Like your choice of headlining pic! The colour is awesome.

I heart this site ^.^
Keep up the good work!!

That lesson you gave on great guys being built? completely true! thanks :)

This was one of my favorite episode and your recap was superb! Thank you, this is definitely a walk down memory lane for me!

Can I just say that as a young women, I really appreciate actually learning life lessons from kdramas...no laughing, you do learn stuff.

But I think the best line that every girl should know is "The point is, a great guy is built, not found."

So hats off to the always awesome Mr. Samsooki =)

We DB'rs tend to worship you even if we don't agree with you =P

Man, what a great drama! Thanks for recapping this oldie but goodie, for us first timers!

lol, i haven't even read it yet, but i HAD to comment on that intro--- YES. yes, it does make sense, samsooki, sir. :P personally, i wouldn't have done it for hee jin. just. coz. she. is. such. a. princess. ...but yeah, when you know, YOU KNOW... yunno? 50 phone numbers of girls you aren't sure about vs. that one phone number of that one girl you felt a connection to. ....or... i dunno, i guess it depends on the person's priorities/issues, eh?

but given henry kim's choice--- handsome, doctor, loyal AND well-adjusted, i'd say. hence, the appeal for me. :P

One of the most memorable kiss scenes in a Kdrama. Love that girl Sam soon. Sometimes you just gotta kiss the guy first or else nothing gets done. :)

Man, thanks for pointing out Daniel Henney is hot again. Because seriously, he is (acting and whateverness aside - yes, whateverness is a word... as said by me).

I gotta say that Lee Kyu Han is a total creeper in this show, which is funny since I totally loved him as the stick-up-his-ass Professor in More Charming by the Day. He was so stuck up and he had a really stupid haircut (seriously, his haircut in MNIKSS/MLKSS is not awesome either), but I loved how he would get competitive with his younger brother and is a total scary butt that his roommate fears and I loved him more when he started liking then dating Yeo-jin it's like we started to see the more human part of him. I can't wait to see the bar scene between him and Sam-soon again.

Anyways, thanks for the recap. And I gotta say, I love your lesson about how the perfect guy is built but.... Realistically I would still prefer a guy who's financially stable, not rich, just can hold a job. Other than that? The rest works itself out. With the global economy in the drain, it's not so easy to spout sonnets of love because that doesn't always pay the bills. Heh. X/

hot hot hot kiss! jin heon + sam soon = LOVE <3

thanks for the awesome recap, samsooki!

I love Henry and Hee Jin's relationship because it's realistic. The way they act towards each other, I feel like i'm just watching a couple of friends who happen to have some cameras filming them. Hee Jin telling Henry she just doesn't feel anything for him, and his response, I just think it's spot on. They're both honest about their feelings, and they can have a good healthy friendship despite them.

Thanks for the recap. MNISS was one of those dramas that I watched as my right of passage into kdrama land, but I never really understood the hype. However, reading these recaps has made me realize that maybe I misjudged while watching. If nothing else, I like the recaps a lot more than I remember liking the drama. So that's gotta say something about samsooki's writing. :D Careful though. As you said, kdrama watchers are predominantly female, and I'm sure that extends to DB as well, which means Ms. Samsooki may get jealous of all the attention coming Mr. Samsooki's way.

On a lighter note, I always thought Daniel Henney's character was unrealistic. Can't necessarily complain about his presence though.

It took me months, but I found a version of that song Sam soon was singing at the piano on iTunes. I looked up the translation and just loved the words so much so I searched for it.

copy-pasted from my iTunes

아름다운 사람
서유석
생각 / 타박네 / 아름다운 사람 / 가는 세월

...wish I could read Korean. oh well :/
Next episode will have lots of shenanigans on Jeju!

I follow this site religiously. I swear. And I'm not even a religious person...I mean really... I don't have time to watch all these dramas when I'm trying to study! So these recaps are like my lifeline in the kdrama world. But anyways, this is the first time advice like the one you wrote on making the perfect guy made me actually ponder on my actions..... So thanks for making it go into my brain that no matter what, there will always be an imperfect guy who might just be Mr. Right for me :)

On another note... <3 Hyun Bin in this and Secret Garden <3

That list about all the guys... so true everywhere :D

Thanks for the awesome recap, o great samsooki! Were you a sage in a past life or something? :D

Thanks for the lesson, I will remember it well and hopefully will find him soon! kekeke

"a great guy is built not found" it's a nice sentiment, and I'm sure lots of us want to believe it, but honeys, that there is a whole lot of heart break waiting to happen. People change, but you can't shape them like they're clay- that's not how it works, and I'd be wary if you could!

That said I do believe in the previous sentiment- about finding someone with a good heart, who is not necessarily perfect.

I'm lovin' these recaps Samsooki. I look forward to next weeks!

Thank you so much for the recap. It is sad to me how Hyun Woo makes her feel worthless by making her an offer like that, but I would not blame Sam Soon for considering it - the way he crushed her in the first episode would make anyone give up on their dreams (despite the comic hilarity depicted).
However I am hopeful because to be a true realist you have to be negative, and Sam Soon isn't a negative type of chicka. Sam Soon Fighting!

Thanks for the recap :)

So instead of a finished product, women should try and change men.

That doesn't really sound right either.

I think Hyun Woo is a very unique jerk in any kinds of drama... there's this kind of "sincerity" in his jerkishness and he presents it matter-of-factly and in such boldness (yet not agressive) that really makes him one of a kind. It's almost like his bible is called "how to become a jerk" and he gives his whole heart to live up to it.

Thanks for the recap!

I gotta agree with some of you guys about Daniel Henney. The only time I thought he was attractive was when he was wearing all black, had a sniper rifle, and was trying to take out Wolverine.

Now about Sam Soon/ Jin Heon kiss. After actually watching the scene I think she pushed him away and left because she, at that moment, realized she wanted him... felt something for him. It scared/confused/shocked her. That was a nice slap of truth in the face. Sadly, it was short lived with a nice dose of denial on both their parts. Even though you can see that they were thinking about the kiss the whole time with all lip touching and rubbing. Can't wait till Truth comes back with a punch and a swift kick to the nads next time.

I think what Samsooki was getting at in the PCB is the whinging and the unrealsitic expectations. Not so much that women should change men.

I think we will all have a better chance at lasting love relationships if only we would stop thinking with our hearts and loving with our minds.

My late grandma once said
-First, know yourself; be grounded in your own self awareness and have an idea of the fundamental basics for a workable relationship.

-Then burn all the unrealsitic "ideal partner lists" you have made over the years. (You should however keep the "good character with a heart, makes you laugh, feel good and happy to be with etc..." guide)

-At some point, you will realise that the heart makes the final call (like the case of having the most perfect gal/guy on paper in front of you and not a whimper of a reaction from the good old heart!).

-Still, once the heart gets rocking and he/she is nowhere near your ideal, that's when you know you will need the serenity mantra : "to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference."

Why do kdramas work? The variations of recurring themes of uplifting hope, family values and inspired love " in spite of whatever circumstances " do actually feed millions of starved souls across the world! We all need to be reminded.

Thanks, Samsooki for recapping a perennial fave with new perspectives!
: )

About,

5. The handsome, nice, single and rich guys don’t have interest in them.

I think that they would have interest in them, since they are nice, they are rich, single (probably heartbroken) and handsome... well...I guess it depends on how nice you are and how good you look..

I laughed so much !!! This epi's recap is HILARIOUS! I love your writing and your personal HUMOUR! THANK YOU so much for recapping MNIKSS!!!!

I do have a bone to pick though...as I know people who have tried to change boyfriend to slimmer version, spend & save so boyfriend can sponge off the living while he concentrate on his career... and guess where they end up... the slimmer version aka better looking (I didnt think so but whatever!) snagged a prettier girl and left my friend... the sponge boyfriend enjoyed the monetary support and then refused for years to marry and eventually successful in his career left my friend to 'marry' another...
Personally I dont agree with your 'HEART' theory! But hey that's my 2 cents worth!!!

I know this might be a bit noobish and a tad off topic but why does Samsoon hate her name so much? I honestly don't get what is wrong with it. Could somebody please enlighten me!

Wonderful recap for a wonderful drama ! Thank you . I totally agree about your theory of building a man , that is a relationship .

everyone seems to be okay with "developing" the perfect guy, I'm not completely against it, it just seems unfair that most women spend time developing themselves into independent/productive social beings and then have to develop their partners too. I'm not sure there's a way to get around this or that it is necessary to get around it, or that these women are ideal mates, I just hoped we were at at least both interested in being our best selves.

