Behind Your Touch: Episodes 11-12
by lovepark
Our psychic vet unearths an old case that hits too close to home and realizes that the truth she once accepted may have been a sham this entire time. It seems the key to solving the present mystery may lie in the past, though how exactly everything adds up remains unclear. However, all the clues point in the same direction, and at the center is one man.
EPISODES 11-12
While Jang-yeol is fixated on Sun-woo being the poncho killer, a secondary plot surrounding Ye-boon’s late mom develops simultaneously. These two seemingly unrelated cases intersect as more overlapping details emerge, and our heroes learn that this tangled mess may have started decades ago.
During the redevelopment scam that rocked their quiet town, Assemblyman Cha (an overworked aide back then) spearheaded the campaign which caused the collapse of multiple families. Of the victims was a single mother who disappeared one day out of the blue, leaving behind her young son, who we later learn is Sun-woo.
The reveal of Assemblyman Cha’s double-faced nature shocks Ye-boon who has a difficult time accepting the possibility that her mom may have been murdered by a man she once trusted. As she sits lost in thought, Sun-woo joins her, and they find a bit of solace in their shared experience of misunderstanding and missing their moms.
Still convinced that Sun-woo is the culprit, Jang-yeol warns Ye-boon to stay vigilant, but she defends her crush, calling him empathetic unlike a certain detective she knows. Jang-yeol balks at her comment since he is a very understanding person, so Ye-boon decides to test his claim.
Under the guise of a quiz, she uses her real-life experiences as examples to see how he reacts, and after failing the first couple of scenarios miserably, Jang-yeol finally catches on to Ye-boon’s true intentions. He reaches out to pat brush her shoulder, and Ye-boon shows him how to properly comfort someone. (Oh gosh, these two…!)
Wanting to know the truth, Ye-boon decides to ask Assemblyman Cha in person about her mom’s death, but when she heads over to his office, she spots Shaman Park following the assemblyman while wearing a green poncho and holding a flowery knife. However, one word from Ye-boon has him frozen in place and crying. Like Sun-woo, Shaman Park lost a parent due to the scam, and he harbors a grudge against the assemblyman.
Though she does some research on her own, Ye-boon hits a limit on what she can uncover, so she turns to Jang-yeol for help. Despite his busy schedule, he looks into her mom’s case but finds nothing unusual about the investigation. He tells her that the police ruled it as suicide because of Assemblyman Cha’s testimony, and that tidbit is enough for Ye-boon to fill in the blanks.
At this point, everyone in Ye-boon’s home is aware of some form of the truth, so when Assemblyman Cha drops by unexpectedly, they listen to him ramble with forced smiles, maintaining the ruse that no one believes. While Grandpa sees the assemblyman off, they get into a heated argument downstairs, and Ye-boon peeks into their conversation through her dog’s eyes.
Confronting her grandpa, Ye-boon asks why he hid everything from her all these years, but he replies, “This isn’t about your mom. It’s about my daughter.” He blames Ye-boon and her dad for causing this incident in the first place, and his words are like daggers to her heart. She agrees to deal with this by herself since they were never family to begin with and storms out of the house.
As Ye-boon sits by the sea, Jang-yeol joins her and asks if she needs comfort or help. She says that she needs neither, but when he gets up to leave, she grabs his jacket. She wishes he was psychic, too, so he could know what was bothering her, but even without powers, Jang-yeol correctly guesses what happened. He advises her to use her abilities on her grandpa to see what he really means, but Ye-boon is scared of what she might find.
With nowhere to go, Ye-boon sleeps over at Ok-hee’s house and fills her in on her mom’s case. Like the awesome friend she is, Ok-hee gathers her crew the next morning to help Ye-boon, and convinces Assemblyman Cha to join her in a drinking contest. Soon, the entire table is covered in empty bottles, and right when Ok-hee nearly drops, she uses the power of friendship to pull herself up by her hair and beat the assemblyman. Ha!
Using this precious opportunity courtesy of her bestie’s liver, Ye-boon searches the assemblyman’s memories and learns the truth about that night. Though Assemblyman Cha originally offered to help her mom reveal the scam to the public, his boss caught wind of his betrayal, and when push came to shove, the assemblyman chose to save himself. Thus, he drugged Ye-boon’s mom and disguised her death as a suicide.
Meanwhile, on the police side of things, Jang-yeol and Jong-muk keep bumping into each other while investigating different cases, and eventually over a game of rock-paper-scissors, they share their findings with each other. Jong-muk informs Jang-yeol of Sun-woo’s background, but when Jang-yeol’s turn comes around, he talks about aliens and superpowers, which earns him an earful from Jong-muk.
Even though Jong-muk does not believe in Jang-yeol’s crazy comments, he humors him for a second and asks why Sun-woo killed the other victims. Jang-yeol thinks there must be a connection they are missing, and after mulling it over, he finally discovers a commonality: betrayal. Of course, this only makes sense under the condition that Sun-woo is a psychic, which probably won’t hold in a court of law.
Right then, Jang-yeol receives a call from Deok-hee who lost sight of Sun-woo on his stakeout, and immediately, he rushes to Assemblyman Cha’s office. Just as he feared, he walks into a crime scene: On the couch is the assemblyman bleeding from multiple wounds, and on the ground in a pool of blood is Ye-boon’s grandpa, holding the murder weapon. Oh no…
The death of an assemblyman catches the media’s attention, and before the higher-ups can replace their team, Jang-yeol convinces the others to relocate to his apartment. Though the news depicts Ye-boon’s grandpa as the killer, Jang-yeol thinks differently since her grandpa had Parkinson’s disease and could barely use chopsticks, let alone stab people.
As Ye-boon realizes that she may have misunderstood her grandpa, she rushes to the hospital to check his memories, but before she can touch his butt, Grandpa grabs her hand. He opens his eyes for a moment, and looking at Ye-boon, he passes. Sometime later, the news reports on the arrest of a new suspect, and we see the police take Shaman Park away.
