The Producers: Episode 8
by javabeans
Today’s episode is all about lovelines, and goodness knows this is a drama that enjoys playing with all the different relationship configurations, but more than anything I feel like it’s really about friendships. Some are solidified, while others spring up seemingly unexpectedly, giving our characters a source of support from people they hadn’t necessarily expected to give it. Lovelines are fun and all (you’ll never hear me balk at a cute romance) but sometimes more than a spark of attraction, what speaks to the soul is a spark of recognition, from one person understanding the heart of another.
SONG OF THE DAY
Coffee Boy – “이게 사랑일까” (Is This Love?) [ Download ]
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EPISODE 8: “Understanding lovelines”
Cindy kisses Seung-chan, completely taking him by surprise. He actually takes a confused step backward (sad) and stammers that this is a first for him. To which Cindy says that it’s not like she goes around acting like this to everyone. She asks what his reaction means, saying that she feels like an MC, handling this conversation solo.
But when it sounds like his answer may be negative, she hurriedly stops him and says she’ll give him time to think it over. She asks for a reply after he’s figured out his feelings, looking rather sad as she says she’ll wait.
Ye-jin gets caught in traffic on the way to the amusement park, and rejects a call from Cindy’s Manager Kim (muttering that they’re the ones who threw her under the bus) before picking up one from Joon-mo. He urges her to hurry to make the fireworks show in an hour, then reconsiders and adds that she shouldn’t hurry so much that it’ll be dangerous: “Come carefully!”
In the bathroom, Cindy mops up her tears and grumbles that someone would think she just got rejected by a guy… and the wonders if she did just get rejected. She insists to herself that he hasn’t replied yet and tells herself to pull it together, even as she’s crying in disappointment.
She tells Seung-chan that she’s ready to leave, though he replies that Ye-jin’s not here yet, Joon-mo’s still in his meeting, and moreover, it’s her birthday—they should celebrate it together. Then he pushes her cap down over her face and stands in front of her to prevent an employee from taking her photo. But Cindy peers over Seung-chan’s shoulder and asks for a souvenir picture anyway.
Of course, one look at the photo has her complaining how Seung-chan made her face look extra big (the courteous thing is for the man to stand in the foreground to make the woman’s face look smaller, since Koreans prize small faces). But she’s mollified when he says he’s never really taken photos with women before.
Sensing that she’s feeling awkward, Seung-chan wheels her to a long, empty corridor and instructs Cindy to hold on tight. He starts running, making the wheelchair zoom by and putting big grins on both their faces.
Once at the park, Ye-jin gets a call from stranger about her headlights and heads back to the parking lot. She informs Joon-mo over the phone just as it belatedly occurs to her that her number isn’t posted in her car anymore, then she drops her phone in shock to see somebody waiting for her. Joon-mo grows worried and starts running toward her.
But it’s only Manager Kim, here to confront her about harboring Cindy. He’s already confirmed it, having reviewed car black box footage and witnessed Cindy taking out the recycling outside Joon-mo’s apartment.
And, then, BAM! Joon-mo attacks Manager Kim with a traffic cone, thwacking him on the head—hard. Hahaha. I know it’s a total mistake but it’s just so satisfying.
Manager Kim isn’t without sympathy for Cindy’s feelings, but he reminds them how fearsome CEO Byun is. He adds that Byun acts this way about Cindy for fear that she’ll turn out “like that friend” from before. Just tell us what that’s about already! After all this buildup, it had better be good.
Joon-mo agrees to take responsibility for Cindy and escort her back to them, but not today—it’s her birthday, and the fireworks are about to start.
So the three PDs gather with Cindy to watch the display and wish her a happy birthday. She thanks them in a small voice that goes unheard, and looks wistfully at Seung-chan as Ye-jin throws an arm over each of the boys. Cindy stands up to join them, and wedges her way between Seung-chan and Ye-jin, haha.
Ye-jin declares that a birthday night must end at the noraebang, adding that Joon-mo’s got quite the voice. Joon-mo says that his friends were always telling him to be a singer (ha, I always forget that Cha Tae-hyun used to be a singer), and at that, Seung-chan pipes up that he can sing, too. Joon-mo looks at him skeptically… and then we cut to Seung-chan giving a rousing rendition of “This Is the Moment.” Joon-mo is grudging at best, while Ye-jin claps enthusiastically and pats Seung-chan’s head approvingly.
Ye-jin and Joon-mo take a turn with a bunch of ’90s kpop hits, and the more in sync they get, the sadder Seung-chan looks, which Cindy notices. Then Seung-chan enters his next selection—Lee Seung-gi’s noona-love anthem, “Because You’re My Woman.” He’s extra pleased when Ye-jin says it’s her favorite song, which Joon-mo would never sing for her even when she begged.
Joon-mo almost cancels the song, which Ye-jin prevents. But then Cindy, who’s looked glum all this time, grabs the remote and cuts the song short with a totally insincere “Sorry. Pushed it by accident.”
Then it’s Cindy’s turn, and she picks Younha’s “Waiting,” singing about falling for someone who doesn’t love her back but waiting anyway. The song continues scoring the scene as Seung-chan heads home at the end of the night (where he turns a shampoo bottle bearing Cindy’s face away before undressing), touching his lips to recall the kiss. Joon-mo watches Ye-jin without her seeing, while Cindy looks at her photo with Seung-chan, smiling as she falls asleep.
