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Fated To Love You: Episode 1

Good news, everyone: Fated To Love You is soooooooooo fun. For a show surrounded by such high expectations for its remake, I’m happy to report that this adaptation is vibrant, funny, and stays true to its roots. In fact, I don’t think I’ve laughed out loud this much in a while. Honoring fans of the original by being the remake they dreamed of while also offering something fun and new for viewers who just want to have a good time, Fated To Love You has a good head start in becoming the kind of romantic comedy that’ll leave you in stitches and refreshed for the summer.

As for the ratings: You’re All Surrounded continued to lead the pack with 10.7%, Joseon Gunman followed with 8.0%, and new kid on the block Fated To Love You premiered with 6.6%.

SONG OF THE DAY

K.Will – “오늘부터 1일 (Day 1)” [ Download ]

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EPISODE 1 RECAP

A young woman walks barefoot among lush vegetation, and then the camera cuts to a close-up of hair products. Wait, are we watching a commercial before we get to the show? Dipping her hair in water, she works it into a lather, takes a whiff… and then reels in disgust.

The director calls cut on the ruined take, and the model (cameo by Clara) throws a fit on set, complaining about how she can’t use a body double and how this “measly shampoo” could ruin her hair. Noticing the disgruntled staff, however, she gives into another take and has her stylist bring in her luxury foreign-import shampoo.

Just then, someone snaps their fingers and a voice calls out, “Hold it.” A man in an expensive-looking suit saunters into the set, handing off his swanky accessories to the bewildered crew, and moves the model off-camera.

His stare remains unwavering as he peels off his jacket and throws it at the staff, then scoops up some water and pours it over his head. After working the shampoo into his hair, he dunks his head into the water before flipping his hair backwards, showering the camera with soapy water droplets. This. Is. Awesome.

But he’s just getting started—he rips the front of his shirt and exposes his chiseled abs, all the while rattling off lines at the camera. Picking up the “measly shampoo,” he bursts into hearty laughter, then tops off his performance with a moan. “Ah, refreshing.” Now this is what I call a shampoo commercial. *fans self*

After that perfect take, the director wonders who their impromptu model is. He’s none other than our hero, LEE GUN (Jang Hyuk), who introduces himself as the CEO of Jangin Chemicals, aka the company that produces this “measly shampoo,” which is, in fact, their best product.

It’s clear that Gun takes great pride in his company’s products and how they’re advertised to their potential customers, and he tells his right-hand man, MANAGER TAK (Choi Dae-chul) to rescind the model’s CF endorsement deal.

Mention of that effectively has her singing a different tune, as she coquettishly asks if there’s a way to smooth things over, say, over dinner. He declines—he has no need for an expensive diva who doesn’t value authenticity. Ooh, burn.

It’s kind of great how Gun struts out of there like a boss, and now he can finally turn his attention to the source of Manager Tak’s panic: Grandma’s been called into an urgent meeting by the Jeonju Lee clan elders.

And that’s where we meet Gun’s grandmother, WANG BOK-SOON (Park Won-sook), who asks for the clan elders’ patience, promising to marry off her grandson within the year. But the restless elders are fed up with hearing those same words year after year, and demand a written guarantee this time.

(A little context: Gun belongs to the Jeonju Lee clan, whose notable descendants include King Taejo, who founded the Joseon Dynasty. These clan meetings are typically reserved for males, where discussion topics can touch upon lineage, land, and so on.)

There’s a lot of pressure on Gun to get married and produce a male successor—as the only male descendant in the past nine generations, there’s also the unlucky notion that the males in his family line have never lived past their thirties. Basically, time’s a-tickin’. Before Grandma can speak to her grandson’s defense any further, Gun appears himself, in dry clothes and perfectly-coiffed hair.

After saying his greetings, Gun boasts of his company’s greatest achievements, through which the clan elders have been able to enjoy their rather luxurious lifestyles thus far, he notes. Ha. Then Gun declares his future marriage plans: His sweetheart will soon return to Korea, and he vows to hold a wedding by the fall.

Judging from Grandma Wang’s astonished expression, this sudden announcement seems to be news to her. And as Gun bends down to put his words in writing, he asks Grandma if he did a good job. LOL.

We’re finally introduced our heroine, KIM MI-YOUNG (Jang Nara), who we see run into her workplace, carrying coffee and breakfast in both her hands. A friendly male employee offers a helping hand and fixes her lopsided glasses for her; he even shows some flirtatious interest in our timid heroine, saying how the wonderful smell isn’t coming from the coffee.

He wonders why Mi-young’s always the one running errands, but it doesn’t seem to trouble her. His concern, though, puts her in a giddy mood, and as she delivers the food and drinks to her co-workers, we hear her in voiceover telling us about that one person in the office everyone knows—the person who can’t say no even if they’re busy and accepts every request without getting so much as a thank you.

That person in this office is Mi-young, who gets flooded with menial tasks and favors from her co-workers—they even come in post-it form. Just listening to her never-ending inbox is overwhelming, and Mi-young breaks the fourth wall with the acknowledgement that her name is as ordinary and plain as her looks.

She likens her existence to a post-it note—necessary but not valuable to anyone, a pushover and can be easily thrown away. And her computer monitor is filled with them.

