227

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-ju: Episode 9

Growing up is so painful, and it’s even harder for Bok-ju, whose dream of Olympic weightlifting gold and true love seem at such odds with each other. She believes that she can’t have both, which is the source of so much of her recent heartache, and nothing will make her believe that it’s not true. Luckily she has a good friend there to tell her that what makes her beautiful isn’t her physical appearance, but what’s inside — all she has to do is find someone who loves her for who she is.

 
EPISODE 9: “The merits of a one-sided love”

Unaware that Jae-yi is still on campus, Bok-ju walks right past his car. He gets out and calls her name, and she can only stand in shock, caught. Joon-hyung comes running up, moments too late to stop his cousin from seeing Bok-ju.

Jae-yi asks Bok-ju what she’s doing here, and Joon-hyung thinks fast and pretends she came to visit him. But Bok-ju is holding her weightlifting team jersey, giving lie to Joon-hyung’s story even as he tells it.

Bok-ju realizes that this has gone far enough, and she tells Jae-yi the truth — that she’s a student on the weightlifting team. She admits that she lied about playing cello and studying abroad, and excuses herself.

Jae-yi and Joon-hyung sit to talk, and Joon-hyung explains that Bok-ju asked him to keep her secret because she was desperate. Jae-yi asks why she lied to come to his clinic when she’s a weightlifter, and Joon-hyung scrambles to think of an excuse.

He says that she wanted to lose weight because she started to like someone, and thankfully, Jae-yi doesn’t pick up that he’s that guy. Joon-hyung tells him about Bok-ju getting in trouble with her coaches, and Jae-yi feels terrible about his part in it. He asks who Bok-ju likes, but Joon-hyung just says he’s hungry.

Bok-ju yells at herself all the way to the wishing fountain, and plops herself down for a good cry. She thinks about how lies produce more lies, “And I’m becoming a lying machine. I’m so ashamed of myself.”

Bok-ju spends the evening pulling a tire around the running track and screaming, while her friends Nan-hee and Seon-ok look on. They wonder what’s wrong with her, and Seon-ok gets close by wondering if she ran into the doctor today.

Shi-ho’s coach is back to her constant criticism, and she suggests Shi-ho back off on the difficulty of a skill she’s struggling with, but Shi-ho is determined to master it. Rival Soo-bin executes the same move perfectly, and she smirks in Shi-ho’s direction.

After practice, Shi-ho gets a call from her younger sister Shi-yeon, who wants to talk. Shi-yeon reports that their father got a job and moved out, and their mom has put the house on the market. Shi-yeon is resentful, asking what Shi-ho’s gymnastics have done for the family.

She wants to know why Shi-ho hasn’t done anything to stop their parents breakup. She yells that Shi-ho should have tried harder, talked to their mother more, blaming her gymnastics for their family’s destruction. She leaves, telling Shi-ho not to contact her.

Nan-hee and Seon-ok watch until Bok-ju wears herself out, curious to death to know what she’s so upset about. When Bok-ju finally collapses, they collect her from the pavement and carry her off the track.

In the morning, Tae-kwon excitedly tells Joon-hyung about a triple-date he’s set up with a trio of girls from another university. They run into Shi-ho leaving the dorm, but she walks right past Joon-hyung without even looking at him.

Bok-ju and her sunbae Woon-ki train long and hard for their upcoming competition in their new weight classes. Coach Yoon tells Coach Choi to send them home early to rest, but she argues that they still have a ways to go before they’re ready. She sends them home anyway, with instructions to eat well, because they still have to put on weight to qualify.

As Bok-ju and Woon-ki leave, they commiserate on how hard it is to put the weight on in time. Woon-ki sees his wife, holding their baby and being yelled at by a cab driver for spilling formula on the car seat, and he goes over to see what’s wrong.

Joon-hyung ends up going on the triple date with Tae-kwon and their swimming hoobae, but he’s profoundly uninterested in the three girls they’re meeting. Unfortunately all three ladies are fascinated with him, and he’s grateful when a call from Bok-ju gives him an excuse to get away.

She asks what Jae-yi said yesterday after she left, and Joon-hyung teases her on her ability to wait this long before asking. He ditches the date to meet with her, and finds her scratching on a poster at the bus stop.

He sneaks behind the poster and jumps up to scare her to pieces, and after he sits with her, she asks again what Jae-yi said. She moans that Jae-yi must think her crazy and stupid, but Joon-hyung says he was mostly confused. He tells Bok-ju that he fibbed about her reason for lying, and told Jae-yi she has a crush on someone.

Bok-ju berates herself for lying about being a cellist in the first place. She’s embarrassed that she even went to a concert with him, but Joon-hyung reminds her that she was excited to be on a date with Jae-yi.

Bok-ju lets out a sudden frustrated scream, ending on a whimper, and wonders why she’s so unlucky. She says she’d love to turn into smoke and disappear, and Joon-hyung quips that she weighs too much for that. PFFT.

He takes Bok-ju to an arcade to blow off steam, and she throws herself at the games aggressively. She handily beats him at the punching bag game, and even breaks one of the games, scaring Joon-hyung a little. He yanks her outside before the arcade owner catches them, and tells her to control her emotions.

Bok-ju complains that she’s still stressed, and asks if there’s a boxing gym nearby. Joon-hyung looks nervous at the idea of sparring with Bok-ju (smart boy, she’d kill him) and suggests they go for a drink instead.

Shi-ho has been struggling with a sore ankle, and she turns it again at practice. She takes a call from her mother, who says that little sister Shi-yeon didn’t come home last night. Shi-ho finds her at a friend’s place, and drags her out of there.

Shi-yeon doesn’t want to go home, and snaps that Shi-ho has never been interested in her before now. Shi-ho shoves her into a taxi, but Shi-yeon closes the door and takes off alone.

Joon-hyung jokes that Bok-ju drinks like an ajusshi, as she throws back shot after shot of soju. He tries slowing her down by pouring a tiny half-shot, but Bok-ju just chugs down the rest of the bottle and calls for more. Yikes.

Three bottles of soju later, Bok-ju is loudly hollering that she’s still way too sober. She complains that she can’t even focus on training because of some guy who doesn’t like her back, and she asks Joon-hyung if he knows when things went so wrong. She says it was the dressing table, and groans that if her father hadn’t taken the table, she wouldn’t have been at that intersection, and she’d never have met Jae-yi.

She blames Joon-hyung for everything, since he’s Jae-yi’s brother, and orders him to “take responsibility” for the mess and fix it. He defends himself, saying that he didn’t tell Bok-ju to like Jae-yi, and she asks if he knows what really started it all. He asks what, and she says, “The dressing table.” LOL. She tells Poor Joon-hyung the whole story over again.

She asks a third time if Joon-hyung knows what started this, and he says, “Yes. Everything was caused by either the dressing table or me.” Bok-ju is super impressed that he figured it out all on his own, and then she topples sideways out of her chair.

She’s too tall to piggyback, so Joon-hyung ends up just dragging Bok-ju down the street. PWAHAHA. He bitches loudly the entire way, while Bok-ju whines at him to take responsibility. Joon-hyung stops at a park bench for a breather, and Bok-ju complains of being cold. He finds a newspaper and tucks it around her sweetly, but when he sits back down, she slumps over to land with her head in his lap. He lets her stay there, smiling down at her sleeping face.

A little while later, Joon-hyung leans forward, his face getting closer and closer to Bok-ju’s. Just before their lips touch, he jerks awake with a horrified scream — HA, he wasn’t about to kiss her, he was falling asleep.

He gets a brilliant idea, and swipes a grocery cart to wheel the still-too-drunk-to-walk Bok-ju home. OMG this is just gets funnier and funnier. She bellows drunken fried chicken orders at him while he begs her to wake up.

He makes it to her place, and hands her off to her furious father. Uncle Dae-ho dumps Bok-ju in her bed and Dad tucks her in, and they suddenly realize that she must have gotten this drunk with Joon-hyung. Bok-ju yells, “Take responsibility, Joon-hyung!” and both uncle and father head out to kill that boy (to them it sounds like Joon-hyung took advantage of her).

They back Joon-hyung into a corner, but he vehemently swears he and Bok-ju are just friends and he hasn’t done anything to take responsibility for. Dad asks if he’s absolutely sure… then blows up at him for not seeing his precious daughter as a beautiful woman. HA, Joon-hyung actually starts to cry out of abject fear.

Dae-ho talks Dad down, and Dad tells Joon-hyung to respect his and Bok-ju’s bodies as athletic instruments, and not to stay out late drinking. Joon-hyung agrees, and meekly asks if he may please go home now.

Dae-ho walks him out, and apologizes for Dad’s excessive protectiveness. He insists on giving Joon-hyung cab fare, and tells Joon-hyung that personally, he’s in favor of their dating.

Joon-hyung tries to sneak into his house at dawn, and runs into Jae-yi instead. He asks if Mom knows he’s just now coming home late after drinking, but luckily Jae-yi lied for him. Joon-hyung explains that he was taking care of Bok-ju, which actually seems to bug Jae-yi a little.

Dad serves Bok-ju hangover soup for breakfast, grumbling that she has no reason to go out drinking when they have plenty of soju right here. Dae-ho tells Bok-ju that he likes Joon-hyung as a future husband for her, but Bok-ju says it’s not like that between them. She says he’s already seen things he shouldn’t have, and Dae-ho gives her an “Oh really?” face.

Bok-ju denies anything happened, but Dae-ho says it’s natural between two healthy young people. He takes her insistence as shyness, and tries to earn her trust by telling her when he lost his virginity. Oh geez, stop talking!

Joon-hyung’s aunt doesn’t buy his story for one second — she knows he was out drinking all night, and he cutely begs forgiveness as Jae-yi snickers. She gives Joon-hyung a guilt trip about not being able to run an errand for her, then lets Jae-yi off the hook when he says he’s going to help Dr. Go buy a stereo.

Coach Choi is called to the police station, where she discovers that Woon-ki punched the taxi driver who was harassing his wife. She only now discovers that he’s married with a baby, and he apologizes for not telling her sooner.

He says that he couldn’t help himself from punching the taxi driver when he cursed at his wife, and now the taxi driver is angling for a large settlement. Coach Choi offers to pay it for him, and he promises to pay her back. She doesn’t tell him that she doesn’t have the money for it, and starts making calls to scrounge it up.

Jae-yi helps Dr. Go pick out a stereo, and she talks him into installing it in exchange for lunch. He asks if she knows Bok-ju, and says that she’s the patient he’s told her about before. Dr. Go wonders why she’d go to a weight loss clinic, and Jae-yi says that according to Joon-hyung, Bok-ju has a crush on someone. Dr. Go decides that Bok-ju must like Joon-hyung — he’s handsome and popular, and Jae-yi agrees that they seem close.

