Mi-rae’s Choice: Episode 1
by gummimochi
This show is really adorable. I had wondered how Mi-rae’s Choice would hold up to its medical predecessor, and I’m happy to report that the premiere is just as cute, light, and dreamy as the teasers have touted. The story zips by pretty quickly with characters that are both likable and mysterious. In fact, I found that I enjoyed myself far more than I had anticipated, which is always a good sign.
Usually it’s your past that comes back to haunt you, but it’s a whole other thing when it’s your future telling you to get your act together. They say that you are your own worst critic, but that critic never came knocking on my door saying that she took a time machine to fix the rest of my life—at least, not yet.
As for the numbers, Mi-rae’s Choice pulled in behind Suspicious Housekeeper with a 9.7% in ratings. But with dramaland in dire need of some romantic comedy, one can only hope for a bright future.
SONG OF THE DAY
Kim Tae-woo – “My Lady” for the OST
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EPISODE 1 RECAP
We’re introduced to our heroine right off the bat: NA MI-RAE (Yoon Eun-hye) works at a busy call center while watching variety shows on her computer monitor. Heh, my kind of girl.
She tunes in to the five o’clock evening news whose anchorman KIM SHIN (Lee Dong-gun) plainly ignores the PD’s prompts. Turns out he’s still bitter about being “demoted” to a magazine morning show, clearly a large step down from his current big-time position.
So in what should be his final send-off, he gives a puffed-up speech about “real” journalism instead. He boldly declares that this isn’t the last of him—he’ll return to his rightful place as a news anchor.
Sometime in the near-ish future, Mi-rae and Shin get married, and then the music distorts as a voice says, “I’m sorry, honey. But this is the only way.”
That voice belongs to Future Mi-rae (Choi Myung-gil) dressed in all-black in her time machine. She rips the wedding photo in half. The date on the back reads: June 10, 2014. Ah, so does this give us a deadline? Though I imagine the date itself will hardly matter once the meddling begins.
Then she travels from the year 2038 to present day 2013, and steps out with her trusty black bag in hand.
Present Mi-rae gets excited when she stumbles upon a film crew in the streets, only to learn that it’s a small-time production. Nevertheless, she’s eager to help block traffic and lets her imagination wander, picturing herself as an admirable television broadcast writer.
Mi-rae is quickly brought back to reality, and she recognizes the show’s title (Kim Shin’s Morning Show) since her brother is on staff. She nearly lets slip of this fact before asking about her real dream to become a television writer herself—would that still be possible at say, age 32? The writer’s hesitance says it all.
Her disappointment only mounts further when a regular angry customer (to whom she sings the same song repeatedly to placate him) calls her out her dead-end job and lifestyle.
That’s the last straw for her today, and Mi-rae cries in a bathroom stall before picking herself back up again for what may be the umpteenth time. She doesn’t get any comfort from her PD brother either as he barely gives her the time of day.
Mi-rae heads downstairs to pick up the car after work to be met by an alarming sight: future Mi-rae sitting in the driver’s seat. Now that’s one helluva introduction.
Future Mi-rae simply laughs when her present self mistakes her for a customer, so she cuts to the chase: “I’m you. From the future.”
But Mi-rae thinks her a crazy ajumma and amuses her as such. Ignoring the warnings that she mustn’t get in the car or take her usual route home today, she drives off as Future Mi-rae notes how she cannot meet him “this time.” Hm.
One thing we learn about Shin right away is that he’s got a quick temper, as evidenced when he’s called in to work overtime and curses up a storm in the elevator. That hilariously shatters his refined celebrity image, and he explains to the frightened employee next to him that announcers are human too.
Mi-rae can’t help but feel uneasy on the road (even her cartoon genie GPS taunts her, heh) despite her best efforts to shake off the crazy ajumma’s warnings. Little does she know that Shin is driving the car behind her (swearing at the new anchorman, ha) and as she approaches said intersection, she decides to pull out of the lane.
And just in time too, since the car behind her rear-ends another car moments later. Mi-rae can only gape in surprise, astounded that those words weren’t mere nonsense.
As for Shin, he gets out to check the other car and recognizes the injured victim.
Mi-rae arrives home in relief after her almost-accident, only to jump to find Future Mi-rae sitting in the living room waiting for her. She immediately calls the police and begs the crazy ajumma to leave her alone.
Given how her present self is alive and well, Future Mi-rae guesses that she heeded her warning after all. She protests that they’re the same person, shouting out things from their shared past. That only freaks Present Mi-rae out more until she finally yells, “Kka-mo!”
The childhood nickname given to her by her father (from the Korean adjective kka-ma or “dark” as her face often was for staying out late at night) makes Mi-rae pause before she counters that that would turn up with a simple internet search.
Then Future Mi-rae mentions a present only she and her father knew about—a torn bill with Dad’s handwriting on it—and she’s found the other half. The halves fit perfectly and it totally spooks her.
Now inside, Mi-rae has trouble wrapping her head around this nonsensical scenario, and laughs at the answer that her future self traveled here via time machine. She’s stunned to learn that Future Mi-rae looks rather young for her age at 57 and in such nice clothes.
But Future Mi-rae says she looks old and that these clothes are rags where (or is it when?) she comes from. Then she freely talks about how Korea has reached reconciliation in the future and how the North Korean women keep stealing all the men’s hearts with their aegyo. Hahaha.
Thus she’s here to make sure her present self gets married off well and gets agitated when Mi-rae keeps talking about this predicament as if it’s someone else’s problem. Mi-rae does have a point of course when she asks her future self to put herself in her shoes—would she believe some crazy lady who claims she’s from the future?
So Future Mi-rae agrees to prove it and pulls out the same brown diary her present self uses, to Mi-rae’s disbelief. Pointing out how she always wanted to go to Jeju Island, Future Mi-rae promises to make it happen.
Next thing we know, present Mi-rae is at her company’s singing competition where top prize is trip to Jeju Island. Mi-rae wonders about the odd instructions to (1) come dressed in a red sequin dress (2) sing “I Will Survive” and (3) perform first.
The reason quickly becomes apparent when she takes the stage and a similarly-dressed competitor scowls from the sidelines. Ha.
Which is how both Mi-raes end up on a plane flying first-class, and Mi-rae’s wonders if there aren’t more trips she can win. But her future self explains that she’s here to change her—no their futures for the better.
When Mi-rae asks if she has a bleak future, Future Mi-rae asks if she’s happy with her life now. Mi-rae smiles that she is, especially at present, and barely listens to Future Mi-rae’s rambling about how this is only the beginning of changing the course of her life.
The most important thing is that Mi-rae needs to stay away from “that bastard” aka the driver who nearly hit her car a few days ago because they have an ill-fated relationship. Mi-rae asks why, and her Future Mi-rae answers darkly: “The man you love will die because of him.” Eek.
Mi-rae wakes in high spirits to the island’s picturesque view as future Mi-rae clucks disapprovingly. Isn’t she at all concerned that the man she loves will die?
She isn’t of course, since her present self is currently single and she certainly doesn’t love her brother. Future Mi-tae tugs at her sleeve to reveal a burn scar, asking if she still wants to take it easy, not at all surprised when Mi-rae just shrugs it off as nothing.
Throwing some study guides on to the table, Future Mi-rae reminds them that they’re here for work, not play. No rich and handsome man will fall for her in her present situation, so she’ll need to study up to change her career path.
Future Mi-rae has even memorized the test answers as Mi-rae mumbles that they’re better off winning the lottery. But that’s a no-go because time-travel is a one-time thing and Future Mi-rae even risked her life to do it at that.
Mi-rae grumbles that it’s too hard, and her older self says she can think of another way to change her fate then. They both know that she’s not meant to stay at that dead-end job, so now’s her chance. Man, it’s one thing for your mother to say that your life is going nowhere fast, but hearing it from your future self has got to cut even deeper.
Before she leaves, Future Mi-rae tells her younger self to dress up today since you never know what the future holds. There is one thing to keep in mind: water.
But studying isn’t part of Mi-rae’s itinerary and she dances in the balcony excitedly, unaware of a sharply-dressed young man walking on the grounds. As Mi-rae spends the day at the pool, Future Mi-rae gets to work looking for two individuals, one of whom is a young reporter named SEO YOO-KYUNG.
Cut to: Yoo-kyung (played by Han Chae-ah) who is teasingly upset at Shin for ruining her planned trip to Jeju Island.
Speaking of whom, Shin is busy interviewing a congressman on air. It’s fairly boring stuff until Shin remarks on the politician’s interest in pornography, which spurs some internet buzz. He wraps up the segment using the man’s own words to argue against the man’s salary increase.
Meanwhile Future Mi-rae scours the resorts grounds as she recalls a TV interview where PARK SE-JOO (Jung Yong-hwa) admits to have fallen in love with Yoo-kyung at first sight at his resort in Jeju Island: “It was because of water.”