At least there’s one person in this office who can’t stand to see Mi-young be used like an office rag: her law-firm hoobae and friend JI-YEON, who barks at Mi-young to stand up for herself. Ji-yeon’s a good friend, too, emphasizing the power of saying “no” to others and telling her friend to practice at night. Aw, they’re cute.

Mi-young gets her first opportunity to exercise this lesson when she declines her boss’s request. She has to will herself to stand firm, but then gives into his guilt trip a few seconds later. Ji-yeon lets out a heavy sigh.

After the clan meeting, Grandma Wang asks her grandson what made him sound so confident earlier. She practically jumps up and down with excitement like Gun to hear that his longtime girlfriend is coming back to Korea—for good this time. Manager Tak is the party-pooper who asks, “What if she doesn’t accept your marriage proposal?”

Gun tells him to just make preparations, since he’ll be doing the whole proposal thing on his own. He then bids a boisterous goodbye like a little boy to his grandmother. Aww.

On her errand, Mi-young briefly stops to admire diamond rings in a jewelry store window. Inside, Gun isn’t happy with any of the store’s selections, so the employee asks him to describe his special lady.

He paints an angelic picture of his ladyfriend: a graceful ballerina who expresses herself with her body like a poet uses words; someone who makes him feel like the world is at peace and wonderful. “She’s a special woman,” Gun says, grinning. Why do I get the feeling that the reality will be vastly different than his imagination?

On a plane, a male passenger describes his sketch of a young lady as his younger sister, whose face he can’t remember clearly. And from the way he describes the familial separation to how he was adopted in America to failing at finding his sister every time he visits Korea, one might be led to think that he’s using his sob story to score a girl.

That could be what his neighbor thinks, too, as her timely remarks to his cheesy moves are strangely in sync with the movie she’s watching with her headphones on. She breaks into a satisfied smile when the girl leaves.

The man, DANIEL (Choi Jin-hyuk) asks if she’s upset that he didn’t flirt with her instead, but she chirps back that he’s not at all her type. Ah, so this must be KANG SE-RA (Wang Ji-won), Gun’s longtime girlfriend and ballerina.

As Gun practices his proposal to Se-ra outside, Mi-young rushes forward to save a toddler from wandering into danger. In her haste, she bumps into some children carrying bouncy balls that spill onto the ground, and she grabs hold of the closest solitary body—Gun’s.

Like an elegant dance, they spin around a few times before falling backwards. The music swells as the candies she bought and his ring fly up into the air… and cuts out when they fall to the ground.

But then Gun’s eyes grow wide to see the ring go rogue and roll down the escalator. It stops at a dog pen, and Gun cowers in fear.

He barks at Mi-young to retrieve it, and she scrambles to chase it down until it finally ends up next to a sleeping Rottweiler. Gun whispers at her to get it, citing his fear of dogs. But she’s scared, too, so he hoists her over the fence as she inches forward… but then one wrong move wakes the dog up. Whoops.

As they run for their lives from the barking dog, Gun wonders if this is the end for him, just like his ancestors who met their ends around his age. “Like my ancestors before me, will I be unable to escape fate?”

Deciding that he can’t die here, Gun looks to a determined Mi-young next to him: “But who’s she? She’s fast… really fast!” As she charges ahead of him, Gun tries (and fails) to hold her back. Hahaha, his strained voice-over cracks me up.

Unfortunately for them, the two find themselves at a dead-end, putting them face to face with the dog. Swallowing his fear, Gun breaks into nervous laughter and bravely takes his jacket off, intending to wield it against the animal.

The dog comes at them, Gun swings, and asks hesitantly, “Did I kill it?” Then he looks back to see the dog licking at Mi-young’s pocket, trying to get at the lollipop. She can only whimper until the owner finally comes running and explains her pet’s love for cherry-flavored things.

Gun belatedly asks about his lost ring and beams to see it on her finger. It isn’t long before his senses kick in, though, and he angrily pulls it off her index finger and tears into her for wearing it before its intended recipient.

She says it’s a relief that they found it at all, but Gun launches into a full-on rant about how this entire ring-losing-dog-chase thing was her fault. Not listening to a word she says about how she couldn’t have known the dog was vying for the candy, he storms off, cursing and flailing. Mi-young’s more astounded than angry, and merely sighs.

Mi-young’s absence at the office all goes unnoticed apart from Ji-yeon. In celebration of the law firm’s 10-year anniversary, one employee will get to stay at a posh Macau resort for free (but still have to pay for airfare). Mi-young turns out to be the lucky winner, and she squeals to Ji-yeon that they can go together.

But like the good friend Ji-yeon is, she says she should take her non-existent boyfriend to things like these and Mi-young glances at that friendly male employee.

HA, Manager Tak has prepared a full-on powerpoint presentation for Gun’s proposal, and the two share a good laugh over how it will take place at the Macau resort (the same one Mi-young is traveling to), since that’s where he and Se-ra first met. Aw, that’s super cute.

Gun’s face hardens when Manager Tak notes how lonely Gun’s been ever since he lost his parents at a young age. “Who says so? I’m not lonely!” Gun snaps. But they’re soon back to acting like little boys when the conversation turns to the soon-to-be engaged couple’s romantic night together.

They’re so busy laughing that they register Se-ra’s arrival two seconds too late, leaving them to scramble to shut off the projector. Suspicious, Se-ra immediately puts Gun in a headlock, asking if he’s been up to no good in her absence.

