Fussy witch (with a B) taking Dan-i's name off the book, that scene was just heartbreaking. That last scene where he gave her the book was everything.

I'm getting kind of conflicting things from Director Ko.
On the one hand to me it did come across as her being jealous of Dani- whether it was deliberately written like that or not I don't know. But upon farther reflection it's easy to see that she's just doing her job, and very well at that, even if the people around her don't like her, so what.
The crediting thing- whilst Dani probably shouldn't have been credited for the ENTIRE marketing of the book, that's a given, the cover design, or well actually lack thereof, was her idea and she was integral in making the cover happen. Every book that I know of has a cover design credit, and it's usually an individual credit too. I don't know how Korean publications work, whether cover design is just covered in "marketing" but from my POV Dani at least deserved to be sub-credit for it. Even if it was a line inside saying "cover design by Dani and Haerin", because well, they did design the "cover".
I no longer know what the intent here is though- is Ko supposed to seem like a jealous bitch in need of changing her ways? Or is she supposed to be seen as the ideal career women that can teach Dani? Or is she there for us to bicker about the flaws in bureaucratic publishing companies? I don't honestly know anymore which one is truth because I can see all of them. But whatever.

Will everyone hate me if I kind of agree with Director Ko just a little?

Director Ko was right, man. She was right!
Dani wasn't in charge of marketing - she came up with an idea about one part of their marketing that was then implemented by a marketing team. She just assisted. She's not a member of the team, she's not the manager of the team, she should never have gotten that kind of credit - especially since she wouldn't be expected to carry the responsibility if things went south.

I get the impression what we're seeing here is a cultural clash that happens when small companies start to get larger. You have the small core of people who started things. They're a family and they are used to everyone pitching in and helping out because they were a small, boutique outfit. But now they've grown and have hired people like Director Ko to take professional oversight. Now they have enough work so people have defined roles and responsibilities, job descriptions and accountability. And in that headspace, Director Ko is 100% correct.

❤️ EH has some competition and DY is so flattered 😂

EH needs to change his strategy.. because of SJ.

I have this idea than SJ is a younger DM (ex-hubby) for DY, based on how DY described why she fell for DM...

LJS and LNY, always a pleasure watching their scenes. Some say LNY has better chemistry with the second lead.. but I think that's just part of the script.

And I agree with Director Go and thought they should have suggested adding DY's name.

Finally, I am reading something off off DY expression when she saw EH with the children.. and saw HR looking at EH. A look of sadness perhaps 🤔? Or wishful thinking on my part... 😂

So many of these kdramas are written by people who have never spent a day in a corporate workspace. Which is fine, but it means that team meetings or day-in-the-life-at-the-office feel completely unrealistic to anyone for whom this is their daily reality. Luckily, I'm here for LJS more than the plot, so this could go off the rails tomorrow and I'd be hanging on for dear life, Dr Stranger style.

Also, maybe this is just me feeling cranky and hypercritical, but if someone tried to market a book that was completely wrapped up, the internet/advance readers would spoil it in seconds. Rightfully so, too! Who spends anywhere from 10-30 dollars on a book you can't even check out briefly to see if you'd like it?

I am glad I got back into this bandwagon. I left after episode 1 but Netflix suggested this to me and so I gave it another try. It is quite calming, this drama.

I don't see the second leas as manipulative. He didn't know she was working at Gyerooo. Clearly, there is something with Eun Ho's father, he's a fan or something else. Maybe knowing that she lives with Eun Ho made him to accelarate things but I don't think it's manipulative but pretty normal if he is interested in her. But the scene in the restaurant? Dani is 37 years old and the guys acted like petty and jealous teenagers. Personaly, I would have let them to their petty games and found a real man...

For the Director Ko, again I think she's very professional. We could think that the fact she send Dani to give the gift was petty, but the wife seemed really pleased that the compagny sent an employee. For her name in the copyrights, Dani had a good idea but it was only the packaging, so I can undertsand.

Dani as a mother is pretty weird. She doesn't really act as a mother for me.

I’ve caught up! I don’t get Dan-i’s relationship with her daughter. I really don’t. Not that she has a daughter, but why is this is even part of the story? Poor girl seems like an afterthought and it bothers me, a lot. But she’s written to be aloof as well. And before you start going out with a guy or getting close, at all, shouldn’t you tell him you have a kid? Like that’s what I would have spilled at the udon place. My name is Dan-i and I have a daughter. What’s your name? Who the freak cares if your roommate is your childhood friend whom you work with. You have a kid. I’ve told this story before but a first date I had once was with a guy with a child. And he told me on the date. We had talked several times prior. I would have really appreciated it if he gave me a heads up before I went out with him. I’m sure the look I gave him when he told me told him I’d probably never go out with him again. I was a college co-ed, and not ready for that responsibility. Anyway, that bothers me too. That girl doesn’t need to be in the story if she’s not part of the dialogue.