Both episodes this week ended with Shaman Park, and I can’t tell if this last cliffhanger is a deliberate misdirect to hide the character’s true identity or if it’s another red herring like before. Part of me thinks Shaman Park doesn’t seem like a serial killer, but then another part of me thinks anyone could be a psychopath. The biggest question mark is still Sun-woo, and though we know why he came back to this town, I think there’s more to uncover about his backstory. We still don’t know what happened to his mom besides the fact that she disappeared, and since Sun-woo experienced a change of heart recently, I’m assuming he learned something about her disappearance that is linked to the real estate scam. Also, I get the impression that something suspicious is going on again in town with Assemblyman Cha buying up all the land, so I’m curious as to how things will unfold now that he’s dead.
Ok-hee continues to be a standout, and I love all her scenes. I busted a gut when she asked her crew to bring weapons and someone brought her mother-in-law (with the perfectly cast Seo Kwon-sun no less). Also, her back-and-forth with comedian Kim Yong-myeong is always a hoot, and their custody battle over the TV was hilarious. The best thing about Ok-hee, though, is her friendship with Ye-boon, and I adore these two so much. She immediately drops everything to help her friend, and does all this for Ye-boon without expecting anything in return simply because she hates seeing her friend be sad. Besides Jang-yeol, Ok-hee is the only one I completely trust to always be by Ye-boon’s side and protect her at all cost.
While the romance isn’t necessarily at the forefront of the show, I love the slow progression we’re getting between Ye-boon and Jang-yeol as their relationship develops from adversaries to begrudging partners to silent confidants. The two scenes where Jang-yeol comforts Ye-boon perfectly captured the growth between their characters, and the small changes we see in their actions highlighted how much they’re starting to rely on each other for emotional support. Their relationship is especially adorable because neither of them has registered their feelings yet, so we get cute moments like Jang-yeol’s jealousy and Ye-boon’s jacket tugging.
What made these scenes in particular so great was their juxtaposition to each other. At first, Ye-boon scowls at Jang-yeol’s answers because she sees them as too rational, but when he actually shows up, it’s his practical advice that grounds and comforts her. Also, Jang-yeol learned from their “quiz” and approaches Ye-boon with more tact. He allows her to reach out to him rather than insert himself right away, and he gives her the choice to have him stay or leave her alone. It shows how much he has grown and understands her better now than when they first met and constantly misread each other. Plus, the way they stare at each other makes my heart skip a beat, and it’s so fun watching them fall in love.
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Tags: Behind Your Touch, Han Ji-min, Joo Min-kyung, Kim Hee-won, Lee Min-ki, Suho
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1 mindy
September 18, 2023 at 2:13 PM
Thank you so much for the recap as always, lovepark!
12 episodes in and I think I’m actually ready to declare my love for this show. THIS show, of all shows!
I’ve never been a big watcher of murder mysteries or the like and have never found the “whodunnit” to be the most compelling part of any story, and I’m sure the show isn’t perfect in that regard, but I’m honestly just along for the ride for that aspect of the drama and I am perfectly fine with that.
Because in the grand scheme of things, I’m here for the humor and the heart, and Show laid both of those on THICK for me this weekend. It is what this team does best and it was on full display, from the deepening of Ye-bun and Jang-yeol’s relationship to Ok-hui’s hilarious and heartwarming dedication as a friend.
Ever since the beginning I have been worried about the show’s ability to juggle the comedy, pathos, and crime, but I actually think they have done a remarkable job. It seemed a bit uneven early on, but the way it weaves from serious crime investigation to laugh-out-loud funnies has felt so natural to me the past couple of weeks. I think it’s a combination of the earlier, more jarring shifts “priming” me and the production team really finding their rhythm.
The big theme for me this week was communication and connection. I’ll start with the obvious: our crime-fighting duo. For weeks now I’ve been pining for romance, but at this point I honestly don’t care if these two end up platonic or romantic as long as they end up together. It’s been clear from the beginning that this is not the type of drama that would have epic, earth-shattering kisses or anything. The show has got me so completely on-board with how they’re developing this relationship. I actually love how hard they’re making them work to connect, because they’re such fundamentally different people. Nothing else would feel organic or properly earned, in my opinion.
The “comfort” scene (which was Han Ji-min’s favorite line and scene in the show!!) was so sweet, hilarious, weird, and sad in that way that only this show could do. It almost seems ludicrous that someone would need instruction on how to properly give a shoulder pat, but it’s become clear that Jang-yeol HAS empathy and just is terrible at expressing it in a way that someone like Ye-bun would understand. He’ll go work off a virtual stranger’s debt with no questions asked, but ask him to say or do anything intimate and he’s at a loss. But he’s learning, and I loved loved loved his “Do you want help or do you want comfort?” in episode 12. The funny thing is, this whole thing actually gives me shades of Because This is My First Life. They’re completely opposite characters, but there is that thread of learning how to communicate in a way that the person who you care for would actually feel cared for. I adore it. Everything about them was beautiful to me this week.
Fine, fine, a small part of me may mourn the fact that we may not get to see...
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mindy
September 18, 2023 at 2:15 PM
...Lee Min-ki’s beautiful lips in action. But it’s small. He just plays the smoldering, sexy weirdo (a Reddit user’s words not mine) so well, okay?!
All that said, I really would love to know more about Jang-yeol and why he is the way he is. Sure, we know about Seung-gil, but I want to know more. Also, despite all the progress on the Ye-yeol front this week, she actually is keeping quite a bit from him (Detective Na’s hate comments, the shaman’s NEARLY ATTEMPTED MURDER) so I’ll be curious to see how that goes down.
