The three Indie films they've unsuccessfully smashed together to make this show look really cool.

He came straight out and told her that he knew she would understand what he meant by "the snow is beautiful." So why do you think he's going to backtrack? He's been trying to get the words out, she caught him caressing her face. I don't think backtracking is possible at this point.

I expect Dan-yi will freak out before she allows herself to fall in love with him. She already loves him as her closest friend.

Meanwhile, how crazy was that drunken bonding scene in Dir. Ko's apartment? She can't get along with either of these women at work, but now they've shared their sad stories, they're going to be besties?

Show, don't tell me you're going to bring back her almost-husband for a happily ever after ending!

Dear show,
I'm sorry I doubted you. Please take me back.
Lovelovelove,
meee

This is the last time I will say this, but this episode reiterated for me why this drama needs no romance, at least for Dan-Yi. They need to reintroduce her child as well. I will now fix my mind to the romance, and hope for a good 2nd half.😊

This was such a perfect episode for me!!
Loved loved the girls bonding. What a beautiful and emotional scene.

No, I really hope Eun-Ho doesn't cop out. May be he will smile and go inside without answering but he won't refute it or lie.
I think he has sown the seeds now in her head, so Dan-I has to see things in a different angle.
She has to get him out of the 'brother' zone! It will be interesting.
Sure, go ahead feel more muscles if that will help *wink*

Am here for all the characters and not just the romance. I like how balanced it is. Its not focussed on just main leads and not everything is about them. Both leads have a personal life aside from each other. They don't share everything to each other. I really like this in their relationship.

Ep 9 come soon!!

I said it last recap and I'll say it here, I dig this little drama. I just do. I dont think I have much to add to the conversation in general because its not something that I can analyze really. I just do.
I love the potential friendship between Dir Ko, Yeonah and Dan-yi. Finding friends as an adult is so hard! Most people have their friend group and they arent really looking for new people (or is that just a me thing...goodness. I hope thats not just a me thing. Is that just a me thing?) So, I love that Dan-yi who has been trying her best to keep her best foot forward no matter what happens at work because she's just a temp and is trying to find a place here, lost her cool. I love that she had the opportunity to cry with people who understand her pain. She didn't tell her best friend for an entire year that she was divorced and homeless. She held all of that in, she cried all of those tears by herself. I'm glad that she got to cry them (even if she's been saying they were unnecessary) with other people who understand.
I will say that my first reaction to Seo-joon's dating plan was ARE YOU KIDDING ME MAN? EVERY DAY? They are going to ride the bus and have dinner together every.single.day? Is it just me or does that seem like a stupid long time? How long is this bus ride? And dinner is what--a couple of hours? Every day.
As you can see, I am not a people person.

I loved this episode a lot and this show in general which has great side stories that makes me invested. As much as I love the main twos relationship I realised that this show would have been great if they were just really good friends because to me their chemistry lies there ‘two best friends who look out for each other’ but of course this is dramaland and every relationship needs to be romantic.

The girls night out was definitely a fun surprise because I didn’t expect director Go. to be so cool and the three of them to bond and I hope it wasn’t a one time thing.

Seo Joon and Hae Rin definitely have chemistry which I didn’t expect because I didn’t even think they would interact as normal second leads dont even cross paths or have a 2 minute interaction so I doubt they would end up together since they seem too deep in with their own crushes.

Here's the thing for me with Director Ko and the way she treats Dan-yi: she's never wrong in her explanations for why she does or says the things she does that are misinterpreted, but the way she goes about in doing them are condescending an unnecessarily mean. Like, when she pointed out that there were a lot of Chinese characters in the book, she didn't have to do it the way she did. Or when she wanted Dan-yi's name off the book; I agree, Dan-yi should not get marketing credit, however, she can be credited with the marketing concept (though even that's not necessary). My point is, there are nicer ways to get the same messages across. Even if she has no desire to mentor Dan-yi -- which is fine -- she doesn't have to go out of her way to belittle her, which is what I feel she does.

And I get it, she's in a high position because she worked her ass off and didn't let anything hold her back. But one thing I've learned is that the best superiors and the ones who are most effective are the ones who give constructive criticism instead of just being critical without feedback for how to improve.

