Is it just me that feels like this weeks episodes feel like they were written by someone else? I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed with the turn the plot took, on several fronts. The thing that’s bugging me the most is Minwoo and his random turn in characterisation, which the show acknowledged, but idk if you’re going to try give him a redemption arc then a) I wish the the stuff about his background was introduced earlier and b) I wish they hadn’t pushed him past the line with his antics last week.

I’m just questioning the decision to leave the redemption arc (or what seems like a redemption arc) and a possible Suyeon x Minwoo paring to the last 4 episodes -notwithstanding the cancer issue, the breakup (why 😭), the birth secret and the related law firm politics. It’s even more puzzling because the writing has been solid & tight all the way up until this point, so I’m scratching my head a little as to why we’ve ended up here all of a sudden with all these tropes squished in last minute and the pacing faltering a little. I shall put my trust in the EAW team to give us a satisfying ending next week nevertheless!!

"Gosh, I almost reported you to the police for the crime of not staying in character."

No, I think I'd still like to report that crime, thanks.
112, hello? Yes, a Drama Crime has been committed. Yes, they tried to mitigate it with self awareness but it was still weird. Yes, please send any extra secondary character development units you have available, it will be needed and we lost ours on the way. Yes, thank you.

Thank you @unit for the recap and your sacrifice. It is terribly difficult when a show that brings you joy becomes a hard(er) watch.
My heart. I was afraid of these kind of tropes. My (hopeful?) trust is in the writer to wrap up the drama in way that makes these two episodes part of the journey and moments to a satisfying resolution rather than a detour.

WYW is an observant person, therefore she absorbs the energy around her…

I've only watched a few clips of the newer episodes because I currently have this drama on hold…

With that being said, the scene where WYW overhears her bf's sister trying to persuade him that his relationship with her isn't really something to be proud of (that's how I interpreted her words).. WYW sucked those words right up like a vacuum and believed that it must be true.. She has explained before it's hard for her to process who is being genuine and who isn't. She is used to hearing the negative views about her, because most people agree with those views. It's rare for her to come across someone who doesn't, and when she does find gems along the way who don't view her disability as an obstacle but just view her as a person who has feelings too, then it allows her to empty all the words of trash she's carried along the way…

I'm guessing she would have like to have heard the ML say he is happy with her or something like that.. She is probably doubting that she can make him happy and would have liked some reassurance…

Him on the other hand during the breakup I would have liked if he could have been a bit more understanding. (Not saying his feelings don't matter) but I mean because it takes more time for her to process things and get her words right.. WYW shows her feelings, when she disapproves of something, it shows on her face. When she is happy, sad, or angry, it shows on her face and it might take a little bit for her to voice how she feels. It's hard for her to realize certain things based on other people's gestures, she needs to be in a way reassured of how the other person is feeling. We all know the ML is happy with her, but she can't see that or ask him if she does. Just like when she couldn't tell he was doing everything on her list because he likes her and wants to spend time with her. To him they were dating, to her they were just getting to know one another.. She makes decisions based on words and her own understanding of them. Ml makes decisions based on his emotions.. They say actions speak louder than words but not for WYW unless someone explains it to her.

Which is why I understand why the Ml lashed out in a way, he just got heartbroken. At the same time he could have gathered his thoughts a little bit better and later tried to talk to her about it.. But then again, when you're emotional, you tend to say/act a certain way before processing the situation.. I don't think he should have treated the breakup like any ordinary one and gone out drinking but I guess that was the writer's way of showing how distraught he is… I might end up coming back with a different pov and comment something else once I actually watch these episodes.

The bar for men is really low when all it took Suyeon to fall for Minwoo was for him to, temporarily, not be a jerk 😔.

Can't believe we also got the Ep. 14 break-up. How did this show turn into trope roulette?

I know, I know, the tropes were weird, BUT I did love that moment when they were back on the plane and everyone is tired, hurt, and sitting away from the people they came with. You go out on a group outing all happy and cheery only for all kinds of conflicts to come out.
Also, stupid stomach cancer aside, I loved how happy and playful Myeong-suk was. The three jokesters on the plane, in the car, were amazing.

Just in case people forget, the hallmark of autism is communication deficit, i.e, their inability to communicate as neurotypical people do. So the wrinkle in their relationship is sure to happen, sooner or later. Failure to communicate will continue to hound them and unless they find a way to hold on and overcome this the relationship is bound to fail. I actually applaud how the writers wrote the break up scene because it was consistent with WYW as an autistic character. Unfortunately for Jun-ho, he must also learn that it takes time for WYW to learn how to explain what she feels. And he has to be the to continue to bridge the communication divide. Yes, it is an unequal relationship if viewed that way but WYW has so much love to give too, she just can't express it well.

