This drama has a lot of layers that I enjoy seeing unfold. The tension and longing was good. We got another week of the two couples navigating their relationships.

The angsty outbursts between Soo Young and Jong Hyun were their most interesting scenes! I understood his feelings of humiliation and despair. He didn't want to bring her down when he's dealing with a bunch of problems. I wish he had communicated better after he abruptly ended their relationship though. He still would have kept her in the dark if she hadn't pushed him to talk. I got her side too and how he gave up their relationship so quickly. Both of their arguments felt real. But I was honestly surprised at how much Soo Young fought for their relationship. She has changed. She emoted more, softened a little with him. I'm not sure what caused this. I don't see much of her passion or attraction to him. They look like they could be good friends instead of lovers. While their scenes in his hometown were pretty nice, they were also boring. I don't think she feels pity for him. She said that she wants to protect him. Maybe she doesn't want to add to his load of troubles/disappointments. Maybe she wants to settle for this relationship that feels safe and comfortable.

Little, hidden details came to the surface. I didn't think Sang Soo would ever learn that Mi Kyung is a great skater. Soo Young also learned the truth that he had a hand in getting the boss punished.

Mi Kyung's mother had it right when she said her daughter was bossy, hah. That word didn't click until she said it. I haven't forgotten that Mi Kyung knew Sang Soo liked Soo Young yet she still pursued him. She has this superficial air about her. And she wants to possess things that someone else likes. She can look all smiley and friendly, but she has this sneaky side. Example was when she acted lovey-dovey and fed the chocolate to Sang Soo in front of Soo Young. And later on, she made that noticeable comment about his clothes being available at her place. I bet she wanted everyone to know she and Sang Soo were a couple so she wanted to get caught during the hiking trip too.

Jong Hyun has this pure vibe. He doesn't have any idea about Sang Soo and Soo Young. Wonder how he will react later on.

Gyung Pil knows something juicy about Mi Kyung! Dying to know what the beef was back in their college days. He's been very observant.
I don't think he likes her too.

I like the last ~6 minutes of Episode 8 so much. I love the interspersing of Sang Soo's and Soo Young's inner thoughts. Then the leading up to the hotel room with the changing of the moody, mysterious background music! The drama is teasing the audience for sure. I doubt they are actually meeting though!

I got the feeling that Soo-young wanted to help Jong-Hyun like she wished someone would help her in the past.

Soo-Young thinks that Sang-Soo and her are not from the same environment but he's not from Mi-Kyung's one neither. I found weird like she acted like he chose Mi-Kyung because of that when he did because she chose Jong-Hyun.

I really like how this drama is about the consequences of our choices or the lack of. One word, one gesture and we can see the impact on our characters.

I was really surprised that Soo-young chose to go after Jong-hyun even though she knows more than anyone that she doesn't feel anything for him, but on the other note, I loved their scenes together to the point I started to wish they were really a couple which I know we won't get.
Mi-kyeong isn't the nice person she appears to be. She keeps mentioning Sang-soo in front of Soo-young and vice versa and when she insisted Sang-soo gives them a ride after the birthday party, it was to show Sang-soo that he can't have Soo-young now that she is with another man.
In the first 6 episodes, I didn't feel any smitten vibes between our leads but this week, the longing in Sang-soo's eyes is clear as day. He loves Soo-young but he also knows that his life will be easier if he chooses Mi-kyeong.
This show is realistic and complicated and that is what makes the ride run. Had it not been for all those elements, we would have had a flat office romance drama. Hoping the show keeps up the pace and make the ride more exhilarating next week.

Who is watching these 2 episodes with singing the song The One Who Got Away by Katy Perry 😅

Thank you for the recap! I think the final scene was a foreshadowing of what is to come, possibly at episode 10-12 given the pace of this show. I must say, Sang Soo is looking NICE! He needs to wear that grey/black checked suit everyday. 👀😍 We didn’t see the hotel hallway when Soo Young arrived, so I don’t know if they meet each other in this instance, but it definitely amped the ante. I waited with baited breath because their chemistry is making me such a simp. I love this show; I know I mention that every week, but I am all in with these messy characters and their stories. The theory that Soo Young didn’t know about Sang Soo’s background was confirmed this week by her comment that he and Mi Kyung are at the same level. She thinks he’s better than her, and that inferiority complex won’t let her think differently. Ironically, the man she thought would share her world view is different from what she expected and worse yet is changing before her eyes.

