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Marriage Not Dating: Episode 8

The fake engagement is beginning to change from a little white lie meant to help Ki-tae and Jang-mi each get something they wanted, into a monster that’s growing beyond their ability to control. Jang-mi especially starts to realize that this thing is getting out of hand when it (and her suddenly enthusiastic new mother-in-law) start to take over her entire life. The line between what’s real and what’s pretend is getting dangerously blurred, and pretty soon Jang-mi and Ki-tae are going to have to either come clean and take their punishment, or admit that possibly, they don’t want this fake engagement to stay fake any longer.

EPISODE 8: “Marry me if you can”

Curtains part, and a luminous Jang-mi stands in a gorgeous frothy confection of a wedding dress, as Ki-tae’s mother smiles at her approvingly. Jang-mi thinks to herself, “This person called my name like a flower” (jang-mi means “rose”). Ki-tae’s mother says her name gently, and it echoes in Jang-mi’s mind.

A few days prior, Ki-tae’s mom deep-cleans her fridge and thinks about Ki-tae yelling that Jang-mi can’t be left alone. Grandma asks if she’s feeling all right, and Mom says that she thinks she lost and that Ki-tae is serious about marrying Jang-mi. Grandma asks what she’s going to do, and Mom supposes that the marriage will happen.

A ringing phone wakes Jang-mi and she groggily answers, only to instantly wake when she realizes that she’s answered Ki-tae’s phone and it’s his mother calling. Mom says that she must be at Ki-tae’s house since she answered his phone, and that she’s there and coming up. Now. Time to panic.

Ki-tae and Yeo-reum are spooning on the couch and awww, Little Spoon Ki-tae is smiling! Jang-mi shudders to see them snuggled up, and pokes the boys awake. Ki-tae shoves Yeo-reum to the floor and hugs himself in horror, but Yeo-reum only seems mildly surprised, thinking he was spooning with Jang-mi.

We see that last night when Ki-tae saw them on the couch together, he had carried Jang-mi to his bed. She must be a heavy sleeper because he just dumped her on the bed, but went back to cover her with the blanket. Sweet.

Yeo-reum accuses Ki-tae of being jealous, but Ki-tae insists he was just being chivalrous to let the woman use his bed. Yeo-reum fusses at him for not taking care of himself when he’s sick, but Jang-mi breaks up the bromantic moment to tell them that Ki-tae’s mother is here. There’s a mad scramble as everyone runs in circles, and finally Ki-tae shoves Yeo-reum into his bedroom just as Mom comes in. She comments that they must be living together now, which Ki-tae runs with, earning a smack from Jang-mi.

Mom notices the mess from last night, and her sharp eyes don’t miss the fact that there are three glasses on the table, which Ki-tae deftly explains is because one glass got dirty. Mom then wants to see the bedroom and luckily, Yeo-reum hears her coming in time to hide behind the bed.

Mom is here to see what furnishings the “newlyweds” will need, as she checks out the bedding and mattress. Ki-tae says that Jang-mi will handle all that, but Mom says she wants to do it for them. She returns Jang-mi’s cell phone with an apology for yesterday and says that she’s decided to stop being suspicious.

She calls Jang-mi informally by her name for the first time, and Jang-mi hears it in that weird echoing tone from the opening scene. She says, “Jang-mi, Gong Ki-tae…get married,” and suggests this weekend for the families to formally meet. Shocked faces all around.

Later, Mom and Aunt Mi-jung talk in the car, where Mom assures Mi-jung that she’s dead serious about Ki-tae and Jang-mi getting married. She says it’s not up to her to decide if they get married, but to do her best for the marriage. Mi-jung quips that her best can be scary, and Mom says the scary thing will be if they actually get married.

Jang-mi is in shock, and Yeo-reum comments that Mom’s blessing sounded more like a curse to him. Jang-mi appeals to Ki-tae to do something, worried about her parents if the families meet, and he just sighs that he understands. He doesn’t want her parents to be hurt, either.

Later Ki-tae calls Jang-mi’s mother to thank her for the samgetang, and she mentions that his mother already called her to schedule the parents’ meeting. Ki-tae says uncomfortably that he wants to talk to her about that, and she offers to meet him at his office.

Yeo-reum sits with Ki-tae and thanks him for ending things with Jang-mi now. A prickly Ki-tae asks what it has to do with him, and Yeo-reum says that now he can date her openly. Ki-tae bristles even more, and Yeo-reum seems to take pleasure in detailing all the couple-y things he plans to do with Jang-mi and watching Ki-tae get flustered. In fact, he calls Jang-mi right in front of Ki-tae to ask her to a movie this weekend, since she’ll be free by then.

When Jang-mi’s mom meets with Ki-tae, he tries valiantly to tell her the truth but can’t get the words out, dreading hurting her parents since they’ve been so good to him. Jang-mi frets at work, wondering what’s happening since her mother hasn’t called her, and Hyun-hee approaches to ask how the wedding plans are going.

Jang-mi doesn’t really know what to say, and Hyun-hee interprets her hesitation as not wanting to seem happy in front of her, since her love life isn’t going well. Jang-mi feels bad and starts to tell Hyun-hee the truth, but is interrupted by a text from her mother.

She finds Ki-tae at his office and demands to know what he did to her mom. He smirks that he didn’t do anything, and she waves her phone in his face, showing him the text from her mom saying she’s having surgery today and needs a ride home. Ki-tae says with satisfaction that he just did a teeeeny little eye surgery on her, no big deal.

Jang-mi wails that he’s doing surgery when they promised to break the fake engagement, and Ki-tae is all innocence, claiming never to have said that. He says they just have to block the family meeting. HAHA, is he planning to keep up the fake engagement to keep her from dating Yeo-reum?

Jang-mi finds her mother recovering with her eyes bandaged, and when Ki-tae takes the bandages off, he’s all compliments while Jang-mi just gapes in horror. Mom’s eyes are bruised and swollen, and Ki-ae says not to worry, she’ll be all healed in a week. He pretends dismay when Mom points out that the family meeting is this weekend.

Mom is worried that going to the meeting like this will cause Ki-tae’s family to judge her, and Jang-mi says she’ll take care of it. Mom makes her swear not to mention she had plastic surgery, but Jang-mi says she has more sense than that.

But her big plan is to tell Ki-tae’s mom that her mother had hemorrhoid surgery. Because that’s less embarrassing than plastic surgery? She asks Ki-tae’s mother to push back the date of the family meeting, and Mom agrees, though she looks suspicious.

She calls Jang-mi’s mother directly and expresses concern over her surgery, causing Jang-mi’s mom to fuss that Jang-mi wasn’t supposed to tell. She tells Ki-tae’s mom that she’s not in pain, just a little swollen and embarrassed to show people, not realizing that Ki-tae’s mother thinks she’s talking about her butt.

Ki-tae’s mom offers to come visit, assuring Jang-mi’s mom that she doesn’t need to see that part of her body. She expresses some passive-aggressive “concern” that she must have offended Jang-mi’s family somehow since they pushed back the meeting and now her visit is being rejected. She says that Jang-mi’s mom must not care about her daughter’s wedding, and it works – Jang-mi’s mom agrees to the family meeting this weekend.

Ki-tae’s entire family sits stone-faced at the restaurant, and Ki-tae runs in late and flustered, not having been notified that the meeting was still on until the last minute. Finally Jang-mi’s family arrives, and everyone frowns to see Jang-mi’s mother in a pair of enormous sunglasses.

The families exchange formalities while Jang-mi and Ki-tae have this hysterical silent conversation just with their facial expressions: “What’s going on?” “This is all your fault!” “What did I do?! This can’t be happening.” “Nothing we can do about it now!” HAHAHA.

Ki-tae’s mother has the server bring a donut pillow for Jang-mi’s mother, who’s confused but sits to be polite. Grandma gently points out that the sunglasses are making people uncomfortable, and Jang-mi’s mom honestly admits she’s had eye surgery. She asks Jang-mi what she told them, and when she realizes what kind of surgery everyone is under the impression she’s had, she jumps up and tosses the donut pillow and assures everyone that that end of her is perfectly fine. It’s hilarious how everyone giggles, even Grandma.

They all eat in awkward silence, and Jang-mi has to contain her eyerolls when Ki-tae’s dad plays the doting husband, loading his wife’s plate for her. Jang-mi’s dad just stuffs his own face, leaving her mom to futilely harpoon her own food with her chopsticks, since she can’t see well with the sunglasses on.

Ki-tae’s mom finally brings up the wedding, saying that they were hoping to have it in two months, and Ki-tae and Jang-mi throw each other panicked looks. Ki-tae’s mom tells Jang-mi’s parents not to worry, that they’ll take care of everything since Ki-tae already has a home with mostly-new things. She says that she will take Jang-mi to do everything that needs doing.

Ki-tae’s family drives home in silence until Grandma can’t hold it in anymore and dissolves in adorable giggles, which sets off Aunt Mi-jung, and even Dad grins at how ridiculously the meeting went. Buzzkill Mom says it wasn’t funny to her, and Grandma comments that Mom has a hard road in front of her. Mi-jung actually sympathizes with Jang-mi, who’s about to endure a level of suffering she’s never known before.

Jang-mi’s family gets home and her parents immediately start fighting over whether it’s a good idea to let Ki-tae’s mother pay for everything. They accuse each other of being rude and unmannerly, and Jang-mi goes to her room for some peace. She gets a text from Ki-tae asking her to come outside, and he shyly gives her a gift for her parents. Awww.

Ki-tae asks if her family is okay (Jang-mi: “It would be weird if it were okay.”) and Ki-tae apologizes. He offers to take care of her mother’s wrinkles forever, which lightens the mood. But then Jang-mi gets a call from Ki-tae’s mother, whose voice echoes in that eerie way again when she says Jang-mi’s name.

The next day, Jang-mi and Ki-tae’s mother go shopping for bedding, Jang-mi looking like she’d rather be getting a root canal right now. Her attempts to refuse Mom’s generosity are met with insistence that she just wants to do something nice for them, so she’s forced to accept.

Pretty soon, Jang-mi can’t turn around (or even go to the bathroom!) without Mom calling her in that overly sweet echoing voice, and finds herself deftly manipulated into buying a new bed and a television as wedding gifts for Ki-tae’s family members. Jang-mi thinks to herself that when Ki-tae’s mother says her name in that tone, she’s compelled to obey.

It’s the last straw though, when Jang-mi finds herself at the doctor’s office with her feet up in stirrups. WHAT. She flounces out to the waiting room (still in the drape, hee) to protest her loss of dignity. Mom sighs that Jang-mi’s mother never brought her to the gynecologist, and lays out the plan: She’s to have a child as soon as possible after the wedding, then two more after that, all in the next five years. Jang-mi protests again, but Mom just insults her dedication to the family and sails out with a smile.

Yeo-reum waits at a restaurant for Jang-mi, but she’s had her own arguments used against her and been dragged to an acupuncturist. Yeo-reum tries to reach her for hours, but she’s not allowed to answer her phone, and he eventually has to give up his table to other customers. By the time she breaks free and joins him, the restaurant is closed, but he cheerily holds up a bag of takeout with a smile.

They head to Ki-tae’s place to eat, where Jang-mi is confronted about all the furniture and household items that have been delivered. She despairs that his mother must have magical powers, because by the time she realizes what’s happening, she’s agreed to everything she wants. She asks for him to pay her back for the wedding gifts she bought, and a stunned Ki-tae tells Yeo-reum that she must want to marry him for real.

