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Answer Me 1988: Episode 18

Our gang is all grown up in some ways… and still exactly the same in other ways. But now that they’re a little bit older and maybe just a tiny bit wiser about life, they know what it means to have regrets and start to do things differently this time around. To what effect remains to be seen, but hey, I consider it momentous enough that they’re acting on their feelings now instead of denying and repressing and making puppy eyes. We’re all out of time for that now—there’s only one week left to go!

 
SONG OF THE DAY

Lee Seung-hwan – “기다린 날도 지워질 날도” (Days I Waited and Days That’ll Be Erased) [ Download ]

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EPISODE 18: “Goodbye first love”

We’re all the way in October 1994 now, which means the gang is 23 this year. One by one they rush out to go over to Taek’s room for his birthday party, and both Jung-hwan’s parents and Deok-sun’s parents linger by the doorway, looking wistfully at their second child who never comes home.

Jung-hwan’s parents sigh that they miss the high school years because they got to see their son, while Deok-sun’s dad gets all huffy about her finally coming home and immediately running off to hang out with her friends. He perks up right away when Mom informs him that Bora is coming home though, and yells after Deok-sun that she can just stay out.

Sun-woo comes out of his room (in Taek’s house, squee) and takes issue with Jin-ju not greeting him. He reminds her that there was a time when she was alllll about Oppa, but Jin-ju pouts that Sun-woo is hardly home and always sleepy. Dad tells Jin-ju to be the bigger person and apologize first, and she considers it.

Mom sets the table for Taek’s birthday party and asks Sun-woo to check on him, to make sure he’s not down the street struggling to park his new car. That’s exactly what Taek is doing, in fact, and the hilarious part is that there are no other cars around him. He just has to park it against an empty wall, but can’t figure out why the car won’t go there.

Finally Sun-woo comes to the rescue and sends Taek home because the family is waiting, so Taek complies. Everyone rushes to the door when he comes in, and Jin-ju complains that Oppa came home so late that the food is getting cold. He takes out a lollipop from his pocket and gives it to her, and she’s happy again. Okay, I am actually jealous of a little girl right now. She gets to have Sun-woo AND Taek as oppas?

Taek opens the door to his room to find a lavish home-cooked meal set out for his birthday party, which is pretty damn moving, when compared to the pizza boxes and bottles of Coke he used to have.

Sun-woo heads home after parking the car, which is of course the exact time that Bora turns the corner and arrives on their street. They both pause and look at each other, but before Bora can say anything, Sun-woo gives her a silent courtesy bow and heads inside. Aw, he’s still heartbroken.

The kids sing happy birthday to Taek and give him a pager as a birthday gift, and he says he doesn’t need one or even know how to use it. They complain that he’s the only person without one, and Deok-sun says THEY need him to use it.

Taek asks how Jung-bong is doing and if he’s studying for the bar exam, and Jung-hwan tells him that Hyung isn’t studying at all. Honestly, I thought it was a miracle he even got into college. Dong-ryong says that Bora is the anomaly for locking herself up in a gosiwon and not even visiting her family just to pass the exam, and Taek gives a little glance over at Sun-woo, who’s got his head down.

Mom rattles off a million things to Bora all at once because it’s been so long since she’s been home, and Bora assures her that she’s living well. Dad complains about her living with her friend and Deok-sun always staying over at a friend’s house between flights, and No-eul always off to do another concert (he’s a college student, so he must be in theater/performing arts like he wanted).

They get a call in the middle of dinner because an employee at Dad’s bank took off with some money, and he has to rush off to go catch them. Bora wonders if Dad isn’t too old for the fraud department now, but Mom says he’s still spry and will still earn extra money while he can.

Taek’s birthday party now has beers instead of soda, and the boys grill Deok-sun on her latest boyfriend. She insists that she dumped him, so of course the boys tease her endlessly about being dumped.

Sun-woo and Taek’s parents come over to have drinks with Jung-hwan’s parents, and they ask why the phone line here is always busy when they try to call. It’s because Jung-bong is monopolizing the computer (remember dial-up?), his latest obsession. Some things never change. He’s in a chatroom with a few people, and when he mentions a space travel card, one of the others named Maggie’s Memories (Maggie was Mi-ok’s nickname in high school) names the board game that it came from, and it startles him.

Deok-sun’s mom joins them with today’s newspaper in hand, with a big story about a famous celebrity naming Taek as her ideal type. His parents say that they’d prefer someone ordinary, not famous, but they trust Taek to find someone on his own. He goes on plenty of blind dates all the time, and Dad figures he’ll meet the right person eventually by doing that.

Dad guesses that Taek’s friends are teasing him about that news story right about now. Deok-sun cracks up while reading it, wondering if all these famous people who like Taek know that he can’t tie his shoelaces.

Dong-ryong asks Taek why he can’t manage to have a relationship when he goes on more dates than any of them, and Sun-woo ignores Taek’s protests and tells them the real reason: He goes on blind dates and then gets rejected over and over because he never says anything and the women are frustrated and bored. Lol. Taek pouts that he tries, and they tell him to try harder.

Dong-ryong prods Deok-sun to set them up on a group date, but she doesn’t want to hear complaints from her girlfriends about the guys she brought. Dong-ryong and Sun-woo even get Taek to agree, but Jung-hwan refuses. He’s up in Seoul for a short stint, but eventually he’ll go back to his post and any relationship would end then anyway.

They ask Jung-hwan to play a song as they start drifting off to sleep, and Sun-woo tells Deok-sun to stay over too. But she says she’s going home after this song. Everyone shuts their eyes where they are, but then after a little while, Taek opens his eyes and stares across the room.

Then we see that Jung-hwan has his eyes open too, and they’re both staring at the empty space where Deok-sun was sitting just a moment ago. Deok-sun and Bora share a bed like old times, but both sisters lie awake deep in thought.

In the morning, Deok-sun heads out just a few seconds ahead of Jung-hwan and they miss each other on the street, and then again as Jung-hwan drives by and Deok-sun looks down at her watch. The whole sequence is set to Forrest Gump music, and she goes on a date to watch Forrest Gump with another guy.

The moms ask each other if they’ve seen their kids while they’ve been home, and Jung-hwan’s mom says she’s seen a lot of the back of Jung-hwan’s head. Sun-woo’s mom says she sees a lot of Taek and Sun-woo… when their eyes are closed. In flashback we see Mom and Dad just staring and staring at Taek and Sun-woo while they sleep, wondering if they’ve lost weight since last time or just checking to make sure they’re still breathing. Ha.

Deok-sun’s mom says that Bora does nothing but sleep when she’s home too. They ask if she’s chosen a specialty, and Mom says Bora wants to be a prosecutor, and thankfully her student protesting history won’t stand in the way of that. Jung-hwan’s mom sighs wondering when Jung-bong will ever get to that point, and starts chugging soju straight out of the bottle.

Bora’s friend reminds her about the blind date she promised to go on this weekend. She says it’s with a younger man—a third-year med student at Yonsei who’s a genius. Sun-woo? She says he has a nickname: “Garbage.” Lol, it’s Oppa-ya!

So Garbage Oppa turns out to be Sun-woo’s classmate at Yonsei, and they even share an office at the hospital (and a crossover character in their friend). They help each other out and are friendly, and Garbage asks Sun-woo for his pager number because Sun-woo owes him a favor.

