Jealousy Incarnate: Episode 22
by Saya
Why is it that when one obstacle is vanquished, there are always a dozen new ones waiting to rear their hairy heads? Lies and secrets abound, but we still get to enjoy a little candid bickering and a few mental farts to remind us how far we’ve all come, and how far we’ve yet to go. But when the lies threaten what you care about most, can the truth set everyone free without taking any hostages?
EPISODE 22 RECAP
Hwa-shin leaves Dr. Geum’s office, and Nurse Oh follows to give him his forgotten phone. For the first time, she looks at him in sympathy.
Na-ri continues to wait for Hwa-shin at the restaurant. He meets his mom outside it, and tells her he didn’t invite his girlfriend after all. He says he wanted to play a little hard to get, in case she thought he liked her more. Mom says he should like his girl more, and tells him to invite her even now.
But Hwa-shin demurs, and asks Mom if she wouldn’t be sorry to lose him. Not a bit, Mom says in exasperation—she can’t wait for a wife to take him off her hands. She gets even angrier when he asks if he should just live alone, and tells him to go beg his girlfriend for forgiveness if he wronged her. “I don’t want to,” Hwa-shin blurts.
Having sent Mom away, Hwa-shin enters the restaurant alone. But he only lingers outside the private room where Na-ri’s waiting, although we see that he straightened her shoes. From outside, he phones her to say he can’t come because of some unexpected work. She cheerfully tells him not to be sorry, and he watches her leave with sad eyes.
So the night finds him in a pojangmacha with Dong-gi, singing dolefully while drinking away his blues. Dong-gi figures he got dumped, and asks if the rumor that he’s dating Na-ri is true. Hwa-shin replies with more dispirited singing.
A rattling wakes Na-ri up, and she finds Hwa-shin at the door. He lurches inside without invitation and plonks down on Na-ri’s bed. Smelling the alcohol on him, she tries to get him to leave. She tugs at his arm, but he just smiles beatifically up at her.
Instead of answering her stream of questions, he burrows into her bed and tells her to go to her own house. Laughing, she tells him to stop pretending he doesn’t know he’s in her bed, and deposits him on the floor, where he sits laughing.
But sobering, Hwa-shin tells her that he had their compatibility horoscopes read: “Even though I dislike it, I’m not interested in it and I don’t believe in it, because it was you, I wanted to see it. I was curious about whether I was a guy who could make you happy.”
She happily pesters him for what he found out, and he finally tells her, “[She] said we won’t have children.” He asks if it’s okay if they don’t, and Na-ri grins that she wants to be a good mom, and reminds him how much he likes kids, too.
Looking heartbroken, he asks her why she likes him. She says it’s because he’s manly. “Apart from that?” he asks. “There’s nothing else apart from that,” she laughs. He asks her if she’s okay with a man who has breast cancer and can’t have kids, “I’m a man, right?”
Touching him lightly, she reminds him he’s had his cancer treated already, and as for the horoscope, they’ll visit different fortune-tellers until they find some who augur loads of kids for them. She doesn’t understand what the problem is, or why he looks so, so sad.
Ja-young runs around the station the next day, hiding from Sung-sook, and jumps when she suddenly appears at her desk. Sung-sook asks if she returned the money without getting caught, and guesses that she spent the night hiding in Hwa-shin’s wardrobe with Chef. Sung-sook confidently assumes nothing happened, and Ja-young doesn’t refute her, although her memory of the kiss plays on the TV monitor behind them, ha.
On the morning news, just before she’s due to do the weather, Joo-hee she doubles up in pain. Everyone runs to her, including Na-ri, although she insists she can continue. Announcer Uhm realizes it’s her appendix, and she’s taken off the set.
PD Oh wants to cut her segment but Na-ri argues that the weather is news, too, and they have to broadcast an important weather warning that just came out. To everyone’s shock, she volunteers to do it, and PD Oh warns her that she has to make it back to her seat for the closing immediately after. Jerk partner Announcer Park helpfully snarks that she might lose said seat altogether.
Na-ri does the weather confidently. Hwa-shin arrives in time to see it, while at Rak Pasta, Chef and the kids watch in surprise. At his own place, Jung-won smiles at the sight. But Na-ri doesn’t make it back to the desk in time, and Announcer Park closes alone, also doing Na-ri’s line. PD Oh has a meltdown (again).
“Hey. Are you an anchor or a weathercaster?” Hwa-shin asks Na-ri, “Do either one or the other!” She bows her head, and he turns away in frustration. When she returns to the desk, Announcer Park jerks her chair away.
Announcer Park slyly supposes that she could quit anytime since she’s sick, and says his wife (you mean someone married an ass like you?) saw her getting treated at the breast cancer clinic. He promises to keep quiet if Hwa-shin apologizes to him on bended knee.
Hwa-shin notices Park’s attention fixed on Na-ri and comes up to the desk. He tells Park to focus on his own shortcomings instead of bullying his hoobaes. After Park leaves, Hwa-shin asks Na-ri what he was saying, but Na-ri says it was nothing.
Announcer Park drops by Dong-gi’s desk, casually asking if he heard about Na-ri having breast cancer. The rumor spreads like a disease, Dong-gi whispering it to PD Oh, and PD Oh dropping it to Announcer Uhm who mentions it to Sung-sook who tells Ja-young, who’s overheard by Soo-jung.
Na-ri follows Hwa-shin out of the building with an umbrella against the heavy rain, and scolds him for not paying heed to the news she risked her job to convey. They head into his car, and Na-ri confides how happy it makes her to finally be able to give him an umbrella like this.
Leaning closer to him, she says that it’s so gloomy and rainy outside, no one can see into the car. She cheekily angles for a kiss, and he gazes at her like she’s the sweetest thing alive, a half-smile on his face.
But then he turns away and tells her to leave. She cajoles him instead to go with her and get a new horoscope reading now but he remains firm in his refusal. Glumly, she takes her umbrella back and gets out, and he drives away.
Hwa-shin visits the hospital urology department this time, and the doctor tells him that there’s nothing else wrong, but in his present condition, he won’t be able to father a child. He says it’s possible that the radiation therapy played a part, but it’s such a rare case that they can only wait and see. The doc adds that smoking and drinking could also affect it.
Hwa-shin finds himself at a bench with Dr. Geum and Nurse Oh. He asks them not to tell Na-ri. Full of sympathy, Doc assents. Sliding closer, she asks if he’s going to break up with Na-ri, or marry her, or date her, and he answers no to everything, saying instead that he’ll do everything. Dismayed, Dr. Geum pleads rather overdramatically with him to get mental help. Hwa-shin laughs darkly that he should just visit every department while he’s at it.
Nurse Oh cuts in to give him a prescription (for the cancer), and Doc tries to make him feel better by telling him he’s the manliest man she knows, accompanying it with a cheesy impression. She comes to sit by him again, and tells him not to isolate himself or think bad thoughts.
“I want to be alone and I want to think bad thoughts,” Hwa-shin tells her. He says he’s embarrassed and confused, and even the camera lens seems to mock him. And if she ever tells Na-ri, he’ll jump in the river. Dude, I think you do need to see a professional. Dr. Geum is clearly out of her depth, and eagerly assures him that she won’t say a word.
Na-ri marvels at the now-clear weather on her rooftop. She catches Hwa-shin’s mom leaving his place and they exchange pleasantries. She asks if Mom’s had lunch, and that’s how they end up frying kimchi pancakes on Na-ri’s rooftop. Mom praises Na-ri’s cooking, and complains that Hwa-shin only likes bland food.
After a pause, Na-ri asks what kind of daughter-in-law Mom wants, and Mom says warmly that it doesn’t matter as long as Hwa-shin likes her. Na-ri’s eyes shine at this reply, and then Mom asks if it’s going well with Jung-won. Tell her you broke up!!! Na-ri says no, but I don’t know why Mom doesn’t register this properly.
Hwa-shin pulls up at the broadcast station, but immediately leaves again. In a dessert shop, he asks for aallll the ice cream and cake, and in a supermarket, he piles two trolleys high with what must be a thousand packs of ramyun—minus two, which he tears a packet open to remove.
Next stop is Jung-won’s store. He empties the rails of shirts, and glares belligerently upon Jung-won’s arrival, yelling, “I have money, too. You think I can’t buy it?” With a strangled shout, he orders out more. “Everything is mine,” he yells. Coming nose-to-nose with Jung-won, he says Na-ri is his, too, “I’m the only one who is a man to her.”
Na-ri visits Joo-hee in the hospital and finds all the weathergirls there. They’re happy to see her, and she admits that she enjoyed doing the weather again. Joo-hee tells her about Announcer Park spreading rumors about her having cancer, but they’re shocked when Na-ri says it’s true. She’s fine now, she adds, but Mi-young worries that the company won’t take her on full-time because of it.
Hwa-shin makes a last stop at a baby shop. Pointing at the display, he growls fiercely at the assistant to give him everything. “Please give me everything,” he repeats, voice lowered to a shaky whisper.
He deposits everything in front of a surprised Na-ri, and tells her it’s all for her. She can tell something is wrong by looking at him, but he denies it. Blunt and agitated, he says sorry, for not being able to do what other men do.
“I don’t have the right to receive your love,” he tells her. He asks her again why she likes him, and she says it’s because he’s so cool. “Can you live without me?” he asks, “I can’t live without you.” Na-ri smiles at the confession, although the whole conversation has her a bit confused.
Ja-young sneaks out of bed that night to tryst with Chef, who has to bluff his way past Dae-goo. (What exactly is their relationship, by the way?) He sneaks into the restaurant, and Ja-young slips in soon after.
Sung-sook wakes screaming from a nightmare, “No! Don’t do that!” Hahaha, I think it’s too late. Ja-young’s absence surprises her, and she pads downstairs to look for her. She peeks through the restaurant blinds, but then flies out in shock. Wondering if Chef’s drive has been revived, she curses her luck for not being the one to get stuck in a wardrobe with him. “I’m lonely,” she wails, even as the wail turns into a cough.
In the elevator the next morning, PD Oh mentions the breast cancer rumor to Hwa-shin. Surprised, Hwa-shin at first thinks he’s talking about him, until Oh tells him to take care of Na-ri.
Meanwhile at the studio newsdesk, Na-ri tells Announcer Park that it’s true she had cancer, and she’s completed treatment, too. She gives her word to be at her seat every day on the dot, and adds, “Having breast cancer isn’t a sin, after all.” He sneers because he’s a toerag, amazed that Hwa-shin went with her to a place like that.
PD Oh tells Hwa-shin that HR have gotten wind of the news, meaning it’ll be tough for Na-ri to become a permanent employee. Striding out of the elevator, Hwa-shin goes straight to Na-ri and brings her to their stairwell. He’s furious and horrified to find out she already knew about the rumors.
Na-ri is confident that it won’t affect her employment, and says that if she doesn’t make it, it’ll be because she lacked ability. She tells him to leave the story as it is. “What am I doing to you right now?” he asks desperately. Na-ri reassures him that a woman having breast cancer is no big deal, and his eyes soften.
Madam Kim’s heard the rumor, too, and Jung-won tiredly tells her that Na-ri’s not the one who’s sick.
Na-ri finds Hwa-shin alone after hours, and he tells her to stop the charade now, as he plans to reveal the truth tomorrow. Na-ri tells him rather menacingly that she’ll kill him if he does that. “Then I’ll die,” he replies. She says she’ll break up with him, and Hwa-shin agrees: “Yes, let’s end it.”
Shocked, she pleads with him to just let the story stand, and tells him how happy she was that his secret kept her by his side. Even now, he asks, when she’s the subject of everyone’s gossip? “Yes, even now,” she maintains, and says that the lie that it’s her is a thousand times better than the truth that it’s him.
She even threatens to go back to Jung-won if he doesn’t listen, and says she needs to see him as anchor every day, to help her swallow her food. “You can’t do it,” she warns. Hwa-shin finally says, “I want to stop being sorry to you now.”
Now alone on the station rooftop, Hwa-shin stares over the edge of the world. Noooo what are you doing?!
The next day, he’s back to see Dr. Geum, and he asks her for her help. Next, he goes to see PD Oh, who’s poring over some personnel transfers, wondering why no one wants to go to Kenya for a year. Ooo I’ll go! Hwa-shin asks him if he can do a field report, since he feels stifled being behind a desk all this time. Before leaving, Hwa-shin asks, “They’ll forget in a year, right?” Forget what, PD Oh asks nervously. “Everything,” says Hwa-shin. Ominous.
In the canteen, Hwa-shin joins Ja-young and Na-ri. Ja-young asks Na-ri if she’s okay, and is both impressed and proud of Hwa-shin for standing by her. But when he tries to reveal the truth, Na-ri covers his mouth to stop him, and tries to send him on his way.
Before his news, Hwa-shin calls his mom to send her on an errand, clearly to make sure she’s not watching whatever he’s got cooking. He demands a fish stew even though Mom is out of fish, and she grimaces as she agrees. Lol, poor long-suffering Mom.
Na-ri enters the station foyer in time to see Hwa-shin’s news, and halts in shock at the male breast cancer headline. Unable to wait for the elevator, she runs up the stairs, arriving at the studio just as Hwa-shin introduces his in-depth report.
He talks about how male breast can affect anyone, with up to 1% of breast cancer patients being male. Na-ri shakes her head, whispering, “No…” and at home, Hwa-shin’s mom watches after all, eyes filling.
Reporting from the hospital, he cites the case of “Mr. Lee”, whose cancer was discovered early by someone, whom Hwa-shin describes as a lifesaver. We flash back to Na-ri first feeling Hwa-shin’s chest in Thailand, and how she chased him afterwards. Dr. Geum features next, and she tells how men avoid treatment because they find it difficult and embarrassing to be in a clinic full of women. Off-air while the reel plays, Hwa-shin looks across the studio at Na-ri, who shakes with silent tears.
In the reel, Hwa-shin shows the mammography machine, explaining that it’s more painful for men. At home, Mom reaches for a handful of tissues, crying her eyes out. He then shows the bra they need to wear after surgery. With each thing he mentions, flashbacks show us Hwa-shin’s own experiences—the pain of the mammogram; his shame at being caught in a bra.
He wears the pink hospital pajamas for the next part of his report, and explains that people point fingers at male breast cancer patients, calling them strange. Nurse Oh recounts seeing a male patient’s girlfriend cover up for his treatment by using her own name. Hwa-shin continues that a male patient feels like he can’t tell the truth to anyone, but the hardest part is that his masculinity feels eroded.
