Oh, there's so much to say about love... Some things that I want to talk about concern next episode so I'm not gonna bring them up, yet. But I just love how these two, Anthony & Go-Eun, fall in love so naturally and, in a way, effortlessly. They really grow on each other and realize they're in love when it's "too late". I absolutely like this kind of romances because I don't believe in love on first sight. Infatuation, sure, a crush, strong emotions, yes, but not love. To love somebody you have to KNOW him/her and you cannot know another person if you've just met him/her. For Anthony & Go-Eun it's love because they both know what kind of person the other is.

I think you're right about Go-Eun knowing intuitively what love is even though she hasn't experienced it yet. Her family life has clearly been pretty healthy and good and so she has had examples of love. We haven't been shown but from everything else we've seen I think that Go-Eun's mom and dad probably loved each other and managed create a loving and safe growing environment for their daughter. And later, when dad died, Go-Eun's mother has been an anchor of love, affection and safety for Go-Eun. In Anthony's case, even though his mother did love him very much, their relationship was always "tainted" by absent father and their extreme poverty. Anthony had to learn to be strong and love had no place in his quest to conquer the world as love makes you "weak". And so Anthony doesn't even really know what love is, how far people will go for their loved ones. Up until now...

Anthony sacrificing his dreams for Go-Eun was perfect as it was an incident big enough to force Anthony to confront his feelings. And I like it that it happened in front of Mina even though I did kinda feel sorry for her at the same time. Especially I felt sorry when they were together in the empty office building watching the city and Anthony smiled happily at her. She looked so darn hopeful. But alas, we of course knew who's gonna win Anthony's heart in the end...

That has been Mina's tactic all along. In a way she tries to "buy" Anthony's love by helping him achieve things she thinks he want to achieve. She's not totally wrong about them, of course, but doesn't really realize either that her way has no chances of succeeding. She seems to hope that if she manages to give Anthony what he wants, he will give her what she wants, emotionally. But that is not going to happen, it doesn't work like that. Poor Mina.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_partnership

I think it is probably this.

Hello Arawn,

Good to see you here :-). Thank you so much for your quite insightful comments. I am probably in the minority in this, but for the longest time, I didn't think that Anthony was actually in love with GE. I felt that many of his gestures were friendly, and I didn't feel that he exhibited the behavior of someone in love, necessary. All along as I watched, I kept feeling that Anthony was behaving like someone who was becoming really good friends with GE, and who was trusting her, also becoming good business partners, in a way.

I am saying this partly because I have had very good and close male friends, with whom I shared a lot of things (emotional and other wise), with whom I opened up and who let me be close to them, and yet we did not have romantic feelings for one another, and we did not become romantic involved. I even said in an earlier recap that I didn't believe that Anthony was necessarily in love with GE, when some people here were already talking about it. It is not that I am trying to be cynical or too harsh, I just didn't see it here. It was more obvious to me what was happening with GE, but not with Anthony.

In more conventional Kdramas, it is easy to see when the male lead falls in love, there are markers in their behaviors that indicate to us (and that are obvious to me) when they are starting to fall in love and when they are in love, even if they don't acknowledge it to themselves. Again for me, not with Anthony. I kept feeling that all that he had done so far, yes, could be done by someone who likes someone else, but at the same time, not really. A lot of it, could be done by someone, who wants to be a good boss and thus have his employee's loyalty and trust. It could also be done by someone who is becoming a trusted and close partner (in a working relationship). Even in those relationships, people become close to one another and open up to one another. So what is really different here (for Anthony, not for GE)?

I have been watching this show carefully and I just couldn't see it. Anthony to me didn't seem to fall in love. It seemed to me that he only started to look at GE that AFTER she confessed her feelings, and that makes me wonder IF he would have started to think about her in that way if her confession had not brought a different possibility in their relationship to his awareness. AFTER she confessed, it seemed to make sense that he would fall in love with her. What's not to like about her? I find her attractive, and she acts cute sometimes with him (she flirts with him, she has a way of sticking her tongue out that is very cute), she is smart, she is a quick learner, she is hardworking and she is talented and capable. Not only is she a good writer, but she is a good cook who can run a business (her mom's restaurant). She is loyal and she has principles (she stands for something) and she will go places if placed in front of the right opportunities. Again, what's not to like? I would understand any man who fall for her...

