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Beautiful Gong Shim: Episode 8

Nothing seems to go right for dear Gong Shim, who feels like a defective seed that never blooms no matter how hard it tries. Love can’t be in the air if self-love ceases to exist and she’s about ready for some change, but what about the people who like her just the way she is? Meanwhile, a crucial detail in the kidnapping case is unearthed, but it could unravel some uncomfortable truths.

 

 
EPISODE 8 RECAP

Gong Shim points to the plant Dan-tae gave her and reckons there’s something wrong with the seed because nothing’s sprouted yet.

Gong Shim: “No matter how hard I try, it’s destined to stay buried in the dirt without getting the chance to bloom, right?… It’s just like me! No matter how hard I try, it’s no use. It’s too much like me.”

She breaks down in tears, and Dan-tae places a comforting hand on her shoulder before embracing her, his eyes glistening with tears of his own. Jun-su arrives, but leaves wordlessly after spotting Dan-tae consoling her.

The next morning, Dan-tae transfers Gong Shim’s plant to a new pot and muses that once it blooms, things will start looking up for her. He hears the door close below him and rushes downstairs, thinking it’s Gong Shim, but it turns out to be her dad, about to take out the trash. Dan-tae asks why he doesn’t have Gong Shim do it, and Dad points out that she left for work. Knowing she was fired yesterday, Dan-tae wonders where she is. He calls her, but her phone is off.

Gong Shim’s on an early morning mountain hike. Meanwhile, Dan-tae’s at his office eating lunch, concerned when she continues not to answer her phone. An idea strikes, and he decides to send her an unflattering selfie.

Gong Shim reaches the summit and beholds the view. She reflects on how small and discouraged she felt down there, and a tear trickles down her cheek.

On the bus ride back, Gong Shim opens Dan-tae’s text, which tells her to call him if his selfie made her laugh. It does make her smile albeit momentarily.

Dan-tae stands around Gong Shim’s usual path to work, waiting for her to appear, but she walks right past him without his noticing. She expected as much since she’s wearing a longer wig and turns back to face him.

She wanted to try a new look to uplift her mood and says it worked. As she leaves to switch back to her usual wig, Dan-tae expresses relief that she’s faring better than expected.

Gong Shim finds it odd he never asked her why she cried last night, and Dan-tae simply states that it’s up to the person whether or not to divulge. Moreover, he knows she didn’t cry because something good happened, so why ask about something obviously negative? He figures she would’ve said something if she wanted to talk about it.

She says he sounds like an adult when he’s like this, and Dan-tae feigns offense, offering to show his ID as proof of his maturity and informing her that he’s so contemplative, his nickname is Mr. Thoughts. She reminds him that he’s now back to acting childish, heh.

She knows he’s aware of her unemployment and suggests that he doesn’t ask for details because she won’t disclose any. Dan-tae says he won’t and encourages her to stay mum.

As they get up to head home, Gong Shim wryly tells him she never responded to his text because the selfie wasn’t funny. Dan-tae’s incredulous as she walks away from him with a big smile on her face.

At home, she apologizes to her bewildered parents for quitting her job and states that it wasn’t the right fit for her. Gong Mi overhears this and concludes that it’s a good thing, since her employment at Star Group bothered her. Ugh.

Gong Mi goes to her sister to pry for more details, but she doesn’t get any. Gong Shim wonders about the band-aid on her unni’s arm (from rescuing Jun-su in the fire), but Gong Mi lies that she injured herself while exercising. She also adds that quitting was the right move and that she’ll help her find a new job, and Gong Shim is surprised by her sister’s concern.

Jun-su texts Gong Shim asking to meet, and apologizes repeatedly for his mother unjustly firing her. Gong Shim reassures him that she’s fine; the job wasn’t right for her in the first place, and she promises to treat him when she receives her first paycheck from a more suitable job. Dan-tae happens upon their meeting and silently observes them from behind a wall.

Gong Shim heads out again when her college sunbae notifies her about a job opening and bumps into Dan-tae. He finds it strange that she’s going to an interview for a “distribution company” in the evening and bringing a large duffel bag with her. He wonders if it’s a pyramid scheme…

And lo and behold, a greasy-haired individual addresses a room full of people, including Gong Shim, and assures them that their pyramid scheme suspicions are incorrect; he points to their giant logo as proof and emphasizes that they’re star-shaped, ha.

Everything the man says screams fraud — “No matter what, you’re guaranteed a monthly income of $10,000!” — and even Gong Shim doesn’t buy his ridiculous exaggerations. A quick-thinking young man manages to escape the room, but when Gong Shim tries to flee, her sunbae blocks the door. Everyone’s phones are confiscated so they’re all stuck in what is very clearly a pyramid scheme with no way out.

Dan-tae happens to catch the young man who escaped. He confirms that he just left a pyramid scheme and nearly died because of the sunbae that fooled him, which is all Dan-tae needs to hear to know that Gong Shim is in a major pickle.

The greasy man encourages everyone to invest in order to be hired, and Gong Shim informs him that she has no money in an attempt to be excused. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work because he reminds her that she can get a loan, lol.