They just happen to run into Bok-ju on their way to lunch, and invite her along. Bok-ju tries to decline but gets roped into it, though she’s obviously uncomfortable around Jae-yi.

Bok-ju is forced to watch as Jae-yi and Dr. Go share a menu like an old married couple, and it only gets weirder when Joon-hyung arrives, having also been invited. Dr. Go is obviously trying to play matchmaker, but Bok-ju looks like she wants to sink into the floor, and Joon-hyung can’t help but notice her discomfort.

Dr. Go asks Bok-ju if she has a crush on someone at school, but Jae-yi chides her for being nosy. Then she asks how long Bok-ju and Joon-hyung has been close, since she’s never noticed them together at school. Joon-hyung says they just now reconnected, and Dr. Go chirps that he’s changed so much, her heart would have fluttered when she saw him again if she were Bok-ju.

Jae-yi finally succeeds in getting Dr. Go to stop pushing, but Bok-ju grows uncomfortable again when he starts loading Dr. Go’s plate with food. Again Joon-hyung notices, and puts food on Bok-ju’s plate in an effort to make her feel better. He’s being so quietly sweet, it’s making my heart squeeze.

Dr. Go offers them a ride back to school, but Joon-hyung anticipates Bok-ju’s answer and declines for them both. Bok-ju tells him on the walk home that it’s good they had lunch, because she felt bad about the way things were left before. Now she feels closure, and can concentrate on her competition.

She says that Jae-yi and Dr. Go looked good together, and that Dr. Go is pretty and has a good personality. Joon-hyung is quick to say that Bok-ju is, um… healthy, and she’s all, Is that supposed to make me feel better?

Anxious to cheer her up, Joon-hyung cycles through all of his fun ideas, like a puppy going through its tricks to please its master. Bok-ju perks up when he suggests a drive to the ocean. So he borrows Jae-yi’s car, swearing he’s a great driver, then takes off — in reverse.

The drive relaxes them both, and Bok-ju teases Joon-hyung that his driving makes her carsick, and he counters that it’s not easy pretending to be a bad driver. He asks if she regrets lying to Jae-yi, and Bok-ju says she doesn’t, and that she would do it again.

Joon-hyung wonders why she’s not proud of being a female weightlifter, thinking there’s nothing wrong with it. Bok-ju says of course she’s proud, but that while women weightlifters may be impressive, they aren’t beautiful.

I love Joon-hyung for his genuine confusion when he asks what the difference is. Bok-ju explains that weightlifters with boyfriends don’t invite them to competitions, because when they’re lifting heavy weights, their veins pop out and their faces grow red, they get double or triple chins, and their bellies stick out.

She says that although the women weightlifters say that their dream is more important than looks, it’s not something they want the guy they like to see. Joon-hyung nods, and Bok-ju adds that choosing to be a weightlifter means that in some ways, she has to give up living as a woman.

Joon-hyung calls that nonsense, and says that she just needs to find a man who loves even that about her. Bok-ju says it’s hard to find a guy like that, but Joon-hyung swears they exist. He starts to put himself forward as one of those guys, but Bok-ju gets distracted by seagulls, and Joon-hyung pouts for her to choose between him or the seagulls.

They stop to play on the beach, and Bok-ju finally starts to cheer up. She says that she wishes she were here with a boyfriend so they could play silly romantic games, and Joon-hyung tells her to grow up before initiating those exact silly games. The romp in the sand, tossing each other into the ocean and eventually collapsing on the beach.

Bok-ju cuddles close to Joon-hyung, and he moves even closer while teasing her about getting too competitive while chasing him. Bok-ju complains that she’s told him everything about herself, but all she knows about him is his trauma. He agrees to tell her something else, and confesses that back in elementary school, he once left chocolate on her desk.

Little Bok-ju had been thrilled at the surprise chocolate, and had eaten it enthusiastically while Little Joon-hyung beamed at her. Now Bok-ju asks if Joon-hyung had a crush on her, and he says she’s overreacting, that he was just thanking her for saving his life and thought she was cool. Bok-ju pouts that that’s not a very big secret, so Joon-hyung decides to tell her a huge one.

He confesses that Jae-yi isn’t really his brother, and that makes Bok-ju sit up. Joon-hyung says he’s really his cousin, and that his “parents” are really his aunt and uncle. He says that his mom remarried and moved to Canada, leaving him with them.

Bok-ju guesses that this was when Joon-hyung suddenly transferred schools, and he says that he didn’t even get a change to say goodbye. Joon-hyung notices her pitying look and says that his aunt and uncle have been wonderful to him, pointing out how much he’s changed for the better because of them.

He grows serious, and says that everyone has painful wounds in their heart. It’s good if they can move on, but they can still live even if they can’t. He tells Bok-ju that she’ll be fine soon, and she agrees that she already feels better.

She thinks to herself that the good thing about harboring a one-sided love is that you can decide when to end it. She decides that today is the day, and thanks her heart for being passionate.

Bok-ju throws herself into training for her competition, spending every waking moment exercising or eating. She finally makes the weight requirement the day before the tournament, and her coaches celebrate.

On the morning of the competition, Bok-ju gets a bad feeling when she spills a drink on her lucky T-shirt. She stops to toss a coin in the wishing fountain, where Joon-hyung finds her and asks if she’s ready. She says she feels nervous and awful, and Joon-hyung takes her face in his hands. He tells her that she’s her team’s ace, and that she won’t make any mistakes. He sends her off to her bus, promising to be there to cheer her on later.

Jae-yi stops by Dr. Go’s office to look at her new stereo, which she says suddenly broke. He finds the power strip and turns it on, giving her a cheeky look and making her blush. She mentions the weightlifting match today, and that Bok-ju will be competing.

Over at the stadium, Woon-ki is up first, and he does great. It’s Bok-ju’s turn soon, and though she seems nervous, she’s got her game face on. She walks to the stage, telling herself that she can do this, and to just focus on the barbell.

As she steps to the barbell, Jae-yi enters the audience carrying a huge bouquet of flowers, and finds a seat. Oh no — it’ s her worse fear, for the guy she likes to see her lifting! She sees him there just before grabbing the weight, and loses focus for a moment.

Bok-ju is suddenly self-conscious of her new, larger body, though Jae-yi looks nothing but encouraging. Bok-ju approaches the barbell and makes a clean lift, but her own words run through her mind as she’s painfully aware that Jae-yi can see her veins, her red face, and bulging belly.

Still, her lift is a success, and just as she drops the barbell Joon-hyung runs into the stadium. He takes in the cheering audience and Bok-ju standing on stage, looking humiliated, and notices his cousin sitting there watching.

Joon-hyung instantly knows why Bok-ju looks like she’s about to cry. She walks off stage as fast as she can, barely holding back her tears.

COMMENTS

GAH, Bok-ju just tugs on every heartstring I have, and some I didn’t even know I had. Despite her impressive physical strength, she’s so vulnerable on an emotional level, and something about that just gets me right here. It hurt to see her humiliation at knowing that Jae-yi saw her in (what she feels is) her most unattractive moment, even while I know intellectually that her perception that strength isn’t beautiful is wrong. Her description of what it looks like when lifting weights also made me cry — not because I agree that it’s ugly, but because it makes me profoundly sad to know that to Bok-ju, the two are mutually exclusive. She truly believes that she can’t follow her dream of being a weightlifter and be a lovely, feminine woman at the same time. She doesn’t understand that her strength is what makes her beautiful.

So when Jae-yi comes to see her in competition, watching the conflict on Bok-ju’s face as she held that barbell in the air just made me cry all over again. Here she is, doing the very thing that makes her special and wonderful, and in that moment she was feeling the ugliest she’s ever felt in her life, in front of the man she likes. Her shame felt so real and raw, she just makes me ache for her, and I want to wrap her up in bubble wrap and fluffy blankies and baby bunnies and protect her from the world. It’s probably very similar to the way Joon-hyung feels about her, but without the added confusing romantic feelings. Either way, I know she needs to go through this in order to mature and grow up, but it’s so hard to watch her suffering.

So I fell even more in love with Joon-hyung when he called that complete bullshit, and said she can just find a guy who loves that about her. I know who I would like to nominate for the job! He’s just so freaking perfect, I love that he was being completely honest and not just saying what he thought she wanted to hear. I wonder if he knows yet that he’s that guy? I have a feeling that he does — I think he’s beginning to realize that he’d like to be that guy for her, but he knows that right now, she’s still too wrapped up in Jae-yi to even look at him that way. But I was glad to see Joon-hyung at least start to say that he’s a guy who sees her for the beautiful person she is, even if he got overshadowed by seagulls this time.

As much as I want Bok-ju to realize that Joon-hyung has feelings for her, right now I’m mostly just glad that he’s being such a great friend to her. One of the main things I love about this show is how it’s letting Bok-ju and Joon-hyung’s relationship develop slowly and naturally, so as much as I’m excited to see it happen, I’m in no real hurry for them to fall in love. Joon-hyung is really going out of his way to help Bok-ju through her emotional struggles regarding Jae-yi, and I think it’s amazingly mature of him to know not to inflict his own growing crush on her at a time when it would just cause her to push him away.

Joon-hyung is being incredibly insightful about it, maintaining a certain distance while being there for Bok-ju however she needs him to be, whether that be as a distraction, a sounding board, or just someone to talk to. He was so quietly attentive to Bok-ju during that excruciating lunch, I just wanted to hug him — he didn’t miss a single detail about how that whole situation was making Bok-ju feel. If Joon-hyung plays his cards carefully, he’s going to build a rock-solid foundation for the time when he can tell Bok-ju how he feels. And if he’s lucky, she’ll realize that what she had with Jae-yi wasn’t love — real love has been right beside her the entire time.

RELATED POSTS

Tags: , , , , , ,

227

Required fields are marked *

How realistic the emotions and worries Bok Joo is experiencing sucks because I've been there and for the most part, I am still going through that, I just don't have a Joon Hyung next to me to lift up my mood and try to make me feel better. T.T

0
13
reply

Required fields are marked *

THIS!! I cried with her a lot, because I could FEEL the pain she had, I have to give it up to Lee Sungkyung and Nam joohyuk, both of them ATE their characters, they nailed it ! Specially Nam Joohyuk, he got better and I'm happy that he's the male lead.