While his report plays, Hwa-shin gives Na-ri the tiniest smile, before focusing on the camera again. “Although it may be hard to believe, I am also a breast cancer patient,” Hwa-shin says. He calls himself a miracle case thanks to his girlfriend, but speaks of his despair, and how he was sure he’d lose his anchor position if he were found out.
But he says that he discovered that more important than protecting his job, was protecting the person he’d lost his heart to: “This moment, I don’t have an ounce of regret. I’m only sorry for saying it so late.” A male breast cancer patient is a cancer patient all the same, he says, and hopes that with his report, the stigma can be addressed.
“I hope for our country to be a place where minorities can also be happy,” Hwa-shin finishes. Gazing across the studio floor, his eyes find Na-ri’s. He gives her a nod and a smile, finally unburdened, as the others in the studio realize the truth, too.
COMMENTS
(During the credits, you can enjoy a hearty dance number with Hwa-shin and his hospital homies, Dr. Geum and Nurse Oh. Hee! Park Jin-joo is such a pixie!)
Aahhhh. For the first time in weeks, I don’t feel hopelessly divided against myself in twelve directions. I agree with Hwa-shin on this one: The lie is not better than the truth. And in this case, the truth really does set him free. I can see why Na-ri wants to keep the story the way it is, but I can also feel how untenable that is for Hwa-shin, who already hates himself most of the time. He already feels he doesn’t have the right to be loved by her, but if maintaining that cover causes her to lose her job, he wouldn’t forgive himself. But I love how the lie served its purpose, giving him cover while he developed the personal strength to shoulder the consequences telling the truth would bring. On Na-ri’s side, the lie is what allowed her to stay by his side, so if anything, the lie is their Cupid, and its job is done.
I’ve got to say this, though: I found Hwa-shin’s report a bit hyperbolic for news. But what was more distracting was the overblown way in which the doctor delivered and handled the news of Hwa-shin’s current infertility. Even allowing for dramatic license, I couldn’t help feeling irritated at the directing choices that made it come off more as a lack of professionalism. I know the character’s been walking the line all series, but this time, the comedy felt forced, in what was more important as an emotionally weighted moment. It’s unexpected when this show has so consistently (and deliciously) undercut its own gravitas with sly and sudden humor, but I guess we can all have bad days!
Is Hwa-shin overreacting to the infertility news? I think in some ways yes, and other ways no. Firstly, they’ve said it isn’t necessarily permanent (and I’m fairly sure that the show will let Hwa-shin have his dream in the end). But even if he can’t father children of his own, he has options, and given time, he’ll be able to adjust his expectations of life.
But at the same time, I understand how upset he is: For the first time, he allowed himself to really want something, the worst irony being that it was such a humble, everyday dream that most people can take for granted. Not only does he have to face the possibility that it won’t happen, but he has to break it to Na-ri, too. Hwa-shin would see that as one more thing that makes him unfit and undeserving, one more way he’s less of a man. Although his outlook is more dire than it needs to be, I can see why he asks the question, “Am I really a man?” He disappoints his own conception of what he should be and do, and it makes it a nice reverse that this time that he’s the one who needs security and reassurance from Na-ri.
But I’m reassured that at least they’re more solid as a couple this time. I don’t think he’ll try to nobly break up with her or anything…at least, I really, really hope not. There aren’t enough episodes left for that kind of angst! But on the downside (or upside? I can’t decide…okay, I’m still slightly divided), I’m certain we’re being set up for a time-skip and a separation, and I generally really dislike those. But in this case, I wonder if it’s something of a needed perspective for both of them, and a realistic outcome in terms of Hwa-shin sacrificing his position. It’s time he needs not only to recover from his treatment, but also to center himself.
As importantly, perhaps the time apart will give the couple a chance to take further steps towards some much-needed equality, because there is a power and status disparity between them, which was really made evident in last week’s crisis. Although it’s an unavoidable consequence of working the same job at the most opposite levels, that’s not to say their relationship can’t happen while those disparities exist. But they would certainly need to figure out how, since it’ll be a long time before their job experience levels.
It’s actually an interesting layering of their relationship, when you consider how the sunbae-hoobae relationship was their starting point. Their subsequent friendship fit more easily around their existing work dynamic, but the romantic relationship complicates things because the power disparity matters so much more, especially when they’re both so acutely aware that Hwa-shin holds more of it. One way or another, it needs to be addressed.
Overall, this hour felt like a slow and deliberate winding-down, and although we’re so close to the end, I have no idea what to expect next week. Keep surprising us, show! But not by breaking up our babies. That would not be cool.
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Tags: featured, Go Kyung-pyo, Gong Hyo-jin, Jealousy Incarnate, Jo Jung-seok
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1 gadis
November 5, 2016 at 10:04 PM
How very Hwa-shin-like for him to acknowledge the fact that he is a breast cancer patient in front of the whole world. It gave such a poetic comparison to what people misunderstood when he did similar thing to his hyung and Na-ri.
While I understand Na-ri's reluctance to let him tell people that he is the one with breast cancer, I also felt relieved for him the moment he told PD Oh he wanted to do an investigation report. He was practically on the verge of tears all episode long, with guilt ate him up inside, and he was THIS close to completely breaking down. Whenever he had his outburst, I begged for someone to notice it and poke at his thick defense wall before all that bottled feeling rot inside him. And that's why I was so glad when he decided to talk about it at the broadcast and let it go.
Did anyone catch the way he puffed up his chest twice during his confession? Hwa-shin does have a habit of puffing up his chest that's in line with his prideful and manly image. But at that time, it seemed more like a self-conscious gesture to remind himself that there was nothing different from him, that his confession wouldn't change him physicly.
By the end of this episode, I was a completely crying and laughing mess. How could they gave us Hwashin-Nurse Oh-Dr. Geum combo dancing their hearts out right after a very emotional scene?? I don't know whether I'm bawling or cheering right now.
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The first_Strawberry
November 5, 2016 at 10:34 PM
Great observation on the details there, @gadis! JJS's portrayal of HS continues to amaze me. His acting is just so complete, even right down to the character's body language ♥
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imbuk
November 5, 2016 at 11:25 PM
Interesting observation about what hwa shin now did to himself is what he did to his hyung, too, gadis. I didn't think of that at all.
I think they have brought his character a full circle now. From being in thailand because of his hyung's report, now because of this, I think he is planning to go to kenya.
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gadis
November 5, 2016 at 11:53 PM
And I didn't think about him planning to go to Kenya after this blown-up news at all. Great catch on detail there, @Imbuk. This drama, seriously, even the seemingly random event always end up being significant after several episodes.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 2:43 AM
Neither do I. It's typical in kdramas to set both parties in a equal level by having some time separation, which is good. However, sticking to a conventional one is not bad at all. They do not necessarily to be equally professional in the first place. Many couples are happier even when the woman is a full time mom. Well..???
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newbie
November 6, 2016 at 3:53 AM
I for one don't need them to be on the same level professionally. He is five years older, he is a very good, experienced anchor, she is still in the early stages of this job and gets all his support as he is eager to teach her everything he knows.
She otoh has the upper hand in their relationship now. He is madly in love and desperate to be with her, desires her like crazy and as he said can't live without her. It might even be that he likes her more now than she likes him.
That balances their relationship for me.
And I would most definitely not be okay with a lame time jump! This show can do much better! Let Hye Won go. Our couple doesn't need a seperation or wasting more time. Cancer can relapse, stay put in Korea Hwa Shin!
Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 4:19 AM
@Newbie, ???
pompom10
November 6, 2016 at 4:42 AM
Or maybe Park announcer could go to Kenya, instead.
newbie
November 6, 2016 at 4:46 AM
That would be great! A punishment for spreading this nasty rumor. Get him out of the way and make Na Ri and Hwa Shin an anchor team slowing working their way towards the 9pm slot together! :D
Still_Yoyo
November 6, 2016 at 12:55 AM
I think we're in for a time jump.... Considering Hwashin did ask PD Oh if a year is enoug time for people to forget...
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Sa_Rang
November 6, 2016 at 1:42 AM
Please dont say a year-long time jump ??? there's only 2 episodes left...I wanted more OTP time!
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Oshi
November 6, 2016 at 1:50 AM
It's mandatory I would think. The time jump I mean.
Chandler
November 6, 2016 at 2:44 AM
Lol, it always is...
rentenmann
November 6, 2016 at 4:49 AM
And why is it always a year? Does a year away magically make things better? Always a year... ?
lunaticandra
November 6, 2016 at 6:02 AM
@rentenmann maybe because calling it 10 months or 11 would give less impact? lol only Kang Chul would bother to use month-span instead of rounded it to 1 year-span.
Y
November 6, 2016 at 7:09 AM
If it's 1 year time lapse, then they need to catch up again after 1 year, build trust, etc. It's like starting over again. Oh noooo...I did a long distance with my BF (now husband) for 2 years and it was very difficult and we definitely don't get married right after we're in the same town...I don't think the movie should go that way...there's just not too much episode left to do it properly...the idea that after 1 year time lapse, you can resume exactly where you left off is not realistic...
Also, HS is basically encouraging other male breast cancer patients not to hide but to get the support that they need with his report...if he hide to Kenya for 1 year, what a conflicting message it will send to other breast cancer patients? That doesn't make sense!
PeepsLeAwesomePotato
November 6, 2016 at 8:48 AM
@rentenmann: Because they shoot the drama live. Because the weather would be exactly the same as now if it's one year from now. The End.
imbuk
November 6, 2016 at 9:13 AM
@ Peeps ha ha.. :D
Now that's made me think. Maybe this is why the show is 24 episodes? To show the changes In the weather since weather also plays a role in this drama.
In the starting episode it was sunny. But then, it rained when all 3 of the leads shared screen space for the first time, 3 of them under a single umberella (lol). When jung won kissed na ri, there was lightning. How lightning makes the sky look like its broken, it may also have signified the start of break in their relationships with each other. Even when nari and hwa shin kissed inside the hospital room after hwa shin's helicopter lift, it was raining outside. Then when hwa shin proposed, it was snowing. Like rain solidifying into snow, their feelings for each other became solid too.
Chandler
November 7, 2016 at 7:30 AM
@ Imbuk
Glad you mentioned this. I was just thinking about how lovely it is that I can watch this drama at any time of year because it went through all the seasons. I was a bit surprised to find them in winter already with these episodes (though I guess it's very close), but I'm glad because it means I can stay attached to this show until Christmas, hehe.
I love how they've been using the weather, both for the added hilarity & dramatic symbolism. Like how each lead represents a different aspect of it: Na-ri= Sun, Hwa-shin= Lightening & Jung-won= Rain. You can tell because their respective aliens each have a symbol signifying it. Each of their aliens control a part of the weather so when Nari kissed Jung-won's cheek in episode 17, it thundered, lol. And when she kissed Hwa-shin's, it started to rain.
But then they take that symbolism and use it subtly in more serious moments too. When Hwa-shin and Na-ri kissed in episode 14 with the rain outside, it conveyed how their bonds with Jung-won still remained & weighed down on the moment they shared, but also showed how separated they were from those concerns and thoughts in the shelter of that locker room. I love that shot of them through the window, with the rain still beating outside.
Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 3:28 AM
Hopefully, it is only a writer threat, Yoyo ?
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lunaticandra
November 6, 2016 at 5:59 AM
Yep. We're totally in for coffee in Kenya and playing with giraffe and lion for a year. I actually feel glad that show would give us a head up for this one year long spiritual journey separation troop. I just hope that they have internet there in Kenya, or the very least telephone reception, so that they can keep calling each other. And he can keep giving her advice from abroad for each of her performance after news.
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Y
November 6, 2016 at 6:55 AM
Agree with newbie. With their love this strong, they don't need time lapse and there's no need for HS to go to Kenya. No more running away HS! Face your obstacle head on!
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Chandler
November 6, 2016 at 7:23 AM
I keep thinking...maybe it will be Na-ri that ends up going to Kenya? Or maybe both (Ahhhhh, I love this idea too much, someone make me forget it so that I'm not disappointed!)?
I really don't want a time lapse at all because they definitely don't need it right now. They're in a very good place to face these issues head-on, especially after Hwa-shin has been so clear in displaying the depth of his feelings for her.
But, I'm nervous that it may actually happen. The one thing keeping me optimistic is that episode 21 built-up to the ending with hints of Hwa-shin's possible relapse and then subverted our expectations with the infertility reveal (lol, admittedly, still not a happy turn of events). So they could be hinting at Hwa-shin running away to Kenya only to subvert our expectations in some way again. Hopefully, just by Na-ri knocking some sense into him.
But if it does have to happen, I'd rather it be Na-ri going to get the field experience she's lacking. Although, arguably, she might not be ready for that? I think it could push her to develop her skills in exactly the ways Hwa-shin suggested at the end of ep 20. Even better would be them going together though. Oh, please, Show? Can two people in a loving relationship, who work in the same field, actually find a way to stick together when one of them decides to go to a foreign country? It'll be pretty note-worthy, if it happens.
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aweebit
November 6, 2016 at 7:19 PM
@Y. Yes! +100!
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Danae
November 7, 2016 at 9:12 AM
I also think he is planning to go to Kenya, the whole conversation of, why no body wants to go, and Hwa Shin saying that people would forget in one year, right? I immediately thought that he is going to go, and yes, we will have to see a time jump there.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 2:17 AM
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
Bravo Gadis
I thought he is referring to NR when he touches his chest. Yet, yours is making more sense. It is a resurrection time for HS. Yeayzzz..
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newbie
November 6, 2016 at 3:45 AM
Did anybody else see, that Hwa Shin is giving the camera his finger in the very last moment of his dance? I re-watched this dance countless times and there it is. His last movement is a big eff off.
I decided to take it as effing off the diseases. :D Let the good times come!
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 4:11 AM
????
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gadis
November 6, 2016 at 5:09 AM
Ah, really??
Off to rewatch it again...
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cinnamimi
November 7, 2016 at 5:00 AM
1. By doing the report on him--and particularly on embarassing issue--he showed that he's a real reporter. He could do that to his brother, and he could do the same to himself. Yes, he would feel relieved after telling the truth and saving his loved one.
2. Since he said he had been afraid of losing his job because of the cancer prior telling he's the one with the illness, I think it's like killing two birds with one stone. Would the company fire him after he said that on screen? It's too risky. He simply won the battle: winning Na-ri's heart for sure and securing his (and her) position as well.
