Dear Hyeri: Episodes 1-2 (First Impressions)
by quirkycase
It’s a packed set of premiere episodes as we’re introduced to our offbeat heroine Shin Hye-sun’s two lives and everyone in them. There’s a lot going on in this drama, which at times leaves everything feeling a bit chaotic and rushed. The fast pacing and odd tone makes it hard to settle into the story and turns our heroine’s serious situation due to a mental health condition into a farcical issue that feels skirted over and mined for dramatic (or comedic) effect. Not the start I was hoping for, but it’s early yet.
Editor’s note: This is an opening review only. For a place to chat about the entire drama, visit the Drama Hangout.
EPISODES 1-2
Like many, I came into this drama primarily excited by the cast, director, and screenwriter trifecta that promised skill a plenty. However, when I realized the main character has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), I got concerned. Dramaland doesn’t have the best track record of handling mental illness in a sensitive, accurate way – and when it comes to DID, neither does most any media. Still, I wanted to give it a try. Unfortunately, the handling of DID was as I feared. However, the rest of the drama was not quite what I expected, and I don’t know how to feel about it.
We’re first introduced to an exuberant and playful JOO EUN-HO (Shin Hye-sun) in 2015 when she and her boyfriend JUNG HYUN-OH (Lee Jin-wook) are happy and in love. Fast forward to now, and they’re barely civil to each other at work, a broadcast station, where they’re both announcers. He’s considered the more talented one with a future as an anchor, while she has remains largely in the shadows. Despite their constant sniping, they end up hosting a program together, much to Eun-ho’s chagrin.
That said, it’s clear to everyone that the exes are not over each other. Eun-ho talks about how much she hates Hyun-oh a little too much, and he somehow always has a reasonable excuse to throw jobs her way that could help boost her career. While insisting he can’t stand her, of course.
Eun-ho is a wild card, which doesn’t endear her to everyone. She’s brash, hotheaded, and can be petty if she feels slighted. But her spiritedness and unpredictability have earned her a fan in her younger colleague MOON JI-ON (Kang Sang-joon) who has been chasing after her for a while. He’s stunned when she, rather apathetically, agrees to go on a date that turns into a work excursion.
Since Eun-ho isn’t the type to exploit someone’s feelings for her, she tells him outright that she only “hates” Hyun-oh because she can’t have him. They dated for eight years, and she wanted to get married. He had no interest in marriage. Hating him is the only way she can handle interacting with him.
Even knowing Eun-ho’s feelings for Hyun-oh remain, Ji-on wants to give a relationship with her a shot. He kisses her one night… and we’re suddenly transported. It’s now daytime, and we meet eccentric JOO HYERI as her parking attendant colleague asks if she fell asleep and was dreaming again. Hyeri has been having dreams of being this announcer named Eun-ho who has her same face.
Hyeri shakes her weird dream off in favor of dealing with more pressing matters, like her crush on news announcer KANG JOO-YEON (Kang Hoon) who she sees regularly in the broadcast station’s parking lot where she works. She’s bored and in desperate need of excitement, but she’s also timid and unable to talk to Joo-yeon directly. Despite her gloomy demeanor – likely due to quite literally hiding behind her hair most of the time – she takes an optimistic approach to life.
Soon, Hyeri gets the chance to make an impression on Joo-yeon. And oh, does she make an impression. She sees a protestor in the station’s lobby attacking her beloved Joo-yeon with a freaking pickax and springs into action. She slaps a box over the assailant’s head and drags Joo-yeon out of the lobby to hide until the woman is apprehended.
All that adrenaline must go to the girl’s head because instead of finally talking to Joo-yeon, she adds to the poor man’s shock by kissing him with no warning. Then she turns and walks away without a word. Suffice it to say, Joo-yeon has had a day.
Amidst these shenanigans, Hyeri has been seeing a therapist regularly. She talks of her memory loss (she can’t remember anything about her past) and vivid dreams of this Eun-ho’s life. Her therapist breaks it to her that she is Eun-ho and has been diagnosed with DID. And here’s where we start to go off the rails.
The therapist (and drama) acts like Hyeri and Eun-ho are two entirely separate people who live in one body, hinting that Hyeri is a fictitious identity created by Eun-ho. We don’t get the whole story yet, but we do see flashbacks of what seems to be Eun-ho and her sister Hyeri, so I’m assuming Hyeri died and Eun-ho supposedly adopted her sister’s identity due to grief which… is not what DID is. *sigh*
Honestly, why even call her condition DID? Just make up a fake condition or leave it unnamed rather than misrepresenting a real disorder to fit the premise. I won’t go into all the questionable details about how DID is portrayed, but some things are too unrealistic to even make sense. You see, Eun-ho and Hyeri switch at exactly 4:00pm and 4:00am every day. I guess having her DID work on a convenient schedule is the only way her two lives wouldn’t intersect. I don’t see how that’s even possible when she was dating, and seemingly living with, Hyun-oh for eight years. Maybe the drama is suggesting she didn’t have DID then, which again, is not how that works. Either that, or Hyun-oh is ridiculously oblivious.
Back to Hyeri, she tries to avoid Joo-yeon after her attack kiss, but he manages to confront her. He’s pretty calm about the whole situation, but he does demand to know why she kissed him. All Hyeri can do is burst into tears. She’s so distraught she can’t even form words. Somehow, his justifiable anger surprised her. At least she does now understand that what she did was disrespectful and could even get her sued for assault.
She folds him a bunch of paper stars and writes him a letter to answer his question by confessing her feelings. He once again seeks her out, and this time she apologizes. For some reason, he also apologizes for being too angry. He doesn’t seem particularly upset that she kissed him and instead finds her intriguing.
Not only does Joo-yeon forgive her, but he invites her to his home to chat more. (WHAT.) This man is notorious for being cold and stoic, yet he trusts this random woman who assaulted him enough to let her into his house and tell her about his dead brother and his ensuing survivor’s guilt. It’s only their second conversation and he’s already opening up about his family trauma. Then, he lets her sleep at his house because it’s late. I have no idea what is happening.
Adding to the already confusing situation, the switch happens like clockwork at 4:00am. Eun-ho wakes in a strange place and sees a man she’s never met sleeping on the couch. She hightails it out of there but does manage to glimpse his work badge and get his name on the way out.
Rather than dwell on her mysterious situation, Eun-ho dives into work by agreeing to do an expose on a fishing transport operation. It’s a crappy gig, but she’s willing to take anything at this point to help her climb up the career ladder. Including secretly taking photos of fish in a refrigerated truck.
When she enters the freezer container with a camera, she finds a dead man on the floor. (We’ve really got a lot going on in this drama.) She ends up locked in with the body and her colleague on site isn’t answering the phone. She does, however, receive Eun-ho’s hilariously matter-of-fact text about being locked in the truck alongside a photo of the dead man. However, it’s Hyun-oh who shows up to save the day, and we get a long staring sequence from the two exes who absolutely, most definitely, hate each other.
I should never be surprised when a murder mystery enters the chat anymore in a drama. At this point, I’m not clear on what this drama is trying to be. A romcom? A workplace drama? A melo tale of a woman’s trauma? There’s a lot going on, and it’s not managing to fully come together for me yet. I don’t know if even this strong of a creative team can wrangle all these pieces and turn them into a cohesive story.
My main issue, besides the problematic DID portrayal, is that I don’t care about any of the characters. Shin Hye-sun is great, as usual, but I find both Eun-ho and Hyeri rather unlikeable. It’s hard to care about what’s going on when I’m not attached to anyone. And things just didn’t make much sense, including the bizarre, lightning speed relationship between Hyeri and Joo-yeon. I can’t get over how creepy she came off – like almost stalker level – yet he acted like it’s cute somehow? If she weren’t a woman, no one would find that behavior cute.
What really threw me was how fantastical everything felt. I expected a more grounded story or at least a more serious vibe. This almost felt… zany at times. I wish they had gone all in on the unbelievability and made Eun-ho/Hyeri’s situation some mysterious scenario a la the body switches in The Beauty Inside. Then, the dual identities could’ve been played up for laughs or drama without feeling insensitive or tonally jarring.
RELATED POSTS
- Premiere Watch: Dear Hyeri
- Shin Hye-sun’s Dear Hyeri confuses Lee Jin-wook
- News bites: September 8, 2024
- Shin Hye-sun faces old and new love in To My Hae-ri
- Shin Hye-sun wishes happiness for To My Hae-ri
- News bites: August 19, 2024
- Shin Hye-sun clings to dreams instead of love in To My Hae-ri
- News bites: July 31, 2024
- News bites: June 12, 2024
- Shin Hye-sun
- Lee Jin-wook
- Kang Hoon
Tags: Dear Hyeri, First Impressions, Jo Hye-joo, Kang Hoon, Lee Jin-wook, Shin Hye-sun
Required fields are marked *
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
1 NorCal Girl
September 26, 2024 at 10:15 AM
I agree completely and I wanted to love this. 4 men in love with our unpleasant/odd FL(s)? Therapist doesn't see fit to intervene? Unrealistic apartment/job set up unless newscaster knows but it is positioned that she does not. ML is dreamy, however!