One of the other big things this week was Ye-bun and her grandfather. I totally understand what they’re doing here, and while I hope the show does not completely absolve grandpa of his sins, I did find it heartbreaking that Ye-bun never got a chance to have a true connection with him all because he never COMMUNICATED with his family. It’s the stubborn, stiff patriarch archetype to the nth degree, and I love how they show just how damaging that sort of attitude is. The fact that he was so incredibly short and rude with his family made me perfectly understand that they didn’t know he had Parkinson’s. He never paid them any mind, so why would they pay enough attention to him to notice? Communication and connection matter.
I love how they established that Jang-yeol had just totally thrown all actual police investigation proceedings out the window, ha! I mean, let’s be real: the whole show is about using butt-touching super powers to solve crime. I don’t think anyone is expecting by-the-book, ethical policing here, lmao. But the fact that they had Seon-woo call Jang-yeol out on it was a great moment of self-awareness for the show (and not the only one). But what I really loved was seeing Captain Won at real investigative work, both as our 55-51 couple and in episode 12 with Jang-yeol. That’s another core part of the communication theme this week. These two are finally working together again and making actual progress because of it, and I love how their scenes were calling out all of the fan theories I have seen across the internet, haha. Captain Won is damn good at his job and it shows. Jang-yeol might not be able to tell him why he feels what he feels, but Captain Won still takes him seriously (while being critical of his policing) when anyone else would just call him crazy and dismiss everything he has said.
Also, Seon-woo should get a restraining order against Jang-yeol because the man is doing TOO MUCH lol. I love you, Jang-yeol, and you very well may be right for all I know, but let’s simmer down a bit. (I loved his “Please don’t” to pieces, though, when talking to Ye-bun on the phone about staying away from Seon-woo. The one time it was sweet and not annoying lmao.)
And can I just say how much I LOVE Ok-hui and Ye-bun this week?! I had my misgivings about Ok-hui as a friend during her whole little Jang-yeol crush, but she has more than redeemed herself time and time again this week. Seeing her gathering her...
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mindy
September 18, 2023 at 2:18 PM
...little gang to help protect Ye-bun is so heartwarming and hilarious and I love everything about it. The whole “bring your deadliest weapon” “I brought my mother-in-law” had me HOWLING with laughter, as did the cartwheeling in front of Ye-bun’s house to keep everyone out. I know Ok-hui is keeping our favorite guy at arms length because of Ye-bun and the danger present, but I really hope we see them together again soon!
I know everyone’s sick of me saying this kind of stuff by now, but I can’t help it: Jang-yeol looked so ridiculously, heartbreakingly beautiful to me in episode 12. Even when he’s just STANDING there by the water! I am shallow and I’m sorry. I will carve a kidney out of my own body if it means I get him in a good melo-romance sometime soon (with Han Ji-min!). I am deadly serious. Give it to me, universe!
Oh, the serial killer? Well, I’ll let you all sort that out. I’m just along for the ride.
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Minka
September 18, 2023 at 8:01 PM
Oh I will never get sick of you gushing over that unbelievable beauty that is Lee Min-ki. That man is so gorgeous (especially in ep12) it’s insane! You are not alone in this, swear! Haha…
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🌸 Seeker 🌸
September 19, 2023 at 8:28 AM
Lee Min-ki 😍 ❤ 🥰
Blue (@mayhemf)
September 19, 2023 at 6:04 AM
I found it odd that even Aunt didn’t know about the Parkinson’s. I assume she is the one who was keeping his room cleaned and dusted. And no way she wouldn’t have noticed the medicines as it was in plain sight. That whole arc didn’t land well for me. He might as well have hated (stayed away) her for reminding him of his dead daughter, Parkinson’s just came as an excuse.
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mindy
September 19, 2023 at 9:56 AM
I guess I didn't see the Parkinson's as an excuse as much as an additional explanation, but of course it wasn't the only thing making him behave the way he behaved and it didn't make it okay. I'll be curious to see if we find out more about him in the next episode.
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Blue (@mayhemf)
September 19, 2023 at 6:01 AM
Given how Ye-boon was puckering her lips for an imaginary kiss, I think our girl should get one!
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🌸 Seeker 🌸
September 19, 2023 at 8:29 AM
Wasn't that pucker for Suho
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mindy
September 19, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Sure, sure, but come on, subconsciously it was definitely for Jang-yeol.
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🌸 Seeker 🌸
September 19, 2023 at 10:11 AM
🤣
Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
September 21, 2023 at 3:05 PM
LOL! It was DEF for Jang Yeol!
2 vienibenmio
September 18, 2023 at 2:51 PM
I love the relationship between Jang-yeol and Ye-bun so much. Jang-yeol had some really funny moments this week, especially his imagining explaining to the police dept why he suspects Seon-woo. I don't think Seon-woo is the killer anymore.
Am I the only one who still thinks the grandpa is terrible? I get his motivation, but IMO it doesn't excuse his behavior towards Ye-bun. And the irony is that he was so focused on revenge, he spurned a relationship with her (which is probably what his deceased daughter would have REALLY wanted).
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Mrs Buckwheat
September 18, 2023 at 4:46 PM
I agree with what you have said re the grandfather, thats a long time to hold a grudge against Ye-bun for something she herself had no control over and has also suffered.
You can understand why at first, she didnt want to touch his behind in the hospital.
It was so sad.
It would be very hard to have any normal relationship going forward I think after he had treated her so appallingly for so many years even though you can see she wanted something.
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emsel
September 18, 2023 at 10:20 PM
I am not justifying the grandpa's hurtful words to Yen Bun, but the short flashbacks to him feeling proud of Ye Bun getting a scholarship, him attending her school's sporting event etc., seemed like he cared for her deep inside his heart, but did not want to display it on the outside. What for? To protect her? To not get distracted on his quest to revealing the truth behind his daughter's suicide? To not worry Ye Bun by telling he suspects Assemblyman Cha? Maybe the show will make it clear in the next episode.