Just then, Dan-tae enters the room and announces that he’s here because of an illegal pyramid scheme report. Gong Shim’s face is a cry for help as he orders everyone to leave quickly. The sunbae and the greasy man try to stop Dan-tae, but they’re no match for his swift punches. Dan-tae takes Gong Shim by the hand and leads her out, and the rest of the victims follow suit.

Dan-tae chides her for being so gullible to a very obvious scam, and Gong Shim retorts that she’s like that when offered jobs. She’s embarrassed by her inept self, and thanks him for saving her before walking away. Dan-tae calls out to her that he was once scammed into buying ten jade mats. Aw.

Dan-tae meets with Jun-su’s grandmother and shares his findings. Grandmother is certain the same man called her twice, and Dan-tae concludes that the caller must’ve traveled from the Philippines to Korea in between those calls. Dan-tae says the phone call from Korea originated from a nearby phone booth; there’s blurry CCTV footage of the area that’ll need to get cleaned up to identify the man who called her.

Jun-su’s mom and her brother (Uncle Butterfly Tattoo) run into Dan-tae as he walks out of grandmother’s office. He greets them pleasantly, but they’re immediately suspicious of the work he’s doing for her.

They listen to the recording that was captured on Uncle’s phone, and are troubled by Dan-tae’s investigation into Jun-pyo’s disappearance. Uncle tries to assuage his sister, and figures that if Jun-pyo were still alive, he’d have come for them sooner. He also mentions that Jun-pyo lost his memory and his ability to speak after witnessing his mother die. If he hasn’t been found after all these years, then he must be dead. Jun-su’s mother asserts that he must never be found or alive, or else they’ll have to go back to the way things were.

Uncle visits Dan-tae’s office for more intel. While Dan-tae’s aunt is on the phone, he spots a photo of Dan-tae standing next to his father, whom he recognizes as Sergeant Ahn.

We flashback to the day of Jun-pyo’s disappearance. Uncle had snatched Jun-pyo and made Sergeant Ahn take care of him for a day, leaving him with a wad of cash.

The next day, Sergeant Ahn had overheard Uncle reassuring his sister over the phone that he’d kill Jun-pyo or dispose of him somewhere. This compelled Sergeant Ahn to lie to him about losing Jun-pyo.

Back in the present, Uncle is stunned to find that Dan-tae is Sergeant Ahn’s son, and he abruptly leaves, visibly shaken.

Gong Shim’s mom and Jun-su’s mom (Jae-boon and Tae-hee) meet up, and Tae-hee agrees to purchase a few skincare kits. Jae-boon’s excited that Tae-hee’s rich husband will be treating everyone at tonight’s pageant gathering, but Tae-hee says he won’t be able to attend since he has to hire a new secretary after she fired his most recent one.

Gong Shim’s mom is alarmed to hear this and almost loses her cool after learning that Gong Shim hadn’t quit, but was in fact fired. When asked why, Tae-hee replies that she tried to get friendly with her son and didn’t know her place. Mom is clearly devastated to hear this, but she manages to put up a front and thank Tae-hee profusely when she decides to purchase fifty more skincare kits from her for the charity bazaar.

But at home, Jae-boon tearfully updates her husband on Gong Shim’s unfair firing and regrets not standing up for her daughter while Tae-hee was bashing her.

The next day, Tae-hee arrives to the gathering looking chic. Jae-boon arrives next, wearing ordinary clothing and looking like an ajumma, livid. She stares daggers at Tae-hee, who suggests she soften her glare if she wants to continue working in sales. But in response, Gong Shim’s mom grabs her and throws her down onto the hard floor. Wow.

Jae-boon shouts that this is just deserts for looking down on her daughter, Gong Shim. Tae-hee is startled to learn that Jae-boon is Gong Shim’s mother and tells her friends to call the police, but rethinks it when Jae-boon threatens to tell the media how Gong Shim was wrongfully dismissed. Jae-boon orders Tae-hee to return all the skincare kits she purchased because she refuses to sell anything to her.

To thank Gong Mi for saving their son, Jun-su’s parents offer her a job at Star Group, and Gong Mi happily accepts. Meanwhile, Gong Shim’s waitressing at a BBQ restaurant, where Jun-su comes to see her and orders takeout.

Tae-hee calls for a truce after hiring Gong Mi to Star Group, and orders Jun-su to invite her to his restaurant’s opening. He does as he’s told, and Gong Mi’s thrilled to be invited.

She dresses to impress for the restaurant opening, but her outfit is sullied when she collides with corn-dog-clutching Dan-tae. She shrilly accuses him of ruining her outfit on purpose, while he calmly states that they both should’ve been more careful. Gong Mi picks up the corn dog Dan-tae dropped and uses it to smear ketchup on his shirt before storming off. Real mature.

Jun-su’s family dines at the new restaurant and admires the beautiful interior. Jun-su thanks grandmother for showing up, but she utters that she’s only here for business.

Gong Mi arrives late after needing an outfit change and is eager to enter the restaurant when she sees Dan-tae chatting it up with Jun-su inside. She’s thrown by his presence and their close friendship.

Dan-tae greets Jun-su’s grandmother, and she’s delighted to see him. Tae-hee eyes him suspiciously from afar and is not pleased with Gong Mi’s no-show.