Things that don’t bother me:

LJS’ charm and charisma: The looks outside the window of the Udon restaurant, gold.
Second lead guy: He has a strong game and I like it. His thoughtfulness to the heroine rivals any second lead I’ve seen.
Second lead girl: I like this actress a lot. I’d watch this show just for her.
The maknaes: Clueless but cute.

I cried with the CEO when he was speaking to the tree, telling his wife that his daughters missed their mom. Shoot me right through the heart, why don’t you. There. That’s the child(ren)-parent relationship I’m invested in.

That tableau at the end says it all- we have a love quadrangle. A is enamored of B who is in love with C who is at least showing interest in D who is thinks he is interested in C but who also has a real problem with B while C may actually also love B but cannot bring herself to admit it. And everyone is unhappy at the start (even if D is smiling). This is the stuff that great comedy is made from- with lots of room for twists and misunderstandings until people finally find their way to love and happiness.

Poor Hae-rin-- She has literally been leaving Eunho love letters- but hidden in his bookcase. It just breaks your heart to watch her as he plays with the orphans- she clearly wants to have children with him.

Big Reveal- writer Kang handed over the rights to his works- not so much to the company as to his (illegitimate) son- who is Cha Eunho. OK, I am not enamored of birth secrets but what if Author Kang had another illegitimate son named Ji Seo-Joon? Just a hypothesis. Ji Seo-Joon has to be one of the most interesting second leads to come along in a long time. He is a mystery in his own right. On the one hand, as Abirdword points out, he is genuinely interested in Dan-yi. He is also smart, talented, good-looking- and he even comes with a nice dog. On the other hand, there is his obsession with Writer Kang and he seems to have ulterior motives related to that. There is a backstory there- I wonder when we get to see it.

Dan-yi’s explanation of the title of “April 23” is interesting- as one of those authors is Shakespeare- who used the final scene of his final play “The Tempest” to signal his own retirement.

Oh Ji-yoo wants to stop going out on two blind dates a week- so she tells her mother that she is in love with Park Hoon and is dating him. We have seen this story before: One of my favorite rom coms of all time is “Marriage, Not Dating” – and the only difference is that this time it is the girl who needs to fend off her mother. Hoon knows that he is only Ji-yoo’s fake boyfriend- and 2 episodes ago he embarrassed himself driving the company car. Which means that he has no reason to engage in the puffery he used before. That means that Ji-yoo will get to know the real Hoon. Will love blossom?

Thanks abirdword for the recap.

I love this show to pieces. After 7 years I finally find a show that keep me invested this much. So yeah, can't stop sneaking around to read recaps and everyone's comments.

I make it short just to get some facts straight.

1. Dan-yi was married for 11 years, she was out of the work force for 7 years. May be her Mom was still alive at the first 4 years so her Mom took care of DY's daughter while DY was working at the first 4 years. Writer did not give us any further details.

2. Some beanies said Dan-yi's daughter is 8 years old. No, her daughter is 11 (12 in Korean age). I dont like DY's phone conversation with her daughter that much but it's not disaster :)

3. In one of DY's talk with her sauna part-time ahjuma, DY said her daughter wants to stay and study in Philippines (hence cheaper than US or Europe countries) because her daughter is scared of being bullied back in Korea. So there is a back story too.

I understand some beanies don't like the fact that her daughter is out of the picture at the moment. But I have faith in the writer and hope she continues giving us more surprises.

4. I do think DY has special feelings for Eun-ho. Very subtle but there are hints. He was the one she often looked back at her wedding.

The drinking training scene, after she went to washroom and returned with lipstick smear, why did she do that?

Present, as many already mentioned, the look she gave him at the orphanage and the sadness she has after seeing Hae-rin.
Like Eun Ho, back then she could not bare the thought of losing him if they crossed the line. And at young age she did not understand what is love, maybe she liked him back then but it's not enough for her to risk their relationship. She just let herself go ahead with marriage. Now, the situation is even worse because she is a divorced woman, has a daughter, financial loss. Many young and successful ladies are around him, what does she have? She think she does not deserve him and she might not even dare to think about that.

I'll take a dull second lead over a rude second lead any day.

My love for this show has cooked a lot by this episode as I can't for the life of me understand these characters. None of them are serious in life. And at their big ages, they should be serious. Smh.

DY does not seem to know that author Kang is EH's father. In the past she only mentioned a step father. And when she talked to SJ she seemed oblivious about writer Kang and his motives. If she new she would not talk about the writer that casually, I think. So this might be the big secret EH was referring to when he was talking to her in previous episodes (things he did for a reason and that she hopes she will understand). I am wondering if SJ is writer Kang's second son. That might explain why he is so obsessed with him. Just being a big fan would not make much sense because of the way he is behaving.