Required fields are marked *
alasecond
September 26, 2024 at 8:24 PM
4? where did 4th one come from
2 FLs and their respective leads + 1 guy who accompanied her to the beach
Required fields are marked *
2 Kafiyah Bello
September 26, 2024 at 10:27 AM
This was WEIRD. Also she assaulted that poor man, by kissing him. I wish they hadn't gone that route. I am not sure I understand what is happening in this drama. While she is Hyeri, the filming and her demeanor are almost whimsical. While she Eun Ho, she is struggling. The shows seems to be implying she adopted some of her "sisters" identity, but the two episodes were so odd, that I don't know what to think. hmmmm
Required fields are marked *
alasecond
September 26, 2024 at 8:26 PM
more likely both were drowning and one was saved... the one who keeps asking if ML will save her must be the one who drowned
The one who lost memory should be the real one.. drowning in guilt so she suppresed her emotions
Required fields are marked *
spazmo
September 27, 2024 at 2:05 AM
i forgot about that topic, the drowning... good catch!
Required fields are marked *
Kafiyah Bello
September 27, 2024 at 3:47 AM
Oh interesting, that follows.
Required fields are marked *
3 Nefret
September 26, 2024 at 10:31 AM
The first two episodes were ... interesting, although I liked episode 2 much better than the first. It made sure that I will definitely keep watching.
I even found the last scene of the second episode quite impressive and touching. I actually had a lump in my throat.
Hye-ri reminds me of a child with her direct, literal manner. I was surprised that she is supposed to be 25 years old. I wonder if that was her sister's age when she disappeared. I suspect that Hye-ri was "created" as a "replacement" for the missing sister.
Required fields are marked *
alasecond
September 26, 2024 at 8:28 PM
i think it is the other way round.
Likely, both were drowning and one was saved hence the question of whom will you save despite knowing swimming.
Also, the guilt must have been gnawing ... memory loss probably is linked to suppression of emotions
Required fields are marked *
alasecond
September 26, 2024 at 8:29 PM
it is difficult to imagine such a confident, busy in her life Eun Ho character if she is carrying the weight of her sister's death
Required fields are marked *
Nefret
September 27, 2024 at 4:29 AM
But maybe she created Hye-ri to deal with her guilt?
And why does Hye-ri see a scar on her arm that doesn't exist?
Required fields are marked *
alasecond
September 27, 2024 at 10:21 AM
Nope.. the character you create is the one who is free of burden.. the original one remembers... however, let's say what you think is right... atleast one character has to bear the burden of the guilt... and neither character seems to... that's why i think the one with memory loss makes more sense...
but yea.. we never know where this is going
Required fields are marked *
alasecond
September 27, 2024 at 10:22 AM
One other thing,
because a character is weak it had to create another personality... drama wise atleast, original characters are more submissive types... hence again hyeri seems to fit that role more
Required fields are marked *
Nefret
September 27, 2024 at 4:29 AM
Eun-ho and Hye-ri are so different, shouldn't ML notice when his ex suddenly seems to be a completely different person?
Required fields are marked *
alasecond
September 27, 2024 at 10:24 AM
Come to think of it..
If hyeri had anything to do wtih the sister... that personality should always have been there...
8 yrs of dating, ML didn't notice anything
this hyeri has appeared only 2 months back... so maybe there is another trigger and not exactly sister's death
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 11:13 AM
I have a theory that ML didn't date EH/HR but her (their?) sister.
alasecond
September 27, 2024 at 8:17 PM
@bomibeans Yes. I agree and that's why i say dominant but not original personality is EH. Original personality is Hyeri.
Some trigger got the 2 personalities back otherwise FL had settled herself in a stable life. Also, asking about whether she will be saved or not means that personality is the one that "died"
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
October 7, 2024 at 11:54 AM
That guy would only ever date someone who was broken. He needs her to be broken so that she is dependant on him and cannot demand respect when he treats her as someone burdensome.
Remember the umbrella? If it weren't broken, he wouldn't have found it.
alasecond
October 7, 2024 at 1:47 PM
@DK-Drama - that is not even remotely what is happening..
there is zero evidence of someone to be broken for him to be with her
He has always prioritized her... and is sacrificing and taking care in his own ways... the only thing is that we don't know as to what is the reason to not let EH know honestly about his family situation and why he can't marry... there is literally ZERO toxic flag.. and it is too bad if you can't see that behind the obvious lines he is narrating
4 too_much_tv
September 26, 2024 at 10:51 AM
Thank you for the recap! I agree with your assessment of the portrayal of DID. I was under the impression that DID is the result of extreme trauma in childhood. Though I do think the writers could be setting up something like that. For one thing, Hyeri is 9 years younger than Eun-ho, which makes me think something bad could have happened when Eun-ho was 9.
We did hear, in those early scenes set in 2015, that Hyun-oh found Eun-oh's house a mess. (Which it isn't now.) She was playful in a way that he described as crazy. She also grilled him, in the guise of flirting, about whether he would save her if she were drowning. I immediately thought both, "oh, she saw someone drowning," and "oh, she feels like she's drowning."
But if all this is true, why didn't she dissociate in the freezer truck? Or did she?
I also have a lot of suspicions about this Joo-Yeon guy. He has a brother who died and his mom calls him up to tell him she wishes he had died. Is this a legit real separate person, or is it one of Eun-ho's personalities? Or are they destined to be together because the same things happened to both of them? Or is he just open to the ways she's a weirdo because they fit with the ways that he's traumatized?
I cannot decide whether I'm reading more into these episodes than what was intended. One thing is for sure though: DID is not suited to a light romantic comedy. It's suited to a detective story.
Required fields are marked *
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
September 26, 2024 at 2:43 PM
Silverlining: We get an MLa, a 2MLa, and an MLb.
That's nice, innit?
Required fields are marked *
too_much_tv
September 26, 2024 at 5:45 PM
Yes! Plus, Kang Hoon is so great at conveying emotional pain and trauma.
Required fields are marked *
Kathryn51
September 26, 2024 at 8:22 PM
Based on @quirkycase's recap, this sounds dreadful.
But like you. . Kang Hoon is at least worth a watch. Plus the possibility of a Secret Romantic Guesthouse match-up with Jo Hye Joo means that I'll wait for a couple more episodes to drop and binge for their scenes.
It doesn't help that Shin Hye Sun is low on my tolerance meter.
Required fields are marked *
spazmo
September 27, 2024 at 2:09 AM
that's the parallel, the live sibling being neglected because of the (traumatic) death of the other sibling. i know a couple people in this situation, and it isn't good for the survivor.
this drama is more serious than i expected.
Required fields are marked *
vienibenmio
September 27, 2024 at 5:59 AM
DID is incredibly, incredibly controversial and many in the field don't even believe it exists... but, yes, the etiology is thought to be repeated dissociation as the result of repeated exposure to trauma. Unless you believe the people who claim that they have DID without trauma exposure (that's a whole other can of worms, lol)
Required fields are marked *
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
October 2, 2024 at 1:08 PM
Your idea that she meets another one of her personalities and has a love story is fantastic, - it doesn't matter if you read too much into the story, when you "read" so well.
Required fields are marked *
too_much_tv
October 5, 2024 at 6:04 PM
It's fun while we're doing it, but it gets disappointing when the writers of the script were playing Chutes and Ladders when we thought we were playing Six Dimensional Chess.
Required fields are marked *
5 Kurama
September 26, 2024 at 10:53 AM
I think Kang Hoon looking super handsome in this role will be my main reason to watch it. I liked Hyeri, she's a complete weirdo but she's fun. At least, she realized that kissing him was wrong.
The "logistic" of this drama isn't really clear. Why Eun-Ho doesn't know her condition? How it happened? For a moment, I thought Moon Ji-On's kiss was very impactful to give her a new life.
Required fields are marked *
Blue (@mayhemf)
September 26, 2024 at 11:00 AM
+ 1 for Kang Hoon being the main reason for me to continue
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 26, 2024 at 7:21 PM
"I thought Moon Ji-On's kiss was very impactful to give her a new life."
Also, given how the scene was staged with the bulb all going out, I thought the same, lol. It made me and my friends in my k-drama chat speculate WHO's the actual male lead, lol. We are def split up 50%/50%. I like Hyun-o, cause he appears like a tortured soul (and I love tortured souls) but the other 50% of my friends are all in Kang Hoon corner, and won't budge!
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
September 26, 2024 at 9:05 PM
I liked when Hyun-o helped her with her skirt, to get screen time but then he changed the program because he didn't want her to spend time with Moon Ji-on...
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 26, 2024 at 10:28 PM
I didn’t like when Moon Ji-on laughed at all the ocean waste rainy weather mystery of EH. At her “seaweed hair.” Wetting her boots. I was so indignant on her behalf, like, I would kill my boyfriend if he laughed at me in this situation.
….and now you know why there’s a “war” in our k-drama chat. 😂
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
September 26, 2024 at 11:32 PM
To be honest, I found it funny. You would have imagined he will be so overprotective but no! I think it was interesting to change the usual behavior of this type of character. But he could have been more discreet :p
But he still gave her clothes and got her home.