Lifting up the water bottle in her hand, Future Mi-rae sighs that Se-joo has probably already fallen in love with Yoo-kyung by now. She sets off in search again, missing Se-joo by mere seconds.
Se-joo arrives at the pool in annoyed mood and tells the girl that they were just schoolmates, nothing more. But she demands that he pay for her flight home since he’s rich and all. That money belongs to his grandmother and the shareholders, not him, Se-joo tersely reminds her.
While this conversation goes on, Mi-rae loses her bikini top in the pool, and the girl is quick to point that out along with her scar. Se-joo tells her to worry about herself and directs a staff member to aid Mi-rae.
Future Mi-rae is already two steps ahead of him, however, and suffice it to say that she isn’t happy to see her present self suffer from public embarrassment. She walks into the water herself and slaps Mi-rae across the face as Se-joo looks on curiously.
Back at their hotel room, Mi-rae rolls her eyes at her future self at her nagging about her career. Mi-rae insists that she’s happy with the way things are now, but Future Mi-rae asks if she’s really happy at her menial degrading job where she cries every day while her friends are all leading successful lives.
Mi-rae tries to contain her composure, but her future self rips into her, asking how long she plans to depend on her brother while her life just spirals into ruin. Mi-rae yells, “So what do you want me to do about it?!”
Near tears, Mi-rae defends herself, saying that it takes all of her willpower to try and get through each and every day. But Future Mi-rae says no—she was just trying to run away. “To live? To hang in there? Then you should have tried harder.”
Even today, she wasted her afternoon away instead of thinking about her life choices. That’s when Mi-rae finally breaks down and admits that she doesn’t have the confidence to make those life changes because it scares her.
Future Mi-rae says they should just give up then. She’d been hoping that her younger self would understand that she can have a fresh start, but she only sees defeat. If she lacks that confidence to stop living her life under her brother’s wing, then she can go and die alone somewhere. Dayum.
As Mi-rae breaks down in sobs, Future Mi-rae scolds herself in the bathroom mirror. “How could you tell her to ‘go and die’ again?” Wait, again?
The words of her future self and brother ringing in her ears, Mi-rae walks out to the beach in a daze towards the ocean. Ohhh noes!
Se-joo sees her from his villa and almost calls it in when she stops waist-deep in the ocean. He picks up his video camera instead and films her playing with the fishes in her hands. Then Mi-rae starts to undress in the water and he drops the camera, flustered.
Her suicidal thoughts long gone, Mi-rae dives into the ocean to swim with the fishes beneath the water. Then we hear Se-joo’s explanation once more: “I fell in love with her at first sight. Because of water.”
Mi-rae wakes the following morning to see Future Mi-rae sitting by her bedside. Her older self asks if she really intended to take her own life as a tear rolls down her cheek.
But Mi-rae explains that she saw a fish in the ocean and seeing how it moved its fins to stay alive changed her perspective. Taking Future Mi-rae’s hands in hers, Mi-rae says she has a newfound confidence: “So don’t give up on me.”
Back in Seoul, Se-joo meets with his grandmother broadcast network chairman Lee before his first day as a VJ. Though Grandma disapproves of his choice of a low-ranking job, it’s apparent that they both adore each other.
Se-joo tells her that the employees have been calling her “Miranda” from the movie Devil Wears Prada (since Grandma Lee’s name is Mi-ran, hee). Intrigued and amused, she orders her staff to get her a copy. Haha.
Just after Se-joo leaves, Shin comes to see chairman Lee, who greets him warmly. He’s come to ask for his anchorman position back, but she calls him out for being too perfect and boring, citing how one of his news featurettes pulled in their lowest viewer ratings ever.
Not only that, they’ve been losing to another broadcast network for the same timeslot. Why he should be bigger and better than they are and raise those ratings while yunno, flashing some abs. Ha, I love this woman.
Taken aback, Shin asks, “Then are you saying I should have taken off my clothes?” Yes, please. Chairman Lee: “And you don’t have a six-pack.”
But Shin still doesn’t understand why they brought on a rookie to replace him, which is when chairman Lee says she’ll tell him the real reason, but we don’t get to hear it.
Whatever it is, Shin storms out in a huff and runs into Se-joo, who introduces himself as the new maknae VJ. He feigns ignorance about stumbling on to the wrong floor, and Shin tells him to hurry along. I love how uncomfortable the guards get as Se-joo signals them to hush.
So Shin shows Se-joo around and introduces him to his team, Team 3, who are the only ones slacking off in the office. He orders around the PD NA JOO-HYUN (Oh Jung-sae) aka Mi-rae’s brother, like he’s the one in charge, telling him to move up the meeting so he can go to bed on time. Pfft.
Meanwhile, Mi-rae marches in to work plainly dressed and tells off the regular angry customer (in song!) before handing in her resignation. Future Mi-rae is delighted to hear that her younger self has finally quit, but is surprised to hear that she’s gone to fulfill her dream as…
“…a TV variety writer.” Mi-rae finishes. Unfortunately, she’s told that the exam and interviews have already wrapped for this season. Aww.
Still determined, Mi-rae picks up a few study books about broadcasting and gets crackin’, ignoring the text from Future Mi-rae that they’re to be studying for the civil service test (namely the Level 7 Civil Servant exam).
The production team meets earlier per Shin’s demands, and they all laugh at his new goal to pull in 20% ratings. It’s a virtually impossible feat given their morning timeslot, especially with Shin’s pitch to talk about socioeconomics.
They ask for Se-joo’s opinion on the matter, but Shin takes issue with his references to their show as “a product” and their work as “a business.” What would a maknae VJ understand about this industry? But Se-joo stands his ground: “Then is broadcasting an art form?”
Shin tells him sarcastically that Se-joo will do well for himself (if you only knew!) and walks out, saying he can’t work with him.
3 AM. Shin starts his day with pronunciation exercises with the dictionary he keeps on his end table as Mi-rae packs up her things to head home. In the car, she tells Future Mi-rae that being a variety writer is her dream, but Future Mi-rae tells her that “that bastard” works in that industry.
Mi-rae figures she can work for a different network, but she’s told that they’re bound to run into each other anyway. At that moment, a car comes out of nowhere and though Mi-rae slams on the brakes, she collides with the car.
Shin emerges from his car in a pissy mood, calling it the second car accident this month. Mi-rae recognizes him as an announcer, but that does little to pacify him.
Still on the phone, Future Mi-rae says: “An evil fate is still fate. You always meet whoever you’re supposed to meet. So that’s why… destiny and fate are scary.”
COMMENTS
Frightening, indeed. My very first thought when the show was initially announced was, But time-travel was *so* 2012. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that the show delivered all the goods that it promised to be, and more. I love that we got to the premise right away and that Future Mi-rae wasted no time to introduce herself as, well, herself. She’s here to waste no one’s time, least of all hers because she’s here on a mission to make sure the future she returns to is better than the one she left.
At this point, the time-travel gimmick seems like a fairly straightforward and simple one. Time machine? Check. Future self? Check. We have yet to see what consequences will come of Future Mi-rae’s meddling, but already we’ve witnessed a ripple when present Mi-rae decided to change car lanes and landed herself in Jeju instead of Yoo-kyung. That already puts her in an alternate reality (which is as far as my quantum physics knowledge takes me), but I like that Fate will still play a hand to make sure that those who are destined to meet will meet, time-travel be damned. It’s an interesting notion that reins control on a seemingly omniscient future self from dictating the rules, and keeps me interested on how destiny will continue to play out with (or without) Future Mi-rae’s interference.
What I love most about Future Mi-rae (I know; this present/future/time-space thing confuses me, too) is that she actually knows Mi-rae better than anyone, even her present self. She fully understands Mi-rae’s current predicament, her self-confidence issues, and ultimately fear—all things that I have always found Yoon Eun-hye excels to convey on screen. Future Mi-rae has the advantage of wisdom in her later years, having lived through the ups and downs of life. But because of that, she doesn’t sell herself short, and issues the tough love, not only because she doesn’t have that much time, but because she knows that her present self needs to hear the cold harsh truth.
I do like that she only holds pieces of the puzzle, searching for whom she deems the perfect husband for herself. It’s hard to say whether the Future Mi-rae knew Se-joo in her own past, but I can only assume that she did to some extent. Moreover, I like that her true intentions remain a mystery because all we can gather is Se-joo = Good; Shin= Bad. Then there’s the tiny indication that Future Mi-rae has gone through the same weird-life changing experience to meet her own future self before.
Moving on to our men, Shin just cracks me up. He’s the arrogant guy who’s Super Serious about his line of work. You know, the one who would give a whole lecture on how reading news headlines is a craft if you let him. The fact that he is so serious makes him that much more hilarious, and I love watching his ego bubble get popped over and over and over again. Oh Lee Dong-gun, we really missed you in dramaland.