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2 imbuk
November 5, 2016 at 10:17 PM
I was super surprised to see the recap up! Thank you so much, Saya! :)
I loved how our couple tried to protect each other and thought of the other first instead of themselves, if that is not love I don't know what is. This episode really sold them to me as an imperfect, perfect couple!
I think hwa shin needs time to accept his infertility, he is in denial. Only when he accepts it will he be able to tell na ri and think about other options. I think this explains his shopping spree too because he knows he can't give her kids but he wants to be able to give her other things.
Also his love for accuracy when he took two ramyun packets out to make it 998, made me laugh out loud. ;)
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beansoverflowers
November 5, 2016 at 10:32 PM
Yeah, Hwashin needs time to grieve. I respect him for not running away (though I understand why people do), and using his experiences to help others (and also to make a really big romantic gesture, ha).
There are other options, of course. But that doesn't take away the terrible heartbreak.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 6:48 AM
"also to make a really big romantic gesture"
THIS, as you mentioned it, kit. I am really in your boat . ?
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es
November 6, 2016 at 1:54 AM
When he ripped the ramyun packet open - omg Hwa-shin, is that even legal?!?!?!? LOL.
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3 byeol
November 5, 2016 at 10:18 PM
I have question, in real life, this kind of news-the confession of breast cancer- is allowable?
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questions987
November 5, 2016 at 10:24 PM
I don't know about in Korea but it happens all the time in the US. They actually will so full segments on things like this. One of the NBC anchors had a colonoscopy on air a few years ago.
They make it into a news series/story about the anchors journey.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 4:09 AM
?
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Y
November 6, 2016 at 7:15 AM
Yes, in the US, this kind of news will be very popular and will draw A LOT of sympathy and outpouring money
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4 questions987
November 5, 2016 at 10:21 PM
Watched that last part 3 times. Couldn't love him more for what he did. It's very him to make the big gesture when it matters and be a confusing ass the rest of the time. It speaks volumes that they said so much to each other by the looks during the segment.
Just take my heart and stomp on it HS. Such a perfectly romantic ass.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 3:30 AM
+1
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5 beansoverflowers
November 5, 2016 at 10:30 PM
If Hwashin was a real news anchor, pretty sure after this he would have a /lot/ of female fans. And male fans!
The corner about male breast cancer was obviously written more dramatically than we'd expect on real tv, but I thought it hit all the right notes, and also showed why Hwashin and Nari can go the distance: They're honest, they want each other to be better people, and they each want to become better people.
Hwashin knows how easily he can emotionally manipulate her, how easily he could have eating from the palm of his hand. Even in the beginning of the drama, though, he was blunt verging on cruelly abrasive, but always made his motives clear. Some of his actions have been grey, but being in love with Nari has clarified a lot of things for him, and he's not going to back down. Nari in turn is so freely giving and loving, without shame or embarrassment.
They're also truthful as they can be at that period in time about all areas of their lives.
- I was disappointed when Nari kissed Hwashin while exclusively dating Jungwon, I cheered when she came clean straight away.
- Nari took two days to explain to Hwashin why she pretended to be okay with being taken off the live political news corner, but I thought that was still a small amount of time, especially so early in a relationship where people continuously told her he's not the type to keep faithful to one girl for a long period of time. He respected that truth.
- Hwashin gives her clear critiques about her work without being condescending, and she takes it into stride and really listens to him.
- And finally, in this episode, she tells him not to. He doesn't appease her, coat the truth, or lie. He says he will. She says don't. He does. But he does it in a way that respectfully saves her. (Also, he doesn't speak about sterility in the news, because yeah people would connect the dots all around Korea and it would be embarrassing for him, but probably also because he hasn't told Nari yet, and she deserves to know first.)
YAY. We all know Hwashin isn't a saint, but he's matured. And I believe Jungwon finally saw that with his own two eyes. Their friendship needed to have honest things said, but I think they can continue even more strongly.
And I love every single character in this drama! I need an answer about how Chef, who introduced himself to be asexual, can somehow ... became sexually inclined again. I hope they don't brush that under the rug. But otherwise, I felt like all the characters were spot on. They're painted human, and they have personalities and individual lives even when they're not interacting with the protagonists.
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gadis
November 5, 2016 at 11:49 PM
I agree with you and Saya that the investigation report about breast cancer was done a bit more dramatically. But this is drama, after all, so I can live with that. And also, that news reminded me of the hilariously personal news they used as an epilogue at the end of episode 16, where Hwa-shin apologized to Na-ri for being an ass all those years when she has a crush on him.
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es
November 6, 2016 at 1:57 AM
Definitely agree about needing a logical answer to this Chef storyline. Because there's no sugarcoating it - it just doesn't make sense right now. I don't have high hopes for it tbh, but still crossing my fingers that it'll be redeemed in these last two episodes.
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eunjae
November 6, 2016 at 1:49 AM
I agree with Hwawhin being matured, and also that Jung-won could see it. When they were both at the store and he gave Hwashin this look that sort of said, "oh wow".
I actually liked that when Jungwon's mother was talking to him and he only said "It's not Nari who's ill".
Their friendship got a bit of a knockdown but at the end, they're still there for each other.
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gadis
November 6, 2016 at 2:27 AM
I have high hope that when he went out while said to his Mom that he'll sort it (the misunderstanding regarding that breast cancer issue) out, he'll be there for Hwa-shin after that confession news. You still have chance to redeem your friendship, Jung-won.
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newbie
November 6, 2016 at 3:26 AM
Yes! If Jung Won fails to react to Hwa Shin's hysterical actions in his shop, he is not worth of calling himself his friend any longer. HS is at breaking point, everbody can see that, it's high time that JW swallows his pride and tries to understand and really help his friend again, not only giving him his promotional clothes for free.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 4:21 AM
+1
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jaesukisourgod
November 6, 2016 at 8:59 AM
I think this is a key-point for their friendship. if the show wants them to be friends again, they need to handle well how jungwon will react to everything hwashin did and said during this ep.
I must confess that when jungwon said nari wasn't the one sick and left, my first thought was "oh no, he is going to teel everyone that is HS to """protect""" her....."
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jaesukisourgod
November 6, 2016 at 8:56 AM
+1 about the characters.
the drama was a bit over the top with them sometimes, but I kind of understand this considering they always had this comedy feel to the show. but, down there, everyone is human, not entirely bad or good (well, na-ri's co-anchor, until now, is 100% shit lol)
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6 Cherry
November 5, 2016 at 10:33 PM
This was the first episode that i was able to fully connect with the drama. HS broadcast of male breast cancer pt really brought home the morale of this drama. Yes it's a comedy but under neath all the laugh and love it's really about the prejudice male pt faces with cancer. I never felt prouder about a character in a drama than I do for HS (well maybe also all the actors for the drama THANK YOU). Thank you for making this kdrama more than a past time!
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 4:23 AM
? male prejudice..
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7 paramount
November 5, 2016 at 10:41 PM
after living in korea a few years, i'm aware that there is a definite cultural aspect to having children of your own there that i should respect.
however, i cannot help feeling upset when dramas continually relate this possibility of infertility with the person's worth as a partner. i remember feeling similarly irritated in oh my venus, when one character struggled with her PCOS (?) diagnosis & no longer wanted to get married.
i'm sure that is a legitimate worry anyone (regardless of culture) can have upon hearing they may be unable to have children. but i hate how it's presented... like hwashin asking the doctor & nurse oh if they would marry him, infertility & all, but they chose to say nothing & stare at him with pity.
anyway i know korea has different cultural ideas on marriage & family, & i agree with saya's analysis that hwashin finally wanted this only for it to be taken away... but i needed to say it anyway >__<
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 4:53 AM
I agree that spouse possibility of having children matters in certain cultures. However, if you are able to bear the consequences such marriages happen. Like people have said it, NR wont leave HS for infertility. Thus, may be, we are brought into HS prior thought which may change later.
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paramount
November 6, 2016 at 10:44 AM
i know that this is a drama & to expect any different is illogical but... they just said there is a "chance" & that it would be hard for him to have children... they didn't even try yet! having kids is always about "chance," so i wouldn't be like "well 2 doctors told me it would be hard, so i give up."
i'm interested to see where the last week will take us tho, & i hope this ends on a strong note. & makes jung won less pathetic lol.
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Bobbie
November 6, 2016 at 6:54 PM
I'm hopeful the drama will pull something, because when HS left the fortune teller's with a smile in ep 21, there was a shooting star flying across the sky. This drama is known for its nuances and symbolism so here's hoping that shooting star signifies a miracle to come (in fact, I'm confident there will be one, I'm just excited to see how it'll pan out).
In terms of marriage & family, I'm not sure how it is exactly in Korea, but at least in China, there is a social responsibility ingrained in you from a young age that you are to take care of your parents, and are expected to have children to 'carry the family line' to 'bring your family honour' (very Mulan, but Mulan was based on a true story), but also there's an understanding that those children will then take care of you when you're old (because nursing homes don't really exist) so your parents can rest in peace knowing you'll eventually be taken care of.
Your children are naturally expected to continue this cycle, and it will continue as it has been for hundreds of generations before them.
It is traditional and maybe a mindset that is slowly changing, but it's undeniable that it's still prevalent today, especially due to the one-child policy (and perhaps one of the biggest reasons homosexuality remains so taboo - because you cannot have biological children as homosexuals, and thus if you are a single child, your family line has ended with you, and there is a lot of shame in that).
You grow up, get married, have kids; that's your duty, and if you're unable to do those things you have somehow failed as a person. And if you are responsible for someone else's failure to accomplish those things i.e. because you are impotent, then you must either carry the burden of guilt as well as shame, or simply never get married so you don't drag someone else - whom you love and on whom you would never want such pain to befall - down with you. Even if you adopt, your bloodline has essentially ended, and that's the problem.
There's a huge emphasis on bloodlines and familial responsibilities in China, and watching the reactions in this episode I imagine it's a very similar situation in Korea (here, I'm also reminded of the "blood is thicker than water" line from Sung-sook). Bear in mind these are countries where monarchy ruled in history, so the importance of lineage may have stemmed from there.
Thus, I can really understand the anguish that was portrayed in this ep, and to some degree my heart does ache for them, but the 21st Century gal in me awaits a practical solution and happy family resolution from Writer-nims by end of episode 24 please and thank you.
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imbuk
November 6, 2016 at 9:47 PM
Well said, Bobbie! I am an asian too. I wanted him to tell na ri about his potential infertility, but I didn't think he was over reacting at all. Incredible how the way people are brought up affects the way we see the same things, isn't it? I am waiting for that practical solution and happy ending, too.
imbuk
November 6, 2016 at 5:27 AM
Where I am from, if someone can't have children and people around them know about it before they get married. There is a high chance that that person won't get married at all. Its kind of a taboo here. Even if the potential partner accepts it, there is no way the partner's parents will. :(
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paramount
November 6, 2016 at 10:41 AM
i'm sorry that there is such a stigma around that where you are from :/
if you can't have children & you want them, it is so upsetting. so it must be very difficult to deal with family pressure on top of that!
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Rinovi
November 6, 2016 at 2:48 PM
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Rinovi
November 6, 2016 at 2:53 PM
*many* not *much*
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8 Katy
November 5, 2016 at 10:52 PM
UGHH. My overall reaction to this show each and every time for the past 11 weeks has been just like Hwa Shin's growling at Na Ri's cuteness in ep. 20. There is so much to say and love about it - the perfectly balanced emotional/romantic/comedic beats, the OST, the random animations - but it all comes down to Jo Jung Seok, Jo Jung Seok, and Jo Jung Seok!
I have just been so thoroughly enjoying the ride that I'm almost frustrated. Ha. Also, they are really making use of his musical experience with all the singing and dancing... and I LOVE it. Please do another drama soon. ♡ (I'm not ready to say goodbye to HS though! When will we ever see another so perfectly flawed and vulnerable yet charismatic male lead?)
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Chandler
November 6, 2016 at 3:36 AM
+100! I feel you, girl. I keep trying to write, but I just get so caught up in my love for the show (*cough*Jo Jung Seok*cough*) that I don't even know how to form any useful commentary anymore. Ugh, I just adore it.
And, yes, I love all the showmanship that JJS's been displaying in his portrayal of Hwa-shin. It makes me wonder how much of that was involved in character-planning. Did the writer always plan to make HS so eccentrically confident in his singing & dancing that he would just break out into it whenever? I wouldn't say it's at all in contrast with the rest of his personality, in fact, it weirdly fits the character to a T. But there are moments when he's so collected & hard at work that I have a hard time believing that a guy, who can be so image-conscious at times, has such a penchant for dancing his heart out. It's amazing & really makes Hwa-shin shine as a character.
This is why the ending, when he confesses, could have nothing more fitting than that dance number to top it off. He may have just let go of his flawless image, but there is nothing more perfect than a dance to challenge people to just try and tear him down. Nahhhh, he's got way too much swag for that ;)
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jaesukisourgod
November 6, 2016 at 9:06 AM
I don't usually like the "I can't imagine this character with someone else" thing, but I can't avoid with JJS's hwashin. it would be really interesting to see what the writer and pd have to say about that... like you mentioned, how much of it was JJS creating for his character and how much was already planned. because nothing seems out of place.
and I must say that I'M SO HAPPY with all the love he's receiving.... every time I see a post with netizens comments about him and all the love. JJS is one of the most versatile actors out there. I LOVE gong hyojin and she's doing a really good jog with nari, but this drama is JJS' show lol
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Chandler
November 7, 2016 at 8:03 AM
Haha! I am completely the same way right now, getting giddy whenever I see him getting any sort of recognition. It's amazing to consider that just 4 years ago, he was in supporting role territory with shows like What's up, K2H. It's one thing to make it as a first lead, but to already be starring with Gong Hyo-jin AND kinda stealing the show from her? I mean, I think we all recognize how fantastic she is and that's why this is so impressive.
Haha, this is my favorite article I came across recently: http://netizenbuzz.blogspot.ca/2016/10/kim-soo-hyun-polls-in-as-1-romcom-king.html
He's not even mentioned, but alllllll the netizen comments are about him & how he should be the rom-com king.
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9 berries
November 5, 2016 at 10:53 PM
best ep of this series so far!
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10 sumee
November 5, 2016 at 10:53 PM
Oh god..I was a mess by the end of the episode ..I had no idea to cry out loud or to laugh out loud
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11 Still_Yoyo
November 5, 2016 at 11:01 PM
I think I just witnessed the most noble thing a character has ever done on a kdrama show.