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 6:53 AM
I found it funny too as a viewer but I would want to be ridiculed by my potential date like that. But that’s just me.
WEnchanteur
September 26, 2024 at 9:28 PM
Flickering bulb could be hypnotic, and it's why she accepts the kiss. But also symbolism of her mind. It's late, she should be Hyeri. She hesitates, and when he kiss her, she doesn't have time to react. Just then, the light goes out, like if her mind extincts, and it's why she stay still during the kiss. Probably he kissed no-one, she was half-unconscious, or half-Hyeri. Anyway, it shows what I enjoy in the writing. An symbolic external visual makes sens with the internal of the character, and gives us a meaning to explain the situation. Scene continues as flashback Ep2. She's like waking up, starts to talk obscurely, but understood what happened, then rejects him.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 26, 2024 at 10:09 PM
“Anyway, it shows what I enjoy in the writing. A symbolic external visual makes sens with the internal of the character, and gives us a meaning to explain the situation.”
I still remember the first time I prominently became aware this device (?). I don’t remember the drama exactly — although it might have been My Lovely Sam Soon — when the female lead was dressed to the nines in white shoes only for a passing car to hit a puddle and splash on her, indicating the inner turmoil she was going through, telling herself everything was ok while inside it’s all puddles. The older generation kdrama writers used to do a lot of these “cinematic metaphors” but you see them
less and less. (Park Ji-Eun to her credit continues this amazing novel-like tradition.) Everything became so literal and so boring, unfortunately, and maybe that’s why I’m so excited when I find something metaphoric and symbolic (but grounded in reality) nowadays in kdrama. I WATCH then, ma’am!
Required fields are marked *
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
September 26, 2024 at 10:48 PM
I actually think a lot of this kind of thing is the Director, but a good writer should do it too.
This PD specifically uses them all the time. You Are My Spring has many fantastic examples that one day I will write about more.
WEnchanteur
September 26, 2024 at 10:51 PM
Aya, I should say "cinematic metaphor" instead of using complicated wording. lol!
WEnchanteur
September 26, 2024 at 10:58 PM
@sicarius: it's from writer. I can't give proof because I don't have the script in my hands, lol! But it's writer job to do that. Director can add little stuff sometimes, but not something that big in the scene.
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
September 26, 2024 at 11:22 PM
@wenchanteur
Visual storytelling, which is what we're talking about, is quite literally the director's job.
Now, in my opinion, the relationship between a screenwriter and the director should be such that the visual storytelling is the work of both of them, and they direct everyone under them.
But in my experience, this is not always the case.
In my experience, how much power the writer has over the script to add this kind of thing, and how much of what they write actually ends up in the final product on screen, varies on a case by case basis, and on whether or not the Director, who is the overseer of the project, and should they be a different person, as is often the case with TV shows and kdramas, allows the screenwriter that much influence, and as such screenwriters are often overshadowed or their scripts can be changed and they cannot do anything about it.
I was told in my classes about this that some directors do not want the scriptwriter to add any of this kind of thing, and they want complete control over the story.
But even then, The Director actually does indeed have the power to do something that big. It's their job to direct the story to screen and direct the camera and the cinematographer and the lighting to tell a story, and put the script into a visual format, and to think about how to translate the script into a visual medium in the best possible way, to interpret the script, if you will.
Hopefully, the writer ALSO thought about this, because I think this is ALSO their job, and that it should be industry standard for scriptwriters to write like this.
(But unfortunately, it’s not, and sometimes, they haven't, and I have receipts,)
Now, I'm not saying the worst-case scenario I listed above is what is happening here, I'm just saying in general, it is possible.
I'm also not saying that it's not the writer in this case, because it could be.
But what I do know, is that there are clear similarities between this PD's other works and what we're talking about here, this kind of visual metaphor, and that it's a trait that comes up where the only common denominator is him. And specifically, not just any kind of visual metaphor, but this kind of one, using lighting and framing in this specific way.
Directors do have distinct visual styles and devices they use that you can recognise across different dramas.
alasecond
September 26, 2024 at 8:32 PM
i can bet Eun Ho is the actual dissociative identity and not hyeri..
Hyeri is the real one..
Emotions suppresed
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
September 26, 2024 at 9:03 PM
But there is the scar and the age, no?
Required fields are marked *
alasecond
September 27, 2024 at 10:27 AM
We don't know who amongst the sister had scars.
Hyeri didn't see the scar which she otherwise was seeing...
ah.. dunno.. having fun guessing
Required fields are marked *
too_much_tv
October 6, 2024 at 6:34 AM
I thought of that too! Aren't they both real though? Eun-ho might be her real name and age or Hyeri might be, but all in all, they are actually one person. (And that person is Kang Ju-hyeon! Just kidding.)
Required fields are marked *
6 Blue (@mayhemf)
September 26, 2024 at 10:58 AM
I wasn’t sure how to feel about the drama. At times it was engaging and at times quite unbelievable. It’s intriguing enough to continue if I set aside all logic. Also I don’t particularly like any of the leads. Especially the main leads. Ji On seems ok but I still don’t understand why he picked up a creepy lady and took her home.
The chirpy SFL seems like the only sane person.
How does Eun Ho go to the second persona Hyeri’s den and keep an alarm for 4pm? Why would she do that especially after coming back from work that afternoon. Which means she should know she has another identity but the show implies that she is confused.
She has a major chuck of her time she can’t account for and yet the show hasn’t given us an insights into this.
I will continue for now.
Required fields are marked *
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
September 26, 2024 at 2:57 PM
I don't like that they use an actual diagnosis to depict this ... let's be honest ... device plot illness.
BUT apart from that, a lot of things are possible with the human mind, including dying from a believed curse, or being a "horse" for a god and get their deep voice and even be able to do things that human being don't normally do, like smoking cigars without coughing, just because they believe the god wouldn't cough.
And having a certain time incoded in your unconscious is very common - most of all, of course, the time we need to wake up, especially if it's regularly.
And that she won't make appointments that overlap Hye-ri's time of the day, that she don't know and yet does know that she is someone else after 4PM, that fits with the way a lot of people shape the universe in their heads around more and more curly, strange lies. People can have two "truths" in their heads, if they feel compelled to.
But well, what is happening to her is not DID.
Required fields are marked *
7 DaebakGrits
September 26, 2024 at 11:05 AM
I have so many questions, that I will keep watching in hopes that they will be answered. 😅
Required fields are marked *
WEnchanteur
September 26, 2024 at 9:04 PM
A lot are answered already. I explain few details.
Nothing coming from a preview but what we get in Ep1 Ep2.
Don't read if you want to rewatch and finds by yourself.
SPOILER
We know Eun Ho knows she has split-personnality, that she organised the two appartements, send Hyeri to therapy, switch personnality when she falls asleep (and can wake up one minute after). Their time is morning/none for one, afternoon/evening for other one. But if she doesn't sleep, switch doesn't happen, so the scene at night on the harbour.
Required fields are marked *
8 tabong
September 26, 2024 at 12:00 PM
LOL it seems like I'm the only one, but I liked this one. But then I found out the actor had a real life Judge From Hell case (but without Justitia setting thinks straight), so I'm out. 😭
But here are something interesting for the other beanies to think about: the title says 나의 해리에게 (To my Hae Ri) which isn't the other identity's name (she's 혜리 Hye Ri), but her disorder's name.
해리 (Hae Ri) means "disassociation", as in 해리성 정체성 장애: dissociative identity disorder.
Anyway, here are my thoughts about these two episodes: this show felt like four different dramas all at once, and I liked three of them.
I didn't like the ML because he has too much power over Eun Ho's career. It was just two episodes of him doing her "favors" as if he felt responsible/bad for her. And that makes him look like a saint or fool in love with his coworkers, but I just find it weird and unfair. So, Idc about him.
Now, the first drama-inside-the-drama that I liked is Eun Ho's story. Like, everyone dislikes her, and her preferences (career wise) seem a bit unusual. The only one who would talk to her was the guy who thought he had a chance, and her jealous ex who didn't want to marry her goes to her home whenever and controls her career however he likes... That's a lot. What's going on!
The other drama that I liked was the fantasy show we got with Hye Ri and Eun Ho, two girls in one body (yes, I will call it the fantasy plot, not DID).
The girls have rules apparently.
They only switch if Eun Ho goes to sleep before 4PM, right? Because she had those trips during the weekend with no problem... Or maybe they don't switch during the weekend?
Idk, this feels like an old Disney movie (the spell would be "one will own the day, and the other one will own the night..." Like Twitches but one body? 😂).
It seems like Eun Ho adapted/accepted it everything pretty fast, too. She went to a psychiatrist, she has a routine, and she doesn't seem too worried about what Hye Ri does or not.
I mean, Hye Ri's existence is very recent (2 months), but Eun Ho seemed to have everything "under control". Even when Hye Ri didn't know about it.
Also, even if this is a recent thing, I suspect some traumatic event from the past has something to do with it.
Hye Ri seems to be like a version of someone she knew (maybe dongsaeng?). That would explain why she's younger (28?) than Eun Ho, and why she behaves like a kid most of the time. If Eun Ho's last memories of the OG Hye Ri are from when she was a kid, that would explain that weird kiss (she was right, he should've sue her).
The final (and favorite) mini-drama here it's Hye Ri x Ju Yeon's dynamic. I was vibing with The Secret Romantic Guesthouse reunion (modern spin off? 🤣), but then Hye Ri had that confidence boost and became hilarious. I like that she's unpredictable (why would she follow a stranger to his home, tho???). And Ju Yeon's awkwardness complements her well, imo.
Anyway, enjoy...
Required fields are marked *
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
September 26, 2024 at 3:11 PM
I like it too, even if I get a bit confused keeping up with the plots.
You are VERY welcome to keep separating them and nicely distribute the plot parts that belong to each of them. And tag me when yo udo it.
Required fields are marked *
tabong
September 26, 2024 at 3:17 PM
Unfortunately, I'm not continuing this show. I'll just be spying on you guys in the drama hangout. Haha.
Required fields are marked *
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
October 6, 2024 at 7:27 PM
What actor has what kind of real life judge from Hell story?
Required fields are marked *
tabong
October 6, 2024 at 8:55 PM
Lee Jin Wook.
Required fields are marked *
9 stove
September 26, 2024 at 12:03 PM
It is an unconventional story which is far from perfect, but makes me curious.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 26, 2024 at 7:13 PM
Agreed.
Required fields are marked *
10 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
September 26, 2024 at 12:18 PM
Who is the hairdresser who comes in at 4:00 am and reworks the hair, while the lead is asleep??? It can't be the new morning-person personality because when she woke up she was so surprised by everything.
Required fields are marked *
tabong
September 26, 2024 at 1:41 PM
I'm telling you this is a fantasy show. It's all magic. 😂😂
Required fields are marked *
Blue (@mayhemf)
September 26, 2024 at 5:11 PM
This show reminded me of a Tamil movie (Indian) ‘Anniyan’. It’s quite popular so may be some beanies have seen it.
There are multiple personalities and one of them would require major hair styling changes and yet he would change without any glitch.
Required fields are marked *
tabong
September 26, 2024 at 8:18 PM
That sounds fun.
Did one of them have any "curtain" hair style too? 😆
Required fields are marked *
Midnight
September 27, 2024 at 2:26 AM
I remember this being discussed a lot during Kill Me Heal Me era. Beanies decided that the different appearances are just how the character thinks of himself, not how he actually looks.
Required fields are marked *
too_much_tv
October 6, 2024 at 6:44 AM
Yes, that seems like it to me, too. Though a person could wake up and put on more casual clothing and not put up her hair pretty easily.
11 Mr Everything
September 26, 2024 at 1:18 PM
Am I the only one getting the sense that a lot of the humor and nuance are lost because of translation issues? There is a lot going on for 12 episodes. So, at least we won't be bored.
@enriquequierecagar I had the sense that the title of the drama is like the intro to a letter. So, is the FL writing a letter to herself? Is this how the two personalities will communicate in the drama?
With the amount of misunderstandings the watchers are having, I hope this doesn't turn out to be a simple love triangle, misunderstanding based humor romcom. But with two personalities, we could have our first double triangle romcom!
Required fields are marked *
tabong
September 26, 2024 at 1:39 PM
Yes, you're right. That's it.
But, the title isn't "To my Hye Ri" (the identity), it's "To my Hae Ri" (the disorder). So maybe there's another hidden meaning to it that hasn't been exposed... Maybe they'll do the LND and change the title (to Hye Ri) in one episode after a big reveal?? 😆
Who knows. But I also think they could communicate that way. Letters could be a good beginning since videos or audios could feel kinda aggressive at first.
Required fields are marked *
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
September 26, 2024 at 3:01 PM
Those of you who are good at Korean, couldn't you host a "Lost in Translation" recap panel, where the rest of us could read the details that we lost because of our lack of Korean language skills?
Required fields are marked *
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
September 26, 2024 at 3:02 PM
Please and thank you?
Required fields are marked *
Mr Everything
September 26, 2024 at 3:28 PM
My Korean is terrible.
darwi
September 29, 2024 at 10:40 AM
Sorry, I'm not watching this drama. Otherwise, I would have been a good game.
tabong
September 26, 2024 at 3:28 PM
That could be a lot depending on the show.
NGNL has many moments like that. And I don't catch all the references either. They're A LOT. Like, the writer really loves their wordplay. LMAO
My Korean and understanding of the culture is limited. So I just catch little moments or weird translations.
For this drama, I'm just throwing there something that I found suspicious, but I don't think there's something big missing. The show is confusing in itself and it feels like they're hiding a lot of information for now.
So, don't worry. I don't think we're missing anything in translation.
Something that I would recommend tho is to pay attention to the details. Like the date in which Hye Ri writes in her diary, which days the girls switch, things said in flashbacks, etc. I think those aspects are more relevant in this show.
Required fields are marked *
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
September 26, 2024 at 5:15 PM
Yeah I also got the distinct impression there is something big missing/yet to be revealed. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a twist of some kind later. Or maybe multiple.
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
September 26, 2024 at 6:07 PM
😭😭 Won't somebady please play the detective and make a ... a chart or something?
Who is god at making "detective's board"? @darwi maybe? Or @darkcc ? @seeker ?
bomibeans
September 26, 2024 at 7:10 PM
Possibility of sisters communicating to each other through letters or EH/HR communicating to each other through letters is quite intriguing.
Required fields are marked *
12 DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
September 26, 2024 at 2:33 PM
I think it's okay for this show to be strange and not so easy to understand. At least, it they will make the pieces fit as we move along.
But I very much agree that it sould have been so much better if they had called the thing that happens too her the "White Bear Syndrom" (After the fairytales about a prince who is a polar bear by day) or a kind of copy-cat-hypochondria (sounds good, too, like some claves rhythm) where patients cope with their traumas by imitating mental states they have read about. I mean, so like, she would have a mental illness, but that it worked like this was because of the books and films she had seen, a kind of placebo illness?
Required fields are marked *
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
September 26, 2024 at 3:00 PM
Copy-Cat-HypoChondria-Coping 😉
Required fields are marked *
too_much_tv
October 6, 2024 at 6:47 AM
That would make so much sense! She did have a trauma. She initiated the second personality herself. Now she's dissociated from it. On the other hand, she did seem pretty wacky in the 2015 flashbacks.
Required fields are marked *
13 LaurenSophie
September 26, 2024 at 2:44 PM
I'm all over the place with this one. I almost turned it off after the first 20 minutes because I I found Joo Eun-ho and Jung Hyun-oh pretty nauseating in their happy and in love phase (where 95% of their conversations were about the heroine's pathological need to force the ML to admit he loves her above everything and everyone, even as she hits and nags him or sabotages his ability to do chores, which is truly his only redeeming quality anyway), and intolerable in their enemies period (in which they insult, condescend, and gaslight their way through boring and redundant conversations that go nowhere). I don't see true love here; I see exes who should remain so and never, ever, EVER get back together.
Plus, I have to say that as amazed, impressed, and fangirly I was for Shin Hye-sun in "Mr. Queen," I find that she's much better in comedic roles than in this kind of heavy yet quirky melodrama. In parts, I feel like she's overacting or being precious rather than channeling a complicated character. I was also particularly confused and irritated by the way she's playing Hyeri as some kind of tween hobbit. I know we're supposed to get that this is a different identity or projection on the part of a damaged psyche, but what's with the constantly open mouth, jerky dancing, and stuttering? Honestly, it reminds me of past portrayals of neurotypical actors playing mentally retarded or autistic characters by relying on caricature that reads much the same as mockery, and as such, I find it both distracting and insulting.
But then, the twist at the end of episode one, and then most of episode two, pulled me in. Even with Shin Hye-sun's odd infantilizing of her character, I found Hyeri and Kang Joo-Yeon to be much sweeter and interesting to watch when things got going a little bit. Even with the sheer ridiculousness of a man with that face managing to make it to 35 without ever having been kissed, and that he suddenly shifted from cold and aloof to inviting this clearly unstable girl/woman to his home, I'd much rather they were the main couple here.
The show is definitely tonally weird. It's not going for the comedy in quite the way "Kill Me, Heal Me" did, but it's also not presenting a remotely realistic portrayal of DID or the blurring of fantasy and reality as a trauma response. I do think we're supposed to see the emergence of the DID as the result of both the sister's death and the breakup, so I wasn't too hung up on how her ex didn't witness the 4am/4pm split. But it is hard to believe that this woman can get up at 4am, be a news anchor until noon on some days, then go to bed, only to wake up at 4pm and work all night. Maybe this whole drama is just about how we all need to get more sleep.
I don't know. Kang Hoon is really good looking. So I'll watch another week.
