Warm and Cozy: Episode 8
by javabeans
Yessss, finally. As recently as yesterday, I was all set to give up on this show being anything other than a Hong sisters pastiche—still cute and fun to watch, mostly because of the leads, but all paint by numbers and predictable. It felt like they’d taken a coloring book and merely filled in the white space with crayons, rather than drawing new pictures from scratch. And while it’s not like Episode 8 reinvents the wheel or drops us off a cliff of narrative possibility, it is the first episode to surprise me with anything at all, and added a much-appreciated jolt of energy I hadn’t felt before. Just because it’s a relaxed drama doesn’t mean it should lack any sort of conflict, after all.
SONG OF THE DAY
Acourve – “고백” (Confession) [ Download ]
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EPISODE 8 RECAP
As Gun-woo catches Jung-joo before she rolls off her chair in her sleep, he realizes it makes him feel uncomfortable. He looks perturbed as Jung-joo snuggles closer, then sets her back on the chairs and tucks her in with a blanket.
He’s about to leave, but she starts fidgeting in her sleep and grimacing in pain, which he mistakes for cancer pain. Worried, he feeds her a couple of her not-cancer pills and asks if it’s very bad, tears in his eyes. She’s only half-awake and her mumbled response just adds to the misconception. When he rises to get her some water, she grabs his wrist and pleads in her sleep, “Don’t go.”
Her grip goes from wrist-grab to handhold, and he crouches there at her side, watching her sleep fitfully.
In the morning, Jung-joo wonders why he’s back, and Gun-woo just tells her cheerily that he got kicked out of the resort by his brother. It’s something that confuses everyone, since at the resort, his brother and sister are wondering similar things. Why would Gun-woo voluntarily out himself and return to the restaurant when he had a perfectly good excuse to stay at the resort?
Poong-san tells Jung-joo conspiratorially that it was because of her—that Gun-woo was so worried that he couldn’t leave her here on her own. He looks so proud of his Cupid meddling, though I wonder, do you really think you’re helping by giving Jung-joo the wrong idea? Or are you just really, really sure that the wrong idea will turn out to be true?
Jung-joo’s pleased at the thought, and it makes her extra stammery when Gun-woo gets inadvertently close while looking for ingredients over her shoulder. Flustered, she moves away to keep looking, and Gun-woo follows close behind, totally oblivious.
He chides her about the broccoli going bad in his absence, and she scoffs that he’s acting like he came back for her sake rather than being kicked out. He retorts that she’s acting like she didn’t want to take him back when she was the one to cling. Jung-joo barks, “Who clung?” And then remembers her words last night, to her mortification, though she pretends she can’t.
Gun-woo says he kept his promise to be with her when she’s sick, telling her he was worried, while she just replies that it was because she drank last night. She sees that he saved the conch shells from last night, and cheers up when he says he couldn’t throw them away since they came from her very first catch, and that she should save the edibles for him next time.
Gun-woo decides that it’s time to talk to Jung-joo about her illness and assess how serious things are. It’s a promising sign of maturity, though inconveniently timed—it has Poong-san gulping nervously and trying, to no avail, to hold him off for a bit longer.
The diver ajummas wonder why Jung-geun applied for the diving school but doesn’t come out to learn how to dive. But they recognize that Hae-shil feels a certain responsibility for helping him when she saved his life, and urge her to take a little extra care.
Hae-shil heads to the resort to try to track him down, and Jung-geun spots her first and whirls around to avoid being seen. His confused entourage just follows when he hurriedly walks in the opposite direction, and he mutters at his secretary to talk to her when she starts to follow. She explains that she’s looking for Song Jung-geun, who’s prone to bragging and says he owns an inn.
The secretary dutifully reports back to Jung-geun, who puffs up with extra pride to hear that Hae-shil came asking for inn-owner Jung-geun, not the fancy resort president. He takes it as yet more proof that she’s been thinking of him and decides he’ll deign to meet with her—only to hear that the secretary took it upon himself to send her away saying that there’s no such person here, in case she would cause trouble for Jung-geun. HA. Now she ‘ll just think he was spinning more lies about his very important status.
Jung-geun goes racing out of his office, shaking off all the important businessmen who try to have a word, and just misses Hae-shil as she drives by on her bike. He starts running down the road after her, calling her phone. He catches up to her when she pulls over to answer, though he has to lean against her while gasping for air. Though from the way she reacts to the touch, it doesn’t seem she’s without feeling.
She does lie about not coming to the resort to see him, saying that she was there to see the president instead, but he knows right away that she’s making that up. Furthermore, when she asks why he hasn’t been coming to the diving lessons. Jung-geun replies that he was doing that to see her, not to learn how to dive, but she’d told him she didn’t want to see him. So which is it—did she miss him, or not? Should he come out for lessons, or not?
Hae-shil just tells him to make it to diving class, and that’s enough to make him light up.
Ji-won (ugh, her) meets with Gun-woo’s noona, and when she hears that Jung-geun may be seeing someone, her eyes practically cross in jealousy. She emphasizes that Gun-woo’s just a friend, since she’s angling for big bro instead, though noona calls her out for keeping Gun-woo dangling on the hook while knowing he likes her. She warns Ji-won not to take for granted that she’ll always have him around, because he could change his mind and leave, as Gun-woo’s father did. Ji-won wonders if that’s what happened with Gun-woo’s mother, and noona realizes she’s again said more than she meant to.
Mr. Gong hears that Mayor Wook scheduled his office dinner at Warm & Cozy instead of his restaurant as usual, but he’s not in the least miffed about it. He’s caught on to Wook’s interest in Jung-joo and gets the employees to all agree to help set that romance in motion. It’s adorable how everyone wants to marry off the mayor, and they all work on a plan for the dinner.
This entails enlisting Gun-woo’s help too, though he says crankily that Jung-joo’s not the least bit interested in the mayor. Mr. Gong explains that they’ve decided to swap out the usual games with an arm-wrestling match, where everyone will purposely lose to Wook so he can impress Jung-joo. They’ll award him the prize, a pretty necklace, which he’ll then give to Jung-joo, at which point the employees will discreetly exit to allow them privacy. Then it’ll be Gun-woo’s turn to make sure nobody else comes by, so the couple can do anything and everything they want. Rawr.
Gun-woo imagines this scenario playing out in his mind, then scoffs that she wouldn’t just take a necklace so easily. But when he sees Jung-joo happily wearing a visor given for free by a local business, he gets a little uneasy. Especially when she declares that she likes all free things, and would accept anything given to her.
At the dinner, Wook’s staff encourages Jung-joo to take a seat and drink with them, while Gun-woo watches jealously from the kitchen. The arm-wrestling tournament begins, and an employee shows off the prize necklace before the final round kicks off. The other finalist asks Wook what he’ll do with the necklace, and he replies that he’ll give it to whoever cheers loudest for him. Ha, and then everyone moves over to the challenger’s side, leaving Jung-joo as the only lady on his side. That’s not obvious at all!
But it’s okay, because Wook is happy to promise Jung-joo the necklace if he wins, and she checks that the others don’t mind. She gives him an adorable “Fighting!” and he responds in kind.
Gun-woo sidles up just then, and Jung-joo tells him excitedly that the necklace is hers if the mayor wins. Gun-woo nods and says, “Of course he’ll win, since that’s how the game is rigged.” Oh, you’re so petty! He points out that the challenger didn’t disclose the handicap that he’s left-handed, which is proof that he has no desire to win.
The mood completely dies, but Gun-woo goes on about how it’s an unfair deal, and that these employees have a duty to be honorable in their public service jobs. And Wook isn’t about to proceed in a stacked game, so he suggests that Gun-woo step in and try to beat him, then.
Gun-woo rolls up his sleeve and promises to win the necklace for Jung-joo, and then the men sit down and get ready, their arms practically seizing in tense anticipation. The battle begins, and as Jung-joo watches the fight unfold, she realizes that the two men are fighting over her and admits that part of her feels really good about that. Hee, for once a heroine admits it!
This launches her into a fantasy sequence where she imagines she’s a princess with two suitors fencing it out over her. Poong-san the Pageboy asks who she’s rooting for in her heart, and she looks back and forth between them, conflicted.
By now both guys’ faces are beet-red and their arms are swinging from one side to the other. Jung-joo asks herself where her heart is, and finally concludes, “Mayor… I’m sorry!” Apologetic, she strikes a pose—elbow up, head down, just like Wook’s underwear ad. Pwahaha. He’s so shocked that his concentration breaks, and Gun-woo seizes the moment to slam his hand down to victory.
Jung-joo opens her eyes to see the results, and for a split-second is excited to see that Gun-woo won. Then she sees Wook’s wide-eyed look of hurt and bows in apology. Aww, poor slack-jawed mayor! If it weren’t so sad it would be hilarious. Well no, it’s hilarious anyway, but poor mayor nonetheless.
Gun-woo crows that the necklace is his, then presents it to Jung-joo, per his promise. She asks why he intervened when she could have won the necklace anyway, and he replies that he didn’t win it for her—he just didn’t like the mayor. So he offers it to her casually like some random freebie, and now that her hopes have been disappointed, Jung-joo rejects the offer. She tells him to give it to the girl he likes, and he just stews in exasperation at how this conversation skewed in the wrong direction.