Dan-tae and his aunt order lunch at an old joint, and the server hands Dan-tae an envelope his father had left behind. Inside is his father’s passport; this makes his aunt apprehensive because it means Dan-tae’s father isn’t in the Philippines like he said he’d be. Dan-tae, however, assumes his father had one reissued to leave for his trip.

After finishing up at the restaurant, Gong Shim sits down to eat with Jun-su. She’s doing most of the talking and eating to fill up the awkward silence, when out of nowhere, Jun-su blurts out asking if he can like her. He’s earnest in his confession, but Gong Shim is speechless.

Later, Gong Shim stands on the rooftop reflecting on the times Jun-su complimented her and fixed up her chair. She’s got a lot on her mind and Dan-tae notices. He encourages her to vent, but she says she’s fine.

Dan-tae realizes that his room has flooded again, but he doesn’t seem upset in the slightest because he gets to crash at the Gong abode. Gong Shim says she’ll call a plumber this time, and Dan-tae quietly mutters that he wouldn’t mind another flooding, ha.

He winks goodnight at Gong Shim, but it causes her to shudder and ask if his eyes hurt. Later on, she gets up to get a glass of water and notices Dan-tae sleeping on the couch with his arms crossed and his blanket on the floor. She proceeds to cover him with the blanket when he frightens her with a “boo!” She doesn’t find it funny, but he pushes the blanket off so she can tuck him in again. He turns on the aegyo, but Gong Shim merely gathers up the blanket and chucks it at his face.

Later in the night, Dan-tae smiles as he detects someone pulling the blanket over him. He pulls the “boo!” stunt again — only to get slapped in the face by Gong Shim’s father! HAHA.

The next morning, Dan-tae has to use the laundry machine, and Gong Mi’s surprisingly civil as she adds his clothes in with the rest of the family’s. It’s awkward between the two, but she apologizes for her past behavior and hopes they’ll get along since they’re neighbors. It kills her to do this, and he’s surprised by her unexpected courtesy.

Gong Shim and the rest of her family are astonished by Dan-tae happily deboning a fish at the breakfast table with his bare hands. He happily offers it to the family and smacks his oily fingers. Everyone’s grossed out by it, but he doesn’t seem to notice as he lovingly places a fish eye (considered a culinary treat in Korea) atop Gong Shim’s bowl of rice.

Dan-tae is glad to see that his plant has sprouted, but Gong Shim doesn’t share his joy. She reveals that she’s been offered a job, but it requires her to move to Jeju to a horticulture farm. After she spends two years there, she’ll be able to work at the headquarters in Seoul. She accepted the job because it’s relevant to her major and figured it’d be a good opportunity. In response, Dan-tae’s hands fly to his head, overwhelmed by the news.

Jun-su thinks back to how his dinner with Gong Shim ended, post-confession. Gong Shim had responded by saying she needed time to learn how to love herself; because she’s so inadequate, even if someone likes her, she’ll assume it’s because they feel sorry for her. Despite Jun-su’s attempts to convince her otherwise, Gong Shim states that she’s grateful for their friendship, but will need to work on believing she’s worthy of being loved by someone.

Back at the rooftop, Dan-tae finally sputters that Jeju is too far, but her flight has been booked and she’s set to fly the day after next. He insists she shouldn’t leave like this, but Gong Shim admits that she’s ashamed of herself and wants to do well on her own for once.

Memories of Gong Shim keep him up that night, and he calls her up to the roof to gently explain why she shouldn’t leave.

Dan-tae: “I understand why you have to go to Jeju, but right now, I’m going to be selfish and speak only for myself. Don’t go to Jeju. When you’re here, I see you every time I open the door. While I’m eating breakfast, I can see you leave for work. When I’m lucky, my room floods, and I can go to your place and see your face there. I really liked that, but if you go to Jeju, then I can’t have that anymore. So don’t go to Jeju. If you really go, I don’t think I can handle it.”

Gong Shim’s at a loss for words, and Dan-tae urges her to tell him tomorrow that she won’t be leaving.

The next day, Dan-tae examines the CCTV footage and sees, to his shock, that it’s his father leaving the phone booth. He checks the stamps in his father’s passport and discovers that the dates and locations match the timing of the two phone calls, which means the man he chased after near the tree was indeed his father.

His aunt texts Dan-tae’s father, letting him know that the tree in Yangpyeong will be removed tomorrow so he should act accordingly. She informs Dan-tae about the removal as well.

Dan-tae is certain his father took Jun-pyo, but the lingering question is: Where is Jun-pyo now? He knows his father is wary of uprooting the tree and wonders what lies beneath it.

The next day, Dan-tae watches from a distance as his father digs up soil at the base of the tree. He assumes the worst as a look of pure horror crosses his face. He walks away from the scene, unnerved.

Back at home, Gong Shim’s on the rooftop when she suddenly turns her gaze, surprised by what she sees.

 
COMMENTS

What did you see, Gong Shim? Why that face? Props to the show for knowing how to raise anticipation for the next episode. Now we must (im)patiently wait.

Some major events took place in this episode that will inevitably propel both the love story and the birth secret story. Starting off with the former, I really didn’t expect Jun-su’s confession to happen so soon. It literally came out of nowhere, prompted by nothing really. I do believe it was sincere, if a bit random since it was spur-of-the-moment. However, his line about liking her because he just really likes her was pretty weak, especially in comparison to Dan-tae’s confession.

