Radio Romance: Episode 13

by LollyPip

It’s an awful rule of life that often, just as things seem like they’re working out, something will happen to bring it all crashing down. Su-ho and Geu-rim have fought hard to get where they are, both personally and professionally, but those who are working against them aren’t ready to give up yet.

 
EPISODE 13 RECAP

PD Lee stops Geu-rim from getting into Su-ho’s car, and when Su-ho objects, PD Lee claims it’s about work. Su-ho looks ready to argue, but Geu-rim asks him to wait for her in the car.

In the stairwell, PD Lee gives Geu-rim the saddest look. He remembers sitting here with her years ago while she sobbed, upset that she was scolded for being a bad writer. She’d yelled at him for always following her around and teasing her, and he’d giggled that he just thinks she’s cute.

After he’d gotten in trouble, they’d also talked together here. Geu-rim asked why he hit that DJ, and PD Lee said that he was tired of watching the DJ acting offensively towards her. He’d told her to just work on her writing while he was gone, promising to make her the main writer on his new show when he returned.

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Am I too late?

In the present, he says that he was going to wait until she became a writer, but that it’s not easy. Geu-rim asks what he means, and he says, “I wanted you to notice me. I was standing by to look mature, but it was a bad decision.”

She’s still confused, and he huffs that he can’t believe he likes someone so clueless, and asks if it’s too late. He looks so vulnerable as he admits that this will probably make things harder on her, “But it’s not easy for me to see you walk away holding someone else’s hand.”

He says he didn’t want to pressure her, but that while he was waiting for her to see him, Su-ho happened. Geu-rim goes back to Su-ho and says that she has something she needs to do, and that she’ll tell him about it later.

Up in the studio, PD Lee sits nervously. The door opens, but it’s Su-ho who comes in, glaring accusingly. He asks if PD Lee confessed to Geu-rim, and PD Lee admits it.

Geu-rim walks until morning, thinking about all the things PD Lee has said and done over the years, seeing them in a different light. What looked like mentorship and friendliness now takes on an entirely new meaning.

Su-ho arrives home to find Jason and Joon-woo waiting for him, and Jason asks if he saw the postcard on his desk. He asks why the card calls him a murderer, but Su-ho just says they can talk later, and goes to his room.

Alarmed by the postcard, Joon-woo demands an explanation. Jason tells him how they started coming to the radio station, but now they’re being delivered to the house. He asks Joon-woo what happened twelve years ago, but Joon-woo is rightfully mistrustful.

Seung-soo and Writer Ra complain that they’re still getting worse ratings than PD Lee’s 4 a.m. show, loudly blaming each other for their failure. PD Lee overhears them talking about Geu-rim being at the hotel with Su-ho, and he warns them never to mention it out loud again.

Su-ho isn’t the slightest bit surprised that Tae-ri landed the lead female role in his drama after all. Mom says she had to do it after hearing the recording of Su-ho saying she’s not his real mother.

She adds that she wants him to sign a contract with her. Su-ho refuses, saying there’s no need since he’s getting what he wants (the radio show) in return for doing the drama.

PD Lee bursts into the office to ask Geu-rim angrily about the rumor that she went to a hotel with Su-ho. He says that the hotel isn’t the problem, since they’re adults, but he’s upset that she was careless enough to be seen. Geu-rim argues that she also went to a hotel to fetch the idol, Mi-nu, but PD Lee snaps that it’s not remotely the same thing.

Tae-ri is excited to be starring in a passionate romance with Su-ho, since he’ll have to be in love with her. He says blandly that he can do it, since he was even able to act in love with his own father’s mistress. HA, burn.

That evening, Su-ho’s father comes home with expensive gifts for his wife, but she sneers that he should give them to Da-seul. He tells her they broke up, but she says that reporters keep calling about rumors that Ji Su-ho’s family is having problems.

Mom yells that Tae-ri is blackmailing them, so they can’t just do their usual media management. Dad promises to bring Su-ho home.