1
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree! Lee Sung Kyung was fantastic in portraying all the different emotions Bok Joo was going through. The mixed pained look at the end where she looked like she was about to burst out in tears was so heart-tugging. Joon Hyung is being such a great friend to Bok Joo. Both actors are doing a fantastic job, and I must say this show is SO underrated. It really makes me wait eagerly for the new episodes each week and makes me think... "Legend of the Blue what?" I just love these two and watching them grow. Can't wait until episodes 11 and 12!

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

The problem is that these two shows are airing at the same time slot...popularity (sadly) wins.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think in this society, there's a lot of people especially girls who feel this way. I'm a heavy sweater and it's hard feeling beautiful when people wonder if it's raining when they see you walking into a room. I felt so much for Bok Joo who is despite physically strong and generally an uplifting personality, when it came to romance, she's very vulnerable and delicate and I just want to squish her along with JH who is such a great friend and person all around.

I LOVE this series because it's so uplifting!

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I love this show so much because of these issues its addressing. I have felt all those emotions that Bok Joo feels under diffrent circumstances even though I have been aware that maybe I shouldn't. It's so hard being a girl especially in those growing up years.

LSK is such a great actress too, who conveys all those emotions in such a heartfelt manner that it is palpable.

The banter between Bok Joo and JH is so real and lovely, I love their every interaction. That kids who play junior JH and BJ are so cute and adorable too. <3

Also, not all Grim Reaper seem to live in isolation. Here's one hoobae GR who is pursuing a grumpy gymnast ! LOL

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah, I love the way the story is written and progressing. So well done and such realistic portrayal of body image, femininity and the struggles women and girls go through. Such delicate touch with the emotions and dialogue. I love this drama. 2016 has certainly been a fantastic year for Korean Dramas I must say!

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I love this drama more than lotbs. So sad tht this drama is not so popular in korea..

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am Bok Joo and I want Joon Hyung to be beside me :(

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This is something I've felt before watching other dramas based on real women... I wonder how much of the romance depicted is true, especially when it explores the notion of their uniqueness or 'difference' impacting their love life. Is the romance fiction? Don't get me wrong, I love everything about the romance between Bok Joo and Joon Hyung. But a small part of me wonders whether a love interest is always necessary in a female-centric drama. It seems like there are dramas that a male-centric can do away with a main romance but a lot heroines are defined by her love life. It's almost as if having someone who loves her is a form of validation. I guess it just reminds of me of 1 Litre of Tears a little where I know that the story was based on Aya's life and her struggle with her illness, however the romance which became a core part of the drama was entirely fictional. It makes me question whether it is necessary and whether there is a belief that a woman's journey is not compelling enough without a central romance? However, in being totally hypocritical, I really enjoyed the romance there and here so I understand why the romance is added because it does sell no doubt. I just kind of hope there will be a drama that dares to tell the story of a woman who can exist without romance because I really do wonder how that'd be depicted.

1
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Maybe like "Misaeng" but built around the Kang So-ra character instead of Jang Geu-rae?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I would usually agree with you, but for this drama, the romance is actually pivotal in how the main character sees herself. She feels unlovable, and unfeminine. Things that most women want to be and what are widely expected of women to be. And how you perceive yourself and your physical attractiveness can also be related to romantic issues. Especially for Bok Joo who is still growing up and this is her major first crush. Obviously she has this preconceived notion that only if she is feminine that she can be loved. So it works well in this story. And the guy is honestly too cute lol

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree wiith you @ashablue. The romance is necessary for the drama--a large theme being emphasized in the show is that true love is one where your partner knows who are you as a person - your strengths, your quirks, and even your flaws - and loves you because of or in spite of those things. And that message can only be communicated through telling a romantic story.

Another thing I want to touch on is how it seems that in today's society, there are those who believe that shows that don't depict a woman's romantic love life are more progressively feminist than those that do. While I would love to see the entertainment industry tackle stories with female protagonists that do not have any love interests whatsoever, I also hope that that story line does not become the norm. I want to see diversity. Amazing female protagonists who are divorced, widowed, never married, single AF, happily married. I want to see the entire gamut.

I enjoy Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo because it is portraying a role model female protagonist who is not just an amazing athlete but also a warm and caring daughter and friend who experiences problems that all young adults experience, not just professional weightlifters, including feelings of attraction for the first time. I personally do not define Kim Bok Joo based on her romantic life. I see it as one identifying part of herself, among many.

I also want to clarify that romantic love and feminist ideals are not mutually exclusive ideas. I think it's important to remember that women can be strong, intelligent, and resilient individuals not only while single, but also while in a relationship and/or in love.

On another note, I also agree that one of the things that is hindering her self-development is believing that she is "unfeminine" and therefore unworthy of being loved. I truly hope that in the end, Bok Joo will learn that "femininity" and "masculinity" are only social constructs and that she can be "feminine" simply by the virtue of being female. I want more than anything for Bok Joo to understand that weightlifting is "feminine" because it is something that she, a female, is doing, and that her passion for it is not only impressive and admirable, it's part of what makes her so goddamn beautiful.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

+1
You've just said all that I wanted to say to inxomnia.

0

This show is LOVE!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Dr. Go is just like the adult version of Sung Si-ho. She asks the same nosy questions while trying to pretend that she isnt trying to pry and has the same jealous tendencies. She loves bringing up Jae-yi's mistake and she also seems kind of (or at least pretends to be) over-reliant on him at the same time. These two girls have to be the least favorite characters for me. I love everyone else!

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Exactly, she was annoying in the restaurant, she went too far the I wanted to slap her, it's so abvios that BJ is uncomfortable with her nosy quistions.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I second that, she was so mean at that dinner.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Don't worry...

Jae Yi will be the death of her. She can't give up on him since he's so sweet to her and every little nice gestures of him will make her hope flies high up to the sky, but she can't be more than just a friend either since Jae-yi is the most clueless living adult male on earth ever and she'll be forever friendzoned.

LOL

Sigh... Jae-yi is so sweet and everything, but I don't want a boyfriend or husband like him... He treats women in a way that would make them misunderstand his intention and he's completely oblivious about it.

Just like when he texted Bok-ju that he likes Ronaldo better than Messi out of nowhere. At first, I thought he's hitting on her, but apparently this was not the case which made him a player, imho. And I couldn't even be mad at him since I knew his intention was completely innocent.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was cringing at that scene. Wanted her to just zip it!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Good god this show just gets me right here. I mean how can all the characters be so wonderful even when they're unintentionally hurting other people. Dr. Go (is it?) has been really insensitive to Bok Joo a number of times (and even unintentionally hurt Joon Hyung) but she is actually a nice person. All the rest of the cast are pretty amazing too. I kind of love the idea of Shi Ho and the cranky swimming sunbae hitting it off. Soo Bin is probably the only character that gets the mean girl treatment, but even she has little sparks of humanness (destroying the scales was funny).

Joon Hyung, ah you adorable soul. How can he be so cute. I feel like he's still not aware of his crush but on the other hand what was he going to say at the beach.

Bok Joo, bb don't cry. You are wonderful. My heart.

0
16
reply

Required fields are marked *

Is it just me, but when Joon Hyung pulled up in the car was he doing a version of "hey there, pretty lady, want to go for a ride?" pickup line but instead saying "hey there, aggressive-looking lady..." to make it funny?

I don't think Joon Hyung's made the complete leap over to understanding he likes Bok Joo. He's so incredibly close; he's aware that Bok Joo needs a guy like him, but he's not completely got that if a clone of himself showed up and swept Bok Joo off her feet, he'd be PISSED. In the meantime he's being so sweetly protective of her exactly when she needs it, it's wonderful.

Dr Go is a meddling aunt, but it doesn't seem to come from a bad place. She's just so totally wrong about the situation.

0
15
reply

Required fields are marked *

She is! To be honest both the Docs are pretty oblivious. It works for Bok Joo with Jae Yi because it means he doesn't see all the signs that she likes him which she would find mortifying.

Joon Hyung seems to be flirting sometimes but not really, he's hyper aware of her, he wants to make her feel better, he gets her, he thinks she pretty and feminine but he's not quite worked out that all those things means he likes her. What a wonderful time. So into her but oblivious so no awkwardness yet. They are so natural with each other that I just want to watch them hang out, cuddle and chit chat.

But I must admit I'm looking forward to the time that the air crackles between them with sexual tension even though I'm savouring the friendship they're developing now. I feel like the flashes of awareness that we've seen (very, very briefly) hint at some great chemistry. So happy Lee Sung-Kyung is Bok Joo. I'm so happy she moved out of b@tchy second lead territory into heroine roles. She's fantastic, I can't imagine this show without her.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Agree with this so much - I cracked up when it seemed like he was going to kiss her but he was actually nodding off xD Can't wait for the real thing to happen haha but in the meantime I'm enjoying the slow friendship/hints of romance between the two; the pacing seems just right!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree with every word!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes, this! What I love about the development of Bok-ju and Joon-hyung's relationship is how oblivious Joon-hyung still is to his budding feelings. Sometimes relationships just unfold like that; you're friends, and you enjoy each other's company, and you go out of your way to spend time with the other person, and you maybe unconsciously act closer to that person than you would with other friends, but you never make the leap over to putting a name to those feelings until you finally experience that sudden, crucial moment of realisation. It's what makes this relationship so special, because more often than not, drama relationships go straight from initial attraction to full-blown romance - but here, the writer's letting their relationship breathe and flourish at its own pace.

0
11
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree with this! So often, we are told that people are in love without it really being shown, so we just have to believe it because we're told it. In this show, I can feel the layers of love being laid down in every interaction. This is creating one of the most organic, layered love stories I've ever seen.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Gosh, that was so beautifully said. "Layers of love" is the best way to describe how Joonhyung treats, looks and watches after Bokjoo

0

"Sometimes relationships just unfold like that; you’re friends, and you enjoy each other’s company, and you go out of your way to spend time with the other person, and you maybe unconsciously act closer to that person than you would with other friends, but you never make the leap over to putting a name to those feelings until you finally experience that sudden, crucial moment of realisation."

This happened to me! We were in college and were friends once I got past my initial, completely wrong impression of him. I only realized that I liked him more than a friend when I heard someone else was interested in him and venting to a girlfriend about it. I stopped mid-sentence, wondering why I was mad. Then I realized I was jealous, which meant that I liked him. He was ways quietly supportive or teasing me in a sweet way. And today marks 15 years that we've been married. Love you, yeobo! And I love this show for reminding me what it was like to have the realization dawn on me.

0
8
reply

Required fields are marked *

oh this is so sweet, happy anniversary!

