Boys Before Flowers: Episode 23
by javabeans
I watched Episode 23 with the critical dial turned down and enjoyed much of it — it was cute at points, and touching at others.
Then I turned my brain back on to address the commentary section and found a lot of bothersome points to take issue with. This makes for a somewhat lengthy commentary section today, but I’d like to preface it all by saying that despite the critique, I really did enjoy this episode. I’m watching with fondness, not bitterness, really!
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EPISODE 23 RECAP
Jun-pyo and Jan-di’s zoo date marks their first chance in a long while for quality time, so Jun-pyo asks how she’s been holding up. He tells Jan-di, “I’ll take care of you,” explaining that Witch Mom isn’t the type to let the broken engagement and aborted merger slide — he’s preparing himself for her next assault.
However, Jan-di tells him she doesn’t want to be protected. Jun-pyo balks, because in his mind it’s natural to want to protect her, but Jan-di says, “I don’t like being supported by someone, or protected and taken care of. I’ve received many things from you, F4, and Jae-kyung. I want us to be equals, so I’ll face what I must.”
(And then the boy, Chan, whispers to Jun-pyo for a little bathroom assistance. He is so cute. Jun-pyo rushes him off, and the three enjoy their day at the zoo.)
I really like this walk home, which is characterized by calm contentment. Jun-pyo reflects, “It’s strange, it feels like I’m in a scene in a hazy dream right now.”
The words are spoken casually and Jun-pyo doesn’t mean anything by it, but they sure do make me uneasy. Their walk is cut short by a phone call from Mr. Jung telling Jun-pyo he ought to return home. Jun-pyo isn’t eager to go but he knows he should; he hands over the sleeping boy and reluctantly leaves.
Yi-jung’s studio. He examines the puzzle piece given to him by Eun-jae, and remembers when she’d first given him the present. When he’d asked what the characters meant, she had answered that it indicated “a once in a lifetime fate.” I suppose the point is that if it’s once in a lifetime and he had let her go, like the wind that never returns to the same spot twice, the relationship truly is over.
Ga-eul bursts in, nearly wilting with exhaustion but pleased to announce, “I found it.”
Ga-eul brings Yi-jung to the rooftop of a tall building and points in the distance, just as the rising sun illuminates the city skyline.
The billboards are advertisements for two different products, and when the sun hits, the light breaks and washes out the extraneous parts, leaving only “I love you” and “Yi-jung.”
Ga-eul explains how she came to discover this — three years ago, Eun-jae had asked Yi-jung to meet her at sunrise the next morning. That day’s recorded sunrise had occurred at 7am, so Ga-eul had been tracking down various locations until she found the right one, which displays this message only for a few seconds each day.
I’m sure Yi-jung has guessed the gist of Eun-jae’s message, but seeing it like this hits him hard. He breaks down, overwhelmed with regret, and sobs out wretchedly that he wants a do-over.
Ga-eul lets him cry, but his pained reaction affects her too, as she watches with pity (and probably some hurt feelings at this evidence of how deeply he cared for Eun-jae).
Ji-hoo and his grandfather fish together (while Jan-di prepares the fish stew that Grandpa Yoon likes). Dr. Yoon brings up the death of Ji-hoo’s parents, explaining that he was afraid of losing Ji-hoo as well, which is why he pushed him away. However, he’d thought of it as suffering alone — punishment for his lifelong pride — as though he hadn’t realized that Ji-hoo would misinterpret and shoulder the blame.
With things cleared up now, Grandpa Yoon is at peace, and feels he can die content. He asks Ji-hoo to take over his arts foundation and clinic when he dies.
That’s an idea that Ji-hoo isn’t ready to think about yet, and he doesn’t get much of a chance to protest because Jan-di announces that lunch is ready.
At the pottery studio, Ga-eul arrives with some apprehension, having been called there by Yi-jung. He’s in a much better mood than their last emotion-charged encounter, stomping on a mound of clay, barefoot.
Yi-jung has bad news and good news, then guesses she’s the type to want to hear bad news first, and indicates his right hand. He isn’t sure how it will hold up, and he won’t be as good as he was before. However — and this is the good news — he isn’t going to run away again: “Thanks to a certain someone, I’ve realized how much you can regret something after you’ve given up on it.”
Ga-eul smiles in relief, and he invites her to join him in working with the clay. As they stomp on clay together, she wonders how he knew she’d prefer the bad news first. He replies: “Good girls all want happy endings.”
She stumbles, and he catches her. There’s a brief moment between them, so Yi-jung reminds her, “I may be cool, but I’m not a good guy.” Ga-eul returns that he should get over his misconception that good girls always want good guys.
At that, Yi-jung leans in for a kiss, and Ga-eul closes her eyes… which is when her phone rings.
We don’t hear what the problem is (yet), but it’s bad news from her mother. And unfortunately, this time her bad news isn’t followed by good news or an almost-kiss.
Dr. Yoon’s heart condition is triggered when he receives an upsetting phone call, which sends Jan-di fumbling for his medication. However, Ji-hoo is frozen in shock, and Jan-di’s words all sound muffled to his ears — it’s like he can’t focus on anything, lost in his own fears.
Grandpa’s okay (or as okay as he can be). At the hospital, Jan-di tells Ji-hoo that his grandfather hadn’t wanted him to know, thinking all would be well if he was careful.
Mama Kang is once more on alert. Not only is she still upset about the broken merger, she has seen a TV news report that included footage of Shinhwa Zoo — which happened to include glimpses of the Jun-di date.
Madam Kang’s next plans are so harsh that even Mr. Jung speaks up, reluctant to carry out her orders to proceed. Having seen Jan-di’s attachment to Ji-hoo and Grandpa Yoon, she plans to take advantage of her Achilles heel. Namely, she will retaliate by lashing out at Jan-di’s loved ones, starting with Ji-hoo’s grandfather’s art foundation. She says, “We have to take this opportunity to yank out the roots. It’s fortunate that there’s something more important to that foolish girl than money.”