He agrees to tell her, nearly gagging. Pfft, I love how those five seconds say everything about their relationship.

She lets go and then smiles sheepishly to hear that Gun was planning a trip for them. She asks if he isn’t happy that she surprised him by coming early. He says he is, adding that he had this grand romantic gesture planned for her arrival.

Se-ra jokes to come back tomorrow, but he pulls her back into a hug: “I’m never going to let you go anywhere again, my love.”

Mi-young calls home to invite Mom on that Macau vaycay. How appropriate that the seaside restaurant is called “Mom With Three Daughters”? It’s cute how Mi-young speaks to her family in her countryside accent, and Mom passes on the offer, to the two older unnis’ pouting.

Just when Mi-young wonders if she should sell her winnings, she gets a text and runs out. It’s that friendly male co-worker, Lawyer Min, who takes her out for a sensational dinner. He’s both pleasant and attentive on their date, and he wastes no time to gauge her interest in him.

After briefly seeing Daniel at a club as a DJ, we cut back to Mi-young, who musters up the courage to send a few texts to Lawyer Min. She gets nervous when he doesn’t immediately respond, but then both women squeal when he calls Mi-young “honey,” a sure start to a relationship.

Ji-yeon nudges her friend to invite him on that trip to Macau, and runs on ahead on their way back from lunch. Mi-young has to yell to get Lawyer Min’s attention, though she softens when he says he missed her. Uh oh, first red flag? She blushes at his advances, and when he basically invites himself on her trip (in banmal, at that), she giggles.

It turns out Gun’s trip to Macau is also to secure a business deal with the resort, but he also takes time out to make sure all the marriage proposal prep is in order for Se-ra’s arrival that evening, from the gondola ride to the banners, to the string quartet.

Little does he know that everything isn’t picture-perfect, because we see a pair of men trailing behind him, referring to Gun as their “island’s enemy.” We’ll come to know them as PRESIDENT PARK and MR. CHOI, both of whom are affiliated with an island-based soap factory currently in dire straits because of Jangin Chemicals.

As for Mi-young, she’s both excited and a bundle of nerves upon her arrival in Macau. She’s nervous about spending a night with a man, but Ji-yeon tells her not to worry since Mi-young’s with the man she likes, so her body is sure to follow.*wink wink* But… this wouldn’t be her first time, would it?

Mi-young hangs up before giving an answer, and that’s when Lawyer Min finally shows up, sort-of-but-not-really guilty about making her carry all the luggage. Why, someone might think that he made her carry it all.

But good ol’ Mi-young brushes it aside, and they hop on a bus together. We’re briefly introduced to a mysterious woman in all black telling someone over the phone that she’s putting her life on the line for this mission.

It’s President Park she’s speaking to, and he’s come up with some half-baked plan that somehow involves the aforementioned mysterious Miss Kim and feeding Gun a spiked drink. But the second part of that plan goes awry, because that water bottle falls into the indoor stream and bobs along with the current.

On the bus, Lawyer Min teasingly gripes that he offered to go Dutch on this trip, but she insisted on paying for everything. In exchange, he promises to take care of her tonight and places his hand over hers, to her alarm. “Don’t be embarrassed,” he whispers. “Just imagine it.”

Mi-young and Lawyer Min settle in their hotel suite (Room 2006) and try to think of what to do next. She rattles off a list of activities, but doesn’t pick up on how his eyes light up at the mention of a casino. He tells her to rest while he takes a look around.

Lawyer Min heads straight for the casino, where he runs into the elusive Miss Kim. Mi-young sets off looking for her date, and when she sneezes unexpectedly, she worries that she might be catching a cold.

Mi-young sits down by a fountain to give her feet a break, unaware that Gun is sitting on a bench nearby. She can hear him, though, and cranes her head to see who’s speaking, but can only see the back of his head.

So she sits and listens as Gun practices his heartfelt proposal, thanking Se-ra for returning to Korea and taking this trip with her, even though he knew coming back to Korea wasn’t a happy decision for her. He knows it might be selfish of him to propose, but instead of being a man at the prime of her career, he wants to be the man who shares in both the good times and the bad with her.

“Could I do that? I love you, Se-ra. Will you marry me?” he finishes. And then Mi-young sneezes.

Gun whirls around at the sound, and Mi-young grabs the bottle floating in the fountain before she hides behind a plant and downs it, none the wiser.

 
COMMENTS

Oh sweetie, didn’t your mother ever tell you never to pick up unidentifiable objects? Given the sky-high expectations for the Korean remake of a most-beloved Taiwanese romantic comedy, I was fully prepared for either possibility when it came to Fated To Love You: this show would disappoint me or be awesome. And I’m so glad that it’s the latter.

It could be that I could use a good dose of lighthearted humor and entertainingly zany characters after six months of melodramas and wannabe medical-political-spy-thrillers, but I think it does say something if a show can appeal to me in the first few minutes like Fated did, even if I was confused whether we were watching a drama or a CF at first. And, well, Jang Hyuk’s abs are a bonus.

Even though I’ve only seen a few episodes of the original, I could tell that the premiere covered a lot of narrative ground and introduced us to lots of characters in its rollcall, perhaps to the point where I thought we could hold off on a few minor ones in the first hour. And while I wouldn’t be able to point out all the similarities and differences between the Korean and Taiwanese versions, I could feel enough of the show’s original charm in this adaptation that will hopefully appeal even to the purist of fans.