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Mrs Buckwheat
September 18, 2023 at 11:26 PM
I hope we do find out more about the grandfather, it would be nice to be able to look on him more sympathectically.
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Lady Bluestocking
September 19, 2023 at 10:45 AM
It would be nice, though whether they do or don't at this point feels like a cheat since he's dead now and can't put in the actual work of making amends for his horrible behavior. The aunt made me salty too for all the excuses she made for him over the years. He treated a young girl like a ghost for no justifiable reason. I don't care if he secretly felt bad. There's not showing emotion because he's "of that generation" and then there's this extra-toxic behavior. My patience ran out on him long ago.
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
September 21, 2023 at 1:12 PM
Yes! Those glimpses were important, but left out in the recap. It was not things that Ye Bun had seen, it was memories received through her grandfathers hand. Was it some kind of psychometrism that he had?
Also, remember the photos she found? Her mother had been very happy about those photos, and one of them was grandfather at a school thing, where he had been "lurking" proudly in the background. From his hand, she received that memory seen from his eyes.
He had taken those photos out of the album and hidden them in his room ... I am sure he was afraid of having Ye Bun taken hostage or somehow used as blackmail object if Cha or whoever found out how important that girl was to him.
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mindy
September 19, 2023 at 10:14 AM
Some people seem really mad at Ye-bun for not touching her grandpa's butt (omg I can't believe I'm writing this) in the hospital, but come ON, her grandfather who has shunned her for years and who broke her heart is finally showing her some affection in his last moments. And it was such a brief moment, she probably would hardly have been able to see anything anyway. I find the whole thing between them quite interesting. Ye-bun wants to see the best in everyone, and that made it even sadder for me that her grandfather had so lost her trust that she didn't want to see in his memories.
Sometimes I think TV viewers care too much about what the "smart" thing to do is and care less about what an actual human would do in a situation. Ye-bun's reaction was completely human and in line with her character.
Like, there are moments where Ye-bun frustrates me, but this is not one of them.
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mindy
September 19, 2023 at 10:15 AM
(By "some people" I mean other comments I've seen elsewhere, not here!)
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emsel
September 19, 2023 at 10:58 AM
My question is completely out of context to what you have posted, but is it possible for Ye Bun or Gwang Shik to touch the butt/leg of a dead person? I know, the drama mentioned that they both can see memories only when the retina is active, but if Ye Bun can see the memories of a drunkard, shouldn't she be able to see dead person's memories. Thankfully, for the sake of all the viewers the show did not go down this route of having our psyhics going around touching corpses.
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mindy
September 19, 2023 at 11:00 AM
Oh god, I think that would be going a bit too far even for this show. 😅
Minka
September 19, 2023 at 11:12 AM
It was shown that Ye-bun’s psychometry does not work with a dead person thru Seung-gil. Good thing they found out about that early on, before they even dared to touch corpses. Touching snakes was already wild. Haha…
Minka
September 19, 2023 at 11:15 AM
*does not work on
emsel
September 19, 2023 at 11:16 AM
@MinkaTheDreamer You are right! Thank you for pointing out that scene.
1MoreDrama
September 20, 2023 at 2:03 PM
I found the final scene with grandpa so touching and sad. I hope he left a nice letter for his granddaughter somewhere!
I really love Ye-bun as a character.
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Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
September 21, 2023 at 7:27 PM
That's another discrepency I feel the show did not address. Did she not see a dead fish's memory in the beginning? The fish was caught by an angle and was as dead as they come but she she still could see who caught it. And then suddenly she can't see?
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Minka
September 21, 2023 at 9:21 PM
Oh I forgot about the fish. Or was it supposed to be still alive when given to Ye-bun, it’s just that the team did not manage to make it look alive. lol
3 Blue (@mayhemf)
September 18, 2023 at 4:14 PM
Who needs a man when you have a friend like Ok-hee 💙. But then if it’s Jang Hyeol, you gotta take both!
I loved how both of them knew right away that she was grumpy because of grandpa. It’s such a nice juxtaposition of scenes to show how much Jang Hyeol knows her. I was feeling all warm and fuzzy. These two are getting closer by the minute and I love it. I love that she wants him to comfort her and is willing to teach him what she wants.
My frustrations are with the investigation. Focusing entirely on Who needs a man when you have a friend like Ok-hee 💙. But then if it’s Jang Hyeol, you gotta take both!
I loved how both of them knew right away that she was grumpy because of grandpa. It’s such a nice juxtaposition of scenes to show how much Jang Hyeol knows her. I was feeling all warm and fuzzy. These two are getting closer by the minute and I love it.
My frustrations are with the investigation. Focusing entirely on Sun-Woo and not gathering evidence is getting tiresome. We have no leads. I do like that captain is making his own investigation and seems competent. I just need everyone to put their heads together and find some leads. I need some clues. I need progress.
Of course it’s not the Shaman.
Mother in law as a weapon was some brilliant writing. This show is so good with creative humor and I enjoy watching the scenes multiple times. And I laugh hard every single time.
Omg! Those knee pads. I did not expect that to be the reason. The passive aggressive power-tripping by Chief was hilarious.
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Blue (@mayhemf)
September 18, 2023 at 4:16 PM
My copy paste skills are getting worse by the day. Excuse the dupes.
If I delete and repost it will get queued 🙃
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Minka
September 18, 2023 at 8:54 PM
The mother-in-law as deadly weapon was comedy gold. And I love that it was set up from the start (in the past episodes) that Yeong-hui has this certain relationship with her MIL. It’s not something that the writer just randomly thought of inserting for the laughs. It was really a careful and well-thought of writing.
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emsel
September 18, 2023 at 10:02 PM
I do like that captain is making his own investigation and seems competent
Agree that the captain is not being written solely for comedy. When he explained the murder drawboard to Jang Yeol, it clearly showed why he is in the designation of a captain.