Required fields are marked *
DK-Drama 🫘 Giffing n Space Cadetting🍉🌱
September 26, 2024 at 3:28 PM
I thought about the infantilized "other", too, but then if you think it is like a character that come from Eun-ho's fantasy, it is not better than what she can imagine, so it could be her minds stereotype rather than a claim that this would be how a real person would be.
And/or maybe she can be defined as the "leftover product" when Eun-ho has kept her sharp professionalism up and the human inside her gives it her all at "err-ing". (Errare humanum est, kind of thing).
Required fields are marked *
Ahjummaaa
September 27, 2024 at 11:53 AM
Good analysis and thank you for making me not feel so alone in having mixed feelings about her acting --> "I have to say that as amazed, impressed, and fangirly I was for Shin Hye-sun in "Mr. Queen," I find that she's much better in comedic roles than in this kind of heavy yet quirky melodrama. In parts, I feel like she's overacting or being precious rather than channeling a complicated character."
Required fields are marked *
14 💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
September 26, 2024 at 5:08 PM
I typically avoid DID storylines in anything, for a reason, The narrativeand only really started this because I especially like the PD, (I doubt SHS or Kang Hoon alone would’ve been enough for me to start this).
The first half of episode one was extremely grating and no doubt will be a turn off for many people (indeed, it almost was for me.)
I dislike Hyun Oh and Eun Ho as characters, and everything around them, and even though I know JEH is supposed to be intentionally unlikable and narcissistic, it’s very hard to make that kind of character actually enjoyable to watch, even at the best of times.
I struggle to engage with their relationship both in the present and in the flashbacks and I’m not interested in the slightest in them getting back together (in fact I really hope they don’t, I hope that is also on purpose), or anything else about their world as we’ve been given it so far.
I pity her character but only in relation to the inevitable greater traumatic backstory that stalks every frame (ahhh irony), not for her own sake and not enough to care about her or watching her half of the story with much attention.
On the other hand, whilst Hyeri and Ju Yeon’s half is fraught with highly questionable behaviour on both sides, again, also intentionally, I find their set up and the immediate parallels between them much, much more interesting;
They are both haunted by the identity of their (presumably) dead siblings - one much more literally and in a way that has not yet been fully revealed to us, but nonetheless, in a way that imposes upon their own identities.
This to me is far more enticing, red flags and all, and strange or weird though much of it may be definitely is, and even with the ticking time bomb that is DID in Fiction and a writer I have zero confidence in doing this narrative foil justice, than whatever is going on with Eun Ho and Hyun Oh, or anything else besides.
One is the kind of weird I can maybe enjoy, and one is the kind of weird that will only annoy me.
So, I will keep watching if only because I enjoy a good narrative foil, and… brace for impact.
Required fields are marked *
15 bomibeans
September 26, 2024 at 7:02 PM
OMG, I loved it! So many questions, so many theories, so many possibilities and so many speculations!
1. Are we even sure this show is about DID? Maybe we are witnessing two timelines completely separated from each other, that is the "past" and "present". (EH and HR might be the same person but maybe living lives before and after some cataclysmic event?) (I know, I know it's a stretch, with therapist and switches but I can see how it CAN work as a plot develop.)
2. Are we even sure Hyun-o dated EH and not her sister? Maybe the sisters shared each other's their experiences, and now one's experiences became the other's reality? Juicy possibility.
3. It's quite clear to me Hyun-o knows about something going on with EH/HR.) Even though EH memory's is of him not wanting to get married (and we are not even sure if this is EH's memory), the "present" Hyun-o comes across as really tortured / invested / knowing of mental disorder but still keeping a distance... This is a very, very interesting choice.
4. Who's Joo-yeon? Sister's ex? EH's ex? The proverbial rom-com killer? I'm hooked.
One more thing I want to mention. The recap is practically oozing with dislike for this show (which makes me question why the assignment distribution went like that). All the things listed, including "weird" characters and "weird" vibes are actually the things that hooked me in the first place. Among the sea of boring cliched dramas dramas and characters this year (with the exception of The Wedding Impossible), I found EH character refreshing in a way I found Jenna Ortega's Wednesday charming and hilarious. The dialogue serves tons of double entendres ("You must not have a good grasp on reality" from Hyun-o is quite proverbial, isn't it?, not to mention, that that whole "anchor war" scene in episode 1 was really laden with double meanings), the plot moves fast (thank you!) and the choice of everything, from make-up to stage production lends this show quite a "weird" vibey feel.
The recap is also full of virtue signaling which is quite unfortunate (I think these needs to be left to comments section, and recaps focused on the merits of the actual show). It's actually quite a captivating show, with great dialogue and characters I'm already invested in, and I'm curious how it's going to develop as it goes. Seems like DB will not be picking it up for a recap, which is quite head-scratching.
Required fields are marked *
tabong
September 26, 2024 at 8:14 PM
I've seen this complain a lot lately, and I'm just wondering, do we want DB to just use AI for the recaps??? What's going on??
I liked the show, but that doesn't make many of the things pointed out in the recap (and comments) less true.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 26, 2024 at 9:10 PM
I have many thoughts on this, maybe I’ll get them all together tomorrow but oh boy, when you read a recap like that, bordering on a distaste and full of editorializing on SA and “how Korea is bad at depicting mental illness”, you begin to question why the person even took the assignment.
We used to have (dreaded “it used to be” but oh-well) tightly-written entertaining writing essays, that when even they ridiculed the show, it was still in good jest and contained well-thought and well-supported criticisms and ponderings about the psychology of the characters and plot developments. We oooohhhed and aaaahed together with recapper, which is not a case here. There used to be an excellent pieces of dialogue quoted and we all relished and relived the words spoken by characters as it were written in a novel.
I really don’t want to read another phd treatise on mental illness in SK. I want to get lost in the kdrama world, the psychology of the characters, the juicy possibilities of the plot, the surprise of the moment in the drama. No one probably has time to do that anymore, and yes, good writers need to get paid good money. That’s the reality. But this recap? It’s indeed like ChatGPT went into Reddit, summarized the comments and spit out this half-baked essay.
I’m very sorry I have to say this.
Required fields are marked *
tabong
September 26, 2024 at 10:58 PM
Okay... so if the problem isn't that they dislike the drama you like, and you just want them to go deeper into the analysis of the show, why can't you just say that?
I don't see the need of insulting anyone's work.
This is a "first impressions" post, not an essay on how profound this drama allegedly is. But if you want that, maybe ask next time?
I really don't think you had to say that. But okay. Good night.
Required fields are marked *
vienibenmio
September 27, 2024 at 6:05 AM
To be fair, I haven't seen a single good depiction of DID in the media in the west, either. Even the ones based on real accounts of people with DID tend to add or change stuff that makes it no longer accurate (er, assuming that you believe DID even exists in the first place)
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 7:16 AM
Yes, absolutely, there’s just have never been a good depiction of DID. My whole point is, that I’d rather we discuss these issues in the comments section (ad nauseam and ad nauseam) rather than discuss at length in a recap. Or DB can make it as a separate essay under a different section. But of course I’m not telling anyone to do anything. I don’t own this blog. I feel regret though. This is a show that’s begging to be “unpacked” and it almost feels like a crime that no one recaps it in a thoughtful way.
WEnchanteur
September 27, 2024 at 10:27 AM
It's a kdrama, so never anything will be 100% accurate. It can just be "a bit more serious than this another woobly kdrama". It needs to be catchy. I don't really believe the two lifes situation. But the main point is the writer gives us explanations about that and it's enough based from storytelling POW.
Also, after reading a little bit about DID: Yes, cause of DID can be loss of relatives (what seems to be the drama).
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
September 26, 2024 at 9:37 PM
Weird can be good! Weird can be so enjoyable actually. Some of my favourite shows are weird. Ofc, weird can also be bad. But it's not bad by default. It's not a synonym. For me this show has both kinds of weird so far haha.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 26, 2024 at 9:51 PM
Exactly! There’s a reason why Austin, TX slogan is “Stay weird!” It’s catchy, fun and grass-root. There’s a whole background linked to donation and resisting of comercialization to keep original character of the city.
I don’t get why people say weird, and say ewww, it’s like something my 8 year old nephew would say. It’s very immature. Lacking of any thought behind it.
To me weird is simply interesting and captivating. It’s a bit grating on nerves but in a pleasant way. It’s like watching Hyeri bent and watching her love interest upside down through the gap of her legs. It’s weird, but it has an element of surprise and laughter but also a bit annoying and grating, and all of it in sum is so much better than watching yet another boring formulaic kdrama shot. Weird is awesome, lol
Required fields are marked *
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
September 26, 2024 at 10:40 PM
You know I was thinking about this, the "lack of any thought behind it", which is certainly part of it, and also how we tend to use words that don't necessarily mean what we mean to say, when we don't understand something, for lack of knowledge of any better word to use, and therefore how semantics and the meaning of words is important...
and then I went down a rabbit hole about the etymology of "Weird", which felt like going off topic from discussing this show but now seems more and more apt:
c. 1400, "having power to control fate," from wierd (n.), from Old English wyrd "fate, chance, fortune; destiny; the Fates," literally "that which comes,"... from root *wer- (2) "to turn, bend." For the sense development from "turning" to "becoming," compare phrase turn into "become." (do you see what I'm seeing in this...)