Good-natured Yeo-reum invites Ki-tae to eat with them, but it backfires on him when Ki-tae and Jang-mi bond while planning how to deal with his mother. When Ki-tae steps away, Yeo-reum expresses his jealousy and they plan a date for the next day, joking that they’ll run away together. It’s Ki-tae’s turn to be jealous when he comes back and the two lovebirds are all smiles.

The next morning, Yeo-reum packs a picnic with food from the restaurant, and when the chef threatens to tell Hoon-dong, he just says that fine, then he’ll just tell him about what the chef’s been taking. Oh and he’s taking a few days off. Cheeky.

Jang-mi meets Yeo-reum on her bike, but Ki-tae is right there to fuss at her for dating in broad daylight when she’s supposed to be engaged to him. Yeo-reum hands off the picnic and goes to get his bike, and Ki-tae takes his chance – he pretends to see his mother and hops on Jang-mi’s bike, yells at her to get on, and flees. HAHA, did he just hijack their picnic? Poor Yeo-reum can’t even follow, because Hoon-dong grabs him to talk.

Hoon-dong confronts Yeo-reum about Jang-mi, asking how long he’s going to keep confusing her. Yeo-reum asks if he still has feelings for Jang-mi, but Hoon-dong says he’s mostly worried about his best friend. Yeo-reum smiles that Hoon-dong is the only one who doesn’t know what’s going on, and tells him to go talk to Ki-tae. Hoon-dong thinks he’s trying to horn in on his friendship with Ki-tae as well, and Yeo-reum just laughs.

Ki-tae bikes as far as he can, Jang-mi complaining the whole time, until he finally runs out of steam on a steep hill. They end up in a park, and she gripes at him that her personal life has been ruined because of him, and now he’s sabotaging her real love life. He latches onto this – did Yeo-reum ask her to officially date? She says love isn’t childish like that, and Ki-tae asks if they’ve kissed.

She admits that they have, and Ki-tae accuses her of being easy for moving so fast. Jang-mi gets fed up with being criticized by the guy she’s doing all this for, tells him that she knows his mother isn’t at the restaurant, and takes the bike and leaves him there. Serves him right.

Only, when Jang-mi arrives back at the restaurant, there’s Mom waiting for her. She asks after Ki-tae, who’s at the gym ignoring his phone. Mom takes Jang-mi to a wedding dress boutique, and Jang-mi can’t help but be swept away by the beautiful gowns. Mom has already chosen a gown and literally shoves Jang-mi to the dressing room.

Jang-mi gets all calf-eyed when she tries the dress on, and has to remind herself that no matter how gorgeous the dress is, she has to stay sharp. She tells Mom that it’s boring and finds a short-short wedding dress, saying she wants to show off her great legs. She stands up to Mom’s insistence that the dress is inappropriate, and they have a stare-off.

Se-ah finds Ki-tae at the gym and apologizes for trying to trick him, but he refuses to even look at her. Se-ah says that he seems confused about who loves him and who’s fake, which finally gets his attention. She says that she wants to make up and invites him on a trip to the beach, once again pushing just that one step too far. Ki-tae just says that he hates crowds and leaves, accidentally leaving his phone behind.

Jang-mi tries on the skimpy dress, figuring that if she insists, Ki-tae’s mom will drop the whole wedding business. But she’s foiled again when she strikes a hilarious pose in the dress, but falters when she sees that Ki-tae’s mother called her mom to shop for wedding dresses with them. The moms compliment Jang-mi’s natural beauty, but Ki-tae’s mom ruins it by saying that her taste is “kitschy.”

Jang-mi’s mom takes offense at Ki-tae’s mother’s comments that Jang-mi has no taste because she’s never had nice things, but holds her tongue when she offers to make sure Jang-mi has nice things from now on. She gets Jang-mi’s mom on her side by offering to buy the nicest name-brand wedding dress. You know, I hate how manipulative this lady is, but I have to give her props for being good at it.

Jang-mi tries calling Ki-tae again for a rescue, and Se-ah finds his phone where he left it at the gym. She answers, and Jang-mi is desperate enough to tell her where she is. Next Yeo-reum texts Jang-mi to remind her that they were supposed to run away together. When he tracks her phone to the dress shop, he figures Ki-tae’s mom got hold of her again.

Se-ah meets Ki-tae at his car, returning his phone and telling him that Jang-mi needs him, offering to take him to where she is. Ki-tae looks extremely wary, but Se-ah assures him that she wants to be on his side and holds out the memory card with the photos of Jang-mi and Yeo-reum.

Jang-mi tries on another fancy wedding dress, but Ki-tae’s mother just says she’s chubbier than she thought and shouldn’t wear revealing dresses. A more demure dress has the mothers worrying over the high price tag. Jang-mi thinks to herself that she had fantasies about her wedding gown like any other girl — she wouldn’t have cared if it were a simple dress, but only wanted to stand in it in front of her love and be told she’s pretty.

Another dress has the mothers in sync now, and Ki-tae’s mom tells her to suck in her tummy, tilt her chin down, criticizing her posture and attitude without a word about how absolutely stunning she looks in the beautiful gown. Every time Ki-tae’s mother says her name in that sickeningly sweet tone, Jang-mi gets closer to breaking, until finally she can’t take it anymore and runs. The triumphant smirk on Ki-tae’s mom’s face is appalling.

Jang-mi flees out into the street just as Ki-tae and Se-ah arrive at the dress shop. Ki-tae finds himself unexpectedly face-to-face with Jang-mi looking like an absolute bridal vision, and he’s frozen to the spot, unable to move or speak. If he hasn’t fallen for Jang-mi yet, he’s a goner now.

Jang-mi isn’t as affected, as she stares at Ki-tae with an expression that both accuses him of getting her into this mess, and pleads with him for help. Se-ah gets out of the car and sees the smitten expression on Ki-tae’s face, just as Yeo-reum drives up (having “borrowed” Hoon-dong’s car). Behind Jang-mi, the mothers come out and call to her.

Ki-tae finally breaks out of his stricken state and tells Jang-mi, “Wait. I’ll come to you,” but it’s not enough. She’s had all she can handle being torn between him and his mother – she gets in the car with Yeo-reum and they speed away. Jang-mi sits in stone-faced silence until a simple, “You look pretty,” from Yeo-reum sends her over the edge and into great, heaving sobs. It’s the right words, but from the wrong person, and she cries out her frustration and pain as Yeo-reum drives her away.

Ki-tae is left watching her escape with another man, maybe only now realizing how much he cares about Jang-mi, and how much he’s allowed her to be hurt.

 
COMMENTS

Oh, that ending scene hurt so good. I’ve been waiting for us to get to this point, where Jang-mi can’t take it anymore and finally breaks. I think it’s high time that everyone, including Jang-mi herself, realizes that she’s been trying so hard to please everyone else, with really nothing in it for herself, that it’s starting to hurt her deeply.

Jang-mi’s greatest strength, but also her greatest weakness, is her willingness to sacrifice her own wants to make others happy. She’s a truly good person who wants people to be happy, but she hasn’t yet matured enough to figure out that there’s a limit — if she doesn’t take care of herself too, she won’t be able to do for others. It’s time for her to stand up and say, “This is what I need, and this is what I want, and those things are important too.” And she’s fully capable of doing that. Her problem isn’t that she lacks a spine — far from it — it’s that she constantly chooses to put the needs of others before her own. She’s making the choice, but she’s going to have to figure out that there are other acceptable choices.

And nobody needs for her to do that more than Ki-tae. Yes, he’s starting to care for her, and I believe he’s already more than halfway in love with her. But he doesn’t respect her, and no wonder, because she doesn’t respect herself. While I believe that people deserve respect no matter what, I can see why a person like Ki-tae would have a hard time respecting a girl who constantly acts like a doormat to get people to like her. It’s probably even harder for him because he does know she’s capable of standing up for herself…after all, she does it with him all the time.

But it’s going to take some work on Jang-mi’s part, because watching her lie down and get stepped on time and again by others, is stopping Ki-tae from truly respecting her. And you can tell that he wants to, because he calls her out on it every single time, getting more and more frustrated when she keeps letting it happen. I think that once Jang-mi does start to defend herself and her needs, Ki-tae’s respect will snap right into place, because he wants to respect her, and for her to respect herself, so badly.

And she’s going to have to start with his mom. Ugh, Mom. Up until this episode I had a lot of compassion for her, because she really is living a tough life. Her husband steps out on her, her son doesn’t want anything to do with her, and she’s built such a thick cocoon of self-preservation that she barely has any personality of her own left. I’ve mentioned before that I think she and Jang-mi actually have a lot in common, in that they both sacrifice their own needs for their loved ones, but they just express it in such wildly different ways. I had hope that this would become a point on which they could bond, but now Mom is just getting worse and becoming more controlling and manipulative, and it’s driving me batty. I’m trying to trust that the show has a higher purpose for her than just the typical k-drama mother-in-law that tries to break apart the lovers but ends up pushing them together. But I’m seeing fewer of those hidden redeeming qualities and more of the sneering meanie, and I’m losing faith in her. I hope I’m wrong.

That said, I still think Ki-tae’s mom is the key to Jang-mi and Ki-tae finding each other, though not in the typical k-drama way. Ki-tae’s entire reason for this fake engagement is to thwart his mother’s desire to control his marriage, and by extension his entire life. If Jang-mi continues to go along with Mom’s plans in the name of peace, he’s going to feel more and more threatened that he’s going to actually be forced to marry her and be stuck with an extension of his mother. Jang-mi is going to have to stand up to Mom, and prove that she can’t be controlled or manipulated, in order for Ki-tae to find that much-needed respect for her and realize that he might actually want to marry her. She’s got to be strong and find her self-respect, so that Ki-tae can see that she’s capable of being a partner who is fully on his side, and who can get along with his mother but not cave in to her.

These two have a looong way to go. But I have faith they can do it.

 
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When Gi Tae said " I will go to you" then Jang Mi runs over to Yeo Reum, my heart broke into pieces. How could a drama be so damn funny yet so heartbreaking.

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SIGH- poor timing between those 2 & KT's crazy mother doesn't exactly make it inviting to JM to want to marry into the family ?

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I don't understand Why JM can't say:
"I'm in the throne room. Let me call you back when I'm done." Better yet, ignore her call.
"I'm at work. Can't just go shopping with you whenever you drop by. I'll meet you after work or on my day off."
KT's mom may be crazy, but JM going along w her craziness is just enabling.

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Sorry for double post. internet connection on the fritz. comment seems to be lost.
They'll come fix it 2 days later!

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That's Jang Mi also... part of her problem is that she likes interfering. She likes interfering because she gets attention and makes her feel less alone because in effect she's needed. In this one it's shown she's needed by Gi Tae, her mom, her potential mother-in-law, but in being needed in so many ways and not being seen as herself, she's feeling even more isolated than before.

If the major theme of this drama is loneliness. then this episode is showing that even when Jang Mi is surrounded by people, what she really wants is a connection. That's why she went to Yeo Reum as supposed to Gi Tae. Gi Tae cut her off by showing up with Se Ah. She thought she was helping him out, but felt a pang of loneliness, jealousy, etc.

She wants to be wanted, but she just showed up and decided what she wants more is to be accepted and loved. She wants real connection and Yeo Reum is giving that to her because Gi Tae's playground tactics and lack of directness isn't much different from Se Ah's.