In the morning, Cindy reads the article online that insinuates that Ye-jin pushed her deliberately and apologizes for the trouble it caused. Ye-jin replies that it’s okay, even if it did put her in a tough spot, and got her car vandalized, and required costly repairs…
And Cindy just replies, “Okay.” HA. She does take a selca with Ye-jin and thanks her for her help, then heads out to be collected by her managers.
As her car pulls out of the apartment complex, Cindy catches a glimpse of Seung-chan walking by, and a passage from the Demian book seems to illustrate her feelings perfectly—about longing to live out her life, to put something of herself out into the world, and to form relationships. She looks backward at Seung-chan as her car passes, and the passage reads, “Sometimes I thought, ‘Now, right now, without a doubt, my love would be heading my way. That [he] would be at the next street corner, that [he] would call from the next window.'” And once again, we see that it’s a passage that both she and Seung-chan have marked in the book.
At the 1N2D office, the staff discusses the current state of the idol lovelines. Cindy’s the only one without a match, and the (women) writers giggle about matching her with Seung-chan, having sent him out of the meeting to discuss it behind his back. The shoe-tying scene sparked response from viewers, so they propose actively pursuing that dynamic. For instance, they suggest that Seung-chan cover Cindy’s segment for an upcoming special featuring friend visits to the cast members’ homes.
Joon-mo doesn’t look too convinced, but his writers like the thought of Cindy possibly developing interest in Seung-chan. All the while, Cindy finds herself obsessively checking her phone, disappointed when Seung-chan doesn’t call or message.
Ye-jin receives a package at the office and recoils to hear it’s from Cindy’s fans, expecting the worst. But it’s full of cute stuffed animals and “I love you” messages, which the bratty writer explains is a result of Cindy uploading a photo online. It’s their selca from the morning, with the caption: “Enjoying a sweet break with the always kind PD Tak Ye-jin.” Ye-jin is practically giddy at the five thousand likes and the note that calls her Korea’s best uljjang (face + jjang) PD.
Seung-chan, Joon-mo, and another PD head to lunch and start that maddening “What do you want to eat? No, not that” game. Joon-mo turns the question to Seung-chan, whose ideas get shot down, and finally he blurts, “You may eat whatever you like. I will eat bibim noodles.” HA, and then the others follow him for noodles.
Ye-jin and PD Hong-soon join them, and Hong-soon quickly gets on Seung-chan’s shit list by urging Ye-jin to go on a blind date with his friend. Seung-chan’s petty jealousy rears its head—he withholds his egg from Hong-soon, then pretends to only have enough mints for everyone minus him (having first stolen the supply to ensure just this).
CEO Byun visits Cindy for the inevitable confrontation and asks where Cindy stayed during her brief getaway. She’s surprised to hear that Cindy has friends she doesn’t know about, and says that if they started a war against each other, Cindy would lose. Cindy understands this, but counters that in so doing, she would lose Cindy, her biggest asset.
CEO Byun chuckles that she’s quite smart to know this, but says she’s already lost one—someone who was once as dear to her as Cindy was, whose spot Cindy took. If she lost Cindy, that space would be filled right away by a new star.
Seung-chan works up the nerve to ask Joon-mo if he’s fine having Ye-jin go on a blind date. He calls Joon-mo cowardly for knowing how Ye-jin feels but ignoring that anyway, making sure she doesn’t get too close while also making it difficult for her to go too far.
Joon-mo replies that he’s come to understand something from his time working here: “Good intentions don’t make good conclusions.” He says that a person can’t get involved if they can’t take responsibility for it through the end—which we know he’d learned the hard way. We hear the thoughts haunting his memories, as a young girl’s voice had asked if he’d take responsibility for her all the way, and he’d assured her he would. Which, apparently, he wasn’t able to do.
Seung-chan catches Ye-jin on her way out that evening, and carries her fan gift box for her as an excuse to suggest that maybe going on a blind date is a bad idea. He points out that men are the best judges of other men and finds excuses to indicate that the guy is a bad match. For instance, a man who likes stylish women is too fixated on their looks, though Ye-jin reminds him that Seung-chan liked his noona for being pretty. Haha.
When Ye-jin starts to hand over her installment payment for the day, he stops her and asks if they can change the terms of payment, from cash to goods. Like, for instance… dinner… or liquor… or movie tickets? Omg, adorable. Ye-jin eyes him suspiciously, and waits until he offers a twenty percent discount on the debt to accept. He grins in his uncontrollable way, and both of them feel like winners.
Ye-jin complains about Cindy’s lack of manners for not contacting them to say she got home okay, and by now we know her well enough to see that the bluster is a cover for her concern. She asks if Seung-chan has tried calling, which he hasn’t.
Cindy, meanwhile, is so disappointed over not getting a call that she texts Manager Oppa to call her, just to see if her phone is working. Then she logs onto her anti-cafe where her antis are wishing she’d hurry back into action… because life is boring without somebody to hate on. Cindy takes perverse satisfaction in chiming in (under the username Lose Cindy)—especially when they enthusiastically welcome her back and recommend her as a new cafe administrator because of her robust contributions to the site. LOL. She scoffs aloud at how absurd they are, but writes back cutely, “Really? Thank you!”