It works out nicely for her, then, when Jun-pyo comes in with a request. He owns up to the broken engagement and says he’s sorry. However, while their relationship with JK is shaky, it’s not destroyed — he promises to restore the alliance and asks Witch Mom to entrust him with the task. To show he’s serious, he will accept all her rules and restrictions, whether that that includes being followed around or being locked indoors. In exchange for one thing: “Just leave Jan-di alone.”
He’s told her this before, but he’s never really offered up serious collateral, which makes this time different. Mom asks, “You’re saying all I have to do is not do anything to Geum Jan-di?” At his yes, she agrees: “I’ll promise. I won’t lift a finger against her. But don’t forget what you’ve just said.”
Jun-pyo assures her, “Don’t worry,” and leaves with an almost puzzled expression — he was expecting more of a fight, so he’s unnerved by her easy acceptance.
Grandma Housekeeper echoes those sentiments, warning Jun-pyo not to let his guard down: “Don’t you know your mother yet? This isn’t the time to rest.” Granny also wonders how he means to manage Shinhwa when he can’t even watch over his girlfriend:
Granny: “I didn’t raise you to be so pathetic. Just being born male doesn’t make you automatically a man. One must take time — experiencing anger at losing, the injustice of stepping aside, shame at running away — until he can overcome his weak self to finally become a man.”
Jun-pyo finds encouragement in those words, and grabs her in a sudden hug, saying, “Thanks.”
As Jan-di packs Grandpa Yoon’s things to take to the hospital, she comes across a box, which she hands over to Ji-hoo once she realizes what’s inside.
The box contains items from Ji-hoo’s childhood, such as his school backpack and child’s shoes. It also includes a series of drawings of his family, from when he was very young to the present day. Because his parents are in the pictures, I’m guessing this is Dr. Yoon’s own creation (and not based on, say, photos or real life) of how Ji-hoo and his family would have aged over the years.
And then, Madam Kang strikes. First, Ga-eul’s father is forced into early retirement, without warning. Jan-di overhears Woo-bin discussing the matter with Yi-jung, both of whom guess that this is the work of Witch Mom. Rather than hitting at Jan-di directly, she’s exerted her influence with Ga-eul’s father’s company, a Shinhwa subsidiary.
Furthermore, signs indicate that Ji-hoo will be next; it looks like she intends to shut down the art foundation entirely.
This weighs heavily on Jan-di’s mind when she visits Grandpa Yoon, who by the way fires up his matchmaking again by urging the two kids to go out.
(Given his statements to Ji-hoo in the last episode, I’m inclined to believe that Grandpa was pointing out their character differences — that Ji-hoo is too cold for Jan-di’s bubbly personality — rather than trying to drive them apart. But I’m still not entirely sure what his intentions are — whether he really means to marry the kids off or whether he truly feels that Jan-di and Ji-hoo aren’t compatible.)
Ji-hoo spies a piano in the lobby and takes the seat, starting to play. He smiles at Jan-di several times, but she can’t quite return them because she’s preoccupied with the knowledge that his foundation is about to be ruined because of her.
As they walk along the river, Ji-hoo says that he hadn’t ever wanted to protect anything before meeting her. But now, there are more things in his life he wants to protect, such as his grandfather, the foundation… and her.
Just as he says that, his words are drowned out — the bridge lights up and fountains roar to life. It’s kind of hilarious how Ji-hoo, twice thwarted now from making a sincere confession, is so exasperated that he rolls his eyes.
Timing (and therefore fate?) is clearly not on Ji-hoo’s side.
Jan-di, meanwhile, is lost in her own thoughts: “Now that you have your grandfather by your side, I’m glad. You don’t know, do you, that you were always like sunshine to me. Goodbye, Geum Jan-di’s honorary firefighter.”
Why the goodbye? Jan-di’s made a decision in light of recent events. She tells her unconscious patient of her intentions:
Jan-di: “Sir, I don’t think I can keep coming by. I wanted to see you improve and read you more books, but I’m sorry. I can handle being hungry and cold, but there’s one thing I can’t handle — when people I love are hurt because of me. It’s not anything I can fix by working hard. It’s really unfair, isn’t it? I’m not running away, you know that, right? Even without me, you must get healthy.”
Just as Jan-di leaves, his hand moves.
She then visits Madam Kang, but we don’t see the scene play out yet, and instead resume as she’s leaving the meeting. Jan-di walks through Gu Manor, for once not tiptoeing around, instead chatting openly with the housemaids, who wish her well, as well as Granny Housekeeper.
She even calls loudly for Jun-pyo from the hallway, which makes him think at first that he’s hearing voices. Seeing her there, he panics and drags her inside, afraid that she’ll be noticed by Witch Mom, not understanding why she’s being so boisterous.
Jan-di suggests they go on a picnic and outing, as they’d once agreed to do.
(And now I can rest at ease, because Jun-pyo finally sees his Jun-pyo Face Rice!)
The following date is super-cute, although it’s almost so sweet that it makes you worry (or maybe that’s just me? — scenes like this that are so full of contentment always give me a sense of impending doom).
As they walk along the beach, Jun-pyo wonders if this is some kind of special day for her. He’s enjoying it so much that he wishes every day could be like today — after all, she came to him first to ask him out, and they haven’t fought once.
Going with the good feeling, he asks one more thing: “Why haven’t you said that you like me? I’ve told you several times.”
Jan-di: “Do I have to say so in words?”
Jun-pyo: “I want to hear from you what I mean to you.”
Jan-di: “I like you. So much that I couldn’t stop myself even though I tried, and got angry that I couldn’t forget you when I wanted to.”
This time she’s the one who draws him close, surprising him as she pulls him in for a kiss.
On the drive home, Jun-pyo can’t stop smiling, but Jan-di’s expression grows more and more somber. We find out why as she flashes back to her meeting with Madam Kang.
Jan-di had asked Mom to leave Ga-eul and Ji-hoo alone. Ever the cold businesswoman, Mom had asked what Jan-di would do in return, not expecting Jan-di to be able to offer anything worthwhile.
But Jan-di surprises her: “I’ll leave. I’ll leave Jun-pyo. I’ll change schools and homes and go somewhere he can’t find me. Will that do?”
Oh, that’ll do. Madam Kang accepts. Still, Jan-di feels the need to clarify:
Jan-di: “I haven’t lost to you, and I am not running away either. You’re the worst person I’ve ever met. I’m leaving because I don’t wish to connect the ones I love to you. I’m just sorry that I can’t save the one person I love the most from you.”
This explains the date: Today is really a farewell trip for Jan-di. Coming back to the present, she asks Jun-pyo to pull over, then she gets out with her luggage.
He laughs, wondering if she’s planning another surprise event, and doesn’t immediately grasp her meaning when she tells him, “I’m not going to see you again. Today was our last day together.”
He grows more serious but still doesn’t understand, and asks if something happened with his mother. Jan-di answers simply (and coldly), “I’ve decided to remove you from my life.” She tosses out a casual “Thanks for everything. Take care.”
Jun-pyo knows this has to do with his mother, even if she won’t admit it. She contradicts him:
Jan-di: “This time I realized that you and I are from different worlds. We met as though in a dream, but now it’s time for us to return to our own worlds.”
Jun-pyo: “You’re lying. Tell me, I’ll figure it out. I’ll protect you!”
A bus stops, and Jan-di heads to board it. Jun-pyo follows her and asks her not to go: “You said you liked me. Is this what your love is like? You say you like me and end things so easily?”
Leveling a firm gaze at him, Jan-di explains that her love must have had its limit, and she’s reached it: “It must have been exactly this much.”
He asks, “Taking away Shinhwa or my chaebol status, have you ever once just seen me as one man?” Without hesitation, Jan-di responds, “No. No matter how you try, you’re still Shinhwa Group’s Gu Jun-pyo. I’ve never forgotten that for one second.”
Her answer leaves him stunned. He doesn’t snap out of it until she boards the bus and it starts moving, which is when he starts to run after it, yelling for the bus to stop.
Inside, Jan-di cries, looking back as Jun-pyo grows smaller in the distance. She thinks, “After I fell for you, I’d always wished you were a normal man with no relation to Shinhwa. I’m sorry, Gu Jun-pyo, for not keeping my promise. I’m really sorry.”
So Jan-di arrives in the remote fishing town where her family has relocated, and finds her mother in the marketplace. After the initial giddy reunion, however, she’s dismayed to hear that the family situation is no better than it was before — faced with growing debts, Dad had to go away on a boat (to escape debt collectors, I assume?).
Jan-di wishes they’d told her, but they didn’t want to worry her. They didn’t want her to drop out of school to work, which is exactly what she would have done. She has to finish high school and go to university. Because of her mother’s reaction, Jan-di is unable to admit that she’s left Seoul for good, and merely says that she’s here for a family visit.
Meanwhile, Woo-bin and Yi-jung sigh at the way things have changed following Jan-di’s departure. They’ve looked everywhere, but she’s hidden herself well. They’re worried about Jun-pyo, who is apparently acting out worse than he was even in Macau.
Even worse, they fear more for Ji-hoo. He may be getting along with Grandpa, but Yi-jung points out that immersing himself in foundation and clinic work — for a guy who used to laze around napping all the time — is a drastic change.
I suppose the difference between Ji-hoo and Jun-pyo is that the former is internalizing his pain, exerting strict control over himself and his environment, while the latter is all about acting out and losing control. He sinks into self-destructive behavior.
For instance, when being driven home after a drunken night at a club, Jun-pyo sees a toy machine on the street, and recalls the double date when he failed to win Jan-di a toy prize from the claw machine. Now he staggers out, intent on winning the prize.
I was thinking there would be a beautiful sort of irony if he were to succeed now where he failed before — because now he doesn’t have the girl so it would be a pitifully empty victory — but no, Drunk Jun-pyo is not any better than Sober Jun-pyo.
In a rage, he lashes out at the machine, kicking and beating it until he attracts the attention of the police, who arrest him for (I’m guessing) causing a public disturbance. It’s in the holding area of the police station that Jun-hee finds Jun-pyo, staring emotionlessly in the cell, alone.
COMMENTS
Before commenting on this episode, let me add a few thoughts on the previous one:
I was reading some of the dissenting opinions on the Jun-di relationship, seeing who sided with Jan-di and who sided with Jun-pyo. It’s probably not fair to charge those who think Jun-pyo acted more understandably with being clouded with Lee Min-ho affection, because (1) Well, yes, I think he’s quite a good actor, but (2) I figure at this point I’ve written enough on this drama, and in enough depth, to escape the tag of judging purely based on a hormonal reaction. (Honestly, y’alls, he’s cute but he ain’t my type.)
Here’s what it boils down to, for me: Both Jun-pyo and Jan-di have been shown, unfortunately, to be weak. This is problematic and has significantly hindered my regard for the second half of the series. I wish both had more backbone and were more forthright about their true feelings. Of course, if they did that and had a functional relationship, we wouldn’t have much of a drama to tune into every week.
Both parties have reneged on promises; both have been guilty of giving the other person mixed messages. Jun-pyo called Jan-di a stain, which is pretty harsh stuff, and obviously Jan-di has a right to be hurt. On the other hand, Jan-di has given Jun-pyo no indication that she wants to be with him following Jae-kyung’s arrival on the scene. She may not feel she’s in the position to do anything about it, but she did actively step back and even aided Jae-kyung in getting together with Jun-pyo — that certainly sends the message that she no longer cares for Jun-pyo. She also said that her promise from Episode 10 is no longer valid.
With that being the case, Jun-pyo has no reason to believe he has a future with Jan-di, and he walks down the aisle believing that his One True Love is over. In real life, we know that we get second chances and that a person can fall in love more than once, but in dramaland and in Jun-pyo’s heart, as he explained to Jae-kyung, he knows that it’s Jan-di or nobody. Therefore the question isn’t “Should I marry Jae-kyung or not?” but rather, “Is there any hope at all for a future with Jan-di? — because if not, I really don’t care about marriage and might as well do this political union.”
Meanwhile, Jan-di has been the poster child for passivity. WE know she loves Jun-pyo, but she sure as hell doesn’t let anyone else know that. As some commenters said, perhaps she’s not in a place to demand a relationship with him, but if she hides all her feelings and mopes privately, well, that’s just wallowing in one’s self-pity. She tends to just accept whatever happens to her, and that frustrates me. Jun-pyo is also weak, but at least his feelings — and his desire to escape from the influence of others — are clear. He’s bad at following through on his feelings, but Jan-di doesn’t even get that far — she keeps hers bottled up and unspoken, and that does nobody any good.
And yes, I recognize it’s a pointless exercise to say who was MORE wrong in this situation — but it’s always fun to do it anyway.
Now, for this episode:
I understand Jan-di’s actions and her rationale for leaving, and I actually kinda agree with her decision. Or at least the reason for her making the decision. However, this plot device suffers from overuse — it’s a tactic used in all those classic (read: outdated) Cinderella kdramas, where the girl selflessly gives up her love — even though the guy is prepared to fight for the relationship — to save those around her.
I suppose we’re supposed to feel admiration and pity for the woman who sacrifices her own happiness for the greater good, but what she’s really doing is taking away the choice from the other person, who deserves to have a say in this. Just as Jun-pyo (wrongly) asserted his will one-sidedly earlier in their relationship, she’s disregarding his feelings under the excuse that “I know what’s best for him.” I hate that.
Now, IF she had believed everything she said before getting on that bus — and I think her words had a point — then I wouldn’t have complaints and would probably back her up. (I think it makes sense on one level to want to say, “I gave it my best shot, got my heart broken a couple times, and want to believe that Love Conquers All — but maybe all this fighting isn’t productive if I’m just fighting a losing battle against this all-powerful, evil force who is going to hurt everyone I love.” It’s not fair, but sometimes you have to think of self-preservation.)
However, that’s not the case here: As we can see from her reaction afterward, she lied purposely to get Jun-pyo to let her go, believing that he didn’t need to know the truth. And that her decision was right no matter what he thought. By the way, they’re both guilty of this — him most notably when he turned Jekyll-and-Hyde in Macau — so it’s not like I’m only blaming Jan-di for the tendency.
I might have let this go otherwise, but it really doesn’t help that PD Jeon’s prior two series also employed this exact same scenario (girl leaves selflessly to spare the guy pain, but in a way that removes his choice from the equation). When Chun-hyang in Delightful Girl Chun-hyang did it, I actually enjoyed the ensuing angst (and the anticipated reunion!), but I watched that series earlier and didn’t have a slew of similar dramas to compare to. Also, Jae Hee really rocked the emotional turmoil in that drama’s breakup and reunion.
In My Girl, I hated the ploy because it seemed like a direct ripoff of Chun-hyang (same director, same writers), plus it seemed more forced into the story for manipulative reasons.
Here, I don’t hate it as much as in My Girl but I think it’s definitely less effective as a plot device than it ought to be, because (1) it’s so overdone at this point, and (2) this whole drama has been full of dramatic angsty moments like this, so this one doesn’t particularly stand out for me.
But on the upside, we’re so very close to the end that all this analysis is really just extraneous stuff. Mostly I’m watching with half my brain turned off, and at least there isn’t enough time to drag this storyline out into as painful an arc as the Jae-kyung one.
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Tags: Boys Before Flowers, Gu Hye-sun, Kim Bum, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Joon, Lee Min-ho
Interview with Kim Yoo-jung
Hello Dramabeans series
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101 yoonah
March 25, 2009 at 4:54 AM
Loved reading your commentary, javabeans. :)
"I was thinking there would be a beautiful sort of irony if he were to succeed now where he failed before — because now he doesn’t have the girl so it would be a pitifully empty victory"
I was actually hoping for that too. After he gets the toy and the realization hits that he has no one to give it to, THEN he can kick the shit out of the machine and get arrested.
#96 smiling!
"I’m also one of the ones who thinks the coma man is jun-pyo’s father"
He obviously is, Coma Guy's being played by the same actor in the lil-JunPyo-and-his-dad-airplane-flashback-in-Macau-conference-room.
#12 maria
"one thing that really got me, was when junpyo is asking jan di if this [her leaving him] is the old hag’s doing again, and he goes “you’re lying now.. did the old hag do something again?”, and then with the most vulnerable face i’ve only ever seen on a man truly in love and in fear of losing love, he asks her, tears already forming in his eyes, “what is it? …i’ll fix it.” and he looks at her– confused, yes. dazed and windstruck. but pleading and longingly,most of all.
AND THAT.JUST.BROKE.MY.HEART.
fo shizz.
lee minho, that was an incredible bit of acting, and thank you, thank you for it!"
My feelings exactly. T_T
And Jun Pyo's drunky almost-catatonic face at the end = T_T
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102 Jin-Ah
March 25, 2009 at 5:00 AM
I think there should be rule that you can't do flashbacks to things that just happened in the stupid episode. Seriously if you can't fill the time with something else then there is a problem.
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103 yoonah
March 25, 2009 at 5:03 AM
I think I've established in my previous comment that imo the breakup scene was nicely done...
BUT WHERE WAS THE RAIN??????? lol
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104
March 25, 2009 at 5:07 AM
you left out the scene where jihoo and halaboji get the letter from jandi.
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105
March 25, 2009 at 5:24 AM
where is the episode 23 ?????????
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106
March 25, 2009 at 5:43 AM
episode 23
just broke my heart.
LEE MIN HO GOO HYE SUN
that was a incredible acting.
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107 serendipity
March 25, 2009 at 5:43 AM
Eh... over-analysing, much?
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108 Syb
March 25, 2009 at 6:05 AM
(And now I can rest at ease, because Jun-pyo finally sees his Jun-pyo Face Rice!)
jajajajajaja finallyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!
Thanks for the recap!
I know this is a drama and we have to understand the point that they need to make us stay tunned until the end, but I really get MAD when they (the writers) make it so complicated I mean, Mr Handsome (Yi Jung) and Mr Hot (Woo Bin) know what's wrong with Jan Di, is it TOOOOO hard for the to tell Jun Pyo and Ji hoo? I guess the point in this kind of drama, or maybe the lesson is that LACK OF COMMUNICATION FU** RELATIONSHIPS!
I love Mr Hot, he cares so much for the others! Trying to fin Jan Di is the sweetest thing on earth! Jun Pyo and Ji hoo what are you doing to find her?????? NOTHING!!! (if is it for me I'll send her to the boat with her father...but we still need the caracter for one more episode...)
I'm know betting for Mr Handsome and Ga Eul...God! I almost scream my self out when the phone rang!!!! (I hope their kiss is more realistic PLEAAAASEEE) See, that girl is smart! not like Dumb JD who acts like a 10 years old girl!
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109 lily
March 25, 2009 at 6:12 AM
92 "So now I’ve come to the conclusion that what’s bothering me about this drama is that the scriptwriter didn’t do her homework well. She has failed to understand the basic characters of Tsukasa and Tsukushi"
AHHHHH! Another wake up
"But having said all that, I believe that this drama has won fans because of how good the essential storyline by Yoko Kamio is"
I think it's mainly that which caused the success of this serie. I know a lot of series which are equal to BOF qualitywise but which trashed.
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110 smiling !
March 25, 2009 at 6:31 AM
#99 yoonah
He obviously is, Coma Guy’s being played by the same actor in the lil-JunPyo-and-his-dad-airplane-flashback-in-Macau-conference-room.
Thanks for the helpful comment! i rreally didn't know know that . (Sorry i only watched few eps, i just read recaps, silly,huh?)9i have no time to watch) seriously though , Thanks ! *smiles *
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111 Lena
March 25, 2009 at 6:35 AM
I've never liked the Tsukasa character in any versions of HYD, but I always respected him because of his unwavering devotion towards Makino. JP in this version is just pathetic. The thing that annoys me the most about him is how he constantly talks about protecting JD or whatnot but never actually does it. Actions speak louder than words, honey.
The writer does the same thing with JD. She's always saying how she doesn't want to be protected/doesn't need help, but then she puts herself into 124325 damsel in distress scenarios.
The fact that all of you guys are comparing who's been weaker/who's wrong just shows how pathetic these two characters are.
nevertheless, I think LMH & GHS are doing a good job with what they're given. The writing on the other hand.. well let's just say I'm not looking forward to any future dramas from this scriptwriter.
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112 smiling !
March 25, 2009 at 6:41 AM
Sorry typo errors , com. doesn't load fast enough to edit.
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113 acuvue09
March 25, 2009 at 6:45 AM
So....I guess I missed this scrolling through the comments, but who was the creepy guy at the market? He must be important somehow since we got his whole backstory, right?
P.s. After the car wash scene I jumped on the Ji-hoo boat for the first time. After the zoo scene with little Chan, I jumped right back to Jun-pyo. After the piano scene, I jumped back to JH....I think you guys get where I'm going with this....
At this point, though, I've just decided to root for a Woo-bin sweep from behind!!!!! Yay Woo-bin!!
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114 b020
March 25, 2009 at 6:52 AM
Can someone clarify there are only 2 episodes or 3??? Getting mixed information...
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115 momo
March 25, 2009 at 6:56 AM
i'm guessing the weird dude is the suicidal businessman from the original HYD who Makino stops from killing himself and later on this act of kindness saves her butt in front of Mama Kang.
not sure though....
p.s. i hate the writers.
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116 XWW
March 25, 2009 at 6:57 AM
I haven't watch it but thanks for the recap!
Just wondering could you load "가슴이 어떻게 됐나봐" by A&T??? Can't seems to find the song anywhere!
Thanks in advance! :D
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117 jdb
March 25, 2009 at 6:57 AM
The only thing that really makes me watch this is because the love i have for meteor garden and my respect to the Japanese version. I am keeping my finger cross, how they make the Kdrama better than the two but to no avail. Maybe because i have so much hope for Kdrama being a kdrama fanatic that i am . I was expecting for Kversion to make a mark not just to remember the good face, good acting but that something...anyway it was a good journey. What nex?
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118 Ashley Thomas
March 25, 2009 at 7:00 AM
As usual, your recap has been a fabulous way for me to start my Wednesday morning...it always brightens my day!
On the subject of this episode - I have to admit that while I've been firmly in the JanDi/JunPyo boat for the whole series, I nearly jumped ship while watching episode 23.
I want to believe the relationship between JD/JP, but the writers (?) and PD (?) have presented us with such weak characters that at this point it's difficult for me to accept it as "true love."
And unfortunately, where that leaves me is sitting smack dab in the middle of the JanDi/JiHoo camp, because at least we know he loves her with an unselfish level of love!!! Seriously...he's ridiculously sweet through this whole silly series, practically perfect, and on top of that most of the really poignant scenes we've gotten have been between JH and JD!!
I hate that the current plot development means we're probably not going to get much more JD/JP before the end, because I think they should have fleshed out their cute scenes together far more to help make the case for them being together in the end.
Ugh. Anyway, I love this show (with half my brain tied behind my back, of course) but this episode really bothered me...
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119 lily
March 25, 2009 at 7:22 AM
I saw the girl who plays Umi character. She really pretty (let's wait the acting).
Yet I don't know WHY but I have the funny feeling people might like her better than Jan di.
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120 mysticmoon
March 25, 2009 at 7:24 AM
This episode is what you call DRAMA! honestly speaking the scene Jan-Di saying goodbye to Jun-Pyo really sad and makes me cry!
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121 Lisa
March 25, 2009 at 7:38 AM
It was obvious that this was the "i don't love you/i'm leaving to live with my parents" arc, and I was actually crying during the happy parts cuz I knew they were gonna end...and during the end (the sad parts) my tears were already all used up! lol
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122 Mo108
March 25, 2009 at 7:42 AM
You have two more episodes to get the girl, Ji-hoo! Turn on your Jan-di GPS and go, man, GO!!! Now's your last chance... Jun-pyo is all dazed and rattled and drunk and in jail for willful destruction of a public toy-grabbing machne thingy and too wrapped up in his own boozy self-pity to know what's what. Come on, man, GO! Go find her and finally TELL hr you LOVE her, for christsake! What are you waiting for, series 3? There's not much time! She's in a fishing village, somewhere--come on, you've done a lot of fishing lately, enough to be in the loop of the fisherman's grapvine. Wake up! Get with it! There are no stairwells to nap in anymore. No more time for napping and long, meditative walks by yourself and pancakes of misery! Just two more episodes! Go, Ji-hoo, GO!!! Get on that motorbike and ride like the wind! Come on, man! Go find the love you have been waiting for all of your life! Not First Love, but TRUE LOVE! Time is running out! Make like a bird in the wind and FLY! Fly liek the speed of light! The heart knows no rhyme or reason--just action. Don't think, now, DO! Go and get your Jandi, Ji-hoo. It's written in the wind! Ji-hoo and Jan-di FOREVER!!!
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123 SHIN
March 25, 2009 at 7:43 AM
@ 37 & 122, i agree! and to those still on JIHOO boat!
jihoo jihoo jihoo and only jihooo!!!!!
Jihoo is her soulmate, dang it!!!
if only junpyo didnt enter the scene, jandi and jihoo is having the most wonderful time of their life now!!!
screw the manga!
ppsssshhh.. i hate it everytime jihoo is hurting, he poor guy doesnt deserve it.
GIVE IT UP JUNPYO, OR ILL GIVE YOU A ROUNDHOUSE KICK ON THE FACE!!!
arggghhh!
----
although the beach scene was so nice,
its not enough to make me get off the jihoo boat..
and i cant blame jandi for leaving...
not every stong person can stay strong forever... everyone has weaknesses,
and that is.. madam kang pulled that card on her...
jandi cant take it when someone gets hurt because of her...
namely gaeul and her sunshine firefighter jihoo...
JIHOOO!! FIND HER AND DONT LET JUNPYO GET HER!!!!
surprise me!!! give jihoo the happy ending dang writers!
but im awake enough that it aint going to happen cuz of the manga... argh!!!
kim hyun joong, just make another drama, and have a happy ending..
i love you no matter what!
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124 joshee
March 25, 2009 at 8:13 AM
acuvue 09 @ 119, he's probably the guy with a vendetta against Shinhwa Group who will stab GJP and that leads to the amnesia arc and Umi!
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125 yoonah
March 25, 2009 at 8:16 AM
# 116 XWW
"Just wondering could you load “가슴이 어떻게 됐나봐” by A&T??? Can’t seems to find the song anywhere!"
Here you go: http://www.mediafire.com/?mnyurmyjjim
#110 smiling !
No prob. I hope you get to watch the drama in full--it's (sometimes hair-pulling, sometimes teeth-gnashing, sometimes squee-inducing) fun. :) Yo yo mah bro~
#114 b020
2 more episodes. The last is Episode 25.
#122 Mo108
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I'm a JunDi shipper, but that seriously cracked me up. :)
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126 lily
March 25, 2009 at 8:22 AM
I understand now why people can like Umi here.
In the other versions (HYD) Makino & Domyoji were back TOGETHER when Umi thing appeared but in this version Jan Di just Broke up with JP !! How they will manage ?
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127 lidy
March 25, 2009 at 8:25 AM
i haven't watched this episode yet but i'm wondering if the whole jandi-jun pyo last day and leaving scene would've had more dramatic effect if things happened a little differently. We all know that Mr. Jung is supportive of young master jun pyo but also a loyal employee of darth kang (love the nickname, very suitable). so its only natural that mr. jung is still keeping tabs on jandi for both parties. the day after the "perfect day", w/ jun pyo all smiling and everything is right in the world, being extra particularly nice to the staff even when they made a mistake (which would've gotten them fired, remember the bee incident in the first episodes), by mid day he's hit with the worst news ever. nope, gaeul won't be the one to let the F4 know that jandi is missing like w/ the Haje arc, it will be Mr. Jung. it will be like a good news first, bad news last informant situation. madam kang has left for jk group negotians to save shinwha and will be abroad for a while but between the hours of so and so, jandi has disappeared, dun dun dun.
then might be too much angst, but a letter is delivered (through granny from jandi to be given to jun pyo; granny recieves a letter of apology as well for abandoning her post and wasting her support of her) and the letter is her goodbye words. but instead of saying stuff like “It must have been exactly this much” and "No. No matter how you try, you’re still Shinhwa Group’s Gu Jun-pyo. I’ve never forgotten that for one second,” the letter will show from jandi's perspective how much she loves him, when she started to love him, how she'll always love him and becuase of all that and other stuff, she's breaking her promise. of course that'll give him hope and incentive to find her and bring her back, but he'll be unsuccessfull cuz not only has jandi hidden herself well, mama kang is secretly helping her stay hidden. and then it'll hit all too soon, granny's words about being a man and protecting jandi, that as a man he's failed in protecting the woman he loves most. and the shame of that fact, the guilt, the sorrow mingled with the anger, worry & loneliness of jandi being gone, GJP hits the bottle, further drowning himself in self-destructive behavior and going deeper and deeper into depression. could be plausible character wise becuase GJP as Doumyoji is a person that's never failed before and always got what he wanted but now things are on a much grander and riskier scale becuase people and emotions are uncompromising, valuable and fragile.
sorry went off a bit, especially since its not a comment, but still can't wait to see this episode. i stopped watching after episode 16, but once the series ends, i'll just pick up episode 17 to the final episode, so no more waiting 5-6 days for new episodes!!!
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128 bontaku
March 25, 2009 at 9:02 AM
To be honest, I realise it is really hard (for me at least) to watch BOF as it is. Esp with HYD out not very long ago, I unconsciously will compare both shows. It doesn't really help either that the supporting actors/actresses are much more interesting than the lead.
The first few episodes was draggy and as I was about to write it off as a failure, the middle episodes got interesting. But as we are about to enter the last 2 eps, it reminds me of the first few eps. I hope the story will finish well.
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129 elly
March 25, 2009 at 9:04 AM
so sad;;
2 more episode only,,,,,
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130 erppie
March 25, 2009 at 9:13 AM
does anyone know what's the song that was played when the sun hit the billboards in the yijung scene?
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131 mie
March 25, 2009 at 9:19 AM
i'm so happy i'm not the only one who's on the jihoo-jandi boat. i love junpyo (and lee minho), but their romance is really bugging me. jihoo on the other hand is perfect for her, i think. it makes me sad to think that he may be her soulmate, but she'll end up with the one who timing worked in his favor. though, of course, i do agree that love (and marriage) is heavily influenced by timing.
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132 Imee
March 25, 2009 at 9:23 AM
BBF must be the most flawed ,the most confusing, non continual story flow of all Kdramas I have seen but still the most addictive one for me. Watching it is like a roller coaster ride and like driving thru a hurricane or tornado .It is the fault of the PD, story writer that it came to this and to the credits of the actors to keep the viewers glued in. Wish the story writers were the ones who did Heart of 19 (Pure 19) also a Goo Hye Sun drama.There was a poll done recently in the internet and was participated by more than 7 million netizens about the 3 versions and Jerry Yan of Meteor Garden as Daoming Si and Inoue Maio as Makino won overwhelmingly as the best portrayals of the manga. Also the Taiwanese F4's were voted the favorites and Korean F4 second. I would agree with the survey but I like the Korean F4 better or F3. BBF is a big commercial success but lacking in substance. After Macao, Ji Hoo seems to have overtaken Jun Pyo's popularity amongst viewers. No wonder he took the nost popular award in the recent Baeksang Awards night. Back to the story.How are they going to include the amnesia, daddy Gu's recovery, Jan di's encounter with the strange guy in the fish market, the introduction of the new and Monkey #2, resolve Ji Hoo's feelings for Jan Di and eventual reuniting of JP and JD in the last 2 episodes? Hoping for a nice big wedding to quench all the thirst of Jun Di lovers.
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133 HongkiFTISLANDLOVE
March 25, 2009 at 9:33 AM
Most of you guys are right.. about junpyo and jandi being weak.
and theres just so many obstacles between them.
But maybe.. the PDs are trying to show that
LOVE CONQUERS ALL? I'm not too sure. but that's what it seems like.
With all the hardships they went through, they were able to come together because of love.
well that's what i like to believe.
the only thing that's saving the drama for me is Lee Min Ho.
thought kim hyun joong would improve by now, but so much.
Goo Hye Sun just came off as annoying and Jandi is just plain boring.
Like most of you guys said.. her jandi power is gone.
And PDs should stop wasting their time on JihOO AND jandi already.
we already know that theyre great great friends.. NOW, get on with jandi/junpyo , junpyos dad, yijung/gaeul thing already.
it's so draggggggyyy.
i think most of you guys are forgetting too...
when Jihoo and Jandi went on their date, Jandi always kept thinking about JunPyo.
don't remember ?
she kept looking back when he was waiting outside for her in the cold, the overnight stay, the writing espcially made her realize.. "Goo Jun Pyo, Geum Jan Di, First Night Together."
thats when she realized . ..she likes junpyo..
But then again, after that.. she hasnt done anything. to make me "wow.. she really does love him." junpyo has done that many times but kinda is falling apart. he's becoming weak but im sure there will be a surprise.
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134
March 25, 2009 at 9:42 AM
javabeans
"Do i ever hate getting myself into this madness?
OH HAYELL NO. I haven’t had this much fun in AGES!
did you ever imagine you would be like this 23 episodes ago?
23 episodes ago, I had hoped this drama would be much better. however, 12 episodes ago, i feared it would be much worse."
i totally agree
i enjoyed season 2(13~23) more than season1.
no matter what
I haven’t had this much fun in ages, too.
I really did enjoy this version.
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135 gbo
March 25, 2009 at 9:47 AM
i enjoyed the episode too, but had to turn off my brain lest i be frustrated by all the inconsistencies.
anyone else think joon pyo's mom looked slightly apologetic near the end of jandi's speech? after the "you are the worst person i've every met, i don't want my loved ones to be entangled with you. i regret that i couldn't protect the person i love most from you?" her expressions made me wonder ...
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136 yogini
March 25, 2009 at 9:48 AM
first time posting. actually it's a lot of firsts for me. BBF is my first Kdrama and i'm addicted to it. being non Korean and watching with subtitles i know i am missing out on a few things, especially cultural aspects that add to the drama itself, which is why i love these recaps and reading the comments.
i'm in the boat of not understanding the romance of JD and JP. there wasn't a point shown where their combativeness turns into love. admiration maybe, but not love. i just don't see it. or maybe i should use past tense. it has only been with the scene of them going to the zoo and the night that JK set up for them where an inkling of a connection (while they were both awake) has come through. throughout most of the BBF (and that is all i can compare it to because i have not read the manga and i have only seen the ending of the Japanese version) they are either fighting, being pissy, or they just seem really annoyed with each other.
JH and JD, although i personally don't think she deserves him, i can see more of a real romance there. throughout the whole series they actually have conversation and not combat matches. someone explained it to me as the whole soulmate and husband thing the gypsy predicted for JD. the other commenter mentioned that JH is suppose to be the soulmate and JP the husband. but the way i have seen it, it should be the other way around. the soulmate is sometimes the one you fall for don't understand it (JD and JP) and the husband is the one you can express yourself with (JD and JH). (which reminds me in that someone said that JD can be herself around JP...again i don't see it unless she is really very grouchy.)
JiHoo all the way on this one and not just because KJH won me over with WGM and TYFWMU.
as for WooBin. all i wanted to do was roll my eyes at the english slang in the beginning. but i have WooBin love now! i wish there was more of this Bin earlier.
thanks for the recaps and the wonderful people who post who made my enjoyment of BBF even more.
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137 lily
March 25, 2009 at 9:56 AM
@ 133 "don’t remember ?
she kept looking back when he was waiting outside for her in the cold, the overnight stay, the writing espcially made her realize.. “Goo Jun Pyo, Geum Jan Di, First Night Together.”
thats when she realized . ..she likes junpyo.."
If nobody can remember is that meaning this scene was rushed or bad executed like the other ones ?
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138
March 25, 2009 at 10:07 AM
i would miss so much about this drama....
especially to see JUNPYO n JANDI together.
thanks for the recaps
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139 bontaku
March 25, 2009 at 10:26 AM
To me, the story started draggy > getting there > draggy/wtf/supporting cast is more interesting > major draggy...
I think the writer is trying too hard to stay fresh, new and different with the story but there is no cohesiveness. It reminds me of when JH begins to learn how to make pancakes but "edible" is not the word to describe this drama yet.
I really got to say: I prefer Jae Keung over JD. I actually like her. I don't know if it is the acting or the script, I feel she is so much more real than JD.
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140 sky
March 25, 2009 at 10:34 AM
thank u so much!
Jandi & Jun Pyo so cute
it's like a sweet-sorrow moment for both of them
i cant believe bof is ending next week!
i will miss your comments
we all appreciate it.
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141 cheonsa
March 25, 2009 at 10:37 AM
thanks for the recap, javabeans....as you put it so aptly, this episode can only be enjoyed with the critical dial turned down, or even off. so much of it doesn't make sense. if junpyo is really the person she loves most (i'd have believed her if she had said this just before he left for macau but now i find it rather groundless), how could she bear to hurt him so deeply by setting up a sweet lovey-dovey date and even declaring her affection for him when she knew she had to leave him in just a few hours' time with harsh parting words? i know her intention of the picnic and all was to leave him with sweet memories but doesn't it hurt worse for him to crash back down to earth from cloud nine? it's just too cruel - even worse than the 'you're a stain i want to erase' stab. and the one thing i hate most is to be let down by a poor ending. and with just two hours of the show left and so many more arcs to go (including the dreaded amnesia one), i'm mentally preparing myself for that.
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142
March 25, 2009 at 10:37 AM
I had this stupid grin on my face throughout the entire zoo date and picnic. I also giggled like a schoolgirl when YJ almost kissed GE (when I never really cared about this arc with YJ's emo-ness lately lol)
But I wanna state my favorite scene today is the beach scene. I kinda teared up when JP blinked in disbelief and slowly closed his eyes as JD kissed him at the beach. I'm not good with words so I'm not sure how to put it, but I could sense his mixture of emotions (surprised,happy,scared even?) at that point.
The way JP behaved so broken and empty at the end of the episode almost made me shed a tear too.
So I laughed and cried (a bit), hence this was a good episode in my book. LMH & GHS were as always, amazing.
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143
March 25, 2009 at 10:39 AM
I also wish that JiHoo and JanDi can be together. Can the korean producers please suprise us? It wouldn't be much of a wow if the ending is so predictable. I always felt that JunPyo is too arrogant although that is his unique character. I mean, why can't JiHoo be together with JanDi. After all, JanDi loves him once and JiHoo is treating her very well. Also, there wouldn't be any trouble with the Shinhwa group if JanDi and JiHoo get together. Cos the Mdm Kang will not find any more trouble with JanDi or the people around her. Also, JiHoo's grandpa actually likes JanDi a lot too. It will really be a happy ending then.
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144 Nuur
March 25, 2009 at 10:43 AM
so many comments and so many i fully agree too... my eyes are getting heavy, so just lazy.. i'm just gonna rant a bit
yes i'm worried how this will end. i really hope a miracle will make me not end up not loving this series. to PDdul (or PDs)... please please oo please... don't want me following this series all the way to be a waste as if it will not leave pleasant memories.. huhuu...
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145 In Lalaland
March 25, 2009 at 10:54 AM
UGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! AGAIN with those cold, dead FISH LIPS kissing!!! I can't take it no more! Another member posted that they see no chemistry between the 2 leads and unfortunately, I have to agree.
At this point I just want this drama to finish already so I don't have to see all that "Ok, let me keep my lips stiffer than a concrete block, ok now let's touch our lips, OH MY GOODNESS, did everyone see our lips touch, ahhhh.....now the viewers will understand that it was a SHOCKING KISSY KISSY MOMENT......Ahhhhh TRUE WUV!!!.........."
, Did I mention that I can't take it no more!
AHHHHHHHHHH........my poor Ji Hoo..................Too bad he can't kiss worth a crap either on TV! These actors need to take some kissing lessons. And I'll bet that there would be some very willing teachers on this website! ;P
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146
March 25, 2009 at 10:56 AM
I wished they had shown us JP's reaction to the JP face doshirak!
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147 anna
March 25, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Aw, you've said everything that I wanted to say.
I really hate the JK's arc; it was way too damn long. Now we have only 2 episodes left. I have no idea what's going to happen if it's not going to be rushed.
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148 kelly
March 25, 2009 at 11:09 AM
is this series ending at the 25th or 24th episode ??
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149 Nuur
March 25, 2009 at 11:14 AM
most of the actors n actresses are good or very good.. but the plot and direction (i mean director?) is so inconsistent. that's too disappointing
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150 bontaku
March 25, 2009 at 11:16 AM
@145 : I really REALLY hate the kissing scenes! If I had a speck of belief that the 2 leads or which ever couple loves/cares/likes each other, it is thrown/burnt/disappear once they kiss cos it's like kissing a corpse (unless you like corpses...). It's like " i don't want to kiss you without moving at all (like getting botox around your lips) or i will get your germs/carbon dioxide/kooties/komodo bacteria/getting wrinkles or maybe i look cool like this" kiss. Man... they need a kissing 101 class.
@148: BOF is ending at ep 25 next tues.
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