Notable Actors/Actresses
Shin Min-a: Yoon Hye-jin
Kim Sun-ho: Hong Du-sik
Lee Sang-yi: Ji Seong-hyeon
Director
Yoo Je-won
Episode Summary & Commentary
Not Recaps!
I was tempted to call these Mini Commentaries, heh.
[Ep1: Meeting (is it first, second, third, fourth??)]
Episode Summary:
→ Hye-jin visits Gongjin (a seaside village) after she walks out from her dental office job. For reasons, she can't pay for coffee (that she didn't drink) and is slaved the entire day, gutting squids. As if slaving the day in Gongjin isn't enough, she decides to open her very own dental office and live there!
The Morning Jog:
At the beginning of the episode, I like that when a sports team is running next to Yoon Hye-jin, her competitiveness kicks in and she picks up her pace to beat them. It’s completely unnecessary to outrun athletes, but she just wants to win. She seems shy but she's no pushover. She's organized but when she makes a decision, it's done in a snap.
Epilogue: He Liked Her First!:
When I found out Hong Du-sik fell in love with Hye-jin while surfing on the waves, I was screaming (inside): THIS IS IT! I know, I know it's probably infatuation and superficial. But the way he looked at her! How do you not fall in love with that smile! I love his expression in how they always reflected hers. When she looked sad, he was sentimental. When she kindly helped a kid, his gaze was soft. When she smiled brightly, his dimpled smile was dazzling.
[Ep2: An Outcast By The Villagers (But Clearly Infesting One Man’s Heart With Love)]
Episode Summary:
→ Hye-jin’s social awareness is absentee as she insults the villagers, securing herself as a person non grata in this small, small village. It’s quite the feat.
→ Du-sik to the rescue! He pulls Hye-jin into the crowd. Through his recommendation, she finally gets her first patient.
Chief's Hong's Specs:
It might just be easier describing what this guy cannot do, which is nothing. There is no license he does not own. Du-shik fixes Hye-jin's car, becomes her agent, and renovates her home and her office. He even saves her from being an outcast. He's also the delivery guy. Every night he's got a parcel for her because our girl loves her online shopping.
870714:
I thought it was so smooth how he casually dropped his birthday and his home combo for her to know all at once. Hye-jin's repulsive shriek was the highlight – such a realistic reaction (at least for me). And I swear, him shivering at her saying "oppa" was a revenge xD
Epilogue: The Childhood Connection:
It's as if romcoms cannot be romcoms if there isn't a childhood connection. Still, this one checked all the right boxes. It's hard to go wrong when the kids are this cute.
Episode Theme: Pictures:
(1) Du-sik takes a candid shot of Hye-jin. From that action alone, does this guy not know he's already in love? (2) These two were connected by "pictures". When he was younger, he made her smile with his silly leg wagging dance move. (3) Du-sik's grandfather thought he wanted a picture too when he stared longingly at Hye-jin's family – our boy was actually staring at Hye-jin and nothing else.
[Ep3: Lighting Up Hye-jin’s Heart: She’s Falling in Love!]
Episode Summary:
→ Du-sik (purposely!) tags along Hye-jin's trip to Seoul with three kiddo-grandmas in tow. It's like a family outing. Hye-jin and Du-sik are the parents to three messy children in the back. On the road trip, Du-sik sympathizes with Hye-jin after hearing she lost her mother when she was a child. She says she's okay about it but it seems Du-sik knows better than anyone that she's not over it.
→ Mi-seon has a superhuman ability which is to understand speech through argh-argh-argh-arghs
→ Grandma Kim is too poor to afford dental treatment. Du-shik tries to give her money and he’s chased out of the house. Hye-jin gives her a discount and she’s all smiles. Nothing like a little discount to sincerely win over a frugal granny's heart.
Delivery Boy:
How much do you all want to bet Du-sik deliberately took on all of Hye-jin's delivery? How is it that your delivery guy is always the same guy? Also, I love it when his voice is hoarse from yelling her name, he resorts to singing.
Drive Safe:
I swooned because of Hye-jin (the driver) when she instinctively protected Du-sik (the passenger) as she slammed hard on the breaks. I also love how feisty she is when she flicks her signal to chase down the dangerous diver. Oh and the grandmas are cute in the backseat even if they're swearing machines and even if their bowels are such a nuisance. These grandmas are worse than kids! xD At least you can yell at kids to behave and society won’t look down on you. Yelling at seniors? Shame.