However, I will say this: I think having her be this way is important for Dan-yi's development. Dan-yi is clearly a very smart and capable woman who grabs at any opportunity she sees, and I really admire that about her. But also, having her in an environment where one of her superiors looks down on her is a way to keep her grounded and humble. She hasn't worked as long or as hard as Director Ko and she needs to know that while it's good to push herself, she also has to respect her superiors.

I think they are two sides of the same coin, but I also think that both women thought they were in a situations where they had to choose family or work without realizing that they could have both. I think Yeong-ah is that perspective -- the one who chose to have both. And it worked for her. She just married the wrong man, and that's not her fault entirely. It's not her family or her work that led to the end of her marriage, and I love that. We always see women whose marriages end because they had to choose, and here it was just that her husband is not good at being a husband.

I gasped too!.. that she wasn't asleep and that EH finally confessed! 😮

I agree with most of what you said, except I think EH will be VERY open about his feelings from here on out. From when he kidded DY about suddenly being attractive/seeing him as a man in the snow, his face suddenly became relaxed and open!

The highlights for me were the start, the middle and the end, but everything in the middle (SJ and HR, the background story of the divorce, etc.) still kept me entertained.

The start: EH and his attempts to tell DY how he feels. 😭 My heart literally aches everytime EH is rebuffed by DY. Is it LJS's face? His voice? It's just a few lines but I feel for him. 😩

The middle: The club, Gangnam Leopard and the girls' heart to heart! LOVED it, so raw, so unexpected but still welcome! At the start of the drama, I didn't really see how these 2 women (exc DY) will fit in, but now I know. 👍

The end: 😍 EH maybe, finally decided to throw caution to the wind and tell DY. SO excited (at the same time scared hahaha) on how their story will playout.

Side note: I suspect we will not have bitches or villains in the story (Dir Go and SJ redeemed themselves), no melodramatic storylines (crossed fingers), just scenes and relevations that will make us think and reflect... which is what this drama has been doing so far. Now I get what why some call it a "healing" drama.

Great episode. I was happy when Dan-yi started to realize how manly Eun-ho became. Also, she was not stupid and I love her character for her wise conscience, now she will find out for real that Eun-ho likes her. I bet she will be confused since she already felt some butterflies before finding out.

I think I'm crazy because I actually cried during the ladies drunken night. I cried for Director Ko. When she said she's all alone, I felt that.
I cried for Yeong-ah. When she was yelling at that shopping center, I sympathized with her. But really, how rude was that shoe salesman!?

I love how the show made me feel for all the characters. I'm already interested on how ALL their story will unravel. An yes, maybe romance was just a bonus to this show (which I think is okay) Kekeke

This episode was so funny and sad at the same time. Dan-yi cursing and sprawled on the floor was great. The Gangnam Leopard, fabulous (and I have a new and much appreciated understanding of Dir. Ko). Yeong-ah and Dir. Ko offering to go with Dan-yi to kick her ex in the nuts, epic. Yeong-ah/Ji-jong's story about the end of their marriage, heartbreaking. I have actually seen a marriage like theirs firsthand and have seen the pain a wife has when her husband takes everyones' side but hers. The couple I know stayed together for 40+ years but it took a toll on the wife.
And I am totally on board with Couple B because they have great chemistry and even the same taste in desserts. I'm not surprised Eun-ho knows about the letters because he is far more perceptive than Dan-yi but at the same time he doesn't want to rock the boat with a trusted colleague.
Seo-joon is really pinging my "half-brother" radar. And did anyone else notice the passcode to his secret roon was 0423. There's that infamous April 23 again. It will be interesting to see exactly where all this goes. We know Eun-ho's connection to Author Kang, but was is Seo-joon's? And where is Author Kang?
I am so glad to see Dan-yi coming into her own as Dan-yi. Not as a wife, a mother, a noona, but as a woman and a person, distinct and individual. And I want more of those three ladies together because they are awesome.

They’re never asleep. I never thought she was asleep. I’m really mindlessly watching this now. It’s so predictable and I’m not at all invested in the author who has disappeared. Not to say I’m not enjoying the couples. I think they’re adorable! All of them. Even the side ones. I’m invested in Ms. Go’s story too. I’m really interested to see if the dynamic changes at work as a result of the night out clubbing.

The funny thing about reading all these comments is that I'm like, "Oh yeah, that was great! That scene was well done. I really like what they're doing with x character".

