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Strong Woman Do Bong-soon: Episode 7

It’s a difficult hour for our favorite pair: Min-hyuk finally learns who’s behind his suffering, and it falls on Bong-soon to help him through the pain. She has her own share of heartache though, and it has nothing to do with either of her men: Today is a story about family, and how sometimes they can understand you the least, but hurt you the most.

 
Episode 7: “Change”

We open the episode in fair Verona where Juliet (Bong-soon) dances with her Romeo (Min-hyuk). The romantic moment is abruptly broken by Romeo, who buckles over in agony when Juliet mistakenly steps on his toe. He hurriedly limps away in fear as Juliet calls after him.

In the real world, Bong-soon wakes up from her nightmare in a fright. She drags herself out of bed and to the kitchen in search of some water, when a masked man tries to sneak up on her.

Acting on instinct, her fist flies out and molds into the frying pan that the man uses as a weapon.

Meanwhile, Min-hyuk wakes to a knife against his throat held by another masked man. The man gets distracted by his buddy screaming outside so Min-hyuk capitalizes on the opportunity and disarms him. They tussle back and forth until Bong-soon arrives to knock the guy out.

We learn that the two men were sent by Boss Tak to kidnap our favorite duo, and they have a reputation of being quite fearsome. Bong-soon ties the unconscious experts together, as Min-hyuk recognizes one of them as the perpetrator who stabbed the detective in the bathroom.

Worried that the thugs might be uncomfortable lying on the ground for a long period of time, Bong-soon lays them down on a familiar-looking blanket…

The weight and warmth of two people lying side by side activates the talisman that Mom stuck inside, as the red butterfly burns into the fabric and engulfs the thugs in a sexy flame. We flash back to the mudang who explained to Mom that the talisman will help two people come together. He’d elaborated, “They will fall for each other. This will light their fire!”

Half-asleep, Bong-soon and Min-hyuk sprawl out in the living room as Bong-soon tries to get Min-hyuk to turn the thugs in, but is too tired to argue with him. She congratulates herself on catching the baddies before passing out.

Bright and early, Gook-doo calls Bong-soon to make sure everyone stayed in their own beds, while Min-hyuk answers the intruder’s phone. He’s quiet at first as Boss Tak asks whether Bong-soon and Min-hyuk were “taken care of,” in advance of Ohsung’s stockholders’ meeting.

Boss Tak continues to blab on and asks specifically of Bong-soon, stating that she’s the more important one of the two, hee. His interest in Bong-soon gets Min-hyuk talking, and he can’t resist asking why Bong-soon is more important.

Min-hyuk presents Boss Tak with a deal: If Boss Tak tells Min-hyuk who is behind the harassment, he won’t get the police involved. Min-hyuk then hangs up to give Boss Tak time to weigh his options.

Downstairs in the secret room, Bong-soon checks on the two thugs who are still asleep on the blanket. She uses an antenna from a remote control to poke at the men in an attempt to awaken them. They, uh, wriggle from the prodding, and let out a couple of titillating giggles.

Eventually, they open their eyes and upon seeing each other, they begin rubbing foreheads seductively. Bong-soon watches, speechless.

At the shareholders’ meeting, the attendees grow restless when Min-hyuk fails to arrive. The moderator announces that Min-hyuk won’t be joining them at all.

Min-hyuk walks in just as the room breaks into uproar. He apologizes and cites certain “unexpected guests” for his delay. He calls Bong-soon, then projects the video call onto the room’s large screen.

After fumbling slightly, Bong-soon points the camera at the bound men on the ground. Min-hyuk discloses the numerous threats and attacks he’s endured for the last six months in order to stop him from becoming Ohsung’s successor.

He tells his audience (which include his father and shifty-eyed brothers) that he has no interest in taking over Ohsung, but believes that the attacks against him and a bloody succession war are detrimental to Ohsung’s image, especially if they hope to separate themselves from their gangster reputation.

Min-hyuk proclaims that the guilty party is in the room with them. He tentatively schedules another shareholders meeting to unmask the culprit in front of the group. Right as he’s leaving, he remembers to clear up any misunderstandings about his sexuality, and informs everyone that he’s interested in women.

Out on the golf course, Boss Tak gets an earful after failing to detain Min-hyuk. He gets more bad news when Jaws reports to him that three of their men were beat up during their nightly patrolling of Do-bong by an elderly woman.

After screaming at his underlings for being incompetent buffoons, Boss Tak heads over to AinSoft to meet with Min-hyuk face-to-face. He hands over a flash drive, then says without prompting that he merely does what he’s paid to do.

Min-hyuk asks why Boss Tak needs to supplement his work with side jobs like this when his construction company is doing well, and Boss Tak replies that he does it out of loyalty to the Ahn family. He explains that everything done against Min-hyuk was only to scare him, not to hurt him. Min-hyuk accepts Boss Tak’s reasons, but adds that the next time he won’t be as forgiving.

Before heading out, Boss Tak tries to bargain for Bong-soon on the grounds that she’s “insulted” him. He’s brimming with curiosity about Bong-soon, and wants to know what her arrangement with Min-hyuk is, but he stops himself before he loses his cool and slinks away.

At long last, Min-hyuk reviews the contents of the flash drive, and upon hearing the voice giving the orders, his eyes well in recognition: It’s his second and most trusted brother, Dong-suk, who has terrorized his life.

The news is overwhelming for Min-hyuk and he crumbles as a little piece of him breaks inside. Bong-soon finds him a little later, and he tells her that he wishes his brother would have been honest with him, then asks her what he is to do now.

Seeking to cheer him up, Bong-soon pushes Min-hyuk toward the door to get some fresh air. They find their way to an amusement park where Bong-soon screams in delight at all the scary rides, as Min-hyuk cowers. They don matching animal ears and stroll through the park like a couple.

After building up an appetite, they sit down for some grub where Bong-soon tells Min-hyuk that she’s always been the black sheep of her family because of her strength. She plays it off like she’s used to the treatment.

Their food arrives and Bong-soon feeds a reluctant Min-hyuk an interesting combination of soondae and bean paste. He chomps down like a nonbeliever at first, but then concedes that it’s pretty darn good.

He’s impressed by her savvy and asks where her family is from, wondering which region eats their soondae in this way. She says that she’s from Do-bong, which makes Min-hyuk ask why her parents would be cruel enough to name her Do Bong-soon.

In the Dungeon of Doom, the Bride Collector torments one of his captives by running his hands all over her, and overall being the creepiest dude ever. He tells Bride #3 that she needs to lose more weight before their wedding.

When he’s gone, one of the other brides calls out to her fellow prisoners and attempts to calm their panic, offering reassuring words.

After their day at the amusement park, Min-hyuk and Bong-soon ride home on the bus. The setting compels Min-hyuk to tell Bong-soon of his mysterious hooded dream girl. He recounts the memory nostalgically, and swears to Bong-soon that the girl was an angel sent by his mother, the person he was one his way to see that day. He stares at her, as if waiting for her to complete his sentence.

Bong-soon’s gaze is full of meaning, though she can’t seem to find the words to say. They’re interrupted by a call from Granny, and Bong-soon slips into their hometown saturi as they promise to see each other soon.

She hangs up and broaches the topic of retiring her bodyguard title and moving to the development department now that they’ve identified Min-hyuk’s enemy. Min-hyuk counters that she needs to first complete her training and get her attack and defense skills to their highest level so she can protect herself against threats. She makes him pinky-promise this time and he complies.

Bong-soon proposes that they spend the night apart because of Granny’s visit, and Min-hyuk agrees, figuring that he needs to go to his parents’ house and confront his two-faced brother.

She leaves him with a Bong-soon-ism to cheer him up, saying, “When the world deceives you, just say ‘Gosh, you really got me this time’ and laugh it off.” (This is terrible advice.) He can’t help but smile at her simple worldview.

Feeling comforted, Min-hyuk warns her not to walk around Do-bong alone at night, and she agrees only if he doesn’t keep his sadness to himself, and they pinky-promise on that as well. D’aww.

That night, Mom and Granny walk arm-in-arm when they see Min-hyuk walking Bong-soon home. Mom calls out to her daughter, and immediately Bong-soon comes bounding over to hug Granny.

Min-hyuk remains at a distance to give the women some space for their reunion, and Mom whispers to Granny while gesturing to Min-hyuk that she’s going to make him her son-in-law.

Min-hyuk slowly makes his way over to greet Granny. He introduces himself and not a second later Granny refers to him as the son-in-law. Bong-soon cringes, Min-hyuk’s jaw drops, and Mom grins like a maniac.

Thankfully, Min-hyuk is excused soon after, so Bong-soon can groan to Mom about how awkward she’s making life for her. When Mom asks if they slept together yet, Bong-son reminds her that when she was younger Mom always used to tell her never to trust men because they’re all wolves. She demands time to adjust to the sudden reversal.

But Mom urges Bong-soon to unleash her pent-up sexual frustration onto Min-hyuk, and Granny calls Mom out on her questionable tactics.

The three generations of women sit on a bench as they discuss their family superpower. Bong-soon asks if there has ever been a case where a woman who lost her powers like Mom regained them later.

Granny doesn’t know of any, but adds if that ever happened, it would be in God’s plan. Mom pipes up to say that she tried everything to get her powers back, but she’s come to terms with who she is now.

Mom hopes that one day Bong-soon will her a daughter and be able to pass down her strength like she did.

It’s an eye-opening moment for Bong-soon, who thinks to herself about a time when she had dreamed of marrying Gook-doo and bearing three sons. Back then, she never wanted to have a daughter with strength like hers, but now, sitting under the stars with her Mom and Granny the idea suddenly doesn’t seem so terrible anymore.

Bong-soon isn’t the only one reminiscing; at his parent’s house, Min-hyuk walks through the rooms as fond memories of his childhood come alive. He remembers Dong-suk giving Min-hyuk his favorite toy and stares at the younger version of his brother through pained eyes.

Min-hyuk doesn’t mince words and tells adult Dong-suk that he’s relieved it was him. Dong-suk apologizes immediately, and explains that Min-hyuk was a fearful child that he always needed to protect. He says that he only wanted to scare Min-hyuk enough to make him back away from Ohsung.

Shockingly, Min-hyuk decides to keep the matter between them because Dong-suk was nice to him when they were kids, as long as he promises not to do it anymore. Dong-suk apologizes again, and Min-hyuk doesn’t reply.

Down at the police station, the police chief takes Unit 3 to task for neglecting to report the second missing woman in their case, especially now that a third woman has gone missing. With another team helping out, let’s hope we get some leads soon…

The next morning, Bong-soon heads out for work and runs into her fan club cutting class. She threatens to cut off ties unless they march back to their desks, and, ever obedient, they do as they are told, complete with nintey-degree bows. One of Mom’s friends watches the exchange from nearby and gets a whiff of something fishy afoot.

Bong-soon meets up with Min-hyuk at the gym, where her first lesson is to control her strength. He challenges her to tap a punching bag and practice regulating her power levels. She fails spectacularly and upon contact, the bag bursts open.

They try again, but this time Min-hyuk holds the punching bag and instructs her to touch the bag gently. She does as she’s told, and Min-hyuk lights up after not being sent flying anywhere, but when he goes around to take a look, his face falls to see that her hand has pierced the material.

The next activity is boxing, they go a few rounds successfully, but Bong-soon can’t avoid sending Min-hyuk spinning once. Then Min-hyuk has Bong-soon pull her hand out of Min-hyuk’s grasp without putting him in the hospital, and they count it as a win when she does it pain-free.

Suddenly, Min-hyuk jumps forward and grabs her from behind in a surprise attack, flustering Bong-soon, who becomes very aware of the proximity. He tells her not to get the wrong idea and try to free herself without hurting him.