I'll try and include the rest of the cast but this feedback is 99% about Hwashin. Ever since he was diagnosed with cancer, I knew the show would ultimately circle back to that but I really thought they'd stop at just that. It caught me by surprise that the writers were still willing to torment this character till the very end, and like cancer wasn't a big enough thing to deal with, they had to surreptitiously carry out the infertility maybe not intentionally to drag the story out, but serve a bigger, more painful ordeal for Hwashin; how much more character building does this person have to endure, show? If there's anything I've learned from watching Jealousy Incarnate is that life is not just a box of chocolates. Life is hard and gets harder over time. But it really comes down on how one chooses to live to survive and this is where Hwashin finds himself now; he's in the crossroads of his life wondering and wandering whether it befits him to be deserving of love despite his debility.
998 packs of Ramyun is not enough to buy you happiness. Neither is splurging on clothes and yelling at your best friend that you are deserving, that you're man enough. But I get why you did that, Hwashin, I do. It was the only way for you to convince yourself that you're still half the man you were, that you can still afford to be a man, that no matter what others might think or say, you have the means to be a man. I applaud the show for tackling on such a sensitive issue having Hwashin endure this painful reality by going on a shopping spree. It was him telling us that he could still be the person Nari and everyone else thinks he is at the same time coming to terms that no amount of material ownership can exchange the simplicity and completeness of a family's love and presence. That must've been a tough pill to swallow for Hwashin, when all he really wants is to start a family with Nari and the bitter reality of his impotency has now turned that dream into a want and now into a need. There's a need for him to fight that reality, to prove that he can make something out of it. I'm willing to cheer you on, Hwashin! If there's anything to cling on to, it's hope!
So can I really hate on the guy for deciding to cancel out on the dinner with his mom and Nari? No.
Can I hate him for buying all those baby stuff and handing them to Nari? Absolutely not.
Should I hate him if he's considering living a life of recluse? No.
(Continued below....)
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Still_Yoyo
November 5, 2016 at 11:06 PM
All this time Hwashin has always made himself his only priority and it's only now that he finally had the chance to see the greener grass at the other side of the fence. That life is more than an anchors seat in a primetime slot. To have that dream taken away by such a dark reality is more than what he could have handled. Yes, it was too much, too soon. Dealing with that and being faced with a question on what remains of his life's purpose is such a cruel and heart wrenching reality.
When we usually poke fun at the usage of noble idiocy in dramas, we're always left to chastise the characters, the writers and the story. But that very moment when Hwashin placed himself on that podium, letting the entire nation learn of his battle with cancer and his reasons for opening up was the most humbling, chivalrous and noble thing Hwashin has ever done. To stop the rumors and protect the owner of his heart, he was willing to let go of his career and his pride. That in no way can be deemed as noble idiocy, it was the ultimate sacrifice that didn't entail dying. What Hwashin did not only made him the manliest man in my eyes but it made his character whole; the entire episode showed us how Hwashin managed to redeem himself even in the most trying times of his life. He did it with the fullness of his heart, a gratuitous gesture of love that needn't have to be justified, he did it because he loved Nari more than himself and that he remained cognizant to the fact that she is his world and that alone is enough for him. No amount of Ramyuns can top that. That was enough for me to cry my heart out in both happiness and sheer empathy for Hwashin. This is how you showcase nobility in a drama. This is how it's done, people!
I never underestimated the writers nor the story and I'm glad to stick around till the very end. This show has always managed to leave me captivated and wanting more, it saddens me that we're nearing the shows end and hopefully we get to see a ray of light and happiness for all the characters. Truly, jealousy is a greedy force that brings out the ugly in us, but it should never be given a chance to define who we are. The show makes us take a look at our own selves; asking us to reevaluate our priorities and bringing us to question whether the life we're living now is driven by ambition/greed or are we really living life to its fullest? Regrets a heavy burden to carry and this show proves that it's always best to make the most out of life while one still has the chance to live it.
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The first_Strawberry
November 5, 2016 at 11:35 PM
So, so, so with you @Yoyo! Yes, that's how you showcase nobility, no idiocy, just nobility.
Dear HS, that chivalry act made you the manliest man in my eyes as well, infertile or not.
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eunjae
November 6, 2016 at 1:55 AM
Absolutely agree with you guys! Wish he could see what Nari and all of us see.
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gadis
November 5, 2016 at 11:41 PM
You said it so beautifully, @Yoyo.
When I went into this drama for the first time, I never knew that Hwa-shin will end up as the best, most memorable and well-written character in k-dramaland. Now, I'm afraid I'll compare every other future male lead to him and can only see their shortcoming.
My first withdrawal will be really severe, I reckon.
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PYC
November 5, 2016 at 11:50 PM
Word! Thanks for sharing your thoughts which I have no word but nodding in agreement.
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pompom10
November 6, 2016 at 2:27 AM
Very well said!
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newbie
November 6, 2016 at 3:36 AM
Agree with almost everything you said except him making himself his only priority all the time. That is simply not true. He is ambitious and proud, but he is not self-centered, never was. All around him repeat this mantra, but they never understood him and his intentions or ignored his actions that told us differently like him applauding while Oh announced that there would be no ranking of the candidates for the 9pm anchor job which would have given him a lead. And that is just one example in which we could see his real self. We should not be taken in by how his colleagues talked about him.
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suegarbaby
November 6, 2016 at 4:30 AM
I would just like to add that the show doesn't make excuses for Hwa Shin, has from the start given us a character that has unlikeable traits - his brusqueness, as you've observed, his bluntness, his bordering-on-arrogant self-confidence, his fiery temper, his lack of diplomacy, etc. In typical human fashion of judging by first appearances, I'm sure most of us can attest that Hwa Shin was not a favourite at the start of the show.
But I like how the show has taken pains to slowly show us viewers an insight to Hwa Shin's motives and character. We can see that some of his actions have selfless and loving motives behind them e.g. his brother's beef scandal. And he clearly was upset and disturbed about its fallout, even though he knew it was not going to be pretty. His self-exile to Thailand was a way of making atonement, an act of self-flagellation.
He was clearly torn up and in grief at his brother's passing, and he did try to be a good uncle to Ppal Gang - concerned over her well-being, protective of her, and wanting to stay close by to watch over her.
Even with Na Ri, before they started dating, he was a protective sunbae (him blowing up at Jong Gi in Thailand over letting Na Ri break the news that there was not enough staff budget; him scolding a nameless SBC customer for complaining about Na Ri's weather report, him defending Na Ri's position as weather caster when she showed up smelling of alcohol and wearing inappropriate clothes to do the broadcast, etc).
Even with Hye Won, he was professional, made good critiques of her work instead of buttering her up because she had a powerful father, did not try to lead her on even though he knew that she liked him.
Sure, following the breast cancer discovery and from discovering a capacity for love and commitment he never realised he had, Hwa Shin has changed. But he still retains a lot of the characteristics that can be a little unpalatable to us, and I personally like how the drama retains those parts of him, that the drama refuses to completely white-wash Hwa Shin into a completely different character which we no longer recognise but can like.
I think this is quite representative of real life. We will, in the course of our life, meet with people who are like Hwa Shin, whose personality and character traits rub us up the wrong way. But it is good to remember that behind that rough, unlikeable facade, there may be more to the person than meets the eye.
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junny
November 6, 2016 at 4:55 AM
Spot on. Hwa-shin has stayed true to himself even as he's made changes here and there given the stuff he's had to go through. I think it's great that the drama has chosen not to "redeem" him and continues to present a very real, grounded character (even taking into account all the comedy that's been going around). And even as we get to know the real Hwa-shin beneath all the layers, he too has to work to understand the people around him - Na-ri, for example, in how she handles workplace conflicts and cares for the people around her; his mother and her love for him; his two sisters-in law; and even Hye-won. The writing for Hwa-shin has been done really well and I hope it stays awesome right to the end.
Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 5:13 AM
I begin to raise comments in my house each time petty jealously is airing, lol; begin to seriously thinking that people around are never with no layers. ????
Chandler
November 6, 2016 at 5:27 AM
Yesssssssss. I just, I can't even add a thing, this interpretation of Hwa-shin & several of his actions throughout the series is right on the mark.
imbuk
November 6, 2016 at 6:00 AM
This is one thing where I marvel at the writing too. How they have retained hwa shin's character traits but still transformed him from being an unlikeable person to someone with the capacity to steal our hearts now.
pompom10
November 6, 2016 at 9:19 AM
The scene in the first episode when HS scolded Dong-Gi because he made NR break the news and told him to stop telling NR to stick her butts and boobs (that always distracted HS till he forgot the content of weather caster, LOL), sealed the deal for me honestly. I was in love from the first sight (episode).
Still_Yoyo
November 6, 2016 at 5:51 AM
@newbie
Deconstructing Hwashin's character as a viewer will really give you a different perception as opposed to how his character is perceived by his colleagues or the people around him. True enough when we do look at the many layers that make up Hwashin, one of his most undeniable trait is being egocentric and by being so, a lot of the things that have happened from his work and personal relationships were due to his egocentricity.
That's why this episode was so important and relevant because it was a redemption arc for Hwashin to step forward and educate everyone to correct that common notion they've had about him for the longest time. It culminated all his misconstrued actions and hopefully validates what he did previously. We often forget that as viewers we see the both sides of the coin and unfortunately seldom do you see characters in a drama that are written to possess enough logic to deduce the same. I'm glad the writers stuck with that because it adds more depth to the storyline as we begin to see how everyone around him will react to his confession.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 5:06 AM
Senator Yoyo, it was a great speech!!!
Everybody, love all your comments..
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Chandler
November 6, 2016 at 5:16 AM
Let me join in with everyone here to give your post alllll the love because it nailed just why I love this show so much.
"This is how you showcase nobility in a drama. This is how it’s done, people!"
- And what's so fantastic about this sort of blatantly noble display of love? Now, no matter what Hwa-shin chooses in the future, it can't be a decision that involves pushing her away cruelly. I think a part of him was wrestling with that instinct this whole episode (even though his desperate "I can't live without you" showed us his greater sentiments).
Seeing Na-ri willing to be put through so much just for him really drove him to evaluate what was most important: Not just protecting the one you love, but doing so in a way that allows you to fully acknowledge (to them!) how much you love them. He knows that simply running away from Na-ri, when she's willing to sacrifice so much for him, would only serve to cause greater hurt. So he made it clear on broadcast that he was only willing to sacrifice his image and career because he had something more important to protect: her. If he had just come clean at work, she probably would not have understood just how important it was for him to do this for her.
So while we are still left to wonder how Hwa-shin is planning on dealing with his infertility issue (I see you lurkin' in the back there, Kenya), I have faith that the show will do so in a way that continues to prove just how much their relationship has blossomed (not into a perfect one, mind you, but into one that can survive it all). Please do this for me, Show, and then maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to let you go when you end.
Who am I kidding, I'll be a total wreck...
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ren
November 6, 2016 at 6:08 AM
The lengths that Hwa-shin went to in hiding his breast cancer and the importance of his work to him were both built up so well over the series that it was a sight to behold when he finally laid everything out to bare in the last scene.
It's also super in character for a guy who held his brother and Na-ri accountable to do the same for himself and fall on his own sword. I had all the feels and cried watching it subbed.
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12 soulgirl012
November 5, 2016 at 11:08 PM
If a drama can makes me cry, that says a lot!
My tissue was soaked at the end!
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 5:14 AM
??
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13 Martin J Simwaba
November 5, 2016 at 11:12 PM
Oh Hwa Shin, poor soul what have you done to fate that it keeps wanting you to live alone?
I don't know what to say about this drama, i was so happy when i learned that his treatment was over but the news of infertility striked me and i couldn't figure out what the writters were aiming at because what led to Hwa Shin's confession of his cancer is Na Ri's career at stake?.
But iam glad because it back upon the Hwa-shin i've always loved, the one who stands for the truth as long as its about the people he cares about, nomatter the outcome he'll stay firm on what he believes is right. I'd really like to see him happy for once, instead of going through so many problems one after another. But thats what keep us going right? The fact that we want to know what happens next.
Thanks for the recap 'LAICA-SSHI'?
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Martin J Simwaba
November 5, 2016 at 11:19 PM
Please, excuse my mistake, i meant to thank "SAYA"
PRETTY PLEASE?
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14 The first_Strawberry
November 5, 2016 at 11:13 PM
All I can say is thank goodness for that epilogue! This is one emotional episode. I first heard and knew that men can also have breast cancer about 7-8 years ago, it was then just a passing news, but this drama really drives home what it really means for the male patients. I honestly don't know how people view male breast cancer in my country, whether it's the same as how it was described in HS's news segment. I came to know about it because someone quite well-known in my country had it, and unfortunately lost the battle. I cannot quite recall, but I believe they said he had another form of cancer in the news and everywhere else. Please don't ask how I get to know the real cause, let's just say it was then work-related.
"Sliding closer, she asks if he’s going to break up with Na-ri, or marry her, or date her, and he answers no to everything" I also remember doctor Geum asked whether he was going to marry Na Ri without telling her (about the infertility), didn't remember what HS's answer to that. But I believe in you HS-ah... you and Na Ri can go through this.
HS's shopping spree outburst was just so sad and hilarious at the same time, I was laughing through my tears. Yes, of course, when life gets tough, nothing beats some retail therapy... ???
Anyway, waiting for a great finale next week!
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Oshi
November 6, 2016 at 1:52 AM
I replayed the dance sequence for an hour.
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newbie
November 6, 2016 at 3:56 AM
Lol. Me too! I love, love, love this scene. Their faces are precious. I think the nurse and JJS had to fight to keep a straight face at times.
Wonderful!
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Chandler
November 6, 2016 at 5:57 AM
Lol, we finally saw the nurse smile at the camera during that dance!!! She managed to keep a straight face last episode when she broke out dancing, even when HS wanted her to smile, hehe.
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15 ahsaem
November 5, 2016 at 11:25 PM
After crying so much, it was such a treat laughing at that hilarious dance. ^~^
I could barely watch the episode because this topic of infertility is too "real life" for me. But the dance at the end cheered me right up.
I can't stress this enough, I love the doctor and the nurse. ❤ oh, and hwa shin of course!
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newbie
November 6, 2016 at 3:39 AM
Watching the dance epilogue I felt that this is the turning point, that now the happiness will come after all the difficult stuff. Let's hope my instinct was right.