Coffee Turns Cold!
Du-sik perfects coffee for Hye-jin!! He already knows how to make coffee (since he’s got a license for it...) but he's making it taste even better just for her. I swear. Too bad the next day, he's cold to her again and won't make her coffee! Boy, why are you denying your feelings like this ):
Lights On, Heart On:
Obviously, Du-shik is an electrician too and that’s why he’s called to Hye-jin’s place when her electricity is out. Du-sik was pretty cute when he’s shy to see Hye-jin who just came out of the shower. Clearly, he was in love since Ep1. As for Hye-jin, I think it’s this episode, this night that her heart turns on for him. It was in that brief touch of their hands when he gave her a napkin for her dripping ice-cream. That little touch tingled her, and electrified her. It seems our Du-shik isn’t just a simple electrician (;
Lights On, Heels Reunited:
Du-shik isn’t just an electrician tonight. He’s also Prince Charming, who finds Cinderella with her heels who is (un)fortunately whacked by Cinderella’s heels one by one. Did her heels find him or did he find her through her heels?
By the way, is it even possible to restore the heel when it’s been eroded in salt water for days? And man, Du-shik is busy. In the day, he’s got his various part-times and at night, he’s fixing shoes, perfecting coffee, making deliveries and it’s all for one girl. It’s worth it, though for that smile of hers when her heels were reunited. And then the lights turn on! What a magical moment! Both their smiles are blinding, especially Du-sik’s. He tried to stop smiling but he could only control it ever so briefly and the smile that returned was even brighter. Dude, how do you ignore that love you have for her?
[Ep4: Love and Friendship]
Episode Summary:
→ A piggyback ride for a fake sleeping Hye-jin, which Du-shik is aware of.
→ Hye-jin doubles the amount of friends she has! It's up to 2 with the addition of Ju-ri
→ A pervert in the clinic pinned down by a breathless Du-sik. He doesn't care about anyone on his off-days, but with Hye-jin, his rules run differently.
→ Cliffhanger: Du-sik touches Hye-jin’s flushing cheeks.
Hye-jin Misses Du-sik:
Hye-jin was itching all over when she couldn’t see Du-sik in the mornings, ha. If she left home on time, she’d always see him (in various uniforms) heading to work. I don’t think it was coincidental at all. They both put effort into making it happen. I swear. And then one day, he’s just not here. And Hye-jin just can’t sit still. She orders jajamyeon for lunch, hoping he’s the delivery guy, but he’s not. She’s bored of her food and Mi-seon thinks Hye-jin has a heatstroke. Well. The heat is there but specifically in her heart and it’s failing to cool down. When she finally sees him at the village meeting (that she would have never gone to), I’m not sure that “heatstroke” will cool down. Oh, and of all the available seats, he chooses the empty one next to Hye-jin.
[Ep5: Slept Together – So Close Yet So Far]
Episode Summary:
→ Hye-jin sleeps over at Du-sik's and they become the talk of the town – even the kids at school know...! Everyone thinks that our Dentist is no match for our Freelancer and that offends Hye-jin but then she's taken aback when she learns Du-sik graduated from the prestigious Seoul University. Why is he here then? What happened in those five years?
→ New guy: Ji Seong-hyeon. He's a PD and Hye-jin's friend.
→ Hye-Jin and Du-sik play in the rain
Hye-jin Drunk Kissed Du-sik!
During lunch (where Du-sik and Hye-jin were vandalizing the table with formulas), he flinched when she reached over to wipe his mouth. He’s reminded of the kiss, isn't he? ;) I think this is also a little easter egg that parallels Ep3 when he touched her hand to give her a napkin for the melting icecream. Now they each have a heart fluttering moment from a little skinship.
Playing in The Rain:
I really like what Du-sik said to Hye-jin, "So what [if we're all wet], just let yourself go. How is it possible that life has no rain or thunder? In weathers like this, we'll still be drenched with an umbrella anyway, so why don't we just enjoy it? Play with me!"
Epilogue:
It seems Hye-jin is Du-sik's sun in the rain; the light in his dark nights; the dream in his nightmare. Yet, the more he feels her warmth, the more he resists his feelings for her. ):
[Ep6: Dads]
Episode Summary:
→ Ju-ri runs away from home because Dad won’t pay for her braces. She performs at a music festival to win the prize money herself. Hye-jin and Du-sik are her backup dancers. I love that they suck, ha.
