Boys Before Flowers: Episode 19
by javabeans
We’re back to fun and cute, hurrah.
I don’t actually think the new songs in this second half are any better than the songs in the first half (and they’re just as inappropriately used). It’s more a matter of not having had the songs hammered into our brains relentlessly (yet?), so they feel fresher and more interesting to my ears. (Although, I admit to having a few moments of wondering whether PD Jeon just recently saw Goong and is trying to recapture the ambiance of that score. No, they’re not the same songs, but a couple of them sound familiar.)
SONG OF THE DAY
Boys Before Flowers (Second OST) – “애인만들기” by SS501. The title literally translates to “making a lover” but frankly that makes no sense in English; I think it’s more prettily (if loosely) translated as “Finding a Lover” or “Building a Romance.” [ Download ]
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EPISODE 19 RECAP
After falling onto the bed, Jun-pyo quickly gets up and moves away from Jae-kyung.
Her proposal for a bet turns out to be a video game challenge, which she manages to win, bringing out his surly sore-loser side. She claims her winnings by dragging Jun-pyo around for the day.
Woo-bin tries to talk some sense into Yi-jung, who is hell-bent on drinking himself into oblivion. He’s unresponsive to Woo-bin’s worrying, though a phone call does jar him out of his liquor haze. (Rule of Kdramas: Bad news brings instant sobriety!) His mother has had another “episode” — a tantrum and pills — and has been asking for him at the hospital.
As in the previous episode, Yi-jung’s attitude is mostly detached, with a sprinkling of bitterness, so he answers that he’s busy. As he heads out, he shakes off Woo-bin’s arm and says, “If you don’t want to see me going crazy, leave me alone.”
He’s in a self-destructive mood, so he seeks out Ga-eul and asks if she still wants that date.
Encouraged, Ga-eul accompanies Yi-jung to a club, but her gladness soon dies because Yi-jung gets busy flirting with every woman who passes. He’s not even being subtle about it, and Ga-eul is naive enough to take his behavior at face value, when it’s clear (to us) that he’s doing this make a point.
Ga-eul steps out to the ladies’ room, and hesitates for a long moment over whether to return to the table. She decides to leave, not seeing Yi-jung until he calls out to her, “If this is enough to send you running, you shouldn’t have asked for the date in the first place.”
She’s gotten the message, but Yi-jung still has one “highlight” left.
Or maybe he really means “lowlight.” At dinner, Yi-jung’s father is friendly and open, but the more pleasant he is, the uglier Yi-jung’s mood grows. Yi-jung points out that it’s clear his father likes Ga-eul (insinuating that he like-likes her, if ya know what I mean). Personally, I don’t think his dad means to be skeevy when he calls Ga-eul cute, but Yi-jung turns everything into an innuendo.
He says caustically that father and son are similar — Mom’s lying in the hospital from an overdose and they’re both out. Dad suggests discussing family matters later, while Yi-jung’s smile twists further as he asks, “Then what should we talk about? This girl seems your type — want to borrow her?”
Ga-eul is really uncomfortable by now, but Yi-jung’s on a roll and he continues with the verbal jabs, saying Ga-eul is practically the same age as his father’s girlfriends anyway.
Fed up, Ga-eul throws water in Yi-jung’s face. She excuses herself and leaves, and Dad tells Yi-jung that he went too far. Coming from him, that’s got to be pretty lowering.
Since Jae-kyung won the bet, she drags Jun-pyo out on a grocery shopping run. (Note: She really is like a female Jun-pyo, and even uses some of his more commonly used phrases.)
Afterwards, Jae-kyung heads for a particular neighborhood, which starts looking familiar to Jun-pyo. Jae-kyung explains that they’re dropping by Jan-di’s new apartment — and given that Jae-kyung knows about the Jun/di relationship, feigning innocence while forcing them together makes Jae-kyung rather mean, doesn’t it? Or at least calculating?
But Jan-di’s not home, because she’s still out with Ji-hoo. While they wait, Jae-kyung and Jun-pyo cook some ramen, which they end up fighting over. (Jae-kyung claims most of it for herself.)
Jun-pyo notices that Kang-san hasn’t taken any — having eaten it every day, he’s not all that eager for more. Jun-pyo asks what he’d prefer to eat; Kang-sang answers that he’d die happy to stuff himself with pizza to his heart’s content.
They wonder what’s keeping Jan-di, but Kang-san can’t call her because Jan-di has no phone. Hearing this gives Jun-pyo a start, since he’d previously given her a phone. Kang-san explains that they’d given it to their parents in case of emergency.
This gives Jae-kyung an idea, and she drags Jun-pyo off to the cell phone store. Must be nice to be so rich you can just buy phones for your poor friends whenever the whim strikes.
Following their museum date, Ji-hoo drops Jan-di off at the clinic, where she invites him in for tea. At his hesitation, Jan-di guesses that he doesn’t want to run into his grandfather and assures him that he’s already left for the day.
Looking around, Ji-hoo finds that he’s unexpectedly affected at the sight of old family photos, which unleash a flood of memories of a happier childhood and a formerly loving relationship with his grandfather.
Grandpa Yoon walks in and catches him by surprise. Overwhelmed with emotion, the doctor is glad to see his estranged grandson and struggles to make an apology, knowing he has limited time to appeal to Ji-hoo before the latter storms out.
When Ji-hoo turns to exit, Dr. Grandpa stops him and hurriedly says he’s sorry, that he made a mistake years ago. Ji-hoo cynically says that he’s the one who made the mistake — for staying alive instead of his parents. “You must have hated me.”
Grandpa tells him, “It’s not your fault.”
(To be honest, I did want to put up a more attractive screencap of Kim Hyun-joong here… but this awkward eye-bulging look is more representative of his acting in this scene…)
Ji-hoo says, without turning to face him: “You should have said that fifteen years ago. Do you know how much that child waited for you? You don’t know, do you, how much that boy wanted to cry and be held in his grandfather’s arms!”
He storms out, which is when Jan-di finally comes in and guesses what’s happened. Dr. Grandpa is again seized with chest pains, but he urges Jan-di to go after Ji-hoo instead.
Jan-di runs outside into the rain, knowing that Ji-hoo has taken off on foot because his motorcycle is still parked out front. However, she chooses the wrong direction; Ji-hoo watches her leave, then is assailed by painful memories of his parents’ funeral.
His grandfather had shown up to the burial, but ignored him and driven off alone, leaving a young (and adorable) Ji-hoo sobbing. It’s got to be particularly traumatizing, since not only was he orphaned, he’d been forsaken by the one person he had left, whom he had depended on. Ji-hoo breaks down into tears, and man, he’s lucky it’s raining so he doesn’t have to fake those tears.
I’ve been softening on Kim Hyun-joong because he seems like a nice guy and the more I read about him in the press, the more I like him as a person. I’ve let his vague, dull acting slide in recent episodes because at least his character didn’t have much emoting to do. But when a spot of real emotion is required, it just can’t be ignored: He is not a good actor.
Unable to find Ji-hoo, Jan-di waits for him outside his house. Good thing, too, since she’s there to catch him (literally!) when he staggers home in a daze and collapses on top of her, exhausted both physically and mentally.
And we can never have too much emotionally battered staggering in one episode, because now it’s Yi-jung’s turn.
He arrives at his door inebriated, and fumbles with his keychain. He’s so drunk that he can’t pick out the right key or fit it in the lock, so after a couple tries, he throws down the keys in a fit of frustration.
Lucky for him, Ga-eul arrives to pick up the keys, and helps him inside.
Despite her assistance, Ga-eul isn’t over the harsh way he’d treated her before — as soon as she brings Yi-jung inside, she turns to leave.
But Yi-jung grabs her hand to pull her back. He mumbles, “I was afraid I’d make her cry, like my father, like my mother. I chased her away because I didn’t want her to cry because of me.”
(Does he mean Ga-eul? Eun-jae?)
I guess after all those episodes of damsels in distress saved by F4 swooping in for the rescue, this is the episode for the ladies to do a little swooping in of their own. Now it’s Jan-di’s turn to tend to Ji-hoo; she watches over him and, thinking he’s asleep, raises a hand to his cheek. She’s startled but doesn’t pull away when Ji-hoo reaches up to grasp her hand tightly.
Jan-di stays with Ji-hoo during the night, and prepares some porridge for him before she leaves.
When Ji-hoo wakes up, he finds the breakfast waiting for him, and sits down to eat his porridge of pity.
(Does anyone eat as miserably as Ji-hoo? Well, since food makes him so sad, I suppose it’s no wonder he’s so skinny.)
Meanwhile, Jun-pyo has spent all night anxiously pacing around his apartment, waiting for Jan-di to come home. When she finally does, he’s out on the landing to hound her about where she’s been and why she’s coming home now.
Jan-di’s knee-jerk reaction is to feel guilty, but then she remembers that she didn’t do anything wrong and shouldn’t feel defensive. So when he insists, “Tell me where you were!” she shouts back, “No!”
She declines to enlighten him even when he asks again in a calmer voice (albeit uneasily), “Are you really not going to tell me?” (She’s really not.)
Madam Kang arrives home. She’s happy to hear that Jun-pyo has been spending more time with Jae-kyung, but asks Mr. Jung meaningfully, “Don’t you have anything more to report to me?”
That makes Mr. Jung nervous. Madam Kang shows him photos of Jun-pyo with Jan-di (and how the hell did she get a camera inside Jan-di’s apartment showing them eating ramen together?). Luckily, she accepts Mr. Jung’s apology that he was inattentive, rather than suspecting that he has been purposely hiding things from her. She orders him to get on the ball and find out what’s going on.
Jun-pyo may have had bad luck with Jan-di, but he’s better at playing the big brother to Kang-san. Remembering his pizza wish, Jun-pyo sets up a large food stall outside Kang-san’s school, equipped with a whole buffet of different kinds of pizza. A sign reads, “Kang-san, be strong! Eat up.”
Jun-pyo tells him to dig in, and Kang-san’s classmates eagerly line up behind him.
At home that night, Jan-di notices how quiet it is — and although she routinely complains about Jun-pyo making a fuss, now that he isn’t, she thinks, “It worries me now that it’s so quiet.”
Jun-pyo’s merely having some problems with his rickety stove, and has to resort to eating his ramen dry (which, by the way, I totally used to do as a kid). An unexpected visit from his mother’s flunkies ruins the mood, though — they’ve been ordered to retrieve him, and drag him off. He protests, and runs into Ji-hoo down in the alley.
Ji-hoo has learned Jan-di’s new address from Ga-eul. He trades a long look with Jun-pyo, but the two friends don’t talk as Jun-pyo is pushed into the awaiting car. There’s something really nice about the way Jun-pyo shoots one last look up at Jan-di’s apartment, particularly because (1) he’s leaving her behind, and (2) he knows Ji-hoo is on his way to her.
Ji-hoo doesn’t go up immediately, though, because when he does knock on Jan-di’s door, he’s got Yi-jung and Woo-bin with him. They greet Jan-di cheerfully and announce that they’re here for a housewarming. Looking around, though, F3 are a little dismayed that at how shabby her new place is, although Jan-di assures them that it’s quite livable.
And then, another visitor crashes the party.
Oh, Madam Kang is so scary. It’s amazing how much Lee Hye-young can do with one direct stare.
Everyone comes out to see the latest visitor, stopping short at the sight of Madam Kang’s posse. Jan-di asks cautiously what the reason for the visit is — and while she’s not rude, she doesn’t grovel in the way Madam Kang probably expects from everyone. Madam Kang says in her cold way that the polite thing to do is invite her inside. Even commoners should know that that’s basic manners.
It’s the formality that she wants, not the actual offer, because when Jan-di complies and invites her inside, Madam Kang sniffs that it’s better to stay outside than step foot inside that hovel.
Indicating the guys, Madam Kang insinuates again that Jan-di’s got loose morals — and even they bristle at the implication and speak up for Jan-di. Jan-di says, “I haven’t behaved in such a wrong manner that I deserve those words.”
Madam Kang begs to differ: “You call an engaged man to your house secretly, and you say you haven’t behaved wrongly?”
She asks Jan-di for a “favor,” though it’s really more like an order: “Even if Jun-pyo comes to see you, please don’t meet him. As you said, you and he have nothing to do with each other anymore. I can trust you, can’t I? Miss Jan-di, I’ll have faith in that great sense of pride of yours.”
The words are polite, the tone is civil, and yet there’s a very steely undertone. Madam Kang then addresses F3: “This is why I oppose Jun-pyo meeting you, too. Think of your families, and for the love of god, come to your senses.”
It’s sweet of the guys to come to Jan-di’s defense, even if it’s ineffective against the Witch Mom. After her departure, Woo-bin tells Jan-di not to take her words to heart — she’s like that with everyone.
Next, the friends all pitch in to offer Jan-di a housewarming present — they show up armed with wallpaper, paint, and other cleaning supplies, and get to work redecorating the room.
On the downside, Kang-san has to live in a pink room covered in flowers. On the upside, it does look a lot better once it’s done.
Meanwhile, Witch Mom has punished Jun-pyo by grounding him. On the downside, the lone exception to the rule is Jae-kyung, who is admitted into his room. On the upside, she does offer a way out.
Jun-pyo’s annoyance gives way to interest when Jae-kyung says the magic words (which she knows will win his attention): “I was going to suggest dropping by Jan-di’s place together, but I guess I’ll go alone…”
At that, Jun-pyo tries to pretend he’s not interested, though obviously he’s desperate to go along, and agrees to accompany Jae-kyung.
When the Jun/kyung couple arrive, they find everyone else already there and in a festive mood. Done redecorating, F3 and the girls sit around the table and joke that this feels like an MT (membership training, a typical college ritual). Ga-eul suggests they play the quintessential MT game — the Truth Game — and Jae-kyung bursts in, “Me too!”
The rules are thus: The one who is asked the question must tell the truth. However, if s/he doesn’t want to answer, that person has to give up something to the asker. That “something ” varies based on what they decide — sometimes it’s a drink, or a slap on the arm. Jae-kyung suggests a kiss.
Going with the kiss idea, Yi-jung starts things off with a question for Ji-hoo: “Can you love someone other than Seo-hyun?”
It’s a simple question and the answer’s not difficult, but Ji-hoo wants to have some fun — he plants a kiss on Yi-jung’s cheek. It’s adorable.
Now it’s Ji-hoo’s turn to ask: “Jun-pyo, if the one you love runs into trouble because of you, could you let her go?”
I was hoping for another kiss, but Jun-pyo answers straightaway, “No, I won’t. I can’t. I’d grab on tight, and be sure to make her happy.”
Jun-pyo wastes no time in proceeding with his question: “Geum Jan-di, the promise you made before on the street — does it still stand?”
He’s referring, of course, to the sunset scene in Episode 10 after he kissed her in traffic. Back then, he’d asked her to promise, “No matter what happens, don’t run from me.” She had promised that his mother would never be the reason for breaking them apart.
But now, Jan-di answers, quiet and matter-of-fact: “No. The person who made the promise and the one who asked it are both gone now.”
It’s a sad moment, although she hurries to gloss over the silence by forcing a smile and asking her question. She picks Woo-bin, and says, “If F4 were women, who would you want to marry?” (Ha, like he needs the “if they were women” qualifier!)
But no, Woo-bin answers that he’d rather stay single — heck, he’d rather join a monastery — than have to settle down with one of these fools. He points out their faults — one is stuck-up (Jun-pyo), another is “fourth-dimensional” (oddball Ji-hoo), and the third is a cold-blooded Casanova.
When Jun-pyo drops off Jae-kyung, she asks him to answer one last Truth Game question: “Friendship or love: If you had to choose between them, which would you pick?”
Without hesitating, Jun-pyo replies, “Both. Because there’s no such thing as giving up in my dictionary.”
(After he leaves, Jae-kyung sighs that his answer — which bodes ill for her, since he’s got no intention of giving Jan-di up — appeals to her. What a dilemma.)
It’s funny how Mama Kang chooses her revenge(s), because when she faced Jan-di on the rooftop, she was actually rather civil. Her words were mean and she did insult Jan-di, but her attitude wasn’t one of hatred or fury. (I’d call it more resigned and frustrated.) And yet, when she does choose to act, it’s so calculated. Like with Jun-pyo, the cruelty really does hurt more when it’s so… carefully considered.
Her next step is to take away Jan-di’s home. It’s not enough for her to evict her from her apartment — which she could so easily do — but she actually has the entire building planned for demolition. A construction worker tells Jan-di to vacate immediately.
On the other hand, life is looking (slightly) better for Yi-jung. While packing up his pottery materials in his studio, he finds Ga-eul’s gift and looks at the arm socks fondly.
Ga-eul, meanwhile, is putting in some extra time at her pottery class. Eun-jae wishes her luck and starts to leave, which is when Ga-eul spots the little ceramic puzzle piece hanging from her purse. She takes an immediate liking to it, and asks to borrow it so she can make one for herself. Eun-jae hands it over, but asks her to take care of it, because the item has a lot of meaning for her.
If you’ll remember, Yi-jung had the other pieces in his collection — each jigsaw piece had been formed of clay, and made to fit together like a real puzzle — which I suppose symbolizes that Eun-jae is the one missing piece in Yi-jung’s heart. Or something.
To Ga-eul’s surprise, Yi-jung drops by her classroom, apparently not surprised to find her there.
And finally, Jan-di must say goodbye to the last of her family. With their finances in such dire straits, her brother has offered to move down to join their parents in their fishing village. Kang-san has an upbeat attitude and tries to talk like this is a great thing, that he’s lucky and looking forward to joining their parents.
Jan-di plays along, but it’s much harder for her to pretend this is what they all want. She wonders if she should join the family, too, but Kang-san reminds her she’s got to graduate and go on to medical school.
He boards the train and says his last goodbyes, reminding her to take care and eat well, and also: “I think Jun-pyo hyung still likes you.”
COMMENTS
First of all, I always love seeing F3 in support of Jan-di, just as I loved how uncomfortable and stiff they were around Jae-kyung in a previous episode.
As for Jun-pyo and Jae-kyung: I’m willing to revise my sentiments from the prior episode, although I still think that the actors have more chemistry than the characters ought. And their interactions did muddle up the dynamics to make it seem more romantic than I wanted. Even though I agree with comments that they’re supposed to be friends more than lovers, I wasn’t getting that from the actual acting, which is why I found it confusing.
On the other hand, I think this episode went a long way in defining the lines of the relationships, and yes, now it does look much more obvious that the Jun/kyung relationship is meant to be platonic more than romantic (at least on Jun-pyo’s end) — the video game was a prime example of that, with Jun-pyo treating Jae-kyung like one of the guys.
Previous interactions aside, in this episode Jun-pyo makes it very clear that he has only ever wanted Jan-di, and that he is absolutely not giving up. I appreciated that his answer in the Truth Game came immediately — he doesn’t even have to think about it because the truth is so defined in his mind.
Same thing when Jae-kyung asks her question later. I’d wondered whether she was asking him to choose between friendship and love because she recognized that Jan-di had fully occupied the slot for “love” in Jun-pyo’s heart, relegating Jae-kyung to friendship. It seems like she’s grasping a bit at straws, like she’d settle for friendship if that meant she could still have him, even if that ruled out love. Because Jun-pyo may harbor doubt about whether he can win Jan-di back, but at least there are none about his feelings.
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Tags: Boys Before Flowers, Gu Hye-sun, Kim Bum, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Joon, Lee Min-ho, Lee Min-jung
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101 Auntiemame
March 11, 2009 at 12:17 AM
This episode has reminded me of something that I'd notice in earlier episodes. F3 has the capability and actually can apply some elbow grease or perform some manual labor to help out a friend, i.e. JD.
But, the JP character seems not to have reached the ability to go the extra mile for someone that he professes to love. (And, I'm not talking about having food cooked for her in New Caledonia.) Even if he doesn't directly fight his mother, I'm sure he has other resources with which he can secretly protect or help JD and her family. Instead, he's practically catatonic when it comes to his mother. And, I don't count the time he protected JD from his mother's slap by begging her with "please".
I don't mean to do a comparison. But, F4, in the J version, handled the mother's interference with much more secretive resistance and in ways that were more in line with the characteristics of each F4 member. It's interesting that this PD and writer chose not to try this method to enhance the drama.
As for "Truth and Dare", I think it was a beautiful way to move the storyline.
BTW, we didn't get a kiss on top of the car hood in episode 18. But, we got one now. hahahaha
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102 tsukasa, come back!
March 11, 2009 at 12:20 AM
@Two Cents: agreed 100% with you about the 180. this is a MAJOR production/writing flaw and i'm beginning to see that the creators really have no idea what they're doing. how did joonpyo go from calling jandi a stain to moving in next door to her? what the hell happened? how stupid do they think us, the viewers are? how are we supposed to just accept that sudden change, especially considering how little time jandi and joonpyo has spent together since his move back from macau. it's like the writers want to still have the major plot points from the manga, without showing any of the crucial details and progression along the way, so we're just left in confusion. ok ok, i'll give them a break. this episode was a LOT better than recent episodes, especially the second half. but i keep wondering how much longer can they hold my attention with the draggy, tedious lovelines. i'm getting sick of the bulging eyes, both from KHJ and KB. i don't care about soeul couple anymore because ga eul pisses me off with her victim-slant and there's nothing from either of them that makes me feel like they make a good match, other than they're both so pretty. i i don't even like KHJ anymore. i remember during "We Got Married", he was so charming and i loved him despite his extremely feminine looks. now my opinion of him has really lowered to the point that even seeing his face on the screen makes me want to punch him in the beady eyes. god, that TERRIBLE crying scene. i was thinking the same thing about the rain. i agree with javabeans. everything i know about KHJ makes him seem like he'd be a lovely guy outside of the BBF world. but god is he a TERRIBLE actor.
i'm sure i'm just beating a dead horse but i agree that this JK thing is getting stupidly dragged out. for some reason the writers don't seem to understand the concept of balance. with every other obstacle that has stood in joonpyo and jandi's way, the most number of episodes they would last for would be 1, maybe 2. with this one, i've had to listen to her annoying whining voice for the past 3 or 4 weeks. somebody make it stop.
i wonder what the quality of this show would be like if it wasn't so damn successful. it's like the creators just gave up because they know people would tune in no matter what. i've watched bad dramas before. but none of them have made me feel like the creators just don't care. poor editing, horrible continuity, plotholes, inappropriate music, bad acting. i tear my hair out in frustration!
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103 fighting!
March 11, 2009 at 12:21 AM
WILL THEY STOP MAKING JI HOO TALK WITH HIS CELLPHONE PLACED OUTSIDE HIS HELMET??? THIRD TIME ALREADY!!!
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104 gailt
March 11, 2009 at 12:22 AM
i love kang-san and jan-di's relationship. i actually got teary-eyed at the farewell, with kang-san saying all those words. i'd hate to be in jan-di's shoes at that moment, left behind with the witch-mother waiting to demolish her.
woobin's solid in this episode. such a great friend.
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105 !?!?!?!?!
March 11, 2009 at 12:29 AM
f*ck..forget the original storyline..JP&JK, JH&JD.
Or maybe none of them end up together...that would be even better
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106 Tippy
March 11, 2009 at 12:31 AM
It's almost to the point where I can't even watch Madame Kang anymore. I used to think the actress in the Japanese version was a nasty piece of work...used to...
She is so amazing that I squirm in my seat every time she speaks, looks, sighs, breathes....She'd make an excellent interrogator...."Ahhhhhhhhh, I confess, I confess...whatever it is, I confess, just stop staring at me!"
Thanks for your recaps as the quality of the video has been a little off lately.
: )
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107 chickibooboo
March 11, 2009 at 12:45 AM
does this mean that yijung is not going to end up with gauel??? =(
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108 Lilly
March 11, 2009 at 12:50 AM
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109 BOFfan
March 11, 2009 at 12:51 AM
Wait... maybe Kim Hyun Joong's bug eyes are because he's getting so skinny. I heard that he lost weight for the role of Rui, but with all the difficulties of filming, everyone has been losing weight. But it is really noticeable on Hyung Joong... he used to look healthier in the early ss501 days. Hyun Joong, go eat a hamburger with fries..supersized.
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110 Taking-A-Break
March 11, 2009 at 1:05 AM
anyone know the instrumental song (sound similar to Goong) played in this episode. Where can I download it or find it.
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111 Jo
March 11, 2009 at 1:33 AM
Considering the circumstances I'm okay with Ga Eul forgiving Yi Jung quickly. At dinner she stood up for herself and left but she also heard his mother was in hospital after trying to commit suicide and his father dates school girls. I'm choosing to believe (and they wont go back and explain it so I can) that Ga Eul was waiting outside his workshop to tell him off properly but also offer support if he needed it. Her initial anger had already softened so when he's agonised over making the 'kid' cry it doesn't matter if he was talking about Eun Jae to her it would seem like he felt guilty over how he treated her she stopped being angry.
Yi Jung didn't appear to know it was Ga Eul helping him therefore I vote he was talking about her and not Eun Jae.
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112 mommy
March 11, 2009 at 1:41 AM
Really a cute and funny episode but one more drag and it will really lead us all to some chronic cases of acute boredom... If only there are some changes to look forward to:
1. KHJ's acting is really not improving. His cold, popping eyes were way too far from the emotions of the scene. The "crying in the rain" scene is also grossly used in several dramas already. (I wanna drink for that again).
2. LMH is also cold meat here. Except for his cute outrageous craving for noodles and ordinary deli foods, he did not show anything new to be fussed about. The storyline of JK in his life is also becoming too much to the point of annoyance. If they are meant to be "just friends", then so be it! (I miss it when he went his sayings wrong)
3. JD's character is also supposed to be a tough weed. But why is her character being dragged to just being a caring friend and sister? I'm hoping for something more like that of SC's (Taiwan) and Makino's (Japan) struggles in character. (Err... is that you Geum Soon? Be strong, eh!)
4. KB's acting is nice and cute. But I still want the depth of his character to show, especially now that he would be torn between his present and his past in the next episode.
5. I can say that the remaining strong characters we have are JK and Madam Kang. They are so convincing I almost want to hate these two forever. Anyway, we will see how they would remain consistent with their acting in the remaining episodes.
In the storyline, the truth or dare game gave us some clear insights on how the characters really felt. JH remained the "4th-dimensional" mysterious guy who doesn't want his feelings to get duped , while JP declared how he would not want to give up on JD. On the other hand, JD was obviously still hurt with JP and made him feel this pain when JP asked her about her promise in the highway. JK is confused between her friendship (to JD) and love (to JP). The conflict that Madam Kang brought remains to be a grave threat for JP-JD's love, even when F3, or the likes of JK and Sec. Jung help them out. How tough their love would endure these trials ( read: how the production crew would add the drag) is up to the ratings game. :P
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113 Charlie
March 11, 2009 at 2:17 AM
“Friendship or love: If you had to choose between them, which would you pick?”
I took this as implying that by JP going after JD, he'd have to give up his friendship with JH. It's clear that JK knows he's in love with JD and that she also knows JH is in love with JD - ergo, going after 'love' with JD would destroy his 'friendship' with JH. But, in order to keep his friendship, he'd have to give up on love.
I was rather unsatisfied with his 'both' answer, although I guess it's as much in character as it could be. I don't know, I've had a hard time buying the JP/JD pairing the whole drama and it's just getting less of my (already half-hearted) support as everything progresses.
I would actually be really psyched at this point if they changed the ending to JP/JK and JH/JD - there's far more chemistry and depth in those pairings. JP and JD were just never really happy together and all their 'sentimental' memories are pretty shallow and forced. JP just isn't making the same depth of sacrifice as Domyoji did in the Japanese version - I've only ever momentarily believed in the JP/JD pairing because we were told to, not because they bothered to show us good reasons.
To me, JH's character is a lot more like Domyoji than JP. He's the one who's always ignoring the social barriers between him and JD and making sacrifices for her (putting his friendships on the line and such). Not to mention that he's the one she's having all the sweet moments with and who actually recognizes her as an equal. It's funny though, because I never liked his Rui counterpart from the Japanese version - I never believed that he'd gotten over his ex and really fell in love with Makino (AKA - JD), but I'm the opposite with JH. I've all but forgotten he was ever not in love with JD.
Actually, I'll be really pissed when it DOESN'T end up to be JD/JH (they won't actually change it... right? Can I hold out pathetic hope anyways?). In this version JH is so utterly alone, except for JD. He's orphaned and even though he's about to make nice with his grandfather again - the man has heart problems (AKA - is on his imminent death bed)! He's like a puppy that keeps getting kicked in the face by life and it seriously just breaks my heart into a billion pieces - his character is so utterly tragic. I just want him to have at least one good thing in his life. He's nothing but kind and selfless (originally stepping back from his feelings for JD because of how much he valued his friendship with JP and such) and I really hate seeing those types of characters always getting screwed over for being decent human beings. Let him and JD be together, please please please.
JK and JP have infinitely better chemistry than JP and JD anyways, plus their relationship is so much more genuine. I can't help but think of that look he gave her at their breakfast - he's never looked at JD with such complex emotion.
Just because we know what's 'supposed' to happen, that doesn't mean it's what should happen here.
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114 wandergirl
March 11, 2009 at 2:41 AM
Re:music, one song does remind me of Perhaps Love from Goong's OST!
I found out from jazzholic that the song “Wish Ur My Love” 위시유어마이러브 sang by T-max and J was composed by 박근철 Park Geun Cheol, who also did Perhaps Love.
http://www.jazzholic.com/2009/03/06/goongs-composer-did-a-theme-for-jundi/
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115
March 11, 2009 at 2:47 AM
i think Jae Kyung's question about Love & Friendship has more to do with her than with Jun Pyo. it's her choice that's in question. even if it's very obvious to her that there's no one else in Jun Pyo's heart but Jan Di, it's some kind of self preservation to say she would "choose" to give way to Jan Di because she considers her a friend.
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116 Nov0607
March 11, 2009 at 2:53 AM
I seriously think the biggest problem of this drama are the PD and the scripwriter. it is true Hyun Joong is not a great actor, well, at least JiHoo was supposed to be slightly autistic. It is absolutely clear that LMH can put so much subtleties into his emotional scenes that just make your heart break. However, the PD is skipping around random scenes and shooting from the wrong angles that just make me want to screeeeeam "even I can shoot better than you do!" I don't know about this whole filming while airing thing in Korean, doesn't make any sense to me at all....
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117 leidee
March 11, 2009 at 3:09 AM
HI ALL
tHE DIRECTORS AND WRITER HERE WILL PULL ALL LOOSELY-COUPLED SCENES TOGETHER LATER...
SO HANG ON!
tAWANESE AND JHYD SEEMS TO DO THE SAME.
THE T-HYD WAS WORSE THAN KBBF IN THE LONG-WINDED FIANCE EPISODES. IT YHE WORST SIDE OF THIS DRAMA.
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118 mikki
March 11, 2009 at 4:24 AM
i wish that this drama would move faster..
i found this episode a bit dragging..
but nevertheless, i still did enjoy it!
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119 Artemis
March 11, 2009 at 4:49 AM
Where is the PD going with this story? It is really dragging right now... I find myself bored for large periods during the hour. I was afraid it would be like a typical Kdrama - they should have had 16 episodes only!!!
What a pity the kid actor Ji-hoo is a better actor than the grown-up. .-(
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120 cheonsa
March 11, 2009 at 5:24 AM
Thanks for the recap! Haha, pancakes of sadness and now, porridge of pity. ;)
The truth game scene is tops - reminded me of why I got hooked on BOF in the first place. Love the cheeky F4 camaraderie. Most of all, this is the JP I've been missing so much - not the wavering fickle softie but the single-minded stubborn obstinate bull. Though JD's loving caress of JH's cheek, her blissful sweet smile when he looked at her in response to YH's question and JD's matter-of-fact answer to JP that JD-JP is history all pointed to where JD's heart is now. I can't wait to see how our dear JP will win her back. Charge!
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121 Syb
March 11, 2009 at 5:34 AM
Now I'm desperate to know what he meant here!!!!!
“I was afraid I’d make her cry, like my father, like my mother. I chased her away because I didn’t want her to cry because of me.”
(Does he mean Ga-eul? Eun-jae?)"
And I also loved Jun Pyo answer to the game (from Ji-hoo) and to JK. I hate that girl! is soo annoying and has no pride! I'll never beg to a man that obviously loves another woman.
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122 musicgoer
March 11, 2009 at 5:40 AM
kid jihoo is absolutely adorable. junpyo will probably flame in jealously if he saw jandi cooking porridge for jihoo. And to think that jihoo got to taste the egg rolls before him, once again proving jihoo always gets the first bite.
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123 joeydragonlady
March 11, 2009 at 5:43 AM
Thanks for the recaps.
I love this episode because Woo Bin gets more screen time.
Sweet. I thought Woo Bin would pick Yi Sung when asked
who he'd marry among the F4. lol.
Woo Bin needs to have a arc. I hope the PD/writers make it
a point to include a story about him. the manga spoke of
his family. How long are they going to keep him a man of mystery?
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124 mashimaro
March 11, 2009 at 5:48 AM
Porridge of pity- brilliant.
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125 Sarah
March 11, 2009 at 5:51 AM
This episode rekindled my interest, love and obsession w/ BBF. THis is what I'm talking about!!! More more more!!!
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126 MK
March 11, 2009 at 5:52 AM
I loved this episode. I'm happy that JP finally solidified the belief that he wasn't going to just give up on Jan Di! Thanks for the recap!
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127 lily
March 11, 2009 at 6:14 AM
@114 Charlie post "Actually, I’ll be really pissed when it DOESN’T end up to be JD/JH (they won’t actually change it… right? Can I hold out pathetic hope anyways?). In this version JH is so utterly alone, except for JD. He’s orphaned and even though he’s about to make nice with his grandfather again - the man has heart problems (AKA - is on his imminent death bed)! He’s like a puppy that keeps getting kicked in the face by life and it seriously just breaks my heart into a billion pieces - his character is so utterly tragic. I just want him to have at least one good thing in his life. He’s nothing but kind and selfless (originally stepping back from his feelings for JD because of how much he valued his friendship with JP and such) and I really hate seeing those types of characters always getting screwed over for being decent human beings. Let him and JD be together, please please please."
I so so so agree! Yesterday I said the JH -JD couple in this version looks somewhat like Domyoji - Makino of the Jdrama version. I didn't know why, now with this post I know. In KHJ portraying you feel the lonely vibe Tsukasa character is supposed to feel (what I don't see in LMH acting). Rui character like to be alone while with KHJ acting you feel emptiness in him and he need JD.
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128 lakornlover
March 11, 2009 at 6:15 AM
Your comment about Kim Hyun Joon's acting skill "He is NOT a good actor" is absolutely correct.... He should not be given the role of Rui (period!) Don't know why his fans from soompi forum could not see this fact . Instead, they keep blindly defending this lousy actor with all kinds of excuses????? Kim Hyun Joon definitely is the worst Rui of three versions.
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129 Sarah
March 11, 2009 at 6:23 AM
I disagree.... I love Kim Hyun Joong as Jihoo!!
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130 momo
March 11, 2009 at 6:34 AM
with KHJ's Rui, it's just one big pity party. him and JD deserve each other. they can hang out and cry and eat soggy pancakes. barf.
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131 dramaaddict
March 11, 2009 at 6:47 AM
i keep wondering if ji hoo can really hear the phone with his helmat on!HAHA! that part is really hillarious!
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132 Snikki
March 11, 2009 at 6:50 AM
Okay, so the translation I read where Yi Jung was drunk talking to Ga Eul, he mentioned "kid", so I assumed he was talking about Ga Eul. Since she's younger than him. Was the translation wrong? If not, then isn't that a given...he's definitely referring to Ga Eul. I'm hoping, 'cuz I want him to fall for her even if they don't show it all out on this drama. Just the subtle indication that he indeed has feelings for her is enough.
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133 bumpkin
March 11, 2009 at 6:53 AM
Am back!
Still haven't seen the actual episode but I read through the recap and the comments (thanks javabeans for the recap)
My mind has a lot of things to say but to cut this post short, I will just comment on JD's answer to JP's question.
I think in a way, it is understandable because in JD's mind, JP slept with JK. (Er, help me out guys, that's what happened right? JK tricked JD into thinking that something 'happened' between them?)
So, if I were in JD's situation, though I might be hurting, I'd probably also pretend not to care anymore. I think that is also the reason why she doesn't understand why JP became her neighbor. If it were me, I'd probably think: "Things are going well for you and her right? First I see you kiss and she tells me that you went to 3rd base already. What the hell are doing in the house next to mine?"
Argh...I meant for this post to be short. I sooo agree that the fiancee thing has been dragged on for sooooo long. It's just too damn long.
I really hope they wrap it up already. JK, please let go already and tell JD that nothing happened between you and JP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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134 Kirara
March 11, 2009 at 6:59 AM
Can I say Yay to this episode? It was much more interesting.. Plus I agree with you Javabeans that F3 +Ga Eul support is great!! It shows how strong their friendship and bond is with each other.. Earlier we saw that Yi-Jung was being mean to Ga Eul and then they all stood by and help Jan-Di.. Man I'd love to have a set of friends like them.. :D
I know, I'm probably one of the Ji-Hoo fans out there, and Its interesting they use a rain scene for this sad/crying scene, I mean you can cry but the rain can cover it up, did anyone notice that when it came to drunk Yi-Jung scene there was no rain in that area? I mean, does that mean it only rains in certain sections of the city? I dont know if that was a goof or they just filmed it a different times, i thought it was a bit funny.
Anyone notice the scene where Jan-Di is making breakfast for sick Ji-Hoo, it had the blue background and with a shelf, is it just me but it looks like similar to the bedroom/study scene of the Prince in Goong? Then when Ji-Hoo went to eat the breakfast at the table, it showed a different shelf, the color even looked different.. hmm, maybe its just me.
Thanks again for the recaps!
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135 !?!?!?!?!
March 11, 2009 at 7:03 AM
so what if KHJ isnt a good actor.
at least he's improving....
puhlease
like any of you could do any better..
he's a singer..what do you expect??
Seriously, some people are just so childish and lame.
Hating him just because he's not a good actor...that is just so fucking lame.
I mean, I dont like his acting either...
but to hate, that is just abit too much, dont you think?
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136 Ashley Thomas
March 11, 2009 at 7:17 AM
You know, at the beginning of BoF I agreed with your appraisals of KHJ's acting, and was prepared to hate him for the whole series!! But I recently went back and watched WGM and also some of the crazy reality stuff that SS501 was on, and I'm changing my mind a little. He's just so silly and funny in those things, and seems so comfortable on camera...
I still don't think he's the best actor in the world, but I'm beginning to think that the PD's and the writer's decision to make JH so "autistic" is hampering the character. I mean, even a better actor than KHJ would have difficulty playing a character who has to do things like cry while playing the violin in a forest, or eat "tiny pancakes of sadness" while looking depressed, or kiss someone's hand for like 18 minutes straight! Maybe KHJ would be better playing a character who is less emotionally stunted, and more open and fun? His best moments, after all, as you've pointed out, have been when he gets to play the mischievous friend rather than the forlorn lover or grandson.
To me, though, there is just an overall issue with the directing and writing, and most of the blame should be placed there rather than on the actors. KHJ is not the best actor in the world, but I think it speaks volumes that in the last two or three episodes we've had nearly equally cringe-inducing scenes that starred KimBum, KimJoon and even MinHo.
I love this series, sometimes even more so because it's so ridiculous, but it is definitely suffering from some poor choices in the directing and writing.
And I do SO hope they give us more GJP/JD and SoEul soon. There can't ever be too much of those storylines...no matter how bad the writing is!
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137 songee
March 11, 2009 at 7:30 AM
This was a good episode. Not the best, but an improvement from the last two.
My favorite parts?
1.) When JP impatiently breaks up the ramyun because he's incapable of turning on the burner. I found it hilarious that he is totally clueless about eating raw ramyun as a snack. Though subtle, the writers did a fantastic job of reflecting his mainstream naiveté in this scene. And that smile/dorky chuckle upon discovering how tasty the ramyun was made my heart melt.
2.) When JP delivers a number of pizzas to Kang San's school accompanied by the sweet and over-the-top scrolling digital message. Their interaction, and the hyung-dongseng relationship in general, is too adorable. I love that JP's thoughtfulness and kindness is spreading to JD's sibling, too.
3.) When JH takes the easy way out and plants a kiss on YJ during the game of truth or dare. I felt it balanced out a pretty tense scene.
What didn't I like?
1.) JH's main scene. I have to agree with Javabeans--Kim Hyun Joong cannot act. He can get away with it most of the time as his character is somewhat aloof and mysterious, but the scene wherein he recalls painful memories from his childhood/where he walks home in the rain really calls for superior acting skills and it was executed poorly.
The best thought-provoking scene?
1.) JK's comment at the end after she asks JP what he prefers: friendship or love. First, there's a couple of ways to interpret her intentions of asking this question. And then the way in which JP answers makes the scene even a bit more ambiguous, but in a good way. Clearly, we know what and why JK asks what she does. But JP's character is in the dark as far as knowing precisely why JK is asking what she asks. For him, he simply hears the question and blindly answers from his heart without considering why JK is asking him such a question. I like this rift between the two characters: it shows they are not on the same page and that JK will ultimately decide her own fate as far as her and JP go.
To take it a step further, after JP answers and walks away, JK says to herself that she likes what she's hearing from him, and slyly suggests that it may not be so good (for her? for him?). I'm curious to see where this goes in the next episode!
Thanks for another great recap JB!
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138 songee
March 11, 2009 at 7:33 AM
133 -- chill out. People can have opinions. no one says we can do it any better. at the end of the day, we're all here because we love the drama and the characters regardless of people's acting skills. this place is a forum for discussion and opinion... no need to be so vicious.
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139 CRAB
March 11, 2009 at 7:35 AM
ThIs Is My 1sT tIme To wRiTe sUmthuNG herE....
.....mE StARiNg @ tHe MoNiToR, nOt KnOwiNg How To StArt.
....Me, WiTH mY CoUsIn Shrimp tElLinG Me " gO aHeaD, TyPe...RanT eVryThiNg YeR HearT dESiReS" .
.... It FeelS liKe She's LeTTing mE Go FAcE a wHoLe BuNcH oF FiriNg SqUAd AlOne...
...AnyWaY heRE it GoeS:
My CuZ Shrimp ToLd mE to Be aBlE to FulLy eNjoY tHis DraMa I hAVe tO wAtcH it aS anOthEr KoReaN drAma aNd shOUld nOt liNk iT tO tHe PrevIouS vErsiOns. I foUnD hEr wAy of WatChiNg tHiS rIdiCulOus, bEcauSe hOw oN eArtH cAn I nOt link it to the oTHer versions wEN whOEver oWNs this or PRodUces thIS drAMa boUGht the riGHts of HYD and beSIdes thEY did claIM it to be THe Kversion of HYD right? But anYWay I suBMmit mYSelf to My cuzin's wish [whenever i watch this with her, but sorry, when im alone all i do is "NO!? WHAT?! *&*&* haha] *peace out*
Ok So, the First few epISOdes I muSt say, were bEAable to wATch. I diDn't mInd tHe liTTle tweAks HEre and tHEe, THe add Ons, i only compare/rant a lil: bad acting, worse scene, worst OST---------but wHEn the chaRACters wERe alrEAdy begINNing to "downGRADe" --i wANTed to kICk the PD's you kNOw, for ruINIng the wHOe HYD vibe.
WHATs the pOINt of caLLing thEm thE KVersion of HYD wHen theY're gOnna aLTer tHe crUx of the mATTer, the CHARACTERS F4/MAKINO. It's ok to tweak the story but to make the supposed bad-ass tURn into a cry baby, the wEEd into a stuPid depENdent damsel-in-dISTress, the womanizer to an a vengeful son and who looKs like hE's always PMSing , the hAPpy go lucky into a go-im-lucky-if-I-have-a-scene-or-two-in-an-episode *thanks shrimp for this*.
Again a lil change isnt bad, a 15 deg. turn of character wont hurt but a 180 deg turn?--that's diSSApointing most especially to soMEone like me who has been a HYD follower. Another pOINt is that, I caNThelp but feel disaPPointed to how this story is heading I have so mUCh faith in this because HYD is HYD. This isnt just a chEAp story bought and mADe into a liVEaction, theRe are like how many veRSions of this alReadY----- this is liKE me saying The American vERsion of My sassy girl is SO abSUrd tHATt they ruINed my favORIte oriGInal version. If they wOULdn't revive the suPPosed characters, they miGHt as well change not only the OST but THe title itSELf.
WeLL it'S JuSt mE It dOesNt MattEr wHAt I saY jSt vEnting Out
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140 !?!?!?!?!
March 11, 2009 at 7:41 AM
@136
no..dont me wrong. I'm not angry at all.
It's just that I find it mean that people are hating on the actor. I mean it's not his fault that he doesnt have natural acting abilities...
no wonder most celebrities are depressed. comments like these are the ones that are bringing them down.
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141 LDJ
March 11, 2009 at 7:47 AM
Please Please Please let them change the ending. I would have no qualms if they put the secondary couples together. Well atleast let JiHoon get a nice girl. I can't stand to see sad KHJ. If the drama ends with poor JiHoon looking sadly over at Jandi as she says her vows to his best friends, him being the best man. I swear I am going to die. Why is life so hard on this kid. He is just a bucket of lose, Parents gone, Gramps dead, first love gone, second love married to best friend. He might just hop on that unpopular trend that we saw so much of in the news. If you are reading this PDnim please Put JK and JiHoon together, just so he can have an overbearing happy bubbly person in his life. Hey he was friends with JunPyo all this time why not get together with a female version of him. Now this is starting to remind me of the Wilson/Amber couple on House, but that did not end well at all.
I agree @Charlie. In JDorama version Rui never really seemed to love Makino, just used her as a fill in for a little bit of time. It seems here like JiHoon and JanDi might actually be great together. Whereas Rui was like a good friend w/ a smokin white car.
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142 KTX
March 11, 2009 at 7:51 AM
I like the new music I think...but the instrumental pieces make things feel too serious sometimes. But I still like them better than the K-pop stuff from the first part of the drama. I love Kim Hyun Joon! He definitely is not a good actor but it's not his fault he was born with an expressionless face. I finally went and watched the old We Got Married episodes and like other commenters have mentioned you can see from that show that Kim Hyun Joon is the funniest person EVER...And he's an extremely kind person...you can tell he's trying hard in this drama. I think his acting is gonna get better.
The scene where Junpyo couldn't get the stove to turn on, it was because the gas valve was turned off. I made the exact same mistake when I first came to Korea! You have to turn the little button looking thing on the pipe stuck to the wall so that the arrow is pointing down. And then when you're done using the stove you have to shut the gas valve off again to prevent gas leakage/potential fire hazard thingy. But the whole point of that I think was to show that Junpyo's never used a stove before because you wouldn't know about the gas valve thingy unless you've cooked something before.
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143 momo
March 11, 2009 at 7:52 AM
@135. are you for real? dude, i don't care if he was a singer or a janitor for christ's sake. if they're gonna pay this guy to act (not to mention, act in a drama that is based on a HUGELY popular manga and already has a massive following all over Asia), he best know what he's doing. we may not be actors, but as viewers who support the show and watch it week in and week out, we have a right to make comment if the creators and actors are not doing their job. sorry, man. tough luck that we're criticizing your precious idol star but he CAN'T ACT. i don't hate the man. actually, i really liked him on WGM and found him incredibly charming. i agree with cloudygirl, that a lot of it (probably about 60%) is because of the lousy writing and directing, not to mention bad casting. but come on. i'm getting a little tired of hearing people defend KHJ by saying "well, he's SUPPOSED to be like that, that's the character!" or "well, he's just such a fun loving guy! he shouldn't be playing such dark roles". get real. an actor is supposed to do just that, ACT. are we to believe that madame kang's actress is doing such a good job because her character's personality is similar to her own? a good actor should be able to emote with something as simple as a look, and to take on characteristics that may be completely different from their own. instead, all we get from KHJ is that weird, bug-eyed, pursed-lipped, constipated look. and let's not kid ourselves. the only reason that the rain was there was to distract us from his inability to show that kind of devastated state. look at lee min ho. the first time i saw him in an interview, i was shocked. the guy is actually a bashful, shy, giggling ball of nerves and not at all like the controlled, angry GJP. of course he is not perfect, but compared to KHJ, it's like Jack Nicholson vs. Zac Effron.
and to say he's supposed to be like that, i think not. oguri shun played Rui to a T. dude was sweet without seeming cheesy, lonely without seeming pitiful, helpful without seeming creepy. and he was actually COOL. there's nothing about KHJ's YJH that makes me think the guy is mysterious, cool or even interesting. and when he's "manning up", he just looks and sounds like a hysterical little boy. oguri shun on the other hand, was frightening when he yelled at domyouji. [note: i know the cheesiness is almost entirely the PD/writers' fault. case in point: compare the violin scenes in hanadan and k version. rui looked like he was just practicing and self-reflecting. but in the k one, it's so over the top and nauseating. he's in a FOREST filled with HAZE and it's in SLO-MO while he's CRYING. give me a break]
anyway, i didn't mean to sound so harsh. as much as i enjoyed this episode, i guess i've reached my breaking point with KHJ. for a while i thought he was getting better but now i think he was just making a different face at the time and i thought mistakenly that he was emoting. i never meant to write this much but i guess my words have a way of running away from me. and as a disclaimer, i wasn't attacking any of the posters. i guess i've just read a LOT of garbage in the soompi and crunchyroll forums about KHJ and the annoyance spilled over here.
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144 salt
March 11, 2009 at 7:56 AM
*giggle*... pancake of sadness, porridge of pity....
(priceless...)
1. i would love to see the NG cuts from the crying in the rain scene... KHJ has never been able to cry on cue... i bet he'd end up laughing instead... repeatedly
2. i think somebody mentioned in the previous epi how JH's way of loving/ caring for JD is dirrerent from Rui's for Makino. JH's love is quiet, sincere and more tender and there was no doubt in our mind and JD's that he really cares for her. Rui's is a bit more vague and sometimes seems flippant that Makino may not be sure. and i think we can safely say that JH is over seohyun while rui has never got over shizuka...
3. and i also think that woobin received a kiss from JH.. WoooHooo....!
javabeans....i think months or years from now, i'll remember this drama because of the fun i had reading your recap and all the funny commentaries (from you and the others). it has been a blast, and im kinda sad that it's gonna end soon. so far, there's no other drama that got me this addicted
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145 b020
March 11, 2009 at 7:58 AM
One thing that I've noticed about the kdramas that have spunky/sassy female leads(BOF, Delightful Girl, My Girl, Goong, etc.) - the directors/writers/pds make the character strong and resourceful(like JanDi in the beginning of the series) but then when the tragic parting/twist happens, suddenly all she can do is throw her hands in the air and wait for someone to rescue her. Its annoying and somewhat disappointing.
Jandi from the beginning of the series would have knocked JunPyo upside the head in Macau and demanded an explanation of his no contact for a year after his great declaration of love and demanded promise not to run from him.
That being said, I also know, kdrama without angst, cheesiness, and major character flaws would be plain boring! I love this drama. Love it for all the frustrating fun I'm having. This is the first drama in a very long while where I care to discuss it, analyze it, and can still sit back and enjoy it with all the flaws. What am I going to do when its over?!?!
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146 just.
March 11, 2009 at 8:00 AM
hmm...for me. I think that we shouldnt blame it all on the actors. It's the PD's fault for making their characters like that.
For HyunJoong or Jihoo's case, his character has autism. & I really think that it's a really difficult role to potray especially for a first-time actor. You gotta give him props for improving significantly...Yes, he's not yet a pro. But at least he's improving. We should really appreciate his efforts. I remember seeing the first few episodes, his acting is quite cringe-worthy but now, it doesnt bother me much cuz he seems to be more natural and less awkward.
Judging from his personality from WGM...I dunno why but I think that he would be doing a greater job if he were Woobin instead...Maybe because of the happy-go-lucky vibe Woobin seem to have.
But anyways, he's Jihoo..We just got accept it. & i think that he's doing a mighty fine job these past few eps.
Unlike some of you.
I cannot see anyone else as JiHoo...Even if there is an amazing actor that can replace Hyun Joong, I dont think i can accept the actor as JiHoo. Cuz right now, I've already come to accept Hyun Joong as JiHoo...I think he's doing a fine job...not the best but I'm sure he will do better once the story progresses. =]
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147 Shrimp
March 11, 2009 at 8:17 AM
Finally cuz you did it! Congratulations hehehe!
Thank you Javabeans i once againenjoy reading yer sarcomical filled recap! No one could have analyzed/criticized this drama better than you hehe.
Right now, with my annoying cousin beside me, honestly 'm torn between loving and hating BOF already. The PD's making me so confuse already that I'm beginning to contradict my own statements *ambivalent alert*
This whole new couple thing that the PD's stressing for weeks now making me wonder, is he really going to change even the ending of the story..coz everything seems to be pointing out to this "JP-JK" "JD-JH" direction. I know there's still 5 more epsiodes left..*oopsy correct me if im wrong* and since they seem pretty much rushing up things..welll the next thing we know the couples are back to where they belong.
I don't know why but whenever I see the new couples getting so comfy wif each other, i myself is wavering..thinking it'd be nice if they would really end up together... but a knock in my head...yeah my cousin's right when she told me that what's the point of calling this drama boys before flowers if the whole Hanadan vibe will be broken. But...but... but... if this whole new couple thing would continue till the end...i dont mind...NOT!
told yah im really ambivalent this time...coz a part of me is liking how the couples are being drawn together yet another part of me is shouting "you shouldn't be rooting on them, they're not gana end up together and that they should be getting mushy with their real partners" haha.
JK and JP has an obviously undeniable chemistry which makes it really hard for me to think that they should end up together, like why complicate things mama kang likes JK--she's like JP's alter ego ..and so on..on the other hand, former KPresident now nurseless-small-time-doctor who must be having Angina Pectoris, that would most likely progressed in a Myocardial Infarction sooner or later, likes the then weed girl now lotus girl jan dhi for his grandson.
...im so sleepy... enough of my fanwanking!
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148 prince.song
March 11, 2009 at 8:17 AM
@143 yoyoyo..calm down dude. take a chill pill. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions...I kinda get what you're trying to say though. But still, some people just cant help defending what they like...it's just human nature.
People defend him because they like him.
Just like how people defend Lee Minho's 'surgery' saying that it's ok because they like him.
It's basically the same thing.
That's just how the world works..lol
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149 alice
March 11, 2009 at 8:18 AM
i don't think jaekyung knows about jandi and jun pyo actually.. it's kind of ambiguous but in the truth game, she smiles at jun pyo's words bc she thinks he's talking abt her when in fact he's not. right?
BTW I EFFING LOVE THIS DRAMA!
and jaekyung! and minho! and jandi!
and even a bit of jaekyung & minho together which makes me confused as a viewer..
and ps. i just watched antique. it was amazing. i think you would love it. maybe you've already seen it but yeah :D
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150 igemwoya
March 11, 2009 at 8:26 AM
The PDs are changing the characters too much.
I dont even think that I'm watching a Hana Yori Dango adaptation.
The only common thing that Junpyo and Domyouji have is their curly hair. Other than that, their characteristics are miles apart. Junpyo is a weakling as compared to Domyouji. crybaby, much?
As for JanDi, she is just so weak and helpless..yes, she got her spunk back but still, she's not as tough as what Makino should be.
I'm freaking frustated..It's too different.
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