In pieces, this episode was good.

But none of it meshes - none of it. When I say the show is three good Indie films smashed together, I mean it. Those three films look great. But mix them all together and you get some kind of televisual bibimbap but with ingredients that don't work together. Like, I love bananas but they should be eaten by themselves not thrown into a rice dish and stirred. And you have Dani in all three of these films and she's not so much a character but just an avatar for the writer to pop up and tell us how we're supposed to be feeling about something.

This metaphor got away from me. I'm going to leave now.

Despite my initial reservations about this show after the first episode, I am glad other viewers here told me to keep watching. I’ve finally caught up, and I’ve found this drama to be surprisingly enjoyable. I was worried that we were going to be subjected to melodramatic office hardships, but this ended up being much more lighthearted fare. For me, that’s not a bad thing, since I’m enjoying following the side characters as much as the main couple. I find everyone likable. I can understand the mixed reactions from commenters here, though. I think this show is basically a lightweight 9 End 2 Outs, which was also about two thirty-something friends living together and gradually becoming more. That drama felt more real and explored their relationship and work struggles in greater depth. I suspect disappointed viewers are searching for something of equal substance with this series, but I feel there is enough charm here to keep me interested.

I liked the ladies’ night out, the fake romance between the office newbies, and the rapport between the CEO, poetry nut, and Eun-ho. The romances have potential as long as the creators continue to give us the right balance of levity and angst. I admit that I’m a little skeptical, since there is not a lot of dramatic tension, and attempts at humor, whimsy, and insight have been hit or miss (for me, anyway). I often laugh, but I dislike when a character becomes a caricature (e.g., drunk Dan-yi, shocked Seo-joon, and jealous Eun-ho). This drama seems to prioritize rom-com magic over slice-of-life authenticity, so it will ultimately be a question of whether the clichés continue to work. I’m also interested to see where this drama is going thematically. I’ve had mixed feelings about the show’s messages so far. Part of me wants a believable portrait of a single mother starting over in love and work. For me, this would entail greater exploration of Dan-yi’s shortcomings in both areas. It would be nice if Eun-ho’s feelings are examined in a more adult way, too (as potentially naïve or more complex than they initially seem). K-drama fantasies tend to romanticize enduring infatuation, but a crush is different from an enduring relationship. If we’re going the romantic route, I wouldn’t mind seeing the characters struggle a bit with the transition.

I love this episode, especially the clubbing scene and the aftermath at Director Ko's house. The scenes between Ji-hong and Yeong-ah were painfully realistic and sad. I am a sucker for all of this writer's dramas, and this one is very similar to the others in theme and set-up. The only thing I don't like about it is Lee Jong-Suk. I've never understood the appeal. But the way the character is written makes me like him more.

Am I the only one who was extremely uncomfortable with the fact that he seemed intent on kissing her while she was asleep? Now granted Dan-yi might have some (okay, a lot of) unexpressed, vaguely romantic feelings for Eun-ho, but there's no way he knew that. He seems like a creep yet again, at least to me.

I'm also kind of waiting for some character development for Dan-yi. It seems like she's not growing. She's going through hardships and navigating her way through the morass that is her workplace, but it seems like she's still the same person she was when she joined the company. To put it differently, it seems like these hardships and tribulations she's experiencing are just a vehicle to showcase how great she already was, rather than being leveraged to show how she changes. But maybe I'm in the minority on this count as well.

For me, the big plus about this episode was the bonding between the women. I'm starting to respect Director Ko, even though I still think she's been unnecessarily hard on Dan-yi. The stuff surrounding the divorce particularly hit me hard; it's a good reminder that sometimes there's nobody really at fault when relationships break-down, and that altruism or kindness or whatever can actually be perversely harmful.

oh help....... how is this love confession gonna tide through another 8 episodes >.< i hope the writers have it all planned out and not make it too long and drawn out, or too rushed! the side stories were certainly interesting, and glad we got to learn more about Gyeoroo's other personnel and their history (though mostly heartwrenching ones).

and when Eun-ho wrestled Dan-i down at the start of ep 8... ermagahd. boy's gotta let out all those surpressed feelings! (it must have hurt too when he skidded on the floor after discovering a drunk Dan-i. but LJS was quite a trooper to keep going)

locations:

Royal Saloon [로얄싸롱] (ep 8): https://koreandramaland.com/listings/royal-saloon/

i-Style Cafe (ep 8): https://koreandramaland.com/listings/i-style-cafe/

more at http://koreandramaland.com/jobs/?search_keywords=%22romance+is+a+bonus+book%22&submit= :)

I loved this ep.