0

Awww.... Happy anniversary. <3<3

0

Omg this is exactly why I love this show too! My husband and I were college sweethearts and he actually was trying to help me get together with his friend before we realized we liked each other! 13 years and 3 kids later, still in love! I love this show so much! I look forward to this show more than any other airing right now!

0

And happy anniversary! Don't you love how dramas can make us reminisce about our youth?

0

oh my god, that's so cute, hehe. happy anniversary!!

0

Happy anniversary :) People narrating their real life connection with specific moments in dramas, is the main reason why I love to hang out at DB after each episode.

0

@rentenmann

Happy anniversary! Yay... agree to everything @Emsel said here. Love Dramabeans, love you beanies...!

0

Oh this is so sweet?

0

This show makes me into such a mess!

I know Bok Ju will learn the true meaning of beautiful and love - but to see her suffer is so real. And the actress does a marvellous job!

The scene when she is suddenly so uncomfortable of her own body and even hate herself for feeling that way - it just makes me cry. This show is a gem!!!

And Joon Hyung ah - stop squeezing my heart so! You are the sweetest male lead I have come across ever !

0
11
reply

Required fields are marked *

I feel like in recent years we've had a swell of adorable male leads. Oh Young Ho (So Ji Sub, Oh My Venus), Je Su Ho (Ryoo Joon-Yeol, Lucky Romance), Ahn Dan Tae (NamGoong Min - Beautiful Gong Shim), Decendents of the Sun, Doctors, the nice guy is in and I love it. But Joon Hyung is on another level. He is too sweet. I love the way he gazes at Bok Joo. He just adores her and it's lovely. He's being such a good friend and I love that they are true friends to each other.

Baby Joon Hyung is too darn cuuuuuuuute!

0
10
reply

Required fields are marked *

You forgot Shopping King Louis.

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ah! How could I?? I'm sorry Bok Sil! Sorry Louie!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

He's Taekie in AM1988 right?

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ryoo Joon-Yeol? Jung Pal (the other one). Taekie is Park Bo Gum (Moonlight Drawn by Clouds).

0

Park Bo Gum is Taek. Seo In Guk is Louis. And they're both in I Remember You, which is an awesome show I will mention in these comments threads until the end of time.

0

@Miranda's response makes more sense. I Remember You is another awesome drama.

0

Totally true. It's great to see kdramas making a turn in the right direction. It is obviously enjoyable seeing a obnoxious male lead fall in love and act like a fool, but how much more endearing it is to see a good guy fall for a girl and treat her right.

We need more JHs and lesser Gu Jun Pyos please! JH <3

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I second this wholeheartedly.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes, this is such a great trend that I'm really appreciating. I guess maturing does that to you - you learn to love the true sweethearts who are just good to you.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes! The kid who plays baby Joon-hyung is so freaking cute!! All I can say is "Awwwwwww" when he is on screen!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm trying to put myself on JH's shoes while he's being scolded by dad.
I feel sorry for him.
But yet, that scene is gold, making me laugh like a maniac.
Sorry not sorry.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

He is almost crying out there,i can actually almost see those tears jajaj

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This show is too, too, too adorable. AAAAH. I have nothing more intelligent to say LMFAO.

0
8
reply

Required fields are marked *

OH OH but I WILL add that I loved that moment on the bench when Bok-joo says she's cold and Joon-hyung looks around for a good moment, as if checking no one's watching them, and I was so certain that the classic here's-my-coat move was coming next, when in reality, he was just looking for scrap newspapers to cover Bok-joo with LMFAO. Why are these two SO cute.

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

YES! I love how this show turns the classic clique stuff into the opposite. Like in a previous episode where Joon-hyung saw the approaching car, spun Bok Joo around while screaming "Bok Joo, danger!" (or something like that) and used her as a shield. I LAUGHED MY HEAD OFF.

Never change, show.

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

YES !!!! I love that this show is just love without sugar-coating! That it is sweet without being mellow. Ffluffy without being swallow.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes! It's so fitting with the whole close-guy-friend-who-is-still-somewhat-oblivious-about-his-feelings thing (almost gave up half way typing that but I committed haha). It's like he doesn't go out of his way to be seen as romantic potential by doing the classic cliche gestures, but all his sweet moments are just natural and comes from his desire to see her happy or protect her in his subtle ways. Who needs a guy who gives you his coat when you can have the guy who takes you to the ocean on a cold, winter day to cheer you up?

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

+1

0

Agree 100%

0

this is gold. hah

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Joon-hyung and Bok-ju are the most adorable OTP in dramaland ever!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This episode gave me so many heart-fluttering moments and there were so many things that could have ended up cliched but didn't (eg. He could have covered her with his coat but no, he covered her with a newspaper, and when it looked like he was going to kiss her when she fell asleep on his lap, he also actually fell asleep too, and OMG when he dumped her in a shopping cart that was so funny)

I'm going to college soon and honestly this type of friends to dating romance is kind of everything I wish to happen, when you can talk about anything under the sky (like in the last episode when they were randomly talking about nose bridges) and being comfortable in sharing secrets and hanging out with each other. Even if I don't have a Joon Hyung type of boyfriend, I wished I could have a Joon Hyung type of friend, who'd stick with you through thick and thin, and be an emotional support.

When she missed the part where he said someone who thinks you are adorable despite all that.. someone like me, I was thinking ahh she's so dense. I hope she will recover from her crush asap and open up her eyes to the person right next to her.

And as usual, her friends are awesome haha they just let her release her steam without asking questions and immediately help her once she fell. Best support squad ever, and sometimes I really pity Shi Ho for not having friends like that.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I adore the almost-but-not-quite heart-fluttering moments in this episode (and in the show in general, honestly). When Joon-hyun grabs her hand as they run out of the arcade, or when Bok-joo falls asleep on his lap, or even when they're laying together on the beach, the show doesn't turn it into a Big Moment. It feels so natural in the progression of their relationship, and while sometimes you can see in Joon-hyun's expression that it does affect him, it also shows how truly comfortable and compatible they are together. As viewers, we can see what's happening and appreciate it without having the writers shove it down our throats in an attempt to make us believe it.

1
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes! I appreciate that we don't have bgm there to tell us this is 'Romantic'!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Completely agree! It reminds me of how the romance unfolded on Something About 1% that just ended showing on the cable channel DramaX!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

So, how does one go about acquiring a Joon-hyung? Or did I miss my chance to have one literally fall out of the sky into my arms in elementary school?

I too wanted to just wrap Bok-joo up and hug her this episode. :( I can't wait until she realizes she already has exactly the person she doesn't believe exists right beside her.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

WATCHED THIS EPISODE 3 TIMES.

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

I rarely rewatch stuff but I think I'm going to have to watch this again. This show and goblin are changing my drama habits lol

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

WATCHED THIS EPISODE THE 4TH TIME TODAY.

Best part:
At the beach where JH told BJ "You know, everyone keeps a few painful wounds buried in his or her heart. If they can move on, it's great. Even if they can't, they still live. They become numb to the pain with time. You'll be fine soon, too."

♡ Love love love ♡

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

P.S. Love the last image in the recap. Such a beautiful shot of the couple, or soon-to-be couple. With the sun breaking thru the clouds.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

SAME. I thought I'd left my kdrama-rewatching days behind me long ago, but this drama has done things to me.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm currently on my second round, and already contemplating a third!! I've not felt the urge to re-watch any drama eps in quite some time, but this show is just so much full of heart that it's hard not to go for an immediate re-run.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This episode is so good, with some really hilarious scenes.

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Bok Joo in a shopping cart, they looked like a couple of homeless people.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

A couple of homeless people- in really expensive coats. Goodness, Joon Hyung has a lot of coats.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

My least favorite coat of Joon Hyung's: that brown down one that makes him look like Facebook's poop emoji...

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/2714370/images/o-POOP-EMOJI-ICE-CREAM-facebook.jpg

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

When she started repeating the story of the dressing table...I couldn't stop laughing :D

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This show is turning out to be my favorite show of 2016. it is quietly and consistently telling a beautiful coming-of-age story that truly feels universal. This particular episode was the most poignant for me taking me back to my own college days and the pain of an unrequited crush. I physically felt the emotions Bok Joo must have been feeling sitting in the restaurant and knowing that Jae-yi doesn't see her as a woman. I actually had to turn away for a few minutes before I could watch the scene. The same thing happened when I tried to watch the competition scene.

Everything about this show --the writing, the acting, the direction, the editing-- is working for me.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

THIS!

Also, I'd like to add how so IMPRESSED with Lee Sung Kyung. I didn't think she was a bad actress before but I didn't think it was anything special but with role, she's really showing her versatility. I believe her, her emotions as a weightlifter and woman having a crush on a man, I believe it all and I'm throughly impressed with how she's evolved as an actress!

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree 100%. I was always a fan, but this role just made me love her even more.

She's doing such a superb job. She becomes KBJ and there's no more LSK. Ex: Just look at her modeling photoshoots (even the ones with Nam Joo Hyuk), she seems to be a completely different person. It's really amazing actually. I hope she makes it even bigger after this drama and gets many multi-faceted roles.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This episode is so cute. I love that moment where Joonhyung asked Bokjoo "Choose, seagulls or me." "Seagulls," she answered, not even a second of thinking lol. She did it TWICE. She doesn't even get the meaning of this question. She's so hilarious when she's unconsciously putting down Joonhyung's ego.

But with this episode, I like that Bokjoo wants to know more about Joonhyung's life, asking about secrets he's willing to share. Not because she wants balance of power with regards to secrets but because she's considering him a friend, a real friend just like her weightlifting buddies. And it's so adorable because she's so comfortable with him, like that moment she used Joonhyung's arm as a pillow. And it became super adorable when Joonhyung leaned closer, as if on instinct.

0
10
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes! They're so wonderful together. I also love how easy it was for Joon Hyung to let out his big secret. She says tell me your secret and just spits it out. And then he even comforting Bok Joo when she made that face.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think it helps that Bokjoo never really changed much from the little girl Joonhyung remembered and admired.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

New to commenting, been reading for a while. (Thanks for all the well-written recaps!) But this show is too cute.

Best line - 'Choose, seagulls or me?'

I somehow think that Bok Joo is just pretending to be dense at times. Just to keep the status quo in these troubled times.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

That boy is going to be so whipped when they finally get together. lol

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

That boy is already whipped.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Nope, they exist! (Ahem *me, for one* cough) If I wasn't notified by the person whom was interested in me romantically, I had NO CLUE. I mean, NONE. I didn't see myself as somebody that would have a boyfriend (horses ruled my brain), so flirting never got through to me. ?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

IKR I LOVE IT when Bok-joo's unintentionally bruising Joon-hyung's ego. He asks all these leading questions and she's barely listening half the time, it's great. Why are they SO ADORABLE AAAHHH I can't stand it.

