What's Up: Episode 16 » Dramabeans Korean drama recaps

49 January 27, 2012January 24, 2016

What’s Up: Episode 16

by kaedejun

Whoa. I fervently request that all remaining episodes – however many it may be, because I REFUSE to count down – be 90-minutes long each. At it’s rate, it’s going to be difficult to resolve everything when each episode is only 45-50 minutes long, and the drama is just starting to reach the climax by adding more conflicts and obstacles for our dear characters!

Plus, I’m getting really attached to the coupling in the above photo.

This episode begins with a monologue. Our dear Doo Ri muses about the story of “The Princess and the Frog,” and I’m sure she’s seeing Byeong Gun with new eyes; he’s her Frog Prince, and his singing is a rare miracle. It doesn’t mean she’s in love with him though.

Yet. (Maybe?)

Still hovering around Sun-Man, she follows him all the way to the hospital, and then watches from a distance as he says goodbye to his doctor. Immediately her eyes widen in anger and jealousy. She puts on lipstick (in the men’s bathroom no less, because her anger has made her oblivious to bathroom signs), and then angrily confronts Sun-Man in the reception area.

In front of everyone, she calls him out on choosing status over feelings. So what, just because she’s a musical student, he won’t date her even if she likes him? Is he someone who really goes for a girl who’s a doctor and super rich? Must she play hard to get just so he can be interested in her too?

Sun-Man waves his medical bill in her face. He’s in a HOSPITAL. And he just met a DOCTOR… Suddenly Doo Ri asks, “Oh, are you sick?”

Bah! Took you a while to figure that out!

Visibly relieved, they go get lunch together, but Doo Ri can’t eat. She wants to know what he’s sick from, and what kind of medicine he just got. She even blocks his spoon from reaching his mouth until he answers. Sun-Man: “The drugs were for withdrawal symptoms. I was an alcoholic remember?” Doo Ri is skeptical, but she accepts his reasoning. When she asks how long he has to take medicine for though, his answer is quite morbid:

Doo Ri: Till when do you have to take the medicine?

Sun-Man: Not sure. Probably not for too long.

Doo Ri: So after a while, you’re going to get better without medication?

Sun-Man: Probably. By then they say it usually becomes all better.

Kaedejun: You mean – by then, you’re probably dead?

Suddenly, he gets pangs from his liver and quickly holds back his nausea. He excuses himself to the bathroom, and Doo Ri quickly snatches a couple packets of drugs for herself. Girl – don’t be taking other people’s medication! Even if you think it’ll cure your future hangovers!

Jae Hun also leaves campus to go to the police station. He waffles between leaving and entering, but finally ends up going in. He is greeted by Detective Cho. Jae Hun tries to act cool by saying he’s really busy and has a paper to write, so Cho throws a photo in front of him. It’s the scooter left behind on the scene of the accident – the one that Jae Hun had driven before nearly hitting Mr. Park.

Jae Hun pretends he doesn’t recognize it, but when Cho says that there were witnesses seeing him there, he blurts out, “In the middle of the night, how could anyone have seen or remembered me clearly?”

Cho: “I didn’t say it was at night.”

Damn – I hate slips of the tongue like that. Cho informs Jae Hun that his case will be treated like a hit-and-run accident, which means he could get the maximum sentence of 5 years. He sends Jae Hun off to the holding cell and suggests he call his mother. Jae Hun would rather not, but he doesn’t hand over his cellphone for confiscation just yet…

After lunch, Doo Ri tries to do couple-like things with Sun-Man, walking down a snowy tree-lined path a la Winter Sonata and leaning behind his solid back to “escape from the wind.” Sun-Man then gets a call from Jae Hun from jail, and he tricks Doo Ri into getting on the bus back to school without him.

At the police station, Cho is surprised that Jae Hun used his one call on a teacher, and that the teacher actually did show up to pick him up. Despite not being related to Jae Hun, Cho honestly tells Sun-Man the situation. They don’t want to reopen Jae Hun’s case. It had been settled a year ago between the truck driver and the victim’s family. However, because the truck driver kept insisting on his innocence, posted petitions on their bulletin board every day, and could have gotten the netizens all up in arms against the police station, they had to reopen it.

I’m surprised that Cho would rather just be done and over with Jae Hun, since I thought he was going to go through any lengths to get him. It’s like, he became the good guy…! But then again, after one year, a person can change, and Cho admitted to Sun-Man that he wanted to go after bigger criminals instead of small ones like Jae Hun. So he asks Sun-Man for some help, and has Jae Hun released from the holding cell.