It made me laugh when Danyi decided her fluttering heart was because she'd been celibate too long.

I really like how well Eun ho and Danyi know each other. That he knew what she'd done when drunk and is totally accepting of that side of her.

I also like that Seo-joon left the dating in Danyi's court. They could meet or not. Plans came up for the night so he made his own plans.
Also, I dont feel like my heart will break for him. I think they are both at that stage of interest in each other and a bit giddy that this person finds you attractive and possibly it could turn into something. But it doesnt feel like anyone else would be second place to him or that he is somehow more deserving.

Yes, Director Ko is the Gangnam Leopard.

I loved the split scenes where our two couples- both still not yet truly couples- are looking at the snow. It was wonderfully symbolic foreshadowing.

Abirdword is exactly right in saying that there is no real chemistry between Dan-yi and Ji Seo-Joon. Which is why I am going to very respectfully disagree with Abirdword’s comment about a ‘Consolation Prize’ romance for our second couple. Sometimes a K-drama will break with the usual formula. For example: In ‘Coffee House’ it is the second female lead who ends up with the male lead at the end of the story. It seems to me that these writers are also breaking the mold. Eunho and Dan-yi certainly have a true love story- but it is a completely different one from the normal rom-com story arc: They are two people discovering that they have loved each other very deeply for a very long time. It is actually our second leads who are beginning the regular romcom journey, with fate bringing two strangers together to fall in love and learn to grow together (with a suitable bump in the road).

When Ji Seo-Joon opened the locked door and went into it I felt like jumping up and down and saying See! See! I told you so! Because it was exactly what I had expected. It was his collection of ‘evidence’ regarding Writer Kang. All of our characters have their flaws and quirks. Ji Seo-Joon is NOT some sort of psychopath nor is this an awful development. In fact, the ability to have the kind of focus required to be a great designer comes with a price- that he could also obsess over something. Of course, he may have a very good reason for this obsession if he has reason to believe that Writer Kang is his father. In any case it does not make him evil or dangerous, although it is a bit off-putting. I am guessing that this may be the bump in the road for he and Hae-rin.

I think this show is somehow working for me. The mindset I am in matches with the tone of the show. I think that is why I am enjoying both this one and Touch Your Heart/Reach of Sincerity.

That said, them turning out to be brothers would be awesome !
Pouty Eun Ho is a hoot and half to watch.

again that said, if they had put in more chemistry between DanI and Seo Joon, I actually like the 2 characters together. They had the meet cute and the follow up to that pretty naturally.
If not for the Eun Ho connection, Seo Joon would be really good for Dani I think.

My heart goes out to the ladies of the hour. Hae Rin for her crush on Eun Ho who is seemingly oblivious (but I think he knows and ignores it which is almost worse!)
Ko for her loneliness with which I resonate.
I hope they get happy endings!

Several issues that caused a lot of dsicussions in the early episodes and caused criticism of one lead or the other are now explained. We hear from Dan Yi’s own mouth why she hid her divorce from Eun Ho. We also learn that Eun Ho knew about Hae Rin’s crush all along and was ignoring it. She should have stopped but seeing that she is not getting the message he should have nipped it at the bud. Ignoring isn’t always the best action. I know he was trying not to rock the boat because they work together and are also friends but ignoring and not giving a firm no also gives hope to the deluded admirer.

On the Dan Yi-Seo Joon front her constant talk of Eun Ho when she is with a guy who came to apologize was very telling. I also really hate the “This might be my last opportunity to date someone” reasoning of the older female lead dating any guy who shows interest in her but this is another hallmark sentence of this screenwriter. This must be a Korean sentiment as no age is too old to date in the Western world.

I agree with Eun Ho on the other hand that “If you're still unsure, the answer is no. Dating him won't change that.” She needs to have confidence in herself so that she doesn’t settle with someone just because he is interested in her.

