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You Are My Spring: Episodes 5-6 Open Thread

As life settles back to normal, our leads find they’ve gotten used to each other’s company, and begin to seek each other out. Though unanswered questions remain around the mysterious death and the new stranger in town, the story quiets down. But are our characters getting lured into a false sense of security?

 
EPISODES 5-6 WEECAP

We open with the delicious twisty moment we ended on last week — Young-do meeting Ian Chase at the site of his doppelgänger’s death. It might be creepy and odd, but Ian is able to explain it away and doesn’t give Young-do an inch. But Ian is clearly more invested in things than he wants to let on, and this week we see a lot of flashbacks to his and Choi Jung-min’s childhood and teenage years. The flashbacks all but guarantee us that they were twins, were brutalized by the cult, were sold off as orphans, and one (or both?) of them were involved in violence.

In between sections of Ian being dark, creepy, and digging into his and Choi Jung-min’s past, this week’s episodes mostly focus on Young-do and Da-jung, and feel a bit lighter. The dialogue and moments between these two continue to impress, and it’s as fun to watch the actors play off each other (Seo Hyun-jin in mock horror when asked if she wants ramyeon!), as it is watching the characters grow closer.

Their relationship goes from happenstance and unvoiced interest in each other, to something much more intentional — and even verbalized. Da-jung says she feels “a strange closeness” to Young-do, and as for Young-do, he goes out on a limb that reveals his growing feelings for her.

When they get a freak snowstorm, rather than go home, Young-do runs up to the roof to meet up with Da-jung. It’s a direct reference to their prior conversation, and Da-jung’s idea that snow let’s you excuse crazy things. His running to meet her, and asking what crazy thing she wants to do, is such a Moment. Their bond only grows from there, whether they are running around late at night in hanbok drag, teasing each other, or having deep talks.

One thing I really like about this drama is its moments of detail and psychological insight. We see so much how actions and circumstances affect our characters’ psyches — even all of our supporting characters.

For instance, we take a nice dive into Ga-young’s character this week. She can’t deal with her idol boyfriend’s confession, and she runs and hides. Quite literally. She gloms onto Da-jung of all people, demanding a ride, and then a place to stay, finally crashing at her apartment.

It’s a light and silly part of the drama, and it’s hard not to like the ditzy, wispy way Nam Gyuri is leaning into this character (it reminds me of Yoo Inna in Reach of Sincerity). But there’s also lots of subtext and a meatiness, if you will, that makes the story feel rich. We see Ga-young as vulnerable, too, and witness how her experiences have shaped her.

The same goes for even more supporting characters. Ga-young’s boyfriend PATRICK (Park Sang-nam) seeks out Young-do, and we learn about him with more depth than I certainly expected from this storyline.

Then there’s Da-jung’s bestie PARK EUN-HA (Kim Ye-won), who’s been mostly a foil for Da-jung’s romantic entanglements thus far. But this week, we see into her soul as well, and learn about the breakup that’s scarred her, and how she’s still fighting to heal from it.

We even get the same psychologically-themed insight when it comes to PARK HO (yay, Yoon Ji-on, one of my fave up-and-comers!). Ho has been faithfully tailing Ian Chase for the last few episodes, and he’s stabbed by a yet-unknown assailant. The story takes care even in this minor storyline. It’s as much an opportunity for us to see Young-do at work, as it is to explore how violence impacts our minds, and how we hold on to trauma so automatically.

If we look at all of these storylines from a bird’s eye view, it’s clear that our story is most interested in exploring the way experiences (especially traumatic ones) shape us — for better or worse. And the care that You Are My Spring is taking to draw this idea out via each of its characters, makes it something special.

The supporting characters feel less like plot devices, and more like puzzle pieces that complete the big picture. The story is interested in everyone, and that makes me interested too.

Our drama abandoned the spine-chilling twists in both of its episodes this week, but that doesn’t mean we end without any intrigue. Ian Chase has remained quite a troubling character. We don’t know how much he knows versus how much he reveals, but our cliffhanger this week makes me think that he, too, is trying to come to terms with his traumatic past.

As our episode ends, we see Ian take a handful of pills with some alcohol, and then we enter his mind as he goes on this weird psychological journey. The drama’s bendy takes and weird editing really help out here — we feel like we are lost in the mire of his mind with him, trying to piece things together.