I kept feeling that until GE confessed, maybe those feelings were not really there for Anthony, based on how he kept treating her: like a hobae (sp?) (junior) who had a lot to learn from him and who could help him get where he wanted to get (and whom he could help in return). I do agree that Anthony and GE grew on each other, however... I still had my doubts about Anthony's romantic feelings for GE. When do you think those started to happen for him?

You make a really good point when you said that Anthony equated love (or being in love) with being weak, which might explain why he didn't let himself experience it. Do you think he ever loved SMA? Or did he just like her, at some point in his life?

I also totally agree with your 3rd and 4th paragraphs. Very insightful and very well said, all of it. :-)

I hope that what I am trying to say makes sense. I feel that I know what I want to say, but I am not sure I am saying it well. I pondered over Anthony's actions (each one) towards GE, and nothing in them (at the time) told me he was falling in love with her. Do you think you could please help me see what you and others here did see, maybe for some time now? I would appreciate it.

I am curious and I look forward to what you have to say about the next epi. (in the next recap) about love.

My take on Anthony falling love... I do agree with you up to a point. Go-Eun's confession was important for Anthony's feelings flare up in real. This is the part where Go-Eun not being Anthony's type of a woman comes to play - he wouldn't have even considered her without some kind of push from outside. Even before the confession there was something there, I believe. It wasn't love yet but I've personally felt that it was more than just a platonic kind of affection. I have male friends myself, too, so I do think that man and woman can be friends but in this case those smiles Anthony was giving to Go-Eun looked to me like there was something romantic in play, too. It's a bit difficult describe as English is not my first language... It's like there WAS something, but it was very small and flickering and would have probably go on without notice if there wouldn't have been something that made Anthony actually consider Go-Eun even for a moment. But when that moment came, he's flickering feelings took flame and rest is history.

Something like that... I kinda think that base was build for Anthony's love but the push was needed. Because sometimes you do see friendships that don't seem to contain eny kind of possibility for romantic emotions. This friendship never felt like that sort of friendship for me.

I can't really pin point where it started, exactly. It came to be so slowly and gradually.

And no, I don't think he loved Mina. If he had, he would know what love is. He denied it himself and I believe him in this as his take on Woo-Jin-Hye-Rin dilemma basically proved it. A person in love WILL sacrifice his/her dreams to save the loved one. Always. Of Anthony had really loved, he would have known this. But even without this I would have still said "no". I'm not sure can I explain exactly why. It's something similar as why I've always thought that Go-Eun is a virgin. Just like, for me, everything in her screams for certain kind of sexual innocence, everything in Anthony screams for inexperience in love. His behavior, what he says, how he treats people etc.

I think I'll probably marathon all episodes of KoD after the next Tuesday before the final episode. I can try to answer better then to the questions what were the signs of Anthony's growing affection + why I think he didn't love Mina.

Hello Arawn, (again :-) )

I so appreciate your response and how quick it was, I really do. This is helping me. I will be honest and say that at the beginning and for a long time, I didn't think that GE had feelings for Anthony either. Many things made me think that, maybe because their growing affection for each other was so subtle, but I also felt that it could be argued either way (whether they were falling in love or just becoming really close friends). I did see how Anthony was becoming protective of GE, in front of others and when they got lost with the food. I saw how he panicked when he thought she had amnesia and all the other things Anthony did for GE. However, as I said in my previous comment, I could argue it either way, since I have very close male friends who feel as protective of me as Anthony does and who have helped me in more ways than one, literally at times bending over backwards for me and getting other people to help me as well. Of course, I would do the same for them, and I have. I also do know that I am not in love with them because when they are in a relationship or married (and some of them are), I show a lot of respect to the person they love and I take a backseat, because I believe that is what should happen, that person should come first, besides, it is not a competition (it shouldn't be).

So, looking at GE, for a long time, I was not sure she was falling in love with Anthony. I even believed her when she told SMA that nothing was going on between them, and maybe she believed it at the time. However, when she freaked out in Anthony's room (when he asked her if she saw him/what she thought of him as a man), and when she had the kiss dream and when she returned the potatoes (and a few other things that happened in between as well), then I knew for sure that she was in love with him, and she knew it.

I personally did believe that Anthony had come to care deeply about GE, that was not hard to see. He trusted her, we could see that and he admitted that, more than he trusted himself. However, I would also say that I think that like us, Anthony could see the wonderful qualities that GE had, and him not being an idiot, he could at least recognize a good and exceptional person in his sphere of influence when he saw one. I think he would have been a fool not to hang on to her, romantically or otherwise. She is a very good person to have around (and very handy) and she proved it throughout the drama (and her mom helped a lot too, that was a plus). It was just that fine line that was hard for me to cross. I didn't want to think that something was there, simply because I wanted it to be there (I would have been fine either way), I wanted to be able to see and pin point it. That makes Anthony a very interesting character and one who is often hard to read, at least at times for me.

So, based on your explanation, if GE had not confessed (1st), those feelings could have laid dormant for Anthony for a long time ( or maybe forever). Do you think so?

What made me think initially that Anthony knew about love was when he gave a hard time to GE about the kiss, which she was clearly struggling to write, and Anthony seemed to know all about it. The anticipation of the kiss and all the feelings and emotions associated with it. I thought, "for sure he knows what love is, he seems so sure of himself, and he knows when a kissing scene would not work." It was when he had the conversation about love with GE that I realized that "wow, he actually DOESN'T know about love, and she does," how interesting! That was an area where she could school him, even if she had not experienced the physical side of it (yet). She might have been in love once, one never knows (it could have been unrequited), or maybe it was just the things she read in books and saw in movies. But at least she knew what love was, and he didn't.

I see your point about Anthony not loving SMA, ever. Thank you for clarifying that for me. He does however care about her, right? (I think he did in the past too. Someone told me that he told her that he let her go for her own good. I must have missed that scene. Is that true?)

This, "Just like, for me, everything in her screams for certain kind of sexual innocence, everything in Anthony screams for inexperience in love," I find it so interesting that you knew early on (earlier than me for sure :-) ) that Anthony was ignorant and a novice when it came to love, because I certainly did not see that one coming (and I was paying attention :-) ). You are quite perceptive. As for GE, I don't find it hard to believe that she is indeed a virgin.

If you don't mind my asking, what is your first language (if English isn't)? I think you are doing fine with English. I have been able to read and understand all your posts so far. You are clear and you make your points well. English is not my first language either, by the way, so that makes two of us :-).

If you do marathon KoDs before the final episode and can further answer my questions here, then yes, please, come back and add to what you have already said. If you do so, just let me know in the recap of episode 17 or 18 that you have some comments for me here, or post them there. Either way, just let me know. I would really appreciate that. Thanks a lot!!!!!!

One thing might be just the awesome chemistry these two have - had from the first moment on. It's so electrifying and sweet at the same time that I just can't but seeing some underlying sexual & romantic feelings everywhere. ;) But seriously, there are friends who clearly have this "friendly vibe" and nothing more. You just don't see them as lovers at any point. Then there are friends who look like more lovers to be even though they might not actually do any romantic gestures yet. But I'll get back to these things later...

What comes to Go-Eun, I think that if she wasn't a type of woman Anthony would imagine himself to be interested in, same goes for him, too. Go-Eun wouldn't have ever imagined that she could like this guy and yet, at the end, she does. They both went through same kind of reaction for their feelings, really, it's just that Go-Eun's was a bit earlier than Anthony's.