She repeats that last part as if she isn’t sure she can manage it, but then starts poking at his sides in a series of tickle attacks. He loosens his hold on her as he laughs, which gives her the opening to twist his arm around and he drops to his knees.

Bong-soon complains about him messing around, until suddenly he reaches out, spins her around, and pins her to the ground. Oh my.

In a low voice he orders her to stay put, and she mumbles in agreement as her eyes search his face for an answer to the unfamiliar feelings churning inside her. He then tells her not to tell anyone about her powers, and about “us.”

She asks what he means, and he stutters as he replies that he’s talking about their private training sessions, then moves off of her .But neither can look each other in the eyes.

Min-hyuk announces her final test, which will require “keen concentration and complete strength.”

They reconvene in the secret room for the final round of stone-flicking. Min-hyuk goes first and his piece tumbles off the board in a pathetic attempt. Bong-soon flicks her piece next and it fires out, hitting the furniture behind them with such force it gets lodged in the wood. Min-hyuk does a terrified little jump when the wall shakes from the impact and looks about ready to die of a heart attack. Put on a helmet, dude.

She swears that she didn’t use her full strength, so Min-hyuk tells her to restrain herself by thirty percent. Bong-soon prepares to flick her next piece, but Min-hyuk is right in its trajectory. He asks sarcastically if she’s planning to put a stone through him and kill him, haha.

Sheepishly, Bong-soon repositions herself and tries again, this time the piece shatters a TV screen, causing Min-hyuk to cry out in pain. The third time he commands that she remove ninety percent of her strength and at last she manages to move the stone without breaking anything.

Min-hyuk praises her on a job well done, and welcomes her aboard the development team. She’s so excited that she begins swinging her arms around, but then accidentally breaks the board they were using, leading Min-hyuk to rescind his offer.

With his injuries finally healed, Kwang-bok packs up to leave the hospital. Boss Tak pays him a visit and Kwang-bok reaffirms his desire to settles things with Bong-soon. Boss Tak leaves him to it (but not before getting more pee spilled onto him) and heads over to visit the three men who were put out by Granny.

They visit one more room, and see the two men that broke into Min-hyuk’s house the other night, snuggling together in the same bed.

Mom and the ladies visit the mudang again to update him on that fact that they’ve successfully won over the “head” (Boss Tak) to their side. Mom asks if they should get rid of Boss Tak for good in order to clear their path, and after they pay a bit more, the mudang plunges deeper into the mystic forces to find their answer.

His eyes fill with a purple light and suddenly he channels Mom’s ancestor, Park Gae-boon, right in the middle of the Siege of Haenju. The mudang caws back and forth through the room throwing items left and right as if they were boulders, then looks toward Mom and says, “No matter how strong you are, you can’t handle him.”

Thoroughly spooked, the ladies walk back home shaken. Mom, knowing exactly what transpired, sighs to herself but says nothing about it. Her friend tells Mom that she that saw Bong-soon with her followers that morning, saying that they looked like gangsters, and Mom hurries home to scold Bong-soon.

Mom accuses her daughter of bullying those kids and taking their money. She gripes at Bong-soon for always causing trouble and giving her grief.

Perhaps Bong-soon had hoped that the evening with Granny brought her and her mom closer, and is heartbroken to see that nothing has changed. Tears fill her eyes as she shouts that she isn’t like her Mom, and she shouldn’t always jump to the conclusion that she is the bad one. Bong-soon cries that even though her body isn’t hurt by Mom’s whacks, her heart feels the pain, maybe even more acutely than others.

She asks why Mom favors Bong-ki over her so much and bawls that she didn’t ask to be born with her power. She tells Mom that she doesn’t know why Mom hates her so much and doesn’t understand her when they are both women.

After storming off to cool down, Bong-soon comes downstairs a little later and packs some soup for her brother and Kyung-shim. She’s still red-eyed from the exchange and Mom tiptoes around Bong-soon, unsure of what to say, then chooses to say nothing in the end.

Meanwhile at the hospital, Hee-ji confesses her feelings to Bong-ki. Hee-ji tells him that she understands how tangled their situation is, but still she can’t stop herself from feeling the way that she does. A startled Bong-ki discourages Hee-ji, saying that Gook-doo is his friend, and moreover, his sister has liked Gook-doo for a long time.

Bong-soon appears right then with the soup, and it’s unclear how much she overheard, but seeing them together seems to confirm her suspicions. So she steps up to voice her opposition to whatever might be brewing between the two.

Bong-soon says that she understands that no one can choose whom they love, but she hopes they can think about the people they might hurt in pursuit of those feelings. She requests that Hee-ji not hurt Gook-doo or confuse her brother any longer, then excuses herself.

Gook-doo and his team obtain a list of people who order the specially made shoe in the kidnapper’s size. They immediately start tracking down the people and looking for a match. Their search eventually takes them to a theater where they watch a play entitled “Blue Mustache and the Seven Brides.”

Oh geez, one of the scenes is pretty much exactly what’s happening at the Dungeon of Doom, with the Blue Mustache character and his seven imprisoned brides. In the audience, the Bride Collector watches the scene, transfixed.

Gook-doo and his partner interview the main actor after the show and they think they’ve found their guy until he gives his rock-solid alibi: He was performing in the play on the night of the kidnapping. In fact, the timing of each kidnapping coincided with performances of the play, which means he can’t be the criminal. Still, Gook-doo decides to have Bong-soon listen to a recording of the man’s voice just to be safe.

At the hospital, the real criminal returns to target Kyung-shim. He manages to distract the detectives by setting a trash can on fire, then slips into the room. But there, he’s stopped from injecting Kyung-shim with a syringe when Bong-soon pops up, asking suspiciously what he’s administering.

He can’t answer without sounding suspicious, and they lock eyes and slowly recognize each other. Bong-soon says, “You’re not a doctor, are you?”

The Bride Collector makes a run for it, and Bong-soon chases after him. She notifies the detectives, who immediately join the chase. They follow hot on his heels, but the man manages to slip away in the lobby by disguising himself as a janitor. Argh!

Gook-doo storms into Kyung-shim’s room to berate Bong-soon for trying to chase the criminal herself. Bong-soon’s had a rough day so she shouts right back at Gook-doo and tells him to worry about himself and his girlfriend instead of her.

He learns that she didn’t stay at Min-hyuk’s place and went home for the evening to visit her Granny, and goes ballistic. His voice is charged with frustration as he asks her if she understands how hard it was for him to send her to Min-hyuk.

Kyung-shim begs them to stop fighting, and Bong-soon flees from the room after declaring that she’ll go home by herself. Gook-doo chases after her.

Min-hyuk stops by the walnut shop to buy some treats, but everything he wants is sold out. Dad gives him their most popular walnut cookies and refuses his money. He asks Min-hyuk to take care of Bong-soon instead because she’s his “most precious child.” Aww Dad. Just put an onion right in my face why don’t you?

He tells Dad that he understands, adding seriously, “I also cherish Bong-soon. You can trust that.” His sincerity moves Dad, who starts piling more treats into Min-hyuk’s hands.

On the streets of Do-bong, Bong-soon walk alone in the night. She passes into the path of Boss Tak and Kwang-bok, who are lying in wait for her. Kwang-bok sets out, intent on giving her an eye for an eye, and Boss Tak looks the other way, choosing not to involve himself in Kwang-bok’s revenge.

Kwang-bok calls out to Bong-soon to commence their showdown, just as Min-hyuk catches sight of the two from a distance. But before they can get into it, Gook-doo bursts onto the scene and beats Kwang-bok to a pulp.

Gook-doo fights with such violence that Bong-soon runs over to stop him. As she pulls him off Kwang-bok she accidentally uses her super strength and throws Gook-doo to the side with startling power.

Gook-doo recovers from the toss and looks over to her in complete confusion, as Min-hyuk watches from afar.

 
COMMENTS

I’m rather disappointed that Min-hyuk felt like he needed to announce his sexuality to the shareholders, which was confusing because it didn’t seem necessary, given that he doesn’t even want to take over Ohsung and shouldn’t care what they think. It was a really weird scene for me, but only second to the discomfort I felt during that tone-deaf blanket scene. The situation was played for comedy, but I found it just offensive. I get that the men were enchanted into falling in love through the magic of the blanket, but it has the effect of trivializing homosexuality, as though people could be charmed into their sexual orientation somehow. The thing that disappoints me the most from this episode is that I loved that Min-hyuk always leaned into the misconceptions about his sexuality because it seemed like it didn’t bother him what people thought. I thought he liked playing with people’s prejudices, but this episode showed me that that isn’t the case at all.

I’m not surprised though, and would prefer if we moved on from those kinds of jokes from here on out. I’m also hoping we’ve migrated entirely away from the Ahn family drama. I am happy that Min-hyuk gets some closure from his situation, but hope that he seeks to make his own family elsewhere because those guys suck. Mom, Granny, and now Dad (kind of) seem ready to adopt him so I say let’s just get the paperwork out.

I honestly thought Granny was going come in to show Bong-soon some of her badass Taekwondo, but what transpired instead was far more important for these characters, and so much more moving.

I like that the three generations of women talked about what they thought about their powers. I love that Granny and Mom’s relationship is so strong even though Mom pissed off the gods. It’s an important lesson that I’m glad the show is trying to drive home. The lesson that having the gods turn on you doesn’t make you unworthy suddenly, or evil somehow. It’s just a skill Mom lost along the way, like forgetting how to speak a foreign language. I do think that for Mom her strength was more intrinsic to her identity than it is for Bong-soon, meaning that she shaped who she was around it, and not the other way around, which is why it took her so long to come to terms with its loss.

It was so important for Mom to tell Bong-soon that she loves having a daughter and being a daughter, and wants Bong-soon to experience the same thing. And it was great for Bong-soon to call out Mom on her double standard, and ask Mom to confront her hang-ups about the strength and what it means for the women who have it.

It’s kind of interesting to me that there’s no concept of super sisters in this show. Like how awesome would it be for there to be like a kickass aunt who comes in later and bosses Mom around. Maybe for the sequel?

 
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I kind of feel like there's three separate dramas going on in the show.
1. Do Bong Soon x Min Hyuk (Seeing both of them cry hurt my heart)

2. The killer/kidnapper (I'm really interested in this. The blue beard and his seven wives was super creepy but intriguing. I thought he liked his women skinny? Why did he tell one of them to loose weight?)

3. Gook Du x The cops (I guess this week they're being somewhat active)

I really want a show centered around the gangsters!! Omgg they bring so much to the table and the way the music changes as they come on screen is just gold. It's impossible to even hate them.

Job well done to Park Bo Young during that scene with her mother. I know that feeling of always being compared to other people and told you're not good at anything. Her acting was spot on and had me in tears

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1. The crying! It hurt my heart too. So well done by both of the actors. It looked and sounded so real.

2. I think it's intended to make him a creepy control freak who starves already thin women. Creepy because he does it for the sake of his own attraction. And cruel because he weakens them into submission by using food deprivation as a punishment.

This is pure conjecture, but:
It could also be used to establish a future plot line: a Stockholm syndrome relationship with one of his victims. The first woman he kidnapped seems like she's heading in this direction.

Another plot line it could serve is penultimate crisis of Bong Soon being taken captive; and food deprivation making her unable to fight. (The show has pointed out how much she needs to eat.)

3. The gangsters. Yes. So hilarious. Especially the scenes with Kim Won-Hae. Poor dude. This episode he seemed like a parody of that family friend you sometimes have who's really, reallllllly old; who has ill-fitting yellowed dentures; doesn't have the best judgment anymore about what's clean; and who can't quite keep bits of food from falling out of their mouth when they eat. Ya love 'em but sometimes it's hard to watch.