Hers and Jong Hyun’s relationship isn’t what it was last week; it seems a lifetime has passed, the light having left his eyes. He’s demoralized, vulnerable and more disadvantaged than when we last saw him. This is not the bright security guard with a quick word of encouragement or pick-me-up. Now, he can barely motivate himself and I couldn’t help but notice the balance shift in their relationship. Soo Young has adopted the role of caretaker, mothering and encouraging him through this crisis as he eagerly soaks it up...to the detriment of their relationship. What sparse attraction existed between them is quickly fizzling out and they seem more like room-mates than lovers. The awkward moment of hesitation following his shower as he hovered outside of her door spoke volumes, and I wonder where they can go from here.

Clearly, Sang Soo is in love with Soo Young and she is fighting against her feelings for the handsome bank clerk. To be frank, any other union is a waste of time since neither is giving 100% of themselves to those relationships. I think the bits of commentary peppered throughout are red herrings. For instance his mother’s comment about not marrying her passionate love and his colleague agreeing to the arranged marriage serve to make viewers believe they won’t end up together. However, I disagree. These two are alike in interesting ways, like their shared tendency to bury their emotions and push ahead irrespective of feelings, which is a trait that Sang Soo learned from his mom and Soo Young cultivates. He’s not looking for saccharine optimism or upward social mobility from his partner, but someone who can share his emotional burdens without being overwhelmed.

Soo Young has repeatedly shown that she’s made of strong stock and is sensitive enough to build a partner up while maintaining a relationship. There are times when she just takes everything on her chin with zero complaints, it’s like she expects to do everything on her own and is quite capable of that...

Meanwhile, his current partner is doing her best to convince him that she’s the perfect girl, solidifying their relationship without actually meeting his emotional needs. She’s pushed the gas in terms of progress in the relationship and keeps jumping the gun. She kissed him during the hike, when it was impossible for their coworkers not to notice, making their dating public, and showed up unexpectedly at his apartment, insisting that she would not be going home. I could not help but notice how this would have been so poorly received had it been a man imposing his presence on a female lead; we’d call the cops on this stage 5 clinger, ASAP. Instead, Sang Soo goes along with it, like he half-heartedly complies with most of her demands, which further proves to me that his heart is just not in this relationship.

I think Mi Kyung is quite an interesting creature. She’s said time and time again that she notices everything and I don’t think much escapes her. The meeting with her mom at the bank was enlightening because we saw how she really feels about taking Soo Young’s job, which is absolutely unrepentant. I don’t want to belittle her by saying she is unaware of the effect of her actions and the ever-present smile belies a calculating mind. She’s a strategist, buying the painting Soo Young loved only to keep it hidden away in the bathroom, and just in time for her visit, while giving her a generic birthday present when that same painting would have gone a long way in proving how much she valued their relationship. Not to mention taking every opportunity to let the other woman know that Sang Soo is hers, i.e. feeding him chocolate only when Soo Young was in the car, mentioning that his clothes were at her house, and consistently placing them in awkward situations.

Like the painting, Sang Soo ‘belongs’ to her, ready to be propped up when need be and shown off for maximum effect. There’s a spirit of covetousness within her that makes me wonder if Mi Kyung’s main motives stem from a need to possess that which others desire.

Mi Kyung isn’t dumb and the way she brought up their shared university experience makes me believe that this was also a dig at Soo Young, especially since she went on to talk about Jong Hyun failing the exam, alluding how his education paled in comparison. These two really can’t be friends, not with the way Mi Kyung casually reminds Soo Young that she is her superior. At first it was taking credit for her efforts and stealing the job, then gifting the second-hand necklace, and finally throwing the rug haphazardly down while acting oblivious to the effort it took to make and deliver. I was happy that Soo Young asked her about the painting, but just like taking the scholarship away from those less privileged, I don’t think Mi Kyung wants to understand how she hurts others; she’s just not interested.

This to me proves that hers and Sang Soo’s relationship won’t last, and that she does much of these things out of a sense...

...of insecurity. She’s over-estimating the extent to which she can push Sang Soo into committing to their relationship, and for the most part he takes the path of least resistance. That is, until Soo Young appears. This man can’t think straight around her and his lingering feelings for her are the single variable that will mess up Mi Kyung’s carefully cultivated plan. This woman is playing the long game, I don’t know if “winning” Sang Soo is the only prize for her, but Mi Kyung is a woman on a mission. Sadly, I do believe that she’s trying her best to seem like a good person, but her pesky true nature keeps showing through. I can’t wait for things to inevitably come to a head.