Su-ho dreams about Ji-woo and Geu-rim that night, and the dream turns into a nightmare where he witnesses Ji-woo’s death again. Joon-woo wakes him, and Su-ho tells him that now that he’s happy with Geu-rim, he keeps dreaming about Ji-woo. He asks, “Why did this happen?” but Joon-woo doesn’t have an answer.

On the drama set, Tae-ri saunters over to Joon-woo during a break to ask if he likes being able to see her every day. Joon-woo just taps on his phone, then walks away as if she’s not there.

Geu-rim calls her mom to check in, and Mom asks cheekily who she likes better, Mom or Su-ho. She calls Geu-rim a liar when she says it’s Mom, so Geu-rim admits the truth. She says that PD Lee teaches her and takes care of her, asking, “So why do I like Su-ho more?”

PD Lee picks up Su-ho for their show tonight, and on the way he apologizes to Su-ho for last night. He admits that he was very thankful when Su-ho said he’d keep doing the radio show. Su-ho asks if that’s why PD Lee picked the 4 a.m time slot.

PD Lee says that he thought that was the only time Su-ho wouldn’t have to constantly check his schedules and feel bad if they overlapped. He says he knows they’ll be tired, but that they also won’t have to worry about ratings.

Su-ho points out that PD Lee always skips the things that should be said, and talks about things he shouldn’t, asking how he thinks Geu-rim is feeling. Su-ho says that she likes and trusts PD Lee, and that PD Lee was selfish because after his confession, she’ll feel uncomfortable in the booth.

PD Lee looks guilty, but he fires back at Su-ho, asking why he’s dating Geu-rim and taking her to hotels. He asks how Su-ho thinks the rumors will affect her, and in the booth that night, Su-ho is quiet and subdued around Geu-rim.

When he reads her script, it’s all about not wanting to lose someone who’s precious to you. Su-ho and PD Lee both understand who she was writing about.

After the show, PD Lee holds Geu-rim back again to discuss her script. He criticizes it, but she just asks if he can make some time to listen to her. They go to his favorite cozy bar, where he asks if she’s going to reject someone as awesome as he is.

She tells him that he’s been there during all of her important professional moments, and was even the first person to call her a writer. He made her a main writer after she was fired, and let her write real scripts.

She says that she doesn’t want to say she’s sorry, and that it’s difficult and painful to reject his feelings. Instead she thanks him, and she starts to say she likes someone else. But PD Lee interrupts her and says he already knows, and that he also knew he’d be rejected.

Tae-ri waits for Joon-woo to come home, and she stands directly in his path. She holds out some money and says she wants to hire him as her manager. Joon-woo remembers her doing this once before, and she’d had him drive her to have coffee with her mother and her new fiance.

Joon-woo had watched from outside as Tae-ri told her mother to get married and not to worry about her, pointing out her fancy van and handsome manager as proof that she’d be okay. But after, she’d cried her heart out with only Joon-woo there to see.

She tries the same trick now, hoping to hire Joon-woo as her manager for real this time. He just walks around her and goes inside, leaving her screaming outside.

Su-ho calls Geu-rim to his house to say that he knows PD Lee confessed to her, too antsy to wait to find out what she said in response. She tells him that she thanked PD Lee for liking her, but that she couldn’t like him back because she likes Su-ho.

He relaxes, though he says that he wishes she wouldn’t see PD Lee anymore. But he adds that he knows he can’t ask that of her since PD Lee means a lot to her. He even admits that he wants to like PD Lee, but he can’t, and he asks for Geu-rim’s understanding.

She smiles and notes that he’s matured a lot lately. Su-ho grumps that he’s only honest about his feelings around her, because he doesn’t need to pretend to be nice with her. Then he whines loudly, “I’m jealous because he confessed to you!” LOL.

Over coffee with Su-ho’s mother, PD Lee backhandedly thanks her for their show doing well, since she “let them” take a break from their first show. In a harder tone, he says that they don’t need her so-called help anymore.