So she showed real character change. She wants connection, not people to be just physically there. The theme is evolving nicely, isn't it?

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I was busting a gut from the start of this episode...up and till the last scene...then it got real.

It's gone too far. I was feeling so so so sorry for JangMi. Even though she brought it on herself...still man, last scene was hella-stressful.

And then, when YeoReum told her she looked pretty...I darn near went through an entire box of kleenex.

We hear JangMi narrate that her idea of a wedding dress is for the guy to say she looks pretty when he sees her...and that's what YeoReum said.

Instant Karma...be careful what you wish for.

Great episode, great recap, great comments.

I LOVE YOU ALL.

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Up until now, the person who delivered quantum leaps in personal growth in this drama was Jang Mi. So, when I discuss her biggest weakness, it is not to disparage her but to measure just how far she has traveled since the opening of this drama.

In my opinion, her biggest flaw (or weakness or mental disorder, however you want to characterize it) was not that she wanted to please everybody, but that she was incapable of understanding what everybody (including herself) really wanted or needed in the first place. This is because she never saw things in the way they actually were but in the way she wanted them to be or incorrectly imagined they were. As such, every one of her decisions without fail turned into a social disaster. This flaw was at the crux of her stalking saga against her first love and it is what propelled her into a series of faux pas with Gi Tae, who did not mince words as he criticized her (no, make it character-assassinated her). While she did not have a malicious bone in her, she was often the biggest ditz and most inconvenient pest in every social situation into which she injected herself. Indeed, for a lowly shop girl, she roamed high and low, only God knows how. And, for all we know, that is how she would been for the rest of her life. Until ...

As they say, that was then. At this point in drama, she is turning into a dazzling swan, and she is not even half way through.

It is Gi Tae who worries me. He was, and still is, incapable of anything but cerebral interactions with others. Such a person manages his affairs with exemplary neatness and efficiency, but staying alone is the only way to maintain it. And he knows it, as he tirelessly professed that all he ever wanted was for the world to leave him alone. As a hurricane known as Jang Mi is blowing through his core existence, he can go either way. I am guessing that the drama will push him in the right direction. I just don't know if the end result will be good enough or drama-worthy. But I am eager to be pleasantly surprised.

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@Dr. Hwata: I don't know, what you characterize as a flaw, I see as a revolutionary and kind of amazing ability that Jang-mi has/had to pierce through the bullshit and latch onto the emotional dynamics of what is happening at all times. She's not the type of person who can just bite her tongue when she sees injustice (and she is someone who could recognize injustice from a mile away). She will call it out, loudly (occasionally with the support of some soju). It's a tumultuous way of being, but I think it's actually awesome and exactly what Ki-tae's family needs.

People who speak truth to power tend to alienate. They fight for others and they fight for themselves. Many people don't want to fight. They want a comfortable existence. Jang-mi is committed to living a truthful one, and I think that is spectacular.

Her main problem as I see it is that she's not choosy enough about who she surrounds herself with. She needs a core group of people who love and appreciate her in all her troublemaking, emotional, truthtelling glory. She needs a close-knit makeshift family of people who will build her up for the very qualities that cause Ki-tae's mom to try and tear her down. Ki-tae respected that side of her from the very beginning, but he's so terrified of giving up his carefully manicured existence that he's equivocating.

I think that if/when Jang-mi finds people who truly love and appreciate her for who she is, she will be able to let go of this unhealthy need to constantly surround herself with people. She will be known, and that will be infinitely more satisfying than cycling through countless superficial relationships.

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ikr? at some point Jang Mi seems to have forgotten that the whole point was to defy and repel the mother and instead she seems to be doing everything possible to please her instead. Why not act haughty and turn her down every once in a while? And why must she pick up all the calls? Just ignore em O_O
I hope Jang Mi grows some sense, priorities and a backbone in the next episode or two or it'll be very disappointing.

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She doesn't lack for a backbone--she stood up for herself in the first two episodes, she actually threw a fit because the mother was being ill treated. She is willing to protect others, and stands up for herself and others. What she really lacks is confidence because she had a trauma where she was alone. Jang Mi's disease is that she wants to help and be wanted. She wants to fill in that loneliness. Being alone feels like a disease to her.

But she just discovered what she really wants is connection, and she isn't getting that from anyone in her family or close to her. The closest approximate is Yeo Reum. Who is distant, but emotionally supportive and available, though his details are sketchy.

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Hum... Hong gil dong ?

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LOL on the spooning bromance btween KT and YR..... ?

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cingdoc:

RIGHT? i was soooo laughing at this. And then YeoReum's response was so understated that I laghed even more.

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thanks for the recap Lollypip!!!!!!!!!
On to the ep, it was a very good one but men, i want my OTP together NOW!!!
That last scene was so powerful. i half wished she had gone to Gi Tae instead of YR but i understand why she made that choice.
And why are kdrama MILs so evil???!!!!!!

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I don't think KT's mom is inherently evil like so many MIL's - I think she is stuck so tight in her world view that she think it is the only "right" one, and can't get out. Or she is afraid to...

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I agree with you and, I may be on my own with this but I think KT's mom is actually the most layered character of the bunch. Unlike most Kdrama parents who are simply grabbing at power or control, KT's mom is different to some degree. Really, she's very similar to Jang Mi.

KT's mom is a woman that is trying to conform to her society in order to make those around her happy. None of her friends/extended family respect her, her husband cheats, and her son wants nothing to do with her. She masks her own feelings in order to accommodate those around her. She has no real identity of her own so she's wraps herself in the business of keeping up appearances because that's the only thing she can do. This is all very similar to what Jang Mi is doing by continuing the whole fake marriage.

Sidenote: its really great that both sets of parents are all alive in this drama. I've watched a ton of dramas and usually one parent is deceased. It really adds another layer to compare and contrast the couples' parents and their relationships to each.

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I really like how kt mom is methodically breaking down jang mi character..she is clever and smart enough to know dividing grown ups with threats don't work but having them realize the hardship of joining the family is quite brilliant..I'm not condoning her actions but it is a clever way..onto the mom looking out only for the family I don't know if I get it anymore..seems like all he cares for is superficial reason...she only wants to look good which could of drove her husband to cheat since she is neither emotional or romantically involve with anyone..If I was with someone thay constantly only looks out for other people view of me and doesn't show any emotions to my actions I would feel left alone as well..If people are saying se ha is like the mom then could u blame the dad for cheating..All we know is that he is but don't know exactly what drove him to thst point..and if the mom can put up with it then it's on her..Once u forgive someone that cheats they keep cheating..that's wat I don't like about jang mi..she would of forgiving hoon and she forgave yr and all it tells them is that: hey watever I do jus apologize and she would forgive me..If you r willing to put up with the other persons action than the only one at fault is yourself

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Hmmm I do agree with your point about the brilliant change in strategy of Ki Tae's mom.
But I don't think it's right to blame her for her husband's infidelity. Nor is it right to blame Jang Mi for Hoondong's childish ways.
These men did or are doing terrible things done entirely out of their own autonomy. Why blame the ladies?

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I agree with Juliette. These men are adults, and at the end of the day should be able to take responsibility for themselves. Again, why blame the ladies?

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Ooooh! I really like all of that about KT Oma. I agree that there is more than meets the eye.
Let's assume that she is also very aware of how much her life sucks, and how correct JM has been in pointing it out.
At the memorial service and at the mall.

KT's mom cannot solely object to JM because of her socio-economic situation. After all, the pres wife likes the crazy girl as a part of the family. KT's mom realized at the wine club that there may be some benefit to having JM around.

I'd like to think that KT's mom's efforts in separating this lively happy person from her son is so JM doesn't end up in their stifled life. SA, whom KT's cheating dad picked to help his selfish career, has been asking for this misery. SA wants>/i> a marriage without love. So be it.

She could also be thinking that JM is exactly what the Gong family needs if it wants to survive into future generations. Another SA leading them would bring them more suffering. A vibrant JM may help.

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@Juliette-people cheat all the time but its not like most people cheat just to cheat..they cheat because they feel alone, suffocated, bored..there are many reasons for adultery so we can't solely blame the father since we really dont know the story behind it..what if he wanted a divorce but the mother wanted to keep things together for their son and agree to let kt dad do what he wants without getting caught..that seems like the biggest possibility for me cause jus looking at their relationships..its all about appearance his kt mom..who would want that..

with hoon he never really did anything wrong..other then failing at breaking apart from jm he was a decent guy and very loving to her..she jus couldnt get the hint so dont know why people are so against him..he never cheated on her when he was with her but looking from his view..she is doin way worse then he ever had..im jus saying that jang mi is so forgiving and tries to be understanding to every and any situation that its her fault if she gets hurt again..

the ladies dont learn from their mistakes and if they forgive and allow it to happen then are u really goin to blame the men for what they do..like kt said to jang mi..she makes them bad because she does watever they want and for me if a girl lets me get away with everything..people start pushing the envelope jus to see how far they can go..

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I disagree- I don't think KT's mother is acting as an antagonist for Jang Mi's benefit, so that she can protect her from joining their dysfunctional family. I feel like she was touched by Jang Mi in some ways, like when she empathized with her after the typhoon incident. But still, she isn't a desirable daughter-in-law for her, from everything from her family background to her scandalous behavior and how she basically pales in comparison to Se-Ah, who's very desirable seeing as she has connections and a good family. It'd be cute if Jang-Mi and the mother end up as close friends and allies later on, so hopefully the mother will finally explode at her husband and stop her manipulative ways.
I also disagree with many people's opinions that Jang Mi is actually in love with KT at this point, and that she was the one to fall for him first. In dramas, it's usually made very obvious if the main character is in love. And it's not made obvious that she is, at least not with KT. She's still smitten with Yeo-reum. I think she was saddened by KT's murmured confession that he just really, really wants to be alone when he was drunk, lying curled up the bed, because he just looked so lonely and it's the opposite of what she wants, but she understood it nonetheless. And she's grown to care about him, though not in a romantic sense yet, so she wants to protect his wish.
I'm also wondering how she's not fired yet for ditching her job all the time, and a bit iffy how she ran out in the wedding dress- I mean yo, that costs thousands, probably, and I was just thinking, "What if you rip it? What if you spill something on it?" which completely ruined the dramatic effect of it all. But yeah, I get that it's a drama so they want the pretty shot of her running out in her wedding dress, and the fact that it'd be very uneventful and boring if she just simply ignored all of her mother-in-law's phone calls throughout the episode. Plus, that wouldn't fit her character.

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"KT’s mom is a woman that is trying to conform to her society in order to make those around her happy"

You wouldn't think so by how this episode ended. Only making others happy according to her own "high" standards.

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"She masks her own feelings in order to accommodate those around her. She has no real identity of her own so she’s wraps herself in the business of keeping up appearances because that’s the only thing she can do. This is all very similar to what Jang Mi is doing by continuing the whole fake marriage."

This.

I also saw a thread of the irresistible pull that 'keeping up appearances' has over us. Before we know it, appearances suck us in and we start living lies to keep up what we've started. We may not actually care what other people think, but we still want to perform well in the roles we've chosen.

