Coffee House: Page 12
by javabeans
I liked this episode. There’s a lot that happens here, a lot of movement. Generally I’m not a fan of artificial time skips and big life changes occurring off-camera, but it helps that we’re not dealing with a finale episode here. With several episodes still ahead of us, we’re given time to explore the developments wrought by the time skip, so I accept it. Even if I almost always prefer dramas NOT to employ them.
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PAGE 12 RECAP
Following the fight with Jin-soo, Ji-won staggers back to his office and grimaces in pain and thinks back to Jin-soo’s rant against him. And yet, of all of his insults to fixate on, Ji-won settles upon this one: “Am I really unfunny?”
Jin-soo returns to his temporary office and ices his hand. The injury is severe enough to require him to bandage his hand for a few days, so the next day he calls Seung-yeon, who is still laboring over her list of reasons to be re-hired.
Jin-soo tells her to go ahead and read them, even though she doesn’t think they’re good enough. She starts reciting — she’s mealtime company, she sharpens his pencils — but to her surprise, he cuts her off before she’s done and says they’re good enough. Come to the office, and bring clothes for a few days. He’ll need her to work with him for the next ten days.
Seung-yeon’s a little bummed to hear that the real reason he brought her back was purely because he needs a typist. He needs to finish the book, and make up for the last 50 pages that were lost because the fight damaged his flash drive.
When Seung-yeon tells Jin-soo that he should have just told her the real reason, he counters that he couldn’t — if he’d said that up front, he would have put himself in the role of the supplicant. A pro never willingly shows his weak side. And we know how protective Jin-soo is of himself.
At this, Seung-yeon grumbles that she should’ve known, because she found it odd that he was so quick to deem her “reasons” adequate. Jin-soo points out that she ought to take note that when a person acts out of character, there’s always a reason.
They work for a while like that, with Jin-soo dictating his story and Seung-yeon typing madly, trying to keep up. When Jin-soo leans over her shoulder to read the computer screen, she stiffens a bit, feeling an awareness to which he, feeling no attraction, is oblivious.
Dong-wook arrives bearing a cake from the cafe as a snack, and Seung-yeon happily invites Jin-soo to partake. I love the way Dong-wook frowns and jumps in to say that Jin-soo doesn’t like sweets, and Jin-soo catches on. He sees Dong-wook’s displeasure at having his coupley moment interrupted, and declines the offer to join them. Jin-soo calls for a break and sends the two off to have cake amongst themselves.
Jin-soo gets a phone call from Eun-young, who received a text message from him earlier asking for a meeting that night. She figures that it wasn’t actually sent from him, which he confirms, and they both guess that this is another of Ji-won’s antics to lure her out.
Employing his knowledge of Ji-won’s character and some thoughtful deductions, Jin-soo makes predictions as to Ji-won’s planned gesture, guessing correctly about the presence of big yellow ribbons. He also predicts that Ji-won will be kneeling in supplication, and again he’s right. He and Eun-young laugh over Ji-won’s childish predictability, as well as his simplistic idea of a grand moment.
As he sees Eun-young’s approach, Ji-won waves a white handkerchief in the air, and now accepts 100% percent of responsibility for their failed relationship. Eun-young laughs in incredulity when he proposes, declining him coolly and warning him not to ever propose again.
Hurriedly, Ji-won speeds through his prepared speech, trying to get through it all before she leaves. Like how giving up is the easiest choice, and leaves the most regrets. Love is a bridge that takes you to a place you can’t get to. Et cetera. Unmoved, Eun-young merely wonders where he stole his speech from.
Time for the big guns. Ji-won makes his grandest gesture by taking out something and brandishing it, crying out, “Love returns!” It’s a boomerang, and he throws it, hoping to win her over with this poetic (?) gesture. She scoffs.
As she leaves the scene, Eun-young calls Jin-soo again to laugh over this bout of ridiculousness. Jin-soo even guesses the boomerang move, and they both call Ji-won utterly predictable.
Jin-soo allows his tone to get a little more serious as he tells her that that’s why he introduced them — because of Ji-won’s predictability. He thought that would be most comfortable for her, so it wasn’t out of total random thoughtlessness that he paired them together.
After hanging up, Eun-young loses herself to thought as she walks through the park, seemingly reconsidering Ji-won’s proposal. Turning back, she returns to the be-ribboned tree, where Ji-won brightens at the sight of her.
His excitement takes a hit when Eun-young announces that she will keep going on marriage blind dates — that jajangmyun lawyer was just the first of a hundred. If she doesn’t meet anyone she likes, and if Ji-won is faithful to her while she goes on all hundred dates — by which she means he will give up dating entirely — she’ll “consider it once.”
She concedes that the only reason she’s giving him this shot is because she bears some responsibility for their failed relationship — say, 10% of it.
Doing some quick mental math, Ji-won protests — that means that even if she goes on one date a week, it would take her two years to go on a hundred! And all this just for a possibility of dating her? He thinks it’s grossly unfair, to which Eun-young tells him simply that he can give up now, then.
During their cake break, Dong-wook hesitantly broaches the topic of his birthday, which is next week. He wants to spend it with Seung-yeon, who reacts with some awkwardness, using the excuse that she may have to work.
Jin-soo comes up to their table to assure Dong-wook that he’ll be done with the manuscript by then, which makes Dong-wook perk up. Annoyed at his interference, Seung-yeon mouths to Jin-soo, “Why’d you do that?” Thankfully for Dong-wook’s poor puppy-dog heart, he doesn’t see that.
Now Dong-wook’s mood is entirely restored, and he stops by the bathroom to find Jin-soo. Patting him on the shoulders in a friendly gesture, Dong-wook tells Jin-soo to enjoy the cake — his way of extending an olive branch after his earlier disgruntlement. Aw!
Jin-soo calls it a night and sets up his cot to sleep, and gives the comfier couch to Seung-yeon. Uncomfortable with the idea of sharing a room at night — no matter how uncomfortable and un-romantic the room — Seung-yeon balks. She’d thought there’d be another room, and protests, “But still, I’m a woman….”
Jin-soo is so far from seeing her as a woman that her words completely stop him short, and he clarifies that she’s just a secretary to him, not a man or a woman. She’s like an object or a table sharpener, i.e., without gender.
He makes his point so thoroughly that Seung-yeon gets a little pissy at him, practically hmph-ing in his general direction as she stomps over to shut off the lights. She informs him that even if he doesn’t see her as a woman, she’s still a person with feelings.
As they settle into their makeshift beds, Seung-yeon asks a tentative question: Does she have any potential as a writer?
Jin-soo answers tiredly that if she works hard for the next ten years, maybe she might have some possibility. He was able to publish at a younger age, but that’s because he had writing talent, which she lacks. And insisting that effort is more important than talent is another mark of an amateur. Jin-soo adds that maybe she’ll be able to write a decent book once she’s in her forties.
Seung-yeon’s dismayed — that long? He says that ten years is the minimum for her, so she should turn her attention to another job: “It’s not a good profession.”
When Dong-wook’s birthday rolls around, Jin-soo is nearing the end of his work and lets Seung-yeon go, intending to finish up on his own. She drops by the book cafe to talk to Eun-young, and on the way in she briefly talks to Dong-wook to confirm their date that evening. Dong-wook’s little cheer of excitement is adorable, as is the glare he shoots at his baristas for making fun of him.
Eun-young passes along a mock-up of the book cover for Seung-yeon to show Jin-soo. (The book is titled “Page One,” which as you know was first supposed to be the drama’s title, and then the name of the book cafe. I still contend that it ought to have been the drama’s title.)
With Seung-yeon’s secretary duties coming to an end, Eun-young asks what Seung-yeon has planned for the future, and offers to help Seung-yeon if she has an interest in publishing. Seung-yeon is enthusiastic, and thanks her for her kindness.
And then the smiles fade a bit when the conversation turns to the topic of the manuscript’s imminent completion. Now that the book is almost done, the reality of Jin-soo’s likely departure is also approaching.
