Kolorful Palette: The senses that work [Girl Who Sees Smells]

by Fanderay

Love is in the air! And murder…but mostly love (at least for this episode). I’m digging the vibe of Girl Who Sees Smells, which is a pleasant combo of mysteriousness and rom-commy goodness. What makes it really work is that it’s all so well balanced, and there’s not too much of one or the other for any long stretch of time. What’s even better is that both aspects of the show are more character-driven than plot-driven, and I think that always ends up making for the stronger story in the long run.

Earlier this week I was hanging out with my mom and we saw a guy on some TV show creating a pretty cool sidewalk chalk drawing. My mom said, “Hey, you could do that!” and although I agree with her on a hypothetical level, it wouldn’t be my preference to squat on the street all day just to have my hard work washed away by the rain. Instead I sat my lazy butt on a comfy computer chair and tried to mimic the process digitally.

One fun aspect to Corel Painter is that besides choosing a medium, you can also change what kind of surface you want to draw on. This then dictates how the medium will manifest itself and what textures will be picked up. Usually I choose something fairly traditional (like watercolor paper or canvas) but this week I tried out “pavement” for the first time. I think concrete is definitely better suited to actual sidewalks, but I do particularly like how the texture lends itself to backgrounds (you can probably only really see it by clicking through to the larger version of the drawing).

This scene (as if it needs introduction!) is from when Cho-rim comes over to cook for Mu-gak after he’s stabbed, and when she wipes a bit of food off his face (because no one in drama can keep food off their face) he grabs her hand and smooches her! That’s all well and good, but I think the execution of this scene is stronger than the norm. When she initially leaned away it seemed like the whole set-up had been a fake-out and like nothing would actually happen (I fell for it) but then Mu-gak pulled her in like a champ. I also expected this to be the classic deer-in-headlights K-drama kiss (ugh) but instead Cho-rim actually kissed him back! When compared to North American TV it seems silly to make note of such a thing, but I consider every such moment as serious progress for women in Korean television, and it works wonders for us viewers when it comes to maintaining our suspension of disbelief.

This romance has progressed surprisingly quickly, but it feels right because it’s been an organic process and there haven’t really been any impediments to slow things down. I think I like this couple because their relationship is so innocent and honest, and they’ve come to like each other without any sort of outside pressure or love-hate complications. They’re just two lonely souls that feel like outcasts, and they’re happy to have found one another without even trying to deny their feelings.

Of course the other shoe has to drop and I can’t help but wonder what it is that will tear them apart. The most obvious bomb to be dropped is that Mu-gak’s sister died in Cho-rim’s place, but I would feel a little cheated if that was enough to break them up since they’re both just victims and both ultimately want the same thing.

Although this drawing is focused on the rom-com side of things, I do briefly have to mention how much I’m enjoying the psychological aspect to this drama, and the turn that the mystery has taken. There’s something to be said for a classic whodunit, but I think I prefer knowing who the murderer is and instead getting to guess who is going to outplay who, and how. Shows like Death Note and Liar Game operate similarly, and I think that’s why they were so popular. In the case of Girl Who Sees Smells there’s the added mystery of why. What is the deal with Jae-hee’s book-journals, and how is he choosing his victims? Is his prosopagnosia tied into his murderous motivations, or is just a plot device to keep him from recognizing Cho-rim as the witness?

Of course, there are decent number of plot holes (mostly involving the investigation) but since I already know everything as a viewer, those plots holes don’t really impede my enjoyment since I’m 99% focused on the characters. That being said, I can’t stop wondering why Cho-rim didn’t just go to the scene of the stabbing and track the murderer (the same goes for Bae-kyung’s murder scene). I’m hoping that she does discover Jae-hee’s identity soon, and it instead becomes a matter of finding tangible evidence and both sides trying to outsmart one another. As far as wiliness goes, it certainly seems like Jae-hee has the edge so far! Good luck Team Mu-gak.

The ending cliffhangers for this show aren’t really cliffhangers (it’s pretty obvious what the outcome will be, or at least what it won’t be) but I’m still always impatient for the next episode since there are still so many unknowns, not to mention the adorable romance.

RELATED POSTS

• Girl Who Sees Smells: Episode 1
• Oh Snap! Toons brought to life in Girl Who Sees Smells
• The boy who can’t feel and the Girl Who Sees Smells
• Yoochun and Shin Se-kyung’s first shoot for Girl Who Sees Smells
• Sensory Couple adds Namgoong Min, Yoon Jin-seo
• Kim So-hyun joins Yoochun (yet again) for Sensory Couple
• Shin Se-kyung offered lead in Sensory Couple
• Yoochun and Suzy sniff out new drama Girl Who Sees Smells