The sense of "uncanny, supernatural" developed from Middle English use of weird sisters for the three Fates or Norns (in Germanic mythology), the goddesses who controlled human destiny. They were portrayed as odd or frightening in appearance, as in "Macbeth" (and especially in 18th and 19th century productions of it), which led to the adjectival meaning "odd-looking, uncanny" (1815); "odd, strange, disturbingly different"...
Uncanny: 1590s, in a now-obsolete meaning "mischievous, malicious;" also in 17c., "careless, incautious; unreliable, not to be trusted," from un- (1) "not" + canny (q.v.), literally "not wise"
(unreliable you say? hmmmm how fitting...)
(Speaking of moments of laughter: the shot of Ju Yeon sitting down alone in the boiler room after the kiss, and his "It didn't seem like it..." when Hyeri said it was her first kiss also.)
Required fields are marked *
Midnight
September 27, 2024 at 1:29 AM
Thank you for the great lesson in etymology 👍👌🫰
Isa is always time travelling
September 27, 2024 at 4:47 AM
I don't remember if you watched Atypical Family, which is weird and good.
One of the best dramas this year, imo :)
Required fields are marked *
vienibenmio
September 27, 2024 at 6:57 AM
I absolutely adore Atypical Family
Nefret
September 27, 2024 at 12:13 AM
I think it's good when a recap is more than just a summary of the content (although that's actually contradictory), but I would like it better if they were written in a much more non-judgemental way.
I can find a drama (or a movie) entertaining and worth watching, even if the characters have flaws or are even problematic. I wouldn't accept a lot of things in real life, but as long as I know the difference between fiction and reality, that's okay.
Required fields are marked *
16 WEnchanteur
September 26, 2024 at 8:33 PM
Episode 1: slow and boring, and lot of "exposition in the wind". What I mean: you don't know yet what to do with that, why you watch that, and it makes it harder to remember.
Episode 2: awesome! Still slow, but now the setup is done, there is a great hooking power. The writing is very fine. Every detail makes sens, can be dialog, acting, visuals, symbolism.
I saw at end of your recap: many questions, elements you find weird or maybe unrealistic. But what I liked: just being attentive and think a bit about what I watch is enough to make sens of it. I can't post here everything I could find, as it's in every scene, dialog, visuals, symbolic elements. Many elements are already explainable.
It's not a split-disorder romantic drama like "Kill me heal me". It takes things more seriously, and then, there is a lot to talk about. I didn't expect such a writing quality. I cross fingers it continues like Ep2.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 26, 2024 at 9:26 PM
“ just being attentive and think a bit about what I watch is enough to make sens of it.”
Isn’t it the bane of our existence, short attention span? I agree with you, this is a show that is laden with double meanings in everything it does, be it writing or stage production or actors’s appearances and behavior. We used to rely on a recapper to help us follow along with these intricacies and details. We loved it. We speculated and enjoyed the surprise that came with finding out something you missed with a first watch.
This show is like a missed opportunity for a great recapper, unfortunately.
Required fields are marked *
jerrykuvira
September 26, 2024 at 11:32 PM
I, for one, thought would be recapped. I was very amused on Monday when I noticed it won't be.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 9:09 AM
"I was very amused on Monday when I noticed it won't be."
Why? I'm curious.
Required fields are marked *
jerrykuvira
September 27, 2024 at 11:24 AM
It has the workings of a really interesting story. It has Shin Hye-sun and Kang Hoon, both of them whose acting and characters played are known to provoke discussions. Dramas having plot holes and inaccuracies and inconsistencies the size of the hole in Swiss cheese have been recapped before, even in recent months. Even ones that had disaster written in block letters right from the teasers/promotional material.
The very things I found interesting were polar opposites in the recaps. Yes, I was taken aback by not one but two unprompted kisses. But not to the point where I'll say SA. But I did like that Hyeri became aware of her actions but, it ended there for me. Nothing serious.
So, after watching episode 1, I went straight to the recaps to see the recently added dramas and was so amused to see it not in the list. Like... Why would DB miss out on the discussions borne from this story? The hangouts won't do enough justice for me cause it is an hangout. The last time an hangout had traction that I recall properly was The Red Sleeve Cuff, and that is because it had massive viewers. So the hangout was always bubbling. But this seems to be one drama that'll be lost in the hangouts.
I am going to assume that Lee Jin-wook's personal drama weighed in on this not being recapped. If it was, my regards to the other actors who are pulling their weights deliciously in this drama.
During DB AMA some 20-24 months back they discussed this question. If you can find it, it'll really be a nice way to gain insight into the thoughts of the DB team. With it in mind, it made me more amused that it didn't make the cut for recapping. Another addition, different one, it also answers your question about the lack of comments and quotes in recent recaps in years of late.
To the credit of DB, we have had dramas that weren't up for recapping but got picked up after the premiere. Adamas, Tell Me That You Love Me and Perfect Marriage Revenge are examples of those dramas who survived first impressions and made it to the recapping list. I don't know if Dear Hyeri will make that list though.
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 11:43 AM
@jerrykuvira I am always glad (and grateful) to turn to Beanielogists to explain to me the logic behind some of these selection. I'll be the first to admit I don't follow DM as closely as some others (unless there's an interesting discussion occurring or a drama I'm interested in.)
So it does appear like there's logic and explanation behind the selection to recap and changes to the content of a recap, to which I was not privy to.
I never visit Hangouts. I don't want to re-read all the previous comments, and try to figure out which situation from which episode the person is talking about. It's too taxing. So, we shall see, I guess.
pliplipli
September 28, 2024 at 3:24 PM
one clear thing is this show can bring a lot of debate and opinions so to me it doesn't make sense to lose such a good opportunity to get more traffic to your website. I know I´m talking without knowing anything about DB staff and operations, but I feel they are missing a good opportunity here.
Required fields are marked *
WEnchanteur
September 28, 2024 at 9:15 PM
We write tons on MDL, and started a thread on bitchesoverdrama (well, one thread won't be enough). It's really a drama there is a lot to talk about. So much that the textboxes on dramabeans don't have the best ergonomy to do so. I did a live-watching of episode 2. What means I take note of most of the scenes. Thanks to that I'm a bit ahead in the understanding, and analys of metaphors and psychology in the drama. I even have an idea of the whole story, thanks to the poster. See here (could be spoiler):
https://i.imgur.com/ylGbQfC.jpeg
Required fields are marked *
WEnchanteur
September 28, 2024 at 9:21 PM
I forgot to add: it could be also a missed opportunity to follow a drama of excellent quality. I find that more interesting than other dramas on-air, for the few ones I know. And actress is quite popular.
I don't know well how work Dramabeans. If the poster of "first impressions" doesn't like the drama, I understand that person doesn't want to write recaps, but maybe someone else in the team could like?
Required fields are marked *
17 Ahjummaaa
September 26, 2024 at 9:21 PM
It's ironic that this drama shows a girl going to the place of a guy she barely knows when the ML has been accused of SA in his home of a girl he met for the first time a few hours earlier for dinner. This has happened quite a few times in K-dramas and honestly it's scaring me. Writers should quit normalizing this behavior. It's never safe to go to a guy's home alone when you barely know him and aren't in a relationship or even friends. There's only one reason a guy would invite a girl alone to his house. These FL's have no street smarts. This happened in Miss Night and Day. The FL goes to the ML's place alone and gets drunk. They are just colleagues from work. Who does that in this day and age? So many SA stories happen because a girl goes to a guy's house alone and the guy thinks it means she wants him.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 26, 2024 at 9:32 PM
I’ve been to quite a few Tinder dates with guys I barely knew and enjoyed these experiences. Many of my friends did too. Let’s also be weary of this “stranger danger” moral panic and be sensible about it. Drunk dating, probably stupid. Sharing your location live with couple of friends and going out with verified check mark guys is probably smart. Let’s not take away fun from our lives completely.
Required fields are marked *
anonymous
September 27, 2024 at 5:28 AM
Irony of you two's comments is that Lee Jin Wook's scandal was literally that
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 9:06 AM
I didn't follow Lee Jin Wook's case, but my friend told me he couldn't be prosecuted because, and I am quoting her, "the rape wasn't violent enough in the eyes for Korean law." Ugh, harsh.
Unfortunately, I don't know much about SK's legal system to discuss competently its merits or the particular circumstances involving this case. Maybe that's why I am ok with watching this show without any lingering distaste feelings. I'll leave it up to more competent people to discuss it and whether it's worth engaging in "cancellation" as a punishment of the actor.
Required fields are marked *
anonymous
September 27, 2024 at 12:32 PM
No, I'm not talking about cancellation, it occurred due to the exact incidental situation you two discussed which is unfortunate- the whole one night stand and moral debate over late night house visits for single ladies after first meetings with men is coincidentally and unfortunately too reminiscent of it(the bare bones of the case which isn't under dispute is this part).
