My Fair Lady: Episode 14

91 October 1, 2009January 24, 2016

by javabeans

Like the past three (or so) episodes, I think Episode 14 is rife with weird, illogical moments. But unlike the past three episodes, at least this one has a couple of nice, conflict-ridden scenes to make up for it. No, it doesn’t make up for all of the shortcomings, but there were a couple bits of dialogue that were really nice (okay, maybe just one great line) and a burst of emotion. Finally!

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Taesabiae – “이 노래를 들으면” (When hearing this song) [ Download ]

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EPISODE 14 RECAP

Hae-na bursts out of the meeting, grabs Dong-chan, and starts running. He’s completely clueless as to why they’re running, or why they are being chased by men in suits, but then again so am I. This inexplicable chase scene also reminds me of Witch Amusement’s Episode 15, when Jae Hee and Han Ga-in run out of a wedding together and are chased for unclear reasons.

Dong-chan asks what’s going on, and Hae-na tells him, “Grandfather knows everything.” His initial shock gives way to the logical conclusion that running will solve nothing. He grabs her this time, leading her back to face her grandfather, but she protests. This isn’t something that can be fixed by asking for forgiveness — the paparazzi have gotten wind of the story, and rumors will start spreading.

She asks, “Can you stand to not see me again? Can you live the rest of your life without me? If you go to Grandfather now, you and I are over — we may never see each other again. I can’t break up with you like this. Are you okay not seeing me again?”

He thinks on it.

Grandpa orders his men to block the news from spreading further, no matter what. He wants to see Hae-na and Dong-chan ASAP.

Upon reading the news, Eui-joo tries calling Dong-chan, but can’t get through. She finds Tae-yoon blissfully unaware of the uproar and shows him the newspaper article. He sets out for Hae-na’s house, and together they ask the staff what has happened to Hae-na and Dong-chan.

The staff don’t know where they’ve gone, and are busily preparing for a busy day, what with the reporters about to descend upon the household. To Eui-joo’s dismay, Tae-yoon speculates that it’s likely that the couple ran away together.

This is indeed the case, and the two have taken a bus to a small seaside town. (This is also like in Witch Amusement — really, if they were going to crib from a drama, couldn’t they have picked a good one?)

Hae-na’s mood lifts once they arrive, but Dong-chan remains heavy-hearted as he wonders, “I don’t know if this is the right thing to do.” Hae-na advises, “Don’t be so troubled. Let’s think that we came on vacation.” She wants to keep a happy mood while they’re here, and makes him promise to avoid unhappy thoughts.

With that, they rent a room and settle in, enjoying their time frolicking on the beach.

Hae-na asks when Dong-chan started to like her, making guesses — was it the day he taught her how to ride a bike? When she gave him the birthday coupon? No, Dong-chan says, it was the day he first saw her cry back at the stables. He’d felt sorry for her and wanted to treat her well.

Thinking on it, he says that he’s seen her crying a lot, “So I don’t want to see you crying anymore.” He promises to make sure she doesn’t cry in the future — which, of course, touches her so much she cries.

Hae-na asks Dong-chan to sing for her, and he complies.

The next thing we know, Eui-joo is also singing — loudly and bitterly, substituting her own lyrics about how Hae-na is a bad person. (LOL. It’s cute.) At first bemused, Tae-yoon watches in amusement as she belts out her modified lyrics.

I’ve noticed for a while now that the writer of this drama tends to plot the episodes very simply, with one particular motif often cropping up multiple times in a single episode. For instance, yesterday everyone kept falling asleep and waking up. Today, people sing for no apparent reason. It’s like the writer doesn’t have enough ideas for ways to fill up the time, so everyone does the same thing.

As they leave the karaoke bar, Tae-yoon comments that Eui-joo’s quite unusual: “You can sing in these circumstances?” Eui-joo finds that better than the alternative — crying — and grumbles how she hates Dong-chan and Hae-na. Tae-yoon, on the other hand, doesn’t agree. Instead of feeling hate, “My heart hurts. I had liked seeing her smiling, and that she made me smile…”

Eui-joo complains that Tae-yoon is merely pretending to act cool, and feels put out that both men like Hae-na so much: “It makes me jealous.”

However, by the time Tae-yoon drops her off at home, Eui-joo has calmed a bit and admits that she doesn’t really think Tae-yoon is just pretending to act cool or impressive by reacting so maturely. (Some of us would call that maturity.) She concedes, “You are pretty cool,” and advises him not to torture himself.

Tae-yoon smiles at her misconception of him — he’s not the type for self-torture. And he hasn’t given up on Hae-na yet. He agrees to her earlier proposal to unite in their efforts, because whether he’s acting out of love or pride, he wants to try seeing this through to the end, “So if I feel regrets, I can feel them after I have my answer.”

That night, Hae-na tries to hint to get Dong-chan to stay with her for the night, put out when he courteously gives up the room for her to use alone. Annoyed, she grabs the blankets from him, resulting in a tug-of-war. Which, naturally, ends with him on top of her.