On the bus ride back to school, Sun-Man understands that Jae Hun was scared to tell the truth, but he also wanted to just say it and get it over with. He should know – he feels the same exact guilt towards Eun Hye. Jae Hun insists that he was trying to avoid hitting Mr. Park, and got hurt in the process. But because people started gathering around, and it was looking bad for him, he bolted. It was a complete accident.

Sun-Man tells him that he needs to go tell that to the victim. The victim in this case is Mr. Park, but since Mr. Park is dead, he needs to go tell it to the victim’s family. Sun-Man hands over a slip of paper – it has the address of the family, and the name of Mr. Park’s daughter.

Dun dun dun!! The fact that it’s Park Tae Hee is like the large pink elephant on the bus. Without saying much, they both understand that Tae Hee needs to forgive Jae Hun, and arrange a settlement. Only then can Cho submit an appeal on Jae Hun’s behalf, and the case can be closed for good.

Meanwhile, a new choreographer has stepped in for Team Yang and “Fame,” but his choreography is so much more difficult, including lifts and different rhythms. The choreographer bitches about the amateur cast to Director Oh, and Chang Jin begs Prof. Yang to renegotiate. His cast had practiced their own choreography for over a month, and they’re not used to the new dance routines or even the newly-rearranged music. Besides, their original plans for “Fame” weren’t that bad.

When Director Oh comes over to speak with Prof. Yang, she broaches on the topic, but is quickly dismissed. Director Oh wants to replace the core dancers with his own people. This musical is becoming less and less about the students, and more and more about commercial success. On top of that, Director Oh wants to have more rehearsals during the day, so he requests that all the students’ schedules be rearranged so that they can have classes at night.

Ugh.

But his final condition is the most upsetting: he wants Byeong Gun and Tae Hee in “Fame.”

Imagine Sun-Man’s reaction when Prof. Yang asks for him to hand over the two freshmen. The guy laughs so hard I’m sure he caused additional pain to his liver and stomach, but probably relished it because the situation was too funny.

Sun-Man knows it’s all because of Director Oh; the fact that Prof. Yang is losing control over her own production is all over the school’s message boards. Prof. Yang defends her actions, saying that the school finally has a chance to win a prestigious award. Sun-Man: “But if the directing, choreography, script, and actors are all from the outside, can it really be counted as Haneul’s performance?”

Prof. Yang gets down on him – though this may all look like she’s acting out of personal greed, she’s doing it for the students. If they can take part in a well-produced musical and win NYMF, they will have greater opportunities and get scouted by bigger agencies, and have flourishing careers. Success is not built just upon pride and lessons learned in class, but it’s built on opportunities and seizing that chance when it’s presented to you.

As much as I hate Prof. Yang, I can’t argue with her logic, and neither can Sun-Man. But he laughs anyways – Byeong Gun and Tae Hee aren’t “his” to keep or give away. If she wanted them so badly, she should have gone to them and asked first!

Of course, the student most miffed by Director Oh’s new conditions is Chae Young. She steals his car keys so that he’s forced to talk to her, and yells at him for taking away her chance to shine. She came up with the musical idea so that he could execute it and be recognized by the talent agency. How could he betray her and insist on getting Tae Hee to replace her?!

Director Oh is visibly annoyed at her self-centeredness. First off, if the musical fails, Chae Young will only have a black spot on her resume, but she’ll still have a career. However he will get fired and have no future. Hence, he’s trying to make the musical as fail-proof as possible. Secondly, he never said that he wanted Tae Hee to take over Chae Young’s role. He knows that Tae Hee is on the weak side, and doesn’t have a thick enough skin to survive in the entertainment business. By putting her in “Fame,” Chae Young can continue to mess Tae Hee up mentally. Eventually, Tae Hee may lose her voice again, and she’ll be dropped from her contract.

Put it that way, and Chae Young feels slightly better. However, she has an honest moment with Soo Bin afterwards that she’s tired of constantly acting in real life. She hasn’t felt excited, or laughed, or felt happy for real in a while. She doesn’t even know if winning an award for best actress would make her happy, even if it would improve her reputation.

Chae Young hates happy people. I say, this girl needs to stop scheming and just admit that there are more people in this world than she, and someone is going to be better than her.

Soo Bin on the other hand, is perfectly happy and excited. It looks like he’s going to be collaborating with Do Sung on the music for Team Sun-Man’s musical (!!!!), and he’s looking forward to working him because Do Sung is no amateur, and has his own unique style that is rarely seen in songwriters. It’s so weird to see him go from bad-ass assassin in Tree With Deep Roots to sensitive music guy here…

Wait till Soo Bin finds out Ha Do Sung = Hades.

