Secret Garden: Episode 14
by girlfriday
Looks like love is in the air. And the real kind, not the Little Mermaid version. Or so we hope. Down with the Mermaid! Sheesh. When did Ariel ever get such a bad rap? Declarations get made, gauntlets get thrown, and secrets get found out. It’s Christmas in the Secret Garden, and it looks like Fate has some interesting things in store…
EPISODE 14 RECAP
Ra-im walks in, dressed to the nines, and on Oska’s arm. He thankfully doesn’t try to use his entrance with Ra-im to bait Seul. Instead he leaves Ra-im with one look at Joo-won, and takes Seul away to talk.
Joo-won has the gall to be mad at Ra-im for her absence these last few days. Dude, you haven’t even apologized yet for YOUR part in all this. He then, because he is Joo-won, looks at the label on her dress and notes that it’s a nice one. Pffft. He is such a girl, sometimes. He asks her if her fairy godmother said that she can stay till midnight, after which she’ll go poof and disappear; she responds that it’s all up to him.
Oska brings Seul a slice of cheesecake, saying that he remembers she likes it, and didn’t eat it because she didn’t want to gain weight. She glares. Oops. Wrong again. This is quite the dangerous game you’re playing. I mean, there’s only so many rounds of this I’d tolerate from a guy before I gave him the boot. Needless to say, Seul’s pissed: “Who’s that girl? So, is she skinny?” Ha. She asks what the hell he’s doing, and he just replies vaguely that he’s going to remember everything, and he’s going to reverse it all.
Joo-won asks what the makeover is about, growing nervous for her answer. She tells him the truth: that she was outside and couldn’t come in, but that her fairy godmother told her to say it to his face—that she’s here to see him. She tells him that she swore to his mother, on the memory of her dad, that she wouldn’t see him anymore. “My body has turned away. But my heart won’t leave.”
She admits that it’ll be hard for her if she continues to see him, but decides that the pain from being with him will be easier to endure…than the pain of not seeing him. Aw. Ra-im: “I’m here. To see you. That’s my answer. But…I’m not going to be the Little Mermaid. So, go ahead and answer. Is the Little Mermaid all that I can ever be?”
He stares back at her, frozen, and then they get interrupted by the last woman that Joo-won met on a blind date. She tries to worm her way into the conversation, but Seul swoops in and takes her away. Hm. What angle is she playing now? Then another interruption, from an annoying acquaintance who asks who Ra-im is.
Joo-won answers that she’s someone he’ll never encounter again, because she’s something else (the connotation of which is purposely ambiguous).
Joo-won: She drives like a car racer. If she witnesses someone’s purse being snatched, someone she’s never met in her life, she’ll throw fists. She has no money and her body is covered in scars, but she doesn’t want to spend even one second of one minute with people like us. She’s that kind of woman. I’ve never seen a woman as cool as her. That…is my answer.
Finally, some words of awesome from his mouth. Ra-im’s eyes fill with tears at his answer.
Seul takes the other girl outside and hilariously gives her the “I’m the crazy bitch in this town” speech, quoting it from dramas. Omg, I totally love her lately. Is she getting more awesome, or is everyone else getting less awesome? Either way, her sass kills me.
She even adds that the girl, whom she calls a thorn, shouldn’t meddle when two people (Ra-im and Joo-won) are just about to admit their feelings and get somewhere. Dude, words right out of my mouth, again.
She heads inside and is taken aback by the music…she looks over to the piano and Oska is playing her favorite song. She walks over and he smiles at her, saying that he finally got one right. Seul is moved to near tears.
She and Oska are both surprised when they look over to Joo-won and Ra-im who have gone from slow dancing to slow kissing. Rawr! Now that’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout, Show! WTF with all that forced bed-hugging when you could have just had smokin’ chemistry like this, all equal-participation-points-with-yummy-lips-and-all?
Ra-im is self-conscious at first because everyone is staring at them, but Joo-won doesn’t care. Of course they’re staring at them, because he just sent the value of his company spiraling down because he kissed a poor stuntwoman. Well that’s an incredibly self-absorbed…oh, wait…right, this is Joo-won. Yeesh.
He kisses her tenderly on the forehead, and then they start making out like no one else is in the room, as Seul, Oska, and the whole party stares on. It does feel like they’re in their own space, moving to a different beat, as they lose themselves in the kiss.
The next day, Oska finds out that his old rival and frenemy Jun-hyuk is back, and that stirs something in his memory…and then he FINALLY remembers that conversation where he said that Seul was nothing to him. It dawns on him that she heard everything, and to his credit, though he remembers it a decade too late, he still goes running over to her.
He’s thwarted by another crisis though, this one a rumor that he knew the plagiarized song was a copy, but pushed it into production anyway. Seul and Tae-sun see the news as well, and Tae-sun calls someone and storms out.
Meanwhile, Joo-won is scared to check his company’s stock value, which only takes a slight dip and remains largely the same, to his relief. He cuts his meeting short, because he has a date. Aw, cute.
Jong-soo gives Ra-im her audition reel for Dark Blood, and Joo-won steals her away for a date. Since Jung-hwan is going to be the new director of the action school, he asks him for permission to take “my Ra-im-ie” away.
They go to her apartment, and he covers her eyes as they enter. She opens her eyes to find her whole place lit up with Christmas lights and a tree. Aw, so cute! Why couldn’t you be this sweet from the beginning and not have been such an ass?
He tells her to wipe her terrible memory of what happened in this place (in answer to her cries in the last episode that she has to eat and sleep in the place where his mother cut her down so harshly), and he tells her to only think of this moment, right now. Aw, so you did all this just to replace her bad memory with a good one? Okay, you’re kinda making it hard not to love you right now.
Then he asks how long Ah-young will be out tonight. He decides he’ll take care of this himself, and pretends to call Secretary Kim to tell him to keep Ah-young out till morning. But in fact he’s calling Ah-young herself, who of course must’ve been the one who let him into the apartment to decorate. She assures him she’ll stay out for a good long while, and tells him to have a good time.
He hangs up and Ra-im gets squeamish about his intentions (oy, let’s not go there again, Show) as he starts to chase her around the apartment. She tells him to keep his distance, as he follows her around, asking what the issue is, since they’re two adults. Well there’s lots of problems, not least of which, you are NOT an adult.
She backs onto the bed, and he looms over her, asking what she thinks he’s going to do, and then crouches down in front of her to hold her hands. Whew. God, I really don’t want to be living with the annoying fear that Episode 13’s bed scene is going to repeat on us. Gah. More on this later.
He has the gall to call her out for having her mind in the gutter. Whatever, There’s-a-room-next-door Boy. He holds her hands and revels in the fact that he finally gets to say, “And what’s so hard about this?” as he clutches her hands and stares lovingly at her face. I love the sweetness of that—that the one thing he’s been dying to do is hold her hands with no reservations.
Oska goes to see the songwriter who lied to the press, and it turns out that it’s someone Tae-sun knows, who happens to have been in love with him despite his being gay. She’s obviously still bitter about it; you really shouldn’t take it personally, not that you’re not a thoroughly evil person, but, you know…you’re just not his type.
Oska fumes, but she just trounces all over him, saying that he’s the one who did this to himself, for being the kind of no-talent star to buy his way to fame rather than work hard for it. She clearly doesn’t know about the kettle and the pot, because she then follows it up with blackmail, asking him for a payoff for her to recount her story.
His manager wants to pay her off, but Oska tells him that he’ll fold all his activities instead. All of this hitting him at once is clearly making him reevaluate himself as a person, and what he’s seeing ain’t so pretty.
Mother Viper gets word of the VVIP party’s kissing couple, and decides to retaliate hardcore. Next thing you know, Secretary Kim is railing into Joo-won for ordering Ah-young fired. Oh, damn. She’s good.
He insists it wasn’t him (which hilariously gets Secretary Kim to back down from his visual representation of You’re a Meanie Evil Boss) and digs around. Meanwhile, Ra-im gets a call from the Mother Snake herself, telling her that this is just the warning; she hasn’t even begun the real torture yet. She tells Ra-im to ask herself if she can be happy at the expense of her friend’s happiness, and leaves her hanging.
Ah-young comes home and doesn’t let on that she was fired, because she clearly knows why. She lies that she had it out with a co-worker and quit, and is happy to take some time off to catch up on old dramas. Sigh. Is it wrong if I’m jealous?
What a good friend. But since Ra-im is one too, she runs out of there right away, to go have it out with Joo-won’s mother. Joo-woon pulls up to the house at the same time, and they argue outside about who should be the one to take care of the situation. Joo-won insists that he has a master plan…to tattle to Grandpa. Pfffft. And Man-Child of the Year goes to…
But as they argue, thunder clouds roll in, and it starts to rain. Here we go…it’s re-swap time! And not a moment too soon, really, because while I’m happy with this episode’s developments, sure did take us forever to get here.
They look at each other and know right away what happened. It’s actually hilarious that they’re not even surprised anymore. They curse their luck at switching at this moment, which is of course right when Mother pulls up and tells them both to come inside. This should be good.
A refresher on body-swap names: soul first, body second. Ra-Him is Ra-im in Joo-won’s body (Hyun Bin) and Joo-wonda is Joo-won in Ra-im’s body (Ha Ji-won).