→ Cliffhanger: Seong-hyeon and Hye-jin meet
Episode Theme: Dads:
Ju-ri and Hye-jin both hated their fathers but both realized their fathers love them. In the beginning of the drama, I thought Hye-jin’s father seemed distant and uncaring, but this episode proved that all wrong. Dad is a caring one. He’s very dad-like in not knowing how to care for the daughter he loves.
The Book Du-sik is Reading:
Du-sik is frustrated when he reads this line: "The first kiss is like a picture of sunshine with the smell of roses." Hm, so that was his first kiss? Since we're on the topic of books, in Ep 2, he also read this book with this line: "I want the human who is like flowers and fruits.” At this rate, Hye-jin is everything: sunshine, roses, flowers, fruits, light, warmth, the list goes on!
Du-sik Misses Hye-jin (But He’s Such a Jerk About it!):
It's Du-sik's turn to miss her. He becomes her patient just to see her but then emphasizes he wants to be friends and nothing more. Then he does a 180 after the stage performance when he pats her head and purposely walks with her. All these mixed signals! Poor Hye-jin. Du-sik does like her. It's in his actions, but once he realizes it, he pushes her away. Then when she’s really distancing herself, he pulls her back. Ugh.
Epilogue:
Our couple has two fateful encounters. I thought one was more than enough, lol.
[Ep7: Du-sik's Greatest Love Rival: Is it Seong-hyeon or Himself?]
Episode Summary:
→ Seong-hyeon is a formidable love rival for Du-shik. He likes Hye-jin
→ Grandma Kim agrees to lend her home to Seong-hyeon for his variety show. Grandma likes discounts and pretty boys. I think I can be friends with her.
The Boys Walk Hye-jin Home:
I see what Du-sik did there. He was the first to arrive at his home, and to prevent Seong-hyeon from having alone time with Hye-jin, he purposely invites Seong-hyeon for more drinks at his place, excluding Hye-jin, which only makes her want to join the boys even more. Sly move, lol.
Jealous Du-sik Marking Hye-jin:
I find jealous Du-shik so funny, so endearing, and such a pain in the butt, lol. He makes her list out his working terms to Seong-hyeon which she has memorized much to Du-shik's satisfaction. Then he mocks her tone when she accepts Seong-hyeon’s invitation to dinner, reminding her that she doesn’t let men treat her easily, which is then followed up by more mockery and a bonus snorting laugh that’s supposed to mimic hers. Too funny.
Romantic Laundry Moment:
Washing laundry looks so romantic in Kdramas. Why can't it be like that in real life? Hye-jin and Du-sik are stuck in a bucket together doing chores and are back to being whatever their relationship was in the beginning (which is neither friends or lovers but everything in between). I think her happiness also has a lot to do with the fact that she realized there's nothing between him and Ji-won (Seong-hyeon’s coworker). It’s also nice that ‘water’ always draws them together.
Du-sik's Insecurity:
From Ep5 this man is suffering from something that makes him unable to admit his feelings for Hye-jin. He wants her but he can't have her, but he wants her and this translates to him being a jerk on screen, deserving very little pity whenever he messes around with Hye-jin's feelings. The epilogue with him crying and asking her to not leave was all that I needed to believe that whatever he's fighting in his heart is breaking him. He's vulnerable. Hey-jin has no idea what is hurting him (she's also too drunk) but her answer was simple and poignant: "I'm not leaving. I'm not going anywhere." I hope he wasn't too drunk to have forgotten that. Adding to his fear of abandonment, there is now also Seong-hyeon's involvement. The threat of losing her becomes very real. Which emotion will win out? The fear of losing her because of himself or the sadness in losing her because of someone else? What more can he not bear?
[Ep8: In Jealousy and in Love]
Episode Summary:
→ Nam-suk: She's more than a penny-pincher. She's a mother who lost her child and she saves all her money to donate to charities.
→ Du-sik falls ill and Hye-jin takes care of him (without taking down his kitchen, bravo!)
→ Cliffhanger: Du-sik and Hye-jin hug ~
Seating Arrangement – Sign of Attraction:
I love it when nuances in everyday life are caught in dramas like when Hye-jin naturally sits next to Du-sik. It’s such a simple move but holds such a significant meaning. Her body chose him. She chose him. Simple. Du-sik's teeny tiny smile is like he won the whole world! Even sharing a menu was a big deal for the boys, ha.
Neck Brace Sexiness:
Taking off a neck brace has never been so sexy. Nah, it was the tousling of her hair that made Du-sik lose his mind. He had to scold himself to stop his daydreaming. I say it’s a sign of his love growing uncontrollably ~
Du-sik's Love For Hye-jin is in His Actions:
There's a sexual predator on the loose. Seong-hyeon gives Hye-jin protective little objects like a baton and an alarm. Du-sik takes it up a notch. He's patrolling the area (I know it's not just for her, but I also like to think it is mostly because of her) and assesses the environment around her (like the flickering street light). He also takes care of her health. It's one thing saying Oh, watch your back, let me carry that for you and another thing staying up late at night to prepare medicinal herbs for her neck. Show also contrasts Du-sik with Geum-cheol who's complaining about buying durian for his pregnant wife all the while Du-sik is chopping out the herbs. (Also I never knew there were herbs for the neck...)
Du-sik Tastes Hye-jin's Cooking:
This guy can sell anything he eats. I had thought it tasted wondrous when his smile was so sunny. Just how much does he love her to smile like that while eating every bit of that disgusting food she made down to the very last bite? xD Oh and Du-sik's commentary about his kitchen while she's clinging and clanging his dishes was too hilarious.
The Hug:
I love the focus on Du-sik's reaction to her hugging him. His desires seep through as he grips onto her but then there’s his crushed expression. Just what is making him so resistant to love? And why is Du-sik there in the first place? I doubt he's patrolling. He went there specifically to look for Hye-jin. He has a flashlight because he knew the streetlights near her house were flickering. I’m positive he remembers she’s afraid of the dark too.
The Epilogue:
Doesn't make sense to me. If he was awake when she tried to kiss him, why was there a scene of him waking up long after she's gone to eat her horrible congee? He fell asleep again? After that almost kiss??? How could he sleep? 'Cause he's sick? Fine.
[Ep9: Meeting the Parents!]
Episode Summary:
→ Du-sik pretends to be Hye-jin's boyfriend because.
→ Dad disapproves of Du-sik because he's an "orphan" (alone in this world) but when Du-sik sincerely admits he loves Hye-jin, Dad approves.
→ Yeong-guk confesses to Cho-hui and he is rejected. He blames it on his wife. To this day he doesn't know why Hwa-jeong divorced him.
Du-sik's Reaction to Dad:
I'm confused about Du-sik's reaction. If he likes Hye-jin and even if he is resisting her, wouldn't he want to impress Dad?
Du-sik Admits He Loves Hye-jin to Dad:
I’m not sure if anyone else was confused with the subtitles for the part when he said that he loves Hye-jin "as a friend”. I did. I rewinded a couple of times. I think there might be a contextual misunderstanding (at least for me initially). I don't think he meant that he only liked her as a friend but rather he loves her but currently he is only a friend, admitting to Dad that he's not her boyfriend. Then this would explain Dad's approval because what kind of dad would be happy to give his daughter to a guy who only likes her as a friend?
Du-sik's Past:
Du-sik, what happened to you! He appears bright and approachable but he keeps everyone at arm's length. Is it because everyone around him has died and he thinks it's his fault? There's a funeral scene and I caught a glimpse of the picture on the wall. I think his friend (male) died too. He was already delicate to begin with and perhaps that friend's death sent him off the edge.
[Ep10: Confessions!]
Episode Summary:
→ A sexual predator enters Hye-jin's house. Her Prince Charming saves her.
→ Hye-jin is left without a place to sleep. She stays over at Du-sik's
→ Du-sik's grandfather's memorial day. Hye-jin stays to pay her respect (to her future grandpa-in-law).
→ Seong-hyeon confesses his love
→ Hye-jin confesses her love
→ Du-sik (sorta) confesses his love
→ A kiss!