The secrets scene was one of my favourites too!! They're so cute and casual and comfortable, but it's also so relatable - that curiosity you get when you make a new friend who really clicks with you, and reaching a level where you feel like you can start exchanging secrets.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Same. I also adore how he constantly puts his foot in his mouth and instantly regrets it -- it's both cute (that face he makes!) and sweet, because he's so attuned to her feelings, even if his mouth runs a little faster than his brain at times (or a lot of the time).

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

And it's even more endearing that most of the time, Bok-joo isn't even that fussed about what he just slapped himself for saying LOL.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I love how their conversations jump from serious to nonsense usually because of Bokjoo's short attention span, hahaha.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I can watch 50 episodes of Bok-ju and Joon-hyung developing relationship. I watched it raw last night.. eeerrrr..at 1am. I love that Bok-ju doesn't need to build a wall for him or display a different facade. I died when she naturally streched out his arms to use as her pillow. So sweet.

This is the kind of development I would want for my relationship (if I'll ever get one) so this show is really have a sweet spot in my heart. Although from experience, if your not on the same page, it will be hurtful.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

PD trolled us again with that bench scene Almost kiss scene.. knows what the viewers are expecting and make JH do the exact opposite thing...

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was actually thinking, oh no don't go there, because how many times has it happened in KDrama where the male kisses a girl while she is too drunk to protest. I was pleasantly surprised that the show didn't cross that line.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Where do I get myself a Joon Hyung?? /sigh/
He is literally the sweetest and such a perfect guy in general.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I found Dr Go and Jaeyi's relationship mirrors that of Joonhyung and Bok Joo. They've been friends for years but both of them seem afraid to take things to the next level. I hate that feeling of being friendzoned by someone you like. Of being so afraid to lose everything you currently have. Been there, done that. It's very tiring and emotionally exhausting.

I once chose to be a Dr Go, and keeping things on my own, wishing and hoping things will take course (ever so slowly)but not really doing anything proactive about it. I thought I was being cool and just waiting for the right moment but I let that moment passed, and I ended up losing the guy to a good friend of mine. Few years later we somehow found out that we used to like each other but it was already too late.

So I learned that when you like someone, tell them so they KNOW. And make efforts to show that you like them too. Hence, Dr Go and Jaeyi need to make that leap. Make efforts and decide people! I'm tired (and sad) looking at you both!

While Dr Go and Jaeyi are stuck in that friendzone grey area, I honestly and sincerely hope Joonhyung and Bok Joo won't end up that way. I believe they won't, because it seems like Joonhyung has decided to slowly make himself visible to Bok Joo, so that's a step up. I'm patiently waiting for Bok Joo to do the same for him.

I believe this ship will sail. So Joonhyung ah, fighting!

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh when I say their relationship mirrors Joonhyung and Bok Joo, I mean that Joonhyung likes Bok Joo mirrors how Dr Go likes Jaeyi, but while Joonhyung MAKES that effort, Dr Go chose to stay put.

I could see that THIS is where Joonhyung and Bok Joo might be stuck in if no one is willing to step up later in the game. And that's not a good place to be.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think Dr Go is making moves on Jae Yi, she's just pretending that she's not. He tried to friend zone her after his birthday dinner, and she was all, "It's cool, I know we're just friends. My mom does it too, no biggie." Only, it is a big deal, and she's using all these damsel in distress ways to try to make him see her as a woman and not as just a friend. "Help me pick out a stereo." "Help me install my stereo." "Whoops! My stereo isn't working, can you come fix it?" *bats eyes* Poor girl is just trying so hard in front of the most clueless nice guy on the planet.

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Patience has never been my strong suit so that fact that I sat through the entire episode says a lot. This is such a sweet drama and I love how the main leads interact with each other. Its so difficult to see a well developed relationship or the well development of a relationship in the course any show that I'm blown away. I'll miss the character interactions, the sweetness and the chemistry between the leads once this show is over.

And I totally relate with Kim Bok Joo, if you are focused about doing something its very hard to actually groom yourself and be feminine. I know its not mutually exclusive but your focus does shift. And you no longer feel as pretty.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Isn't Jae-Yi unethical as a doctor? If Bok-Ju was a healthy weight & BMI, why did he even recommend weight loss to begin with? (Yeah, I get the "culture of restrictive beauty standards" etc. but he's a doctor for crying out loud.)

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Muscle weighs a ton, so it's possible that she's either not at a "healthy" BMI or right at the top of her category. Her weightlifting training has been packing a lot of muscle onto her body in deceptively compact ways that wouldn't usually be seen in the wild.

Jae Yi was surprised at her fitness levels, without the hint of "oh yeah, and I professionally bulk up for maximum muscle mass" he might just think she carries unhealthy weight extraordinarily well.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

If anyone can explain..What i dont understand is the part about her body being unattractive, her belly sticking out and all.. i mean yeah i know she eats alot and she weighs more than the average girl.. but she works out alot.. i suppose i just feel like the extra food would be in form of muscle on her body instead of fat since she excerises and lifts and all. I mean is she not supposed to be physically fit?? How can she have a flabby stomach .. Am truly confused

0
17
reply

Required fields are marked *

And looking at the other team members.. its asif the show is trying to say that weightlifters are overweight and chubby.. I just dont get the sterotype.. shouldn't they be fit

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

If you look at Olympics weight lifters, they are not the general type of appearance that is considered appealing. There is a limit to how a drama can cast to be that realistic.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Please, have we not already wrapped up the discussion about the realism of this drama ? The actress actually put on quite some weight if you compare her to her Doctors days, enough that it is realistic if you see pictures of olympic weighlifters in the 48-53kg range.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Its actually psychological. It has a lot to do with gender roles and how a particular gender is perceived by the society. Women through time have had to live up to a certain expectation of grace and femininity. Weightlifting has often been perceived as masculine sport so playing a sport that requires certain masculine attributes. Thus while she is focusing on weightlifting she would move away from the expected feminine values meaning that wouldn't exactly live up to the societal image, e.g. she wouldn't be thin, she would have muscles, she wouldn't be dainty and tiny and she would eat a lot. That is why Kim Bok Joo while she is actually weightlifting wouldn't exactly feel feminine and whatever she said only builds on that.

I don't know if I could explain it. I tried.

0
6
reply

Required fields are marked *

Actually even male weight lifters are not considered attractive. To lift a weight beyond the ratio of your body weight, muscle power have to be developed at certain parts of your body, and they tend to look weird compared to conventional physical appearance.

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes, male weightlifters are also not considered to be conventionally good looking but

1. Gender expectations are different.

2. The pressure on a girl to be conventionally good looking and feminine has always been more.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

That's true.. though in this drama i feel more like bok jok just always has these layers on that makes her appear bulky.. i wonder what she would look like if she just dressed normal

0

Yes I agree with the gender expectations coming into play too.

0

Thank You for explaining☺

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I get what you mean in terms of the effects of the sport. Apart from the moment when she actually lifts, it affects other areas of her life also like her meals.. how it would appear for a girl to be eating that much..thank you for explaining

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Think of speedskaters. Their thighs are absolutely massive and it's pure muscle, but female attractiveness doesn't value that sort of shape - curvy, sure, but not hard-as-rock professional muscle. Gymnasts who are stocky rather than balletic have the same hangups.

Female attractiveness, as socially understood, tends towards willowy and graceful. Dancers, etc. All women (but teenage girls especially) are sensitive to anything about them that deviates from this standard. Even though Bok Joo tensing her abdomen to lift weight is minimal, she's right, it will press her lycra'd stomach against the weightlifting belt and LOOK like a bulge. That's the exact opposite of what women aim for, and also the entire marketing model behind Spanx.

Bok Joo's not unusual here, at all. Sadly.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Speaking of speedskaters, I'm reminded of Lee SangHwa. Gosh, it makes me so angry when I think of what people have said about her.

She's been racking up the golds since 2007, and even was the first Korean (and generally, person, since 2002) to defend her gold at the 500m long track event in the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014. Gurl broke world records, over and over again, internationally and nationally and what do the netizens call her?

Horse legs.

My pitchforks and kerosene are all now under lock and bolt because I'm not confident that I won't raise hell and fire on them netz.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

How does she have horse legs? I'd kill to be as toned as her. Honestly, if she were in the west, no one would be making fun of her body at all. She's pretty curvy compared to the standard Korean beauty regarding female bodies.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Disclaimer - I am definitely not an expert on weightlifting so do not know from personal experience. However, a friend of mine does do all the weightlifting stuff and I think it's just different fitness goals. For lifting, your main goal is strength so that can be achieved by bulking (including fat and not necessarily all muscle). I think that's why they said it's difficult to go up a weight class healthily because it takes a lot of time to turn the additional fat into muscle, so a lot of the time it remains as fat, because they want to retain the weight and a lot muscle building involves burning off fat to become muscle which means you're losing weight in the process of it and for weightlifters you need to keep the weight on temporarily to keep within the weight classes. Whereas in order to be toned/ripped eg. bodybuilders, you will need to lose a lot of weight and fat in order for the muscles to appear. Well, that's as far as I understand haha hope someone else has more expertise to explain.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Sadly, fit is not the same as attractive in many cultures. Though recently there has been a rise in fitness enthusiasts, resulting in promotion of the notion that fit is attractive (Thank God), in reality slender females are considered the best looking. In fact in my country many fit and muscular girls would wear loose clothes just to hide their built and not be seen as 'manly'.

Different sports require different levels of fitness and specific target areas are there to improve their efficiency in sport. (From my personal observation) Swimmers generally tend to have broader sholders, Cyclists and many athletes have wider and extremely built thighs, Footballers generally have strong stout calves, etc. People tend to make fun of these things and put them down. For eg. Serena Williams is one of the(if not THE) best Tennis players in the world, but people keep criticising her for her (magnificent)body and built. Some mean ppl even go so far as to say that she should play mens tennis instead(-.-)!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Actually, i can relate to that, when i was young (i'm an ahjumma now) i used to be a kickboxer /MMA fighter.
From age 12 till 21 and this was in the days before Rhonda Rhousey and the female action hero's like Jeniffer Lawrence and scarlet Johanssen.
It made things very hard on my mom sometimes because i would often be covered in bruises and scrapes and people thought at first she abused me.
Training (being the only girl) was hard if you have to spar with guys older then you, soaking in sweat, my head beet red, it was NOT pretty. Neither where fights, i told my family not to come, even if its just untill you tap off or the referee calls it, a headlock or armbar still hurts, getting a kick in the head..ouch! Not a lot of people want to see their loved ones suffer like that.
Men first think its exciting then get scared or they think you're a lesbian because "no normal woman does that" so dating was hard and going to a higher weightclass in such short notice!! it's maddness! its very hard on the liver and kidneys you know to bulk up that fast. I understand her completely, i'm just glad that these days, being a female weightlifter,boxer,MMA fighter is not that unusuall anymore although we still get some jabs like "ugly lesbo, ooh she must do that because she wants to be a guy,.." trust me, it is not easy.I started training again and even these days, poeple are still hard on woman who do sports that are considered men sports.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

@cocobeans Thank you for sharing your experience and insight Ninja ahjumma :)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Been trying and failing to watch this all day! Where do you guys watch it?

