised to see her be nice to the old ppl lol, I'm too used to her yelling and snapping at the ML.*

bro really brought up Shrek as an example, we have peaked as a society. i also called it from the start that the neighbour was gonna be the SML. things are gonna get so messy, I'm not rlly looking forward to it. this love-spell-induced, one-sided feelings thing can be funny only for so long.

shoutout to Ms. Ma. we love to see a rare supportive or at least impartial superior in the workplace. i also love how she strangerzoned that jerk boss. call that karma.

my three complaints about this drama: 1) no more love triangle (square?) pls, 2) is it a kdrama if there's no past live lovers trope, 3) BRING BACK OUR QUEEN MS. SENSUAL RED HAND!

*I would also react the same way if I was being stalked by a love-crazed lawyer. maybe don't go spiking ppl's drinks with 'potions', no matter how lonely and desperate you are?

Well, now we’ve gone all Midsummer Night’s Dream on this situation. I was sort of hoping they would do whatever distastefull/disastrous thing they needed to in order to break the spell on him this week. Not that I didn’t find all his shenanigans hilarious (I absolutely did), but I want him to fall in love with Hong-jo without coercion, though I’m sure no matter what it will be a bit against his will. I’m glad he already broke things off with his girlfriend. I know his friend from the law firm thinks it was because of noble idiocy, but I don’t know if that was the whole story. He was nice to her, but kept her at a distance during their entire relationship, so it makes sense to me that he wouldn’t want to share these important, potentially painful, moments with her. And at first he just asked her for some time, but when it became clear she was going to insert herself into his life more than he was comfortable with, he broke it off.

I like Hong-jo much better in her moments of sincerity, and much less in her moments of exasperation. She just spends a lot of time exasperated, and sometimes it’s totally justified, but other times I find myself getting annoyed by her reactions. Like after the car accident when she asks Shin-yu why he did that. Um. It was an accident. Duh. And when they realize that he drank the water instead, she asks him why he drank it, like it wasn’t the most careless thing in the world to leave drugged water in a large conference room. But I love seeing her interacting with people genuinely in her work, her sweet developing relationship with the shaman, and her interaction with Jae-kyung at the coffee shop turned out to be really nice, so I’m trying to focus more on those moments and less on the others.

Do we think that Jae-kyung actually drank any of the potion? I can’t decide. On the one hand, I think Shin-yu mentions that he might have had some, but not nearly as much, which might explain his turnaround. On the other, he could have just felt legitimately bad for Hong-jo, who was being bullied pretty obviously and ended up taking a day off.

I know there are lots of strong opinions out there, but I’m really enjoying Rowoon in this role. I was laughing all through ep 4 at his constant contradictory statements and inability to control his actions, and I loved thinking back through all the things he did in ep 3 before it was confirmed he drank the potion. I feel totally convinced the stoicness is Shin-yu’s natural state, and the result of him living for a long time with this curse/disease hanging over his head, and his straight-faced pronouncements of love that he immediately takes back are great! Plus, I’m getting all the height tropes I wanted and more!

I would adore it if, every time Hong-jo cast a spell from this book, and no matter who she wanted to cast the spell onto, it only ever really cast its effect onto Shin-yu.

I ranted above so won't again, but this is a storyline I really really don't like and unless it is resolved in the next two eps, I will just go to @attiton fan wall and be annoyed at the lip pursing and leave this drama to those who love it.

Recently I have become very negative when starting a drama knowing way ahead I will not like it. I cringed at Roowons take of a serious chaebol, didn’t feel the leads had any chemistry and was bored by the recent onslaught of ‘romance with a touch of supernatural vibe’ dramas gracing our screens recently.

Then ep 4 happened.

‘Do you think I am doing this on purpose? Yes, I am’

‘I think you should leave. Please don’t’

‘I feel like I am the only one wearing a Hawaiian shirt at a funeral’

‘Did you think I did that to hold your hand? Yes, I did’

Dear drama gods please please please don’t disappoint! Jebal!!!