At the resort, Jung-geun and noona have drinks with Ji-won, and talk of the upcoming party where noona urges Jung-geun to make peace with little bro. Jung-geun tells her to bring her boyfriend, and noona teases that it’s time for him to bring a partner too. Ji-won offers herself for the job, only to have him decline the offer, and when noona points out that she should be Gun-woo’s partner, she’s hasty to insist that they’re just friends. Noona clarifies that Gun-woo likes Ji-won, and Ji-won looks pissy to have that outed.
She finds Jung-geun afterward to clarify that she and Gun-woo aren’t together, and that she wasn’t just joking about wanting to be Jung-geun’s partner. Gah, are you still talking? I wish she came with subtitles, so I wouldn’t have to listen to her petulant voice. Jung-geun understands that she’s making a confession, and very clearly draws the line—he doesn’t think of her that way.
Gun-wo gets a message on his phone and heads out, and Poong-san speculates that Ji-wan called him out, which Jung-joo hears with some disappointment. So when she sees that the necklace box is empty, it makes her upset, which Wook notices as he settles his bill. He lingers after his party leaves and asks what happened to it, and she admits that she doesn’t have it because she told Gun-woo to give it to the woman he likes.
Wook is affronted to hear that Gun-woo took that necklace to another woman and calls her a dummy for losing the necklace just like that: “So why’d you go and root for the person you like, when you should have rooted for the one who likes you?” Awwww. At her confusion, he asks how she could miss what he’s saying, and she lets that sink in. And then: “Did you… know that I like Gun-woo?”
Wook just gapes at her missing the point so completely. Then she complains about him insulting her for liking Gun-woo one-sidedly, and exclaims in frustration that she really is a dummy if all she took from his comment was that he was insulting her. Which… she then takes issue with as another insult. Sigh, this could go around for days.
Wook grabs her arm and instructs her to look him in the face, ready to clear up the misunderstanding for good. Which is when Ji-won pulls up to the restaurant and ruins everything for everyone. Well, by everyone I mean mostly us, who have to watch her now.
On the upside, seeing Ji-won arrive and ask after Gun-woo cheers Jung-joo up considerably, as she realizes that he didn’t go off to give her that necklace.
As it turns out, Gun-woo meets the doctor he’d contacted previously, asking for advice on what to do to help his sick friend. He really is being so sweet about the illness that I fear for the fallout when he realizes what the truth is…
Jung-geun takes to haunting Hae-shil’s home again, and when he calls, she wonders if he’s got surveillance on her and looks around her front yard. He ducks out of sight and broaches the topic of parties, and whether she’s been to any. She informs him that she’s on her way to one right now, and heads over to meet a group of her diver friends for a makgulli party.
One diver ajumma comments on how happy she looks these days, suggesting that it’s time she forget about her bygone husband now—it’s been thirty years. Mr. Gong notices Jung-geun lurking and tells him the rest of the story, about Hea-shil moving down to Jeju from Seoul at the young age of 19, freshly married, and losing her husband within a year. She’s worked hard and lived diligently on her own, so he’d better not disrespect her. In fact, Jung-geun is really best off just leaving her alone.
Watching her drinking makgulli with villagers, Jung-geun sees now that this is her “level”—the words are terribly snooty, though I suppose the point is valid about her not fitting in with his world. So he wishes her well at her party, thinking to himself that he can’t invite Hae-shil to his, and starts to leave.
But she starts to sing a song just then, stopping him in his tracks with her mournful verse about bidding a love goodbye. Perhaps against his will, Jung-geun finds himself following her home, quietly, and seeing her gaze off wistfully with tears in her eyes. Now he recollects her first words to him upon rescuing him from the water, about life being precious and worth living. Perhaps words she’s lived by.
The town’s sly blogger-novelist plies Gun-woo’s noona with liquor, fishing for more details to incorporate into the novel she’s writing. So that fisherman who died had a 19-year-old diver wife, did he? Noona tells the blogger to stop pumping her for information about her mother and Gun-woo’s father, all while drinking up.
Gun-woo arrives at the restaurant with heavy heart, wondering how to broach the topic of Jung-joo’s illness with her. From the medication she’s supposedly taking, the doctor had deduced that Jung-joo must be in a lot of pain and wondered whether she’d given up hope on treatment. The best thing, he’d advised, would be for Gun-woo to persuade her to go to Seoul for treatments.
As he and Jung-joo clean up inside, she hesitantly mentions that Ji-won was by, which he already knows. They bicker mildly about her being in a hurry to kick him out and him staying put, which ends with him offering to stay here at Warm & Cozy with her “until the day she dies.” That gives her a thrill, while Gun-woo encourages her to speak up about something she might want to tell him, which she’s been holding back on for fear it would burden him.
She’s embarrassed and deflects, which he takes for reluctance to talk about her condition. So Gun-woo asks if there’s anywhere she wants to visit and offers to take her there, after he first takes her to his brother’s party at the resort. She figures it’ll be fun, going to a free party and getting a free trip—but her wording makes him feel bad, and he asks if his feelings are just like a freebie to her.
Her reply is teasing, asking what they’re worth if they’re not free, but his are uncharacteristically serious. He replies that he doesn’t know, then hands her the conch shell from her first catch, saying that he’s put a catch of his own inside. She lights up to find the necklace in the shell, and he says that he put a ton of effort to win the necklace he didn’t want to see the mayor giving her: “I don’t know how much my feelings are worth, but it’s not a freebie that gets given easily to just anyone.”
Jung-joo admits that she was rooting for him to win, and thanks him for the necklace. He smiles to himself, and she heads up to bed feeling giddy, staring at her necklace. The free visor that gets handed out to just anybody gets tossed aside as a random freebie, while the pendant she calls the real thing.
In the morning, Wook drops by the restaurant and notes that it’s closed for the day. Jung-joo tells him about the party she’s going to and asks for suggestions on scenic places to visit in Jeju. Wook notes the necklace around her neck and gets cutely pissy, saying that he knows tonnnnns of great places, but he’ll only share them with the woman he likes. She wheedles for a tip, and he barks that she should like him or marry him if she wants to know, but that his info ain’t free. In a huffy, he bikes away… and then rounds back in a circle to grudgingly mumble a location at her.
At the resort, Ji-won receives word that the folk performance group they’d hired can’t make the day engagement, and suggests getting real Jeju divers to fill in. Hae-shil and her diver ajummas end up receiving the last-minute request and arrive at the resort with their gear in tow, just as Jung-geun sends his driver to collect her at home to be his date at the party after all. He instructs the driver to wait there until she arrives.
Jung-joo gets dressed up for the party, and Gun-woo compliments her freely, though behind her back he allows himself to worry for her condition. He tells Poong-san he’ll talk to her when they go to the beach afterward, so Poong-san realizes he’d better come clean before then.
Ji-won meets with the same doctor Gun-woo had met (I’m recalling that her family is affiliated with a hospital), who wonders if she knows Gun-woo’s sick friend here in Jeju. She mulls over that curious bit of information, wondering who it could be. Then she sees Gun-woo arriving at the resort with Jung-joo, and her mouth drops open in outrage to see his date. Clearly a case of I don’t want you, but I don’t want anyone else to have you either. Brat.
The diver ajummas are briefed on the reason for being called here, which is to take photos with the guests at the party. Oh, like Mickey Mouse at Disneyland? Ouuuch, that’s insulting. The ajummas are indignant, and the hotel employee makes things worse by insinuating that they’d better comply since their president is a sponsor for their festival. One ajumma gets particularly worked up, and in the chaos Hae-shil gets knocked into the pool.
Jung-geun arrives and hears of the situation, just in time to see Hae-shil getting out of the pool. He’s apologetic, but the damage is done and Hae-shil heads off angry at him for the event and for lying about his identity.
Gun-woo splits from his group to meet his hyung and noona before the party, and Poong-san takes the moment to warn Jung-joo cryptically about what’s going to happen tonight. He tells her to enjoy everything to its fullest, because things may change drastically before the night is over, when “the door to the truth is opened.” Ha, it’s cute how poetic he gets about his part in the lie.
Gun-woo goes up to his noona full of purpose and tells her not to sell Warm & Cozy. She asks if he means to just let Jung-joo keep borrowing it, and he nods yes. She asks for how long, and he replies, “Even just one day more.”
Ji-won finds Poong-san and asks him about the sick friend, and he’s surprised enough to use Jung-joo’s name, confirming the doctor’s story. She plays along like she knew all this already, though she perks up when he mutters about the whole thing being a misunderstanding. Off she goes to confront Jung-joo, all full of smug attitude. Ugh, you. Just… leave already. Go poof.
Ji-won finds Jung-joo, full of self-satisfied condescension as she asks if it was nice having Gun-woo being so nice to her all the time. But she’d better not confuse that for actual feeling, Ji-won says, gleefully announcing that he’s under the misconception that Jung-joo’s deathly ill. Everything he’s done was out of pity. You are the worst and I hate you with the burning of a thousand venereal diseases.