But even in the face of the many expectations that come along with any remake (be it from drama-to-drama or manhwa-to-drama), I prefer to take any drama adaptation as a separate entity that stands alone, if only to generate different kinds of expectations for the show’s trajectory. I think Fated did a fair job of tying in original character and narrative elements while injecting some fresh life into the reboot and integrating that back into the story. For instance, I liked how Gun’s lineage (how fitting that a chaebol would belong to an imperial family line?) played a great part into the importance of carrying on the family name. Moreover, I thought it was a great turn that his longtime sweetheart Se-ra isn’t the dainty, graceful ballerina he imagines in his head, but a no-nonsense girl who speaks her mind.

Which then makes an extremely naive and dim heroine like Mi-young a little too dated by modern dramaland standards. She’s someone you want to knock some common sense and self-esteem into, but if I know Jang Nara, I know that she’ll be able to make Mi-young into a winning heroine we’ll want to root for. If anything, I’m glad that Mi-young has such a solid and good friend in Ji-yeon, who’s there for there both at the workplace and at home.

As for Gun, I initially wasn’t expecting such a ridiculously hilarious character out of our hero, but I love Jang Hyuk’s portrayal here. We can see the adoring relationship he has with his grandmother, the bickering one with his right-hand man, and the loving one he has with Se-ra. Jang Hyuk’s spot-on comedic timing had me in stitches multiple times in this episode, and I love that there’s a sense of security in his character’s backstory, as evidenced by the tiny moments of insight from Manager Tak. In fact, the show does such a good job of dropping hints for what’s to come that I actually feel both excited and assured as we proceed with each episode, which I hope will be like little drops of heaven.

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LOVE IT LOVE IT !!

I love the first episode so much. Even though I watched the taiwanese version but it has different feel. It feel fresh

It's witty, funny and great chemistry. I love jang hyuk in rom-com. Finally a drama that didn't disappoint.

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I was expecting not to like the show, because the teasers were so terrible. But, I really enjoyed the first episode. I laughed out loud several times, enough that my family came to check on me, cause I'm not a "laughy" kind of person. The second episode wasn't as strong, but I will be hanging around and checking on future episodes.

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Same here. The only reason I watched ep1 was because I have dropped and given up on so many of the other current shows.

I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. I just hope it keeps up.

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Oh, i dropped a lot of dramas too! I'm only watching Roommate now and Hotel King. i don't know why i'm not liking the kdramas lately =(

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i wasn't expecting it too! i had great doubts on Jang-hyuk in pulling it off because it's been so many odd years since he's done a rom-com. Gosh, he's so funny! It's more like his real personality because he really talk fast.

I also like the fact that the supporting cast are artist you usually see in his action drama =). Shows how he's loyal and can help his friends =)

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I loved this first episode! Thank you for recapping.

I thought I would hate Jang Nara's character, but she's lovely. This is the second role of Jang Hyuk that I liked, the first one his drama with JN before. His character is a little bit naive, a little quirky, a little drama queen. So interesting and it suits him. Not enough CJH to judge whether I'll like his character or not, but that plane scene was funny. I thought I'd also hate the second female lead, but I loved her first scene with JH and CJH.

So excited for the second episode tonight! BTW, I got bored with the original version's first episode and fast-forwarded that a lot. I don't even remember how it ended.

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Same here. I expected to hate her, but she is so adorably super-dorky that she has no place to go but up :P

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And I like Jang Nara's bright clothes and cute nerdy glasses . Her hairstyle too. I am fed up of dramas trying to equate poor/middle class/average to ugly and boring. I haven't seen the original, so I don't know if her dressing style is also adapted from that.
Or maybe Jang Nara just looks good in anything and everything.

PS: And oh, that baby face!! How old is she again? If I didn't know any better I would say she is still in her early 20's!

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I really liked this! I've been in the market for a good comedy, and this seems like it will fit the bill. I'm sure it will have some tragic elements at some point, but as long as it ends well I'm good. Having never seen the original, I have nothing to compare it with, so I came into it with no expectations.

I really like the leads and the seconds -all charismatic and interesting. That hair commercial scene was pure gold; I wonder if they were parodying those old Clairol Herbal Essences ads?

I loved how in the scene between Gun and Mi-Young, Gun's hair seemed to fly upwards more and more as he got angrier. The actor is very good at using physical gestures as well as delivering dialogue well.

Thanks for the recap!

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It's a pity the ratings are so low ! I really liked the first episode! It definitely does stay true to the original (for now), and I like it that way. I don't ever watch dramas as they air, but this one might actually be the one I'll follow closest!

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I would not worry to much about the ratings, Dramabeans have mentioned before that weekday drama have been losing rating steadily over the years to a point that even 10 % is now considered good. Plus I remember baby face also started out slow but be the end had a clear win in the rating war.

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I made the biggest mistake while watching it: looked up the synop on wiki. So now... not gonna go through with it. Although it was very funny.

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@Carol- was the plot summary you saw for the Taiwanese version? If so, maybe the ending will be different? If it's for this one, it seems silly of them to make spoiler-y info available.