Deok-sun’s dad comes home late and asks to be woken up early because of his big fraud case. He passes out right away, leaving Mom worried about his health. Jung-hwan’s mom stands by the window just waiting for Jung-hwan to come home, and Dad gently tells her that Jung-hwan said he’d be out late.

He’s hanging out at Dong-ryong’s hyung’s restaurant, where Dong-ryong works now. They close up for the night and wait for their friends, and reminisce about the time they saw JYP at that dance competition when they were kids. Dong-ryong asks why Jung-hwan hasn’t dated anyone seriously, and says that going on a few blind dates and dating for a month or two doesn’t count.

Dong-ryong points out that he still hasn’t given anyone his graduation ring (from the military academy, apparently a “fiancée ring” that you give to your girl when you graduate because that’s tradition). Jung-hwan says he doesn’t have a girlfriend to give it to, and Dong-ryong sighs that he’s going to die before ever being able to confess once. Yeah no kidding. Or I’ll die first.

Taek’s colleague at the baduk training center is super grateful to Deok-sun because she introduced him to one of her flight attendant friends, and the friend introduced Deok-sun to her current boyfriend in return.

The boys arrive at the restaurant before Deok-sun, and Taek says he can’t drink because he brought his car. Dong-ryong says that Deok-sun can drive because she quit drinking, which the other guys all say won’t last long.

Deok-sun arrives and they all greet her as Soo-yeon because Dong-ryong remembered that fortuneteller and her predictions, and Deok-sun scowls that she needs to move because there’s nothing they don’t know about her.

They ask if things are going well with the boyfriend, not really believing her, and she insists that she’s really popular elsewhere. Taek: “Where?” Jung-hwan: “Come on, let’s not lie to each other.”

She says she’s going to a concert with the boyfriend this Sunday, and Dong-ryong reminds her that they were all supposed to go see Forrest Gump together. Deok-sun and Taek have both already seen it, which makes the other three grump that they can’t go see a movie with just three guys.

Deok-sun takes that to mean they at least see her as a girl, and offers to cancel her date to go with them. They yell at her for acting all cutesy, and she scowls and asks for a drink. Taek informs her quietly that she can’t because she has to drive, and then continues to drink his beer. Pfft.

They see Dong-ryong home because he’s roaring drunk, and when Deok-sun trips over his front gate, Jung-hwan and Taek both jump in to hold her up on either side. Well that’s not awkward.

Deok-sun comes home and asks Mom why Dad looks so tired these days. She wonders if maybe he should retire, but Mom says he would hate not working, and she’ll make sure to get him some herbal medicine.

Jung-hwan’s mom is still awake until he comes home, and when Taek heads in, Mom is there to make sure he got in safe. She reminds him not to take sleeping pills tonight, and he smiles to find a cup of milk left out for him.

Jung-bong is a bundle of nerves as he decides to ask his chatroom to meet up in person, and he’s floored when Maggie responds: “First floor, not second.” Aw, he’s so happy. I really hope it’s Mi-ok!

Deok-sun’s dad brings up the topic of early retirement with Mom, but she tells him that he can’t retire before their kids are married off. She obviously feels bad for insisting, but doesn’t want their daughters to be at a disadvantage. He takes it back right away and swears he wasn’t considering it seriously.

Deok-sun gets all dressed up for her concert, only to get a message from her date asking to cancel at the last minute. So she changes out of her nice clothes and trudges out in slippers to go buy groceries for Mom, and happens to run into the guys on their way out. She lies that she’s going to the concert anyway, and lets Dong-ryong drive her just to keep up the ruse that she didn’t get dumped.

It must be Blind Date Sunday, because Bora heads out on her blind date and waits for Garbage to page her, and Jung-bong heads out to meet Maggie with his pink shirt and a bouquet of roses.

Taek washes his face in the bathroom, as Deok-sun’s flight attendant friend tells her boyfriend that the guy she set up with Deok-sun turned out to have a girlfriend on the side. Dong-ryong and Jung-hwan grouse when Sun-woo cancels on the movie, and they’re surprised when they notice Deok-sun’s boyfriend at the movie theater with another girl. Dong-ryong figures that Deok-sun got dumped after all, but Jung-hwan looks pissed.

He’s distracted through the whole movie and doesn’t hear a word that Dong-ryong is saying to him, and just as Jenny and Forrest are running through a crowd to get to each other in the movie, Jung-hwan darts up and runs out of the theater. Yeessssss! Ruuuuuun, Jung-hwan, ruuuuuuunn!

He races to his car and peels out of the parking lot, and outside the concert hall, Deok-sun leaves a message with her friend Ja-hyun to come to the concert and bring her some clothes. She’s freezing in her sweats and slippers, but insists on waiting outside.

Jung-hwan speeds the whole way, beside himself every time he’s stopped by a red light and forced to wait. He looks like he might start running people over if he can’t get there faster.

Deok-sun waits and waits even though the concert has started, and even the ticket-takers start to pity her. But then she looks up and sees someone approaching…

Jung-bong waits and waits, looking up and looking despondent every time someone else walks through the door. And then finally, someone makes him stand up…

Bora looks across the table at her date and asks, “Are you Garbage?”

Deok-sun gapes as someone runs over to her out of breath… Omo, it’s Taek!

And aaaaack, Jung-hwan was literally two steps behind. He turns and walks away, as he narrates: “Fate doesn’t come around at any time. To use the word fate, it has to be a dramatic moment brought by coincidence—that makes it fate. That’s why another word for fate is timing. If I hadn’t gotten caught at just one of those lights, if those damned red lights had helped me out just once… I might be standing in front of her right now, like fate. My first love was always held back by damned timing. That damned timing.”

Jung-bong looks at the girl who just walked in, and yay, it’s Mi-ok! She looks adorable. They don’t even need to say a word to each other, and he just rushes her in a giant hug, crying because he’s so happy to have found her again.

Bora asks her blind date again, “Are you Garbage?” But it’s Sun-woo, not Garbage, and he asks what Bora is doing here. She tells him to answer first, so we flash back to Garbage reminding Sun-woo that he owed him a favor. Garbage got told to go on the blind date, but earlier on Sunday, Na-jung fell and twisted her ankle.

Oppa-ya ran over to find her, and left a message for Sun-woo on his way, cashing in on that favor by asking him to go on the blind date.

Jung-hwan’s night only gets worse as he sits in his car listening to the radio. The news reports an unprecedented forfeit from baduk player Choi Taek, who suddenly forfeited today’s match for personal reasons. He skipped a match to go to Deok-sun?

Jung-hwan slams his steering wheel in anger and cries alone in his car. He narrates, “But fate and timing aren’t just coincidences that find you. They’re moments like miracles, that arise out of choices made because of ardent desire. Surrender and decision, without hesitation—that is what makes timing. He was more ardent, and I should’ve had more courage. It wasn’t the red lights, nor the timing that was bad… but the countless times I hesitated.”

Sun-woo and Bora sit in tense silence for a while, and Sun-woo says bitterly that Bora must feel nothing if she was able to go on a blind date with someone from his school in his department. But she says, “I came for the one-percent chance that it could be you.”