Part of me thinks that the epilogue scene in episode 8 is of Sang Soo breaking up with Mi Kyung. He meets her at the hotel and tells her it’s over, and then maybe goes to see Soo Young? I don’t know, it could be him arriving at the hotel to find Mi Kyung cheating on him with his work bestie/her ex, we will have to see. As for Soo Young, I think Jong Hyun’s closer proximity is making her feel claustrophobic. She and Sang Soo both enjoy their quiet time and are deeply contemplative individuals. I don’t think having demanding partners will serve either of them well and their breaking points might soon be reached. I can’t wait for more!

🎀Stray Observations 🎀

🎀 The creepy boss is back and probably planning his REVENGE!!! Yikes, I am praying for you, Sang Soo!

🎀 There is another office romance brewing, possibly between Mr. Ma and Ms. Bae. I see you, show, this is an office of love. Lol I’m sorry. 🙈

🎀 Sang Soo is actually pretty awkward lol he didn’t know what to do with himself in that fish market. I hope he sees that he and Soo Young can be awkward together.

🎀 Jong Hyun is just not doing it for me, sorry but he seems like such a kid, I don’t know what to do.

🎀 [POSSIBLE SPOILER] next week, judging by Soo Young and Sang Soo’s all black attire.

Have a great day!

This drama is weird because it wants to show longing and caring, but can't quite get there. Sang Su, just seems obsessed with Soo Young in a stalkery way. Let go man. He is very obviously only with Mi Gyeong because he thought he could get over Soo Young that way. It isn't working and that is obvious to Mi Gyeong who is pretending not know he still doesn't really want her. She bought that painting as a power move and it was very nice nasty. That said I think Soo Young likes Jong Hyun a lot, just not romantically. I think he reminds her of her brother. So she wants him to succeed and so is fighting to help him do so. That scene of them in the hotel isn't what we think it is, so I am not worried about that. I still hope Soo Young moves banks and ends up single in the end.

I like so much Sooyeong and JongHyeon being together. It may not be the all butterflies and rollercoaster love, but Sooyeong is happy when they are together, you can see it. She is smiling and relaxed and he really cares for him. Whether it's because he reminds her of his brother's optimism or because she's falling for him, I don't really know but they were so good together, I just don't want the drama to go anywhere else.

Love can have so many forms, and I like how these two are bonding. When I was very young I received an advice: when you chose a life partner you need to chose someone who is similar to you, and whose goals in life are the same as yours. I'm not talking about social background or level of studies, but your life goal and the road you'll walk to get there. In that sense I honestly believe Jonghyeon and Sooyeong belong together.

I dislike MiKyeong as much as I like Sooyeong. I know MK is supposed to be nice and lovable and cute, but she's just rude and selfish to me. In fact she is the nice gal who thinks everything she does is nice and everyone should love her because she deserves it. She wants SangSoo no matter what and she's got him, and she doesn't want to read how reluctant he is around her. He even has told her that he's not a 100% into the relationship, but she doesn't care. She's that kind of person that would step on your foot and would ask politely if there is something wrong while smiling and you wouldn't be able to say: you are annoying me.

I wrote this on the previous recap, but I'm pretty convinced now that the person she had a crush in uni was GyeongPil. He's always cautious around her, and she keeps her distance with him. Something has obviously happened in the past between them.

A final comment on how much I hated the way all the bank staff congratulated SS and MK when they learned they were dating. They were all laughters and blessings. The parallel scene on episode 2 when SY and JH were questioned again and again if they were dating, while managers Lee and Ma were interrogating them and judging them and the rest of the staff didn't do anything to stop them, was heartbreaking, so I just can't see it's cute, because it underlines the terrible behavior people have depending on the status of the ones receiving the comments.

Do y'all think they really did the deed? All signs point to it. But part of me wishes they hadn't. Sure, it wasn't a drunk falling-into-bed. They were both sober and are adults. ...It's just their relationship is new and Sang Soo hasn't put in much effort. He's been coasting along this whole time while Mi Kyung was the more forward, brazen one. I thought she looked a little disappointed when she woke up, but maybe she had wanted to sleep in with him.

I really do love the tone and pace of this drama. It's the type of romantic slice-of-life melodrama that I deeply appreciate. Even when I'm not sure I truly like any of the characters, I still can't stop watching.