I wonder if:
KT's mom was simply working to conform JM to what they expect in a daughter-in-law, so her family can keep up appearances in their elite social circle. Because that's exactly how she's had to live her life. While KT's dad was keeping up the appearances of being a loving and attentive husband when in front of others. Despite that when he's alone with his wife he's a self-centered jerk. JM's mom was desperately trying to keep up appearances in her hilarious attempts to make it seem that her family will fit into high society. And JM was trying to keep up appearances of being the dutiful daughter in law, even though she has no concrete plans of marrying KT.

So true to life. If we're not careful, don't we all find ourselves progressively conforming to patterns of expected behavior, before we think through whether the outcome of those patterns will be a healthy one.

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When Gi Tae said "I will go to you" but Jang Mi runs over to Yeo Reum, my heart just broke into pieces. How could a drama be so damn funny yet so heartbreaking.

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*ooops, sorry for the double post*

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I was so upset....i almost flew off my bed! So annoyed!!!!

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The only thing that came from that scene was kt hurt feelings from seeing her run away from him..to me I see her running from the drama and not running to yr..I need more scenes of jus kt and jm..they had probably two alone scenes this entire episode and it's so sweet how they talk to each other and comfort one another while making each other laugh..His criticism is harsh but she really needs to follow through with wat he says

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I totally agree!! They need more love scenes please! ! This show is really slow paced!

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True, but I think JM ran away from KT because after all she has been through that day he rocks up with Se-Ah, all buddy buddy after she had been so bad to them before. I wouldn't be happy either.

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@jangeusu

most definately she was trying to run away from the situation..i saw it as running from the drama and not running towards YR..i feel like if hoon was there she would of done the same thing..lol

dont even get all the hate related to hoon too..really wat did he do that was so bad this entire time..other then getting jealous of his BF dating his ex..he hasnt done anything to receive much criticism..its tough breaking up with people and some dont like the confrontation so i dont hate his method but it was mean as well..he is really the only loyal friend throughout the show..hyun hee is scary casue she manipulates but hoon backs his friend and even tells him if he thinks something is wrong..that guy is legit

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@lessonlearn
you don't get the hate? he took a coward the only good thing about him is that he is a true friend. how is hyun hee scary we barely see her enough to get a grasp on her character, i hope she is the girl to break him so can see how these girls felt

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@me

what would u do if a girl starting screaming and coming at you with a bottle..if he had hit her everyone would of said that he is abusive..so he did what he should..hide in the bathroom and let the cops handle it..otherwise it would of ended up in domestic violence..jang mi was pretty much off her rocker coming at hoon like that so yeah thats pretty scary..i dont think he has even really lie to anyone about who he is..he might be a douche but he doesnt hide it or try to play it off like he isnt one..plus hyun hee is even scarier..she got a guy drunk in order to seduce him..what do people call that when a guy does that to a girl?!?! oh yea..RAPE!!!

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If I were Jang Mi, I would have snapped four "Jang Mi's" ago.

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Exactly!!

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Seriously.

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Uh huh!

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Where are my manners???
@Lollypip, thank you very kamsa for the great recap .... Friday, please come quickly .... ?

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I read the ending scene as Ki Tae saying "I'm ready to make this real" (isn't 'go to you' cultural shorthand for a lover making a commitment?) - and Jang Mi saying "Eff you and your entire crazy family; I'm leaving with my boyfriend." I didn't think her sobs were sobs of 'wrong person', but of sheer relief that she's with somebody who cares about her and thinks of her instead of themselves (and who doesn't have a batshit insane mother, because lord have mercy.)

And the one thing that leapt to my mind was..."Jeez, Ki Tae, did you REALLY just decide to do nothing and just let the wedding *happen* when you realized you liked her? REALLY?" Because from the moment Yeo Reum declared that he was excited about dating Jang Mi openly, Ki Tae has done nothing whatsoever to slow down his mother's juggernaut of manipulation, let alone to stop the wedding. I think he just decided that he could coast into it and everything would be fine. ::throws up hands::

I can't wait to see the fallout from Jang Mi's mother who will (correctly) assume that Crazy Mom and Se Ah were trying to sabotage the wedding. Go, angry Mom, go! Unleash your fury!

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I didn't read those as relieved tears at all but I can totally see it being a mix of the two. Shes upset that Gi-Tae didn't help her out or anything and was also part of the entire problem in the first place but also finally SOMEONE said something nice even if it's not the exact situation she wanted, and she just starts crying in frustration.
I like that the scene isn't concrete, I'm assuming the next episode will clear it up.

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I saw it this way too. Another source of frustration was that Se Ah implied that she and Ki Tae had slept together or at least are spending time together (she picked up his phone, saying he was 'washing up.'). So Jang Mi must have felt incredibly betrayed. After all, wasn't she enduring the intrusive invasion of her personal life to spare him from getting stuck with Se Ah?

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I think you guys are forgetting a very important reason she didn't wait for ki tai and for the crying; when his ex answered his phone, she said he was in the shower; I am pretty sure jang mi misinterpreted that evenif she knows that it was unlikely they were together like that, she was still probably jealous and hurt for suffering for him while he was with the ex.

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I don't think she was *jealous*, but I do think she was hurt and angry that she was suffering and he was with one of the people who he was supposedly trying to get away from. Her expression was one of "Are you effing KIDDING me?"

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If you look again - you can see the hurt in her eyes when she saw Se Ah. I am not sure that she recognize it as jealousy seeing that her body, social status, and personal taste were being criticized by Ki Tae's Mom and her own Mom echoing her shortcoming due to her own insecurities and her Mom's attempt to fit in with the wealthy and educated.

But is it just me ...I loved Ki Tae's comment to wait and he would come to her buuuuuut why did he stand there....he made no effort to physically move. It was as if just saying those words made him realize that he was speaking the desires of his heart. He has had several jealousy outings. How many dates have he blocked? The near accident trying to get to her in the hospital. Moving her to his private domain of security on an island of one. He is now lying to keep them apart...yet...he speaks the words....and stay still.

I agree our Rose needs her feistiness back but Ki Tae is in need of a "IT's Not All About You" lesson.

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I went and re-watched the tail end of the episode, and I think that the silent conversation went something like this:

JM: Where the hell have you been? Are you seeing this?

KT: god, she looks beautiful ::brain seizes up::

JM: You said you would 'fess up! Look how far out of control this is!

KT: But...

JM: NOW, take care of it NOW. ::Se Ah appears:: Wait, were you sleeping with her? What is wrong with you?

YR: Get in the car, honey!

JM: I'm leaving now.

KT: "Wait - I'll go to you!" (Trans: No, wait, I love you, I really want to marry you.)

JM: WHAT? You weren't ever going to end this, were you? Did you think this was real? Eff you and your crazy-ass family! /exeunt

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"I read the ending scene as Ki Tae saying “I’m ready to make this real” (isn’t ‘go to you’ cultural shorthand for a lover making a commitment?)"

would love to see the answer to that question. I have been wondering what it meant as well, although I do not have any cultural knowledge.

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>I have been wondering what it meant as well, although I do not have any cultural knowledge.

I'll freely admit that I'm assuming, because I've seen something similar used in that context in other dramas. (Especially since Ki Tae was three feet away from her & didn't need to announce his intention to walk over to her.)

It makes sense to read it that way, and her reaction (widened eyes as she realizes suddenly that KT had no intention of stopping the fake marriage bobsled to hell) is appropriate for that interpretation, too.

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Hiii lollypip I'm from India.... I have been reading your recaps... Love your recaps..keep up the good job.... Thanks a lotttt!!!!

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HI! Im from India too!!

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This episode left me even more desperate for more episodes than last week!!! I loved this ending even if it certainly doesn't leave me feeling as giddy as the last episodes did. I think that this is such an important turning point for our leads though.

I'm glad that Jang-mi is just going all-out with Yeo-Reum now because the sooner she does, the sooner she'll realize he's not for her/that she misses Ki-tae, AND the sooner Ki-tae will realize that he's not okay with it.

I also think it's important that Jang-mi just does whatever she wants to do, not what other people tell her so as painful as the ending is, it also manages to be very satisfying at the same time. I think what you mentioned about respect is very important and hopefully the next two episodes will focus more on the leads building that respect for each other and for themselves.

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>because the sooner she does, the sooner she’ll realize he’s not for her/that she misses Ki-tae

I think I'm the only person watching who's rooting for Jang Mi and Yeo Reum. Go on, kids, get married and settle down in the seaside town! Let YR find work as a line cook, and live in a sweet little apartment! Let Ki Tae sort out his own issues! ::raises fist:: Fighting!

::grin::

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Not me - I actually dislike YR. He seems extremely shallow. Part of that might be his acting, which I am not impressed with.

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To me, YR comes off as 'deliberately cool' - not putting himself out there too much in case he gets hurt. He's not as expressive an actor as the guy playing Ki Tae, but I think it works.

When I went back and rewatched eps, I did notice that in scenes with the three of them, Jang Mi's eyes are almost always following YR (he is easy on the eyes, I must admit), and her body language changes whenever YR comes over. When YR says to Se Ah that he thinks Ki Tae is serious, but Jang Mi isn't, I thought that hit the nail on the head.

Ki Tae will have to put some serious effort into it if he intends to make that fake marriage real - starting with not insulting her. (Given it's a Kdrama, the male lead will eventually sink my preferred ship, but I can dream. ;)

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I went back to read some of the character synopses that were distributed. They all say that YR has an aversion to commitment which comes from being abandoned by his mom. He had no intention of getting married, but he unexpectedly starts to fall for JM.

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Trust me, you are not the only one... After this I NEVER want to see her in that family, no redemption is possible after the emotional abuse that everyone is complicit in - even her own mother!

Han Yeo Reum deserves some serious apologies for waiting and standing by her thru this madness and he puts aside his own annoyance after being ditched to smile and feed her takeout - best boyfriend ever!

Gi Tae pales in comparison - last episode should have been the last straw with him to have it out with his mother but he takes his anger out on JangMi - No Way!

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>he puts aside his own annoyance after being ditched to smile and feed her takeout – best boyfriend ever!

::fistbump:: Sing it, sister!

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I'm totally with you guys!!! I love Yeo-reum and I think he's exactly what Jang-mi needs right now. I think he's the perfect rebound for her: he's hot, sweet, talented and will ultimately be OK without her once they break up. I think people are hating on the character so much because it feels like for the first time in FOREVER that we get a second lead that actually HAS a chance with our heroine. And who seems to (as of now) interest our heroine a hella lot more than the lead!

As it is, I don't think that they would work out in the long run. If anything, the funny scene with Yeo-reum running around Ki-tae's apartment doing exactly the same thing that Jang-mi did her first time there shows how similar they are (if they're fear of abandonment didn't give it away). I just think that at this moment it's just SO MUCH EASIER to root for Yeo-reum than Ki-tae, he's been much nicer and better to Jang-mi than Ki-tae has. Ki-tae knew Jang-mi would be scared locked up, but when he finally found her he put his own frustrations and fears ahead of hers and YELLED AT HER. It was Yeo-reum that comforted her. She's been having a few horrible days of dealing with Ki-tae's mother and all Ki-tae, who should know better than anyone else how impossible it is to escape once the woman decides to control you, only offers criticisms and absenteeism. It's Yeo-reum who steadily waits for her and offers support.

I know that once Ki-tae changes his tune, I'll be happy when him and Jang-mi finally get together (and not just for the all-you-can-take plastic surgery her mom will be able to enjoy) but right now that boy does NOT deserve our girl. Go, Yeo-reum! Go!