Ye-jin calls Cindy ostensibly to ask where she put something in the refrigerator, though really to check that she survived her encounter with CEO Byun, saying that she worried. Aw, the ladies get awkward and halting ’cause they’re not good with sincerity, but are they going to be reluctant girlfriends? This is going to be my favorite thing.
Cindy caaaasually asks Ye-jin whether it’s customary for maknae PDs to be very busy—say, so busy they can’t even make phone calls or text. She deflates when Ye-jin says they aren’t that busy, using Seung-chan’s readiness to help her earlier as an example. Sigh.
Joon-mo spots Ye-jin’s phone receiving a text and a call from the guy she’s to be set up with. He tells Ye-jin about the message she missed—but then hangs back and offers reasons why she should decline. Ye-jin is struck with him saying exactly what Seung-chan said, and supposes that two guys saying the same thing is a warning sign not to go on the date.
Cindy keeps checking her phone for messages that don’t come, and starts texting Seung-chan several messages that she deletes before sending—asking how he is, why he isn’t calling, and then snapping that he doesn’t have to call.
She’s moping in bed when Manager Oppa informs her that the 1N2D sent a team to surprise her at home, and she’s annoyed until he says that of all people, they had to send that rookie PD. She bolts up, alternately excited and upset, deciding to send him away, then let him in, then send him away…
Finally, she decides to let them in (after first getting all prettied up, of course), and Seung-chan explains the purpose of today’s shoo. Cindy wonders uneasily what “best friend” they could have called here today, trying to make it seem like there are too many for her to pick just one. The doorbell rings, and she nervously goes to answer it…
And immediately blurts, “Why are YOU here?”
It’s Go Ara, hilariously awkward as she and Cindy pretend to be super tight while going through the usual friendisms for the camera’s sake. They slap on huge false smiles for the audience, holding hands and calling each other best friends and soulmates, while a flashback takes us to a standoff in a stairwell. Both girls glare with a hand in each other’s hair, refusing to let go before the other one, leading to a stalemate.
They tell the camera that it may seem that they’re rivals, but really, they’re the first to be happy for each other when they land deals, even when they steal commercials from each other.
Then the VJ pauses the shoot to reset the camera and the smiles drop as they mutter at each other. Cindy tells Ara she shouldn’t have come, and Ara points out that it’s Cindy’s CEO that asked the favor of Ara’s CEO, since Cindy had no friends. Ara blames the rumor that they spent three hours grabbing each other’s hair (Cindy: “That’s not a rumor”) for keeping her from shampoo ads, and Cindy smugly informs her that she got one.
Ara reasons that this is a win-win situation for all involved, boosting both their images, and suggests that they make the best of it. She hams it up for the cameras, cooking Cindy fried rice and insisting on feeding her, which Cindy only allows because she can’t stand to see Ara feeding Seung-chan instead.
Then Seung-chan instructs them to send a video message to each other’s cell phones, and the ladies have to pause to first get each other’s numbers. HAHA.
They keep up the facade until Ara leaves, and Seung-chan hangs back to have a word with Cindy. He hems and haws awkwardly about this forced friendship shoot feeling wrong for their concept, and that he doesn’t feel good about broadcasting lies. She argues that it wasn’t a lie, and that you don’t have to be very close to everyone you call a friend.
Seung-chan goes for a more straightforward approach and tells Cindy honestly, “I think you’re a good person, but it doesn’t seem as though you think that of yourself. And so, I wonder if at some point, even your sincerity became acting.”
She asks if he’s giving her his answer now. She explains that Joon-mo had told her that in a real variety show, all she had to do was be herself: “But what is my real self? I don’t know.” If she doesn’t love herself, as he says, then who else would? Who would understand her?
She says she understands his reply and bids him goodbye. Once she’s in her room, she bursts into tears.
At the station, Hong-soon is excited to be put in charge of the variety department’s athletic day, because he sees it as another opportunity to suck up to the station director. Brownnosing first, always!
Ye-jin tells the docu crew that she finds these events tiresome, where you’re forced to put on a show of cheering on people who get upset if you don’t. On the other hand, Seung-chan lights up to hear Ye-jin cheering for him while he shows off his basketball skills, and interviews that he loves this feeling of teamwork and cooperation—and support from the cheering crowd—and wishes they could have athletic days all the time.
The guys, meanwhile, go gaga over the chance to ogle the bratty Music Bank writer in tight clothing as she takes out all the other women in dodgeball. Seung-chan uneasily watches Ye-jin fall victim to her and reminds his fellow blubbering dudes that they’re actually cheering against their own teammates.
Hong-soon knows a moment of fear when he’s overtaken in the relay race by Office Nazi, and then it’s on to the main event, the soccer match. As ever, CP Kim and Hong-soon are all about cheering for the station director, even though they’re both on the opposing team. Not that that matters, because everybody falls back to let the director have the ball—people on his team hold everyone else at bay, while opponents all but pass him the ball. The director basks in feeling like a superstar, making for the world’s slowest and least exciting game ever.
That is, until Seung-chan races in to play a legitimate game, stealing the ball and causing the director to fall. Hong-soon races up to Seung-chan and shoves him aside, leaving him blinking in bewilderment since they’re on the same team, lol. Office Nazi drily commentates as the farce continues, and the director scores a wimpy goal, which everyone jumps out of the way to allow.