Apparently I'm the only one who finds the idea this outrageous, outdated, and offensive:

"If you find the right heart, then the rest can be developed. Is he a bit overweight? Join a gym with him. Spends all his time watching Flames of Ambition? Volunteer together at a homeless shelter. Smokes and/or drinks too much? Sign up for a triathlon and train with him daily. A bit light in the wallet? Explore your passions together to see if any of those can turn into money-making activities. The point is, a great guy is built, not found. There endeth the lesson."

You don't find someone who's kinda sorta okay and then set to work changing the way they look, speak and act, forcing them to come in line with what you view as acceptable hobbies and habits. You stop having such specific expectations, find a real human being who you can connect with, and see if you can accept them as a total package. Everyone has flaws, it's just a matter finding someone who's flaws you can live with.

I think teaching young girls that they need to strive for a perfect prince charming, and that if they don't find one who's perfect they should find a guy and force him into their ideal mold, is poisonous.

One comment on the recap, I thought Henry's mom was in America and that she had been adopted and brought there as a child. I haven't rewatched the episode recently, but I didn't think he came to Korea to see her so much as to see where she came from and learn more about his roots.

Thank you for the recaps. I watched this a long time ago and enjoyed Sam Soon's no nonsense authenticity - the kind that says what they are thinking or feeling regardless of how they and others around them might feel afterwards. That quality requires a strength of character not seen often.

I partly agree with you regarding "The point is, a great guy is built, not found." Yes a great guy is built but the quality of construction depends on the foundation(their character and attitude).

"People change, hearts change… even love changes. When it hit me that there wasn’t such thing as everlasting love, I was so surprised."

Even twenty years later, the truth in that statement still resonates in my broken heart. The deepest pain was not in losing my love but in losing my dream.

"BOTH parties should be evolving, growing upwardly and MUTUALLY enjoying the journey. You take a guy flaws and all, it doesn’t mean he will accept your flaws in return and all once he’s ‘evolved’ into Mr Perfect."

I agree with that...That would be the Ideal to evolve and grow while mutually enjoying the journey, with both sides accepting the other, warts and all. Most often life's journey with others(mate, family, friend or collegue) usually lasts only until a lesson is learned then we move on, meet others, learn new lessons. Some people will stay with us through our lifetime, some will for an event or moment, some appear and disappear only when we need them but all of that is to be cherished in the grand scheme of things.

To me the piano scene is one of the most pivotal scenes in the series. This is when they discover there might be feelings developing and both of them are shocked by this prospect. I've seen this multiple times and it's incredibly emotional to watch. They slowly dropped their defenses and grew closer. The Kiss was the outcome of this moment. But when Sam Soon suddenly realized what happened, she quickly withdrew confused at her behavior, as he just stood there dazed and then when she fled, he also was confused by his behavior.

This is the first true sign that they are attracted to each other. Have to say the music that played as she fled captured the feeling perfectly.

love love love MNKSS love it

I am currently re-watching... the recaps are to blame :(

I hv many kdrama favourites but this one remains on top. I am so glad u guys recapped this oldie but goodie. It is one of the most intelligent, dialogue heavy, norm-challenging kdramas I hv seen and the ppl who comment here make sensible comments. Not to mention the way u write. I'm a journalist myself but sometimes I can't even write the way u do.

Hey, you! Don't think I didn't notice your dig at the Twitter sisterhood. "Spends all his time watching Flames of Ambition?". Hee.

Love your recap, as usual. I've always wondered about the purpose of a recap (says one who's done a bout of recapping) - if all it does is tell us what happened, what's the point when we can watch the thing for ourselves? But your eloquence, wit and social commentory justify the genre all by themselves. Great work!

Samsooki~! Thanks so much for the recaps of this much beloved series. It was no my first drama, but one of my first ones, which makes it all the more beloved. It's my favorite one by far and I'm so relieved to see you doing it justice. Your analysis and insightful thoughts on some of the moving moments during the series are witty and fun.

a bit nostalgic while reading the recap of MNIKSS kim sun ah s my fav actress

thanks for the recaps...

since 2005 until today, i have no idea how many times i had watched this drama series and yesterday i watched it again..LOL

This was my first K-drama and it is the reason why I got into the band wagon of watching kdramas...such a good show and I love KSA ever since. Now watching Scent of a Woman but I guessed it will never be a happy and funny show as MNIKSS.....sigh but for her acting brilliance, i will still watch the show no matter what. Like someone said, KSA can have chemistry with a log or a wall...awesome...love her to bits!!!