Best Love: Episode 16 (Final)
by javabeans
It’s over! Did Best Love topple my long-standing No. 1 from the top of my personal Hong Sisters favorites list? Maybe not, but it did give the list a pretty decent shakeup.
As a straight-up episode, this one was admittedly light on drama — but as an epilogue, it’s one of the better ones I’ve seen in a while. (Coffee Prince will forever be a big ol’ letdown, falling flat in its final hour thanks to that unnecessary extension, while Boys Before Flowers also ranks high for awkward fast-forward jumps.) And it’s definitely one of the better Hong sisters epilogues, given that they usually make the couple angst through the end, giving them about ten minutes of happy at the end. I’ll take an hour of hugs, kisses, and declarations of love over that any day.
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FINAL EPISODE RECAP
Jin makes his public declaration that he and Ae-jung are in love, to the shock of everybody, including Ae-jung’s own crew. The restaurant ajumma asks if it’s true, and what makes this moment, as girlfriday pointed out yesterday, is her reaction: Ae-jung tears up and answers proudly, “Yes. That man is my boyfriend.”
Even Jenny has to concede that this was a pretty cool move on Jin’s part, and Pil-joo gives a sad sort of half-smile. Agh, my heart, it twists for you.
President Moon, on the other hand, is less pleased, although I do love the professionalism with which she tackles the new problem: She just sighs that they’ll have to leap right into the fray again. And when her phone lights up with a call from the media, she assumes PR mode and answers brightly that it’s true, that the two are happily dating.
Asked (on television) why he likes Ae-jung, Jin answers that she’s beautiful: “I fell in love like I was caught up in hypnosis, and as though I was broken, I couldn’t control it.” That causes Ae-jung’s smile to fade a bit, until he adds, “Enough to feel that even if this were my last moment, I’d be happy — she’s the best. Gu Ae-jung is Dokko Jin’s best love. Gu Ae-jung, I love you.”
Jin waits outside her house that night, wearing his silly red bow. When Ae-jung comes home, he makes his “Dokko is Ae-jung’s present!” speech without the ridiculous aegyo voice he’d been practicing with (to my great relief, since this is a serious moment), and says that because of her, he’s had to beg again.
He declares, “Take responsibility!” and points a finger at her, with his flower ring stuck on the end. He says, “This is the future I can give you. Accept it.”
Ae-jung holds out her finger, and he slides the ring on. He warns her not to run away again, and she replies, “Run away? Don’t even dream about it. I’ll never let you go.”
They review the slew of news articles that announce their relationship, and she’s a little miffed at the strong language (“shocked,” “flabbergasted”) used to describe the public’s response. On the other hand, Jin says that if the response were any milder, HIS pride would be hurt. Haha.
He shuts the computer before she can read the comments, though, which run the gamut from disbelief to “Oppa, come back!” and “I’m gonna kill Gu Ae-jung!” and “Dokko Jin has gone totally crazy.”
He assures her that he has well-wishing fans too, and uploads a photo of them online to await their response. Which results in even more demands for Ae-jung to get lost, statements of disappointment in Jin, and references of her as a gumiho who seduced him.
I love that Ae-jung bears the criticism with a sigh, while Jin…is not so graciously accepting. He vows to sue every one of them, and pleads with her to write comments defending him. HAHA. When you’ve been coddled your entire career, I guess it’s hard to get used to curses overnight.
President Moon says that as a woman, she found his broadcast appearance pretty cool — but as his manager, he’s in for rough times. His current situation is “the worst,” with most of his projects disappearing into the ether. Jin isn’t particularly worried about the loss of CFs, because his next movie should attract a new wave of them — but is shocked to hear that all his movie offers are gone as well.
Ae-jung shows her ring to her family, telling them that she’s truly happy, which prompts Ding-Dong into a Jin imitation as he mimes a peekaboo gesture and declares, “Happiness!”
Se-ri reports news of the couple’s engagement to Pil-joo, and tells him cheerily that she’ll see him soon in China, since she’s shooting a movie there. Pil-joo goes from annoyed at her gnat-like buzzing presence in his life to satisfaction as he tells her that he’s going to a place that requires a two-day train ride from Beijing (where she’ll be): “China is a very large country.”
At least Ae-jung’s career is doing fine, although the reason given for her program’s doubled ratings is attributed to people watching it to curse her. Still, she enjoys the work, and has earned the nickname of “Mat Jang Geum,” where the “mat” means “taste” (the original “dae” meant “great”).
Jin is pleased to hear it and asks for her autograph, then produces a document for her to sign — a marriage registration form, already filled out by him. Aw, that’s cute. (It also recalls the Jae-seok/Jenny origin story, when he was the fan who’d sent her a marriage registration form asking for her autograph. So immature and adorable. No wonder those two boys get along so well.)
The marriage news takes the nation by storm (again), and President Moon asks Jin the reason for his constant flurry of revelations. He answers that this way, “all the arrows will be directed at me.” Altogether now: Awwww.
But again, the idea is easier stomached in theory than actuality, and Jin’s jealousy spikes to hear that his Cannes movie will now go to that actor Kim Joon-sung. (Hee! It’s Kim Nam-gil, in a shout-out to Episode 1 when Jin turned down Queen Seon-deok, which in this alternate Best Love universe was a dismal failure of a drama and dragged down Kim Joon-sung with it.)
In fact, now it’s Joon-sung’s face decorating the Vitamin Water bottles, not his.
Jenny gripes with Jae-seok about all the negative internet responses, which includes speculation of a Jin video floating out in the interwebs. Jae-seok confirms that there does exist a video starring Jin, but tells Jenny it’s not what she’s thinking — as in, it’s nothing dirty. Alas.
This goes overheard by the worst possible person, however: Manager Jang, who’s here at the broadcast station for some more schmoozing with producers, who figures this oughtta be interesting. Aie, it’s too late in the series for a new conflict, right?
The newlyweds head out for their first public date at the movies, where they’re surrounded by curious fans. They try to continue with their date normally, although they do make it a point to hold each other to demonstrate that they are, indeed, quite happily married.
Ae-jung picks out a movie based on the dog on the poster, saying she likes movies featuring dogs, which is HILARIOUS because (1) it’s Phungsan Dog, starring Perfect Doctor Man Yoon Kye-sang, (2) it’s not a fluffy dog movie, but a dark thriller about a badass silent smuggler, and (3) Jin doesn’t correct her, just saying that since the lead doesn’t speak throughout the movie, it’s almost the same as a dog hero. LOL.
It’s sort of adorable how much Jin enjoys holding Ae-jung close in public, even though his mood sours when a few peevish girls scorn him loudly. Ae-jung calms him down by singing her song to him, practically despoiling his ear in the process, and he joins in on the lyrics as she essentially describes their courtship (“From the beginning we weren’t right for each other…” Full lyrics here).
In response to the malicious gossip about the supposed Dokko Jin video (which hints at homemade porn), Jae-seok asks President Moon for the video Jin recorded prior to his surgery — the one that he’d made in case he died.
Jae-seok thinks it’ll be a satisfying surprise to get people all hot ‘n bothered about an ero video, “only to find Pororo” instead. (Meaning, of course, something innocent and uneventful, not Pororo literally. Although that’d be pretty hilarious, too.)
Jenny uneasily informs Ae-jung of the top 3 speculations regarding the video’s contents: (1) She’s cosplaying as Sailor Moon in the bedroom, (2) They’re into bondage play, or (3) Wait, this is the most absurd! But no, Ae-jung doesn’t want to hear it. But what about us that DO?
Jenny says something that is sadly true: “They must want to see you completely ruined in order to feel good.”
At home, Ae-jung finds Jin in a sullen mood — he shuts off the TV the moment she walks in, saying “Something came on that I don’t want to see” — and she figures he heard that Kim Joon-sung is up for a Best Actor prize at an upcoming film award ceremony. (In actuality, he’s watching Pil-joo on Couple Making — heh.)
At first she thinks of leaving him alone to sulk, but tells herself that this time she’ll cling (the opposite of her usual M.O.), and grabs him in a hug: “Recharge!”
Jin admits that the thing he’s annoyed about isn’t the award, but that MBS, those bastards, seem to be playing Couple Making nonstop these days. Damn them, capitalizing on the publicity and showing that Anybody Doctor onscreen all the time! I love that that bothers him more than getting upstaged for a Best Actor award.
Jin also reveals the signed hat he’d won from the show, back when he’d voted for her in that online poll. Now that the mood has lifted, he asks her, promising generously not to get mad, “You didn’t really have feelings for that Anybody Oriental Doctor, did you?”
She muses, “Hm, maybe a liiiittle…?” and he clenches his teeth, trying to force a happy expression. Alternately scowling and smiling like his facial muscles are at war with themselves, he grits out, “A little WHAT?!” and “I’m not upset!”
Ae-jung is on the road, heading to an assignment with her crew, when a car cuts hers off and causes a truck to swerve. That sends her own van swerving off the road, and Jin gets the alarming call and races to the hospital.
She’s fine, just laid up in bed with an injured arm, but he’s so overwhelmed with relief he grabs her in a hug and thanks her for surviving. He says he thought his heart was going to burst and she takes a listen, worried that it’s thumping too fast, and advises him to try some of his mind control powers.
Jenny grimaces at the continuous stream of hateful comments online, even in the wake of Ae-jung’s accident. Jin takes a look, his face hardening to read things like “Why didn’t she die?,” “This is Dokko Jin’s chance to come back solo,” “Don’t you think Dokko Jin’s regretting it and hoping she’ll die?” “Maybe this is the curse of Dokko Jin’s fans, kekeke.”
This is the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and Jin declares that he’ll sue — public furor be damned — which has the effect of bringing in schoolgirls to the police station for questioning. And salarymen. And ajummas. Totally normal people, subdued at being caught, not the hateful, militant types of anti-fans that they’d anticipated.