Meanwhile, Prof. Yang tracks down Tae Hee and asks if she can be part of her musical instead. Tae Hee’s unsure, since she’s already promised to work on Sun-Man’s. Prof. Yang appeals to her dream: isn’t it her wish to perform on a real stage in front of a real audience on a real musical (as opposed to a school musical)? That might have been Tae Hee’s wish, but right now it’s looking like she just wishes she could speak with Jae Hun again.

While doing some solid thinking and wandering, she bumps into Sun-Man. He wants her to convey a message to Jae Hun that he’s assigned Jae Hun to be the director of the musical. Tae Hee is super excited – not only is Jae Hun going to be director, but she now has a good excuse to go and talk to him!

I’m pretty sure this random assignation is Sun-Man’s way of keeping Jae Hun in school. I think he knows that Jae Hun would rather run away than face Tae Hee, much like how he ran away after Eun Hye’s death.

Sun-Man notes Tae Hee’s excitement to be messenger – she likes Jae Hun, doesn’t she? Tae Hee admits that she does, unable to hide it, but she also believes that it’s just a one-sided love. She may look like a fool to everyone, but there’s nothing she can do about it. Sun-Man requests for a 50 Won coin as payment for a secret: “Jang Jae Hun likes you too. He probably likes you five times more than you like him.”

That brightens her day, and dispels all doubt she may have had in her mind.

Unfortunately, Jae Hun is already packing up his things and getting ready to leave. (Sun-Man should have assigned him the role as director earlier!) Do Sung catches him in the midst of it and steals the tape. He refuses to submit Jae Hun’s leave of absence paperwork, or let Jae Hun leave period without an explanation and without saying goodbye to Tae Hee.

Do Sung: Do you remember this? Last time when I was packing you asked me what I was doing. You said that the people you hated the most were those who faked being all cool. So stop faking your coolness and tell me what’s going on!

Jae Hun: You’re like a nagging ahjumma. Can you wrap up these boxes then, and ship it to me?

Do Sung: You can’t go.

Jae Hun: I’ll text you my address.

Do Sung: Jang Jae Hun! Why are you doing this? You know all my secrets! I’m your friend – I think I’m your friend – so what is all this? You can’t pull this on me!

Jae Hun: …I think I’m going to end up in jail soon. The police is telling me to settle with the victim’s family, but if I do, I’d have to tell them everything. I can’t say it, even if I die. I’d rather go to jail.

Do Sung: What are you talking about?

Jae Hun: You said we’re friends right? Because we’re friends… you can pay for the postage costs right?

Oh Jae Hun, you’re still too cool in the face of adversity. He leaves the room, but bumps into Doo Ri at the lobby. She snarks that he must be planning a camping trip with his backpack.

Jae Hun: Oh Doo Ri. I hope things work out well with Prof. Sunwoo.

Doo Ri: You wanna die? Even if you don’t hope for it, of course it’ll work out well!

Kaedejun: Oh, Doo Ri, you’re too confident…

Jae Hun: You’re really a great kid.

And as a final farewell, he ruffles her hair, much to her displeasure.

Byeong Gun appears just as Jae Hun leaves, singing Doo Ri’s name. Doo Ri pipes up, “You know, you were actually kind of okay when you didn’t sing.”

But he’s got information for her. She had given him the drugs she stole from Sun-Man and asked him to get his doctor father to look into it. Byeong Gun asks if she’s crazy – does she actually think his father would willingly go look up the drugs for a son who doesn’t live at home and just randomly sent him a packet of drugs!?

He sent it to his brother instead for analysis. Apparently they’re painkillers that are usually used in conjunction with patches. Doo Ri nods; she remembers seeing something that looked like patches in Sun-Man’s bag. But Byeong Gun’s brother had also added that only cancer patients would use these type of drugs and patches.

UH-OH. Someone just found out that Sun-Man has liver cancer. And I’m pretty sure Byeong Gun is going to find out real soon.

Comments:

A lot of conflicts are coming up now, and it’s not centered on just our ragtag crew. Aside from the issue of “How to Get Jae Hun Back,” we also have “How Will Doo Ri Deal with Sun-Man’s Cancer,” “How Will Chae Young Try to (and Fail to) Torture Tae Hee,” and “What Will Prof. Yang Do?”