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I don't think she is developing Stockholm Syndrome. It's more like she knows what the culprit is up to (he wants brides, not killings) and is trying to make herself more comfortable in light of the situation, and she seems to be looking for a way out, however futile.

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I completely agree. I've thought she was the smart one since the 2nd girl came in. While she was busy screaming her head off and crying for her mother, she was quite and making sure she ate so that when the opportunity came she would be strong enough to get out. I think the other women would do well to learn how to manipulate him as much as they can. Giving him a false since of confidence may be the only way to get that opportunity.

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I love the gangsters, especially Kwang Bok. I think that's his name. Poor thing, him and his denture. He just makes the entire scene hilarious effortlessly. Ha.

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Your summing this up as three separate dramas shoved together is very accurate. I find myself getting frustrated that Min Hyuk and Bong Soon are so apt to just forget that there's a kidnapping fiend wandering around her neighborhood. Like, it's barely registering on their radar as an issue at all, even after Bong Soon's friend encountered him and Bong Soon had to fend him off. It's like some kind of selective amnesia.

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Oh Ahn Minhyuk.. what are you doing to me :')

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Yup. I totally agree with you. I swear he's getting BETTER looking as the show goes on.

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It's not the looks anymore PHS acting skills are getting better...

PS: Its like if Pa-oh ever had a daughter, he would definitely marry off her to ji-dwi and its happening here... I loved their moment

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Oh gosh I am so slow!!! It's Pa Oh!!!!!!! He looked younger here than in Hwarang.

I love Park Hyung Shik!!!! Squeeee...

I like the trio bickering over DBS and this episode has none of that. Let's hope for more in upcoming episodes.....

Anyway what was Ming Hyuk mumbling about when they were on the floor?

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Thank you SO MUCH for the recap. Your criticism of the show's trivialization of homosexuality is so important because we really need to point out these fundamental mistakes to ask for change in the media representation of the LGBTQ community. I wonder how the community in South Korea takes it.

On a side note, I love how the drama is making Min Hyuk someone besides Bong Soon, lifting her up by helping her manage her strength, placing trust in her, and gradually learning about her. Their relationship, contrast to the relationship between Gook Doo and Bong Soon, is warmer, heartfelt, and lovable. (Is this how love is compared to infatuation?)

I found myself creeped out by the insane criminal going after women to imitate the show. It is just sick, and I am not sure how the show will finally tie the two tones. Moreover, is there a social meaning behind the story of this criminal? I would love anyone's opinion...

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In this dorama homosexuality is used strictly for jokes. Mostly the same was in another dorama with homosexual notes - Personal Choice.
If you wished that this dorama would make "correct" representation of LGBTQ issues, this isn't happening.
I myself like this comedy approach to these issues better.

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The love spell affecting two people of the same sex is a very, very old joke. It's supposed to be funny because the pairing is "wrong". To use it now is just kind of weird - no matter how tame the reaction to the spelled couple is, it's still saying that just the idea of two men falling in love is weird and wrong. So that's why that one's problematic.

Min Hyuk allowing people to think he's gay wasn't problematic and was actually kind of interesting - it telegraphed that social blowback on that sort of rumor is reduced enough now that a man like Min Hyuk can not only tolerate it but can kind of use it for his own purposes. But when he announced to the shareholders that he's straight, it was a bizarre twist - why does he care what they think? If he doesn't want the company, isn't it more useful to have this low-level rumor making him unfit to be the CEO? What exactly was the motivation for drawing that line? It muddied his motivation for acting fey in the first place.

Comedy's difficult, but generally I'd expect that LGBTQ-related comedy's evolved beyond laughing at someone just because of their gayness. Joke about other things, sure, but at this point laughing at someone's sexuality is sort of like laughing at them for being short or a woman or black. I wouldn't expect to laugh at a joke that was framed around "look, a woman in a business suit! Women can't be CEOs!". It's trying to base the joke off of the idea that women aren't intelligent enough to hold that sort of job. Same thing when the joke is "look, two guys cuddling! That's weird!" It's not weird anymore, we know better. So pointing and laughing at it... It just makes you a little embarrassed for the person trying to make the joke.

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I don't know even if it was a man and woman criminals it could still be funny when they're meant to be "badass" assassins. Except maybe instead of being offensive you'd start to see it as cute or sweet when it's not an LGBT related issue. My problem with the joke was more so that it's already been done with MinHyuk and Gook Du. Even that people had issues with but I was thought it was more funny because usually they are hostile towards each other.

Now the thing at the board meeting was what I questioned and I knew it'd be something people twitched at. Not so much for MinHyuk declaring that he's actually straight (I don't think there's something wrong in pointing out a rumour is untrue) but the way he said it. Maybe it was the translations but I recall him saying something like "I'm a -healthy young man- that likes women" and that pissed me off. Just having to hear those words from beautiful PHS's mouth. Of course healthy could be interpreted in many ways, like he has a lot of vitality in certain areas hurrhurrhurr but it still sounded bad initially.

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I'm off the impression that phs said that to lay ground over the possibility of getting married in the futute. So that, you know, when he marries pby people won't say he did that to cover up that he's gay.

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I thought that declaring that he's not gay at the shareholder meeting was for his father's benefit, as the rumour was affecting their stocks and so on. How he said it could be ironic - saying more about those people's opinions rather than his own.

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In regards to Min Hyuk announcing to the shareholders that he is straight, I thought he was responding because of the earlier reports from Secretary Go that the price of shares of the company were falling because of the rumour that he was gay. Shareholders will obviously want reassurance that the price of shares will not continue to fall, and will rebound and rise again. Right now, shares are falling because people believe that the company would be run by a gay man. If prices continue to fall, shareholders will sell their stock and the company would face financial ruin. That's why Min Hyuk has to make a point of telling the shareholders direct that he is not gay and the rumors are not true. He wants the shareholders to keep their investment in the company and not sell and leave. The public announcement that he is straight will hopefully stop the rumors and cause the share prices to rise again and also make sure that current shareholders don't bail out, plus encourage more people to buy shares as well. Even though he was never actively interested in being chairman, he still wouldn't want the company to go under while the decision is being made about who would take over.

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@Table122000

I do find it funny that stocks dropped so much just because of that announcement. I doubt there's been a case in recent years where a CEO was outed for being gay to give reference to, but it seemed like a reach plot wise to say stocks dropped cause of it. Or maybe it's just cause people in reality and the show are still intolerant. It's still funny cause it has no relevance to the success of the company unless you're talking about blood successors LOL. This isn't a monarch.

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Yes I also think that Min Hyuk's motivation to say he likes women was to assure the stockholders...In fact, there was not even an article that refutes the rumor...it is more for the sake of not hurting his Dad's company and for no other reason I believe.. He was never insulted by those rumors but he just does not like that the rumors hurt his Dad's company ergo his Dad and family.. I feel like no matter how much he does not like his own family he still could not bring himself to hurt them...that is what I actually like about him... he and Do Bong Soon are alike in that respect that they do not hold grudges...

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I agree. The declaration is done purely for the benefit for the investors and shareholders, not that he really thinks anyone is interested in his sexuality.

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In all honesty, I think it would've been all the more offensive to the LGBTQ community if he had used the issue of sexuality to avoid the family business. If he had done that, he would've been making use of the LGBTQ community and the discrimination they receive. So, I think in that sense, he was actually showing respect to LGBTQ.

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+1000

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I don't know...I kinda think he's subconsciously wanting to announce to the world that he's in love with someone. He's already told his family he's in love with DBS and that they're living together. You know...how speaking something out loud helps move it toward reality? He's getting more and more vocal about his feelings -- with the shareholders, with DBS's dad, and even (in baby steps) toward DBS herself.

Also, his announcement didn't feel as much like he was running away from or disavowing something (the perception that he's gay) as it felt like he was moving TOWARD something else (laying claim to having "a healthy love life"). Even there I don't think that by saying his love life was healthy was implying that homosexuality was unhealthy...it was more like he was expressing that he had a robust (a.k.a. healthy) attraction for someone.

If his comfort and relaxed attitude throughout the rest of the drama were weighed against the few moments of expression at the shareholders meeting, I think in all fairness I'd have to look at what he said through the filter I've shared above. Give him the benefit of the doubt. I didn't see any denigration, defensiveness or disrespect in his announcement. It was more a laying claim to his own reality.

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Love that...laying claim to his own reality...

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In my opinion, the whole company stuff is not well handled at all (as it happens in a lot of dramas). I was cringing from the beginning of the shareholders meeting:
- the shareholders screaming and making a ruckus: I doubt this happens in reality, c'mmon this is not a fish market.
- BS being so careless during the video-conference: I get that they try to convey that she is rough and maybe a bit dumb, but, you have to be a complete idiot if your boss tells you that he is going to call you during a shareholders meeting and you answer like she did.
- the whole decision of showing that you are kidnapping two gangsters that went to your home, and explaining the whole mess that your private life is...as a candidate to CEO, where do I start about how wrong is all this?
So for me, confessing that he likes women was only the "icing on the cake" of a disastrous thing.

Still I enjoy the show a lot, but mainly for the MH-BS romance: the actors are awesome, the romantic setup is good and Park Hyung Sik ❤️ has me swooning over him and his beautiful eyes. It also has very funny moments, so I am turning a blind eye on the flaws..

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@yuki: If you think the ruckus caused at the meeting is unbelievable, you should look at the politicians convening during Taiwanese elections. It was wild.

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I thought MH stating he's not gay to quash the rumor since it's affecting their business already?stock market is falling because of that.

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Yes. I agree. If it weren't for the fact that it's hurting his dad's company, I don't think Min Hyuk would care or say anything otherwise. The "he's gay" rumors have been following him for years and he never cared about it until it was affecting the family business, so he said something.

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Uh, I'm all three of those- short, black, and female. Anyway, at the beginning of the show when I saw the comedy concerning the gay issue, I gave it the side-eye, but the commentary explaining that it worked then was acceptable for the reasons given. But I already knew that this was going to go too far. While I also laughed every time some homoerotic joke was set up between MH and GD, I could easily see the underpinnings and darkside of this. How it could easily be pushed too far. And I loved the progressive explanation given for why MH was okay with people thinking he was gay, but wasn't completely hooked. I think having others (not everyone) think he was gay worked at the time for him to get Bong Soon to work for him and allowed her to stay at his house. Now it doesn't, especially since he wants Bong Song to see him as a potential boyfriend and it's affecting his business negatively. So if telling stockholders at Ohsung that he's not gay will get the word out, he puts it out there. This to me, now that I think about it, a classic case of privilage. :)

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The homosexuality stuff is landing in a very weird place for me. Hard to explain, but it feels like the writer is trying to normalize homosexuality in a relatively low-key way (the cuddling gangsters are viewed with confusion rather than revulsion, Min Hyuk plays up gay rumors intentionally) but then still retains a lot of stereotypical reactions that have commonly been associated with gayness being wrong. Overall I think this writer is on the side of normalization, it's just coming across weird.

I have no idea what the entire Bluebeard thing is about. In traditional stories, Bluebeard murders his wives in sequence, he doesn't store them. If I'm remembering my fairy tales correctly, there isn't even much of a moral here - the wives get murdered for going into a locked room they've been told to stay out of, so maybe something about curiosity? The criminal is making very little sense to me at the moment, what with his many costumes and his fixation on a play that is loosely rooted in the fairy tale at best.

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= it feels like the writer is trying to normalize homosexuality =

and that what I can go by more than anything,
the gangster didn't even laugh at the new couple, just perplexed, nobody else had been laugh at the homosexuality in the video and they just shocked or take it as real,
which is what is should be

rather than criticising how they should be define, as if it can be molded into one things specifically,

who said two manly people can't be affectionate

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Why do I feel like the thugs are really open to this issue? They didn't look grossed out or anything seeing the two cuddle in the hospital. A bit of flashback here, when Baek Tak and Jaws were stalking BS around outside the club they saw BS,MH,GS, BG went in together. One of them said they're living the young life going on a double date and all. Then the other one said that BS's holding hands with the girl, implying that BS and GS could be a couple instead while everyone else might think that the girls and the boys are two pairs of couples.