When she heard that his nickname was Garbage, she realized it couldn’t be Sun-woo, but then she thought that maybe he’d hear about the date because it was with one of his classmates. Bora: “And though it’s only a one-percent chance, if you still liked me, then couldn’t we start over?” Her eyes well up with tears as she says, “I know this sounds crazy, but I missed you.” Sun-woo doesn’t know how on earth to respond.

Deok-sun insists that she didn’t get stood up, and Taek just nods and says he knows. He lets her tell the white lie about her date getting into an accident on the way, just throws his jacket around her shoulders. She says she’s not cold, so he says he’s too warm to wear it, and follows her into the concert with a smile.

Jung-hwan wipes his tears and continues to narrate, quoting Forrest Gump: “‘Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’ Even if I’ve picked the bitterest chocolate of them all, it can’t be helped. That’s the fate I chose. There’s no regretting it, crying about it, or being heartbroken about it.”

2015. Deok-sun begins another interview at a coffee shop, and when Lee Seung-hwan comes on over the radio, she reminisces about going to many of his concerts. She wonders if they don’t have too much interview footage by now, and says asking her stuff is fine, but her husband normally dislikes doing interviews and she only agreed to do this one because her sister asked.

Husband arrives and stands around awkwardly while Deok-sun runs to get him a coffee, and she tells him to go home, promising that she won’t bug him while he works today. He lies that he likes interviews, and she laughs and tells him to go home. She reminds him to take out the trash, and he says he already did on his way to the comic book store. She mutters at him to stop with the comic books for his image’s sake, and he shuffles off.

Back in 1994, Sun-woo peels open his eyes in the morning to find Mom and Jin-ju staring creepily down at him. He tells them to stop being scary, but Mom pouts that everyone’s asleep. Jin-ju asks why he even comes home if all he ever does here is sleep, and Sun-woo asks to sleep some more, but caves and asks for breakfast.

Jung-hwan wakes up to find his parents doing the same creepy hovering thing, and he jumps out of his skin. He asks why they didn’t wake him, but Mom and Dad wanted to let him sleep in. Mom is so cute about having made his favorite dish, and Jung-hwan laughs into his pillow.

Bora and Deok-sun wake up face-to-face, which surprises Bora since she didn’t hear Deok-sun come home last night. They start the morning off with an old-school fight, and Dad chuckles that it sounds like home again. Dad gets a bloody nose that morning, and Mom looks more worried than usual.

At Sun-woo and Taek’s house, Sun-woo says that all the kids are getting together tonight because Jung-hwan is leaving tomorrow. Taek says he has a match, but it should end early. Jin-ju nags him to do fewer competitions, and when Sun-woo laughs, she nags him not to come home anymore if all he’s going to do is sleep. When Taek laughs at that, she nags him not to date that celebrity who likes him, or else. Guess we know who the boss is around here.

At Jung-hwan’s house, Mom stares and stares at the calendar feeling like something is off, and goes to check the calendar on her nightstand. We see her flip back a few months and find a date circled, but the past few months are clean. Hm, I wonder if it’s menopause.

Deok-sun and Jung-hwan head out together to meet the gang, and he notices that she keeps checking her pager. She asks if it’s okay to take his car when they’re going to drink, and he says she’ll be driving it home. He tells her to put on some music, but all he has are Lee Moon-se tapes so she picks one, and they spend the whole ride bickering like old times.

They have beers with Dong-ryong and Sun-woo, and Taek is on his way. Jung-hwan notices that Deok-sun looks up every time someone opens the front door, which just leaves tiny cracks in my heart every time.

Dong-ryong asks for Jung-hwan’s graduation ring, and Jung-hwan takes it out but says it’s kind of a waste to give it to Dong-ryong. Dong-ryong complains that he doesn’t have anyone else to give it to and will die before ever proposing to a girl, and says, “It’s my wish to see you confess before I die.”

Suddenly Jung-hwan says, “Deok-sun-ah…” and puts the ring box in front of her. HOLY SHIT. He says he was going to give it to her when he graduated, but he’s doing it now. Sun-woo and Dong-ryong stare at each other wondering what’s going on, but Jung-hwan just continues like they’re not even there.

Jung-hwan: “I like you.” He says it again so intently, and then laughs as he tells her about all the things he did, like waiting for an hour outside the house just to go to school with her, or not being able to sleep until she came home from the library every night: “All I ever thought about was you.”

Dong-ryong mouths to Sun-woo: “This bastard must be for real!” Sun-woo tells him to shut it. Jung-hwan names the times they ran into each other on the bus, or went to the concert together, or when she gave him a shirt for his birthday: “I was so happy I thought I’d go crazy.” He says he always wanted to see her more, and was just happy when he was with her. Deok-sun smiles as he says all this, and he adds, “I’ve wanted to tell you this for a long time: I really like you. I love you.” Omg, I’m a puddle of goo.

The moment lingers, and then suddenly Jung-hwan turns to Dong-ryong and asks, “Is that good, moron? You said this was your wish.” Oh nooooooooes, Jung-hwan, you’re not going to act like it was all a joke, are you? I’m going to go cry in a corner now.

Sun-woo and Dong-ryong are so shocked that they don’t even understand at first, but then they take it as him pulling one over on all of them and laugh. Sun-woo asks Deok-sun if she was fooled too, and she just smiles, not knowing what to say to that. Jung-hwan smiles on the outside, but he looks like he’s on the verge of tears. Are you seriously going to take this TO YOUR FREAKING GRAVE?

Dong-ryong says he’s smitten and confesses that he loves Jung-hwan back, and they laugh it off like it was a prank. Deok-sun looks over at the door again when it opens, and Jung-hwan notes it again.

In flashback, we see that after Jung-hwan told Deok-sun she didn’t look pretty in a hanbok way back in 1988, he ran inside to stare at her from the window. And after showing up to give her an umbrella in the rain and walk away with his cool one-liner, he ran home and freaked out like big dork, and smiled at himself for doing the cool thing.

He was a total spaz about the Christmas present too, and nearly chickened out of asking No-eul to deliver it for him. He finally managed to give it to No-eul, who couldn’t comprehend why Jung-hwan would be giving Deok-sun a Christmas present, and to cover up his own embarrassment, Jung-hwan basically kicked him until No-eul was too afraid to ask more questions. Lol.

The group reminisces about old times over drinks, and they decide to move on to round two and page Taek to meet them there. They get up to go, and Jung-hwan’s ring gets left behind on the table.

 
COMMENTS

Noooo, don’t leave it on the table! Is first love over, just like that? It can’t be over, there are two episodes left! I’m starting to have a mild panic attack here, because I was not expecting Jung-hwan to just fold like that. How can you confess like THAT, so sincere and heartfelt, and then say you’re kidding? That’s not… You can’t… AGH. That confession really threw me for a loop. And I still can’t read Deok-sun’s expressions throughout it—is it just sweet nostalgia for an old crush, and is she waiting for Boyfriend Taek to arrive? (Not that I wouldn’t squee about that either. I mean, that’s kind of the nice thing, or terrible thing, about this love triangle.) Or is she disappointed when he acts like he punked them and she’s trying to save face? I feel like Jung-hwan just took himself out of the race with that final I-love-you-just-kidding, but if he really did, I don’t know if I can handle it. *whimper*

It really is in keeping with their characters for Taek to go all in when he sees an opportunity and for Jung-hwan to hesitate so long that he shoots himself in the foot. So, so much that it kills me. But I am glad that he finally learned his lesson about making your own damn fate, because screw timing and coincidence—you make that fate yourself with every choice, and hesitation and inaction are choices too. That’s a really important thing for Jung-hwan to learn as he finally grows up, even if he learns it in the most painful way possible. The thing that throws a wrench in everything is that we still don’t know how Deok-sun feels about any of this, whether seeing Taek at the concert reignited old feelings, whether Taek finally confessed, or if she’s ever thought of either them in the years since high school.

I didn’t expect to be moved by Jung-bong and Mi-ok’s reunion, because their loveline has always been comic relief or just sweet. But Jung-bong was crying when he finally found her again, and I suddenly felt like he’d had a hole in his heart all those years. It fits his character more than anyone else that he’d be fixated on his first love and never move on, and because their loveline was never guaranteed, I was so relieved when she walked through the door.

Bora and Sun-woo, on the other hand, were always going to get back together; it was just a matter of how. It was the best crossover yet to have Garbage and Sun-woo as classmates in med school, since it works out that they’re the same age (I never really stopped to think about how the timelines overlapped, and find it funny that these kids are older than Na-jung and the rest of the 1994 gang, even though, duh). The blind date switcheroo might’ve been an actual twist of fate, but I liked that Bora owned up to saying yes for that tiny chance that she might see Sun-woo again. It’s nice to see the reversal too, because he always chased her and liked her more when they were young, and now she has to work to convince him to give their relationship another chance. I thought it was cute that she went on the date even after knowing that Sun-woo’s nickname could never be Garbage, just on the off chance that she could make him jealous. It’s so roundabout when she could just knock on his door, but he clearly hasn’t made it very easy for her to approach him.

It’s a big relief to know that everyone has at least attempted to move on and date other people, and that it’s not for lack of trying that they’re still lingering on first loves (I’d argue that it’s because some of you never confessed, but that’s water under the bridge). Taek and Sun-woo’s family is so cute that I just want to spend entire episodes with Bossy Princess Jin-ju telling her oppas how to behave, with Mom looking after Taek and Dad getting Sun-woo to play catch. They’re like a mini Brady Bunch, and I love it. Taek eats whole meals, has a little sister to dote on, and their house doesn’t seem so quiet and sad anymore. I found it hilarious that all the parents kept staring at their sleeping kids because they never see them anymore—it helped make the passage of time feel real, in a way that just cutting their hair or dressing them differently doesn’t do nearly as well. Because the parents actually act like they desperately miss their kids, I find myself thinking of them as having left the nest and living full adult lives out there. It makes the group reunions bittersweet too, but it means more that they still get together on Taek’s birthday because that’s tradition, and that they make time for each other even though their lives are going in all sorts of different directions. At least I know that no matter which way the loveline goes, our gang will always be the same. Okay, I’m off to go cry some more.

 
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Oh yeah, for everyone who said Dok Sun is air headed for not knowing that Jung Hwan loves her from all his act...

Please dont forget that Dok Sun is a kind of girl who is so scared about the possibility of confessing to a guy (or asking "Do you really like me?") and get rejected as she doesnt think she's all that pretty to certain that boys will fall in love with her.

She ever said to Joey Wang back then: "Girls like us must be satisfied with one sided love. Once we confess, it's the end!"

She may realize that Jung Hwan and Taek like her and she even loves one of them, but she's scared of assuming anything unless the guy actually confess and seal the deal. I am like that so I understand her.

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She was burned with SunWoo, besides, the difficulty is, they're too close, it's hard to differentiate what the boys do because of romantic feelings or because they've known each other since childhood. I'm sure Deoksun doesn't go around just assuming every boy that's nice to her has feelings for her. LOL.

I get why she doesn't know.

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People just want to blame someone other than the guy who actually admitted he was wrong. It's not DS' fault she didn't "get" JH all these years. Put yourself in her shoes for a second. This isn't even about her insecurities, but just how she was treated. She's not a mind reader.

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Other than Taek his close friends didn't realise he had a crush on DS either.

Jung Hwan played it close to the chest and stop showing he cared at all after Taek admitted his own feelings for DS.

Deok Sun isn't all that observant but I can hardly blame her for not picking up on JH's feelings because barring a few moments here and there he was trying very hard not to show them.

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I knew it...ever since SunWoo become a doctor that he'll be working in the same hospital with oppa-ya n SW Bora love story will inter connected. And that confession scene, i won't be surprised if it shown that Taek was hearing it all along n perhaps salvaged the ring... for all this time Jungpal had always stay near him, i think in my heart he was like his father that keep pining for time to pay back all the good others done for them, so if Taek fold back in the end and let Jungpal ended up with DS i won't be too surprised though I hope he gave Jungpal a run for his money.

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Thanks GF

JungPal ah, I'm gonna cry, my heart was torn apart ???

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I must be in the minority since I'm on #TeamTaek but I don't feel confident even after episode 18. I'm guessing being in team Taek means my expectations are low but hopeful. there have been many hints since the start that points to him being the husband too. I love JH at the start but I would prefer Taek to be the husband. Sigh, my brain tells me if the past Reply series are any indication...the husband is gonna be Junghwan anyway. I'm preparing myself for heartbreak...

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this is so me :') *high fives you*

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*hugs*

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ahh this is so me! i watched every hint that taek was the husband with a sinking heart because i know what this series means when it tells you someone is marrying someone

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Same. I'm on Team Taek, but I'm kinda nervous that he might step aside for JH. I'm afraid he might pick up the ring and give it back to JH and step aside for him.

On the other hand, the closing credits showed scenes of JH as if to commemorate his finished love line. Furthermore, the title of the episode was Goodbye First Love and it was clearly referring to JH.

But still, I'm nervous.

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it is sure that the title was for jung hwan but you don't know what deok sun thinks about both the male leads????? she is the one who has to choose... both have the chance... :)

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Same here, I'm Team Taek but i don't think he's the husband and all these hints just keeps pissing me off because of the eventual heartbreak.

But I'd also be pissed if Taek isn't the husband not just because I'm rooting for him but because Taek is the person that they build up most on, especially when it came to Deoksun. If he isn't the husband, then the writers intent on messing with us hindered the story all for the sake of trolling.

If JungHwan and Deoksun ended up together I'd like to see on my screen how they grow into that relationship rather than a montage or something.

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@Sand, lil, Julia,

I share the same sentiments too. I'm just nervous because I know they're going to set us up for eventual heartbreak. At the end of the day, it is about Deoksun's choice and we still have no clue about how she feels since we can't see it from her POV. I can understand it if Taek is like Chilbongie or TaeKwang (Sungjae in School 2015) because in both cases no matter how much the guy suits the lead girl, she doesn't show the same interest back. But still....I'm preparing myself since my ship always sinks lol. We get to hear the barrationnarration from Junghwan's point of view just like Trash oppa and Joon Jae - they both had narration lines and ended up with the girl. So I'm starting to feel like if past series are any indication, the husband is definitely JH and I'm going to end up pissed for Taek. Since like you guys said, they have been building up Taek's arc so well. They had typical romantic kdrama scenes so shouldn't Taek get the girl? Sigh....