They freeze, faces within inches of each other, Hae-na closing her eyes in anticipation for a kiss… but he doesn’t kiss her. Instead, he gets up and heads outside for some air.

He still feels guilty, unsure whether running away was a good thing, and calls Mr. Jang to tell him not to worry about Hae-na. Mr. Jang asks, “Are you sure this is for her benefit?” Hae-na would be losing too much if she had to give up everything to follow Dong-chan.

Those words echo his own inner monologue, and Dong-chan seems to make a decision with himself. Thus when Hae-na joins him outside, she can sense his mood and reminds him that he’d promised to think happy thoughts. (He teases that he was — he was thinking of all the ways he’d nag her tomorrow.)

Hae-na: “Do you have regrets? Is that why?”
Dong-chan: “What about you? Do you have regrets?”
Hae-na: “You still don’t know me that well. I never regret things — because I’m Kang Hae-na. But there is one thing I regret — that I’m not just Kang Hae-na, but the Kang Hae-na of Kang San Group. If I had grown up in a normal family as a normal child, it would have been less difficult on you. But what can I do? I’m Kang Hae-na and I don’t change, so even if it’s hard for you, you have to accept it. Because I can’t help being Kang Hae-na.”

(Who writes this dialogue??)

Without knowing it, Hae-na’s words have made up Dong-chan’s mind for him, because they remind him that she’ll never NOT be the Kang San Group heir, that she isn’t “just” the regular Kang Hae-na but someone with a greater future in store for her. That’s why he decides it’s time to return home and face reality.

Hae-na greets Dong-chan in the morning with his favorite food — kimchi chigae — although her cooking skills aren’t quite up to par. Dong-chan is impressed that she made the effort, and asks if she can live doing her own cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Hae-na answers cheerily in the negative, saying that she’s only doing this today because it’s a special occasion.

Dong-chan tells her it’s time to go back to Seoul and meet her grandfather; they can’t run forever. Hae-na wants to linger here, but he tells her that without her grandfather’s approval, they won’t be able to be happy.

Hae-na wonders if Dong-chan can win Grandpa’s approval, and he says he’ll have to try.

However, it doesn’t actually appear that he intends to try at all, based on the sad, meaningful way he looks at and speaks to Hae-na. She picks up on it as well, such as when he returns her sparkly hairpin and his words are tinged with a sense of finality. She’s uneasy at his way of speaking, so he laughs it off (unconvincingly), saying that he hadn’t meant anything by it.

Dong-chan calls Grandpa to arrange a meeting, assuring Hae-na that he is eager to receive her. However, we can tell that he’s covering something up in the way he looks conflicted and answers her questions vaguely while ushering her to the meeting place at a fancy hotel.

The truth is, they’re not meeting Grandpa Kang to announce their relationship and to gain his approval (which is what Hae-na believes). In truth, Dong-chan has agreed to deliver Hae-na to the hotel meeting room, while Grandpa Kang comes to his own understanding with Tae-yoon.

When Tae-yoon visits Grandpa Kang, the latter apologizes for Hae-na’s behavior. He’s vastly relieved at Tae-yoon’s calm response that he knows Dong-chan isn’t a bad guy and that Hae-na is merely going through a temporary bout with her emotions. Grandpa asks Tae-yoon to stick with Hae-na, calling her childish for her current rebellion, sure that she can be persuaded to come around.

Dong-chan and Hae-na arrive first, at which point Dong-chan excuses himself and instructs Hae-na to wait for her grandfather to arrive. Believing that he’s just stepping out for a short moment, Hae-na agrees. Dong-chan knows better and walks away with a heavy heart, not wanting to leave but knowing he must, and leaves the hotel as Grandpa Kang arrives.

Hae-na greets her grandfather and starts to apologize, but stops when someone else joins them — Tae-yoon.

Unbeknownst to her, Tae-yoon and Grandpa have arranged a meeting with Tae-yoon’s parents: This is the customary formal greeting between the parents of a bridal couple. Tae-yoon’s parents are under the impression that the kids are still on for wedding, and ask when the date should be set. Tae-yoon promises to go with whatever is decided, so the adults ask Hae-na when she would like to set the date.

All the while, Hae-na sits in growing anxiety, feeling trapped and sorry for causing yet more trouble. When she is pressed about the wedding date, Hae-na starts to speak, then falters. Finally, she says sorrowfully, “I cannot agree to this marriage. I’m sorry.”

Unsurprisingly, Tae-yoon’s parents are deeply offended and storm out. Grandpa demands to know why she can’t marry Tae-yoon. She starts to answer, “I love someone else—” and he cuts her off, saying, “If you’re going to talk about Dong-chan, don’t say a word.”

But she has to tell him, and admits that it is because of Dong-chan. This horrifies her grandfather, who knows the full truth of Dong-chan’s background. He asks indignantly, “How can you do this?” He sees that she is serious, and denounces her decision: “If you’re going to like him, don’t even think of appearing before me!”