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The Bluebeard story of Charles Perrault is so scary! Like we have scary traditional stories and punnishments in my language as well but this is far beyond them. I got this children book for beautiful ilustrations (I buy most of them for their art work) and when I read this story a was freaking out and was like no way I'll read this to children. Maybe you know the romanticised version but try the original one - he keeps all the corpses hung in one room...

I would love the weight obsession to be a metaphor to korean beauty standards - like anyone who has more than 50kg is considered fat, but like Lee Sung-Kyung who is 176cm tall weights only 47kg was still underweight when she played "strong build" Weightlifting fairy Kim Bok Joo

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@BC, I grew up with the full illustrated version with all of the corpses on the walls, but I see where it sounded otherwise in my post. I meant that the original Bluebeard doesn't keep live wives and is never a bigamist (murderer definitely, not bigamist though!). Which is why I really don't get this villain or the play, which seems to have live wives involved?

Bluebeard never had a weight fixation and never had more than one wife, so what's up with Bigamist Dungeon Master?

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Speaking of the Dungeon, did anyone else notice the large wall drawing (pastel) of a bride in the first girl's cell? It looked to me like it could be the same artist as the pink sweatshirt girl in MH's closet.

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Perhaps, making the bride collector a murderer will make the show too brutal for a romcom that's why he/she alter the story a bit. It is just used as a justification on where the heck did he get an idea of 7 wives. IMO, The bride collector is more of a pervert than a murderer.

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Regarding normalization: that has been my thought as well, but the writer is not adept enough to carry it out (or some of plot points and characterization. Really this drama is running on the charm of PHS and PBY and a unique premise). I think the drama is trying to go for the satire angle in some of its comedic bits, but is doing a poor job of it. Satire is widely acknowledged to be a difficult literary and art form to pull off. It's so easy to cross over into bad, offensive joke territory. I can see the good intentions and appreciate the move towards normalization. But so-much-cringe for the end result. I don't expect the drama to be great at portraying LGBTQ or to have an actual LGBTQ character since we're talking about a drama made in a conservative society and do expect some stereotypes to seep through. But if it's going to do a poor job of it, I wish it wouldn't show off its poor job in every single episode and in such a loud and sometimes repetitive manner.

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I agree. When the talisman started flashing, I groaned. This joke's being played once too often. I am enjoying the story line for the two main characters, and some of the side characters are funny, but it seems to be getting more disjointed rather than less as it goes on. The things bothering me:
1) The violent creepiness of the Bride Collector is beyond what you see in a rom com, and makes me feel guilty for laughing if a funny scene comes next. I don't want to see this in a graphic way unless I'm watching a show that takes this crime seriously.

2) The gay jokes are too forced, silly and they're getting offensive. There's not even a gay character that we know of so far.

3) There's a husband-beating aftermath scene in this episode or the next one, and I found it offensive.

These are really false notes in an otherwise fine show. I'm waiting to see if they get redeemed in the next few episodes. Otherwise, I don't understand these choices.

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I'm hugely pro homosexuality being normalized the world over. Equality. Yay. I don't want to see homosexuality being made a joke of.

That being said, my takeaway from the blanket of love is - this world has magic? Or sorcery or whatever Korean magic is called. That's amazing! The other implications didn't really hit me until I read this recap.

I do think this show is doing this poorly. If you look at behind the scenes, I actually think they are just making fun of the idea that Min Hyuk could be gay. This is disappointing. But I think I may have high expectations. I'm kind of torn between having some representation than having none at all. But wondering if that would be true for the gay community (particularly in Korea).

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I am surprised at the effectiveness of the talisman too. I was like, huh? Those actually work?

BS's treatment of those thugs contrasts to her treatment of her boss. How could she have left MH on the cold hard floor when she lays out the love blanket beneath the two thugs? The inconsistency in her character is so jarring.

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Woo! I agree with your comment.

Like what other commenters and you've have mentioned in the thread for SWDBS, the writer(s) seem to imply normalizing homosexuality with the love blanket. However, the writer(s) is not exactly doing a very good job of normalizing it and bringing acceptance, in my opinion. I recognized that the magic blanket is not discriminating anyone and that can bring anyone together in love. But I wish they didn’t opt for ‘magic’ of the shaman to make two people fall in love. It’s like putting out the shorter end of the stick from a pile of taller sticks in a jar. It feels like a shortcut way of making people accept things. From various dramas, shaman magic can be considered not so magical or the association of funny or ‘fake’ connotations. Unless it’s a fantasy based drama, does it seem like shaman magic is taken seriously in dramas? Not to one watcher like me.

It took quite a while for homosexuality to be taken off from the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) by the Board of Directors from the APA (American Psychiatric Association), and not classified as a mental illness, a pathology.

What I am trying to present here is that it took so long to convince people that homosexuality is not something need to be ‘cure’ or can occur spontaneously or that you can ‘contact’ it somehow. And for me, when viewing the love blanket, everything reverted back to the old mentality. I understand Korea is conservative in regards to this. But this is not the way to go about normalizing.

Since this already happened, I wish there could be a scenario where the ‘magic’ of the love blanket wears off and the two ‘thugs’ come together regardless because they discover an aspect of themselves :) I do like that the writer(s) made it so that everyone around them is reacting not with disgust, so points for that writer-nim.

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I think the point of this movie to make a fun of our society and maybe korea in particular. This movie trying to trigger us to think about the LGBT issues... it is not just make a joke as a joke. but to mock how our society think about lgbt and woman especially in asia.

here is what i think about the issues that been raised by SWDBS:
1. as woman lives in Asia, my family keep saying to me when i was a kid that my job is to be somebody's wife and i need to know how to cook and serve my husband well. and this movie kinda show this culture very good.

2. in Asia, it is hard to get a job as an LGBT especially trans Man or woman. that is why, the writer need to put the clarification on min hyuk that he is not gay

3. There are so many campaign regarding violence against woman but not many talk and speak out about violence against man.

This film is actually trying to make us to think how is our society. i just hope they wrap out very good in the future episodes regarding this issues without trying to do some agitated campaign and such because i think the writer got what he/she want already. that is we talk about it and rage about it. something that actually rare we talk in daily life.

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I actually started to feel as though the different parts of the drama were becoming a little more cohesive in this episode (a little as in like a veeeeery veeeeery small amount, but it's still something, right?). The dark aspects sorta seem to be blending in to the overall whole, which I was grateful for because some of the developments from last week in respect to the kidnapper really felt off tonally.

I can still definitely see where some people are having issues with the portrayal of homosexuality in the show - the scene with the blanket/talisman and the thugs felt a little off to me, so I'm still going back and forth on how I feel about that. I don't think it's wrong to still enjoy the show though, as long as we're watching it with a critical mind in regards to these issues.

My favorite scene this episode had to be the one with the stone-flicking (was that a badook board? I wasn't sure). Min-hyuk's expressions killed me and I literally scream-laughed when Bong-soon broke the board - I have re-watched it an embarassing number of times.

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That alkkagi scene had me died laughing. Min-hyuk's incredulous expression when Bong-soon shattered his huge flat screen was priceless. I know it wouldn't cost him much, but you could see in his eyes just how much he berated himself for training Bong-soon in his expensieve lair.

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lol i'm guilty of rewatching bongsoon breaking that board too many times already XD that minhyuk instantly canceled his offer just made me laugh harder haha..what was he thinking having bongsoon flick stones in HIS direction in the first place that fool

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Me too. And when he canceled on his original offer, I was beyond myself, laughing.

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That talisman scene need not to be interpreted in such a way that it is somehow related to homosexuality. Remember that that blanket was for Bong Soon and Min Hyuk. It was just a testament that the talisman was really effective. The drama genre is comedy, thus no need to be taken seriously nor to be taken out of context.

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THIS!!! I agree with u. I did laugh during that scene, but all just because Mom's huge effort (to get Min Hyuk and Bong Soon fall with each other) just went down the drain. Also because the villains were supposed to be fierce but because of the magic they became gentle. I don't think it's related to homosexuality.

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I didn't know Blue Beard and His Seven Wives was a common tale! I searched up the title after watching the ep so now I'm seriously wondering how closely they're gonna follow the plot line. The play seemed to depict all seven wives as alive, whereas in the actual tale, it's a wife that dies one after the other after seeing the room of doom and it's not until the very last one where Blue Beard gets his karma. Though, the play could be depicting everyone in the chair as dead too, so I'm interested in seeing how this will all tie together since the kidnapper doesn't seem intent on killing any of them.

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Same thoughts! I have always been captivated by the Blue Beard tale. I can't believe I didn't pick up sooner the parallels between that and what the kidnapper is up to. I'll give the show credit for a slipping that one past me!

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I don't understand the Bluebeard thing at ALL. Bluebeard didn't keep captives; he had one wife at a time. He told each wife that she was free to do whatever she liked other than go into ONE room. When each wife did, they were murdered and a new wife was found.

I never really understood the story, it seemed to be saying something about rule-following and curiosity, but I'm completely lost when it comes to mapping it to a guy kidnapping skinny women, putting them in bridal gowns, possibly raping them and then... No, seriously, I have no idea what the endgame is here. Congrats, you're a seriously creepy guy with seven emaciated sex slaves. Gross.

Is he a stagehand who just got totally obsessed with the tableau? Is he trying to create a visual? But then why is he getting all sex-assaulty? Is this a religious thing?

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IT starts off as a story about how a woman should obey her husband or be horribly murdered. But then turns into the story about how you shouldn't obey your husband and then when he tries to murder you, you kill him and marry someone else who's not an abusive serial killer. So ... yeah I don't get it, either.

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I'm guessing Bong Soon will be targeted as his ultimate prize and last wife, and as with the folk tale, becomes the heroine who brings about his end.

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That's exactly what I think.

My guess is that the food deprivation will be used to rob her of her ability to fight back.

But - here's my guess - it'll be her mom who rescues her. They've written in dialogue about "can she regain her lost powers?" so many times. It seems they're laying the groundwork for a later plot development.

(My theory: The supernatural powers had turned mom into an arrogant, self-serving, bully. Those character traits led her to exploit the powers for personal gain. They're also at the root of why she's still a neighborhood bully and is emotionally abusive to her husband and Bong Soon. The reversal would happen when Bong Soon's capture causes mom to see her proud self-serving nature and be deeply remorseful. And then she'll receive restored superpowers in order to make the rescue.)

(And if we're lucky Halmoni will join in the fun, and we'll have a trio of superpower girls working together.)

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Not sure about that.
BS would have to loose her powers so that she can get captured.
But for sure the mama has to change a little bit.

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If he can get close enough, the kidnapper can take down Bong Soon with one of his drug-filled syringes and then keep her sedated for starters.

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Mom would have to change more than a "bit".

The prospect of Mom regaining her powers to rescue her daughter occurred to me a while ago, but:
1: I'd never trust Mom with powers, rescue or not. Especially not after episode 8.
2: Bong-soon needing to be rescued by anybody would almost make it seem that Gook-doo was right about her being weak and needing protection.

Please don't go there, show.

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This would actually make a lot of sense seeing as how the seventh wife in the Blue Beard tale called upon her sister who recruited her brothers to kill Blue Beard! So instead, the show might twist it to where Bong Soon calls upon her mom or grandma (maybe both) to save her!

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I don't think the mother would regain her powers. But Halmoni might play a part in helping BS defeat the bride-napper. Otherwise, why bother introducing halmoni to the storyline at all?