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The Reply girls NEVER go for the one who treats them well.

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Haha, isn't this so frustratingly true! Hate to have a happy and easy marriage. Bickering and angst are where it's at! :p

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And that is just sad. Sad indeed. Then again, it's a drama, not real life. :/

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I dunno. YoonJae treated her well, didn't he?

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Totally feel the same!

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I feel ya! Same here ?

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I swore I wouldn't do this. But....but.... Jung hwanaaaaaaa. Nooooooooooo

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junghwan.. can I just kick you?!!! When i see junghwan, I remember the times I wanted to kick myself for not saying stuff on time, the regrets we all have and I just want to cheer him on but gaaahh... hes making it difficult... I literally kicked and screamed witnessing how he laughed it off :(( his voiceover almost sounds like hes accepting his defeat and he sealed it with that "confession"...
This is weird too cuz I cant figure out whats Deok sun's deal! This would end with her speaking first, im telling you...
Sunwoo and Bora, I didnt really feared for their future together cuz i knew they would get back together but to see how its happening is great... Bora better get that puppy back! Same with Mi ok and Jung bong, theyre soo sweet! Jung Bong obsession paid off this tiem :3
things have dragged this much and theres barely time to know whos the husband -and hopefully see more cute family moments- but I hope we get to see more of their lives in 2015.. i want a big ol' wedding!! i want babies! everything!
PS: btw, Idk why im still suspicious about Taek's kiss dream...

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...I'm still thinking the dream-kiss is real. It's weird, but I can't shake it. The writers are that kind of trolls.

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I think most people think it's real, but hard to tell exactly what it means.

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KInd of? No, they are 100%, gold-plated, money-back guarantee trolls. Reply 1994 got me angrier than any Kdrama, ever, they were so trollish.

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OMG, don't speak to me about '94. I still didn't watch the last episode because I am still burning mad.

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While reading some of the comments here, I suddenly thought what if it is DS who confessed to TK after the concert. And that TK did not give a reply because of JH. That can be why DS was waiting for a page from TK or why she is waiting for TK at the restaurant.

Can't wait to see how everything will unfold next week. *dreamy sigh*

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This episode and last episode gave me so much hope! Taek! Taek! Taek!

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Be careful if you don't want to be heartbroken later. The fact that they are dropping hints in favor of Taek is suspicious...God knows that I love Taek and I like more the dynamics of T-DS couple. Their romantic development feels more real, maybe it's because JH is hiding his feelings so well, and DS seems to have no clear preference so far.

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Thanks for the recap. Just have a feeling that on the next episode. Taek will be there to pick up the ring. There's a possibility that he heard Jungpal's confession and decided to step back the same way he did when he won his game last time. Just my guess. Whatever the outcome is, I am happy with the 1988 series. Each and every episode is fun to watch.

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im speachless.... how can the writer make jung hwan the most pity person but at the same time realistic. I don't understand if the ending dok seon with taek, i know taek love her so much and braver to confess. but its not junghwan fault :' its like the universe conspires him to not to have that perfect timing or what you called fate. I cried watching this episode because of jung-hwan, no matter what happen at least just give Jung hwan his ultimate happines. He deserve it. how can the PD and the writer do this to him, making his confession to be a joke???? :"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

and thank you for the recap!!! #happines4JungHwan

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This episode pissed me off... It's very realistic yet frustrating! I cried very much when I saw how heartbroken Junghwan to deoksun.. If the mystery husband is not junghwan I will really protest outside the writers home... I will find you! I MEAN IT!

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hahaha this is so funny i was thinking of doing the same thing...protesting in front of TVn office I mean. I belong to Team Taek but I just could not stomach the way JH is being treated. My heart is literally breaking for the poor guy. But I have a feeling that he'll end up getting the girl though...in five days' time we'll know for sure!

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I don't think he's treated or written badly, he's written quite well.

The character is just the type to overthink stuff, like YoonJae that he keeps missing his moments. And it's because he's this type that he ended up like this.

Even the confession is in character. I mean, if it's Taek, Taek would have just straightforwardly tell Deoksun his feelings because that's the kind of person that he is.

Junghwan told Deoksun of his feelings and took it back because that's the kind of person that *he* is. He's not written badly, he's just the way he is.

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Do you know which song ia playing during JungHwan's confession? I love it, but can't remember the title for the life of me :/ thanks in advance ??

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소녀 (Girl) by Lee Moonse

one of the osts is a remake of that song and it's usually referred to as 'Little Girl'. the remake is sung by Oh Hyuk.

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They better show that DS tooo liked one of the guys all this time..like they showed for JH at the end of the episode.

But honestly. ..for me if she doesn't end up with Jung....I hate this series....ughhh....I can't take another reply 1994...

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writers have been so cruel to Jumg Hwan! I had an inkling that he might not be the husband what with the clues so easily leading to him and him being abscent from most of the drama as though he became unimportant for the story when we learnt about Taek's crush. In the last seasons the girl at least knew about the crush of the other whereas Deok seon just didn't see into Jung hwan's tough exterior. JH is so secretive and that makes his heartbreak even more painful. I just wish his character has given a chance to show how much he cares for those around him. The writers side lined him.
To quote a comment from someone at darambeans He is more chillbongie than chillbongie himself. <\3

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JUNGHWAN. YOU IDIOT. *hits JungHwan over the head with blunt objects*

He was finally saying the things we want him to say and then he ruined it!!!!!

Shows how much this show is doing an awesome job on building up relationships that I am upset over how much JungHwan screwed up his confession while also squeeing that Deoksun looks at the door, I'm assuming waiting for Taek everytime the door opens. I love Taek, Taek is my baby, but still---

JUNGHWAN. WHYYYYYYYY???

Oh God, Taek being such an awesome,assertive person. With JungHwan still dithering in the movie theater, Taek was all 'eff this, I'm gonna go to my girl" and forfeited the competition. That's why I like him best, because he just goes all out. That's what worries me, afraid that he'd be Chilbong all over again because Chilbong was like that.

That scene in the concert though, if only Deoksun didn't turn to her right, she would have seen JungHwan instead of Taek. But at the last second, she turned and Taek was there and I screeeeeeeeeeeeeamed.

And then I saw JungHwan only seconds away and screamed even more. If only he didn't wait. Like he said, fate is what you make it.

But, how did Taek know about Deoksun being stranded there alone?

I love the scene with JungBong and Mi Ok. OMG, so, so sweet.

The parents hilarious, JinJoo bossing her oppas. Well, SW and Taek had practice being bossed around by Deoksun. LOL.

Wonder why Deoksun quit drinking?

AND WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH DAD?

SW AND BORA!!!!!

I love that scene where all the boys teased Deoksun about getting dumped.

And I love Taek when he just accepts Deoksun's lies about her ex-boyfriend at the concert. It's like when he guarded her from the flasher. He let her keep her dignity, even as he protects her. It's cute and respectful.

Am so happy that Taek's house is not so lonely now.
But still, JUNGHWAN!!! *shakes fist*

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Taek knew she was stranded cause some girls were talking about her boyfriend two-timing. so he just darted off

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Yeah, I just remembered that he could have heard it while Deoksun's friend was talking with that dude outside of the bathroom.