It will be interesting to see how DY will start to see EH in a different light.

Regarding director Ko: DY name should have been mentioned along the head of marketing even if she came up with the whole idea. I just think director Ko does not like DY because she thinks that this girl is having it all (family, kids, job, success).

I really like Hae Rin as a character but I found her behavior in this episode very perplexing. She knows Eun Ho lives with a woman, she was explicitly told not to come there again when she got drunk. Yet she still went. This is so out of character for someone who relies on the letters she hides in a bookshelf for her confession. I don’t know what to think of those letters either. I always think a direct approach is best. In this case if the recipient wants to ignore even after he finds the letters and pretend not to know they could and Hae Rin wouldn’t be any the wiser. Furthermore, anyone who touches that bookshelf can accidentally find the letters. Yet, not only does Hae Rin come to Eun Ho’s house after being explicitly told not to (a disrespect for a friend’s wishes) but she leaves another letter! I don’t know if this means she doesn’t believe that Eun Ho is living with someone. I expected her to look for evidence of a female occupant in the house, or even make a comment and Eun Ho to show her the room (or Hae Rin to accidentally stumble upon it), or see something that she knows belongs to Dan Yi, but all she cared about was to hide another letter! I also don’t understand the inability to give up someone living with someone else.

On the scene at the end of the episode I wonder if the moment of Hae Rin cluing in to the nature of Eun Ho and Dan Yi’s relationship has arrived (I hope it is not a fake out).

Ji Yeul and Park Hoon’s story just got interesting with her little rebellion against her mother and fake dating scheme.

Another side story that also got interesting is the couple who got divorced that we didn't even know were married. I wonder if Yeong Ah will bond with Dan Yi over divorce.

I loved Director’s Kim visit to his wife’s resting place.

Problems is I always seem to like side stories better with this writer’s work as I really dislike the love triangles and the heroine dating the other guy for half the drama. I was hoping this drama would break that pattern but alas… I am rapidly losing interest in the main loveline.

The reveal of writer Kang’s identity really came out of nowhere and was made in such a blasé manner that it didn’t make any impact on me. I only object to the manner of the reveal though as it made things more interesting. I am now full of questions. I wonder if Eun Ho’s parents divorced when he was young and his stepfather adopted him, thus the different last name. But we know that there was no love lost between him and his stepfather from Dan Yi’s reference to her father helping him to get his inheritance from his stepfather when his mom died. Another alternative explanation is Eun Ho being an illegitimate child. The other thing this reveal made was to solidify my dislike of Seo Joon’s attitude over this affair. I still don’t get his emotional response.

I dislike Director Ko more and more. Her attitude has nothing to do with being a successful carrier woman who is unmarried and has no kids...

All i want to say is that i hope the actress acting hae rin finally gets lee jung suk in another drama. Frist w two worlds and now this??

I love the two leads chemistry. It makes me understand why studios used to have favorite pairs they'd keep together.

I dont think Eun-ho needs to confront Hae-rin's potential feelings at all. That would be horrible if every potential crush or unrequited love did this.

However, I hate Hae-rin's love notes. Having feelings but compartmentalizing them to be friends and co workers was fine. Love notes especially when told "I'm living with someone crosses a line.

Ko is Danyi's boss. She sends her to do tasks because that is her job.

I liked Danyi's reaction to her disappointment. She pretty much sucked it up and went back to work. Also, had the realization that she is new to this position and has things to learn.

When Eun-ho gave her the book with her name he made sure that she knew he was praising her as an editor not a friend. I appreciated that.

Overall I seriously am enjoying this show. It has so many elements I like. It is a bright spot at the end of my week.

In regards to the daughter I think it could be hilarious if she moves back.

Thanks @abirdword.

This show is amazing for juxtaposing the sad with the funny moments. I had great LOL moments over Park Hoon and Ji Yul's total misreading of Yeong Ah and Ji Hong's relationship. At the same time I felt for them over the divorce.

I like the execution in this show. Each bit of conflict comes along at the right time to discomfit Eun Ho and gets him all worked up so that Dan-I will end up more and more baffled. LOL. I almost wish that Eun Ho's ex-gf could just come along to clear up the mystery of Eun Ho's bad humour. (Maybe at the end when all else fails to knock it into Dan-I's head??)

I'm seeing a series of misunderstandings and insights. Just as Park Hoon and Ji Yul cannot make a right conjecture based on the little they can see, so too Dan-I has not been given enough clues, although that is being changed and likely to change pretty quick.

