I really like how Hyun Seung is honest with his feelings. He always says what he thinks or feels. During the ramyeon scene, he said it wasn't shaken by his ex and it was true, he was shaken by their conversation about an unrequited love. There were a lot of scenes where we could see them feeling confortable together, laughing, so when he stopped being friend with her, the difference of behavior was really big.

We could see how Song-A cares about him but she always said it was as a sunbae, for the first time, she accepted it was more. The last OST "I Live in Your Eyes" is really great and matches really well her character.

Jae-Shin showed some growth, he accepted Song-A's choice and respected it. I wonder if they come clean, his couple with Hyo-Joo has a chance.
I loved the coworkers! Each one with a different theory : crush, dating or flirting. I think they all are a little bit right :P It's nice to see them supportive :D

There is a good balance between swoony moments (the elavator, the running, the rainy scenes) and serious conversations that make our character evolve.

The actors are really great in their role. It's funny to see them having difficulties to say their cringey lines :D

I was taken aback by how feral Hyo Joo looked in the split second before Hyun Seung stepped in. I had no doubt in my mind that she was ready to tear Song Ah to pieces. Jae Shin was clearly in denial by thinking that he could have a second life in Europe without her knowledge. Hyo Joo has keen senses and she definitely knows that Jae Shin doesn't love her, but he's pretty to look at and she's willing to settle for his forced allegiance.

I keep coming back to the conversation with her grandfather. I think another reason for the disdain that he shows Jae Shin is due to the position Hyo Joo put herself, and therefore the family in. By being so hooked on winning Jae Shin, she's inadvertently brought the family low, so to speak, and given power to a man who is not even from their social strati. Hence, the grandfather goes out of his way to remind Jae Shin that he is nothing and does not have power, irrespective of Hyo Joo's feelings.

I think she sees Jae Shin as trustworthy and someone reliable. Hyo Joo saying that he was the only one there for her struck me, as though despite all her bravado she's desperate for something real and stable to cling to.

On that note, I loved how she handled Jae Shin's father's pretense, and hope she won't exploit the man's shameless selfishness to her benefit. Even though, let's be honest, she probably will.

Truth be told, I hate seeing Jae Shin's dad onscreen and feel like sinking into the ground from second-hand embarrassment whenever he speaks. Jae Shin was clearly hurt when his father took the money. Despite their history, he expected some resistance, but it turned out that his father is a cretin-leech and will keep pestering Jae Shin until he's tapped him dry. The man is awful and makes it easy to understand why Jae Shin is so desperate to claw out of the hole he was born into. Even so, hurting people in the process cannot be tolerated. However, I am glad that he and Song Ah amicably put their relationship to rest this week. Please, please stay that way.

Thank you for the recap!!

Stray Observations:

🎀 Two Noona romances for the price of one! I am so IN. Ji Seung and Jae Woon are adorable as are the main duo.

🎀 Did the husband and the chef bury a body together? Yikes.

🎀 Calling it now, Ga Young is the Red Masked Avenger. I see it fitting her character perfectly!

🎀 Ironically, it took seeing his clingy ex for Hyun Seung to realize that unrequited love is not his jam. I knew she would pop up eventually and ended up being glad that her appearance pushed the quasi-couple closer together. So, so glad for his transparency.

🎀 I officially have the biggest crush on Ro Woon, please send help.

🎀 Fingers, toes and pinkies crossed for some kissing next week, I wholeheartedly ship Hyun Seung and Song Ah!

I really love the weecap. Especially the observations about the ex-returning and the dance going on between HS and SA. I didn’t expect the turn in their love story though … but it makes sense. SA needed to become aware that HS has filled in a space in her life (hopefully also in her heart).

This week I stumbled over words (expressions). I stumbled over the words of HS’s heart being too big for her to accept. Did it mean that she notes that he loves her more and she can’t reciprocate to the same extent (yet) or at all? Did it mean that she notes that he loves her and she’s not ready to feel like that so soon? What did it mean? I feel the dance we saw between them revolved around those words. Like she needed to realize what she felt for him and that she could respect him like a man. Like he needed to crawl out from under the shell as a little brother. I felt like having his product win and seeing him in a setting where he was the sunbae helped with that (next to the three points you mentioned above, being in demand etc).

I also love what she said at the end about not being able to hold herself to the boundary he had set in their relationship because she enjoyed being around him too much. I found it interesting that she termed herself as a “bad person.” If I am a bad person so be it! It made me think about why she would see herself as bad. Maybe because she wasn’t sure if she liked him like he liked her but she did know she wanted to be around him. Perhaps she was aware that it meant she might be playing with his heart. I like how she is discovering her feelings and I like her honesty.

I absolutely love Jae-woon and Ji-seung!! My second favorite pairing! I kept wondering what his reaction would be if he came to know that Ji-seung’s brother was working for him!! The dog scene was too funny and cute!!

I thought the dad had hit a low point last week, but I was wrong. Putting a price tag on the relationship with your son … something that should be priceless!! I have no words … I had no idea you could sink this low with a gambling addiction. Though I deeply dislike the father, the drama does do a good job of depicting it and makes me wonder what caused the dad to go down that route in the first place. What does he think he will gain if he strikes it big?

Okay, don't hate me but in some ways I felt sorry for Jae Shin in these episodes and in some ways I couldnt stand him. First, the scene with his Dad and him offering him money ( obviously as a TEST) ripped at me because you could see Jae Shin was hurt by his father not only accepting money to end their relationship but putting a small price on it. You could see that Jae Shin wanted his Dad to choose him. Also, Jae Shin ran to Song A because she is his comfort zone. Next, I didnt like how the Director treated Jae Shin in this episode, he was his friend and kind but wasn't it friendly condescension? Picking out someones clothes and telling them to dress better is messed up too. I dont think he meant to be unkind but it came off as stuck up.

The whole family bothers me in the way they treat Jae Shin. The grandfather, the fiance, even the Director at times but what's worse, Jae Shin seems to accept it. Jae Shin can't seem to recognize his own self worth and talents which is sad.

I adore HS and Song A and I can really see them together long term. I love that their relationship is a slow build. I think Song A will become more open to HS. My favorite scene was when HS took her to meet his college friends and afterwards he said I was cool and Song A looked at him and said Yes.. You could literally feel the chemistry in that scene. My only complaint is the storyline is dragging a bit so I wish it would pick up but I call this a coffee drama.. slow and relaxed. I am definitely enjoying ..
Random: I was mad at Jae shin for the elevator scene. I mean did he really have the audacity to tell Song A to let bygones be bygones and to let it go. I know she agreed because she is trying to move on but talk about RUDE! I'm like he is acting like the victim.. SMH..

I think Jae Shin is jealous of HS. HS has the background, looks, fun personality. You can tell its something about HS that really pokes at Jae Shin's ego.

One of the things that I just love about this drama is that they are actually allowing characters to grow. I love that Song-Ah and Hyun-Seung are becoming a part of each others lives--and they arent even dating yet. Hyun-Seung knows Song-Ahs best friend. Song-Ah went with Hyum-Seung to have drinks with his college friends.
Song-Ah was Lee Jae Shins dirty little secret. She was ready to come out of the closet and get married. She didnt have the confidence to say that she was ready to talk about marriage. She barely had the courage to spit out that she was ready to come out of the closet before he shut her down and changed the topic.

Apparently Hyun-Seung played the same role in his previous relationship. I love that before anything has even happened they are showing each other that they are allowed to to want more than what theyve been given in the past.

With Song Ah in particular I love that with hik shes confident enough to SAY WHAT SHE WANTS. Again, with LJS she was ready to come clean about dating and ready to get married and she could barely say it before he shut her down and moved on. With Hyun Seung--he told her he planned on getting over her and putting that wall up since one sided love is a form of violence (ha) and she just quietly nodded and went along with it because shes used to nodding and going along with what the other person wants. But at the end, when she told him not to get over her? To bring the wall down? Oh. Yall. I cheered for her. Shes standing up and voicing what she wants.

I really like the growth Hyun Seung has shown, Most importantly he is a man who is willing to look inwards and question/correct his behaviour. When he chose to back off, it made me root for him more.

Also, after the initial drama, these 2 have settled into a comfortable camaraderie which is so pleasant to watch. It's almost like they both have shown their past to each other and are ok with not being perfect to each other. And Song Ah seems genuinely happy with him. After being in a relationship which only existed in the dark or within four walls, she is finally seeing the merits of meeting people/making new friends and enjoying some quality time with people. He really is showing her what 'dating' should feel like.
It made so much sense that she didn't want to let go of this new found happiness which she hasn't had in her life. Brave of her to ask him not to give up. Go girl!

Jae-woon love line is cute and they are quite adorable together. I hope they remain such and not get embroiled in some family drama later on. It's coming isn't it?

Until it happened I had not thought that there could be any purpose to the return of Hyung-seung's ex-girlfriend but actually Misvictrix was right in seeing that it really advanced the story and his relationship with Song-ah.