I am totally into this show, which is a complete shock to me. Coming into it, I was lukewarm on both leads, and the premise sounded dumb to me. I wasn't even planning on watching it, and now I'm forcing myself to wait a few hours before devouring each new episode.

This show just makes me happy. Or maybe "My Dearest" is kicking my heart around so often that my brain just wants something silly that's not focused on butts. But whatever the reason, I don't care; I just want more.

The writing is genuinely funny, and sincerely quirky, with snappy dialogue. That Shin-yu would drink the love potion was completely predictable, and yet it led to so many great lines and moments. I really, really like Jo Boa in this and yes, I recently compared Rowoon to vanilla ice cream, but now he's like vanilla with a ripple of fudge. I could nitpick (he's still too heavily made up, the brows and hair need mussing, and I hate that lipstick) but I'll refrain because I am thoroughly entertained by what's happening on-screen. I'm not sure the show can keep up this fun, frenetic pace through 16 episodes, especially when the time skip stuff kicks in, but I am tentatively hopeful it will.

This is not a good show. I can objectively agree to that. But episodes 1-2 were so bizarre, esp. Rowoon and the red hand, that I found myself laughing *at* the show and all the Beanie reactions. Ep. 3 with its setup was bit slow and I was mourning the loss of my red hand, but by Ep. 4, I was laughing *with* the show.

Rowoon is so flat (I swear he was playing the undead Chaebol) that it took me a minute and then some to understand, oh, he's being romantic. I just bust out laughing belatedly. He's oh so droll. Those lines! That snapping of the feet with "Get a grip, Jang Sin-You."

Could Rowoon have played it better? Possibly. Might someone else have done even better? Likely. But did I still have fun? Definitely.

I agree with everyone. This will be a hard pace to maintain. I'm just as worried the drama will follow my newly patented playbook for 2023 fantasy rom-coms. Start fun, turn romantic, end up angsty and dark. Boo. Stay whacky show, stay bizarre.

BTW did anyone notice we have *nice* and *rich* parents in the show? They were so sweet and fun with the puzzle-solving. Isn't that violating some drama rule or the other? I guess they have time to turn toxic.

Well, thank goodness there was the anticipated twist and the love potion wasn't imbibed by the intended target. But I totally sympathize with Shin-yu and think Hong-jo needed to take some responsibility for the situation instead of blaming him.

And then, after seeing its effects on Shin-yu (which were pretty funny), could she honestly say that's how she wanted her relationship with Jae-kyung to play out? Sorry -- but love compelled by magic doesn't seem like love to me, no matter how lonely you were.

Anyway, I'm glad Shin-yu knows he was potioned (or should we say poisoned?) and am curious to see how the OTP will cope with their shared destinies. I hope that includes the return of Red Hand and more explanation of the curse and its history, because I'm more interested in that than another episode of big-eyed overreactions.

First, thanks @unit for that very funny recap, which struck the perfect tone. I don't have too much to add, except that I enjoyed these last two episodes a great deal more than I expected I would. I was actually laughing WITH the show instead of AT it.

There are only 2 things that bothered me:

1. The disappearance of the star of the first two episodes, the bloody hand. I was ready to vote for her in the "you can only pick one" rookie actress award. But if she is only going to play a cameo role, forget it.

2. After 4 episodes, this one gives off strong vibes of "lets make this ridiculous fantasy starring a bloody hand and a spectacularly beautiful male lead profound by giving it a bittersweet ending." Of course, I do not claim @elinor or @attiton 's prognostication abilities, but I am mightily uneasy, feeling that bittersweet has no place in the flavor profile of these fantasy rom-coms.

Oh the amount of times she made me cringe because love spells always got me fearing second-hand embarassment, but with Rowoon's hilarious cheesiness and Boa's vulnerable moments, it's hard not to be charmed

I gave up:( I simply can't root for a character who drugs someone without their consent.