Park Hoon and Ji Yul are mistaken if they think they are not 'dating. And Seo Joon (and the public) are mistaken about the relationship between Writer Kang and Gyeoroo.

The insights: Seo Joon figures out fast that Eun Ho likes Dan-I, Dan-I knows Hae Rin likes Eun Ho and Eun Ho knows that Seo Joon is going to challenge him all the way for Dan-I. Isn't it ironical that in the people connections, the ones closest don't get the insight but only those who are one step removed. 😆

Something that sort of bothers me ... Dan-I joined the company under false pretences and Eun Ho covered it up by not saying anything. In RL, lying about one's qualifications to get a job, actually loses one that job once this is found out. Eun Ho will also be implicated. The heartbreak and loss of face if this happens will be terrible.

So far the show has been mostly light and fun, but the original premise about how a qualified out-of-work person gets a job, is based on a lie.

Hellooo is there anyone know the english song in ep 1 when dan-i dancing with the ajjumas?? Thx ❤

Director Ko was wrong. When the author pulled his contract, her first comment was about the marketing—a task DY took on. It is DY who came up with the concept, down to selecting the wrapping and quotes. We also don’t know what else she did, but we know DY is a completist. Yes, DY is not the director of marketing, but she marketed that book, even to the author.

Director Ko could have added her name under Yeong-ah. If her direction arose from a place free of disdain and arrogance, it would still be a slight, due to the work DY put in. However, Director Ko did this out of spiteful condescension, and that is wrong, no matter the optics.

EH is absolutely correct—when you’re restricted to just one role, you won’t do anything more, you won’t want to. And that’s going to come back on Director Ko.

I just had to say that. There is a line, as a boss, that you have to maintain called objectivity. Director Ko has crossed it.

Jealous Eun-ho is so sweet and lovely and sad!
And so Ceo Kim talking to his late wife! :'(

There were two moments this episode where I got a little verklempt.....
I loved the publishing company volunteering at the orphanage- I want to work for them. I also loved the visit to his wife, and the demonstrative relationship between the two.

I'm baffled by people chastising Dani for wanting to do more than what her role stipulates. I think it's pretty clear that Dani is not slacking on her task support duties to work on her marketing project---she's putting in more time than 9-5 to make sure she does a good job in both. Gyeoroo looks to have a pretty open and collaborative work culture. The President himself said it was okay for her to join. So this "she is overstepping her boundaries" rhetoric makes no sense to me. Are employees not allowed to grow in their roles? Is a task support employee confined to that role forever?

Like I know yall are trying to push back on folks who are talking shit about Director Go, but you can do that without diminishing Dani's work ethic and determination. What Director Go did in stripping Dani's name from the credits was probably the right choice from a business standpoint, but I'm not sure I can say with certainty that she was being completely objective. But I find her fascinating precisely because of this blurred line---she is so good at her job, yet there is just enough insecurity there that she feels the need to belittle a subordinate who is literally on the lowest rung in the ladder. Calling her a b***h is ridiculous, but you can't deny she has a bit of a superiority complex situation going on, and her constant digs at Dani are more personal than what a lot of comments here are implying.

Ayyy, i love Dan-i!!! But the chemistry between she and Eun no doesnt convince me jet. Maybe is the notory diference of age, but i dont now, i see more chemistry with the other guy. I hope that she date first with the designer and then with Eun no... will be diferent and like life is. Am i the only one that thinks that? XD

I believe there brothers,and they both like the same woman.

I’m enjoying this drama for the great acting from both main leads. As far as plot .. nice change from the predictable head over heels noona romance where the guys are always grinning ear to ear acting bashful and cute. LJS portrays a respectable love for DY... I like his character’s professionalism at work.. supporting her thrive to do more.. empathize with her disappointments. Can’t wait to see new episodes each week..

Glad Mr Umbrella claims his Ms Green Onion. 😈

Has nobody pointed out how painful/fun it is to see Jung Eugene in YET another 2nd lead pining after Lee Jong Suk, after W? I did a spit-take when I first watched epi 1, and then it was just meta-textually funny, and I imagine the behind-the-scenes conversations must have been full of laughter when they first had their script-read/read about the casting.

I'm enjoying this light and warm hearted drama. Every time I watch it there are some laugh out loud moments that I have to rewind and watch again. :) I agree that the kitchen scene is hilarious! I empathize with DY when she says "I still got it!" to SJ's advances because I would do the same! Who wouldn't like it if an attractive young man finds you attractive? She is just coming out from a terrible situation and life is looking up. She just doesn't seem to think of EH as a romantic connection, which is too bad because he cares about her so much. I like all the pretty coats in this drama. Wow, they dress really well in the office. I show up in my uggs and sweatshirt so maybe it's time to put in a little more effort. haha.