I Need Romance 3: Episode 15

73 March 3, 2014January 24, 2016

by girlfriday

Knowing how you feel and actually acting on said feelings is quite a different thing, as our heroine discovers the hard way. It’s not made any easier when Wannie decides that he won’t let his love be taken for granted any longer, and puts his foot down. Now she’s faced with a true ultimatum: it’s all-in, panic-inducing, no-holds-barred love… or he walks.

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EPISODE 15: “It’s begun again—dating hell!”

Joo-yeon stress-cleans after her breakup with Sunbae, and catches the testy giraffe giving her the stink-eye and reminding her of that one big thing she’s putting off. She says she’s already decided to go to Wan… but she just doesn’t know how.

She sits in his room pondering a text to tell him about the breakup, but can’t bring herself to send it. She listens to Wan hosting his radio show, which gives her an idea.

On the air, he starts to read the many anonymous texts sent in from listeners, and he gets to: “If I send the man I lived with a text that says, ‘I cleaned your room,’ will he come back?” Wan’s response on the air: “See here, Caller 5061, how bad must things have been for him to move out of the house? That text won’t cut it.”

In the ensuing days she sends more texts into his radio show, about how she’s watering his plants—will that get the man to come back? She misses his pumpkin broccoli soup—what about that? “I sleep in his empty room alone without him. Don’t you think this is enough for him to know my heart?”

He mutters to himself that it’s not enough, and then he gets the first text sent to his actual phone—that she broke up with Tae-yoon. His response: “You’ve never once said ‘I love you’ in your entire life, have you?”

She starts to type it out… but then chickens out in the end. The giraffe was witness! She almost said it, we swears! At work the next day, she asks her team whether any of them has said “I love you” sincerely in recent memory.

They all shake their heads no, and Min-jung asks if this is about the guy she’s dating. Joo-yeon tells her they broke up. We go back to the scene that ended the last episode, where Joo-yeon comes over to break things off with Tae-yoon. She narrates that he didn’t even argue, and just accepted their ending with silence.

Joo-yeon (voiceover): “He didn’t ask why, and I didn’t say sorry. Dating is a really strange game—a game where you give someone the hurt given to you by another.” Their conversation is intercut with her breakup with Alex and his breakup with Se-ryung, as she describes the strange process of recycling the same pain given to one, and then the other.

She says that there are days when being on the receiving end is no different from any other day, while other times it crushes you. She calls it a game where you think there are only two players in the field, but in reality you’re each holding someone else’s hand in a giant group game.

He asks if she’ll go to Wan, and she admits that she doesn’t know how yet, but she will. He sighs that he can’t do that kind of all-consuming love anymore, and she points out that he isn’t holding onto her right now. As she says the words, it dawns on her that it’s the same exact thing that Alex once said to her. She realizes it now—that that isn’t enough to make a relationship work.

She asks if he still hates Se-ryung, and conveys the stuff that Se-ryung had said over drinks, about thinking that Tae-yoon was the one for her and wanting to go to the end even if they had to fight a hundred times. Aw, you’re being a good friend.

But he just says in his deflated way that he’s too tired to fight like that anymore. Joo-yeon says he ran away to another relationship, but she’s decided to be more like Se-ryung: “I’m not going to run away anymore.” Huzzah.

Back in the present, Hee-jae agrees with Joo-yeon’s sentiment about dating being one big game where all your exes are in play—it’s just impossible not to compare your new relationship to your last one. She wonders if she’s dating someone who’s the complete opposite of her ex on purpose.

Woo-young starts to shift uncomfortably in his seat, but then when she tells them that she’s not even really sure she’s dating this new guy because he hasn’t declared his feelings outright, he guffaws that those things are implied.

When Joo-yeon and Min-jung back her up, he finally just grabs her hand in front of everyone: “I like Jung Hee-jae! We’ve been dating for a month!” How cute. He asks for the weekend off so they can take a trip together, and then runs out pretending to answer a call before he dies of embarrassment.

He then calls Hee-jae and points out that she hasn’t said she likes him either, so then she blurts, “I like you!” before hanging up.

Min-jung asks Joo-yeon about the “I love you,” if Tae-yoon isn’t the guy she’s going to say it to. But Joo-yeon remains silent, the way she always shuts down when conversations get too personal.

When Min-jung points that out, Joo-yeon surprises her by agreeing with her, adding that she’s come to realize that there’s a lot that’s wrong with her lately. Min-jung comforts her by saying that everyone is childish and petty and full of problems—the ones who are fooling themselves are the people who think they’re the exception.

Min-jung gives her the advice that the truly impressive thing in life isn’t how great you are, but what kind of company you keep, and how impressive the people by your side are. Hear, hear.

At that, Joo-yeon asks with the cutest little hesitation in her voice: “Do you… want… to be my friend? Or… unni…?” Egads, who knew this would be my favorite scene in this drama?

Min-jung turns to her and deadpans: “Did you get struck by lightning?” Joo-yeon apologizes for the way she reacted about the pregnancy, and Min-jung reminds her that she sent the supportive text afterwards (which Joo-yeon remembers was really sent by Wan). “From that text onwards, you were already my friend.” Awww.

Min-jung shows her the live CCTV feed of Min-seok taking care of their practice baby, and it’s pretty hilarious how seriously he’s taking this—he tests the fake milk’s temperature on his hand, and gives the fake baby kisses.

