Radio Romance: Episode 14

by LollyPip

Radio has changed Su-ho’s life in more ways than he ever expected, changing him as a person in the process. Su-ho’s new attitude towards life is changing the people around him as well, mostly for the better. But he still has a huge secret that he’s hiding, and once he’s forced to tell the whole truth, he may lose everything he’s worked so hard to gain.

 
EPISODE 14 RECAP

Against PD Lee’s advice, Su-ho shows up at the studio just as Geu-rim is losing her courage to face his angry fans. He takes her by the hand and leads her through the crowd, leaving PD Lee trailing behind them.

They go to the hideout, where Geu-rim says that she used to come here when she needed to cry. But this is where Su-ho said he would do the radio show, and where he told her he likes her. Su-ho asks worriedly if she’s scared because of him. She says that it’s not difficult to like him, but that she’s not sure what’s best for him.

Su-ho tells Geu-rim, “I like you a lot. You know that, right? That’s why I thought of ways to protect you until I had a headache. I just want to hold your hand wherever we go, like today. This is the first time in my life, so I will protect you no matter what. Just trust me, hold my hand, and walk with me.”

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I just want to hold your hand

He says that he knows he’s pressuring her, but Geu-rim just steps closer and takes his hand. She tells him, “I’d love to. I want to hold your hand and go everywhere with you, too. Because I like you a lot.” Aww, they’re so sweet.

They head to the studio, and the team discusses whether to do a live show tonight. They don’t have a script, and even Geu-rim thinks a recorded show is a good idea. PD Lee anticipates a lot of articles about the two of them, so Su-ho says he’ll do the show live.

Today Su-ho sits in the booth alone, with Geu-rim staying outside with PD Lee. Joon-woo checks that Su-ho will be okay taking calls without a script. Su-ho wonders if callers will ask if he really likes Geu-rim, but he says he’ll be fine.

The show goes well, and nobody asks about Su-ho and Geu-rim’s relationship. One caller tells Su-ho about his years of bullying in school, and how he’s still scared to leave the house every day. Su-ho tells him that he understands, because he starting acting very young so he never went to school much, and he doesn’t even have a diploma.

He says that he knows what it’s like not to sleep well, and the caller seems to feel better from having someone understand.

During the music break, Geu-rim goes into the booth to say that Su-ho’s doing great without a script. He says that he feels energized by doing radio with her, and she tells him there’s one last caller.

The caller lies about her reason for calling, and when she’s on the air, she admits that she’s the president of his fan club and that she’s angry. Su-ho asks if he’s not allowed to date, and the fan is taken aback. She says that the fan club already knew he was dating Geu-rim, but they also want to protect him.

Su-ho says that he started liking someone and wanted to just enjoy it without thinking too much. He asks, “Why must I be sorry for liking someone? You might think I’m selfish, but it’s the first time in my life. So I decided to just like her.”

The fan asks what he’ll do if his fans leave him, and he admits that he would be sad, “But I’ll still try to keep on liking her.”

Su-ho’s mother was listening to the show, and his answer to the last caller spurs her to action. She makes a call and tells whoever it is to make Su-ho come home.

Su-ho apologizes to PD Lee, explaining that that was his first real answer to a caller. PD Lee doesn’t answer, but he keeps Geu-rim behind to ask her something, not as her boss or a guy who likes her, but because he’s worried.

He warns that she’ll go through a lot because of Su-ho, and asks if she’s still going to do this. She nods yes, and PD Lee complains that they’re driving him crazy.

Su-ho leads Geu-rim by the hand back out through the mob of angry fans. Behind them, PD Lee barks out a loud, “HEY!!” and the fans stop and stare at him. He calls out the ones who have been badmouthing and threatening Geu-rim, demanding to know what school they go to. HA, they look terrified.

At the car, Joon-woo warns Su-ho to go home right away because his mother is calling. First he takes Geu-rim home, where they find another crowd of protesters waiting outside. PD Lee comes to Su-ho’s window to say that he probably shouldn’t be seen here.

Jason laughs to Su-ho’s mother that they never expected Su-ho to make his love life public. When Su-ho arrives home, his mother asks if he really plans to date publicly. He scoffs, knowing that she’s the one who leaked the pictures, but he admits that he’s relieved.

in his room, he finds another postcard accusing him of killing Ji-woo. Jason joins him, saying that he came here to see Su-ho cry, but Geu-rim has made a lot of other changes in him. He asks why Su-ho won’t talk to him about the Ji-woo from the cards.