His ex is wants him back- and admits to having made a mistake. True, but in the words with which Talleyrand described Napoleon's invasion of Russia "That was not a mistake, it was a blunder". But the ex trying this is not out of character because the people who make that mistake never really understand the impact on their partner. Still, her appearance does indeed make Song-ah see Hyung-seung differently.

In a way it shows just how big Hyung-seung is as a person that he decides that he will stop inflicting his love on Song-ah even o the point of waiting patiently for her. He will respect her wishes and put distance between them so that she can be comfortable at work. For once, instead of an idiotic 'noble separation' we get one rooted in common sense. How completely refreshing is that?

But, even though Hyung-seung was honestly not trying to manipulate Song-ah his move works anyway. Song-ah has finally bought a clue and tells him that she does not want him to move on from her. What a wonderful way to end the first half of this drama.

I loved the wee-cap but I have to respectfully dissent with MissVictrix about the impending marriage of Hyo-joo and Jae-shin. Yes there have been flashing red lights about that and until the most recent episode I would have agreed with this being a mistake. But in this episode all of that was overshadowed by the most massive green light possible: The fact that Hyo-joo can deal with and protect Jae-shin from his sociopathic father. Suddenly this marriage makes a lot of sense: Jae-shin has a monster removed from his life, quite literally the bane of his existence and Hyo-joo gets a husband who is a boon to the family business and the person who is least likely to put chains on her. Jae-shin needs to appreciate Hyo-joo more and perhaps hyo-joo may need to learn to be a bit softer handed in dealing with him, but there is actual potential for a very good marriage here. Jae-shin is not going to fall in love with her at this time. It may be a long time before he can love anyone but, now that his father is neutralized there is a good chance that he will eventually love himself enough to love someone else. Until now he has simply been in survival mode.

Do not get me wrong. I do not like Hyo-joo as a person. She is in fact dangerous. But as long as Jae-shin understands the importance of keeping her on his side that is actually a good thing.

That brings me to Hyung-seung's sisters. We are getting warning signals regarding the middle sister Yeon-seung. Whatever is about to happen it does not look good.

The story of Ji-seung and Jae-woon is much happier. Wedo not know what caused J-seung to cancel her engagement fourteen years ago but, given that...

I just like this drama, it has many relationship complications that draw me in to see how they are resolved, change, or even explode. Hyun-Seung is my ideal type (a term I never used before kdramas haha). Two looming issues - the wedding dress having to be ready on time and the assignment to Europe - have me nervous s to how they will play out . I really like the dynamics of the Chae siblings. And , while the first two episodes threw us into the relationships conflict, I do like the pace of Hyun-Seung and Song-ah’s interactions.

Great job describing Jae-woon's antics as buffoonery! His fear of dogs (especially the tiny, yappy dog) was hilarious. I wonder what his reaction will be when he discovers Ji-seung's shop stopped making Hyo-joo's wedding dress though. Jae-woon is likable with Ji-seung, but with Jae-shin, Jae-woon is insensitive and rude. It's difficult to see who he truly is.
As for our main couple, their romance is developed very naturally, which I deeply appreciate. It's slow, but I think because the workplace environment is very fun, it takes away the frustration viewers usually have with slow romances.
This is one of the two dramas I am currently watching, and I enjoy every minute of it!

After reading the comments on What are we watching, I realized a lot of people didn't like the trope of the ex.

Personally, I liked it because it didn't shake the lead's feelings. Hyun Seung didn't hesitate or had doubts and Song-A didn't become jealous. Any of them started to act out of place because of the ex.

But it was a good parallel with other characters. She broke up with him because he didn't share the same difficulties. Song-A and Jae-Shin shared the same kind of past and I think it's why they were attracted to each other. A difficult past they could overcome thanks to their hard work. But they lived their love story in secret.

I don't think Song-A will do the same mistake than the ex by understimating Hyun-Seung's love and care and taking it for granted.

The ex let Hyun-Seung realized that unrequited love can be burdensome. So he tried to act in consequence.

For once, the ex trope made the plot going forward and not backward.

Hyun-seung’s reaction to his ex — to re-evaluate his relationship with Somg-ah — made sense to me. Although he has been respectful of Song-ah's choices in principle, I have felt the vibe of "I totally support your choices but I'll get in your face every 5 minutes to remind you there is an alternative, not to mention turning up to save you/surprise you every time something happens." I'm not surprised he feels like he's been sitting on both sides of the fence.
In the bigger sweep, he always has good reasons for what he does but he still comes across to me as impulsive and close to being out of control, even though he may not always realise it.
I really like this drama.