I loved Eun Ho seeing through Seo Joon’s plan of pretending to go to work but not interfering. What’s the point of going to work together if you are both reading books? That’s what you do when you are alone or with someone you are very comfortable with. It’s plain rude when it’s with someone you are supposed to be on a “date” with. I don’t see how it’s any different than playing with your phone. Isn’t the whole point of dating getting to know someone which requires talking? No matter how I look this relationship is so meh for me. I don’t know why Eun Ho couldn’t give her rides and drop her near work (I know they were afraid of getting caught but they could find a way. It makes no sense for her to use public transport).

What a sleazebag Dan Yi’s ex is to complain to Dan Yi about Eun Ho.

Ms Ko’s secret life as clubbing Gangnam Leopard was hilariously unexpected. I wonder if this will be a case of what happens in the club stays in the club. I want them to kick the ex-husband in the nuts together. I am also glad they didn’t play into the stereotypes and made Miss Ko the jilted bitter spinster. She may regret her choice at times but many married people regret as well, so I am glad it was her choice.

I hope there is a logical explanation to Seo Joon’s obsession with writer Kang because it is extremely unhealthy. I don’t like that Seo Joon is signing with the company for Dan Yi or making it look like that (honestly I think he is doing it for author Kang but deceiving Dan Yi and maybe even himself).

Ms Seo’s reason for divorce was very poignant and her “the only person on my side” sentiments has implications for Dan Yi and Eun Ho’s relationship. Dan Yi already knows who is the person always on her...

The BTS video was pretty funny.

I don't like that Eun Ho knows the feeling of Hae RIm for him and ignore them. I mean more than anybody he knows how painful it can be to love someone for a looong time. If he confronted her, it could have been very awkard between them but at least she could turn the page.

I won't say that Seo Ho and and Dani don't have chemistry, it's just they don't really have a lot of scenes together.

For this drama, I don't think I want Dani to fall in love with Eun Ho because she never showed any interest and it would be so sudden. I like their relationship like that. And I would find more healthy that Eun Ho find someone else to love.

I loved the scenes between the 3 club girls :D It was funny and touching.

Another great recap.. I especially identified with this perception:
The dissolution of Yeong-ah’s marriage was so heartbreaking, because it wasn’t about something big, but something small, and that small things was actually foundational. She wanted to feel not alone, like someone had her back, even when life was bad. And Ji-hong was not getting that done. It hurts the best, because there’s no outright cruelty, just casual neglect that destroyed a marriage.

Thanks for the recap @abirdword, and great commentary! I really enjoy this drama and cannot wait for the next couple episodes. It's the only drama I am watching at the moment, my weekly happy pill! More than anything I love the ensemble, each side character's story is interesting and I particularly like the balance between hilarious moments with Park Hoon and serious moments like the bonding with the ladies 😍😍😍. I dnt get the negative comments on this but at the end of the day, to each their own: taste really can't be argued on -:))

I love this drama, so much of its stories resonate on a personal level.
But they didn't have to go there with Seo-joon... he's quite something. He went from prince charming to red flags really quick. I especially hate that he's so intrusive and pushy towards Dan-i. Before he even asked her on the FIRST date he was already at the entrance of her job. Takes her to a surprise place where they make whatever you ask Them? HE already ordered for her. And now he's forcing her to decide for him whether he should take a job. Dude, grow up.
Not that our resident Male Lead Eunho is any better. At least he proved himself to be a good friend.

I like pretty much all the characters here, and I like the way they interact. I'm hoping for the obvious, that EunHo and Seo are half brothers, or at least cousins or something.

I thought it was interesting when Dir Ko revealed she had run away from her wedding and why, and the look on Dani's face seemed to me to be thinking back on when she also ran away from her wedding- maybe sometimes she wishes she hadn't, but that's kind of a waste of time. As you can see from Dir Ko, being the kind of person who runs away comes with its own problems, and so if she had run away (instead of staying and doing the harder thing, apologizing profusely,explaining why she couldn't go through with it) things would not necessarily be better, only different. And she has a daughter (even if the child is mainly a plot device), and you can't regret your child.