Yet Seung-chan comes back to claim possession of the ball and scores a quick goal, screaming in triumph… until he registers that everyone’s staring at him in shock that he’d dare play for real. Tied now, the game goes to shootout to determine a winner, and it’s up to Seung-chan to try to score against Joon-mo. Everyone wonders whether he’ll fall in line and allow the director to win, or if he means to play for real like a crazy person.
Time slows, everyone holds their breaths, Seung-chan clenches his fist and starts to run. He shoots—a fast, serious kick—and Joon-mo dives to block it…
We don’t see the result, but join him after the match as Ye-jin compliments his athleticism and mops at his sweat. She suggest a picture, and he pushes his face forward (per Cindy’s instructions) to make sure hers comes out smaller. She gives him the choice to pick his “payment” for the day, and he chooses a movie, exulting to himself over the date that she doesn’t know is a date.
But the song that plays as she leaves smiling is (Coffee Boy’s) “Is This Love?”—the same song that plays as Hong-soon runs into Office Nazi at a restaurant and joins her at the table.
And at home, Cindy watches the video message from Ara, who’s sent a surprisingly sincere message about how she’d always felt they were similar, debuting at similar times at young ages. Ara says how that made her dislike Cindy more, but thanks her for the invitation: “Today was the first time I’d gone over to a friend’s house.” Cindy wipes at a tear, unwittingly moved, and saves Ara in her phone under the group “Friends.”
Today’s lesson about understanding lovelines: “We know the beginning, but not the end.”
Ye-jin arrives at the movie theater and realizes her phone is dead. Seung-chan drives over full of giddy excitement. And Cindy gets caught in the rain while waiting for Seung-chan outside his home, and calls him to let him know she has something to say. He says he has plans, but she just says she’ll wait.
He calls Ye-jin, who doesn’t pick up, leaving him with the dilemma of who to go to first.
EPILOGUE
Ah, now back to that shootout ending the soccer game. Seung-chan prepares himself and shoots. Joon-mo launches himself in the air, and successfully blocks the ball. No goal!
COMMENTS
First off, there was absolutely no need for today’s episode to be an hour and a half. Now that the drama has lost its experimental edge and is basically a straight-up rom-com, 90 minutes (!!) seems like so much time that even the producers are looking for ways to fill it, which leads to episodes like this one that felt like two (or three) episodes just smooshed together, rather than one cohesive one. That whole segment at the athletic day—while super funny, I’ll admit—was essentially filler. The story before and after that long segment was essentially continuous, playing with the Seung-chan love triangle and Cindy’s loneliness, and it was like they sliced open the episode at one point to drop in extra material, then sewed it back up to end on a relevant moment. STOP THAT, SHOW. You’re a good drama! Don’t lose focus!
And to add another minor quibble, I find these epilogues growing increasingly irrelevant. Early on they were cute and funny, but they’re losing punch. You From Another Star had the best epilogues because they tied into the main plot without being crucial to it; they were fun B-sides that added a punchline or showed a slightly different angle. If an epilogue is more about conveying a crucial bit of information, I feel like they should go into the episode itself. Today’s was about something that happened in the main plotline but didn’t really add a twist—it should have just been in the show proper. It would be fine if the epilogue were entertaining on its own merits, which it wasn’t.
But that aside, I did really enjoy the episode and its narrative movement. I still don’t know which way the lovelines will end, which I suppose is the entire point, given today’s message. I know what I suspect and what I want, but the drama does make it a point to keep things up in the air. Like Seung-chan touching his lips after the kiss, even as his crush on Ye-jin rages stronger than ever. And how Ye-jin mostly seems to think of him in a platonic sense but makes comments about seeing him in a new light after he does something impressive, like singing a power ballad or showing off his athletic prowess. And how Joon-mo clearly cares about Ye-jin despite being afraid of doing anything to change their status.
I do feel like Joon-mo is getting short shrift in the plotline, which on one hand I don’t mind as much because I adore Seung-chan, as a person as a character, and am happy to have the story focus on him. But I find it too easy to be annoyed with Joon-mo, and I feel like it shouldn’t be so easy to dismiss him; I want to care more about him and am annoyed with the show that I don’t. We’ve been given enough hints as to a traumatic incident in his past that’s made him so gun-shy about taking responsibility for someone, and I want to know what that is—partly for curiosity’s sake but really mostly to be able to see Joon-mo in a more sympathetic light. I know he has good reasons for being, as Seung-chan, cowardly about his feelings for Ye-jin. But until I know what they are, I can’t give him that sympathy. Help ME help YOU, won’t you?
I don’t know that the end of the episode is that much of a cliffhanger, though, because I don’t feel like it’s quite the right setup to indicate a choice of the heart. So far he’s 100 percent in Ye-jin’s camp, so if he were to go to her, there’s no surprise in leaving Cindy waiting. And if he were to go to Cindy instead, it reasonable to presume that the injured girl in the rain trumps the one safely indoors.
I feel for Cindy enough that I keep wishing for Seung-chan to see her as she wants him to, for her sake more than anything. And every time he doesn’t, it pinches my heart for her, because she’s opening up and emerging into the world, like that bird bursting from its eggshell that served as a metaphor in the previous episode, and the person who brought her out may not be the person who can walk with her on these new paths she’s finding. But maybe that’s fine—maybe that’s the point, and maybe she needs to find a way to walk on her own first. Maybe Seung-chan isn’t the endgame for her, but the catalyst to get her caring again about taking control over her own life again and loving herself and figuring out what her true self is.