Gun-woo can’t get a hold of Jung-joo or find her anywhere at the resort, and Ji-won stops him to tell him point-blank about his misunderstanding. She says that Jung-joo lied to him about being sick to get him to do all those things for her, and informs him that he was being used. Of course she’d put together the facts that way, since that’s what she’d do. But Gun-woo just shakes off her arm and continues on, surprising her.
Jung-joo heads to the lighthouse alone thinking back to all those times Gun-woo was so sweet to her, now seeing them through the lens of her new information. Every act of concern, his constant helping hand, the promise to stay with her until she died… all driven by pity.
Gun-woo drives up to the lighthouse and makes his way to her, his eyes burning with this… look… that I just know is going to end well. It is, it is! Those eyes!
Jung-joo takes the lead, asking if the thing he meant to ask her was about her sickness. She tries to act nonchalant, but her voice breaks on her tears as she asks if he only stayed with her because he felt pity for her, thinking she was dying?
But she’s not dying, she informs him, and he’s a dummy for believing that. In between sobs, she says, “You said you were mine till I died. But now what?”
Still staring at her intently, Gun-woo closes the gap between them and pulls her close to his chest.
“I’ll keep being yours,” he says, and as soon as the words are out, his conflicted expression eases and he smiles. “Until [I] die, I’m yours.”
(Translation note: The Korean language constantly drops subjects and objects, frustratingly, and this conversation can be interpreted ambiguously — even though it’s totally clear to me that they’re talking about feelings and not objects — so that’s worth keeping in mind. I don’t think it’s wrong to wonder if they’re talking about the restaurant, though they’re totally not talkin’ about the restaurant, if you know what I mean.)
COMMENTS
Now that is a way to do a confession. I love it I love it I love it. I take back everything I said about you behind your back, Gun-woo, maybe while throwing darts at you in effigy and chanting hexes. Not that I didn’t love him before; it’s just… he inspires an urge to throttle that’s almost as potent as the urge to attack with kisses.
Now, though, he’s all in and I’m just all aflutter at what comes next. I know we’re only halfway through and there’s no getting around an inevitable slew of conflicts to trip up the budding romance, but here’s to also hoping that leaving eight episodes open after the confession means we get eight episodes of skinship and kisses. You guys can fight in between all the making up!
One thing I really give Gun-woo credit for is acting on what he knows—the problem is always that he doesn’t know a whole lot, ha. When he recognizes how he feels, he doesn’t go through a whole lot of mental gymnastics to rationalize or deny it (unlike, say, his emotionally regressed older brother). Granted, that could be because his brainpower isn’t up for the exercise, but in any case, he’s a simpleminded and -hearted kind of guy, in a good way, and there’s a really lovely straightforward appeal to that.
I’m glad to see the return of the extended metaphor and the way this episode played with multiple meanings on the same spoken thing. We had Jung-joo’s love of all things free, which translated later to a valuation of feelings—not a literal dollar-for-dollar conversion, but a tip of the hat to the idea of freebies lacking emotional value. Which is doubly interesting because love is, of course, freely given—in one case, handing out samples indiscriminately devalues the item, but in the other case, feelings are given with thought and intent and therefore, as Jung-joo noted, “the real deal.”
It nicely recalls an earlier episode when Jung-joo accused Gun-woo of being too careless in his temptations (ddukkboki in that case, though she really meant his affections), because his thoughtless and intention-less gestures were still giving her fluttery feelings, and she wanted to protect herself from the misinterpretations. Whereas here, she dismisses the win as thoughtless and he counters that it meant something real.
We also had the recurring usage of the phrase “until I die” peppered throughout the show, building to a nice surprise here as the crux of his confession. The drama has been rather thin on the usual Hong sisters energy, which often employs fast jokes and a stream of puns and zippy pacing. I don’t miss those things for their own sake, but as tools in adding texture to otherwise familiar stories—stories of rich men and poor women, or bickering housemates developing romantic tension, or pouty manchildren being infuriating and adorable in equal measure.
Rather, I appreciate that those devices build extra layers of meaning on top of the basic plot, because that’s what makes their dramas feel like their dramas, like things only they could (or would) write. It’s a relief to see they haven’t entirely lost that touch, not just because I miss it but because Warm and Cozy is a better drama for it, and the actors are so winsome that they deserve to have material that makes use of the depth they’re capable of showing.
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- Warm and Cozy: Episode 2
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Tags: featured, Kang So-ra, Warm and Cozy, Yoo Yeon-seok
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1 fgb4877
June 4, 2015 at 8:09 PM
At least it feels like a Hong Sister's Drama!!!.BTWThanks Ms. Javabeans for the recap.
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fgb4877
June 4, 2015 at 8:37 PM
Sorry... "At LAST it feels like a Hong Sister's Drama!." Until now the depht of characters was at a surface level, but several moments were really great:
1.- As a comedy, Joon Jeon's sabotage using the Hwangto Man pose.
2.- Hyung discovering the layers of depth and sorrow in Ajuma's life. I loved the moment when he was pondering if Hae-Shil would look like a mole on any of his high class parties to discover this heartbroken, noble and sensitive lady under that stern façade.
I am still worried about the depth of Ugh-Yeo (my very own nickname for SWMNBN -please tell me if it is offensive in Korean and therefore not to be used-) since she is still depicted as a gold digger (the scene with her "confessing" hyung how much she admired him was off-putting to say the least). It also worries me that she is so disrespectful to the Diver Ladies. In any kind of politics the best solutions are win-win but underminig and pushing down your counterpart in any negotiation is dangerous (basically you make an enemy out of nothing) and usually comes back at you later.
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KDaddict?JCW
June 4, 2015 at 9:15 PM
Hi FB,
You are thinking of JW too kindly. She IS a gold-digger from the beginning. The only reason she isn't interested in GW so far is that as far as she knows, he has no access or control over his money. She is like a calculator, always trying to maximise her chances at riches.
Now that she has been turned down by Hyung, she'll turn around to try to woo GW. It'll be fun to see her fail, repeatedly and miserably.
She is not capable of respecting anyone. She only sucks up to ppl whom she thinks will benefit her, and looks down on and ill-treats everyone else.
The diver lady is already doing Hyung good. She is helping him grow some depth w/o her even trying.
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fgb4877
June 5, 2015 at 4:25 PM
Dear Ms. KDaddict, the problem for me is a monodimensional character. I've read in some other post down here (Ms. Lifoser, comment 34.2) that probably the Hong Sisters are trolling on us using a cliché villain, but I miss the explanation about why she is like that... then she could be understood and even redeemed (at least I would consider that an aditional layer on this drama) at the end of the show. She needs an arc; if not, she is an horrendous plot device.
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Quinze
June 5, 2015 at 8:51 PM
Yup! I hate characters that function only as a plot device. In this case, she has very little use aside from showing up to generate conflict and being a one note black hole of negativity. There's no vulnerability to her, no backstory, no reason- she's got a good position in life, respected, obviously has good connections, doesn't seem to be lacking in anything. I get there are people that are deliberately snooty in life but usually they come with their own baggage. She's literally the lone flea here and it just makes my eyes roll to the back of my head.
I can't even believe she's a troll for the audience because you'd think they'd inject some humor into her scenes as a wink to us but there's not even that. Mostly it's an "Oh...you're here. Well let's talk and insert X key gossip here for you to use to ruin someone's life. K bye now..."
submonkey
June 5, 2015 at 5:59 PM
Ugh-yeo is a perfect pun on aegyo --- it fit her too perfectly! haha
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fgb4877
June 5, 2015 at 6:55 PM
Then Ugh-yeo it is :) .
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fgb4877
June 6, 2015 at 3:55 PM
... And it is also a code for UGH. YOU. ^_^ .
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2 meme
June 4, 2015 at 8:17 PM
That ending...“Until I die, I’m yours.” is better than I love you.
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Mohammed
June 4, 2015 at 8:40 PM
This whole ep and the ending showed why only Hong sisters can go from wacky rom com humor to great serious romantic moments.
This ep remined me how different their style, quality is in the genre. Like Javabeans recap say Hong have more things like metaphors, puns etc and dont rely only the usual predictable rom com elements.
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lenrasoon
June 4, 2015 at 8:58 PM
I know, i loved this confession line and Yoo Yeon Suk delivered so well.
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PeepsLeAwesomePotato
June 4, 2015 at 11:25 PM
I will admit... that I thought they were talking about the restaurant...
I am clearly no romantic.
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yayabean
June 4, 2015 at 11:34 PM
I totally agree ?
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riarallahssi
June 5, 2015 at 7:38 AM
Right? It's like a marriage proposal, or a life-long business deal closed. My heart is fluttering. Who cares about I love you's anyways?
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bunny
June 5, 2015 at 1:53 PM
I totally agree!
...but I thought they are supposed to be...twins?
I'm confused.
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clicky
June 6, 2015 at 7:38 AM
Reminded me of "WIll you still love me in the morning? Forever and ever babe!"
