IOTNBO ep 8: I’ve been calling Kang-tae my sunshine as his smiles are freaking blinding me.
(spoilery thoughts in the comment!)

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    – The gradual shift in tone during this weekend’s episodes is so beautifully done! Gone was the days of gloom and sadness. Well, not entirely gone because our leads are very much still dealing with their traumas, but there’s a lot more hope in the air now. I love that we get the character development in both Kang-tae and Moon-young, but their progress isn’t entirely perfect. The scene with Choi Daniel is hilarious – both because it entices Kang-tae into jealousy mode, and also because it shows that Moon-young still has a lot of issues to work through herself, that cutting off her hair does a lot of good but there’s still a lot more to do. Maybe, it’s meant to show us that that’s who Moon-young is, and some aspects of her character won’t be changed at all. And that’s ok.
    – KANG-TAE: ahhh, my sunshine. He smiles so much more in this episode, and while I spent all of the time just swooning, I so appreciate where his character’s development is heading. We get a lot of hints at problems ahead now that Kang-tae is willing to break free of his burdens. Kang-tae’s change in attitude will be a big shock to Sang-tae, and we’re already starting to see that in this episode. Kang-tae’s “breaking free” just means finding a better, healthier way to take care of his brother while also living his life to the fullest.
    – This episode also marks the moment when both Kang-tae and Moon-young realized their feelings for each other. Moon-young has always wanted Kang-tae in the way that she finds him interesting and freaking beautiful to look at (no judgement there because that’s how I also feel). Today’s episode when A-reum voiced her belief in pure love, her conviction strikes a chord with Moon-young. For once, she sees her desire for Kang-tae goes beyond the physical. I think that shakes her up a bit. And Kang-tae, ahh, the moment he gets jealous and wonders if he’s gone crazy – boy, that’s the first sign of falling in love in K-dramaland. Get ready.

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      If I were a person who wrote poems I would have pages full dedicated to GTs lower lip and the veins on the back of his hand.
      This episode was so full of jealousy. The jealousy that GT felt over MY and her fan. And STs jealousy. But I wonder where his jealousy is tilting. He said outright today that he liked MY because shes pretty. But he also threw a fit when she had MT that GT made for him. So does he have romatic feelings for his future sil or does he just not want to share his brother with someone else to such an extent?

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        I have a feeling the writer’s gonna play us and say it’s both, but my read based on what we’re currently shown is that ST’s jealousy is towards MY because he sensed that MY is drawing GT’s attention away from him (and the next week’s preview seems to suggest this too). I prefer this over the idea of the two brothers “fighting” over the same girl.

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        Truly, such beautiful things need to be written about more poetically than I ever could. Right now, I’m more inclined toward Sang-tae’s jealousy as a reaction to his fear of being abandoned by his brother. We see how particular Sang-tae is about his belongings – everything is labeled and has its place. And Mang-tae is a stand-in of sorts for Kang-tae, so it wasn’t a surprise to me when he was upset over Moon-young’s possession of the doll.

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          Except that Mang Tae wasnt though. GT said that MT had been put in a drawer and forgotten about until ST saw that GT had given MT to MY. Because MT cant catxh the butterflies. It was like when an only chld becomes a big sibling and the parents take the things they outgrow to give to the new baby and the older kid throws a fit even though they cant fit those clothes and havent played with toys for years.

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      I must be slightly masochistic but I found episode 8 too happy… which is weird because there was some seriously heavy stuff in here (ST jealousy, the Ex attacking MY, the unresolved daddy-issues). The tonal shift was to abrupt for me… I actually felt a bit disoriented at the end and thought it became a different drama. Hopefully it’s back to its slightly more dark mood next week.

      Maybe its just that there was too, too much ‘comedy’ in this episode.

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        I can definitely see that. I think of this shift in tone as an interlude and a premonition for more troubles ahead. It lures us in with a false sense of security, which is what I’m feeling while watching this, and maybe it’s why it makes you disoriented (probably a more likely reaction the writer wants to illicit) only to hit us (maybe just me lols) over the head with heavy stuff next week. Truly, I would feel absolutely destroyed (my heart is too weak) if Kang-tae gets anymore hurt next week after seeing him so free and smiley this week. I’m weak at the sight of KSH’s tears. But I’m sure it’s coming.

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          I agree with this. In another drama this woukd have been the final ep. GT running up to MY and taking her hand and smiling adoringly at each other. Thats classic last ep behavior.
          Except this is ep 8. We didnt get our ep 8 kiss turning point but we got a smiling and free GT. My prediction: we’ll get that kiss in ep 9 and ST is going to LOSE IT and MY is going to react poorly. And the era of dark angst and heartbreak will be ushered in.
          And you know what? That gross smugy smug Juri will probably be there with all her artificial sweetner personality and try and lure GT over to her. shes a caregiver! She can help with ST! She can lighten GTs load! And now that hes experienced a tiny bit of freedom hell know that thats what he wants and may even fall into her clutches. Gross. Nooooo

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    – ALSO, I absolutely love that CEO Lee and Seung-jae are living with Joo-ri and her mom and Jae-su now. They make a great sitcom ensemble. Truly, somebody gives them a spin-off! ALSO, Joo-ri’s facial expressions should expand to include different ways to show sadness and frustrations. Girl, turning your face upwards to “stop the tears” is such an outdated choice. Let them fall~ Free the tears!

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      This whole thing made me like Juri even less than I do now. Mom wanted to rent the rooftop to Ceo Lee and Seung Jae and Juri threw just as much of a fit as ST and MY did (just quieter). Since GT and ST are friends with Jaesang and are only coming back for weekends it makes sense to give up the apartment and live with Jaesang for those two days. But Juri threw a hissy fit so the apt is staying empty 5 days a week and Ceo Lee and Seung Jae now have to sleep in the floor in rooms with people they barely know so that she can keep her clutches in a man with ZERO interest in her.

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