Whether he was trying to commit suicide, or just going on a psychotropic trip, is left to be seen, but what we do know is that he’s unconscious in his hotel room when Da-jung appears trying to wake him. He’s clearly not in his right mind when he lunges for her throat. It’s a cliffhanger if ever there was one, and I imagine next week’s episodes will darken as we deal with the aftermath.

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This drama seems like two separate dramas intertwined - the Alfred Hitchcock-like mystery of the twins and the violence that surrounds them; and the sweet romantic story of two survivors finding hope in each other.

Despite the cute moments in the snow, I really am waiting for Young-do's analysis of the assailant's gait. I'm inclined to think Ian Chase stabbed Park Ho, then did a quick change and came back to save his life. (Why?) Keep an eye on his sneakers.

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Everybody should wear a creepy or silly costume unconventionally in public at least once. It is good for the soul.

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Ah, curiosity!!!

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I like how the twins could be either one or both when it comes to being the murderer. How do we know what we were seeing? Has it been Choi Jung-min all the way up until his suicide? Is he the one who died? When they were little, did the boys deliberately confuse people? Are they still doing the same thing? It's chilling to think that Da-jung may have been interacting with two different people. While Ian Chase is being made to look sinister and also very professional, the only time Choi Jung-min looked frightening was when "he" showed up in Young-do's surgery. At this stage, the murderer could be one or the other or both or neither.

I don't think there are two separate dramas as much as it feels at the moment. It's pretty clear that they will be linked in the progression towards healing all of those children as adults.

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Did anybody notice the first female victim was the women from their cult?!
One of the twins killed the police because the detective was on the right path investigating them, but what about the 99 building murder? Hmm

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I didn't notice! 😱

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I think it's the way they use people whose face is easy to forget and that gave me chills!

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I missed that too.

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I'm intrigued by Young-Do's past. It looks like he had a weird childhood too.

I loved all the scenes between the leads. They were funny and so sincere too. I like how YD doesn't hide his feelings but he's not too direct.

The murders plot doesn't bother me. Weirdly, I think it's well balanced with the romance.

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Ditto! The interactions between the leads are so enjoyable. I love their banter, even when they're not saying anything their eyes say so much.

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Thank you @ missvictrix! I enjoy where the show is going with the supporting characters' side stories, too. It makes the characters relatable and easier to connect to. I wonder if the place YD was left at (uncertain for how long) as a kid is the same infamous church. I also liked the clever use of split screen in certain scenes. Everything about the show is so pretty!

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Nam Gyuri is so adoringly weird in this! I'd only seen her before as a police detective - riding a motorbike, dressed in leather most of the time if I remember right, oh and suspected of murder of course - in Children of Nobody. The transformation is astonishing.

Kudos to her for making a character that could be easily annoying so endearing.

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I loved Children of Nobody! Nam Guyri and Lee Yi-Kyung were given the chance to act different role than their usual ones and they were really good.

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Had no idea they are the same actress! Talk about different roles.

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Honestly the last four episodes felt like a very thoughtfully crafted episodes with consistent theme. Can't lie that the strongest part for this drama is definitely the two leads and how well they switched betweek the warm and fluffly romcom to chilling mysterious thriller. I think the most crucial part on Seo Hyunjin's and Kim Dongwook's acting in this drama is the way you feel like watching them actually reacted in response to each other instead of ya know delivering lines to each other (idk does that make sense?).
And the dialougue... The quote worthy wise one liner narrations that is actually given with context and matched with what we're watching on screen not randonly thrown in (cough records of outh cough).

This drama unexpectedly spends time to the side characters stories (Mom and her one-syllable gifts from Mr Hong, Eunha and her ex, even Gayoung and her idol boyfriend) which I hope will somehow build up into a coherent story at the end and make so much sense (a la Stranger 2) and provides a satisfying ending, instead of being forgotten mid-run.

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Ps. If only the pilot week were half as good as the last four episodes..... We could've gotten better tv ratings :(

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The show is doing well on Netflix Korea so I suppose most people watch it there instead of tv?

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I was bummed about the rating too. It kept dropping. How do you know it's doing well on Netflix ?