In the living room, Mom tells Joon-woo to come back to JH Entertainment, but he’s not interested in reporting Su-ho’s every move anymore. He says that he used to think that was the best way to protect Su-ho, but he was wrong.

He follows Jason upstairs, where he catches Jason in the act of scratching out another postcard. Raise your hand if you saw that coming. When Jason tries to claim that it was mailed to the house, Joon-woo shoots him the glare of doom and storms out, taking the card with him.

Geu-rim makes eggs for PD Lee, who won’t get out of her house even when she complains that she’s exhausted. He just says that’s what she gets for dating a top star, and suggests they get some work done.

In her room, Geu-rim shakes her head at her crowd of anti-fans still camped out in front of the building. She sits down to write, but instead she pulls up the scandal article and reads the comments. Ack, never read the comments!

One comment wonders how she managed to seduce Su-ho in one month, and Geu-rim grumbles that it’s been a lot longer than that. She takes out her box of letters from Ji-woo and reads them, still under the mistaken impression that they’re from Su-ho.

Su-ho’s mother finds her husband at the driving range and pulls him aside, accusing him of hiding while Su-ho quits the company. She says that Su-ho is like his father, prioritizing a woman over everything, though at least he sticks to one woman.

Su-ho’s dad snaps that she treated Su-ho like a product, but she argues that she made him who he is. She says that without a contract with Su-ho, there’s nothing connecting him to her. She tells his dad to do something, because without Su-ho, she won’t put up with him anymore.

At the end of the day’s drama shoot, Joon-woo asks Su-ho how long he’s known Jason, and when they met. He says that Jason is weird, and keeps asking Joon-woo about Ji-woo. Tae-ri interrupts, demanding they drive her home, and the men just sigh.

At the same time, Monsoon and Drought are at Geu-rim’s house, pouting at her for not telling them about dating Su-ho. Drought asks if they began going out when she started wearing skirts and lipstick, but Geu-rim confides that Su-ho is actually her first love from childhood.

Su-ho calls, and Drought and Monsoon freak completely out. Geu-rim shushes them and answers, and Su-ho tells her not to read the articles. Geu-rim complains that she looks ugly in the pictures, but Su-ho argues that she looks pretty, and Drought and Monsoon squeal loud enough to wake the dead.

Monsoon snatches the phone to teasingly accuse Su-ho of seducing Geu-rim. She grabs it back and explains sheepishly that her friends are drinking at her house. Then she hears Tae-ri’s voice calling Su-ho’s name, and she goes from sorry to annoyed in about half a second.

Su-ho guiltily admits that they’re at a bar, but he drops his guilt when he hears PD Lee walk into Geu-rim’s house. HA, this is hilarious. Geu-rim and Su-ho snap at each other to have fun drinking with their “friends,” and hang up.

Being a smart man, Su-ho tells Joon-woo and Tae-ri that he has to go. Tae-ri slurs that she’s been acting the way she has around him because he’s the only one she could latch onto. She apologizes for the recording and for being mean, though she says that she didn’t have a choice.

She asks if Su-ho still hates her, and he says he does, for slapping Geu-rim. Tae-ri huffs that Geu-rim stole the dating rumor she wanted, pouting that she’s jealous. Joon-woo looks stung by that, and he tries to follow Su-ho out, but Su-ho tells him to stay and take care of Tae-ri.

Geu-rim’s friends eventually leave, but PD Lee tries to stay, saying that he and Geu-rim need to have a meeting. Geu-rim knows that Su-ho is probably on his way and literally shoves PD Lee out the door. Su-ho is already outside, but he can’t get out of his car for the group of anti-fans blocking the building.

Joon-woo asks Tae-ri why she’s acting up when she got the leading role she’s always wanted. She tells him again that she wants to hire him as her manager, and he asks why she keeps talking to him. She says that he’s the only person who listens when she talks.

She says sadly that both of her parents got remarried and left her, reminding him of the day he drove her to see her mother and her fiance. She admits that she talks so much because if she stops talking, she’ll start crying. She asks Joon-woo why he won’t confess his feelings for her, but he doesn’t say a word.

Later that night, Geu-rim hears a noise in the living room. She peeks out of her room and sees what looks like one of the anti-fans sneaking around the house. She starts to call Su-ho, but changes her mind and calls PD Lee instead.