On the other side of that coin, I like the possibility of giving our second lead a fair shot at our heroine, even if it’s on a different timeline. Jung Yong-hwa looks the most comfortable in this character than any other drama I’ve seen him in, and I can’t wait to find out what it is about him that potentially subverts the drama trope that our lead couple should get their happily ever after. I suppose only time will tell.
RELATED POSTS
- Two Mi-raes, two suitors, one Mi-rae’s Choice
- Anti-wedding hijinks for Mirae’s Choice
- Cute, romantic teaser for time-traveler Mi-rae’s Choice
- Yoon Eun-hye and Jung Yong-hwa’s first shoots for Mirae’s Choice
- Time-traveling Mi-rae’s Choice begins script rehearsals
- Han Chae-ah completes love square in Mi-rae’s Choice
- Time-slip drama Mi-rae’s Choice confirms leads
Tags: featured, first episodes, Han Chae-ah, Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Dong-gun, Mi-rae's Choice, Yoon Eun-hye
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1 bahar
October 15, 2013 at 4:07 AM
yay! cute show! I am so glad that I enjoyed the show,
I love YEH but I haven't liked any of her dramas since coffeee prince
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LK
October 15, 2013 at 7:15 AM
Exactly! I feel like YEH picked the right drama for her this time. I like Mi-rae's personality and it seems to fit YEH perfectly! Her hair is kinda crazy, but it adds character I guess! :P
The quality of this drama is quite expressive too. It has a movie-like feel, which I quite like!
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AnneOfGreenGable
October 15, 2013 at 2:23 PM
Hi Guys
what website here in the States can I watch this show??
Tks mucH!
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MystikGem
October 15, 2013 at 3:09 PM
DramaFever.com or Viki.com - The show is listed as "Marry Him If You Dare"
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katshadow89
October 15, 2013 at 3:11 PM
They have it up on DramaFever.com
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Michelle
October 15, 2013 at 4:49 PM
http://www.viki.com y http://www.dramafever.com
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mamadua
October 15, 2013 at 7:09 PM
Gooddrama.net
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Naneki
October 30, 2013 at 4:28 AM
I thought Tell Me Lie with Kang Ji Hwan was a fun little jaunt, though.
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2 Ivoire
October 15, 2013 at 4:08 AM
Been waiting for the recap, thank you!
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pabo ceo reom
October 16, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Finally got around to watching it. I had my expectations low so overall I liked the first episode. There are still things I don't get but we'll see how all that pans out. I'm signed on tentatively to watch so I hope it turns out good!
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3 Viki
October 15, 2013 at 4:11 AM
Thanks for the recap!
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4 Stuart
October 15, 2013 at 4:13 AM
I loved the episode, no one does childlike cute as well as YEH, and everybody else was very strong, surprisingly so in the case of Yong Hwa, I thought. I even ended the episode slightly favouring a 1-2 OTP rather than a 1-1. I wonder if I'm the only one who thinks that Future MiRae's assertions that KS killed someone MiRae loved (tenses ARE a bitch in time-travel) and stabbed her refer to his own death bringing her painful grief? I am very much looking forward to finding out!
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Faye
October 15, 2013 at 5:11 AM
I had the same thought (about KS being the one who died).
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s
October 15, 2013 at 7:46 AM
I actually felt that since Future Mirae has altered history (KS meets 2nd female lead in the accident and SJ meets Mirae in Jeju instead), that past Mirae might end up marrying SJ, and the person she loved/ was killed would be KS.
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Annie
October 15, 2013 at 8:43 AM
Hmm, so are you saying that b/c of future Mi Rae's meddling, Kim Shin commits suicide and tries to stab Mi Rae in the past time line? Did I totally misunderstand you?
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Faye
October 15, 2013 at 10:15 AM
But Future Mirae made it sound as if someone died because she married Shin in the first place, and that one of the reasons she was approaching Present Mirae was to prevent that (unless I completely misunderstood that, which is certainly possible).
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ilikemangos
October 15, 2013 at 10:26 AM
If its a loved one I suspect maybe her child -- or someone in her family. I don't think kim shin is the one that dies.
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MizzEka@3ka_emakartikas
October 16, 2013 at 5:32 AM
I'm guessing that "bastard" nor his husband nor man that MiRae's loved was the same person. Future Mi Rae hate that bastard died and leave her alone, end up lonely.
That's why Future MiRae struggle to break Mi Rae's destiny to not end up married with Kim Shin. Just guessing, :D.
Still amazed with Dong Gun Oppa...
Sorry if my english not good enough. Mian
windsun33
October 15, 2013 at 1:50 PM
I am not sure yet that anyone actually died - she may have been referring to some figurative death.
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Lilian
October 17, 2013 at 6:16 AM
I felt like she was referring to herself, Mi Rae. There was a hint that suicide is nothing new to her!
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windsun33
October 15, 2013 at 1:48 PM
The big problem with writing time travel stories is that most likely as soon as her future self enters the plot, the time line changes. Since we don't really do that much time traveling, it is all speculation on how it "might" work.
But my feeling is that since her future self has already changed the direction of present-self's life, any advice she gives from now on may not be right. I am curious how the writer will handle this, or if they will just ignore it.
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owl
October 15, 2013 at 2:31 PM
And what about future Mi rae's comment she made to her mirrored self that was I fair to ask (suggest) Mirae to die again?
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ryoko
October 15, 2013 at 9:24 PM
That line made me wonder if Future Mi Rae had actually traveled to the past before this time, to try to prevent whatever it is that she's afraid of. Maybe she tried to turn her life around at a different point in time, but it didn't work. Maybe that time too she told her past self those same words. So now Future Mi Rae is trying again to "fix" her life at a different point in time, having decided that the best way to "fix" whatever it is is to not marry Kim Shin.
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dizzyMongoose
October 21, 2013 at 11:07 PM
That either implies that Mi-Rae has tried to change her past multiple times, a la Groundhog Day, or possibly the snake-eating-its-tail scenario where Future Mi-Rae was told to go die by Even Futurer Mi-Rae back when Future Mi-Rae was Present Mi-Rae, if you catch my drift.
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ryoko
October 15, 2013 at 9:17 PM
I also had the same thought that Future Mi Rae might be trying to stop her younger self from marrying KS, *not* because marriage to him turns out to be a mistake and she doesn't love him, but precisely because she *does* love him too much to bear the pain of whatever happens that causes her to time travel.
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5 daktari34
October 15, 2013 at 4:18 AM
How I wish I too could go back in time to give myself some advice! :)
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6 snow_white
October 15, 2013 at 4:26 AM
Thanks for the recap..
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7 sakura17
October 15, 2013 at 4:28 AM
I haven't watch it, but Yong hwa drop heir for this so it's better be good.
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8 Grace Yoon
October 15, 2013 at 4:35 AM
Go MHIYD! Love the characters, the plot, the cinematography, the soundtrack!!!!
MHIYD, for the win!
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9 elvira
October 15, 2013 at 4:37 AM
I am really looking forward to watch this drama. Thank you for the recaps, Gummimochi.
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10 Minanya
October 15, 2013 at 4:41 AM
Loved this; and quite impressed at how fast this episode moved, I usually only expect this level of plot-development/progression second week in. Definitely will be following this.
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dani305
October 17, 2013 at 10:19 PM
It took me forever to get past the 1st episode. But now I'm already wondering where's the 3rd one? Yay for new MTu drama.
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11 Bunnie
October 15, 2013 at 4:46 AM
Thanks for the recap bcoz of this i am able to catch up...really love how the story is going. All our characters are able to deliver from what i am reading and i am excited to watch it...
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12 Amicia
October 15, 2013 at 4:53 AM
Wow, that was a really strong start. I was scared for this drama at first, but it feels like it's going in the right direction.
Thanks for the recap!
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13 lemondoodle
October 15, 2013 at 5:01 AM
That was really cute. Future Mirae is awesome, though obviously not speaking literally when she says hubby kills the man she loves since Shin is obviously the man she loves. Ah, why so complicated.
YEH and LDG were great without question, even Yonghwa did a decent job surprisingly. Though Lee Dong-gun is in another league so I just don't see any realistic chance Se-joo has against Shin. The meeting at the end sealed that for me.
Excited to see how this unfolds.
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14 Tata
October 15, 2013 at 5:03 AM
I really liked Yong-hwa in this first ep. I cannot believe I am starting to root for the second lead :(
He is doing a great job so far. I really liked the first ep, YEH was awesome too. Can't wait for the ep 2
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wits
October 15, 2013 at 8:34 AM
Oh me, too! I really hate second lead shipping, but I just adore JYH on this episode and his take on Se-Joo. Se-Joo seems fun(ner), rich(er) and just as good-looking as KS. I find no reason to like Kim Shin, for now, at least, even if I'm so happy to see LDG back. All the leads did great. Am very excited for thsi drama.
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windsun33
October 15, 2013 at 1:52 PM
I also vote for door #2, he seems a lot less full of himself.