They both point out that going for the best friend is a low blow. Mom counters that this isn’t the Olympics; fair play does not apply. Oh, um. Good point. One point, Mom. Joo-wonda notes the tactic that Mom will inevitably employ: first the friend, then the job, then the home, then out of the country. Mom’s eyebrows go up as her master plan gets recited to her, and she assumes that Ra-im has encountered this treatment before.
Joo-wonda says they’ll stop dating…they’re going to live together instead. Cue unholy horror. He adds that this is all for her son, because if they’re not together, he might die of lovesickness. Ha.
He tells Mom that she doesn’t have the right to fire Ah-young; he’ll see to it that she’s sued if she pursues it, and that if she really can’t stand to see them together, they’ll just go live abroad or something. He asks if that’s what she really wants—to never see her son again.
Mom of course (not knowing that this is coming straight from her son) thinks that this girl is threatening her with balls of steel, and asks what Joo-won thinks. Ra-Him answers that she thinks Joo-wonda is right. She’s decided to trust this person from now on. With that, they leave Mom.
They head to Ra-im’s place, where the Magic Veil of Un-switchiness takes over so that they’re back in their own bodies. Already? So un-fun, this veil.
Ra-im wants to figure out why they switched again, but Joo-won’s got other things on his mind. He meant what he said to Mom and wants Ra-im to pack a bag now so that they can start living together, this instant. Ra-im shuts him down; they have bigger worries than that, with their swapped state.
She wonders if there’s a common connection every time the switch occurred, and they realize it’s connected to the rain. She looks up the weather forecast and it’s not due to rain for another week. Joo-won: “What? That means we can’t kiss for a whole week?” Ha.
Ra-im wonders how he ever endured all this time NOT kissing her, then, and he shares his little secret of the rhyme he chants. He takes the phone and looks again at the weather. “New York. It’s raining in New York. Let’s go.” Ra-im: “You want to go to New York, so we can kiss?” Heh.
They decide that they can live each other’s lives for a week till they switch back, and agree that it’ll be easier this time around, since they’ve got the routine down.
To that end, they sit down and go over the important things going on in their lives. Ra-im has the big audition for Dark Blood coming up, so Joo-wonda has to train. We flashforward to see them training together. Joo-wonda in turn trains Ra-Him on his signature, and what to sign for. He tells her not to accept greetings from his staff, but she tells him that she will, since that’s a habit he should fix: “You have to earn respect. If you don’t like it, date another woman.” Awesome.
Joo-wonda says there’s one more thing. They stand up, and he tells Ra-Him to close her eyes. He walks over and hugs her (as the veil un-switches them for a moment) and says, “Our bodies are swapped, but once a day, we hug each other, like this.” Aw.
At their respective jobs, Ra-Him signs for Ah-young to be promoted, and Joo-wonda trains…only it doesn’t look so hot when he’s swordfighting, making Jung-hwan and Jong-soo wonder what’s wrong with Ra-im. Jung-hwan wonders if she got dumped by Joo-won. Jong-soo: “Let’s bring him here and beat him up.” Hahahaha.
Ra-Him and Joo-wonda confer at the end of their day at a coffee shop, and decide to meet here every day to go over the major decisions. This is so much easier when you guys aren’t at each other’s throats and trying to purposely ruin each other’s lives! Ra-Him gets excited about attending the action school’s Christmas party, which Joo-wonda rags on for being lame.
Oska cancels his Christmas concert, and when they try to offer the fans their money back, they decline and send him gifts instead, with a message that they’ll wait until he does the concert some other time. That’s cute. But Oska is feeling too low to face any of it, and insists that their money just be returned.
He spends Christmas Eve alone, until Seul arrives, worried about him and thinking it was better than him being all alone. She brings him the cutest Christmas cake ever, and while she lights the candles, he goes over to the piano.
He starts playing, and thanks everyone for attending his concert, and for sticking with him…through the end. Seul’s eyes fill with tears as he serenades her with a slow version of “Here I Am.”
It’s a stellar performance from both of them, as he sings full of regret and longing, and she cries, unable to hold back her emotion any longer. It’s actually moving, which I didn’t think I’d be saying about these two characters’ potential for a reunion.
Ra-Him arrives at the action school with her gift exchange present in hand, and is surprised to find that Joo-wonda is not only there, but has contributed to decorations and party supplies. She asks what he’s doing here, and he responds with the duh answer: he wants to spend Christmas Eve with you, doofus.
One hilarious moment is everyone’s reaction when one of the trainees confesses his love for Ra-im, to everyone’s horror. Joo-wonda ends up laughing at the action school hijinks and having a good time, despite himself. Ra-Him adorably even sneaks a handholding session with him behind Jung-hwan’s back.
The next day Ra-Him looks in the mirror as she shaves, and swoons over feeling close to him, like they’re standing together, if she closes her eyes. She notices the bottle of pills on the counter, and flashes back to Oska’s oblique references to an accident, memory loss, and seeing someone named Ji-hyun about pills.
She walks over to Oska’s house, and he happens to be sitting there with Ji-hyun, because he needed some sleeping pills. Ra-Him doesn’t know her, so she treats her like a stranger, confusing them. She realizes that she’s supposed to know her…
Meanwhile, Jong-soo sees Joo-wonda looking at the picture of Ra-im and her father, and asks about the exact day. Joo-wonda asks what day, is it Jong-soo’s birthday? Jong-soo looks at her, puzzled…
Back at Oska’s, Ra-Him plays it off like she was just kidding, and gets away with vague responses as Ji-hyun makes her exit. Then Ra-Him sits down to ask Oska if he knows Ji-hyun’s phone number, since he lost it and needs to ask her something. HA! This is hilarious.
Oska looks at him like he’s gone insane…
Jong-soo can tell that something’s not right, and to confirm, he pretends the date he was talking about was his birthday. Joo-wonda just responds in kind. God, any idiot can tell it’s supposed to be the day her father died! He confirms it with one more fact: he casually mentions that their sunbae Ji-hoon called to ask about her. Joo-wonda pretends to recognize the name and wonders if he has the number…
Jong-soo stares a hole right through Joo-wonda’s head, as he finally asks, “Who are you?”
Cut to Oska, asking Ra-Him the same question: “Who are you? You’re not Kim Joo-won.”
Jong-soo: Kim Ji-hoon died three years ago. And that’s the date that Ra-im’s father died.
Oska: Ji-hyun is the person who just walked out. Who are you, and where is my little brother, Kim Joo-won?
Aw, hells yeah!
COMMENTS
Finally, something new in the dynamic! I can’t wait till Jong-soo and Oska muck things up with their knowledge. What a great scene to have their realizations come simultaneously like that. It makes so much more sense that people this involved in their lives would notice that something was awry. The fact that they didn’t notice it the first time was hilarious for the hijinks (lest we forget the kissing cousins) but not so realistic, so I’m glad that something’s finally going to come of their swap this time around, other than the novelty of driving each other’s bodies around.
This episode was a much-needed up-tick, because as stellar as the chemistry is between the actors, the story wasn’t doing anything new for a good long while. In this episode we finally saw a major shift in the relationships with declarations and answers, and now some real suspense as Oska and Jong-soo hone in on the body swap. Hope they stay swapped for longer this time, enough for the suspicions to make things more complicated, and more hilarious.
As for the spirited debate over Episode 13’s bed scene: many people have argued that intent (to only hug) excuses actions (forcing her onto the bed for a hug). Does that mean if I steal twenty dollars from javabeans with the intention of giving it back (really, I swears it!) that means my actions are justified? Intent is important, sure—it’s the very crucial difference between murder and manslaughter, for instance—but that doesn’t mean that there are no consequences for the action. You still gotta do time for manslaughter.
I don’t know what Joo-won’s intent was, because I’m not him. But his actions violated the one principle, in my book, that should be universal: when I say get off of me, get the fuck off of me. I don’t care if Ra-im is a Badass Stuntmaster Extraordinaire™ or the goddamn Second Coming of Yoda; whether man or woman, big or little, strong or weak, this is a fundamental respect for another human being’s body that should be adhered to. That’s MY universe, and dramas, and all fiction, no matter how fantastical or mystical, are a reflection of that ‘verse.
When they mess with my fundamental rules, it’s my prerogative to get my sparkly panties in a bunch over it, as it is anyone else’s, to do the opposite. That’s the fun, yeah? It’s naïve to assume that television as a form of popular entertainment is not borne of a culturally specific time and place, and that it has no effect on the world it came from, or the one that will come after it. That is the cycle of pop culture and the way we consume, react to, and create it.
Unwanted-advances-as-romance is a socially problematic issue. If the argument is that Ra-im really did want the advances, well then I’d say, Drama, she should have said, “Yes, please, with a snuggle on top!” and not, “No.” Javabeans was calling attention to something that is actually a rather old issue to have plagued many works of fiction and in many ways more egregious than Secret Garden‘s. But that doesn’t excuse the drama from having made the call to portray that scene in all its ambiguity. Of course we’re going to call Show out on that shit. Hello, have you met us?
RELATED POSTS
- Secret Garden: Episode 13
- Secret Garden: Episode 12
- Secret Garden: Episode 11
- Secret Garden: Episode 10
- Secret Garden: Episode 9
- Secret Garden: Episode 8
- Secret Garden: Episode 7
- Secret Garden: Episode 6
- Secret Garden: Episode 5
- Secret Garden: Episode 4
- Secret Garden: Episode 3
- Secret Garden: Episode 2
- Secret Garden: Episode 1
Tags: featured, Ha Ji-won, Hyun Bin, Kim Sa-rang, Philip Lee, Secret Garden, Yoon Sang-hyun
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1 mastille
December 27, 2010 at 3:16 PM
Am I first? REALLY?
Maybe not.
But thank you so much! Time to read this ep's recap! Watched and rewatched already =DDD
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mastille
December 27, 2010 at 3:33 PM
Now that I've read the recap I agree with your and JB's points of view about JW's actions in ep 13, and am glad that you both can look at and enjoy dramas for all of their hilarious/interesting points but not be blind to problems like those. Too bad because I'm excited about where this is going and wish I didn't have reservations, but I like that we had/are having this discussion on your blog.
Can't deny that I'm excited for what's going to happen/be revealed and what Oska/Jong-Soo are going to do...
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Lena
December 27, 2010 at 4:35 PM
I agreed with the comment javabeans made yesterday about the near-molestation interaction of episode thirteen. However, it now occurs to me that Joo-won might not consider the body of Ra-im to be foreign, or just hers, really; he spent time using it as his already, so he may feel sometimes that he shouldn't have to respect Ra-im's control over that body, or her personal space.
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mastille
December 27, 2010 at 7:17 PM
Yeah, I don't think of Joo Won less because of that scene based on both of their characters and previous interactions, but I do agree that the message the writers are trying to get across is flawed...
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amg01
December 28, 2010 at 12:03 AM
First and foremost I want to apologize to “All” the people that I antagonize in “SG Episode 13 Recap”, I truly meant no disrespect, but if any one felt disrespected please accept my humble apology, I do not need to mention any name since you know who you are.
*When a touch is not a “Touch”*
From the inception of time the struggle between what is and “appropriate touch” v.s one that is not propitiate, has been one of the main sources of contention between the sexes, but I must say that it goes beyond that, since we know that it also translates between individuals that share the same gender.
The main problem that we are having is that we have forgotten that when it comes to “sexual intimacy” there is a standard, in democratic society's there is an agreement that is set in our “Common Law” that stipulates that; “for a sexual encounter to take place free from the intrusion of a standard of justice ( the law) it has to be “ consensual”.
What is Consensual Sex?
Consensual sex is when both partners are freely and willingly agreeing, or consenting, to whatever sexual activity is occurring.
The issue of consent is very clear. Consent is an active process and a responsibility shared by both partners in any relationship. Consent cannot be given when an individual is intoxicated. Sex without consent is sexual assault/rape. You cannot assume that you have consent – you need to ask.
Make sure the sex you are having is consensual:
Do not make assumptions about consent; lack of a “no” is not a “yes”
Ask for consent – it communicates respect and generally sex is better if both partners can talk about what they like/don’t like
Communicate clearly – talk about your sexual desires and limits
Know that if someone is intoxicated they cannot legally consent to sex. Having sex with someone who is intoxicated is rape.
Approach relationships as equal partners, openly communicating in an atmosphere of mutual respect and shared decision-making. (http://www.shs.ilstu.edu/sexual_assault/programs/educational/consensual.shtml)
This paragraph was borrow from the Illinois State University site.
“163.415 Sexual abuse in the third degree.
(1) A person commits the crime of sexual abuse in the third degree if the person subjects another person to sexual contact and:
(a) The victim does not consent to the sexual contact; or
(b) The victim is incapable of consent by reason of being under 18 years of age.
This paragraph was borrowed from the Oregon State Law, (the State in which I live)
This is how here in the USA we deal with this issue, and even when we have a very clear define precept in our current law, woman and man still are sexually violated.
I have had the opportunity to live in four different Continents, and six different Country's around the world, from “First rate Super Powers” to very poor “Third World Country's”, and I can say that the “Implied and Covert” abuse of woman takes place at least in all the Country’s that I have live, and in some places around the world Woman have no rights, I will not mention any names because I do not want to offend anybody.
In the past I have work with “Violent Offenders” and their victims, and the most “Scary” thing about this work is not dealing with the violent offender, but with the victims that suffer from “Traumatic Bonding & Stockholm Syndrome”, when the victims says “but He says that he Loves me, and he is sorry”, or when the police go and try to arrest the offender and the woman start fighting with the officers because she does not want for him to be arrested.
Like I said I personally in good faith will not condone or validate any man's actions when it comes to “sexual consent, or physical abuse, whether in real life or an a drama fantasy, I cannot change nor desire to change any body's point of view, at the end of the day I can only be accountable for my own integrity, and not for the people who disagree with me.
I am an “Ex- Violent Offender” I have been violence free for the last 16 years, I am also a “Committed Pacifist” and practice non violence in my daily life.
So there is a reason why I react so negatively when I see people condoning, abusive behavior as something “Cute and Romantic”. But yet again far be from me to try to change anyone here, for I know that at the end of the day I can only change myself, and I have committed myself to never treat another human being with out regard for their safety and personal boundary's.
Yours truly Amg1.
: O }
Lena
December 29, 2010 at 3:23 AM
Really now, why is the body-swapping still used so subtly? Is that more realistic? I hope it's a strong part of the plot later.
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renzillag
June 3, 2011 at 4:54 PM
My opinion is... he's bonkers therefore his actions can't be justified... because he's bonkers... and a stalker :D but he's awesome anyways!
YAY SECRET GARDEN <3
lemon tea
December 28, 2010 at 12:00 AM
In my opinion, it didn't appear Ra im was sincerely rejecting Joo Won. If she really hated him, she would start crying and not fall asleep next to him. The purpose of these scene in my opinion was purely comedic. Joo won wasn't even trying to take advantage of her. He just wanted to hold her close to him. He looks like he really wanted to kiss her, but then stops himself with "kim sooroo". He knows his limitations. It wasn't like Que Sera Sera's bed scene where Eric even started to take her clothes off. I believe this scene in Secret Garden was actually important to the plot. It showed that Joo Won loved her, but knew his limitations. Javabeans and Girlfriday, YOU are NOT Ra im. Ra im fights against what she thinks is wrong. She could have slapped Joo Won and yelled at him. But the thing is that she didn't. This scene in my opinion is in no way a rape scene. Sure Joo Won may have been aggressive, but he was doing it in a playful way and we can tell that he has no further intentions than holding her. This scene didn't disgust me, but actually made me cry. They were so close to each other, but there was still a barrier in between them. We should just move on from this discussion. What is done is done. We can't ask SBS to go to the past and cut this scene out. Instead we should look forward to what Secret Garden brings us in the future.
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December 28, 2010 at 2:02 AM
Totally agreed with lemon tea!!! Well said!
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R
December 28, 2010 at 2:31 AM
Very well put.
The point being that while the whole harassment debate makes a LOT of sense on a general level and while I agree that a drama not only reflects part of reality but may influence it too, I think it is very wrong to apply it to this particular drama and that particular scene.
Why is everyone dismissing Ra Im strength as if it were of minor importance? To me, it is important. Assault is not about a man molesting a woman, but about the stronger molesting the weaker.
The fact that she is able to shrug him off is not a minor detail, nor is the fact that he knows it.
Therefore, with all due respect to the recaps writers and their awesome job, I think this very serious, important matter should really be raised elsewhere (take your pick, there are hundreds of dramas out there full of twisted moral/legal issues, not only Korean).
When discussing the dynamics of a story the characters involved can't be forgotten. Ra Im's physicality can't be forgotten either, since from the very beginning she is responding to his touch much more than his words (and I see why).
His actively stalking her should have disturbed us from the very beginning, if this were the scope of the drama. His pushing her into a fitting booth should have made us cringe, since it was degrading as well as aggressive.
The bed scene, on the other hand, comes at a point in the plot where it is as far from sexual harassment as anything I have seen.
So, forgive me should I sound unrespectful, this is the wrong place to raise the right issue.
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niKai
December 28, 2010 at 6:02 AM
*nods*
the changing room scene is what i would call harassment (it can turn into sexual harassment, mind you. was this issue raised then? I don't remember that). The bed-hugging scene, is as far from sexual harassment as i can see. for one thing, ra-im gives joowon "warning" 3 times (if i remember correctly). for someone like ra-im, if it's really a big deal to her, she would have stop it at one and give him a punch somewhere. it may be a little uncomfortable to her but i see it more as annoyance than fear/panic. I suppose Joo-won sense the same thing - she merely annoyed than truly rebelled about the hug. and that's why he childishly and stubbornly continued hugging her.
Nica
December 28, 2010 at 4:02 PM
there are hundreds of dramas out there full of twisted moral/legal issues, not only Korean..
Yes, I very much agree..
However, I respect Javabeans and girlfriday's opinion about the "bedscence" because they are just expressing what they think is not right in reality.
Though, we watch the drama, we like the actors and all but still we should be "critical watchers".
That's why, I like this site because we can express our ideas about the contents of the drama's we watch.
Christy
December 28, 2010 at 4:22 AM
Totally agree.
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December 28, 2010 at 6:45 AM
Totally agree with you! Very well said my friend! :)
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amg01
December 28, 2010 at 7:41 AM
I will not give you a rebuttal concerning wast you wrote the reason being;
1-I am not trying to change your opinion.
2- I have given a legal precedent, that you have disregard.
3- My opinion is base on "Real Life Experience, and what the Law say's, so I am not interests in an intellectual or "cerebral" opinion since it does not help me in a "real world scenario".
4- This is the proper place to have this discussion.
5-I am not offended if you disagree with me, further more, it does not matter to me what you say, I do not have any interest in your opinion or the ones of people like you.
6-If you do not like what I wrote you are more than "Free" to ignore me!!!!!
Cheers, by the way I will ignore any comments from this point on !!!!!!!
: O }
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DRAMADDICT/4ever
December 28, 2010 at 12:52 PM
WARNING!!!! I am about to post the longest comment I have ever written.
@ Amg1, I can understand your anger or unhappiness toward those who do not agree with you since you actually gave a pretty good explanation of why you think you are right, and I respect that. I also appreciate your apology because I would also like to apologize for my previous behavior and if I did offended anyone I apologized.
Like you I will not try to change your opinion or anyones, because at this points I belive it is pointless because no matter what anyone say you won't make me change my mind and I won't change your, and I don't think there is nothing wrong with that.
Talking on a "real" case scenario, I do believe you when you say there are other countries where women are just not "RESPECTED".
When I was younger and still living in my country I remember I went with my family to the beach and as I was enjoying swiming I notice that a guy just kept looking at me, at some point I started to feel unconfortable,but I guess I was too young to understand the severety of the situation because in one split second the guy aproach me and started grabing my private parts and just took off. I still remember the fear, and how violated I felt at that momment. This scenario happened to me again! when I was going to the market and there was alot of crow when suddenly someone just grab my butt and I didn't even see who did it, that was just too horrible for me. I was not even going to puberty when these thing happened to me, and although I was too young enough to understand, at least I knew it was not right.
A third scenario happened here when I starter living in the US and starting to go to highscool. I was on my freshman year of highschool I was stanting on the lunch line when I felt someone touched my but, but this time I turned around and slapped the guy behind me so hard that my hand and his cheek were bright red! the problem was that I slaped the wrong guy because the one that did the damage was the one next to him,(I actually felt bad for the guy I wrongly slappe).
About Rape I don't even want to go there because that is a wound I just choose to forget and not talk about it ever againg. And I do find offensive when some use the "Rape" scenario just to make his/her point of view just more valuable. Maybe that is why I don't seem to look at that specific scene as wrong, because I have been through worse, but I also don't see anything wrong with the scene because at this point of the drama, both leads know one another, both clearly like one another, and just see it as a guy who is to smitted with the girl and just wants to spend every minute with her and she know that. I seriously don't want to start another debate of why I am right or wrong and just want to move one.
Last but not least I want to give my best momment of episode 13 and 14.
Episode 13
1. At the beginning of the episode I laughe like crazy when the director moved JW out of Ra-ims way and lay next to her, but our crazy guy just squize on between and was so happy just like a puppy is when is next to its owner.
2. Next day when Ra-im and director went for a walk, I love when JW said he was not someone to be ignore and even his voice crake( I love when this happens, especially the way he say YA!)
3) When they walked together and JW smile, I was like AW!
4) The most intense momment was when evil mon visited Ra-im and made her cry by insulting her parents( I was like, bad momy, bad bad mommy), and felt respect towars the actress because that was such a good scene.
5) I also love that JW was also woried about her and kept looking for her and declare that he was going to keep seeing her no matter what.
Episode 14:
1. God dam! that is the hottest kiss I have ever seen in a Kdrama and I love it!!!
2. Oskar and Seul are finally having some progress, and now I am officially rooting for them.
Last but not least I just hope this "I am right, no I am right" debate dies by next episode, because I trully miss the good vibe we were having before, Peace to everyone and remember we are a family and like any other family we will always fight or disagree once a while, but at the end we are still a FAMILY.
Please disregard my bad spelling or grammar, but I just hope it is aceptable enough.
alex
December 29, 2010 at 9:37 AM
I totally agree with you ,JB and GF .
cheerios
December 28, 2010 at 9:14 AM
what is wrong with discussing a thougjt-provoking scene? people are still talking about the kiss scene, so why not this one? it seems like some people can't read a critique without being affected by its negativity. lol. noobs.
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mamabear
December 28, 2010 at 1:47 PM
I totally agree with you. Good point!!!
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anonymous
December 28, 2010 at 3:36 PM
you are absolutely right, lemon tea...we should enjoy the drama... ^^
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Yoram Adler
June 30, 2016 at 10:46 PM
I couldn't agree more and you put it very eloquently. To me this is an example of how far 'politically correct' has gone. o m g...
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2 helloooo
December 27, 2010 at 3:19 PM
i wonder what place i am....
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3 Deeliteful
December 27, 2010 at 3:20 PM
OMG 3RD!!!!
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Deeliteful
December 27, 2010 at 3:54 PM
ok i'm back to say... I love u girlfriday!!! (there I said it).
this was a GREAT EPISODE I don't even know where to begin...I still have a big grin on my face :D
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pickmePICKME
December 27, 2010 at 7:15 PM
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU. I still have a huge smile on my face and I dont want it to go away. So saturday--come on!!!!
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4 cloey
December 27, 2010 at 3:21 PM
thanks for recap! i was waiting for this :D
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5 poyi
December 27, 2010 at 3:23 PM
THANK YOU JB TEAM
doing the year end reviews + recapping
must not be easy
sincere thanks
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6 Annie
December 27, 2010 at 3:24 PM
done watching it couple hours ago... but not complete because haven't read your recap. :) yeah I'm more fascinated with your recap right now. Thanks a bunch. :)
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Annie
December 27, 2010 at 3:26 PM
funny that it keep on saying.. too fast to comment.??
anyway.. I am so waiting for your other recap the painfull merry chirstmas. OMG. :)
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7 ZZ
December 27, 2010 at 3:25 PM
OMIGOD THIS EPISODE WAS EPICCCC!!!! CAN'T WAIT FOR NEXT WEEK!!!!
Binnie makes my heart melt *___*
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8 Hannah
December 27, 2010 at 3:29 PM
About the whole bed scene thing, I think that Joo-won is just being his normal self. What other time has he let her stop him from touching, kissing, or hugging her? So why wouldn't he force her to lay on the bed with him? I think in his mind he doesn't see it as violating at all, and he always thinks she wants him to do these things anyways. That's what I think about everything, so I really didn't have a problem with it. I know he's just trying to be sweet (in his own way)!
Btw, thanks for the recaps! They're always awesome!
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Gummie
December 27, 2010 at 5:03 PM
As always, people miss the point. It's not about Joo Won's intention, it's about how "forced romance" is constantly portrayed in fictional word. To the point that people subconsciously accept it although they keep saying they can tell the difference between reality and dramas. Yet funny how the majority always justify this action with the argument "it's ok because she likes him too", or "If she really means no, she could have shoved him away". JB and GF's ultimate target is not Joo Won, but rather the negative undertone.
Now the scene doesn't make me like Joo Won any less, but I'd rather it had played out differently.
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MAVY
December 27, 2010 at 6:44 PM
Gummie, I understand both stands since I find my self understanding and questioning the scene still. I believe that for must of es,- well me I'm old-, that type of behavior is a NO NO, - more like a don't you fucking dare, or I'll cut you-. The thing is that there seems to be cultural regression going on. From book series like twilight, to Chuck and Blair wars in the UES and our very lovely Drama world, there is this wave of incorrect, dysfunctional and plain wrong relationships been idolized.
The drama is using old tricks, that for some incomprehensible reason is back.
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Gummie
December 27, 2010 at 7:12 PM
Thanks for your feedback, MAVY. I don't think only *old* people are bothered by this typical regression. I'm in my mid 20 and ever consider myself a feminist, I still don't like how the writer took on the scene. It's overused at best, and regressive at worst.
I don't really mind people saying "It's just a drama", but I have a problem when so many of them depends on the (ill)logic that "No sometimes mean Yes."
If they stop defending their beloved character for a minute and really read what's up there, they shouldn't be angered or bothered by what JB and GF said.
And just to make it clear in case someone is going to response to me: I've been a big fan of Joo Won and SG in the beginning and still am. I don't wish to see him degraded as "rapist" or such but I agree there are better alternatives to execute that body-lock scene.
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Gummie
December 27, 2010 at 7:14 PM
sorry, typo, "never consider myself a feminist"
anais
December 27, 2010 at 8:36 PM
I so blame Twilight for letting teenagers think that stalking = love. You have no idea how scary it is to realize that the loner, misfit boy in my classroom, one who thinks of himself as a misunderstood rebel and underappreciated/undiscovered genius, thinks that "keeping watch over" the girl he loves (who would not hesitate to request a restraining order) is a loving gesture.
Or the boy who contacts every single FB friend of the object of his obsession, insisting why we keep him and his beloved apart with slander. Or even scarier. Create a fake FB account as the object of his obsession, befriends all her FB "friends" indiscriminately and then lashes out at all those friends for keeping him away from her. I do not enjoy telling my teenagers that they need to get the authorities involved.
Learning to maintain and respect boundaries is a good thing.
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MAVY
December 27, 2010 at 8:49 PM
Amen to both of you, haha im in my mid twenties too but when I see how many 16 and 18 year olds act I feel they are completely different from how I or my friends at that age, cause even the most bubble headed girl in my class new the meaning of boundaries.
And I also love Joo Won, but if he where an actual existing person he would have an actual restraining order from any girl he pursued like that. Also yes dramas are just dramas, but then they are a cultural expression that also falls under the responsibility of being massively viewed and promoted. So writers and producers should try to be more responsible of what they are putting out there cause in usually cultural expressions influence social behavior
너구리
December 27, 2010 at 6:46 PM
i agreed w/ JB, and i agree w/ you but only to an extent. And this is to JB too: if you ve thought about the reasons WHY you disliked it, did you think of the reasons WHY you liked it?
when we watch movies of forbidden love, a 16 y o boy falling for a 20 or 30 something woman; we WANT him to go to her; despite it being morally and lawfully wrong.
the message these movies deliver ( and there are quite a few that come to mind on the topic) is not about sleeping with minors but about Love. thus why we accept it.
was anyone reminded of 200 pound beauty ? 미녀는 괴로워? i was: if i was uncomfortable with the premise, i did enjoy the movie, until the very last scene. why? because of the message the last scene delivered: the more secure back up singer/friend who s chubby, asks for surgery. up until then the message was more mixed. which allowed me to appreciate the movie: morbidly obese woman accomplishes her dream not just through surgery but efforts of her own and through being herself too (remember how we all wished she acted like her true self in front of her love interest? how she admitted to being the ex fat chick at the concert and people applauded her not for her beauty but her courage? that was a decent enough message and that made us enjoy the movie. when her friend asks for surgery too: that killed the message and delivered an awful message.
here is basically the same as the first part of 200 pound beauty: if we re uncomfortable with the way it s conveyed, we re not opposed to the message (thus why we all liked the scene to an extent).
we like the idea that the badass chick who will not admit to have feelings for him, will weaken at his grip and will end up showing her feelings. because physical strength is her facade, this is what he had to 'take down' to have her show her feelings. and we KNOW she had feelings for him but we re uncomfortable with the way it was delivered. just like obesity/lack of beauty was what prevented hannah from accomplishing her dream. had Oska witnessed the scene and had he forcefully jumped on any girl he liked; having her struggle in force against him: THAT would have killed it. because we wouldn t know whether the girl likes him and it would deliver the message that it s ok to use force on a girl. just like at the end of 200 pound the message it ended up delivering was that it was ok to use surgery as a cure to her problems. but that wasn t the case here. so the message we got was similar to the one we had gotten in the first part of 200 pounds beauty: a decent message, but delivered through questionable means.
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hoi
December 27, 2010 at 9:50 PM
agree
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9 stars4u
December 27, 2010 at 3:30 PM
i loved this episode so much!!!
"Our bodies are swapped, but once a day, we hug each other, like this."
I would want that too! hahahah!
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10 xueh
December 27, 2010 at 3:30 PM
AHH, nice recap thanks.
I see you are still mulling over the ep 13 bed scene. I think it's no difference than when he forced kiss her in his house. I don't like that kiss scene and I think it's even worse than the bed scene. Just because it's on a bed doesn't make it worse. It's the way he is, his character is selfish and doesn't back down for anyone or anything.
I see him more like a little kid, just intent on getting his latest favorite toy. And he just doesn't think of what it implies when adults do that.
But that's just me
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Moonblossom
December 27, 2010 at 7:20 PM
Same sentiment that force kiss is worse. But JW is quite an unusual character- he asks ah young to stay out so that he can hold hands with his girl. All night? But regardless of the lack of sense, i'm touched by his sheer joy in being able to hold RI's hand.
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11 AmbieH
December 27, 2010 at 3:32 PM
See!!! such a better episode!! big sigh lol
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12 QP
December 27, 2010 at 3:33 PM
i always love your recaps. girlfriday and javabeans...you guys are amazing.
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13 darkice712
December 27, 2010 at 3:35 PM
Thank you for the great recap. You're right, now that we have two characters questioning Ra-Him and Joo-Wonda's actions, I hope that this can be taken as an opportunity to move deeper into the story. While I have been enjoying the show up until now, it is truly time to move on. I just hope, like someone said on Soompi, that they don't just cop out in the next episode and take a step back from what appears to be Oska and Jong Soo discovering the switch.
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14 okitokki
December 27, 2010 at 3:35 PM
Maaaan I love that ending. It introduces something different, you know? Something had to change. Someone had to figure out that there was something weird about Ra-Him &Joo-wanda. I'm esssited for the next few episodessss. Bring it on, Show!
Eeek, I wonder if this is going to be the Great Bed Scene Debate, part II. I was really shocked at some of the things people wrote in the last recap's comment thread... it's so sad that there's apparently not a universal definition of respect...
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notoriousnoona
December 27, 2010 at 4:05 PM
No there can't be, cause everyone has different lines drawn. Plus interpretation always plays a huge part (as was noted by Gf). But thankfully, that's why we have the Law to dictate what is "generally" acceptable and unacceptable.
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15 Precious
December 27, 2010 at 3:37 PM
I've been stalking this site all day, thanks for the recaps. How am I suppose to wait another week before knowing what happens, at this point I would pay for the rest of the episodes immediately. On another note, I so called the rain thing when they initially swapped back in episode whatever that was *happy dance!* I think I deserve a cheesecake, at the every least a big cookie!
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December 27, 2010 at 4:23 PM
I feel the same, so anxious to read the recaps i couldnt concentrate at work this weekend! lolol
So sweet addiction!
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16 gingganggolli
December 27, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Wow its the best episode so far. Waaaa I love you gf!
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17 Jomo
December 27, 2010 at 3:43 PM
Thank you for your recap and opinion on that scene. I love the fact that the discussion has started, but I also love to discuss the Show.
The kiss in that setting was perfect for moving the plot forward. It was in front of the precise group of folks who kicked Key Lime out of the VIP Lounge in the first scene.
It was JW's declaration of independence.
I love that she calls JW's attention to the fact that people are watching, which means she was looking at the situation from his point of view.
The kiss was very grown up. Not smooshed noses, and groin to groin, like teenagers working on their night moves. It really showed us that the attraction we thought we saw and felt between them.
It lasted about as long as the bench kiss, so it gave us time to do our own flash back. The first kiss showed how curious they were about the other, the second kiss showed a confirmation of their mutual feelings.
I also liked how it panned up to a shooting star, which to me meant her father was watching and approved.
I think this kiss officially ended JW's pursuit of Key Lime, as it signaled the beginning for their their partnership, which unfortunately was going to be about uniting against a common enemy.
Bring it on, 0ma!
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December 27, 2010 at 4:19 PM
Totally agree with u! :)
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Sean
December 27, 2010 at 5:18 PM
@jomo:
Eloquently put!
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anon
December 27, 2010 at 5:54 PM
I love what you said about the kiss scene.
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izzie
December 27, 2010 at 6:40 PM
Yep. It's nice to finally have Joo-Won stop with his stalking activities now that Ra-Im has confessed her feelings as well. And just like everyone here, I'm excited about how their new-found teamwork will play out and also, about prospective new members of the team: Oska and Jong-Soo.
I only expect hilarity over at the richie boys' camp - Oska realizing what the accidental kiss was about, Oska treating Ra-Him differently.
I'm more curious at how Jong-Soo is going to deal with a rival-man's soul in his woman-love's body - with the Dark Blood audition coming up, how he would help Joo-Wonda succeed at it. Is he going to protect him the way he does to Ra-Im? How would his interactions with Joo-Wonda look to the staff of the action school? How will Jong-Soo do things for Ra-Im's favor now that he is handing the authority over to Jung-Hwan, which renders him of less control over a lot of things?
However, Madam Moon's statement that Joo-Won's fight is not with her but with himself, still hangs as a threat. She may be right, especially that Joo-Won was worried about the company's stocks' value after the party-kissing incident. On this episode, the value only dipped a bit, and Joo-Won was able to get on with his happy days being with Ra-Im. If the business encounters rocky waters, then we might see a difference in the way Joo-Won co-handles the relationship with Ra-Im. Ooh... this is going to be tricky, especially that Ra-Im is the one who gets to sit in the board room, distracted by thoughts of how Joo-Wonda is going to be in the Dark Blood auditions.
In kdrama sense, we can expect that love can conquer all obstacles. But Joo-Won is a character who has barely acted according to our expectations.
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Jomo
December 27, 2010 at 7:10 PM
I actually never thought how cool the scenes would be with Oska and JS treating Ra Him like Key Lime!
That is a huge source of both comedic and touching scenes.
Especially when the Show starts playing the trick of "Is it her or is it him in the body now?" like they did with Who Are You.
Can't wait!
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izzie
December 28, 2010 at 3:03 AM
LOL. What would Jong-Soo do after he learns that it was Joo-Won and not Ra-Im who told him off about his affections for her? :D
This timing of the body switch and the audition is so in tune with everybody's suspicion that Joo-Wonda will get into a stunt mishap.
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tamtam
December 27, 2010 at 6:44 PM
Well said. :) It's the kiss of two mature people wanting the same things at the same time. That moment was so fairy tale-like for me, with the fairy godmother talk, JW's assertion as a man, and Ra-Im's transformation and resolve. Even though everyone was technically staring at them, it was a very intimate moment.
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nica
December 27, 2010 at 7:40 PM
Me too..I agree with Jomo.
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DRAMADDICT/4ever
December 27, 2010 at 8:10 PM
@ Jomo the way you describe the kiss scene was so perfect and I agree with you about the shooting star. It was such a beautiful episode, I cannot wait for next episode!!!!
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Min
December 27, 2010 at 10:02 PM
Agree with you fully."The first kiss showed how curious they were about the other, the second kiss showed a confirmation of their mutual feelings." and the way they looked at each other after the kiss , is like " Our destiny is sealed , that is how much they love each other"
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hoi
December 27, 2010 at 10:11 PM
yes, the party kissing scene made me shy, kiss for almost one minute. omo...
Joowon "Our bodies are swapped, but once a day, we hug each other, like this" omg so sweet~~~
anyone has the idea of why Ra-Him(joowon's soul, looks at the photo on the locker) said ra-im's father looks familiar to him?
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legomom
December 28, 2010 at 8:02 AM
Ra-im's father might have saved Joo-won's life but died protecting him from the accident that Jong-soo talked about.
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buhdoop
December 28, 2010 at 7:55 AM
I thought the kiss was definitely a grown folks kiss. They know what they want and they are both capable of making it happen. Not just with kissing, but with their life.
This episode was great. When they swapped bodies I wanted more of a reaction from them, but I guess they just accepted it.
I am sooooooo looking forward to the next episode and how they will get out of that situation with Director and Oska!
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::SPOILER:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
i heard on chloeplus that the psychiatrist was the first to find out about the switch, but maybe not!
:::::::::::::::::::::::END SPOILER:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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December 28, 2010 at 8:11 PM
So well put!!!!
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18 cloey
December 27, 2010 at 3:48 PM
finished your recap.
wow, this episode looks gooood!!!
can't wait to watch this!
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19 sobohomom
December 27, 2010 at 3:49 PM
I worried about all the implications about JW's emotional instability and that somehow Ra-him will end-up institutionalized or something like that. JW's mother aleady is concerned about his emotional state because he's seeing a psychiatrist, taking meds, and is in love with someone whom she feels is totally inappropriate. Now Oska, may be questioning JW's sanity, rather than truly thinking that JW is "possessed.'
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20 Brenda
December 27, 2010 at 3:50 PM
I still don't understand why they can't kiss until it rains again... I thought they realized nothing happens when they kiss. Why is this stopping them from kissing?
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December 27, 2010 at 3:55 PM
I think it's because they would be kissing themselves since their in each other's body.
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Erasigma
December 27, 2010 at 4:17 PM
I think it's more the ick-factor of kissing yourself that's holding them back. I wouldn't mind if they kissed, as the viewer, but for their characters - probably- it's a little weirds.
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x0mi07
December 27, 2010 at 5:00 PM
oooh... i was wondering too...=P thanks for clearing this up!^^ *major hugs* <3 <3 <3
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Brenda
December 27, 2010 at 5:21 PM
Thanks! That makes a lot more sense now... :)
Although- if it were me... I'd kiss myself just to see what it's like... lol
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21 1aco
December 27, 2010 at 3:51 PM
Hahah great Ep.. But what crack me up was when Ra-im spoke English if anyone notice she said " shut your mouse" instead of "shot your mouth",,looll ... why or why do the writer or director make there actor or actresses speak english when they are not that good at it...
And the kiss scene was great.. But wow if it was me and evryone around me looking at me while I kiss I will lose focus.. .. evryone was stairing at them... :)
Thanks for a great recap....
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22 Erasigma
December 27, 2010 at 3:51 PM
I'm so thankful for your recaps. I look forward to the explanations for the new episodes since I get all kinds of excited watching the original Korean eps but have a hella lack of comprehension with the exact words exchanged - which matter...a lot! So Thank You to the tenth power, Javabeans!
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23 yay
December 27, 2010 at 3:53 PM
FINALLY!! Thanks girlfriday and javabeans!
I. CANNOT. WAIT. FOR. NEXT. WEEK. After my Joseon crack, this is my current sparkly obsession.
As for ep 13, I agree with you about no means no and just a side note, I find there's a connection between that scene and of their previous scene where Joo-won and Ra-im were staring at each other and having a "mind conversation"...when Ra-im tells him to come even though she's not happy when JW is in her dreams (Joo-won: With me…even in your dreams…are you not happy?
Ra-im: Come anyway. Tomorrow. And the next day.)
Maybe the Show is feeding off of that. It's too bad it was poorly executed and came across as too dominating on JW's part.
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24 jusash
December 27, 2010 at 3:55 PM
Much Thanks gf (and again - jb) for taking time off in this festive season to deliver these precious recaps to us. A wonderful 2011 ahead to you!
His sour puss mother with her princessca hair-dos is just priceless. Isn't she the same lady who was Oh Ha-ni's teacher in Class F rooting for her, the same fiesty one who had that romance with Class A's teacher?
Agree it's a refereshing relief they have resolved their differences finally. Because sizzling chemistry or not ... it was getting tiring watching the cycle being repeated back and forth, hilarious though some of those antics were.
I started out ambivalent about Oska, and sometimes irritated (OTT) with his dramatics ... but, really liking his grounded insights and problem-solving skills.
And enjoying the Oska + Seul pairing (thankfully those two have neatly resolved their mutual longing angst too).
No offence ... but I thought Seul's look there actually looked better than Ha Ji-won's fairy God-mother makeover package.
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25 NKB
December 27, 2010 at 3:58 PM
Hey!! Thanks so much for the updates!! I'm in West Africa for Christmas visiting the family and am trying to hide how DEEPLY obsessed I am with these dramas lol ...so watching them 24/7 as I usually do is not a viable option. However, sly peeks at you're hilarious recaps whilst pretending to do university essays is keeping me going till I can watch the exploits of Ra-Him and Joo-wonda myself!! x
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26 laila
December 27, 2010 at 3:59 PM
i am SOO excited about this episode.
and yes, dramabeaners, i agree with your assessment of rape culture being reflected on screen, which then also reinforces the violation-as-romance trope that takes place in real life. it's not just about the hug, it's the principle at hand: consent.
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27 SGcrazed
December 27, 2010 at 4:01 PM
loved it i want more
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28 notoriousnoona
December 27, 2010 at 4:01 PM
Great recap! Thank you.
At first the fact that JS and Oska ask "Who are you?" really didn't sit well with me. If my friend or cousin was acting wacky would I say those words? No. That seems rather unrealistic to me, however since the debate now is that dramas, no matter how fantastical, are born out of reality(which of course is true), then I guess "my" thinking is wrong.
So now, after reading the 'cap, I can say, though it bothers me, I hope they figure things out(or have). I've always felt that both these characters would take the news rather well... especially Oska. For Secret Garden, I think it really works.
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29 Luz
December 27, 2010 at 4:03 PM
I loved the kiss. Wow!!!!
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30 Severine
December 27, 2010 at 4:04 PM
Thank you, GF! I've been waiting for this all day. I also agree with you and JB on the bed scene issue--no means no, nuff said.
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31 makadoto
December 27, 2010 at 4:13 PM
thank you so much for the recaps.... i really love this drama
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32 XOXO
December 27, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Have to say by far the best episode by a mile love the development of the overall character and the Plot is steam lineing ahead love the kissing scene that was amazing have to be On the list for top 10 dramas kisses of 2010 thAt was awesome they have such and amazin chemistry it some times difficult to watch as a spectator lol . Also really love that fact that joo woo final gave his mom she dishes out to other people and can't wait for net subs thank so much for the recap I van finally go to bed now with a smile frm ears to ears lol
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33 olivia
December 27, 2010 at 4:22 PM
i've been stalking DB since yday just for this!!! yep!!!
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34 LALAL
December 27, 2010 at 4:24 PM
Joo-Won was so adorable! With the forehead kiss, the once a day hug, and the decorations in her room? That's so sweet. wantttttt <3 hehehe also I like that he's making concessions now, that he's training at the action school and going to the party and such.
Also, when he was like "what? we can't kiss for a week?" hilarious!
I also really like the Oska and Seul developments... about time right? they are actually quite good people, despite all the things they do
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35 lovedramas
December 27, 2010 at 4:25 PM
i totally desagree with you girls regarding the bed scene in episode 13..because ..come on !what are we talking about !!!....Sexual harassment ??? just where ?? when ?? come on ..that scene was cute and funny..and that's it..the girl clearly wants the boy and his avances..u can see it in the whole scene..so how can we talk about sexual harrasment..please be careful with the terms you use..unfortunately sexual harrasment is something else..something a lot worse than that ....is the exact opposite of what u can see in that scene !!! Think before you speak; be careful of what you say and how you say it especially when it comes to this arguments...dramas are what they are !! Entertainment..without making them more than what they are..just enjoy the show and the love story..the cute moments..without thinking too much ....other are the matters to be discussed seriously.... !!!
(ps: sorry for my bed english )
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kay
December 27, 2010 at 4:56 PM
wow seriously?
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Gummie
December 27, 2010 at 5:09 PM
I know, right. It will be a futile effort trying to talk some sense into people.
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Viv
December 27, 2010 at 4:58 PM
@ lovedramas, I agree with all your points.
I appreciated and enjoyed the recap, except the last part where GF brought up the issue again. I don't understand what is the purpose of last 4 paragraphs in the comment section, it almost feel like GF thinks we need to be educated on sexual harrasment. Most of us here are women, and we all know what it is already - what it feels like, looks like or smells like. The scene in Ep 13 is not anything close to it, we could see the outcome - it was NOT unwanted by Ra-Im. Come on, that was nothing more than two lovebirds doing childish thing. Please don't encourage the readers to over analyse it anymore.
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x0mi07
December 27, 2010 at 5:30 PM
She needed to put it there not so it'll be analyzed more but because she's the other recapper for this series and by virtue of responsibility to the readers, her opinion about this should be known too.
Even the general public in Korea (and I'm sure everywhere else) has the right to analyze each and every drama to bits because everyone has the right to AN opinion. On this basis, recappers in particlar should have the right to analyze a drama that they're working on. If anyone can call out cast and crew for bad acting/directing/writing, shouldn't content be included? It's a part of writing right?
Objectively speaking, the kiss that happened in Joowon's house was actually already forced. That in itself was already harassment but no one really said it because it wasn't as awful as the hug. That particular bed scene was like a 100 times heightened version of Joowon's forced kiss. It was disrespectful, degrading, and demoralizing to watch... especially if you're invested in the characters' personalities and development.
As for knowing about sexual harassment, maybe you do know all about it and in your view, what transpired was NOWHERE near that. I'm not really sure though. It may not necessarily be sexual harassment (based on morals alone) but legally, it's harassment nonetheless. And it came in a very severe form.
Under the United States Code Title 18 Subsection 1514(c)1. Harassment is defined as "a course of conduct directed at a specific person that causes substantial emotional distress in such a person and serves no legitimate purpose".
Let's not even count all the other ways Joowon could be sued for harassment. I'm not even talking SEXUAL harassment here but the general blanket term "harassment". It's not something that should be tolerated and cast aside even if it's just purely entertainment. Turning a blind eye to something like that is similar to condoning it.
And also, Joowon and Raim may act childish (particularly Joowon) but that doesn't make them children. And as a mature woman, no matter how it was stylized, the execution on paper is the same: A man forced himself into a woman's room, pulled her to bed and held her to him despite repeated protests until she was exhausted from fending him off. If you ask a random person about that scenario, I'm sure they wouldn't respond nonchalantly.
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December 27, 2010 at 5:47 PM
So, if Joo Won can be sued for harassment, can Ra Im be sued for assault?
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x0mi07
December 27, 2010 at 5:51 PM
she can. but it's not like she assaulted him without provocation. should it stand in court, joowon would probably get a restraining order for prolonged harassment.
squint
December 27, 2010 at 8:33 PM
a nod to you for being so thorough as to go and cite what it means in the US as harassment.
but lest we get carried away... this is KOREA.
i'm not quite sure what's the purpose of citing american law when its korean law and korean culture we're talking about??
for example, in america... do wives get prison time for cheating on their husbands?? does ANYONE get prison time for two-timing?
Most of us are accustomed to western principles and standards, but this is korean culture we are dealing with.
Besides, how come i don't hear any concern when in practically EVERY SINGLE drama there's always the guy forcefully dragging some girl against her will?
People need to sit down and sometime just watch the drama for enjoyment and not overanalyze every little thing.
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December 27, 2010 at 10:22 PM
Ah actually, yes, adultery is technically illegal in about 1/2 of the US states. It's archaic and is rarely if ever pursued outside of the military justice system (where is tends to come up under conduct unbecoming an officer), but if memory serves some schnook in VA was prosecuted a few years ago. Now arguably, the laws are probably unenforceable and would probably be struck down on grounds of privacy, but no one has run it up the flag pole to the Supreme Court, so who knows. So while it's rare, yes, depending on the rulings, jail time would not be out of the question.
x0mi07
December 28, 2010 at 8:38 AM
i'm not even american. i'm not even western. i'm ASIAN and of all people, as I'm living in SAUDI ARABIA, i should know how different the law could be in terms of punishment. (a psycho guy touched my butt on the street and he got two weeks of 50 LASHES per day) but i'm sure that assault is assault and harassment is harassment regardless of what country.
i checked on what you said about korean harassment laws. it's actually funny because while joowon can't be sued for harassment (i didn't see any clear harassment laws), he can be sued for sexual harassment.
Woddy Allen
December 27, 2010 at 5:40 PM
I know Wilde says: "Life imitates art far more than art imitates life" but I say: Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television.
Enjoying the show btw for the good and the less good part, and looking forward for JB's recap on MSOAN ep.15 *wink*
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Gummie
December 27, 2010 at 5:18 PM
yes, "bed" English is excused but you missed the point. This discussion is never about "OMG, he is molesting her", it's about how "forced romance" is repeatedly idealized in movies, books and dramas. People swear up and down that they know it's just a drama, and they don't welcome it in real life. But take a look around, the majority of arguments here are "Since the feeling is mutual, and all things considered, his action is justified."
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Fan
December 27, 2010 at 6:32 PM
Gummie, with you and GF & JB.
It's a little discouraging how many people are upset that this issue is being discussed. Complaints of "let's move on, it's just a show/scene/5 minutes"- which I feel sometimes is underlined by the idea that it's a trivial matter. But I think the stereotype that "when a woman says no she means yes." is non-trivial for all the reasons already pointed out and as Gummie you mentioned, though there are complains of "enough already, we get it." seems from the comments that not everyone is giving the argument enough thought- separate from whether they agree with them or not.
Sure dramas are entirely for fun, but like gf says, dramas also exist in a universe with links to the real world... and I actually think that it would be remiss _not_ to make a point of mentioning it.
Kudos to JB and GF for daring to throw down the gauntlet!
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byj_angel
December 27, 2010 at 6:33 PM
Come on, let's stop it here. It's a show that we're watching and the writer has a clear picture of what a character Joo Won's supposed to be in her mind. He's flawed and all. Yes, in real life, his actions are not justified. But like what I've said, no matter how hard we associate it in real life if the writer has other things going on inside her mind for her male lead character, we take it as it is (though often times, with a grain of salt). We can criticize, yes but at the end of the day, that's her home work. We could go on an on about this and she will still do what she has to do. Period.
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I AM NOT A RAPIST
December 27, 2010 at 7:07 PM
FINALLY! SOMEONE WITH COMMON SENSE.
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Gummie
December 27, 2010 at 7:38 PM
Your username, on the other hand, doesn't so much of it
Gummie
December 27, 2010 at 7:39 PM
*show much* dang, I kept mistyping
Chris
December 27, 2010 at 8:55 PM
Exactly! My thoughts entirely.
People! we're watching a drama. It is fiction.
I love the bed scene! :)
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ar
December 27, 2010 at 8:26 PM
Where in that scene did you see "the girl clearly wants the boy and his avances"?! I didn't mind the scene too much (wished the writer had expended more energy to write it differently instead of using some soap-opera-y trope), but really, if the message is that "she wants it" is what you and other people are taking away from that scene, then I'm afraid that this scene sent a really bad message and javabeans and girlfriday and many others are right to slam the scene and bring up this issue.
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izzie
December 28, 2010 at 3:52 AM
I agree that there's a problem with the message that the bed scene sends because the manner/act was rewarded. With the reward comes the moral dilemma.
I wish they've thought of a harmless way to get them to the hugging point. There are many other ways to depict Joo-Won's craziness other than to condone a morally-problematic belief where the end justifies the means. Fine, it's just a drama, but television is a huge part of pop culture. And in pop culture, even the crazy gets adopted by the consumers - oftentimes, unconsciously.
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samgetang
December 28, 2010 at 4:59 AM
agree with you wholeheartedly on this, izzie...
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izzie
December 28, 2010 at 5:30 PM
hey there sis! :)
36 rayray
December 27, 2010 at 4:30 PM
I am so looking forward to the next episode! ohhhh why cant it be saturday everyday!
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teapot
December 27, 2010 at 9:29 PM
I can't wait to see how the double-double almost findy-outies gets resolved!
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rayray
December 28, 2010 at 4:57 PM
indeed!!:D
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37 ilukd
December 27, 2010 at 4:30 PM
ep 14 was beautiful ... merry Christmas and nobody was fighting ... finally we got feeling from both side .. not the one side force .... thanks GF for awesome example about self respect .... please don't steal JB money... :-) ... we all know this is drama but that forceful kiss and bed scene was really beyond one can tolerate ... for god shake they are lead pair .. anyway this ep was good ... this is call love ... and one more thing OSKA and SEUL also look amazing ...
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38 ayo
December 27, 2010 at 4:31 PM
i'm a bit confused about the whole role of the father... O__o
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ayo
December 27, 2010 at 4:41 PM
has he been making everyone think he's dead?
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39 maez
December 27, 2010 at 4:32 PM
CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS EPISODE TO BE SUBBED!!!
Thank you SO much for the recap!!
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40 ditami
December 27, 2010 at 4:36 PM
thanks JB & GF...
i love your recaps...
but, i kinda love 'the veil' thing.. coz for me, it's weird to watch JW speak as RI, and RI speaks as JW... for a 'serious things' while nobody around...
love this drama so much...
thanks JB & GF.. Love you too!!!! =)
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41 WW
December 27, 2010 at 4:39 PM
Thanks for the recap!!!
I thought it was quite significant (the recap doesn't contain this bit) that when Joo-won is looking at the photo of Ra-Im and her father, he thinks to himself, "You're quite familiar ..."
I actually thought this episode was going to end on that tantalizing clue, but then the mystery got sidelined by the Oska/Jong-soo stuff. Oh well - that doesn't prevent me from speculating ...
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ghaylet
December 27, 2010 at 11:29 PM
exactly my thoughts too..
Thank you so much JB and GF, really love your writing and views.
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R
December 28, 2010 at 2:47 AM
Agreed.
I think there must be a connection between the mysterious JW's accident everybody is hinting at and Ra Im's father having been someone who "saved a lot of people".
I also think that the second body-swap happening when Ra Im has to take part in some dangerous action scene is not random.
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42 ema8072
December 27, 2010 at 4:44 PM
woah. the best episode ever.
yeah, the recap really helps. Thank you gf n jb
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43 Claire
December 27, 2010 at 4:44 PM
OMG, THANKYOOOOOU<3
I've beeen waiting for this the whole day. I read and reread your dramaaa, and I'm about to go watch it! :D
...If I can find a site where they have it already. The site I use usually has it up a week later.
Thanksthoouugh! Super excited; i've been waiting for the whole Confess-your-feelings-thing [& get together ;D] for a while.
<3
*Sigh. Now another looooong week of waiting for the next episode. Can't wait.
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44 lunarscope
December 27, 2010 at 4:44 PM
about ep13 bed scene... i totally get that joowon hasn't matured enough to understand the 'could be garnered intentions' of his actions. BUT what i found almost insulting is how those actions were portrayed in this drama as okay amd and acceptable! The writer is certainly not hesitating in pointing out joowon's character flaws... For me the only justification of his actions would be a growth in his character to realise and respect ra im as an equal human being, not a toy.. And with this episode SG is inching forwards to that glorious someday :) finally.. Yay!
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45 Jomo
December 27, 2010 at 4:45 PM
Oh yeah! I forgot something:
Did anyone notice the Totoro hoody that Key Lime was wearing? It fits that they found another animated character for her that is related to the plot.
In the film My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ, Tonari no Totoro) there is a scene where this character is standing in the rain at a bus stop, and someone gives him an umbrella. It is the cutest scene in any animated film EVER! My kids and I must have replayed it a hundred times.
I would like to know if the scriptwriter is calling these wardrobe choices, or if the costume designer is so atuned to the writing, that he/she suggests them. Great collaboration on the tiniest details...
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x0mi07
December 27, 2010 at 5:35 PM
hi!^^ do you happen to know the name of the cat raim had on her bed? since you seem to know about totoro? Sorry.... i've been curious since i first saw the cat doll...
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Jomo
December 27, 2010 at 7:25 PM
I think (guessing) it is a cat they made up for the Show.
So you can bet it will be available to buy from an online site soon.
I would really like to get me some Oska socks! Or Key Lime socks, too!
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grateful1
December 27, 2010 at 9:20 PM
I don't know the name of the cat but I noticed that in a flashback, we saw her father give her one that looked just like that, except it was smaller. I would have expected her to keep the one her dad gave her, so I was wondering if there was a reason that the two were different sizes.
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momosan
December 27, 2010 at 10:30 PM
It's a Myoo toy. It's a character from a company called Raska - http://raska.en.ecplaza.net/product.asp is more or less their site in English.
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x0mi07
December 28, 2010 at 9:07 AM
oooooooaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!!! *HUGS SUPER DUPER DUPER TIGHT* kamsahamnida!^^ cheongmal kamsahamnida!^^ *SPAZZ SPAZZ SPAZZ* other SGers on my twitter also really wanted to know!^^ thanks sooooo soooo soooo soooo much!^^ *does the gilraim happy jump*
woahhhhh!^^
i bow to you!!!^^ OTL OTL OTL
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46 miss_procrastination
December 27, 2010 at 4:46 PM
Girlfriday,
You are a shining beacon of reason and awesomeness. Thank you for the recap and the opinions attached. Damn straight.
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47 Anonymous
December 27, 2010 at 4:48 PM
The KISS! wow.. Love it when we get some full lip-on-lip action in kdramas. I am happy that JW and Ri-am finally declared their love and officially become a couple. I love them really but it was getting tiring watching them repeat the same scenario over and over the past 10 episodes.
I generally like the magical veil of un-switchiness but I thought they overdid it today, especially the part where they were at the table in the apartment discussing their plans. It's confusing enough with the body switch, then we have the magical veil, then VO as their original selfs when inter-cutting with other scenes. I have to re-watch that part several times in order to keep track of who is who.
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anotheraddict
December 30, 2010 at 10:27 AM
Yeah-- it seemed totally unnecessary to use the magical veil of un-switchiness in that scene. I like it when they use it sparingly and judiciously to highlight the characters' emotional development, but that's about it.
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48 Sana
December 27, 2010 at 4:48 PM
I've read some of the comments on the bed scene, and I just couldn't avoid commenting, cuz I saw a lot of defenses of Joo-won's character... And I support that, BUT...
I believe the problem isn't in the behavior of the character in this drama, yes, considering his entire personality and his & Ra-im's relationship, I can agree that, in the drama's imaginary world, it was harmless, so my real problem lyes in the writers choices and, possibly, logic...
That scene absolutely was not necessary for the plot, or the description of the characters and/or their relationship, nor was the one with the forced kiss... Even if the scene was needed, the way it was done wasn't... And I just remembered one of the scenes in the first episodes where he pins her down on the floor... That's a pattern of him forcing himself on top of her, in more ways than one... If it's meant as some physical embodiment of his mental approach to her, it's still not the best choice... If she's a badass stuntwoman, and she has no problems with kicking him when he says something she dislikes, how come she is not capable of defending herself when he acts in such manner???
I LOVE Joo-won's character, not so much Ra-im's, exactly because she isn't written as the powerful badass I thought she was supposed to be.
As I said, I don't have such a big problem with that scene in the imaginary world where it is set, but in the real world... When you have someone so awesome and popular as Hyun Bin shown on TV behaving like that... It's not a great message to translate to all those eyes still forming their ideas of wrong and right, of fact and ficition....
P.S. It's my first post, and I can't write it without mentioning hove much I LOVE this site and JB&GF's writing :)
Greetings from Bosnia :)
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grateful1
December 28, 2010 at 5:37 PM
Nice to see someone from Bosnia posting! I completely agree with the following point that you made: When you have someone so awesome and popular as Hyun Bin shown on TV behaving like that… It’s not a great message to translate to all those eyes still forming their ideas of wrong and right....
I wouldn't want my nieces or nephews to watch this and deduce that that kind of behavior is romantic or, as you say, right. (Unfortunately, TV shows are a big part of their Courtship 101 curriculum.)
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49 Scottie
December 27, 2010 at 4:52 PM
Wow did I just witness the Gold Standard Kiss of Kdrama-land? It burned up the screen & is miles over the standard lip press I usually see in these asian dramas. HOT HOT HOT!
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mari
December 29, 2010 at 6:15 PM
IKR I was so happy it was an actual kiss, not those pecks on the lips, freeze, cue to romantic background music and camera swirling around the couple!
It was so intimate, I loved it! :D
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50 Sae-byuk
December 27, 2010 at 5:05 PM
Great episode. But yeah, jb and gf, the bed scene wasn't ok. I remember thinking at first that it was wrong (clearly) for him to force his way into the room and then force himself on top of her on a bed. But then I could see that he wasn't going to do anything other than hug her, and she stopped protesting because she actually didn't mind...so I let it go.
But you're right. I thought about how I would feel in that situation, and even if I liked the guy, if he refused to back off after I said no, I would have been peeved and worried about the state of that relationship. No guy I've dated has done that to me; I've only dated guys who have completely respected my boundaries, and that's a quality I look for in men. So for Joo-won to lack that quality is pretty significant when I place him in the context of real life. She didn't know what he was doing, so she said no. He didn't know why she said no, so he *should* have stopped and asked her, rather than wrestling her on the bed.
This is television, but it should reflect real life. Sometimes I forget to put it in context. But in my real life, I have to agree that what he did isn't ok. Would I forgive him? In this case, yes, but that doesn't mean what he did was acceptable. It's just a little easier to forgive him in the context of his character development. His behavior was not that surprising given how little respect he's shown for boundaries throughout the series and given his determination to get his way. He's often well-intentioned but rather childlike when it comes to relationships-- he means no harm, but he doesn't follow social cues the way the average adult does. This makes him seem like a complete jerk at times, but when it comes down to it, this child-like directness and determination have their endearing points, and he is slowly growing up over the course of the series. It's clear, though, that in episode 13, he still has quite a bit of growing to do.
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HalfALu
December 29, 2010 at 5:59 PM
So I've been reading all the posts and I totally agree with you on this. It's cute because we know/hope that he will grow and become a better person by the end of the series.
But in real life, that's a definite red flag. I have been with a person like this and he didn't change. It was a rollercoast of a relationship that was at best - dysfunctional. I knew it at the time, but because I was in love I let a lot of that s*#t slide.
So here's to hoping that our neurotic hero will shape up and not be such a childish jerk about his love for our badass heroine.
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