President Moon tells Jin that the offenders want to meet him in person to apologize, and now that the gossipmongers have faces and personalities, Jin is more confused than anything: “Why did they do it?” President Moon utters another sad truth: “They said they just tossed it out without really thinking about it. They’re sorry.”
Ae-jung tells him to drop the lawsuit, but he’s determined to see it through, deciding he’ll trade his image as the Good Dokko Jin for one as the Righteous Dokko Jin.
Then, more scandal breaks — this time the video, which has leaked online. Assuming it’s something salacious, the whole country gathers round computer and smartphone screens everywhere, eager for a looksee at the famous star brought even lower.
Instead, they get:
Jin: “If this video is circulating, it will mean that my heart surgery has failed, and I’m no longer of this world. The many of you who have loved me, I wish to entrust to you the person I love. You could say that I am the well-made Dokko Jin who was loved by many. The woman I love has been misunderstood by many of you and disliked, but if you get to know her, you’d know she’s a truly good woman — Gu Ae-jung. Because she is the recipient of so much scorn and misunderstanding, I am leaving this proof behind. That Dokko Jin truly loved Gu Ae-jung — please ensure that such a thing isn’t scorned, or misunderstood. I ask this of you.”
*Tear*
Jin finds Ae-jung as she’s watching the video all chocked up with emotion, and says he’d left it behind “just in case.” She cry-teases that he confessed his love for her in life and in death, and he smiles with his trademark quip, “Consider it your honor.”
The video is so popular it gets over a hundred million hits, which makes President Moon smile in satisfaction. I love how Jae-seok gives her the side-eye, wondering how such a video happened to be leaked, smelling something fishy.
She just tells him, “Watch and learn, Kim Jae-seok,” calling herself the “best image-maker” in the biz. That she is.
The KBSN girls gather as Ae-jung’s bridesmaids, tacky matching pink dresses and all (Se-ri’s words), and note that this is the first time since their breakup that they’ve been linked together in good news. Mina’s flown back from the States to be here, and Se-ri puts up the front of being a grudging participant, although it’s obvious she’s happy to be in the fold.
For instance, Jenny suggests regular reunions, which Se-ri balks at given her superior top-star status…but then Jenny admits she’s a tiny bit proud of Se-ri for rising to such heights, and Se-ri replies that she’ll consider the reunions, as long as they recognize that she was the core of the group. Mina brings out a box of their favorite old snacks, the clover-shaped bread that they share to ensure good luck.
Ae-jung runs into Pil-joo on the street, and their conversation about her formerly twisted ankle stands in for the bigger meta conversation about the state of her heart. Pil-joo: “I’m glad that you aren’t in pain anymore.” Ae-jung: “I don’t hurt now.” Pil-joo: “It’s a relief that the last time seeing Nina is when she’s smiling.”
He tells her he’s leaving to go study soon, not as an excuse or to run away, but because he wants to. He has one last thing to request of her, though, and he asks her to feel his pulse: “Now I’ve gotten over my feelings.” He thanks her, saying that he’ll remember the feeling of traveling to a strange land, and that every once in a while he might feel a bit of pain, but that it’ll fade in time. Ae-jung thanks him for caring for her.
Now, time for the wedding. The ceremony itself is closed to the public, but that doesn’t stop the reporters from milling around outside, and they’re the top news item of the day. Perhaps month. Probably not year. (Hey, this is showbiz. Memories be short.)
For some pre-ceremony well-wishing, Jin shows Ae-jung the video sent in by their fans worldwide congratulating the both of them on their marriage. No longer the disliked Gu Ae-jung of yore, she’s managed to turn her image around (finally!) and is enjoying some favorable responses for once in a long, long time.
Some unspecified time later, both their careers are on the rebound, with Jin back in top-shelf CF land. He turns down an invitation from his sexy co-star to go to a fancy dinner together, opting instead to head home for “a really important event,” which takes him to the grocery store first — to buy diapers! Eeee!
Moreover, it’s Jin who stays home with the baby while Ae-jung heads out for a shoot. Gotta love it.
Jae-seok receives a promotion, which causes Jenny to fawn over him while Ae-hwan scoffs that he’s way above his level already. The two boys start arguing over their professional statuses — who’s better, and whatnot — which makes Jenny intercede to urge them to act “like usual.” By which she means: Fight over me instead!
The boys tell her to stay out of it, too caught up in their rivalry to heed her, and she pouts. It strikes me that this is the best retaliation for her — nothing so serious as an actual smackdown, but a much-deserved taking down of a peg or two, since she’s been so puffed up in pride over their adulation.
Yet another of Pil-joo’s ajumma clients tries to set him up with her daughter, so he plucks a resumé from his desk and hands it to her. The flipside is empty, to be filled out with the daughter’s information, and within a week of receipt, Pil-joo’s mother will return the call. Apparently he’s been bombarded with so many requests that he’s streamlined the process, HAHAHAHA. I love that the Perfect Doctor is modest…to an extent. He’s not dumb — he knows he’s a catch.
Se-ri continues along in her top-star career, still pining over Pil-joo and trying to make headway with him. For instance, she knows he’s headed hiking and plans a trip accordingly, timing it to match his ascent — only he’s wise to her ways.
Disappointed, she asks, “Then did you see me standing there watching you and choose this other path on purpose to avoid me?”
Pil-joo holds out a hand and offers, “This path is steep and rough so it won’t be easy to climb. Do you want to try it anyway?”
It’s only the teeniest of openings, but she’ll take it, and she accompanies him to the summit. I don’t see romantic interest on his part, but I don’t mind seeing Pil-joo softening a bit toward Se-ri, since she’s shown herself to be petty and bratty, but ultimately not evil. (Though he’s still way too good for her.)
All in all, life is pretty happy at the Dokko household, even if Ding-Dong is less than impressed with the baby’s level of intelligence.
Ae-jung points out that the latest gossip has them in a three-month separation, so Jin decides that the best way to counter those rumors is to go out on a picnic in front of lots of witnesses. Ae-jung disagrees, though, calling that line of action a little weak: “These days, celebrities with lots of children are treated with affection.”
Jin: “Ding-dong! Gu Ae-jung, then let’s get into image control mode immediately!”
Rawr! Ae-jung: “I’ll have to recharge your batteries to full.” Double rawr.
JAVABEANS’ COMMENTS
Best Love isn’t perhaps my absolute favorite Hong sisters drama, but I do think it’s the best-written. I don’t know that any of their future shows will be able to topple Delightful Girl Chun-hyang as my sentimental favorite, but I’d have to put Best Love as No. 2 for its crackling dialogue, incredibly fast-flying puns and metaphors and cultural references, its wonderful lead actors, its adorable Mr. Second Lead, and the tons of humor crammed into each episode from top to bottom.
(For the curious, I’d rank the rest of their dramas, from No. 3 to 7, in the following order: My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, My Girl, You’re Beautiful, Hong Gil Dong, and Fantasy Couple.)
I’ve read that the Hong sisters shy away from cheesily romantic dialogue (what they call dalk-sal-ment for its tendency to give you goosebumps for its corniness), which is why they pile on the metaphors. It allows you to get out the sentiment at the core, while masking it in wordplay. It’s kind of boring for a character to say plainly, “I like you. Let’s date.” But when a hero jumps through verbal hoops to talk about blooming potatoes and scattering flowers and a literally broken heart, and the miffed heroine retorts by telling him to shut his butthole of a mouth? It’s clever, funny, AND effective.
Sometimes I’ll watch a mediocre rom-com (and I’ve seen a lot of those), and the on-the-nose fighting and the even on-the-nosier love declarations can make me cringe. So I delight in the sense of whimsy and pure fun that the Hong sisters’ writing brings to the table. They’ve always been good at that, but they completely upped their game with this drama and took their delightful wit to new heights.
Best Love is not without its flaws, and I’m certainly aware of some loose ends that remained untied. For instance, Mina’s secret, which I thought would play a bigger role than merely bringing Se-ri back around to Ae-jung’s side. I’ll be the first to say that the Pil-joo character actually isn’t that strong — on paper, at least. Honestly, you can’t credit the writers too much with making him such an adorable, endearing character because frankly, he’s written just like every other Hong sisters second lead: Overly kind, understanding, and left nursing a wounded heart. Like You’re Beautiful’s Jung Yong-hwa, or My Girl’s Lee Jun-ki.
This character owes a huge debt to Yoon Kye-sang, because played by a different actor, I think Pil-joo was very much in danger of falling flat. Like how I felt no sympathy for the Gumiho Hunter, and cried no tears over Shin-woo hyung. Perhaps if you didn’t feel the Yoon Kye-sang pull (who ARE you, and are you alive?), you may have felt little for Pil-joo; for me, I was completely drawn to him and wanted him to get the girl, except for the moments when I wanted her for Jin instead. Not gonna lie, sometimes those moments overlapped and I was left nursing a wonderfully tortured dilemma.
Speaking of Pil-joo, I like that the drama didn’t conclusively pair him up with Se-ri. As far as second leads go, I found her benign since she never posed a danger to our main couple, but after some of her petty pranks in the middle, I found my desire to see her happily paired off drastically diminished. So while Pil-joo looks at her as an exasperating, possibly slightly cute pest, I don’t see interest there on his end — but there’s enough of an open ending that fans of the pairing can hope.
I also appreciate how they made President Moon into the source of conflict, because her actions make sense to me in that she sincerely believes she’s doing what’s best for both her clients. As a level-headed businesswoman, she’s making her judgments without emotion, as she should. It’s a step up from the irrational mother/grandfather/ex-girlfriend opposition, for sure, whose interference often flouted reason.
But all this would be moot if it weren’t for Cha Seung-won playing his role with complete gusto (even if he went so far in the beginning to seem mildly deranged), and Gong Hyo-jin bringing her trademark natural charm to hers. They gave life, sparks, and zazz to these crazy lovebirds — and that, coupled with the zany, meta-filled plot, makes this a keeper rom-com for me.
GIRLFRIDAY’S COMMENTS
This is perhaps the best straight-up rom-com I’ve seen in a long while. Though it certainly doesn’t knock My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho off its pedestal as my favorite Hong Sisters drama (I consider them to be very different beasts altogether anyway), it is by far one of the most satisfying zippy comedies I’ve seen in many a drama-watching moon. It’s a testament to their writing skills that the Hong Sisters can evolve and up the ante on their own repertoire.
I’m a firm believer that genre work is actually extremely tricky — though you always have a stable of tropes, clichés and devices, writing within the expected structure while keeping things fresh is extremely difficult. It’s why time and again so many rom-coms fall totally flat, even though they appear to have the EXACT same ingredients. Tough hero? Check. Plucky heroine? Check. Doofy second lead? Check.
But it’s not an Easy Bake Drama Oven. You can’t just toss in the stuff and hope it comes out Dramacakes. And a show like this, solid through and through and laugh-out-loud funny while being poignant, heart-tugging, and just plain sweet, is why we watch and always search for that next great rom-com.
I agree that a large part of this drama’s success is the main cast stocked with experienced actors. You can’t beat a cast like this, with such a wide range of dramas, films, and genres under their belts. They made everything just that extra amount of funny / heartbreaking / lovable, to draw us into every moment, and made even the silliest of potato-love confessions the best a girl could want.
The show does have plenty of flaws, namely the way that many a plot thread that was once gripping got dropped like a hot potato. And I still find some of the Hong Sisters dramas’ tonal shifts hard to swallow (the romantic-to-funny undercutting is pitch-perfect, while the funny-to-suddenly-melo sometimes leaves skid marks on my screen). But the strengths outweigh the flaws, bar none.
The thing that deserves the most praise is really the fantastic meta setup — not just the one-off jokes and puns, but the entire world of the drama. The way this world was drawn, with one foot in reality and one foot in the fictional celebrityverse, came to mirror the fandom and the real entertainment world and the making of the drama itself. It was all done with a wink and a nod, but with an often incisive view of the showbiz machine, which gave the show a unique, of-the-minute feel, like it captured the feeling of the dramaland that we know and participate in. It’s the strongest combination of the Hong Sisters’ strengths — they turned their flair for meta into the world of the drama itself, which is why it’s their most clever, sharpest drama to date.
RELATED POSTS
- Best Love: Episode 15
- Best Love: Episode 14
- Best Love: Episode 13
- Best Love: Episode 12
- Best Love: Episode 11
- Best Love: Episode 10
- Best Love: Episode 9
- Best Love: Episode 8
- Best Love: Episode 7
- Cha Seung-won: I am Dokko Jin
- Best Love: Episode 6
- Best Love: Episode 5
- Best Love: Episode 4
- Best Love: Episode 3
- Best Love: Episode 2
- Best Love: Episode 1
Tags: Best Love, Cha Seung-won, featured, Gong Hyo-jin, Yoo Inna, Yoon Kye-sang
Interview with Kim Yoo-jung
Hello Dramabeans series
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1 Ani
June 23, 2011 at 8:12 PM
Best Love for the WIN!
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Hazel
June 25, 2011 at 10:25 AM
watch The Greatest Love Episode 16 English Subbed here: http://www.kimchidramas.net/2011/06/greatest-love-episode-16.html
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2 A
June 23, 2011 at 8:12 PM
MY GOODNESS IT'S OVER!
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Ani
June 23, 2011 at 8:32 PM
Ah, but this is where fanfiction comes in..... Well, not really since it just won't hold a candle compared to the original.
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3 Fall
June 23, 2011 at 8:12 PM
ty for the recaps!!
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4 Kristy
June 23, 2011 at 8:14 PM
The end is here!!!!! I'm so sad and exited. I love Dok Go Jin <33
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5 kcj
June 23, 2011 at 8:17 PM
What an awesome ending to the first Korean drama that
made me giddy with every week. Seriously, I don't
remember laughing so hard and enjoying a drama since
Kim Sam Soon. This is also the first Hong Sisters drama I
finished watching--the others didn't really hold my attention or did it for me.
I just have to say, Cha Seung Won is definitely my ahjussi crush. I feel so guilty having such unsavory thought when I know he's married and has a kid plus he's only a few years younger than my dad! I just loved how he pulled off this character. I didn't mind the wacky and craziness he brought. Even his odd grandpa drawl was both amusing and sexy, haha!
And please tell me that I wasn't the only one who rewinded and rewatched the two Dokko Jin sex scenes. I love how he was thrown onto the bed and acted like princess held hostage. XD And then when he's tied up on the couch and enjoying the whipping. Oh man. . .that just cracked me up!
I love love love how Dokko just nonchalantly goes shopping for diapers and baby formula because you can probably figure out that he actually did this in real with his real kids. Oh look there, that's just CSW grocery shopping. I just love how he's wearing a leather vest and sparkly flip flops.
On a more serious note, this episode makes me question the Korean entertainment industry. I know that the media frenzy is a lot scarier over there but I'm just wondering how close to the truth this drama got. I just can't fathom why fans would go that far for their beloved stars. Like, is it really that big of a deal if they have a significant other or get married? So what if they're not as pretty/smart/rich? I find it just amazing that people get so worked up over stars like that. Then again, I've never been a super obsessed with idols or stars.
Last thing, what on holy earth was Aejung wearing in the very last scene of the episode? I'm sorry if it was some
designer or special clothesline but that was just plain. .
.ugly.
I cannot wait for the next Hong Sisters drama!
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Eileen
June 23, 2011 at 8:33 PM
Yes, and I bet this is the Hong sisters' commentary on the Korean entertainment industry. I kept imagining them going to all their actors and actresses and asking them, "What do you hate most about your job?" Okay, let's stick it in the drama. I wonder if it will make all those awful fans who watch this show reflect on their own actions and how easily images are manipulated.
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Cap Rice
June 23, 2011 at 10:08 PM
Yea, it happens. When a jazz singer won a Best New Artist Grammy this past year over Justen Bieber, his fans went to the female jazz singer's facebook page and wished her dead and defaced the page with obscenaties. (I think I spelled that wrong.) Another person on tv called Hugh Jackman's wife too unattractive (fat and ugly) to be his wife and didn't understand why the two are still together. That's when you get a lawyer to send a threatening letter. I'm sure what happened in Best Love is a bit exagerated, but it does happen. Totel strangers get passionate.
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hookedonmonix
June 23, 2011 at 11:44 PM
As much as I adore the internet, I also hate it for how easily abused it is. Anti-fans wouldn't be nearly so cruel in person, or even by letter than they are on the web, thanks to a sense of anonymity. People who are immature and idiotic have as much opportunity to have their opinions published as clear headed sane people. On the youtube video of the song "Friday," I saw a comment that R.B. should get raped. It frightens me that these thoughts are in people's brains to begin with, let alone that they think there is any justification for vomiting those thoughts out at others. I would like to see more people getting at least a good scare over their behaviors, like those J.B. fans being threatened with "terroristic threat" charges, which they legally deserve, I believe. Anyway, enough of that rant.
I lurved this series, although the last 2 eps bummed me out a little. Just because I was hoping to see the immediately-post-surgery hullabaloo, and because I wanted one more sexy kiss. Although the movie theater singing in Jin's ear was pretty awesome, so maybe I can half my disappointment on that front.
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wootwoot
June 23, 2011 at 10:49 PM
Ditto! I laughed out loud til my stomach hurt in every episode. This was one drama that kept me interested even til the very last episode...props to Hong sisters and the actors for making the show so enjoyable! I lost interest with Secret Garden about 3/4 way into the show and I know I can be a difficult viewer ;)
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sakuranonamida
June 24, 2011 at 5:22 AM
amen to that. This is maybe what I liked the most abt Best Love (just after CSW's sexy body and hilarious acting :p), it's how the problem of media and public opinion can take such a toll on celebrities. Being a BigBang fan, I'm actually experiencing this very much rn because of Daesung's incident.
The level of cowardice enabled by internet is quite frightening sometimes and though it can be a good thing on some occasions, it can instantly become a deadly weapon just bcs of a small mistake in an all connected society.
That point asides, I really enjoyed this drama a lot thanks to the wonderful acting (from laugh to tears) and great writing. The ending was all kind of bubbly sweet, which I love and I can't help but think it was as much CSW the actor than as Dokko Jin the character in the last episode ( things like turning down a sexy co cf star dating invitation to go back home see your wife and kid after doing some grocery errands, is sth I imagine the real him may have experienced).
Now, off to rewatch this wonderful drama once more and I already can't wait to see these actors in other productions soon and I can't wait for the Hong sisters next work as well.
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madly (deeply, crazy) in love with best love
June 23, 2011 at 10:54 PM
I dont understand how fans could get insane like that , I mean when Angelina Jolie stole Brad Pitt, I didnt do anything crazy, I just stopped watching her films. lol! I did hear Bieber fans are the craziest. and Hugh Jackman is married?? dang! will just wait for him to get divorce ...kekeke
Btw, i loved the crazy bondage whipping scene also.. wahahaha.. if only GAJ got DJ to undress that would be more perfect!!!
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mary
June 24, 2011 at 12:48 AM
If you watched Iris, one of the female characters had to be killed off just because her loveline with TOP's character didn't sit well with the fans!
WTH.
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Kiara
June 24, 2011 at 11:56 AM
I'll have to put some of the blame on the writers also. They sometimes encourage this crazy behavior from fans. Even the Queen Seon Deok pairing was changed to please Bidam's fans.
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Katherine
June 26, 2011 at 5:44 PM
Sadly fans can be like that the most recent one being the K-pop Idol Group SHINee when it was revealed that Jonghyun was dating Shin Se Kyung, alot of fans were upset and even stopped following the group, hence Se Kyung anti-fan club grew.
Exact same thing happened with Se7en when it was revealed that Han Byul was his girlfriend, his fans turned away from him.
I'll never understand fans that turn away from their favorite idol/actor/actress just because they are dating someone or actually have lives outside of the industry. Hopefully the mentality will change some day.