"Who Would Run Towards a Man Holding a Knife?":
Du-sik. For the woman he loves. Hye-jin was the one who asked this question while crying in the hospital but it's Grandma Kim who answers it later in the episode. She smacks Du-sik's shoulders and he flinches, looking aghast. Why would Grandma hit him knowing he's injured? Grandma throws back a question at him: Why would you run towards a man holding a knife? The answer is obvious. She tells Du-sik that life is short. Why lie to your own feelings? And whaddya know he stops denying his feelings this episode ~
The Crab Moment:
Hye-jin: "If there isn't enough love, [one] really can't do this (shelling crabs).” Whoops, it’s a confession from Hye-jin :). It’s a total of two confessions this episode from this one girl! Her heart is already filled with him and before her brain processes her words, she has already said them. When she's shopping, she's thinking of him. When she's eating, she's thinking of him. When it's raining, she's thinking of him. He has consumed her heart and it's bursting.
Epilogue:
I think this might be surprising only to me. From Ep1, I was under the impression that Du-sik recognized Hye-jin. Because all dramas do that. After I realized he didn't know she was the little girl, and that he fell in love gradually, this drama instantly became a better love story for me. The childhood connection is there but they fell in love regardless.
A Full Confession:
Just wanted to thank Drama for not cutting the confession and turning it into a cliffhanger :D
[Ep11: Dating is Hard! And Deadly!]
Episode Summary:
→ Hye-jin properly rejects Seong-hyeon
→ Du-sik asks Hye-jin if she loves him or if she just wants to murder him. LOL.
→ The villagers know they’re “secretly” dating
The Confession:
There is this melancholy in the way Du-sik accepts Hye-jin's confession. For Hye-jin, her love is bursting and she doesn't want to hold back. For Du-sik, his love is surging too, but it's more like he can’t resist anymore. His resistance is in his answer too when she questions him why he never did anything when he knew Seong-hyeon liked her. He blurted out, “I didn’t know I liked you this much!” He knew he liked her but thought that he could control it. He tried and tried, but he just couldn't.
How Much Does Du-sik Love Hye-jin?:
I actually liked the first answer he gave a lot. He said that no matter in volume or mass, the amount that he likes her won't disappoint her. His love is deep and hefty ~ I thought that was really cute already. But it’s not enough for Hye-jin so he gives her a more definite answer: Lake Baikal. It’s the oldest and deepest lake in the world. Such a nerdy and romantic reply.
Everyone Finds Out:
Most importantly, Grandma Kim knows. She says she has no regrets now.
[Ep12: Dating is lovely (almost too lovely)]
Episode Summary:
→ A date in Seoul and will it be our couple’s first “fight”?
→ Mi-seon and Eun-cheol are together.
→ 1st Mystery solved: Yeong-guk knows why Hwa-jeong divorced him. It’s not the socks. He was just a plain jerk.
Cuteness Overload:
Oi. Way too much aegyo for me! I think Du-sik has the better aegyo-speak, though haha. Like him, I also didn't understand why he couldn't brush his own teeth. I like my teeth clean...and preferably not bleeding.
Couple List: Hers vs His
I wonder who made the couple list first. Du-sik's first item was to make something for Hye-jin and that scene where he stared at the pile of wood was before Hye-jin's yoga scene.
Who Said "I Love You" First:
Du-sik. At least he does one thing first. Not that the man of the relationship should always do things first. And he ain't no typical man anyway ~ When I thought he’d feel self-depreciatory, he goes and plans a romantic date night and makes a little wooden home for her necklace. So sweet.
[Ep13: Birth-day]
Episode Summary:
→ Hye-jin celebrates Du-sik’s birthday by making him homemade seaweed soup. Yum!
→ Du-sik impresses Hye-jin’s pretentious high school alumni
→ Yun-gyeong gives birth
→ 2nd Mystery remains unsolved: Hye-jin wants to know what happened to Du-sik in those five years but he remains elusive
Hye-jin's Wardrobe:
Omg that dress she wore at Du-sik's birthday party. I can't tell if she wants to be a Christmas tree or a Christmas wreath.
Hye-jin Going "Oppa~~~":
I laughed way too much at that speechless/amused look Du-sik gave Hye-jin when she kills him with her "oppas".
Yun-gyeong and Geum-cheol's Argument Over Shoelaces:
It’s not the shoelaces, if anyone thinks it’s the shoelaces, it’s not. Great actress by the way. (This argument is just like the socks for the divorced couple. It's not the socks.)
Du-sik Welcomes the Newborn:
I found this scene poignant. It's the first time he welcomed a new life instead of bidding goodbye T_T. This moment was special to him and I got to see how broken he was to begin with which just made me cry.
