Okay, so I *might* consider watching Meteor Garden 2018. But Netflix vs. VIU subs, which one is better, Beanies? I have Netflix but I’ve always been of the opinion that they Americanize things too much and generally would not watch Asian dramas on there. Thoughts?
Netflix has better subtitles apparently but they don’t sub the songs when they play. Viu subs the songs, too. Someone in Twitter said she uses Netflix for the dialogue and Viu for the songs though I don’t know how that works. Haha
Interesting. Viu doesn’t sub songs generally, so I’m surprised they do here. Are the song lyrics used effectively? Because otherwise, I can probably do without the lyrics being translated.
Not sure as I haven’t seen the Viu subs. I’ve watched all the episodes and I’m not that bothered not knowing what the songs are about. They use Ni Yao De Ai and Meteor Rain and I’ve known the lyrics to those by heart since 2003. Haha Though the new opening and closing songs are good, I haven’t looked them up yet.
Netflix has better subs, I just realized it when I got the chance to checked out Netflix’s sub on episode 11 and 12 last night. For instance in episode 12, Shancai mom asked her to bring Ah-si ‘tiger balm’. Tiger balm is a very very popular brand in Indonesia, last night I just learned that it’s actually from China. All my life I just assumed it’s made by chinese-indonesian like other brands that put Chinese language on it’s bottle. I wonder how many conversations have been reduced their meaning by VIU subbers.
Unlike Viki, VIU never explained idioms, so all you get is the subs’ interpretation.
Thanks for letting me know! (lol on the tiger balm, it’s also used in my home country ^^). I guess I’ll watch the drama on Netflix then! Although I’m also going to try vietsubs just to see how that goes. I generally like to watch C-dramas with vietsubs so yeah…
Finally have Internet installed at my new place and ready to binge-watch this week’s WWWSK! (LoM already managed via public library, ugh the horror.) A great way to end all the birthday celebrations~
That moment when my sister came into my room and asked for a music CD and I was like you’ve come to the right place, opened my closet and revealed all the kpop galore. She ended up picking Kyuhyun’s 1st album cuz she wanted ballads. A solid choice, but I had also wanted to introduce her to BTS. Oh well, next time! Baby steps.
(My sister is not a kpop fan, though she did have a Lee Seung Gi phase because of King 2 Hearts. We don’t talk about it. Which, shame, because she totally missed out on Son Oh Gong 😛 )
Still no Internet and no LoM again for me today >.<
Can't even go on Beanies page in fear of spoilers. Don't even know if I'll get Internet installed tomorrow. Argh, it's all my landlord's fault
What I want to do right now: Watch Life of Mars ep 9-10 (yes I’m aware they’re not out yet, but there’s a reason this is a wishlist), produce an AC out of thin air before I die of overheating in my apt, book a ticket to nearest beach resort, watch BTS 2017 Memories (DVD just arrived the other day!), etc.
What I’m supposed to be doing right now: Packing ‘cause moving day is tomorrow.
What I’m doing right now: Ranting on my fanwall and definitely NOT packing
omg that ENDING!!!! I don’t know if it was good that it ended right there. I mean sure, it was safer for my heart, which was going into overdrive, but like also you can’t just stop there omg- I-I have no words. Show, don’t do this to me. Am I supposed to stew on that for 6 days??? What’s Wrong with this Show???
ah, no it’s not a cliffhanger, really. it’s just- ahh I don’t want to give you spoilers, but you don’t have to wait till next week. in fact, do watch them now, cause we got some pretty needed and long-awaited answers there. (don’t go through Beanies page tho, there are some spoiler gifs!)
The whole family needs to go to counseling, honestly. God, I had already guessed most of what happened, but seeing it in flashbacks…my heart broke into pieces. That brave, brave child, how I wanted to give him a hug. Mi So-ah, please give him a hug for me.
I just got one of my best friends to watch WWWSK and she said she enjoyed Ep 1-2. YAAASS. Mission achieved!
She doesn’t even watch kdramas that much either, but I guess that 2k essay I once wrote on Tumblr changed her mind hehe
Am I the only one who has like zero interest in watching Mr. Sunshine? Probably the only thing that appeals me is Kim Tae Ri and the setting but it’s still not enough. I did enjoy the writer’s last 2 dramas, if only for the entertainment (well, mostly for the bromance) alone, but I don’t really feel like catching more of her works. Maybe it’s the overhype that’s killing it? Who knows.