I am most interested in Prof. Yang’s conflict right now. As much as her logic in trying to help her students made sense, I hope she does realize that she cannot have Haneul claim credit for “Fame” if Director Oh gets his way. She may be a bitter has-been, but I hope she recognizes the talent in her students, and fights for them. It’s sometimes OK to be idealistic and proud of one’s work, even if it doesn’t win any accolades or awards. If she does choose to let Director Oh get his way, then I’m looking forward to seeing her fail; she would have then deserved it.

Related to that, I’m also curious about Sun-Man’s musical. We already know that their musical is probably going to be raw, full of college-student-angst, and great music from Soo Bin and Do Sung. But we see nothing else. I’m getting worried that we may never see a full, solid performance from his team. I won’t be completely disappointed, since I know the focus of this drama is the students, so their growth is more important. But I will throw a five-minute tantrum and cry…

On a side note, Oh Man Seok is so wonderful in this role, and his bickering relationship with Im Joo Eun is so fun to watch. I seriously feel like he’s being wasted in Wild Romance, and that the writer of that drama should put these two together at some point. The mini story at the end of this episode is centered around him. It goes back to when he’s greeting the students and faculty as they come in to watch the Team A vs. Team B musical. He hands each one a red flag and a blue flag representing each team.

Chang Jin looks at these incredibly simple flags, and Sun-Man goes straight up to him: “They’re awesome right? I made them. Last night. I started designing them since kindergarten.” What else can Chang Jin say but, “Oh – you did a great job.”

I felt like that entire sequence was ad-libbed, as some other students were snickering in the background. It was so awkward and felt spontaneous. But if it wasn’t ad-libbed, then I applaud Oh Man Seok for making it seem so. He’s got great comedic timing, and it’s lucky that his character also happens to be so awesome and carefree. Why can’t his character in Wild Romance be like that!?!

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1 Monona

January 27, 2012 at 10:40 AM

great review! I'm preparing to cry my eyes out in the coming episodes :(

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2 estel

January 27, 2012 at 10:54 AM

Thanks, kaedejun, for the great recaps. I don't have time to watch this (darn school), so it's nice that I can keep with the recaps. Plus, you're awesome. ^_~

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3 Mama J

January 27, 2012 at 10:56 AM

This is my favorite drama, ever ever ever. Unless a bomb falls out of the sky and kills every single character (or if Yang's team wins the competition) there is nothing this show can do that would destroy my love for it.

Kaedejun, I am SO GLAD that I am not the only one who thought...whoaa...Byeong Gun and Doo Ri?

LOVE how BG is just singing everything now, it completely captures how giddily happy he must be now that he's over that horrible block.

And the pure joy on Doo Ri's face when she looks at Sun Man...

Actually all the emotions read true and can be read so clearly on every actors face, you never need words to know what they're feeling.

LOVE. LOVELOVELOVELOVE.

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4 Linzer

January 27, 2012 at 11:06 AM

I love this show!!!!
I'm so torn because i don't want Jaehun to get in trouble, but yet he should, but i don't want him to! Gah! I also want more Dosung being awesome. And Byunggun blowing away everyone!

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5 mirabeau

January 27, 2012 at 11:50 AM

Oh God, how much do I love the ending sequence ? "I designed these since kindergarden"... Pwahaha, PRICELESS.

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6 chillinducky

January 27, 2012 at 11:50 AM

I'm definitely worried about how these new conflicts will wrap up. I'm not confident everything will be resolved.

Prof Yang had originally struck me as someone who can stand her ground, but with Director Oh, she's like a tiny mouse. I'm really interested in seeing how her situation plays out. She's playing just as dirty as the Director and chae Young. I'd love to see Chae Young getting squashed hah.

Doo Sung + Soo Bin xD
There better be loads of music and singing in the next episode!

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7 YBisTOP

January 27, 2012 at 11:53 AM

The first picture is awkward because in "wild romance' both of them are friends of the leading characters.. lol. I just can't seem to accept them together...i should of never have watch two movies at the same time.

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8 Dita

January 27, 2012 at 12:08 PM

I do do do do do LOVE this one!
Great Job Kaedejun!!! DAEBAK ^^

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9 Mystisith

January 27, 2012 at 12:17 PM

Yeah ! I'm part of those who don't want this show to end. BUT : Remember the words " Vol 1 " on the poster. Well, it never left my mind, i can tell you.
I just love my fierce Doo Ri getting puppy and jealous and protective around Sun Man : Those two are priceless. I dread the end.
I also love the Nice Cop : He wants to have the best of both worlds ( justice and new start for the kid ). I can sense the anguish of Jae Hun. Sweating, shaking, praying in that hell of a police station. I think at some point when you feel so bad and torn you would be relieved being jailed on the spot. Or getting shot.
Thanks for your fast recap kaedejun ! I would like to find something more original to do so, but all my energy is going to OT today :).
PS :I just love how you meddle in the conversations of the characters. What better fantasy for a drama viewer than interfering in the discussions :
Like " Tell him you love him !!!! "

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10 gala

January 27, 2012 at 12:19 PM

as much as i love Wild Romance, i do agree that they're wasting OMS on WR. now... they might still be a twist and the cool, nice guy might be a facade. we'll see...