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gadis
November 6, 2016 at 5:21 AM
From your mouth to the writer's ear. Give us the happy stuff now...
*Doing popping dance to appease drama God*
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16 imbuk
November 5, 2016 at 11:35 PM
Just now read your recap fully, Saya. In my excitement that it is up, I skimmed through it. Loved your observations, especially about truth and lies. Also loved your side comments.
So true about announcer park, how did he get married? He doesn't have to be sympathetic about someone's illness but using it to benefit yourself, that's low. Also, I would like to have a better understanding about chef's asexuality and him overcoming it or what happened? Hope the show addresses it.
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pompom10
November 6, 2016 at 2:36 AM
I wanna punch that announcer Park's face every time he sneered at NR and HS. What a jerk!
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PeepsLeAwesomePotato
November 6, 2016 at 3:16 AM
Somehow I don't think Chef is actually really asexual. If he had women in the past, then is he really considered asexual?
Maybe he just had minor depression and lost the drive and because people need to label everything, he ended up thinking he was an asexual.
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imbuk
November 6, 2016 at 3:24 AM
@peeps
This is actually a logical explanation. He did tell his sister that he was getting punished for the way he treated women before. So, your point could be correct.
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Chandler
November 6, 2016 at 6:23 AM
I have to admit, even when Chef announced his 'asexuality' to the Moms, I took it with a grain of salt. His earlier explanation of his behavior to his sister made it clear that excessive sexual experiences had led him to the state he was in & that it could, in fact, be temporary. Certainly, I think Chef is someone genuinely open to the idea of basing his relationships in friendship now, which is why he so easily accepted himself as asexual.
This doesn't mean that the show should be let off the hook for carelessly throwing the term around though, only to present the "cure" with no exposition on the show's part with regards to Chef's internal struggle and thought process. Definitely a topic the show shouldn't have broached at all if they were going to handle it so lightly and with a lack of pertinence to the actual plot.
It's a good thing I love it so damn much or I would probably be more bothered.
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SimbiAni @ MDL
November 9, 2016 at 6:48 AM
I was already frustrated at the main triangle being the most immature I've ever seen, ruining a potentially epic OT3 by reducing their chars to mere caricatures of their roles instead of keeping them sane, loyal, sensible.. but a blatant misuse of ace identity? Bringing it up only to use it for background jokes & then a "voila, it is curable after all!" reveal? NO. I am BEYOND disappointed. x__x
17 Liz C
November 5, 2016 at 11:36 PM
I'm always fascinated by what cultural / national differences are revealed by K-dramas. This week it was the relative importance of TV news weather. In the US, the weather forecast is the ratings driver for the local news. If the weather person local news or the Today Show had a sudden case of appendicitis, they would never just cut the weather. (and especially not in favor of having both anchors at the desk for the sign off.)
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toodles
November 6, 2016 at 1:32 AM
Not only that, but I can't imagine that the weather reporter would not be a full time position with decent pay and benefits. How can these Korean weather girls be only temporary workers with very little pay. Nari may not be a meteorologist but she obviously received weather related training in order to develop an accurate daily forecast. And she does an excellent job of reporting.
Here, weather reporting is a big deal and weather reporters frequently become local celebrities or even bigger.
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Ran
November 6, 2016 at 1:47 AM
I think the practice of hiring temporary employees has more to do with Korean employment practices and laws, and is prevalent in most if not all companies. OTOH, once you're hired as a full-time employee, you're practically immune to being fired (once again, due to Korean laws). That's why Korean companies hire a lot of temporary workers, and make them full-time employees only after a lot of assessment.
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18 Ohm
November 6, 2016 at 12:25 AM
Just would like to say that I really enjoyed reading the comments made by everyone and kudos to Saya for her dedication in recapping.
Looking forward to a happy finale.
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19 Gaia
November 6, 2016 at 1:26 AM
Hwashin's is one of the best character arcs I've watched in Kdrama thus far, perfectly portrayed by Jo Jung Suk. I will remember it for a long, long time. This early, a thundering applause to the cast and crew.
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20 Oshi
November 6, 2016 at 1:54 AM
Ive been holding off on any serious critique post until after the show is done. However I'm going to break the silence to mention that this episode felt a lot like the writers justifying the cancer story-line. The breast cancer from the beginning felt like an interesting way to force growth without using the usual you're going to die so you need to grow up trope.
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21 eunjae
November 6, 2016 at 1:10 AM
Hwashin is overreacting, but of course he is, he's that kind of person, all throughout and I love how that doesn't change.
But he also just found out, he needs time to digest the information. I think, when it's this sort of news - whether it's cancer or infertility, we tend to think of the worst because we don't have a definite solution, we might survive, or have kids or we might not, so it's much easier to fall into despair and think for the worst.
When they were on the stairs and Hwashin said to "What have I done to you?" he sees her completely blinded by love and forgot all reasoning - she wanted to take the blame but what after? Because one day, people will find out it was Hwashin, then what?
There's only so much protecting you can do and I wish Nari would think more of herself, be more selfish.
The people who love you will love you even if you don't always protect them, because sometimes they have to face their issues themselves.
I love how the drama is going back to the way it started, I think it was episode 2 where it ended with Hwashin shouting that he couldn't have breast cancer - because he was a man.
Now he's still questioning his masculinity but I wish that by the end of the show, he'd understand that being male is not society's idea of a male but as long as he's an upright person, doing his job confidently and taking care of his loved ones as they do with him, then that's just it really.
There's no right formula for being a man or woman, you just are. And that's perfectly alright, too.
I'll give credit to Nari's unconditional love, she literally goes all out to love somebody, it's her way of loving and it's not wrong, I just want her to be more secure in her relationship - I don't want her to feel like she HAS to give this unconditional love in order to be loved back, because Hwashin loves her regardless.
I have a feeling she did see his love, his respect for her and it was his way of telling her "thank you for everything but I'll take care of it now" when Hwashin was doing his newsreport.
It was over emotional but how can it not be?
He's telling the entire of S.Korea that he was a male breast cancer patient - the very thing he didn't even want his closest people to know.
The guy's overdramatic, but we love him all the same.
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eunjae
November 6, 2016 at 1:39 AM
I forgot to comment on the dynamics of power between Nari-Hwashin.
I do agree that he has more power in a work setting but I also think that in their personal, romantic relationship, Nari has more power - she just decides not to use it.
She could have Hwashin wrapped around her finger, if she wanted to.
She's just not that kind of person, she doesn't mind loving more and giving more because it's her way of loving. Or maybe she doesn't even have a choice in it, hence unconditional loving, she just loves, freely.
But at the same time, I do think Hwashin feels uncomfortable, maybe he's not used to someone loving him this much - even his own mum turned his back on him once, but when he came from Thailand, he also said "Only Pyo Na-ri is welcoming me back".
I do believe Nari has her own limits and boundaries; but her limits and boundaries are further than the average person's, most of us would have cut off Hwashin the moment he told us to eat our own sandwich.
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imbuk
November 6, 2016 at 5:54 AM
So true about na ri's boundaries and limits being more than the average person's.
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Quinze
November 6, 2016 at 2:50 PM
Really good points Ami!!
I think because Na Ri is so incredibly selfless in her love, we want her so badly to be with someone that won't take advantage of that. For all of HS's flaws, when it comes to the big things where she's willing to risk her job for him, he really tries to step up and do the same for her (hence the mess with Park, the helicopter incident, and now this).
Really good call back about his return from Thailand too!
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Rose
November 6, 2016 at 2:22 AM
WORD AMI! THANK YOU FOR THIS! it's so funny how when they were in the 3 way relationship many claim that NaRi is a selfish person but she is the most selfless person ever and that's what makes HS, the selfish guy fall hard for her! ;)
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adinda
November 6, 2016 at 3:28 AM
+10000
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22 pebble
November 6, 2016 at 1:20 AM
Saya, I applauded your analysis. Before I write my true thoughts here, I think I better start with a disclaimer as I don't want to be pelted with stones or rotten eggs. I do not dislike HS, I agree that he is swoon-worthy, JJS had portrayed HS so well that it is impossible to dislike him, and in this ep, it was a commendable act of HS to courageously disclose openly that he is the one suffering from breast cancer.
However, like what Saya mentioned, I still think that he was over-reacting to his infertility news and I also think that there exists a power and status disparity between NR and HS which needs to be worked on.
Firstly, the reason why NR and HS were drawn into this predicament was because of HS's arrogant and jerk-like behaviour towards Announcer Park. What goes around comes around. He provoked and infuriated Park, which led to his spiteful revenge to bring NR down by spreading news about her having breast cancer without any hesitation.
Secondly, one of the reasons why HS reacted so strongly to his infertility could be because he has always been an arrogant egoistic male, the bigger arrogance and the bigger the ego, the harder hit it would be when it got deflated. Not convinced? Ok, let's rewind back to the very first scene in the 1st ep, the way he treated a stranger in the pub in Bangkok said so much after his character. Though I agree that he has come a long way and has been transformed somewhat, but still, we are not sure if he only treated NR differently because he was in love with her? Didn't we see that he was still displaying jerk-like behaviour towards his colleagues like Hye-won and announcer Park. Though announcer Park is a jerk himself, it doesn't mean that HS had to behave like him.
Thirdly, I couldn't help wincing every time I see NR kissing up to HS. In this ep, NR herself was already feeling so dejected and worrying sick about losing her job due to the weather forecast matter and also, the possibility of announcer Park's disclosing about the cancer. Yet, she was still so concerned about HS being caught in the rain and ran after him with an umbrella. Then in the car, when she asked for a kiss, HS again gave her the cold shoulder and asked her to get out. I know, HS behaved in this way because his mind was in a turmoil, but he could have treated NR more nicely as she was also not feeling good too. The disparity in power and status between them really need to be addressed, else even if they end up together, NR would always feel anxious, insecure and inferior.
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Rose
November 6, 2016 at 2:06 AM
As much as I hated to admit it, but it's true that's there is an inequality in ShiNari relationship. It's stem from the fact that Nari has always felt inferior to Hwa Shin, idolize him from far away until it formed into a crush. The relationship is unbalance and was address in several occasion in which the Dr claim to think the Nari is in love with HS more, the mother claim that the man should always love the woman more, and biggest of all is Nari one sided crush for 3 years. And that is also the core problem of their relationship. Nari insecurity feed into her given in to HS in several occasion, she tread carefully in front of HS afraid that if things turn sour, their relationship will end, like the rainy car scene or she holding back from being pulled out of the news election. But because of that, we can see that it's Na Ri nature to give love, and HS is a taker. Her tolerance to his arrogance, sometimes self-center outlook help redeem HS and makes him become a better lover, to also become a giver. His wanting Nari to vent after the incident, always look out after her job, desire to learn about her
dreams,hobbies,likes, and finally the confessing of having cancer. I don't think HS think it's a NOBLE thing to do, but instead it's a RIGHT thing to do. He understand how much Nari had sacrifice for him to protect his name, his status, and his job out of love for him. In the end it's him that have the cancer, not her, and he learn from her, learn how to give back, and take responsibility, and give her the love that she deserve. Who loves who more is the forever ending question in a relationship that sometimes cause a lot of problems, but ShiNari relationship is much more than that, I believe in the end, like the mother claimed the man will love the woman more, and that's what makes a happy marriage. I believe Hwa Shin is walking towards that line!!! :)))))) Nari effort is paying off wonderfully!
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Mii
November 6, 2016 at 2:07 PM
Naria is a giver when she want and she is not secure about her relationship because of the three years crush she had for him but don't forget that it was her choice and hawshin never led her on. She behaved in a stuckerish kind of way that any other person would have been scared, someone coming to you and ask for your lunch (come on) the date thing but he had a change of heart once he got close to her and knew her well in a freaky way. He didn't return her feelings then and rejected her harshly but that didn't stop him from being fair then and protecting her when needed. Everyone in the serious can talk about three year crush where we know that we can't force people feelings, he couldn't love then but knew her worth and loved her when he saw her true self not the stuckerish ways.
Hawshin didn't over react for the infertility because there is a type of pride that men have and does define them as men in some measure , and the strength of sperm definitely one of them, have lower male hormones is another , thinking that is less than a man is not an outstretched.
Second he asked Nari is she really wanted kids and she confirmed his worst nightmare that she have always thought that being a mother will be a given especially she is that type of person, he can tell her and she may say that she will be happy next to him but as she grow older and see all her friends pregnant and Carrying their own kids, will she resent him , would she be really happy and satisfied I have a friend that loved his wife to death but over the years things got harder and harder and fought more and more just for that . Hawshin is smart and can't think of only today he have to think whether she can really be happy next to him.
As for the cancer he didn't want to lie about not for second she tried to speak more than once , it is his best quality inability to lie. It is not noble in his view but correcting a mistake.
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ren
November 6, 2016 at 3:10 AM
I sort of wonder whether there would the same claims of overreaction if it was a female character who had just discovered she was infertile.
But regardless I think I understand where Hwa-shin is coming from, something he thought to be fundamentally true about himself has been disproven and as a result his whole world is shaken up by it. Hwa-shin played the role of an old school hotshot journalist; lived for the news, smoked and drunk for all the times in-between. He thought he was the master of his own fate but all of a sudden breast cancer pops up, and then infertility as well; all these obstacles that are out of his control and weren't even in his periphery.
You thought you were a macho guy? Here's breast cancer. You thought you could start a family whenever you wanted to? You're infertile. You think you can drink and smoke to your heart's content? Take a step back, son.
You can't will your way out of health issues, they're just there. It's a massive blow to someone who's always been able to depend on their own capabilities and it puts everything else into question. Are you really indestructible in front of the camera? Do you really have reason to be confident in front of women? Will you actually be able to provide for Na-ri if you marry her? You already can't give her biological children.
That's all a long winded way of saying I get Hwa-shin's response, because it's not just about his infertility- it's the fact that the world as he knows it is being blown to pieces.
In regards to the sunbae-hoobae relationship, there's not really a problem with one partner taking a more dominant role if that works for the couple, though I think the power dynamic between Hwa-shin and Na-ri is actually more ambiguous than that.
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pebble
November 6, 2016 at 4:03 AM
@Ren, cheers and whistles from me. Wow, this is impressive, you've put HS's mind set into perspective so convincingly!
Also, in regard to sunbae-hoobae dynamics between HS and NR, what I found uncomfortable about the car scene is the way HS withdrew from NR so coldly, though NR had to mask her own dejected feelings in order to humour HS and try to cheer him up, but instead got snubbed and asked to get out without any inkling of what was going on in his mind. This is not a healthy communication style for a couple who just started a relationship. He still dominantly makes unilateral decision for the good of NR, and leaving NR flabbergasted.
As I said earlier, I feel weary of getting into any kind of argument. To be frank, I don't feel so passionately about this drama when compared to most of you here, so I think I better shut up and rest my case now.
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Rose
November 6, 2016 at 4:39 AM
No Pebble, I was wincing at the scence too ???
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Mii
November 6, 2016 at 2:15 PM
In the car scene he wanted to kiss her badly but he still know whether he have the right or not, he is confused and scared . He want her but don't know if he have the right to trap her with him, he think that he is now unworthy. He can't make her happy then what he can do. I will be disappointed if he kissed her and pretended that is all fine .
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 5:35 AM
???? that's awesome Ren..
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Selaine
November 7, 2016 at 5:21 AM
Interesting perspective, great comment! I too also wonder if people would think it is an overreaction if a female character reacted in the same way when she found out she was infertile.
I think Hwashin's emotional outburst at the doctor's office just shows how childish and naive he can be sometimes. It's like a kid throwing a tantrum after his/her parent denied giving what he/she wants multiple times or put forth many conditions to fulfil before he/she can eat the ice cream. "This is my last straw! Why won't you give me that ice cream!" In Hwashin's case, whatever he wants in Life, he does not get easily.
The first time round, he wanted to succeed as the 9 o clock anchor. Then, breast cancer strikes. It was big obstacle to the anchor position because he would fail the medical report.The second time round, he fell in love but the girl he likes does not come to him easily. He said Nari was the most difficult woman second only to his mom and even came so close as to giving her up. The third time round, he was prepared to live a future he never considered before and even made plans with Nari...then he found out about his infertility, a major obstacle to his family plans.
As childish as i think his outburst is, Hwashin must think that Life is unfair. But i suppose Life really is unfair, which is why there is the saying "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."
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junny
November 6, 2016 at 3:33 AM
Hwa-shin has no reason to antagonise Announcer Park on his own. Park was being an ass to Na-ri from the start, so Hwa-shin felt he had to step in for his girlfriend. While the method may not be right, I don't fault the intention. If Park had not thought Na-ri was fair game for his asshole ways, Hwa-shin would never have felt the need to step in.
I think it's pretty obvious Hwa-shin is arrogant and egoistic. The whole drama has been about stripping him of his façade so that we learn about the real Hwa-shin and the wounds he carries beneath that brusque exterior. Yes, Hwa-shin's reaction to the infertility news might be an exaggeration to the ladies among us, but who's to say that might not be a very real fear among the men who do have to grapple with that possibility? When a man's image in society is by and large built on virility and puffed up machismo? When a man's ability to sire children across the globe is played as some kind of conquering campaign and something to be proud of, but a woman who enjoys the affection of two or more men is portrayed as a slut? Egoism or not, I believe such news does profoundly shake a person's self-assessment of what he or she has come to represent and believe to be true of that personality.
The drama's misstep in this episode is not Hwa-shin's "exaggerated" response, which I feel is in line with how his character has been drawn. It is news that shakes the very core of him and he is entitled to his reaction (also, it's taken him only an episode to somewhat come to terms with it, which cannot have been easy). It is just that Dr Geum has not properly advised him of other options and possible treatments. She's out of her depth trying to calm him down, but she's surely not beyond telling him there are options available should the infertility be set in stone, and explore with him how these options may help him and Na-ri. Instead, he's allowed to drive himself nuts trying to cope with such big news alone, so soon after he's decided a family with Na-ri is what he wants to complete him in life.
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junny
November 6, 2016 at 3:34 AM
Which brings me to Na-ri. Why do you see it as Na-ri kissing up to Hwa-shin? He's her boyfriend, the man she's liked for three years and who now likes her back. They're trying to make the relationship work. There's nothing wrong with her showing love and concern for him. Also, Na-ri is more in control of her emotions than Hwa-shin, who walks around as though he's permanently under a thundercloud. She's also the more EQ-sensitive one of the two. When Hwa-shin asks if Park is harassing her, she always says no and he's got very little to go on until something big happens (like the time Park made her go to a noraebang alone). Yes, she's in fear of losing her job but that's never stopped her from doing what she thinks is the best course of action. She's not cowed by Park, but doesn't obviously think confronting him is the way to tackle him. Also, she's always wanted to appear competent in front of Hwa-shin, and going to him for every single job-related trouble is just going to make him fly off the handle and cause him to lose his job instead of hers. She understands this much better than Hwa-shin does - look at what happened the minute he knew about the breast cancer rumours and was upset that she'd let herself be maligned this way.
As for the power disparity, no relationship starts on an equal footing. Na-ri and Hwa-shin are not equals at work, but that hasn't stopped her from trying to improve herself and use it as motivation to do better, and the beauty of it is that Hwa-shin recognises her dream and works actively to protect it and help her do better. His pointers are constructive and give her much food for thought, and with time and with his rough edges softened, he can grow to become a giving, nurturing character without losing the core of what makes Hwa-shin him. Yet in their relationship, it's clear Na-ri holds the upper hand and I believe Hwa-shin recognises that - he just needs to trust his girlfriend's ability to weather the storms in her own way but still be there for her when necessary. I see this as a couple recognising the power disparity between them but trying to overcome that in their own ways and learning how to accommodate another person in their lives. And in times of crisis and low moments, I see Hwa-shin and Na-ri both actively trying to minimise the hurt the other has suffered - this speaks of how much they value the relationship and are trying to make it work.
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suegarbaby
November 6, 2016 at 4:49 AM
@junny, your comments echo my own sentiments exactly.
Would just like to add that considering Hwa Shin's own rather outlandish, fiery, showboating personality, I think I can understand why he reacted in a rather 'over-the-top' fashion. Different personalities will react differently to the same type of news. Some people are the more subdued type who tend to internalise shocking news in a quiet manner. On the other hand, there are some who react to even a mildly surprising news with big emotional reactions. I don't think it is to their discredit that such people 'over-react'. We should also give allowances for differences in personality-types.
Re: relationship dynamics
I don't believe that there is ever really true and complete equality in any relationship, simply because it is a partnership of two unique individuals. Each individual will have his/ her own strengths and weaknesses, and in an ideal partnership, the weakness of one partner would be made up by the strength of the other.
In the meantime, as two individuals with very different personality traits come together, there will always be adjustments, flexing, accommodating and lots of learning, patience and tolerance to be done.
It is this journey, this adjustment and learning period, which, for me, really makes or breaks a relationship. And I find it a bit sad that not enough rom-com dramas tend to explore this dynamic because they tend to end when the couple gets together and declare their undying love for one another, holding hands and walking into the sunset.
So I am glad that this show is showing us a glimpse of this uneven but growing relationship dynamic through Hwa Shin and Na Ri, both in their personal and professional lives.
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imbuk
November 6, 2016 at 5:40 AM
@junny and @suegarbaby
Both of you put it so well. Loved your comments.
Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 5:44 AM
@Junny, @Suegarbaby
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
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Quinze
November 6, 2016 at 2:24 PM
@junny @suegarbaby
Love your commentary!
I'm really confused as to why the prevailing view still seems to view Hwa shin so harshly. Is he a flawless human being? Absolutely not, he makes a ton of mistakes still. Why is that a bad thing, exactly?
What exactly is so wrong and vile about making mistakes? Does that mean automatically that he loves NR less? Why do we assume NR is incapable of handling his rebuff? She's not fragile or made of glass. She showed us that last week quite vividly. Don't mistake her quiet in the face of his anger as an example of abuse or an example of a lesser woman. The balance between some relationships swings back and forth quite a bit. Last episode it was Hwa shin on uneven ground unsure whether or not NR wanted to marry him. Her aloofness the last week and the last episode is similar to HS' distance this episode. They both do the same thing except HS is loud and NR is quiet.
Honestly, I have worked in enough OBGYN offices to know that infertility is NOT an easy topic to accept for couples. This coming from someone completely indifferent about having my own kids. It's extremely hard for women to accept the reality of being unable to have kids. Should we think lesser of HS because he's a man? Is his desire to have kids with NR any less valid? Couples will spend thousands of dollars and years of their time going through everything from repeated testing to repeated IVF to have their own biological children. Yes, there are options but not everyone sees it that way either. Plus, it's a weird time to bring that up since that has no relevance to his current state of being. He didn't come to consult about having kids this minute so Dr. Geum has no reason to give him that spiel. He's here to receive news of his current results so it wouldn't have been a thing to bring up. I don't think Dr. Geum was wrong to suggest a psychiatrist for him either because he just got through treatment and now he has this issue of infertility. Outside of consulting a urologist for the medical concerns, a psychiatrist could help him deal with the mental concerns.
Were he to have been upset and depressed about it for 2-3 episodes, I'd get the eye rolling but honestly he found out last episode and by the end of this one he's already confessing to the world that he has breast cancer. I'd say he's moving at a pretty good pace tbh.
And I'd think less of anyone that didn't react in the strong negatives to An. Park. He's a literal certified asshole (Yes I meant literal ) and somehow HS is the bad guy for beating the crap out of him. I don't even agree with HS' behavior fully but does anyone naively think Park wouldn't have spread that rumor about NR if he hadn't gotten beaten up? Really?? He looked at HS like he was a wimp for going with NR to her appointments. That's the kind of guy we're talking about here...
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newbie
November 7, 2016 at 12:27 AM
+1
<3
Lelly19
November 7, 2016 at 7:13 AM
Yes and yes!!! :D
I completely agree with everything you said!!! Love it!
Chandler
November 7, 2016 at 6:02 PM
"The balance between some relationships swings back and forth quite a bit. "
+100 to this!
pompom10
November 6, 2016 at 8:23 AM
I agree about Dr. Geum. I wish she had offered more professional advice as much as she offered personal consolation. I mean there are many methods to help people to have children even if the success rate depends on luck and physical condition of the parents. I agreed with her when she suggest HS to see psychiatrist/psychologist, though. I think he at least need help from professional outsider if he's not ready to share his condition with his loved ones, yet.
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imbuk
November 6, 2016 at 4:11 AM
Your comments always bring a new perspective to the table, pebble. :)
First, if we are considering this as a cycle, then it was announcer park who started it belittling na ri at every oppurtunity he got, we can argue that hwa shin could have been the bigger person but we all know he is not that. Also, it involved na ri and we all have seen several instances where he protects her, so he wouldn't have been able to let this go.
Second, agree hwa shin is egoistic. Agree that is also a major reason in why this infertility is a huge blow to him. But if what he did is over reaction or strong reaction, then what is supposed to be a normal reaction? He just proposed to the woman he loves the previous day which included kids, the next day he finds he is infertile, how is he supposed to react? I admit I wanted him to tell na ri about this throughout the episode. But, then I realized that since he feels that being infertile is making him question his identity as a man, it means he is ashamed about it. If I am ashamed about myself in regard to something, I ll make sure no one else knows about it until I can accept it myself and feel its nothing to be ashamed of. I Think he is in that stage too.
Third, I think na ri is inherently like that. She isn't kissing up to him. I think in all her relationships, she cares about the other person more and shows it openly. I think she does this with her mother, brother and now hwa shin.
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Y
November 6, 2016 at 9:50 AM
I don't feel like NR is kissing up to him at all actually. It's NR longing for some ski ship with HS and what's wrong with that? It's NR being comfortable in her skin and expressing her feeling and I think the action of both NR and HS seem realistic. NR definitely has more power in this relationship than HS now. She has not given definitive answer to HS proposal twice and she has not answered also HS question whether she can live without him...if only NR is more decisive and straightforward, they won't have as many angst either right now...
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redsonola
November 6, 2016 at 6:13 PM
RE: power differential.
I agree that a power differential exists between NR & HS and that is problematic. However, I notice this is true for the __vast__ majority of kdramas. It, I think, actually less than in others ('Oh My Ghostness', 'Pasta', 'Master's Sun', 'You're Beautiful', 'Goho's Starry Night', almost every single one where the dude is a rich chaebol and the woman is some variation of a Candy and on and on). HS, at least, isn't her boss, isn't in control of hiring decisions, and I doubt that he would really be the one with the authority to make the final decision if she went on air or not.. Yes, he his say would carry a lot of weight, but I'd argue in terms of power, he & NR are actually on more equal ground than her & JW, since JW's socio-economic position is soo much greater. You could see it in how JW could offer his apt. and then had more control over living space, etc. and how he tried to get her to accept his credit card, explicitly so he knew what she spent on. The partner with the most money does often seem to have more power, IRL, esp. in making certain types of decisions that I've seen, even in loving couples, etc. (sociological research tends to support this as well) I don't see the point in pretending that isn't the case. Of course, being in the field, even w/o a power differential carries its own set of problems.
I think the difference in JI is that they actually address how the power differential would problematic in IRL -- to their credit. It shows that they are actually taking her career equally seriously as the dude's... rather than a lot of kdramas, actually.. I mean, IRL, people do have to navigate this terrain... why should there be easy answers? There aren't. Sometimes, you're always negotiating things like that. That's life. I personally believe that HS being completely honest, even harsh etc. AND everyone at the station will help her in this situation. The alternative is that her colleagues think that he gives her breaks/is being nepotistic... which grow to be a much bigger problem than HS not being sensitive to her emotions in the workplace.
RE: infertility
I find it hard to judge anyone for their immediate emotional reactions to such news. When I watched it, I immediately thought that he was reacting as anyone would who grew up with Confucianism and its values... But I agree with others about why he was upset bc of NR & his hopes as well... Plus, given the society that he grows up in, I can understand that it would also be a blow to his identity... I know very non-sexist, etc. guys who explained to me how pressured they felt to be 'strong' etc. & how they felt they were ugly, weak, or whatever (they weren't at all) bc they weren't typically muscular, etc.
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23 eunjae
November 6, 2016 at 1:26 AM
"I dream of a country where minorities can be happy"
Does he even realize how handsome, hot and sexy he was, standing there and laying everything on the table?
Jo Jung Seok, what are you doing to us???
The look of relief when he was done and him looking at Nari crying, giving her a slight nod to tell her it's okay, man this show has me in chains.
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ahsaem
November 6, 2016 at 1:37 AM
When we talk about Jo jung seok we sound really crazy(for him) Haha
It hurts my heart to think we won't have him on our screens after a week.
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eunjae
November 6, 2016 at 3:12 AM
Omg so true, wish this could go on forever ?