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Rachel
August 4, 2011 at 11:36 AM
I totally agree! I've not seen many dramas that make me laugh like crazy at the computer screen every episode. Well, maybe My Girlfriend is A Gumiho, and Secret Garden to some extent.
Cha Seung-won is hilarious! I didn't know he could be so funny. He has really made Dokko Jin one of the legendary characters of the K drama world. Him, alongside Kim Joo Won and many others.
I'm slightly creeped out by the fact that I'm turned on by a man 10 years my dad's junior. HAHA.
I believe Gong Hyo Jin's wardrobe in has been intentionally made unconventional and a little un-trendy to reflect the fact that she isn't a conventional female celebrity dressed in short and glittery dresses, ala Kang Se-ri. So I'm not surprised by the outfit she was in the final scene. It's also a nice reflection of how she is now leading a domesticated life, and well, when you're busy with the home, you may not always be dressed so fashionably!
Thanks for the recaps! Love reading JB and GF's thoughts at the end of every episode. Gives me valuable insight into the meaning of what I'm watching.
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sassychicks
August 7, 2011 at 4:17 AM
THIS!!!
I'm second to this! it's like you took words from my mouth ^^
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6 bauccogue
June 23, 2011 at 8:19 PM
it's finally out! Best Love is sooo awesome..made me laugh so hard, cry at times, and made me fall in love all over again.
Thank you JB and GF for taking time and doing the recaps! <3 to you
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grateful1
June 23, 2011 at 10:33 PM
Yeah, these recaps were probably extra time-consuming, given all of the meta, metaphors, puns, subtext, etc. to explain. DB recaps always really enhance our drama-watching experience, but I think that's especially true for this drama. I'm also very appreciative of the astute and superbly-written finale remarks. Best Love to JB and GF for being the bestest!
As for the drama itself, I found the last two episodes rather disappointing, but overall, it was an exceptionally enjoyable ride. Having such a well-written and witty script coupled with such talented and charasmatic actors was a drama-lover's dream come true. Thanks to all you Best Lovers out there who made our shared journey all the more enjoyable!
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7 caramelchampagne
June 23, 2011 at 8:25 PM
thanx for the recap girls i hope there will be special epi as NG stuff
cha seung won really did a great job and both lead actors made us stuck to this drama till the end
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8 Eileen
June 23, 2011 at 8:29 PM
I like how Dokko Jin and Gu Ae-jung were able to succeed while protecting those that she loves. The public never sees that she protected Mina, Se-ri, and her father and brother, and yet they still manage to succeed.
I WOULD have liked it better if Mina had come out and said the truth, but in some ways, this ending is also satisfying, knowing that they can overcome Gu Ae-jung's bad image in spite of all this, and that Dokko Jin's image really IS that powerful. I was hoping that when Mina agreed to be a bridesmaid that she would also spill the beans in her own press release or during a bridesmaid speech or something, but then that would have upstaged their wedding...Sigh. I guess they just couldn't work it in somehow.
I also would have liked to see the bad Manager (forgot his name) get his just desserts!
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Ani
June 23, 2011 at 8:34 PM
I gotta agree on the fact that I too am sore about the whole Mina business. But I guess what's done is done.
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kcj
June 23, 2011 at 9:00 PM
I totally agree that the bad Manager should have gotten a little harsher punishment than being beaten up by Dokko. Sigh.
But the overall happy tone of the finale made up for it.
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th em
June 23, 2011 at 9:05 PM
His punishment was that AJ succeeded.
Not that I woulda minded if anyone else had felt like punching him...
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th em
June 23, 2011 at 9:09 PM
Wait, scratch that.
Since Skeevy Manager started the secret video rumors, his punishment is that he ended up helping AJ to succeed. Even worse.
ar
June 23, 2011 at 10:25 PM
you're a better person than me! You're right - inadvertently bringing about AJ and DJ's happily ever after with the public is an even worse punishment (though a part of me wishes we can see him go "doh! I screwed up!")
b is for best love
June 23, 2011 at 10:52 PM
Living well is the best revenge. Hmm, that's actually a pretty catchy title for a sequel. Best Revenge. How about it, Hong Sisters?
9 ohemgee
June 23, 2011 at 8:30 PM
LOVE LOVE LOVE.
so sad it's over though!!
but what a delightfully perfect ending. AWWWW.
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10 Jenn
June 23, 2011 at 8:35 PM
I'm surprised you rated Hong Gil Dong so low as it's still my favorite by them. This drama was cute but, again, nothing really new or challenging from them. Wouldn't watch it more than once.
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crazedlu
June 23, 2011 at 9:04 PM
agreeed.
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bd
June 25, 2011 at 9:51 PM
"HGD" was mediocre - both the performances and the writing.
After watching it, I wondered what all the hoopla was about re the Hong sisters.
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11 Oystergirl
June 23, 2011 at 8:37 PM
Thanks so much for all the wonderful recaps, without which, i would have been completely lost! I can't wait to zip home to catch the final few episodes!
This is by far, the funniest and wittiest kdrama i've watched this year and it will def be right up there on my top 2011 drama list :) CSW and GHJ, really... wow.
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12 Yuuko11
June 23, 2011 at 8:40 PM
Many thanks for fast recap. I really love this drama.
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13 Sherlyn
June 23, 2011 at 8:42 PM
arw...
what do i do for my wed-thurs???
now left with City Hunter...
Phew...relief in a way that there's still Lee Min HOT!
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h311ybean
June 23, 2011 at 8:50 PM
Heartstrings is replacing this show next week, right? I don't know if that's your cup of tea, but I'm looking forward to giving it a try :)
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14 bitterkopi
June 23, 2011 at 8:44 PM
thanks for the recaps, jb and gf. we have probably taken you guys' recapping for granted since that's basically what you do in this blog. nevertheless, we still appreciate the work that you do every single day.
and of course, thanks for choosing to recap this uber wonderful, funny and entertaining drama. i thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
dramabeans FTW!!!
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15 amhrancas
June 23, 2011 at 8:44 PM
Javabeans and Girlfriday, thank you both so much for sharing your recaps and thoughts/opinions with us once again, and helping to make the "Best Love" experience all the better. I really do appreciate all of your efforts at this site! 8Dv
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16 th em
June 23, 2011 at 8:45 PM
Mmm... cheesy potatoes. Salted with the promised tears from my tear-bucket since I finally got that "If you're seeing this, I'm dead" video after all. A surprisingly delicious combination.
JB & GF: Thank once again for the recaps.
My BLFFs: I had so much fun with you! I kinda wish I knew what the next drama I get to watch live will end up being, so I'd know when we'll meet again... Oh well, maybe I just need to drag myself into the open thread once in a while. <3
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maysie
June 29, 2011 at 10:08 PM
Thanks for the vitamin water labels they were so great!! =)
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17 jinkzz
June 23, 2011 at 8:46 PM
I love this drama...ransk as my number two out of all the Hong sisters' drama -Hong Gil dong ranks number 1 for me though the ending could have been a little different- best love was a delight to watch... looking forward to the next hong sisters' drama
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18 Mme. de. Mme
June 23, 2011 at 8:47 PM
What are the National ratings for Best Love?
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swui
June 23, 2011 at 9:08 PM
21%
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Kiara
June 23, 2011 at 10:09 PM
Well deserved. I'm going to miss Best Love and all the casts. I bet they are very happy with the ratings.
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19 eevee
June 23, 2011 at 8:48 PM
MAHH I WILL MISS THIS DRAMA!! ONE OF THE YEAR'S BEST! THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR RECAPS!!! both of you guys are so awesome and bring us as much joy reading these recaps as actually watching them. XP now I will dedicate all my energy into City Hunter. hehe
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20 kitkat
June 23, 2011 at 8:48 PM
Thanks for the recap ladies, it was fantastic. I'm looking forward to watching the last two episodes this weekend. Reading your recaps have made watching dramas more enjoyable and meaningful.
Greatest Love is one of the best rom-com drama I've seen lately. This is what I call a smart drama. The writing was sharp and the actors, in particular, Cha Seung-won and Gong Hyo-jin, were solid. It's wonderful to witness good acting. They made it work. I'm satisfied.
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21 h311ybean
June 23, 2011 at 8:48 PM
Yay recap! Part of me feels like this drama ran out of gas in the last couple of eps, and I too am disappointed in the treatment of Mina's secret and the oh-so-important heart surgery, but I guess the winding down was necessary to establish the end of the series. Otherwise we would all be like little kids hopped up on sugar and refusing to go to bed.
All in all, though, it was a wonderful drama. Thank you, JB and GF, for taking the time to recap it for us!
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22 girlfriday
June 23, 2011 at 8:49 PM
See, told ya I'd find it: Lee Seon-kyun / Uhm Tae-woong / Pororo / Porn
I know what you're thinking. Sorry, it's not a video.
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birdscout
June 23, 2011 at 9:00 PM
Awww, I can't read Korean. Darn, I wish it were a video!
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jane
June 23, 2011 at 9:26 PM
HA! Wanna translate? :D
I'm sure there are other readers out there that want to know too!
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Oh-oh-okk...
June 23, 2011 at 9:34 PM
Yah, what does it all mean...? x_X
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girlfriday
June 23, 2011 at 9:56 PM
Oh, basically Uhm Tae-woong didn't know who Pororo was, and on an episode of 1N2D, he identified Pororo as "Penguin!" in a quiz. Became an amusing story online.
Lee Seon-kyun in a following interview said that it's perfectly plausible that his buddy doesn't know Pororo because he didn't either, when he was a bachelor.
He once overheard a woman at a salon say, "My kid is addicted to Pororo." And he answered, "Your child is addicted to PORN?!"
I'm not sure why every Lee Seon-kyun / Uhm Tae-woong story ends in porn, but it's certainly amusing for the rest of us.
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Arhazivory
June 25, 2011 at 5:07 PM
lol. Hahaha. Poor Lee Seon-kyun.
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Kiara
June 23, 2011 at 10:13 PM
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/03/uhm-tae-woong-lee-seon-kyuns-old-online-posts-resurface/
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Kiara
June 23, 2011 at 10:21 PM
-another one that I liked lol.
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23 swui
June 23, 2011 at 8:50 PM
The last two episodes felt like epilogues to me...and ep14 felt like the climax of the drama...just felt that the transition from climax to epilogue was a little too abrupt. I kept expecting a little more drama in this epi to compensate the lack of it in the previous epi but it seems that this is the grand happy ending everyone is wishing for...
I think the problem may be I'm just too used to the formulaic rom-coms. That's why I'm a little unsettled by the developments in this drama. I also noticed that this is one drama whose villlain is ironically the fans LOL.
That said, I appreciated the witty dialogues, the funny metaphors and the great acting all around. It's been a fun ride. Love BL!
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Sethe
June 23, 2011 at 9:52 PM
I feel the same way. I was madly, passionately, head over heels in love with this drama all through episode 14, but something about these last two episodes has left me feeling... unsettled. Could just be the inevitable feeling of letdown when something beloved comes to an end, but I also felt like the episodes leading up to the last two were filled with such tension and emotional intensity, and then it suddenly all dropped away with episode 15 and we were left with nothing but some warm feel-good moments dragged over two episodes.
Yeah, I'm glad it was a happy ending, but it just seemed a little flat, I guess. Overall, though, I totally love this drama (and CSW, of course), and will undoubtedly watch it again.
This was my first time watching a drama from beginning to end as it aired (and coming to sites like this to read recaps and participate in the commentary in real time), and it's been so much fun! I wouldn't have loved this drama half as much without JB and GF's fantastic recaps and the witty and hilarious comments of everybody here at dramabeans.
Love you all!
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Fabmari
June 24, 2011 at 12:11 AM
I second this.
It is like having a fantastic appetizer and main course, and thought there would be some delicious dessert coming. Instead, I get a freshly-squeezed orange juice. Orange juice is nice to help digest all the food; but after all the delicious dishes, I prefer to have some rich dessert and eat until my stomach almost burst.
But it is still nice 20-course meal!
Love the most of the storyline and love the entire cast.
CSW and YKS are fantastic and their characters are very entertaining in their own way. GHJ is wonderful although I still don't get why Aejung frowns when kissed, when happy, when felling touched. Maybe she worries too much for Dokko Jin. I wish she enjoys her falling in love more freely.
Seri is a naughty girl, but she is not evil. I hope she finds her happiness -- with someone but Piljoo. hehehe. He is too perfect for her.
Thank you JB and GF for your hard work :D
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swui
June 24, 2011 at 4:38 AM
I was wondering maybe it was because GHJ didn't want to do an extension and so they had to wrap it up quicker than they expected??
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bd
June 25, 2011 at 10:09 PM
I didn't mind the time-jump in ep 15 since the whole thing about open heart surgery and recovery isn't exactly appealing TV viewing, but ep 16, while it had its cute moments, seemed too much like the typical K-romcom/Hollywood happy ending w/ marriage and kids.
It was just too formulaic for me (even if it was emotionally satisfying underneath); it was pretty much the same for "Secret Garden", but w/o the underlying emotional satisfaction.
That's why I preferred the more open-ending to "Coffee Prince."
I'm going to disagree w/ JB here about the last ep of "CP" being a letdown.
The "letdown" was the story line which broke apart the 2 leads, again, this time for 2 years (seemed a bit superfluous after all they went thru, even tho I can understand Eun Chan wanting to make something of herself first).
But the last ep which showed everyone at their business (a bit less lively w/o Eun Chan around), Eun Chan surprising Han Gyul at an interview and then everyone at the coffee shop (who were overjoyed to see her) and the last scene of the 2 tasting the brew that HG had prepared was simple, but effective.
There was no need to fast forward in time and see the marriage, kids, etc.
And it was more touching to see Yoo Joo and Han Sung doing their couple thing and just enjoying life as a couple after the miscarriage and unsuccesfully trying again and again.
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24 birdscout
June 23, 2011 at 8:50 PM
"who ARE you" lol! LOVED Yoon Kye-sang in that and here, in Best Love.
Without the detailed recaps from you and girlfriday, so much of the meta and enjoyment of this drama would have flown right over my head. Thank you both so much for sharing your kdrama-love with us!
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swui
June 23, 2011 at 9:11 PM
yeah I totally missed the movie poster's meta...cos I couldn't read korean!!!
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25 tomboy26
June 23, 2011 at 8:53 PM
Sigh .. what a bittersweet ending. Sad because it ended but also so happy that it ended with so much warmth and happiness and lovey dovey affection and marriage and babies and all that jazz.
As much as I was letdown because of the whole heart surgery thing, I see now that it was best the way it was done. To move forward and not have Ae-jung try to 'rescue him' or even 'comfort him' because if anything it would have created more problems for her as trying to gain some good light over this very scary thing that was happening to Jin. Instead it might have made her seem like someone willing to use someone else to become popular again. Of course, that would have cleared up IF Jin died and WHEN the video was shown however that would have been too much drama and too much crying for me if that scenario played out so I'm happy it simply moved forward and showed us their life after the real threat was gone .. his heart problem.
I just loved that it had everything I wanted it to have .. a sincere love confession, Ae-jung finally accepting him and letting him know she's his and he's hers, a marriage, a baby, both making their way back up the ol' industry chain, but most importantly .. and this one really takes the cake for me, that my beloved Pil-joo did not end up with Se-ri. Everybody with me now .. WHOA!! :D I know some people probably saw that sweet smile at the end as a something more but to me it was just him accepting this girl in his life that will forever be there just to bother him .. if only for a lil bit.
Some people really didn't see the charm of Dokko Jin and his extremely erratic behavior but I did and I'm so glad I did. It was CSW and GHJ that really made this drama one of my favorites (up there with My Girlfriend is a Gumiho) because they seemed so mismatched that it made them perfect .. at least to me. His over the topness and her down to earth pragmatism made this love story go from bizarre fairy tale (with potatoes and beasts and princesses, oh my) to a love that could exist in the real world. And at the end what I will always remember from this story is how a man-child grew up because of the love of a good woman that he never let go, no matter how much his life would change because of her. We saw him go from only caring about himself and his image to caring about those around him, showing that love, and truly committing to the one that made it happened.
Yes, this drama had its flaws and some let-downs (but then again what drama doesn't) but as a whole it was one of those dramas that makes you laugh, makes you swoon, breaks your heart and, it makes you believe that even the mighty will fall on purpose for a really special reason.
Best Love, you will always have a place in my heart and for years to come it will be one of those stories that will always bring a smile to my face whenever I think about it.
Oh and Pil-joo, who was awesomely portrayed by YKS, will be the best second male lead because I have never suffered second-lead syndrome this badly before :D Plus .. he is super hot!!!!
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kim
June 24, 2011 at 1:04 AM
"Some people really didn’t see the charm of Dokko Jin and his extremely erratic behavior but I did and I’m so glad I did. It was CSW and GHJ that really made this drama one of my favorites (up there with My Girlfriend is a Gumiho) because they seemed so mismatched that it made them perfect .. at least to me. His over the topness and her down to earth pragmatism made this love story go from bizarre fairy tale (with potatoes and beasts and princesses, oh my) to a love that could exist in the real world. And at the end what I will always remember from this story is how a man-child grew up because of the love of a good woman that he never let go, no matter how much his life would change because of her. We saw him go from only caring about himself and his image to caring about those around him, showing that love, and truly committing to the one that made it happened"
@tomboy26...i extremely agree with you on your description of the PERFECTLY MISMATCHED OTP CSW AND GHJ and their drama characters as well..so the saying that "opposites attract" fits this awesome couple. i just love how their love story developed..
Best Love is the best rom com for me..Brilliant acting from both CSW and GHJ..i will surely miss this drama.
thank you for the recaps..to all BL lovers, thank you for your wonderful views. i enjoyed reading it.
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bd
June 25, 2011 at 10:12 PM
Agreed, but it was fitting that DJ, even til the end, still had his big ego (w/o it, he wouldn't be DJ).
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26 Leina
June 23, 2011 at 8:55 PM
Thank you, JB and GF, for recapping this awesome series! I still haven't finished watching it, but I do remember when my heart felt like breaking after 49Days (gaaah, that seems so long ago) and BL entered the picture and made me smile and giggle again. BL was like the perfect balm for my aching heart.
My sentimental favorite of the Hong sisters' dramas will always be YB, just because it was the first k-drama I ever watched, and was the drama that led me to this very addicting website, which then led me to watch nearly all of JB/GF's recommended dramas. But inasmuch as I love kids, this drama wins for me just because of DING DONG. Oh how I adore that child and his banters with Dokko Jin! And DJ and AJ have a baby--who is too cute for words? Drama heaven! :D I believe this is the first Hong sisters drama to give a lot of screen time to a kid, and I loved every second of it.
I fell in love with CSW in City Hall, and have never seen a GHJ or YKS drama before, but these three actors were perfectly cast IMO. I mean, not only did they light up the screen with their gorgeousness, but their acting was superb that they OWNED the roles. Yes, CSW, you are DJ!
I am not Korean, so I thank you, JB and GF, for explaining all the meta references. Without you two, I would not have found BL as entertaining and heartwarming as I did. You two rock!!! :D
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kcj
June 23, 2011 at 9:03 PM
Even being Korean American, I'm still glad that jb and gf covered the meta references and metaphors. Part of the reason why I enjoyed this drama so much was knowing that these two lovely ladies were recapping and going deeper than just writing about what happened in each episode but going beyond and connecting the dots and analyzing each new episode!
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madly (deeply, crazy) in love with best love
June 23, 2011 at 9:58 PM
IKR, i really appreciate how they explain all the meta references, coz foreigners like me who are not familiar with the korean culture wouldn't have known the meanings and these minute details were the reasons why the story was so interesting.
DB you give the best recaps, ive said this before i will say it again if Hong Sisters are the tandem for scriptwriting, GF and JB are the blog version. :)
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dramabliss
June 24, 2011 at 6:22 AM
Am totally with you. GF and GB get the Best Recappers award.Hands down. My heartfelt thanks to the awesome service you provide us kdrama addicts. More power!
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Kiara
June 24, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Agree with you all. Thank you so much JB and GF <3.
kdfan
June 26, 2011 at 11:36 PM
awesome! what else can I say that hasn't been. thankyou JB & GF, you are the best.
deeps
June 24, 2011 at 8:07 PM
Yes, this was absolutely the one drama which would not have been as completely awesome as it was, without JB and GF's detailed recaps and analyses :-) Thank you so much!
Also, the comments here in each recap sometimes caught fine bits here and there which just added so much spunk to the entire series...
It reminded me of reading a manga/anime with so much stuff going on in a single panel/shot :-)
I wonder how the actors got through all the scenes without breaking into peals of laughter every take, haha... I swear, in some scenes I think CSW was this close to Bwahahha'ing :-)
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giddy
June 25, 2011 at 8:02 PM
Hats off to the veteran actors who made this drama the gem that it was--Cha Seung Won and Gong Hyo Jin. I don't think I've ever seen them in anything that I didn't enjoy, and their chemistry here was fabulous.
However, as much as CSW and GHJ made this drama work (and work SO well!), I too, became most enamored with DING DONG! Kdrama child actors have a special place in my heart as they can emote so genuinely. Ding Dong starts a whole new category of child actor--he doesn't fit the "eye candy" profile, and Dokko himself pointed that out more than once (needing to get in shape). But as a child who is interacting with a celebrity, he goes head to head with Dokko and even partners with him to get his aunt hooked up with Dokko. He doesn't over play his part, is not a typical bratty kid who begs for attention, yet is still a child who colors, watches cartoons, and unlike wise-cracking kids on kdramas, he's obedient and "gets it" whenever Dokko wants to be alone with his aunt. I loved that he was savvy and the way Dokko treated him as a friend.
My favorite character in the ending scene when they are all waving is Ding Dong--made me laugh out loud with delight--I couldn't take my eyes off him!
Thank you for the wonderful blogs, JB and GF--you've managed to enrich an already enjoyable drama that much more with the insights and opinions you share!
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bd
June 25, 2011 at 10:15 PM
Yeah, DD was great.
Definitely my fav. child character and the kid who played him is really, really talented.
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arknia
June 26, 2011 at 7:41 PM
mmmh...this Hyung Kyu boy is my favorite as well.
the pororo-thomas scene, his manner towards adults (always greets them properly), call Pil joo as Conan ajussi)..super adorable <3
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martha
June 28, 2011 at 2:58 PM
I agree with everything you said about dingdong. he is one of my favorite character on bl and looved watching him on screen. so adorable, so sweet boy.
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27 crazedlu
June 23, 2011 at 9:03 PM
i really do wonder why hong gil dong falls so far behind on your guys' lists. i've read your reasonings but still don't get why. eh well.
anyways, gumiho was definitely better than this one, but i do agree that as far as writing goes, this one was one of the better written dramas from the sisters.
looking forward to their next.
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28 Linh
June 23, 2011 at 9:04 PM
So sad this is over, but so happy that it has a happy ending. I got nervous and was on the edge of my seat for a while there. I have to say this is probably my 2nd, or maybe tie to 1st of my favorites of the Hong sisters' dramas. I'd have to say Gumiho is my least favorite, sorry to the Gumiho fans but I just did not feel the chemistry between LSG and SMN. I like that story but somehow could not get into it. But this, I laugh at every episode, and even when I was crying, there were moments when I was laughing. I think it was the most consistent. And gotta to love Cha Seung Won and Gong Hyo Gin together. Thank you Hong sisters for a delightful 8 week journey, and especially thank you to Javabeans's and Girlfriday's recaps. You guys kept us tuning in weeks after weeks without fail. I look forward to your recaps with the same fervor as the episodes themselves...
...now onto City Hunter! How can someone be so young and talented and hot at the same time?
I look forward to your recaps on this too. :-)
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lucita
June 24, 2011 at 1:22 AM
same here, i also cant see the chemistry of LSG and SMN, that's why i didn't finish watching it..they didn't play their roles convincingly as a couple...here in Best LOve, its the opposite, because of the brilliant acting of CSW and GHJ they are the "PERFECT MISMATCHED OTP"...
Best love is the best for me..I also love YAB because i love the anjells and park shin hye has great chemistry with the 3 anjell guys..
thank you for the recaps..
to all BL addicts like me, thank you for your insights. i had fun.
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bd
June 25, 2011 at 10:22 PM
I enjoyed "MGIAG", but mostly b/c of Miho and SMA's excellent portrayal.
I agree that LSG wasn't exactly the right fit for SMA, and also didn't quite fit the role.
He would have been perfect as the meek, slightly awkward guy (which his character was from time to time), but I totally didn't buy his character being some action hero who had gals fighting over him.
While every show has its weaknesses, "MGIAG" had a lot more than "BL" - primarily that supporting characters were all pretty much throwaway characters and that there really weren't any that were endearing, much less interesting.
But still, "MGIAG" was much better than "HGD" (which was a mess all-around) and I couldn't even get past the 1st ep of "My Girl."
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29 YerVang
June 23, 2011 at 9:04 PM
Ahhh, its finally here and then over forever :( I'm sad now
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30 Mia
June 23, 2011 at 9:06 PM
thank you for your hard work *bows* <3
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31 Abbie
June 23, 2011 at 9:06 PM
OH MAN! I love this drama to bits! I am so sad it is over, but I'm also very satisfied with the ending. It lacked a little drama but it was refreshing in its own way.
I love Cha Seung-won, now. He was badass in Athena and a real sweetheart in this. He is so cool! Gong Hyo-jin was awesome to as Ae-jung! She was the best heroine I've seen in a drama in awhile.
Best Love was a nice tonal change from 49 Days. While I enjoyed both, I am much more satisfied with the ending of this drama than with the ending of 49 Days. That drama was unbelievable with all the twists it had, but I was not a fan of the ending. Best Love was consistent, for me, with its humor and angst and metaphor usage. The rest of the dramas for this year have a lot to contend with following up Best Love. Happy to say though, City Hunter seems to be doing a good job with keeping up. I know they are two different genres, but for me, they all have to keep me happy and on the edge of my seat for me to really get into them.
Best Love really was my best love, dramawise. I'm sad to see it end, but I can still love watching it.
Cha Seung-won, you rock!
Thanks for the recaps, Javabeans and Girlfriday!
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32 Oh-oh-okk...
June 23, 2011 at 9:06 PM
I actually HATED "My Girl"! It is the least of the least on my favorite HS dramas. I actually started to loathe Lee Da Hae. Good thing she came back w/ Miss Ripley because I would've continued to not like her. "My Girl" was so annoying, goodness.
Anyway, BL was EVERYTHING TO ME. Like you both said i it wasn't for thse actors...it would've sunk w/ LTM and RT. Two dramas that I've dropped because neither the jumbled plot or the chemistry of the main actors could save the show.
The story was so close to the celebridom that we experience these days mixed w/ unusual quirky humour, very logical metas and Korean cultural references.
I mean all the characters were so entertaining! I mean most dramas I could NOT care less BUT this is a testament to how tought out the HS dramas are! Especially YPJ's omma & GAJ's appa, GAJ's nephew, the stupid but funny adulation of Ae hwan & Jae seok over Jenny, DGJ's extremely professional & classy Manager....I mean they all fit that drama so well. I cannot imagine the drama w/out them.
Hyung Gyu aka Ding Dong was such a little marvel, REALLY? How can kid so adorable be such a great BUDDY and support system to a 40-something? ha-ha.
AH-MAZING :) :) :)
Pil joo was the BEST 2nd lead I have ever seen. WHY? He wasn't just some drone pining over his heroine. Waiting for her to realize he liked her. Or patiently looking over her while the male lead scooped her up. He took action! He too action in his own fashion and when he knew he was no match he was demure, cool and knew when to be vulnerable. he was amazingly noble and admirable...[sigh] I want a Pil joo! :) :) :) :) :)
GAJ and DGJ....AHHHHH!!!!
They're my OTP! THERE, i said it and RUN AND TELL THAT! I don't care about LTM's AJ & KJ, yes they had THREE of the hottest kisses I've seen BUT their appeal is lost to me when I look deeper into GAJ & DGJ.
DGJ really had a natural transformation that didn't just SPROUT (like his pet potato lol) overnight. He TRULY changed BECAUSE of GAJ. He finally came to understand his feelings. He had to approach GAJ in many different ways for her to come to terms w/ HER own feelings about him. The constant rejection also took him down a peg or two, or say, a million pegs down haha...it humbled him quite a bit. She wasn't just any woman and he began to understand that.
GAJ was also changed by him as well, seeing that no man has EVER so proudly taken on all the POOP that she's been in for so long w/ such fervour! It took Jin a while to understand what his heart was saying BUT when he finally knew what he wanted he NEVER looked back. The same w/ YPJ. Both men were so earnest in their love....[sighs] it was so beautiful [sighs] where are those men???! :) :) :)
The whole drama was jus DAEBAK to me. Like it's seems like the best rom-com of this year.
Now all I have left is Miss Ripley and City Hunter....both dramas are excellent BUT much darker. So, I am in good company fortunately! Anyong BL!
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33 Evelia
June 23, 2011 at 9:08 PM
I also liked the last episode because finally AJ and DJ are happy and can live their love. I als felt dissapointed that MIna's secret was not reveal to the public. I was happy that Pil Joo did not end up with Seri. I felt that Seri just does not deserve him. I liked her character for the first six episodes but them she just did not change. Of the Hong Sisters drama My favorite is My Girlfriend is a Gumiho. Thanks for the recap.
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34 jessybee
June 23, 2011 at 9:13 PM
LOVEEE!!! so cuteeee!!! the ending is super cute! Im so happy its a good solid happy ending, not just the standard 5 mins left of the show and montages of OTP being happy in various places. The writers actually took the whole episode and wrapped up the ending nicely :)
Thank you GF and JB for your hard work! I dont have time to watch the dramas so your recaps are GODSEND!! I am looking forward to the weekend so i can -rewatch the drama on a slower pace. :)
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35 whoneedssleep
June 23, 2011 at 9:20 PM
Thank you soo much for the recaps!
Those of us who do not speak Korean really depended on them to really get the most meaning out of a drama like this!
I don't think I have laughed this much with any other drama and I would rate it above Delightful Girl simply because there was sooo much angst in Delightful Girl that it was hard to stomach at times...
I think what spoke to me about his drama is that the different relationships (and especially the lead couple) were realistic. Yes, a lot of it was over the top, which is expected from the Hong sisters, the celebrity universe setting and a character like Dokko. But if we pealed all that away, their interactions and relationships were very relatable and realistic.
Once, again thanks for your hard work!
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36 Oh-oh-okk...
June 23, 2011 at 9:27 PM
I'm reading all the comments and I have to agree on 3 things...and reveal another:
- I am still mad about Mi Na never apologizing to GAJ or coming clean or her really realizing how she burderned GAJ ALL THESE YEARS. She just like as happy and sweet like an Easter choco bunny!
- The whole build-up to the heart surgery and the 2 month time capsule to the future...still stings to me. It was such an anticipation that we were all preparing for, that it was such a major let-down! We never know what happens in those 2 months... :( Or how he doesn't know that she sang outside for him crying and all...
- Manager Jang....GRRRRRR-ah! Justice never got served! W/ all the mean-spirited, downright ugly and disgusting things he said, did and falsified...he only gets punched by Dokko? And EASILY shut up by Seri?
- Also...am I THE ONLY one who thought that Yoon Pil-joo omma & Gu Ae-jung appa had this sexual tension or that their screaming matches, awkward meetings and reconciliations were veiled flirtations???!! Hahahaha :) :)
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Oh-oh-okk...
June 23, 2011 at 9:33 PM
Oh yeah....and I'm glad Seri never ended up w/ Pil-joo. Also, I'm glad that he may be nice, cordial and admirable but not never a dumb one to the ever-obvious Seri seduction ploys. He's ten steps ahead of that.
I also loved how he gave that ajuhma "women contenders for the almighty Pil-joo doctor" forms...hahaha!! Do I smell a little self-awareness? He knows he's a great catch by now, right! Haha :) :)
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ar
June 23, 2011 at 10:05 PM
I like to think off-screen that AJ told DJ that she sung for him. Seems like the kind of thing a girlfriend would tell her bf. And I'd also like to think that Mina apologized to Aejung off-screen too. They must have kept in contact if AJ had her as a bridesmaid.
And as for coming clean - I think the story is written that she doesn't come clean abt it so that we can get the story about how DJ's video singlehandedly got the whole world to love her when she was at her lowest in popularity (physically injured but alive and people wishing she had died!). They needed to make it so that AJ and DJ saved each other and that all the press was about these two rather than the scandal of Mina being suicidal back in her idol days.
still upset that the Manager didn't get his just desserts. It's harder to assume that he will be punished off-screen because there is hint of there even being a possibility of him ever getting into trouble for antyhing.
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Kukilas
June 23, 2011 at 11:03 PM
I am soooo disappointed that Manager Jang did not get what was coming to him! He deserved a major taking down since he was such a douchebag!
I am happy we got a wedding, and got to see a happy family, but where were the mashed potatoes? I feel cheated by not being able to see them mash potatoes all over the apartment! LOL.
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Sethe
June 24, 2011 at 6:54 AM
I thought that about Pil-joo's mom and Ae-jung's dad, too. Definitely some sexual tension between them! I like to imagine they'll get together, especially now that AJ has become such an A-lister ;)
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37 SKS
June 23, 2011 at 9:30 PM
Random: PRESIDENT MOON HAS A RING WITH A STILETTO ON IT!!!! How crazy is that?!?!!? Does it mean something?.....
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kcj
June 23, 2011 at 9:35 PM
LOL! I saw that too! I just thought that was the most hilarious thing ever but seems to fitting for President Moon. XD
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gingeranna
June 24, 2011 at 7:43 AM
And what about her phone? It was about 2kg LOL
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Celexa
June 24, 2011 at 7:46 AM
I noticed it too! Now I want one!
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38 laya
June 23, 2011 at 9:34 PM
Wah! It's finally over? ;_;
On the other hand, now I can hunt it up on DVD /perks up
Thank you so so so much for the recap!
Bust my sides laughing at the Kim Nam-gil reference-- my baby! <3333-- especially since we had that comment thread a while back on which actor could give CSW a run in the expressive eyes department and we came up with KNG.
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ar
June 23, 2011 at 9:53 PM
I wonder if KNG is even aware that he's on Best Love!
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madly (deeply, crazy) in love with best love
June 23, 2011 at 10:01 PM
on the first episode DJ was watching KNG drama on TV and now on the last episode his role went to KNG, the Hong sisters must love KNG. I couldn't agree more, I love KNG too, he is such a versatile actor
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Kiara
June 23, 2011 at 10:30 PM
I think thats a hint that the Hong sisters will recruit him as the leading man for their future projects ie when he gets out of his military service.
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swui
June 23, 2011 at 11:03 PM
please do...I think KNG would be perfect for a HS's role...he's definitely psycotic enough...and I so look forward to watching him not dying in a drama for once!!
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Camille
June 24, 2011 at 2:16 AM
omg I wish this would happen 8D
han
June 25, 2011 at 1:57 PM
OMG! I am a really big fan of Kim Nam Gil. I would squeal so much if it were to be true!
Really wish that would happen.
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yoonah
June 23, 2011 at 11:04 PM
It's probably due to Best Love's PD also directed Queen Seondeok.
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39 amberscube
June 23, 2011 at 9:35 PM
Dr Yoon Pil Joo, you have made my heart go "dugeun dugeun". I love everything in you, you are just perfect....well, except your mother as Ae Jung said. Just a smile from you can make my heart squeee. I never thought that oriental medicine doctor could be as hot as you.
I have enjoyed Best Love. Hong Sisters did a mighty good job with the writing. I have to agree that this is the best written but My Girlfriend is a Gumiho is still my love and Best Love is in close second.
Gong Hyo Jin and Cha Seung Won were amazing for making the characters they played funny and yet heartwarming.
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MJP
June 23, 2011 at 10:32 PM
Amber's Cube,
I heard Pil-joo is taking applications for possible future brides!
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madly (deeply, crazy) in love with best love
June 23, 2011 at 11:07 PM
mjp
i know haha, so i will send 2 forms to Yoon Kye Sang. One form asking for his autograph, will follow jaeseok's lead and send a marriage certificate. lol! and one form, a resume as applicant for the bride position to his Pil-Joo alter-ego.... hahaha...
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amberscube
June 23, 2011 at 11:31 PM
MJP,
hahahaha!
Isn't it that Dr Pil Joo's assitant/nurse is getting married?
Since im in the medical field, im going to take her job and be closer to Dr Pil Joo. Im going to make his mother my best friend and will make sure all the other applications (im sure there's a long line of applicants) dont even reach Pil Joo's hand.
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40 kirara
June 23, 2011 at 9:38 PM
THIS was by far my fav episode of Best love, they ended it well, no rush or anything, and I've already watched it 3 times without subs and now I'll get read your recaps too! I almost cried when Jin ran in to check on Ae Jung after the accident, he totally had a look that he thought she died, it was so sad yet so comforting to know she was okay.. it shows how much he loves her.. :) And for them to have a cute daughter and how he endorses products because Dad loves daughter is too funny!
I'm going to miss this one.. it was sweet, happy, hilarious and just all plain good. :)
Thank you for posting..
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41 tari
June 23, 2011 at 9:39 PM
Not only that it's my no.1 Hong Sisters' dramas but it's my No.1 romcom so far. Thanks JB and GF, wouldn't be the same without you guys.
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Kiara
June 23, 2011 at 10:34 PM
#1 rom.com for me too and I dont usually watch a lot because they dont interest me but Best Love did it. I hope to see more from the Hong sisters in the future.
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42 Haru
June 23, 2011 at 9:47 PM
This is my #2 fave from Hong sisters also :)
Though i feel as if its gonna share the #1 spot >.<
I really loved & enjoyed every moment :)
Thank you guys for weecaping this show <3
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43 th em
June 23, 2011 at 9:49 PM
Okay, semi-random question:
Is Fantasy Couple anyone's favorite Hong Sisters drama? Or even in their top two?
I know I've heard every other single other series called someone's favorite, but never that one. It just seems like by the laws of probability someone should love it... right?
(And for the record, Best Love is easily my favorite. Nothing else had the writers + cast + crew trifecta.)
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Sethe
June 23, 2011 at 10:05 PM
Best Love is also, easily, my favorite. Best writing, best actors, best (most sympathetic and relatable) characters, an adult storyline, and Cha Seung-won. Dokko Jin may be one of my favorite romantic heroes ever.
For me, though, Fantasy Couple is tied for third with Hong Gil Dong. I really liked Fantasy Couple, and wonder if it doesn't get much love just cause it's pretty low-key. (You're Beautiful is my number two, mostly for sentimental reasons, cause it was one of the first kdramas I ever watched, and part of what got me really sucked into this whole obsession.)
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ar
June 23, 2011 at 10:17 PM
I think Fantasy Couple doesn't get much attention because the secondary female lead character was pretty bland. She wasn't evil enough to get our attention and not nice enough for us to sympathize with her. And the secondary male lead was unlike any of the Hong sisters' secondary male leads. He was the main character's husband and he wasn't vying for her affections in that "I'm watching over you to protect you" sort of way. He was older looking that your average Hong sisters' secondary male lead. He was sort of a pathetic character though I sympathized with him since the female lead was mean to him, pre-amnesia. For popular top faves like YB, MGIAG, and MG, you've got a hot Gumiho hunter, a warm oppa type of character in Shinwoo , and playboy Lee Jun Ki/Jeong-woo who got teary-eyed every time he pined for Yoorin.
While FC's not my fave Hong sisters drama, it was an enjoyable and solid rom-com and confirmed my earlier suspicions that Oh Ji Ho would be delightful in comedy.
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madly (deeply, crazy) in love with best love
June 23, 2011 at 10:17 PM
th em,
I had major laughs with that one. its v underrated but I actually liked it because of the Kang Ja character and the lead role's quirkiness, I thought she wasn't your usual Hong Sister's heroine, and in most of the k-dramas it has always been the guy who is arrogant, in FC it was the other way around and I liked the fact that the heroine could be bitchy and could kick some serious ass. Plus the way she would always say "What a classless_____!" to everything. haha. I thought it was a funny translation, LOL, but my sisters and I actually think of that line every time we see something tacky. haha
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Madita
June 24, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Hi the em,
I am glad to find finally someone who is also a big fan of Fantasy Couple. It was always my No.1 Rom-Com, made me a big fan of Han Ye-Seul.
Now Best Love and Fantasy Couple are both No.1 for me, I cant favour one to the other. So both are equally the No.1 rom-coms for me I will recommend to my friends in one breath.
When DJ said GAJ is is his favourite girl, I noticed that Han Ye-Seul was recommended 2 time in the final to him :) It made me smile and gave me the idea, the wish that CSW next rom-com partner will be Han Ye Seul....:)
CSW is the best and I managed it to get him 2 more big turkish fans :) from my friends. They fall in love with him on the spot, he has also a big fan community in Turkey.
We love him...and wish to see him asap in a new drama (please no villain - I dont like him playing villains)
Thanks DB, GF for the beutiful recaps, and thanks to all commenters for your thoughts, jokes and love for this brilliant drama. Sadly BL is over. I loved the whole drama to Ep.14 dearly, but the last 2 Episodes didnt satisfy me love for BL. BL should hava had at least 2-4 more episodes, so the last 2 Episodes would not have been such hasty directed episodes.
Nevertheless, I loved it even I feel something missing in the narration of this drama. Best Love is so far 2011 best drama in my eyes...thanks to CSW.
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deeps
June 24, 2011 at 8:42 PM
Oh me! Fantasy Couple was easily my favorite of the Hong Sisters' dramas... It had a setup unlike any Kdrama I'd ever seen till then.. every character (minus second female lead, but sometimes even she was) was ROFLingly funny... I could even now pick up any part of any episode and it's almost guaranteed to make me laugh like a loon!
But then YaB came along and it toppled FC off the top, and THEN MGiaG toppled that, and NOW BL reigns supreme, heheee!
I think my list is going to have a shuffle every time a new Hongs rom-com comes along :-)
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kdfan
June 26, 2011 at 11:52 PM
now you guys got me curious about FC. I shall try to make time to watch it.
BTW, have you watched CSW in City Hall. He's hilarious there too! It's also my favourite CSW drama before BL.
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44 ar
June 23, 2011 at 9:50 PM
Thank you, javabeans and girlfriday, for recapping this series and for your insightful commentaries!!
Best Love isn't my favorite Hong sisters drama. My fave is DGCH- there was just such an epicness to that story.
BL lands somewhere in the middle when ranking my most to least fave.
Objectively, I found BL to be much better written. I didn't feel an epicness to DJ and AJ's love that made me jump up and down and scream with excitement, but their love story's so sweet and romantic that just thinking about make me smile and giggle and my eyes water with happiness. It's like watching a couple say their "I-do"s at a wedding or an elderly couple walking in the park, holding hands and still in love after 50 years.
I almost dreaded this last episode because kdramas tend to mess up on their endings with tone and pace. But this one was close to perfect (only close to perfect because I had wanted something bad to happen to Manager Jang ever since he slapped Ae-jung.). There is some angst and some fanservice, but everything felt quite natural.
I hope Seri and Pil-joo do get together one day, after she has matured a bit. Considering that at the beginning of the series, she had the maturity of a 16 year old, I guess maybe in another few years, she'll finally be an adult. And if he doesn't marry her, I'm afraid he won't be able to marry at all! He doesn't recognize or remember other women! And she seems to like him for him. Other women will just see "perfect doctor".
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45 madly (deeply, crazy) in love with best love
June 23, 2011 at 9:51 PM
WEDDING + BABY = YAYYYY!!!!
Thank you hong sisters for giving us the ending we've been longing for, I wasn't left hanging and felt like they tied up the loose ends pretty well.
I am so sad this show is over but at the same time glad that my life is going back to normal. As i said before this is one drama that tested my patience and sanity not to mention gave me anemia from all the sleepless nights. LOL!
Thank God for DB, you have been more than witness to my wacky wed thurs nights, and GF and JB for the insightful, funny, witty recaps, without which I wouldnt have loved this drama to its full potential! You never failed to deliver the best recaps every week.
Best love is my favorite K rom-com so far and might continue to remain for a long time, a major reason why i will forever love k dramas.
I will miss BLFF club ( you guys are the best) and writing comments here..boohoo, might drop by now and then at the OT for that.
P.S.
I will miss your dimples and your glasses Pil-joo... *sniff
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46 sunandmoon
June 23, 2011 at 9:57 PM
This was such a smart, refreshing romcom. You realize just how good the writing is when you watch other romcoms airing, where hardly anything happens, everything you expect is dragged out for episodes, and the conflicts are nonsensical. Here, the drama was always a step ahead of the audience (maybe a little too ahead on the surgery angst before we could wallow in it).
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47 dls
June 23, 2011 at 10:02 PM
Aah...final episode...
but I love the happy family ending....
and I agree that the meta make this drama awesome
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48 antonia
June 23, 2011 at 10:02 PM
Have to go to sleep... but first: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECAPING THIS DRAMA.
OMG i love this drama so much... i'm still grinnng for this awesome finale, the only thing i don't like about it is it was tooooo short!!!! i want more Jin and AJ happy moments!!!!! looooooove it.
Dokko Jin you are the winner for the Best Leading Man Ever!!!!!!!!!!!
i only have left to decide wich i like more BL or City Hall???
CSW you rock!!! and Hong Sis thank you so much for making this drama :D
got to go.
happy night!!!!
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antonia
June 23, 2011 at 10:05 PM
so excited i forgot to invite you to our BL blog!!! please share the love: http://bestlovedictionary.wordpress.com/
Kyaaaaaaa what a perfect ending!!!!!
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dramabliss
June 24, 2011 at 6:39 AM
An awesome site. Truly. You rock, Antonia and the rest of the DokkoGirls.
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49 Daniela
June 23, 2011 at 10:03 PM
The first one of the May Dramas is over! And it was one of the best.
I loved this episode. Everything in it. I could watch another 16 episodes about these two just hugging. I loved all the hugs. They touched each other with such naturalness that I couldn’t keep my eyes off the screen. And Dokko Jin with a baby was pure love.
My experience with Best Love it’s curious: I love it but not with the passion and burning love with whom I love other dramas. I wasn’t thinking about it all week before Wednesday, but when I was watching the episodes in Wednesday and Thursday, they were the best hours of those days. I laughed very much, I cried, I love the characters, the meta, the overall story. Best Love officially is one of my favorites.
As someone who has watched all the Hong Sister dramas, I’m going to believe Javabeans that Pil-joo is just like the other second leads. Maybe I didn’t see that detail because the only ones I’ve seen are another two and Jung Yong-hwa annoyed me some times and I never wished that he could get the girl and the Hunter in Guminho was kind of meh to me, so Pil-joo was new for me. But then, she is also absolutely right when she said it’s all because Yoon Kye-sang (I kindly ask for one of those resumés, I would pay for the delivery and all).
Cha Seung-won as Dokko Jin was awesome, but in early episodes he scared me sometimes and I felt second hand embarrassment. But as the episodes passed, he was less crazy, still funny and charming with Ae-jung.
Thank you people that made the casting, because thanks to Gong Hyo-jin, Ae-jung was awesome too and she looks SO good with Cha Seung-won. I love Ae-jung since episode 1, before the two guys. When I tried to watch Hello My Teacher, despite my infinite love for Gong Yoo, the character of Gong Hyo-jin made me stop. I didn’t like her in that. Now I don’t remember why but maybe I’ll give it a try again.
Is it weird that I love who she cries? Maybe, but he moved me every time she did it in this drama.
And of course, thank you Javabeans and Girlfriday for the awesome recaps that made this ride even better.
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50 Betsy
June 23, 2011 at 10:04 PM
I’m sad that Best Love has now ended. This is definitely my new favourite Hong Sister's drama. Can’t wait for the next Hong sister’s drama and the next projects from Cha Seung Won and Gong Hyo Jin!
As for the final episode I loved every cute and tender moment between Ae Jung and Dokko Jin. I loved Ae Jung’s wedding dress and the flower engagement ring too. The scene with Dokko Jin sleeping with the baby on the couch & shopping for baby supplies was too cute and made him seem like the typical domestic husband…I also push my shopping carts the way he does…LOL! And lastly baby Dokko was too adorable and the final scene of them saying “happy” Dokko style was a nice way to end a great drama!!
Overall, I loved the relationship between Ae Jung and Dokko Jin from their discovery of love to the building/repairing of their celebrity images. The bromance between Dokko Jin and Ding Dong was also adorable as a 37 year old man found his bff in a 7 year old boy & Pil Joo really was the "perfect man" (so glad he didn't end up with Se Ri) and one of the best second lead characters. Best Love was definitely one of the best spring/summer rom coms and so far my favourite drama of the year!! :D
Thanks Javabeans and Girlfriday for all the great recaps!!
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