Dan-tae’s confession was personal, heartfelt, and specific, basically the antithesis of Jun-su’s, and he didn’t even explicitly say that he liked her because he didn’t have to. He conveyed that he wouldn’t know what to do without her, that he’d miss her dearly, and that says a great deal more than a mere “I like you because I like you,” because the deeper meaning is such that he needs her. His confession was, like he said, “selfish,” but I think he interpreted her wanting to move as a chance to run away from everything that reminded her of how lacking she is, and he wanted to make it clear that she didn’t need to because he likes her just the way she is.

I do commend Jun-su for admitting his feelings to Gong Shim because all his life, I’m sure he was stifled by his mother and her skewed worldview. He probably never had the luxury to openly feel the way he feels and act without restraint because of the luxury he was born into. We’ve seen him say what his mother wants to hear, but do the exact opposite/what’s right once she’s out of view. He’s a grown adult, but his mother tries to puppeteer him every chance she gets, unsuccessfully reminding him that he’s above the rest when all he wants is to be on the same level as everyone else. Although he may sometimes come across as rather vanilla, I do like that he’s a nice chaebol for a change. Kindness isn’t always boring.

In regards to the birth secret story, Dan-tae now knows his father took Jun-pyo, but is obviously missing a huge chunk of the story involving Jun-su’s mother and uncle, as well as the fact that he is Jun-pyo. I think he reacted the way he did when he saw his father shoveling near the tree because he automatically assumed the worst, which in this case would probably be dead Jun-pyo. Everything he knew to be true about his life is now looking as if it isn’t. The truth will be a devastating blow for our Dan-tae, who up until now, has been nothing but happy-go-lucky, and for that reason, I’m sort of dreading his impending breakdown.

Last week, there were many unanswered questions about the extent of Tae-hee’s involvement in Jun-pyo’s kidnapping, and from the looks of this episode, she seems equally if not more culpable than Uncle. The sibling duo is on the same page; they prefer Jun-pyo missing forever or, better yet, dead; as things stand now, they get first dibs on the inheritance and Star Group shares. That’s pretty malevolent if you think about it. The death of Jun-pyo’s mother may have been an unplanned accident, but kidnapping their family member is downright cruel. Sergeant Ahn saved Jun-pyo, even though it meant growing up with a new identity.

The most heartbreaking moments of this episode centered around Gong Shim. She really doesn’t give herself enough credit, and it hurt to see her claim that she’s ashamed of who she is and unworthy of someone else’s love because she doesn’t love herself. Part of me feels like she said that to Jun-su knowing full well his mother would never approve of their relationship, but I think she meant every word she said. She just doesn’t see herself the way Dan-tae and Jun-su do, unfortunately, and her recent string of mishaps — i.e., gas station assault, Star Group firing, pyramid scheme — don’t do her any favors. I can see why the job opportunity in Jeju would be appealing; she’d be turning a new page in her life by leaving behind all that’s familiar. And frankly speaking, the familiar hasn’t been all that great. The feminist in me loves that she’s willing to take the plunge on a major life change, but the drama junkie in me thinks she probably won’t end up leaving for Jeju, for one reason or another, because she and Dan-tae can’t be separated, per dramaverse decree.

The biggest surprise came from Jae-boon, Gong Shim’s mom. Where did she learn to judo? That judo flip was amazing! Her fiery defense of Gong Shim was a long time coming, but it came when it mattered. It won’t undo the inferiority complex ingrained in her daughter after years of putting her in Gong Mi’s shadow, but I’m glad she stood up for Gong Shim and realized that her daughter doesn’t deserve to be treated so poorly just because she’s not a constituent of the wealthy elite.

Gong Mi continues her Gong Meanie streak. She was relieved when Gong Shim left her job because then she wouldn’t have to worry about Jun-su’s family finding out about her relation to Gong Shim. It also meant Gong Shim would no longer get in the way of Gong Mi’s pursuit of Jun-su. How very selfish. She may have been nice when Dan-tae crashed at her home, but I think she did that after learning how close he is with Jun-su; she’d probably want to be on his good side. Also, her parents were nearby so being mean to their overnight guest wouldn’t be the best idea. Her eye-for-an-eye approach with Dan-tae’s corn dog was so petty; she actually took the time to stoop down, grab the corn dog from the ground, and rub it against his shirt like a crayon. Had she been a kindergartner who didn’t know better, I would maybe have sympathized, but she’s an adult and a lawyer at that. Surely she should know by now how to control her emotions.

While this episode was quite sad, the funny moments still evoked laughter. The “star-shaped” scheme was hilarious, shady scammers and all. I actually jumped when Dan-tae frightened Gong Shim as she was covering him with a blanket, and I loved when his second attempt to spook Gong Shim backfired and resulted in a slap from Gong Shim’s startled father. I squirmed along with the Gong family when he was getting touchy with the fish, but I gotta hand it to Dan-tae for unabashedly being his odd self and wearing his love for Gong Shim on his baggy sleeve.

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These recaps have got me watching the show now! Still on episode 6... but can't wait to hear what happens next. Thanks for the recaps!!

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This show is so damn adorable. I'm so glad I decided to pick it up last weekend. I caught up within a day. It's so strange because there's really not much to the show, but the characters are so unexpectedly great (particularly our main couple). It's hard to believe that Nam Goong Min could be this adorable and quirky when he is usually just a creep. And Minah is so surprising as well! I'm really impressed. It's not that she's a fantastic actress, but she is doing quite well and she just has a certain charm about her that makes it work.

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I kind of want Gong-shim to leave for Jeju, and the drama to take a two year time jump to help her get her confidence, Sabrina style... we'd get to see confident Gong-shim sooner and keep the tone lighter. But I don't know how that would work with the birth secret. Oh well.

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I agree - let's have the time jump now and not wait til the end!

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Have Dan Tae leave on revenge trip when his father is murdered by uncle/aunt!

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Please enough of creepy NGM let him be odd & adorable...

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I had this exact same thought. I've noticed that they are slowly "prettying" her up - a little more makeup, clothes are improving, though still noticeably ill-fitting to hide what is surely an attractive body shape. Something will spark the change in her to abandon the wig, and I want it to not be just because Dan-tae loves her but because she finally loves and believes in herself.

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I want her to go tooooo!!! I was so proud of her when she was talking about her personal growth. I want her to nurture that inner strength and become even more amazing and confident.

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I want her to goooooo to. If Dan-tae misses her, he can go to Jeju too. :D

And Junsu can go be the manager of some subsidiary of theirs in Jeju.

Our three sillies can just go live forever and be happy and "defiant" in Jeju.

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I want her to go because the opportunity sounds perfect for her. She needs something like this in her life. Ugh, I just adore Dan-tae & her to pieces.

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Really, the time jump would just make everything happy for me. It's what Gong-shim wants/needs, and I don't know if I can do three episodes + of drawn out angst and self-discovery at the cost of all the hijinks I've loved so far.

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I'm scared that Dan Te and Jun Su are going to change when the truth comes out. It would be wonderful if the writer can continue to keep the dynamic they have, and not have it turn cold and ugly. KEEP THE QUIRKS (repeating chant 100X)

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Exactly, I want to watch their brotherly bond and don't want them to change, they're such adorably dorkies

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Your recaps make me want to pick the show back up. Maybe I'll just skip all the Gong Meanie scenes. The relationships between the main three seem worth it.

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Honestly it really is worth it. They are adorable together.

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"..gently explain why she shouldn't leave". I am so thankful that this show doesn't have a bunch of demanding jerks. Dan Tae is a good example of what a real kdrama male lead should be like for future male leads. #kdramagoals #respectdon'tdemand

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Was JS' mom from an affluent family? Did she marry JS' dad knowing that they wouldn't inherit the company? We have yet to see, but GM might be walking a similar path...

I don't feel any sympathy for GM at all. But I'm thinking that her life, right now, must be exhausting: lying, hiding her own relatives from others, hiding from people, being careful not to reveal the truth, acting surprised, etc. Exhausting!

As for this episode:
-- DT coming to the rescue of GS from the pyramid scheme: awww, look at GS facial expression, relieved but begging for help
-- GS mom flipping JS mom over: boyaa! That was so unexpected!
-- DT winking good night to GS: so cute!
-- DT deboning the fish with his fingers: err... that's so him
-- DT offering the fish eye to GS: lol but so cute
-- GS wardrobe is slowing changing: about time!
-- GS studied horticulture: so what was her dream of drawing/painting about?
-- to go or not to go to Jeju: on one hand, I'd encourage GS to go. On the other hand, DT is going through a rough patch and would need GS' support the most. I wonder if she'll stay and assist him in resolving his case? Btw, what did she mean by the case as being like a "triangle"? DT never got that clarification.

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I agree. At the very least, I don't want her to stay simply because Dan Tae told her to. His admission that he didn't know how he would go on without her struck me as uncomfortably needy...close to the line of what some abusive boy/girlfriends say when they say they'll die/kill themselves if you leave them. But maybe that was just how I interpreted that line.

I doubt she'll end up actually going to Jeju since a time skip wouldn't fit well with the rest of the story line so I hope whatever keeps her from going is either entirely because she chooses on her own not to go or because extenuating circumstances prevent her from going.

It's clear that chickachunga and I interpreted a few scenes very differently. Jun-Su's confession might not have been swoon-worthy by any stretch but I liked it for it's uncomplicated simplicity. If he had been the established male lead, I think some people would have defended his vague comments about liking her just because he likes her as being because "true love doesn't have/need specific reasons to like someone" or something along those lines. Just because he's the confirmed second lead though, we reinterpret his lack of definite reason as being weak.

By contrast, I wasn't impressed with Dan Tae's selfish request/confession. After all, her job opportunity sounds like a good one and I think we should all be able to love ourselves at least a little before we can even consider trying to accept someone else's love for us. And his line about not knowing if he can handle her absence came off sounding uncomfortably close to needy manipulative lines like "I'll die if you leave me" or "I'll kill myself if you go." But maybe that's just how I interpreted his line. If put in the context of the petty and childish behavior he often demonstrates, his request is seen in a much less attractive light. I did appreciate that he prefaced his request by saying it was coming from his selfishness since that made it seem less like an attempt to manipulate and more like an honest outpouring of his feelings for her.

On a different topic. I was so surprised by Mom's judo tackle that I kept waiting to see if they were going to reveal it to be a dream/imaginary sequence. I definitely didn't expect her to stand up for Gong Shim, especially after she'd disappointed my expectations after not standing up for her the first time. Glad it happened though. I can't wait to see Jun-Su's mother's reaction when she realizes Gong Mi is related to them.

One thing you didn't mention in the recaps was that, according to the flashback, it sounds like Dan Tae's father had a son probably around his age. Given that we haven't heard of Dan Tae having a brother, we can assume that the real son died, likely even before Dan Tae was taken in. So the fact that Uncle knows that Dan Tae is Sergeant Ahn's son, doesn't mean Uncle knows that Dan Tae is Jun Pyo.

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*I agreed with Cozybooks about kind of wanting Gong Shim to go to Jeju and have a time jump.

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Ii just realize that I repeated myself in the 1st and then the 4th paragraph about Dan Tae's "confession". Sorry about that...taking a bit of time to compose my thoughts, erasing and rewording things, and not rereading my whole comment again is to blame for the repetition.

Again, sorry for that. I actually really liked this episode for some of our reveals about the kidnapping and the characters being pretty open about their feelings and wants. I don't want it to sound like I spent the whole time thinking about and nitpicking at that last confessional moment.

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You don't need to apologise for your interpretation, we all see things differently and it's normal for opinions to change. I also quite enjoyed Jun Su's confession despite shipping DT with GS. I do think that DT's confession was a bit needy but he was being really honest and direct. I felt torn between feeling upset for him and letting GS have her moment in Jeju. He's probably just too afraid she'll totally forget him. Who thought this quirky show would be drawing so much discussion lol? It's so good at drawing out emotion as well as laughs (when dad slapped DT tho XD).

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And in ep 1 or 2 we saw Dad hugging the tree, crying his apologies to a "baby". I also assume his actual son died and is the one who is buried there and Jun Pyo was able to be hidden in his place.

Oh, and I think that Jun Su's confession was as logical as Dan Tae's, timing-wise. They both were suddenly faced with having her ripped from their lives! So, each in his own way, got down to business and confessed.

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Loved the judo body slam Gong mom gave to JS' mom and the slap Gong dad gave to Dante. Both were so over the top and hilarious.

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Can I just do a simple question?
He has seen a photo of Jun-pyo, if he was him, wouldn't he recognize himself?
And I am making a logical assumptions now, but wouldn't you recognize yourselves at old photos?
Except if his family was so word that food not permit it, which from the pro at his desk we know that this is not true
It would be strange to suddenly day "Ooooo....that is me.... I am Jun-pyo."
Am I the only one thinking that?

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I believe DT lost his speech abilities and memories after he witnessed his mom ran over by a truck. It's probably why he didn't recognize himself in the picture.

Unless... he's not Jun-Pyo.

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If he's not Jun Pyo, does this mean

-the child buried under the tree is Jun Pyo?
-he is really Dante, son of Sergeant Ahn?

Improbable, because he has the same allergies as Jun Su.

But wouldn't that be a fine twist, if he were, in fact, the real Dante?

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It would be an interesting and legitimate swerve, but because he shares the egg allergy it's more likely he really is Jun Pyo.

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Mmm.. we recognize our childhood photos because we grow up seeing them... I'm guessing that since sergeant Ahn wouldn't want his friend to find out Jun Pyo, the Ahn Family might not have taken childhood Jun Pyo photo's or Family photo's together with Jun Pyo until he grew up... you know as a precaution so that Jun Pyo's uncle won't realise the possibility of Dan Tae being Jun Pyo.

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I think that's what happened. They probably didn't take photos of him, in case they found out. Plus, since he lost his memories, he probably doesn't remember what he looked like. I mean, even we have problems remembering what we looked like unless we looked at a photo of ourselves and were told that was us.

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I agree with you whole heartedly. Additionally, shouldn't he recognise at the very least that it is the boy from his dream?

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did he actually saw the face of the crying boy? i thought everytime he came close. he will wake up.

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I don't understand why he's looking on as the boy cries. It's like he's an outsider looking at the crying boy. If the boy is him, the young Jun Pyo, shouldn't the scene be shot from his angle, as in he's staring up, up at the photo shop looming big and scary in front of him, through blurry eyes, and perhaps waking up crying in bed as the adult Dante?

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He never sees that boy's face. Only the back of his head.

And yeah, you would think he would recognize himself but seriously...who is going to actually make the leap that he's actually not his family's son and he's actually a long lost chaebol heir.

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I think.....maybe they just switch the childhood photos? If u watch it closely, Dantae has his childhood photo with his mom n dad under the mirror in his room (I dont really remember which epi, but when he moved to gongshim rooftop, dantae placed his childhood photos -looks like taken when he celebrated birthday)) AND his childhood photo and Junpyo childhood photo is DIFFERENT.
so thats why he CANNOT recognize the crying boy in his dream.
Plus, Junpyo losing his speak ability n memory, so I just assume that MAYBE Dantae mom n dad just switch the childhood photo n take the photo again after Dantae growing more.
If the term n situation is like what I assume, its means thats both Dantae mom and dad is accomplise to Junpyo kidnapping.
and this is will make uri Dantae heart will be broke to pieces and I will river crying when its happen huhuhu
okay done, sorry for long post eheee

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Oh, right, and Aunty too. Ouch.

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dont forget too, that Sergeant Ahn's real son is....died, rite? or something??
Ahn dantae mom (Sergeant's Ahn wife) is dead to under some circumstance that leading to Dantae's though that his father hate him coz what happen to his mom.... aahhh the birth secret kkkk
Anyway, cant wait to next epiii yaaayyy

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I wouldn't say DT's dad is an accomplice to kidnapping. It's just that he overheard the butterly tattoo uncle telling his sister he will kill Jun Pyo so I get the feeling he didn't give JP back cause of that. Ofc it wasn't right for him to harbour the child for so long but at that specific moment I don't think he had any bad intentions. More like he thought to protect JP. On a side note, anyone think of Go Jun Pyo from boys over flowers every time someone says Jun Pyo in this drama?

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Here's Episode 9 preview..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d50lFFTddGk

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Whoa.

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Oh my gosh. Well, here we go.

Thanks for finding and posting the preview.

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Oof my heart...
Beanies let's be strong together.

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:'(

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Oh my gosh!

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OMG..
I think they are heading in the way of revealing birth secret and dan-tae entering the company and that horrible family(with exception of jun-su & grandma)..
I really hoped mystery to continue but there was so little to it... This was expected..

I will leave the show if they take Dan Tae's freedom and make jun-su evil.. You hear me writernim..

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Heratbreaking...

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It's been removed. :/ HOW DO I PASS MY TIME TILL THE NEXT EPISODE? *crisis mode on*

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I want Gong Shim to go to Jeju, go out into the world, in new circumstances where she may not be prejudiced, and find her worth. I agree with Dan Tae that his confession was selfish. But I can forgive him because he acknowledges it's selfish, and because he has given the ball back to Gong Shim. Although he wants her to stay and he tells her to stay, the decision is still hers. But, he shouldn't have said that, all the more considering, their relationship is still at the friendship level.
That said, even though I want Gong Shim to go and find herself, but I also would like her to stay and find her worth. I also would like her to be a good friend and support to Dan Tae, when he is gonna discover some ugly truths... but that's my selfish "I want max enjoyment in this drama" self speaking.

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Gong Meanie, I sigh with irritation in your general direction. So not interested in your machinations and need to you to get your just desserts by the end of this series.

I loved both guys' confessions and it doesn't matter which one was better because at the end of the day it's who our leading lady chooses that's important. Joon Soo, I was surprised that his confession came so soon because I've kind of been unsure if he really 'likes' her or if he likes her as a person and that makes him want to spend time with her. I feel like he thinks she's a bit of an alien at times but then again I also thinks that's what he likes about her.

Clearly the jealously between the two guys has been telegraphing interest so I'm glad that Joon Soo was so upfront with her. Given her immaturity with Dan Tae, I adored Gong Shim's very mature response. It is true, she can't accept that other people could love her for her and she does need to learn to love herself.

It makes me want her to go to Jeju for herself but the looming Dan Tae reveals make me want her to stay to back him up and learn that she's totally fine as she is (she's just been surrounded by jerks until now)

I loved Dan Tae's confession because he acknowledged that she should go and just wanted to say his (selfish) peace. I thought that was great because it really emphasized to Gong Shim that she is lovable as she is now, and there is someone who will miss her when she's not around. That was lovely.

Can't wait for the weekend!

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I agree with everyone who wants Gong Shim to go Jeju! I want her to go, at least for a while. I was shocked that they gave her character this turn- she isn't afraid to be independent and away from her boys, just as she is starting to experience what it is like being cared for by them too! Now that is awesome.

Really loving Gong Shim as a character, she is so different from the usual underdog helpless types. At first i only thought she was cute and sympathized with her life situation, but this show has made me laugh and cry with her, feel proud of her for standing up to Dog Uncle and JS's Mom from hell; and now I truly am rooting for her to find herself and chase her dreams. And then land the guy! ?

This was my favorite episode thus far and I'm really waiting for the weekend!

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I admire Gong Shim for being honest about how she doesn't value herself. I really believe that until she can learn to love herself, she has no business trying to be in a relationship. I applaud the writers for including that and I hope she does go off to get a better understanding of her self worth. She is already halfway there but I think it would do her some good to get away from her family and learn to really appreciate who she is.

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somehow i want gong mi and dan tae end up together. but then mi starts being all (obviously fake) nice to him and i lost my appetite. they should just mean-awkward all the time so once in a while we can have lead girlX2nd lead boy couple. because honestly i feel sorry for junsu. he trying hard to be a good son and grandson but seems like he still cant be loved ?

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Dantae is probably one of the best male lead in dramaland, personality-wise.

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That "Slapping" scene. Gave me atleast 5 minutes of hearty laugh. Lol.

NGM was really awesome. I really thought that he can't pull this off.

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So no one else had to drop everything like I did to Google that washing machine? Because dang that's fine.

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Oh, yes! That machine looked awesome! The first PPL that's actually ever made me want to buy something! So how much does it cost?

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About $1500 USD on the Samsung website. Mom must be selling a lot of cosmetics!

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I'm here, it seemed to be pretty good

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I want one, too.

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The entire washing machine scene felt like an awkward product placement... "See, even dads can figure out how to make it work!" "See, you can use it in the midle of running!"
I swear this washing machine enjoyed more screen time than some secondary characters usually do...

