HdL#5This is not the kind of show that will make you fall in love with the main actors, but I am falling hard for the characters — individually and even more so together. This understanding without words that they have going on when it comes to what is important… how they talk about everything — from her attempt to drive him mad to his dreams and their consequences. I like that while there is this affinity between them, paired with a fair dose of attraction, their relationship does not steer into the outright romantic yet. Although the petty jealous bits are highly entertaining (like MW grumbling about CS carrying the ghost bride to her room when he brough a cart to carry her, or freaking out about the news he was getting ghost-married). Feelings are developing (how many minutes did it take CS to answer ’no’ to her ‘do you love me?’) and they both know it… it’s just nice for them to take their time about it.

The continuation of the kiss was very cool: him catching on right away that it did not have romantic connotations (while still kind of enjoying it), and the ghost picking up on these feelings and using them to call him back. His save was as adorable as it was completely unnecessary – even MW thought so (saw that tiny smile walking after him, can’t fool me). The talk after was even better – the ‘why are you asking me things you already know the answer to’ whenever she does not want to admit to her feelings. The honesty of it all. The ghost of the day story was also fun, from all the reveals upon reveals, to its heartwarming conclusion…

Despite his famed Harvard degree, CS is refreshingly average, yet adorable in his imperfections. He is simply a warm, thoroughly decent guy and that is what she (and us, the audience) falls for. The fact that he can empathize with everyone’s struggles, that he cares enough to do something about it is slowing changing her – after 1000 years of detachment, he draws her into his schemes and forces her to care not only about him but also about the customers coming their way. I wonder if it’s this trait of his that will end up saving them in the end: the fact that he does not follow the set path, but instead opens a better one.

I wonder about MW all of a sudden appearing resigned to her fate. When she shot down all of her employees’ suggestions for getting rid of him, I thought she had a scheme of her own going on. Maybe using CS having feelings for her to get him to stop his mission on his own. But maybe deep down she is also tired of it all and does not have the energy to go against the gods. Seems a bit out of character, but maybe she got too caught up in the past this time… I think the ghost bride’s “if you truly love someone you need to set them free to be happy without you” meant something personal to her. And that at least for a moment she was shaken. And it’s testament to how much her opinion of CS has changed that she chose him to be the one sending her off in the end.

One thing that kind of freaked me out: why is no one looking for the missing guest from room 13? It it safe to let her roam the city? We went from “this is a super scary ghost”, to “ups, I think she ran away”, to… nothing. (???)

I don’t look forward to the second female lead’s appearance; in Hong sisters dramas this slot is usually filled by bitchy, irritating, one-track girls that never add anything good to the story; please prove me wrong.