Soon she hears him yelling at the anti-fans that he called the cops, and the girl leaves Geu-rim’s place. PD Lee chastises the anti-fans when they admit that they’re camped out here to keep Su-ho and Geu-rim from seeing each other.

He takes the four worst girls to the restaurant and buys them dinner, telling them to eat and go home. He says that he understands how they feel, because when he was young and his celebrity crush started dating, he cried for three days. But he also tells them that he owns this building, and that if he sees them here again, he’ll take legal action.

Geu-rim and Su-ho take advantage of the clear street to sneak away together in his car. Geu-rim jokes that she feels like she’s dating a top star now, when it just felt like she was dating an oppa before. Su-ho lights up like a Christmas tree, asking gleefully if he’s her oppa now, and Geu-rim nervously changes the subject, hee.

Su-ho mentions that he heard about the break-in, and he complains that he’s tired of apologizing. Geu-rim tells him that he doesn’t have to, and he takes her hand gratefully.

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Did you just call me oppa?

They end up by the river, where Geu-rim looks at the script for Su-ho’s drama. She complains that there are too many kissing scenes, making him smile at her jealousy again. He says there’s a kiss scene scheduled for tomorrow, and Geu-rim rolls her eyes, grumbling that he must enjoy them.

She asks how many kissing scenes he’s done, and Su-ho guesses that in all his dramas and movies combined, it’s around a thousand. He asks how many kisses she’s had, and he gets cranky when she says she’s not sure. Geu-rim sneers that he’s kissed a thousand girls, but Su-ho points out that he had to do it for work, while she chose to kiss a bunch of guys. Fair point.

He goes on and on about how terrible she is, so Geu-rim shuts him up with a kiss. He blinks in surprise, then leans in for another kiss. They grin at each other, having totally forgotten whatever they were fighting about.

When Su-ho takes Geu-rim home, she tells him that she read the letters he sent her twelve years ago. She promises to tease him with them later, but Su-ho goes blank, like he just shut down. Geu-rim asks him why he changed his name from Woo Ji-woo to Ji Su-ho, but he says they’ll talk later.

The next day, Geu-rim overhears some writers gossiping about her, and she tells them that it hurts. What’s worse is that Writer Ra witnesses the confrontation. She finds Geu-rim later and tells her she’s surrounded by bad luck, which Geu-rim also says hurts to hear.

Writer Ra offers her some advice, saying that it’s true that she doesn’t deserve to date Ji Su-ho. She says that there’s nothing left after the breakup when you date a celebrity, but that once Geu-rim’s experienced such a deep relationship, her writing may improve, just like hers did.

Later, an annoyed Writer Ra slumps into a chair next to Seung-soo and complains that she wants to curse out Geu-rim, but hearing everyone else curse out Geu-rim really annoys her.

Geu-rim gets a call to meet up with Su-ho’s dad that evening. He tells her that he and Su-ho aren’t close, but that he listens to the radio show and thinks Su-ho is good.

He asks if Geu-rim likes Su-ho and she nods, but Dad says casually that they’ll break up soon because love is powerless. He tells Geu-rim that its fine to have some fun then break up, but if they insist that it’s true love, then they should break up now.

Geu-rim addresses him as “Father,” and she says that Su-ho knows how powerful love is. She says that she’s met both of Su-ho’s parents, and she thinks that Su-ho doesn’t want to break his real family, but create a real family. Dad just reminds her that tomorrow is Su-ho’s birthday, adding that Geu-rim seems like a good person.

When Geu-rim’s mom arrives home, she overhears the anti-fans saying nasty things about her daughter. A couple of them sneer that Geu-rim stole “their” man, and Mom loses her cool.

Geu-rim is called to the police station, where the anti-fans lie that her mother hit them. She takes Mom home and apologizes, but Mom thanks her for giving her the chance to get in a fight again, ha.

Su-ho is distracted as he drives, thinking about Geu-rim’s mention of Ji-woo’s letters. He imagines Ji-woo stepping in front of his car, and he brakes to a halt, shaken.

Geu-rim and PD Lee spend the evening working at his place. Geu-rim flips through a book and finds a couple of the postcards declaring that Su-ho killed Woo Ji-woo. PD Lee explains that they’ve been coming to the studio for a while.