Outside, Tae-yoon asks in a voice tinged with bitterness, “Are you happy with things like this? You really are courageous.” I don’t know what he has to be so pissy about, since nobody told Hae-na what the meeting was about and he knows how she feels about Dong-chan.

Hae-na asks if it was Tae-yoon who arranged the meeting, or Dong-chan. He asks, “Is that so important?” But it is important to her, so he answers that both he and Dong-chan were struck with the same idea.

That distinction is important, because it defines the motives behind Dong-chan’s actions. Thus she’s angry and hurt when she arrives at the flower shop to confront him, and slaps him.

Hae-na: “I came to say thank you. I was really happy that you suggested making our formal greeting to Grandfather. But you were going to give me away to Tae-yoon. … I came back from the seaside thinking we would be making a new start, but you were thinking of breaking up. Tell me, did you even love me? Is this what your love is?”

Hae-na leaves, and this time, given his actions, Dong-chan can’t follow.

Back at home, Mr. Jang and the housekeeper Ms. Jo disagree about the situation, their views mirroring Hae-na and Dong-chan’s. Both servants like and respect Dong-chan, but Mr. Jang thinks that the couple should separate, for Hae-na’s own good. He thinks the housekeeper is naive for thinking that Hae-na’s happiness would be secured by being with the one she loves. He says, “We cannot be happy with only love.” She retorts, “Yes, you’re right. But it’s even harder to be happy without love.”

The housekeeper calls Dong-chan to tell him that Hae-na is refusing to go home and is staying at the hotel. Dong-chan shows up at her door, insisting that she go home.

He forces his way inside to pack her things. Resisting, Hae-na yells at him to leave and calls the front desk to have the intruder removed. At that, Dong-chan loses his temper and demands, “Do you really not understand why I let you go?”

Hae-na: “Why do you think I asked you to run away with me? Because I was bored? To get some air? To see the ocean? No. I thought that if only you were with me, I could abandon everything. I even thought I could leave Grandfather. I cared for you that much, and thought you felt the same. No matter what happened, I trusted that you wouldn’t leave me. But you sent me to Tae-yoon so easily. That makes me so furious I can’t take it! You’re too selfish, and cowardly.”

And now Dong-chan speaks the one bit of dialogue that I thought made this episode worth the madness:

Dong-chan: “Yeah, I’m a coward. Rich people like you can love grandly — that must be great. You have a lot to lose, and a lot to give up. But for poor guys like me, the only thing I have that I can give up for your sake is myself. That’s why I sent you to Tae-yoon. If that’s such a cowardly and stupid thing to do, then yes, you’re right. If I knew this is how things would end, it would have been better to remain as your ordinary jibsa, unaffected by worry. You and I were never right for each other from the start.”

Hae-na cries, “That’s not what I’m talking about!” This isn’t the conversation she meant to have, and as Dong-chan leaves after telling her to return home, Hae-na’s face crumples into tears. She sobs that she’s sorry, that this wasn’t what she meant.

As Dong-chan walks away, he recalls Hae-na’s words, and their recent conversations strike out at his conscience and his hurt heart. Upon reaching the lobby, he pauses, battling with himself — then turns back.

He pounds on her door, and pushes his way inside again. This time, he grabs Hae-na to him in a hug, then kisses her. As the door swings shut on the camera, his jacket slips to the floor…

COMMENTS

Ooh, finally some physical action between the lovers! (Although it was better done in Coffee Prince.) I really didn’t think we’d be getting anything more than another peck or two, because this drama has been strangely and almost laughably innocent in its depiction of romance. (Like I said, it’s been like a high school romance — or middle school — with the teasing and bickering and hand-holding.)

I don’t think Episode 14 made any more cold hard sense than Episode 13, but at least it was markedly better because it hit on an emotional beat. That last scene stood out because Hae-na and Dong-chan seem to connect most when they are engaged in intense emotional conflict. Not so much during the lovey-dovey stuff, which went on waaay too long in this episode. Remember how I mentioned the writer’s tendency to overdo motifs? The whole seaside frolicking bit is another example of that, and at one point I asked my screen, “What the hell is going on?” I think it was about the time Dong-chan leapfrogged over Hae-na on the beach.

But the reason I love the argument near the ending is because it’s a nice bit of reality. Hae-na losing everything for love — now THAT’S actually a meaty topic to explore, and one that this drama should have struck upon about four episodes ago, not when we’re heading into its final week. Passion and attraction are great and all — but how would Hae-na fare if she were forced to do her own laundry, cleaning, and cooking, as Dong-chan suggested? I’d love to see her actually having to face those issues rather than playing house with Dong-chan at Eui-joo’s — where, frankly, she didn’t actually have responsibilities. (She didn’t pay mortgage or rent or buy the groceries. In fact, the only thing she bought was a present from Gucci.) Alas, like with her job at Kang San, Hae-na never gets beyond pretending to be a grown-up.