The one thing that's bothering me is that I don't see enough mutual longing between Sang-soo and Soo-young for the story to really get its hooks in me. From the start, it was clear that Sang-soo has very strong feelings for Soo-young. I wasn't sure if those feelings were infatuation, obsession, or love, but regardless, I could see that they were and are powerful and stubborn. Soo-young, in contrast, has never seemed that interested in or attracted to Sang-soo. In fact, there were many scenes where I thought her feelings fell somewhere between indifference and annoyance. In these past two episodes there were moments where she was softer with him, and I could see some affection, but I couldn't tell if that's originating from genuine interest and attachment or it's a major case of romantic FOMO (now that he's with someone else, she suddenly must have him). So I do wish the writing had done a better job of convincing me earlier that these two long for each other but couldn't quite make it happen. That trip to Jeju was likely supposed to do that, but rescuing a bird's nest together wasn't enough.

I do remember a promo for this drama before it aired that did show both Sang-soo and Soo-young in a hotel room, appearing to clearly be ready to sleep together. That may be what we're about to see, or it's a fake-out and those scenes come later or are just one character's fantasies.

As for Mi-kyung, I can't shake the feeling that she recognizes the connection and attraction between Sang-soo and Soo-young and almost everything she does, including that birthday party, is about trying to destroy those feelings before they can get in her way. I also believe she has genuine feelings for Sang-soo, but no real idea what it means to love something or be loved in return. She wants him, but that's not the same thing.

Finally, clearly she and that other co-worker who knew them in college dated before, or he knows something unflattering about her.

After watching the 8 episodes of this series, I'm left with impression that the two main leads are in the same realm of self discovery. Both have been trapped by a family crisis that have left each of them with scars that have become a chain around their neck holding themselves back from what is import to them.

The ML - Sang Soo's fathers death placed the burden of his family on his shoulders at a very early age. He no longer could allow himself the to be like other children......... carefree and irresponsible.....he couldn't become aburden to his mother, he needed to be responsible for his education and he wanted to be liked so that he could fit in. This self direction outlook makes him overthink every situation he's involved in. It also is the simple explanation as to why he hesitated the night he was late for his make or break date with Soo Young. This inability to explain himself and keep his deep felt emotions looked inside of him becomes his biggest detriment. He likes playing hockey because he lets himself go and simply reacts without thinking. Once he learns to place this kind of balance on himself his relationship issues will also improve.

The FL - Soo Young's brothers death caused her to isolate herself both from her family and her working peers. She formed a notion that she is an island on to herself , thinking that as long as she works hard and is competent at what she does she will be able to better herself. However, the " Class " based society that is Koreas will always look done on her because her lack of further education, her family background and because of her looks, she has become someone that can be used with further advancement. Her heart has been harden and as Sang Soo quickly learned she gives no second chances. Yet her loneliness and despair did make her compromise when she gave Jong Hyun a second chance after he broke up with her.

My thoughts as to why she did this not that she has fallen in love with him but rather this was a reaction because she lost all hope of ever being with Sang Soo, when she riding in the back seat while Mi Kyung was going on and on about her relationship with Sang Soo who was driving. She formulates assumptions in her head and acts accordingly as we saw over and over again in not letting Sang Soo ever explain himself.

The melting of the ice in Soo Young's heart began with the knowledge that Sang Soo put himself on the line to defend her and report the branch manager for his abusive behavior towards her. No one has ever done that for her, but has her actions forced him to look elsewhere now that he has committed to Mi Kyung.

The ending of episode 8 speaks volumes as to where this relationship is headed. At the wedding they let their eyes do the talking ......... their avoiding glances and their spoken thoughts showed that they are far from over.

What the preview to episode 9 showed that all of [POSSIBLE SPOILER]

Well, I was hanging on by my fingertips but this week put me firmly back on solid ground. I find the relationship between SY and MK unbearably cringingly awful - honest, surely MK can see that all the affection is generated on her side. I like JH much better too, and as a couple, these two are undoubtedly better suited, except that her heart belongs to somebody else. I can't wait for next week, although I think the wall behind the open door to the hotel room was a different colour from the wall opposite the door where SY has rung the bell. I hope I'm wrong. I'm completely invested in the storyline and the writing is so good except .................are all Korean fathers of pretty daughters either dotingly ridiculous or absolute monsters who want to peddle her off to the richest man around?