Seung-yeon shows Jin-soo the cover, and also informs him of the publishing company’s anniversary party that night. The employees don’t expect that he’ll come, but wanted to extend the invitation anyway.
Jin-soo asks for a cup of coffee, and today, his reaction is different — even before tasting it, he sniffs at it quizzically, noting a difference. Seung-yeon looks at him hopefully, awaiting his appraisal… but he ends up spitting it out anyway. Ha. He had her hopes up for a second there.
Jin-soo reminds Seung-yeon of her rash promise early on to satisfy all of his instructions, and identifies her challenge as an amateurish act. However, he concedes that she’s halfway to success by realizing that much, and even gives her some praise, saying that she managed pretty well, all things considered. He hadn’t expected her to manage the pencils, but she did that and the fossil book translations successfully.
Jin-soo identifies Seung-yeon’s one strength as being foolish, which she doesn’t take as a compliment. However, Jin-soo adds that it is, and that if wielded in the right way, it can even lead her to success. She ought to adopt it as her life concept.
Seung-yeon had assumed Jin-soo was teasing her as he always does, but now that she sees he actually means it as a compliment, she accepts it with pleasure. Wishing him well, Seung-yeon tells him they’d better have their own wrap party when he’s done and leaves him to his work.
However, Jin-soo’s expression grows serious as continues writing after she leaves. As Seung-yeon descends the stairs in the school, he types: “Seung-hee descended the staircase slowly. She didn’t know where that end was. For a moment, the thought came to her that it might be too steep. END.”
Jin-soo then picks up the phone to call the airline and books a ticket to the States.
Seung-yeon continues on in her good mood, arriving at her meeting spot for her birthday date with Dong-wook. She notes that today marks the six-month mark since she met Jin-soo, and reminisces about everything she’s been through in that time.
But in the process of recalling the past events, she also remembers Jin-soo’s words from last week — that you should think of the reason behind the behavior when somebody acts out of the ordinary. And Jin-soo was acting out of the ordinary when he praised her.
Suddenly gripped with foreboding, she calls the office, but it’s already empty. Rushing away just as Dong-wook arrives, looking forward to their date (poor guy!), Seung-yeon takes a cab back to school.
And yes, the sight of the empty office confirms her fears. Jin-soo has already cleared out and is on his way off to goodness knows where.
He makes one brief stop on his way out of the country, and arrives at the publishing office, where the party is in full swing. Eun-young greets her guests and plays the part of the gracious hostess, but as she crosses the crowded room, she catches a glimpse of Jin-soo, standing off by the exit unseen by the others.
She starts to make her way to him, but he holds her off and instead picks up the nearby phone to call her cell. It’s a touching callback to their train station phone call in the last episode — the conversation carries the weight of the kind of honesty they can only share in moments like this, where goodbye is imminent.
Eun-young: “So you’re leaving now.”
Jin-soo: “I wanted to see your face before I left.”
Eun-young: “I’ll forget you entirely. Don’t worry, and be well. I won’t even wait, wondering when you’ll return. Even if you don’t return, I won’t look for you. So if you’re happy somewhere else, settle down there.”
Jin-soo: “I’d like that, too.”
Eun-young: “You can do it.”
Jin-soo: “I’ll go.”
Eun-young: “Bye.”
Jin-soo heads for the exit, looking back at her one last time. Eun-young sends him off with a reassuring smile, but after he goes that smile slowly fades and is replaced by a stricken expression. It’s a lovely bit of acting, as the camera stays on her face for that long moment and captures her emotional transformation, beat by beat.
It’s a nice touch that she keeps that phone held to her ear even after he has gone, as though she can’t bear to let the connection go.
Some time later, Jin-soo’s book is published. Seung-yeon starts to read, engrossed for the hours it takes her to finish the book. When she gets to the end, she lays her head down, feeling a mix of emotions at coming to an end in this chapter of her life.
And then, seasons pass. The drama’s comic-book framing device comes into play as we skip from season to season, seeing little slices of life as the rest of our characters continue living. Snow falls, then spring flowers bloom, Seung-chul gets accepted to university, Children’s Day comes and goes, the summer heat encroaches, and even Dad gets a little flirty with a new neighbor.
(Normally I hate when a drama time-skips without a particularly compelling reason, and I have been known to howl in frustration when a chyron pops up reading “__ YEARS LATER.” However, this drama mitigates that by showing us scenes from the elapsed time, which makes the transition smoother and works to bridge the time skip, I think.)
When we resume, it’s two years later.
Seung-yeon looks more professional and polished now — at age 27, she is now a career woman and moves with a confidence she hadn’t had before. But it’s not like she’s morphed into a completely new person, and today she is rushing in to work with what appears to be habitual lateness.
She is now the writer for a radio program, and manages to make it just in time to distribute the scripts for the morning. And here, she’s known for her particularly good coffee.
Her boss asks Seung-yeon about her experience as Jin-soo’s secretary, having heard about it from Do-sang, her sunbae from university. The boss is disappointed at Seung-yeon’s answer, that she hasn’t kept in touch with him over the years.
The boss was really counting on using Seung-yeon’s connections to score a phone interview with Jin-soo, whose media-shy personality makes him an awesome get. Plus, the more reclusive he gets, the more people’s speculations grow about his whereabouts, and there are even some outlandish death rumors circulating in the absence of real news. Even if she hasn’t spoken to him recently, the boss asks Seung-yeon to try looking into it.
As for his true whereabouts? As it happens, Jin-soo is now on his way back to Korea. Whatever he’s been up to, it looks like he’s been roughing it for a while, probably wandering from remote locale to remote locale.
But it’s nothing a shave and a change of clothes can’t remedy, and when he emerges from the airport bathroom after landing, he’s looking mighty spiffy — aside from the new hairstyle, he’s looking crisp in all-white duds, and has a few flashy bits of jewelry. (To be honest, he looks like a nallari — a sort of frivolous partier.)
Jin-soo rents himself a stylin’ sports car — his first time behind the wheel in six years, which is when we can presume his ex-wife died.
As he peels out of the airport parking lot and zooms off into the street, he passes by a car that’s parked — it’s Eun-young, who is arriving at the airport on her way to a trip of her own. The sight of his car catches her eye, and while she doesn’t get a good look at Jin-soo, something about the scene makes her think of him….
COMMENTS
So. I suppose the big question is what Jin-soo’s been up to all this while, and why he’s back. We already know that he tends to go on two-year stints abroad, so I suppose he could be feeling the pull to return, maybe get a little work in, and then leave when he’s feeling the urge to split again. The thing about actively avoiding maintaining a home base is that you won’t feel home anywhere, and no place will satisfy him for too long.
I particularly liked the goodbye scene on the phone, for a few reasons. One, it was nicely acted in an understated, subtle way. They kept their words honest despite the light tone, and didn’t make grand promises or big statements. At this point Jin-soo and Eun-young know how they feel about each other, and the problem isn’t a misunderstanding of some sort (thankfully) — they both understand why they can’t be together, so there’s no use angsting over it.
But another aspect I like is that the telephone is an interesting motif in Jin-soo’s life, and particularly between him and Eun-young. This goes back all the way to the beginning, when he ignores phone calls and refuses to answer. He not only throws away the phone connections but the physical phone receivers, too. Seung-yeon was the reason he allowed himself to grow tethered to the phone, after she was injured and he couldn’t get in touch with her. However, I don’t read this as a romantically symbolic thing — it’s in keeping with Eun-young’s comment that Seung-yeon is the connector between her and Jin-soo. She helped bridge that gap of miscommunication, albeit against Jin-soo’s will, and allowed — forced? — them to finally be honest with each other.
I’m sure it was no coincidence, either, that their first kiss occurred in a phone booth.
Then, Jin-soo finally comes clean to Eun-young about how he feels — he cares for her but can’t separate her from his dead wife in his mind — over the phone just as she’s about to leave.
And here, at the party scene, the phone again keeps them physically apart — Jin-soo actually tells her not to come to him in person, that they’ll keep their goodbye conversation to the phone line — while simultaneously acting as a connecting force as they say their goodbyes.