Cindy’s always the one stealing glances at the others, and when she “wins” an argument or gets to keep face publicly, it always feels like somehow she’s still the loser because the others have each other to turn to at the end of the day. It’s why I loved how they explored Cindy’s character with the manufactured friend visit, turning a cameo appearance into something narratively meaningful. I liked how Cindy defended it to Seung-chan, calling Ara a friend she’s just not that friendly with. On one level it’s a big ole sham to present the two as buddies when they’re clearly acting, but on another level, they understand each other in a way that others don’t; it’s their similarities that pitted them against each other as youngsters, but maybe that’ll be their bond now as adults, an understanding that perhaps means more than regular house visits or false smiles for the camera.
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Tags: Cha Tae-hyun, featured, Gong Hyo-jin, IU, Kim Soo-hyun, The Producers
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101 Madie
June 8, 2015 at 12:56 AM
Let's stop this shipwar.
I actually know who the endgame is though... (sources people)
its....
Hong Soon and Song Yi :)
haha
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YY
June 9, 2015 at 11:10 PM
totally agree!!
Hong Soon and Song Yi is definitely on! :)
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102 emma
June 8, 2015 at 2:00 AM
I love this episode as much as the others as well.
for some this episode might be boring and dragging( base on the comments here) but I never felt it it while watching. <3
maybe i just love how seungchan appears in the screen every time.
I'm just a little scared when the story behind the former like cindy artist can greatly affect my ship with JM-YJ. because it might turn out that JM and the former like cindy artist has some romantic relationship base on the thoughts of the earlier comments in here which I never want to happen.
I don't like the idea that JM has some serious relationship before because it would be unfair for YJ who can never date a man more than 3 months.
I'm waiting for the story to end up like this: JM to YJ : 'Yejin, it's always been you'
waiting for the next episode to be JMs thoughts to be heard because I only heard bits of his thoughts in the past 8 episodes. Hoping that the epilogue means that its time for him to defend what's always been his.
Sorry for Cindy fans. but I find her to be boring in the past eps.
I love the screen time given to Hong soon and DaJung btw.
last. i think what YJ and JM sing in karaoke scene is what they really feel for each other.
I love the scene where SC sings 'because you are my woman'
haha:) this is my selfish thoughts:)
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103 julie
June 8, 2015 at 2:25 AM
i hope SC ends up with someone other than Cindy and Yejin :D
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104 judy
June 8, 2015 at 6:56 AM
He chose cindy and he use his umbrella der is picture
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Madie
June 8, 2015 at 9:43 PM
Wah...can i see the picture? :)
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105 ryu
June 8, 2015 at 7:00 AM
today's epilogue wasn't that bad...
there is a saying in Korea "you think u can't score a goal just because there's a goalkeeper in front of goal?"
means u can win a girl's heart even when the girl u like has a boyfriend.
this is y SC and JM's kick off is important cuz it reveals that JM will be the one with YJ at the end.
i was wondering if the goal is in or out all the time i was watching today's episode.
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106 news
June 8, 2015 at 10:37 AM
@Mandy
@alua
LOL we're all totally on the same page!
And alua, that's EXACTLY how I'm seeing Cindy in this situation. That's why I don't care for her. And if they make S-Cindy the endgame, it would make NO SENSE!
Not only that, but I'm suspecting all the criticisms toward IU at the beginning caused her character to have so much screen time in recent episodes so we can like and feel sorry for her. I'm so against this emotional manipulation that I can't care for her, even though I was warming up to her before.
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youcallitwinter
June 9, 2015 at 3:06 AM
It's not criticism towards IU which led to her having more screentime, it's that from the beginning the show was touted as a 4 lead show with 1:1:1:1 screentime for all the leads. IU in the first couple episodes barely had any screentime at all, just 5-7 minutes, so obviously her greater involvement was planned is why the equal ratio screentime announcements (although KSH seems to have significantly more than the others.) It would also not make much sense to increase her screentime because she was receiving criticism, since the criticism was over her acting, not particularly because of the character. Increasing her screentime because of that would be counterintuitive. People don't usually start liking an actor they dislike because of a tragic past.
Sob stories in general are emotionally manipulative, but clearly Cindy's was planned from the beginning since it's very much a part of her character, to explain her isolation and being closed-off. It's predictable, but it hardly came out of nowhere. If I were against emotional manipulation, I would hate the show in its entirety because it's so obviously jerking us around with everything that it does about 80% of the time. The show is deliberately keeping the ship wars alive, and all its cliffhangers and promos and practically all the scenes seem to involve shipping. They keep showing romantic interactions between all the characters and then turning it around. They refuse to let the ship merry-go-round die down, despite most people suggesting that the they'd prefer the ships to be defined by now, especially since they've completely moved away from its initial premise to be a standard rom-com, and to just keep the who-is-going-to-end-with-whom aspect alive for it's own sake (than because it adds something to the plot- although again, what plot, the shipping is the plot) is definitely manipulative.
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107 Jupiter
June 8, 2015 at 1:34 PM
Seungchan is going to call joonmo and send him over to yejin... While he goes to cindy... I think like this cause i'm a writer now make it happen. Lol
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108 spazmo
June 8, 2015 at 2:05 PM
loved the Coffee Prince sunflower in the ladies' bathroom... are there other little reminders of their other dramas placed?