I’m thinking of the same. Have read bits and pieces here and there about eps1-2 and the praise seemed to be mostly about the cinematography and acting? Which, great, but that just sounds like the result of high production value and great cast. Sometimes that doesn’t translate to much. I want a good story also, as well as characters I can relate to, except these are not the writer’s strong points from what I’ve seen. A little bit harsh of me, perhaps.
Coming home after a long day at work all geared up to watch WWWSK, only to find out the subs are only 70% complete. TRAGIC. (No, I’m not complaining about the speed of subbers, just wanted something to pick me up after work, that’s all.)
what the fudge? did I just see BTS – Fake Love’s MV in Life on Mars? what is happening, my brain feels as about f*cked up as Tae Joo right now. I thought I was hallucinating when I heard Jungkook’s voice but then the MV scenes flickered in and out and I had to pause to figure out wtf is going on. It’s been 10 minutes and I’m still reeling and unable to resume the drama.
(yes, I’m an ARMY)
I don’t know what I should marvel at, the perfection that is ep 6 of Life on Mars (where do I even start? the family scenes? Ms. Yoon being her usual awesome self, her and Tae Joo?), or why I suddenly find Jung Kyung Ho so goddamn attractive (is it the trench coat? the blue shirt? what kind of sorcery is this?) I think ep 5 flipped a switch in me and now I’m just all aboard the train that is LoM and JKH. Welp, this is no good. I’m moving soon and have to pack this weekend, ain’t nobody got time to swoon over a drama slash actor.
This is all your fault, fellow Beanies. I wanted to wait until this drama finish before checking it out, but all your weekly spazzing on the Beanies page made me curious. And now here I am. Here I am.
I was ready to give up on Life on Mars after ep 4 (I couldn’t handle the crimes, too much violence against women it made my heart hurt), but then ep 5 happened and I was drawn in again. Because all the human relationships around Tae Joo gave me all kinds of feels, from the bromance with Captain to him interacting with his mom & aunt to him and Ms. Yoon—my heart felt full. It’s always the human connections that tug me in, that make me stay. Tae Joo is such an awkward lost puppy that seeing him being ‘adopted’ by the people in this era made me incredibly soft.
Tae Joo and Ms. Yoon, gahh, I can probably watch them interact forever. Like they don’t even need to end up together romantically. I just want them to continue to be in each other’s lives in some shape or form. They’re just so good for each other: She’s a soothing balm to his turmoil despite not knowing even a fraction of what’s he going through, and he’s such an encouraging and empowering presence for her in her work. Nobody’s rescuing anybody because nobody needs rescuing. What they really need is someone to listen to their ‘voice’ amidst the noise, telling them that ‘no, you’re not crazy’, and ‘yes, your voice matters’. The little smiles they had throughout this ep, gahhh!
Their relationship bears parallels to that between Shi Mok and Yeo Jin in Forest of Secrets (the entirety of which I marathoned last week). There’s just this quiet understated chemistry between each pair, and I’m loving every second of it. Is this a new trend in dramas, these kinds of partnerships? Because I’m all for it, give me more please and thank you. Sure, relationships like that in WWWSK is hot as hell (Exhibit A: see Ep 9) and is great for the soul (for my soul, at least), but relationships such as the ones in LoM and FoS are just as necessary, for the latter highlights what it means to be a partner, reminding us that every connection matters, with or without romance. You can have all the feels without the feels, you feel me? [Shush it’s 3am what is english]
I completely agree with all of what you said, especially with regards to Tae Joo and Ms. Yoon’s partnership. I like to think of them as kindred spirits. She understands he’s a fish out of water, and he recognizes that she’s dedicated and talented. Like you said, even if there is no romance, it’s so good to see a pairing where you know the other person has got your back, so to speak. Besides, in order for romance to happen, mutual trust and respect are nessecary!
Anyway, understated partnerships for the win! Especially the ones based on mutual respect and trust. Be still my heart!
WWWSK Ep 9 is so pitch perfect that I find myself still in disbelief. It’s everything I’ve wanted from this show & they delivered it all in this ep. You’ve restored my faith in you, show, keep it up!