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Me watching this drama :

- bong soon and min hyuk scene : smiling ear to ear
- bong soon and gook do scene : sigh and facepalm
- mom and her bff scene : gigling
- boss Tak and his gang members in hospital : lol
- villain and victims : skip
- boong ki and gook do girlfriend : i don't even care

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Smiling ear to ear UNCONTROLLABLY, yes!! I sometimes wonder if my sister thinks I'm mad because I'm literally sitting there beaming at my laptop.

Boss Tak + his cronies scenes are pushing the brink of boredom for me... I'm getting a little bored of having him send more cronies, them getting beaten up, then him getting annoyed, and then the cycle repeats itself... again and again...

Bong Ki and Hee Ji? Ugh. I don't even want to see her any more.

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To be fair, Boss Tak didn't send the cronies after BS. They were all beaten because of unfortunate encounters with BS or her grandma. It is after all these humiliating encounters that Boss Tak decided to take action against BS.

Hee Ji is a bit boring and unless she gets kidnapped, she does not add to the storyline. So I hope we have less scenes on her.

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Oh oops, I didn't mean "send" as in send thugs to beat up BS... but more of thugs to patrol the area/plus that one thug who insisted on taking revenge when he had no teeth already, LOL.

And then I'm like, even after all this... he still wants to take action against her? Sigh, Boss Tak.

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I get the feeling Boss Tak is still not that convinced that BS is that invincible. Although he has seen first hand how strong BS can be (when she fights off the two pickpockets who want to rob MH and GD when they are drunk), he might have thought she just has more strength than a normal girl does. Especially when he has not fought her himself, and thus is not privy to how powerful her punches are.

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Almost the same here.

I just only skip the villain and his victim because it is too creepy and scary for me.... It makes me sad that such things actually really happen....

Oh, and I skip the police "working", except when Ji soo is there because, well.... after all it is Ji soo!!!! he heheheheheh

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I don't know, but the way GD's department works on the crime is a bit draggy and repetitive. They are forever looking at CCTV footage and stuff. They don't seem to have any insights into the criminal at all. It's quite boring, seeing them go round in circles, trying to find the criminal.

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similar here, though for the mom, boss Tak, and villain scenes, I just look away. I may start looking away from the BS and GD scenes if he is going to yell at her for the rest of the drama.

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The boyfriend was the masked wedding guy AND the "good" brother was the one behind the threats.

I am 2 for 2. (Does this mean I'm smart. Or does it mean that the show is predictable?)

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it is not the boyfriend but the witness who called the police during the second victim incident.

i also got all correct, the witness and the second bro. it could be that we are good since there are a lot of speculations out there that doesn't hit home at all or it is simply predictable.

by now i'm the captain of minhyukXbongsoon ship + sunbaenim + kdrama sherlock holmes. hahaha

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Same...way too predictable, especially the 2nd brother ending up as his true tormentor.

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The three generations on the bench talking about the generations of mothers and daughters going 'round and 'round. So many feels ?

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I like how grandma view this super strength as a gift, a legacy she needs to pass down to the next generation so that they can do more good things, instead of a curse. And when Bong-soon lament how she didn't hate the idea of having daughter anymore, it's like she finally accept and love herself, super strength and all. Love that quiet moment of reflection.

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I sort of wish we get a series featuring the grandma. Seemingly weak old lady just kicking butt here and there!

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We finally understood why the second villain is kidnapping girls by the play where the other police officer nearly slept but Gook Doo watched intently ,related with the Bluebeard Myth:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebeard

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Ooh, interesting... thanks for sharing!

At first, I thought the kidnapper WAS the actor on stage and I was like, "Omg, THIS is where he gets it from?!" Turns out, he's just a fan of the show... the way he smiled creepily while watching made me think that it wouldn't be surprising if he came to every show.

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This show excels in creating a hateable villain. I'm usually not getting emotionally involved hatefully with K-drama characters, but this misogynistic objectifying possessive creep is freaking me out. Oh, and the other guy who abducts women is also pretty nasty.

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Oh snap.

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I love you. We need to watch dramas together.

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I know it wasn't what the production team intended, but somehow, Gook-doo turned into the antagonist of this drama.

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LOL It's really just the writer delivering low hanging fruit to the audience, no? The two characters are pretty much written as attribute-by-attribute opposites. Not sure if that's smart or lazy.

BTW Good to see you posting again!

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DAAAMN daniel.

Honestly, *snaps* to the writer magic that turned the adorable puppy in Angry Mom into a misogynistic tool in SWDBS.
Where do I find that spell book?

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LOL

Let's keep watching, the secret code is hidden somewhere in Min Hyuk's closet.

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This episode had two scenes that seriously hit home for me. The scene with three generations of super-powered women and Bong-soon's fight with her mother. Both carried tones of actual interactions I have had with my own mother and grandmother. It was the first time this show pulled actual emotions from me. Mostly I have been watching for the happy fluff, but I really don't mind the moments that felt grounded. If Bong-soon can have family like mine, then maybe I can have a life of adorable fluff like her!

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DBS has official become the highest rate JTBC drama ever with 9.6%

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That spark during Bong-soon's training was swoony.
That wistful gaze Min-hyuk gave her when he told her about the 'angel sent by his mom' was swoony.
That adorable pinky promises and them worrying about each other was swoony.
The ease they felt while sleeping beside each other was swoony.
Bong-soon trying to cheer her boss up was definitely swoony.

But the most swoon worthy scene awards goes to Min-hyuk and Bong-soon's dad. I never knew I want them to share a scene. (Well, I definitely wanted it from meta level, what's with them being reincarnated from Silla era and all that) But turned out, they exude such a heartwarming, understanding vibe. Especially with Min-hyuk being so emotionally vulnerable after his brother's attack. And when he called Bong-soon's dad 'Father', I squealed so hard and hugged my laptop. They will become such an adorable father-and-son-in-law pairing.

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Second!
I loved the dad-Min-Hyuk scene. It was like MH was reassuring Dad that he loved Bong-Soon as she was, knowing her strength, which I think Dad worried about a lot.

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I'm crying. I'm drowning with feels. I just want Min Hyuk and Bong Soon to marry & watch them build their own family. How cute will it be?**hearts**
I'm soooooo into this ship

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Loved that scene too. Both Minhyuk and Bong Soon's father looked so sincere. ^^

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That was a very sweet scene. Her dad's been so worried about her, it must have put his heart at ease to speak to Min Hyuk and see that he's genuinely got Bong Soon's well-being in mind.

You know they always say girls marry a man like their dad - that was a great scene to show the gentle honesty that the two main men in Bong Soon's life exude. Sure, one's a baker and the other's a CEO, but they clearly have the same priorities and values.

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True! My favourite scene among all the other cute scenes in this episode. Min-hyuk and Bong Soon's dad just exude chemistry, and I guess we can credit it to Hwarang for bringing these two together and SWDBS just builds on an already established easy-going rapport. Best father in law - son in law pairing ever.

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+1000!
When he said "abonim" (for lack of a better understanding on how to romanize that word) my heart almost leapt out of my chest. I know if I had been BS's father and he had said "trust me, she is someone I cherish too" I would have been so touched. I love how he visited so late, and alone, and that scene was so emotional... (and yes I really needed another scene between Sammekjong and PaOh) <3

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Bong Soon dreaming that MH was her Romeo? Swoony.

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Oh yes, I love that slip in her dream. I'm pretty sure a mere week ago, Gook-doo would be the one featured there. Hmm, look who is starting to fall in love...

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Oh yes. That Romeo-Juliet dream shows that subconsciously, she's already falling to Min Hyuk. The date, & intimate talk in the bus just serialized the place Min Hyuk already have in Bong Soon's heart.

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Poor Min Hyuk, he is going to be 'beaten' his entire life...
Love this show so much!

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I said i didn´t have time to read and write comments, but I have to answer this.

Have you guys noticed how different and absolutely beautiful this was in comparisson with the ocassion when it was BS´s Mom who did not allow MH to pay for the pies and told him they were like family?

BS´s mom is obviously in this ship too, but she has the wrong motives, maybe that is why she didn´t recover her strenght, because her heart has not changed. If she would be strong again she would keep on bulling people, even more. She wants this son-in-law because he has money.

Dad, on the other hand, really loves his daughter, and he just want someone who would love her just like he does.

Wich mom, she mentioned the word "family", but made MH feel ackward. Dad gave him lots of treats, not as a way to gain him, but because he realize this boy is a good "boss" to his daugher, a good person, and he wanted to show gratitude and be generous.

I really like him (Dad) because he simply has a good heart, and he is steady in his values. He just does not have much character, as in order to be the head of the house, but he is a beautiful person.
And MH made the scnene soooooo familiar. Like you guys said, by calling him Father.
Beautiful.

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I love that scene too. I love how the father drops to banmal after getting assured of MH's words about cherishing BS. It feels so intimate, like he finally accepts him as an insider, not an outsider of the family.

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I really hope in PHS's next drama, BS's dad/Pa-Oh can be PHS's dad!

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I rewatched the scene when MH visits BS's dad's shop soooooo many times! The part when he calls him "father" had my heart melt with love! And her dad just adored her to bits!! ?????????????

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I'm so invested in Min Hyuk/Bong Soon's loveline that I'm getting impatient when she talks about Guk Doo. Park Hyung Sik's reactions to his brother's betrayal was so good. I felt so bad for him. I loved how hard Bong Soon tried to cheer him up.

I really don't like Bong Soon's mother but the conversation between the three generations of women was great. I couldn't help but think that the reason Bong Soon's mother never got her powers back was because she never changed from the thug that abused them in the first place. She's still petty, pushy and selfish. It's not like she's tried be noble or courageous so why would she get her powers back? Hahaha.

I get the feeling that the one girl per generation getting the powers either means that there is only one girl per generation (so no sisters) or that only one of the girl's in the family has it per generation. If that makes sense. But I would love it if that wasn't the case. Strong Woman Sisters? Sign me up for that show.

I found Bong Soon's comments to Bong Ki and whatever girl (sorry I don't like cheaters) to be really actually quite respectful. She was forthright but even though she's butting in where it's not really any of her business, she didn't actually say what she needed to say rudely. It was blunt but also I think a reasonable thing for her to say.

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Bong-soon did a really good job in that confrontation. She didn't provoke them, but said everything matter-of-factly. And that forced those two to evaluate their relationship and finally did the right thing. And a good timing too, seeing how Bong-ki seemed to be wavered.

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I'm confused with Bong Ki's reaction to Hee Ji's confession. Did he waver because he doesn't like HJ or because GD is his friend? Or is he only making it as an excuse?
Either way, I'm really cringing every time Hee Ji is on screen so when will the conflict end so I can finally bid goodbye to her character? And not to mention I'm shipping Bong Ki to BS's friend, Kyung Shim so my frustration with HJ pile it up.

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I thought Bong Ki has been uncomfortably aware of his romantic feelings for Hee Ji all along. But he was trying to deny it until she confessed to him and then as @gadis said he did waver.

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Agree totally with you.
The problem is: these are kind of secundary characters. The show doesn´t have time or space to delve deeper in their feelings, conflicts, and situation.
So, whatever the outcome will be, sadly, it will be shallow. No time for sencondary pairing logic or cohesion in the show.

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I shipped Bong Ki with Kyung Shim too!

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I had hoped for that esp when GS brought the fish cakes BK requested from Busan.

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Bong Ki and Kyung Shim would make a great couple ~~~

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Great observation about DBS's mom's powers not coming back because she had never redeemed herself. Maybe that will be part of the story arc -- maybe DBS being so vocally and sincerely hurt with her mom will bring about some growth on the part of the mom. And if it does, will she get her powers back by the end of the drama? Hmmm....something to consider.