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

@dramafire :)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I usually use koreandrama [dot] tv :)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks, guys! Finally got Dramacool to load for me and oh my god I died of the sweetness. Joon-hyung is the best ???

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Gosh! Joon Hyung is the perfect lead. At this moment, I can't remember if there is better male lead in the dramas I have ever watched. I love how he just scans Bok Joo and has instant idea of what's going on. Seriously, he's just crazy perceptive. He also have real flaws too, like bottling things inside himself and speaking without thinking.

I wish Bok Joo heard and realized some of his comments, like when he said she's pretty and when he said he's the kind of guy who could love her like that. Hope they become more clear with each other soon. I saw many people complaining about the lack of kiss, but I don't mind it at all, although I'm usually the first person to squeal about the kiss, but their relationship is developing so naturally, it's great!

Also how funny this episode was! I was glad my room was empty at the moment, because I was laughing like a crazy! Especially ate that scene when Bok Joo got drunk and started repeating her story over and over and Joon Hyung's reaction.

As for Si Ho. I actually felt for her in that scene with younger sister. I'm the eldest in family, and although I don't have any dramatic story, I can sort of understand how the eldest siblings are often being blamed for their ambitions. Example, if they are first to go to college, and their future is sure, unlike younger ones who may not get money for college and who don't even have that much ambition to improve academically, but just want to go to college. And then when there's financial struggle, the blame is on the eldest for just following their ambitions, and they are generally misunderstood by their younger siblings as not caring enough and pushing their agenda when in truth they are shouldering a lot of responsibilities and trying to meet their family's expectations.

1
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

+1

I too died laughing at the Groundhog Day–style retelling of the dressing-table saga.

And I don't even notice the lack of kisses at this point. I savor all the natural, casual sweetness between the two leads and don't really feel that there's anything missing. I have faith that we will get there in time, and meanwhile, I'm enjoying the journey. (I do wonder what that eventual kiss will be like. Will it blow my mind, the way Yoo Jung or Kang Chul did earlier this year? Nam Joo-hyuk, we're counting on you!)

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Forgot to say re: kissing (lol). I'm torn between whether to expect a slow, first kiss style kiss in line with the feel of the drama, or a passionate kiss reflective of the great chemistry between LSK and NJH. Then again, in SKL both Bok Shil and Louis gave off such innocent vibes, and their kiss scenes were phwoar!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I really liked Shi Ho in this episode and appreciated the writing for her character. I like that she has a life outside of Joon Hyung and just being a jealous second lead. She has her own family problems and ambitions. I felt for her because you know she feels helpless in her family situation and as much as her gymnastics training has impacted her family, it's not as simple as her giving it up to keep the family intact. There's not much she can do - she's really at a standstill. I also liked when she wished Bok Joo luck. I like the "mean" second leads who have streaks of niceness moreso than the "nice" second leads who had moments of jealousy and bitchiness, because at least they aint fake.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree with you, on Si ho. She's a second lead who isn't a bad person, just a student with a lot burden. I like the scene where she wished bok joo good luck, she's not totally loony. Lol at least she realizes that she should still be polite even if she broke bok joo's trust.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I love just how transparent Joon-hyung is in his feelings towards Bok Ju! Non of this push and pull that male leads often do when they realize they might actually care about the heroine. He is just so sweetly attentive and perfect that I didn't think anything could top that, but then they had to go put in that scene with baby Joon-hyung and his adorably squishy face and puppy crush on Bok Ju and I died!!!!!!!! How has Joon-hyung literally not changed as an adult?? How is he still this adorable??? He reminds me a little of baby Dory and I just *dies*

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I love this show! It just knows how to tug at my heartstrings. I cried when Bok-joo lifted the weights in front of Jae-yi while her words ran through her mind, she never wanted the guy she likes to see her in what she thinks is her ugliest state, right there it was her worst fear coming true and she could do nothing about it, I couldn't take it, I cried for Bok-joo.

I love love love Joon-hyung, he knows how to just be there for Bok-joo, he cheers her up when she's down and just listens to her, he is the sweetest really, and the way he looks at her, Oh My Heart!

Can't wait for the next episode, thanks LollyPip for the recap.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I couldn't stop smiling at the car scene. Especially when he referred to himself as Oppa! *Squeals*

Off to rewatch~

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Hahaha. All of the very little Korean I know is from dramas, and even I caught that ?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Exactly! I don't know if he could have hinted any more that he wanted her to start calling him Oppa! I think that since "fatty" has become his nickname for her he really wants her to start calling him by a nickname too.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was smirking at the whole Oppa skitchz. What do you mean Oppa, Jung JoonHyung? You were both in the same elementary class. You're both the same age.

It's like Yeo JinGoo (joyfully) demanding that everyone call him Oppa - rather than "Oppa", I'm thinking more like "this little cheeky munchkin, haa".

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Eeeeeeeeeee, I thought of Yeo Jin-gu as well! So cute. *Pinches cheeks like the ajumma I am*

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was about to ask if he actually referred himself as an Oppa. You confirmed it to me. Haha.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I need a Joon Hyung asap

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

This!

Where can we find those sweet, good-natured kind of guy (like Joon Hyung) in real life because I definitely want one.

Can't they just 'supply' those kind of guys because I clearly see there's a high demand for it.. ngeeee...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

There are so many good things about this show that have been said, but what I love the most about it is how you seriously can't hate any of the characters. They may not do the most likeable things but they're also simultaneously so organic and raw and likeable. A bit like real life.

Also: Joon-hyung has the knack for saying the wisest stuff. When he told Bok-ju that everyone has a secret or two in their hearts, he basically described everyone we've seen in the show so far. And he's right! And super lovely to boot, argh I love everything about WF.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I just love how this show just wrecks all the cliche from ep 1.
Here's just a list of what I notice

1. A sweet and kind first lead AND second lead.
2. Guy dropping girl in the water after helping her stand on her own.
3. Guy USING a girl to protect HIMSELF from a water splash.
4. Girl not getting all starry eyes on a guy when they fall on the bed together.
5. Guy dragging a girl when she's drunk.
6. Guy covering a girl with newspaper when she's cold not his jacket.
7. Guy falling a sleep with a girl on his lap and not kissing her.
8. Guy bringing a girl on the trolley.

Here's to more wrecked cliche. Anyone in favor say I XD

1
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I/Aye a thousand times over! This drama is just hitting all the right spots for me and the wrecked cliches are amazingly hilarious. I think this episode made me laugh the most today, what with all the Joon-hyung/Bok-joo interactions.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

You said it all. The blatant disregard for all the cliches, even the simple ones we almost never avoid like piggybacks (haha I personally love that trope, but I'd much rather my own personal shopping cart now!), is just delightful.

This show is just delightful.

They are just delightful.

Everything's delightful!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

+ 1000000000 I love all of it!!!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

"She doesn’t understand that her strength is what makes her beautiful."

THIS. Thank you, Lollypip, for the insightful recap as always! Now, if only Joon-hyung would say some variation of this to Bok-joo...:) (although he's a pretty good comforter as it is now, I would say, aside from the you're healthy comment, hee)

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Was the car scene the first time he referred to himself as 'oppa'??? The subs I'm watching don't quite translate these little nuances...

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes, the car scene was the first time (if I'm not wrong). He was referring to himself as Oppa when he was boasting about his awesome driving skills to Bok Joo.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think he calls himself oppa in an earlier episode—after they've run away from those guys in the bar. Joon Hyung and Bok Ju are talking at an overlook and he gives her "oppa" advice on avoiding getting too caught up in her head.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

@Glomp thankee for replying :)

@NaijaNoona... I went back to see that scene you mentioned and ya he does give her 'oppa' advice (^_^)

Hands down highlight of my week. Wish more people would watch it. Great way to end the year and start anew... all the warm and fuzzies from this show gah...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yup! Was wondering why it wasn't translated into the English subs

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I generally don't feel it when Bok-ju is agonizing over Jae-yi because I'm all about Joon-hyung, but man did I feel her pain when she saw that Jae-yi had shown up for her match. As a woman pushing forty, who's had my share of body-image issues and weight problems, I felt her humiliation IN MY GUT. I sympathized with Bok-ju so much and at the same time wished she could find her way to liking herself more and being proud of the powerful creature that she is. (This is the best-kept secret about getting older. You may not look better, but you like yourself more.)

This is why I love Joon-hyung. He likes her and is impressed by her even before she's gotten around to liking herself. (It doesn't hurt that Nam Joo-hyuk just seems unutterably handsome in this drama. When did that happen?!)

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

(It doesn’t hurt that Nam Joo-hyuk just seems unutterably handsome in this drama. When did that happen?!)

When he was allowed to play a puppy dog. I think all the ajae-gag training Yoo HaeJin and Cha SeungWon put him through on Three Meals a Day in Gochang opened this side of him. He's so much more relaxed in front of the camera! And dang, he was so cute in Three Meals a Day, esp with HoJunnie, who would unbashfully slap his butt as greeting, LOL.

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Where do you watch that? I've been searching for it for weeks! But I don't think they have it subbed anywhere, and I don't speak Korean ?

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ah... I watched the raws and I understand some Korean.

Well, I've done recaps of the episodes on my website if it's any help to you! (Click on my username.)

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh, this website is yours! I googled "Three Meals a Day Gochang recaps" and it was the first result :) Off to read now, thanks!

0

He was hilarious with Yoo HaeJin, when they became close with the old-man jokes. Who knows he would caught up with the jokes that fast for a young guy.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

You know what among the best part of this drama? Because Joon Hyung's role is very real guy. I mean we have seen so many scenes in kdrama when hero being such fantasically gentleman type but not in the case of Joon Hyung. He is cute and adorable in his own ways. I actually appreciate that he is being real that he cannot piggyback Bok Joo all the way to her house, instead he found another alternative which probably easier for him. And when he used the newspaper instead of giving his own jacket to Bok Joo. Lol. Nam Joo Hyuk seriously needs to do more romcom after this.