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3 KDaddict?JCW
June 4, 2015 at 8:22 PM
I want to slap everyone who gives Ji Won info so freely and easily, starting w the old doc, who should have at least heard of "patient confidentiality" in his long years of practicing; Why tell JW that GW has a very sick friend he is worried about within 2 sec of meeting her?
Then there is the delightful match-maker who seems to dislike JW, cos he tries to walk away from her the min. she calls out his name. So is it nece to talk out loud in front of her?
Worst is GW's sister, who keeps spilling the beans about GW's parents to the nosy blogger. Does she have no respect for GW's privacy at all?
I know their being Big mouths is nece to move the plot forward, but it is not a clever way to do it. It's always a sign of lazy writing.
This drama is enjoyable where the 2 couples are concerned, but the writing is really subpar.
Now hyung has dug himself into a hole. It should be fun to see him dig himself out.
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iamdeb
June 4, 2015 at 8:54 PM
how in the world did you get that smiley face in your username?! it's cute :)
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KDaddict?JCW
June 4, 2015 at 9:17 PM
Do you have a set of special characters in your WP? Just click on the one u want when u make up your username, just like u add the Smiley at the end of your comment 3.1.
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windsun33
June 4, 2015 at 8:55 PM
Agreed on the writing. I finally have given up. Made it about 20 min into ep8 and even with a lot of fast forwarding I simply have no interest in what any of the characters do.
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KDaddict?JCW
June 4, 2015 at 9:21 PM
W this level of writing, it's hard to care about the chars. Plainly, it makes them plastic, unreal and at times stupid. Somebody commented earlier that Warm & Cozy is good for watching b4 bedtime, cos it puts u to sleep. ;)
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kobrakiddo
June 4, 2015 at 11:08 PM
This I hafta agree! I always watch before bedtime, and it keeps me all warm before I head to bed. The power of the super adorable OTP, I guess heh.
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kalel
June 5, 2015 at 2:23 AM
+1, lol!
W&C put me into bed as if I had a relaxing full-body massage. I'm so grateful to Hong sisters.
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4 immalurker
June 4, 2015 at 8:23 PM
Gun Woo.. *squeeee*
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5 YosoyHaru
June 4, 2015 at 8:25 PM
Yes! Thanks for the recap.
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fgb4877
June 4, 2015 at 9:40 PM
Dear Ms. Javabeans and Girlfriday, thanks a lot for your recapping and thanks to all fellow Beanies for giving me all this enjoyment. Warm and Cozy hasn't been the best of dramas I've seen, but thanks to all of you (both recappers and forum comrades) the experience has been joyful. You are the best part of this drama at least for me. Thanks.
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6 Redge
June 4, 2015 at 8:26 PM
Oh GW, you redeemed yourself this episode. For being thoughtless and too carefree most of the time you sure know how to get to a lady's heart!
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7 nonski
June 4, 2015 at 8:32 PM
OMG! It is here thank yoy so much JB! Off to read...
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nonski
June 4, 2015 at 10:34 PM
i am just so happy that the confession is out, openly out between the two of them. it may or may not mean directly as is but it is so refreshing that we've settled. yes, they really do like/love each other.
i am so contented of how this drama keeps going in the light and breezy tone.
i am just a little down since i am expecting something from the jung geun-haeshil pair. anyway we still have 8 more episodes
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kayg
June 5, 2015 at 9:44 AM
omg you are in soompi too hahaha
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nonski
June 5, 2015 at 6:23 PM
Lols yes!
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8 sketchedwords
June 4, 2015 at 8:33 PM
I've been a silent lurker for this drama for a while. I just don't feel the need to write walls of texts anymore. I was so excited for this drama as a big YYS fan and admirer of KSR. I'm happy finally the drama picked up and found it's footing.
My biggest complaint about this show was the lack of emotional tug. It's hard to be invested in a show even if you love the cast if you don't feel anything. The previous episodes until this week failed to tug on those emotional moments that I thought might give me those compelling feels. Like the part with JW announcing GW is only a friend. We saw him sad for like two seconds and bam then his argument with JJ a little bit later.
This week however was a different story. .We had lingering moments with JJ and BGW. Those moments really tugged at my heartstrings like him trying to find excuses to return to Warm and Cozy. This episode was my favorite especially that huggg omg and confession. Holy crap my heart was all over the place!
I hope the drama will continue to give us heartfelt moments like this confession scene. YYS and KSR are amazing actors who can totally rock those scenes. Now the wait for next week and no preview ;___;
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EscapingGravity
June 4, 2015 at 9:37 PM
+1 I love emotionally charged scenes and I'm glad we got a dose of it in this week's episodes. I'm definitely praying that the Hong's will bring more in the near future, because I know for a fact that both leads can bring on the emotions as much as they can bring on the cute.
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songsong
June 4, 2015 at 10:01 PM
Great post sketchedwords!
Don't lurk anymore, continue to post!
Yes YYS & KSR are amazing actors & the last scene in ep 8 is just awesome!
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Elena
June 5, 2015 at 1:55 PM
Yes, the scenes where GW was looking for a reason to return to Warm and Cozy were too sweet. He was so disappointed when he found his glasses, and later so happy to tell hyung that he need to kick him out,...
YYS is the best! *-*
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9 Miss D
June 4, 2015 at 8:33 PM
Thank you so much for the recap! I can't watch the episodes while abroad so I'm so happy that they come up on the day of the episode :)
Plus today's episode was specially sweet! The last scene...man...I wish I could get a confession like that
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10 sartorius
June 4, 2015 at 8:33 PM
Yaye for the ending for both couples!
For the older couple, i thought it was about damn time..... now m excited to see where their story-line goes.
As for the younger couple, i'm excited to see where things go...it looks like GW is going to need all the support he can get seeing as his parent's story is going to scandalous. EVEN more exciting, i cant wait to see JW's smug face be smashed to pieces with GW and JJ love/like for each other!
Frankly this show is proceeding very slowly and every time that i get frustrated, something like this happens. M looking forward to the next 8 eps, but frankly this feels like Hong Sister drama from the 2000s, which is surprising given how good and different Master's Sun was. I feel like they have reverted back to their cliches which worked back in those days but doesnt work out anymore now.
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Mohammed
June 4, 2015 at 8:46 PM
Funny i thought Master's sun was their weakest drama since 2009s Your Beautiful and in the bottom of the among their dramas. It was weak by their standards in that the ghost story part wasnt convincing and they didnt write the angst, conflict part as good as usual, weaker second leads than in Greatest Love, Gumiho.
Awesome actors like Gong Hyo Jin and So Ji Sub, their awesome chemistry hid many of the flaws of that.
Warm and Cozy isnt their best, not near it, its more old school cliche wise but its warm,cute romance, nice chemistry,nice humor compared still without having two great leads GHJ and SJS.
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kalel
June 5, 2015 at 2:54 AM
Hong sisters probably pay homage to their 10-year career in the rom-com genre. It's been my hunch since the first episode and I'm pretty much conveinced by now.
The drama includes all the stereotypical references of the genre and are (in uneven portions, of course!) divided between the main lead couple and the second lead one (ah, how do I fervently love all four of them, lol ).
Since we've been half-way by now, I can honestly be happy for another funny rom-com (or com-rom, by all means) which is perfectly suitable for a rewatching time and again; unlike the one before MS...well, you know which, right?
Thank you, DBs for your recaps ;-)
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fgb4877
June 5, 2015 at 1:12 PM
@ Kalel: Mmmm... it is interesting your theory since for me it seems pretty similar to 2006's Fantasy Couple in several aspects. Even Flower Bouquet (with a downgraded version in Ji-Won) and Kang-Ja (with a more sophisticated version in Ms. Blogger).
@ Mohammed: I respectfully disagree, Master's Sun is in general one of their strongest Dramas (at least for me). Usually the "ghost of the week" format resonates with the main couple's dilemmas (and understanding) at that point of the run. And Little Sun is a surprisingly fleshed, flawed and endearing second female lead (in this drama Ji-Won is more a plot device than a character, that is a little off-putting for me). There is a lot to love in Master's Sun.
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bunny
June 5, 2015 at 2:11 PM
I second that.
Master's Sun uses interesting concept, for the least. I don't usually watch ghost themed films, but I watched Master's Sun and it's superb for the reason that they conclude their ghost story every episode.
Even though Warm & Cozy doesn't use the usual punch (intense conflict, someone being in danger, etc), I still find it amusing. It's funny and light, and it makes me feel as if I'm on vacation, with every single episode I watched. I mean, how many dramas actually have that effect to its audience? :)
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11 sel
June 4, 2015 at 8:39 PM
"You are the worst and I hate you with the burning of a thousand venereal diseases." omg. LOL.
It did pick up this week, which was nice. The intensity of that last scene was amazing. Those eyes indeed.
Funnily enough, as unbearable as Ji-won was since the first few episodes, I've wanted to kill myself less now when she's on screen. I think this is a combination of like getting desensitized to her and also her growing impotency. These last two episodes, she's losing more and more ground as Gun-woo's concentration shifted toward Jung-joo. All her power as a villain is basically contingent on his devotion, and with that waning, she's getting toothless in terms of actual ability to do harm. I don't imagine this will last at all, but for this week, it was nice!
That said, the dynamic between Ji-won and Gun-woo was kinda split open last week, and I was kinda interested in that. I don't wanna go too much in their history, but I do wanna know a bit more about Gun-woo in that respect. I feel like it totally changed things when Gun-woo said he knows exactly what's going on but goes along with it anyway--it makes him less of an idiot in one way and more of an idiot in another, I guess. It definitely adds an interesting facet to him, and it doesn't seem too far-fetched, weirdly enough. It makes me think he has the capability to be pretty cruel in his own way.
Kang Sora is making this show for me though. Both leads are, but she's so wonderful. And that mayor! SO CUTE, SO CUTE. That was the best confession ever, so direct, and fast, and normal (which is funny, cos he's one of the oddest characters in this bunch).
Also, I wonder if they had Kang So-ra descend those stairs and then climb up again just so her legs get more screen time and a variety of camera angles. Which I'm honestly not against, because it was inspirational.
Thanks for the recap javabeans!
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pigsnout
June 4, 2015 at 9:52 PM
Yeah I noticed in that scene where she came down the stairs in her party dress and heels, Kang Sora's legs just don't seem to end lol. I'm sure the PD made her go back up just to get more screen time showing off her legs lol.
She's beautiful even when she's plainly dressed in her restaurant worker clothes but here......wow.
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fantasy
June 5, 2015 at 9:22 AM
Yea she is beautiful:) what I like about her, she doesn't look like typical or ideal Korean beauty, not too skinny , have comparatively big face also much tall :D
When Ji won met KSR at resort, I just thought poor she, now she has to look and act classy before KSR :P
Oh my never ending compliments, really a huge fan :D
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nonski
June 5, 2015 at 6:43 PM
Yeeesh that scene was especially effective that i immediately thought of buying the same dress
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CZ
June 5, 2015 at 10:00 AM
I think, Ji-won always has been so powerless. Like her introduction with the boy friend that she was(?) dating? - she's all planning to marry him, but he ups and tells her that he's gotten engaged to someone else. And she just brushes it off without trying anything - no conniving, no blackmailing, no arguing or seducing.
She 'confesses' to Hyung (though it's more of a business proposal of 'hire me to be your partner' than something out of heart and love), he rejects her, and she just.... sits there....
So to me, clearly, she has no heart or power, because her ONLY motivation is marrying money - it doesn't matter who, just that he has $$.
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sel
June 5, 2015 at 3:38 PM
Yeah! And they mentioned off hand that GW's dad might be the richest of the three dads. I think if that ever breaks, Ji-won might pull out all stops in her pursuit. Right now only the eldest bro has real money, and Ji-won obviously gravitates to that.
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12 Xiarylle
June 4, 2015 at 9:09 PM
that ending... it was one of the best 'self-redeeming' acts I've seen in drama land. I think a major part of the flutters we feel in the ending is that it wasn't entirely just a redeeming act from GW's 7 episodes worth of being an idiot, but it was also a love confession -- he is finally aware that his concerns toward her wasn't only because she's dying but because in his heart of hearts, he truly has feelings for her. well, that and those eyes. it is a mystery that she hadn't melted into a puddle of goo when he was staring at her. <3
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osmanthustea
June 5, 2015 at 11:51 AM
Well said. This time he's actually doing it with his eyes wide open.
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13 dashie
June 4, 2015 at 9:15 PM
You Yeon Seok has this inexplicable romantic charm I just can't!
Also, YAAAASSSSSSS
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14 pigsnout
June 4, 2015 at 9:43 PM
jb I too wish Ji Won came with subtitles. ....like someone said, that monotone voice of hers is the kind you expect from a Seoul metro station announcement, not an actor playing a character.
and Gun Woo was such a sweetheart this ep, he's not very bright so he struggles to figure out what his feelings mean. But it looks like he really isn't a jerk anymore :) Now it's hyung who ends up looking like the jerk tho not on purpose.
Also, poor mayor! Please give him someone to love too, maybe a cameo by Shin Min Ah? Kang Sora spends this whole drama dressed so plainly that her full beauty doesn't stand out but she looks stunning in her black party frock.
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pigsnout
June 4, 2015 at 9:58 PM
Also now Gun Woo knows JJ isn't dying but I'm sure the next eps will have all kinds of angst based on that pic of Gun Woo's mother and that ajusshi with her.....
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15 dkaoru
June 4, 2015 at 9:46 PM
Aiii this drama... I keep saying I hate Gun woo but I was squealling like mad at the last scene. He is so relieved that she is not dying, he doesnt care about anything else. That was sooo awesome.
Poor mayor, I was really hoping he would get a shot. Jung joo made it clear that her heart chooses Gun woo though. Sigh silly girl.
She is really dense with the mayor. He was confessing, you dummy! I totally feel his frustration. I was beating my own chest..aiyooo girl he likes you. He keeps asking you to marry him over anything because he likes you. Poor mayor...sigh.
Hyung is a clueless dummy with hae shil, but he is awesome with She-devil. "Since you are being direct, I shall make it clear, am not interested in my calculation and in mjy heart" ooooo burnnnnnn serve her right! Its like she totally sucks in anyway hyung wont waste his time on her. Awesome.
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damianna
June 5, 2015 at 5:25 AM
Him being relieved that she wasn't dying reminded of the part in coffee prince when han kyul admitting how he's glad eun chan is a girl after all. Swoon.
I have this theory where I think Poong san had already filled him in about Jung joo not being sick before he met Ji won. Seeing him brushed her off like that, could be cause he knew she lied about Jung joo using her illness to keep Geun woo around.
So happy cause Ji won's gonna end up losing both the guy she's eyeing and the safety net she's keeping.
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16 Z
June 4, 2015 at 9:57 PM
So this girl gets two perfect confessions in the space of, what, 12 hours? I want to be Jung-joo when I grow up.
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Mallow
June 4, 2015 at 10:03 PM
Who doesn't? *faints
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Lizzy4e
June 5, 2015 at 8:26 AM
Word
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CZ
June 5, 2015 at 10:03 AM
Also her many fairy godmothers - Poong-san, Hyung (who approves of her as a good influence on Geun-woo), Mr. Gong (who is mistakenly setting her up with Mayor but still on her side getting settled into town).... lucky girl!
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erratic
July 28, 2015 at 11:07 AM
Ditto. -.-'
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17 Mallow
June 4, 2015 at 10:02 PM
Yesss~ I hope the next 8 episodes would be cute stuff ^^ I'm thinking so wrong already... The Hong sisters definitely did a great job. From fluffy romance to real good deal romance aka the confession. And with that horrid one that must not be named woman. Wow she is terrible. In acting and in her character too! Wth is wrong with that pest woman?! She shouldn't even exist! What right she has to break up the couple:< go away little pest!!!
Looking forward to next episode:) ♡
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18 Mikee
June 4, 2015 at 10:04 PM
"You are the worst and I hate you with the burning of a thousand venereal diseases "...is by far, the most telling of how you feel towards "ugh, you!"
Hahaha hahaha a
It is ONLY episode 8 and our OTP together already ? Hmm, there must be a catch here. I swear if instead of JJ having cancer and supposedly going to die turns out to be GW or ___ JJ really is sick, I'd be royally upset.
Somebody died in the Gatsby story --- and if somebody HAS to die, I hope it's "ugh, you ".
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CZ
June 5, 2015 at 10:06 AM
8 episodes is usually standard. There's normally a kiss by ep 6, OTP loves each others by ep 8, but there is drama and plot and (amnesia and cancer and birth secrets) with noble idiocy until through 12, resolutions and crying and then happy wrap up.
Pretty standard fare for 16 ep miniseries -
(not that there WILL be amnesia or cancer, but it's be off the wall hilarious if it was somehow crammed into the cozy Jeju)
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bunny
June 5, 2015 at 2:17 PM
I suspect the next problem will be the past; i.e. I thought they're supposed to be twins?
I surely hope nobody dies. If anything, it's somebody leaving, but not die (nor dying).
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19 chairmanmeow
June 4, 2015 at 10:04 PM
Wait! Time-out!
Is HE suffering from a deadly disease now?
I swear, drama, if you get in that cliche in here, I'll bail out on you ASAP!
Well, I didn't get the kiss I wanted. But something is better than nothing! ;)
“Until I die, I’m yours.”
That line's been troubling me a lot now.
I've already started begging the dramagods that they be merciful enough that Gun-woo isn't suffering from Cancer this time!
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KDaddict?JCW
June 4, 2015 at 10:59 PM
LOL. OLO.
We've been watching too many K dramas, such that we get very jittery at the tiniest of hints and non-hints!
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songsong
June 5, 2015 at 7:18 PM
But that is typical k-drama haha,
But then again Warm & Cozy is not typical, its easy & light.
I like!!!
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20 SuziQ
June 4, 2015 at 10:05 PM
Agreed. This drama seems very slow pace compared to the other Hong sisters' dramas. Kinda boring although I like Kang Sora and Yoo Yeon Seok together.