It's hard to see how how we get from this point to a satisfying ending for YWY, Jun-ho, the Hanbada crew, Dad, Geu-ra-mi and Hairy.

Anyone else extremely confused by the abrupt change in Min Woo’s characterization and the romance between him and the other lawyer? This feels extremely forced with only 2 episodes to go. Additionally I am also not understanding the development with lawyer Jung’s illness and how it contributes to the overall story.

Let’s see what the final 2 episodes bring but I am quite confused and concerned at the direction the drama is now taking.

Well, they are pretty much doing all the things that I hoped they wouldn’t do with this story. Myeong-seok has a serious illness, Sunshine and Min-woo are catching feelings for each other, and we had an episode 14 breakup. Sigh. Are there just no other ideas out there? Do writers not know how boring and overdone these storylines are? Someday there will be a drama couple who have a problem and are able to resolve it without breaking up. It will be like spotting a Yangtze River Dolphin and I’ll be here to cheer from the sidelines when it happens.

I was here for Junho’s rush of feelings last week, when he explained that he was hurt because they had different understandings of their relationship. But I wanted them to talk about it more, and I feel like they missed that opportunity again this week. I also wish they would discover something that they have in common. When they are at work they are fine, because they are both interested in and invested in the cases they are working on, but it seems like an unsustainable relationship if that’s the only thing they share. The breakup happened early enough in the episode that I also hoped they would talk about it and resolve it before we ended things for this week, but alas no.

Did Min-woo just decide to take a break this week? After his totally appalling behavior last episode, I assumed he was all-in, but there was no sabotage at all this time. I wish they had never introduced this storyline in the first place, but it’s also weird just to forget about it immediately.

Seeing Myeong-seok’s failed relationship was so heartbreaking, as was seeing his ex-wife (who clearly still cares about him) witness how different he was when he started talking to Young-woo about the case. It was a lot like Young-woo really. She doesn’t know how to give Junho the answers he needs from her, and doesn’t have any practice with that kind of relationship, but lights up when talking about the case. I hope Young-woo figures out how to communicate more with Junho, and I hope Myeong-seok doesn’t die! I wish this storyline was about finding balance between really loving your job and the work that you do, and all the other things in your life. Then it would be another interesting aspect of Young-woo navigating the world of being an attorney with good and bad examples all around her, and finding the things that work for her. Instead I have to worry about her mentor getting killed off. Ugh. I will never forgive them if they do.

I wasn't really satisfied with the last two episodes. There are several reasons for this.

The fact that Hairy and Geurami were suddenly members of the travel group to Jeju Island made for some wonderfully chaotic moments, but it seemed too contrived.

Actually, it was clear from the beginning that Su-yeon and Min-woo would become a couple, but after Min-woo's intrigues it seemed unlikely. I find it all the more unbelievable that the writers want to forcefully bring the two together in the last few metres. Besides, the fact that Min-woo comes from a poor family is no excuse for me. Nevertheless, it is still possible to play fair.

If Jung Myeong-seok dies, I will be furious.

Contrary to what most people think, I actually felt that the breakup was consistent with Young-woo's character.

1. YW not giving Jun-ho a reason for break up.

YW doesn't always open up about her struggles, especially when it is related to autism and discrimination. When her dad asked why she didn't want to visit her school (Ep 4) she didn't reply that it was because she was bullied. All these years, she never told her dad that she needed more professional help to be more adept with society (Ep 11). She didnt say the reason why she quit (Eps 3,4) despite her dad and Gurami prodding her. The only person she told was JH. And that was because the mood was serene and he asked her gently.

If JH gently asked why she's breaking up, she might've told him why. But the air was charged with high emotions, and he was (rightfully) hurt and angry by her talking about the case and walking away. That was no time for a healthy conversation. If they had spoken even more, it would've been an exchange of harsh words they didn't mean, which imo, would've worsened the situation.

She's used to dealing with crap on her own, because it had affected only her. But now it affects her relationship with JH, but she's used to shouldering her problems that she doesn't let him know about them. And he's likely to blame himself for not catching on. Also, she doesn't like ratting people out. As horrible as Min-woo is, she's never told JH what he's done. She knows how much JH respects his noona, and she didn't want to make him get angry at her.

2. Having a insightful moment in the middle of a emotional conversation.

We saw it happen in Ep 8 when her dad was talking about her birth, and she had her moment and asked him to leave. He was visibly upset by that. SY mentioned a time when she was sad about her exams, and all YW could talk about was whales (Ep 7). Another time would be when she was with Jun-ho's friends (Ep 10).