The phone brings them together, but it also keeps them apart. So now, in the last stretch of the drama, what remains to be seen is how they can be brought together without need of these devices, both physical and metaphorical. If they can, that is.
Note: I’m traveling early next week so Episode 13 recap will not be up Monday. Fair warning!
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Tags: Coffee House, Ham Eun-jung, Kang Ji-hwan, Park Shi-yeon
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101 m a r a
July 10, 2010 at 11:21 PM
We all have different interpretations of this drama, but I guess Pyo Min-Soo-sshi describes it best:
Q: How will the romance develop?
Pyo: While the story has developed in a comedic way in the first two episodes, through today's shower scene, a dramaturgy will form between Jin-soo and Eun-young. Then the show will go back to giving off a happy vibe. I'm someone who hopes people love in order to become happy. You love to be happy, not to fight. So I'm fine with how it's shown, whether it be through dramaturgy or humor, as long as that's what it is aiming for. Just like human beings use both their left and right hand, I want to try using everything that's possible.
****
pipit, regardless of how you get carried away in what others consider as a flight of fancy, I give you praise for putting effort in writing your analysis. I have to applaud any fan from either ship for giving a thoughtful interpretation of what they see, that includes Miaka ;) This show has everything that we (be a non-shipper, a JS/SY shipper, or a JS/EY shipper) can find something to relate to.
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102 Dara
July 10, 2010 at 11:25 PM
I love this writer, very talented. I had hoped for EY to start dating and he/she gives me 100 datings, hoped for change in JS, he/she gives me beyond change, O_O!! a Rock star JS. LOL.
Personally, if this drama ends here where JS saying good bye to EY and his last smile, it will be a perfect and complete ending for me. I 'm feeling content with his last moments with both SY and EY, very beautiful and touching. His last words with SY was , in his nonchalant tone, beautifully said concluded her training (which reminds me of a teacher who taught us in a hard way, but as time goes, his lessons are the most precious and memorable one) . His last moments with EY was also very touching, he finally shows his feeling for her, his said words to see her before he leaves tell it all. It was a clever way to conclude and end the relationship with both ladies. At that moment, I totally forgive JS for all his behaviors.
And then time skips,
SY, for me , her new look doesn't convince me, she 's still a teen in woman's clothes (I wonder , may be she was never have time to absorb and notice how the adult really act, to act like one and I mean in a positive way, she's already done her best).
JS ,on the other hand, when they showed him on the plane I had the feeling that two years hasn't been well for him. I suspect that he is the same JS who was totally and madly in love with EY two years ago and he 's so frustrated with that. I guess he had hoped leaving EY would bring him peace of mind only it had brought him more desperation than ever before because this time EY will try to forget him. So, at the airport, he goes overboard to be different. I would bet he's dying to see how she's doing and approaching her again in his own way.
As EY, we did not see how she 's changed. I can't help but wonder how she will change specially her feeling for JS.
I really really wish they had used 'Page One' for the drama title. It fits more to the storyline and adds depth to the general feels of the drama. It will also bring nice touches when we look back after its runs.
Thanks JB for the recap, I understand lots of work have been put into and really appreciated it.
Please don't mind my comments, no offense to any shippers.
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103 Javabeans
July 10, 2010 at 11:29 PM
I thought that JS picked Jiwon for Eunyoung because Jiwon always gets what he wants? That was according to the fan subs online. But here it says because Jiwon is predictable. which is correct?
I'm right. Haha, that sounds snooty but what can ya do? I don't know why it was translated "he gets what he wants" elsewhere but Jin-soo says, "한치도 예상을 안벗어나는 사람이라서 소개시켜준거야" ("It's because he's a guy who never breaks free of our expectations, not even an inch.")
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104 m a r a
July 10, 2010 at 11:31 PM
Dara,
We're on Page Two now ;) I have high expectations for the remaining epies to tie up everything nicely. Otherwise, I can't recommend this drama to anyone.
In defense of SY, we have yet to see more from her in the following epies. So, she may surprise you yet. I was actually impressed with her make-over, and she has clearly moved up---no working in her dad's coffee shop :) Like EY, I hope she moved on from her one way thing for JS. The man was toxic.
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105 Eleven11
July 10, 2010 at 11:33 PM
@Amg1
I apologize if this sounds rude, but you seem to have a pretty bitter view on this relationship, is it striking close to home?
To me, this relationship is not necessarily unhealthy to the point of suicide, as you seem to be implying. You say that it is degrading for a woman (Eun Young), to cling to hopes of a relationship such as this one, with a man you describe as a 'crazy bastard of a guy'. I think you are ignoring what kind of character Eun Young is and her entire approach to the relationship.
I think its fair that you raise the point that dramas often gloss over major personality flaws, making behaviour that in real life would be really creepy or borderline abusive into something romantic or sweet. However, in this drama, I don't think the situation is quite what you make it out to be.
Yes, JinSoo is a damaged guy. He obviously has self-destructive tendencies and a long held trauma surrounding the death of his wife. His relationship with Eun Young has always involved him keeping her at an arms length, protecting himself at the expense of her feelings.
However, while you say that this relationship is horrible because its degrading to Eun Young, I think you are completely overlooking the strength and clarity of Eun Young's mind. She understands exactly what type of relationship it is, and has played Jin Soo's game of skirting the emotional depths of their relationship because she knows that to do more opens her up to hurt. Essentially, this drama seems to be exploring the end of this stalemate - which while unhealthy, is not the end of the world, it happens in life all the time when people refuse to face each other honestly.
Eun Young is a character that is level-headed, intelligent and pragmatic. She has finally put all her cards on the table and I think we've seen that she isn't going to wait around forever clinging to a relationship that would 'destroy her'. If Jin Soo does not return her feelings openly, she's quite clearly shown an intention to move on.
The thing with this drama is that it explores the conclusion of an emotional stalemate between two friends who could be more than that. Eun Young is a strong, independent woman with priorities and I think you are massively underestimating her ability to look after herself and think of more than just finding true love with Jin Soo.
Sure we'd love to see them together in the end, if they overcome their separate issues, but if they overcome their issues and move on independently, I'm sure us "Fans" would be just as satisfied.
/rant, sorry.
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106 mmeuh
July 10, 2010 at 11:43 PM
@98 "something as simple as a ” Bad Codependent, Destructive, and Unhealthy Relationship” between two people."
lol it indeed feels like we're watching two different dramas! EunSoo first are two close friends. Despite their snarks and bickering, we know how much they care for each other. I don't even go to the romance field cause it's another story. But thing is they understand each other more than anyone else and both try desperately to make the other happy in their way. Really, "unhealthy"? "destructive"? lol and more that is just over-exaggerated. They've been friends for years and nothing has been destroyed yet lol And again, for the love of.. this is just a drama, and drama does not equal real life. That's why we may take on it in any way we want. It's your problem to be so 'realistic' about it. Everyone has their right to voice their opinion and stand on it. In the end we're all outsiders, we'll never know or even understand the situation of the characters in real life. I recall s/o has asked, "how could a man fall for his ex-wife's best friend? it's just wrong!" It's life, people, life.
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107 amg01
July 11, 2010 at 12:17 AM
By the way who is the person that served as the catalyst for Jin-soo epiphany and subsequent change ? Well I think her name is Seung-yeon not Eun Young, so if their relationship is a "Good One" why not stay together? In clinical terms Eun Young is the "Enabler" in this damage relationship and Jin-soo is the mentally unstable person, so even when from a far it seems that she is doing good she "is not", for she has "enable" him to maintain the "status quo" of his illness, thus bringing this relationship to its end, he has realized that he has a "mental illness", that is the main reason why he choose to live, because he is causing to much despair to Eun Young and himself and finally he saw the light.
Last but not least; The writer has no given any reason for us to believe that Jin-soo has become a man of "Sound Mind", so up till that time I will maintain my view that their relationship will not work. But than again this is just a Drama right?
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108 ambs
July 11, 2010 at 12:44 AM
@107 you're speaking of this with such technicalities, have you forgotten love is involved?
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109 ambs
July 11, 2010 at 12:47 AM
@103 javabeans, thanks for the clarification =] i was watching it on viikii (wish i could catch it on TV and add to the ratings T_T) and yeah i realize what you put is different. they both make sense but i'd like to be reading correct translations heh thanks for letting us know :D
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110 marmar
July 11, 2010 at 1:27 AM
Thanks JB.
I been waiting for you update mainly because I wanted to know your opinion on the new JS..lol I honestly I thought he looked like another kpop idol boy band member with his hairdo & the lil'stud in his ear..lol
I always love your well detailed in depth summaries cause it really gives you such a deep in sight not just that but it's so on point on what I see as well.
I love their phone conversation as well.
Some fans were whinning about why EY kept the phone there even after he left & didn't put her hand down but i told them the same thing you wrote. Reason why is because she eventhough she says she won't wait for him she just isn't ready to let go of that one last connection they had. She's not ready to put the phone down.
I look forward to ep.13 can't wait.
I wonder though if EY found someone else during those 2 yrs since she said she won't wait for him & she told JW that she'll start dating. So yeah I wonder if she found someone/dating someone & who knows JS comes for her & she goes back to JS...whatever the case I just hope for EY & JS to be together cause they obviously love one another she's always been real & up front about it & he finally face the truth & let her know he too loves her.
So I hope now cause new JS looks like his ready for loving & his ready to get his girl so I hope for a EY & JS ending :D
sidenote I thought I won't be able to watch the last two episodes til a month later which would kill me but thankfully I CAN..WOOHOO!!!
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111 Anger
July 11, 2010 at 1:59 AM
@ 7 :
Rant coming
We have our own individual takes on the matter so it’s not necessary to judge who is right and wrong . So you don’t have to force and be so harsh about it either. Have JB ever said that you are always RIGHT and we MUST listen to you? Thank s God, she hasn’t!!!! Then why should we listen and follow to your bitter real life theory ? So we could end up have a bitter life as well? Thanks, but NO!!! Thank you!!!
I have been trying to ignore it ** Read: not worthy to bother ** but you are just too much. How could you force a 16 years-old think and act like a 76 handicraft old man? It's impossible, ok? I am not trying to be rude but please respect other posters here. They do what they enjoy. Ignore them, don’t read it but please do not harshly criticize like that!!! This is A DRAMA, for God sake!!! * * Read: For Entertaining Purpose** . We watch and enjoy it in our own way as long as it we are happy with it. That is the matter. WE DO THING THAT MAKES US HAPPY, NOT STRESSFUL!!! . We dont neither have classes here nor are you a teacher. Please keep your lecture to whoever wants it. So what if we are fans of romanticists, and not life -bitter-affect psychologist, like you? Do we have to take quizes before picking a drama to watch to please you?
I am grateful I’d never look at life as negative as you are no matter what. Because I am ( and many others) enjoy being a human with EMOTION, which other kinds don’t have. Who care about "Good One" "Enabler" "work"? You sound like a robot, almost: "This good one SY is the only enabler to work on that robot JS ". Fortunately, we are people, we have hearts, which can’t be self controlled. It’s calles LOVE!!! That's life!! Accept it!!! What if you could find a perfect girl/ guy to match with JS/EY, but it will never work if they don’t love each other. And after all, we’re watching K-drama **Read: Romance Hungers**. Why didn’t we watch Star Wars, Harry Porter, Avatar, or God father but K-dramas? You talks so wisely, but did you really think? Or did you pick the wrong drama instead? Since you obviously’re not interested in neither romance or comedy, but bitter-matter –of –fact-rule psychology. If you are so great that you think the writer and PD did such an awful job for your taste, why don’t you go and make one on your own drama instead, to please yourself and others. Or else, please control your negativity to not affect the majority of romance fans here
I may be young ( not that young though), my English may be far from perfect but I know how to respect each individual and their own freedom of choice, thought and voice as well as understand people limit . Is that too much to ask from such a wise person like you for a peace of mind?
Thank you!!!
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112 Paulie
July 11, 2010 at 3:01 AM
SY looks sharp and wonderful. For those who say she didn't act like an adult. WRONG!!!! Think back a few years ago, she's ALREADY an adult back then. This is her character, playful bright and always has that freshness. Her character is not a sexy alluring nor a smart/sharp woman. She's a playful and easy going, lightheaded woman.
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113 Jane
July 11, 2010 at 3:53 AM
It's getting hot in here :D
Enjoying the rebuttal rants, though.
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114 Twe1ve
July 11, 2010 at 7:08 AM
Hie..
I m lovin it out here...the recaps always hook me up!!!
In the last episode i thought it is JS/EY but what now..JS has returned and does it mean he has come back for SY.. and also he acts extra ordinary.....hope so..i pretty much like to see them together....
Newae i dun care who pairs wid Js..but itz just Kang ji hwan dat takes it all.....I just love him...=]
♥♥♥
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115 labchick
July 11, 2010 at 7:12 AM
@ 11
It may seem bitter and cynical to not accept the JS-EY relationship, but it is hard when it is so far away from the truth. I'm sorry but accepting boundaries are something common in adult life. And the fact that love trumps all is a moral best left to the movies. In real life, as per the current set up...JS will always turn to SY everytime he hits a wall. It's hard for a relationship to work on that alone. I think amg1 isn't trying to convince you that her point is right..but more that sometimes the other side needs to acknowledge it's weaknesses too. In general, the JS/EY shippers are less likely to accept a JS/SY ending...mostly because of their need to believe that love alone is enough...But sadly it isn't...it's easier to kinda accept it rather than face it later. Umm being 16 and being in your twenties can make a hell of a difference..Let us know what you think in about 5-6 years.
Ahh these shipper wars are intense..let's play nice ladies...draw your claws in!!
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116 m a r a
July 11, 2010 at 7:43 AM
Actually, in real life, I'm not sure SY could have lasted long under JS's employment, and in real life, being treated as harshly as he has her, I doubt she would have built up a crush on him. I certainly wouldn't have if he had treated me as badly as he has, even if he had his nice moments. Those moments were few and far between.
See, the argument can go both ways when we apply real life to EY and SY. I'll echo Ran's assertion that real life does not equal Coffee House.
Aren't SY/JS shippers also romanticizing the show, with their idea of the plucky young thing being able to win over Mr. Arrogant romantically??? None of that has really manifested, yet, SY/JS fans remain hopeful and continue to romanticize. Just as EY/JS fans have read into the gestures of their couple, so have the fans of SY/JS. Please, both sides are guilty. And we don't have to look far to find these analyses; they're all on Viikii, Soompi, Dramabeans, and here.
Let's not gloss over other perspectives simply because one is too invested in a ship. There are good arguments for both sides just as there are bad ones.
It's just a drama, and while we can relate to aspects of it based on our personal experiences, it's utterly ridiculous to apply the complete logic of real life to this show. At the end of the day, Coffee House is fiction, so there's no need to get cantankerous and patronizing towards somebody else's romantic fantasies based on this show. It may seem ludicrous that others romanticize this drama, but it does involve romance, after all; it's a K-drama. The way the romance have unraveled may not appeal to some of us, but for others, it does. Overly romanticizing this drama is just as ludicrous as becoming so hell bent on applying all of realism to it. So, I suggest not trying to take it so seriously.
Couldn't you guys just move on and agree to disagree? This sort of argument has been going on for almost as long as this show has started. You're just going in circles.
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117 Jane
July 11, 2010 at 7:48 AM
JS will always turn to SY anytime he hits a wall? Just because some things SY said hit home for him doesn't mean that in the last 12 episodes he's considered her a confidante. And she was also a catalyst because in episode 10, she told EY how JS felt about her and that led to another change in the JS/EY relationship, which was clearly something JS didn't want. Did you see him thanking her for a job well done? So let's not take this too far and claim that JS always turns to SY for help. Some of you are taking this way too far.
Besides, even if he she were a confidante who gave him relationship advice,what's wrong with that? A lot of us have friends, family, priests and so on that we turn to when we have relationship problems. It doesn't mean we have to date them instead. So if you want to talk about realism, there you have it.
And JS/EY fans don't believe that love alone is enough. You speak as if EY didn't want them to have a proper relationship and work through things together. She definitely did. However, the block was with JS. And most JS/EY shippers want a JS/EY ending because majority the drama has been devoted to their story and prior to all the angst, we saw how well they treated each other and took care of each other, even if it was in a roundabout way. Plus they have chemistry, know each other well and can have a good time together. That's why we want them together.
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118 m a r a
July 11, 2010 at 7:53 AM
Edit to my post, #16: And we don’t have to look far to find these analyses; they’re all on Viikii, Soompi, Dramabeans, and Baidu.
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119 m a r a
July 11, 2010 at 8:00 AM
I also meant to say all of reality. not realism. Sorry for errors and the spamming. I've been in a rush.
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120 labchick
July 11, 2010 at 8:27 AM
@17..perhaps..I guess I never really connected to EY since her character just didn't work for me. Perhaps it's a little too romantic
and @16 mara, you're right..both sides lack realism...but then again the show makes us run around in circles which is more than a bit annoying. They could just flat out have the SY side cut off, and made this a lot easier on everyone.
Off topic,
@16....are you mara as in Mara, the daughter of the nile? I love that book..I have one old ragged copy belonging to my grandma..
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121 m a r a
July 11, 2010 at 8:38 AM
Oh, Labchick! I love you. Haha. I wish I were that Mara, but Mara is my nickname. it's a combination of my first name and middle name. Unfortunately, it also means bitter in Hebrew and it's the name of a demon god in Buddhism. Siiiigh.
About the show, yes, it has gone around in circles, and it has been torturous arriving at a point of resolution. Are we ever to arrive there? Others are hoping for more episodes, while I would be happy to have it wrapped up by the 16th epie. The ship wars have gone bonkers. As the epies progressed, I was won over by SY. A part of it is because her story has become so secondary to the enduring tug and pull between EY and JS, that I just wanted to root for her to be a successful pro. She has become an underdog in this drama, not just in the romantic sense, but over all, as far as her story goes compared to the crazy EY/JS tango. Her story can be separated from the angst of the EY/JS relationship.
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122 labchick
July 11, 2010 at 8:43 AM
@Mara
Awww....demon god? Oh my oh my but mara was my heroine when I was a kid...so she'll always have a special place in my heart!
And yes SY did kind of become the underdog..my heart went out to her when JS was so harsh to her about her writing. I really hope it all comes back to bite him in the butt. Although I'm not a big fan of eunsoo pairing, I'll be ok with it..as long as SY gets her divine redemption. Any romantic development would only be the icing on the cake. But I also feel a little cheated since I was promised a love triangle, and I got to see angst (EY)+ one sided love (SY)...making both pairings a little depressing for me. But I still have high hopes for the next few episodes!!
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123 labchick
July 11, 2010 at 8:45 AM
(conti from 21).
Isn't the mara from the book a little like SY? Independent, strong, learns quickly, witty...and beautiful!! Oh and of course has a great sense of loyalty!!
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124 Jane
July 11, 2010 at 8:46 AM
I don't really think the drama has really pushed SY as a love interest, though. I think it's really in our heads and based on what we've come to expect from kdramas. Because she has a big role, we do expect her to be in some kind of romantic relationship with the lead but all the show has done is show her develop a crush on him but never did it pretend that Jin Soo was interested in her romantically. They even gave her a different love interest.
Things may change in the last four episodes and maybe their romance might bloom but in terms of the romantic aspect of this drama, it's really been on one track so far.
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125 Jane
July 11, 2010 at 8:56 AM
And speaking of love triangles, it's been a long time since I've ever seen a proper love triangle in Korean dramas. Usually, the guy knows someone longer and the new girl comes in and even if he has some unresolved/unrequited feelings for the person he knew first, it becomes increasingly clear that he only loves the new girl.
But maybe it's because there's a switch here and he has feelings for the old girl and never develops feelings for the new girl that some feel cheated by this? Because in the more popular setting, once the guy starts to develop feelings for the new girl, we know for a fact that he's going to pick her and there really is no triangle from that point on. The only characters holding on to the triangle are the ones left behind.
Again, I don't know what's in store for us and won't be shocked if the drama decides to change the love line late in the game but maybe it's because I'm not a JS/SY shipper but I don't see it as them cheating the viewers. If SY confused Jin Soo for a minute and he dated her but dumped her afterwards when he realized that his heart was still with Eun Young, would the JS/SY shippers be satisfied because at least they got their love triangle?
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126 labchick
July 11, 2010 at 9:08 AM
@jane
by the same token, would the js/ey shippers be satisfied if js were to date sy and then come back to ey? I only wanted a love triangle to re-iterate the idea that it was three people involved in this - JS, EY and SY. It's ridiculous to give out signs and fake outs if you aren't intending on delivering. Perhaps it's alright for the first 5-6 episodes..but by 13 it gets a little exhausting. Kdramas have the tendency to make women look vulnerable no matter how strong they are...and that is one of the reasons why I can't quite connect to EY. Besides with all these fake outs, I wouldn't be surprised if the writers and PDs had a mob on them.
Also, I consider myself more of an SY shipper. Everyone has been in her place - a time when we were young, foolish, bumbling, lacking direction...and then you grow up. So for me, it's interesting to see her grow. Also I tend to dislike angsty relationships which will prolly explain my distaste for the main couple. In ienthough, I love the idea of being in love forever with amazing chemistry:
eg: Brennan and Booth (bones), Monica and Chandler (friends),. I'm sorry but this main couple doesn't do the same for me as the others did.
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127 Jane
July 11, 2010 at 9:30 AM
labchick, see the difference is I don't have a problem with the lack of a love triangle for obvious reasons. So why would I prefer that JS date SY then returns to EY if I can have it the way it currently is where he never falls for SY? You're the one saying you were cheated by the lack of a love triangle but I'm saying that if it were a simple story where JS fell for SY with no outside interference by EY or anyone else, I doubt you'd be lamenting the lack of a triangle.
As to the rest of your post, the drama never gave any fake outs pertaining Jin Soo's feelings towards SY. Even when he went out with her and Dong Wook, he wasn't jealous. There are a bunch of other fake outs in the drama, yes, but not related to JS's feelings towards SY.
And it's fine if you don't see the amazing chemistry others do. But it's not the drama's fault if many other people do. It's simply a matter of taste. Some people love WInter Sonata but I absolutely loathe it. We are all different. You don't like angsty relationships so perhaps this is not the type of drama for you. But it doesn't mean the drama in and of itself has failed to deliver overall. Or has tricked you.
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128 m a r a
July 11, 2010 at 9:45 AM
Labchick, have i told you I love you? Haha, I like those descriptions. I'm not familiar of Mara from the Nile, but those are very good attributes to attach to me and to SY. ;) I'm assuming, well, I'll take that I'm being complimented, too. Haha. :D
I was wondering that if CH were a real life situation, I would wonder about EY and SY ... What the heck makes these women masochists for JS?! Thank goodness it's only a drama. In real life, I probably wouldn't support any of these girls.
I'll leave the gist of the love triangle debate between you and Jane. I think you've both handled it pretty well. However, I might add, and sort of in a joking manner, that there isn't really a love triangle, but a love pentagon---JS, EY, SY, HS, and JW. We can even turn it into a love hexagon if we add DW in the picture. The only ship that I didn't waver so much with is the DW/SY ship. As I've said before, their relationship is something more organic and relatable to me, and they have the potential to represent uncomplicated love compared to the JS/EY relationship.
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129 m a r a
July 11, 2010 at 9:50 AM
Labchick, OT, but I also watch Bones. I missed a lot of the episodes this past season, but I was able to watch the one when Booth broached the idea of "going for it" with Brennan! What the heck was Brennan thinking??? Booth's a great catch. That broke my heart when she turned him down. He finally realized his feelings for her, and she couldn't make that commitment yet.
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130 labchick
July 11, 2010 at 10:07 AM
@mara
HAHA!! yes the attributes apply to both you and the book!!! I love the idea of there being a real life Mara! As for bones, let me just say that I was literally heart broken after that episode...and with the spoilers out for next season..I'm about ready to kill Hart Hanson. I think I've waited long enough for them to get together but for godsakes!! get married and have babies already!!!
As for DW..he's growing on me..initially I was kinda ehh about him...but hopefully they gave him a makeover and has all these girls tripping over their feet in order to get to hiM!!!
@jane
Ahh Jane jane!! I said I "felt cheated" not that I was cheated. Even if that weren't the writers' intention that is exactly what the fake outs came off as. It's best we stick to our own ships..but as for now I'm prolly more likely to read the spoilers than watch the episodes themselves. It's a fun drama but if it heads down the melancholy road, I'll have to give it a pass. Or maybe I'll come back to it a few months later when I've cooled down about the injustice to SY
In the past episodes, I've become very defensive of SY mostly because all these sites have discussions essentially bashing her character. What can I say..I always root for the underdog!
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131 ambs
July 11, 2010 at 10:08 AM
i had a few things to say but jane has said it all, esp
"You’re the one saying you were cheated by the lack of a love triangle but I’m saying that if it were a simple story where JS fell for SY with no outside interference by EY or anyone else, I doubt you’d be lamenting the lack of a triangle."
can i put out a FRIENDLY you got served? a friendly one. haha :P
PERSONALLY i have NEVER enjoyed love triangles. and i never will. i despise that love triangles are in almost every romance there is. so thank GOODNESS coffee house doesn't really have one. in my opinion. at least not a strong one. SY has a crush on JS but he has repeatedly shown he doesn't feel the same. i'd want to read a good argument by anyone saying that he has during the time. (i guess all those sprints to go see EY and the train kiss didn't happen eh?) if it comes up in the next four episodes... i'll be heartbroken and have much to argue about but relatively okay. in the end i just want EY to find happiness, selfless girl like her deserves it.
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132 mmeuh
July 11, 2010 at 10:15 AM
Just have to say I agree with Jane. oh you don't know how you're saving my time here by saying out loud my mind lol :)
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133 Jane
July 11, 2010 at 10:16 AM
Well I hope it becomes a lot happier towards the end of the drama.
Mara, I'm with you too. I wish SY would notice DW because I think he'll treat her well and they could have a nice relationship which is part of the reason I don't understand why some want her with JS. Perhaps if they gave EY a similarly mentally stable love interest, I would root for them too.
Well, the drama should be over soon enough. For me too, if the drama decides to take what I consider a drastic turn, I might need some time to cool off before finishing it.
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134 ambs
July 11, 2010 at 10:19 AM
@30 yeah it's not one-sided. i'm not sure since i haven't been reading at forum sites (lazy and they lag) there are just as many JS-SY supporters and definite bashing on EY. funny enough a lot of it would be that they think she's ugly (pause for derisive laugh) but anyway....
i LOVE eunjung (SY) she is adorable when you see her on variety and such (have you seen that clip of her on WGM? btw she's filming for CH at that moment OMG so cute). i dislike the character SY. not because i believe she is any threat to JS-EY, but just watching the way her "innocent aegyo" works just makes my blood boil in anger. i've tried watching scenes she has been in and i just fall tired of her every single time. i just have a thing against her character type. i also grew sick of uhmmm the main girl in you're beautiful (by the end i wanted to rip my eyes out... never watched the finale two episodes). and jandi in BOF (even though goo hyesun is a sweety)
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135 ambs
July 11, 2010 at 10:22 AM
@33
i agree if they gave EY someone that would give her happiness i'd take him in a second. i'm for JS-EY for the amazing chemistry and most of all because he's the one she loves. if she finds another i'm all for the new couple =]. except the black bean noodle guy because his JS fanboy-ness makes me o.O
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136 mmeuh
July 11, 2010 at 10:24 AM
@30 About 'bashing SY character' lol this goes to EY too. When I first started the series, oh my, well tbh I wasn't surprised because I'm kind of used people disliking the 3rd party. so yea I thought 'okay, it's PSY, everyone hates her anyway' but then when I started the series and found out that she's nowhere to be your evil third wheel. That's when those comments hit me. Certains even go criticize about her physique lol isn't that going way too far? Don't make me mention all the 'curses' EY character (or PSY the actress herself) from those people. And tbh lately I haven't seen that much bashing on SY character, I believe if there was before, it's become less and less, because well, I guess the fans are too wrapped up with EunSoo's development ^^
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137 ambs
July 11, 2010 at 10:29 AM
@36 yeah at least most of the SY bashing I'VE seen is plausible like the way her personality is BOTHERED people. for EY it's a lot of oh she's plastic, oh she's fat. like w t h?
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138 m a r a
July 11, 2010 at 10:33 AM
To labchick, I'll reply more later. I could have finished with my vacuuming earlier, but I've been addicted to the threads and comments! Yikes.
Regarding "bashings," I just hate them over all, be it with personality or physical appearance. I don't think it does anything to support or strengthen an argument.
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139 m a r a
July 11, 2010 at 10:34 AM
Jane, I'll reply to you, too, later. :)
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140 amg01
July 11, 2010 at 10:37 AM
*@pipit and her Fans*
My humble apologies, never meant to be disrespectful to you or to your "fan base", if you hang out long enough around this parts of "DramaBeans" you will know that I am just a harmless, overbearing, opinionated, logical "freak", and lat but not least, I enjoy the passion that you infused into your comments. Peace to you and your fan base!!
: O }
Coffee House has turn to be up to Episode 12 a very good case study on “Relationships”.
I must say that at no time in my comments have I ever been mean spirited, a bit rude, sarcastic, and patronizing, but not mean spirited.
Having said the latter I allowed me to take a closer look at my arguments and the reasons of how arrive there.
For me Coffee House is the story about three people who are trying to find different things to complete there life's at the moment, while getting caught in a sort of “Triangle” 2 parts romantic the other well base on a Employer/employe and maybe romantic.
What makes this drama so enjoyable to watch is the comedic parts of the story line, at least in my case that's what I like the most, like I said in my prior post the “melodrama” mixture was to heavy for a Rom/com but by episode 12 it was dealt perfectly, thus my hesitation about going down hill from this point.
Seung-yeon: The character of Seung-yeon out of the three so far as the story line is concern, is the one who enjoys the best outlook in life, the reason being that she still to “Young” to know better and her cheerful mode and positive attitude just adds to the endearing overall charisma, I know that a lot of people find her “Dumb,and annoying” but I think that's just how the writer and director made her out to be.
Her most endearing quality is her “Honesty and naive” persona, with her what you see is what you get, she always speaks her mind unafraid of what people may think of her.
I believe those quality's in her personality are the main catalyst that help Jin-soo understand that there is another way of doing things and viewing life. She does have a genuine desire to help people not because of personal gain but because is the right thing to do.
Jin-soo: The Jin-soo character has become one of my favorites characters in recent K-Drama history.
Here we have a man that for what we know about his past has been an egocentric person that suffers from some mild form of OCD and was very unhappy for most of his life, while showing an amicable facade around other people, he is a true to life broken man, not the perfect 'Knight In Shining Armor”.
We do not know the real reason why his wife divorce him, other than to assume that he was and “overbearing ass hole, that neglected her and do not perform the appropriate role of a “Good Husband”, thus the divorce and subsequent Suicide.
He is a guilt redden individual in three fronts, he thinks that he cause his wife's death, and secondly, he feels guilty for having “Romantic” feelings towards his ex-wife best friend, and thirdly, after falling in the depths of drug/alcohol addiction and being rescue by Eun-Young his relationship with her starts on the path of “innuendos, half truths”, that eventually brings an end to this relationship along with the realization that he has no gotten over his ex-wife suicide.
The only redeemable deed that he has done for Eun-Young was to admit to her that indeed he had been in love with her all along.
*Side note* It seems to me that Jin-soo was in love with Eun-Young from the beginning, the fact that he acknowledges that in the train station phone call, and what he said about making a minute better than the last 10 years, if his wife only die 2/3 years prior to this time, than his comment implies that he has been in love with her for the past 10 years!
Eun-Young: I have to say that I have a very “Big” soft spot for this character in my hearth.
I believe that Eun-Young at one point in time in the last ten years also knew that she had some “Romantic” feelings towards Jin-soo, not that there is anything wrong with that since neither of them ever step over the line.
There are a lot of things that I like about her character; She is “Beautiful, smart, self reliant, selfless (when it comes ti Jin-soo), etc,etc,etc!
She is the one responsible for who Jin-soo the present adult is at this point in the story line for better or worst.
This is my take about what went Good/wrong; like I mention before after Jin-soo fell into his suicidal drug/alcohol induce binge, Eun-Young is the one that with sheer will power brought him back from the brink of self destruction, and becomes his only “Pillar of Stability” in the chaos of his mind.
*Side note* Jins-oo never recover fully from his trauma as we can see that when he got to much mental pressure he lost sleep and was only a matter of time when he started using drugs and alcohol again.
This is where things go wrong their relationship turns into a Parent/child dynamic, at the beginning it work because of his mental break down but after he was a bit better the dynamic of their relationship was not re-calibrated to become a healthy one.
I am not implying that it was Eun-young's fault for this turn of events, Jin-soo is the mentally ill one all along, Eun-Young out “Genuine Love” for him become entangle in this codependent relationship, but we know all along that she was never happy with this new dynamic.
I have cry along with Eun-Young, because out of the great love she has for him she never kick him to the curb when he clearly deserves no less than that, and like the love of a “Mother” time and time again is there for him tending to his wounds when he is ill of has gotten wounded again, and most time of his own doing.
I will be the last one to point a finger at Eun-Young and malign her for her actions, for she have done “No Wrong” and let me make that very clear, Eung-young is not at fault for their relationship to go South, that was all Jin-soo's doing.
To put your own life on hold, to be looking for the other persons beast interest, to be treated like the bad one when it is not your fault, to suffer alone in quiet agony for the one that you love in my book that is nothing to be look down upon, on the other hand, Eun-Young deserves my uttermost respect, IMHO she will always be one of the “Classiest” lady's in
K- drama land!!!!!!!
Well all I am hopping that the writers made a good exit at the end, who he will choose at the end, still up for grabs, as long as Eung-Young ends up on a healthy relationship with some one who will lover her unconditionally, whether that person be Jin-Soo or not.
Peace to all!!!!!
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141 labchick
July 11, 2010 at 11:22 AM
lol guys! @ambs, jane
yepp the fan bashing occurs from both sides. My personal favorites are : EY - aka fishlips, and SY aka elephant legs...oh well people still need to understand that these are real people playing others...so there is no need for personal bashing.
Anywho, sure I agree the eunsoo relationship has all the ingredients for a dramatic relationship but in the end it's hard to sustain something that complicated. I don't see any need for me to be convinced of their relationship..if it happens so be it..and if it doesnt..I can understand that too. I think people misunderstand my intent. I'm not saying that JS should be with SY, rather that I want that side to be given a fair chance -- otherwise there is no story..especially with the angst dragging along..
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142 Nhu
July 11, 2010 at 12:26 PM
Oh dear... Shipper wars indeed - only I do have to applaud the analysis that goes into each of your standpoint. I just can't help thinking it might wear down your love for the drama if you spend all your energies gettin frustrated.
I do agree that there have never been fake outs with JS and SY. I do think her entire role is as a secretary for JS and EY, as EY said herself. It does not necessarily mean they will be together. People seem to me to only be playing off their earlier perceptions of a kdrama - which I think is just folly. Have you seen such a damaged complex character like JS? An independent woman like EY?
Only SY is the character you meet all the time, and frankly, I'm tired of her. The plucky girl who's completely oblivious to reality and going head to head with EY? Really. And as lovely a sentiment as a character like SY is, if we're going by reality, how can she exist, let alone survive in society?
And if she does, would she clearly not be a better fit for DW? Though JS and SY learn from each other in the end I believe they are too radically different to be romantically attached. A tour of their respective worlds may lend some new insights, but SY can not be in JS's world and see his darkest viewpoints and vice versa. Note that SY may have helped him several times, but she has never shared his darkest thoughts. As naive as she is, I do not believe she can handle it. Only EY can face the full force of who he is and love him anyway. Note that I do not want him to STAY damaged. He will heal, I'm sure, but his cynicality will always remain.
Admit it. EY and JS are on the same wavelength.
And for christ sakes, there is nothing romantic about EY. She's very practical, very levelheaded. I don't think she "waited" 10 yrs for him. I think she just had to give herself the courage and probably come to terms with her love for him and make sure he was stable enough before she made that leap. And everyones been saying SY "made" their relationship. She helped, I concede, but don't forget, EY is the person who kissed him and changed it all.
The drama is clearly about EY and JS finding happiness, and being happy with love. It's about them moving forward after a ten years stalemate when one of them makes the decisive move and all the right "pieces" (JW and SY included - and yes, in my view, the two play the same role) are on the board for the game to end. It's about a new beginning, moving pass their past (harhar) and leaving all their baggage behind to obtain a love that will make them happy. Perhaps they will decide that love will be with other people, but this is clearly THEIR story.
I firmly believe that is the meaning of Page One.
If you're looking for the story of the "underdog" winning Mr. Darcy, although she has no life experience and he has a past so complicated this new girl who's met him only very recently should not not be able to unravel, especially because of the inability of all the people in his life to do so (a story I find absolutely absurd if youre talking realism), watch the multitude of other dramas. Not Coffee House. They're clearly spinning a different narrative.
I apologize for the rant.
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143 labchick
July 11, 2010 at 1:05 PM
Quote #42
. If you’re looking for the story of the “underdog” winning Mr. Darcy, although she has no life experience and he has a past so complicated this new girl who’s met him only very recently should not not be able to unravel, especially because of the inability of all the people in his life to do so (a story I find absolutely absurd if youre talking realism), watch the multitude of other dramas. Not Coffee House.
That's pretty much what I said myself...so before the rants at anyone who disagrees..I would suggest reading.. But otherwise no a complicated relationship has a very small probability of succeeding in real life.
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144 Lahlita
July 11, 2010 at 3:31 PM
@ 116 m a r a
*applause* Where have you been, lady? I always look for your intelligent, thoughtful, calmly-written posts to make sense of all the wank that occurs on both sides of the shipper divide. Plus, I'm biased toward you because you seem less obsessed with the love-lines and more interested in oori Seung-yeonnie and her professional development like I am. Hasn't our girl grown up to be so beautiful and accomplished? I LOVE HER, and I am not ashamed to proclaim it! I feel a bit cheated out of actually watching the progression of her professional development, but this episode was like Christmas for me, letting her grow up a bit more and showing that she does have the brains, willpower and the wherewithal to become a career woman who is acknowledged and appreciated by her colleagues.
I hope to see more of Seung-yeon's story. I hope to see more of Eun-young too. Quite frankly, I'm shipping Eun-young and Seung-yeon. As lovers would be cool, but I doubt Korea would go for that so I'll settle for them being close friends. They haven't had that many scenes together, but I believe their progression has been written very subtly and beautifully, with them helping each other out and growing to a mutual respect and affection, thereby defying the normal K-drama convention of one woman being The Be All And End All while the other is the Evil Vixen In Heat *cough* In-hee *cough*. Eun-young went from disdaining Seung-yeon, to appreciating her, to genuinely liking her, to acting as a mentor who helped her on her career path. OK, so Eun-young truly is the best thing since sliced bread, isn't she? EY/SY forever!
Now I'm looking forward to seeing a bit more of Jin-soo and Seung-yeon. Mostly Seung-yeon, but Jin-soo is welcome to interact with her if he so chooses. Call me shallow, but when I watch TV I like to laugh and be happy (unless I'm watching LCinderella's Sister which is pure, unadulterated, emotional-torture-porn). I loved the first six episodes of Coffee House that kept things light, and while I identify more with Eun-young, I am not ashamed to admit that I much prefer watching Jin-soo and Seung-yeon. I hope this doesn't take away my cred as a professional, independent woman in my own right. :-) What can I say? Their scenes make me laugh. The bit where Seung-yeon was typing up Jin-soo's novel while he narrated so melodramatically made me laugh near to death. And now I'm interested to see if their dynamic will change with her being not so green and not as beholden to him. I want to see if she can take him on. When they meet up again, he shall probably tease her within an inch of her life, but now she's a Professional Woman, so hopefully she'll grab a skillet and brain him with it! :D No romance necessary. Just some good ol' fashion hilarity.
I'm still enjoying Coffee House, but I'm ready for it to be over. I can appreciate that this drama attempts to deal with adult issues in a mature fashion, but I'm quite, quite tired of the angst that Eun-young and Jin-soo provide. I'm so over it, my goodness! Granted, this has much to do with the fact that I've been Eun-young, and Jin-soo didn't provide me with my happily-ever-after, so I get really discomfited watching their scenes sometimes (and Jin-soo has at times been a bit of a wanker). And as some posters have said, while EunSoo's relationship might be beautiful and dramatic and whatnot, it's rather unrealistic and rarely works outside of the TV box. Then again, other posters have countered that Seung-yeon would not ever have lasted in Jin-soo's employ (very probably true!) because he's really not very nice to work for, so the effect she'd had on him would never have come to be. So I'll just go with what the last group of posters have said: we're watching a K-drama. If I wanted reality, I'd never watch TV and I'd just live my life, but here I am! Allowances must be made for the medium, and the medium is the message (hmm, I'm not I've used that idiom correctly, but whatever). Jin-soo is still a wanker, though. :-)
Yeesh, I tend to bash Jin-soo which is uncool, so let me be a bit nicer. He has shown some growth. I was pleased that in episode 11 he came to the realization that he needed to admit that he had a problem. The issue was with him and his demons. Eun-young was never at fault, unless being too helpful for too long is a fault, and I like that PD-nim let Jin-soo have this epiphany. It made him more sympathetic. I also appreciate that Jin-soo let Eun-young go, and that she let him let her go. Now if he comes back and they have a romance, I believe that he might be able to be a decent partner. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to rehabilitation. Hopefully he will vanquish his demons and find his happiness. I want them all to find their happiness. That's what the PD wants too. And now we're in the home stretch, so we just need to sit back, chillax, and see how his characters get there.
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145 xylophonic
July 11, 2010 at 3:54 PM
@ Lahlita
Hahah, I love how you came up with EY/SY!! :D Never seen that done before. I do agree though, this drama has been top-notch with characterization and development of relationships. I still remember (who doesn't?) that scene where Eun-young disparages Seung-yeon by calling her a damsel in distress who are always being rescued-- only to eat her words mere moments later!
But then in episode 12 we see Eun-young treating Seung-yeon with genuine respect and offering to help with her career path. Maybe the thing I appreciate the most is that the drama showed clearly the development between the two stages, and made it more realistic (hope I'm not shooting myself in the foot here, talking about realism. :P), as far as their relationship went. For example Eun-young didn't start liking Seung-yeon overnight, she had to admit first that she was a good secretary, then her role in facilitating the communication between her and Jin-soo.
Moreover I just loved how the two ladies' relationship isn't simply just hate, jealousy over the man (certainly because the man in this case isn't worth being jealous about!), making it into almost like a contest, like they do in other rom-coms. Then the good girl wins the guy while the bad girl is left bereft. The thing here, though, is that there's no 'good and bad'. They don't fit into conventional kdrama female roles, and that's really what I love best about Coffee House, I think.
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146 Lahlita
July 11, 2010 at 4:39 PM
@ 145 xylophonic
You totally said I what I wanted to say about Eun-young and Seung-yeon. Thank you! That was an excellent play-by-play. I have to admit that I'm surprised to find that what interests me the least in Coffee House is the love-line. I'm usually all about it, like in My Name is Kim Sam Soon or Oh Dal-ja's Spring. In the latter drama, I was so obsessed with Dal-ja and Tae-bong that starting from episode 9, I fast-forwarded through everyone else's scenes so I could get back to the leads. It was only watching the drama the second time through that I bothered to pay attention to the other people in the story. :D
Then again, this is also a strength of Coffee House. The fact that secondary relationships can also be well-written is very gratifying. And I love a drama where both women are of such good quality. In my comments for the episode 3 recap, I remember wishing for more EY/SY scenes because I felt that the PD was going to do something really good and sweet with them. Neither was written shallowly, so I was anticipating goodness. I was rewarded.
I do believe that the writer/creator of this show is holding Eun-young up as a prototype for Seung-yeon, at least professionally. I think both women are much more alike that most people recognize. Seung-yeon has a tendency to lose the plot, it's true, but Eun-young also has her spazzy moments as well (episode 1, in the airplane when she founds out that Jin-soo escaped from attending the book-signing, and in episode 2, when she's asking her friends why on earth Ji-wan is at her birthday party). Eun-young can freak out with the best of them, although she gets herself together very quickly. And on a shallow note, can we all just take a moment of silence to appreciate how outrageously, inhumanly gorgeous Park Shi-yeon is?
*appreciative moment of silence*
Excellent! So, where was I? Ah, yes! So, after the time-lapse, I was struck by how much Seung-yeon had become like Eun-young, while still maintaining her own unique character and mannerisms. Eun-young's professionalism and control is something to which Seung-yeon aspired. She admired everything about Eun-young (and rightly so!), even wondering what was wrong with Jin-soo "to reject someone as wonderful as Chief-him." Let me say, I loved that it was Eun-young, and not Jin-soo, who truly set Seung-yeon on her path to professionalism. Jin-soo left Seung-yeon behind with nary a reference and no direction. All he did was tell her what she wasn't capable of doing. It was Eun-young who suggested an alternative, gave her a professional reference, and found a place for her. Now Seung-yeon is a show-writer who dresses professionally, makes excellent coffee, keeps her cool and handles her colleagues efficiently, and even carries herself differently.
What stuck out to me was the scene when her manager was talking about the rumors of Jin-soo being dead since no one had heard from him. The Seung-yeon of yore would have LOST HER MIND, sobbing and yelling "Ottokeh?" Now she was the one saying to not listen to such crazy rumors. She's much more calm (and really beautiful, my goodness). I think that working for Jin-soo taught her patience and perseverance, but I really think that Eun-young is the prototype upon which Seung-yeon is building her transformation. I hope the most for these two women to find happiness, however they do it. They really deserve it.
PS: I can't believe I forgot about Dong-wook! Poor, gorgeous boy. I wonder what he's up to.
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147 Lahlita
July 11, 2010 at 4:43 PM
This lack of an edit button is going to be the death of me.
I meant to say Chief-nim, not Chief-him. Ugh.
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148 pipit
July 11, 2010 at 6:14 PM
Dear all,
I've already considered this place as my second home and you all as my family.
(Thanks a lot JB for having this site)
I guess like in every real house it's normal for us to have a fight and disagreement once in a while...But in the end we are still family with CH as the blood to tie us together.
Love to you all.
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149 ambs
July 12, 2010 at 4:14 PM
can i talk about episode 13 without giving anything away? all i have to say is OMGOMGOGMOGMG everytime i try to pull away i keep getting dragged back into their love JS<3EY =]
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150 Kayt
July 12, 2010 at 10:19 PM
@ambs: I am joining you here ^^;;
haha
I know, there was so much hype about it even before it was aired ( and the tream didnt work for me , Ghrrr!!!)
I almost passed out,.... ok, fine, not that bad; but I couldnt breathe, and my hands were shaking that I couldnt even type when I discovered a photo of PSY on Korean News ( this was 3 hrs before the show was on , ok? )
This drama is driving so many people ( including me) insane
I heard every forums went wild after Epi 13 aired :D. lol
I was so excited too, yet didn't see THAT coming either lol
This couple really couldnt help themselves and at the end , the face was just priceless!!!!
(I hope I didnt give out any spoiler hehe) :p
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