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11 Denise

January 27, 2012 at 12:39 PM

I totally agree with about Oh Man Seok, his character in Wild Romance is the only I don't like. I love him in this show though.

I love this show cause I really don't know what is going to happen next. I usually can put things together but now with this one.

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12 Cynthia

January 27, 2012 at 12:53 PM

Thanks for the recap, K!

We'll have to agree to disagree on the subject of OMS. I'm really liking his character on WR - he's playing the part of the BFF correctly. I certainly don't think he's being wasted in this role - his character is as central to the plot as any of the other leads. Same for IJE - she's cute and funny in WR and I'm looking forward to seeing her romance with RoboMan develop.

Just because we'd like to see these two in an ideal pairing in a drama doesn't mean it's necessarily going to happen.
What's Up! was filmed almost 2 years ago, right? These actors have been honing their craft in the ensuing time and taking on these current supporting roles in WR is all good, just one more step on their selective paths.

And for an ending comment, how in the hell are they going to be able to wrap up all these plotlines in the remaining 90 minutes (keeping to a 45 min ep)? It's either going to be really clever or really awful.
:)

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xiaoSxin

January 27, 2012 at 5:33 PM

What's Up casting and pre-production started March 2010, started filming around AUgust and finished filming Feb 28, 2011. They had a wrap up party after with cast and crew, and on March 11, some cast went to an MT.

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Saima

January 27, 2012 at 7:56 PM

aaah, i was wondering abt this. At the beginning of the series the lead actor looks 'different' than he does in the later episodes. There's the appearance of laugh lines etc. Btw, he's absolutely wonderful!! So emotive, heh. Thanks Kaedejun for the recaps and the recommendation!!

Any reason why this show wasn't picked by the Big Three?! Absolutely befuddled as it's totally amazing on all fronts!!

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Cynthia

January 28, 2012 at 2:22 PM

Thanks for the timeline, X - it's fairly close to what I had remembered.

And Saima - this has been discussed before, but it's mostly reasonable to surmise that they lost a time slot due to a former drama being extended, and while it was sitting on a shelf waiting for a slot Daesung's accident/manslaughter event happened - then no one wanted to touch it until the dust settled.

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13 doogylover

January 27, 2012 at 1:07 PM

OMG!! sun man's gonna DIE!!!!!!!!!!!! check ep 1-2 recap beginning!!

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14 LeiDiAngelo

January 27, 2012 at 1:38 PM

And now I feel horrible ... because I was rooting for SunMan-DooRi Happy ending . Yet I get the feeling that the death our cast is mourning in the start of the show is SunMan's . Now ... all I can wish for is DooRi-ByeongGun and JaeHun-TaeHee Happy ending . there are only 2 episodes left but there are still a lot of conflicts to be solved;
1. Tae Hee's "My-Boyfriend-Indirectly-Killed-My-Dad" and "My-company's-evil-princess-is-trying-to-torture-me"
2. DooRi's "My-Future-Boyfriend-is-About-to-Die" and "My-Stage-Mother-who-Doesn't-Listen-to-Anything-I-say"
3. DoSung's "I-am-the-illegitamte-son-of-a-Famous-Politician" and "I-am-Hades-in-your-face-Soo-Bin!"
4. ChaeYoung's "Should-I-be-an-evil-bee-all-the-way?"
... then there's the NYMF thingy .
I WANT A VOLUME 2. ... but then, Im Joo Hwan is in the military right now ... :(

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kaedejun

January 27, 2012 at 4:58 PM

Actually, there are 4 episodes left. :)

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xiaoSxin

January 27, 2012 at 5:10 PM

DID YOU SAY 4??? really?

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Anime1234

January 27, 2012 at 6:18 PM

javabeans said 18 episodes in an earlier post. How do we get four more? If that is correct, thank you for the great news.

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blurnutcase

January 27, 2012 at 6:57 PM

According to the korean wiki site for this drama, it states 20 episode. So hopefully its true :)

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15 Lisa-Loo-Loo

January 27, 2012 at 1:51 PM

I loved the recap and I got say I really liked that you worked yourself into the dialogue flawlessly.