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charlie
October 16, 2013 at 12:02 AM
unfortunately i cant get out of my head that he still looks like the lead singer of cnblue...they really should've done something about his style in the drama
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addictedtoyou
October 16, 2013 at 12:11 AM
If you actually follow the band, you'd see how different his aura in the drama as compared to when he is in his rocker-mode.
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whitnos
October 18, 2013 at 9:24 AM
Agreed!
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Belloved
October 18, 2013 at 9:48 PM
Waah! Same feeling here... Hoping for the best.
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15 lhay
October 15, 2013 at 5:07 AM
YEH is such a good actress! And LDG cursed scenes wee just hilarious. And i found Jung Yong Hwa's acting very cool. And everyone nailed it even Han Chae Ah. YEH is like a Goddess of the Sea. And i enjoyed The first episode so much that I can't wait to watch episode 2 tonight!
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16 Faye
October 15, 2013 at 5:08 AM
I thought this was very cute! I was pleasantly surprised, since it's been all melo and not enough comedy in K-drama world lately.
Although time-travel is hardly original in K-dramas at this point, traveling through time to give advice to yourself is a unique twist. I thought Future Mirae was amazing. She shouldn't be so hard on herself (pun intended) -she turned out pretty fierce!
I like Mirae's conflicts because I think they're ones many of us faced when we were in our 20's (and even later on). Am I doing the right thing career-wise? Am I trying hard enough? Is it worth the risk of hurting myself by putting myself out there?
Shin is hilarious. I know guys like him in real life -not bad people, just SO serious about certain things and take themselves very seriously. They can't just tell you they like a certain wine; they have to give you a 10-minute lecture on the part of the Loire Valley it originates from, and what process the vintners used to crush the grapes, and how long it has to sit after the bottle is opened, and how you ABSOLUTELY CANNOT eat certain types of foods with it (ahem. Actual conversation). Mirae seems so open and unpretentious that it's hard to picture her with a man like that. It will be interesting to see how they get together.
I liked all the characters and thought all the actors did a good job. JYH was a little stereotypical "chaebol with a secret heart" for my tastes, but I think that was just the way the storyline went. I'd like to see how he does when more dramatic scenes come up.
If you think about it, the whole central conceit of the drama itself is a conflict. Almost all of us probably can think of times in our past when we wish we could have gone back in time and lectured ourselves to act differently. But if we hadn't made the mistakes we did, would that really be for the better? Wouldn't we have lost opportunities for growth and maturation, painful as the lesson might have been? I wonder if that's what we'll see here. Hopefully it doesn't end sadly. That reference to someone dying worried me -and I HATE a bait and switch where a story starts out as a comedy, then ends differently.
I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes. Thanks for the recap, GC!
P.S. I can't believe Future Mirae forgot to give herself the most important piece of advice -get rid of that hair! Surely there cannot be a time when that style is ever acceptable.
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s
October 15, 2013 at 5:28 AM
LOL at the hair!!!
Frankly I'm getting used to it. But it would be awesome if she chops it to mid-length or something by mid-drama, and do a nice wavy perm. That will be soooo cute.
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Lilly
October 15, 2013 at 11:03 AM
maybe the hair was to get that pretty underwater scene which really was very lovely
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Cindy
October 15, 2013 at 6:28 AM
BUAAAAHAHAHAHA!!!! Do you know why I laugh so hard at these?? My dad acts just like SHIN :D He's not a bad person but you just ask him a question and he'll tell you the history of mankind :D
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sally_b
October 15, 2013 at 9:41 PM
@Cindy - RE: " but you just ask him a question and he’ll tell you the history of mankind :D"
...my best friend's husband (who is a Super guy, a Saint, really) is JUST like that. He's a journalist -- for real. Has worked for UPI and Wall Street Journal.
Ask him the simplest question- and you'll get the reply from the atomic level - up to galactic expanse. And for Pete's sake...NEVER ask him about authors. (unless you've got several hours to expend) It's actually pretty awesome if you've got patience. hahah! (hug your Dad for me)
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 7:51 AM
I don't mind the bait and switch. I'm also not sure that we cn only grow through mistakes. We grow because we grow. Mistakes just kinda make the growing hurt more.
There are so many folks in life who talk about regret and who have regret. Women who married abusers or murderers or serial adulterers. Women who married men who abused their children. I'm not sure how far this drama will take the regret. But regret is a good spur ...so I'm trusting Future Mirae. Of course this doesn't mean that marrying another person (or not marrying at all) won't bring up a whole nother set of unpredicted unguessed problems. If this were a j-drama, I'd be fuming and suspecting that what we're gonna get in the long run is a "she made the same choice again." Ending up with "Peggy Sue Got Married."
J-dramas often aim to affirm the status quo sometimes and to comfort people by accepting what is. This is a k-drama so I'm hoping the writers will say, "yes, bad mistakes can be made and you don't have to repeat the same mistakes again."
In the long run, it depends on who she falls in love with. When she was a nobody with no future, if an anchorman looked at her she would jump at the chance to marry him no matter how much or how little she loved him. Now, she at least knows thta even if she is a nobody, there are two rich guys whom she can choose from.
Ah gee, I have to say I love her hair. The prejudice against curly hair on viki and in certain societies just amazes me. I'm not sure if that's the actress' real hair but for folks with curly hair it's good to see someone honoring her "roots" --or at least good to see the screenwriter/stylist letting a chracter have curly hair.
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Faye
October 15, 2013 at 10:30 AM
Omo, Carole. Are we getting a K-drama divorce? We usually mind-meld so much in our analyses of K-dramas :)!
Regarding the bait and switch, I'm going to stick to my opposition to those. To me, if someone watches a romantic comedy, it's because they want a little fun escapism. Some pathos is acceptable, but to turn it into a melo is just mean, IMO. I'll never forget going to see "The Family Stone" (American movie) years ago, which was heavily billed as a holiday-themed romantic comedy. I went to see it because besides everything else going on at the time, my father was coping with a very serious illness, and I just needed a little escapism from that situation and the constant hospital/doctor visits. Well, this so-called romantic comedy turned out to be a movie in which the male lead's mother dies of cancer! WTH! I just remember sitting sobbing in the theater and thinking, I want my money back!
Ahem. Back to MHIYD.
I appreciate your input on the value, or lack thereof, of mistakes. Funnily enough, I am a super-OCD person who over-analyzes and over-thinks and over-plans everything, so there are actually very few situations in life that I felt were real mistakes I'd want to do over. However, for me, now that I'm in my 30's I can look back at certain situations that didn't go my way at the time and think, "I'm glad things turned out to the way they did - it was for the best in the end." Part of that may be my religious beliefs, which I'm certainly not trying to push.
However, I don't think one can equate a mistake like marrying a person who seemed fine at the time with some of the situations you raised, such as abusive, violent men. Obviously, going into that situation you know it won't turn out well. And I don't think we really got the impression that Shin was in that category here. I'm thinking of "mistakes" as situations that you only realized were bad in hindsight, versus bad decisions, which you can and should regret because you had better information available at the time.
And of course making mistakes isn't the only way to learn - don't think I implied that in any way. But not taking chances (which is the mistake that I personally make) can also lead to regrets. And thinking that if you'd done something differently everything would have turned out better (except in extreme circumstances, like the ones you mentioned) can be very dangerous thinking.
I don't think the status quo has to be affirmed, but maybe I just believe more in changing for the future instead of Monday-morning quarterbacking - probably because in real life, we don't actually get the chance to go back in time! Maybe the lesson Present Mirae needs to learn is to choose more wisely, but Future Mirae might need to learn something as well- the value of moving forward instead of trying to change what already happened :).
Also, regarding the hair, I think you misunderstood me. I actually love curly hair -when I was little, one of the things I used to pray for every night was curly hair, since mine was very straight (I had a deeply shallow streak). I just don't like Mirae's because it seems so fried and unhealthy, which is actually what I think they're going for (i.e. to make her not a fashionista). If they'd still it correctly and give it a conditioning treatment, it would be great.
In any case, I'm curious to see where this goes, and if our opinions change as the show progresses.
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Faye
October 15, 2013 at 10:32 AM
I meant "style" it correctly, not "still" (sigh. autocorrect).
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 12:06 PM
We'll probably not have a k-drama divorce. I just really think a lot of people marry the wrong people, and they don't get an inkling of the trouble ahead. I'm not one who is for divorce at all. I truly believe people grow -- whether they make mistakes or not--- but asking the human heart to grow is so difficult. Some folks don't like growing but some folks are willing..and yet, there is a point where one feels "it is all too much."
This is where Mirae Future is I think. I don't think she is someone who is easy on herself or who isn't a fighter or one with a gift for endurance. I think she has seen something horrible which wouldn't have happened if she hadn't married whoever. Whether it's a sorrow in the normal course of life (death from cancer or accident or whatever) or some really egregious sorrow such as adultery cheating or murder caused by cheating or her causing his suicide or whatever... we have yet to know.