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I'm ok with awkward product placement, the more awkward the better. I would completely be ok with an actor breaking character to note a few key points directly to the audience about how cool/convenient an item is. Because the ppl is often so distracting anyway, why not go all the way?

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I hope Gong Shim heads off to Jeju. She should get away from her family especially her horrible sister who likes to take advantage of GS's misfortunes. I think she needs a breather from one unhappy situation after another.

It's really sad that she feels unworthy to accept either Junsu's attentions or Dan Tae's. I think it's really selfish of Dan Tae to ask her to stay in her present awful situation. She needs a fresh start. She has to go and build her confidence, find some Independence, and discover that she is capable in succeeding in a job.

Time jump maybe necessary to get her out of those funky wigs and frumpy clothes. She needs to have a major transformation and give her sister some competition. Like that seed that Dan Tae transplanted, it's going to bloom into a beautiful sunflower.

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I think she needs time... Time for herself. Whether it includes Jeju or not because she admit she needs it for herself.
I really like her moment with Junsu, she turn him off and explain that it's all about her then junsu give her a space.

Junsu is really the opposite of Dantae. He always has everythings in his life buy he doesn't become selfish or persistant while dantae like to show what important to him even if he admit it's a selfish wish. Junsu retracted, thinking and really afraid to harm someone/make someone in uncomfortable situation while Dante doesn't want him to be uncomfortable.

Idk if this just me but I see that GS is more dependable when she is with Junsu and their dialog just seems more mature while with dantae, it's the romcom. GS actually said what on her mind and Junsu also do the same to understand each other while GS and dantae always took a small detour before reach the destination with action.
Dantae wants GS to follow his tempo but Junsu follow GS tempo and GS know that finding love is not the best resolution she needs right now, she needs to walk in her own tempo.

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Applause to Gong Shim's mom for sticking up for her daughter when it counted. Attagirl! You rock! She also provided Gong Shim with plenty of maternal rage and support when she came home battered from her gas station altercation, before Gong mi started playing her mind games. So it's obvious she loves her daughter, she just needs to do more to show her daughter love and that she's special just the way she is.

And...Dan Tae, selfish much? I don't see Gong Shim going to Jeju as running away from her problems. I see it more like trying different shoes, to see which one fits most comfortably and trying different opportunities to find herself. It was obvious that though she learned a lot from all her part time jobs, she never really found a place where she fit, a career she's passionate about, not just a job. And this job is horticulture, which is her major in college, she's passionate about growing plants.

I say she should sieze the opportunity, go to Jeju and explore new interests. She's certainly young enough, with no real romantic entanglements as yet. I'd welcome a time skip where she comes back as a more mature, comfortable version of herself, especially after spending two years away from her suppressive family.

Dan tae's pleas, though heartfelt, was selfish because he only thought of what her absence would mean in his life, but not really what was in Gong Shim's best interest.

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And I forgot to add...

She needs the time away from everyone, especially her family. I think she really does. If ever there was a character in need of some alone time to figure herself out, it's this character. I hope she doesn't listen to Dan Tae's pleas to stay.

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That slap scene was so hilarious! It caught me off guard and I was laughing so much I teared up. I showed it to my brother who then called my mom into the room to re-watch the scene again. I think we watched it at least 5 times. Too funny. Great episode!

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WORD

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Dante's heading toward the big reveal....I doubt she'll go to Jeju, something will happen to stop her, and I think it'll be Dante's revived memories.

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So, I'm thinking the only way this drama can end on a high note, is if there's law passed in Korea that allows polygamy ... because seriously she deserves both of these guys, and they are both worthy of her and most importantly the only thing more tragic than clubbing a baby seal to death with a bag full of puppies would be breaking up this bromance.

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I'm probably in the minority wanting Gong Shim to end up with Jun Su since everyone seems to adore Dan Tae. Honestly, even though he's smart and thoughtful, some of his antics are really cringe worthy to me, i.e., touching the food with his bare hands and being that helpless with the flooding. I know it's probably dramatic exaggeration but his type would drive me crazy even if he's very cute.

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Dante is such a nice guy wish Gong Shim would start to love him soon.

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Hmmmmm. How much of that judo flip was really in behalf of Gong Shim and how much of it was the mom's own animosity toward her old rival and "how dare you fire MY child" just because it's her [the old rival] and her child but not for the reason it should've been - of her love for Ging Shim and Gong Shim's hurt.

Yes, mom wanted to sue the gas station attacker, but how much if that was about money?

I'm sure she cares SOME for Going Shim but not nearly enough.

I just can't allow the show to try to make these parents upright NOW after we've seen the disparity in how they treat their two daughters. There's favoritism and then there's giving your daughters room to her sister FOR HER CLOTHES.

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from the ep 9 preview, i think gong shim left for jeju and returned back to seoul when she received the phone call that dan tae is hospitalised.. i hope they reunite before ep 9!

this is such a lighthearted drama. love it!!

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reunite before ep 9 ends*

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BGS has been hilarious throughout. Like others have mentioned, the interactions between the 3 friends is must-see TV.

I also liked the fabulous washing machine and the funky glasses.

P.S. "Star" schemes run by gangsters are no joke. :)

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