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16 xiaoSxin

January 27, 2012 at 1:54 PM

"I’m getting worried that we may never see a full, solid performance from his team. I won’t be completely disappointed, since I know the focus of this drama is the students, so their growth is more important. But I will throw a five-minute tantrum and cry…"

Kaede.. I will be throwing that tantrum and crying with you that Dodo will need to intervene. I want to see THE musical that Doo Ri wrote, that SooBin and Do Sung wrote the songs for, that Tae Hee and Byeong Geon will be leading, and at least make Jae Heon sing, even just one line!

I know the drama revolves around the lives of the students, but even that.. 2 episodes cannot wrap it up. There's just not enough time. I know you you don't want to count the eps that are left... but I ..

I am attached to the Sunman - Doori OTP, and I don't like the cloud of doom looming over them, and the rest of the cast.

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imoan.naomi

January 27, 2012 at 4:39 PM

I'm right with you both. What's Up seems to be heading in the same direction that Hearstrings and The Musical did; a big tease as far as actually showing us an actual musical performance. It'll be such a waste if that happens again.

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bbangie83

January 27, 2012 at 11:57 PM

but what's up was actually produced way earlier than these two right?

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17 Lady Seoul

January 27, 2012 at 2:02 PM

I really hope next episode they could already solve Jae Hun's issue, because to me its getting a bit draggy. Or am I just impatient? haha

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18 KimLuvv

January 27, 2012 at 2:32 PM

Yea I'm so mad that Oh Man Seok and Im Joo Eun are both in Wild Romance but they haven't really formally met! Still I love his character in here and Im Joo Eun's character in both Wild Romance and here!! Since the beginning Doo Ri and Sun Man have been my favorite couple and I'm pretty sure it will be like that at the end :D
I'm braced myself for buckets of tears at the end of this show because I know there will be lots and LOTS! I'm desperately gnna miss this show! Thanks for recaping! :D

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dls

January 27, 2012 at 5:57 PM

don't worry they'll meet
[spolier ep 8] but it seems not much interaction

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19 sunny2000

January 27, 2012 at 3:01 PM

Aww, how much I love the SunMan-DooRi OTP...the sweetness and heartbreaking, the young brave madness vs. mature reserved withdrawl- so tender yet graceful.

OMS and IJE both are doing great in this..so convincingly adorable.

There are quite a few loose ends that need to be resolved in the remaining X episodes. And I hate to see it end...T_T

I agree with you, kaedejun, that OMS has great comedy timing. He has added so many flying colors to the show! I wish he takes a meatier role in good dramas - not sure WR will be one, but I am willing to invest time to watch him!

Thanks for recapping & pretty screenshots, Kaedejun! :-)

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20 ash

January 27, 2012 at 3:02 PM

love love love this story!!!!

not sure if anyone's noticed this already, but the initials for Ha Do Sung - HDS - kinda sounds like Hades?? love that Hades is Do Sung in every way, even his name....but in real life, Do Sung doesn't realize that he's also Hades. I can't wait for Do Sung to choose HIS life and happiness over anything else, so he can stop living his fragmented life!

chae young just makes me sad. after that moment she had with soo bin, i can't be angry at her - i just feel so bad for her. her whole life seems to be built around conditions - i'm not good enough without this, or i won't be loved without that, etc. etc. is this because she needs some real unconditional love and assurance in her life, or because she's just that selfish and will always want what others have?

i wish this drama was doing better, ratings-wise. more love would mean a higher likelihood of a vol. 2!!!! i need more of this story!!!

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21 Isabelle

January 27, 2012 at 3:03 PM

I luubbb oh doo ri in this show and wild romance, where was shw all these days not acting?

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22 dls

January 27, 2012 at 6:02 PM

thanks for your faithful recap
I plan not to touch what's up in the beginning, but your recap brigs me to watch it
I love the story and the cast so far...
hope for the best ending for everyone...
connecting to ep1... so Sun-man will die?
nooooo

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23 lookingfordramacrack

January 27, 2012 at 6:04 PM

kaedejun!! I'm trying not to count down too...the prospect of a week without this show is too much too handle right now. (SOPA, ACTA are killing my online spirit. LOL)

Doo Ri and Sun-Man are my new fave OTP. :) I love how she just talks at him so obstinately and her and Byeong Gun are a hilarious together but I can't see them as a couple for some reason...maybe a grower?