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Changes name of this ep is perhaps thr real turning point for the plot and BS .. Both in her mentality of her strength and her romance lines. Now her heart is starting to turn to the right direction.
The chemistry is so good. Those scenes where all they do is state into each others eyes... So charge..anymore would b electrocution.

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Just to share this clip https://youtu.be/B1OFIZNd5i4 with scenes fr ep1 to ep8

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After watching Park Hyunshik in this drama, especially his crying scene when he realized his beloved second brother was the culprit, reminds me what a travesty Hwarang was. That drama definitely did him wrong but then again that drama did everyone wrong

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I think the mother treats her like that on purpose. I'm guessing she doesn't want her to turn out like she did, thus why she constantly brings her down.

I'm thinking the only way for the killer to be caught is for DBS to be caught as a bride so she can save everyone from the inside :) plot still has awhile to go though. At least 3 more kidnappings.

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I think the mother treats her like that because she thinks her daughter is like her (as Bong Soon said) and will misuse her powers because she doesn't think anyone could resist the temptation (because that's what the mother is like). I don't really like her mom.

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I sometimes just don´t dislike her at all. A couple of times she has been funny. And like some others already said, the scene with granny sitting on a bench was quite beautiful.

My mother was very bad most of the time, it is a very long story. In the real life not all mothers love their children, but even my mother who was very bad to me, sometimes she did few thigns good too.
So is in reality, people are not always simply black or white.

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Perhaps it's because of the actress, but I hear you. I can't help to dislike BS' mom. I mean there are MANY things that she does that I don't like, but I can't dislike HER. I don't know why, really. I find her funny too, and quite a good leader to bring all the ahjummas together in order to protect their girls. So...

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If until now I gave this show the benefit of the doubt, thinking maaaaaybe it wasn't trivializing homosexuality but joking about stupid stereotypes and homophobic behavior, this episode patted me on my back and said to me: "Lol nope you were wrong, we were really just using homosexuality as a joke". And a very disappointig joke, I must say. "Oh, look at these two men, the are gay, lol".
I'm... I'm very sad. Why, show? Just why did you have to go there?
I agree with murasakimi on the disappointment with Min Hyuk clarifying is sexuality, too. I was under the impression he litterally didn't give a f...rick about how people saw him.
Well, aside from that, Min Hyuk still is the very best thing this show is offering to me. And PHS? Sigh, the boy knows a thing or two about acting, he really broke my heart in the USB scene. His facial work, the eyebrows moves and his eyes? Perfection.

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I feel like Min Hyuk was actually clarifying his sexuality to Do Bong Soon, not to the Board members of Osung group. The scene was so abrupt and uncalled for that it made no sense.

He is obviously unhappy that Do Bong Soon doesn't view him as a romantic interest because she thinks he's gay. He just wanted to tell someone that they are mistaken about his sexuality.

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I hadn't thought about it being him clarifying himself to Bong-soon. That would make me feel better about it. Oh, except, would she have heard it? I just rewatched this scene, and her call wasn't on the screen by this point.

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No, no. Not so sh could hear it. Its his frustration coming out.
And of course, as siesta below states, this is not an ideal world. Unfortunately, rumours of homosexuality can affect a company - it makes sense for Min Hyuk to clarify it (even though we wish he wouldn't have to).

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She couldn't hear it*

Yikes my fingers are all thumbs today.

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Not so she could hear it/of course she couldn't hear it.

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I don't think he was clarifying his sexuality to BS, who wasn't there to hear it anyway. It's a way to arrest the falling stock prices due to the rumors about his sexuality.

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i think minhyuk addressed the board about his sexuality is because the rumors actually affected the company (remember Sec Gong told MH about ohsung stock prices dropping because of his rumors?)

so in light of him being named as successor i don't think it's weird for him to be addressing this issue.

how come i sense a reverse snobbery going on here? why can't a straight man clarify that he's straight without being labelled as homophobic? it's not even like minhyuk is being derisive or mocking about it

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@siesta I agree why can't a straight guy say he's straight without coming off as homophobic. While I like this show it's not the greatest plus jisoo really annoys me let's hope he tones it down once she rejects his soon to come confession.

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I don't think it's reverse snobbery, it's just complete confusion in motivation. If Min Hyuk is playing up to the gay rumor because he finds it useful, I'd expect him to use that position in exactly a case like this: his dad trying to place him as CEO of a company he doesn't want. A low-grade rumor campaign that stopped shareholders from voting him in would be really useful.

I understand him introducing Bong Soon as his girlfriend to his dad, but the boardroom announcement just made it EASIER for them to force him to take the CEO position. So why?

And if the gay rumor isn't being used to distance himself from his dad's company, then why is he encouraging it and playing into the stereotype? I think that's where most of the friction comes in: we thought we knew why Min Hyuk was being cagey about his sexuality, but now we don't. There's no shame in being straight or gay, so what's the purpose in deliberately muddying the waters?

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Yeah, if he's not interested in inheriting his father company he can play the sexuality card into this but instead he's being honest about it and still refuse to inherit the company, and the fact that he's being honest made people want to vote for him more since he's capable, I'm wondering what's he thinking but maybe he clarify it since his father company stocks were going down because of the rumor?

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he might have not wanted the position initially, and it's still unclear whether he's still opposed to it by now but from what he'd said so far it seems as if he's actually thinking of accepting it (mentioning about merging ainsoft and ohsung etc).

despite that, we could see that his relationship with his dad is not that bad actually, at least not bad enough that he would wish his company being ruined. when his gay rumors came out and affected ohsung's stocks he immediately took steps to prevent the rumors from spreading. also at the board meeting he keeps mentioning 'our' ohsung group and how the company's image should be upheld. so personally clarifying the rumors in front of the stakeholders is definitely not out of nowhere.

"why is he encouraging it and playing into the stereotype?"
so far i have never seen him playing into the rumors except in front of BS and GD. the rumors were started by the media (or the blackmailer) because he's a rich,successful,handsome guy who likes fashion yet have no known relationships- which somehow translates into gayness. he simply did not care enough to correct them since they did not affect his life much- until now

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I agree with you. I have never seen Minhyuk played the "typical" gay card unless he wants to get a reaction from Bong soon. In fact he acts like his usual self with the people around him making other people think that he is not gay. I don't think he use the gay card to his advantage he just doesn't care until it affects his family's business.

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He may not want it but he didn't want the company to be taken by a brother who go as far as wanting him harm.

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^^^^^ I agree, he clarified the lack of veracity of the rumors for the sake of his families company, and yes it s should be okay to state your sexuality what ever it is, and it should be okay. Well said, siesta.

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Your take on why Min Hyuk felt the carify the humors about his sexuality infront of the shareholders is +1000000
Somebody who find it random & unnecessary should read Siesta's comments & replies. It might answer your questions comprehensively just like how it did answer mine.

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Should start by saying I too was disappointed that they did this. Loved how his character was handling it before.

But maybe this was his motivation: The rumor was released by whoever was sabotaging him. He may have clarified things in order to discredit the malicious brother, not the rumor itself.

What I really wish the writers would have done: He would have kept things ambiguous. But they would have stopped using the topic for ill-conceived humor. It adds nothing to the plot line. And the scenes are awkward, not funny.

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You deserve a standing ovation for this comment.

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The recapper should read your comment. Because he/she seemed so offended over a harmless scene.

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how come i sense a reverse snobbery going on here? why can’t a straight man clarify that he’s straight without being labelled as homophobic? it’s not even like minhyuk is being derisive or mocking about it

YESSS!!

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minhyuk forgave his brother too easily...

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I agree. Min Hyuk didn't analyze further why his brother did that to him. Just to protect him? From what exactly?

I think MH will be hurt again from another move from his shady brother. :/

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naturally he assumes that his brother wanted the position for himself. tbh i dont think minhyuk is off the hook yet- just a hunch but i don't feel like the bus accident in the first ep was merely an accident. there might be another, darker intent against minhyuk in play here.. we don't know how his mother died either

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Interesting theory. I didn't think of the bus accident as being something more.

Hoping the show will deliver some twists too. A few things have been predictable.

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I don't think the bus accident is anything sinister. It's purely an accident and a means for MH to encounter BS. The way I see it, the writer is slowly wrapping up the different threads so that she can concentrate on the bride-napper in the third act.

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I thought it made sense. Plus his brother wasn't actually trying to hurt him.

The Min Hyuk stalker storyline has served its purpose, in my opinion - it gave Min Hyuk a reason to hire a bodyguard and brought him and Do Bong Soon together.

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I have to say Gook Doo was getting on my last nerve in this episode... Just when I thought he was becoming less overbearing, he goes and lets his misogny go right back to his head. Gook Doo is blinded by what he believes is best for Bong Soon, and when it comes down to it, he even reveals that it's really more about himself than anything. "Do you know how hard it was for me to let you stay in his house?" BOY she is a grown woman who can do whatever she wants, not your prize to give away. On the other hand, Minhyuk takes who she is in stride, and encourages her to become the best version of Bong-Soon she can possibly be. Also, can I just say that the training scene was so swoon worthy <3 Love Minhyuk and Bong Soon's dynamic!

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Gook Doo is annoying but I kind of like him. He's a very black-and-white personality, which probably helps him in his police career, but also results in him coming across like a throwback from the 80s when it comes to gender relations.

And I might be wrong in the long run, but I'm convinced that Gook Doo knows something. Not particularly that he knows BS has got superpowers - more that he knows that she's keeping something from him, or that she wants him to think of her as delicate, or something like that. A few of the flashbacks have been just odd enough to hint that Gook Doo is not just a stick in the mud who has been blind to Bong Soon's crush all along... He may be operating on a totally different wavelength, but something's percolating in his thick skull.

Remember, up until very recently Bong Soon has been reacting very positively to Gook Doo bossing her around. If it's been over a decade of his "manly", bossy, domineering actions being rewarded by Bong Soon's delight, that causes pattern repetition and habit. We're watching a relationship that's already well into its second decade.

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Weren't we told that Gook Du and Bong Ki were always the two top students in high school? Gook Du's choice was to go to the Police Academy.

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Whoa @Miranda !
I love your analysis. I think part of why Gook Doo is always acting that way towards Bong Soon, is because Bong Soon allow it and even encourage it from him. I would blame it to her misconceptions from what Gook Doo said a while back in high school. Bong Soon's crush was big enough to make her feel ashamed of her super power in front of Gook Doo... And in time, it became a habit of hers whenever Gook Doo is around.

With Min Hyuk, Bong Soon has never need to feel ashamed of her super power, thus allowing her to be her trueself. The attraction that was one time only one side, is now going both ways , and I am sooo excited about it!
Really looking forward to see how this triangle going this time.

Plus, I have a monster crush on Park Hyung Sik right now! He sizzles....!

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I didn't see GD that way before you said it. You're right. This is friendship going into the 2nd decade. BS has been allowing GD to boss her around for a long time for him to feel he has any right what so ever to say that to BS.

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Actually, GD's behavior reminds me of most of the chaebol male leads in past dramas. They also act the way GD does, possessive and "protective" of the women they are interested in, and all the fans would go gaga over them. I suppose when you have a comparison ie. MH, we realize GD is acting more chauvinistic and overbearing than lovelorn and interested.

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I think that having most of the GD and BS together scenes be about him just yelling stuff also affects my perception of him vs. past chaebol male leads. We don't get a glimpse into GD's mind and feelings. He had no backstory. What are his redeeming qualities?

Maybe if he was a little more quirky (straitlaced but with an addiction to video games or funky socks?) or if BS and GD were actual friends or if their families were close enough to have them hang out all the time, then I could take his overbearing, overprotective attitude. Now I'm like "who do you think you are to BS that you think you have some right to dictate how she goes about her life? You are neither friend nor boyfriend nor romantic interest. ".

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Yeah, I thought the same! Although I feel like the drama does a good job of taking the typical, overprotective guy and poking holes in his demeanor. A big part of BS's aversion toward her strength is because of GD saying how much he liked innocent girls when they were younger. Plus, GD has all the typical traits of a kdrama lead, as you mentioned. However, the drama points out that there really isn't a reason for him to be so overbearing and protective of her, especially when he won't even admit his feelings toward her. I feel like his character is too one-dimensional this way, though. There's got to be something more? Maybe he knows a secret that's prevented him from confessing and also makes him want to protect her.

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Why can't GD send BS with GS back to GS's hometown in Busan? Frankly, he does not have to send her to MH's place.

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Oh man, Bong-soon ALMOST had 'em! SO CLOSE! I can't with the so-called "professionals" in this drama... I get that a fire broke outta nowhere, but did BOTH cops really need to run towards it? One of 'em should've kept in mind that they needed to stand guard in front of Bong-soon's friend's room and not just run off like that. Then the doctors and nurses just stood there and I'm just like, "Don't just stand there! Someone get the fire extinguisher!" Also, WHY IS IT SO EASY FOR THE BAD GUYS IN DRAMAS TO DISGUISE AS DOCTORS AND KILL/STEAL PATIENTS??? I really want a character to catch the bad guys disguised as doctors redhanded one of these days... Bong-soon almost did!

ANYWAYS,

I'm glad our characters are finding more answers. When Min-hyuk found out it was his nice brother that was behind all the blackmail and how he just broke down... man, that was so sad. The fact that he was the only brother that Min-hyuk trusted and thought was good, but he turned out to be just as selfish as his other brothers... I teared up when the brother (in flashback) gave the toy plane to Min-hyuk (and it changed to present day Min-hyuk) and Min-hyuk just gives him the saddest, pained look. That was a great scene.

The ending--oh man, Gook-doo's probably like, "Waitaminute, Bong-soon, was that YOU!?" I'm so ready to see his reaction when he finds out how strong of a woman she actually is!

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The one thing that saves me about these 'professional' cops is that the drama openly admits they're the worst in the department. Like "yeah, they're dumb, that's why this guy chose this area"

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1) Did anyone else just watch that scene where Gook Do blew up at Bong Soon and just think 'wow, NO, dude'. I understand he's liked Bong Soon for a long time, whether he's aware of it or not, but neither that nor their status (stasis?) as friends gives him a right to treat her like he does, which is without consideration for her opinions and entirely about satisfying his own need to see her 'protected', and that's by his own definition too. I was cutting him some slack in previous episodes since he's clealy a very single minded person, but when he was yelling about how hard it was for HIM it was the last straw. Oh, it's hard for YOU, who alternates between ignoring Bong Soon, screaming at her, and giving her instructions, and who appears not to have made no effort to actually understand her as a person and not a recalcitrant laptop. Never mind that she's just confronted a man who tried to kidnap and hurt her friend right in front of her. Again. Get head out of your ass, Gook Do.

2) I do think this show struggles with debating gender and sexuality. They've created a show whose setup demands that conversation, but instead of building into the show scenarios which encourage the characters and audience to question their notions of what being a 'man' or 'woman' is, they use it almost exclusively as comedic fodder. Which leaves a weird expectation gap bevause the setup kind of demands you properly address those issues. It's really disappointing on a lot of levels: writing, acting (these guys would have killed some serious gender/sexuality questioning scenes, sob) and for a country which really struggles with strict gender and sexual confines.

3) I thought we were promised a bromance like no other, huh? I thought this was a 3 way cohabitation drama, huh? WHERE ARE MY CONFUSED FEELINGS COHAB HIJINKS HUH?

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My brain twin. You put into words the exact three issues I felt with this episode. The writing is not living up to the promises of the drama. I want better characterization, more sensitivity to homosexuality, and the promised cohabitation hijinks!

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I agree with all three points you made. Gook-doo is really getting on my nerves (and it's upsetting me, because it's starting to affect my love for Jisoo). My only source of hope in this is maybe they will find a way to subvert it, like by BS telling GD off and/or him growing past it. Whether or not that will actually happen remains to be seen.
The portrayal of homosexuality, especially in this episode, was cringe-inducing and I feel like other people have already analyzed it better than I could - my feelings are just disappointment at such a missed opportunity to address an issue that is so timely.
But yeah, the lack of bromance/cohabitation stuff is traaaagic! Although it looks like we might be going into contract-relationship territory soon, which is another one of my favorite things so maybe that will make up for it? Fingers crossed!

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I wonder if the writer is really going to add contract relationship into the script. I can't wait to see the hijinks in that, given how disappointing the three-way cohabitation is in the previous episodes.

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You can stop watching the drama if it does not live up to your expectations. I felt so happy after watching the ep and went here to read positive comments only to see comments such as your.. so distasteful.

For no. 2, I think it's ment to be taken as it is, no need to think deep because it's a kdrama. What do you expect? The writer obviously constructed those scenes for comedic effect, no more, no less.

All you beanies ever do is complain in every drama and scrutinize every single scene, trying to look deeper than you should and take those scenes out of context.

Really, I've noticed this since scarlet heart.

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All you beanies ever do is complain in every drama and scrutinize every single scene, trying to look deeper than you should and take those scenes out of context.

that's he point of discussing about Kdrama on a blog such as dramabeans though.....

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Maybe they are changing some parts of the plot according to ratings and critics while they are shooting... maybe...

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I'm pretty sure this is a preproduced drama. I haven't picked up episode 8 yet, so maybe the cohabitation hijinx stuff comes later? I've been itching to get them to live together.

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There were so many emotional points this episode but if I really had to highlight the one but tugged my heart the most, the award goes to PHS. Even before he physically starts crying you can see the emotional pain in his eyes as he listens to and recognizes the voice. Gah.

In a way because PBY had a really great emotional scene too calling her mom out for having double standards, I almost wish these two moments were separated into two different episodes so I could appreciate each of them more fully as the winners they are. Kudos to both actors for delivering these poignant moments as well as they do the comedy.

Now if only the police would stop being so incompetent... and the actual plotlines of the drama were becoming more cohesive... *sigh*

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Oh and seeing three generations of mother-daughters leaning on each other just warmed my heart. I can't think of another drama where I've seen the grandmother, mother, and daughter portrayed as being so comfortable with each other.

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oh gosh, when PHS started breaking down, it seriously broke my heart... you could really feel the emotion there; he really nailed that part (and all his other parts too xD)

gah, PBY and PHS have such amazing chemistry!! and to think i ever even slightly doubted their pairing at the start of their casting news

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I think I pretty much sussed that the person behind the tormenting of MH was the nice brother. Purely because of how having the meaner siblings behind it would be way too obvious. I think personally there are way too many side stories going on. I did like how BS didn't baby MH after he found out who did all those horrible things. She instead just took him to places that would take his mind off it and was there to support him in his time of need. More reasons to why I love this couple. I'm always a sucker for the friends to lovers relationship. (Even if that isn't strictly true for MH lol)

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I pretty much agree with you on everything (except I totally saw it coming re: the sexual orientation, i mean I'm not disappointed because I didn't really believe that the supposed sexual orientation of the characters was handled with that much tolerance). My favorite moment remains the 3 generation of women moment. I love Grand-ma!!
Honestly, everything that doesn't concern directly our main characters doesn't interest me much.. I'm just totally in love with this couple. I can't get enough of them, they are so cute and pretty.

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I want Bong Soon to meet Buffy.

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That would be awesome, I love Buffy

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How about Bong-soon meets Spike !? More sparks and fewer gay jokes :)

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I think it is important for Min Hyuk to clear up the gay rumours in front of the stakeholders. It's a business. He needs to ensure that the stakeholders are confident with their investments.

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Agree, I thought it was said by one of the board members that the meeting was to address the rumour (because the company stock plummeted). It's not an out of nowhere declaration, more like he suddenly remembered the real agenda of the meeting was not about the threats he received.

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Negative rumours can cause investors withdraw their money. It's bad for a business

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+1 his rumors actually affected the company's business so it makes a lot of sense he would address this issue in a board meeting

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+10000000000000

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The Bride Collector mystery became more interesting now that I see he has gotten inspiration from a folktale. I hadn't heard of this tale until now. The guy's creepy, but he hasn't been scary. Not on Mo Tae Gu's level.... Really hope that Gook Doo and/or Bong Soon will be the one to catch him.

I liked the touching scene between the 3 generations. That was sweet. Bong Soon's question makes me think that she may lose her power, but regain it in the end.

I wanted to see Min Hyuk's reaction if he had gotten to see Granny with her super strength. xD

Bong Soon's outburst to her mother was heart breaking. Park Bo Young was so good in this scene.

I really hope Gook Doo finds out the truth soon about Do Bong Soon and accepts it. I just want the 3 main leads to hang out and get over their past misconceptions. Still waiting for the cohabitation hijinks.... xP

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Re:Bong Soon's question, I think Mom may be put to a great moral test and regain her strength (if only temporarily) through it.

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Oooh that would be a good scene to see. Her mother's personality is pretty mean and insensitive at times so it would nice to see her being selfless and actively protecting her daughter during a critical moment. Or something like that.

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Last week I was marathoning Voice and after witnessing the hot devil in disguise, this drama's serial killer scares me no more.

For once I want a cross over where DBS bitchslapped the kettle back to MTG's face (ok maybe not face because let's preserve the cheekbones).

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The look on Min Hyuk's face whenever he witness Bong Soon's super strength is so priceless. Is there something beyond priceless if he witness grandma's super strength? LOL

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Yeshh! Pls show, give us this scene...

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when minhyuk's eyes instantly filled up when he heard his brother's voice... augh just tear my heart to pieces won't you T__T

like i mentioned in another comment, i don't think minhyuk is off the hook yet. i feel like the bus accident in episode 1 and even his mother's death hints at another darker intent on his life at play..

the training sessions cracked me up so much.. but oh my, if i was the one pinned beneath him like that i might not be able to resist pulling him down for a kiss lol

minhyuk and appa's scene was so heartfelt and warming. it's funny how they've each met each other's respective families and (sort of) gotten blessings from each side like a couple getting married -when they're not even a couple yet XD i would be disappointed if this show doesn't end with minhyuk getting beaten up by his own, super strong baby girl <3 the shaman did say that he's up for a lifetime of beating haha

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Even just an epilogue, please let us see MinHyuk getting beaten up by his daughter! He would be such a good Daddy to a super-baby (unlike, unfortunately, Gook du).

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he would have a blast training her like he did bongsoon even at the expense of a few cracked bones and several plasma screens lol.. yet playing the jealous, petty, uber protective 'what-are-your-intentions' Dad towards any boy trying to get closer to her. i can totally see him sneakily trying to sabotage his daughter potential love life and she getting fed up by it and teaching him a lesson lol

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siesta, what are you doing putting this very adorable potential scene in my head? Now, I would be sorely disappointed if they didn't give me at least a glimpse of their super baby daughter.

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+1 !

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Oh my. This makes me want the show to resolve everything as fast as possible then marry off Bong Soon & Min Hyuk. Let us focus on their married life moments ( which I'm sure will be very hilarious and at the same time swoony) & ofcourse, we need a daughter and everything exactly how siesta pictures it.

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He's really great in that scene, I feel his emotion just enough not overacting too, he's like trying to hold his feelings all inside but failed, PHS is a great actor

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That training session when Min-hyuk pimned Bong-soon under him has such a blatant double meaning, my mind immediately went to the guther.

"Without anyone know, let's do it."
"What?"
"Your strength... and us."

Ahn Min-hyuk, what are you doing to us???

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lol it reminds me of their late night gaming session during bongsoon's first night staying over.

MH: "Get up. Let's do it once."

XD minhyuk is a master of double entendres

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Yes, this scene! I know that's not what he meant (blatantly at least) but my heart still skips a beat.

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I saw the scene in the previews but I was not prepared for that...MH ordering BS to stay still with that soft but commanding voice, boy that was heart stopping. And then he continues with the word play...You have to be made of cold stone to not melt in his arms...

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Yeah, i even felt like... With you, MH, of course!!!

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Your comment made me think of something else: what was with the kidnapping in ep. 1 of Dong-Soon and Bong-Ki? That might play into something else too!

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Everyone is annoyed at Gook Doo, but I understand him. He likes her and is worried about her. Clearly, he's had a crush on Bong Soon since high school, and he's conflicted about his feelings. Every time he lashes out at her, it's more like he's mad at himself for not being able to protect her. I think the only reason Gook Doo started dating his girlfriend is because he was trying to get over Bong Soon. Perhaps he felt he had no chance with her (he's entirely too dense to tell that she likes him back) or he didn't want to ruin their friendship (he'd rather be friends than risk not being in her life at all), so he tried to move on.

I was bawling my eyes out when Bong Soon confronted Mom, especially when she whimpered, "Why do you only hate me?" It was obvious she had kept these pent-up emotions for years that just needed to be let out. Yet Bong Soon has never resented Bong Ki due to Mom's favoritism, which makes it even more heartwarming to see how much she loves her brother and her brother loves her back. I was desperately hoping Bong Soon would storm out of her house and go to Min Hyuk's house where he would comfort her, just like she comforted him after he discovered his second brother was the culprit. I love how Bong Soon recognized Min Hyuk was not okay right away.

Their chemistry at the boxing ring was on fire. I need for the both of them to realize their feelings for each other stat. My heart skipped a beat when Min Hyuk called Dad "Abeonim." While Mom only likes him because he's rich and good-looking, Dad can see Min Hyuk is a good person.

Thanks lots for the recap, murasakimi!

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Agree about Gook Doo.

He's always viewed her from the perspective of a protective "older brother". Min Hyuk seems like a player who has a secretive personal life. There's a serial abductor in the neighborhood who targets petite women. And Bong Soon is a little peanut of a girl who (normally) could be easily overpowered.

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i'm confused about the part of GD and BS being friends since high school since none of it showed they hung out back then nor did it show that they're in touch in the present prior to the case or anything outside the case context for that matter. i hope they provide more flashbacks about what the secret looks he gave her meant.

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1) that moment when bongsoon confront bongki and heeji, i was like "yeah, you go girl!" what she said is right. at the very first place when heeji told gookdo that she has a crush for someone else and she couldn't help feeling that way, that's right, you can't control who you want to like but you can at least help yourself by not cultivating the feelings. i mean come on, she went out of her way just to see bongki - several times some more, while she is still in a relationship. facepalm.

2) i think that i could become rich by just betting from the kdrama so-called mystery. hahahaha... i got both stalker and kidnapper right. humming.

3) this is simply my personal opinion, i don't think that minhyuk clarify his personal life (that he is not gay) during the board meeting because he feels the need to correct people's prejudice towards him, but rather towards his family because in the end of the day, the news about him being gay affect osung company not him. he said so during the meeting that he doesn't want the company to be ruined in the wrong hand even when he has no intention to succeed the company.

4) i think the blanket scene is hilarious. i know, some people have issue regarding the thugs suddenly becoming gay. i wonder if the portrayal is offensive in any way and how. i simply look at it from a different view, the comedy and curiosity view. i have been wondering from last week, what's up with the blanket? whats' going to happen when bongsoon and minhyuk sleep on it? i guess that scene was the answer. clearly if bong soon and min hyuk both sleep on the blanket, they'll be head over heels by now. hahaha... i can't imagine both of them lock heads sweetly and cuddling all the time and minhyuk can't even think properly. i'm glad the fire was used on the thugs rather than OTP. hopefully, they'll stop doing evil things and learn to love. hahahaha...

5) i've been wanting to say this to someone fsince yesterday, the opening is the best drama opening ever. hahahaha.. so beautiful, so sweet, so hilarious. ok let's just say i'm being bias. i even took a video and kept it on my phone so that i can take a look at it whenever and wherever. hahahahaha....

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Everything you say and more. I also view the blanket scene in a different light. Rather than degrading the LGBT community I think that the talisman represent love and that it works for the same sex as much as it would work for opposite sex. That it doesn't matter of it was 2 men or a man and woman in a blanket when you are in love you are in love. Besides when the 2 gangsters where all lovey doveyI did not just find it funny but sweet as well.

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That dream sequence was a perfection. I defnitely abused my replay button because of that.

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I agree. But the last part is playing into BS's fears though, her fears that her crush would run away because of her strength.

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Finally, someone on the same stance as me in the blanket scene. I find it cute & sweet that the two gangster forget what their goal is & just lovingly cuddle up until in the hospital. Stop doing evil things & just learn to love okay?
I think the homosexuality issues on some scenes all lies on the viewer's perspective. Viewers interpret scenes base on their approach on watching.
Pre established perception on how this show wrongly used the concept of Homosexuality for laughs will more or less gives tendency of interpreting some scenes as offensive & wrong even though the show did not intend to offend anyone.

It is my side on why beanies have contrasting reactions & interpretation.
Because clearly, not all of us here find it offensive instead, an open-minded approach with just the right amount of comedy to make things light for a sensitive topic. Not a big deal though because we are all here to share our opinion and I'm enjoying reading & hearing everyone's side.

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I did skip the blanket scene because I just didn't wanna see it play out. But I think the drama did it for laughs. It could be wrong for some people but as to where I'm coming from, gay jokes has been a part of the community that I lived in. It's slowly changing (thank goodness) as people are voicing out that LGBTQs have their own rights as well and should be respected. What I'm trying to say really is that, each country is dealing with this differently. Some are already in the advance level while others are just starting.

Anyways, I'm loving the Show and Eun Ji's voice is really perfect as an OST. The BTS are also a gem to watch. It's really funny!

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1st) I think the sexuality announcement it because it's true and it impacted the share in the company

why can't people say they are straight?

2nd) What I see from the talisman is that it makes what you feel become stronger, we don't know it they have affection, it's not make them instantly gay and love spell doesn't have boundary, it's okay to love everyone

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Hear, hear. Min-hyuk declared he was straight in a setting where such a declaration was relevant. That was a stockholders' meeting, and stocks have declined post-rumor about Min-hyuk's sexuality. There was a legitimate reason, if not necessary, for Min-hyuk to quell the rumors in front of the people holding the fate of Osung Group in their hands.

Also, I love the question that you posed: "Why can't people say they are straight?" Indeed. If people aren't expected to say anything when they're straight, does that mean being heterosexual is the default choice of an individual?

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Nothing wrong with being straight! I cheered so loudly when he announced it at the meeting. It needed to happen, as previous comments stated the company stocks were dropping due to the rumor and he needed to clear things up. I like it when people know who they are and being straight is nothing to shy from. People are straight, more so than homosexual and they don't need to be "ambiguous" or "figuring it out." If you're going through that, then fine, but most people are not like that. It cleared up any misunderstandings to date regarding his sexuality and I applaud the writers for it.

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I always feel so conflicted about this show. Even though I still look forward to watching it every weekend for our main OTP and to see Bong Soon kicking butts, I'm always left with a slightly bitter aftertaste about the other parts of the show. It almost feels like the writer has used up all her creative juices in crafting our 2 main characters and the creepy crime thriller plotline, that there is barely anything left for the rest of the show.
I do think we can still enjoy watching a show while being acutely aware of its shortcomings and discussing them openly. Perhaps the voices of us international fans’ will not reach the Korean production team, but it doesn’t mean our comments are moot. We have to raise our concerns whenever possible because it’s important to consume media with a critical mind. If we turn a blind eye to media with problematic messages, then we would be just as equally complicit with the creators in saying that it is okay, when it is not.

Having grown up in an Asian country, I am well aware that the dominant culture still has very backwards ideas about the LGBTQ community, and that it is still a taboo to speak of differing sexual orientations (I always feel like screaming at my own mom about how sexual orientation is NOT simply a ‘preference’ and people don’t “turn” gay). There is clearly a cultural difference here. I am still as uncomfortable as hell watching those parts though, and found absolutely no humour in the whole Gook Du x Min Hyuk queerbaiting interactions. In fact, I skipped both the weird dream sequence Bong Soon had of Gook Du in full police regalia and the flashback of their drunk antics in the billiard room. This coming from the same person who usually likes the bromances in other dramas because at least there, there is genuine (platonic) affection developing between the males involved.

I have tried to be tolerant of the show’s mistreatment of sexuality for the most part, but that was mainly due to the awesomeness that is Ah Min Hyuk. It honestly doesn’t matter what his sexuality is or isn’t. It is not my place to force my own narrative upon him, but at the very least, one of his biggest appeals is how flippant he is towards people’s speculations of the matter. Whenever he chose not to answer people (namely Gook Du and Bong Soon), citing that it is private and simply not their business, I cheered. Yes, it is really absolutely none of their business what his sexual orientation is, just as it is for Heechul (I’m an ELF, and it frustrated me that the idol kept having to address those stupid rumours for over 10 years of his career, as if there is no other points to him worth talking about) unless they’re dating you. As another recapper pointed out, most of the other characters have been relatively cool about him being gay, not once seeing him as a lesser person because of it.

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(cont.) I took this all into account and tried to swallow the other unsavoury parts, but then this episode happened. I was so disappointed that Min Hyuk had to address the question about his sexuality in the meeting. Even his three-piece suit and forehead-showing hotness couldn’t save it. Up until now he has not cared, and as murasakimi said, he doesn’t want to inherit his father’s business anyway, so why does it matter what the stockholders think of him? Or perhaps if we backtrack a bit, it isn’t so much that he cared what they think of him so much as how it is affecting his father’s business. The company’s stocks were plummeting last we heard. Even if he doesn’t want the title, he is still the named heir. Despite what he says, he cares about his (rotten) family in some way. So even if he can shoulder his own reputation taking a hit, I think he doesn’t like seeing others indirectly suffering because of him. Or maybe this is just me conjuring up excuses to lessen the sting of that throwaway comment he made about his sexuality in front of those folks.

Yeah, the whole thing about those two evil goons getting lovey-dovey because of the futon…I can’t even. I skipped it all. Why was any of that necessary? Just to show that our quack shaman is actually not a quack? Is the drama trying to tell us that we should visit shamans and fortune tellers more often now?

The bonding moment between the 3 generations of women, my heart wanted to like it, but there was just something off about it for some reason, like they wanted to be deep but came off as trying too hard? I don’t know, maybe it’s the fact that their narrative is rather narrow. Women are not simply just mothers or daughters or grandmothers. What if a woman doesn’t want to have children or get married for that matter? Not because she doesn’t want to pass on the superpower genes but simply because she doesn’t want that domestic life? It feels like playing into the broader societal expectation that women must marry and give birth, even though there is so much more to life than those aspects. Bong Soon’s outburst at her mom is also similar in feeling. I wanted to connect with her because I could understand her pains, but the outburst went on too long and too intense it felt out of place somehow. I blame both the writer and PD for this dissonance. It is honestly hard to connect with the drama on an emotional level. Even the acting is not enough to make up for it.

Honestly speaking, there were only 3 things that made this episode worth squealing over:

1) Our adorable OTP in almost about everything they do together (stop butting in Gook Du, you’ve lost me since episode 2)
2) Bong Soon’s speech to her brother and Hee Ji
3) The little scene between Min Hyuk and Bong Soon’s dad

Let’s talk about these a bit so my comment doesn’t just look like one long rant.

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(final) