Maybe it’s because I’m a sageuk trash, or that that entire segment of Extraordinary You is just more interesting, better acted and more emotional, but the Flower scenes might have been the only stuff I enjoyed in Extraordinary You today. UGH I WISH THIS ENTIRE SHOW WAS TRUMPET CREEPERRR
Okay maybe not. Self-aware Jooda had me ROLLING. Do-Hwa’s precious face at the end had my heart beating on the floor (God this guy has the best facial expressions)
Something tells me Jooda’s going to be a playa playa and toy with both Namjoo and Dohwa’s hearts for her own benefit (WE STAN A TWO TIMING GOLD-DIGGING CANDY) Ugh what I don’t get is why they’re bringing in this plotline so late into the game, when we could’ve had this gem 4 episodes ago. I can’t fathom how they’re going to wrap up this in 3 episodes with so many strings hanging.
I love DanHaru but for some reason they’re getting way too childish and bouncy for me. All they do is make cheesy moony eyes at each other, and for some reason their chemistry isn’t coming across as genuine as it used to. Hye Yoon can pull off extreme aegyo MOST TIMES, but with Rowoon it’s just cringy maaaan. Give me more heartfelt moments like the ones at the end of Episode 8 and 10. I like them best when they’re heartfelt and calmly enjoying each other’s presence. Or maybe I’m too old for this, LOL.
Less noble idiocy. Less alpha male love triangle nonsense. More genuine DanHaru conversations instead of cutesy fluff. And always, always, MORE DOHWA.
Also, am I crazy for STILL FAILING TO HATE BAEK KYUNG? I just…I just understand his selfish, messed up intentions, and I find them SO fascinating. Everyone expects a self-aware character to WANT to make their own fate and break out of their mould. But Baek Kyung doesn’t. Here’s a guy who doesn’t have the capacity to explore what he is beyond his set-up, unlike everyone else, and refuses to believe that the Stage is fake, because that’s all he’s known his entire life. And why *should* the Stage be fake? After all, those are the events that ACTUALLY take place in their universe, not the measly happenings of the Shadow that no one else remembers. He’s willingly submitted himself to the writer’s whim, and can’t fathom how someone who’s been created by that same writer, has feelings of her own.
I do agree that the show spends way too much time getting us to sympathize with him instead of focusing on other characters (*ahem*DoHwa*ahem*) but I like what his character brings to the show.
Yoooo… I haven’t even watched today’s episode yet and I’m feeling all of this. I was thinking about it today – how the pacing of the show has slowed to a crawl the past two weeks, focusing on Haru and Dan oh maybe a little too much without any forward momentum anywhere else.
Don’t even get me started on Kyung. I could talk about him and how he’s the most compelling character for daaayyys.
Finally, someone who feels the same way as me about Kyung. Now I don’t feel too weird for being able to sympathize and understand him well. I think he is the most fascinating character in that drama, even if I don’t like many of his choices.
“She’s pretty, awesome, and successful. I’m no match.”
“Hey, don’t be ridiculous. No matter how pretty or awesome she may be, you’re younger than her” — Melting Me Softly Episode 14
Look at Abyss and its awful “appearance is everything” philosophy. They even had Ziggy and Jung So-min delivers lines about how your looks represent your soul.
Before anyone continues, Episode 12 minor spoilers
Going to make a more detailed post later but just dropping in to say that with 4 more episodes to go Extraordinary You has been AMAZING.
Just like I wanted, we’re now focusing on Danoh’s terminal illness, and the sageuk storyline is slowly coming to a wrap.
It felt abrupt to have our E3 back in the game after Danoh being so hesitant to change things for so long, but since I wanted it so bad I’ll forgive the awkward transition.
ALSO MORE SELF-AWARE JOODA PLEASE. We didn’t have enough of thattt
Baek Kyung is a wonderful antagonist.
Yes Webtoon BK was nicer and less aggressive, but to be honest it makes perfect sense for him to be possessive over Danoh, since they’re the couple that’s meant to be. I understand his reasons for clinging onto her when all he’s ever known is her chasing after him.
Gah, love me some star crossed lover angst. This is probably the best kind I’ve seen
Alright, alright. We’re back to regular programming. I.e. obsessing over the crackfest that is Extraordinary You
Last week’s episodes didn’t cut it for me, but this week, I think I’m back to wholeheartedly loving this show. Somehow the tone struck just right for me, and I’m finally on board with Eun Danoh’s choice to make the most of her last days.
I almost laughed cynically when they made Kyung’s father and stepmother’s wedding anniversary the same day as his mother’s death anniversary. Like OF COURSE he got married right away, it’s such a manhwa cliché, but you don’t realize how much it must’ve hurt Kyung.
The repetition of storylines, especially by the same writer, makes SO MUCH SENSE even irl. I remember when Are You Human Too was airing, some people were saying how the plot is like a modern day sageuk, which wasn’t surprising considering the screenwriter wrote The Princess’s Man previously.
But you know what doesn’t make sense, the math. Or maybe it does. His stepbrother is what 15, 16 years old. So that is also eluding to the fact that Dad and Stepmom where involved before his Mother died and the Stepbrother was born and had infant and toddler years before her death.
Or were his parents divorced by then and that is how he was able to marry on the day she died.
I understood it as they were on the same “day” but not the same “year” (the father got remarried later on and it happened to be on the anniversary of the mom’s death). But yeah, of course, the father was so eager to erase BK’s mom that he got married then. And he has the nerve to get mad at BK’s reaction.
I loved last week’s episodes! But I also think this week has cranked everything up to 11. My heart is breaking for Dan-oh and Haru, and this weird repetition stuff is dredging up so much vicarious existential anxiety. Is their love real if it’s all just a repetition of what happened before? Dan-oh is really eager to disclaim the stuff that happened during the stage because she says she had no control over it and so it wasn’t her; but, by the same logic, if everything she has with Haru is preordained, then isn’t it all fake as well? The deeply ironic thing here is that Kyung and Haru may not have very different relationships with Dan-oh in this sense.
I love the stuff with Joo-da. Hopefully, something breaks in the story and both of our aware couples (Haru and Dan-oh; Do-hwa and Joo-da) get to be together. I also love that she’s dumping that that lousy arrogant dirt-bag Nam-joo. Serves his entitled ass right.
For me, this drama is just hitting all of the bases right now. The acting is great (seriously, Hye-yoon is an amazing actress and Rowoon is a pretty good actor as well, plus all the supporting characters – especially Jae-wook! – are clearly showing their chops), the chemistry crackles, the episodes are a good combination of light-hearted and emotional, the characters are well-written and portrayed, and the plot is mostly cohesive. The show is also hitting on deep ideas and I feel like there are many scenes in this drama where the only word I can use to describe what the show is ‘beautiful’.
It’s not even close to the sensuality and passion that characterize kdrama kisses today, but this will still go down as one of my favorite kiss scenes of all time.
I don’t know what it is about it that makes my heart hum with warmth.
Their inexperience and innocence just radiates off the screen and I think that’s what makes it so special.
Drama kisses have become so mechanical and choreographed, so when you have two rookie actors, neither of whom have mastered the art of onscreen kissing yet, you get young love in its most raw and natural form.
I’ve never seen a kiss where both actors are equally naive to the kdrama kissing business. Usually the rookie of the two (mostly female) will be paired with an older or more experienced partner who knows what he’s doing and will take on more of the weight (e.g. every single actor paired with Kim So Hyun *no shade intended*)
Although I know Rowoon has kissed on-screen before, he still wasn’t experienced enough to completely take the reins on this one. They both pulled their weight equally and evidently gave it their best. The outcome, although imperfect, was nothing short of organic and heartwarming.
Getting my Extra You criticism out of the way before bed so I can sleep on it and go back to loving the show when I wake up:
I think the one thing I really learn to do is to stop holding kdramas to such high expectations. Gah can you blame a girl when they show you what they can be and then fail to keep up that potential?
I pretty much predicted that Danoh would slowly shed her fiesty and autonomy-craving persona as the series progressed. It’s a kdrama rule at this point that a female lead can never retain her individuality when she falls in love as her world starts to revolve around the male lead thereon after. I was hoping we wouldn’t get to see that here because of how refreshingly determined Danoh was in the beginning, but I don’t think we’ll be getting that Danoh back.
I understand that she’s given up on changing the stage, but she’s not even remotely interested in the workings of her world anymore. The one person who started this entire movement is no longer at its forefront, having been replaced by two brawling males who see the stage as a battleground to establish their dominance
What happened to Danoh and Haru against the world together?
I think it is because the lines and story are coming from the Jesoen comic that the cook burnt. Haru is having the memories now and Do hwa was talking alot about subconscious. That conversation, to me, is gonna be important down the last stretch. Dan oh and Kyung , I believe, are gonna start having those memories as well.
I can’t even remember why I liked her in the first place. Kyung is still a handsome interesting jerk though. Haru could go and come back dozens of times and I’d not care.
I think Danoh and Haru make a great couple and I’ve really enjoyed the progression of their romance.
BUT Baek Kyung fascinates me to no end and was the more interesting part of this episode ngl. LJW is killing it and idc if he turns evil or not, just watching his derailment and moral dilemma was awesome
That’s true! I realized how Haru isn’t doing much either, but he at least has more of an idea through his flashbacks. Maybe there’s good reason they’re keeping Danoh in the dark for now – because whatever happened might’ve involved her the most and she’s the final piece of the puzzle.
You know, the original premise in the manhwa was that she wanted to change the story, but then she found Haru and she focused her entire energy on making the best out of their limited time together, and making the best out of the situation they were handled. And I am ok with that. It was realistic and relatable. By setting up the premise here as Dan Oh trying to change her fate, and then suddenly kinda forgot about it, it really makes Dan Oh seem less consistent :/ sigh. Kdrama, the highs are really high and the lows are really lows lol
Oooh now that you mention that I don’t feel as mad about this. I did read the manhwa first and I remember how she went from just a rebel to a rebel with a cause after she found Haru because their ‘rebellion’ would be trying to spend time together, which, like you said, is more realistic.
I think the reason why they emphasized on the fate-changing part here is because they wanted to avoid the insta-love trope that was used in the manhwa. Danoh met Haru with the sole purpose of finding her own love interest, but I think they didn’t want drama Danoh to prioritize love to that extent, and have another purpose to work towards. So she stalked Haru because he was the key to changing her fate.
It’s an interesting change which I actually quite appreciate because I’ve enjoyed the slow progression of their romance so far.
I totally agree with you on the inconsistency, and while I get her reasons for abandoning her mission because (a) there’s no point and (b) it caused her lose Haru last time, the fact that she was portrayed as so driven in the beginning causes these recent developments to make her character look so fickle.
To be honest, the drama is starting to show its cracks the more it strays from the original webtoon. In a way, Danoh’s world also revolved around Haru in the webtoon, but it was understandable because Haru was a true insignificant extra without a name nor anyone with him. Even when he came back as a named extra, he was so insignificant that he might as well have not come back. But in the manhwa in the drama, they’re gradually making his role much bigger, from Baek Kyung’s lackey to potentially usurping the latter’s role. I don’t know, I think I liked it much better how desperate their relationship felt in the webtoon because they barely had time together (did they even have screen time together in Heads?), and they learned to treasure their moments in a place as mundane as their secret hideout in the library. And because of that, I found their love story much more meaningful and sweeter in the webtoon. I just don’t feel moved in the drama especially now that there’s a star-crossed aspect to their romance with the sageuk manhwa.
Ugh I hate that Haru and Baek Kyung are fighting over her. There’s barely a love triangle in the webtoon, and it robs us of much better and poignant scenes of Haru and Baek Kyung working together for her, Baek Kyung and Danoh actually being friends and bonding over their loneliness and shared memories together (I still like drama Baek Kyung but I want webtoon Baek Kyung back!), and Haru being understanding and even smiling for Danoh when Heads forces her and Baek Kyung together.
I think that’s my biggest critic of Extraordinary You. In the first episodes, Dan Oh was very proactive about figuring out what the hell was going out and the inner workings of this new world. This side of her completely disappeared once she fell for Haru.
I am not saying we need to get rid of the fluff but you can have cute scenes while still working together to figure out how the comic works and how it might be changed.
I haven’t watched Episode 9 of Extraordinary You and based on the what I’ve heard go down, I don’t know if I want to.
I don’t know why I’m so against the idea of Haru and Danoh being the leads of Flower, instead of Danoh and Baek Kyung (But I haven’t watched Episode 9 so I don’t even know if this fact is true or not)
Maybe because it just…downplays the intensity of their romance
Like, whatever they have between them is just the stupid remnant of a past plot rather than something of their own.
I wanted a love that transcended time, space and fate (i.e. the writer’s will) The fact that Haru and Danoh were in love in a past manhwa because they were set up to be that way contradicts the entire point this show is trying to make.
Show spent 8 episodes having Danoh say that she’s not in love with Baek Kyung because that was just her setup and not her freewill. What makes Haru any different if he was also a writer-determined love interest for her?
For the sake of my sanity, please don’t let Haru be the main lead of Flower.
I want tragedy. I want angst. And I want Haru and Danoh to be characters who consistently choose to be together while giving a big F U to the manhwa writer.
In a way they’re destined to be together, not because of fate, but because they’ve always been the same people they were when they fell in love the first time, so that’s why they still gravitated towards each other.
And now I must end this post before I get carried away. DAMN YOU EY
I think we’re going to get the angst and the tragedy you want (and I want), to not spoil ep9 for you, I’ll use ep8 as reference. When Baek Kyung found the Flower Manhwa in ep8 and read Dan-oh’s lines, the character she was saying those to was not Haru, it was Baek Kyung. I believe both Dan-oh and Haru became self-aware and fell in love, but couldn’t run away from the fate the writer had written for them, I also think one of them must’ve died (Dan-oh most probably, seeing that it is in her set-up), that’s why Haru is here trying to fight that fate and protect her!
We don’t know yet. I agree that them being the leads of Flower may ruin the fun of the plot for me, but as of right now, there’s no reason to suppose they were. In fact, its more likely the opposite – that Danoh & Kyung were the leads. From last week’s episodes, Flower also had a scene where Danoh says she’s ready to get married right now – and the guy on the page was Kyung not Haru. SO from that & today’s episode (I won’t tell you what happened), it seems that Haru was Kyung’s lackey/loyal man in Flower (same set up as Haru here) & he ruined the story by falling in love with Danoh.
And Kyung’s temper was at a max in today’s eps. I mean to the point where it should not be ignored. I think in Flower he had a strong hand in Haru and Dan oh’s tragedy.
Halfway through Nokdu Episode 8 and the fact that the head of the village is still hung up on Nok Du even after finding out he\’s a guy IS KILLINGGGG MEEE
This is comedy done right. It doesn’t detract from the story but adds levity so you don’t drown in tears.
Plus it was set up so well. When he popped up next to the island trio I chortled.
Hahaha I got Haru too 🙂 it also shows you “extent” of compatibility? My second wifh a big gap was Do Hwa, then none at all. I approve. I must have done something right
My second with a considerable gap was Nam Joo. Am I Joo-da or what? I do not approve hahahaha. It must be because I said I like free food and the music room.
So, as a nameless, faceless & formless extra who hasn’t even been drawn or imagined by the Writer, I failed to acquire any. Don’t have Dan-oh’s skills. 🙁
I was planning on skipping this because I\’m mad at PMY for picking a third romcom in a row and the plot sounds super mediocre but then THIS happens. How am I supposed to sit on the sidelines NOW?!
I was expecting him to choose a lead role after EY considering his post-WWW fame, but this seems like a wise move for someone who just debuted this year
GDI I WAS SO READY TO SKIP THIS ONE (we really DON’T need another What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim/Her Private Life)… but now I have to tune in… devastated… (but happy our boy is getting roles alongside prominent stars)
I have to say it…..working non stop, more similarities to his senior ㅋㅋㅋ *runs away*
Anyway…I want them to be in a drama together as bros or maybe a son-young dad pair. They have a 16 year age gap. I won’t mind a drama with both LJW and SSR navigating life together. Both will be leads, the best of both worlds tbh. Hahahaha!
I was already watching because I love both leads, but I was excited enough by this news that I guess I like him more than I thought. Yay for a talented cast! Please be good…
My head’s been bursting at the seams with thoughts and emotions about Extraordinary You. Tumblr is certainly not helping (in the best way possible)…
I’ve been desperate to get emotionally invested in a drama all year because none of the ones so far did it for me, and now that I have (to an unhealthy extent) I don’t know what to do with my life since my obsession is rendering me incapable of doing anything else besides rewatching Episode 8, reading and writing theories and stalking Tumblr for GIFs LMAO. The fact that this drama has a predominantly young audience is DANGEROUS because tumblr is on fire right now and the thriving fandom is MAKING EVERYTHING WORSE.
Anyway, on that note I discovered this beautiful piano cover of the BGM that plays whenever something happens between Danoh and Haru. Hits me right in the feelz
You’re not alone. I can’t tell you how eagerly I wait for Wednesday nights/Thursday mornings. AND at nearly 30 year old, I’m not even the intended audience I think. 😣
MY THEORY ON WHY HARU BECAME AN AMNESIAC AND THEN RETURNED TO HIS OLD SELF IN THE SPAN OF TWO DAYS:
Warning: it’s going to be a long one…
The number one reason Haru disappeared is because his time as an extra who was going around unnoticed by the writer was up. It’s clear that the reason he was so easily able to change the stage is because the writer was simply never conscious of his existence – and so she couldn’t control for the events he caused. Anything DanOh and DoHwa did in shadow was reset, because the writer had set their actions down in stone. As the writer was conscious of their existence and could hence control them, nothing DO and DH did could change what was bound to happen.
But as Haru started getting more and more noticed by the characters around him, eventually the writer had to notice him too. I think the main catalysts to this were when BK suggested him as a member of the soccer team (his name was physically written down on paper) and NJ saw him as a potential candidate for A3. As a result of his sudden involvement, the writer realized there was a character in their midst she hadn’t accounted for. He was always there, but he’d resided in the writer’s subconscious instead of her conscious. He kept his name since the writer assumed that’s what he was always called (not realizing that was a name given by someone else). He lost his memories because the writer gave him a new identity of her own bidding. Before, he was a free spirit who determined his own actions and his own personality. He never had lines of his own because he was never really a character of the Secret manhwa.
When the writer noticed his presence, he moved from the subconscious to the conscious. Since he was never originally part of ‘Secret’, he entered as a new character, with a brand new concept, and brand new memories. Just as Jinmichae said, Haru went from an extra with no name, to an extra with a name but who was now under the control of the writer.
It makes complete sense that he lost his memories, because he essentially went from a non-character to a character that now has a role in the storyline.
The memory loss was not necessary for the purposes of the story. Indeed, that’s why Haru regained his memories in the span of a day, because amnesiac Haru wasn’t moving the narrative forward in any way. The ultimate goal of all of this was to make him a proper character of the Secret manhwa. The drama screenwriters (not the manhwa writer) had him lose his memory in order to show us how the manhwa world worked. I think it’s pretty sick that they’re keeping in line with the logic, and I hope they continue to do so.
And not going to lie, even though it wasn’t a narrative requirement, it did add some well-timed conflict in the show. Although it was heartbreaking to see Danoh suffer like that, it gave us all some insight into the depth of her feelings for Haru, and provided the necessary space for BK’s transition into a self-aware character. It was a nice segway into what I presume is Act II (the one where all the shit goes down).
Many people might ask how Haru ended up in Secret in the first place if he was never a character.
I think he travelled in through the portal (as many of us do). Unlike Danoh, who was purposefully recycled for the writer’s new manhwa, Haru might be more of a runaway ‘fugitive’.
I’m not sure yet how he ended up losing his memories of his previous life. I can imagine Danoh did because she was intentionally revamped by the writer for her new manhwa, so she was updated with a new concept and personality (and lost her memories that way)
Which brings me to question how Jinmichae still remembers everything from his past (which may explain how he’s so all-knowing), since if the writer recycles her characters, they should then lose knowledge of their previous lives – unless there’s another explanation.
We still need to see how Haru got his scar back, but regardless of how he got it, the scar is integral to his identity. Goryeo Haru, Puppy Haru from Episodes 1-6, and new Haru who just regained his memories are all the same person – and his scar is an indicator of that. Danoh was right, jerk Haru wasn’t the real Haru – he was simply a mirror of the stage persona the writer had given him. When he became his old self, he regained his scar.
It is interesting that despite being fully integrated into the Secret manhwa, Haru’s past still haunts him, while Danoh remains oblivious to it. I really hope it’s not the result of the drama screenwriter prioritizing Haru’s role over Danoh’s, where she gets relegated to someone who’s kept in the dark until the penultimate hour (because I’m sick and tired of kdramas that have girls sit out on all the action, and also BECAUSE THIS SHOULD BE DANOH’S STORY FIRST AND FOREMOST).
I’m guessing Haru is more strongly attached to their past because everything that went wrong was his fault. Since the entire Goryeo plotline seems more like Haru’s narrative than Danoh’s, I hope the story wraps that up first and then focuses on Danoh’s journey of survival. I know they’re not mutually exclusive, but to have the ‘Flower manhwa’ storyline take over the plot would be to move away from Danoh’s fight, which I would SO not be down for.
Lol I started this planning on only talking about Haru and his amnesia, but clearly got carried away. I remember someone asking on the fanwall if Haru was going to disappear again, and I think it’s safe to say he won’t. His chances of disappearing are just as high as any of the other extras, since he’s a properly documented character now. It’s going to be so much harder for our adorable OTP to spend more time together, since now they’ll both have their own stage arcs. Since Haru is now BK’s lackey, it means he’ll have to see (and maybe even accompany) Danoh and BK as a couple even more than before. That all makes for some juicy conflict, but also a lot of angst. Let’s see if it ends up being the good kind.
What a great analysis! I just gave up. There are too many questions and very few things to go by. I’m torn because the Goryeo storyline might be compelling, but I also wanted the drama to explore what it means to be considered an extra in your own world. Oh well.
The other title of the drama is “A Day Found By Chance” (Haru Found By Chance), so it’s likely that the drama will focus on him more. I hope they don’t push Dan-oh to the sidelines though.
given, we have context of another manga in play,
I am also thinking, maybe just as DH said, your characters are set in stone.. offstage too you behave similarly..
We THINK DO and Haru are the only ones breaking away from their characters, however, what if that is their character 🙂 .. or was when they were first designed..
Interesting thing is, offstage in shadow these characters still recite their lines 🙂
So apparently MBC posted a bunch of detailed character descriptions on the Extraordinary You website http://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3451760_64285.html and I read them without thinking twice and let’s just say THEY PRETTY MUCH SPOIL EVERYTHING
I honestly don’t recommend reading these if you want to stay blind and enjoy the surprises as they come (I regret it) but at the same time I was so shook at what I learned I needed to make this post.
I don’t know why these are out here as if they’re supposed to be common knowledge LMAO THEY LEGIT SPOILED EVERYTHING BESIDES THE ENDING
All I’m gonna say is I’m excited and y’all are in for a wild ride
Curiousity got me but puhleez guys don’t spoil yourself. There are a few major spoilers in there. I guess they spoil upto 60 %. They’ll probably cover all this in the next two weeks.
@dopdramacongratz a few of them left me looking exactly like the gif. Who even writes so much story in a character description? But that also makes me think that they probably have much more after this that is why they could spoil this much, as character descriptions are only supposed to be from the premise and not the entire story.
I read it too lolz. Well I already read the webtoon so I thought what the heck I might as well just spoil myself more 🙈🙈 They changed Nam Joo’s secret!!! Well it’s sort of the same thing (eye problem) but they tweaked it! And most shocking for me is Ju Da – omg female lead turns evil lead! Oh noes!! I’m not sure if this is following the webtoon plot but Ju Da has a secret too but the spoiler didn’t say anything about it.
Baek Kyung’s story is the same. I don’t know how much worse is he going to be in the webtoon but I’m sad that he’s taking on the baddie role In this drama 💔💔
I liked that NJ and JD aren’t limited to being the Bof couple but they have more to their story. But Haru seriously huh. I still think all this will be covered in no more than 2 weeks i. e. 4 (full hour) episodes. So we will have more to look forward to. I’m always wary of dramas adapting a webtoon that hasn’t finished because that means it will definitely sway in another direction if the writers don’t want to lose readers or viewers.
I just read the webtoon ending spoiler now (the ones that haven’t been translated in English yet) and it is effin mindblown. And I hated it!!!!!!! Nam Joon’s secret is nothing now compared to others’ secret. I don’t know why I was so shookt when I first read it.
It’s completely different from the drama spoiler, so I like this better. I hope the drama doesn’t follow the webtoon all the way to the end.
But yes I’m hoping these spoilers are in the first half of the series too. And not the entire drama. MBC is such a spoiler. I cannot lol.
wow, that was full of spoilers, the story is totally diverging from the webtoon’s story.
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Juda’s character arc is going to be interesting
I want them to form a team rebel against the writers!!!! Hope none of them will be villain and we don’t get the tropey love triangle. Nam Joo and Do Hwa’s are already exhausting!
The thing is… these puppies are really close behind the scenes so they will have great chemistry on screen. Haru is overtaking Danoh as the most shippable character in this show now. HAHAHA
Why does Haru seem alost bored and Kyung so intensely there?
I keep asking if this is good acting and Haru character isn’t fully selfaware yet or if it’s bad acting or some other explanation.
Unless you’re saying that from watching the episode yourself, I probably screenshotted it at a bad time?
I think both actors are doing a pretty good job portraying their characters. Kyung is loud and aggressive, while Haru is more subdued and it comes across that way the right way, imo
It’s from the episode and your pics perfectly explain it. 🙂 He has this daydreaming expression, this sleepy thing, that doesn’t match the action or his lines.
Yes, he’s really aware in ep 5, I just want him to be alive in the same way as Fairy or Do-Hwa, I don’t get his expressions, however if show actually has an explanation for that later, I’m going to call it genius.
dopedramacongratz
November 13, 2019 at 5:07 PM
Maybe it’s because I’m a sageuk trash, or that that entire segment of Extraordinary You is just more interesting, better acted and more emotional, but the Flower scenes might have been the only stuff I enjoyed in Extraordinary You today. UGH I WISH THIS ENTIRE SHOW WAS TRUMPET CREEPERRR
Okay maybe not. Self-aware Jooda had me ROLLING. Do-Hwa’s precious face at the end had my heart beating on the floor (God this guy has the best facial expressions)
Something tells me Jooda’s going to be a playa playa and toy with both Namjoo and Dohwa’s hearts for her own benefit (WE STAN A TWO TIMING GOLD-DIGGING CANDY) Ugh what I don’t get is why they’re bringing in this plotline so late into the game, when we could’ve had this gem 4 episodes ago. I can’t fathom how they’re going to wrap up this in 3 episodes with so many strings hanging.
I love DanHaru but for some reason they’re getting way too childish and bouncy for me. All they do is make cheesy moony eyes at each other, and for some reason their chemistry isn’t coming across as genuine as it used to. Hye Yoon can pull off extreme aegyo MOST TIMES, but with Rowoon it’s just cringy maaaan. Give me more heartfelt moments like the ones at the end of Episode 8 and 10. I like them best when they’re heartfelt and calmly enjoying each other’s presence. Or maybe I’m too old for this, LOL.
Less noble idiocy. Less alpha male love triangle nonsense. More genuine DanHaru conversations instead of cutesy fluff. And always, always, MORE DOHWA.
Also, am I crazy for STILL FAILING TO HATE BAEK KYUNG? I just…I just understand his selfish, messed up intentions, and I find them SO fascinating. Everyone expects a self-aware character to WANT to make their own fate and break out of their mould. But Baek Kyung doesn’t. Here’s a guy who doesn’t have the capacity to explore what he is beyond his set-up, unlike everyone else, and refuses to believe that the Stage is fake, because that’s all he’s known his entire life. And why *should* the Stage be fake? After all, those are the events that ACTUALLY take place in their universe, not the measly happenings of the Shadow that no one else remembers. He’s willingly submitted himself to the writer’s whim, and can’t fathom how someone who’s been created by that same writer, has feelings of her own.
I do agree that the show spends way too much time getting us to sympathize with him instead of focusing on other characters (*ahem*DoHwa*ahem*) but I like what his character brings to the show.
theTINYL
November 13, 2019 at 5:57 PM
Yoooo… I haven’t even watched today’s episode yet and I’m feeling all of this. I was thinking about it today – how the pacing of the show has slowed to a crawl the past two weeks, focusing on Haru and Dan oh maybe a little too much without any forward momentum anywhere else.
Don’t even get me started on Kyung. I could talk about him and how he’s the most compelling character for daaayyys.
gadis
November 15, 2019 at 5:07 PM
Finally, someone who feels the same way as me about Kyung. Now I don’t feel too weird for being able to sympathize and understand him well. I think he is the most fascinating character in that drama, even if I don’t like many of his choices.
dopedramacongratz
November 13, 2019 at 11:14 AM
What the hell was that
– EY episode 13
zgs1994
November 13, 2019 at 1:06 PM
It’s not even the same drama anymore…
joongkicookie
November 13, 2019 at 3:37 PM
Yea.. it feels like it’s been written by a different writer..
dopedramacongratz
November 10, 2019 at 11:21 AM
“She’s pretty, awesome, and successful. I’m no match.”
“Hey, don’t be ridiculous. No matter how pretty or awesome she may be, you’re younger than her”
— Melting Me Softly Episode 14
mindy
November 10, 2019 at 11:25 AM
Gjdkksks this show is SO GROSS
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
November 10, 2019 at 11:32 AM
I’ve never been happier to drop a show ever in the history of the universe.
egads aka Dame Maggie
November 10, 2019 at 11:43 AM
I’m speechless. This writer is so gross, and why is no one on set calling this crap out and refusing to say and do these awful things.
LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
November 10, 2019 at 11:51 AM
Look at Abyss and its awful “appearance is everything” philosophy. They even had Ziggy and Jung So-min delivers lines about how your looks represent your soul.
egads aka Dame Maggie
November 10, 2019 at 11:59 AM
Everything is awful.
Karmen ~ 🍜🏢🎭 ~ 📚☔🦋 ~ 🪂🌱💘 ~ ✨🍊💫 ~
November 10, 2019 at 12:46 PM
What? Really??
gem28
November 10, 2019 at 1:21 PM
who said that and how, what, why??
Infinitize
November 10, 2019 at 10:41 PM
I’m still watching this, but ugh, that’s so off-putting.
oppafangirl
November 11, 2019 at 10:19 AM
Wow! Atleast i m glad i never started this show!
dopedramacongratz
November 9, 2019 at 7:49 PM
My man comes back from the military with a “dope discharge congratz” WE STAN THE RIGHT GUY HAHAHA
dopedramacongratz
November 7, 2019 at 2:55 PM
Aaaahhhhhhhhhhh
Before anyone continues, Episode 12 minor spoilers
Going to make a more detailed post later but just dropping in to say that with 4 more episodes to go Extraordinary You has been AMAZING.
Just like I wanted, we’re now focusing on Danoh’s terminal illness, and the sageuk storyline is slowly coming to a wrap.
It felt abrupt to have our E3 back in the game after Danoh being so hesitant to change things for so long, but since I wanted it so bad I’ll forgive the awkward transition.
ALSO MORE SELF-AWARE JOODA PLEASE. We didn’t have enough of thattt
Baek Kyung is a wonderful antagonist.
Yes Webtoon BK was nicer and less aggressive, but to be honest it makes perfect sense for him to be possessive over Danoh, since they’re the couple that’s meant to be. I understand his reasons for clinging onto her when all he’s ever known is her chasing after him.
Gah, love me some star crossed lover angst. This is probably the best kind I’ve seen
Maq
November 8, 2019 at 4:16 PM
What happens in the webtoon? Is it finished?
What does E3 mean?
dopedramacongratz
November 9, 2019 at 7:45 PM
E3 = extra 3 hahaha
the webtoon is finished! Do you want spoilers? There’s a google doc floating around LOL
Maq
November 9, 2019 at 9:07 PM
Yes, I definitely want spoilers! Where can I find this google doc? Does the webtoon have a happy ending?
dopedramacongratz
November 9, 2019 at 10:25 PM
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xogv0QxEooTvqZvAyrRUXsI3FTZdIc7zFsgkXkg-15w/edit?usp=sharing
Idk it depends on how you view it?
Maq
November 10, 2019 at 8:40 AM
That ending is weird. They better not give us something like this. I WANT A HAPPY ENDING!
dopedramacongratz
November 6, 2019 at 12:29 PM
Alright, alright. We’re back to regular programming. I.e. obsessing over the crackfest that is Extraordinary You
Last week’s episodes didn’t cut it for me, but this week, I think I’m back to wholeheartedly loving this show. Somehow the tone struck just right for me, and I’m finally on board with Eun Danoh’s choice to make the most of her last days.
Also love love LOVED the sageuk portion
larelle79
November 6, 2019 at 12:42 PM
It put a lot into perspective, didn’t it?
Also, not only is the writer lazy, they are kind of a douchebag. My heart is breaking for what these characters they created are going through.
dopedramacongratz
November 6, 2019 at 12:48 PM
It’s the saddest thing :'(
I almost laughed cynically when they made Kyung’s father and stepmother’s wedding anniversary the same day as his mother’s death anniversary. Like OF COURSE he got married right away, it’s such a manhwa cliché, but you don’t realize how much it must’ve hurt Kyung.
The repetition of storylines, especially by the same writer, makes SO MUCH SENSE even irl. I remember when Are You Human Too was airing, some people were saying how the plot is like a modern day sageuk, which wasn’t surprising considering the screenwriter wrote The Princess’s Man previously.
larelle79
November 6, 2019 at 12:55 PM
But you know what doesn’t make sense, the math. Or maybe it does. His stepbrother is what 15, 16 years old. So that is also eluding to the fact that Dad and Stepmom where involved before his Mother died and the Stepbrother was born and had infant and toddler years before her death.
Or were his parents divorced by then and that is how he was able to marry on the day she died.
See, douchebag.
newdramaaddict
November 6, 2019 at 7:11 PM
I understood it as they were on the same “day” but not the same “year” (the father got remarried later on and it happened to be on the anniversary of the mom’s death). But yeah, of course, the father was so eager to erase BK’s mom that he got married then. And he has the nerve to get mad at BK’s reaction.
larelle79
November 6, 2019 at 7:20 PM
Ahhhhh….yeah. That makes sense.
Maq
November 8, 2019 at 4:25 PM
I loved last week’s episodes! But I also think this week has cranked everything up to 11. My heart is breaking for Dan-oh and Haru, and this weird repetition stuff is dredging up so much vicarious existential anxiety. Is their love real if it’s all just a repetition of what happened before? Dan-oh is really eager to disclaim the stuff that happened during the stage because she says she had no control over it and so it wasn’t her; but, by the same logic, if everything she has with Haru is preordained, then isn’t it all fake as well? The deeply ironic thing here is that Kyung and Haru may not have very different relationships with Dan-oh in this sense.
I love the stuff with Joo-da. Hopefully, something breaks in the story and both of our aware couples (Haru and Dan-oh; Do-hwa and Joo-da) get to be together. I also love that she’s dumping that that lousy arrogant dirt-bag Nam-joo. Serves his entitled ass right.
For me, this drama is just hitting all of the bases right now. The acting is great (seriously, Hye-yoon is an amazing actress and Rowoon is a pretty good actor as well, plus all the supporting characters – especially Jae-wook! – are clearly showing their chops), the chemistry crackles, the episodes are a good combination of light-hearted and emotional, the characters are well-written and portrayed, and the plot is mostly cohesive. The show is also hitting on deep ideas and I feel like there are many scenes in this drama where the only word I can use to describe what the show is ‘beautiful’.
dopedramacongratz
October 31, 2019 at 11:13 PM
It’s not even close to the sensuality and passion that characterize kdrama kisses today, but this will still go down as one of my favorite kiss scenes of all time.
I don’t know what it is about it that makes my heart hum with warmth.
Their inexperience and innocence just radiates off the screen and I think that’s what makes it so special.
Drama kisses have become so mechanical and choreographed, so when you have two rookie actors, neither of whom have mastered the art of onscreen kissing yet, you get young love in its most raw and natural form.
I’ve never seen a kiss where both actors are equally naive to the kdrama kissing business. Usually the rookie of the two (mostly female) will be paired with an older or more experienced partner who knows what he’s doing and will take on more of the weight (e.g. every single actor paired with Kim So Hyun *no shade intended*)
Although I know Rowoon has kissed on-screen before, he still wasn’t experienced enough to completely take the reins on this one. They both pulled their weight equally and evidently gave it their best. The outcome, although imperfect, was nothing short of organic and heartwarming.
GAH, just look at my wittle babies. So precious.
joongkicookie
November 1, 2019 at 1:14 AM
I agree with everything you said! Have you seen the making film of this scene? They’re indeed so innocent 😍
chasingbears
November 1, 2019 at 8:24 AM
You described this kiss perfectly 🙂
dopedramacongratz
October 31, 2019 at 3:28 PM
Getting my Extra You criticism out of the way before bed so I can sleep on it and go back to loving the show when I wake up:
I think the one thing I really learn to do is to stop holding kdramas to such high expectations. Gah can you blame a girl when they show you what they can be and then fail to keep up that potential?
I pretty much predicted that Danoh would slowly shed her fiesty and autonomy-craving persona as the series progressed. It’s a kdrama rule at this point that a female lead can never retain her individuality when she falls in love as her world starts to revolve around the male lead thereon after. I was hoping we wouldn’t get to see that here because of how refreshingly determined Danoh was in the beginning, but I don’t think we’ll be getting that Danoh back.
I understand that she’s given up on changing the stage, but she’s not even remotely interested in the workings of her world anymore. The one person who started this entire movement is no longer at its forefront, having been replaced by two brawling males who see the stage as a battleground to establish their dominance
What happened to Danoh and Haru against the world together?
larelle79
October 31, 2019 at 3:45 PM
I think it is because the lines and story are coming from the Jesoen comic that the cook burnt. Haru is having the memories now and Do hwa was talking alot about subconscious. That conversation, to me, is gonna be important down the last stretch. Dan oh and Kyung , I believe, are gonna start having those memories as well.
Lixie
October 31, 2019 at 5:36 PM
I can’t even remember why I liked her in the first place. Kyung is still a handsome interesting jerk though. Haru could go and come back dozens of times and I’d not care.
dopedramacongratz
October 31, 2019 at 5:51 PM
LMAOOOO DONT HURT ME LIKE THIS
I think Danoh and Haru make a great couple and I’ve really enjoyed the progression of their romance.
BUT Baek Kyung fascinates me to no end and was the more interesting part of this episode ngl. LJW is killing it and idc if he turns evil or not, just watching his derailment and moral dilemma was awesome
theTINYL
October 31, 2019 at 6:45 PM
Kyung’s the only one still trying to puzzle everything out. He’s definitely not to be underestimated. His brain wheels be tuuuuuurning.
dopedramacongratz
October 31, 2019 at 9:57 PM
That’s true! I realized how Haru isn’t doing much either, but he at least has more of an idea through his flashbacks. Maybe there’s good reason they’re keeping Danoh in the dark for now – because whatever happened might’ve involved her the most and she’s the final piece of the puzzle.
dokutokunaneko
October 31, 2019 at 7:54 PM
You know, the original premise in the manhwa was that she wanted to change the story, but then she found Haru and she focused her entire energy on making the best out of their limited time together, and making the best out of the situation they were handled. And I am ok with that. It was realistic and relatable. By setting up the premise here as Dan Oh trying to change her fate, and then suddenly kinda forgot about it, it really makes Dan Oh seem less consistent :/ sigh. Kdrama, the highs are really high and the lows are really lows lol
dopedramacongratz
October 31, 2019 at 9:55 PM
Oooh now that you mention that I don’t feel as mad about this. I did read the manhwa first and I remember how she went from just a rebel to a rebel with a cause after she found Haru because their ‘rebellion’ would be trying to spend time together, which, like you said, is more realistic.
I think the reason why they emphasized on the fate-changing part here is because they wanted to avoid the insta-love trope that was used in the manhwa. Danoh met Haru with the sole purpose of finding her own love interest, but I think they didn’t want drama Danoh to prioritize love to that extent, and have another purpose to work towards. So she stalked Haru because he was the key to changing her fate.
It’s an interesting change which I actually quite appreciate because I’ve enjoyed the slow progression of their romance so far.
I totally agree with you on the inconsistency, and while I get her reasons for abandoning her mission because (a) there’s no point and (b) it caused her lose Haru last time, the fact that she was portrayed as so driven in the beginning causes these recent developments to make her character look so fickle.
anonymous
October 31, 2019 at 10:52 PM
To be honest, the drama is starting to show its cracks the more it strays from the original webtoon. In a way, Danoh’s world also revolved around Haru in the webtoon, but it was understandable because Haru was a true insignificant extra without a name nor anyone with him. Even when he came back as a named extra, he was so insignificant that he might as well have not come back. But in the manhwa in the drama, they’re gradually making his role much bigger, from Baek Kyung’s lackey to potentially usurping the latter’s role. I don’t know, I think I liked it much better how desperate their relationship felt in the webtoon because they barely had time together (did they even have screen time together in Heads?), and they learned to treasure their moments in a place as mundane as their secret hideout in the library. And because of that, I found their love story much more meaningful and sweeter in the webtoon. I just don’t feel moved in the drama especially now that there’s a star-crossed aspect to their romance with the sageuk manhwa.
Ugh I hate that Haru and Baek Kyung are fighting over her. There’s barely a love triangle in the webtoon, and it robs us of much better and poignant scenes of Haru and Baek Kyung working together for her, Baek Kyung and Danoh actually being friends and bonding over their loneliness and shared memories together (I still like drama Baek Kyung but I want webtoon Baek Kyung back!), and Haru being understanding and even smiling for Danoh when Heads forces her and Baek Kyung together.
luzitania
November 1, 2019 at 3:00 AM
I think that’s my biggest critic of Extraordinary You. In the first episodes, Dan Oh was very proactive about figuring out what the hell was going out and the inner workings of this new world. This side of her completely disappeared once she fell for Haru.
I am not saying we need to get rid of the fluff but you can have cute scenes while still working together to figure out how the comic works and how it might be changed.
dopedramacongratz
October 31, 2019 at 1:15 AM
what a tease
azzo
October 31, 2019 at 1:44 AM
I hope they’re not trolling us and this isn’t a stage, I don’t think it is but if it is I’ll be flipping some tables!
dopedramacongratz
October 31, 2019 at 2:29 AM
I can bet on my life that’s Haru
azzo
October 31, 2019 at 2:38 AM
It has to be him!
joongkicookie
October 31, 2019 at 4:01 AM
It could be after the scene where we see Haru crying 😭 AND WHOEVER MADE MY HARU CRY WILL PAY FOR IT… 😭
dopedramacongratz
October 30, 2019 at 8:48 PM
I haven’t watched Episode 9 of Extraordinary You and based on the what I’ve heard go down, I don’t know if I want to.
I don’t know why I’m so against the idea of Haru and Danoh being the leads of Flower, instead of Danoh and Baek Kyung (But I haven’t watched Episode 9 so I don’t even know if this fact is true or not)
Maybe because it just…downplays the intensity of their romance
Like, whatever they have between them is just the stupid remnant of a past plot rather than something of their own.
I wanted a love that transcended time, space and fate (i.e. the writer’s will) The fact that Haru and Danoh were in love in a past manhwa because they were set up to be that way contradicts the entire point this show is trying to make.
Show spent 8 episodes having Danoh say that she’s not in love with Baek Kyung because that was just her setup and not her freewill. What makes Haru any different if he was also a writer-determined love interest for her?
For the sake of my sanity, please don’t let Haru be the main lead of Flower.
I want tragedy. I want angst. And I want Haru and Danoh to be characters who consistently choose to be together while giving a big F U to the manhwa writer.
In a way they’re destined to be together, not because of fate, but because they’ve always been the same people they were when they fell in love the first time, so that’s why they still gravitated towards each other.
And now I must end this post before I get carried away. DAMN YOU EY
azzo
October 30, 2019 at 9:27 PM
I think we’re going to get the angst and the tragedy you want (and I want), to not spoil ep9 for you, I’ll use ep8 as reference. When Baek Kyung found the Flower Manhwa in ep8 and read Dan-oh’s lines, the character she was saying those to was not Haru, it was Baek Kyung. I believe both Dan-oh and Haru became self-aware and fell in love, but couldn’t run away from the fate the writer had written for them, I also think one of them must’ve died (Dan-oh most probably, seeing that it is in her set-up), that’s why Haru is here trying to fight that fate and protect her!
greenfields
October 30, 2019 at 9:27 PM
We don’t know yet. I agree that them being the leads of Flower may ruin the fun of the plot for me, but as of right now, there’s no reason to suppose they were. In fact, its more likely the opposite – that Danoh & Kyung were the leads. From last week’s episodes, Flower also had a scene where Danoh says she’s ready to get married right now – and the guy on the page was Kyung not Haru. SO from that & today’s episode (I won’t tell you what happened), it seems that Haru was Kyung’s lackey/loyal man in Flower (same set up as Haru here) & he ruined the story by falling in love with Danoh.
larelle79
October 30, 2019 at 9:46 PM
And Kyung’s temper was at a max in today’s eps. I mean to the point where it should not be ignored. I think in Flower he had a strong hand in Haru and Dan oh’s tragedy.
beesgiggle
October 30, 2019 at 9:48 PM
I feel like Haru was the second lead on Flower though! If not, an extra serving as Kyung’s lackey.
dopedramacongratz
October 28, 2019 at 5:23 PM
Halfway through Nokdu Episode 8 and the fact that the head of the village is still hung up on Nok Du even after finding out he\’s a guy IS KILLINGGGG MEEE
librarianerin
October 28, 2019 at 6:09 PM
This is comedy done right. It doesn’t detract from the story but adds levity so you don’t drown in tears.
Plus it was set up so well. When he popped up next to the island trio I chortled.
moana
October 29, 2019 at 6:42 AM
I mean…can we blame him? Nok Du is lovely.
dopedramacongratz
October 28, 2019 at 11:42 AM
The only right answer to this quiz
https://www.kpopmap.com/quiz-which-character-from-extraordinary-you-should-you-date-haru-a3-or-fairy-jinmichae/
WishfulToki
October 28, 2019 at 1:17 PM
HAHAHAHA I got Do Hwa.
greenfields
October 28, 2019 at 5:15 PM
Hahaha I got Haru too 🙂 it also shows you “extent” of compatibility? My second wifh a big gap was Do Hwa, then none at all. I approve. I must have done something right
WishfulToki
October 28, 2019 at 6:29 PM
My second with a considerable gap was Nam Joo. Am I Joo-da or what? I do not approve hahahaha. It must be because I said I like free food and the music room.
greenfields
October 28, 2019 at 6:45 PM
🤣🤣 reveal your intentions now Joo-da! Are you really just a candy or are you secretly plotting to take us all down in the near future?
WishfulToki
October 28, 2019 at 7:48 PM
Give me a strawberry milk and maybe I’ll tell you 😂
greenfields
October 28, 2019 at 8:58 PM
So, as a nameless, faceless & formless extra who hasn’t even been drawn or imagined by the Writer, I failed to acquire any. Don’t have Dan-oh’s skills. 🙁
dopedramacongratz
October 27, 2019 at 6:52 PM
This isn\’t fair.
I was planning on skipping this because I\’m mad at PMY for picking a third romcom in a row and the plot sounds super mediocre but then THIS happens. How am I supposed to sit on the sidelines NOW?!
https://www.soompi.com/article/1361958wpp/lee-jae-wook-confirmed-to-join-seo-kang-joon-and-park-min-young-in-upcoming-drama
I was expecting him to choose a lead role after EY considering his post-WWW fame, but this seems like a wise move for someone who just debuted this year
WishfulToki
October 27, 2019 at 7:11 PM
Aw man, noooo…. I don’t want to sign up for second lead syndrome! It sounds like he’ll be a marshmallow in this.
protect junwoo
October 27, 2019 at 7:18 PM
GDI I WAS SO READY TO SKIP THIS ONE (we really DON’T need another What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim/Her Private Life)… but now I have to tune in… devastated… (but happy our boy is getting roles alongside prominent stars)
13infamyss
October 27, 2019 at 7:32 PM
Wow bb, you’re not stopping! One after another drama. Don’t overwork okay.
dopedramacongratz
October 27, 2019 at 7:41 PM
Hardworking puppy 😭😭
Kairoskat 💐
October 27, 2019 at 7:56 PM
I have to say it…..working non stop, more similarities to his senior ㅋㅋㅋ *runs away*
Anyway…I want them to be in a drama together as bros or maybe a son-young dad pair. They have a 16 year age gap. I won’t mind a drama with both LJW and SSR navigating life together. Both will be leads, the best of both worlds tbh. Hahahaha!
protect junwoo
October 27, 2019 at 7:59 PM
not gonna lie, I would watch the heck outta that.
MaryBee
October 27, 2019 at 8:29 PM
I was already watching because I love both leads, but I was excited enough by this news that I guess I like him more than I thought. Yay for a talented cast! Please be good…
dopedramacongratz
October 27, 2019 at 5:26 PM
My head’s been bursting at the seams with thoughts and emotions about Extraordinary You. Tumblr is certainly not helping (in the best way possible)…
I’ve been desperate to get emotionally invested in a drama all year because none of the ones so far did it for me, and now that I have (to an unhealthy extent) I don’t know what to do with my life since my obsession is rendering me incapable of doing anything else besides rewatching Episode 8, reading and writing theories and stalking Tumblr for GIFs LMAO. The fact that this drama has a predominantly young audience is DANGEROUS because tumblr is on fire right now and the thriving fandom is MAKING EVERYTHING WORSE.
Anyway, on that note I discovered this beautiful piano cover of the BGM that plays whenever something happens between Danoh and Haru. Hits me right in the feelz
theTINYL
October 27, 2019 at 5:31 PM
Felt compelled to let you know you’re not alone. Now… must go lurk around Tumblr.
dopedramacongratz
October 27, 2019 at 5:39 PM
Thank you for the solidarity…I appreciate it more than you know :’)
greenfields
October 27, 2019 at 6:28 PM
You’re not alone. I can’t tell you how eagerly I wait for Wednesday nights/Thursday mornings. AND at nearly 30 year old, I’m not even the intended audience I think. 😣
dopedramacongratz
October 27, 2019 at 6:37 PM
Pretty sure I’m not either HAHA but it’s so much fun
WishfulToki
October 27, 2019 at 7:15 PM
Beautiful! I’d love to play this but I’m no good at picking up tunes by ear. I need the sheetmusic.
Ally
October 28, 2019 at 11:51 AM
This is “funguypiano” and he does have music for his covers! The goblin cover I learned is his, with some tweeks from me!
Here’s his website if you want to take a look! https://funguypiano.com/
dopedramacongratz
October 25, 2019 at 4:09 PM
Me: I. DO. NOT. SHIP. DANOH. WITH. BAEKYUNG.
Also me: *spends 3 hours making a GIF of Kyung being soft with Danoh*
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
October 25, 2019 at 4:22 PM
I just blame Lee Jae Wook.
dopedramacongratz
October 25, 2019 at 4:38 PM
that’s what I’ve been doing so far and it seems like the only plausible solution
protect junwoo
October 25, 2019 at 11:41 PM
omg why is this me
dopedramacongratz
October 25, 2019 at 4:05 PM
Let me pretend
One more time
That your smile for me
Is not a lie
dopedramacongratz
October 24, 2019 at 6:50 PM
MY THEORY ON WHY HARU BECAME AN AMNESIAC AND THEN RETURNED TO HIS OLD SELF IN THE SPAN OF TWO DAYS:
Warning: it’s going to be a long one…
The number one reason Haru disappeared is because his time as an extra who was going around unnoticed by the writer was up. It’s clear that the reason he was so easily able to change the stage is because the writer was simply never conscious of his existence – and so she couldn’t control for the events he caused. Anything DanOh and DoHwa did in shadow was reset, because the writer had set their actions down in stone. As the writer was conscious of their existence and could hence control them, nothing DO and DH did could change what was bound to happen.
But as Haru started getting more and more noticed by the characters around him, eventually the writer had to notice him too. I think the main catalysts to this were when BK suggested him as a member of the soccer team (his name was physically written down on paper) and NJ saw him as a potential candidate for A3. As a result of his sudden involvement, the writer realized there was a character in their midst she hadn’t accounted for. He was always there, but he’d resided in the writer’s subconscious instead of her conscious. He kept his name since the writer assumed that’s what he was always called (not realizing that was a name given by someone else). He lost his memories because the writer gave him a new identity of her own bidding. Before, he was a free spirit who determined his own actions and his own personality. He never had lines of his own because he was never really a character of the Secret manhwa.
When the writer noticed his presence, he moved from the subconscious to the conscious. Since he was never originally part of ‘Secret’, he entered as a new character, with a brand new concept, and brand new memories. Just as Jinmichae said, Haru went from an extra with no name, to an extra with a name but who was now under the control of the writer.
It makes complete sense that he lost his memories, because he essentially went from a non-character to a character that now has a role in the storyline.
The memory loss was not necessary for the purposes of the story. Indeed, that’s why Haru regained his memories in the span of a day, because amnesiac Haru wasn’t moving the narrative forward in any way. The ultimate goal of all of this was to make him a proper character of the Secret manhwa. The drama screenwriters (not the manhwa writer) had him lose his memory in order to show us how the manhwa world worked. I think it’s pretty sick that they’re keeping in line with the logic, and I hope they continue to do so.
And not going to lie, even though it wasn’t a narrative requirement, it did add some well-timed conflict in the show. Although it was heartbreaking to see Danoh suffer like that, it gave us all some insight into the depth of her feelings for Haru, and provided the necessary space for BK’s transition into a self-aware character. It was a nice segway into what I presume is Act II (the one where all the shit goes down).
Many people might ask how Haru ended up in Secret in the first place if he was never a character.
I think he travelled in through the portal (as many of us do). Unlike Danoh, who was purposefully recycled for the writer’s new manhwa, Haru might be more of a runaway ‘fugitive’.
I’m not sure yet how he ended up losing his memories of his previous life. I can imagine Danoh did because she was intentionally revamped by the writer for her new manhwa, so she was updated with a new concept and personality (and lost her memories that way)
Which brings me to question how Jinmichae still remembers everything from his past (which may explain how he’s so all-knowing), since if the writer recycles her characters, they should then lose knowledge of their previous lives – unless there’s another explanation.
We still need to see how Haru got his scar back, but regardless of how he got it, the scar is integral to his identity. Goryeo Haru, Puppy Haru from Episodes 1-6, and new Haru who just regained his memories are all the same person – and his scar is an indicator of that. Danoh was right, jerk Haru wasn’t the real Haru – he was simply a mirror of the stage persona the writer had given him. When he became his old self, he regained his scar.
It is interesting that despite being fully integrated into the Secret manhwa, Haru’s past still haunts him, while Danoh remains oblivious to it. I really hope it’s not the result of the drama screenwriter prioritizing Haru’s role over Danoh’s, where she gets relegated to someone who’s kept in the dark until the penultimate hour (because I’m sick and tired of kdramas that have girls sit out on all the action, and also BECAUSE THIS SHOULD BE DANOH’S STORY FIRST AND FOREMOST).
I’m guessing Haru is more strongly attached to their past because everything that went wrong was his fault. Since the entire Goryeo plotline seems more like Haru’s narrative than Danoh’s, I hope the story wraps that up first and then focuses on Danoh’s journey of survival. I know they’re not mutually exclusive, but to have the ‘Flower manhwa’ storyline take over the plot would be to move away from Danoh’s fight, which I would SO not be down for.
Lol I started this planning on only talking about Haru and his amnesia, but clearly got carried away. I remember someone asking on the fanwall if Haru was going to disappear again, and I think it’s safe to say he won’t. His chances of disappearing are just as high as any of the other extras, since he’s a properly documented character now. It’s going to be so much harder for our adorable OTP to spend more time together, since now they’ll both have their own stage arcs. Since Haru is now BK’s lackey, it means he’ll have to see (and maybe even accompany) Danoh and BK as a couple even more than before. That all makes for some juicy conflict, but also a lot of angst. Let’s see if it ends up being the good kind.
greenfields
October 24, 2019 at 7:09 PM
This analysis was awesome to read! Thanks for getting carried away with your thoughts lol ~
dopedramacongratz
October 24, 2019 at 7:28 PM
Thank you! <3
WishfulToki
October 24, 2019 at 7:57 PM
What a great analysis! I just gave up. There are too many questions and very few things to go by. I’m torn because the Goryeo storyline might be compelling, but I also wanted the drama to explore what it means to be considered an extra in your own world. Oh well.
The other title of the drama is “A Day Found By Chance” (Haru Found By Chance), so it’s likely that the drama will focus on him more. I hope they don’t push Dan-oh to the sidelines though.
alasecond
October 24, 2019 at 11:14 PM
nice!..
given, we have context of another manga in play,
I am also thinking, maybe just as DH said, your characters are set in stone.. offstage too you behave similarly..
We THINK DO and Haru are the only ones breaking away from their characters, however, what if that is their character 🙂 .. or was when they were first designed..
Interesting thing is, offstage in shadow these characters still recite their lines 🙂
MeloMe
October 25, 2019 at 7:17 AM
Ok so ik it’s a little out of context but how can you write so many words in your post? I always have a 200 word limit😅😂
dopedramacongratz
October 25, 2019 at 2:04 PM
LOOOOL not out of context at all. You can write it somewhere else, copy and right click paste (not use the keyboard shortcut)
MeloMe
October 26, 2019 at 12:23 AM
ohh?? this works? Will try it out. Thank You so much 😀
dopedramacongratz
October 21, 2019 at 7:16 PM
OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT TALE OF NOKDU JUST PULLED THE BIGGEST PLOT TWIST IN THE HISTORY OF KDRAMAS
blnmom
October 21, 2019 at 7:22 PM
I KNOW RIGHT.
Heartbroken.
BdxPelik
October 21, 2019 at 10:34 PM
I am not heartbroken. I am freaking excited about how they’d progress from here.
HANI
October 21, 2019 at 8:04 PM
ohhh…
WHAT HAPPEN?
ok…wait…no…dont tell me…
protect junwoo
October 22, 2019 at 3:57 AM
THE WAY NONE OF US SAW IT COMING…
I’m glad he’s a villain though. I feel like he’ll be way more interesting this way than as a lame second lead.
dopedramacongratz
October 18, 2019 at 5:24 PM
So apparently MBC posted a bunch of detailed character descriptions on the Extraordinary You website http://content.mbc.co.kr/program/drama/3451760_64285.html and I read them without thinking twice and let’s just say THEY PRETTY MUCH SPOIL EVERYTHING
I honestly don’t recommend reading these if you want to stay blind and enjoy the surprises as they come (I regret it) but at the same time I was so shook at what I learned I needed to make this post.
I don’t know why these are out here as if they’re supposed to be common knowledge LMAO THEY LEGIT SPOILED EVERYTHING BESIDES THE ENDING
All I’m gonna say is I’m excited and y’all are in for a wild ride
RaOnAh loves Jay B 💚
October 18, 2019 at 6:34 PM
I’m so curious but I also don’t want to know 🙈
greenfields
October 18, 2019 at 7:40 PM
Aaaaaaaah! DON’T LOOK, ME!!!
Katrina
October 18, 2019 at 8:36 PM
What a tease!
wapz
October 18, 2019 at 11:39 PM
Curiousity got me but puhleez guys don’t spoil yourself. There are a few major spoilers in there. I guess they spoil upto 60 %. They’ll probably cover all this in the next two weeks.
@dopdramacongratz a few of them left me looking exactly like the gif. Who even writes so much story in a character description? But that also makes me think that they probably have much more after this that is why they could spoil this much, as character descriptions are only supposed to be from the premise and not the entire story.
13infamyss
October 19, 2019 at 12:21 AM
I read it too lolz. Well I already read the webtoon so I thought what the heck I might as well just spoil myself more 🙈🙈 They changed Nam Joo’s secret!!! Well it’s sort of the same thing (eye problem) but they tweaked it! And most shocking for me is Ju Da – omg female lead turns evil lead! Oh noes!! I’m not sure if this is following the webtoon plot but Ju Da has a secret too but the spoiler didn’t say anything about it.
Baek Kyung’s story is the same. I don’t know how much worse is he going to be in the webtoon but I’m sad that he’s taking on the baddie role In this drama 💔💔
wapz
October 19, 2019 at 2:26 AM
I liked that NJ and JD aren’t limited to being the Bof couple but they have more to their story. But Haru seriously huh. I still think all this will be covered in no more than 2 weeks i. e. 4 (full hour) episodes. So we will have more to look forward to. I’m always wary of dramas adapting a webtoon that hasn’t finished because that means it will definitely sway in another direction if the writers don’t want to lose readers or viewers.
13infamyss
October 19, 2019 at 7:50 AM
I just read the webtoon ending spoiler now (the ones that haven’t been translated in English yet) and it is effin mindblown. And I hated it!!!!!!! Nam Joon’s secret is nothing now compared to others’ secret. I don’t know why I was so shookt when I first read it.
It’s completely different from the drama spoiler, so I like this better. I hope the drama doesn’t follow the webtoon all the way to the end.
But yes I’m hoping these spoilers are in the first half of the series too. And not the entire drama. MBC is such a spoiler. I cannot lol.
13infamyss
October 19, 2019 at 12:26 AM
But Haru 😲😲😲😲😲 omg legit plot twist.
MeloMe
October 19, 2019 at 2:20 AM
Goblin flashbacks
booming system up up
October 19, 2019 at 12:12 AM
wow, that was full of spoilers, the story is totally diverging from the webtoon’s story.
..
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Juda’s character arc is going to be interesting
dopedramacongratz
October 16, 2019 at 3:13 PM
There was a lot of sexual tension on Extraordinary You today…but it wasn’t either of the main couples
Blue (@mayhemf)
October 16, 2019 at 3:25 PM
Am rooting for these two!!
larelle79
October 16, 2019 at 3:37 PM
Nah, Number 13 is not Candy enough to mend Kyung’s bad boy ways.
Ms. Rabbit 🐇
October 16, 2019 at 3:58 PM
Perhaps if we give him a terminal disease of sort…..
WishfulToki
October 16, 2019 at 3:59 PM
I’d just like to see them become friends (said Toki in every drama ever, so I’m probably jinxing it). They are so much fun together behind the scenes!
dopedramacongratz
October 16, 2019 at 6:38 PM
I don’t know why it seems like they might be? Haru has protected him/stopped him from getting injured way too many times LMAO
regardless I like their dynamic haha
WishfulToki
October 16, 2019 at 6:45 PM
We can hope! Actually I wonder why Haru approached him first and protected him at least twice (from the basketball, and from smashing the window).
13infamyss
October 16, 2019 at 8:05 PM
Hopefully that’s a sign of a team forming! When Baek Kyung fixed Haru’s racket, I had hopes….
13infamyss
October 16, 2019 at 8:04 PM
I want them to form a team rebel against the writers!!!! Hope none of them will be villain and we don’t get the tropey love triangle. Nam Joo and Do Hwa’s are already exhausting!
liar song #PuppyNotPuppyLeeJaeWookIsBack
October 16, 2019 at 5:18 PM
The thing is… these puppies are really close behind the scenes so they will have great chemistry on screen. Haru is overtaking Danoh as the most shippable character in this show now. HAHAHA
dopedramacongratz
October 16, 2019 at 5:35 PM
Rowoon and Lee Jae Wook are HILARIOUS OFF-SCREEN. I honestly love watching them more than the main couple hhahaha
liar song #PuppyNotPuppyLeeJaeWookIsBack
October 16, 2019 at 6:17 PM
THE ROWOON-JAEWOOK SHIP IS STRONGER THAN THE ROWOON-HYEYOON SHIP (which I love, of course). Their BTS videos are such a delight to watch.
dopedramacongratz
October 16, 2019 at 6:38 PM
Comment was deleted
Lixie
October 16, 2019 at 6:00 PM
Why does Haru seem alost bored and Kyung so intensely there?
I keep asking if this is good acting and Haru character isn’t fully selfaware yet or if it’s bad acting or some other explanation.
dopedramacongratz
October 16, 2019 at 6:08 PM
Unless you’re saying that from watching the episode yourself, I probably screenshotted it at a bad time?
I think both actors are doing a pretty good job portraying their characters. Kyung is loud and aggressive, while Haru is more subdued and it comes across that way the right way, imo
Lixie
October 17, 2019 at 11:05 AM
It’s from the episode and your pics perfectly explain it. 🙂 He has this daydreaming expression, this sleepy thing, that doesn’t match the action or his lines.
Blue (@mayhemf)
October 16, 2019 at 6:43 PM
Haru is self aware and understands what’s Happening. While Baek Kyung is confused and is trying to make sense of all the lapses while he is ‘turning’.
Lixie
October 17, 2019 at 11:08 AM
Yes, he’s really aware in ep 5, I just want him to be alive in the same way as Fairy or Do-Hwa, I don’t get his expressions, however if show actually has an explanation for that later, I’m going to call it genius.
protect junwoo
October 16, 2019 at 8:06 PM
MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY. Doesn’t help that their offscreen chemistry is so solid 😂
faraway
October 17, 2019 at 12:18 AM
The scene in the classroom both Baek Kyung and Ha Ru stand too close with each other they might as well just kiss
MaryBee
October 17, 2019 at 1:50 AM
They were standing SO! CLOSE!