(just figured out how to bypass the character limit, so I’m back)
I just don’t even know where to start with this episode. I just love love that the entire focus of this ep is about Young Joon and Mi So and them navigating the new waters in their relationship, as they shift from being in working relationship to a couple, and it’s absolutely fantastic. I totally didn’t expect the show (or perhaps the webtoon too, I don’t know, having sworn not to read it and spoil myself) to actually handle this aspect.
I knew there’d be some awkwardness around, but I didn’t think it would be tackled with such a delicate and discerning touch. As an outsider looking in, I could immediately spot the issues. They’ve been boss-secretary for too long, so for them to start dating it right away, there’d be much to navigate. (There’s a good reason why people discourage dating your co-workers, folks, much less your own boss…)
Young Joon wants to be her equal, which he has demonstrated in previous episodes in little things like matching her strides, standing next to her instead of in front of her, etc. In fact, I had commented on this on another beanie’s post before, saying that for him to be truly equal to her, she’d actually have to quit being his secretary. I had wondered then about how he’d react to such a realization. More than that, he wants to be her boyfriend, even while at work, which of course now means he’s much more hesitant towards ordering her around to do every ‘little’ thing for him. It was good to see him recognize that and trying to work around it.
It’s not just merely about him stepping down from his ego, because his ego has never been about putting down others or being mean anyway; it’s also about him respecting her as his romantic partner, about him not wanting to depend on her for every single thing. Young Joon is self-absorbed, sure, but he’s also very perceptive. We’ve always known that. Sometimes he’s a little slow, but once he spots an issue, he’ll do his best to rectify it—whether it’s learning what kind of date Mi So likes to go on or how to apologize when he has done wrong. It’s one of the things I love about him.
This was all great already, but then show went and gave us Mi So’s side of the equation, and it got even better! Young Joon was all focused on being the boyfriend, but Mi So was more concerned about her role as a secretary, which is also incredibly important to her. It’s sort of interesting, how at the beginning of the show, she was all about disassociating from her secretary role, not realizing how ingrained it has become in her already, or how much self-confidence the role has given her. She went from this klutzy barely-qualified temp worker to an uber-competent legend amongst the secretariat department, and do you not see how much confidence she holds in her gaze now compared to 9 years before?
That is why when Young Joon tries to do everything by himself, it hurts her pride. Because she really does pride herself on her work and gains so much fulfillment and satisfaction from a job well done. Him not letting her do these things makes it seem like she’s not competent, and that’s not something she can handle. I love that she communicated this to him. I love that they communicated with each other, period. I think this couple has always been pretty open with one another right from the start, which perhaps may be the result of 9 years together. They got upset, yes, but they also did not let it stew too long and snowballing into something unmanageable.
When Young Joon showed up with the pork rinds, I swooned a little. The gesture seemed grand, but it’s the thought that mattered most. He just wanted to make it up for her, and if it takes a huge box of caramels or having to grill pork rinds to do so, then he’ll do it gladly. Remember, this guy is just as new to romances as she is, and the dork has always thought that blockbuster is the way to go after all.
And that’s the crux of it. They’re both new to this dating thing, and that means they are bound to make a gazillion missteps along the way, but that’s okay. I want them to learn that they don’t have to follow some rule-book about what it means to be a couple. Young Joon needs to know that he doesn’t have to be her equal in everything in order for it to work, and Mi So doesn’t need to establish so rigid a line between work and personal life either. They just need to go at it their own way. Them being boss-secretary, and them being romantic partners, these roles don’t have to be mutually exclusive. They just need to make it work for them and nobody else. It’ll take some adjustments, but if it’s them, I feel they’d be able to do it.
Don’t get me started on the wardrobe kiss cuz daang, was it supposed to be that hot, or is just a PSJ and PMY kind of thing?
Here’s to hoping the whole kidnapping thing gets resolved soon (I know it won’t but one can dream). Also, Lee Min Ki and Jung So Min next ep, can’t wait!!!
*claps* Yes! I’m horrible at explaining myself so I always applaud anyone that can do it well. I agree with all your points. I’m so glad this show just keeps getting better!