Yoon Sang-hyun did a great job in that scene when he tells Hae-na why he let her go. Until that moment, he seems to be the typical self-sacrificing lover, giving up his own happiness for Hae-na’s own good, but when he tells her that he has nothing to lose for her, I felt the impact of that line. Whoa. That’s true, and it must suck. He’d pursued her because he had a lot to gain, but now he laments that he has nothing to lose. Dramas tend to frame the unbalance in relationships in terms of what the two sides possess. We see it time and time again whenever a rich guy falls for a poor girl (or very rarely, rich girl with poor boy). So it’s nice to consider, for once, that being poor also means that one must contend with having a lack of something to give up. And given the gender dynamics here, and the fact that Korean men are expected to provide, this must be a blow to Dong-chan’s pride as a man — one who is already subservient to Hae-na as her direct employee, to boot.

Now if only we could have actually SEEN any of this stuff explored in the drama!

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1 jj

October 1, 2009 at 10:02 PM

Thanks so much!!

I loved the last scene! Like you said in your comments :] so much emotion & some skinship ;] haha

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2 whale rider

October 1, 2009 at 10:44 PM

I really really love Yoon Eun Hye's acting in this episode. When she cried I cried. So convincing! Please do a heavy drama your next project!

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3 Molly

October 1, 2009 at 10:52 PM

Yay, the comment box is back! Probably a browser problem, but anyways, thanks, Javabeans!

"But there is one thing I regret — that I’m not just Kang Hae-na, but the Kang Hae-na of Kang San Group."

Those lines reminded me of Boys Before Flowers (and yet another comparison!), when Jun-pyo wishes that he were a normal guy and not the heir of Shinwha, which would make loving Jan-di easier. Just by reading the recap, I thought that Hae-na sounded a bit pompous and nonchalant - the BBF writing seemed better to me for that particular theme. It seems as if the writers gave us a bit of the original Hae-na in that scene, but now it's too late since she's deviated so much from the initial Hae-na - she's weaker, nicer, and more considerate, which is far from what she started as. But since I haven't seen the episode, I don't know how it really came off as.

I haven't had the time to watch 12-14, but I might see some parts of Episode 14 this weekend. It seems better than the others and I'm glad to hear that the roots of analysis are appearing in the drama. Whether they will be developed is another story, but for now, this is good enough...since we have the amazing Javabeans to tell us the potential meaning of them.

Sometimes I wonder how nice it'd be to have a Javabeans-written drama. -hinthint-

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4 Nom_Kitteh

October 1, 2009 at 10:58 PM

The last scene was great, as were the NGs at the very end. Although the whole let's-have-a-fierce-fight-so-that-I-can-away-angry-and-only-to-return-to-pound-on-the-door-and-then-kiss-you-madly scenario has been done a million times before, it never fails to get to me. Love them. I also liked how the setting was alien to them both: a hotel room, urban, and affluent, but not in that caricaturized way that the mansion is. And the conversation was finally...adult and meaningful.

You are so right, JB. The writers should have explored this angle much earlier because instead of manufacturing head-scratching-inducing fake conflicts (fire DC and then unfire him endlessly), they should have explored the powerful conflict already inherent in the power, gender, class, economic dynamics from the very start.

But then I think we can safely assume that the writers in this show are of the...special kind. The kind that takes special buses. I am afraid we cannot expect much from them.

The only reason this drama is getting high ratings is because of YEH and possibly YSH. They are both really good actors -- when they are allowed to act. In the final scene, with meaty lines and genuine emotions to convey, both actors were masterful. I hope YSH and YEH take better roles next time. Their talents are wasted here.

Of course, all this said, I enjoyed this show. It was cute and light and fun. And that's what I needed.

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5 jusash

October 1, 2009 at 11:06 PM

While I find this drama exasperatingly disjointed and unconvincing ... it can also be inexplicably addictive, esp reading these recaps!

Tae Joon was never ever in the running for me. I couldn't buy into that romance at all.

Quite enjoying Dong Chan by now (and even Hye Na when she is not being totally spinelessly helpless) ... but even their confirmed romance (ep 13) lacked that zing.
There are no lack of romantic moments in this episode but their reactions somehow misses that special extra, that oomph ... to push it over the blah- ordinary (ie even if it's all supposed to portray the tentative and Dong chan's hesitancy .... we can still feel it is mere acting).

Like eg, something simple like hand holding. No one seems to feel the extra intense push to closely intertwine their fingers together. This, despite the excitement of just finding out how each other feels., of sharing a supposedly emotion-driven kiss in the hospital together.
Or the train ride where they were standing - doesn't DC feel some impulsive urge to hug her protectively when she sways?

Somehow the romantic moments are all there. But they just seem to be just going through the 'romantic checklist' motions so far, without much spontaneity involved.

Have not watched ep 14 yet, beyond reading the recaps (THANKS!) but sure hope this episode is the catalyst which pushes the romance to a more credible level!

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6 Sebas

October 1, 2009 at 11:11 PM

Only 2 episodes to go and the drama will end
I think I'm gonna miss it :(

Yes, it's true. This drama is a live-drama. The making is kinda rush and there are many flaws.But it's still very enjoyable becoz of the great performance from the casts, especially the 2 leads.
I really like to see the angry SDC coz we've been seeing him nice and dorky all these while. And YEH's acting -- speechless. She should do a melodrama for her next project. She nails every emotion scene yet still very beautiful
Her no-makeup face also beautifully glowing in the beach scene

I've been disagreeing with almost all (if not all) of your opinion lately. It seem like you hold some grudge while doing the recaps for this drama. You try to find as many flaws as possible, and pinpointing every single thing that make me (and I'm sure many other ppl) enjoy the drama less.
Everytime I watch the episode, I enjoy it. I notice some flaws but I still can overlook it by the actors and actressess' performance. but once I read your recap, it's always spiteful. It's like the only reason you watch this is b/c you wanna critic it, not b/c you enjoy watching it or even like it

Anyway, still, Thanks to JVbean for your hard work for this recap, althg it's quite obvious that you're not enjoying doing it (which I dont even understand why you do what you dont even like. Then again, you're JIW fangirl *rolleyes* )

PS. just curious, r u trying to be poopseoul 2.0?

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7 jusash

October 1, 2009 at 11:11 PM

While I find this drama exasperatingly disjointed and unconvincing ... it can also be inexplicably addictive, esp reading these recaps!

Tae Yoon was never ever in the running for me. I couldn't buy into that romance at all.
Quite enjoying Dong Chan by now (and even Hye Na when she is not being totally spinelessly helpless) ... but even their confirmed romance (ep 13) lacked that zing.

There are no lack of romantic moments in this episode but their reactions somehow misses that special extra, that ooomph ... to push it over the blah-ordinary (ie even if it's all supposed to portray the tentative and Dong chan's hesitancy .... we can still feel it is merely acting).

Like, something simple like hand holding. No one seems to feel the extra intense push to closely intertwine their fingers together. This, despite the excitement of just finding out how each other feels, of sharing a supposedly emotion-driven kiss in the hospital together.
Or the train ride where they were standing - doesn't DC feel some impulsive urge to hug her protectively when she sways?

Somehow the romantic moments are all there but they just seem to be just going through the 'romantic checklist' motions so far, without much spontaneity involved.

Have not watched ep 14 yet, beyond reading the recaps (THANKS!) but sure hope this episode is the catalyst which pushes the romance to a more credible level!

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8 Javabeans

October 1, 2009 at 11:24 PM

Why would I want to be Popseoul 2.0 when I can be Dramabeans 1.0?

I don't see how there were any Jung Il-woo fangirling moments in this recap so I don't get that eye-roll complaint. And if I didn't want to do recaps, TRUST ME I would not do recaps! I have a bunch of dropped dramas and half-written (and ditched) recaps to back me up on that!

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9 lin

October 1, 2009 at 11:25 PM

u had me laughing at the 'who writes this dialogue' part

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10 Sebas

October 1, 2009 at 11:44 PM

JVbeans, no surprise though *rolleyes* :P , but you TOTALLY miss my point
I think I put my point quite clear, but if you really dont get it. It will just waste my time to explain and it waste your time to try to understand or get it

Whatever, I'll just do like the others, stop coming to this site and what so ever >_>

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11 Javabeans

October 1, 2009 at 11:50 PM

@Sebas, If you read all 3,000 of the words I just wrote in the recap above and you still accuse me of writing blind hate for a drama, then YOU have missed MY point.

My site is built around the entire premise of watching dramas with a critical eye, so if you were expecting tongue-baths of praise when none is due, then I wonder how you made it through 14 episodes, frankly.

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12 john locke

October 1, 2009 at 11:51 PM

Sebas, stop rolling your eyes and saying subtle yet rude things. I'm sure it annoys the readers here and also JB a lot.

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13 Molly

October 1, 2009 at 11:55 PM

@6, I think that much of Javabeans' recaps are structured around analysis, and that's why many people read them - to see her point of view. Javabeans critiques the drama because it does have flaws and reflects on how things could have been handled better, not to expose them to spite the drama. My opinion is that constructive criticism and reviews are different from pointing out all the bad things just because. I enjoy the drama too, but I like reading these recaps because they open your eyes to the things that could have been but weren't, as well as the things that were really done well. (I completely agree - YEH has been looking gorgeous!)

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14 greylady

October 1, 2009 at 11:57 PM

Sebas, what IS your point? Usually I don't point out english mistakes because there are a lot of international people on this site who don't speak english as a 1st language. However if you bash the site owner then I get to point out that your bashing is confusing and hard to understand. I don't know what your big problem is. If you don't like what the site OWNER says, then leave. WE'RE here because we find value in it.

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15 mahbano

October 2, 2009 at 12:14 AM

thank you so much

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16 Atsirk

October 2, 2009 at 12:14 AM

HELL YEAH! WOOH, I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE LAST 2 EPISODES!!!

Gosh, people. Please do understand that not every drama is perfect, all right? And respect the fact that this is Javabeans' point-of-view...jeez

If you can't live with it, then do your own recaps :)

Love your recaps, Javabeans :)

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17 Soulwave

October 2, 2009 at 12:24 AM

HI Guys,
KD ! is all .. " FIRST KISS"" Stupid! for women actorrs Snow White, CP, ONLY YOU and.....
who kiss first, the end "LOVERS ". FINISH
Thanks Javabeans for ' #14 recap.
Just one week more.to endure MFL

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18 moonflower

October 2, 2009 at 12:26 AM

first of all i would just like to say thank you very much.
you do the best drama reviews and i really appreciate your critiquing, especially with this drama!

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19 confused

October 2, 2009 at 12:38 AM

Maybe this has been discussed before and I just wasn't paying close enough attention, but can someone explain to me how Yeh's hair keeps on changing length throughout the series/episode? I know this is such a superficial question but it's driving me nuts!

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20 maria

October 2, 2009 at 12:40 AM

so spot on!

sarah, it really intrigues me to imagine a drama written by you.... any chance we could see you giving it a shot? :)

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21 Sakura

October 2, 2009 at 1:14 AM

It is hard to be a drama critic (analyser) when you have some
fanatic miss yoon fans who can't accept critical review (recaps).

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22 mel

October 2, 2009 at 1:15 AM

Jung Il Woo made the wrong decision to take this role or maybe the script was not even complete when he accepted it. Plot of the drama is not good. Even YEH deserve a better project for her comeback.

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23 christine

October 2, 2009 at 1:35 AM

@19 i'm wit you on that... it still bothers me....

oh well, i also think that both Yoons are good in depicting emotional turmoil.
Thanks JB on your wonderful recaps and don't give a heck on that sebas...

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24 dee

October 2, 2009 at 1:53 AM

why I can't let go these drama and *still* reading the recap :(
a. Bad Scenario, Good Actress and Actors
b. Bad Hairdresser, Good Chemistry between the lead actors
c. Average Drama, Good recap
d. My life is so *bored* so any YEH drama will make me happy.

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25 dee

October 2, 2009 at 2:18 AM

Good post, i like it , i find other eps :http://www.dramafans.org/drama/take_care_of_the_young_lady

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26 cocol

October 2, 2009 at 2:19 AM

Thanks your share:

http://www.dramafans.org/drama/take_care_of_the_young_lady

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27 spiny

October 2, 2009 at 2:26 AM

Poor JIW - but if the pay is good, why not, right? Just exert minimal effort and be paid BUT I guess professionally, it would be most unsatisfying, and frustrating! Poor, poor JIW.

I wonder how the writers are going to write him off - if the story had been for him to give up, he would already be out of the picture totally. So, they came up with some silly plot that he will not give up even though there was nothing to start with.

Don't want to get started on HN - now, i really had doubts she was the high and mighty HN she was in the beginning, the one who could do all things better than others? Please.....she is a completely different person and in such a short span of time? UNBELIEVABLE. Somehow, things just got really botched up. Sigh...

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28 nana

October 2, 2009 at 4:07 AM

thanks for the recap.
i think this drama is going to end up in the same catagory as cain and abel for me; lots of potental for a good (if not great) drama, but none of it realized because of poor writing. you can have the best actors in the world but there is only so much they can do with a crapy script. in fact, i feel sorry for the actors in both dramas.
i look forward to reading the last two.

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29 Free

October 2, 2009 at 4:50 AM

Hi Javabeans,

thanks for the recap, enjoy reading your insights!

And you are super-quick ! ! !

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30 MEIKO**** ^-^

October 2, 2009 at 4:54 AM

JavaB! thank so much!!!

As always, you made me laugh with your side-comments!lol!

And I definitely agree, although it is not as good as CP, at last they did have an adult emotional contact!!! LOL! *sigh* sooo cute.....

love YSH!!!

Next ep!!!!!

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31 rainerust

October 2, 2009 at 5:05 AM

You've just made my day with your recap! (Seriously, I have no idea why people have such huge problems since it's a point of view i.e. everyone is entitled to have one with ref. to Sebas above)

I seriously wish the writer (since he/she/they is/are obviously running out of things to write, and it's already passed that midway mark to joining Witch Amusement imo) would just freaking throw EJ and TY together already, since they look SO ADORABLE! It's especially obvious in your screencap that showed EJ singing while TY watched on wryly.

Okay, now Ep14 just makes me want to watch the last couple of episodes I missed out on...since they only have a couple more episodes though, I wonder how it's going to end off. So far, all they've done is gloss over issues they could have potentially explored to make it more interesting (ie all you pointed out about the rich/poor divide) and thrown away a couple of other plot devices they started off with (HN's non-existent first love, whom they made out to be really important in the first couple of episodes and then never actually made it on screen). It'd be interesting to see what other hands they come up with in just 2 episodes...

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32 Mei

October 2, 2009 at 5:07 AM

I'm head over heels for Yoon Sang-hyun <3 **drools, giggles* He is such a good actor. And his eyes..to die for. He can say whatever he wants to say without talking. He'll just look at you and wham! My favorite moments in this drama are those moments where Dong-chan looks at Hye-na...with passion and overwhelming love. How can he convey different kinds of emotions just by looking? How?? Waaahhh. YSH is love.

As for Yoon Eun-hye, you people are right. She's better off doing a full-blown drama cos her talent is wasted doing a funny/drama/silly series. She's improved so much. She was a little so-so in Goong, mediocre acting. But whoa! during her coffee prince days,she was at her best. i still think CP is the best drama she's done so far. nothing beats. haha.

this ending is.... SEXY. i hope they show more skin on the hext episode hahaha. SKINSHIP GALORE!

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33 MEIKO**** ^-^

October 2, 2009 at 5:18 AM

ADD:

JavaB, I truly value your comments/ critique.....

Am definitely a JIW fan too(but he's not the lead actor)...

I agree with most of your comments....

and still, I LOVE the MFL series, and your site....

so, what was he/she talking about?

ok, forget about that....

2 more episodes.... hoping for more yummy scenes and a-better-than-CP ending!!!

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34 MEIKO**** ^-^

October 2, 2009 at 5:28 AM

ADD2:

Oh! I get it...

well, to make it short... I agree with Molly! ^-^

well said Molly!

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35 LTK

October 2, 2009 at 6:06 AM

I stopped watching this long ago but still wait to read these recaps. Thanks! My reasoning is, this drama is too all over the place for me to spend a whole hour watching. I don't quite get the story at all but thank goodness JB can sum it all up in a quick - enjoyable & witty- read.

But really 'Because Im Kang Hye Na". How many times is she going to say this and what exactly does it mean? It reminds me of Style and the ever so popular 'EDGE". btw, I wonder if that drama is over yet.

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36 Just A Fan

October 2, 2009 at 6:07 AM

One thing that really bothers me was EJ singing with TY in a karaoke place. WTF? I mean, for real?! I gave up already on the illogical chopping and editing of scenes and just focused my energy in DC and HN but the writers are really testing the viewers patience.

EJ and TY? dont they have any other friends to commiserate their misfortune with. They had to be together? Just for the sake that these two actors needed to be included in the episode. LAME! Singing? I just cannot fathom that.

It's a good thing that YEH and YSH are performing well. This makes up for the other flaws.

However, compared to other dramas which are embedded with too much angst and over the top bitchiness of the 2nd leads, rags to riches, revenge themed dramas, I'd say it is still a nice drama.

I have no complaints with the lovey dovey scenes whether they are more appropriate for teenagers rather than for adults because I have seen many adults acting dorky and cheesy when it comes to love. Yes, quite yucky but then, love makes people do many silly things but this is a drama series, they could have done better.

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37 Eleven11

October 2, 2009 at 6:17 AM

@ 10 Sebas

- Lol she wouldn't understand OR get it? Fair enough.

=DH

Ignore the haters, Javabeans, love your work! If it wasn't for this site I would have never watched Flowers for my Life ... HD:

your recaps are lulz-worthy and intelligent, so peace!

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38 canucks79

October 2, 2009 at 6:52 AM

Thanks for the recaps JB. I sure see it from a different perspective from your analysis. Your recaps is very much appreciated.

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39 nycgrl

October 2, 2009 at 7:28 AM

"But then I think we can safely assume that the writers in this show are of the…special kind. The kind that takes special buses. I am afraid we cannot expect much from them"

You mean they ride the short bus?
----
BTW I love your MFL recaps JB and I haven't watched a single ep and I don't intend to either. I'm actually following the recaps because I love your analysis, commentary and snarkiness. If I didn't want that why would I come here and read them in the first place.

In terms of the way I view recaps I think recappers should salvage what they can. You start out being excited about the show otherwise why even bother starting it since it is a momumental amount of work from what I'm hearing from Samsookie and the City Hall recaps and if the drama turns out to be a dud but still retains some entertainment value for the recapper, however unintentional, why not continue with the recaps. If people don't like your POV they should go somewhere else.

For example, I've always hated Stairways to Heaven but after some of the commentaries on this board I have a new appreciation for it albeit not enough to go through the pain of watching it again.

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40 giddygirl108

October 2, 2009 at 8:25 AM

Ok...so maybe you've already answered this because I don't generally read the comments...BUT...what ever happened with the conflict of Taeyoon looking like some past lover of Hae-na's? I mean, they could've definitely expanded upon that and added some conflict there (if they were indeed looking for some conflict by introducing that...).

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41 Elena

October 2, 2009 at 9:32 AM

@ Sebas

You're a bored teenager - Right?

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42 Elena

October 2, 2009 at 9:34 AM

@ giddygirl

I have also wondered about the mysterious man in the picture in the music box who was referenced by the staff and grandfather.

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43

October 2, 2009 at 11:31 AM

JB - thanks for your efforts with the recaps. I don't always agree with you but I come here cause I'm interested in reading your opinions and respect them. You do a great job.

That being said, even though I like YSH and YEH and JIL, I must say that I agree 100% with JB on her comments and reactions. What the heck happened to this drama??? And I am a person who is forgiving of bad dramas and end up still like them. It is just soo random.

I agree with those who think that JIl shouldn't have picked this role. I think he deserves to coast in the a role but he certainly could have picked a better role to coast in.

DC and HN - just such strange chemistry - I can't quite latch on to it.

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44 jackieee

October 2, 2009 at 11:51 AM

Was anyone thinking in the last scenes, "OMG, Hye Na is acting just like Choi Han Kyul in Coffee Prince when he found out she was a girl, and then told her how he was willing to give everything up, but that he couldn't trust her anymore??? Role reversal!"

I sure was :D I guess that's because I just re-watched Coffee Prince for the nth time yesterday. Sighs... if only MFL's writer could be half as creative as Coffee Prince's!

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45 pabo ceo reom

October 2, 2009 at 12:09 PM

@ JB

I have to sympathize for you. I don't watch this series but I read your recaps when I have some time. Judging from the "hate" comments coming from MFL apologists or (even worse) Yoon Eun-hye diehards, I would hate to be in your position writing recaps for this series. It's like every other moment is spent defending your own (entitled) opinion against some idiotic anonymous netizen.

But with that said, I know you're plenty familiar with trolls and prepubescent fangirls/boys after running this site for so long, Just wanted to let you know not to let the stupid drag you down. Stick to your guns! :D

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46 Biscuit

October 2, 2009 at 12:54 PM

1. I just realized after re-watching QOH that Yoon Sang Hyun's house (when he played Tae Joon) is Sung Min and Suah's house in MFL >___:)?

3. Sungmin will come to rescue his Goddess~?

4. 2 Episodes left, why does the excitement begin only when it's ending @___@

5. Recapping takes time and effort. We viewers can FF and skip parts we get bored with or something, but JB has to watch every minute and recap everything. Pretty tough, but she sticks to the dramas she recaps. I really respect JB for this.

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47 J

October 2, 2009 at 12:54 PM

I thought that this was a great episode ( many sweet scenes between HN and DC). I totally didn't expect another kiss at the end of the episode, which is nice of course :) Anyways I can't believe that it's going to be over in 2 episodes! Will it be another 2 years of wait for YEH's next drama? I hope not! Thanks for the recap JB :)

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48 kelso99

October 2, 2009 at 1:42 PM

Oh man... no words to describe the recent episodes really. I'm a huge fan and all but this episode and I guess the latter half like the last 3 ep's were fkd up.

The acting, the story.. holy crap. I guess at first I had this notion that the entire drama was slapstick/ romantic comedy and then in the end they wanted to turn it into this serious drama romance thing which made a mess of the story, the characters acting... the whole lot. For me it just failed big time. It's not the actors fault but the director and producer/s. I mean both yoons could have made their acting believable because I know based on their past projects they have the talent to do so but I guess the producer and director couldn't care less. I don't hate the drama in fact I've been watching it since it debut but all I'm saying is they could've done a better job at it. The acting was great no doubt but it didn't quite fit the " moment", you know? Well maybe I'm just a little too hard on the main cast but thats just the way I felt. I really hope YEH would choose a better project next time coz this one for me just bombed.. for the most part that is.

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49 samehhh

October 2, 2009 at 1:58 PM

i always read your recaps of the dramas i'm watching and i love them!

I never watch dramas and really criticize haha, i usually see everything perfect because i'm a loser like that, but reading your recaps makes me sometimes understand some things better, and although i love this drama, i totally understand what your talking about in your recaps :)

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50 ockoala

October 2, 2009 at 2:10 PM

I absolutely love the last scene of DC-HN in the hotel room, the set up, the mood, the execution by the Yoons, the tension. Everything else in the episode was fluff filler. This last scene was strikingly remniscient of the last scene in episode 9 (also a fave) when DC confronts HN at the jebi-club/bar.

I've noticed that when Yoon Sang-hyun gets that intense, angry look on his face, my breath stops, he's fabulous as expressing DC's hurt, confusion, maturity in those situations. When he first barges into HN's hotel room (JB, you didn't show all the screenshots so I can't reference a picture above), but the scene where he had his hand on the door and is preventing HN from closing it, ugh, I love that expression on YSH's face, so manly and his eyes reflect this intensity of passion and feeling that he's keeping bottled up inside. Whereas HN is the completely open book at this point, just one wrong word and the lady will cry buckets, it seems.

HN is sadly just an immature kid, it's impossible to root for anything resembling a credible plot or character development what with two episodes left. But I can still enjoy when a scene or moment is done right and it fills the viewer up with angst and glee. Jacket come off, my eyes stayed glued.

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