I think that crucial thing for both of them was to see the other one as a Man/Woman instead of a representative/writer. For Go-Eun this moment was on the bed when Anthony made his melodrama speech and for Anthony when Go-Eun confessed that she likes him. In Go-Eun's case I would say that Mina kissing Anthony had an impact, too. It's more likely we see somebody in desirable light if we see another person desiring them. So yes, I do think that without this "push" Anthony's feelings might not have developed into full scale romantic love, but I also think same way about Go-Eun. They both needed the push albeit for a bit different reasons.

I didn't see Anthony's lack of experience in luuuv right away so even though your praises are flattering they might not be completely accurate. :) I did ponder for a while whether he had loved Mina or not. Their conversation on the roof made me finally decide that he had not. It's not so much because he said that he liked her instead of using the word "love" because Anthony would of course do that anyway. He wouldn't admit loving Mina. But... I somehow think that if he had loved her, he would have denied even liking her that much. It would have been too risky for him. If he had truly loved Mina, he had gone much further in his efforts to rebuff her.

But yes, I do believe that Anthony cares about Mina. That, mingled with some sort of guilt, seems to be the reason why he cannot quite turn her down when she goes very emotional. He doesn't want to hurt her, at least that's how I see it. So yeah, I would say that he liked her then and still cares, but there is no romantic liking left anymore.

When Anthony was pressing Go-Eun about the kisses and talking about fluttering hearts, I think he was actually referring to passion and not love. It's just that he equates passion with love as we later heard him state for himself. But passion can make your heart beat faster, it can make you blush and it is more than a "childish crush" and considering how passionate love IS romanticized in dramas and books, I'm surprised there are not more people who mistake passion for love. They are pretty close in many cases and do mix together so it's not so surprising that Anthony would think this way. Men tend to be a bit more... well, physical, in the matters of love anyway, so I suppose for them it's much easier to think that passionate sex = love. At least up until they actually experience love without immediate sexual gratification.

And finally... My first language is Finnish. So I'm a Finn. :)

Gotta watch it later. And hopefully I'll be able to find any tiny hints to what this drama going to do next. Ahaha!

and yep!! Episode 15 is ...

THE.BEST.EPISODE.EVER.
:D

The old Anthony might. His mantra was, abandon your father if necessary!

Kim Myung-min even fixed Jung Ryeo-won's hair to be able to see her face and stare at her genuinely. :-) Hihi!

it's not the best quality but you can watch it here with english subs. No, the story is not complicated at all. It's very simple, actually. http://www.veoh.com/watch/v16427107nDXmptdh?h1=Love+Letter+-+Part+1+of+4+eng+subs

I was wondering about this movie as well. I read the description on wikipedia (a long one, which I like), but I could not see the sadness in the synopsis. Still I am also wondering if this movie is going to get the same attention that An Affair to Remember had after being cried over by the female lead and the female lead's best friend (as well as the wife of the male lead's best friend hundreds of miles away) in Sleepless in Seattle. Apparently, Love Letter was releaded in the US but not on DVD; will the KofD help the movie's dvd? Wouldn't that be fun.

I'd like to share some of highlights from BTS. FYI I deeply shippering KMM and JRW, though I know he's a married man. But whatever, since Mrs.Kim doesn't watch the BTS, I assumed, I just loooove to enjoy his husband wonderful chemistry with JRW. Ahaha!

BTS Love Letter!!! KMM!! In the scene of the drama he only stares and stares and stares to Go-eun, but when the camera off, KMM faces JRW and doing a heart beat motion with his hand into his heart and tell that this should be the "more expressive" side of Anthony. and JRW goes "Ah~ Anthony's?" referring that Anthony must be so nervous at that time to watch the-pretty-writer Lee Go-eun. And suddenly KMM grabs JRW's hand with a killer-stares. JRW can't help but just laugh and laugh. And after that, when they don't hold hand anymore, JRW asking to KMM "Ah~ you will hold me like this? (giving her hand) and KMM: "Yes like this.. (grabbing her hand) and then crying" he said. and then they both smiling. Kyaaaah. Cut to where they have to do the Anthony-stares-at-Go-eun scene, but JRW's hair is covering her face, and KMM's left hand goes straight to her hair pulling it sweet and says "Let me see you" and JRW:"Oh~ sorry" and she pull her hairs back too. And so they shoot the scene. but when the director says "CUT" JRW directly steal a chance to stare at KMM but KMM is still 멘붕 (Men-boong) which is Mental Breakdown state. HAHAHAHA!