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Haru
July 21, 2018 at 5:21 PM
Okay, so I *might* consider watching Meteor Garden 2018. But Netflix vs. VIU subs, which one is better, Beanies? I have Netflix but I’ve always been of the opinion that they Americanize things too much and generally would not watch Asian dramas on there. Thoughts?
zette
July 21, 2018 at 5:35 PM
Netflix has better subtitles apparently but they don’t sub the songs when they play. Viu subs the songs, too. Someone in Twitter said she uses Netflix for the dialogue and Viu for the songs though I don’t know how that works. Haha
Haru
July 21, 2018 at 5:44 PM
Interesting. Viu doesn’t sub songs generally, so I’m surprised they do here. Are the song lyrics used effectively? Because otherwise, I can probably do without the lyrics being translated.
zette
July 21, 2018 at 6:49 PM
Not sure as I haven’t seen the Viu subs. I’ve watched all the episodes and I’m not that bothered not knowing what the songs are about. They use Ni Yao De Ai and Meteor Rain and I’ve known the lyrics to those by heart since 2003. Haha Though the new opening and closing songs are good, I haven’t looked them up yet.
mano
July 21, 2018 at 7:53 PM
Netflix has better subs, I just realized it when I got the chance to checked out Netflix’s sub on episode 11 and 12 last night. For instance in episode 12, Shancai mom asked her to bring Ah-si ‘tiger balm’. Tiger balm is a very very popular brand in Indonesia, last night I just learned that it’s actually from China. All my life I just assumed it’s made by chinese-indonesian like other brands that put Chinese language on it’s bottle. I wonder how many conversations have been reduced their meaning by VIU subbers.
Unlike Viki, VIU never explained idioms, so all you get is the subs’ interpretation.
mano
July 21, 2018 at 7:59 PM
*VIU only translated ‘tiger balm’ as ‘bring him some tea’
** I got notification for inappropriate language, so I lost my lengthy explaination. Just go for Netflix, it’s better.
Haru
July 21, 2018 at 8:04 PM
Thanks for letting me know! (lol on the tiger balm, it’s also used in my home country ^^). I guess I’ll watch the drama on Netflix then! Although I’m also going to try vietsubs just to see how that goes. I generally like to watch C-dramas with vietsubs so yeah…
mano
July 21, 2018 at 8:31 PM
Tiger balm is the OG pan Asia phenomenon 😂
It’s been around for decades, long live tiger balm!
Haru
July 20, 2018 at 7:22 PM
Finally have Internet installed at my new place and ready to binge-watch this week’s WWWSK! (LoM already managed via public library, ugh the horror.) A great way to end all the birthday celebrations~
korfan
July 20, 2018 at 9:26 PM
Enjoy your drama-watching! 🙂
Haru
July 15, 2018 at 8:59 PM
That moment when my sister came into my room and asked for a music CD and I was like you’ve come to the right place, opened my closet and revealed all the kpop galore. She ended up picking Kyuhyun’s 1st album cuz she wanted ballads. A solid choice, but I had also wanted to introduce her to BTS. Oh well, next time! Baby steps.
(My sister is not a kpop fan, though she did have a Lee Seung Gi phase because of King 2 Hearts. We don’t talk about it. Which, shame, because she totally missed out on Son Oh Gong 😛 )
Haru
July 15, 2018 at 7:24 PM
Still no Internet and no LoM again for me today >.<
Can't even go on Beanies page in fear of spoilers. Don't even know if I'll get Internet installed tomorrow. Argh, it's all my landlord's fault
Haru
July 14, 2018 at 6:23 PM
Just my luck that LoM is finally back on and I have no wifi tonight to watch T_T
On the upside, I can binge watch 2 episodes tomorrow?
Haru
July 13, 2018 at 3:01 PM
What I want to do right now: Watch Life of Mars ep 9-10 (yes I’m aware they’re not out yet, but there’s a reason this is a wishlist), produce an AC out of thin air before I die of overheating in my apt, book a ticket to nearest beach resort, watch BTS 2017 Memories (DVD just arrived the other day!), etc.
What I’m supposed to be doing right now: Packing ‘cause moving day is tomorrow.
What I’m doing right now: Ranting on my fanwall and definitely NOT packing
Haru
July 13, 2018 at 3:30 PM
Shush, you. (I don’t think it’s possible to have a stress-free moving. That’s an oxymoron.)