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Man, I have been on DK & JH ship ever since I started this, but now, I just wish I never boarded.

I've just said this joke to the person I care, and said good bye, and I was hoping that the same thing WON'T happen to DK and JH...but man, . . . . . (sigh)

Really like how they look though, and the parents' reactions on all of them sleeping..hahaha

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As a matter of fact, I hate noble idiocy! This is what makes me dislike some lead characters in korea drama. Common! A guy trying to suppress his feeling due to an unplanned situation doesn't mean he had to act cold towards her. There are subtle ways he could still show his feeling. That's more reason Love Rain drama is among one of my best korea dramas. In that drama, the girl could still feel that the guy likes her with the way the guy looks and behaves towards her. Hence, she knew something was wrong!
As opposed to other korea dramas where the guy would just becomes abruptly so cold after showing his feelings to the girl yet the said girl would still be pinning over the same guy even when she has a nice guy who loves her.
Answer 1988 actually made my day, showing that you can't act like a noble idiot and still expect the girl to end in your laps. They should know that the girl can't possibly know that he still likes her, only we, the viewers knows. After all she's no magician.
Look at taek for example, he still acted his normal self towards Daeksun when he decided to let go of his feeling after discovering Jung ha's feeling!
That being said, the drama has been pointing to Taek as the Husband from the start. He had more screen time than him. He and Deaksun had more moment together than Jung ha and Daeksun ever did.

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I agree with you and may I add that I also hate the 'X amount of years with no contact but our feelings have not changed even a little?' trope.

That one is super annoying.

I hope you're right and DS doesn't end up with JH despite his noble idiocy and a joke confession. Having admitted his feelings in a way that doesn't effect his friendships he's now able to move on and the DS/CT romance will finally shift into a higher gear.

I know what I want to happen but I'm not sure in what direction this drama is going to go.

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THANK YOU so much!!

You pointed out some things I really appreciate about DS-TK ship. I do hate when male lead changes his kind approach to the girl because of some noble idiocy. Here we had 2 polar examples with JH being cold to DS and Taek just beg his normal self after giving up.

To be honest, I don't really get why everyone pities JH? Yes, he is a very nice guy that cares about his precious people. BUT really, he's been so passive from the very start! It is indeed hard to confess to one's childhood friend, but doing nothing before he found out about SW and before he knew about TK's feelings was HIS CHOICE. He could have told SW about his love and again DR and SW's support but NO. He lost many chances and opportunities and while I believe that unrequited love is a really sad thing, let's be honest, he kind of deserved that outcome.

Answer 1988 is a k-drama that is really close to real life situations, right? And here we are with some good moral of the story - don't be passive and over-protective of your feelings, because the moment you finally get the courage to confess it might be TOO LATE. I adore thunders characters in manga and movies but what girl among us here would like to wait MONTHS for her crush to do smth?

Sorry, JH fans, but in my opinion he lost the battle in ep.10 when he left DS with TK and didn't express his feeling at least to the gang.

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I do like that even though TK backed out, he was still there for DS when she needed him. He was overly cold to her either. JH backed off and was never there, and really just treated her poorly at times. He wasn't even a friend to her. That's a big difference. How was she supposed to figure out JH liked her? It makes no sense. Not like he was ever really that kind to her in the first place.

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I don't know anymore.. At first, I was sure the husband will be JH because DS showed some feelings towards JH, like she gave the pink shirt to JH as a bday gift and gets angry when she finds out JH lend it to JB..
But start from this episode, I feel like the dream that TK had is real, that's why DS start notice TK in the different way.. Ahhhhhhh.. I hope it's real. I wish DS will end up with TK...

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The future doek sun said that going to the comic book store doesn't suit the image of the husband ... JH was into comic books right and not Taek .. Just trying to sooth my aching heart for JH :((

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JH did break my heart, but DS would have to be a saint to stick around still liking him after all these years after how he's acted. Good luck for him that she is basically that nice, so maybe he's not doomed. But it's totally deserved that he loses the girl honestly. I don't think he will just yet since we need DS' pov first. Her diary and flashbacks will hold the clues to who she likes.

But still, his confession just really shows why he'll should probably never get the girl. This should be a teaching moment to treat the next persona you love better if anything.

Regardless of who wins, one thing I can't get into all the crying and whining the writer changed the script. I think each guy had an equal shot the whole drama.

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I agree. DS must be head over heels in love with JH to wait for his confession and take it, She doesn't seem so though based on their scenes...

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si ella queda con taek,to el dorama no valio fome ,y parese que es asi,perdi mi tiempo. este cap. me cargo como jh es una broma y ella esperando a .

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I heart hurt a lot, i do love TK, but im all the JH and DS shipper.. pls.. how can i function normally for the followng days until friday, thingkimg a lot who's the husband is..

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i love JH............i can't see him crying...please DS choose him.
i don't want this show to end.....i really love it.
:(

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Am I the only one here that guess cheetah ahjumma is pregnant?
I remember Na jung omma also pregnant around Jung hwan omma age

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My bet is still on Junghwan being the husband.

Was so distraught after watching ep18, i thought my ship is going to sink. But looking at the concert scene when both junghwan and taek were rushing to deoksun, the camera was on Junghwan the whole time instead of Taek. Thereafter showing Junghwan on his heartbreak extensively... Throughout the drama too, the story showed a lot more of junghwan's perspective than taek's where doeksun is concerned.

After calming down, I'm pretty sure its still Junghwan. The reply series has a way of making the viewers doubt themselves at the v last minute. #teamjunghwan

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thanks - you give me hope :)

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Im literally so tired of people saying 'OMG JUNG HWAN MY HEART IS BROKEN NO HE HAS TO BE THE HUSBAND'. The whole comment section is filled with that.

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I think he's been a jerk. I wasn't sad for him after that confession - doing it in public was a jerk move, putting her on the spot and then loading her down with guilt about all the time and energy he has put into her over the years - and then to follow up by treating the whole thing as a joke was immature and borderline cruel. But then, Reply likes their "heroes" to be immature and borderline cruel - look at Trash, for instance - so Jung Hwan is probably the end game.

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so they are endorsing relationships with a guy who assumes the girls is a psychic

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Yep. I don't dislike him because he at least admitted his pain is all his fault. It's not fate being cruel, but him being weak. He can't even confess correctly and in a nice way. He needs to grow up and change his behavior/watch his mouth before he can date.

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I think it's Taek, it's just not make sense, that the one who always hestited and not take action while he have more chance, get the girl, he even make joke his confesion. He not consider Deok Sun's feeling and just thinking his broken heart.
While Taek always thinking Deok Sun feeling and JH's feeling too. He give him a chance when he know JH also love DS. But he still not take action. So it's more fair if Taek take action and get the girl. But, yeah we still don't know how DS's feeling.

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If the writer wants it that way, let her have it. JH and DS only had a very superficial relationship as DS only liked him when her friends told her that. But Taek and DS relationship is so sweet to watch, as you can see them grow to like each other provided with their reason for doing so.

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I still think the husband is Jung-hwan.. yeah it looks like he gave up on her and maybe she's dating Taek, but just based on the whole story, the feelings they had for each other, the overall drama of their love, i know it's Jung hwan. I think we will see all of Doek sun flashbacks and her feelings next week, but i'm confident.

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I would love if teak was the husband. He was always my favourite from the beginning. People been saying so much nasty things about him. They're also blaming him for JH not confessing. Teak have given him a chance but he didn't take it. It would make sense if teak was the husband. They shared some amazing moment and I think the two would be awesome together.. That being said I still feel like JH is the husband, which doesn't make any sense to me at all.

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I'm in tears right now... Junghwan, you adorable, noble Idiot :(

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Still don't get how that confession was noble idiocy. A noble idiot would say nothing at all.

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That would be the noble idiot route if no one knew, but in this case, Taek knows... and bot us as viewers and Junghwan know that 1. Taek is just as noble an idiot and 2. Taek, like him, still has feelings for Deoksun...

So I think that firstly its his way of letting go... and then to protect himself and not cause taek and Deoksun any "angst" he made it a joke... I think partly because he was anticipating that Deoksun wouldn't reciprocate his feelings so he didnt want to hear the answer and also i think, he may have been trying to tell Deoksun and indirectly Taek (through Sunwoo and Dongryong) that whatever feelings he may have had for Deoksun are gone know, which is why he can joke about it now...

Thats just what I think... I think that it affected me more because a few months ago I was in the same position as Junghwan... and sometimes I still wish I hadnt heard the answer... like I'd have been better of if I'd said nothing whenat the time I felt like even though i missed my chance all though years ago I had to say it, in order to let go...

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Thanks girlfriday for the recap and comments.
I was also shocked like SW and DR when JH gave DS the ring and confessed his love and making a joke out of it. I love both the characters (JH and Taek) and don't mind either of the boys becoming DS' husband but want all the kids to have a happy ending.

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I think at this point, Jung Hwan is not noble idiot anymore, he just.....(sorry everyone, don't kill me) simple idiot. Everyone said that he so heart breaking, that his confession feel touching, yeah it is very touching that when he say like it is a joke, i imagine if i'm in DS's place, it's so humiliating. He hurt DS's feeling.
I don't know what the writer thinking, and who will be the husband, but i always think, Taek is always the more sincere and honest about his feeling. Even when he let go DS for JH, his way never hurt DS as much as JH's way.
Taek maybe looked very incompeten with his everyday's skill, but he is mature in his mentality and know his own lack, and he try his best.
I think with him, DS more feel confident, as with JH she always lost her worthy feeling, just because JH make fun of her for cover his own feeling.

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"He hurt DS’s feeling"

I don't think he did. At all...

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He put her in an awkward situation. It was a shitty thing to do.

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For me, if i'm in Deok Sun's place, it is humiliating me!
I have a friend who very good to me, all peoples around me and my sister said he have a feeling to me, except he himself.
I don't have any romantic feeling to him to be honest, but i consider many times to take a chance to date him, if he confess to me. But he never.
He still very good to me, but he never confess. And know I imagine if one day he confess to me like JH did, and then saying that like it is a joke, i don't think i will ever accept him. And i know his feeling in this case, but Deok Sun not.
You know, because it's soo...embarassing! And JH is an adult now, if he love her, even if he can't have her, he will not humiliated her like that, even Taek who they treat like a baby know how to protect DS's dignity, because DS is always easy to feel embrassed.
I talk about what make sense here, Taek is better than JH.
But i never know what the writer thinking. Well, real life is not always fair either.

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note: what i mean about my friend, i know his feeling because he tell everybody around me about his feeling, even to my sister, but he never confess himself.

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Yes thank you for saying that because I feel the same way. Also teak did step back for a bit and he did nothing. You said everything I was thinking!!

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This episode is very confusing.. I am still rooting for JH-DS. Please don't let my ship sink writer-nim... jebal~

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I had a crush when i was 18. It goes on for 4 years until i mustered up courage to confess only to know he likes other girl.

So in a way, i understand why Junghwan acted like it was all a joke after that sincere confession. Because i did it too :'(

He wants to move on. Its all coming back to me last night. I cried myself to sleep.

Lets just hope all the characters got their happy ending next week...

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the same thing happened to me... only it took me 6 years... and that was a few months ago... so its all still fresh... I feel like in this episode... JungHwan is my spirit animal...

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SPOILER ... KINDA.

Everything points to Taek now, but there will be a big event that turns it back to Jeong-Hwan. How do I know? I'm in Korea and they have a couple CF. Taek has one alone. So, Jeong-Hwan it is. By the way, have you guys seen the hilarious look into Daddy Kim Seong-Gyun's first love? It's a 5 minute KT (a cell phone company here) commercial.

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Do you think it will count that JH likes Lee Mi Yeon (the actress who plays the adult Deok Sun) and that Lee Mi Yeon acting as the adult Deok Sun count or help point that JH is indeed the husband?
I mean, why would the writer-nim pick the real Lee Mi Yeon to play the adult DS? I know it's a crossover between fiction and reality, but what the heck, right?
Don't almost every series has the line that when things are pointing to the good, the characters always say, "that thing only happens in the movies/series".
Anyway, has this been brought up before? I mean that JH who likes actress LMY plays the adult DS ? Doesn't that give us something to ponder? ??

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Actually, it's that dumb bike commercial and it plays every commercial. So sick of that somg.

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This episode really made me sad/lonely. I was working through Sunday and Junghwan's heartache with first love kept invading my thoughts. There's something really nostalgic and tragic about letting go of first love. The reply franchise always makes me yearn for the old days (aka my youth). I wish someone had told me to enjoy those days more because adulthood is on a whole other level of difficulty with all the responsibility and boring routine that comes with it.

I think I should post my thoughts as a way of letting things go so I can go back to being productive. In the first few episodes it was really apparent that Kim Joo Hyuk was portraying Junghwan. Either as a red herring or because he really is the husband. I didn't think of it as a red herring because if you take away all those ambiguous situational events, the husband was the only legitimate clue... but now I've began to doubt that because in episode 17 the husband was acting like taek. I don't believe for a second that KJH was not given specific instructions on who he would base his character on. For ep 17 they made him taek. It was in the self-conscious way he stood with a little slouch, the way he greeted the interviewer, etc. Like, the change from how they talked to each other in the early eps was significant. I don't know if this is the red herring or the earlier version of him. I just know that the writer has made that part of the story more ambiguous by making him fit both persons.

The ep 17 kiss for me was just a dream. It was shown that Deok sun already left before that scene, and i don't think she'd lie upside down lol. As for the husband dating a lot, it could still go both ways... I don't consider taek's getting set up on dates and always getting dumped as something noteworthy to be mentioned by deoksun as "dating a lot" and junghwan could still go on a dating spree to forget deoksun (we don't know what year DS got hitched). The pager thing is also ambiguous because taek most likely doesn't know how to use it, she could have been waiting for her latest boyfriend's page.

The only thing that seemed clear was that deoksun was waiting for someone. She wasn't unmoved by the confession though as she had tears in her eyes... but I think she most likely already knew junghwan liked her back then given his actions and she'd already moved on from that over the last few years. So really the next two episodes will be about deoksun and whatever happened before she got married.