And at that moment when he yelled, she may have realised that it wasn't just the breakup that hurt him; it was her seemingly callous dismissal of his feelings by going on about the case. She could see how hurt he was at that. And it may have made her feel that the breakup was the right thing to do for him, so he doesn't get hurt by her (autistic traits) anymore.

It's easy to blame YW for the breakup. But looking at things from her POV, it's clear that she felt she was doing him good - by freeing him from the 'burden' that comes with loving her, and by withholding the reason so he doesn't beat himself up about it.

So was the former client who attacked his former lawyer thing just to exacerabate Myeong-seok's stomach cancer symptoms? I thought it was going to be revealed that he had some regret about whatever morally gray, legally valid thing he had done to the client.

I always understood where Min Woo was coming from (even though he is a competitive jerk) so seeing him without that pressure or stress just seemed like another aspect of his character. It didn't seem out of left field to me. Neither was the pair the spares situation. They've always had that rivals dynamic but that can also challenge people/characters to grow. Su yeon ALWAYS calls him out on more self serving, narrow minded tendancies and Min Woo is a realist who truly internalized how being selfish can be a necessity at times. That's not to say he hasn't been an underhanded prick (the pettiness of bad mouthing Young Woo and trying to set her up to be fired are inexcusable). If he can't compete with her fairly then he should carve his own lane. (That's probably easier said than done and wouldn't even be a consideration for him)
Anywho, all that to say I didn't find that development surprising.

I didn't find the break up all that surpring either though I did get teary over Jun Ho heartbreak. This wasn't the first time that it's been mentioned that a person felt lonely. Her dad even said he felt lonely with her (I don't remember if he said that to her or was rememinising to himself) but actually seeing someone who felt lonely plus hearing the way his sister disapproved of her and their relationship, it's not surprising that she would piece together "this does not equal happiness/ I don't think I'm capable of making him happy the way he can do it for him"

I think the most surprising and heart warming parts were where they offered to help the abbot and the restaurant owner. They were just paying it forward and it's nice when people in positions of power and knowledge use their powers for good. I liked the moment when Myeong-seok looked around and it was like he really saw that his workaholic life wasn't a waste. He's made a impact with this new generation of lawyers. In a job where it can be so soul sucking and morally gray, to have moments like that matter.

I just really want to know why the Habada ceo has such a hate on for ceo Tan. It's going to be irritating to me if this is due to some petty inferiority complex, jealousy thing because tossing Young Woo into the middle of that is just malicious and violating. I'm really glad Young Woo had learned about Tan's identity before this stuff exploded in the media but she still ends up blindsided. A part of me kinda wants her to open up her own law firm but then I also want her to continue working with power player lawyers because she builds her skills and reputation.

When Attorney Jung held his hands out as they breezed through the bushes in the Jeju tour with tears gathering in his eyes, I wondered what might have evoked such deep emotions. Walking with him through his story, Jung has been through enough. If anyone needed the Jeju trip the most absolutely, it has to be him. Little wonder he came dressed in Hawaiian shirts, and he’s been the one with the most casual of dressing out of the group. Good thing Geurami and Hairy Boss tagged along, else it would have been all work for him throughout with those work ants. Work has both taken a huge toll on him, and taken things from him or was it that he allowed work to take things from him. I doubt if he can piece things back together, at least to a fair degree. He knows where it all started, I hope he can walk back to where it all started and rewrite some of his history. They seemed like a lovely couple.

Walking through the scenes during the last chat with the Abbot, Jung Myeong-seok earned the title of The Good Lawyer for this week.

On a completely different note, it’s really funny and quite a habit that Kang Ki-young was equally divorced in What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim due to work obligations as well😉.

I liked these episodes.

I don't think Min-Woo was different than his usual. As a lawyer, he is very professional, he never ran away from his work. But he's a jerk as he sees his colleagues as ennemies. But we know why now. He needs a good job in Hanbada or in Taesan to help his family. But outside his job, we didn't know him. But the fact Jun-Ho lives with him was an clue than he couldn't be a complete jerk. This show portrays grey characters and not black and white ones.

It was nice to know a little bit more about Atty Jung and his ex-wife. But it would have been nicer without the cancer... But these episodes showed that he's a good lawyer and how proud of his protégés he is.

I hope Jun-Ho follow Atty Jung's advice and won't let go Young-Woo. Her fear that she will make him lonely was the reason. But Jun-Ho's sister was out of place. It was very mean to talk about her opinion at this moment.