When Su-ho gets home, he goes to Jason’s room, where Jason quickly shuts down whatever he was typing and invites Su-ho to tell him about Ji-woo. Su-ho says that Jason was right — he wasn’t diagnosed with amnesia when he was young, but depression.

A flashback takes us back twelve years, when a young Su-ho was already learning to shut down his emotions. One night he’d overheard his parents arguing about his father’s infidelities, and how his mother had promised to take care of Su-ho. He’d gone to his room and taken a handful of sleeping pills, then laid down to wait for everything to go away. He’d woken up in the hospital, alone.

One day a boy his age had bumped him away from a window, complaining cheerfully that Su-ho was blocking his view. Su-ho had looked to see that the boy was smiling at young Geu-rim in the courtyard, playing with some younger children.

Back in the present, Jason notes that Su-ho met Ji-woo before he met Geu-rim. He asks how they became close, and Su-ho remembers that Ji-woo had just plopped down on Su-ho’s bed, tossed an arm over his shoulder, and asked Su-ho about himself. Starved of affection, Su-ho had looked at Ji-woo like he was an angel.

The boys had become friends, and Ji-woo had told Su-ho that he would die before he reached the age of twenty, so he’d decided to have three times more fun than other people. He’d admitted there was a girl he liked, and the boys often watched Geu-rim from a distance.

Once, they’d found her asleep on a sofa in the hospital hallway. Ji-woo had covered her with his jacket, and Su-ho, not to be outdone, had draped his scarf over her. He’d seen her wearing the jacket and scarf often after that.

Jason asks Su-ho if he’s told Geu-rim that he’s not Woo Ji-woo. Su-ho’s silence answers the question, and Jason asks why he’s still letting Geu-rim think that he’s Ji-woo. He says that Geu-rim likes him because she believes he’s Ji-woo, and he asks when Su-ho plans to tell her the truth.

Su-ho sits on his bed that night beside the latest postcard. The return address is the columbarium where Ji-woo’s ashes are stored. Su-ho falls asleep and dreams of Ji-woo’s accident, and when he wakes, he grabs the postcard and rushes out of the house.

Upstairs, Jason gets a call from Geu-rim. She reminds him that he once said that Su-ho was Woo Ji-woo, and asks him why the postcards say that Su-ho killed Ji-woo. Jason tells her to ask Su-ho himself and hangs up on her.

At the columbarium, Su-ho stands in front of Ji-woo’s urn, looking at the pictures of his old friend. He remembers that Ji-woo had vowed to kiss Geu-rim before he died, and he even had a plan. He was entering a singing contest, and after the finals, he intended to confess his feelings to Geu-rim.

He’d invited Su-ho, but outside the venue, Geu-rim had shown up and crashed into him. She hadn’t recognized him, and Su-ho had run off alone. Later that day, he’d kissed Geu-rim (who’d been wearing the mask over her eyes again) in the hospital chapel.

Ji-woo had walked in and seen Su-ho kissing the girl he liked. He’d stared in disbelief, and Su-ho had looked ashamed.

As Su-ho remembers betraying his only friend, Jason walks in and joins him. Su-ho isn’t surprised, and he asks if Jason sent those postcards to make him come here, already knowing the answer. Jason replies that he’s wondered many times how Su-ho would look standing in front of Ji-woo, and what he’d say to him.

He sees Su-ho’s stricken face and grins, and he seems a bit manic as he asks how the words “Ji Su-ho is a murderer” made him feel. Su-ho grabs Jason’s collar, which just delights Jason even more, and when Su-ho punches him in the face, Jason can’t hide his excitement at Su-ho’s emotional reactions.

Worried about Su-ho, Geu-rim goes to his house. She calls Joon-woo, concerned that reporters may show up. Joon-woo lets her inside, and she tells him that she can’t reach Su-ho or Jason.

She asks how long Joon-woo’s been Su-ho’s manager, and he says he started when Su-ho was in middle school. She starts to ask him something else, but she changes her mind and says she’ll ask Su-ho himself. She waits, remembering the first time she and Su-ho met and everything that happened between them, up to the day she finally recognized the adult Su-ho as her first love.

Eventually Su-ho comes home, and as soon as he sees Geu-rim, he grabs her in a hug and holds on tight. She asks what it means that he killed Ji-woo, and why he told her he was Ji-woo. Su-ho loosens his hug to look her in the eyes.