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Blue (@mayhemf)
September 19, 2023 at 6:07 AM
Yes. He definitely is capable and I liked him as a character.
The scenes between Jang Hyeol and captain in the stairwell was hilarious too.
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4 Mrs Buckwheat
September 18, 2023 at 4:35 PM
Thanks for the recap lovepark.
I really don't understand how this show only has a rating of 7 stars as for me it's up there as one of the best shows of the year.
This is such a cleverly written show with a complete cast of fabulous characters regardless if they are main or in the background.
I feel like this is a template all script writers/directors should have to watch to see how comedy, fantasy, mystery (Koreans love their serial killers) and romance, balance and work so well together.
Another couple of fabulous episodes and as lovepark mentioned, one of the highlights for me was Ok-hee and her tribe. They are fabulous and I loved seeing them sitting in front of the animal hospital guarding from the news crew with baseball bats and the mother in law.
It's the little scenes with things like this that elevate the show overall.
Also, I could not stop laughing when the police captain ended up handcuffed to the bed and they came skulking outside with the bed head in tow.
I don't want the show to end.
I will miss them all so much.
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Jingbee
September 19, 2023 at 2:48 AM
I guess people judged this show early and solely on the butt-touching premise which turned them off, not realizing that it was actually handled well in this show.
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Blue (@mayhemf)
September 19, 2023 at 6:10 AM
I am really glad it’s doing well in S.Korea. Such a well written show. Like everyone else said I don’t remember the last time a drama blended so many elements seamlessly.
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Blue (@mayhemf)
September 19, 2023 at 6:08 AM
Omg! That handcuff scene 😂😂😂
And everyone’s look on their faces 🤣🤣
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5 Minka
September 18, 2023 at 6:11 PM
Thank you @lovepark for the recap. Each week I would be wary if this show would be able to continue with its impressive work thus far. I’ve been enjoying it so much and I would love for it to not mess up. And I’m happy to be relieved from such worries each week. This show continues to surprise and delight. This week’s episodes are sooo good!
I think it is given that the serious tone will be more apparent and it amazes me that the team still manages to effectively insert sufficient humor (and romance!). The show is doing a great job in balancing comedy, mystery and even pathos. And when I say comedy, it’s laugh-out-loud hilarity. Jang-yeol’s antics (with Captain, Ye-bun and Gwang-sik separately), 55-51 couple motel situation, MIL as deadly weapon… I could still go on.
The mystery plot continues to be exciting and does not feel dragging. I mean, it could have easily become all over the place, but it didn’t. It remains to be well-written.
As to the romance, I actually started this show not expecting much from that aspect. After all, this show was mostly described as fantasy-investigative drama. But boy, how I did I become very much invested in our OTP and ship them, even with just crumbs of romance? The story is good, yes, but I will give a lot of credit to Han Ji-min and Lee Min-ki. Their brilliant acting (those micro expressions and nuances, wow) and off-the-charts chemistry is doing wonders. In the hands of less capable actors, I’m not sure if this could work.
And how beautiful are the director’s shots. Our leads’ precious expressions captured so perfectly. (PD-nim,🫰🏼🫶🏼).
This show is strongly becoming my most
favorite drama of 2023, and rightfully so. The story, acting, and overall execution are top notch.
Is it weekend yet?
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ar_arguably romantic
September 18, 2023 at 7:55 PM
The director is really something! Shouldn't be surprised when the director was able to make animals appear like they're kdrama actors emoting the heck out.
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6 ar_arguably romantic
September 18, 2023 at 8:12 PM
Thank you for the recap!! I'm also thoroughly enjoying the romance, even though it's like tertiary to everything that is going on so far. I love that entire scene from Jang-yeol imitating Ye-bun through to the shoulder brush/pat. It was a beautiful blend of funny and sincere. And then him proving
These episodes really surprised me:
1. the funny Shaman Park having such a sad past. I think his mom collapsed and died after seeing his dad's hanging. And then him getting arrested at the end even though I thought we've absolved him. I'm sure he's not the killer.
2. Seon-woo anger towards the Assemblyman was not because he's a deadbeat dad, but because he was likely behind his mom's disappearance. Also, I thought we were close to absolving Seon-woo, but the drama is ramping up how suspicious he is.
3. Assemblyman Cha actually getting killed. I had expected to see him get arrested by the end of the series.
4. Grandpa dying and dying before Yebun can touch him. There was no kdrama reconciliation. Just devastating, given how hurtful his last words were to her. I'm sure he wanted to take them back in his last moment.
5. Ye-bun being 51% sure that Seon-woo is innocent and that was enough for her. I'm surprised she didn't say 99% sure.
6. Showing how not all articles are searchable online. Sometimes you HAVE to go to the physical library and look at microfiche!
I also enjoyed all the humor particularly with Ok-hee's crew, the TV custody fight, and the handcuff kerfuffle.
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mindy
September 19, 2023 at 10:19 AM
I liked the bit about Ye-bun being 51% sure that Seon-woo isn't the criminal, but that being enough for her to decide to trust him. She's not as naïve as she sometimes comes across. Her choice to trust other people is just that: a choice. That may not be the best for investigating crimes, but well, that's why we have Jang-yeol, although he tends to swing too far the other way. (That's why they balance each other out and are perfect for one another! :P)
I think that actually might make some people dislike her more, but I find it adds an interesting layer to her character,
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7 Bunny Sonaki
September 18, 2023 at 9:09 PM
Ok-hui is my favorite character so far in the show. And the scene where she gathered her squad in front of the hospital to stop the reporters from barging in was hilarious and endearing. She loves Ye-bun genuinely and cares for her without expecting anything in return.
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8 emsel
September 18, 2023 at 9:23 PM
Thanks for the recap @lovepark
Ok Hui and her team are the true champions of this drama. Such clever comedic writing and wonderful acting by support cast's support cast. Love them!