Love GW's confession finally at the end of this episode. He seems so incredibly dense the last few episodes and that it had to take Ji Won to spell it out for him.Gold Digger, Ji Won lost both brothers..... but it seems too early in the game for her to give up. Don't care about the older brother's romance with the lady diver either. Not interesting.
I like the town mayor, Kim Sun Oh who seems to be the most interesting character in this whole drama. It's nice to see him playing a normal person instead of his usual weirdo, bad guy parts. He looks nice in red underwear too.
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osmanthustea
June 5, 2015 at 11:53 AM
Totally! I was so skeptical about him acting as a second lead of sorts, no thanks to his past dramas, but this is showing that he can act!
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songsong
June 5, 2015 at 7:20 PM
Yup true!
And I love that YYS as 2nd lead in REPLY & KSR as 2nd lead in DOCTOR STRANGER are now doing such an awesome job as main leads in WARM & COZY.
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21 crazedlu
June 4, 2015 at 10:07 PM
Muahaha. Yess. So curious with 8 eps left what they'll do though. C'mooonn, Hong sisters!
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22 weallwantpizza
June 4, 2015 at 10:08 PM
those eyes...!!! those eyes!!!
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lifoser
June 4, 2015 at 11:45 PM
IKR??? When he got out of the car i was like Oh snap!!! Now we plaaaaay... Go get her geun woo ya!!
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23 rhea
June 4, 2015 at 10:19 PM
Hi... I don’t mean to be a wet blanket but the translations for the last scene are wrong.
After calling him out for being a fool, she basically said “you said its mine until I die? But what do we do now?”
Guen Woo: gyesuk nigeoya. (continue, its yours)
chugeogaekkaji nigeoya. (Until you die... it’s yours)
Its not “I’m yours” but “it’s yours” The reference is about the restaurant not the person.
*hope this clears up the confusion for some on how it seems a bit weird - the dialogue.
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KDaddict?JCW
June 4, 2015 at 11:02 PM
Yes, it makes a lot more sense that he's referring to the restaurant, rather than himself. It's a much smaller step for him, since he is rich and can afford to give away his restaurant away if he so chooses, but giving himself to her for life is an entirely diff matter. One step at a time.
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specialsky
June 4, 2015 at 11:35 PM
I agree with u... the problem is in korean sentences the subject is always omitted... so we always got confuse what the sentence refer to... in this case, they never mention that geon woo is belong to jungjoo till jungjoo die BUT geonwoo did mention the restaurant will be jungjoo's until her die.. so i think they refer to the restaurant not geonwoo....but i have no prob if geonwoo refer to himself to be jungjoo's.. ??
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CZ
June 5, 2015 at 10:10 AM
But the significance is both!
When he finds out that Jung-joo isn't sick - the "until you die" isn't a few months away but decades and years, he still confirms that their contract/loan/promise is still "until you die" meaning that to him - their relationship (as friends, as restauranteurs, as lovers) isn't a brief time aside for his life, but something that is for the rest of his life as well.
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Mikee
June 5, 2015 at 2:38 PM
Thanks ! This makes sense to me because GW is only in the "confused feelings stage" towards JJ. And he can't be definitive with his choice yet in only ep 8 --- can he ? Doesn't he has to sort his feelings first ? That's too much of a jump to "loving someone even if she marries another man " to JJ, who he just recently started feeling uncomfortable with.
Maybe ep 9 - 10 will showcase the "uncomfortable feeling" of GW and then realization. I think this will be fun to watch GW being conscious of JJ at every accidental touch, casual conversations, or even their sleeping arrangements where JJ is so close by...hahahaha. Now he can't just casually sit on her bed or wake her up --- too much "uncomfortable feeling" hahahaha....nice.
The very best part is seeing "ugh, you's" defeated face --- yes, for once I'll be happy to see her.
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songsong
June 5, 2015 at 7:26 PM
Haha yes ep 9-10 will be interesting & exciting to watch!
Looking forward to see all the little reactions from GW with JJ from now on.
Nice post Mikee.
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24 Ninja Kil
June 4, 2015 at 10:22 PM
Actually I thought the last line in the drama was pretty vague. I thought he said "(it's/I'm) yours, until (you) die". Which I thought was cute in the ambiguity of how it could refer to BGW is JJ's or how the restaurant is JJ's.
Kind of like in the previous episode where BGW looks at a photo of JJ holding the sora she caught and saying "That's mine".
Love the ending of episode 8 though. Especially that slight sigh of relief when BGW hugs JJ. And that LOOK of BGW as he strides towards JJ... I think I just became a new fan of YYS and KSR.
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songsong
June 5, 2015 at 7:28 PM
Me too, the combi of YYS & KSR is just awesome!
I never expected that lol.
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Apple Pie
June 6, 2015 at 11:48 AM
yes both are awesome !
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25 Rowanmdm
June 4, 2015 at 10:23 PM
Javabeans has made Ji Won bearable b/c I spend her screen time imaging JB's commentary. Although I never come up with anything as good as what JB actually says ("I hate you with the burning of a thousand venereal diseases" cracked me up!), it still really helps my enjoyment of the show. Thank you!
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26 Sim
June 4, 2015 at 10:25 PM
Petition for a spin off drama about the poor guy those pills were actually for
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pigsnout
June 5, 2015 at 12:22 AM
The bottle was left behind and empty when Jung Joo took it to keep her pills. And it was an ajumma who left it...
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27 Ninja Kil
June 4, 2015 at 10:34 PM
Also does anyone else also see a similarity between the hyung-hae shil love line and Joowon and Ra Im in Secret Garden?
It's like the Hong sisters are taking drama tropes and giving it a twist? The Secret Garden story but with older characters (who would otherwise normally be a secondary role).
And then the whole BGW misunderstanding that JJ has a terminal disease - in another drama BGW would most likely be angry at JJ and cue unnecessary conflict, but in this one BGW gets over it so quickly. Personally I find it quite refreshing. Love this drama!
Also if they show us some unnecessary scenes of BGW abs, that would be great as well...
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CZ
June 5, 2015 at 10:11 AM
Why would Geun-woo ever be angry at her? Jung-joo never said she was ill at all and never made any show of it. He misunderstood completely on his own.
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songsong
June 5, 2015 at 7:31 PM
Yup every time GW ask about JJ health she always says she is fine. GW just totally misunderstood on his own.
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erratic
July 28, 2015 at 11:14 AM
now that you mention it, hyung was wearing a sparkling tracksuit reminiscent of what Hyun Bin was wearing there. I could almost imagine him (Hyung) explaining the craftsmanship of sewing the sequins onto the tracksuit. XD
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28 Artsy8
June 4, 2015 at 10:36 PM
...so GW's dad is the lady diver's late husband?
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KDaddict?JCW
June 4, 2015 at 11:04 PM
Hey, that'd spice things up a lot when Hyung goes and marries her, right? She's his step-mom. What's your step-mom's husband to you? Just another dude? Even when it is your hyung?
So lady diver's late husband cheated on her w GW's mom?
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lightandsound
June 5, 2015 at 5:04 PM
I don't think Haesil late husband is GW father but someone who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Relating it to the Great Gatsby, Daisy and Gatsby accidentally rammed into Tom's mistress who ran into their car.
Maybe Haesil's husband was out fishing when BGW's mom and dad accidentally ram their boat at him?
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tinatot
June 5, 2015 at 3:25 AM
Same thoughts here. Gaaah this drama is awesome and something that i want atm. Haha. Its light and sweet and cute but it also has depth and a lil intriguing storyline. Hong sisters 4ever!! :)
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29 Aigoooo
June 4, 2015 at 10:42 PM
That was a great episode ending. GW was probably more overwhelmed with joy that JJ is not dying anymore. I felt bad for Mr. Mayor. His confession totally went over JJ's head. What's her face did all kinds of scheming this episode and it's so satisfying that they all went nowhere. Not looking forward to seeing more of her but I'm sure she's in full bitch mode now. I wish they'd just make her into an inept and laughable villain. She feels so out of place in this drama. Like some bad actress in a makjang melodrama who found herself in a rom-com.
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30 TP
June 4, 2015 at 10:44 PM
"Gun-woo drives up to the lighthouse and makes his way to her, his eyes burning with this… look… that I just know is going to end well. It is, it is! Those eyes!"
Can anyone tell me what Javabeans by this?
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EscapingGravity
June 4, 2015 at 11:23 PM
I think what everyone was expecting was for Geon Woo to be upset with Jeong Joo in regards to the cancer misunderstanding and possibly to blow up at her the second he found her. But considering the expression on his face when he stepped out of his car, it looked like a mix of conflicting emotions rather than just pure anger(etc) alone. I don't know about Javabeans but for some reason that expression alone said a lot and it reassured me that he was going to handle the situation better than I had expected him to... And he did.