At the workplace I think Director Ko has legitimate points and she's made them, sometimes harshly, but usually fair, and Dani is learning from that, too. She didn't humiliate Dani over the taking her name off the publicity person on the book- she actually asked for the people in charge of that issue to see her privately in her office where she brought that up with the people who needed to fix it privately.
Hae-In or Eun-Ho should have quickly gone to Dani and told her privately what had happened and why, but instead, it was Hae-in who let Dan-i find out by publicly making a phone call the entire office could hear before telling Dan-i.
It was not remotely insulting or demeaning for Dir Ko to publicly mention that the manuscript had a lot of Chinese characters. It's not at all obnoxious to assume a high school graduate with no college wouldn't know a lot of Chinese characters. It's about what sort of exposure one might reasonably be expected to have, and I don't think anybody else in the room saw it as insulting rather than informational. It was a reasonable point to make- the manuscript might not have used a lot of Chinese characters, and most people who stopped school at high school wouldn't be expected to know a lot of Chinese characters.

I kind of thing her taking on all the extra jobs is going to come back to bite her- it kind of has, in a way- she got caught doing her co-worker's job, and so Hae-in assigned all of that job to Dan-i.

'but there is some major chemistry here between Hae-rin and Seo-joon.' IKR! It's funny cause since the moment I saw Hae Rin trying to persuade seo joon into working for their company I started hoping they become a couple, cause otherwise, it would be such a waste of an opportunity. That two such good looking people would be left all by themselves at the end. So I'm just happy that the show is veering towards that.
I am surprised how I am watching the drama for everything except the romance lol. Not that I mind it, but there is so much drama going on in the office, in the lives of the colleagues. And this slice of life vibe is quite relaxing, and by that, I mostly mean the character of Dani. The credit goes to Lee Na Young's voice and her acting. She brings depth into the surrounding she's in, so it gets easier to immerse into the story. I loved the women's night out and their bonding over heartbreaks lol. I haven't seen anything from this writer before so definitely impressed by her range.

I don’t know why, but I was really laughing-out-loud while watching the “girls” bawl their eyes out. 🤣 WOMEN!

What a great episode! This show continues to surprise me and is thoroughly thoughtful in the handling of every character.

I mean, they revealed the reason why Dani didn’t want to tell Eun Ho about her divorce, that Eun Ho knew about Hae Rin’s feelings all along, that Dani wasn’t asleep, that Hae Rin and Seo Joon has potentially amazing chemistry too....

Like someone commented, I think the scenes in which they showed two couples staring into the snow was an indication of where the relationships would head to. Both snow scenes were so beautifully shot, so picturesque! Esp that of HR and SJ’s.

That confession scene at the end was probably one of the most calming, beautiful confessions I’ve ever seen. Eun Ho’s smile carried so much warmth and depth when he reiterated his love for her and when she asked him if he liked her!!

And I loved how the writer didn’t make Eun Ho confess outright, but subtly instead. I think it was important to show that Dani came to her senses and was the one who caught up on his actions and love for her, instead of Eun Ho just plainly confessing because he was pressured by circumstances. It would have been uncharacteristic of him to do so. After having a one sided love for so long, her noticing his actions is way more satisfying for the viewers, and also debunks people’s constant criticism of her that she is totally clueless when it comes to relationships (though there is some truth in that lol). The fact that she notices now would also give Eun Ho the courage to be more bold, since he had always wanted her to realize how much he cares for her.

And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who felt sparks were flying when HR and SJ interacts, ever since their first encounter at the flower shop! Unlike with their crushes where they try so hard or try to impress, they seem so comfortable and at ease with each other, just like how at ease Eun Ho and Dani are together.

Can’t wait to see how those two pairs will continue to grow in their relationships! The chemistry among the whole cast is amazing, and the actors are playing their parts to perfection. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve enjoyed an ensemble this much, and liked every single character in a show, but this show proves that it’s possible.

Aha! So you finally noticed he's a man #now, did you? Well don't feel out his muscles like that! He can't carry you off to his cave and live out his wild and sinister fantasies...yet.
I need this show.

I'm so happy the three coworkers got to have a ladies night out and bond.
I'm also happy that Danyi is starting to notice Eunho as a man and is now aware of his feelings for her.

I know I am commenting late, but this episode really reminded me of the drama 'familiar wife'. what separated the couple was not the big things but the small and it was so sad to rewatch a similar variation with the divorced couple.

looking for the song played while Yeong-ah was sharing about the divorce.. :(