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You’re not who I thought you were

COMMENTS

Finally we know the truth about what happened all those years ago. Somehow it never occurred to me that Su-ho was at the hospital because he himself had been admitted. But now we know that he tried to commit suicide, and that he met Ji-woo in the hospital. Ji-woo basically saved Su-ho’s life by caring about him for himself and not because he was famous, and by showing him that there are things that make life worth living. So it’s no wonder that Su-ho feels so much guilt for betraying Ji-woo and using his identity to spend time with Geu-rim, and getting her to like him instead. He ruined the one friendship he ever had, hurting the very person who gave him a reason to live again. Su-ho even robbed Ji-woo of the one thing he wanted to do before he died. It’s no wonder Su-ho spent his adult life working so hard at not forming any connections with anyone.

The flashback scene was so painful, but also sweet, because it explained some little moments between Su-ho and Geu-rim that seemed so meaningful to Su-ho, but we didn’t know why at the time. Now I understand why he was so annoyed by PD Lee covering Geu-rim with a blanket at the hospital, and why he was so adamant that she wear the blanket from him, instead. It also makes sense now why Su-ho seemed nervous about giving Geu-rim his scarf — he’d given her his scarf when they were kids, and she’d kept wearing it. Now I think that these moments when adult Su-ho seemed so inexplicably nervous were because he was hoping they would jog Geu-rim’s memory and she would remember him.

I do believe that Su-ho’s feelings for Geu-rim are real and genuine, and that he truly regrets what happened in the past. His on-air declaration of his feelings for Geu-rim was the swooniest thing he’s done so far. He risked losing all of his fans and risked his career, but his statement made it clear that he prioritizes Geu-rim and their happiness together over all of that. I was worried again in this episode that something would happen to make one of them change their minds about sticking together no matter what, but I really should have trusted them more. They both know the value of what they’ve found, and although Geu-rim is shaken at times by the reality of dating a top star, she hasn’t wavered one bit. I only hope she remembers that when she learns what really happened back when they first met, and how it all turned out.

Is anybody really surprised that Jason was behind the postcards all along? He’s been acting so suspicious, and he’s way too interested in Su-ho’s past. As much as I hoped that I was wrong about him, it’s obvious that he’s up to something. I think that that Jason may somehow be connected to Ji-woo, and that he’s been planning this for a long time, whatever “this” is. But I’m not completely confident that he’s out for revenge, because Jason seems to be having way too much fun with it, and he mostly just seems interested in seeing Su-ho get emotional. What worries me is his reason why. Regardless, Jason has a lot of secrets, but I guess the show is going to make us wait until the very end to discover them.

I have a crazy theory about Ji-woo that could be way way off, but now that we know more about him, I’m starting to think there may be something to it — what if PD Lee is Ji-woo, who somehow survived both his accident and his illness? It’s a long shot, since Ji-woo was supposed to die young anyway, but I think there’s a good chance it’s true. PD Lee has a lot of the same mannerisms as Ji-woo, such as his bouncy, boisterous personality, his habit of throwing his arm around Su-ho’s shoulders, and the way they both covered Geu-rim with a blanket at the hospital. They even wear the same sunglasses, and they both peer over the top of them at people the same way. PD Lee has said that he spent a lot of time in the hospital when he was younger, and he’s made a few comments that sound like he knew Su-ho before the radio show. Plus there’s his mostly unexplained insistence that Geu-rim and Su-ho both be involved with his show. And not least, there’s PD Lee’s crush on Geu-rim, which nearly perfectly mirrors Ji-woo’s crush on her. Both of them had feelings for her but were afraid to tell her, which resulted in them waiting too long and giving Su-ho an opening to swoop in. Again, I could be completely wrong, but somehow it all makes sense.

I understand why Su-ho is reluctant to tell Geu-rim what really happened back when they were kids, but I think it’s time that he came clean. I’m sure that he’s scared that when Geu-rim finds out that he hid the letters from Ji-woo and pretended to be him, that she’s going to be furious. Su-ho knows that Geu-rim’s first love isn’t really him, but an amalgam of him and the Ji-woo from the letters (I’m guessing the ones she has are from before Su-ho entered the picture). he’s likely scared that her feelings for him will change when she learns that Ji-woo was an entirely different boy. Not only that, but Su-ho is going to have to tell her about his betrayal of Ji-woo, and Ji-woo’s death, which is a conversation I’m not looking forward to witnessing.

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