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tinatot
June 5, 2015 at 3:29 AM
I think it means that just by looking at how yys shows that expression gives us a hint that the next scene would be a good one (which was the confession) teehee. I dunno. That was how i interpreted it :)
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31 bonsai
June 4, 2015 at 10:56 PM
*dies*
Also, it's really funny how this is a 'relaxed' drama when all of us are significantly not relaxed whenever Ji-won comes onscreen XD
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bonsai
June 4, 2015 at 11:03 PM
On the other hand I think this drama has pretty much made me develop a huge crush on Yoo Yeon-seok
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32 Camille W
June 4, 2015 at 11:12 PM
This drama has really improved since the first ep. I actually look forward to next wk's eps. This drama continues to be surprisingly delightful. While I don't think that the actors are super talented, they're wat drives the show.
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33 Adal
June 4, 2015 at 11:24 PM
Ah Sqqqquuuuueeeeeeeaaaaaallll the feels!!!!!!!!!! I am sighing with pleasure. That's a confession that brought tears to my eyes and a huge smile to my face. That's why I watch a Hong Sisters' drama. For moments like these that's as precious as a gem. I can sleep happily tonight. I'm in seventh heaven.
Poor Ji won, in being too greedy and reaching for both brothers, she ended up having none of them. Meanwhile she would've had Gun woo if she'd been a little kinder to him and stopped stringing him along. Now he's gone for good.
Good riddance to Ji won, I say. She's no longer necessary to the plot. She should disappear.
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Adal
June 5, 2015 at 12:43 AM
Hyung is shrewd, and a good judge of character and he has been surprisingly straightforward with Ji won. He's never treated her with more than professional courtesy and a polite friendliness. And he was quick to nip her insinuations about Jung joo in the bud. Because after only one meeting with Jung joo he was able to see that she was responsible, and a good person.
Hyung was also quick to put Ji won in her place when she expressed a romantic interest in him. I suspect he sees right through Ji won and is used to dealing with gold diggers. We also got another piece of information on him that he is divorced, which explains a lot.
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KDaddict?JCW
June 5, 2015 at 3:58 AM
He's divorced? I didn't get that.
Oh, if that pc of info came out of the mouth of JW, his stupid sister or the nosy blogger, then I wasn't paying attn when those were on screen.
I kept wondering how was it that he wasn't married. I'm happy to hear that he actually was. It makes more sense in the scheme of things for rich folks in Korea.
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osmanthustea
June 5, 2015 at 12:03 PM
Hehe. And to think just yesterday, there was a convo about how Hyung is not married because he's even worse than Geun-woo when it comes to love.
I quote beanie pigsnout:
Why is hyung still single?… well… as we can see with his courtship with the diver ajuma he is anything but “suave”
But hey! Maybe it was one of those strategic arranged marriages, and hyung being him, probably decided it's too troublesome and easier to just dole out the alimony d=
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fgb4877
June 5, 2015 at 1:29 PM
@ Ms. Tea, your quote isn't from Pigsnout but mine ^_^ . Anyways thanks for doing it, since it shows that my basically self-learned English is capable to transmit what I wish to express.
On the other hand all his strategic games fits Hyung's character since he always have done the role of prince (his own words) and is used to have the upper hand in every negotiation he is involved... only this time he has no power over the Diver Ahjuma since she doesn't need nor wishes anything he posess, and it will turn the tables for him (since he has no power of negotiation, so to speak). Hyung will spend some time (and effort) growing in general, and it will be "uncomfortable" for him. :)
osmanthustea
June 6, 2015 at 12:14 AM
Oh sharks, I'm so sorry about that. x=
I'd love hyung to come off the high horse and really put his heart into wooing Hae-shil! After all, he values hard work and a spirit of independence, right?
34 Sajen
June 4, 2015 at 11:29 PM
Is it just me or is Ji-won receiving more hate than other similar characters both male and female in other dramas? Not that I'm defending her per se, I personally find her so distasteful I refuse to give her a name and refer to her simply as, It. I'm just curious what is it about It that inspires so much hate compared to other characters.
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pigsnout
June 5, 2015 at 12:31 AM
Mostly because the actress is so terrible, I think. The character of So-young in School 2015 is also hated but people still admit the actress is good. While Botox Face here fails in every aspect of acting so it becomes more fun to make fun of her instead of having to tolerate her bad acting.
if Botox Face's character was played by an actress like Kim Ji Won or Yoon So Hee, she would still be a dislikable character but at least we would not end up with this blank face/monotone voice kind of acting as Ji Won. Because they have talent.
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lifoser
June 5, 2015 at 12:51 AM
I think it's because she is so one dimensional.. There is nothing beyond her being the cookie cutter 2nd female lead.(well she is not even second female lead, hanyo ahjumma is for me, she is just a bimbo) she is just ambitious and only wants something when she can't have it. Sucking as an actress doesn't help her case either.. Im starting to think that the hong sisters are actully trolling us and are making some kind of a sarcastic statement on all the annoying 2nd leads that we all love to hate, by casting that specific actress and writing her character as it is..
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korini
June 5, 2015 at 1:16 AM
I agree. I think they're making this sort of stereotypical, monodimensional proper bride to be plus ambitious b... to troll other dramas. This time, for some reason, Hong Sisters decided to go classic in general by making a normal, old-school rom-com with a normal old-school villain.
Personally I don't mind the actress at all, nor do I have an opinion about her since I haven't seen her anywhere. And she's a very young girl to be "botox" faced.
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pigsnout
June 5, 2015 at 2:45 AM
idk how old the Jiwon actress is, probably in her late 20s? But a lot of Korean celebrities get botox as young as 19-20 for different things. She is not very young for it, and her face had a restricted range of motion that makes me think she got something done.
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korini
June 5, 2015 at 5:05 AM
You may be right, I don't know much about botox (though being in an age that it'd be beneficial, but still too expensive for my family budget). I meant she's the usual "evil", annoying, medling but "poker-faced" villain, therefore right for this particular part. I don't know if she's untalented or not, as I said I haven't seen her anywhere else. But if the Hong tradition is kept here, -namely mediocre to bad actress as second leads (or 3rd or 4th since here the second leads are actually the Diver-Brother couple)-, you're probably right and she's in general bad in acting.
fgb4877
June 5, 2015 at 6:35 PM
Well, in episode 1 of these recaps, Ms. Javabeans tells us the actress is Seo Yi Ahn. She seems to have 24 years old. I saw her in episode 7 of Dr. Frost, and thought of her as a beautiful lady doing a soul-less acting. She seems to have acted in Kill me, Heal me but I didn't see that drama.
I hope that lady finds a footing in her acting. I still remember Ms. Kim Tae Hee in Gumiho (2004) and found her acting sub-par and off-putting only to find her shining during and after My Princess (2011). Since then Ms. Tae Hee has found roles better adapted to her acting skills (and I suspect her personality) and became a real pleasure to see (due to the good-naturedness of her characters, I still don't find her as a great actress).
But at this moment Ms. Yi-Ahn is a pain to watch.
KDaddict?JCW
June 5, 2015 at 3:54 AM
I have zero problem w celebrities getting PS. Soompi news has an article called "14 celebrities who look nothing like their past". Some of them look so different that even their own family members wouldn't recognise them. But they look good on screen now, so what do I care what they looked like before?
However, there r actresses whose faces look so unnatural that it is a pain to have to watch them. I can name a few, but I won't in order not to upset their fans. Ji Won tho fits that category. So I guess it's the botched jobs in PS that bothers me. I absolutely adore the successful ones.
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songsong
June 5, 2015 at 7:35 PM
Mostly because of her poor stiff acting & voice.
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35 YYS over flowers
June 4, 2015 at 11:31 PM
The mayor was the endearing sidekick Secretary to Hyun Bin in Secret Garden. He had better hair then!
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lifoser
June 5, 2015 at 1:38 AM
Loool your name.. Guess it is yoo yeon seok over flowers?? I would have to agree.. YYS over anything for me!!
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songsong
June 5, 2015 at 7:39 PM
Best if YYS over KSR in reality haha.
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36 lifoser
June 4, 2015 at 11:56 PM
Yes there is ambiguity in their last words with the "it/i am" but come on, we all know that they are NOT speaking about the restaurant.. They just can't say clearly and suddenly yes i love you and want ro be yours till we die, well can't say it YET!
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37 anna anna
June 5, 2015 at 12:15 AM
Our female villain was really useful in this episode. She cleared off the cancer misunderstanding.
I loved the chemistry between the other two leads as well as our main leads. The ending for this episode was heart warming. LOved it to bits.
Our mayor is really cute and matured. Despite the fact that he likes he, he is not pushy and interfering in his feeling. I like the comic and charming aspect of him.
aww... loved how this episode ended. I feel all warm and fuzzy :)
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38 August
June 5, 2015 at 12:30 AM
Thanks for the recap. I've held off saying much until now because I wanted to give Warm & Cozy (and by extension the Hong Sisters) a chance to come into its own and not become another Big.
Jung-Geun & Hae-Shil and Mayor Wook & Jung-Joo sparkle and are the light of this drama. Whenever they appear onscreen, I smile.