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Ahhh exactly what I've been thinking! I know that eventually KT and JM will be together, and as long as the relationship dynamic changes and, as was said, it includes more respect.

But WHY is everyone bashing on YR/trying to get him out of the picture right now? He's been so good to JM, considering he's not a guy who seems to be super serious/committed to a lot of things. No, I don't think he's a forever soulmate, but he's certainly the right guy for her to pick at this point in the drama. KT, on the other hand, has been a jerk. I believe he'll eventually redeem himself, but at the moment he totally does not NOT deserve JM and I'm glad that she's not feeling the love back at this point. He's got to earn that!

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You're not alone but definitely less than I thought there'd be. I think you guys will have a field day next episode. As will we all, 4 way hijinks are going to ensue. And a kiss maybe (i hope not).

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I don't dislike Yeo Reum or anything, but I simply don't like him as much as I like Ki-tae.

When Ki-tae speaks, I get the sense that he's saying exactly what he wants to say, but when Yeo-reum speaks sometimes (not always though) it feels like he's thinking to himself "what does this person want to hear?".

Now this is interesting because this is exactly why Yeo-reum is the right choice for Jang-mi right now. He knows exactly what she wants to hear, but it also oddly makes him feel very surface-deep for some reason. When Jang-mi and Ki-tae interact it feels like there's give and take there, like they're not afraid to say what they want to say. I think that Ki-tae simply needs to learn a little more about saying and doing what Jang-mi needs once in awhile, instead of just saying whats on his mind. If he can do that though, I'm rooting for him completely.

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Very well said.

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"it feels like he’s thinking to himself 'what does this person want to hear?'"

Exactly. I think that's why I can't understand, and therefore like, his character. He's always acting and so I stiill have no clue what he's REALLY thinking and feeling. There have been very few moments where I felt like "Aha, there's his true feelings flashing through". I don't know if this is a failing of the actor, a failing of the show, or a deliberate choice by the show, but it's making me pretty frustrated. I understand the other characters not knowing his true feelings, but the audience is just as in the dark.

Maybe soon he'll have a complete breakdown and reveal he is truly an infamous serial killer!!! (Muahahahaha) Or you know, that he really loves JM or something......

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Very well put..I think jm sees her dad in kt since his parents are outspoken to one another while kt family is hiding within themselves from being diacover..I see yr as kt dad because he is all surface..nothing seems genuine about his actions while kt..While being harsh actually wants jangmi to come out for the better..she has been through so much because of her constant need to please and I feel like yr would jus let her fall down that hole..Each meeting the have had there hasn't been any true conversations..it's either him a skin her how she feels for someone or her talking about kt..With kt and jm they talk more about their deeper roots..there's more connection and outlet with one another..they don't seem to realize that they share things with each other thst they don't let anyone else know..

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THANK YOU. yes, very well said.

im less annoyed by yeorum this episode, but i still feel like yeorum is the guy who does all these princey stuff to ANY girl. like, he's not being sweet only to jang mi but to anyone who gives him attention.

he's this little kid desperate for attention (which is not wrong, really). i see jang mi to him like a noona taking care of a little brother -- a relationship similar to na jeong and chilbong in reply 1994. hence why its understandable why people are rooting for yeorum (i was sooo into chilbong too).

with gi tae, jang mi is more of an equal because she's not restraining herself with gi tae. with yeorum she's acting like a girlfriend, keeping her cuteness intact and all.

to each their own, but i'd still go for gi tae any day.

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hahah..with chilbong he was genuinely sweet from the get go with na jeong..he smile excessively becuase he really care for her..and his idiotic smirk becuase he was actually quite an idiot..lol but with YR..he knows exactly what he is doin..thats where the difference to me lies..

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...except she's been with Yeo-reum for four or five episodes now. I actually think that bit with her talking to Se-ah on Ki-tae's phone stirred up some jealousy in her, which, THANK GOODNESS. I can't handle her with Yeo-reum much longer, so that last scene basically made me go fsjfkwoeifueoisfs.

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But it made it worse when that ex gf stepped out of the car.....UGH!

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Same here. I was like:

"please don't go to Yeo-rum, please don't go"

"Ki-tae grabe her, GRAB HER!"

and when she ran to Yeo-rum, I was literally clutching my hair while shouting "NOOoooo!".. I think i lost about 10 hair strands there.

Its not like I don't like Yeo-rum as a character, yes he's a bit charming at times but i have a feeling that he's not just that into Jang-mi, its like what he said a few episodes back that he's intrigue as to why are those guys interested in her. Its like he's just testing the waters with Jang-mi. On Jang-mi's part as well, i think she's not really in love with Yeo-rum, he's just a breath of fresh air and she's having fun but not really in love because when she's with him, its like she's not her total self unlike when she's with Ki-tae.

That, or I just want Jang-mi and Ki-tae to be together like right now! :)

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Yup. Classic boy toy. Isn't that also what her relationship with HD was like?

She's probably attracted to lighthearted, superficial men because of her parent's incompatible relationship. But what she hasn't fully realized (yet), is that a superficial relationship will ultimately end up being just as unstable and painful.

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didnt the first episode show her setting up the room so that she can merry him..and both time she kept telling hoon or YR that she was the only sincere one and it was all on her..i think she really believes that any guy who is nice to her and says he likes her she falls head over heels and believes every bit of what they are saying..the parents keep saying that jang mi doesnt want marriage but they only came to that conclusion because kt told them..in actuality she is probably most desperate for a loving husband..even the synopsis says that she wants to get marry..YR might be fun and all but she is someone that tries to go deep into relationships to me..its always her falling faster and harder for the person

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While watching the last part. I was like:

"please don't go to Yeo-rum, please don't go"

"Ki-tae grabe her, GRAB HER!"

and when she ran to Yeo-rum, I was literally clutching my hair while shouting "NOOoooo!".. I think i lost about 10 hair strands there.

Its not like I don't like Yeo-rum as a character, yes he's a bit charming at times but i have a feeling that he's not just that into Jang-mi, its like what he said a few episodes back that he's intrigue as to why are those guys interested in her. Its like he's just testing the waters with Jang-mi. On Jang-mi's part as well, i think she's not really in love with Yeo-rum, he's just a breath of fresh air and she's having fun but not really in love because when she's with him, its like she's not her total self unlike when she's with Ki-tae.

That, or I just want Jang-mi and Ki-tae to be together like right now! :)

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There is sth that confuses me:
Why can't she say:
"I'm in the throne room. Let me call you back." Or better yet, not pick up when Caller ID shows it's KT's mom.
Also:
"I'm working now, and can't leave my post to go shopping with you. Meet on my day off or after work."
I know it's a comedy and a farcical one at that, but still, to be dragged out of the toilet time and again is ridiculous.
Why put up with All those "Jang-miiaa"?

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Why put up with All those “Jang-miiaa”?

Beause she is JangMi. Right now, she is so deperate to please people that she doesn't know how to reject them and her journey to eventually being able to do that will probably be one of the main highlights in this drama's plot.

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I know right! I keep thinking they've forgotten that this is FAKE and that they want to end this marriage. I don't understand why she's trying to please his mom when she should be trying to break up the marriage and lose her approval by being disagreeable. Don't buy the thermal mattress and tell her that you can't go to acupuncture! Tell her no kids! Get GiTae's mom mad! But instead she's acting like a real fiancé and following everything GiTae's mom says. I just don't get her logic. So frustrated!

Also, I don't mind YR at all, I actually feel bad for him because he's super sweet and Jang Mi keeps missing their dates and being a horrible girlfriend. Yes the actor isn't great, but based on the plot, the poor guy is totally getting shafted by JangMi. At least he's aware of it though and can see the relationship/feelings developing between JM and KT, so he's not totally being played. JangMi - stop playing the 2 guys and figure out what you want!

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Because that's not who she is. She's a people pleaser. Of course for the sake of the comedy it's turned up to the next level, but there are actually people like that (I know some of them), so it's not like the whole idea of it is unbelievable. And it's not like Jang Mi is doing anything inconsistent with what has been shown to be her character.

I notice that you keep asking why don't the characters do this and why don't they do that... The simple answer is because if they did, they would be different characters and this would be a different story. (And obviously one more to your liking.) If a viewer is halfway through the show's run and they still can't reconcile themselves to Jang Mi being a pushover and Gi Tae being emotionally backward, then maybe it's just a case that this isn't the show for them.

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I think you are right about the "people pleaser" syndrome she has. And she does not realize yet just how crazy it can drive people around you.

Many years ago, in another life, I had a girl I was going with who was positively afraid of even saying what she liked or not - I never knew where she stood on anything, and it drove me crazy. That lasted less than 7 weeks.

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KT's mom has decades of manipulating experience, Jang-Mi has close to zero. But I think that Jang Mi is learning fast, at least I hope so.

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Thanks LollyPip!
OMG SeAh is getting on my nerves. I was so surprised when I looked her up. She is Jenny from God's gift. Regardless, though she needs to lose the "I am gonna keep using the flashdrive card to get what I want." It's getting trite. I am getting to the point that I fast forward through her scenes when she's wallowing in self pity. Sorry for this rant.

Other than that, I love this drama so much. I cannot believe it is so funny. And, evolving very well. I can't wait for the evolution of that one cold open.

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Se ha hasn't had as much screen time but I'm not hating her character..she is exactly like his mom but luckily he stop short of the wedding..she mostly seems hurt and genuinely cards for kt but her pride jus stand s in between the situation..If she was truthful and admitted that she was hurt it would be a different story..

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I would agree with you...... except for that whole "GIVE ME YOUR SPERM! ~(O_o)~" thing. There isn't really any coming back from that, imo. The only thing I can think is maybe she wasn't really serious about it and was just trying to shock him/get to him? 'S still weird tho...

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hahah..that part was actually hilarious to me..she alreayd uses her powers to blackmail him so the whole sperm thing i think was a ruse so they can sleep together..u can tell she really wants him back but she has too much pride to admit it..i was thinking she might jus use the baby to blackmail to force him to marry her..she is the psycho that tries to destroy everything..she actually help them out several times so i feel she is trying to impress kt more than anything

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I am loving this series the last scene broke my heart when she went to YR but I guess this is the first step she is taking and going with her heart.

I just hope she realizes in the next episode that her heart is with GT as I cannot watch any more scenes with her and YR

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Eee. Gotta watch that ending scene!

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What a killer episode. Thanks for the recaaap! :D

I dont know if they're fully in love or what, but they seriously care for each other that it's hurting me too haha. Gi Tae made quite clear he quite liked her from a few eps back and Jang Mi also worries about him. But when Ki Tae was taken aback by her beauty and feeling bad for the situation, and Jang Mi cried when she heard Yeo Rum (instead of Ki Tae) say the words, it's quite a done deal.

I'm not losing faith in Mum just yet. I dont know why but from the beginning i had this feeling - maybe she sees herself in Jang Mi that she wants to save Jang Mi from whatever hell the family has in store (so that JM doesnt suffer like her).

Gaaaaah, Ki Tae saying he hates the beach but that's exactly what he does next episode when he chases after the bride and her runaway lover! Hahaha. In the beginning of the preview Hoon Dong is there too, but then we see Se Ah after that. Well, may not be quite the trip she wanted with Ki Tae, but it's something! Haha, I really hope she stops being manipulative and maybe she can just be a friend that makes KT realise that not telling your feelings for the sake of pride is no use. Oh and if the episode is gonna be full of our leads playing the jealousy shenanigans, I'm soooo in. This is gonna be fun, cant wait till next week!!!