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As gummi said, think of it as a different entity that stands on it's own. What's the point of dropping something for what might happen? If you liked what you saw, keep going.

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Hehehehe, I'm really enjoying this drama from what it has shown! Hopefully that this is sign for the better!

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Hehehe, I am really enjoying this! Hopefully that this is sign for the better!

I love that the drama is taking bits and pieces from the original while adding in its own spin. This allows it to be a remake while having a sense of originality.

I love the chemistry between the two Jangs. They are really firing it and it has only been one ep in! Couldn't have asked for better chemistry!

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Oh I say I can't get past the white foundation and the red neck. Like a turkey.

My image of him is now ruined. Thank you very much Make Up Artist. It's the same story in Trot Lovers.

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I know! Jang Hyuk is such a handsome guy and look what the make-up "artist" did to him!

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Make up artists are drunk everywhere. Between white foundation here and fluo lipstick/gloss for men in Triangle...

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Not to mention the weird looking makeup in Trot Lovers.

Maybe all the real makeup artists are on strike.

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i thought i was the only one who thought he looked weird what that make-up. i liked his look more when he was tanned and dirty.

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Speaking of "tanned and dirty" Jang Hyuk, did any else catch the hilarious nod to Chuno during that scene when Gun whips out his jacket and try to "stop" the dog from attacking them? The background music was the theme song to Chuno aka Slave Hunter. LOVE it!

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I rarely laugh out loud at dramas, but this one had me guffawing at a couple of points, and the Chuno hunter music was one.

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Yeah! The "Chuno" soundtrack during the 'canine battle' was delightful! Had me rolling on the floor helpless with laughter!

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yes ..me to :''''')

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Uwaaaaaaaah. So much cuteness!!
It's my first time seeing Jang Hyuk doing rom com.

Anyway, thanks for the song, gummimochi. I've been searching for the download link since yesterday.

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The leads are definitely doing a great job and the tone does seem brighter than the chauvinist misogynist mess of the original, but I'm disappointed they're keeping the [spoiler deleted] storyline. That increases the chances that the beautiful and talented Wang Ji Won will end up playing a [spoiler deleted] as Bianca Bai did in the original. That would be a crying shame.

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I personally don't care about spoilers but others do. It would be nice if people who watched the TW version could keep their knowledge for themselves.

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Been informed that a part of the comment was considered a spoiler. Also, just a reminder for everyone: Please refrain from spoilers from the original for the sake of your fellow readers (and myself), who haven't seen it.

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nara was making the heroine much more likable, and her style was pretty awesome (they have to add some miss-matched colors but apart from that she looked cute), the director was as usual the weird self obsessed guy, but he was a little socially awkward wasn't he? the first scene was very awkward.. if not for the abs that attracted our attention.. but it was a nice first ep. thanks for the recap!!

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I might be in the minority here, I'm one of the few who didn't like it that much. I mean I didn't hate it and I was laughing throughout the episode, but it didn't really make me want to continue watching the show. This show seems too wacky and ridiculous to me which is weird because the Taiwanese show was far stranger the the Kdrama, but Taiwan does wacky really well and I'm not used to Kdramas being that way.

The male lead isn't a complete ass like Ethan's character (even though I did love the ass Ji Cun Xi) but why is he so weird. I feel like it's the norm nowadays for the male lead to be an eccentric weirdo in dramas so it has kinda lost it's appeal to me. Why couldn't he be a normal nice guy (Haha yeah I know) who is not a douche or a crazy guy. I still like him though and he hasn't completely gotten on my nerves so that is a plus.

I love the female lead though, she's really adorable and soooo pretty IMO. She looks just like the Joe Chen and even though she's kind of a push over she has a quality that just makes me love her. She's not annoying or awkward like kdramas make most characters like hers so I have no problem watching because of her. I can't wait until she grows a backbone though and stick up for herself. Can I also say one more thing? I love love love that the female lead has a work friend in this version of Fated to Love You since the only friend Joe's character had in the original was Dylan. That's a BIG thumbs up in my book.

So far I'm not compelled to watch this while it's airing and might just wait until it's over so I can marathon it. Maybe episode 2 will change my mind who knows.

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I love love love that the female lead has a work friend in this version of Fated to Love You since the only friend Joe’s character had in the original was Dylan. That’s a BIG thumbs up in my book.

Agreed! I haven't watched the episode yet, but I picked up on that difference from the recap and was happy, because I really like seeing female friendships in dramas. In the Taiwan version even the female lead's mother and sisters weren't very nice to her at first, so I'm glad to see that it seems that she will have more supportive relationships in this one.

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I agree. Nara is much better than female lead in Taiwanese version and Jang Huyk is overdoing his part. As I said earlier, just looking at the show's teaser - he is so wasted on this rom-com. Fighting with the dog while Chuno theme music is playing?! It was kinda funny, but it made the first episode into a parody. Not fair to Jang Nara, and it added a feeling that it's all about him as a star, not about the plot.
I wish Park Si Hoo would have been offered this role instead.

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OK. *comes back to her previous comment after watching episode 2 bed scene*
Never mind what I said before. Don't count it as a spoiler but... Jang Huyk and his six pack are doing just fine in this role. :)

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I think Jang Hyuk is a bit ott too....

..........but do you REALLY want Park Shi Hoo of all people, to play a role where he has a one night stand with a woman who consumed a spiked drink?