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24 vijaya
November 6, 2016 at 2:16 AM
I don't cry easily and didn't cried at the end of the episode but that melancholic feeling....that is not gona go until I see the happy ending. This is the drama that I almost saw all the episodes as raw first... and understood most of it. Is all the actors are really great or my koren understanding is getting better... sure, actors are great. Wednesdays and Thursdays will not be same again.
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25 pompom10
November 6, 2016 at 2:20 AM
The expression and the tone when HS told NR, they can't have kids, was so heartbreaking. Kudos to JJS!
I live in a country where infertility is considered really big problem and having your own biological kids is still considered the ideal (if not only) option, at least for the older generation.
For example: My former math teacher was still trying to have his own child by going to many different doctors and trying various methods without success, even after more than 25 years of childless marriage. One of my family member choose to have her own baby rather than to adopt, even when the doctor already warn her that her baby will be most likely handicapped. The other family member adopt her son, and in family gathering it's always painful for watch how the elders treat him like outsider. etc.
I won't say whether this mindset is wrong or right. It certainly doesn't match my point of view. But I can understand why some people think this way. Therefore, I found HS reaction quite realistic (especially for macho guy like him, who finally realised his desire to have family and make NR happy).
I was shaking my head and sobbing like NR when HS presented the news. At the end of the news, I felt proud of him. What a brave thing to do. Not only he saved NR from the rumor, he also finally accept that for man to have breast cancer is not something to be ashamed of. This news will surely raise ppl awareness and it's a good thing.
I remember once in my local TV, a man and his wife came up to a talk show and bravely admit he was a breast cancer survivor. He shared his struggle. He told ppl that it is possible for a man to have breast cancer and he was proud to win the battle. I admired that man and his wife who helped him get through it.
Lastly, please Hwashin, don't go to Kenya!
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26 suegarbaby
November 6, 2016 at 3:24 AM
I'm not sure if anybody has noticed or observed this, but I, for one, have been increasingly and pleasantly surprised by Hwa Shin's mom as the series progresses.
She started off as a bit of a caricature drama-mom, but as the story unfolds, we understand why she has been so bitter against Hwa Shin at the start (for precipitating Hwa Shin's brother's spectacular downfall and breakup of his family).
Then she discovers Hwa Shin's breast cancer and wow, what a turnaround. And a pretty amazing one, at that. Maternal love to the fore!
She tells Hwa Shin to live his life the way he wants it, and to the fullest.
She actively takes care of him, visiting him and cooking good food for him.
She initiates family reconciliation by informing Ppal Gang about Hwa Shin's cancer and asking Ppal Gang to forgive her uncle.
She worries about Hwa Shin's being alone, and so encourages him to find a suitable life partner.
She has no preferences or preconceived notions of who and what makes a good partner for Hwa Shin. As long as Hwa Shin likes and loves her, that's enough of a recommendation for her. (And can I say a huge WOW to this because this is like, unprecedented and rather unusual, even. Most moms tend to be quite myopic when it comes to their sons and in most cases, nobody is ever really good enough for them (I am sure most daughter-in-laws can attest to this)).
She actually comes out and says that it is better for the man of the pair to be the one who loves the most. And that if Hwa Shin had done something wrong to his girlfriend, that he should beg for her forgiveness and treat her well.
Can I just say that such an open-minded mom such as Hwa Shin's is quite exceptional and someone to be appreciated? Mother-in-law vs daughter-in-law dynamics are always some of the most fraught dynamics in a marriage so to have a mom actually believe and give voice to such sentiments is truly quite outstanding.
Contrast this with Jung Won's mom (who, unfortunately, is too myopic to even care about her own son's happiness until her hand has been forced, what more about her own daughter-in-law), and I hope we can give a minute to appreciate what a treasure in a mother Hwa Shin has got!
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junny
November 6, 2016 at 3:42 AM
Yes, I've liked how Hwa-shin's mum evolved, and I believe learning about Hwa-shin's breast cancer has really helped her realise certain things and be more supportive of her son. In this episode, I love her moment with Na-ri and how pleased Na-ri is that Hwa-shin's mum likes her cooking. I hope they get to bond real soon, and I would dearly love a scene where Hwa-shin's mum, Na-ri, Sung-sook and Ja-young sit around for supper and drinks and chat about the Lee boys in their lives, hehe.
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ren
November 6, 2016 at 3:54 AM
Hwa-shin's mum completely won me over when she said it was good for the guy to like the girl more in a relationship, her mandarin throwing skills are pretty tight as well. Who is this mythical Asian mother-in-law?
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suegarbaby
November 6, 2016 at 4:53 AM
LOL. I know, right? Hwa Shin's mom is almost too good to be true. I'm sure there must be some of them out there, but honestly, I've yet to really come across one. Moms tend to side with their sons as opposed to their daugthers-in-law, not that I blame them at all - I can understand why.
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Quinze
November 6, 2016 at 2:54 PM
Lol she's cool without effort man. The chill mom we all wish we had who'll call her own dumbass son out on his rudeness and just roll her eyes when he acts like a brat. She'll still buy that fish though because she is a mom and she loves her bratty but well-meaning son.
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imbuk
November 6, 2016 at 5:50 AM
Hwa shin's mom is wonderful. I would never forget the way she cried when she got to know hwa shin has cancer and called him his baby once around ppal gang's moms and hwa shin's reaction to being called a baby.
Also when she told hwa shin likes his food bland, I realized why once he kept telling na ri's food as salty, lol (When nari cooked for jung won's birthday).
@junny
I would love to see the scenario you mentioned since I really enjoyed the moms and na ri's drinking scene together.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 6:04 AM
?? meaning the kinchi last time was salty, too
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 5:53 AM
Very eloquent @Suegarbaby, @Junny, @Ren
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Chandler
November 6, 2016 at 6:55 AM
Thanks for bringing this up, suegarbaby!
The relationship between Hwa-shin and his mom has actually snuck up on me to become one of my favorites in the show. Often, it didn't even do this with any big moments between them (aside from the cancer discovery), but by simply slipping in little scenes like you mentioned in the episodes that followed. Like, in episode 15, when he's reading the newspaper, responding yes, yes, yes over and over to her endless queries, it just felt like their mother-son relationship was SO true to life. They both show their love in that very gruff, reluctant sort of way, but always come through for each other nonetheless.
I feel like this relationship has had some of the most consistent attention over the course of the series. It's actually surprising when I consider other relationships and side-characters that I expected to get more development.
Anyway, I completely agree that the Mom has been a delight recently, especially with her assertion that a girl only need to like Hwa-shin in order to deserve him AND doesn't even need to like him more than he likes her! Haha, I think it helps that she knows just how difficult he can be, but these last few episodes have definitely proved just how precious he really is to her.
She clearly thinks very highly of his work accomplishments, even though some of his choices have brought her disappointment. But I love that she doesn't see her son with rose-colored glasses and calls him out on his BS whenever she witnesses it. She still wants him to be happy with whatever path he chooses, but won't let him get away with making choices that will lead him down a lonesome path of despair anymore. Which, really, is just the right amount of power a mother should be exerting over her son's life. I love her so much, I really do.
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Quinze
November 6, 2016 at 2:31 PM
Right? Mom knows how much of a pain HS is! She'd just be grateful for any woman willing to marry him. I would have loved to see how she'd treat NR after marriage. She'll probably take her side more than HS's.
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suegarbaby
November 6, 2016 at 4:34 PM
Yup, Hwa Shin's mom certainly is proud of his work these days. Even though she was supposed to be out buying fish and cooking dinner for Hwa Shin, she obviously decided to watch Hwa Shin's segment on tv despite it. And what a touching scene it was to see her tearing up at Hwa Shin's investigative report, now knowing the full extent of her son's suffering and pain which he had to go through without her knowledge or support.
I am sure that once she finds out about Na Ri being the person who identified Hwa Shin's cancer at an early stage, and who has been the person who has been giving Hwa Shin support, encouragement and care during his cancer treatment, she will adore Na Ri all the more! That mother-in-law & future daughter-in-law team will be formidable! Hwa Shin may not stand a chance, lol!
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risa
November 7, 2016 at 12:49 AM
That's exactly what I was thinking! Na-ri won't be treated as her daughter-in-law, but as her son's saviour. I want to see a glimpse of that 'cause Na-ri's not gonna know what hit her.
There have already been a lot of great points made about what a refreshing character Hwa-shin's mother is-- I just want to add that I really enjoy seeing a softer side to the actress, Park Jung Soo. I've seen her in tons of dramas, and it seems like she nearly always plays ranting, overbearing characters. When she displayed so much vulnerability and raw emotion in that scene where she was bereft about HS's diagnosis, I felt like I was seeing the actress with her mask off for the first time. That was such a powerful performance-- I'm gonna see her in a different light from now on.
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Chandler
November 7, 2016 at 5:59 PM
Ya know, I was just thinking the other day that I had never seen the actress before in any mom role...but now I'm wondering whether it's just that she's so different here that I'm not connecting her with her past roles. She really does shine in this drama with those little moments of vulnerability. I think she met the perfect character for herself because Mama Lee still rants, but often she actually has really awesome points to make-- things Hwa-shin most definitely needs to hear.
She's become one of my favorite moms of the year, along with Kim Mi-kyung's Mama Oh from OHYA.
Quinze
November 6, 2016 at 2:28 PM
Same! I love HS's mom so much. And I started this drama being really annoyed with her. Especially at the funeral where she beat the crap out of HS!
But yes, I really appreciated how sweet and understanding and forward-thinking she's been.
Yay for Mama Lee.
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27 miroufleur
November 6, 2016 at 4:34 AM
Oh HwaShin AH...You are a brave man with a beautiful soul ! I cried so hard when he revealed his illness to the whole world...JJS is killing this role...his tone and facial expressions are on point !! I'm so curious to know how this drama will end next week.
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28 Janecole
November 6, 2016 at 4:49 AM
Tq saya
Sriptwriter still dissecting JW character to the point of torturing his character with her style of writing to the point of coming out with ridiculous behaviour and words that is beyond amending to be a good person.
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Janecole
November 6, 2016 at 4:54 AM
As usual all of HS reports must be very dramatic that other anchors do not have the chance to present their research on issues pertaing to everyday life in SK.
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junny
November 6, 2016 at 6:05 AM
Not every anchor is also a working journalist, and anchors these days have other roles than to read the news and go out in the field. Pretty sure if the drama was about Sung-sook, we'd see her presenting more than any other member of the newsroom.
Also, at least the newsroom folk are doing real work. It's debatable if Jung-won has been doing any since being dumped by Na-ri.
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Janecole
November 6, 2016 at 8:17 PM
They were not given a chance to do it and it must alway be HS althuogh I an sure if youre not qualified PERSON than you should not be working in that station.
JW is A business man and i like all the clothes he sponsors. It is better than the last to episodes he meet better friends like what ja young had said.
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junny
November 7, 2016 at 2:31 AM
After the crap Jung-won has given Hwa-shin in the last few episodes, I believe Hwa-shin needs a better friend too.
Mui
November 6, 2016 at 2:38 PM
JW is believed in his perfection and worked hard for his image but he is pity. This is not new, when he found out about Hawshin feelings he couldn't leave it and kept on fighting him. Then he had to keep on checking if they were together. Now that he lost he can't accept and putting his best friend (only) down in unacceptable.
He doesn't know how to be good friend and believe that giving material things can make up for it .
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29 Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 6:00 AM
THANK YOU SAYA, IT WAS A GREAT GREAT GREAT RECAP!!!!!!
(finally i reach the bottom, lol)
I really like your interpretation. May be because i am my self lacking of experience to appraise things out there.
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30 goldeng
November 6, 2016 at 6:47 AM
I loved the report...! He might not be revealing the whole truth about his condition but he took a burden off his shoulders that would sooner or later eat him up... Now only the infertility secret remains and Im more than sure he came to terms with that. Its refreshing how the things Dr. Geum and Nari told him not to do -like smoking or drinking- which he pretty much did imo to be his manly self are quoted as the culprits of his infertility. Its like a boomerang! Same with the violence he showed with bitchy Announcer Park that came back to him in the form of the breast cancer news.
Im sad about JW... hes now there to decorate the drama with no growth or direction... He wasnt the most exciting being on Earth but looks like hes a zombie or something. Hyewon too, she suddenly vanished! Wth? Not cool show!
Im a bit nervous about the year in Kenya thing.. would he repeat the same actions that lead to the world hating him and losing precious time with his brother but this time with Nari? Show, dont make me feel we've been through 20+ eps. To have more of the same!!!
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pompom10
November 6, 2016 at 8:45 AM
I also share the same sentiment about some side characters being swept under the rug in these latest episodes. Their story always get balance portion in previous episodes. Maybe the writer want to give the full attention to the main couple. Or maybe he/she get lazy to build the side stories. Or maybe not enough time to explore them. LOL who knows.
I am not bothered HW got fewer air time although she's awesome. She somewhat already got her closure with HS when she got drunk and ask HS whether there's change in HS heart after their kiss or not (to which HS said no). Although some scene showed that she's still rather bitter with NR.
JW also could be written better than showing his emo/petty/grieving/denial state too long. He was pretty awesome character when he was affectionate and supportive to HS back then.
I think it's a pity Palgang's relationship with the boys and HS wasn't really given time to grow/evolve. I suspect, this was because of some criticism from netizens who didn't really like Palgang character and actress.Or maybe this will be brought up later when the voice phishing get revealed to HS.
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31 kumoiwa
November 6, 2016 at 7:36 AM
We get to see noble idiocy a lot, but JI just has to turn the usual drama tropes on their heads, eh? I cried quite badly during Hwa-shin's closing statement, not because I found it sad or miserable, but because I realised how far Hwa-shin was willing to go to save Na-ri's job. It's just like how she was willing to bear all the rumours and scandals for him because she loved him. That's nobility in its purest form.
And it shows us how far Hwa-shin has come, really. His self-centeredness, like @Yoyo has pointed out, has always been an integral part of his personality. But now, despite the terrible pummeling Life has been doling out to him, Hwa-shin has changed. He has redeemed himself, he has moved the centre of his universe beyond his one person, and Na-ri is squarely in his orbit now. It's such a great way to see Hwa-shin's character growth, and whilst some may dismiss his report as too dramatic, I found it convincing and heartrending.