; )
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109 Bro
June 8, 2015 at 2:17 PM
A lot of what I wanted to say has already been said in other comments haha. So to be brief, I like all four leads. Very likeable characers. Soccer portion was a confusing spoiler but since it was funny I forgive it. I guess it's because they're still trying to keep a bit of the mockumentary elements in there. I just can't see how Ye-jin's character will ever be in love with Seung Chan. I get too much of a older sister and younger brother vibe from her.
All in all this is another rare Korean drama that I really enjoy (I usually lose a lot of interest in a drama around the halfway mark if the leads already got together, especially if the story is weak). I love the comedy and meta of it. First drama I've watched since Pinocchio.
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Bro
June 8, 2015 at 2:19 PM
*confusing portion
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110 Audrey
June 8, 2015 at 6:40 PM
I'm getting just a tad bit impatient with the people who say they are tired of Cindy and her story lines and now it's long overdue time to get back to Joon Moo...hello and wake-up! Cindy's backstory is, I feel, crucial to the ultimate revelation of what happened with JM and CEO Byun and the mystery person. Without Cindy's "storyline" as background, JM's final admission of what happened to him way back when, lacks context. And JM is not being a coward about anything; he is afraid, honestly and truly, that he will not be able to "be there" for YJ the way she needs him to be. For whatever reasons, yet unknown, he has valid concerns and fears; that does not make him a coward, but only too human. Also, SC did not toss away Cindy and her kiss; he asked her to take a closer look at herself, but did not actually answer her yet. He would not be so conflicted at the end of Chapter 8, if he felt nothing at all for Cindy.
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111 dsfd
June 8, 2015 at 9:54 PM
So if you go on soompi (around 203 pages??) there is a picture of seung chan and cindy. The poster is korean and states that seung chan and cindy kissed. So I am assuming seung chan is having a change of heart?
another poster has a great theory: seung chan will go to yj and see that jm was invited as well. He will see them having a great tie together and be sad and leave early--going unnoticed or at least yjj won't really care. he will then realize he forgot about cindy and will find her sitting in the rain. he will be moved and then kiss her.
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fantasy
June 8, 2015 at 10:16 PM
In the poster, is it raining ?? :P
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YY
June 10, 2015 at 8:05 PM
Can you provide the link? I cannot locate it.
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meme
June 10, 2015 at 10:44 PM
I saw a picture of SC and Cindy together. Looks like SC chose to go to Cindy...
https://www.facebook.com/ProducerKoreanDrama/photos/pcb.665614240237980/665614216904649/?type=1&theater
https://www.facebook.com/ProducerKoreanDrama/photos/pcb.665614240237980/665614213571316/?type=1&theater
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112 rhea
June 8, 2015 at 11:48 PM
Hate to sink the SC-Cindy ship but true enough the ratings spoke. The kiss scene where Cindy kissed Seungchan caused ratings to drop from 13.5 to 11.7%.
The polls in korean websites also showed that more viewers preferred the 830K coupling than umbrella couple.
Here’s link to the translated article in mandarin:
http://mypaper.sg/entertainment/iuxian-wen-tuo-lei-zhi-zuo-ren-bian-ju-da-wan-si-jiao-lian-jiu-shou-shi-20150609
Gong Hyojin is a huge romcom A-list actress here in Korea. Her track record is nothing short of amazing, if I’m not wrong she consistently holds the most No.1 romcom dramas here (Pasta/Greatest Love/Its OK its Love etc) so if KSH is primed to be the lead in this drama, likely the first leads will end up together.
I think rather than be completely shattered if this happens, just expect the best but be prepared for the worst outcome. I’m sitting out on the shipping wars, happy to just watch the drama and hoping for a good ending that will be memorable and inspiring for years to come.
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fantasy
June 9, 2015 at 12:15 AM
I read that article , someone said they were comparing the sat ep to Fri ep ... Generally Fri ep has low rating than sat ep , so it should not mean because of kiss scene rating dropped. Well though I am in umbrella team but I am prepared for the outcome.
At this point , I am really irritated about the fact that both School and Producer script are revolving around only love relationships, other matters have become secondary.
And I admit GHJ is A-list actress and KSH us one of the biggest star but what about Cha Tae Hyun??? I feel he is so neglected and wasted to a point that people started to dislike his character !!!! Even IU's character was written better than him !!
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rhea
June 9, 2015 at 12:23 AM
Exactly... friday always has weaker ratings than Sat. That’s why when ratings fell on Sat, it became a big issue (opening scene).
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fantasy
June 9, 2015 at 12:47 AM
Okay got your point
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ruby
June 9, 2015 at 4:59 PM
The reason Friday ratings being always lower is because there is much bigger competition the same time slot on Friday. There are some very popular variety shows such as "3 meals" which in its 3rd season. That's the reason why the previous KBS program of the same slot before Producers came on air registered very low rating such as 2-4%. Actually due to that "Producers" is very competitive, all the other show ratings are not as high as their last seasons. It's a no small achievement that Producers' ratings on Friday can go up from 10.1 to 11.7, however,it's still low comparing with its Saturday's.