Jang Sin-yu is growing on me gradually. Breaking up with Na-yeon cause he doesn't want her to be burdened with the drama that comes with his sickness was the right thing to do. I hope Na-yeon does understand his intentions properly. And that the breakup is coming from a place of love and care and utmost regards.

I really really like the inclusion of Ma Eun-young to the team. Finally, someone is calling the bullshit Mr. Gong and co does. And talking of Mr. Gong, while I outright don't like him, I'm drawn to be sympathetic towards him thanks to his relationship with Eun-young. The mutual respect between Gong and Eun-young solid, so solid that I'm asking why he spills so much vitriol at Hong-jo.

And, Hong-jo really needs to stand for herself. It's one thing to not be the one to tell on your colleagues about their harassing you. It's another thing to be angry at someone who does, especially when that someone has the power to shut up any form of drama those BS colleagues might try to pull. Kwon Jae-young has warned them explicitly, Sin-yu just did the same, and she's freaking taking 4 steps back for the two steps forward they took for her.

I was thinking it was Sin-yu who occupied the first floor. The love potion did a number on him so I was sure it was him. Also, he witnessed Hong-jo get assaulted and chased along the dark alley so I was so sure he did that for her safety under the influence of the love potion. To learn that it was Jae-young, DWY had me there. That was something I failed to predict. I'm guessing this will be a source of drama.

I'm sure Jae-young likes Hong-jo but can't/doesn't want to act on them thanks to his personality. I commend him for that. I don't think he drank out of the potion. The liquid only stayed on his lips, unless if he drew in a few liquid in that moment. And...moving the to an apartment of that kind? What story is in store for us from Jae-young. He already said he wished he had no family. I don't know what family drama he's facing to make him wish he was a part of none.

These episodes were hilarious. Shin-Yu's lines were so cringey and cheesy, both characters were painfully bearing them :p

I have no issue with the Love spell because both of them know. So it's not like one of them was lied about it, everything is happening in their knowledge.

Hong-Jo didn't really believe in it, but after making the potion, why not try? I think she's the most surprised one about it. Shin-Yu being cursed since always believes in these things, but he didn't think he will be the one under the spell 😂 he wanted the other one. But it was interesting like he never completely lost himself in the spell, his real personnality and feelings are still there. He knows that he needs to not be in love in respect of his ex-girlfriend.

They have always been destined, the wooden box was hers. The love spell doesn't change anything, it just speeds things up by forcing them to spend time together. If Hong-Jo has feelings for Jae-Gyeong, it's like with her colleagues, she's not herself with him. She's fierce and strong when she's with Shin-Yu but not with other people. She's not shy to show herself with him. It will be interesting to see her choosing between Jae-Gyeong and Shin-Yu and why she will choose one of them.

I love the references in this drama, it's refreshing : Harry Potter, The Gurdians of the Galaxy, Shrek, Timothée Chalamet 😂

Both Rowoon and Jo Boa are doing a great job. I love every of their scenes 😂

Squee! Hong-jo's dream came true -- Jae-kyung really does live at her house now! When the realtor said that the new tenant was tall and handsome, I immediately assumed that Shin-yu would move in, but Shin-yu would never give her red bean rice cakes or a nice note about plants. It was cute how Jae-kyung could hear Hong-jo squeeing upstairs.

Shin-yu being the one who drank the water makes me even happier because that means Jae-kyung really does like Hong-jo. Even Shin-yu confirmed it. I loved Hong-jo when she asked, "(He) likes me? Aide-nim does?" I totally felt Shin-yu's exasperation. I squeed when Jae-kyung finished her sentence "I'd..." "like that." and when Hong-jo ordered an iced latte hot, and he didn't even correct her.

Shin-yu should be happy that the love spell works since that means the Cure Disease spell will also work. Red Hand didn't make one appearance this week. I love Hong-jo's character -- she's a candy Candy, but she's so kind always asking how Shin-yu feels. There's our childhood connection.