Hye-jin and Du-sik’s “fight”:
Hye-jin is a hedgehog. She pricks. She doesn’t do it on purpose. It’s her lack of perception (which I know doesn’t mean it’s okay). She can’t see his pain. She’s self-absorbed; she gave him everything and thought he could too but when it comes to the truth about those five years, he can't. It doesn’t help that he's concealing the depth of his pain to her. Perhaps if she knew the abyss of his grief, maybe she’d stop asking. But she doesn’t. And he doesn’t know how to heal himself. It really hurts watching him answer her that he doesn’t know himself either.
[Ep14: A Break: Not A Break-up But a Break For Love]
Episode Summary:
→ A break for Hye-jin and Du-sik.
→ Cho-hui is a lesbian
→ Yeong-guk and Hwa-jeong make up
→ Cliffhanger: Is Do-ha’s father paraplegic because of Du-sik?
Cho-hui Loves Hwa-jeong:
Cho-hui’s Mom says being lesbian is a disease and that it’s Mom’s fault she gave birth to her that way. Oof. What surprises me is that Hwa-jeong knew.
The Break (For Love):
I really like how Hye-jin asked for the break: it is time for her to reflect on herself so that he doesn’t have to feel sorry. She ensures him that she still loves him. She wants him. She’s clear on that. Until he’s comforted that she won’t leave, he finally remembers to exhale as the anxiety leaves him.
Breaking the Break:
Hye-jin sucks at being separated from Du-sik (lol, and I love that). After thinking it through for a few days, she’s had enough of it. “If you can promise me that you can tell me in the future then I feel that I can wait for you.” This is all she asks of him. She doesn’t need a definite time. Then when his answer is a flimsy “I want to but..”, it is enough. She only needs the possibility that he could tell her to commit. Then she earnestly asks him: “Let’s not not see each other. Let’s see each other and think it through. Let’s date and think.” I can’t not love Hye-jin for her decisions once she commits.
“Bamboo Forest”:
Hwa-jeong had said she thought Hye-jin could be Du-sik’s bamboo forest. Curious me wondered why bamboo of all types of forests. Turns out it’s a Korean thing. Google tells me there is an actual community called Bamboo Forest known for being an anonymous site that people can spill their hearts to.
Du-sik may look like an extrovert but he endures all his pain. Through Hwa-jeong’s memories, we see Du-sik when he first arrived at Gongjin and that emptiness in his eyes, in his body was an instant tearjerker for me. With that expression, no one could ask him what happened. This boy desperately needs a place he can cry to and to open his heart that he barely stitched up. Hye-jin is that place, that bamboo forest.
Reassurance from Grandma Kim:
Grandma Kim to Du-sik: “Being kind to others is a good thing but you need to be kind to yourself. You have to eat well and be happy. If you’re happy then I’m happy and so will [Hye-jin]. All of the villagers in Gongjin probably think so too.” Grandma Kim always says the right thing that Du-sik needs to hear. After the talk with Grandma-Kim, he promises Hye-jin to tell her everything.
Epilogue:
It’s a scene of Du-sik writing in his journal: “To be happy with you for a very long time.” He never thought of a tomorrow without Hye-jin nor a break up. It’s a nice contradiction to what Hye-jin said this episode when she rambled on about “possibility” and how their future wasn't guaranteed either and things like they may not be together tomorrow anyway. In Du-sik’s future, being separated from her isn’t a possibility.
I also think Hye-jin’s approach is romantic too. She mentioned breaking up but simultaneously, she exposed her heart to him that she loved him dearly. It’s courageous to display your heart like that while taking on the risk that things might not work out.
[Ep15: The Truth; Gongjin and Everyone Saved Du-sik]
Episode Summary:
→ Get your tissues ready!
→ Jang Yi-joon learns his parents (Yeong-guk and Hwa-jeong) are together again.
→ Du-sik tells Hye-jin everything. (Do-ha's father bet his all into a stock that failed. He tried to commit suicide and that failed too. It's somehow Du-sik's fault. On the way to the hospital, Jeong-U volunteers to drive Du-sik and their car crashes. Jeong-U dies.)
→ Du-sik attempted suicide. A text message from Grandma Kim saved his life. Then the villagers at Gong-jin saved him from depression. There is also one more person who saved his life that night.
→ Cho-hui confesses her love to Hwa-jeong.
→ Du-sik reconciles with everyone: Do-ha and Seon-A (Jeong-u's wife)
→ Is Hye-jin leaving for Seoul for good?