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MaximumDensity
June 9, 2015 at 11:31 AM
If they don't him justice, I'll boycott the writers for sure lol. Cos Cha Tae Hyun is too nice a guy to do it. I'll do it for him hahahaha
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113 Zulaa YZ
June 9, 2015 at 6:23 AM
I ship SC and YJ... Finally Yejin finds someone who cares for her wholeheardetly... She carries one-sided love so so long time. I think it's time for her happy ending. SC fighting
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114 Samantha Kim
June 9, 2015 at 8:10 AM
Agree!
I do have the same mixed feeling.
And also, I wonder if SC was actually wavered all along, and the reason why he stayed ignorant because he's not sure whether Cindy was sincere or not.
This means SC actually cared quite a lot about Cindy. It's just he's playing on the safe side, still thinking that because he's into YJ noona, it's kinda impossible to fall for Cindy esp because her sincerity is questionable.
I really hope that once he realice Cindy's sincerity, he will eventually fall for her :')
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narcissus
June 9, 2015 at 11:59 AM
I love that point you made about SC being unsure about Cindy's sincerity. Perhaps he's being feeling this all along, which is why he's been kind of .. detached from her? Thanks for the enlightenment!
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YY
June 10, 2015 at 7:56 PM
Agree your point. I do feel SC is just unclear about his feeling. You can see from his facial expression that he cares about Cindy very much in many scenes though he does not say anything. Cindy has a position in his heart, not just a professional caring.
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115 Samantha Kim
June 9, 2015 at 8:22 AM
I actually ship SC-Cindy. And assuming the goalinh scene, JM seemed to be braver at yhe following episodes. The end game might be JM-YJ.
But, seeing that quotes.. What was that? Something like "we know the start but we will never know the end".
I wonder if JM-YJ has been together (very close I mean), since the very start, so the end might be SC with YJ.
*sigh*
I just care too much for Cindy that I hope she will end up with anybody she wants to, just for her sake.
Lol
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116 kdee
June 9, 2015 at 3:44 PM
Honestly, the thing I'm frustrated with is the fact that normally, I'm able to suss out the couples for dramas pretty much from the first episode, but we're now 4 episodes from the end and I'm still stumped. That, and the little development JM is getting.
KSH has nailed BSC for me in this whole drama, and although I'm desperately rooting for the Umbrella Couple and YJ-JM (BFF Couple?), it's so obvious in KSH's portrayal of BSC's body language and facial expressions that he doesn't reciprocate any feelings for Cindy other than professional concern. Which really fruatrates me because seeing Cindy cry is heart breaking for me.
Saying that, I wouldn't be surprised with Cindy ending up with nobody (which I'd be fine with, although it might feel painfully similar to how nobody picked her in 1N2D) and instead improving herself. Then again, I don't think SC-YJ will happen since, even though their relationship is adorable, I don't think YJ reciprocates the feelings, and it feels awfully more like a cute sunbae/dongsaeng relationship (what with SC's innocence) with a one sided crush.
That being said, I don't think the epilogue was useless (but it could've easily been with the rest of the episode) as the goal represents YJ, yadda yadda, JM blocks SC. The writers definitely did that for a reason, or else they wouldn't have wasted so much time and anticipation on the shot. So hopefully JM-YJ happens, as soon as JM gets over this trauma thing THAT STILL HASN'T BEEN EXPLAINED. (AND THE GIRL BEFORE CINDY. Writers, please, let him have the 9th episode and explain).
Anyway. Imo, Umbrella Couple probably won't happen (although I want it to) even if SC drives to Cindy, since he's in the mindset of 'who is more vulnerable' (we've seen it before!) and maybe call JM to pick YJ up. Unless the writers try and pull some BS in order to make them happen which would annoy me more than them realistically not happening at all. For me, YJ-JM has more of a chance simply because it wouldn't take too much of a push to make it happen.
Whew, first ever comment on dramabeans done!
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117 simplyshirinie
June 9, 2015 at 10:11 PM
Seung Chan and Cindy are killing it wit dem feels <3
I didn't love this episode as a whole, but I definitely enjoy handpicked moments due to their contribution to character growth. Seung Chan's frankness towards Cindy, Go Ara's video letter. Oh and my other favorite (for nothing meaningful in particular) but Cindy's face in her selca with PD Tak Ye Jin! I actually laughed out loud. Real hard.
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118 HubbaHubba
June 9, 2015 at 11:01 PM
I've thought this since the first couple of episodes and the more I watch the more I'm sure that Cindy will be with Seung-chan and Ye-jin will be with Joon-mo.
Of course, nowadays dramas end with someone going away for a bit and its open ended but with a positive note.
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119 eunhaes
June 10, 2015 at 3:37 AM
I really wonder about "that friend" that they talk about. it seems that JM promised her that he would take care of her, similar to how SC 'promised' Cindy that he'd look after her too. Something obviously bad happened there, such as JM neglecting the girl who may have possibly had feelings for him?? Or maybe the girl killed herself because she was being so badly treated by Byun. The writer may have used this to foreshadow what's about to come, or what will not come, between Cindy and SC.
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YY
June 10, 2015 at 7:46 PM
Agree, I think it is also a hint for JM and YJ as well. Trust we will have the answer this week
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120 KDnewfan
June 10, 2015 at 11:36 AM
When Cindy sang a song during the karaoke scene, the English subtitles only covered the first few lines. So, when I read comments (maybe from readers who understand Korean Language) that the lyrics of that song really conveys Cindy's feelings, I became curious.