Standing in Su-ho’s bedroom doorway, Geu-rim tells him that he should knock when he enters someone else’s world. He knocks on the wall but replies that he doesn’t want to enter her world. She says they can leave the door open and talk from their individual worlds.

Su-ho reaches out and pulls Geu-rim through the doorway onto his side. Inches apart, he murmurs, “Now what will you do? You came from your world into mine.” They stand that way for a long time, neither moving or speaking.

And then Geu-rim breaks away, shuddering that his drama script is way too cheesy. HAHA, they were practicing lines? Geu-rim complains that he’s probably used to doing things like this with actresses, and filmed tons of kissing scenes.

Su-ho grins down at her, enjoying her show of jealousy. Geu-rim protests that she’s not the slightest bit jealous, she just thinks the drama has too many hugging scenes. Su-ho gives her the most innocent, wide-eyed expression as he agrees with her that actors often end up dating after being in a drama together… I’m dying here.

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Who’s jealous? Me?

Geu-rim haughtily informs him that she doesn’t like him very much today, hee. She starts to flounce home, but Su-ho surprise-kisses her on the cheek. He asks if she’s still jealous, trying not to laugh at her too-emphatic denial. He tells her, “Don’t be, because I want to do all sorts of things with you.” RAWR.

Just when it looks like things might heat up, Geu-rim remembers that they have to go to work. Su-ho notes that it’s nice doing the show late at night, because he gets to play with her all night first. Someone’s awfully flirty today.

When they get to the station, PD Lee chastises Su-ho for not greeting him, and Su-ho argues that people will think they’re close. They bicker over whether Su-ho is a big enough star for that attitude, until Geu-rim urges them to get to work.

During the show, a man calls in to talk about how he recently became homeless. He scoffs that Su-ho probably doesn’t know how that feels, and the more Su-ho tries to say that he also has problems, the angrier the caller gets. Finally he hangs up with a slam, and the whole team sit stunned, unsure of what to say.

After the show, PD Lee tells Su-ho that he can’t let callers make him emotional. Su-ho says that it’s not all his fault, accusing PD Lee of not screening callers properly. He adds that he knows these things will happen, but that hearing callers say those things hurts his feelings.

He and Geu-rim watch the sunrise from her hideout upstairs. Geu-rim says that the caller was probably just lonely and crying for help, and she asks Su-ho to be understanding and let it go. He wonders how she’ll comfort him, and she slides her hand into his with a smile.

The next day, Tae-ri brings coffee and treats to Writer Ra and Seung-soo, then announces that she won’t be doing their radio show anymore because of the drama. Writer Ra protests that Su-ho manages it, but Tae-ri just snaps that she’s not Su-ho.

Su-ho gets a visit from his father, who’s never even been to his house before. He says that he’s heard about Su-ho dating the radio show writer, and as the dating expert, he tells Su-ho that there are lots of other women.

Su-ho interrupts to ask if Dad settled things with Da-seul, and when Dad looks guilty, Su-ho asks him to stop. Growing upset, he asks how many “mothers” he’s had, blaming Dad for the way that he and his mom are.

Dad grabs him and roars that he’s the reason he lives as Ji Su-ho, but Su-ho replies, with tears in his eyes, that he doesn’t want to live as Ji Su-ho anymore. He asks if Dad likes living this way, then tells him to leave.

Meanwhile, Su-ho’s mother recieves official notification that Su-ho is terminating his contract with JH Entertainment. She calls him, and when he doesn’t answer, she storms out of the house.

Word starts to get out at the radio station that Geu-rim is dating Su-ho. Writer Ra answers a call from Su-ho’s mother and tells her that Su-ho is dating Geu-rim. She even reveals that she saw them together at a hotel, and Mom, who’s making the call from Su-ho’s bedroom (so creepy), gets an idea.