I wonder how the fight between our 2 CEO will end and how it will affect Young-Woo. She doesn't seem to care about her mother anymore.

I fail to see how they can satisfactorly address all the plot lines they introduced with just two episodes left considering they will also have the case of the week to deal with. Just in the last episode they introduced several new conflicts with Attorney Jung illness and ex wife, dissaproving family, break up, Sunshine and Min Woo on top of the existing birth secret, Taesan and Min Woo deal, CEO Han machinations and whatever else has been going on. Are they setting up season 2? I don't see how they'll have the time to wrap up everything. I don't need all the threads tied in a neat bow, but I'm not a fan of open endings or rushed resolutions. Trying to stay optimistic but I've been burned before.
I like both the character and actor so the focus on Attorney Jung was welcome but was it really necessary to not only give him cancer but also make it stage three. Something like an ulcer could have served a similar purpose. They don't have the time to kill him off, with everything else going on, unless they plan to gloss over his death.

Ugh…I.CAN’T.EVEN.

I started worrying when they introduced the whole secret birth thing in the early episodes, but I ignored my gut instincts. I swept those inklings of doubt under the carpet. I thought to myself, “Surely, this little gem of a show won’t fail me. With how great things have been so far there would be no need for any other generic tropes to make their way here.” …HEAVY SIGH… Yet, here we are. With only 2 episodes left. 😬

Omg, this thought just popped up. You don’t think they’ll leave things unresolved with intentions of continuing the story in the Webtoon adaptation, do you???? No, right? … NO, RIGHT???!!!

“The concept of portraying evil and then destroying it, I think it’s rotten.”
——Hayao Miyazaki

Is this week’s episodes really that bad?

I know I always seems like an opposition to you, @unit, I hope you don't mind. Saying the show is being written by someone else is, however, a bit overstretch. After all, this show’s screenwriter is not Kim Eunseok (as in The King: Eternal Monarch).

So, the first thing I am saying is the only point I (kind of) agree with you. Minwoo's character shift is no doubt a little bit too sudden (They are in Jeju doesn’t count, Minwoo), although I have to admit it is not that unnatural. From the time we know he is living with Junho (in fact, it is Episode 1, although not everyone recognizes that until like Episode 5 when they have midnight snack together) and asking him if he wanted to get some of his noodle I don’t think he is a all-bad character. Although we do remember him as "Tactician Kwon" for quite a long time, and we really don't like his mean tactics (I didn't forget he send that proposal to Atty Ryu in Episode 12), but it is not unexpected to see some of his kindness (at least he did suggest Junho to tell Youngwoo's his love to her in Episode 9, as well telling Junho he is giving Youngwoo too much pressure for introducing her to his sister). The hints are all there, it's just we were blinded by his action (and his reverse discrimination towards Youngwoo) for so long, and the screenwriter doesn't give us too much preparation to out him. That, I guess the screenwriter pace controlling is not very successful——she even have Suyeon voice out the frustration, which I think is pretty funny (let alone having her falls in love with him——but well, she did fall for a bad guy once in Episode 11, so why not twice to keep the consistency?).

In fact, having a bad guy turns into good guy is pretty common in many dramas, not only K-dramas. One of the good examples is Seokjo, the Inspector General of Lee Hwi and father of Jiwoon who falls in love with Hwi … Yes, I am talking about The King’s Affection, the last project Park Eunbin involved. Certainly, the best way to write dramas is having no clear cut between good or bad. This is why I quote Hayao Miyazaki in the beginning. But since we are still being bounded by the definition of “Good” and “Bad”, we really can’t see the reality behind them. (1 of 2)

Lee Jun Ho was wrong in introducing Woo Young Woo to his sister. She did not confirm they were an official couple, but he suddenly made plans and requested her to visit along with him. That is a total no-no even if YW was a neurotypical person. It is not just Min Woo, but JH too who got a personality transplant. JH was always shown to be patiently waiting for YW when she goes on one of her inspired thoughts in the middle of another conversation, but suddenly he is hurt over her going on about the case during their break-up. Also, he also did not pressure her when she ran off after his first confession, but now he is jumping to conclusions about their breakup and yelled for an answer when he knows she gets nervous when things get noisy. For a guy who is capable of gently explaining stuff to YW like the kiss or dating list, to momentarily get wrapped up in his feelings seems opposite of him claiming to like YW with her neurodivergent capabilities. Until episode 14, I feel JH did not fully realize what it means to have a future with YW. He was prepared to handle the discrimination/disapproval thrown by others at him for dating YW, but he did not expect obstacles to crop up internally from their own interactions. I do not see anything wrong with the drama for introducing the tired trope because it is actually needed here, but I can't say the same for some of the other plotlines. Till now I had actual appreciation for the show because it was using every single plot development for the protagonists growth, but now I feel the ratings has got over its head that scenes are becoming unnecessary and ridiculous like Geurami and Hairy singing at the Karoke room which were too long and boring.