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH! And just in case you guys want to know what they were talking in past BTS, here:

In the BTS of "after meeting with Min-ah". He LOVES to tease her. I mean like, he really loves to do that. One of my favorite thing is when the camera stops rolling, and JRW goes closer to him and says something like
JRW: "Why should I call Representative Representative?" (I don't get it too clear though)
KMM: "Yeah maybe he (Anthony) wants to be called (by you/Go-eun)?"
JRW: "Yeah maybe"
KMM: "Me, later on, can I be called "Darling"?
JRW: (Giggles Giggles)
KMM: "나는 네 당신이 아니야 자기지 (na-neun ne dangsin-i aniya jagiji)- I'm not your DANGSIN, but your Darling". [HAHAHA --> this is referring to his line which is "I'm not your DANGSIN, but your Representative".p.s. ("Dangsin" is "you" in informal way and somehow lowering the counterpart in this context)]
JRW: "HAHAHA"
KMM: "Funny right?"
JRW: HAHAHAHA
LOL they's so cute.

In the BTS "after the fire" episode 14. Basically KMM teases her again and again. That's why she's laughing so hard.
KMM: (talking to Director I think) "I really want to say I'm okay. I'm really okay."
cut-to JRW playing with him, she's pulling and pulling KMM's collar and giggles. KMM teases her.
KMM: "너 나 좋아해? (neo na joahae?) Dou you like me?" (JRW laughs but keeps doing it to him)
KMM: "It's should be like this" (both are having fun)--> referred to Go-eun who still can't open her feeling to him, and he is still being shaken(?) :P by JRW who keeps laughing and he said "아이좋아~<3" "Oh i like it~ referring that they can't do that, pulling closer, asking "do you like me" and stuffs like that because The King of Drama is NOT a melo. HA!
(KMM keeps staring at her, she hide her shyness by covering her mouth "ㅋㅋ") and she hides her face so that KMM can focus on his talking-to-Joo-PD scene. "휘~익"--> "whoosh" referring to her fast movement to hide her face. and after Director says: "OKAY", JRW was so amazed that KMM can do that in just one try, no NG. so she goes: "Whoa~ he's so professional" :D
their off-camera chemistry awe me. they're teasing each other in front of THOSE actors and actress HAHAHA!

And the BTS kiss scene too. KMM even ask to the never-stop-giggling-JRW: "Why? Do you like it so much?"
and JRW only can say "Because it's too funny" (Ahahaha, what funny? we,viewers see it as a HOT kiss scene, don't we guys? kkk I think she's just too embarrassed to be pushed to the wall and to be kissed like that by KMM, ahaha)

I LOVE THIS COUPLE SO MUCH! kekeke

Hah! At least in Episode 1 (Basically, 3 years ago) Lee Go-eun's hair's all tied up in ponytail. :-)

LOL!!! I like your response!

There has been less fur in the later half of the drama... ;)

his gelled hair reminds me of Tony Leung in In the Mood for Love. Not a bad association for our dear Anthony :)

Actually it would be Andersen. HB liked the tale of the Little Mermaid, I don't remember what was the other one because I've hated Andersen's fairytales since I was a little kid. Too cold, too cruel...

Watch Pacemaker - KMM is superb. He is always superb.

Oh you just made me sooo curious haha :) But really, how can I have time for anything other than dramas when so much awesomeness is around. I surrender - I've just started downloading the first ep. of Salaryman (though I guess, I'll leave it until the KOF is over for recovery).