Also, what a contrast to when he reported on his brother--nobody understood him then and virtually everyone saw him as a villain. But now Na-ri stands in the studio, openly crying for him and understanding the gravity of what he's done for her. I love, love, love that they understand each other, and that Hwa-shin has Na-ri, and that Na-ri has Hwa-shin. Special mention to Mum, who has been the most supportive mother ever since she found out about Hwa-shin's cancer. I appreciated that her ideal daughter-in-law was simply a woman that Hwa-shin loved, because why else would he be happy in his marriage otherwise?
JI has been spectacular, and I really need it to end on a good note. I have faith in you, writers! Please don't disappoint.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 8:34 PM
Love love love it kumoiwa..
Only through movies, I guess, I know how love is fully described so beautifully. In real life people work harder to recognize the real love.
However, recently I can appreciate my parents love much better now. They are sometimes very abusive with their power to the children, meaning everything should be in accordance with their way but in another day they are the most self sacrifice people. Just if you look more closely. Haha..
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32 dani2000
November 6, 2016 at 8:52 AM
Oh, Hwasin you break my heart once again.
This is the ultimate sacrifice Hwasin could ever make. The last scene was so powerful because it was the very thing he was trying to deny existence of and for him to come full circle and see eye to eye is so damn powerful. I agree with YoYo that this is the way to be noble because it sets them both free from their shackles. The producers have been killing it with these last few episodes, I'm just as confused with the chef's storyline but to be honest, I was more invested in our main couple so I don't mind these slip ups. On the topic of Hwasin overreacting to the news of infertility, I don't think he was overreacting, I mean the dude just barely got over his cancer and got hit with, "your sperm bank is empty" that's a very hard pill to swallow. I think what hits him the hardest is that he's allowing himself to relax and actually want things but the minute he does that, it gets yanked away from him. For us as an audience, it's overreacting but for Hwasin (people in real life too) it's a very real thing that breaks everything you've ever known. There are options but some people just feel heartbroken that they can't procreate the natural way.
I trust the writers to make the end satisfying and poignant because they've done an amazing job throughout this entire show. Jealousy Incarnate has a special place, for not only being a fantastic show but creating unique characters. I think I'll cry out the pacific ocean when this show ends.
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33 Quinze
November 6, 2016 at 10:03 AM
I've actually seen news reports like this where they take an illness that affects a small group of people and blow it up to show how terrible it is and what people go through, etc so I didn't actually find it too far out of left field. Maybe the confession heightened it even more but aside from that it was pretty tame imo.
But I really liked watching HS go through stages of his grief in front of us from denial to bargaining to anger to acceptance. I loved how he stepped up to show the truth but not just for the news crew but for the world. It's such a great way to do it. Using your platform to inform others and garner awareness and acceptance for it.
Mom's been super sweet this week from her excitement over meeting HS's GF to sharing lunch with NR to her tears at his confession.
And I love love love Dr. Geum and her support for HS. She's gone from rolling her eyes at him to caring enough to accompany him to the urologist when he was alone. I actually though she was right in that HS might need a psychiatrist or at least a therapist because it's been a lot for him to take in. But his reluctance is true to life where honestly one medical problem feels like it's blown up to 10 other issues.
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34 Anne
November 6, 2016 at 10:41 AM
Am I the only person who heard that Hwa Shin was infertile and thought that the drama should end with Hwa Shin and Na Ri getting married and Jung Won being their sperm donor?
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junny
November 6, 2016 at 1:33 PM
I'm sorry, but that's just gross.
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Quinze
November 6, 2016 at 2:44 PM
Why would that ever be a good idea??
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35 Y
November 6, 2016 at 1:47 PM
Even if they need a sperm donor, it should not come from JW because JW will forever becomes a sticky point.
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36 suegarbaby
November 6, 2016 at 4:13 PM
I actually made a few long posts about my take on Jung Won in the previous recap thread but as I posted them very late, I'm not sure if many JI Beanies saw it. I'd like to re-post them here because I'd like to offer a different perspective of Jung Won to some Beanies, for your consideration, especially as poor Jung Won has been getting some flak lately (apologies if you've already read it!).
Re: Jung Won's friendship with Hwa Shin
Although it is clear that the boys are good friends to each other, the show has taken pains to indicate that they don’t always know everything about one another.
I get the impression that on Jung Won’s side, he tries to be the person who supports Hwa Shin even though he may not necessarily approve or agree with Hwa Shin’s actions e.g. the beef scandal.
It is also quite telling that Jung Won said that he and Hwa Shin had never fought before – I’m sure both of the them may have differing opinions on issues but they just choose not to air them in front of the other, and to try and accept the other’s individuality and decisions. This probably leads to personal inferences and ideas which are not corrected, and can easily result in misunderstandings about a person’s character and preferences because by not talking it out, they lose the other’s perspective and rationale behind their decisions.
So, it seems to me that their friendship is not so much based on their understanding of one another, but more on their forbearance, tolerance and acceptance of each other, faults and all.
Hwa Shin seems to have a better grip or understanding of Jung Won though – seen in several instances where he knows Jung Won’s detailed food preferences and also his general personality and behavioural quirks. But then, Hwa Shin is a very sharp and observant guy – that reporter mind-set coupled with his natural intelligence makes for a strong combo.
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suegarbaby
November 6, 2016 at 4:14 PM
Also, I’m not sure if Jung Won being tolerant, accepting and not asking questions necessarily makes him a bad friend. I guess this depends largely on Hwa Shin to decide that.
Some people might want friends whom they can discuss stuff and obtain advice, or someone who will call them out and challenge them if they think they’re doing something wrong. But some people might not appreciate that sort of personality or attitude in amongst their friends.
Some people may actually want a friend who simply accepts them for who they are without question.
This may be true for Hwa Shin whom, when we first met him in the earliest episodes, was not the nicest of people to hang around with. Hwa Shin’s abrupt, blunt, bordering on abrasive attitude may rub a lot of people the wrong way, or he may have had more than his fair share of criticisms on his character, that Jung Won’s quiet acceptance might actually be a breath of fresh air for him.
I think Hwa Shin’s mistake was in thinking that Jung Won’s quiet, non-questioning stance signalled or implied that Jung Won understood Hwa Shin’s heart and motives, which, unfortunately, was not the case.
As for Jung Won… I personally would like to give him a bit more credit on being Hwa Shin’s friend. He certainly cares for Hwa Shin and is happy to sometimes be inconvenienced by Hwa Shin just to keep up the friendship. I mean, his flying all the way to Bangkok on economy class just to meet Hwa Shin for coffee and tom yum; and him going to see Hwa Shin in the SBC men’s dorms and sharing that cramped bunk bed with Hwa Shin because he knew Hwa Shin was probably hurting from the death of his elder brother and from being thrown out of the house by his mother, are just a few instances of Jung Won’s caring heart towards his friend. He also wants Hwa Shin to have all the best clothes from his company, above everyone else, regardless of whether that is the best or most profitable move.
I also liked how Jung Won used to be calm and unfazed whenever Hwa Shin started shouting or throwing tantrums. Most people including Na Ri would find Hwa Shin in that state to be intimidating and off-putting. But Jung Won’s calm, accepting handling of such outbursts appeared to come from a certain confident knowledge that they were dear friends and so there was no need to be afraid.
Jung Won, prior to jealousy and uncertainty colouring him ugly, did seem to me to be a friend Hwa Shin needed and treasured. And if that was good enough for Hwa Shin, that’s good enough for me.
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imbuk
November 6, 2016 at 9:42 PM
Your take on how hwa shin and jung won were best friends before the two timing thing, despite jung won not understanding much about hwa shin was on point, suegarbaby. Thank you for doing these analysis. I enjoy reading them. :)
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SimbiAni @ MDL
November 9, 2016 at 7:09 AM
Well-put essay on JW/HS.. I think I'm gonna pretend the end was when JW said to HS, "Come live with me, I'll be your ~wife.." ^-^ during that precious backhug in the beginning.. lol. #myheart
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suegarbaby
November 6, 2016 at 4:16 PM
Re: Jung Won’s presumptuous and presumably selfish attitude regarding Na Ri
I’m not in any way condoning Jung Won’s narrow presumption that Na Ri would be fine and happy following him wherever he goes, but I’d like to offer a perspective in his defence.
The show has not really given us too much insight on Jung Won’s treatment of his girlfriends except via Soo Yeong’s short summary. But from that account, Jung Won seemed to be a considerate, chivalrous boyfriend – hardly bad boyfriend material. As to why he didn’t notice that Soo Yeong preferred Hwa Shin, well, to be honest, he didn’t even know she was two-timing them. Even Hwa Shin, who tends to be quite sharp and observant about things, did not have a clue so Soo Yeong must have been pretty darn adept at her two-timing business.
The only other significant female in Jung Won’s life is his mother. And that, I think, should itself explain why Jung Won reacts and behaves the way he does when it comes to serious girlfriends. His mom clearly suffered and is deeply hurt by Jung Won’s father’s persistent and prolonged absence. Jung Won personally witnessed and has to deal with his mother’s unhappiness frequently for many years.
We, ourselves, often behave and apply or project our judgements/ assumptions on other people using the lens of our own experience, so is it any surprise that Jung Won also does the same?
He has seen how his mother hates the loneliness and the absence of her husband, and how badly it affects her, so I can easily understand why Jung Won would jump to the conclusion that his wife’s primary happiness depends on his being able to be present with her. And so it follows that if his business and his work requires him to be away from the country for prolonged periods of time like his dad, Jung Won’s assumption from his seeing his mother is that his future wife would prefer to follow him and be with him, than do without.
So, in such a light, I hope we can cut Jung Won a bit of slack for his presumptuous attitude in assuming that Na Ri would happily give up her job and just follow him wherever. While perhaps a part of that could stem from an inner selfishness to want her near him always, I’d like to think that a large part of it was also out of a mistaken assumption that she would also prefer to be with him the way his own mother did for his father, and so also shows some level of consideration and care, however misplaced or mistaken it is.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 6:35 PM
Great thought suegarbaby. ?
I find it is true that we perceive the world based on previous experience s. Actually, i ve never really dislike JW or HS or NR characters though i sometimes disregard their choices. For me, JW character really makes sense in my reality.
I think, anoher msg is that people dont stay the same, including about previous dreams. People are evaluating things and make up their mind. HS no longer regards his job is more important than NR's future employment. NR has acted the same long before. Clearly, both are ready to give up what they once considered important for what they view later as more important.
JW is probably taking his change soon. He has inner conflicts as much as other people which are off screen.He is being crazy might be taking longer than HSs.
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Y
November 6, 2016 at 6:44 PM
Yes, hoping that JW would be able to support HS & NR at the end. Sorry JW, it sucks but hopefully you will grow from this experience also!
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 9:31 PM
Cant wait hihi..
Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 6:48 PM
If NR ever give up her job for another newer dream, why not. Working is probably just one of the modes of best achievement. Personally, taking care your family to the fullest is the most beautiful expression of loving too. A friend recently gave up her bright career to nursing her family. She has new perspective of living her life after loosing a baby.
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suegarbaby
November 8, 2016 at 5:37 AM
Yes, people do and will change as times goes by because we are increasingly shaped by our experiences and circumstances. And hopefully through our broader and wide-ranging experience, we will be able to better connect and understand others.
I hope that Jung Won, who is clearly experiencing a lot of 'first's here, will be able to take those difficult but important experiences and allow it to shape him into a better person, and that we can see some of that being fleshed out in the last 2 episodes of this drama.
I know that some of Jung Wons' attitudes and actions have not sat well with a lot of viewers lately, but we, ourselves, don't always react with maturity and with perfection when faced with new, trying and uncertain circumstances.
I don't mind the drama showing us ugly sides of people, provided the drama also shows us how they learn and grow from it. And I'm hoping this show will be able to do that Jung Won soon.
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Amelyia
November 6, 2016 at 8:02 PM
What you are writing here gives me a lot of thoughts.
Gold, suegarbaby..:-) :-) :-)
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37 kdramatic
November 6, 2016 at 10:08 PM
Oh how I wish HW/JJS will sing an OST for us!
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38 pompom10
November 7, 2016 at 3:06 AM
And the preview for next episodes is out. Prepare for tears and heartbreak!
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39 Selaine
November 7, 2016 at 5:42 AM
Am i the only one who thought of Chandler and Monica when Hwashin knew of his infertility?
Nari always said that she can't trust Hwashin's feelings and Hwashin said before he's scared Nari will change her mind. This episode clearly shows that Hwashin does love Nari without a doubt and would go so far as to endure humiliation in order to protect her. I think Hwashin's infertility problem will put Nari's love for Hwashin to the test. Will she stay with him even when he can't promise her children?
Coming from an Asian country myself, i know adoption is not a big thing in Asia, so I am not expecting Hwashin and Nari to do like what Chandler and Monica did. Regardless, I am sure Hwashin and Nari will have their own happy ending:D
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40 Unellie
November 7, 2016 at 12:11 PM
It's interesting how every drama has some message from the government that it is trying to introduce to society, whether it is destigmatizing mental illness or guilting grown children not to abandon their parents. This one the message is stop discriminating against men with breast cancer, don't be afraid, don't hide, etc etc.
Although I was thinking the whole time in the hospital, that's ridiculous, there is no way they wouldn't have a different color gown for him to wear and no way would they make a man and a woman share the same room, that's unrealistic. I would guess the reality is that most men are able to hide in the hospital and not be labeled as a breast cancer patient but they had to make it over the top embarrassing to get the point across.
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41 newbie
November 7, 2016 at 11:25 PM
The producers wants the fans to answer a demand survey for the BluRay/DVD.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMiLJhDBUWP/?taken-by=jealousyincarnate_sbs
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42 suegarbaby
November 8, 2016 at 4:17 AM
Some kind soul did a compilation video of Lee Hwa Shin's dance's moves on Jealousy Incarnate. It made my day so thought I'd share it here, if you have not already seen it!
https://youtu.be/qE4ZC2iXLYs
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Chandler
November 8, 2016 at 4:27 AM
Haha, I saw this too! It feels like I've just been waiting for this video to be made! It was only a matter of time.
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suegarbaby
November 8, 2016 at 4:59 AM
<3
I like the song used for the dance compilation! And Jo Jung Suk is just killing it with his dancing! So much love for JJS - such a talented man!
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43 Y
November 8, 2016 at 11:12 AM
I love the dance moves - making me wanting to rewatch the movies again!! Ahhhh I hope it's a happy and good ending this week for all the main characters and I will rewatch the movies again in thanksgiving break :)
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44 Jene
July 5, 2018 at 1:58 AM
What is the title of the song in episode 21?
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