Haru
July 12, 2018 at 6:16 PM
omg that ENDING!!!! I don’t know if it was good that it ended right there. I mean sure, it was safer for my heart, which was going into overdrive, but like also you can’t just stop there omg- I-I have no words. Show, don’t do this to me. Am I supposed to stew on that for 6 days??? What’s Wrong with this Show???
another woodalchi nicole recruit
July 12, 2018 at 6:46 PM
aaaah do i need to wait until next week to watch this week’s eps? (until i have more episodes and don’t have to wait, i mean)
Haru
July 12, 2018 at 6:52 PM
ah, no it’s not a cliffhanger, really. it’s just- ahh I don’t want to give you spoilers, but you don’t have to wait till next week. in fact, do watch them now, cause we got some pretty needed and long-awaited answers there. (don’t go through Beanies page tho, there are some spoiler gifs!)
another woodalchi nicole recruit
July 12, 2018 at 7:55 PM
okay–will do! (and will not do :p thanks for the heads up!)
Haru
July 12, 2018 at 6:02 PM
The whole family needs to go to counseling, honestly. God, I had already guessed most of what happened, but seeing it in flashbacks…my heart broke into pieces. That brave, brave child, how I wanted to give him a hug. Mi So-ah, please give him a hug for me.
isa: I'm not a serial killer I'm just really passionate about things
July 12, 2018 at 8:36 PM
I feel think he may have gotten a hug or two by dramas end!
But when he was telling the story I so wanted Kim Mi So to get in and hold his hand. I knew that it wouldn’t happen but I wanted it to.
Haru
July 12, 2018 at 10:28 PM
same. by the end he was crying and i just like want to tell Mi So to run in and hold him-his hand, his whole self.
Haru
July 12, 2018 at 5:36 PM
Man, that coke bottle was everything. Talk about effective PPL.
stpauligurl
July 12, 2018 at 7:32 PM
I know – best PPL EVER!!!
Haru
July 11, 2018 at 10:17 PM
I just got one of my best friends to watch WWWSK and she said she enjoyed Ep 1-2. YAAASS. Mission achieved!
She doesn’t even watch kdramas that much either, but I guess that 2k essay I once wrote on Tumblr changed her mind hehe
Haru
July 11, 2018 at 6:46 PM
YAAASS wwwsk subs just hit 96%. Bye, I’m watching (Packing? Who cares. Dramas are more important. Always.)
Haru
July 11, 2018 at 6:37 PM
Am I the only one who has like zero interest in watching Mr. Sunshine? Probably the only thing that appeals me is Kim Tae Ri and the setting but it’s still not enough. I did enjoy the writer’s last 2 dramas, if only for the entertainment (well, mostly for the bromance) alone, but I don’t really feel like catching more of her works. Maybe it’s the overhype that’s killing it? Who knows.
하데스
July 11, 2018 at 7:05 PM
You’re not the only one.
mugyuljoie is preciousss
July 11, 2018 at 7:50 PM
I’m waiting for the reviews when it’s further along.
Haru
July 11, 2018 at 8:21 PM
I’m thinking of the same. Have read bits and pieces here and there about eps1-2 and the praise seemed to be mostly about the cinematography and acting? Which, great, but that just sounds like the result of high production value and great cast. Sometimes that doesn’t translate to much. I want a good story also, as well as characters I can relate to, except these are not the writer’s strong points from what I’ve seen. A little bit harsh of me, perhaps.
Haru
July 11, 2018 at 11:14 PM
sorry, I meant high production *budget, not value.
Haru
July 11, 2018 at 5:44 PM
Coming home after a long day at work all geared up to watch WWWSK, only to find out the subs are only 70% complete. TRAGIC. (No, I’m not complaining about the speed of subbers, just wanted something to pick me up after work, that’s all.)
하데스
July 11, 2018 at 7:08 PM
I’m complaining about Viki. I’m complaining about the speed of the subbers.
Cocoa, The Fake Poet of February
July 11, 2018 at 8:22 PM
I KNOW
Haru
July 7, 2018 at 2:32 PM
what the fudge? did I just see BTS – Fake Love’s MV in Life on Mars? what is happening, my brain feels as about f*cked up as Tae Joo right now. I thought I was hallucinating when I heard Jungkook’s voice but then the MV scenes flickered in and out and I had to pause to figure out wtf is going on. It’s been 10 minutes and I’m still reeling and unable to resume the drama.