The two met that day for the first time at a bar where they had food and drinks with mutual aquaintances and exchanged numbers. Few hours later, late at night, he keeps calling her and asking her to let him come to her apartment to help her with her house problem(her blinds she was complaining about earlier needing fixing).
The whole he said/she said part of it then arose because he had one version of events(his was that all her actions and texts prove she greenflagged his unsaid hints and she wasn't that naive she(35f) didn't know and a statement to the media that he proceeded with the cautious paranoia all celebs apparently have that she may have had cameras at home for safety so no way she said had no to him) while she had a hard to prove version(him being pushy and coercive but by the time she reported she had showered and washed or cleaned things she shouldn't have). Even elsewhere like USA this case would have been hard to try(I guess charging and sentencing works differently in SK because other countries too the degrees do differ and there isn't a one major charge covers all for this type of crime). Mainly because of the time delay of her going to the police and delaying going to the hospital too(she did present hospital images of bruising as evidence) giving the defence an opening to refute her claims as fabricated or misconstrued in the meantime. Also there was a general lack of solid evidence(L&O SVU had a similar episode I recall which was open and had viewers divided) while his side presented solid evidence in mutual texts that support the narrative he spun even including her texts to a friend right after while her side came off as not having proof and being open to scrutiny for a man coming into her home late at night and using her bathroom to wash his makeup and then permitting him to shower and giving him fresh clothes to boot(which is where the whole debate of he said, she said). Lots back then termed the case as next morning regret after a one night stand. Which later got forgotten and turned him into the confident victim of blatant false accustaion(even his agency and legal team back then said unlike usual false accusation cases she didn't have the typical malicious or monetary interests at all and they couldn't understand her angle).
Muddying waters recently Lee Jin Wook hinted, but actually it was only to lend solidarity to GDragon(during his and LSK's photo line incident that knetz were maliciously comparing to LJW's photo line and calling them guilty before investigation) that lent nano amount of weight to the knetz conspiracy...
anonymous
September 27, 2024 at 12:41 PM
theory of a long ongoing political, police and media agenda using artistes as scapegoats. (Both LJW and LMK's scandals were coincidentally at the same time as a major military scandal which got sidelined with 4 separate actor SA cases and one SNS ring accusation in a short span of weeks one after another. Like in LMK's case the actual incident occured months before the news picked it up which was same week the case was forwarded to the prosecution and coincidentally the main accused whose DNA was identified by forensics worked under the same Busan court of law it was tried in which was the only thing reported about them since his identity leak was prohibited not being a celeb but Dispatch maybe was quoted had even surnamed all and ages and the exact club). If anything the fact that the most we know of SK is from the various media platforms and now defuncted blog sites translated through subjective translators is the real problem because all of this could be interpretations of hardcore fans in blog form using poor translate apps and their imagination and so even I don't really know if anything is really true aside from the single fact that they had only met that night was the truth but the media had rushed to call her his girfriend in the beginning(and for LMK's case even in Korean the bulk of news articles were inaccurate saying it occured in Seoul which is what people translate in translate while same news sites next article quotes the Busan police and Busan prosecution's official statements). More than this, even the finer details of the LJW case were back in 2016 primarly sourced by those who first talked of this case mainly to Dispatch articles but Dispatch is recently much more maligned and deemed not fully accurate and unethical). A lot of those who are guilty have been proven guilty by the courts or have confessed to accusations made but quite a few still roam scott free or still get work like much of Hollywood offenders sadly.
Fjdjkf
September 29, 2024 at 11:20 PM
"the rape wasn't violent enough in the eyes for Korean law." - did you read this on twitter? As I know k-drama twitter stans often manipulate by words and spreading misinformation about scandals and serious matters, as they did with Lee Jung Jae. It's not how it was. If it would be considered as a "rape without violence" LJW wouldn't sue her after. The case was - curt couldn't found out if it was a rape or not. Her words against his, it's all they had. Maybe because of bad investigation. Never in my life I will took responsibility to say if he's guilty or not, or will try to defend. But the only thing I know about why he's not massively hated in Korea, LJW revealed her text messages where woman invited him on the dinner at the next day after possible rape, and this is strongly affected the case and public opinion. I'm not saying this is revealing his innocence, only as one of the reason his case were solved like that and he wasn't cancelled.
I saw one comment on MDL which I found a good how they said about all this case, I'll leave him at the next comment
Ahjummaaa
September 27, 2024 at 9:20 AM
I'm glad you had positive experiences with online dating, but are we talking about first dates in public settings or privately at home? And fortunately the guys you met behaved like gentlemen. But not all have such good self control or good intentions. The problem is that we don't know if a nice guy is actually a gentlemen or a dog. Sometimes there are signs and sometimes there aren't. And when a woman goes to a man's place alone, one of the worst case scenarios is SA because a man is physically stronger and there's no one to help you in case anything happens. It's just facts. I have enough trouble as it is, I'm just trying to minimize risks.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 9:35 AM
"I'm glad you had positive experiences with online dating, but are we talking about first dates in public settings or privately at home?"
All types of settings. Public and private and online.
"The problem is that we don't know if a nice guy is actually a gentlemen or a dog."
This is where risk and uncertainty tolerance come into view. As an analogy, travel is risky, you can be defrauded or left alone or get embroiled in local crisis, but does it mean you should stop all travel? My risk and uncertainty tolerance is, I'd say, medium - I try to do things with smarts but I don't want to deny myself the fun of travel, going out, getting to know variety of people, and having sex because of said risks. It can get very individualistic, but expecting *necessarily and every single time* SA while visiting another guy's apartment by yourself points to a very low risk tolerance and total need for safety and control, which can take away the joi de vivre from your life. I understand it though. But it's not how some people are build, is all I'm saying.
Required fields are marked *
Ahjummaaa
September 27, 2024 at 10:09 AM
You sound like someone with enough street smarts and probably have the skills to de-escalate dangerous situations. But not every girl out there has those skills. They may freeze instead of reacting. My mom is a very optimistic and social person, she's not the type to worry or be anxious. But I guess due to her public health job, she has seen some things and so she always has ground rules. We operate within a few set rules and still enjoy life. When I travel, and I love traveling solo, I also have ground rules for myself. They may be too restrictive and take out the fun of travel for you. But I practice these rules and have managed to keep alive while traveling solo as a female. As you said, people have different appetite for risks. It's a beautiful thing that we don't have our trust in the decency of strangers broken. We rely on the kindness of strangers not to harm us on a daily basis especially when traveling.
vienibenmio
September 27, 2024 at 6:06 AM
I overall don't disagree with your comment, but... "There's only one reason a guy would invite a girl alone to his house."
I don't really agree with THAT. It's risky, but it's also possible you could go into that situation and be completely fine.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 6:51 AM
Is there a problem with “one reason”? Women never desire sex? As long as consent given from all parties involved I see no problem.
Required fields are marked *
vienibenmio
September 27, 2024 at 7:08 AM
Right, that too!
I just feel like sometimes these discussions edge towards victim blaming, as well. When I do PTSD treatment with survivors of sexual trauma, we talk a lot about the difference between responsibility and blame. Your actions might contribute to the outcome (e.g., going to a strange man's house resulting in a sexual assault), but that doesn't make you to blame because 1) you didn't intend for that outcome to ahppen 2) in terms of the outcome itself, there were other factors involved (like, you know, the perpetrator) that were outside of your control.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 8:59 AM
Thanks you for treating victims of SA with clear-eyed and very emphatic approach. 🙏 We need a LOT more therapists like you (and a lot more teachers to educate our youth in all matters of sex and consent.)
Just 10 years ago, I remember a friend of a friend, a rape victim, being scoffed at and put down for putting herself in the "rape-conductive circumstances." This needs to stop. Boys and girls needs to be educated on consent and taught skills on how to give, revoke and accept consent with graciousness and maturity. Unfortunately, it all "revolves" around sex, and the large part of our society (here in the US) would rather not teach youth about this and would rather perpetuate ignorance which inevitably gives rise to sexual crimes, traumas and personal tragedies.
People party. People have sex and socialize. On an individual level, the attitudes can get super complex when it comes to sex and your own relationship to sex as seen through the prism of childhood upbringing, societal attitudes, religious attitudes, etc. But we, as a society, at least should provide and educate on a neutral framework of consent to navigate these issues competently across the cultures, imho.
Ahjummaaa
September 27, 2024 at 9:31 AM
the only type of SA I'm talking about here is when someone goes to the home of someone else alone. that's one of the few types of SA that is under my control and I can actually prevent from happening by being aware. What I'm most upset about is that rom-com writers are downplaying dangers of doing this and romantizing it. Don't you think dramas have the responsibility to be more aware of SA issues and show realistic scenarios?