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I agree with you, diba. We may be misinterpreting her words and actions around and about GT and JM.

Of all the characters, JM is the only one who tries to talk sense to her. And, as fake as the wedding thing is, the relationship between JM and KT Oma is real and developing. JM's biggest weakness is she wants to understand and please everyone. She sees KT Oma as sad and lonely and wants to help. While JM lets herself be pushed around, when it gets to shove, she rallies and pushes back. I loved the interaction, for example, in front of KT's house between them. Why didn't the MIL call up the DIL to deliver food? Why isn't the MIL including DIL in preparations? KT's response intrigued me, "Because I have know SA longer." or in other words, "We go way back." It is both an insult to JM somehow - that she has history with SA's family JM could never dream of having, and an insult to SA. THAT's the best reason you can come up with? Not, that SA is a bright little thing whose company you enjoy?

And, who says KT Oma, who is willing to give of herself to help EVERYONE else has not also taken JM under her wing? She IS pushing her out of the nest before JM has time to get hurt.

I may be being too optimistic about this character because I love the actress. :)

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I would love just an episode with only Jang-mi and Ki-tae in it. Put them in a room, and give me an hour of honest conversation between these two. That would make me happy and less seething.

I really like this show, but I'm at the point of beyond frustration. We're halfway through now, and yet I feel no forward movement. Jang-mi and Ki-tae have not professed their feelings (in fact, I have yet to see more recent signs from Jang-mi of her feelings), his mom has gotten worse (sadly, and I agree that her character would be wasted if she continues down this typical mother-in-law path), second-lead guy remains uninteresting and ineffectual (take him out, and I wouldn't even notice), and background characters have seemingly disappeared (even resident bitch, Se-ah, had little screen time).

Add to that, I hate when characters just stand around and stare at each other (does not = DRAMATIC). And I would've been fine with that ending scene if she hadn't just run off in the wedding dress. I get the drama of it, but it felt silly to me.

I totally jinxed myself when I said it couldn't lose steam. I'm feeling it, but I'm still hopeful that this second half will gear up and charge forward.

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AMEN TO THAT.
The drama's funny as hell, and i'm loving the whole plot but really, i'm hoping for progress..
Plus, tbh if i'm in jang mi's shoes right now, i'll prolly not fall for Gi tae at all.

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That last scene was so painful to watch. I thought it was interesting to note than Jang Mi was doing fine in the wedding dress shop until she called Ki Tae to come help and got Se-ah instead, going on about waiting for him to wash up and whatnot. I think that played a big role in that big question she asked "who am I doing this for?" The guy that won't even answer his phone and is off with some other girl when he apparently wants to be alone?
Then she runs out and there he is and she's "standing in front of the guy" and she realizes she desperately wants HIM to do or say something to make her feel better and they're having their moment. And BAM there's Se-ah again mucking up the works and Jang-Mi cuts off eye contact. And the mom duo (I'm angry with JM's mom too) come in and she just wants to get out of there.

Then YR is there to be her escape and do more of the grand romantic gestures she wants from her love in theory but in reality it's not him she wants it from.

I really can't wait for next episode. I wish I'd found this drama later so I wouldn't have to wait D:
Thanks for the recap Lollypip!

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Great input..I thought those two scenes were important to jang mi breaking apart and jus running off in the opposite direction..seems like even though she is putting her heart into this scenrio..kt seems to jus be running around..I like that when kt tells her to stand up she listens to his suggestions instead of always pleasing people..she is slowly turning the corner with each advice from kt but when he is not there to support her she feels completely left alone and the only asylum she has is yr..

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Well said. In a nutshell, exactly how I felt about the sequencestoo.

Jang Mi - even as I screamed once again that it was YR who came to the rescue (ditto the the Samgetang time when YR swooped in for the hug instead of Gi-Tae) ... I can totally see why she ran in that direction.

Gi Tae - argggh he didn't grab her! until he sorts out his own issues and baggage, is still confused as to what he wants. The fact Se-Ah can still come and go as she pleases, and climb onto his car ... that's another of his issues to work out too.

THANKS lollypip for recaps, and all commenters for the insightful reads.

YR - while his ever present smile is somewhat sickening, I can't say I immensely dislike him either.

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HMMMMM that ending scene spoke volumes....

Lollypip ur right about the whole self-respect thing! She has no self-respect and her parents don't help...i mean look at what her mom did... the rich =, nice, supposedly well-mannered lady is saying these things, m gonna go ahead and agree with her! I mean really!!!!! That angered me more than bitchy MIL, who at this point, has lost all pity and understanding that i had of/for her. I hope she gets what's coming her way!

Cant wait to see what happens in the next couple of episodes.

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Thanks for the recap~~~ I was dying.....

I am totally hating this episode and the cliffhanger~~!!!!

saw the episode a couple of days ago.. and now really frustrated cos I want to see the next episode.

so at the end of episode 8 my heart says don't get in the car.. stay away.. but my brain says she will go... sigh.. but then when you look through the preview for next weeks show there are things I don't really want to see.. and you are hoping its all a big tease (or heartbreak)....

hating the suspense.. I don't know why I keep searching for the next episode when I know it isn't on for a couple more days...

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oh... and whats with Jang-mi's job? she seems to spend more time running around than actually working.. I am guessing this is not realistic employee behaviour...

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Her boss has pretty much given up on her since she's going to quit to marry a doctor anyway. -__-

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The preview is a little promising to me.

HD has come for his car so we know he might do a little cockblocking for KT even though crazy cakes Se Ah is still here. Jang Mi's mom is such an easily swayed character that (even though she really should wash her hands of these people), she can easily be convinced to keep the wedding on. It looks like Jang Mi is a little jealous from the way she watches Ki Tae and Se Ah interact and then urges Yeo Reum to do romantic stuff with her, too. And even though it looks like Jang Mi and Yeo Reum might kiss again, it kinda looks likes she's hesitating so she might pull away or they get interrupted.

The Ki Tae twitter account has updated with pics of him and Jang Mi at the beach so hopefully SOMETHING happens between our OTP. I think the writer likes Yeo Reum too much because Ki Tae and Jang Mi have really not had enough cute moments yet this smiling asshole gets a scene with her literally every episode.

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*shudder* that smile.. everytime I see it I wanna see some teeth magically disappear.. *shudder*...

need twitter account... account name please..

I am expecting JM to pull away or at least for it to happen and her realise there is no chemistry there.. but with it being episode 9 coming up and 6 more till the finale, are we assuming this means YR is no longer required? He would just be sitting on the sidelines helping JM with her happiness...

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>has updated with pics of him and Jang Mi at the beach

With him smiling and her glowering at him. ::laughs:: Too bad the other characters don't have twitter accounts - a battle of selfies could be hilarious.

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Yeo Reum and Hoon Dong do have accounts… but I forgot what they are.

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Yeoreum and Hoondong are the two accounts that Kitae's account is following. :D @hund9513 and @summer8288 :D

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I assume that Yeo Reum's account would be full of nothing but photos of food. ;)

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It kind of bothers me that Im Ye Jin plays the same type of mother in almost every drama. I know there's a formula and this is Dramaland but I just want the mother in this drama to stand up for her child. I HATED the way Gi Tae's mom just railroaded Jang Mi while her mother just watched. There's no way I'd let someone do that to my daughter, in-laws or not. Socio-economic status be darned. Again, I just really, really want someone to defend/support Jang-Mi because it would be too much like right to think Jang-Mi would defend herself.

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I agree. I can see how Jang Mi might get railroaded into it for a while, but I thought it was really sad how KT's mom also walked over her mom. And even worse was how JM's mom just put up with it all - makes me wonder if JM got some of her characteristics from her mother.

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I can't believe I'm now once again stuck in an ongoing drama.
The pain of waiting for another week.. God.

Aside from the hysterical banter and nice chemistry and all the nice things this drama has to offer, I think I got sucked into it more than I originally planned to because I can somehow relate to Jang Mi for wanting to please everyone but herself. I don't know if it's just me being a smarty ass-wannabe but as an only child, I share that as well.

There's this belief in between us the only child(ren) that we are somehow expected to be spoiled and self centered all the time. To break the stereotype I try my hardest not to think of my needs and my wishes before I fulfill all of my friends' and my families'. It's simple logic, for me, you know. Which usually, ends up in my getting hurt all by myself as well while none of the others really know how I felt the entire time I was pleasing them.

But still, I would like for Jang-Mi to let herself grow into the woman that she is meant to become in the next remaining episodes. Because once she's got a grip on the ideal concept on pleasing everyone INCLUDING yourself really is, I know she will be unstoppable.

And Ki-Tae, oh, Ki-Tae. Do I have a bone to pick on you. WHY HAVEN'T YOU SNAPPED TO YOUR SENSES MAN? You clearly love that girl and you know you do. If he's still acting dumb and pretend like he has no hard feelings in letting Jang-Mi slip away from his hands, then we will seriously have a problem to discuss next week, dude.

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> before I fulfill all of my friends’ and my families’. It’s simple logic, for me, you know. Which usually, ends up in my getting hurt all by myself as well while none of the others really know how I felt the entire time I was pleasing them.

I am an only child, and hear you. I have the same issues.

Break my back and go out of my way to make things perfect for my mother, or other people ... and I am quite ahppy when they're are happy, but sometimes I trotally over extend myself, and no one realises it one bit

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I have to give a lot of kudos to YWJ and HG for their phenomenal expressions though, especially YWJ. You can see so many different emotions flash through GT's face during the last scene. JM only wanted to hear, "You look pretty" from her love, but his eyes said so much more than that! If only he had voiced it out. Alas, that's why the writers write and we watch avidly. Can't wait to see what they have in store for us next week! Thanks for the awesome recap as always, LollyPip. I kept refreshing this page after watching ep. 8 in order to read it! :)

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Thanks for the recap LollyPip!

ARGH! Has a drama ever been so good and so infuriating at teh same time? I still love this show, but I'm beginning to get a little frustrated with Jang-mi. We're seeing some good forward movement with Gi-tae this week, but JM is still the same overly dependent, self-sacrificing and starved-for-affection/approval girl we saw in the first episode. It's just that she's affixed her attentions to a new (almost as unworthy, imo) target. People are split on whether they like Yeo-reum, but I think we can all agree whether good or bad, she basically likes him because he's cute and he said he likes her. Whereas the one she connects with, tells her secrets to, makes herself vulnerable for, is actually Gi-tae.

You hit it right on the nose when you said that what she needs is to start respecting herself. Not in relation to Gi-tae, but with his mom, with Yeo-reum, with everyone else. What she doesn't understand is a life lesson we all have to learn at some point - that being too nice will get you walked all over, and that you have to love and respect yourself if you want others to love and respect you.

All that said, I was totally in her corner during those hellish few minutes in the bridal shop (DEAR GOD, GT's mom!) and I really do get why she left with Yeo-reum. Even though it crushed both my and Gi-tae's heart.

Let's have some one-on-one time for OTP next, hmm, writers? Pretty please?

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*one-on-one time for our OTP next week

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Aarrggh. This week left me so frustrated. I feel like the whole time, all Gi Tae does is let Yeo Reum snake his hero moments! First with the hug when Jang Mi was locked in his office, and then at the end of this episode when all she wanted to hear was that she was pretty!!

Come on, Gi Tae! I know you just figured out your feelings yourself, but STEP YOUR GAME UP!

