Sorry Not Sorry: Episode 1 (First Impressions)
by starrygazer
Our leading lady’s life is in turmoil after her very short marriage, and as she is trying to claw her way back to normalcy. Life keeps throwing our girl curveballs which is keeping her in survival mode, but will she be able to overcome them and find herself (and maybe some happiness) again?
EPIOSDE 1
We meet our heroine JI SONG-YI (Jeon So-min) visiting an errand service and requesting they kill her ex-husband haha. Song-yi doesn’t seem serious — she’s just hurt and mad and cries a few angry tears along the way. Hell, I feel mad and hurt on her behalf after finding out how she became a divorcee, and the predicament she has been left in.
Life is a shambles for Song-yi: not only does she carry the label of divorcee after 58 days of marriage, but she was given the “newlywed home” as alimony along with all the debts that go with it. What a lovely thing for Song-yi’s husband to give her after being caught red handed (by Song-yi) cheating. One grain of satisfaction comes from Song-yi throwing his dirty underwear at him when she eventually lets her anger come out. You go girl!
The devastation after finding her cheating husband in the act pushes Song-yi to call her parents and tell them she’s getting an annulment. (They only registered their marriage they didn’t technically go through the ceremony yet.) Being as meek and mild as she is though, Song-yi doesn’t tell her parents why she wants an annulment; she just tells them she wants a fresh start. *Forehead slap.*
It’s not clear why Song-yi didn’t come clean to her folks, but it could have something to do with how they reacted when Song-yi’s sister JI EUN-KYE (Joo Ah-reum) decided to have a cryobank baby and when she told them they went berserk. No wonder Eun-kye told their parents about the baby over the phone — I can’t blame her with that reaction.
Going for some legal advice on an annulment, Song-yi is told that as they took out loans with the intention of getting married for the “newlywed home,” she has to get a divorce. (Well that just sucks.) We see a rare flash of Song-yi’s temper when she asks the lawyer (Daniel Choi) if he’s never been hurt before. Does he feel no sympathy for her? And Song-yi gets a firm “this is business don’t be emotional.” Come on dude…
The next curveball headed for Song-yi is her sister and her cryobaby, who is now an adorable preschooler called JG (Yoon Ha-bin). Eun-kye and JG were living in the States for years, but now she’s home, Eun-kye and JG have moved in with Song-yi. Eun-kye suggests she helps Song-yi out with cash if she will help with childcare. Kol!
Dropping JG off and picking him up from kindergarten is part of Song-yi’s new agreement with her sister, but the thing she hates most is talking to strangers and then being asked a million questions. Of course JG is fluent in English so all the mums at kindergarten want to befriend Song-yi thinking she is his mum. And the most amusing part is when anyone asks her a question, she literally gets brain freeze trying to figure out what to say so ends up missing the moment and causing misunderstandings with her silence.
Cue the next curveball in the form of Song-yi’s ex-best friend from school CHOI HANA (Gong Min-jung) being one of the mums at JG’s kindergarten, and firing questions at Song-yi. Missing the boat to clear up a misunderstanding (caused by Song-yi’s silence), everyone thinks she’s JG’s mum not his aunt. Oh dear oh dear.
Unwittingly, JG fueled this rumor, and in a cute aunt and nephew moment, they make a pinky promise not to tell lies or omit information in case people get hurt. The internal battle with “leading by example” from Song-yi had me laughing to myself. Who hasn’t been scared of saying the wrong thing to a smart kid before? And the “close your eyes and lie still game” was a stroke of genius haha. It’s a joy to watch aunt and nephew bond and I am looking forward to seeing more of that.
We’re left with Song-yi receiving her final curveball right at the end of this week’s episode. When the toilet floods at home with Song-yi sitting on it (haha), she marches upstairs brandishing a toilet brush to confront the neighbor she thinks is to blame for this. Said neighbor just happens to be her ex-boyfriend from years ago whom she has a “dark past” with. Interesting.