(yes, I’m an ARMY)
greenfields
July 7, 2018 at 6:57 PM
Hehehe all ARMY feel like this. ^^
Haru
July 7, 2018 at 1:57 AM
I don’t know what I should marvel at, the perfection that is ep 6 of Life on Mars (where do I even start? the family scenes? Ms. Yoon being her usual awesome self, her and Tae Joo?), or why I suddenly find Jung Kyung Ho so goddamn attractive (is it the trench coat? the blue shirt? what kind of sorcery is this?) I think ep 5 flipped a switch in me and now I’m just all aboard the train that is LoM and JKH. Welp, this is no good. I’m moving soon and have to pack this weekend, ain’t nobody got time to swoon over a drama slash actor.
This is all your fault, fellow Beanies. I wanted to wait until this drama finish before checking it out, but all your weekly spazzing on the Beanies page made me curious. And now here I am. Here I am.
ObsessedMuch
July 7, 2018 at 5:02 AM
For me it’s not his clothes but his eyes when he acts.. Like they draw you in and suddenly you feel- “yep, this guy is attractive!”
This happened to me in another show and once I realized it, I just had to watch more of his shows..
And yay for more love for LoM! Welcome aboard! 🙂
Sunflowerdiva
July 7, 2018 at 9:45 AM
He wears a black leather coat in a later episode, I want to say ep 8. And I was like DAYUM. Jung Kyung Ho really is an attractive man!
Sorry not sorry you’ve come aboard the LoM train! Join us!
Haru
July 6, 2018 at 11:55 PM
I was ready to give up on Life on Mars after ep 4 (I couldn’t handle the crimes, too much violence against women it made my heart hurt), but then ep 5 happened and I was drawn in again. Because all the human relationships around Tae Joo gave me all kinds of feels, from the bromance with Captain to him interacting with his mom & aunt to him and Ms. Yoon—my heart felt full. It’s always the human connections that tug me in, that make me stay. Tae Joo is such an awkward lost puppy that seeing him being ‘adopted’ by the people in this era made me incredibly soft.
Tae Joo and Ms. Yoon, gahh, I can probably watch them interact forever. Like they don’t even need to end up together romantically. I just want them to continue to be in each other’s lives in some shape or form. They’re just so good for each other: She’s a soothing balm to his turmoil despite not knowing even a fraction of what’s he going through, and he’s such an encouraging and empowering presence for her in her work. Nobody’s rescuing anybody because nobody needs rescuing. What they really need is someone to listen to their ‘voice’ amidst the noise, telling them that ‘no, you’re not crazy’, and ‘yes, your voice matters’. The little smiles they had throughout this ep, gahhh!
Their relationship bears parallels to that between Shi Mok and Yeo Jin in Forest of Secrets (the entirety of which I marathoned last week). There’s just this quiet understated chemistry between each pair, and I’m loving every second of it. Is this a new trend in dramas, these kinds of partnerships? Because I’m all for it, give me more please and thank you. Sure, relationships like that in WWWSK is hot as hell (Exhibit A: see Ep 9) and is great for the soul (for my soul, at least), but relationships such as the ones in LoM and FoS are just as necessary, for the latter highlights what it means to be a partner, reminding us that every connection matters, with or without romance. You can have all the feels without the feels, you feel me? [Shush it’s 3am what is english]
pipette
July 7, 2018 at 4:16 AM
I completely agree with all of what you said, especially with regards to Tae Joo and Ms. Yoon’s partnership. I like to think of them as kindred spirits. She understands he’s a fish out of water, and he recognizes that she’s dedicated and talented. Like you said, even if there is no romance, it’s so good to see a pairing where you know the other person has got your back, so to speak. Besides, in order for romance to happen, mutual trust and respect are nessecary!
Anyway, understated partnerships for the win! Especially the ones based on mutual respect and trust. Be still my heart!
Haru
July 4, 2018 at 8:15 PM
WWWSK Ep 9 is so pitch perfect that I find myself still in disbelief. It’s everything I’ve wanted from this show & they delivered it all in this ep. You’ve restored my faith in you, show, keep it up!