While she’s there, Jason shows her the postcard accusing Su-ho of murder. He says that Joon-woo doesn’t know much about that day, and Su-ho refuses to talk about it. Jason tells Mom gleefully that back then, both Su-ho and Ji-woo liked the same girl: Geu-rim.

Mom calls Geu-rim, and when they meet up, she offers her a job working for JH Entertainment. Geu-rim is confused at why they would make her such a lucrative offer when she’s still green, and she respectfully declines.

Later, Su-ho texts that he’ll be at her house in thirty minutes for a date. Geu-rim starts to refuse on general don’t-be-so-bossy principle, then she changes her mind and gets dressed up instead. But when she goes downstairs, she finds PD Lee, worried and insisting on talking to her immediately.

He’s hesitant to upset her, but he says he wants her to be prepared, then shows her a scandal article about Su-ho kissing her that night at the school. Her phone starts lighting up with calls from reporters, so she turns it off.

Su-ho is in the car with Joon-woo when he sees the article, and he makes Joon-woo drive him straight to Geu-rim’s home. There’s already a crowd of reporters there, but Joon-woo still has to beg Su-ho not to go, arguing that it will make things worse for Geu-rim.

Su-ho spends the evening lying in bed, sleeplessly flicking his light on and off like he used to do. Geu-rim can’t sleep either, so she calls Su-ho to tell him that they’re going to play a recording tomorrow instead of a live show. Su-ho apologizes profusely for putting her through this, but she says that it’s not his fault.

She sighs that every time they try to go on a date, something happens. Su-ho promises to take care of things, but he doesn’t have a good answer when Geu-rim asks how he’ll manage that. They agree to sleep tonight, and talk tomorrow.

Before they hang up, Geu-rim tells Su-ho about his mother’s job offer today. He starts to apologize again, but she says that it was actually a good thing.

The following day, there’s a crowd of Su-ho’s fans outside the radio station holding signs protesting his and Geu-rim’s relationship. Everyone is talking about them inside, too, and PD Lee blows up when he hears two interns gossiping.

He drives Geu-rim home, where Su-ho is waiting. Geu-rim smiles at him, but he throws her words back at her, asking why she’s smiling when this isn’t funny. Frustrated, he tells her, “Just curse at me, tell me to get lost, or tell me to put everything back. Just get mad at me. Make me apologize.”

But Geu-rim says that she’s okay, and she takes him to PD Lee’s room to eat. PD Lee complains that he got rejected and now has to serve them their last meal together. Su-ho asks what he means by that, so PD Lee asks if their love is so amazing that Su-ho would let Geu-rim be hurt this way.

Once he’s gone, Geu-rim quips that she finally got to see the true worth of a top star. Su-ho promises again to take care of this, and he asks her to trust him and wait even though he knows it’s selfish.

He leaves a while later, but PD Lee is waiting to talk to him. Su-ho says that he’ll be there tomorrow for the radio show, adding that he’s worried for Geu-rim. PD Lee says that if Su-ho truly cares for Geu-rim, then he’ll protect her. But he adds that the most harmful thing to Geu-rim is Su-ho himself, and he says that if Su-ho really wants to protect her, he’ll stay away from her and the radio show for a while.

Early in the morning, PD Lee heads out to work and finds Geu-rim waiting to ride with him. He tells her to stay home and rest, but she argues that she has nothing to hide from and that she wants to work, even if they play a recording.

The protesters are still there when they arrive, and although Geu-rim tries to be brave, she stops before reaching the crowd. But then Su-ho steps up on her other side, with Joon-woo right behind him. YES!

Su-ho tells Geu-rim to lift her head, and he takes her hand in his. He gives her a long look, then leads her towards the crowd, and they fight their way through with Joon-woo’s help.

They don’t even notice that they left PD Lee behind.