The first episode, first scene seems very ominous now. I think I can sort of deal with it but please don't do that to me drama!

Thank you so much for your insightful recaps. :)

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24 Anime1234

January 27, 2012 at 6:33 PM

Oh Doo Ri and Kim Byung Gun sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. What a funny thought, the two of them a pair? The scene where she scolds him for singing all the time now was so funny. I can almost see it. Need more data, Show. Please?

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25 classied

January 27, 2012 at 6:53 PM

i second the 90 minute episode thing because i'm def gonna have a cry after this drama ends (and in a few days no less).

im joo eun and oh man seok are absolutely wasted in wild romance. every episode feels like they've forgotten about everyone else and only really concentrates on the main two leads (my love for lee dong wook and lee si young notwithstanding).

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26 danni

January 27, 2012 at 9:00 PM

Have to agree about Oh Man Seok in Wild Romance, every time he was on screen for the first few episodes, I had to fight the urge to fast-forward because he brings the whole mood down. He's not so mopey now, but he's still not bringing a lot to the show.

Anyway, I really have no idea how the heck this drama is going to wrap up everything in two (or four) episodes because there's SO MUCH GOING ON. I guess it's possible to have an ending that won't suck due to editing because I feel like this episode flew by in spite of the fact that a lot of things happened.

While I love the personal stories as well, I really (really, really, reallyx10000000) need to see the performance. Not only for my personal satisfaction, but so Sun-man can fulfill his wish to do something good before dying. It won't be enough for them to just say the performance happened and was amazing, I need to SEE it.

It's strange, I was never rooting for Doo Ri-Sun Man, but I've been warming up to the couple for the last two episodes, which makes it so much sadder that Sun Man has to die (WHYYY?).

That scene with Chae Young and Soo Bin creeped me out. I know a lot of people have been saying that they feel sympathetic towards Chae Young and I could see her craziness as a side-effect of becoming too famous too soon at a very young age and then losing all of it, but on the other hand, she's really being a selfish bitch. All Chae Young sees at this point is power and fame at whatever cost and it makes it hard to empathize with her. You can't have everything in life you know; I believe life is what you make it, but sometimes you have to deal (in a positive way) with whatever life throws your way, no matter how unfair it is. I hope Chae Young figures that out soon so she'll stop manipulating people, since it's really not getting her anywhere.

Last bit, since my comment has become super long, WOOO! for Do Sung and Soo Bin working together. Seriously, they can't tell us something like that and not let us hear the final product.

Thanks, as always, for your recap kaedejun!

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27 Kady

January 28, 2012 at 3:19 AM

dramafever.com now also lists What's Up as having 20 episodes in total. Look under drama info on the series page under the actor's profile pictures.

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28 sugarpunch

January 28, 2012 at 5:18 AM

I'm glad i can see sunman and doori in two dramas per week:) thought it was a little weird-funny when I saw them in wild romance.

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29 carpetfibers

January 28, 2012 at 10:31 AM

I tried so hard to not watch these past two episodes-- I told myself: I should wait until it finishes and just watch the last hurrah in one solid go.

But it was impossible. Promises of Byeong Gun finally singing in episode 15 and then at long last Jae Hun having to face the music lured me into watching both. Personally, I am SO happy with how the writing is aiming to resolve Jae Hun having to go to prison or not. Part of my problem was that I didn't feel his character would truly grow until he learned to be accountable for what his actions-- however accidental-- caused.

And since Tae Yi will for sure forgive him, I'm certain that her forgiveness will completely undo him. I'm so looking forward to this scene. Im Ju Hwan is such a great actor that I know he'll play it perfectly, and with the somber lighting that the drama has, I'm hoping for some sort of ethereal, near-all black background with Tae Yi in light-- can't you see it?

Oh, I hope it happens next episode. If there really are only two episodes left, I want most of the Jae Hun/Tae Yi conflict handled next episode, so that the last can be devoted to the show.

But then they need to have the funeral!

How will it ever all fit?

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30 Nikilann

January 28, 2012 at 10:53 AM

"I’m surprised that Cho would rather just be done and over with Jae Hun, since I thought he was going to go through any lengths to get him. It’s like, he became the good guy…! But then again, after one year, a person can change, and Cho admitted to Sun-Man that he wanted to go after bigger criminals instead of small ones like Jae Hun."

I just wanted to comment this passage. I think Cho wasn't a bad guy since the beginning : he started to be agressiv to Jae Hun when he thougt he was responsible of a premedited murder ! Add it to his past suspicion, it made a bit too much. Jae Hun was considered as a big fish. Now, he kows it is an accident : Jae Hun were escaping from him. Besides, Cho can see Jae Hun is trying to get out from his past, and doesn't want to make him get back in it.
I think that, fainlly, it is ... well... logical.