Joo-yeon is impressed and says he’s a better guy than he seemed, but Min-jung sighs that it doesn’t matter because he’ll run away when he learns the truth that they’re having twins. I dunno, my money’s on a second mail-order fake baby.

After work, Joo-yeon heads to Wan’s hotel and sits in her car just freaking out at the prospect of going in there and confessing her feelings. She checks her makeup in the mirror and sighs at the six-year age gap, which now seems oppressively vast in the face of an actual relationship.

She argues that age doesn’t matter, only to contradict herself again when she considers that at her age, marriage should be a real factor. And then it dawns on her that their mothers will have their heads, and she buries her head against the car horn to beat the sense back in.

Of course that’s exactly the moment that Wan pulls up next to her in the garage, and she hilariously ducks for cover thinking he can’t see her. He rolls his eyes and walks by pretending not to notice, but then texts her to ask if she’s stupid enough to think he doesn’t know her car.

He tells her to come up, threatening never to see her again if she leaves this time. So she screws up the nerve to go to his door with a box of his stuff as her excuse to come by. When she confirms that that’s the only reason why she’s here, he takes the box and closes the door in her face. Ha.

He mutters to himself that she must be joking, but then smiles when she rings the doorbell a second time. I love that he has to put effort behind the stern façade, but he’s all about putting his foot down this time, and actually throws a leg up to block her from coming inside until she can say It.

She wants him to come back home first so they can sort out their stuff slowly, but he refuses to let her just skip over the hard part and go right back to being Sweet Potato. So then she starts to explain all the things she’s worried about, like their age gap, their mothers, how awkward things will be if they break up.

He asks if that’s it, saying that there are probably more than ten thousand excuses she could come up with: “Like the fact that I’m too good-looking to not be a cheater, or that I’m too popular with women.” Pffft.

He says he can’t keep his leg up like this, and asks if she’s coming or going. She decides to go for now. He takes the rejection in stride, pointing out that he’s ready to move mountains, but it won’t matter until she gathers the courage to say how she feels.

Wan: “If you’re a woman who realizes the truth but still can’t strike up the courage to take the first step, then what does it matter if I move mountains on my own?”

With that, he tells her to go and shuts the door in her face. He talks to the picture of Little Shing Shing and apologizes for not letting her off the hook and sending her away like that. “But I would like it if the fact that I love you wasn’t taken for granted. Me just smiling on my own—it turns out that isn’t love.”

Min-jung’s jaw drops when she runs into Min-seok at the grocery store, carting the practice baby around in a stroller. He complains that she’s late to pick up the baby, so she insists on taking it, only to have him follow her around the store to point out how badly she’s taking care of it.

At home, he finds out that she has no siblings and her parents have already passed away, and wonders how she thought she could raise a baby on her own. She tells him to stay next door then if he’s really that worried, wondering why he’s so intent on running away when he clearly cares about being a father.

He says he’s sure to run off when things get difficult, and then tells her to reconsider having the baby at all. Her response: “We’re having twins.” Ha. He loses his mind, as expected.

Joo-yeon comes home and wonders, “What am I so afraid of? If I just take one step, I know that a new world awaits, and that what I want is there.”

She looks at her collection of couple rings and knows it’s because all relationships could end at any time—knowing that makes her more afraid, because splitting up with Wan will hurt so badly that she’s scared to even start.

She gets ready for bed but finds that the heat is off in the house, and texts Wan to ask how to swap out the coal briquette in his room. He grumbles that she’s using dirty tricks to weaken his resolve, even though he’s clearly unable to stop worrying. “Why was I born so weak-hearted?”

He tries to convince himself that she’s fine, but then when he hears that the main boiler in the house is broken, he freaks out and rushes over.

He finds the house empty though, because she’s given up halfway and decided to spend the night at the jjimjilbang. He calls (while greeting the giraffe, heh) and goes looking for her.

He finds her there and tells her not to speak to him—”You’re not even going to say ‘I love you'”—but follows her around like a puppy the whole time. It totally backfires on him, of course, because she just pretends he isn’t there and it drives him crazy.

He plays it cool for a while, but then when another man sits near her he shoos him away claiming that spot, and lies down next to her and spoons her right there in the middle of the jjimjilbang.

When she reaches out to hold his finger, he turns into a puddle of goo and totally caves and tells her to come back this weekend to try her confession a second time. He adds, “I love you, no calculations.”

She smiles and thinks to herself that she tried to ignore it, tried not to feel that flutter, but there’s no way to fight it now.

Joo-yeon and Tae-yoon both get chewed out at work for not knowing that Se-ryung is being scouted by their competition. Joo-yeon sees him taking more pills for his digestion and worries, and he tells her that despite appearing like he’s fine, their breakup hasn’t been easy and he sincerely liked her—that much, he wanted her to know.

Joo-yeon and the team take Se-ryung out to lunch, and they dance around the subject awkwardly for a while until Joo-yeon finally calls her out on it and asks outright how much the other home shopping channel offered.

Se-ryung bristles at the accusation that she’s betraying them and says they offered twice as much and they’d have to beat it, and storms out.

Joo-yeon chases her down and asks to go have a drink, and admits that she thought they turned over a new leaf the other night. She says that they need Se-ryung and thought that they were building a partnership.

Se-ryung beams and says she should’ve said so from the start, because she has no intention of leaving them for the competition. Phew, from now on can you two only interact when there are cocktails present, because clearly that is your formula for a lasting friendship.