I don't want this cute relationship turn to cliche romance later, even when they realized they're in love later, I still want to see them comfortable like now.

These two officially my puppies this year. Before this I thought Louis - Bokshil are my puppies, but somehow in the middle of drama I felt little bit boring. I probably will enjoy that drama more if it was shorter like 12 epi only. Sorry Louie and Shopping King fans! ?

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree! In fact, I think Nam Joo-hyuk has a gift for comedy. I laughed out loud when he said "Now you'll feel what a difference a piece of newspaper makes." Actually, I laughed a lot throughout this episode.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was waiting for him to take of his jacket to cover her but instead he brought a paper that was surprising.

And I thought they will kiss accidentally when she was in his lap but instead he wakes up screaming lol.

This writer is brilliant no wonder i liked him/her other dramas OMG & King of savvy

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Me too!!! I seriously want them to stay as they are now when they become a couple. Who said couple can't be like them?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I love all their non-cliche scene N I hope their natural skinship won't turn to any awkwardness btwn them too

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

every time i want to comment about our OTP, i just end up squeeing incoherently at my laptop screen lol.. haven't felt this giddy over a drama couple since.. hmm, yeol and yeon doo in sassy go go?

like everyone else, i want a joon hyung of my own. he's so damn sweet (if not a little wimpy lmao) but not cloyingly so. he can still be a royal pest sometimes, which is refreshing. i also like that Show gives BJ plenty of time and space to get over her crush first before starting on the romance between her and JH, and not getting her to do a 180 on JH on the rebound like so many other shows tend to do

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I love that Bok Joo actually 'fessed up this episode, and that she realised how large and terrible a single white lie can become. It was even more meaningful that she openly admitted to the truth AFTER Joon-hyung tried to make up an excuse because she could've just gone along with his explanation (I believe there would've been a way to account for the weightlifting jacket somehow); I was really proud of her then and I think the drama did a wonderful portrayal of her inner struggles in continuing with the lie, in this episode especially.

The funny moments this episode made me laugh out loud (many times, if I may add), especially the scene where he drags her instead of carrying her and the camera pans from their feet to their faces and the not-quite-but-almost-accidental-kiss HAHA. Bok-joo's dad and uncle continue to be believable, endearing and outright adorable with their concern for Bok-joo, and the way in which Joon-hyung started tearing up just cracked me up. xD

Was anyone else on tenterhooks when Bok-joo lifted the barbell in Jae-yi's presence? I was half-expecting her not to succeed (especially after seeing her expression change when spotting him; I prayed really really hard in that one minute or so), but it was to my pleasant surprise that she managed to hold out - I didn't want all those weeks of training and eating to go to waste, and was immensely glad they didn't. At the same time, Bok-joo's bittersweet victory made the ending all the more poignant, and served to highlight the seemingly intractable conflict between the act of weightlifting and looking beautiful (although I would say that this is very different from BEING beautiful, heh)

I watched Doctors not too long ago, and I must say (again, many others have pointed this out), that Lee Sung-kyung is pure AWESOME. Almost every action she does in this drama, from the boyish, lower-pitched laughter to the constant blurface, are a definite contrast to the glamorous, sensitive character she previously portrayed, and serve to show her great acting skills. She makes me relate to Bok-joo on so many levels, and I feel as if she's not just acting the titular character, she IS it. I'll be looking forward to her future works from now on!

Also, can anyone ever forget our adorable puppy Joon-hyung, who just grows more swoony episode by episode? GAH; they're still friends(ish) now and their interactions are already so so so cute; I absolutely love every step of their relationship right now.

Kind of not looking forward to the (hopefully minute) angst in the next episode, but I believe in the power of the drama and characters to tide us over. More of the three friends please! SWEG!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I fall in love with this series more and more each week <3

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thank you for the quick recap, Lollypip!

I don't have much to add, but I really love this show so much. I really hope it doesn't ramp up into angst territory, it would be so jarring.

Joon Hyung is a such a doll and such a refreshing male lead! Actually supportive instead of pushing her away. Although I'm not totally convinced he's fully aware of his feelings. The way he talks he just expects to always be by her side, and she's starting to expect the same thing. I can't wait for the two of them to wise up (especially Bok Joo) and realize that their friendship is moving into dating territory.

Lee Sung Kyung is absolutely killing this role. That final scene was amazing - I felt her misery and humiliation. I am really proud of her though for powering through!

Finally, I was pleased to see Shi Ho chilling out a bit on the obsession towards Joon Hyung and actually wishing her well. Her little sister needs a smack upside the head, although I get that she was just lashing out. She resents her sister for carrying the hopes and dreams of the family and being such a main focus, but then still expects her to step in and fix the divorce.

GAH this show is so good!!

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I love LSK's enigmatic aura when she's a model/as a celebrity which is why I tuned into her first lead role. But now, I'm kind of torn and want her to stay as Bok Joo forever because she feels so real. One is intriguing and the other is endearing.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i personally think whoever designed that "what?!" bgm is a genius. i couldn't not laugh whenever that little gem came out at the most appropriate moments xD

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's their version of the goat sound from the Reply series. lol

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

omg you are so right! xD every show should've come up with their own version and get a daesang for 'most laughter inducing back-sound of the year' lol

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

YES. It's like Jealousy Incarnate's 'no no no~' bgm. Perfectly used, perfectly timed.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes! haha It's always so fitting, I love it.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

My first comment on this site after being a lurker for way too long goes to this show and this episode that made actually me tear up.
I felt Bok Joo's humiliation and embarrassment when she saw that Jae-yi had shown up for her competition and when she consciously tried to hide aspects of her body, it was so raw. When you realise that this was her biggest fear, this is what she didn't want to show to the guy she likes, this is something that she thinks is her "ugliest unfeminine state" and that her crush is RIGHT there, I cried with her.
I so badly hope to see Bok Joo see that there are countless people that will love and already love her for who she is and I hope to see Bok Joo like herself. Not in the aspects that she is already proud and happy about but in the things that she thinks are her "unfeminine" sides, where is she unhappy.
I sympathized with Bok-ju so much and wish that she realises that society's thoughts on women, femininity, and the "ideal women" can be absolute trash and that she is such a dedicated, hilarious, kind, strong, and beautiful professional weightlifter. All of these things that define her and make up who she is are all worth loving.

1
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This episode is so hilarious. I was in a public commute while I was watching this first thing in the morning and I swear I got lots of strange looks for laughing out loud several times. I want to make the 'WHAT?!' my alarm ringtone so when I wake up I will remember Bok Joo drunk and Joon Hyung's priceless reaction when she repeats her story, three freaking times. I love the show for making the most hilarious situations and then making you feel the most heartwarming experience in a short span. I love it when Joon Hyung just drops anything when Bok Joo needs him, when he was in a threesome date and he's not even interested, but then he's the sweetest to Bok Joo. Why is this man so precious? He's like the reincarnation of all the sweetest second leads that got broken hearted by the female lead and joined forces in one body.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I apologize if this is unfocused; I’ve been really sick and taking a lot of cold medicine, but I still had burning thoughts about the show I wanted to share.
I have to admit to getting a wee bit frustrated with Bok Ju in regard to her crush on the doctor. A part of me just wants her to get over it already. I mean, JH is right there, and he is amazing! However, after thinking about it for just a minute, I realized that the show is pacing itself and keeping Bok Ju consistent as a character just as it should.
Bok Ju’s greatest charm is her in her strength. Not just physical strength, but mental and emotional as well. She is stubborn and focused, and that has allowed her to succeed in a very difficult sport. It is this single-focus determination that allows her to be Bok Ju. It translates as loyalty and never-giving-up on her friends and family. It lets her compete, it lets her hold on to her friends even when things aren’t going well, and allows her to connect with her family. This is Bok Ju. So to ask her to suddenly give up her love for the doctor is asking her to betray her own “Bok Ju-ishness”. If she gave up on him, she would be no better than Si Ho, who gave up on JH because it wasn’t convenient. So, even though I want her to recognize the gift of JH in front of her and stop crying already for the doctor, I also love that she hasn’t because it means she’s stayed consistent as a character.
I love that the Bok Ju in elementary school is the exact same Bok Ju in college: loud, cheerful, focused. And I love that it was those traits that JH fell for in elementary school and then again in college. It wasn’t despite these traits but because of that. And I love how annoyed JH was getting with Bok Ju when he was trying to cheer her up and they went to play video games; you could tell he was irritated by her loudness and aggressiveness. But it didn’t turn him away. He was annoyed and still stayed. And when she got drunk and even more annoying, he just humored her. There’s this famous couple’s counselor who said something once like, “The thing that makes you fall in love with your partner often becomes the very thing that annoys you the most about that partner down the line.” So, if you fall in love with someone because of how outgoing and friendly they are, later on, when you want to cuddle up and hibernate at home, it can be very annoying because they want to go out and be friendly. My theory, however, is that this is mostly true when the partners are presenting only the best sides of themselves in the beginning and not being their full, genuine selves. But with Bok Ju, JH has seen everything annoying and irritating and aggravating about her, and he feels annoyed, irritated, and aggravated, but he still likes her. For me, that’s true love. Not this one look and I’m hooked. But, you’re drunk and annoying and acting all stupid and I still will take care of you and love you and look at you tomorrow with hearts in my eyes.

0
7
reply

Required fields are marked *

And so I keep reminding myself this is a “coming of age story,” not a “done come of age story,” and things are progressing just as they should. Life and growing up is a process, and Bok Ju is doing a lot of it pretty quickly. She has been controlled in a lot of ways by her family and environment, and even if she wanted to do weightlifting, a lot of decisions about it have been out of her hands. In some ways, she’s had to just wait and be told what to do. But falling for the doctor was her decision. Only her decision. It was the one thing she did outside the sphere of her family and the weightlifting team. It was something she wanted, and she portrayed her usual characteristics of focus, stubbornness, and loyalty in going for it. I can see why she doesn’t want to give him up. In some ways, the doctor allowed her to see herself as a woman for the first time. He has become intertwined with her notion of her own femininity. So to give him up would almost be to give up her femininity, as she’s said several times: either be a woman or be a weightlifter.