All in all this opening episode has been light, fluffy, and endearing. It would be nice to see Song-yi take charge of her life and pick herself back up, which is what I’m hoping for. And I’m interested to see what the family dynamics are between our two sisters and their parents. JG is a smart kid and Eun-kye has some secrets. I wonder who will find them out first…?
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Tags: Daniel Choi, First Impressions, Gong Min-jung, Jeon So-min, Sorry Not Sorry
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1 Seon-ha
December 7, 2024 at 12:34 PM
I was surprised and pleased by how much I enjoyed this first episode...so much so, that I find it irritating that this will be a one episode/week drop for 11 more weeks?? I may summon up the fortitude to wait until it is over and watch all-at-once.
But in the meantime, while our FL has a bit of the "I don't want to be 40 and so behave like I'm 20" about her, I found Song-yi endearing--especially in the scene with the Flower Boy/Barista (who is hilarious, by the way...and I hope we see much more of him and his "my face is my passport" antics).
But who I'm really waiting for is Jang Hee-ryung (aka Baek Da-hye from Sh**ting Stars)...I'm hoping they've given her a character where she can light up the screen, perhaps giving our Flower Boy-rista a run for his money? Dunno. This drama could be really cute. The little kid, Jay, sure is.
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TwoCentsWorth
December 7, 2024 at 6:14 PM
I don't understand broadcaster schedules. Disney drops 4 episodes of Light Shop and KBS Joy 1 episode a week. Has that ever worked? But this would be nice, fluffy binge watch if it stays the course.
When did JSM turn almost 40? Yikes. Time flies. I'm gonna squint and think of her as my 30ish friends who're struggling to adult in this gig economy. I didn't expect the Barista scene to go the way it did, made it all the more hilarious.
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TwoCentsWorth
December 7, 2024 at 6:32 PM
That "yikes" for the quick passage of time. Just to be clear. I can't believe it's almost 2025 already.
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2 TwoCentsWorth
December 7, 2024 at 6:22 PM
This is being recapped? Yay! It was the surprise charmer for me. I don't even care if it all goes downhill (I do), but it was the pick-me-up I needed this week.
I don't want to oversell it. It's not a fresh script nor award-worthy acting. Occasionally, the humor doesn't land. And the set? Well, it didn't bust the budget. But sometimes you just need some sweet, simple fun in your life. And I'm looking forward to more antics of the adorkable JSM.
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Seon-ha
December 7, 2024 at 7:13 PM
It also wasn't quite clear to me what was so delightful about this hour. But there was certainly something...
I've been so burned this year that I won't lie: I'm looking at this drama with all my side-eye, but I really, really want to like it...and it has so far given me no reason to doubt that it will be a nice, simple, joyous middle-age-crisis drama with a side of young love.
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Neolttwigi
December 7, 2024 at 7:26 PM
I'm just scared it will spend too much time on her avoiding talking to anyone, or telling them what is wrong? It would be good if she is able to find a way to confide in someone so she has someone on her side, rather than it being 15 episodes of cringe humour and her finally being honest at the end.
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Seon-ha
December 7, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Choi...Daniel...Choi??
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Neolttwigi
December 7, 2024 at 7:47 PM
One would hope so. But I'm afraid there will instead be a number of episodes where he thinks he is married with a kid. Hopefully they do not drag it out to long, but if they do, hopefully she starts talking to someone else at least.
TwoCentsWorth
December 7, 2024 at 8:01 PM
It's late, and I may be confused. But isn't Choi Daniel the lawyer she already went to for her divorce and walked out on? So he'll know her ruse straight up?
But it will be drawn out with her former bestie and other moms for sure. But (so far) they also aren't as evil as I've encountered in other shows. I also see no serial killers! Praying for a fun, low-stake drama.
Neolttwigi
December 7, 2024 at 8:59 PM
Oh its probably my fault. I was thinking Daniel Choi was her former boyfriend. Sorry, I'm obviously just totally confused.
Seon-ha
December 8, 2024 at 5:26 AM
Yeah, when the guy playing the dorky teen, awkward-first-sexual-encounter boyfriend popped his head out of his apartment door, I had such strong Love in the Big City flashbacks that I thought [SPOILER REDACTED]??? Thank heavens!!