Hee-jae sneaks Woo-young a text to ask if they can really get away from work this weekend, and he reassures her that they will. But then Min-jung replies teasingly and so does Joo-yeon, and she cringes to realize she just asked about their weekend plans in the group chat.

Joo-yeon shows Se-ryung the chat exchange, and Se-ryung sees a text come in from Wannie asking if she’s coming to his hotel this weekend. She holds up the phone and asks Joo-yeon to explain.

Woo-young and Hee-jae get away after all, and on the drive over he pretends to have misplaced his phone just so he can have her call and show that he saved her number as “My Girlfriend.”

They barbeque at the vacation house and she plays the first song she learned on the ukulele for him.

Meanwhile, Joo-yeon finally works up the nerve to return to Wannie’s door. She rings the doorbell and when he comes out, she says in voiceover, “My heart told me, now is the time.”

She looks up at him: “I love you.” He smiles and says he didn’t hear her, and asks for a reprise. She says it sincerely as if it’s the first time all over again: “I love you.”

He holds her close, and she just breathes this sigh of relief into his shoulders. He tells her he loves her, and how nice it is to be holding her like this.

And this time, she’s the one to lean in for a kiss. Yum.

Wait, why are we cutting away to Hee-jae and Woo-young? BAH, I hate you guys right now. Why did we leave the kissing? Take me back therrrrrrrrrre.

Woo-young confesses how much he likes Hee-jae and is in it for the long haul. Despite her reservations about being obsessed with the future (because that’s what burned her in her last relationship), she agrees that she feels the same way. They seal it with a kiss.

By the time we come back to Joo-yeon and Wan, they’re lying in bed post-sex, and he warns her that he’s going to kiss her again. He laughs when she shuts her eyes in preparation, and he teases that he’s decided against it because he prefers looking at her like this.

She says she’s hungry, but turns down food saying that she prefers feeling hungry after sex. He scowls: “You talk like a player.” He asks what else she likes, and she says sex while it’s raining is nice, while he prefers snowy days.

She asks what he doesn’t like, and he says he dislikes a woman who’s messy, lazy, and can’t cook. Joo-yeon: “That’s me.” She says she hates a man who nags. Wan: “That’s me.”

When he says he likes a woman with a lot of aegyo, she balks, wondering how he ever came to like her. The same goes for him when she says she likes disinterested men. She doesn’t like observing things like Valentine’s Day; he thinks those days are important.

There’s just this silent moment when they realize just how totally opposite they are in everything, and he just says matter-of-factly, “We’re going to fight a lot.”

She asks if he’s going to always lose to her like he used to, but he says no—she has to start losing fights too. She pouts, and he sighs again, “We’re going to fight a LOT.”

As soon as he says it they’re already fighting, arguing about how many times he said that they’d fight, and how she’s still talking down to him like he’s her dongseng.

Joo-yeon (voiceover): “It’s begun again. As if this relationship would be any different. It’s begun again—dating hell.”

Wan (voiceover): “A little bickering and this woman’s expression has already changed. We’ve got a long road ahead.”

COMMENTS

Yaaay, she said it! I was kind of amazed that Wan managed to play hardball (well, kind of, minus that gushy interlude where he cheats and returns to his spoony self for a night). But that’s what makes the confession so earned on both sides—it’s as much effort for him to hold back his love as it is for her to confess it. It wouldn’t be as interesting if he were just sitting back and demanding things from her, but this way he’s equally forcing himself to do the thing that’s hardest for him, and in doing so his love matures by leaps and bounds too.

He learns that loving her on his own isn’t enough, and running around to move mountains is pointless if she doesn’t want her mountains moved. (Did this sentence just go to a dirty place?) It seems obvious, but he didn’t know it before that you can’t force reciprocity, and that the limit to his love will always be her choice whether or not to accept it. I adore that he doesn’t even make it through the week before rushing to her side at the first sign that she might maybe need him, and that despite everything he still confesses his love anyway. But he also knows that that will never be enough, so he goes right back to waiting for her to come to him. It is, as with all things Wan, the best of both worlds.

My favorite thing about Joo-yeon in this episode is her asking Min-jung to be her friend. It’s the cutest thing that she asks it so literally, like she’s five and needs to be told in so many words that they are. It’s the thing she learns how to do with everyone in this episode, from Min-jung to Se-ryung to Wan—say the thing you really mean, with no qualifiers and no doublespeak to hide behind. I’m so with her in this episode because I can feel that panic like it’s my own. That’s just the hardest thing in the universe, to say baldly the thing you feel, like you’re hanging your heart out to dry or you’re wearing your underwear on the outside. That’s why I love that her confession has no other words. Just “I love you”—that’s it, because that’s the thing that’s hardest to say.

Of course in true I Need Romance fashion, that only signals the beginning of the bumpy relationship ahead, and no romantic confession magically takes away the everyday problems they’ll face. But something tells me that those bedroom eyes are going to solve about ninety-nine of them.

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1 Ivoire

March 3, 2014 at 8:11 PM

My questions: 1-I get that MJ and YJ were not friends before (JY being the superior at work, though JY starts calling MJ “sunbae” at some point in the drama). Why is it a big deal however that YJ asked MJ that she be her unni? (It denotes a different kind of closeness? I am assuming so). 2-JY, “1st, can’t you come home and think slowly?” (meaning think it over?)”. 3-“The boiler ‘dongpa?” 4-“Is that your salt factory’s method of treatment/salt factory communication skills?” What did SR mean here? A reference made to a previous ep. Like, “is that how you commoners treat people?” 5-JY, “I wanted to put our hearts together (it was a new beginning)? Meaning she wanted to bring them together? 6-Is JW’s place a hotel room? It looked like an apartment with a 1st and a 2nd floor. I did see some stairs going up, and we did see a kitchen and what looked like a living room. Would that be called a hotel room in Korea, even though to many of us, that building doesn’t look like a hotel? (I am just curious). 7-Is it just me or did WY’s confession sound like he was proposing as well? 8-Is White Day in Korea when lovers give gifts to each other?

When starting this ep., I wasn’t sure whether we would get to see JY go to JW or not. I didn’t know if the writer was going to save it for the last ep., and let us imagine JW and JY being HEA. I am so glad that JY went to JW in this ep., and that the ep. ended with them fighting (kind of). Hopefully tomorrow, we will get to see some of the repercussions stemming from dating a younger hot and successful guy. In this ep., I understood why JW felt that he had to push JY to say “I love you,” before he let her come back into his life. However, I also felt that JY’s concerns were valid, especially for someone her age, and in a context like this one (Korean culture), where relationships are very important. If they do break up, there is a chance that they will meet, since their respective moms know each other. Yes, they could be civil and polite, however, I also understand not wanting to experience those awkward and uncomfortable feelings that may accompany those meetings.

I really appreciated that the show gave JY time to think over her fears, even though, as she admitted, she “knew that once she took a (single) step, she would actually get what she wanted.” It seemed that it would be the 1st time (or maybe the 2nd time, if we count her dating TY) that she would allow herself to feel, and be in love (which includes confessing her love). That also means that she would be allowing herself to feel pain and hurt, and jealousy, etc. JW calls it “calculating,” and I am not sure it is always a bad thing. One is just thinking about one’s actions and their consequences. Nothing wrong with that, methinks. And when she felt ready (even though she felt very nervous), she went to JW, and she told him what he wanted to hear, and what she eventually were going to say to him. I thought the timing of it in the ep. was well done. I also love that even though JW was dying to hear her say it, and admit it, he did push, but not to the point of making her break. He remained JW in this ep., he was firm, he was able to voice her fears, he pushed some, yet he still enveloped her with his love, by going and being with her (so she wouldn’t be alone), by cuddling with her, and by letting her know that he (still) loved her. I love how he likes to wrap her with his body when they lay down.

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owl

March 3, 2014 at 9:08 PM

Hi Ivoire,
I also really liked that we got to hear (voice over) Jy's thought process in working through the risks of loving someone (she has a goblet filled with rings as reminders of relationship failures complete with the accompanying overflowing hurts). So, yeah, time and Wan allowing for that time is important in moving forward. But not just for her, his own realizations that "giggling and laughing by himself" is not a relationship. I really liked that comment and that he held out (sort of, as girlfriday pointed out). for JY to think through/work through what she wanted for them.

The kisses - nice! The cuddling etc. etc. etc. - sweet! The fighting - it's so them, but I like that they can fight and make up and see it for what it is.

What a great week for kdramas - I also just watched back to back episodes of Bride of the Century. I'll save my comments for that post later.

Happy Monday evening :)

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Ivoire

March 4, 2014 at 12:59 PM

Hello owl,

It is so good to hear from you. I had been thinking about you. You had left me a response on ep. 19 or 20 (or was it ep. 21?) of YFAS (a last comment pertaining to the link I had given you about kinship terms in Korea), and I had meant to reply, except I got distracted by real life, then forgot (sorry), and then I remember, every single time I see your screen name. I just wanted to let you know (even though I still have not responded :-( ).

You know, re: giving JY some time to mull things over, I am definitely glad the writer(s) did not make her rush to JW, even though she would send him texts and ask him to come back to her home. I feel that JW and JY are kind of in different places in life. JW might know and be sure that he loves JY, and he might want to be with her forever, however, I don't think that JY knows that, or can be certain of that. JY is 33, and JW is 27. JW is still kind of young, and he could be playing around, if he wanted to. I am not saying that he is the kind of character to do that, I just think that it would be understandable if he felt that way at his age.

JY is 33, she might (emphasis on "might") want to be in a stable, long term relationship (that could lead to marriage, if that's what she wants), and have that knowledge or somewhat certainty that she will not be going in and out of relationships. Relationships are work, and energy, and when one gets hurt, it is not only painful, it takes a while to heal and recover from that experience. So, I would say that there was a lot at stake for JW and JY's (new) relationship, especially because JY really likes him. So JY would definitely feel the hurt, if they were to break up down the road.

The other thing in JY taking her time to go to JW, is that once she commits, she could (and should) be fully vested in. That is often what happens with people who take their time to commit to something, because they are taking the time to weigh the pros and the cons of their decision. However, once they say "yes," they are totally in, and once they say "no," it usually means that it's over. I also think that for JW to wait for JY, gave (JW) a bigger sense of appreciation for having JY as his "woman," since that had been JW's dream for 17 years.

I definitely think that the drama was better, because of the journey that JY and JW had to go through, in order to be together. I will be back later (at some point this week) to comment on your other points. Thank you owl, it is always a pleasure to read from you. I hope your week started well :-)

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Rachelle

March 3, 2014 at 9:29 PM

Hi Ivoire,
White Day in Korea is when guys give chocolates to the girls. Valentine's Day is when girls give to guys. More equitable then North America, plus the stores in Korea gets more opportunities to make money.

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momosan

March 3, 2014 at 9:32 PM

Hey Ivoire! White Day is related to Valentine's Day.
Valentine's is Feb 14 - girls give chocolates to guys
White Day is March 14 - guys give chocolates to girls
Black Day is April 14 - people who did not get any chocolates on the previous two days wear black, go out and eat jajangmyeon .

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kooriyuki

March 3, 2014 at 10:44 PM

There's a color for each month's 14th in korea besides the 3 listed by momosan:
http://guides.wikinut.com/Special-Love-Days-in-Korea/2c7hf4o6/

(ok, almost all the 14th have colors assigned)

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redfox

March 3, 2014 at 10:59 PM

how the heck are you capable of asking questions after this? how in the world can you still be unsatisfied????

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Aigoooo

March 4, 2014 at 8:56 AM

LOL. Too funny! Well, any Kdrama fan worth his/her salt should know the basics (Unnie, Hyung, Valentine's day for Koreans, piggybacks, kimchi etc.)

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stars

March 4, 2014 at 1:00 AM

Omg just like YFTS, can you please find better subs? 90% of your qns will be gone. Together with the prevalence of Google and the internet and the popularity of hallyu, finding answers will not be that difficult as well. Please don't be lazy and do us all a favour?

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PeepsLeAwesomePotato

March 4, 2014 at 3:10 AM

I fully agree with you, but haha, why are you so agitated? Calm down. It's not something so serious. Be careful of the wrinkles!!

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stars

March 4, 2014 at 5:37 AM

haha oops sawwry. thank you for the reminder! kekeke :)

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cherrypie

March 4, 2014 at 6:47 AM

Maybe she's agitated because Ivoire writes a barrage of questions after EVERY. SINGLE. EPISODE and makes sure to do it as a top comment so every commenter after sees it.

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ayo

March 4, 2014 at 7:03 AM

Honestly, I thought that after YFAS ended, we wouldn't be getting these long question posts anymore, but I guess not! I agree that it is getting to be a bit much (perhaps if she started with the thank you for the recap and her comments/thoughts and left her many questions for last, it would be a little more palatable). But I must admit that I am grudgingly impressed that Ivoire's question-filled comments almost always manage to be the very first ones on a given recap. I don't know how she does it.

Aigoooo

March 4, 2014 at 8:33 AM

To Ayo,

I think she's been posting like this for quite some time now and there's always comments of agitation popping up every once in a while. I am used to seeing them hehe. As far as posting first, I guess it would not be too difficult to do since they upload the recaps around the same time and you can type up however long a comment you have beforehand then just copy and paste it.

PeepsLeAwesomePotato

March 4, 2014 at 9:35 AM

Yeah, I understand the sentiment but lol, girl was just way too worked up. And I've been reading Ivoire's comments since she started posting in DB (Yes, I'm old, whatcha gonna do?). And I got into arguments too, in the past. Like when people 'reserve' spots on the comments section... and I get shot down by What is this? It's not like we have to line up to express our opinion!!! It's not even a serious thing!!!!!! It's not serious, but it's irritating and I was just pointing it out.

Now, I'm just zen about it. Why should I get wrinkles over something so pointless... And they have their right to ask/ reserve spots/ do whatever it is they want, and I have the right to ignore.

I'm not saying that you guys are wrong for calling people out. I'm just saying that it's not likely to change, so, why bother. And it hurts no one anyway.

tdot

March 4, 2014 at 3:21 AM

1. Unni is the term used for a (girl's/woman's) big sister. So yes, I think it implies something a little closer than regular friendship. (I learned this from google when I first started watching kdramas - Coffee Prince! - and was curious about the use of unni/noona/hyung/dongsaeng.)

2&5. Yes, I think that was clear from the context.

3. Dongpa - the subs I saw told me "dongpa" meant "froze and burst", like pipes sometimes do in winter, right? I'm assuming it's like a water heating type boiler.

4. In a previous recap, either GF or JB mentioned that the home shopping network in the show is based on a real network that started off business as a sugar company. So the reference to a the network on the show being a salt company is a joke off of that.

6. Well, all the subs I've seen shows the characters calling it a hotel, so I'm assuming that it would be called a hotel in Korea, even though it looks more like an apartment building. He probably doesn't have to sign a lease or anything, so it counts as temporary accommodation, hence a hotel. From the way it's set up and equipped, it seems to be a long-stay hotel - there are places like that in the West too, I'm pretty sure. Maybe someone else could clarify more.

7. I did find that his confession was a little intense, considering that they haven't been dating that long. But I think he just wanted to convey that he's taking their relationship seriously, it's not just a temporary fling for him. I think.

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2 pumpkinattack

March 3, 2014 at 8:12 PM

Hooray!!! Thanks for the recap! :)
It was a nice show today...what a strange note to end on. I'm not overly surprised. If they must argue, they might as well argue in bed all episode tomorrow.

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3 tata

March 3, 2014 at 8:13 PM

ALL OF MEEE. I'm so inlove with that sooong. Esp because its John Legend's. Teehee. <3

I loved those few scenes where all 4 of them are together talking about stuffs. I wish they had more of those. Blaah. Too latee.

"If you muster up the courage, I'm ready to move mountains!" Woop. I'm so speechless wanniee. HAHAHA.

The way Joo Yeon said saranghae?? It was damn pretty sweet and heartfelt. Worth all the wait!! And that kiss. I had a mini heart attack TT

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yenthi

March 3, 2014 at 8:15 PM

Loved hearing that song at the beginning! <3

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4 yenthi

March 3, 2014 at 8:14 PM

Wearing a top in bed post coital? Disappointed! But so happy for the realistic stifle in this ep and that Wan made JY meet him and least semi half way. Yay for final ep tomorrow!

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yenthi

March 3, 2014 at 8:15 PM

*struggle

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yenthi

March 3, 2014 at 8:30 PM

Also how cute was it that Hee jae learned the gwiyomi song as her first. I was expecting her to break out the counting fingers motions too lol.

Also Jun Ji Hyun reference at the beginning! :) Yay airport fashion.

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5 Ivoire

March 3, 2014 at 8:17 PM

Thank you GF for the recap! I am looking forward to the last ep. I was kind of sad to not see MJ and MS being closer in this ep. Hopefully, we will have some of that tomorrow.

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6 Yue

March 3, 2014 at 8:31 PM

I have been watching this show on and off on my own terms. Can't say that I love the I Need Romance franchise, but, I love this particular season. Something about Wannie loving JY more and how he is being selfish and unselfish all at the same kinda found its way into my heart. I love that they are growing up and pretty sure there'll be loads of figth, but, I'm pretty sure Wannie wouldn't mind losing those fights if he can just see JY smiles.

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7 AJ

March 3, 2014 at 8:33 PM

Gah, if only the rest of us looked like Joo-yeon post-sex. Seriously shouldn't they have messed her hair up even a little bit, or at least taken the ponytail down?!

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8 Sushi

March 3, 2014 at 8:36 PM

Sexy times

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9 Sushi

March 3, 2014 at 8:37 PM

Sexy times :3 hawt

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10 wenlin

March 3, 2014 at 8:37 PM

I've been refreshing all day just for this!! thank you and yessss finally! I'm curious as to what will happen tonight and how things will end off though... really looking forward to seeing twins!

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11 August

March 3, 2014 at 8:53 PM

Thank you Girlfriday for recapping I Need Romance 3!

Finally, Shing Shing and Sweet Potato are together. It was worth the wait.

Likewise, it was nice to see Min-seok and Min-jung practice parenting with the babydoll; talk about their respective childhood backgrounds/family dynamics; and about their expectations from one another as new parents.

I like that the writer has come full circle with all the characters via their past and current relationships linked together and rubbing off on the next one (Alex - Tae-yoon - Wan).

I'm curious...

How has I Need Romance 3 faired in the ratings compared to other INR1 and INR2 franchises?

How has INR3 has faired in the ratings on JTBC versus other Monday & Tuesday dramas on competing networks?

Are there any plans to recap Bride of the Century?

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12 owl

March 3, 2014 at 9:00 PM

"bedroom eyes" ha, girlfriday! I am going to add that to my list of kdrama chapter titles that I am accumulating. I loved how this episode let us see personal growth as well as couple growth with Hee jae and Woo young, Min jung and Min sook, and Wan and Shing Shing. Tae yoon has work to do. Even saying that he really did like her and that he is hurting doesn't fix past problems that he'll carry with him to the next relationship too, if he doesn't do the hard work.

A man who will move mountains if he's in it with the right person. Me. That's who i need in my life. Is that even possible?

♥
♥

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13 Hayley

March 3, 2014 at 9:14 PM

Is the next episode the last one? It feels like the season should be longer!

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14 divyrus

March 3, 2014 at 9:23 PM

I just marathoned all 15 episodes back to back and I have one thing to say!

BEDROOM EYES !!!!

Ahhhhhh... It has been so long since a marathon has made me full invested heart and soul for those 15 hours ! Am gonna miss this feeling !!!

And I know I always loved sung joon!

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15 cyik

March 3, 2014 at 9:34 PM

wait - is tomorrow going to be the final episode recap?
It ends at 16 eps right?
man, it feels like the time's gone by so quickly!!
what happened?
i don't know why but I feel like not an awful lot has actually occurred. I guess it's just been a gradual process and the nature of the drama itself kind of lends to this more laid back feel. things have happened, characters have grown etc, but it just feels like it's gone by so quickly!
I'm just stumped to know tomorrow will be the last!

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16 Alinka

March 3, 2014 at 9:36 PM

Mah gaaaawwtt *spazzing
That's one hell of a cute episode. Everyone has some growing up to do, and everyone got a dose of happiness along with it. Nice episode. Thank you for recapping, girlfriday

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17 Needaname

March 3, 2014 at 9:44 PM

Thank you Girlfriday for another great recap of another great episode!

I really like this drama, it is so honest in a way. Noone is really perfect, except maybe for Wan who is very very close to perfect, but everyone has grown from the first time we saw them.

At first I was a bit frustrated that after realizing she is always a few steps behind Wan, JY was still taking the long way home, you'd expect her to run to him to catch up. And once she did catch up to him, well, he was still way ahead, I like that he too has grown and doesn't want to go back to how things were, but forward to how things can and maybe should be. At first I too thought why is he playing hard to get now that she has chosen him, but then you realize that it's true, it needs to be more than that, it's not just choosing to be with someone, but as he said, be able to climb up that mountain together so they both can reach the top. I actually really appreciate how he seems to know so much more, yet is always patiently waiting for JY to catch up to him. Maybe that will always be how their relationship is, and I hope JY realizes just how lucky she is to have such a great guy even if things do get frustrating sometimes. Yes, fights and pain are part of a relationship, but there is love too, and happiness. I think it's ok for a couple to disagree, to still have their own identities and beliefs, it doesn't mean that they shouldn't be together, but that they will just really need to make efforts to stay together to be able to grow together. And I think on her end, she is still stuck on what dating implies, but it seems to me and maybe to Wan too, this is about more than just dating. Didn't she decide he is the man she will hold onto, for better or for worse... I love how they actually are probably way ahead in their relationship, but yes, as you said, the words just need to be said...by a priest or official in their case!

For once, I actually liked TY here. He is many things, but it is true he has always been an honest character, whether he was using her or dating her. I like that he admits that to love and hold on to SR is just too tiring for him. He too, is not able to cross over that mountain. But you can't get to the other side if you don't do it, so...kinda stuck huh.

And yes, at the beginning JY was alone and content with how she lived her life, but now, she has friends, old and new, a great man...ah...what are you arguing about/unhappy about? What dating hell??? She does think too much, no calculations remember?

Love all the characters and their story lines, I think this drama did a great job with everyone, and oh so sad it's ending tomorrow, but will definitely remain in my heart, especially Wan!

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18 Ahjumma

March 3, 2014 at 10:59 PM

That kiss <3 and am I the only one that lol'd so hard at his face at the end?

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19 Aigoooo

March 3, 2014 at 11:04 PM

1. I think Sung Joon and Lee Sun Kyun should do a drama as competing suitors. Battle of the deep voices!

2. Those two spooning wearing the Jjimjiibang outfits looked really weird to me but the part where she held on to his thumb was really sweet.

3. The scene where she goes up to his hotel room door for the first time gave me some serious Coffee Prince flashbacks. I don't know why.

4. INR3's soundtrack is totally daebak!

5. Kim So Yeon's acting style reminds me a lot of Kim Sun Ah.

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dfl123

March 3, 2014 at 11:48 PM

AGREE with (1) - LSK & Sung Joon together!! Totally rocks my boat!;-)

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cutie

March 3, 2014 at 11:56 PM

"5. Kim So Yeon’s acting style reminds me a lot of Kim Sun Ah."

From I do I do? I didn't see that drama but both of them are talent actresses

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nova611

March 4, 2014 at 1:36 AM

i agree # 5
but not kim soo yeon & kim sun ah
but as INR3 = MNIKSS
their philosophy on love is CHILDISH

reading this ep recap
remind me of MNIKSS~~~

kyaaaa...my all time fav kdrama eva

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20 ninji

March 3, 2014 at 11:32 PM

Finally some real Wanie love. Too bad there's only on episode left with all the (non)happy dating. I need MORE romance, seriously.

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21 peachblossomcandy

March 4, 2014 at 12:38 AM

15 episodes waiting for that confession just to cut it in such anticlimatic way like that ?*sigh*

It's been a long time since I watched a kdrama without fast forwarding and viewed the show wholly. Thanks for the recap.

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22 maddy

March 4, 2014 at 12:53 AM

thanks for the recap GF. this is my fav episode so far. lol..

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23 Stephanie

March 4, 2014 at 12:59 AM

I felt it since day one. But omo, their kisses are hot. Compared to ang Sunbae that just is awkward to watch.

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24 stars

March 4, 2014 at 1:26 AM

Hi all beanies, there's this song in the show that goes like

"You said that you love me,
you said that you want me,
your eyes touch near(?) my heart,
sweet oh nanananananana"

I googled it, I even tried to see if any koreans asked it on naver by googling in korean, but I just can't seem to find the song.

Anyone knows what song it is?

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R

March 4, 2014 at 2:39 AM

They just released all the OST today, including the song you mention ("Love story", the theme song for Joo-yeon & Joo Wan) and Sung Joon's song ("Love is smiling") !!
You can listen to it here
http://www.melon.com/cds/album/web/albumdetailmain_list.htm?albumId=2237851

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Needaname

March 4, 2014 at 3:23 AM

Thank you so much for the link! I don't speak or read Korean but was able to just click on the I Need Romace 3 poster and voila! Can't wait until it is for sale on Itunes! I already purchased all the ones that are available.

I have to say, one thing I love about Kdramas, is that I always fall in love with the music too, and discover new artists, I mean artists that are new to me. I totally fell in love with Lee Hyori! I had heard and read a lot about her, but never really listened to her music. Well, now I know what all the hype is about, after falling in love with Don't Cry here, I have been listening to her music since, and watching her performances on Youtube. She is amazing! I love Monochrome, her style...can't believe I am just getting to know this wonderful artist! Ok, I'm getting off topic, but love love her! Thank you INR3 for turning me into a Lee Hyori fan!

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nomad

March 4, 2014 at 12:51 PM

Can somebody tell me which track # Sung Joon's Love is smiling is? I tried every single one, and for some reason I just can't tell.

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R

March 4, 2014 at 2:01 PM

It's #7 사랑은 웃는 것 :)
the track with the most of ♥ ^^

dramaqueenb

March 4, 2014 at 3:41 AM

Thank you! I was looking for it as well!

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tata

March 4, 2014 at 8:03 AM

OMG. THANKYOUUUUUUUU for sharing. Hihi

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karmen

March 4, 2014 at 11:49 AM

thanks for sharing the link.. I love all the INR3 ost!

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son hye

March 4, 2014 at 11:55 AM

thank you thank you thank you for your sharing.

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25 totle

March 4, 2014 at 2:53 AM

wow. nice episode. finally shing shing and sweet potato are date each other.