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Bwahahaha I LOVE what you did there!

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I really love the actors and want to love the drama, but it was a little disjointed. The continuity and transitions are a little off. Is the PD intentionally going for a less polished presentation?

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Whoa, Jang Hyuk... his trick never gets old. I thought I've seen him doing that 'dunk-your-head-into-water-then-pull-it-out-awesomely' Where was it?
Was it in Running Man? hohoho...

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Glad I'm not the only one who was having flash backs to Running Man, because you are right, he did do a funny faux commercial moment, I think for face wash and thinking of that made this moment even funnier since I felt like he was parodying himself and his old CF's.

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haha yes! i bet it was intentional. starts at 1:10:35 --
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0bNkFYxAiA

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I wonder if the love scene is gonna be shown like in the original drama. In the Taiwanese drama, I remember that it included a train going in and out of a tunnel...if it's the same I'm going to die laughing.

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That bit with the train going through a tunnel was originally in the great Alfred Hitchcock movie "North by Northwest" with Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint.

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Thanks so much for the recap!

I'm glad the show is fun so far. :) Here's hoping it stays this way, and doesn't veer sharply off into melodramatic territory the way the Taiwanese original did!

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Gun reminds me a bit of Oska lol and that Chuno reference.

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I think it was okay but not at all what I was expecting. I'm wondering about Jang Hyuk's portrayal of Ji Cun Xi because he seems to be over the top and eccentric. I do like him in some of the scenes, albeit being small, where he is not over-acting because it shows a bit more into his character. Hopefully, I will grow to like him as the drama progress.

I had some doubts about Jang Nara being cast as our beloved post-it girl but I must say she won me already. Her portrayal is similar to Joe Chen but she adds a quality to her character that makes you root for her right off the bat. I also like that she has a best friend at work - that was lacking in the Taiwanese version, and they seem cute together.

I'm still reserving judgement on Se Ra and Jin-Hyuk but I remain hopeful that the next episode will be better.

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This is so winning! I'm watching episode live right now and there are already scenes making me teary. The two Jangs are doing a fantastic job together. Chaebol with a heart is what makes FTLY great.

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I meant Ep 2

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Jang Nara is fantastic, she made me cried in Episode 2

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Jang Nara is doing a lovely job of capturing the spirit of the original Chen Xin Yi with her Mi Young. I thought it was a nice touch that she spoke directly to the camera about being a sticky note girl--it's like she's such a doormat that she has to break the fourth wall to be heard. That being said, it was also nice to see that she does have a friend who encourages her to stick up for herself. I don't remember there being a character like that in the original, so that's a nice addition.

I'm still a little unsure about Jang Hyuk's Lee Gun, mainly because he seems to deviate more from Ethan Ruan's Ji Cun Xi and that makes his trajectory as a character a bit more unclear. And the fact that he's scared of dogs means no Baby Ji :(

One last thing, did anyone else notice the Chuno OST in the scene where Lee Gun whips off his jacket to "fight" the dog? Nods to actors' previous dramas always tickle me, and the contrast between his characters in Chuno and this drama made it all the more funny.

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yup! LOLed at that moment (when they played the Chuno music)

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Thanks for the recap. :)

Having watched and enjoyed the original Taiwanese version of Fated To Love You, the Korean version is off to a very nice start. I laughed all the way through the first episode of the Korean version and really liked it more so than I did in the original Taiwanese version.

Definitely fond of and looking forward to the main cast of "The Two Jangs" (Jang Hyuk & Jang Na-Ra), Choi Jin-Hyuk, and Wang Ji-Won.

Already the Korean version of FTLY has changed some things for the better (i.e. best friend at work, mall scene, dog chasing scene, etc.). These changes were a welcome surprise and helped update the drama to make it feel fresh. Hopefully the Korean version will continue being different but somehow similar. At times the Taiwanese version had way too many over-exaggerated moments particularly by second and third tier side characters.

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thanks so much for lightning recap and song. much appreciate :)

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Thanks gummimochi! I also laughed out loud when watching it.

I love the chemistry between Jang Hyuk and Jang Nara and the cute scenes. Maybe I'm the minority but some scenes are too long and so over-the-top, like the fall dance and dog chasing. I love Lee Gun's relationship with his grandmother n manager too. Soo cute and funny. Refreshing romcom drama, after a sea of thrillers.

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this drama is the the copy of a Taiwanese drama called fated to love you also. the first episode of this drama and that is totally the same. they are some changes made though but the changes are not so severe for ppl to notice the difference. talking about the first episode the is one Taiwanese drama entitled drunken to love you in which the story line is something similar with this.
i really appreciate korean writers whom write their own story line and don't copy other japanese or taiwanese drama story line.

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Yes, it is known for all people commenting here that is a remake of that taiwanese drama

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This is actually a Remake of Fated to Love You, so it makes sense that they would keep a lot of things from the original.

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Ahhhhh I haven't been more excited for a show in years!!!

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Too much dramatic slow-mo for my taste. Also, does anyone else think Gun's laugh sounds *exactly* like Cha Seung-won's rather manic laugh in "Greatest Love"?? Maybe my memory's playing tricks...

But quibbles aside, it was fun and sunny episode. I adore the heroine so far (and covet her wardrobe), and can see myself really enjoying this drama. I don't know the original storyline at all so am excited to see how this might unfold.