Grandpa's death almost teared me up, but I can't get around the fact that Ye Bun being a veterinarian did not notice her grandpa's worsening symptoms. Even if one is not a doctor, any normal human would notice the changes in a close person's or housemate's daily activities. Ye Bun's aunt accompanied the grandpa multiple times to hospital, so it is wild that even she did not know about his disease or is there any Korean rule that states that doctor's can't disclose patient infornation to guardians?
I am not convinced that Shaman Park is the culprit. Ok Hui's dad was also one of the suspects, but why did the team conveniently forget him during the festival and not scheme together to get Ye Bun to touch his butt? For Ok Hui's sake, I hope he is not the suspect.
I do not mind that we do not have much going on in the main romance, but can we have more of our french couple? I am more invested in Ok Hui and Unni guy.
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Lady Bluestocking
September 19, 2023 at 10:55 AM
"I can't get around the fact that Ye Bun being a veterinarian did not notice her grandpa's worsening symptoms."
I really like Ye Bun, but it does not surprise me at all she didn't notice grandpa. Frankly, the idea of her being a vet or working in a medical field of any kind scares me 😂. She gives pet check ups at her desk!
Unless she touched grandpa's grouchy old butt and saw him at the doctors, she'd never figure it out.
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emsel
September 19, 2023 at 11:01 AM
😂😂 Yes, she isn't the smartest person in that fictional world, but the aunt being in dark about grandpa's disease is head scratching.
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ar_arguably romantic
September 19, 2023 at 4:32 PM
I think the grandpa and Ye-bun just get out of each other's way. I'm sure the other townspeople spend more time with grandpa than Ye-bun. He seems like the oldest person in town and I can see them all assuming that the occasional stiffness and unsteadyness is due to old age. And given how unwelcomed he had made Ye-bun feel, she just assumed his blank expression was because he disliked her, not because his use of his facial muscles had diminished. He was until very recently, standing outside for hours outside campaigning for Assemblyman Cha.
Yeah, it is sort of wild that the aunt didn't pick up on anything, but I think kids really don't want to confront the mortality of their parents and just chalk everything up to general aging rather than something more serious and heartbreaking.
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9 Britney
September 19, 2023 at 12:54 AM
I watch this but I definitely don't feel as strongly as others do. I think one of the things that keep me coming back is the mystery. I'm really curious who the poncho killer & 3rd psychic are and the motive for the murders.
I recognized the actor who played the threatening previous assemblyman and I thought that maybe it was weird for him to have only a minor villian role.
I don't get the grandfather. Did they try to give a reason why he didn't show his emotions but he supposedly cared about Ye Bun? Seriously? He ignored her years! Because he didn't approve that his daughter didn't stay next to him and follow the path he wanted for her.
I get that it was a wasted opportunity that she never touched his butt but I don't think the grandfather did anything right and I don't think him grasping her hand was emotionally affecting as might have been intentioned.
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Lady Bluestocking
September 19, 2023 at 10:57 AM
I totally agree. For me the hand-holding moment felt too-little, too-late.
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10 Kurama
September 19, 2023 at 1:37 AM
Lee Min-Ki and Han Ji-Min are clearly the reason I watch this drama. They're so funny or touching together.
Sadly, Suho is very bland in this role.
With the death of Assemblyman Cha, I think there is a bigger villain behind everything.
I think I like the humor better now, they turned it down a little bit.
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🌸 Seeker 🌸
September 19, 2023 at 8:48 AM
In defense of Suho he may be a tad better than Hwang Min-hyun.
Acting is about reacting, and the awesome leads here are actually propping him up a wee bit.
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emsel
September 19, 2023 at 11:05 AM
Suho is far better than the other actor because his acting skills so far has not affected the drama or its plot in a negative way. His role seems to be that of a smiling and kind, but mysterious new guy in the village and his performance seems to be in sync with the character. The questions he pose to Jang Yeol crack me up.
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ar_arguably romantic
September 19, 2023 at 4:38 PM
I think Suho fits his role quite well here too, but I'm not entirely sure if it's because of the director and editor who is really good at framing things. I feel like he's been good at playing the kind guy who can also be the mysterious -possibly serial killing psychopath - guy who is sharper than you'd expect. There were moments when I was like "oh crap...maybe he really is the killer...he seems creepy here." He's got the duality down.
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mindy
September 19, 2023 at 5:21 PM
PD Kim Seok-yoon is brilliant at his job. I admit that I was skeptical with the casting of Suho next to veterans like Han Ji-min and Lee Min-ki, but he suits his role perfectly and I’m never going to question any of this PD’s casting choices ever again. I’ve seen My Liberation Notes, Law School, and This Week My Wife Will Have an Affair, and I have never, EVER seen any weak links in any of his dramas. It’s impressive. I love BoA as a singer (she is THE reason little 11 year old me ever got into K-pop and later K-dramas) but was skeptical of her potential as an actress, but I loved her so much in This Week that I am so sad she hasn’t really done any acting work since then.
Minka
September 19, 2023 at 6:29 PM
@mindy I super agree! PD Kim Seok-yoon’s eye for casting (and overall directing) is impeccable, from the main cast to support and even to cameo/bit roles.
I had not seen Su-ho act prior BYT, but I felt those initial skepticisms on his casting/acting were not baseless (based on his weak prior performances I gathered). And I think besides his own hard work to improve on his acting, PD Kim also has a fair share in the credit. I think he brings out the best in his actors.
Kurama
September 19, 2023 at 10:32 PM
Personally, I don't think he's fitting. He doesn't look creepy. He's just bland in every scene.
🌸 Seeker 🌸
September 20, 2023 at 12:25 AM
@asianromance
@mindy
@MinkaTheDreamer
You are all so right!!
In BYT there is a golden ratio of:
- Suho's hard work,
- he's well cast for Seon-woo's duality as charming but mysterious and sus character,
- he's supported by co-actors who give such amazing reactions that they make him look good (as mindy's** gifs are proof),
- he's well well directed and supported by the crew.