So. Frustrated.

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When she ran to Han Yeo Reum, I seethed so much. UGH!! WHY COULDN'T I WAIT TILL NEXT WEEK AND WATCH 4 EPISODES SO I WOULDN'T BE AS FRUSTRATED???

I agree with some of the other people who have pointed out that it was after she talked to Se Ah that she got fed up and it wasn't until Se Ah came and stood next to Ki Tae that she ran into Yeo Reum's (well, Hoon Dong's) car so it's most likely jealousy on top of the stress from KT's mom that drove her to him. I just really want the Jang Mi/Yeo Reum ship to die. Sink to the bottom of the ocean and get eaten by a cracken. I wanted you to get the girl in DH2, Jinwoon but GTFO here!

Ki Tae's twitter account updated with some selca's of our OTP at the beach so I'm looking forward to some hilarity (as well as Se Ah taking the hint that he doesn't care about her since he refused to go to the beach until that was where Jang Mi was...). She seemed jealous in the preview, telling Yeo Reum to "do romantic stuff like them" which seemed to be like showing off that they were just as lovey dovey to piss of Ki Tae. If so, I'm totally on board for the next episode!

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>Ki Tae’s twitter account

Are you serious? Is this a thing? Do all the characters have them? ::cracks up::

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Remember how in ep. 5 they were taking all those selcas to "prove" they were dating? I guess they thought it would be a cute PR thing to have the account be real so all the pics are up there. There are 3 pics from ep. 9 posted (they're also in the Marriage Not Dating tag on Tumblr, if you have one).

I'm pretty sure only Ki Tae has one, though it would be adorable if they made one for all the characters and did little conversations to give us hints for the new episodes or stuff like that.

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Hands down, my favorite show right now. I had high hopes for the Crazy Mom - JangMi line to flesh out, but also had a tough time empathizing with CM this episode. Come on weekend! ;)

Thanks for the great recaps!

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Ughhh, that ending was so damn good and heartbreaking at the same time, I cry!

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My goodness! I have been waiting for this recap so I can put my two cents in! Ah! Am I the only one who is pissed off at the kdrama world right now?? First tout lovers...now this!!! Those darn ex girlfriends!!! They are just so weird...i mean, blackmailing for a kid???? Seriously! Now she wants to shoe her true feelings? Hell...i can see why he didn't fall for you in the first place. If I met someone like her...help me lord but I will be running so fast!!! Crazy witch!! That mom....seriously! ! You wonder why your son does not respect you! Psh!

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I'm right there with you about Dramaland this week. Trot Lover's little WTF moment at the end of e10 had me unhappy and then I was underwhelmed here (I still love this drama I just want more OTP scenes and less time w/Dramamamma, etc.)
I've also had it up to here with our exes in most of the Dramas I'm watching simulcast (glad Joseon Gunman doesn't have this situation because I just know Se Ra in Fated is about to throw some unhappy at the leads in that. But, I digress).
I'm hopeful that this coming week the writers step up the cute couple time for our main pair!

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Forced trip to the gyno shoulda been a deal breaker. Demanding she quit her job shoulda been deal breaker #2.

I almost died at that forced trip to the gyno tho. Seriously. How awful was that?

I think my favorite part of this episode was the silent conversation JM and GT were having at the dinner table with the family. The facial expressions are priceless.

Does anyone else think that GT and JM are going to find what they need in a parental figure in each other's parents and not their own? I keep thinking that the GT/JM's Parents and JM/GT's Mom are some of the most important relationships in this series.

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I think although Jang Mi says to Ki Tae that Yeo Reum is her new boyfriend I think she still really likes Ki Tae. Unfortunately, Ki Tae doesn't want to admit to her yet so he instead talks down to her or yells at her whereas, Yeo Reum seems romantic and more attentive to her which is the opposite of Ki Tae.

Also, I think Jang Mi was given the wrong impression that Ki Tae and Se-Ah were together having hanky panky when Se-Ah said Ki Tae couldn't come to the phone because he had to clean up. Then Ki Tae and Se-Ah showed up together at the wedding dress shop afterwards, so what is the poor girl going to think?
Her dream was to have the person she love tell her she was pretty in her wedding dress, but he drags his former girlfriend with him there. Even I would run away from him.

Hopely, Ki Tae fesses up and stop making Jang Mi go nuts with his pushy mom. Even though his family may be rich, they are definitely not all that great a family to marry into. I think Ki Tae's mom is spooky.

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It was so weird that jang mi wasn't smiling or giggly when she was reminded of the kiss when talking to kt like she was with hyun hee..even though she said she was dating I felt like she didn't want to admit it to kt..It seem like she was either saving herself or his feelings which gave me hope throughput the episode..The scene of them scheming and plotting to stop kt mom in front of yr because she totally forgets yr when she is enjoying her time with kt..I wanted more scenes of them alone but now yr seems to be in every shot..she ditches him on two dates but then he shows up at the time she gets her wedding dress which was such a weak excuse for showing up..hated that they jus created that scene with no fluidity and out of character of yr..does he have anything of his own..seems like he jus takes or steals from his work or smooches off someone else..jang mi needs someone that tells her the truth and take care of her which kt does without her knowing..His actions aren't always right but he seems to be turning the tide..Once he stops using her for his own gain will she realize that he truly cares for her..seeing her get run over by his mom wasn't a real shock since she is that type of person but after seeing her run out he sees that she has finally broken so I hope he comes to the forefront..With the previews from recent episodes they always trick or turn the situation like the we starting our love today which turn out to be a joke..I hope theses previews are the same

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Congratulations, show: you've entered crack status for me. It's been a while. Why is it not Friday yet!? Hurts so good...

Also, Jang Mi is adorable. First time I've seen Han Groo in anything, and I totally have a drama crush going.

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The problem with Jang Mi is that she is such a people pleaser. She knows she's in a fake relationship and she has free reign on making herself look bad in front of the in-laws but she just can't do it.

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I keep waiting for more backstory about KT's house situation and why he wants to be alone so badly. I think when he shares that with JM it will be a turning point in their relationship. I also miss their banter about relationships and if being alone or with someone is better. The way YR said that JM had fallen for the story about being abandoned by his mother made him look so bad. He seems willing to use whoever he needs at the moment. JM looks too adoringly at him right now for me to see how they are going to switch it over to KT quickly and that makes me sad.

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>The way YR said that JM had fallen for the story about being abandoned by his mother made him look so bad.

See, I saw that as YR defaulting back to 'keep it light' in order to avoid being hurt. Remember his line from before about how if he's serious, people tell him he's being too heavy.

For me, this scene reinforced how much he and Jang Mi are alike, in that they shape themselves to be what other people expect. Both of them learned this as a survival trait - it's just that YR is better at it (because he grew up without parents, unlike Jang Mi's loving - if incompetent - family.)

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Some thoughts on the last 2 episodes:
- I know it's pretty standard in kdrama land but i wish that the drama didn't have KT drive quite so recklessly in episode 7 on his way to rescue JM. Speeding is one thing, but he was running red lights and came close to getting people hurt/killed on more than on occasion. In the end it's not too big of a deal, but the scene would have resonated with me more had he just been speeding and was shown to be frustrated and impatient when hitting red lights...but still stopping at them. I mean her life wasn't in any actual danger.
- I thought that they could have executed the scene with JM panicking in the dark better too. Made it too dramatic imo, what with their choice in music and having the table (along with the soup) topple over under JM's weight as she searched for her phone.
-I'm not sure if JM was jealous about about SA answering KT's phone while he was "taking a shower". That might have been true to some extent, but she was probably more confused and upset that while she's having to go through all of what she's been going through, he's doing god knows what with a person that has a lot to do with why they're doing all of the fake relationship stuff in the first place. All this probably had a lot to do with why she wondered "why, and for whom, am i standing here" and then ran off. I think some people have a problem with how they had her just run off in the dress, but really, she finally cracked and just wanted out then and there without having to say anything or explain herself or deal with any more of KT's mom's shit. Of course she would run off with YR when the alternative is to stay with KT (and SA...) and their mothers and then likely deal with more fake marriage drama. I guess KT and her could have driven away together, leaving everybody else behind, but this just wouldn't have made any sense for JM's character at this point. Though maybe that's what would have happened if YR hadn't been there.
-As far as why she cried in the car, I think that was just because she was in a wedding dress and her boyfriend told her that she looked pretty, just like she's always wanted...but it wasn't a dress for their marriage, it was for a fake one. She's maybe wondering what the hell she's been thinking, to have let their fake marriage progress to this point...the situation is just messed up and she's had enough.
- Although GT's mom now believes that GT does actually have feelings for JM...I hope she still thinks that the relationship was fake from the start and that his feelings have developed along the way and are one sided....that she's pushing the marriage and trying to force JM to throw in the towel before she develops any feelings for him too. Either way she's a crappy mom, but at least in this situation she wouldn't be trying to break up a real relationship between her son and a girl that actually loves him. She really is being unbearably terrible to JM, and...

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cont...

if she's being like this to somebody that she believes to be sincere, then there's no coming back from that for her character, no matter what her life is/has been like.
-still don't like YR/JM relationship at all, but YR has had some funny moments with KT. I did enjoy the unlikely family situation of sorts that the 3 main characters had going on in parts of these episodes.

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I agree with you on the car crying scene. I think everything just hit her at once, and being told she was pretty was just the final trigger.

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Spot on analysis of Jang-mi at the end here. She needs to stand up for herself! She deserves to take care of herself, and have others take care of her.

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I think I finally see JM's jealousy in this episode, at the end when she called KT and SeAh picked up. She was misled to think that KT was with SeAh. I think that was the breaking point for her, for why she chose to go with YR.

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Mnd is crack drama of the year but man I wish the writer would hurry up and have jm come to her senses about who she really likes/loves and connect with. She should've have listened to gt when he asked her if yr asked to officially date. If a guy wants you, the first thing he wants to do is take you off the market. So what if he said he likes you and kissed you already. That's why even though the show has them dating it feels like they're just close friends hanging out. Yr is too smiley and too into keeping things light. I also don't get why he even dating jm. If he was perceptive enough to know that gt was sincere but jm wasn't, then by now he must know they're both sincere with each other. That more than likely, gt and jm feelings are mutual just that jm doesn't realized her true feelings yet. Come on, whenever the three of them are in s room, he's suddenly the odd man out when ft and jm

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Con't.....when gt and jm act like they're the only two people in the room. Unless he doesn't want to admit that there can be a woman to slip out his grasp since he grabs so much attention wherever he goes.

And jm mom at the bridal shop pissed me off. How can she just agree with gt's mom like that? How can she not defend and support her daughter? Must she watch say yes to the dress to see how it's done?

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Con't...act like they're the only two people there. Unless he don't want to admit there can be a woman who's not really interested in him because he grabs people's attention wherever he goes.

And jm mom pissed me off at the bridal shop. How can she just go along and agree with gt mom in tearing down her own daughter? How can she not defend and support jm? Does she need to watch and study say yes to the dress to see how it's done?

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Sorry, double posted

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I can't stand YR like seriously. I'm not exactly sure if its the actor or his character (since I hated his appearance on RM too).
I really wish KT could stand up to his mom like "hey, are you happy now that my bride ran away with another guy? All the craziness you've been shoving down her throat serves no purpose but drown and break her down into a woman unwilling to marry your son."
I get it that's what she's wishing for but why doesn't she see the point of letting her son choose the woman he loves? Isn't her a living example? I don't get it sometimes, do mother-in-laws in KDrama always do this? Mistreated and knowing how awful it felt but still continuing the cycle and inflicting the things they hated on someone else? Man. I just want my OTP. Even with KT/YR bromance, I still would leave the latter out of the love triangle anytime.