So I may yet come back to your opinion. If she turns out to be merely afraid of human sorrow then I'll be a bit annoyed although I still understand that we can't push someone to "endure" because it is the religious or noble or honorable thing to do. I'm pretty religious btw, so I also understand the virtue of endurance. We will just have to see what Mirae Future wants. We might find ourselves on the same side ..wanting her to get her way or not. But it's hard to look at someone else's suffering and say "you should be able to suffer more than that and be more spiritually strong."
You're right though. If Future Mirae has lost a husband or a child or second lead or first lead or whatever because of some horrendous situation, then she has to learn to move on and she can't go fiddling with the past. I read in some physics article that researchers have discovered that one cannot change a set point in the past. So it might not matter what Future Mirae wants...she might have to learn to move on. And yet, if it was possible to save one's child or one's husband, I think we shouldn't go shoulding on her. Wouldn't we want to save a life?
I'm trying to think of a time when I was really fooled with the bait and switch. I'm pretty suspicious and wary so I generally watched a zillion reviews of movies before diving in. So I've never really been fooled. Switching from comedy to tragedy doesn't bother me though. I HAVE however been seriously peeved if I go into a movie (whether comedy or tragedy) and found I'd fallen into a movie made by filmmakers who hated God or who were preaching some philosophy that I found offensive or who seemed to be working off a grudge against an old evangelical aunt. Then that's when I get annoyed because I feel tricked, hurt, and insulted. Other than that... I'm pretty cool with switchups.
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Faye
October 15, 2013 at 1:22 PM
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said it depends on what the situation turns out to be. If it's something really serious, which I guess the death she alluded to would point to, it would be easier to support future Mirae. But if it's for more superficial reasons (there seem to be some gold digger themes going on as well), then it's harder to do so.
When I was referring to religion, I just meant in terms of accepting that things which happened in the past were for a reason. Obviously I don't believe in telling people to endure suffering!
CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 4:18 PM
I just finished watching episode 2 and it occurs to me that perhaps the hero will also have a chance to see if he can make the right choice and redeem himself. The screenwriter might allow other folks to be aware of the fearful future. Same thing happened in Nine where other folks became aware of the time travel. There is often a twist and maybe hero will have his own choice about Mirae.
As someone with a child who has many illnesses, I don't really go with the "things happen for a reason" philosophy/religion/ethos. It's just been used too many times and too fliply on me and it really does irk when people use it on me or when folks just kinda say it..as if we are all placed in a ftlistic or deterministic universe. Especially when they start saying that everything happens for a reason for some wonderful spiritual good it is supposed to teach us.
I do believe some things are fated perhaps. But I don't think the universe or God micromanages disasters in our lives. There is a kind-heartedness at the center of the universe and kind means kind. The idea that a personal God or the impersonal universe-- does horribly cruel things to us or to people in our lives for some cosmic mysterious good in order to make us grow has kinda been stuffed down my throat and it really bugs me. We live in a world where sometimes crappy stuff just happens sometimes. I'm just not Calvinistic or karmic or hinduistic or whatever about disasters. There is chance in the world...and sometimes we dodge a bullet because we re protected by some force...and sometimes we suffer terriblyl.
If we start blaming God or karma or fate, it gives some assurance and makes us feel better but I get uncomfortable with that. Sometimes we do things for a stupid reason or because we didn't know better.
Cynthia
October 15, 2013 at 10:41 AM
True about the hair! I'm not viewing this style on YEH in a negative way (although the typical 'ajummah' frizzy do drives me nuts - like in "Last Scandal of My Life"). If Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker can wear it, so can YEH. And now that I'm thinking about it, isn't this the same hairstyle that Kim Sun Ah starts out with in almost all of her dramas (except for I Do, I Do)? It's like this curly style denotes being down and out. That's a lot of responsibility for one head...
:-)
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
October 15, 2013 at 11:14 AM
I know guys like him in real life -not bad people, just SO serious about certain things and take themselves very seriously.
I'm the daughter of one of them, lol. No one quite believes the extent of it until they actually meet my dad.
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17 vianethereal
October 15, 2013 at 5:27 AM
HAHAHAH.. Yoon Eun Hye is the best lol.. she is shameless and crazy as Mirae~ everyone is the best! LDG, JYH, and Future Mirae~ This drama is wayyyy too hilarious.. LOL~ I have only watched 13 kdramas in my life and been a hardcore hallyu follower for 2 years so I pretty know which dramas do good or not~ it's 13 kdramas only because I'm too lazy to watch 16+ ep drama despite knowing it's ratings and positive reviews from different sites~ but this drama is waaaayyy wayyy too entertaining and insightful so why not watch?? I STRONGLY RECOMMEND! Finally, my 14th drama!!
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18 Lisa
October 15, 2013 at 5:33 AM
Wow! I enjoyed it more than i expected!!
Please be a good drama. YEH really needs a breakout role after all the other ones that kinda died on her....
How can Lee Dong-Gun look exactly the same as like 5 years ago? Iv'e been watching LDG's Sweet 16 recently, and he looks exactly the friggin same....... Hasn't aged a bit.....
And Jung Yong-Hwa!!! I really hope JYH will do a fantastic job in this drama! So far, so good. I reaaly like him not as an actor but as a singer so It'll be great for him to finally get some recognition for his acting (although its not GREAT. but better than Taec and Yunho yes? ;)
Defs gonna watch this after a zippy and fun first episode! Hope you'll keep recapping this Gummi!
Thanks! :)
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nomad
October 15, 2013 at 7:39 PM
Maybe the one we watched on sweet 16 was the "future" LDG, so the current one is the same age as THAT one :P. But you're right, the man doesn't seem to age!
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19 Roggy
October 15, 2013 at 5:35 AM
They all come off younger than their 30s. Especially JYH's character.
But love the show so far.
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Naneki
October 30, 2013 at 4:34 AM
JYH hasn't even broke quarter century, yet.
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20 Emaan
October 15, 2013 at 5:36 AM
Lee Dong Gun
Man! I missed you so much!!
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21 DayDreamer
October 15, 2013 at 5:38 AM
Thanks for the recap. I was on the fence with this one but your recap has me totally interested. I'll definitely be watching this. Also, it's so good to see Lee Dong-gun. I had only seen him in Sweet 18 and he was great there too.
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22 gellie
October 15, 2013 at 5:40 AM
Well that was really a good start. Thanks for the recap gummimochi
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23 KDaddict
October 15, 2013 at 5:46 AM
Tho I love the cast, yes, all of them, I'm not hooked yet.
Guess I haven't gotten pass the premise of using time travel to set yourself up with a rich husband. Partly that's becos the actress who plays future Mirae just finished playing a very annoying social-climber in I Summon You Gold, and I'm getting the same vibes from her char here. Her intentions seem entirely mercenary, and therefore crass, at least in ep 1. Maybe that will change.
Ep 2 in 15 mins. Let's see if there's any new info to make her time-travel less selfish.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 7:53 AM
Omo! I hadn't thought of that. She does seem to hate being poor and having to wear clothes from the Mart. But --if that is true-- what could've happened to turn our sweet Mirae into such a social climber, money-lover?
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24 Cindy
October 15, 2013 at 5:47 AM
I love these already and I think I'm gonna follow through. I've stopped reading the recap for "Heirs" already (bored). Thanks dramabeans. YongHwa hwaiting!! :D
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windsun33
October 15, 2013 at 2:00 PM
Agreed on Heirs - with this one and Secret, Heirs has dropped quite a ways down on my crack list. The first episode was actually funny, unlike so many other so-called comedy dramas.
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25 lee
October 15, 2013 at 6:09 AM
I really like Yoon Eun-hye but why do they give her such a hair style and colour:( on anyone else it would looked terrible!
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August
October 15, 2013 at 6:35 AM
http://www.soompi.com/2013/10/12/why-did-yoon-eun-hye-choose-curly-hair/
When asked the reason behind her new hairstyle, Yoon Eun Hye replied, “I wanted to look natural, so I decided to go for curly hair. As an actress, of course I wish to look pretty as well, but this time I wanted to try something new and carefree, a hairstyle that doesn’t look weird even if I move a lot. Most importantly, I didn’t want to care about my appearance too much.”
“While I was thinking about these things, I thought that many foreigners look beautiful with curly hair. I showed photos to the director and the writer, and they reacted positively, saying that the hair reminds them of a poodle dog. Women look at this hair and think that it’s cute, but men don’t really find it appealing, so I probably have to let my hair loose after the drama ends,” she added.
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Springcurl
October 15, 2013 at 7:41 AM
As one of those 'foreigners' with naturally curly hair what that director and writer said is a tad insulting. But then again, that's coming from a nation of people with straight black hair for the most part. And even here in America, straight or wavy hair is more desirable I suppose.