"Wait till Soo Bin finds out Ha Do Sung = Hades."
God, we are all waiting for that =). When Chae Young will discover it, she will just... Poor girl. I pity her. She tries to be happy, but she is anable to get the right way to become so. And she as so much pride she can't just let herself go, and continue to be as she was, because it is easier to stay like that than change for the better. She is so afraid of people's look... I hope she will change before the end. But in a credible way - in Drama, "bad" people have the wrong habbit to become "kind" without logic...

Know, I pray. For a good ending. I was just too deceived by Korean drama for their happy end giving me goosebumps. Only Sunkwyunkwan Scandal (funny, it was), Dream High or Time between Dog, Princess' Man and Wolf or Scent of a Woman can "say" that their end are truly good end. Others are just... too easy.
So, let's hope !

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31 meanrice

January 28, 2012 at 12:27 PM

is that phantom of the opera singer Tae Yi's mom? B/c that mystery of the yellow paper Jae Hun got from pappa park is like a loose end just blowing in the wind...

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carpetfibers

January 29, 2012 at 12:27 PM

Oh! I never even thought of that! That would be a really interesting twist of fate to come full circle. The singer who brought Jae Hun to Tae Yi's side-- Tae Yi's mother!

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32 antonia

January 28, 2012 at 2:55 PM

Looooove SM and DR... they're the best of the drama... why SM has to die??? Noooo
OMS is an amazing actor every scene with him just shines... i'm so glad this epi has more of him...
thanks for the recap :)

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33 MsB

January 29, 2012 at 7:15 AM

I'm sorry, this show is SO MUCH better than Dream High!!

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34 anotheraddict

January 29, 2012 at 8:22 AM

Again, thanks so much for recapping this drama, kaedejun. Like so many of the characters in this drama, What's Up has had more than it's share of challenges and deserves some extra TLC.

Well, I'm super bummed right now. I knew that parts of the drama had to be edited out to fit the time slot it ended up with, but I thought that just meant shorter (45 min.) episodes-- somehow I missed the newsflash that it had gone from being a 20 ep. drama to an 18 ep. one. Most dramas have a lot of filler that could easily be edited out (and would actually improve the drama in many cases), but this one really needs (and definitely deserves) more time for the various storylines to finish playing out. Apart from Chae Young, I'm invested in all of the characters and it sucks that we're gonna have to rush through the resolution of their compelling stories. And yes, we need to see a performance! And we really, really need an OST to be released!

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35 WvR

January 29, 2012 at 11:39 AM

Thanks for the recap, kaedejun. The show is awesome and I'm looking forward to how it plays out however it plays out. Definitely happy that the police officer decided not to pursue Jae Hun to the full extent of the law and just try to settle the matter, but the show did a good job of not just dropping it but adding that now Jae Hun has to do the harder task of telling Tae Hee it was him and to even ask to be forgiven.

Looking back, this show got a lot of hype because of Big Bang's Daesung. I'm glad that it turned into a great story and not just showing off an idol. In fact, I wish there were more appearances of Daesung! His character Do Sung is great!

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36 Miky

January 29, 2012 at 3:41 PM

So happy taht they go with maybe the 20 eps variant because 18 isin't the final one ..yeeeeeeee

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37 Raine

January 31, 2012 at 10:03 PM

Okay Im Joo-eun. Where did you come from? You're actor crack. Seriously, you cry and I'm bawling and making my family think I'm insane. You snark. I laugh. You smile. I smile.

And how the hell did you build chemistry like that with Oh Man-seok? HOT DAMN. I'm not talking sexual (there is a bit of that going on) but as actors, they compliment each other so well.

Im Joo-hwan. Boy, when you're on screen...my eyes bug out cause I can't stop staring. You act the s*** out of everything. Why are you in the army? WAE?!!!!!

Byung-gun. Man, the finesse of a professional singer really gets to me. Phrase endings, diction, phrasing, rhythm, dramatic timing, vibrato, intonation, lack of tension in his vocal chords....it's aural chocolate.

The OST needs to come out...yesterday. All of the songs are wonderful. But so is the incidental music (background music). There is one song that sounds like the song from "Les Choristes" in style. With the very staccato (short) guitar and a clear soprano singing and then strings coming in to join her.

NEED THE SOUNDTRACK.

I just got off episode 18 and I'm on high...sorry this was so long...heehee