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On a side-note, i can't get over how pretty Han Groo is :D

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So many feelings over the ending, I just can't say anymore.
I am just gonna add .... GET MARRIED ALREADY. I am freakin' dying. OTP needs to be together ASAP. I can't with the second leads anymore. I want to slap them so bad and I know it's delusinal/overreacting and all. But damn it, I hate them for cockblocking OTP ..

I still freakin' love the show. Han Groo and Yeon Woo Jin are amazing as usual and that damn chemistry of them. I am craving <3

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Thank you for the recap. Jang Min needs to sit down and think about what she wants to do and her own future. Seems to me she is reacting to all kinds of situation and trying to please everyone. A period away from KT and YR may be good. For some reason, I am not convinced about YR as a character. KT, step out of your comfort zone and grab the nice and real Jang Min before she gets away. Looking forward to the next episode. Hopefully a respite from the MIL.

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KT's mom sure is a layered and deep character but I think she is taking away from all other side characters, they have been left in the shadows. JM's parents have somewhat strong standing but even they are out shadowed by one woman. Even SA has been sort of left behind. I enjoy watching JM's and KT mother's interaction but it bothers me that it's taking the whole time in every single episode.

I seriously dislike YR and that stupid smile on his face. He still feel sketchy and suspicious. It's hard to understand what he is thinking and that makes him so flat and boring. Him being abandoned by his mother, that has been mentioned like two times only, KT's mom is taking YR's screen time too. And instead of doing anything meaningful so we could understand YR better the screenwriter makes him cook pasta in every single episode, seriously,

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YR really gets on my nerves!

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I kind of understand why JM went to YR though. All through out this episode KT just go with the flow while JM carries all the burden of the fake relationship. KT did nothing to help solve the problem he shared with JM. Then YR offers an escape that of course JM would take. She's fed up with the situation that she needed a break.

I hope KT realizes what position he has left JM in to and face the problem head on, hopefully with his true self and feelings to JM.

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Thanks for the recap. Your thoughts have made me see some of the events differently. I actually didn't think she wanted to hear "You are pretty" from KT at all. I thought she was still too blinded by KT's pretty to want that type of attention from KT.
Hmmmm....because her kiss (her kiss) is on his lips may have changed HER as much as HIM.

What has made me happy happy watching this is the symbolism they are using to show deeper feelings of the characters. The pot of samgyetang that JM carried everywhere for KT that she would NOT abandon during her hellish make-over. It was there for the humor, of course, but also to show how much of a burden she is willing to carry for KT, and how far a journey that will end up being. It was KT's Mom's evil plan that made her spill it. YR was the one who noted it's value before KT did, and who unbeknownst to him, helped salvage that sacrifice and maintain its value for the OTP. When KT shows regret about the fake marriage, it is after looking at the pot that JM's mother provided to him when he needed comfort.

I also like him dragging JM up the hill on the back of the bike. Now that she is important to him, JM has become a burden. One that he is more than willing to carry, even though it is up a very steep incline. When he put her hands around his waist, he was saying, "Hold on, babe. It's going to be easier if you are with me on this." He really really tries to make it, but when it gets too difficult - you could say impossible, he stops and throws her off. He isn't ready yet to complete the job. At least, not yet. KT needs to do some serious thinking and planning to outsmart his mother if he wants to keep JM nearby. So far, he hasn't made any committment to the relationship. He didn't need to since it was fake. Now that it's real for him, he has to try harder to get up that hill!

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JM, of course, is blinded by YR's pretty not KT's..

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Oh, well said! Especially the bike ride - he wants the girl, but doesn't want the hard work of relationship-building yet.

It's kind of creepy how when Ki Tae is thwarted, he sort of turns into his mother, choosing manipulation over words - but in that bike ride, it works as a metaphor for how exhausting that sort of behavior is, and how it creates an even heavier burden.

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And that it takes two people 'peddling' to make a relationship move forward during difficult times.

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Ooh! Like!

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I just thought the bike scene was hilarious, but now that you point out the metaphor I love it even more. THANKS!
Also, did you notice the wilting rose by JM's bed after the parent meeting when KT called her out to meet him? I think that shows a tad bit about her feelings about their fake relationship, but it could also be a metaphor for herself in their fake relationship and she's slowly wilting as it progresses without proper attention.

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sweet thoughts.

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“because her kiss (her kiss) is on his lips”

LOL. Couldn't help but think of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYUdldNzLNA

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:)

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It would be nice to see the second male lead to get the girl.

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Wouldn't it be beautiful to see Jang Mi get the 'will never ever leave you' relationship she's always wanted? (And in this one, they'd live paycheck to paycheck for the rest of their lives, but they'd have staggeringly beautiful offspring.)

Of course, in that ending, Ki Tae would wind up alone, realizing too late that he really just wanted somebody trustworthy to share his life with. ::cue sad music::

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See, THIS is what i want too. For once for the second lead to get the girl, become a famous (and rich) chef thanks to the support of his loving girlfriend and for the main lead to realise that "psychological abuse and cowardly behavior " does NOT get you the girl and live with the regret of it. Go girl! get the one that does NOT torment you, withouth the batshit crazy family, and as a personal favor to me, before you marry the second lead, rub it in to the first leads face that had he been a bit more man about it, he MIGHT have been the Lucky one.Go ,GO for the love of Kdrama fans their sanity, DO IT !!!

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I must be the only one who doesn't mind how long it is taking our main couple to get together -- I like watching two good but flawed characters realize their feelings and grow as people. I want KT to have to do some work to win JM -- after all she's been through, it natural for her to retreat to someone like YR who seems to offer uncomplicated affection and support. And a little more increasing sexual tension along the way is all to the good. I'm more worried that if they declare their feelings too soon, we'll be right back in conventional rom-com land, trying to fill episodes with gimmicky obstacles to the path of true love.

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I like the pacing too. Just kinda wish I hadn't started watching the show while it's airing. Can't believe I'm waiting for my next MND fix.

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Thanks for the recap.

I found myself getting so angry with Ki Tae's Mom and the other manipulative woman in Ki Tae's life that I really want Jang Mi far from that family forever.

But of course the plot won't allow for that. I so wish it did, though. Because I so wanted Ki Tae to kick both is mom and Kang Se Ha to the curb. What a wuss this guy is! Heck, what shrews some of the women in this drama are! Now what looms ahead for us: redemption arc for Mom. So not looking forward to that.

I guess the writers will have to do something to break up the attraction between our heroine and our second lead male... WHICH is usual but also troubling for me. There has been some hint of attraction, yes, between the OTP but not enough to totally push aside the second lead. So now....for the realization (inorganic plot beat) that aha...they are right for each other. We will now have to be concinved that Jang Mi was really beginning to deeply love Ki Tae all along. Which makes me roll my eyes because it feels as if the show would be bringing the OTP together simply to bring them together.

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I think it's too early to assume that the show is going to have some inorganic, sudden light-bulb moment for JM where she realizes that KT is who she really wants to be with....and that the show is going to try and convince us that JM was really deeply falling for KT all along. Maybe it will do this, but there are still 8 episodes left and I think that they have plenty of time to execute everything more gradually now that KT is completely aware of how he feels for JM.

I also maybe don't see the JM/YR relationship to be as big of an obstacle as you do. I mean, he showed her some interest, they had that whole Cinderella moment at the end of the charity auction...and then she was pretty much ready to date him just days after getting out of a year long relationship that ended with her disastrous proposal attempt. She had that food friend idea because of KT's influence, but really, I think she was ready to jump head first into a relationship with him at that point...and with somebody that she barely knew and just days after getting used by HD for a year. I just see a very superficial relationship at this point that is more a result of JM's refusal to be alone than it is anything else. If the show got me to think that it was something more than that, then yes, it would be very difficult for the show to have JM organically fall for KT.

Also, while I wouldn't say that JM has really been falling in love with KT all along, she has, at very least, grown to see KT as a friend that she cares quite a bit about...and she's learned a hell of a lot more about who he really is than she ever knew about HD or what she currently knows about YR. So I like that there's more of an actual foundation there for a relationship between them because I think one of JM's biggest problems is that she falls for guys so easily without ever getting to know who that person really is – she falls too easily for calculated actions/gestures, and I really doubt that she's ever been in an actual, intimate relationship.

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I agree with you.

I also wonder if it's this:

Her choice of men (and her family-related fear of abandonment) might be animated by conflict avoidance as much as it is about people pleasing. She simply doesn't want to live like her parents. Dating superficial guys that keep the atmosphere light and only tell her what she wants to hear allows her to live under the illusion that she can have a relationship without conflict. The only reason she could endure the conflict of 'dating' KT was because, up until 'the kiss', she didn't feel emotionally vulnerable to him. She hasn't been able to get married because she can't be alone and jumps into relationship that can't last.

He deals with conflict that hits too close to his heart, by running and game-playing. Or by pretending that the problem doesn't exist. He just wants to be left alone to avoid conflict that close relationships bring.

Because both are paralyzed by the prospect of relational difficulty, they're having a hard time moving toward each other. They both want to move closer, but neither one can take the first step. Because it's scary.

If this is true, what won't help JM and KT is to move toward each other out of jealousy (which seems to be the territory the next episode will cover). Emotional proximity forced by jealousy won't resolve what's keeping them apart. Instead, it's their learning how to work through and resolve conflict that will bring our OTP together.

I'm sure hoping to see our lovebirds find a warm and good humored way navigate the scary territory that they're in.

....And to see their parents learning a thing or two by example. :-)

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I get what you're afraid of, Carole, but I've come to trust this writer enough to believe that she can make it work. I really hope that she doesn't disappoint!

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I kept checking every day for this recap so I'd be the first one but I guess that ain't happening lol. Just wanted to say thanks and Gong Gi Tae, my man, you better get your game on and actually do something if you know you like her cause youse about to completely lose Jang Mi.

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also, I really wish we got to see more of jang mi's feelings towards the boys, it feels as tho gi tae's are the only ones that are developing and that makes me a little frustrated because I really want to know what's going on inside jang mi's head too, and not just with the abuse the suffers from the monster-in-law

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If yr show any signs of sincerity I wouldn't mind his character but the guy really does use sympathy to get his way..When he first told jm that u don't want me serious and tells her he was abandon I was wow ok guess that was big for him..but then he blurs it out to kt jus so he doesn't get kick out the house..seriously wtf was that..thought he was a mysterious guy that was kool but it seems he uses whatever means to either apologize or get people to pitied him..He doesn't seem to eve care bout his abandonment but when people hear it he knows he can get away with more stuff

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Jm actually saw that as a turning point to their relationship so I hope she will find out that he jus manipulated her into forgiving him

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I was also getting frustrated at JM, but I think that last sequence starting from when she became all solemn after mistakenly thinking something's up with SA and GT, and then ending up running away, the soliloquy on how she only ever dreamed about wearing a simple wedding dress with the man she loves saying she's pretty, all that and then hearing YR saying the same line which led to her ultimate breakdown in the car, definitely points to the fact that she is, indeed, feeling something for GT. It was GT she is hoping to hear those words from.

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