So, I searched and found a youtube video of Youhna (the original singer) singing this song. This video comes with the eng sub.
I just want to share it with fellow readers who are as curious as me. The lyrics are truly meaningful....tear my heart.... huhuhuu....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvtPD56GHKM
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YY
June 10, 2015 at 7:43 PM
Thanks so much, KDnewfan, for the link of the song with the English subtitle. it ready matches the feeling of Cindy at that time.
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121 Yana
June 10, 2015 at 7:10 PM
I think The Producers has gotten boring. I don't know if it's because of the director change or because of the writing.
I have mixed feelings when it comes to Seungchan and Cindy interactions. They might not be incompatible or maybe it's because they don't have chemistry together. Like the scene when Cindy kissed Seungchan. It's Seungchan's first kiss and Cindy complains why he's not reacting. And then with Seungchan avoiding Cindy just makes him uncaring. I was really rooting for them both, but it turns out that what I really liked was Cindy. Seungchan and Cindy doesn't look like they will end up as a couple, I can't imagine it. But I think Cindy's first love stages with Seungchan will make her grow to be a better person.
The drama is focusing much more on Cindy now. It seems like in the beginning, it focused on Seungchan being a rookie, then Ye Jin inner story and unrequited love, and now with Cindy's idol life. I hope that the next episodes will be center around Joon Mo.
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122 Madie
June 11, 2015 at 2:36 AM
I HAVE THE PREVIEW OF EPISODE 9 ^^
https://youtu.be/mh4wFa24OXs
SURPRISE!
ENJOY WATCHING!
SO EXCITED!
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KDnewfan
June 11, 2015 at 7:20 AM
Oh boy!...Surprised indeed!!!
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123 dessie
June 11, 2015 at 6:17 AM
I kinda pity CTH.
His character RJM barely have any screen time and any character development.
Everything's focused on KSH's character instead.
Wasn't CTH supposed to be a part of 4 equal leads?
Why is he being relegated into a bit part character?
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MaximumDensity
June 11, 2015 at 8:42 AM
I think a lot of viewers realized how little focus on the character development was given to RJM PD. If they keep this up until the end, the writers probably make tons of changes to the original script in order to satisfy the big fan base of KSH. Like seriously. It can't get any more obvious than this.
I was hoping the 9th ep would give us more insight on CTH's character but the preview didn't seem that way. So there we go. Only 4 eps left and they are still BS-ing me. I'm losing excitement for this drama.
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ruby
June 11, 2015 at 2:12 PM
I think last 2 eps are more on Cindy's story right? Also there is a news article saying ep9 will be on Cindy, her CEO, RJM and the "mystery" girl. I'd imagine CTH will get much more screen time in ep09.
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124 YY
June 11, 2015 at 7:14 PM
I repeatedly watched from third episode to eighth three times this week, from SC’s response to Cindy, his eyes, his facial expression and all his natural reaction to Cindy, I can feel SC’s really has feeling with Cindy, and care for her, not just a professional concern, it is just the case that he does not realize. He just consciously knows that he likes YJ from the time when he knows YJ crush in JM but can't have any response from JM, he knows the situation and how hard it is as he himself crush in HC. However, YJ obviously just like JM although Ye Jin has improved her impression to SC and feels comfortable while staying with SC.
I have watched the ep 9 preview, as I spot a picture from the fan FB post that SC and Cindy talk together at the street of his house but the rain stopped, I think SC will see Cindy still waiting for him when he is back to home, and guess Cindy will tell him she will stand up and love herself by her own.
I do not have any tendency for which ship, however, if only honest to the story development, by the end of the drama, maybe next week time, I believe YJ and JM will get together, and Cheng Chan and Cindy will be open ending with a love line built.
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125 ourrins
June 11, 2015 at 9:55 PM
sc choose cindy :( why tell me why
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YY
June 11, 2015 at 11:14 PM
JM and YJ really match!!!
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126 Madie
June 12, 2015 at 4:26 AM
Okay... i understand that you are all excited so here it is...
I will give you a link for the live streaming... hope it helps
:)
http://tv.exitoostore.com/2014/08/tv-online-kbs2-v11.html
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Madie
June 12, 2015 at 4:26 AM
Let's all have a good chat there too! :)
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127 paru
June 12, 2015 at 10:55 AM
waitin for the ep 9 recap...:-( plzzz dramabansí ¼í¼í ½í²¦í ½í²§
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128 paru
June 12, 2015 at 10:59 AM
dat seems like error loading ....
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129 paru
June 12, 2015 at 11:06 AM
its ok. i wll wait for da ep 9 recap
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130 kimjandi
June 26, 2015 at 2:11 AM
i love the chosen song of the day. unfortunately, i understand only little korean. can anybody tell me where i can find the song by coffee boy IS THIS LOVE with eng subs? :D tnx!!!
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131 JSYYYU
July 1, 2015 at 4:40 PM
I think the epilogues are very relevant! in this episode, I think was particularly relevant to what has been happening. the goal post is a symbol of yejin and joon mo is the only thing standing in the way between seungchan and yejin. seungchan goes for the goal but is unsuccessful. And the fact that they dont show in the actual episode but only in the epilogue adds insight to what joonmo might actually feel for yejin.
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