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I saw it on Twitter. I think it’s cause the younger generation are watching it on Netflix so the ratings are not that good. It’s always in the top ten list in Korea and it sometimes is first place so I doubt that people don’t watch the drama.

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Yeah I think I saw it somewhere for the 3/4th episode they were ahead of Hospital Playlist in term of popularity on Kr Netflix, but again drama popularity is still kinda based off TV ratings unfortunately

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"feel like watching them actually reacted in response to each other instead of ya know delivering lines to each other"
@immawish
Yes!! It feels like we are watching them becoming friends then lovers in real life. Like I wonder if they madlib all the lines. I love how YD consistent and signature line is "oh my" and DJ is "no way" and the way they say it is so endearing. It must be good acting because I felt like they breath life into two very common phrases and made it their own. Like no one else could say oh my the way KDW does and make it as cute and in character

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Yes exactly! I think one of the charming point of this drama is the way it didn't edit the two leads conversations as dramatic as possible (by this I mean the common long gaze slow-mo MID conversation). The drama don't shy away from editing their conversation as it is like a lot of times and that's why I think it felt much more natural. And I believe that's a kudos to Seo Hyunjin and Kim Dongwook as much as it is for the director/editor

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The leads are so cute together. 😍 They both have such great chemistry together, which is to be expected from Seo Hyun Jin. However Kim Dong Wook is giving me grown man sexy vibes and I am here for it. As for the murder subplot, okay. It is possible they are both murderers, but who knows. We shall find out, it is the least interesting part of this drama.

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The murder subplot feel like something separated from the leads, though I don't feel bothered by it. But I do hope somehow they made the murder to be a subplot that actually has something to do with the leads' story not just something for a plot drive

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Binged watch this today.

- wonder how the bro-sis twins became friends with Da-jung
- at least Dong-wook's psychiatrist role doesn't make me cringe
- the thriller side...hhmmm I get to see more of Yoon Park xD
- mom is a hoot
- loving the leads

These are my random thoughts after bingeing all available eps today xD

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He is actually one of the few good psychiatrists I have seen in a drama. He isn't dating his patient, he correct understood that not all psychopaths are criminals, and not all mentally ill as dangerous. So progress!!

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Riiight? Just remembered that drama Jung So-min was in that I dropped like a hot potato after the 1st ep.

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Shudder, me too.

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This!

Honestly the first impression on first episode (the one where he "explained" Dajung's condition with mere stuffs he saw for 2 secs in her room was kinda a bump for me because that's ridiculous but they use the psychiatrist part of his character much much better on the rest of the episodes BUT the first. Again, still was hugely dissapointed by that pilot week.

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That, I agree as well. That part was over the top. But the character warmed up in the later eps and i hope it will continue to do so.

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Her best friend background story was o my 2-3 mins and it broke my heart. You can feel her literally try to hide her shame when sitting in front of the jerk friend. And her phone conversation made me feel the hurt. youngdo story makes a lot of the things he had said /narrated made sense....like how he doesn't run a lot (because of his heart), how when we lost someone we loved, we would believe anything that they are the wind (his brother), and how when Dajung was in shocked, it reminded him of his mom, being in a vacuum where you can't hear or see.
Also, I noticed that Dajung often build stuff into a circle (she did this with her foot and make a circle of leaves ) which connected back to when she was young and she did it with the dandelion. Everything is thoughtfully written and the dialogue is amazing. What a gem of a drama!!

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Kim Dong-wook is making me blush in this role for some reason. He really is a flirt.

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He is an absolute revelation in this role - a very kind-hearted man with the sexiest smile I've seen in ages.

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It says something about the quality of the production overall that the secret twin/cult/murder plotline doesn't feel as jarringly out of place as it otherwise would be.

But my main takeaway from this is how much I love our OTP and, weirdly, our male lead's ex-wife. I never thought I'd type that. She's so delightfully off beat and somehow self-absorbed while being perceptive and strangely selfless.

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Ga-Yeong is the best! She's so funny, honest and clumsy. She's not the typical ex-wife.

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I'm late to the party but I absolutely ADORE this series.

Also - the Accidental Radio Song Dedication scene has me in stitches no matter how many times I watch it. Young-Do's friends are a hoot! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

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