There are far more beautiful ways to wear the curls that she has in this drama without it looking like a poodle. It would have looked much better without curly bangs. That's a HUGE no-no. Every time I go for a cut the hairdresser warns me about the bangs. LOL. Unfortunately perms tend to make the hair into tight curls. Maybe they should loosen her hair up a bit. Men DO like long waves and curls.
Anyway, just my 2 cents. This is a great recap!! So thorough, I feel like I saw the entire episode. First and 2nd lead men almost look like twin brothers. I'm so glad to see Lee Dong Gun again. He's a great actor.
I still didn't get to watch it. DramaFever is so busy promoting boring 'Heirs' it hasn't added this show yet. And Gooddrama doesn't have it yet. But I'm patient. It takes time to translate and to do it well. I guess I'll catch the first episode on Vikki.
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Nilechoclat
October 15, 2013 at 8:49 AM
why Boring Heirs ?? and yes they will promote bcz they paid to SBS to release Episodes on their site even the episode won't come as fast as we hope !
Seriously people showing jealousy toward a drama doesn't finished yet and showing too much hate seriously pathetic .
Please relax :d
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
October 15, 2013 at 9:59 AM
I think you're the one who needs to relax, seriously.
I love Park Shin-hye and want her drama to do well, but going around yelling at strangers on the internet for making passing remarks about it isn't going to win her or the show any new fans.
addictedtoyou
October 15, 2013 at 10:32 AM
I think it is more pathetic than assuming that every person who doesn't find "Heirs" interesting is either "jealous" of it or is a "hater". You should be the one relaxing, to be quite honest. Just enjoy watching Heirs if you love it so much and stop accusing people of stuff. Not everybody is bound or obliged to like what you like, okay? Deal with it.
windsun33
October 15, 2013 at 2:07 PM
I find Heirs rather boring also - nothing new in the plot, lots of the usual clichés. Basically not much more than a Squee Idol fest for the fangurls. Heirs is not bad, but neither is it very good - it is kind of bleh.
But what I find really pathetic is your attacking people because they have a different opinion than yours.
mm
October 15, 2013 at 4:42 PM
truth be told- lee min ho and park shin hye has so little chemistry..
park shin hye is a good actress- for crying scene and what not.. but the show that only carry along with main lead chemistrys alone--
psh is not capable of that--
heir won't be getting more than 15%
because secret on sbs is really popular right now.
if you're psh fan - should stop defending her by bashing others.. cos' it will do no good to her
Tulipsaki
October 16, 2013 at 6:04 AM
But it's so boring!
skelly
October 15, 2013 at 10:16 AM
Well, Dramafever is Dramafever. I am still waiting for them to pick up Queen In-Hyun's Man, over a year later.
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Lilly
October 15, 2013 at 11:08 AM
wow, surprised they do not have that one
KDaddict
October 15, 2013 at 10:41 PM
25.1.1. would have been a great comment without the Heirs reference in the last paragraph.
In GENERAL, Comments are so much more enjoyable to read if they don't ambush you with unnecessary, uncalled for, surprise 'passing remarks' on other shows.
The problem with such 'passing remarks' is that they r totally irrelevant to the discussion of the drama on the current thread, and doesn't allow for any discussion of the drama that is criticized. What does it accomplish?
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
October 16, 2013 at 7:49 AM
and since when were we qualified to play Comment Police? I see nothing wrong with making a passing remark on a show that happens to be airing at the same time as this one, and if it is such a great comment, it would be one regardless of the aside about Heirs or not - we're not going over comments with red pans here, marking out 'good' and 'bad' parts.
CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 8:01 AM
I'm glad she chose to go curly. It's funny...you don't realize how deeply ingrained a prejudice is until someone does something that kicks in the nasty comments. People have gotten so caught up in main characters (especially female characters) having to look like stars that they don't allow a character to be a charcter. So a poor character wears her hair au natural and wow, the nasty comments I've seen online about her hair!
However her hair is...it's fine by me.
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Faye
October 15, 2013 at 10:37 AM
The thing is, that's not YEH's au natural look - hers is wavy. And curly hair can be beautiful, but this just looks poorly styled. Just for the record, I'm personally part of a minority group where there are issues surrounding hair texture, so I don't feel the prejudice accusation holds water. I just want her to better styled, whether with straight, wavy or super-curly hair.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 12:14 PM
I really don't find anything wrong with her hair. Maybe I just kinda accept folks hair the way I find it. And I don't go to the beauty parlor so I don't get caught up in it. She's a character though. A character who doesn't believe in herself. If her hair isn't styled properly then isn't that what the character would do.
There are so many streaming and drama sites where folks are fuming about her hair. So even if you don't have a prejudice about it, others do. It seems so childish to me to judge people by their hair that I find it kinda offensive and odd that sooooooo many comments on viki and among the netizens are about her hair. And all the while the weirdly immaculate frozen coiffe of the anchorman is not being commented on. Women are hard on women, i think. And --in dramaland-- women are hard on women with curly hair it seems.
As a black person I've seen the bias against certain kinds of hair, and as a black person who knows a few Korean people --and remember black folks buy a lot of hair straightening thing from Korean stores, and also that the Korean hair straightening products are so often used by Koreans with curly hair because the culture seems to want them to straighten their hair-- it does seem to be a prejudice in the east about curly hair.
Faye
October 15, 2013 at 1:31 PM
I hear your point of view, Carole. I admit women can be tough on each other at times. I just don't necessarily think cattiness on the Internet about a character's hair translates into trashing the character, or that prejudice against a hairstyle = prejudice in general. But -to each their own!
CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 4:26 PM
Do a search on the internet on Korea and curly hair and you'll be mazed at the abundance of anti-curl stuff one sees. Maybe prejudice is too hard word but it is still not the "standard of beauty" in korean society or dramas. It's on the same level with light-skin/dark skin in some cultures.
And the level of venom and vitriol about the curly hair on the character is too deep and too strong for me to not see something wacky and shallow in the folks who talk about how "bad" her curly hair looks.
I look at her and she looks like folks I see everyday. No one goes screaming at them for having "a bad perm" or "hair that is ugly." So to me it's just very odd that a regular hair cut should be eliciting such creepy judgmental comments. Makes me wonder about the maturity level of folks who watch dramas. Just my 0.02
windsun33
October 15, 2013 at 2:12 PM
I actually like her hairstyle - it may not be "best" according to fans, but I think it fits her character in this series very well.
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DayDreamer
October 15, 2013 at 2:52 PM
Ha, looks like the hair is quite an issue. Personally, I don't like it on YEH but it's not so distracting here as say in other dramas when heroines sport some ridiculous mushroom bowl-cut and everytime they appear, I immediately think, "Ugh, that hair." In fact, the curls seem to complement the Mirae character so I'm able to go past my initial dislike and accept it.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 4:32 PM
I don't know these actors or actresses personally but it must be very hard to have a job where you see people judging your body all the time. Actors nd actresses are real people. Do they need to be told they chose ugly-looking styles for their hair? The world is cruel enough and artists of all kinds are putting out their souls for our entertainment. Pick on a character not on the actor/actress playing the chracter. Life is really too hard as it is for actors and singers without folks nagging at their creative choices for their characters or how they are wearing their hair.
Firdhiye
October 15, 2013 at 3:18 PM
Well said Carroll i like the hair in this show because it makes the character a character and its not YEH classy star hairstyle. She is suppose to be a woman with low confidence, low point in her life, career. She isnt suppose to mind her to look like a movie star.
Its a natural for her character.
Fans are too shallow about the way actors look in k-dramas. They want the stars to look like the stars they are in style,look even when they play poor, avreage person characters.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 4:28 PM
Aren't they, Mohammed? Extremely shallow. I watch dramas at viki with the comments on and while the comments are often funny, sometimes I wonder about how easily they can call an actress ugly or how they "dislike" a character simply because the character is wht they consider below par. Too fat, too skinny, too ugly, too this, too that....it's like really? Has the world gone shallow?
nomad
October 15, 2013 at 7:49 PM
I remember reading a recap on Dalja's spring, and it said something about "it's hard to get used to her hair", and I couldn't understand why that was. Because I thought Dalja had a really, really healthy curly hair. It looked bouncy and fresh, like the one you'd like to bury your face in and breathe in the shampoo smell. This one, however, looked so fake...
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nomad
October 15, 2013 at 7:51 PM
That being said, though...I agree the comments on Viki can be incredibly vicious, that's why I've chosen to turn it off altogether. Bad for my heart.
Naneki
October 30, 2013 at 4:42 AM
Even though, I don't particularly like the style. I thought it is actually perfect for the slept in look that Mi Rae favors. I mean we are going for that ugly duckling to peacock extreme sort of transformation, somewhere down the line I presume.
26 B-Gna
October 15, 2013 at 6:12 AM
YEH is looking old here but the show and her rol is cute.
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27 Ade
October 15, 2013 at 6:32 AM
Thank you for the recap!
I can't wait to watch it, I am haapy to see YEH on this comedy!