→ Grandma Kim dies :(
Security Guard (Do-ha's Father):
I don't understand how anything is Du-sik's fault (externally). I felt zero sympathy for the guard's mother and son, Do-ha. I get that Du-sik may have been guilty, but he did nothing to wrong the guard. It's not even the fund he told him to invest in!
Du-sik Was Saved By Everyone:
First, there was Grandma Kim's text. Second, Hye-jin called the police and stayed until he was safely escorted by the ambulance. Finally, all of the villagers in Gongjin kept knocking at his door. They asked him to help with this and that and thus Chief Hong was born. I also wanted to say that Kim Sun-ho's acting makes me cry. He needs no line but just that anguish in his eyes to bring me to tears.
[Ep16: Walking in Life Together]
Episode Summary:
→ Du-sik finally cries for Grandma Kim's death. (Let the pain show, boy!)
→ Hye-jin moves to Seoul (for three days only....)
→ 3rd Mystery Solved: Who won the Lotto? Eun-cheol did.
→ Hye-jin calls her stepmom "Mom"
→ Hye-jin calls Chief Hong by his name for the first time but settles with “jagi” instead which means sweetheart but it also means “oneself” so whenever they call each other “jagi” it’s like she’s him and he’s her.
→ Seong-hyeon and Ji-won are together
→ Chun-jae in invited as a singer to participate in a show
→ Wedding shoot!
Grandma Kim’s death:
Although depressing, I think the death was necessary for Du-shik’s character development. Show needed to demonstrate he could properly grieve and move on. Someone had to sacrifice. The good thing is Grandma died with her friends and during her sleep. It wasn’t lonely nor painful and I think that’s the best way to go. (It’s regretful for her son, though.) In the letter she gave Du-sik, my favourite line was “At times life may seem like a burden to you, but the living have to live with the living. [...] Just like you carried me, there will be someone to carry you.” *Flashback shows images of Grandma and Hye-jin*
Hye-jin Leaves to Seoul~
Just wanted to highlight the A+ response Du-shik gave Hye-jin when she was clearly packing too many clothes. “It’s not much at all. Changing 15 times a day should be enough.” And you gotta say it like you mean it! :D
Hye-jin’s Spontaneous Proposal:
I love it so much that she proposed first and he replied with a panicky no. LOL. Also, I found the pattern! Something dramatic always happens when Hye-jin goes to Seoul – alone. The first time, it was barely a day and she made the big move to open her dental office in Gongjin. The second time, it was almost a day and she came back to confess to Du-sik. The third time, it was for three days, and it’s a proposal! I love her spontaneity. I love her even more for asking if tomorrow is too soon for a proposal and thinks the day after tomorrow is less sooner. LOL. Du-sik should let her go to Seoul more often (y’know if he doesn’t miss her like crazy).
The Moment They Wanted to Propose:
For Du-shik, I think it was when he was having dinner alone and imagined Hye-jin everywhere in his home. For Hye-jin, I think it was during her lunch with Stepmom (which I think it's Hye-jin’s first time calling her “mom”). Stepmom recounts their first meeting and how she wanted to be family after their simple dinner. She was able to imagine eating with them like family, and that is also enough of a nudge for Hye-jin to imagine married life with Du-sik. Her reason to marry is simple too: “I hate it when [Du-shik’s] all alone. I want to be his family.” Simple! Sweet!
The proposal:
I find it so satisfying when a drama can meaningfully round it back to the beginning and this drama does it with the “pair of heels”. Hye-jin wore the heels he reunited for her to propose to him. He also loses his sneaker in the waves which they both retrieve together. His proposal is also about shoes and walking together: “Two pairs of shoes by the door, two toothbrushes in the bathroom, two aprons in the kitchen... Let everything be in pairs in our home to spend today, tomorrow and everyday. Will you live together with me?”
(They’ll even have a pair of children together, lol).
Boat Metaphors:
I love Hye-jin-jin for saying that she will be in the front clearing the path for Du-sik. She really is always in the front. When he replies that it won’t always be a clear day and there will be wind, waves, and even typhoons, her answer is this: “So what? It’s just a bit of water. And so what if the wind is strong? As long as we’re both on the boat.” Du-shik has this very amused look because he taught her that when she was obsessed with using her umbrella (Ep5).