TwoCentsWorth
December 7, 2024 at 8:14 PM
You’re right to be worried. While I enjoy the ride and forget bad endings, I’ve really overused the amnesia trope this year. One 2025 Kdrama writer’s resolution should be better endings.
A side of young love? With Choi Daniel, I didn’t think this would be noona romance (not that I mind them). I thought the Barista would make a sweet house husband for the sister. But she needs someone efficient to manage the house. He can't even make coffee.
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3 debi_dumont
December 7, 2024 at 7:16 PM
You said it perfectly, "light, fluffy, and endearing." And charming. Happy I started watching.
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4 hacja
December 7, 2024 at 9:04 PM
As is often the case for me with these kind of rom-com set-ups, I had enormous sympathy for the FL, and Song-yi is a very appealing, down to earth character. I also like the little boy. So I want to see more.
But that's what kind of irked me about the fact that there is only 1 episode a week. There was no clue whatsoever in this first episode whether Song-yi is going to find a worthy companion. And what if we are watching, some sort of bittersweet slice of life tragi-comedy where Song-yi dies at 90 as a beloved maiden aunt?!? Not for me, I tell you!
Last year, I made the very smart decision to hold off on a show fondly remembered by none, A Good Day to Be a Dog, mainly because of how slowly they were rolling out the episodes. Although fortunately there is no cgi generated dog in this one, I think I might hold off on weekly watching until it becomes clear which way this is going.
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5 Kurama
December 8, 2024 at 11:27 AM
I liked the first episode.
Wasn't it Daniel Choi in the bus with her at the beginning? I thought he will be her neighbor at the end but it was her ex-boyfriend. But he still could live in her neighborhood.
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6 OldLawyer
December 8, 2024 at 3:01 PM
Does this writer know anything at all about the practice of law?
No lawyer who handles family law matters would ever behave that way. It is a lawyer's job and professional responsibility to provide a cool headed and appropriate evaluation of a situation where the client is experiencing searing emotional pain. The attorney as portrayed in episode one appeared to believe that it was the client's job to be dispassionate and objective. That is not reality, and this attorney is no lawyer- just someone who has passed the bar exam. Our FL came to the entirely rational conclusion that he was not on her side- and she was right.
Other than this I enjoyed the first episode and am as dismayed as anyone else that it will only be one episode per week.
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Neolttwigi
December 8, 2024 at 4:54 PM
The list of poor professional standards, and general miswriting about workplace conduct, does become tiring to ignore sometimes. I was noticing over at 'When the phone rings' that we were all trying to figure out how the drama was going to get around hiring the second place interviewee (our FL) instead of the first-placed one, but none of us even bothered to complain about the ethics of a husband hiring, and being the boss of, his wife. Even a hidden-from-society wife. Because it's K-drama.
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Procrasti-NationFirstCitizen
December 9, 2024 at 2:13 AM
To be honest, that part of WTPR has not sat right with me ever since they introduced that track. How are they going to keep it from HR, and how is the Korean public going to react to this nepotism, once it's found out that she didn't even score highest at the interview? The preview shows them in close proximity at work... Won't the coworkers suspect them of having an affair?
I'm obviously thinking too many thoughts about this show in it it's absence, but I'm somehow confident that it's magic will work it's way and problems will miraculously resolve,
with minimal angst. Because it's Kdrama!
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Kurama
December 9, 2024 at 2:45 AM
I don't think he chose her himself and he was the hardest with her during the interview.
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7 welh
December 9, 2024 at 4:50 AM
JSM has a history of leading a show and doing comedy well. The first episode was packed with information and humor as she plays a crushed divorcee with massive debts, a nutty sister and cute Korean-American nephew living in a vicious upper class social circle. The English kindergarten reminds me of the HIGH CLASS premise, with nosy and judgmental mothers, but SORRY has a more pathetic vibe to it.
At the end of the episode, we know the worn drama trails that the road signs state. The idea of compiling little white lies is not a good foundation for a series. Please surprise me with something fresh and funny.
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