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28 houstontwin
October 15, 2013 at 6:44 AM
I really love it when chaebol grandma complains that Shin doesn't have a six-pack. That says it all about broadcast journalism today!
This rom com isn't just cute but offers some great satire.
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29 jhu
October 15, 2013 at 6:49 AM
holy freaking lord.
haven't even read the post or watched the episode but i opened this page and realised that i'm wearing the exact same t-shirt (the navy blue and white striped one) as mi-rae somewhere at the top of this post.
so much for making fun of her sense of fashion all this while, huh.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 7:37 AM
fate! You're destined to be watching this or your fate is intertwined with dramabeans!
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30 laraffinee
October 15, 2013 at 6:51 AM
Wow...this is going to be good! I love a good time travel drama, and "Queen In-hyun's Man" and "Nine" have been two of my absolute favorite dramas!
This one has a very interesting premise - how much can we influence our life with what we know from the future? Ouspensky wrote an interesting novel about a man who was given a chance to relive his live - BUT- he could not bring what he has experienced to it - and he ended up making all the same choices in the end.
This show is a definite watch for me!
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31 DeeDee315
October 15, 2013 at 6:52 AM
Can someone explain to me why Crayon Pop is at the company talent show, in the past?
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owl
October 15, 2013 at 2:43 PM
It was for the talent show - like a few of the employees were going to do Crayon Pop's BAr Bar Bar for their 'talent' ~ kind of funny that the writer/PD did that :)
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Sophia
October 20, 2013 at 8:59 AM
Hah I saw that, pretty funny
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32 CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 7:36 AM
I love it that we don't know what the horrible future might be. Who is the one she loves? Who is the one who kills the one she loves? Who committed suicide? Oh screenwriters, why are you teasing me like this? Will Mirae be responsible for her true love's death? Is this what future Mirae is working against? Is she trying to spare herself unhappiness or trying to spare her future love unhappiness?
Then there are the two second lead women. We re in such a predicament. Usually you want the heroine to get the guy she wants/the hero. But if heroine nd hero getting together may cause death and grief to hero or heroine...then a part of you wants the other woman/scheming second lead to get the hero. So we're kind hoping and working against the heroine's happiness.
I really love the second lead so far, the chaebol prince. (Not sure if Miranda/grandma will be nice to Mirae or if Mirae will be able to hide the fact that she "knows" VJ is a chaebol prince. Both these guys seem noble and both of them have money, although the way Mr Anchorman is behaving he could end up being kicked out of the industry for being such a non-company player.
I'm really liking this drama. So far this is a great fall season. Thanks for the recap.
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33 ilikemangos
October 15, 2013 at 7:42 AM
I also join many of the positive reviews of this show based upon the first episode.
this show wastes no time diving right into the premise which is what really kept this first episode fast and entertaining, automatically hooking me in.
I loved the underlying themes of fate overcoming future mi rae's plans to change her past.
I also thought it was great you mentioned its possible that future mi Rae also went through the same thing our current mi Rae went through(as in her future self visiting her) because at jeju island, I got confused when future mi Rae said something along the lines of telling her to die.. "again".
I've already gotten used to mi rae's perm -- which apparently is so very distracting according to all those viki comments. I bet that once she gets rid of the perm, people are gonna think something's missing about her character.
I don't get how people think that future mi rae's purpose is to get her to marry some rich guy. Future mi Rae looks well off, and she has mentioned that it involves the death of a loved one. I don't think she's motivated by materialistic reasons because then this show would lose its gravitas and the writer has already given us some really good stuff in this episode.
thanks gummi! I knew you would be recapping this show.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 8:16 AM
Future Mi-rae said her clothes were from the shopping mart. It's possible she lied, though. We will have to see how trustworthy she is.
If this is like All our yesterdays or Primer or one of those stories where future mirae keeps oming back and subtly changing the timeline but not really changing the main thing, then we're in for a ride. But didn't future Mirae say she could only do this once?
Maybe she's trying to return the timeline to what it was. Maybe mirae was fated to marry guy A but future Mirae or some other time traveling person messed that up. So this is about restarting the time line. oh my head spins!
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bbeth
October 15, 2013 at 12:22 PM
I actually suspected the same thing! That Future Mi-Rae already had tried a 'new thing' because of some other interference, so she went back and is trying to set things straight again ----
The thing that caught my attention is the ending - where she says fate will still find a way and Shin & Mirae met through a car accident anyways. Does Future-Mi-Rae's memory automatically alter based on what happens now or does she only remember her timeline & becomes even more unreliable as more and more things are changed from what they used to be....?
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 1:17 PM
yeah, i was wondering about how the changes to Present Mirae's life affects Future Mirae. I suppose that's the influence of Nine. Now when I watch a k-drama time travel show, I find myself thinking that if the present person in the timeline (or in this case the present Future Mirae) doesn't change then something is wrong.
We'll just have to see what the worldbuilding is like in this. And we'll have to accept it even if we think they're not really "following through" with the effect on Future Mirae.
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Firdhiye
October 15, 2013 at 3:07 PM
Future Mirae memory dont change because of this new timeline, she is from another timeline future. She is just trying to change herself in the present.
She doesnt know that young female reporter got in the accident and Seo jo fell for Mirae playing in the water with fishes instead. She doesnt know how much the present has already changed.
I like that fate and lack of knowledge of present changes makes Future Mirae less powerful, knowing it all.
About the first male lead and second lead. Im rooting for Kim Shin, he is serious sure but he is self made man atleast. He isnt a young chaebol cliche who lives on grandmothers money. Playing secret boss and nice rich guy.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 4:36 PM
I have thing for chaebol princes but there is something about Anchorman that is good. Weirdly, his mental agony about the license and whether to report his "crime" made me think of Prosecutor in Secret. In one story the actor's hiding his crime is played for laughs but in another it's a slide toward evil. I hope Anchorman isn't sliding towrd evil...but he probbly isn't.
CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 4:40 PM
That is so true. She and her plans and she is seeing how the fates are subverting her at every turn.
Firdhiye
October 16, 2013 at 1:03 AM
Carole:
I dont think Mirae would choose Kim Shin if he wasnt good in her eyes and not just because of fate. Future Mirae have reasons for not wanting him but i dont think its because he becomes evil. She might just be a shallow wanting rich guy or wanting someone who will live longer. Have bad marriege in her future doesnt make Kim Shin a bad guy.
The interesting part of the OTP is Future Mirae might not stop two people who are meant to be. I hope it doesnt go for the second lead future Mirae is chasing because he is rich. She has already stolen the women he fell for in that female reporter missing her trip to Jeju.
CaroleMcDonnell
October 16, 2013 at 5:35 AM
So true, Mohammed. We don't know if Anchorman actually does anything evil. I just hope second lead guy marries someone who loves him. The second lead girl may have married him for love or because of his money. I'm not too sure she is right for second lead. Maybe he's fated to marry the PD ..who knows? So although Future Mirae intruded, we don't know who is fated for second lead guy.
34 wren
October 15, 2013 at 8:08 AM
well. what can I say. curiosity piqued. absolutely curious.. like I can't wait for what's coming next.hmm do we have our next addiction after The master's sun? I wonder.
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35 Briana
October 15, 2013 at 8:20 AM
I was so happy watching this. I love everything YEH does. She just throws herself into the character she has to play and it's just so wonderful. I'm going to be looking forward to episodes ever week.
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36 vicky
October 15, 2013 at 8:20 AM
Liking the 1st ep and YEH`s hair is growing on me, LDG is hilarious, YH is doing a good job but he can definitely do better. Thanks for the recap excited for ep 2 :-)
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37 Kindra
October 15, 2013 at 8:27 AM
Time paradoxes can be confusing. I'm just going to go ahead and assume that her going back in time is what killed him since she's already done it.
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38 Limmy
October 15, 2013 at 8:28 AM
Yes, finally a role that's comfortable for Yonghwa--completely agree with you on that one, gummimochi!
I do hope he turns up his usual magnetism though; in his previous shows, even though his acting wasn't great, he had this great magnetism and charisma about him that made me really sit up and watch him, right through the lackluster acting. He seems to be acting from a place of nervousness at the moment, doing a better job at acting than he used to (because of the better fit, and because of experience), but losing a touch of his natural charisma. Hope he grows into the show and gives us both soon!
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39 bibapr57
October 15, 2013 at 8:34 AM
Thanks for the recap!!!
I have to say, I enjoyed the show a lot... It has the best elements ever; quirkiness and speed. Things are moving fast in the show (but at a good pace because you still see everything that is going on), and the dialog and the characters seems upbeat and interesting. The conundrum presented of WHY F/Mi Rae wants to change her life is the most interesting thing I've seen yet. I have to wonder why, which is an essential question, especially since F/Mi Rae insists that the life change is to spare the "person/man" she loves, which seems odd because when she speaks to P/Mi Rae she calls him that bastard, but when she talks to her self (mainly in the time machine scene) she calls him "honey"as if she had some sort of affection for him. Obviously we will have to wait for the mystery to unfold, and I personally am super exited about this!