Only worry right now is that Mi-young will find herself permanently steamrollered by Gun... Se-ra seems to be able to stand up to him better at this point actually!

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tho i am a longtime fan of jang hyuk -- no one, NO ONE can beat out choi siwon's laugh from king of dramas.....

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CJH is a DJ here? I wanted to laugh since I've usually only seen him in stiff roles. d=

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I have to say, I was pleased. It was a great start, to this drama and I can't wait to see the rest... I would have liked to see the comic relief in Manager Tak instead of Gun, especially in moments where he should be a bit more serious, but that's the biggest flaw I saw (and it's not really a flaw, it's a matter of me getting used to Gun being funny). I love Na Ra unnie's character and the way she is working the character, it's making me see heroine in a different way... I loved Xin Yi (TW version), but I think Mi Young is a better character. Here's to hoping it keeps being this good and that you guys recap it! ;)

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You know, K-dramas show characters being adopted overseas a lot but you never see their adopted families. They never even show them talking on the phone. Like when the character goes back to Korea the family ceases to exist. When my (adopted) cousin moved to the Netherlands, you better believe my aunt was on the phone with him constantly. When he got into a relationship she was on the plane. Because that's what families do. So they've made it so that Choi Jin-hyuk's character was adopted overseas and I promise you his adopted family will never be mentioned. It's weird.

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Agreed, but to be fair, most of Korean families are not really shown unless they have something to do with the story plot. If a character is living in Seoul and her/his family lives somewhere else, they are not really mentioned throughout.

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Thank you for the recap! I haven't watched it yet and was actually on the fence about it but I'll definitely watch it now since it seems fun and Gun is part of my clan lol. Yes the Jeonju Lee clan has no males in Korea currently since they all immigrated to America lol.

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The whole flip hair back, 'ah it's refreshing' advertisement scene totally reminded me of Running Man episode 45 where Jang Hyuk and Gary competed in making the best CF!

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Aww, even the recap made me laugh. It seems sweet and Jang Nara is looking like a perfect fit for this role.

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♥♥♥♥♥

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THIS DRAMA IS ALL THE GOOD THINGS!!!! I CANNOT CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT!!!! AHFOIAHOGUHOFIASHFUIAHSOIJASLHFUI!!!!!!!

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Yayyy!!! I'm glad we're getting recaps for this one!!

I actually really like it so far, and I was interested the moment he did his CF scene bahaha. Actually, I skipped ahead a little bit at the beginning because I thought it WAS a CF that didn't get edited out. I didn't think I'd like his character bc I didn't want to watch another chaebol, but actually, he's not bad. He's not an annoying chaebol at least. And although he might be a little over the top, I still laughed and enjoyed it.

I was so happy that I actually liked the lead that I forgot Choi Jin Hyuk is our second lead!! I'm shipping him and the second female lead together - they'd make an awesome couple, I think.

While I'm not a fan of the quiet, doormat female lead character, I have faith that she'll find her spunk soon enough.

I only watched maybe 2 or 3 episodes of the original, so I don't really have anything to compare it to. I'm excited to add another fun drama to my roster (assuming episode 2 goes just as well)! Glorious day, Joseon Gunman, and now FTLY! Yay! I'm a happy girl!

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The CF part at the start was one of the funniest parts, and I have to admit that for a minute or two I also thought it was one that was not edited out.

I almost expected him to start doing that famous US shampoo (?) commercial sound effects.

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Herbal Essences!

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Me too me too. Those few minutes of the both of them on the plane were really good, I felt sparks. I hope this drama goes the way of Protect the Boss and throws the second lead couple together. Please show, I like Wang Ji-won too much to watch her turn into an annoying second lead character.

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I was going to say something but I guess if you do not know saying would be a spoiler..so i let you find out on your own

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Me watching this show:

Hahuahauahauhaua...wait..wait...no...Hhauahauhauahauha...hauahauhauahauhau...wait!...no way...the dog... Hhauhauahauhauahauhauahauhaua...his hair...ahauhauahauahuahaua

LOL forever!

Perfect! Loved!
I loved the Taiwan version, and I am loving this!

Made my day, just that...

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Can't wait to watch this! I'm so happy for all the good rom-coms that have come out of nowhere.

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Did anyone else get major Sandlot vibes when the dog escaped? Considering this was the movie of my youth, this show now has now ABSolutely hooked me.

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This is a funny and silly screwball comedy! Saw the original Taiwanese version a long time ago when it first came out and enjoyed it.
This one is just as funny. Love the two Jangs' chemistry and their reuniion after over 10 years. Love the SLO-MO of the balls...Can't wait for episode two when they are fated for each other!

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The male lead is nothing like the original version. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It's so OTT and zany though. It's going to be seriously jarring when they get to heavier stuff... Unlike in Witch's Romance where both leads captured the essence of the original characters, here I'm not seeing it. Love the female lead though.

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A lot of ridiculous face-palm moments in this show, but that is all part of the plot and persona.

The only major flaw to me was when she picked up the bottle out of the water and drank it. Most people - even super flustered super-dorks would not drink out of an unknown opened bottle they found floating...