**mindy - thank you for your hard work for the awesome gifs which I may have lol'ed over for far too long.
Here are some selected reactions to Suho's "Rich Man".
My father **unduly enthused** about the ML's "prosopagnosia" -
Oooh that's like a "real" thing now, ha ha... it even has a name? ... so what, I haven't been able to remember peoples faces like ever!!
My mother had her priorities right:
- Suho ...aww how pretty, ... poor thing can I give him a hug!!
- Ha Yeon Soo ... hmm's she's ok but Suho is more pretty
... she is cute but Suho is cuter ... ooh cute cute
... how does she have so many wonderful coats despite being allegedly broke, where does she keep them.
Most importantly, I want that magical wardrobe.
🌸 Seeker 🌸
September 20, 2023 at 6:26 AM
@kurama
You are right he hasn't got a "killer" scene yet! 🤣
Sorry for the bad joke. I totally understand your perspective as to why he feels bland in this role.
Apart from baiting Min-ki and harshly scolding the shaman (as per the shaman - we have seen it) we have not really seen him doing anything much. He just does his job and go to the workshop.
He seems charming enough to FL and also Justin (shaman's son). If he is the third psychic perhaps he rescued the stray kitten just to get himself introduced to her.
Only now we have had a glimpse of his backstory ... so perhaps the next episodes will have more information and give us better understanding of his character motivations.
As of now his thoughts, motivations and emotions are opaque. There was a touching moment he shared with FL re: his mother. Come to think of it his rare glimpses of emotion have come only while interacting with the FL.
You are absolutely right either Cha's ex-boss or some other person who benefitted from the (fake) redevelopment seems to be the bigger villain.
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11 Live4dmoment
September 19, 2023 at 2:10 AM
I love this show so much. Every cast perfectly fits the character. I wish I have a friend like Ok hee. I don't know if it helps but han ji min is in good friends with ok hee in real life. They are besties for real:) I am a shallow person so I cried seeing Ye buns grandpa died. I already know since the start that her grandpa has Parkinsons. I know since I am caring for one. But given how distant they are with each other, reason why they have not noticed those obvious symptoms. When Mr Cha and the grandpa both visit Mi ok and Mr Cha had him walk, Mr Cha already knows that he has trouble walking. He is so bad that I dont want him to die yet. He should rot in prison but unfortunately he died very quick which is so bad. Ye bun and jang yeol's favorite scene is the comfort scene. These 2 have the best chemistry given the very limited romantic scenes they have. I think most of other frustration is the slow burn romance but since the start, they already insinuated that this drama is comedy, suspense. We still have 4 remaining episodes and this show has given me a lot of fun and I don't want it to end. I hope they have the best story arc to explain why the serial killer kills. I don't think that it is the shaman. I still think the person who has the motivation is only seon woo. And I want to be the villain.
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vienibenmio
September 19, 2023 at 5:21 AM
Early on in the show even my husband was like "there's no way he could have murdered those people, he can't even drink a glass of milk"
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Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
September 21, 2023 at 7:32 PM
I have never loved a side character more than Ok hee! She is gold.
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12 welh
September 19, 2023 at 5:34 AM
Episode 11 puts more spotlight on both Cha and Seon-Woo as suspects because of their past ties in the failed redevelopment scandal. It was heartbreaking moment with Grandfather refused to acknowledge Ye-Bun because her father took his daughter from him and passed away too early to support her. This bitterness is the final motivation for him to find some acceptance of his daughter’s passing. Likewise, Seon-Woo’s missing mother is also connected to Cha’s devious plots. It was actually shocking for the shaman to confess his murderous plot to Ye-Bun. This foreshadows that everyone in the town has a motive to kill. And Seon-Woo seems too smug and confident when taunting Jang-Yeol.
Episode 12 gives the impression that the third psychic does not have the same touch powers, but mind control. Feeding off the betrayal feelings, the psychic uses mind control to put decoy suspects at murder scenes or to commit the actual crimes. It would be the perfect serial killer plan - - - have others do the murders. (There is actual precedent for this: dangerous on-line challenges instigated by sick minds to entrap innocent youngsters.) The clear as day clue at the Cha murder scene was the murderer’s blood smear on the light switch which shows that there was a third person at the scene. There was no trail of blood from Grandpa to the doorway which would have been the case if he was trying to leave. Han Ji Min’s hospital bed scene was well done. She could only get confirmation she needed: that her Grandfather loved and cared about her.
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13 ♡Peach_Mochi♡
September 19, 2023 at 2:38 PM
Kudos to the writer for sustaining the mystery for so long. I really don't know whom to suspect the most, and I like it that way. With what we've learned from the redevelopment scam, practically the whole town could have a motive for offing Assemblyman Cha. However, justice won't feel complete if it doesn't include his boss back then, who looks to have been the mastermind behind the whole scheme. Maybe Ye-bun and Jang-yeol will bring him down in Season 2?
Ok-hui and Ye-bun's friendship continues to be a highlight. If you step away from the comedic parts, these were really traumatizing times for Ye-bun: gaining supernatural power, investigating murders, learning her mom didn't commit suicide, her grandpa being killed. As lovely as it is to see Jang-yeol learning how to comfort and communicate with her, all of these events would have been truly overwhelming were it not for a ride-or-die friend like Ok-hui who offers unconditional support.
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welh
September 20, 2023 at 6:11 AM
If you go by the Captain's investigative logic, the killer was someone who recently came to town or returned to it after a long time. Based on that premise, the prime suspects would be:
1. Hyeon-Ok’s ex-husband who came back to Mujin to get back his ex-wife. The reason is unclear, except I think it was probably about money (her inheritance). Motive: make HO so scared she runs back to his protective arms. Having a serial killer on the loose would make her scared. And he was quick to go to the police to pin Cha’s murder on Grandfather.