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Lift your head and hold my hand

COMMENTS

That was so awesome. I thought for sure we were headed into unnecessary forced separation territory, but I should have known that Su-ho wouldn’t hide from a dating scandal, even when everyone else is telling him to back off. There’s no way he’d accept a breakup, not after everything he’s been through to finally be with Geu-rim, and certainly for nothing so trivial (in his mind) as objecting fans. I don’t fully understand why everyone just assumed that Su-ho and Geu-rim would break up, since it’s not like top stars never date or get married, but I did have a few minutes of worry that the show was going to separate our couple just when they’re finally happy together. But Su-ho has had too many years of wearing a mask for the public, so I’m proud of him for deciding to fight for what he wants, no matter what anyone thinks.

But it was so sad to see PD Lee left behind like that, even if it was mostly of his own doing. I wish we’d known, like, six episodes ago, that the whole reason for PD Lee’s hiatus was because he hit a DJ for disrespecting Geu-rim. It makes sense now why he was so bothered by Su-ho, since he’d already seen one DJ making unwelcome passes at Geu-rim. It would have explained his behavior towards both Geu-rim and Su-ho and I would have cut him more slack, instead of just forming an opinion of him as being inappropriately protective of Geu-rim and inexplicably hostile towards Su-ho. It also would have explained his determination to make Geu-rim his main writer, when there was no real reason for his adamant insistence that it’s her or no show. I’m glad there’s a reasonable explanation for the way he’s acted, I just wish the answers had been there sooner so that we could have understood him better.

I do feel bad that PD Lee waited so long to tell Geu-rim how he feels, because I believe that if he’d spoken out sooner, he could have had a real chance with her. It’s awful to witness his regret that he didn’t step forward sooner, especially since his actions were out of respect for her, but they still resulted in him losing her. But it is good to know that he’s been making purposeful decisions and that he’s not as “crazy” as everyone calls him, such as his decision to do the radio show in the middle of the night because he knew it would make it easier for Su-ho to be their DJ, as well as free them all up to worry about ratings less and just concentrate on making a good show. It’s just a major fault of his, that he doesn’t tell people these things when they might actually make a difference –– Su-ho nailed it when he said that PD Lee doesn’t say the things that need to be said until it’s too late, or worse, when they’ll only make things difficult for the other person.

I was very proud of Su-ho today, for at least recognizing that he can’t tell Geu-rim what to do, or not to be around someone she admires and respects. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that she’s being open about her feelings for him now, so he’s not so insecure. Su-ho doesn’t hide his own emotions — in fact, he blurts them out to everyone these days, whether they want to hear it or not — so I expect that he’ll keep telling Geu-rim how he feels. I’m just glad that he knows that, while he can vent and admit jealousy all he likes, but he can’t actually expect Geu-rim to do what he says.

The positive side of all this is that, as Su-ho gets more in touch with his emotions and becomes more outspoken about them, he’s also starting to ask for what he needs. He tells Geu-rim when he feels insecure and just needs to see her or get a hug. He speaks up when he feels that PD Lee is unfairly blaming him for an angry caller. And because he’s comfortable speaking the negative things out loud, he’s also letting his fun side peek out. He’s growing more playful and relaxed, which is really cute, especially with all of his “I want to do stuff with you” comments (and nothing you say will convince me he’s talking about playing cards!). It’s adorable that he even told Geu-rim that she’s the only one that’s going to see his nicer side, the side that wants to like PD Lee, because I have a feeling that that won’t last long. I think that, the happier he gets, the more people are going to get to suffer the annoyance of Su-ho in a good mood.

This episode really solidified what it is that I love about Geu-rim. She’s not a character that we got to watch grow and change (because as I said before, she didn’t need to), so it took me a while to understand her purpose in the story. She’s so gentle and lovable, and although she’s far from perfect, it’s easy to see why both men love her. They live chaotic, whirlwind lives (for different reasons), and Geu-rim is like a grounding force they can hold onto and know that no matter what happens, she’ll be there. In particular, I thought she dealt with PD Lee’s confession perfectly, letting him know that, while she’s in love with someone else, he’s still an important and crucial part of her life.

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