I have to admit that the one season format of most KDramas is something I am still getting used to as I hanker for more content when I like the actors even if the storyline is not exactly stellar, and get kdrama angsty when my faves are reaching the end of the road.

But that’s beside the point. What I wanted to raise was the following: I found that it was quite unbelievable that Juhno would not immediately think that Youngoo’s reaction was connected to his sister’s ableist and harsh words which could have been easily overheard by Youngoo since she had gone inside the house to use the restroom. It just seemed so counterintuitive to expect the audience to believe that this sweet, kind, attentive and smitten person would have first raised the lack of dolphin sightings as a probable reason for the break up? My mind boggled at that.

Oh, one throwaway comment...

Long live Office Daddy!!! (aka Attorney Jung).

I sighed more times than I would have loved to while watching these episodes.

It's sad/frustrating that the episode 14 break-up trope has been so overused in kdramaland that even when it makes total sense (WYW's condition and communication issues) we really really DON'T want it. We don't mind staying in lala land where everything is filled with roses however unrealistic it is.

I agree with every one Re:Min Woo's redemption arc attempt. It was cringey to me at best 🥴. He should get his redemption arc in the actor's next drama and Su-yeon better run.

Lee Jun-ho should please be protected at all cost! He has been flawless and it was painful to watch that scene of WYW walking out on him after dropping the break-up bomb. Kang Tae-oh is really killing it here.

Why did Kang Ki-young's Myung-seok get cancer? This better be the last time they give him fictional cancer 😐😑

*puts my devil's advocate hat on*
I'm gonna say something quite controversial, but I don't think Min-woo's behavior was out of character. Why? Because outside of his work practices, we didn't really know anything about him. We knew he was competitive and would do anything to get ahead. We knew he was Jun-ho's roommate and to him, he was perfectly nice. MW was never truly characterized as an evil guy, and even his scenes with Young-woo usually had a comedic feel to them (like when YW threatened to beat him up). If anything, I'd describe MW as desperate. This isn't to say that I agree with everything he's done, but I don't think the show's intention was for us to hate him. I'm quite neutral about his romance with SY because, while Spring Sunshine is amazing, she is also a grown ass woman who can choose her own romantic partner.

In that same vein, we didn't know anything about Myeong-seok's personal life, yet people are saying his illness and ex-wife's appearance are out of the blue. I've read hundreds of comments over the course of the show asking for atty Jung's backstory, but now that we've gotten it, it's too sudden and doesn't make any sense. No, it was just introduced quite late into the show. I also would've liked to find out more about him sooner, but this show is (supposedly) about law, so character backstories usually take a back seat. Even Jun-ho and Young-woo's break up wasn't focused on for too long because we had a case to solve. I'm not saying that's a good aspect of the show, because we're all here primarily for the characters, but it is what it is.

Young-woo and Jun-ho's storyline was the only to break my heart. When YW wondered whether she'd be able to make him happy, I teared up. When Jun-ho cried, trailing after YW who was leaving him even though he was heartbroken, I teared up. There's so much love and tenderness between them that I truly hope they figure things out and get their happy ending... anything else is just too sad to imagine

I’m ok with the last 2 episodes.
I expected:
- A snag in Young Woo and Junho’s relationship before the series ends
- Hanbada’s CEO to throw roadblocks to Tae Soo Mi’s appointment using Young Woo but show has yet to explain their past
- Interest between Angel and Tactician. I remember the look on his face when she was dressed for a blind date.
Didn’t expect: Stomach cancer.
HOWEVER, I’m worried because we only have 2 episodes left and it’s too late to fully develop these arcs.
Show, I hope you will not leave us hanging in mid air with a season 2.

I want to start off with how annoyed I am with how Min Woo has been characterized in these episodes. His narrative has completely flipped. Still dislike him and still dislike how my favorite girl is falling for him.

Now getting to other impressions of the show -
1. Glamorizing autism - fairy good-looking actor playing an autistic character who is super smart. Now, any autistic person who does not fit this category will probably be asked - Why aren't you like Woo?
This has already happened in Korea. There was even a trend to "ACT" like Woo and mimic her movements. Like the caricature of an autistic woman was not enough.
2. Her first relationship is this perfect guy and somehow everything fits together?

I do like the show but these thoughts keep lingering in my mind and I feel uncomfortable.