Now about the characters, I've essentially liked everyone up till now, the acting seems solid and it's been fun seeing them introduce themselves, well all of them except for Yoo Kyung, but I am guessing her introduction will come soon enough. I have to say Yong Hwa-oppa really surprised me, he looks not only comfortable but set into the character, which is a relief. I really did not want to have to do the whole seeing him while I was in pain because the character looked uncomfortable and poorly acted, let's hope Oppa can keep it up!!!
I have to say all in all a very good 1st episode.. Can't wait to see what Future Choice brings to the table each week.
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bibapr57
October 15, 2013 at 8:41 AM
I FORGOT TO COMMENT ABOUT THE HAIR!!! Here it goes, the hair is distracting.... I'm sorry bu I have to call them like I see them. By the las 1/3 of the episode I had gotten used to it, but it was something that kept nagging me and nagging me all through the episode. I hope there is a makeover soonish (episode 8-9) so we can get rid of the badly done ahjumma perm. I mean I wouldn't mind a hairstyle that's not flattering but THAT perm is just horrible. We shall see. But from the comment's I've mostly read people don't like the hair.
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windsun33
October 15, 2013 at 2:21 PM
I like the hair.
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mamadua
October 16, 2013 at 9:14 PM
I second you!
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40 mjfan
October 15, 2013 at 8:44 AM
I have only read the recap but I enjoyed it like hell , and laughed so much only imagining the scenes ....
I think this drama will do good to all of the cast ,
I felt that this is finally YEH that I loved in CP , fresh , crazy , natural , adorable
LDG , I missed you sooooooooooooooooooo much , welcome back
JYH is doing a decent job
to summarize , am happy that one episode could deliver all this goodness , I hope it continues this fantastic pace , crossed fingers ......
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41 Annie
October 15, 2013 at 8:55 AM
Maybe the Mi Rae in Mi Rae's choice is not actually past Mi Rae, but future Mi Rae? Maybe by reliving the period when she fell in love with Shin, she'll be able to come to terms with her grief and accept future Shin's actions? I.e. better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 4:38 PM
i so hope they don't come up with that ending. it would be typical and unsurprising. But i have not yet fallen in love with anchorman so ...who knows? maybe i'll want them together.
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42 Nilechoclat
October 15, 2013 at 8:57 AM
I want To watch the drama <3
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43 jjeennyy19
October 15, 2013 at 9:10 AM
Was wondering how they will execute the time travel.....So far I'm liking everything in this drama..It's surprisingly good...Love the first episode to pieces..All the cast did great...YEH was so funny and clumsy...LDG was so good being his annoying character..Yong hwa's character is interesting both can be adorable and cold..HCA doesnt have lots of screen time for now but she has screen presence...MHIYD Fighting!!
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44 pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
October 15, 2013 at 9:13 AM
I like it, so much more than expected lol. And YEH is gorgeous - when she was younger, I always thought she was cute but not stunningly gorgeous (a bit like what I think of Jung Eun-ji now) but she's turned into an ethereal beauty in her late twenties - even the absurdity of the curly perm, which I love, can't hide her light.
I'm not sure whether assy hero is quite my cup of tea even though Lee Dong-gun is hot, but this drama has me for now with Mi-rae alone. I wanted so badly to hug her when she basically got told she was too old to follow her dream and was stuck in a dead-end job- I've been there myself, and even if this is a rom-com with an eventual happy ending, it hurts.
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ilikemangos
October 15, 2013 at 10:03 AM
Same with the assy hero.
I like lee dong gun and i'm so glad he's back, but I have yet to really like or warm up to his character.
So funny the difference in reaction when he rear ended yoo kyung compared to when he got into the accident with mi rae. Granted, one was probably more his fault, but it just seemed different when he yelled at mi rae. I can really feel the hate in the air, definitely not love or burning chemistry. LOL
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
October 15, 2013 at 12:45 PM
The real surprise to me was Yonghwa. He's actually kind of..animated here! And dare I say it, actually pretty good? But then I never thought he was as wretched as Suzy and Taecyeon, idol-actor wise, so it's good to see him in the role of Se-joo, he doesn't look like he's mugging for the cameras.
I wonder if the hair is preventing me from being as into Lee Dong-gun as I should be. It's far too shellacked, though of course it fits the image of a news announcer perfectly.
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ilikemangos
October 15, 2013 at 1:09 PM
Yeah. coming from someone who always FF all of yonghwa scenes from his previous dramas, i actually prefer his character over kim shin (at the moment), even if lee dong gun is clearly giving a stronger performance of the two.
And judging from preview, i'll be preferring se joo for the next few episodes.
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45 Quiet Thought
October 15, 2013 at 9:25 AM
Goodness, but that is a pretty hair do. I hope it becomes fashionable so every leading actress in a series next year insists on having one just like it.
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cherryng
October 15, 2013 at 11:45 AM
I like the hair also, watching most korea dramas with the same hair styles so boring to me..YEH is daring always try something new with her appearances...Love the drama already.
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46 ophie
October 15, 2013 at 9:28 AM
I can't wait to watch this!!!! Thanks for the great recap.
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47 ilikemangos
October 15, 2013 at 10:19 AM
I'm amazed at how many people are so hung on the hairdo. We were prepped weeks in advance with promos and stills that featured the same hairdo. By the time i started the first episode, it didn't even matter to me anymore.
There were moments where i felt like the hair aided in how free she felt, with hair flowing in the wind, esp during the lake scene. Which was totally gorgeous btw. I think if yoon eun hye changed her hair back to straight, i'd feel like a part of mi-rae changed (which doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing), but i'm still enjoying her character far too much to let hair get in the way of my viewing experience.
I think there's lots of room for growth in Mi Rae's character since we're seeing her at such a low point in her life (god bless yoon eun hye for injecting her charm into this character whom she's made her own).
I'm really more interested about mi rae's journey to find the confidence and will to reach her dreams to get out of her current slump more than i'm interested in her love line with shin, or se joo, although a beautiful romance is bonus for me.
There are dire consequences when one tries to change the past -- as we've seen in several movies and shows. But i can't help but root for future mi rae who seems to be giving present mi-rae a chance to do better and be happy with her life. I'm sure there are tons of people who wish they couldve given their younger self a wake up call.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 12:19 PM
It's also possible that Future Mirae might not change the past but will so affect Present Mirae's confidence that Present Mirae will not allow sh*t to happen. Will see.
Living with such a crappy husband as a super-confident anchorman could easily destroy the soul of Mirae Present. Maybe he was stifling and she took a lover and hubby and lover fought over her. We shall see.
And totally agree with you about the hair and the freedom implied. If I were on the street and needed direction, I'd ask the girl with the loose locks instead of the classy looking ahjumma with the perfect-do.
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48 Lilly
October 15, 2013 at 10:24 AM
did not like the implication that people in lower end jobs are people who did not really try to do better, which is a cruel slap at some viewers to me
think the job switch could have been handled better in the writing and avoided that class snobbery stereotype
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Faye
October 15, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Lilly,
I see your point, but I don't think they were trying to make a sweeping generalization about all people in lower-end jobs. I believe they were just trying to show that Mirae was psyching herself out from pushing for something different. The writing could have been more delicately done, though.
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Lilly
October 15, 2013 at 11:12 AM
you are probably right and I would not have noticed if other dramas airing had not touched on the subject just before this one started
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ilikemangos
October 15, 2013 at 10:47 AM
Mi Rae was definitely not happy with her job. I don't think the take away message should be that people in lower end jobs didn't try to do better (because i know some people who are perfectly happy doing what they do even if it's a job you'd consider "low end").
In the end, it's all up to you. If you think you did enough to get to where you are and that you are content, then other people's opinions shouldn't matter. Future mi-rae knew herself inside out and that her dreams were completely different from her current job, since she dreamt of becoming a production writer.
Ultimately, i took it as Future Mi-Rae saying, if you yourself are not happy with your life and where you're at, you didn't try hard enough. Not a hit to anyone else doing the same job, but more importantly to her younger self.
I understand that people get into certain circumstances and complications that might prevent them from reaching their goals, but as of now, mi-rae is without any children, has a well off oppa supporting her, and a roof over her head.
I have known people who had even harder situations than her but was able to get to a place in life where they were content.
That's just my interpretation of what we got so far from the first episode with Mi-Rae and her situation.
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CaroleMcDonnell
October 15, 2013 at 12:21 PM
so true. If she had liked the job and had the personality to endure all that customer serving.... But yeah, they could've handled it better.
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49 Jade
October 15, 2013 at 10:39 AM
loving it, just like I knew I would. anything Eun Hye unnie is in is amazing. although I really hope that she gets rid of that perm because it's really not workin'.
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50 pitch
October 15, 2013 at 10:53 AM
I LOVE this show already.
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