0
6
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am worried a bit about the Fatal Flaw of this show. I love this writer’s other shows Oh My Ghostess and High School King of Savvy, but both had Fatal Flaws for me. In each, there was a time when the characters were faced with a major issue and instead of going through it, they just jumped over it and ignored it. In OMG, it was the fact that Chef was totally in love with the ghost possessing the assistant, not the assistant herself (until we are told he does, in fact, love the assistant—not shown, but told). In in HSKS, it was the fact that a grown-ass woman decided not only to go ahead and date a high school boy, but that marriage was the best solution to how to handle the problems of their relationship since she was a grown-ass woman and he was a high school student. In OMG, I have been able to ignore the problem and re-watch it several times. In HSKS, even though I laughed harder and longer at that than almost any other show, I haven’t been able to watch it again because of the whole grown-ass woman marrying a high schooler. My fear is . . . what will be this show’s Fatal Flaw? I saw the other two coming, and I can’t see anything now. I just enjoy everything about this show, so I’m getting a little scared. Let’s just hope it ends as well as it started.

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

My biggest worry is that the show might go Heart to Heart on us where Jae Yi starts having feelings for Bok Joo after finding out about her crush on him. I hope the writer doesn't go that way because I can already see the angst with a hefty dose of noble idiocy when that happens.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

THIS. Both of the writer's past projects had that one problem - just that one problem - that dragged the series down in a way that ruined the enjoyability of the whole show. I made it to the end of Oh My Ghostess, but I couldn't do the same for High School King of Savvy when I heard what the ending was. And while both were really strong in terms of writing otherwise, there was always that one, singular, huge flaw in the story that never went away, and it makes me anxious about Weightlifting Fairy - and more so, because while I could spot the flaws in OMG and HSKoS around the halfway point (or earlier) of each show, I haven't been able to do the same for Weightlifting Fairy, even though it's halfway through its run already.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Actually, ever since this project was announced I've been pretty optimistic, precisely because this sort of strait-forward youth/growth drama seemed to be perfect for this writer. I've been wanting to see how she could develop her skills with a more simple story because she excels so much at making me instantly fall for her characters and the world they inhabit. It's just that she tackled such inherently tricky plots that she couldn't quite pull-off perfectly.

OMG at least tapped into some of the issues it needed to address and ultimately left me feeling gratified to an extent. But it still missed out on several opportunities to flesh out the relationships. Here, we get that in spades and I love it.

0

Don't think we have to worry about that problem in this drama. I think the drama is doing a lot of the "showing" this time around, which I think that's why there is a slow paced romance. I also think works for this drama because it doesn't become the only focus. THere is room for other relationships like the swag trio and the other minor characters.

0

I think if we take ourselves back in time to the first few episodes (before we all fell in love with Joon Hyung and all his sweetness), Jae Yi was the first guy that we saw who truly treated Bok Joo like a lady and was a complete gentleman to her. He was the first guy to make her heart flutter in a way it hasn't ever before. That's a powerful emotion and memory she's attached to him. However, the thing about crushes is that the halo effect is so magnified that he became this perfect guy who was out of her league and she felt she had to become the version of herself that she thought he would like. Unfortunately, because of society's views on femininity and how other people have treated her because she's a weightlifter and undermined her femininity (eg. the drunk guys, the gymnasts) it became an insecurity for her. It's a shame because she didn't give Jae Yi a chance to like her for her, because he genuinely seems like a really good guy and I don't think it would've changed how he treated her.

After writing this, I realised how much I loved this drama because of how it's truly explored the concept of femininity and what it means to be a woman. It is just so relatable even if the circumstances or situations are different, because women are always told how to be woman and feminine.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

1 of my favourite drama this year

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

im just falling in love and in love and in love again in this drama!!!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

How did Nam Joo Hyuk become this good?

First time I watched him was in CITT, I liked him there but his role was small. Found him good looking and cute, that's about it. Then came Moon Lovers. he wasn't great in there but we know how much worse the other princes fared other than than LJK and KHN. I think he did the best he could with the nonsense that was written.

I already had a good impression of Lee Sung Kyung in CITT and she's awesome here but I am most awed by Nam Joo Hyuk. Besides being effortlessly sweet and cute, he is very good at conveying everything that's going through his mind, his perceptions of Bok Joo and Joon Hyung's his own emotions. I don't think I am good at explaining this.

When Bok Joo cries, I cry. And there were several times when I see that Joon Hyung near tears and man, that gutted me too.

I love it when I discover underrated gems like this show and to me, actors like Lee Sung Kyung and Nam Joo Hyuk shine far brighter than those big names out there.

1
6
reply

Required fields are marked *

+1

I found it surprisingly moving when Joon-hyung sort of teared up in the bunk-bed scene in episode 8, when he had to tell Bok-ju he was charming in his own way.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes, this and others. I wanted to hug Joon Hyung so bad and tuck him in my bed.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Maybe Jun Hyung is closer to his real personality or he's more comfortable in romantic comedies (he also did great in Surplus Princess but not so great in more serious projects like School 2015).

I think LSK has always been good. I haven't seen all of her work but the ones I have seen didn't give me any indication that she is a bad actress. I am really impressed with her acting in this drama. She's playing Bok Joo so raw that it kind of reminded me a bit of YEH playing Go Eun Chan. I don't see the slightest hint of LSK. All I see is Kim Bok Joo.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I've read that he wasn't good in School 2015. Was it the genre or was he too new then?

I love it when actresses have no vanity.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

It was probably a combination of a lot of things.

It was his first leading role.
He was still a bit new as an actor.
His character was not written well (too boring).

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Honestly, I don't remember his acting being bad in School2015 whatsoever, I just hated his character cause of story reasons and I was having major Second Lead Syndrome cause of story reasons...basically the whole set up was doomed from the start, I don't see how they thought it would be sweet if they ended up together. Ugh, better not to remind me -.-'

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I can't move on from all the laughs this episode gave me. haha. I can't stop laughing from "Dressing Table convo" to Shopping Cart scene. OMG. That was so unexpected.

I love how natural the casts are. I cried when BJ cried. JH made me laugh and made my heart fluttered without trying too hard.

Ahhh. This show. I can't help but feel bad because they went against superstars on LOTBS. This drama deserve if not more, atleast equal love. Korean's are missing out...

1
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

And also i need to mention how casual the skinship here? I mean on a regular drama. When a guy ask the girl to eat out, it's gonna be a slow-mo, cheesy background music and starefest moment. But here JH wrapped his arms around BJ, Held her hand and even lay down so close to her but it was nothing. Lol.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

There's also a lot of natural skinship going like behind the scenes, when the camera is not necessarily focused on JH and BJ, like when they come out of the restaurant and they're still going down the stairs, JH sort of hugs BJ with one hand and pats her shoulder. And then when they ran out of that game arcade, he takes her by the hand, NOT by her wrist, and I loved that!

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

i noticed that too, and I replayed it a couple of times because it's always the small nothings that make the show special for me. It's refreshing, and no awkward slow-mo's. Maybe I've gotten older or that I have already watched numerous dramas, but I always cringed at romantic slowmo's, even the over-emphasis when leads hold hands, especially during kissing scenes, the slowmo's are just soooo tedious. Of course they can be done right, but usually they're not.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

THIS SHOW IS A GEM!! Million thanks for the beannies who have recommended WF. Nomu nomu kamsahamnidaaaaa....

I love Reply 1997, Page Turner, Adolescence Medley, and Sassy Go Go. Therefore, WF gives me the similar vibes which I really love! ;)

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I wish for once Kdramas use an overweight lead for the roles that are about bigger built overweight people. Why does the actress has to be slim when the role deals with the insecurities of being looked at as an overweight undesired woman? I like the actress who plays bokju, I like her character partly because of her acting. but I couldn't really get involved with the last scene because her body looked so beautiful and fit in my eyes.
My mad fat diary had an overweight heroine and I loved that show and could really get involved and understand the character and where she came from. If anything the choice of that actress helped in building such a good show.
There's nothing wrong with different body sizes.
They could totally get viewres more involved if the character looked more like what it's described through the eyes of other characters.
Still love this show and it's endearing characters. Sometimes I want to have them as real world friends. So cute and human.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am pretty sure we went over this in previous comment threads. If you actually look up weightlifters, they are not all overweight. There are even categories for 48-56 kg and that is where Bok Joo falls in. The show never painted her as overweight. Whenever they do mention her as heavy, they meant as in muscles and muscles are heavier than fat. She has a bigger build than the average girl in the show and LSK also only had a few weeks to put on weight, but I remember her saying she wanted to look FIT for the role and she indeed does look fit and toned. You also have to know the difference with Korea's beauty standards, fit is considered fat and ugly to them compared to the west where we see her body as beautiful. I also have to add that when she said "bulging stomach" she wasn't talking about stomach fat either, she meant during competitions you're suppose to push your stomach against the belt and it bulges out so you can lift heavier. Everyone has mentioned that she felt insecure and undesirable because she felt MANLY not fat.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

drama sarange! This show does so much for me it gives me all the feels makes me so happy,giddy ,teary.etc. I don't know what ill do when this drama ends where will i get another bok jooya and joon hyungah to brighting my day. Anyway let me look at this from a half full glass pespective there is still 6 episodes of awesomeness coming up. what pains me is that the ratings are not high but this drama is so cool and sweg i wish more ppl watch it. weightlifting fairy kim bok joo . fighting !
p.s has anybody been in the situation whereby you are trying to tell your freinds about the drama and the title sounds so long that they are alredy half discouraged? oh well ill be waiting for epi 10 .fingers crossed

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am among the ones that find enjoyable to no end the "no-dates" of these two. How refreshing is to watch them to share everything, the small things and the more important stuff? Love the way they open to each other. They are just perfect together. ?
I am looking forward to some progress in the romance but I will not complain yet, the slow pace is working so well here. I will put my faith in the writer and think that we will see soon some major development of feelings :D , because, seriously, this awesome build up cannot go to waste. I want to see the moments when Bok Ju and Joong Hyun start to be aware of the other as a man/woman and the start of sexual tension...already dreaming about their first kiss, haha!!

Finally, can I also have my own Joong Hyun for Christmas? ❤️

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ah, and how cute was Joong Hyun calling himself oppa when he was driving the car? He is already rehearsing being the boyfriend, and he was enjoying it so much, haha!! ?

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Notice that he changed his outfit as well...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I laughed so hard during the drunk scenes! Then I got emotional at the restaurant scene, and laughed again at Joon-hyung's nearly-explode face. Just when I thought this show couldn't get any better, it gave me this. Wonderful.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I want a best friend like joon hyung?
seriously though he is straightforward blunt cheeky but too sweet.. the way he cares about her in small gestures is adorable.. and he opened up to her with his secret, that is huge advancement. plus the episode was so fun esp during drinking scene with dressing table.. love that iconic WHAT sound. its hilarious..

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *