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Romance Town: Episode 1

Hallo everyone! I have joined the brigade of “All Dramas – No Sleep” – at least, until 49 Days ends. It was hard to get excited about this drama, what with Cha Seung Won being funny on one end, and Yoon Eun Hye back where she belongs in romantic comedy. But I guess all I needed was a bit of Jung Gyu Woon to get me back on track.

SONG OF THE DAY

“Oppa” by Wax [download]

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It’s the summer of 1988, and a young Noh Soon Geum (later played by Sung Yuri) is watching the Olympics with her mother and grandmother. The Korean team wins the gold medal in ping pong, and it gives the grandmother hope that perhaps Soon Geum can be a national athlete too. (Like it’s so easy.)

Soon Geum is the third generation to a female household of maids, and it’s a point of contention between mother and grandmother. Both are bitter about their occupations and only want Soon Geum to work hard, go to college, and marry rich. However, Soon Geum is kind of oblivious to all this, as if she’s heard it all before and really doesn’t care. She just mindlessly scratches her neck… until she notices that smoke is coming out from their window.

As her family freaks out, Soon Geum calmly walks out on her own. She knew it wasn’t a fire; she just wanted to alert them about the strangeness of the smoke. Outside, there’s a pickup truck with a smoke machine in the back. She decides to chase after it, thinking that if she does, her body wouldn’t itch anymore, and that she won’t grow up to be a maid.

Skip to 2003, and Soon Geum is now a high school student. (Fair warning: in one episode, we get plenty of time jumps.) She’s a smart ass student who is no stranger to getting yelled at by her teacher every so often for her wisecracks.

No worries though – at night, she parties it up at a club with her best friend Yoon Shi Ah. At that same club is Kang Gun Woo (Jung Gyu Woon) – terribly chubby with nerdy glasses and crazy curly hair – and his buddy Kim Young Hee (Kim Min Joon) – who looks more like the “rich boy” with his good looks and sparkly jacket. He plays wing man to Gun Woo, trying to snag some girls to dance with them. Suffice to say – the “hot girls” leave after Gun Woo shows off his “moves.”

I gotta say though – Jung Gyu Woon can really shake his booty in a fat suit…

Soon Geum and Shi Ah collect money from the club owner – they’re pretty much there to dance and entertain some of the guys – and then leave, using studying as an excuse to bounce early. Shi Ah would rather stay a little longer though for the boys, but Soon Geum knows that all those boys just want a one-night stand, which will just lead to more trouble.

Soon Geum leaves for her second part-time job as a waitress in a restaurant. As she cleans up the tables, she spies a few leftover pieces of meat and stuffs them in her mouth, taking a sip of soju while she’s at it. A few tables behind her, Gun Woo is helping himself to a few servings of barbecue.

It’s at that moment she races back to the club to find Shi Ah making out with Young Hee in a private room. She barges in and dumps a bucket of ice over the two of them, berating her friend for being in a room with alcohol and a man. Suddenly the club owner rushes in, surprised that they’re still around, and quickly rushes them to leave out the back.

Too late, the police arrive doing their rounds of inspections.

They are all brought to the station, and Young Hee adamantly denies knowing that they were underage. Gun Woo arrives to bail out his buddy, while Soon Geum sullenly lies that she has no mother.

But you know how mothers just have impeccable timing? Soon Geum’s mother arrives just in time and starts yelling, “You don’t have a mother?!” She grabs a mop from another officer and starts chasing her daughter around the station, ready to beat her. She goes after Young Hee and Gun Woo – which one of them dragged Soon Geum to the club? At the sight of the stick, Gun Woo falls weak at his knees, completely freaked, which honestly befuddles the mother for a moment. I mean, he is twice her size…

Soon Geum’s mother hands her bank book to the teacher and asks that he help Soon Geum into college. The teacher sheepishly says that no student from this school has ever gone to college though. When they get home, Soon Geum’s mother yells at her – why can’t she study hard? Why won’t she just go to college? Soon Geum fires back: college is worthless. She just wants to work. Or, she’ll just get married to a rich boy. She can get married right now if she has to. But Mother thinks that all those boys are worthless – they all will just end up being like her dad.

Soon Geum has had enough – all she hears is her mother saying that she has to work so hard as a maid just to send her daughter to college. She’s tired of hearing her mother sound like a martyr and screams at her. Mother slaps her square across the cheek.

That evening, Soon Geum is still smarting from the slap while her mother is outside on the porch, drinking in the rain. Her mother quietly says that Soon Geum’s father had told her she smelled like a refrigerator. It was a moment where she was stripped of her identity as a lady, and that resonates with Soon Geum. When they both fall asleep that night, Soon Geum wraps her arm and leg around her mother’s body. It’s also when her father takes their money and makes a run for it, leaving only a note: “Honey, I’m sorry. I love you, Geum-ah.”

Now we’re in 2008. Soon Geum is standing outside of a bar with a baby wrapped around her back in a blanket. She’s a single mother?!

A taxi drives Kang Tae Won (Lee Jae Yong) and his new wife Seo Yoon Joo (Yang Jung Ah) to a rich fancy neighborhood. As they drive by the other houses, they see the other maids of other houses, including Jung Da Kyum (Min Hyo Rin) washing a car and Oh Hyun Joo (Park Ji Young) mowing the lawn. Yoon Joo is one spoiled woman, as she doesn’t mind calling them “maids” rather than “housekeepers” since it’s fewer syllables to say. The maids pause in their work to take in the new girl in town, who even has a huge diamond as a toe ring.

In another taxi, an old grandmother comes out with a baby boy on her back. She takes her time in getting out, annoying the two rich ladies in the car behind her. The grandmother belatedly realizes that she’s left something behind in the taxi and tries to call after it, but to no avail. She raises a ruckus though, and the two rich ladies are so annoyed that they honk at her.

Surprised, she drops her bag and falls backwards onto the baby. Good thing the rich ladies are human enough to get out of the car and make sure she’s alright. The other maids come rushing to her aid as well, trying to figure out what was so important that was left behind in the taxi.

Grandmother: “I had the father’s name written down.” Oof – important information indeed.

She was sent by the mother to deliver the baby here, but while she has the right address, she forgot the name of the father! It becomes an awkward guessing game as she tries to remember the last name… was it Jang? or Kang? or Hwang? Da Kyum asks if it was a Kim – just to see if she can eliminate her master from the list of candidates.

They come to another solution – present the baby to all the men in the neighborhood. A father is sure to recognize his son, no?

Hehe – it becomes an awesome line-up of veteran actors checking to see if the baby is theirs: Hwang Yong (Jo Sung Ha), Jang Chi Gook (Lee Jung Gil with an awesomely bad mustache), Tae Won, and also Young Hee. The grandmother thinks it’s Young Hee’s, because he’s the youngest. Tae Won breaks up the group by inviting everyone else to come by their home sometime. The two rich ladies turn out to be Chi Gook’s wife Kim Soon Ok and mistress Oh Boon Ja. (Cohabitation?!) They are suspicious it’s Chi Gook’s kid (no kidding), while Da Kyum warns Young Hee not to drink so much lest he has an “accident” during one of his blackouts. She openly admits she gets worried about him, since they are “living together.”

Suddenly, grandma remembers the name! The child’s name is Kang San – meaning, it’s Kang Tae Won’s son. Young Hee immediately jumps in – the baby looks an awful lot like when Gun Woo was a baby!

Tae Won is having difficulty getting in contact with his son. He yells for his housekeeper, Yoo Choon Jak (Ban Hyo Jung), looking every inch like Mrs. Doubtfire. Choon Jak knows Gun Woo the best – better than Tae Won – and since Kang San is definitely not Tae Won’s son (or so he says), Choon Jak will certainly know what Gun Woo has been up to.

Meanwhile, Gun Woo is passed out in a karaoke room, having drunk only half a glass of whiskey, while his friends are partying it up. Soon Geum has also decided to enter that same karaoke bar with the baby. It’s Shi Ah’s, who’s shocked to see Soon Geum bring her daughter to a “place like this.” Soon Geum shames Shi Ah for not raising her daughter properly.

As they fight, they don’t realize that Gun Woo is in their room. He wakes up, and notices the crying baby. He tries playing peek-a-boo to make her calm down, but Soon Geum smacks his face and pushes him back down on the seats. She’s all, “Who the hell is this guy getting up all over me with ‘Peek-a-boo’?!”

Soon Geum tells Shi Ah that baby Ji Min finally said “Mommy,” and that’s enough to get Shi Ah to reclaim her role as a mother, and remind Ji Min that Soon Geum is an “Auntie,” not a “Mommy.”

Unfortunately, just as Soon Geum is ready to leave, she realizes that Gun Woo is sleeping on Ji Min’s blanket. She tries to pull it out under his weight but to no avail. Instead, she falls on top of him, and it’s in this compromising position that a waiter enters demanding that Gun Woo pay the bill.

Soon Geum denies knowing Gun Woo, who’s hugging onto the blanket, half-drunk, and without a wallet. A couple of men start searching Soon Geum for cash. They find an envelope, full of her rent, and they take it from her as payment. If she doesn’t know the guy, then she can get the money back from him later.

Back at home, Choon Jak is ready to assume responsibility for the child. Tae Won is frustrated and wants Gun Woo found immediately, and Choon Jak invites the grandmother inside. Yoon Joo refuses to let the grandmother in, trying to assert her position as mistress of the household. Choon Jak: “Since when? and until when? He’s had numerous wives, but only one maid.”

Gun Woo stumbles out of the club half asleep, and Soon Geum chases after him – to a parking lot, where he takes off his shoes, places the blanket under his head, and falls asleep in an empty lot. HAHA! Even Soon Geum has to note that he took off his shoes neatly for a half-drunk.

She tries to slap him awake, using his own hand, but he accidentally slaps her instead. That’s enough to wake him up, and he starts pleading “I’m sorry!” She hands him the bill instead, and he invites her into his car, where he searches for extra cash. He’s found himself in this situation before, so he usually has backup money. He moans about wanting coffee – if he had a little bit of money for coffee, he could sober up, drive her home, and then pay her back there. Soon Geum gets right up in his face, and Gun Woo’s eyes widen. Yeah – I don’t think he’s had many girls get that close to him before.

Soon Geum wants to smell his breath, but Gun Woo holds it in until she backs off. She orders him to drive, but Gun Woo knows he’ll get caught. He gets caught on half a bottle of beer. He compromises – at least let him have a snack! He grabs two bags of chips: “Do you want the sweet one? Or sweeter?” No response. “How about salty?”

Soon Geum grabs the sweeter one, just to get him to stop. She struggles with opening her bag, so Gun Woo takes it, points at the tiny arrow, and expertly tears off a corner. Yeah – he’s totally done it before. Soon Geum eats one piece at a time; Gun Woo grabs it by the handful. You see why they’re the size they are, right?

He then gives her a tip about eating chips: “You have to eat it this way so it’s tastier.”

Soon Geum is disgusted, but he doesn’t stop bugging her until she does it as well.

What a cute couple the two of them make.

They start driving, and Gun Woo feels worse about losing the picture with him and his grandmother (he means Choon Jak). It was hard for him to get a photo with her. Soon Geum doesn’t mind her dingy wallet was taken from her too – it just made her feel worse that she barely any money in it to begin with. She suddenly asks him to stop at a cafe.

Soon Geum hands Gun Woo a cup of coffee. The restaurant she worked for always sent her on coffee errands, and so she was able to collect enough stamps to get a free one. She wonders aloud why he’s in a car full of snacks rather than girls, and he says defensively that she’s a girl. Soon Geum refutes the point – she’s not a girl, just someone in debt.

Gun Woo suddenly asks her if he should go to New York. He doesn’t want to go – now that he’s kind of made a friend in her. He never really wanted to go to begin with though… Soon Geum asks him – does he like her? Gun Woo can’t answer – it’s so cute he’s so shy!

That’s when Soon Geum gets a call from Shi Ah about her father being at their house. She has to go, so she gives Gun Woo her number and tells him to please call her. She trusts him to – even though they don’t know each other’s names. Poor Gun Woo though – when he gets up, the chair is stuck around his butt. It would have been funny – if Jung Gyu Woon had not played the scene so poignantly.

Turns out, Soon Geum’s father had gambled away all of their house deposit. She calls him up and begs him to stop hurting her this way. She says Mother will return from the grave – and that’s the first we hear of her mother actually passing away. But her father heartlessly hangs up, knowing that despite having caused trouble for his daughter, she’ll find a way to survive anyways. Soon Geum arrives home, upset and embarrassed to face her friend (since the house deposit was Shi Ah’s money). Shi Ah comforts her – at least Soon Geum’s father comes back looking for her. There are people in far worse situations than the Soon Geum.

It’s the middle of the night and Da Kyum is fixing up a midnight snack. Young Hee comes looking for a bottle opener, and even though she tells him it’s right in front of him, he refuses to “see” it. Da Kyum has to come over and pick it out for him. When he grabs it from her hand, his arm brushes her chest, and they freeze in the moment – he completely aware of what he’s done, and she refusing to move away until he moves his arm first.

She is called away to her room, and there she brings in the food for the other maids in the area – Hyun Joo, Soo Jung, and Zar Lin (Hwang Yong’s maid). They’re all playing Go Stop while Zar Lin announces they’ve won the lottery! They matched six numbers, and the ladies freak out. Da Kyum grabs the slip to check – and reveals they haven’t won – they didn’t win all six numbers in one row. They all beat Zar Lin for giving them such high hopes.

Gun Woo finally arrives home. His father is outside, waiting for him. He begs his son to let him enjoy his post-wedded bliss, and that it’ll all be OK since Gun Woo is leaving for New York tomorrow. Choon Jak, the grandmother, and Yoon Joo come out, and they show the baby to Gun Woo. In just a matter of looks and sighs, Gun Woo knows he has to take the fall of being the baby daddy.

The next day, Young Hee assaults Gun Woo – who the hell would have thought Gun Woo would be a father?! But Young Hee is smart – he knows the kid resembles Tae Won more, and wonders if Gun Woo was just forced to take the fall. Gun Woo pays more attention to the number Soon Geum left for him on a napkin, and so Young Hee takes the non-answer to mean a “yes.”

Meanwhile, Yoon Joo is fretting. Who will take care of the baby if Gun Woo leaves, and is she already a (God forbid) grandmother!? Tae Won tells her not to worry about it – they can hire someone else to take care of “Gun Woo’s mistake.” Yoon Joo goes to Gun Woo’s room, and notices the baby blanket and number on the napkin. Hmm…

Choon Jak takes Gun Woo to the airport to see him off, and Yoon Joo is highly annoyed that the maid gets to do anything she wants. Meanwhile, Soon Geum is nervously waiting for Gun Woo’s call. She needs his money to pay her rent. Suddenly, the phone rings.

Yoon Joo called Soon Geum over thinking that she’s the baby mama. She waits for Soon Geum outside the house, carrying the baby in such an insecure way that I seriously feel like she’s going to drop the baby. Thankfully, Soon Geum arrives in time to take the baby away from her, and soothes him. Kang San stops crying, and all the maids notice Soon Geum’s calming presence. Yoon Joo is impressed; if Soon Geum is not the mother, she will offer double the amount Soon Geum wants as long as she becomes a maid in the household and takes care in raising the baby.

We’re now in 2011. Kang San is a cute, perky three-year old who runs to Soon Geum’s room in his pajamas. He pinches her cheek, trying to wake her up.

Soon Geum is dreaming of her father. He’s telling her to come home with him instead of working as a maid. He asks her to just follow for ten minutes, and drives the pickup truck with the smoke machine. Soon Geum finds herself chasing after the smoke like in her youth. Then, the smoke turns into money, and she cheerfully runs after him, watching money floating from the heavens.

That’s when Yoon Joo yells, “The rice is burning!” Woops.

Later that day, she stops by a quick mart to drop off all her change – winnings from playing go-stop. She uses it to buy a game ticket from the guy behind the counter, Choi Gun. When she steps outside, standing next to GUN-WOO-LOOKING-MIGHTY-FINE-WHILE-SIPPING-A-SODA, she decides to take another chance. She purchases another ticket – this time with her cash. This second ticket is solely for her, and the first ticket is the one she’ll share with the other maids.

Outside, Gun Woo muses that the neighborhood hasn’t changed very much from three years ago.

Comments:

JUNG GYU WOON I LOVE YOU!!!

He’s really the motivating factor in why I decided to recap this drama (and also because I asked javabeans and girlfriday and they kindly let me do so). This drama is so unexpected. I honestly did not think I would like it, but since I have been recapping (read: rewatching) Sign, I kept thinking I should give Jung Gyu Woon a chance. And by extension, I would be giving the entire cast a chance. I’m glad I did though, because this drama is so interesting. It’s similar to Pasta where not much seems to happen, and yet a lot is happening. The beginning was quite enjoyable because Gun Woo keeps popping up in Soon Geum’s vicinity, and you just keep wondering when they are going to formally meet each other. Even when they finally do talk, they still don’t know each other’s names. It’s so nice to see that this is a couple who have been around each other for years and don’t even realize it – one of those happy coincidences.

I have to say, Min Hyo Rin and Kim Min Joon’s storyline is strong. For a first episode to have that much tension between the two of them? I am really rooting for this couple-dom.

This is my first Sung Yuri drama, and I like her – so far. Mind you, I’m watching her without the bias of her previous dramas. Her scene with her mother was well played in that I could feel her hatred and frustration for her mother, as well as her mother’s frustration at not being able to raise a smarter daughter. I have hopes for her chemistry with Jung Gyu Woon, although at this point, I think Jung could force chemistry with anyone. Kim So Yeon was not that comfortable with him in Dr. Champ but he sold the relationship to me. Him and Uhm Ji Won was cuter.

I’m fastening my seat belt – I think it’s gonna be a bumpy ride…

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Bummer.

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It most certainly ain't a bummer......its just airing at a wrong time.....its like, after watching back to back episodes of lie to me, 49 days and best love, you wouldn't feel so excited about it
nonetheless....it deserves recapping....to me it sounds interesting.....

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Not even. I actually enjoy this way more than Best love. I feel like the male leads to switch places in best love then I can get excited. It was funny in parts, but blah overall for me. 49 Days is love though!

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i knoooo ryt???? im cha seungwon fan..but i love yoon kye sung wayy mre [since 'my sister in law is 19' days]..and plus his character is sooo cute <3

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this is way better than baby face beauty tho, imo. thanks kaedejun!

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Have you really watched it ? It is not a bummer-it is an attempt to see life from the underside views of housekeepers , maids, domestics for a change. It may not be perfect and I have already noticed some lapses . Perhaps the writer should have interviewed real housekeepers .

I like SY's acting here ,not OA ,just right . I never liked histrionic acting anyway unless absolutely necessary.

And SY looks good and has chemistry with the male lead -she looks good with all the actors she had worked with in her past dramas (Hyun Bin, Goo Yoo, Nam Jin ,Chae Tae Yung , Jisung , Oh Ji sub , Jang Hyuk, JGS ,Kang Jihwan ,Im jihwan) -She worked with the best .

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Will give this a try. Thanks for the review!

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Err...I was going to say thanks for the review..I am just downloading it as softsubs are out.

Then I read 'bummer' and you wrote a bumpy ride.Oh dear.Should I be afraid to start this?

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I think what MEI means by bummer is that, there's yet another good may kdrama to watch. In which case I second tht bummer.... Lol. After the post dream high drama drought for me, I'm experiencing a drama overload ATM! It's all good tho! (^•^).

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Softsubs by the viki team.

http://www.viki.com/channels/1823-maids

Oh yes I've just finished ep 2 as well with subs.Okay this drama is good.It's actually kinda sweet how they put the leads together.They did tie it nicely.

Oh man....add that to my Mon/Tues list with Lie to me as well.

I am so so dead the next 2 months now.OML...definately no sleep now.I am on the viki team for Greatest Love and CYHMH.

That's it I am cutting down my work hours this month...something's got to give and it's not K dramas :-)

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Oh goodness I just saw it's on Wed/Thurs...ergh...okay oh dear.

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pig-rabbit soo cyute! I can't wait for the new nicknames!

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no start it ..you definitely wont regret it....the first episode of this drama definitely had a greater impact than say ep 1 of lie to me or best love....for me anyway

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I gave this drama a chance because I'm a fan of Sung Yuri ... but it's hard to gain interest on it. The plot jumps too much, i mean where is the plot? If you want something different watch Japanese dramas. It's trying to have a pacing of Jdoramas but it's just not working for me. I know it's just the first 2 episodes but WTH!!!

Also it's not too different from other Kdramas. It has all the superficial stuff: girl is dumb, meets handsome rich guy, becomes a maid, hates each other then turns into love. Why can't the girl be the smart one for once!! Really u expect to get riches by leaving school and working in a bar .... now that's really smart. She doesn't want to become a maid like her mom, but that's her excuse to get rich quick .... please let me know if you have seen anyone in real life become rich by doing those things? Yes, as I was watching this show, the characters frustrate me.

I recommend Lie to Me and Best Love. Both have strong female characters. Yes their life is not going well for them either, but both made choices that they themselves controlled as best as they could and had a goal. But Sung Yuri's character has none. Grrr.

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ck10z, where are you downloading the softsubs?

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you should give the drama a try ^^

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WOW i LOVE this
^.^

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thank you so much for this!!!!

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Gah! I got exams to study for, stop tempting me!!

thanks for the recap btw, will definitely be checking this one out.

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I super enjoyed the 1st ep...still waiting for sub for 2nd ep...I think its an interesting story....

Thanks for the recap...

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I haven't been interested in this drama but reading this recap changes my mind. I will have to check this out some time.

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Thanks Kaedejun.

This one is rather low key. Some of the scenes are so realistic and adorable with him in it that I think it's going to do well. Well, I hope it does anyways....

I hope we get more scenes with him in the fat suit as flashbacks because his shyness is endearing and I want to see how his friend really looks out for him. The club scene was funny; poor baby.

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first of all, i would like to express my admiration to kaedejun for her impeccable english.i wish you will be the one to sub the highly rated dramas before they release the dvds.honestly,dvds come out right after the last day of airing,so what do you expect,a terrible subbings to the extent of ruining the drama for you cant understand what its saying..kudos to you .yeah.i also enjoy watching this drama .i hope the succeeding eps.will come out not long after its airing.thanks so much.

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tq for the recap, storyline interesting for me to follow this drama...can't wait for next week..

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thankyou so much for the recap....you dont know how much i loved jung gyu woon in a fat suit...their scene in the car was adorable and hilarious

the storyline is intriguing and i cant wait to see where they'll take it

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Thanks a lot for the recap, I loved this episode ^__^
I knew I was gonna like this drama ^^

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i will have to check this out as well....too many dramas...
we sometimes have a dearth of them and sometimes....just too many!!!

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I'm watching this for Jung Kyeo-woon too! So far I'm liking what I have seen. Thanks for recapping! I hope you can continue. :)

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I'm watching this for Jung Kyeo-woon too! So far I'm liking what I see. Thanks for recapping! I hope you can continue for the next few episodes :)

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cute baby, I'm in!

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Oh, so you're gonna recap here. Woot!

And JKW ... *sigh*

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Thanks for the recap! I've got high hopes for romance town since I loved the scriptwriter's other works - Pasta & Lawyers of The Great Republic Korea

I'm following all the new May dramas and greedy me wish someone would do Baby Faced Beauty too! That show is really fun to watch ;)

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Not a fan of the entire cast! But the story seems interesting, will watch it when I finish 49days and Best Love

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I'm totally digging this drama! Thank you for recapping.

Spoiler/

Urgh! I hate her dad! I'm just afraid he will somehow get his hands on her lottery winnings (assuming she has no problems claiming it). If he somehow gets his hands on it, it might be the first time I want to break my computer monitor! He just pisses me off so much, what a horrible parent.

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awww cute ep ^_^

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Thank you for recapping this!!! I'm watching three (Best Love, Lie to me, and romance town), and I loved what I saw in all three...but Romance Town definitely had a different feel to it, less trendy and more slice of life.
I'll be reading these all the way! Thank you!

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I thought it was cute in the beginning - how her mother said she'd die if she became a maid - so her daughter goes running in the smoke, hoping to cleanse herself so she can avoid that fate and save her mother's life. It made the following scene, when her mother is yelling at her for running off, all the more bittersweet since she did it for her. It's so sad that she dies anyway...

I think this is going to be a fantastic drama.

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like many I really only gave this a quick look at, and was not really taken with it that much. I do mean to give it a prober look at some time, when there more episodes to watch. it a nice change it seem such a short time ago I had nothing that interested me all that much, now there a glut..lol. Still do not have to watch every thing all at once. I stick with Baby-Face, Lie to Me and Greatest Love and pick up Mananny and this one later.

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Wow thanks for the recap!

I'm a huge fan of JKW so I would have watched it anyway, but RT is so much better than I expected. Sung Yuri is doing surprisingly well, especially in the scenes with her mom in the beginning which were bittersweet and moving.

And JKW, is, of course, the awesomesauce. He even has charisma in a fat suit. How many actors could spend almost a whole first episode looking very unattractive and still have us rooting for him and loving him already? Not saying a character has to be good-looking to be sympathetic, but a lot of actors simply coast along on their looks. JKW is definitely not one of them.

I'm loving the down-to-earth, realistic tone of this drama, as well as the upstairs-downstairs dynamic which is so fascinating. I watched the first episode raw/with bad subs, but I think I will wait for good subs to watch the rest - the dialogue is really well-written and I want to catch every word.

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thanks for the recap...I love this drama its unfortunate that is airing at the same time as "Best Love" coz they both deserve to get TOP ratings

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At first I was excited to watch this drama, but after the first episode, I'm not so sure. I guess I expected something different.

I'll read the recaps and if it starts to get good, I might go back to the show.

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Just to add one voice to the "happily surprised by a drama which didn't seem that promising" (the announcement of the cast kind of ruined all my expectations for this drama... though so far they're rather ok).

I'm looking forward to see how they'll manage to keep the interest for both sides of this drama : the love story between the leads, and the story of a distric, mainly perceived through the eyes of the maids.

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I really apreciate this drama. Sung Yuri improved so much in acting. The storyline is really amazing and I'm looking for the next episode. I hope this drama receive much more love <3

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How many are on the same boat as me - making a long list of Kdramas to watch after finals!

These reviews are so darn tempting!!

Must not succumb! *puts finger on nose*

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Thanks for the recap!

I watched the first episode - could they have stuffed in any more actors into this drama? It was like watching a crowd scene where everyone is famous - although how tickled was I to see Hwang Young (derelict-fisherman-president-doctor Ji-hoo's BOF grandpa!) looking younger than his BOF days!?
These are great character actors, but I feel like I need a score card to keep up with the players.

This drama is going to be "iffy" for me - perhaps because the competition of the other May dramas is so fierce.
Romance Town could suffer the same fate as Playful Kiss in the rating wars - a basically good Kdrama overwhelmed by the other "big boys" who are a step ahead.

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From the stills I thought this drama was going to be based around the 2 maids and their employers but we have another extraneous 15 people to contend with.

Geum's 'relationship' with her father really frustrates me. Which is best-A) a father that only comes to see you when all he wants is your hard-earned money or B) a father who never comes around? Hmmm...

I'm staying with this drama for 2 reasons only. 1) It's a romance and 2) Jung Gyu Woon

P.S. I think the 'smoke machine' in the first scene is a pesticide machine. In America a lot of kids used to run in the 'smoke' loving the feeling of being drugged. Of course they didn't know why they had the feeling...

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I thought that was a mosquito truck. Reminiscent of my childhood as well as running at the sound of the ice cream truck....

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Cute ! Next episode pleaseeeeee !!!!! >.<

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thanks for the recap kaedejun!! i so want to watch this because of sung yuri. i liked her in hong gil dong.

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thanks kaedejun! So glad u start to recap this drama, so I LOVE U! Hahhaahha

Hope it will become one my favourite drama. Just like PP for me last year. Glad u back, kaedejun! Will u recap this one alone or share with another guest?

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Who will recap Baby Faced Beauty? i'm sad no ones interested with Jang Na Ra and Dfaniel Choi. they are awesome.

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I agree! Baby Faced Beauty actually very hilarious drama! But im guessing cause the cast arent very "well known" not a lot of people are willing to recap it.
Subs take forever to come out too which makes it worse!

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the cast is very well known lol.
I guess, with all of the dramas out this season, it's just put on the back-burner.

Maybe it's just me but, imo, I didnt like it as much :/

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I gave the first 2 eps a watch and it didnt draw me in as much as i admired Daniel Choi in High Hick Through the Roof..
Maybe it's his lack of glasses? JK!
I just need reassurance..
Are the characters less annoying from ep 3+ and does the story get endearing? Maybe i'll give it another try...

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Kaedejunnnnn!
I love you ^^

You don't know how happy I am to see Romance Town recap, and it's from you, he he!!! I've just watched 2 eps yesterday and wondered if JB and GF would recap this drama, if not, will the duo Kaedejun and aberdeen_angus take it? Coz RT reminds me the situation of the favorite Prosecutor Princess.

(1) Out of the 4 rom-com this season, RT is really the underdog, one of the reasons why I root for it.
What else? (2) The chubby 150-kg Kang Gun Woo and his transformation. (3) He's who was a male lead from a Kim So Yeon's drama ^^.

While I like both The Greatest Love and Lie To Me, I dare say from the first impression, Romance Town has the strongest script. And the drama has a coherent flow, nice set up and interesting introduction of its characters. What a happily surprised to find this fresh story among the trendy dramas these days.

Sung Yuri is doing fine, I've watched several of her dramas and she's been improving her roles quite well. I like her.
JKW totally wins me here. I just watched the first 4 eps of Dr Champ and can't continue because of my strong attachment of Kim So Yeo to a certain lawyer ;). So Romance Town must be the one I would fall for JKW :) I already feel the strong chemistry of Sung Yuri and JKW.

Agree with you on Min Hyo Rin and Kim Min Joon’s storyline, so interesting! And Min Hyo Rin so natural in her acting. Kim Min Joon is totally playful, far different from his serious role in Friend, our Legend.

Like it. Can't wait for next episode.

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i watched the first episode and i liked so far it's not crazy fun like The Greatest Love or Lie to Me but still catches my interest and the characters are likable.

thanks for recapping kaedejun :)

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I looooove you, I was sooo thinking of you to recap this one. Thanks, I so love the first two eps and my first time with Jung Gyu Woon and love already. I'm on it! I'm on it! bumpy or no bumpy!

Yes, I'm rooting for Min Hyo Rin and Kim Min Joon too! Yeah! you make my day!

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thank you sooooo much Kaedejun

can't wait to read your recap for the 2nd episode ^^

JKW + SYR = cuteeee couple everrrrrrr

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Thanks kaedejun. I love this drama.

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I think this drama is really cute!
I'm liking Song Yuri's character so far. She's one tough cookie!
Jung Gyu Woon's character on the other hand..he's kinda a loser. So far I'm pitying him, but his shyness is pretty cute. I heard that when he comes back to Korea though, he becomes the cold chaebol type. Hopefully, just on the exterior...

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thank you so much kaedejun for the recaps...i was just thinking last night how great it would be if someone recapped romance town and lo and behold, when i opened dramabeans this morning, there it was. yipee!

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Thank you Kaede Jun and DB for Romance Town Recaps!
The story looks sweet and likeble, Can’t wait for next episode...^^;

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thanks recap. go sung yuri. ryu won & yuri so cute couple.
hot yuri <3

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AHHH KAEDEJUN YOU ARE MY KDRAMA SAVIOR!

so so happy you decided to recap!! :)

(although, to be fair, i totally would have watched the drama anyway--- your recaps will just add an extra level of awesomeness and allow me to SQUEE publicly!)

my favorite scene in episode 1 is DEFINITELY gun woo dancing in the club. that man can MOVE!! (plus i loved his WASHINGTON sweatshirt--go HUSKIES!)

i adore all of the characters so far-- they are so individually quirky and are totally growing on me (except for soon geum's dad and gun woo's stepmom! grrr.). i love the nuanced characters and their relationships be they simple and straightforward or ridiculously complicated. i also love the tone of the show- it's a breath of fresh air from the slapstick and hijinx of Lie to Me and Best Love, and the drama and angst of 49 Days. but, even with it's laid-back tone, there are still genius moments of all of those traits and so far the actors have sold me on those emotions.

AH. and how freaking cute is little Kang San. and how HOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTT is Jung Kyu Woon?!! I can't wait to see more and to read more of your wonderful caps!! Thanks times a thousand naked JKW-scenes, Kaedejun! ;)

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forgot to mention- second favorite moment of the episode was when Young Hee popped his head in on the maids gossiping and delivered the punchline to the joke: "He sleeps with his wife during the day and his mistress at night, right?!"

OHMYGAWD LOL.

Kim Min Joon is totally giving JKW a run for his hotness, btw.

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haha, i actually paused the drama once i realized it said Washington on it. I was like, "no freaking way... UW has gotten that big to the point where Korea is making fake powder blue hoodies?"

best way to end the day. [go huskies :P]

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thanks, kaedejun, for recapping this series for us!! this few months would be awesome cos it's drama haven--- I get to watch 6 dramas every week! but that means sleepless nights for recappers... >< starting to love romance town and it's only aired up to ep 2!!

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thank you for the recap kaedejun!!

Romance Town isn't as catchy as the other dramas, but I am pleasantly surprised by it. I was expecting it to be cute and funny, but what I got was something quiet and, like someone else mentioned, "slice of life".

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I actually look forward to Da Kyum and Young Hee's relationship. I really do hope they become a couple. X)

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thanks for the oppa song ... heard in the drama and thought to myself ... what a good work out song! even though the only word i know is 'oppa' ... thanks much!!!

and the drama is very interesting ... might be yuri's best???

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I love that song too. And it's awesome when a drama does a flashback, it uses a distinct song from the time. The Oppa song really did come out in 2003.

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