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Okay, so I'm not the only one flashing back to Greatest Love and Secret Garden because of Gun... Should we expect a sequined track suit? I'm hoping this adaptation will be as well handled as Witch's Romance - a tight retelling that improves on the source material. So far so good!

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i'm so looking forward for their re team up ever since The story of a bright girl.i love the chemistry of the two leads.the first ep had me laugh out loud from the beginning to the end. Jang Hyuk's characterization is quirky and so funny while Jang Nara's so adorable.i'm all in to this pairing and excited to watch the rest of the show to the end.this is a welcome respite from all the dramas that are currently airing ! luv it to the max!

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hmmmm
much too early to think this drama will be any good .

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I think despite my best efforts I managed to get my hopes up and I was disappointed quite a bit with this first episode. I'm sure it has to do with the fact that I saw the original Taiwanese version and it's my favorite Taiwanese drama to date. Regardless, I was really looking forward to the Korean version because I was looking forward to a more mature and serious version, with some nice comedy thrown in of course, it's not like I was hoping for a drab and depressing version.

I don't feel it needs to be a carbon copy version, but at LEAST capture the spirit of the original. Saying that, I feel like Mi Young was spot on. I think Jang Nara is doing a great job. But Lee Gun is ridiculous. I'm sorry, I'm not saying the actor is bad. I wouldn't mind some goofiness, but it's like a completely different character altogether. Like a complete parody of the character and other than being a CEO of a company who promotes soap, or in this case shampoo, and being pressured to continue the family line, I feel that's where the comparisons end. I realize that it's just the first episode, but it's just such a contrast that it's distracting for me. I feel the other characters are pretty spot on too and I think that's why Lee Gun is so jarring and not in a good way.

Also, I'm pretty sure that's not Macau....that's Las Vegas lol But I'm willing to suspend belief since I'll assume it was cheaper to film there than in actual Macau. I mean, if that's really Macau, then damn does it look like a near copy of Vegas!

Lastly, that ending.... really? Who does that? Sloppy poor plot device smh

Having said this though, I'm reserving final judgement until I see more, but it's off to a rocky start for me.

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Nah, it's Macau for sure. Macau is basically the Vegas of China, so it's bound to look quite similar.

I haven't even seen the original, but I still I agree with you on Lee Gun and the way he's portrayed. It's such a big contrast to the rest of the cast and so over-the-top that it's really quite jarring. Hoping that it'll be toned down a bit in future episodes.

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You know what, I feel so dumb now. I hadn't realized that Macau was the Las Vegas of China! I definitely learned something, so I totally stand corrected; thank you (and everyone) for correcting me! :)

I think the show itself also kind of corrected me too as (and I'm saying this without spoilers) Lee Gun in episode 2 seems toned down a bit.

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That actually is Macau, haha. So Macau must look a lot like Vegas?

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it's actually filmed in the venetian macao ---it's the sister resort of the venetian las vegas, it is supposed to look almost identical.

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it ok for me i can consider it revenge on the TW remake of Succssful Story of A bright Girl where like here they totaly changed the lead male personality.

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That's definitely fair. I haven't read the manga as I haven't had access to it. I usually don't compare tv dramas to the graphic novel versions too much though because some things just don't translate.

Is there a way to explain how the male lead's personality was changed from the graphic novel to the twn tv series without spoilers by chance? I am curious :)

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Actually, you know what, I forgot, but in this case, the Fated to Love you graphic novel was based on the TV series, not the other way around. I'm so used to it being the other way around... so do you mean you feel the Taiwanese version was based on another show?

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With those actors I feel like 2007 again, when I start watching dramas, it feel great.

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I'm a big fan of the TW version and was iffy about a remake. But the moment the Jangs were confirmed for a reunion here, my heart was all in. I'm swept off my feet with the first episodes! JNR is spot on, just as adorable and likable. I'm sure if anyone felt unsure about this version, it'd be pertaining to our hero. I admit it'll take more than the first episode to get used to him, but I'm open for this character adjustment. I take it as a more "updated" Cun Xi to fit the times of Kdramaland. What a surprise though, I must say. (That haunting laugh! Hahaha!). I think it'll help more if you take gummimochi's advice and watch it separate from the original. I like the little changes but also appreciate the original elements kept. The charm from the original is definitely here too, but feels refreshing at the same time.

One thing I'm not liking, though, is the tough and rough image of supposed ballet dancer Se Ra. Not sure if she's supposed to come off that way, but I don't see her as graceful or elegant. Maybe that's the point though?-- That only Lee Gun sees her this way, which makes sense since he's different here too, and a total weirdo. XD But, I can't wait for more Choi Jin Hyuk screen time!

Superb start!

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Thanks for recapping. I haven't seen the TW version so I have no idea what to expect from this drama. But I'm loving this to bits. JNR was spot on for this role. She is adorable and believable as the super nice girl who can't say no. And I'm glad that JH's character is not the stereotype chaebol. He may be arrogant but they gave him some quirkiness seems out of place but makes him interesting and a fun watch. And their chemistry is just awesome. I've watched ep 2 and I can't wait to see ep 3 next week.

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AWWWW yay! I haven't watched it yet, but I'm so glad it got off to a strong start! It means so much to me that this drama actually be good because it would be so sad if the Jang's come-back drama didn't live up to their first!

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w-what did just happen? I lost it after the chiseled abs shampoo commercial...good lord! Keep it coming show!

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