Truly Belonging in Gongjin:
Du-sik made a passing comment to Hye-jin (when she delivered Yun-gyeong’s baby) that whenever something happens in Gongjin they'll stop calling Chief Hong and call her instead. It came true! In the ending scene, she gets an emergency call just as Du-sik does. She is now the go to person in Gongjin. Awww ~
Wedding Shoot:
Opting for a wedding shoot ending rather than a marriage makes me appreciate this drama so much more. Their fated encounters began with pictures and with this ending, it will continue with pictures. What’s more beautiful is that Grandpa is in the picture!! The boat symbolizes Grandpa and it also has Grandma’s name ~ What a nice family picture – the one in the beginning with Hye-jin’s family and the one at the end with their new family. Complete!
The Ending With the Shoes:
The shoes take the very last scene. They’re wearing the same pair they proposed in. It’s an ending promising that our couple will be walking together in their journey of life rain or shine.
The end!!
Remarks
[Review] I almost forgot what it feels like to be wooed by a Kdrama romcom ~ This is such a warm and sunny romance set in the beach. I’m washed away by the feels and the acting.
I instantly fell in love and fell hard for the ML (Du-sik) after the first episode. Although he resists his feelings for the FL, I was rooting for him. He gives her confusing signals but cherishes her dearly. Clearly, something within him is constraining him. The more he loves her, the more he controls his emotions until they reach a bottleneck and his love bursts through. By the end, his character’s vulnerability is displayed so heartbreakingly, I almost didn’t want him to open his heart for his wounds to tear open again. Du-sik is too precious.
There’s a consistent theme to this drama with all its characters: no one is who they seem. Du-sik looks like an extrovert but he has so much to hide in that fragile heart of his. Hye-jin comes across unapproachable but once everyone sees through her thorns, she’s quite adorable and her spontaneity is to die for.
[Ending (Themes)] Happy!
Below, I’m just cherry picking points I particularly like from my massive episodic review:
Rain/Water/Sea/Boat (Spoilers: Ep1, 5, 7, 10, 16): All the important romantic moments happen in water. Du-sik fell in love with Hye-jin while surfing. As for Hye-jin, she realizes she’s in love with him while being rained on. The multiple times she’s upset at him, they make up with water involved (e.g. playing in the rain or doing laundry together). His love for her is as deep as the deepest lake in the world. They also propose by the water. At the very end their wedding shoot is on a boat. Their love is akin to the boat on the sea in that no matter if there’s rain or a typhoon, they’ll be together.
The Shoes (Spoilers: Ep1, 3, 16): I love how Hye-jin’s (Cinderella) heels attacked Du-sik one by one. It’s not the most romantic way to find a man but what he did with the shoes to reunite them felt magical. He paired up her heels and she paired up with him, and his proposal was full of pairs, even down to their children ~ The final scene is the icing to the cake with the shoe theme – it’s a close up of her heels and his sneakers (the ones they proposed in). Our couple will walk together in life step by step, hand in hand, rain or shine.
Picture Themes (Spoilers: Ep1, 2, 16): I thought the wedding photo shoot was the best way this drama could end because our drama started with pictures. Isn’t it fitting to end with pictures? The final Easter egg is the cameo Grandpa makes in the form of the boat. By the very end, Du-sik gets his family photo with a new addition. Very sweet. Very heartwarming.
Rain/Water/Sea/Boat (Spoilers: Ep1, 5, 7, 10, 16): All the important romantic moments happen in water. Du-sik fell in love with Hye-jin while surfing. As for Hye-jin, she realizes she’s in love with him while being rained on. The multiple times she’s upset at him, they make up with water involved (e.g. playing in the rain or doing laundry together). His love for her is as deep as the deepest lake in the world. They also propose by the water. At the very end their wedding shoot is on a boat. Their love is akin to the boat on the sea in that no matter if there’s rain or a typhoon, they’ll be together.
The Shoes (Spoilers: Ep1, 3, 16): I love how Hye-jin’s (Cinderella) heels attacked Du-sik one by one. It’s not the most romantic way to find a man but what he did with the shoes to reunite them felt magical. He paired up her heels and she paired up with him, and his proposal was full of pairs, even down to their children ~ The final scene is the icing to the cake with the shoe theme – it’s a close up of her heels and his sneakers (the ones they proposed in). Our couple will walk together in life step by step, hand in hand, rain or shine.
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