I'd wondered if Na-yeon was an arranged marriage, but Shin-yu seems to genuinely love her. When he held her hand and asked, "Are we breaking up? Can you wait a little for me?" he sounded like such a sweet boyfriend. I know that our OTP is destined, and their bickering is cute, but it's honestly sad that Shin-yu and Na-yeon broke up over a love potion. At least he didn't cheat on her.

My new favorite character is Manager Ma Eun-young. I love her. She's a dream boss and an awesome person.

Thanks a bunch for the recap, @Unit!

I loved it so much. Wednesday and Thursday, do come fast.

My question is, how was he able to keep a straight face while saying those cheeky lines.

I laughed whenever he says he doesn't want to do something and he quickly changes because he likes he. 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍

I quite enjoyed these episodes. It was fun.
But I still don’t know how to feel about her casting love spell.
So if SML falls for her what would she do. Because he loves her for real and not because of a potion.
But I do like that Shin Yu found out. So he knows!! So I enjoyed all the antics.
also, 2FL is going to turn cray right? The moment she finds out it’s Hong Jo? I do feel bad for her and Shin Yi is right that the timing sucks. He is indeed wearing a Hawaiian shirt in a Funeral 😂

@elinor Kudos to you for predicting last week
the "inevitable scene of Rowoon holding something up over his head and Jo Bo-a jumping for it like a terrier". 👏

I'm a sucker for fantasy romance, and this one is hitting just right for me. In addition to what others have said, I also appreciated how this one included not just one but TWO instances of the "reaches out hand but withdraws it at the last second" trope. By gar, it's been a while!

I read a theory on Reddit that the love potion only amplifies feelings that already exist and I think that makes the most sense.

Has anyone else noticed how many references there are to flowers, trees, gardens, gardeners? The FL works for the Park Maintenance division, and takes care of a lot of flowers / trees, visits gardeners / florists / greenhouses, et al. And of course, SinYu ruined all the beautiful geraniums that HongJo had put up on the road with her gardner friend. In addition, SinYu refers to himself as a wilting flower in Ep. 4. AND, JaeGyeong offers to plant some flowers at the house after he’s moved in to the first floor, and not knowing HongJo lives on 2nd floor, wants to know what plants HongJo likes. I’m not sure how this weaves into the story, though, other than all the ingredients for the spells. Is it just noise, or something more significant?

I hope this doesn’t become melodrama the last four episodes, because so far I love the humor. I wasn’t a big fan of the premise before the show started, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. And FL is nailing the comedy.

GET A GRIP, JANG SHIN YU! Aka. How to make tabong, the girl with worse memory than an amnesia patient, remember your name.
Hahaha, I just love that line.

Just like some others beanies, I'm not a fan of the love potion trope, but, for some reason, I think this one works?

1. The FL used the potion but not on the ML. She wasn't trying to get his attention and he knows that. I like that the ML is aware of the spell. And he knows it was an accident.

2. When the shaman halmoni said their destinies can't be severed, I don't think she was talking about the potion. Since episode 1 she told Shin Yu they were destined. We have seen a little of their past lives (SY's dreams) and it seems like they have a deep story.

3. I'm pretty sure Shin Yu started liking her before the love potion. The boy got super jealous when Hong Jo confessed her feelings to her sunbae. Even Ro Woon talked about it in an interview.

In conclusion, I don't think SY's feelings for Hong Jo are fake and I don't think the love potion is the one creating their destiny. That's why I feel the story works.

Imo, I think the love potion is only making him more honest.
Because if we really think about it, he has been chasing HJ since day 1. 😂Everytime she looked around, he was there. Now he just can't hide it.

And he keeps saying that he can't feel sad about breaking up with his ex because of the potion. But I don't think a love potion would go so far and restrain all his other emotions. He just didn't like his ex. Logic is telling him "you should feel bad", but he can't. The emotions weren't there.
They literally gave me oppa-dongsaeng vibes, so that would explain why he didn't feel that much. He cares about her, that's it.