Javabeans, like you said Warm & Cozy is past the halfway mark and episode 8 ended with both Jung-Joo & Gun-Woo addressing the elephant in the room ― a confession. I know it's a lost cause but I can't help but wish that the Hong Sisters would flip the script from the predestined OTP of Baek Gun-Woo & Lee Jung-Joo to OTP Jung-Joo & Hwang Wook (as things stand now have less chance of success than a snowball in he**)
"It is a hopeless dream.
A dreamers wish.
And nothong more than a 'what if.'
Somehow, some way." ~ Unknown
Could you appease this sinking ship?
Oh dear Mr. Mayor! Bless him. His one-sided attraction/unrequited love for Joon-Joo...I don't how much more of this I'll be able to withstand in good spirits before becoming miserable and succumbing to hopelessness. Obviously this sinking ship never really existed to begin with and was set place to induce/ increase susceptibility to/trigger Second Lead Syndrome.
Another week of episodes where HW is attracted to JJ and possibly falling in love with her eventhough its apparent to him and us ― the viewing audience ― that her affections lie elsewhere with GW.
As if that's what the populace craves and are in the mood to be plagued with. It's hard to forget all the scenes of Wook & Joon-Joo interacting on Jeju Island leaving us with nothing but a trail of memories encompassing comic scenes and delightful moments of onscreen chemistry between them.
Quotes on Unrequited Love:
I know I am but summer to your heart,
And not the full four seasons of the year. ― Edna St. Vincent Millay
“Unrequited love is the infinite curse of a lonely heart.”
― Christina Westover
Every broken heart has screamed at one time or another: "Why can't you see who I truly am?" ― Shannon L. Alder
An act of love that fails is just as much a part of the divine life as an act of love that succeeds, for love is measured by fullness, not by reception. ― Harold Lokes
“To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves.” ― Federico García Lorca, Blood Wedding and Yerma
“Let no one who loves be called altogether unhappy. Even love unreturned has its rainbow.” ― J.M. Barrie, The Little Minister
“...unrequited love does not die; it's only beaten down to a secret place where it hides, curled and wounded...” ― Elle Newmark, The Book of Unholy Mischief
Here's a wild guess: the sister Cha Hee-Ra is dating Sam. Granted the chances of seeing an interracial couple in a kdrama is slim to none.
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lifoser
June 5, 2015 at 4:43 AM
No waaaay, ITS ABOUT TIME FOR YYS TO GET THE GIRL!!
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Lizzy4e
June 5, 2015 at 8:35 AM
Yes! YYS finally gets the girl! Just what I was thinking while watching this episode.
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songsong
June 5, 2015 at 7:41 PM
YES & A VERY BEAUTIFUL KSR TO BOOT! YAY!
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39 Adal
June 5, 2015 at 12:32 AM
Gun woo's noona has a big mouth. She can't keep a secret to save her life. I dislike her almost as much as I dislike Ji won. I have some friends like that who are very careless with everyone else's secrets but their own.
Now that the couple have found themselves, prepare for the angst. I suspect that it will come in form of birth secrets. Something that was hinted in episode 1 and by Madam writer and Gun woo's drunk noona. I suspect that the Hong Sisters are going to pull fauxcest into play and flirt with the idea that Jung joo and Gun woo are related. The plot of this drama hasn't been all that original and is fairly predictable so I feel quite confident anticipating this.
It seems that Hyung's beloved, madam diver's late husband is somehow mixed up in all of this. Now that one is a mystery I am waiting to unravel.
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Lizzy4e
June 5, 2015 at 8:37 AM
What if YYS is Madam Diver's child that she gave up for adoption after her husband died?
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osmanthustea
June 5, 2015 at 12:16 PM
But Hae-shil does seem like she's got her head screwed on well, and determined to boot, so I doubt it about the adoption scenario...
This is so worrying. Ugh.
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lightandsound
June 5, 2015 at 5:12 PM
Instead of gun woo maybe it was jeong joo instead?
Maybe jeong joo father isn't her real father but someone who decided to take JJ in because he felt responsible, maybe JJ father is a close friend to BGW's mom and dad, and when they went into that accident causing haesil to lose her husband, he felt guilty and decided to raise their kid?
Gosh my mind is going way way off, I'm making it sound so makjang.
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osmanthustea
June 6, 2015 at 12:18 AM
Were there any mention of Jung-joo's parents so far?
See, she was wielding that photo of her father and Geun-woo's mom around. So if she were raised by an adoptive father without knowing it, then the two guys' image wouldn't match, right?
Unless she's raised by an adoptive mother?? *so confusing*
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lightandsound
June 6, 2015 at 1:55 AM
Actually it says that her father died when she was young and she never knew her mother, all this while she was raised by her aunt.
lightandsound
June 6, 2015 at 2:01 AM
I don't really know either it's just my own theory.. I'm just hoping whatever it is,it won't be that makjang.. since the drama is warm and cozy, I hope Hong sis will keep it that way..
40 Camille W
June 5, 2015 at 12:42 AM
When I think abt it, this time round the Hong Sisters really played it safe with W&S. This would've been ok 10 years ago. Why are they backpeddling? Maybe there more going on behind the scenes than we know.
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41 korini
June 5, 2015 at 12:57 AM
Oh, the melo started I guess. I kind of hoped for a couple more episodes of buffonery and silliness, but I'm not complaining. As Anthony Kim said all dramas need their melo. The Hong sweeter phase begins. Ah...
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42 lifoser
June 5, 2015 at 12:58 AM
YYS should date KSR for real..they would make an incredibly beautiful and talented couple, plus they look like each other which makes them even more cute! Imagine their babies..
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fantasy
June 5, 2015 at 3:00 AM
YES Imagining their babies ;)
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songsong
June 5, 2015 at 7:44 PM
Haha let's hope this drama will be their matchmaker!
Go for it YYS & get your girl!
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43 Boba
June 5, 2015 at 1:16 AM
I love the mayor. Can he have a spinoff?
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mccooks
June 5, 2015 at 6:03 AM
I don't think I've liked a second lead this much, ever. He's adorable and so are all of the townsfolk who want to get him hitched. I wish they could both get the girl, but I also don't want him to be hurt.
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osmanthustea
June 6, 2015 at 12:18 AM
good idea!
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44 Katasu1996
June 5, 2015 at 1:58 AM
Okay, now that Jiwon has
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45 CFLH
June 5, 2015 at 2:00 AM
Is there always a necklace?
Master's sun-the sun necklace
He's beautiful- the star necklace
i don't know about the others though...haha
Mr. Song and Lady diver!!!! i love their storyline....Jung geun is awesome...he sorta reminds me of Joo joong won in Master's sun..
Hwangto man!!! LOL...i don't root for him...but i really love his character...
and Ji won...go away.
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sephora013
June 5, 2015 at 3:21 AM
Me too, I don't know why but he has something that reminds me of Joong Won, now all he needs to do is start saying "get lost" and wave his hand in front of his face.
Hope his love story will work out.
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CFLH
June 5, 2015 at 6:32 AM
to me its the way he talks...he really gives that JJW vibe...
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46 Katasu1996
June 5, 2015 at 2:00 AM
Okay, now that Jiwon has played out her role, can someone PLEASE kill her off. Car crash, falls down a manhole, SOMETHING. She can go study abroad for all I care, but get her OFF MY SCREEN! I loved this ending and I hope the only interference we have to see from now on is the Mayor's, because he's the one with the cute quitclaim and personality, and I love it when he's fighting for Jung Joo.
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47 Katasu1996
June 5, 2015 at 2:00 AM
Okay, now that Jiwon has played out her role, can someone PLEASE kill her off. Car crash, falls down a manhole, SOMETHING. She can go study abroad for all I care, but get her OFF MY SCREEN! I loved this ending and I hope the only interference we have to see from now on is the Mayor's, because he's the one with the cute quircks and personality, and I love it when he's fighting for Jung Joo.
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48 Kat
June 5, 2015 at 2:26 AM
Jiwon should be gone.
Also, I am so into Mayor Wook. He's so cute!!!
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49 violet88
June 5, 2015 at 2:46 AM
am so happy with ending of ep 8. in fact when i first watched the raw i thought GW was thanking JJ for not dying on him, and he's extremely thankful and happy for that that he gives her a tight hug.. :)
i'm guessing they'll be cute around each in next ep, and little bit of skinship before we got hit by melo angst as usual.. reason could be GW father & GW mother.. (??)..
i thought the "twin" plot in ep 1 was rather random and appreciate if the drama can flesh out some history as to how or what mechanism drive JJ to fly all the way to Jeju to claim GW mother's as her's.. without this bit of explanation the twin plot looks cheap and random.. and if it is going to be utilize for the upcoming angst it making it even more necessary for the story to share that point to us...
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mccooks
June 5, 2015 at 6:08 AM
I hope it's not the twin thing that separates them. Cuz, how do you get over seeing someone as your biological brother or sister? I have crawly ants on my skin just at the possibility.
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50 fantasy
June 5, 2015 at 2:59 AM
I am now really enjoying the drama :D .... I had a huge smile while watching this episode. It seems Hyung's Secretary and Cindy's Manager oppa are brothers :D
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