Two other things. 1) The guess the OTP game is really stressful but I do think it's necessary in the reply series where no other conflict occurs. There's no antagonist so they need to get the suspense from somewhere else otherwise it would be nice to watch but not as much of a hit as it is now. 2) I really love the music in r88. I loved them even before r88, so it really makes me happy that they used those songs... Maybe I'm an old soul but I really love the folk/folk-rock/80's...

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You're a genius!

I totally forgot Taek doesn't even know how to use a pager. kekekekek

Ep 18 kinda made it too obvious that Taek is gonna be the husband. I mean, all those years of JH liking DS and that's the finale he gets? A JOKE confession? Are you kidding? And DS keeps staring at the door not even caring about JH's confession? They just leave the ring?

In a way, it seems almost too good to be true for Taek fans. I could see why some Taek fans are even more nervous after today's episode. It just seems....too predictable for a reply series ending. DS seems like she's completely in love with Taek at this point.

I almost wish JH doesn't marry DS. No offense, but that future husband looks kinda like a bum. (I love Kim Joo Hyuk so I;m not talking about the actor.) I don't want fighter pilot JH to become an old man walking around in sweats reading comic books. No.
I want JH to be totally successful and happy, with someone better than DS. Someone with more class, someone with more emotion. A drop dead gorgeous woman who will make him totally happy.

And Taek can marry DS because Taek can't live without her. Cutie pie.

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Someone better? Someone with more class? Ugh. Stop hating on DS because JH couldn't be brave enough. It's his fault and he knows it. I've also see JH fans hating on other characters too since this episode. It's so stupid.

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Nope, not hating on DS here. She's a very sweet girl.

I just want JH to find a girl that'll be so amazing he can forget this heartache.

Wrote my comment in a rush, didn't mean for it to sound like I thought DS wasn't worth it. Was just highlighting how amazing this new girl should be.

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Well, that's good. Sorry for misjudging you. Some fans are going around calling her a stupid and rude person who can't get JH, so he deserves better. As if anything going on with his heartbreak is her fault.

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It cant be Taek.. then Deok-Sun and Bora will be double in in laws, assuming Bora will marry Sunwoo at this point.

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blaah blaaah blaah that statement has lived its due, but thats not really any problem.

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*song

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Hi, Emily. Do you have the links to the CF of JH and DS? I'm from the Philippines :)
Also the KT CF, please. Thank you so much!
By the way, i love that you #teamJunghwan ?

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Hi! Sorry to get back to you so late ... I didn't know anyone responded to me ^^;;;

Beanpole bike thing: https://youtu.be/__ZzLN3Xnx0

Dad's first love: https://youtu.be/LRZt8bqnWS0

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I am on team taek but i'm fine (well, a little heartbroken) if the end game is jungwan. What annoyed me is the fact that lots of people says Taek was a poor choice for deoksun since he's a baby that needs caring and only focus on Baduk. Like please, Taek can take care of his friends and family too! He protect Deoksun, help Junghwan's father and his instructor, and take care of himself well when he has baduk matches. Every character in this series were designed uniquely, and that clumsiness is just one of Taek's flaws.

I'm on this ship because I was TeamChilbong on R1994. Since episode 6, I feel Taek is a lot like Chilbong, by the way he express his love. ((I guess direct and nice guys were just my types hahaha)). But the narration Junghwan gives in the concert scene about how cruel fate is feels like the one Chilbong said when Najung meet Trash on the elevator, on R1994 episode 19. So please, let my version of Chilbong in 1988 get the girl, writer nim! hahaha

I hope all R1988 fans wouldn't blame the writer though if the end game was Taek. Let's just enjoy the ride of one of the most amazing family drama we've ever watch!

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I'm getting Chilbong feels from JungHwan too...
except he's like Chilbong x100000000000000.
because. Chilbong only met Na Jung when they were in college, whereas it Junghwan has known Deoksun his whole life and if his kid diary entries are any indication, he's liked her for most of his life anyway... much like YoonJae did ShiWon

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Exactly! Confuseddddd

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Speaking with my Team Duk Seon hat. What if she's become famous? A writer perhaps?

If JH isn't the husband, then he gets to take everything he's learned and observed to have a healthy, happy relationship which, seriously, is all I want for all the "kids."

I just realized that I sound like one of their moms. "Be healthy, be happy, do good work in the world!" :-)

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so confusing..both male leads have such strong arguments to be the husband....so instead of jumping to either ship...i dun care who is the husband...as long as the one who ISNT gets a fair and good treatment(not like chilbong A^#%^@&$)

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It's interesting to find that the Team Taek has low expectation for the ending and the Team JH has a power to defend the line. despite of the difference, most of us including Team Taek,agree that they have their hearts broken for JH in this episode. regardless of who the endgame will be, there is a very important lesson that we can learn from JH. Yes, he is a soft heart person and hesitated to take actions because of Taek, ( he is considerate)but I think that he kind of hesitated even when he was not aware of Taek. when we are interested in someone, taking an action is crucial!!he was afraid of hurting someone else but I think he was also afraid of a potential rejection etc etc. In the end, he was timid with love. it's quite difficult to convey our affection without actions and words. I see why and how DS had confused with his action. the writer really gives us some important life/love lesson for us.

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I'm Team Taek all the way but I'm almost sure JH would be the end game. I don't know... but JH seems to be the typical character who gets the girl. The guy who hides his feelings, the guy who's supposedly tough but soft on the inside, the guy who's not absolutely nice to the girl (doesn't compliment her/always bicker with her, etc.),etc. I wish for once though that this is not the case.

Please let the husband be Taek. ? Please. Please. Please. Taek-DS really has the more natural progression of relationship. You can actually see how their friendship develops more and more and there's a hint that maybe it is indred turning out to be something more. Where as JH-DS case, I don't see their progress as a couple. It's not enough how much one of them loves the other so much if they didn't have enough time to connect.

/sigh I think it's JH but I really wish it'd be Taek instead. But if it's indeed JH, at least I know DS is happy. So... come final episode. I'll be ready for you with lots of tissues.

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It's so true. Hard to believe that Taek will come out the husband. JH is the typical drama Husband. And not just for the Reply series. And not even just in Kdramas. He is the husband archetype in jdramas, cdramas, tdramas... Almost like the sweet dream guy is just too good to be true. Passive aggressive, melancholy cautious little kitties who can never quite say what they feel. :p all of dramaverse is in a conspiracy to keep girl's expectations low. :)

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Yesss. I wish for once the production team is still looking for ways to trick us. Because at this point, we're almost sure that it's Taek because of the natural progression of Taek-DS relationship and how JH seemed to have given up. But since they want us to be wrong, it'd have to be JH because he's the typical male lead all along and his char seemed to fit with the other husband in Reply franchise. But then since they know that we know that it'd be JH, they'd make Taek the husband all along, surprising us in the end.

Lol. I don't even know if I'm making sense. But I just really wish it's Taek. Dx

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I'm wearing my Team Duk Seon hat now: what if she's the one who has become famous? As a writer perhaps?

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it was quite clearly said the interview is about her husband

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Oops! I apologize for duplicate posting! I thought the first one had been lost. I blame it on Jung Hwan heartbreak tears messing up my eyesight.

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