Ahjummaaa
September 27, 2024 at 9:40 AM
@bomibeans I agree with you that there is a lack of education and training for boys. Until the day that happens, I'm going to teach my daughters to be defensive and minimize risks. There will always be risks since we don't live in an ideal world. I'm not victim blaming here, I'm mad at the writers for normalizing risky behaviors and making it seem romantic going to a guy's place that you hardly know and drinking and nothing happens. I don't want my daughter to be one of the few that meets someone with bad intentions and be stuck in a dangerous situation with no one to help her. My mom worked in public health and one of the first things she told me when I was very young is that don't let people touch your body and don't go to the home of a guy alone. Of course I had friends who were able to hang out with their male friends at home and nothing bad happened. I felt silly sometimes for being so conservative and "scaredy cat". But the point is minimizing risks of traumatic incidents. I am thankful to my mom for teaching me these things even though it meant I had less fun sometimes. I'd still do the same for my daughter.
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 10:01 AM
@ahjummaaa But do you see how it can put your daughter in Catch-22? You teach her to be extremely, extremely cautious around men. But she will crave the attention and touch of a man eventually (provided she's straight), and she might eventually want to have sex with a man in his apartment (because no suitable place is available.) Wouldn't it be more sensible to teach her the tools to approach these situation in a sensible manner? Even worse, don't you think you can be telling her that by breaking "no-guy-visit-apartments" rules, you indicate it's all her fault if SA would actually ever occurred, if she broke that rule? I'm not sure where you live and from what culture you are coming from, but I believe that recognizing your daughter MIGHT do some stupid things and providing her with tools on how to minimize the harm to herself or others is a lot more impactful right now in our society than forbidding and restricting her natural desires. Educating your daughter on how to maximize the safety while enjoying life is what sets her up for success, not forbidding and inflicting potential psychological distress when your daughter eventually breaks the rules.
Ahjummaaa
September 27, 2024 at 10:19 AM
Ya as long as both are in agreement there's no problem! If that can happen all the time, that would be great. But you get cases all the time when the girl was not expecting things to go so far, and did not give her consent, but the guy did not listen or he was drunk, and it became SA instead of a nice time. The ML has been accused of this in real life. He had dinner with a woman and she invited him over to help fix something later that night. They had different expectations of this encounter. She was maybe expecting an innocent and slightly romantic time spent together getting to know each other maybe leading to a relationship but was not ready to go all the way. And he went to her place probably expecting something else. She was not able to stop him. That's the tragedy.
Required fields are marked *
Ahjummaaa
September 27, 2024 at 9:25 AM
yes, anything IS possible as we can see in the news of so many unfortunate SA cases. some guys have good self control and manners and they can entertain a girl at home without thinking of sleeping with her. I hope we can all meet guys like that and not the ones that end up in the news. I'd like to know what are the signs that a guy won't SA a girl?
Required fields are marked *
Fjdjkf
September 30, 2024 at 12:31 AM
I'm a little confused by the choice of your words about manners and good self control, as this is a reason guys don't rape girls. It's not manners and self control, it's about if guy is a good person or not. If a person is bad, he will consider a possibility to SA someone now matter if he has manners and good self control or not. Good person doesn't consider possibility to SA someone at the first place, no matter if he wants sex or not, and no matter if they're alone or not. What about your question, It's only my personal opinion, but I think the signs that a person won't do something bad not exist, as some people unpredictable. But the signs that a person can do something bad exist. I can't explain what kind of signs, as we people see others people in a different way. Someone will notice signs, someone not, and it somehow related to intuition and how you can read people, which level is also different for everyone . I think the good thing is to know herself, if you have good intuition about people or not, and don't lie to yourself about this. If you can't read people a lot, or have struggles to read one concrete individual, or you know you're somehow naive, it's better not to trust to herself and to the guy too much, and to be more cautious. Some person have that street knowledge about people, and someone not, and the better they can do is to be honest about it to herself. And to be aware, because some girls don't think about a dangerous people as they don't know much about it. Not like they need to read detailed info about SA cases, but at least to consider to stay alone at home with a guy can be dangerous.
Required fields are marked *
18 spazmo
September 27, 2024 at 1:51 AM
i just watched the two episodes. i have to say i'm confused. but now i will scroll up to read the recap... felt compelled to say this first. now i can go read what i must have missed.
😳
Required fields are marked *
spazmo
September 27, 2024 at 1:59 AM
omg, again we have the Miss Night and Day repeat. who is stealing whose ideas and trying to out do whom?
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
September 27, 2024 at 2:24 AM
I think it's different. In Miss Night and Day, we got one woman in 2 "bodies", in this one it's 2 "women" in one body.
Required fields are marked *
spazmo
September 27, 2024 at 9:11 PM
isn't it weird how there are always two dramas that air close together with similar concepts/premises... like someone steals the idea and changes/tweaks it. writer spies!!!
: O
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
September 28, 2024 at 12:11 AM
But in this case, it's not really the same.
In this drama, it's a trauma that caused a real dissociative disorder (even if the way is portrayed doesn't seem real...). The drama will have to address the trauma.
In Miss Day and Night, it was a fantastic cat (whose intentions were unknown) that made her change and suddenly, we don't why, she became normal again. Why she had to be an old woman to find the killer of her aunt?
Ahjummaaa
September 27, 2024 at 10:34 AM
I prefer Miss Night and Day's concept. It was easier to understand at least.
Required fields are marked *
19 late as always
September 27, 2024 at 6:38 AM
Same reaction as everyone else: ...huh? What is going on? But I AM intrigued, and I will watch Shin Hye Sun in ANYTHING. So I'm going to stick with this one, at least for now. Although I do have to question: If you're being pursued by Kang Sang Joon, why in the world wouldn't you take him up on the offer? I mean, please!
Required fields are marked *
WEnchanteur
September 27, 2024 at 10:34 AM
Probably I was hooked by mysteries. Even when I could understand lot of them, I'm still hooked. There are slow paced dramas without mystery, and I'm often sleepy to watch that, but this one is catchy.
Required fields are marked *
panshel
September 28, 2024 at 4:58 PM
I loved Ji-on's character minus the forced kiss, but he was so straightforward about liking Eun-ho and not caring about her age. He only laughed at her during the filming so the staff wouldn't suspect them, but he was still caring by buying her medicine and giving her his sweater. I hope that he starts talking to her again instead of ignoring her after being rejected.
Out of the 3 MLs, Joo-yeon is my favorite, but it's sad that Eun-ho/Hye-ri can't have a reverse harem. This is probably my new currently-airing favorite drama.
Required fields are marked *
WEnchanteur
September 28, 2024 at 9:08 PM
Thanks. You offer me a new way to see the beach scene. I was wondering about that scene. Wrote a bit about that on another website.
Yeah, my favorite on-air drama too. But I don't watch a lot and I've dropped others.
Required fields are marked *
20 late as always
September 27, 2024 at 7:21 AM
Also: Was I the only one who found Ju Eun-ho's "cute" questions and actions with Hyun-oh in the flashback scenes extremely offputting? I would be creeped out if my SO started lying on the floor, hugging my ankles and demanding that I choose between two ridiculous options. And then wrapping it all up with "Because I love you." Eek! It felt extremely manipulative and almost stalkerish. I thought they were setting up her mental illness right there.
Required fields are marked *
hacja
September 27, 2024 at 10:29 AM
I do think they were setting up her mental illness. Still, "I bit your leg like a drumstick" is a very strange kind of sex play! A calf hickey?
I think the "weirdness" of this drama is not in fact due to its dual personality FL. As someone pointed out above, there is Miss Night and Day; I also thought of "My Holo Love" in which one half of the ML's dual personality was encapsulated in a hologram, or another show, much lighter in tone, but still a dual personality due to possession "Oh My Ghostess"
I just think what was "weird" was the way they handled the romantic interactions between the men and the dual personalities--not lightly at all, but with a real edge, where there was always an element of cruelty--like the first scenes you mentioned; or the 2nd ML in the live triangle laughing maniacally as his supposed crush was being soaked (ostensibly to hide their date, but way out of proportion to that; or in the second episode the interactions with the other ML in her second personality; or the FL in her first personality getting trapped and sobbing in the truck freezer. There were a lot of scenes like this that I think, were caught between humor and sympathy, yet they mostly involved ritual humiliation and embarrassment, so that's why it felt off to me.
As you can tell, I wasn't enamored of the writing here. On the other hand, Shin Hye-sun is so beautiful in this one that as long as her hair isn't completely covering her face I'm willing to put up with the show for 2 more episodes and see if it develops.
Required fields are marked *
Ahjummaaa
September 27, 2024 at 10:38 AM
Miss Night and Day was so easy to love from the very start... this one is totally different and has a different vibe. I don't think it's going to be a fun and easy watch.
Required fields are marked *
bomibeans
September 27, 2024 at 11:06 AM
"the 2nd ML in the live triangle laughing maniacally as his supposed crush was being soaked"
Probably, the least likable scene for me. I didn't see an element of cruelty in romantic relationship but more an element of unhingement and frenzied energy. There's another show that is actually quite similar in vibe (sans "weirdness") to My Hyeri. It's called Mad For Each Other. It's a romcom dealing with heavy mental traumas from both ML and (especially) FL, and how they navigate it together and attempt to heal each other. I don't think Miss Night/Day, Holo and Ghostess are good equivalent to which we could compare this drama, with the exception of the dual personality discussion.
Required fields are marked *
hacja
September 27, 2024 at 1:22 PM