2. Mr. Kang: Cha’s right-hand-man and fixer. He had seen how one moves up the political ranks by eliminating your boss. He was at the dairy farm when the psychic powers happened.
3. Seon-Woo: The too obvious choice but he has recently shown the attitude of a killer taunting the police that there is no evidence against him. He was at the barn so he could be the third psychic, which would put him one step ahead of the police. He also knows about the other psychic powers because he refuses to be touched. He had a grudge against Cha because of his missing mother. It is 50-50 whether he is the illegitimate son of Cha which would add another motive.
4. The Shaman: he already confessed to Ye-Bun his motive, and he was close to actually killing Cha but was stopped. The one item that puts him near the top still is that he was wearing a poncho with the knife - - - I don’t think it was well known that the killer was wearing a poncho. He does not seem to have a motive to kill the others unless my other theory is true that the third psychic uses telepathy to control other people to do his killing.
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Minka
September 20, 2023 at 6:41 AM
Whoa! You’re right! I didn’t realize that. It was only Jang-yeol and Ye-bun (and the police?) who know about the killer to be wearing a poncho. If the Shaman was just attempting to be a copycat killer, how did he know about the poncho? I still don’t want him to turn out to be the killer.
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Blue (@mayhemf)
September 20, 2023 at 11:41 AM
I think the knife and poncho talk happened in the village square. Wasn’t that when the village head mentioned about the knife everyone bought a few years back. And also mentioned the poncho being sold commonly.
I am pretty sure Shaman was hanging around there.
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welh
September 20, 2023 at 1:43 PM
I thought Ye-bun found the evidence of the poncho killer and knife by touching Seung-gil and the snake so I did not think it was common knowledge. They saw the town folk wearing the raincoat afterward. I thought the comment about the knife being everywhere was at the station and not in public.
Blue (@mayhemf)
September 20, 2023 at 1:59 PM
@welh you are right.. I went and rewatched. that discussion happened in the police station.
14 1MoreDrama
September 20, 2023 at 1:59 PM
I love Lee Minki. He just makes me laugh. The way he described explaining to his boss how he knew what he knew…I just love him.
Han Ji-Min is so cute next to him, and I really love that these two are such good actors. They really do a great job with this odd drama.
I’m not really sure who the murderer is, but as long as it isn’t one of the two above, I don’t care. Oh and I don’t want it to be the “girl gang plus 1” because they are just great.
It’s a very very silly show. If you like LMK, which I do, and Han Ji-Min, which I do, you could ignore the entire show and just watch the two of them and have a good time.
Oh no - I felt the same way about Heartbeat!! Noooooooooooooooooooooooo. This better end nicely or else!
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Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
September 21, 2023 at 3:23 PM
You know what, Heartbeat is EXACTLY what I was thinking when typing my thoughts. if this drama goes there, I might just do something to the K-drama world grrrrr!
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🌸 Seeker 🌸
September 21, 2023 at 8:13 PM
Andwae !!
*screaming in 💔 terror*
Drama you better be good.
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🌸 Seeker 🌸
September 21, 2023 at 8:17 PM
You are so correct. Agree on all points.
In the hands of lesser actors the drama would have been a recipe for disaster... each character is so well cast and play-off each other so well. Pitch perfect. The actors have taken what seems like an iffy script on paper and made it shine.
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15 Minnie🫘👩🏻🚀Pioneer and Teacher 👩🏻🏫🌱🏹
September 21, 2023 at 3:21 PM
I finally made it to the 12th episode (even a rainstorm interruption could not keep me away!)
I am officially in love with this series. I cannot believe how grounded this series has kept a topic that could have been so seriously deranged. It's not pitch-perfect, but its cast is beyond perfect.
I just might be staring at a Lee Min Ki rabbit hole LOL! From when he bawls his eyes out beside the bandaged man he mistakes for Gwang shik to when he watches Ye-Bun surreptitiously, always looking out for her, this man is making all kinds of fluttery flutter. Ye bun, I feel, already knows her heart is tilted towards this goofy policeman but refuses to acknowledge him as her heart stealer. There was so much sweetness and pathos in these two episodes. The way he follows her around like a lost pup pretending to be a greyhound is doing things to my heart I can't even. They are moving towards having a relationship based on respect, trust, and communication - my favourite romance trope (enemies to friends is the best trope there anyway, haha!)
However, is it just me, or is there a disconnect between Grandpa's real feelings and what he showed? But then, if he felt soft towards Ye Bun, why was he this antagonistic to her till the end? That part didn't make sense, along with the part where the killer is stalking his prey, which has to be done with eyes wide open. Also, as someone pointed out, the entie Parkinson angle seems forced. It cannot be possible the Aunt didn't know, and by extension, Ye Bun would not know.
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Minka
September 21, 2023 at 7:24 PM
Your narrative on Jang-yeol and Ye-bun’s relationship is lovely.
And yes, this show is a good choice too (aside from our highly recommended BTIMFL) to redeem Lee Min-ki in your eyes (post For The Emperor lol).
I also don’t understand Grandpa’s reasons for being cold towards Ye-bun.
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🌸 Seeker 🌸
September 21, 2023 at 8:10 PM
Very very good analysis of the leads burgeoning relationship ... you have described each little step so beautifully.
👏 👏 👏
They are growing on each other but as of now (despite "I'm your weapon) no one is ready to even acknowledge to themselves that they care and rely upon the other... shall we set up their confession at 9:30 pm!
The grandfather's total arc doesn't make any sense. I don't think any retrospective reveal can make up for the years of his mistreatment.
Serial killer mystery is too mysterious for now ... did the writer also script this part with eyes closed. 😌
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16 Sg
September 24, 2023 at 6:52 PM
Does the shaman have blackouts when he is possessed and is the evil spirit doing the killings?
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