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26 tdot

March 4, 2014 at 3:29 AM

I know that I'm in the minority here, but I was really disappointed by this drama. I just could not relate to Joo Yeon at all, and her level of emotional illiteracy and immaturity. She really annoyed me.

In this episode, I found myself fast forwarding to the parts with Joo Wan and the bits with Min Jung and Min Seok (who was super-adorable in this one!), skimming the bits with the youngest couple, and completely bypassing and not caring about the parts with Joo Yeon alone. I think Sung Joon as Joo Wan is the only thing that has kept me from giving up on this series.

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JoJo

March 4, 2014 at 7:08 AM

I'm disappointed too. I think it has a lot to do with Kim So Yeon. I'd seen her in other dramas and she acts the same. You would think that once Joo Yeon realized she loved Joo Wan, she'd really let loose. He's really got his work cut out for him...look at the post sex scene. Not exactly lovey-dovey.

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aliz

March 5, 2014 at 3:17 AM

Acts the same? Kim So Yeon in one actress who portrayed various character. Compare with her previous role in Two Weeks. She show completely different term of act in INR3.

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PeepsLeAwesomePotato

March 4, 2014 at 9:48 AM

Then I'd have to respectfully assume that you've never been seriously burned by a relationship before.

I understand JooYeon because she's been hurt devastatingly before, and so many times at that. Not every one is a candy girl who can look into the face of failure and stand up and laugh and be positive again. Also, it seems like JooYeon naturally (genetics?) has her guard up most of the time. Sort of like relationship paranoia. It didn't help that Kang TaeYoon was shaping her to become a robotic super-career-woman who shows no tears, no weakness, no feelings at all. Considering that she's in her thirties, we can put Kang TaeYoon's terrible influence on her at around 8 to 10 years. That's a lot of time to be putting up a shell and thickening it. And a lot of time lost in emotional development.

And JooWan was asking for her to love him fully, no holds barred, to become vulnerably in love, for him again. That's not an easy thing to do for someone who's been told for the longest time that she cannot show vulnerability.

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tdot

March 4, 2014 at 10:35 AM

Oh believe me, I have had my fair share of relationship hurt, and I tend to be very cautious about opening up and appearing vulnerable to people as well, so it wasn't that that I diskliked.

What began to bug me was Joo Yeon's apparent inability to recognize her own feelings. It wasn't her cautiousness/guardedness, per se. For example, Tae Yoon was also very cautious and guarded about pursuing a new relationship, but that came from a place of awareness of his feelings, and of how he'd been hurt before, and therefore he took a very calculated approach to the risks he was prepared to take in future. Although he could sometimes be infuriatingly cold, I could understand where he was coming from.

Joo Yeon, on the other hand-- I got frustrated with her seeming inability to even realize that she liked Joo Wan. There was a moment a few episodes back where she was standing in the rain watching him walk away (or towards her, I can't remember) and her voice-over monologue was like, "What are these feelings?" and I was like Seriously?!! Ugh!!! I could understand if she recognized the feelings and tried to avoid acknowledging them, acting on them, or showing them. However, I really found it hard to fathom that she didn't even realize what her feelings were. That's a level of emotional ignorance and or denial that I just couldn't believe/relate to, and it got tiresome to see her be so completely oblivious episode after episode. It didn't bother me that she was a "crustacean" (to quote the show), it bothered me that she was so clueless about her own feelings.

Watching this most recent episode I realised that part of it is also that I found the actress's portrayal tiresome. Like in the post-coital conversation/argument, it really hit me that I find a lot of her little mannerisms quite irritating. I don't know if they are typical of the actress, as I've never seen Kim So Yeon in anything else, but I think they subtly contributed to my feeling of annoyance with the character.

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micky

March 4, 2014 at 6:08 PM

I think Joo Yeon character seems realistic than Wan character. It's hard to believe there is a guy like him exist in this world. For Joo Yeon, She faced with many bad love that's why she believes nothing about true love and she think of Wan as brother. So, she didn't know herself she loved him until he went away. Writer created Wan character too good when he didn't get well treat from heroin who basic character is full doubt with love. Moreover, she choose the 2nd meal who obviously crab. So, some viewers quite anti. But I have no doubt with KSY performance. Normally, she always awesome in action or melodrama but I enjoy her here as well even though not much as Prosecutor Princess which better content.

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27 noernov

March 4, 2014 at 4:10 AM

Can't resist those bedroom eyes ?

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28 mimiu

March 4, 2014 at 5:33 AM

Wan is one hot kisser!!

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totle

March 4, 2014 at 11:24 AM

yeah. sung joon always know how to do a real kiss.

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29 ahsaem

March 4, 2014 at 6:35 AM

I feel extremely sad that there is only one more episode left. Thanks for the all the recaps, Gf! Wan, I'll miss you!

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nanami

March 4, 2014 at 11:28 AM

i am so sad too..no more I need romance on my Monday Tuesday night.

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30 redfox

March 4, 2014 at 8:04 AM

I need that giraffe to hug. I would cry near people stuffed animal is safe.
I am a bit scared and having nightmares every day.

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31 jomo143

March 4, 2014 at 10:31 AM

I am on my phone so this may be messy!
Thanks for the recap!

I'm ma call bs on one thing here and that is Wannie''s smoothness as far as s^ x with his SS. He has pursued her for 10+ years. A normal and besotted guy would be a jangle of nerves. The reality of Her in His bed should almost cause him a heart attack. I wished we could have seen his sweet gratefulness that she loves him back and a little bit of being star struck. Otherwise I love them together.