Haru
July 4, 2018 at 9:10 PM
(just figured out how to bypass the character limit, so I’m back)
I just don’t even know where to start with this episode. I just love love that the entire focus of this ep is about Young Joon and Mi So and them navigating the new waters in their relationship, as they shift from being in working relationship to a couple, and it’s absolutely fantastic. I totally didn’t expect the show (or perhaps the webtoon too, I don’t know, having sworn not to read it and spoil myself) to actually handle this aspect.
I knew there’d be some awkwardness around, but I didn’t think it would be tackled with such a delicate and discerning touch. As an outsider looking in, I could immediately spot the issues. They’ve been boss-secretary for too long, so for them to start dating it right away, there’d be much to navigate. (There’s a good reason why people discourage dating your co-workers, folks, much less your own boss…)
Young Joon wants to be her equal, which he has demonstrated in previous episodes in little things like matching her strides, standing next to her instead of in front of her, etc. In fact, I had commented on this on another beanie’s post before, saying that for him to be truly equal to her, she’d actually have to quit being his secretary. I had wondered then about how he’d react to such a realization. More than that, he wants to be her boyfriend, even while at work, which of course now means he’s much more hesitant towards ordering her around to do every ‘little’ thing for him. It was good to see him recognize that and trying to work around it.
It’s not just merely about him stepping down from his ego, because his ego has never been about putting down others or being mean anyway; it’s also about him respecting her as his romantic partner, about him not wanting to depend on her for every single thing. Young Joon is self-absorbed, sure, but he’s also very perceptive. We’ve always known that. Sometimes he’s a little slow, but once he spots an issue, he’ll do his best to rectify it—whether it’s learning what kind of date Mi So likes to go on or how to apologize when he has done wrong. It’s one of the things I love about him.
This was all great already, but then show went and gave us Mi So’s side of the equation, and it got even better! Young Joon was all focused on being the boyfriend, but Mi So was more concerned about her role as a secretary, which is also incredibly important to her. It’s sort of interesting, how at the beginning of the show, she was all about disassociating from her secretary role, not realizing how ingrained it has become in her already, or how much self-confidence the role has given her. She went from this klutzy barely-qualified temp worker to an uber-competent legend amongst the secretariat department, and do you not see how much confidence she holds in her gaze now compared to 9 years before?
Haru
July 4, 2018 at 9:12 PM
That is why when Young Joon tries to do everything by himself, it hurts her pride. Because she really does pride herself on her work and gains so much fulfillment and satisfaction from a job well done. Him not letting her do these things makes it seem like she’s not competent, and that’s not something she can handle. I love that she communicated this to him. I love that they communicated with each other, period. I think this couple has always been pretty open with one another right from the start, which perhaps may be the result of 9 years together. They got upset, yes, but they also did not let it stew too long and snowballing into something unmanageable.
When Young Joon showed up with the pork rinds, I swooned a little. The gesture seemed grand, but it’s the thought that mattered most. He just wanted to make it up for her, and if it takes a huge box of caramels or having to grill pork rinds to do so, then he’ll do it gladly. Remember, this guy is just as new to romances as she is, and the dork has always thought that blockbuster is the way to go after all.
And that’s the crux of it. They’re both new to this dating thing, and that means they are bound to make a gazillion missteps along the way, but that’s okay. I want them to learn that they don’t have to follow some rule-book about what it means to be a couple. Young Joon needs to know that he doesn’t have to be her equal in everything in order for it to work, and Mi So doesn’t need to establish so rigid a line between work and personal life either. They just need to go at it their own way. Them being boss-secretary, and them being romantic partners, these roles don’t have to be mutually exclusive. They just need to make it work for them and nobody else. It’ll take some adjustments, but if it’s them, I feel they’d be able to do it.
Don’t get me started on the wardrobe kiss cuz daang, was it supposed to be that hot, or is just a PSJ and PMY kind of thing?
Here’s to hoping the whole kidnapping thing gets resolved soon (I know it won’t but one can dream). Also, Lee Min Ki and Jung So Min next ep, can’t wait!!!
mindy
July 4, 2018 at 9:29 PM
Shoot, LMK and JSM’s cameo is tomorrow?! I still haven’t watched any more of the show. Gah! Time needs to stand still.
Jellybn
July 5, 2018 at 8:44 AM
*claps* Yes! I’m horrible at explaining myself so I always applaud anyone that can do it well. I agree with all your points. I’m so glad this show just keeps getting better!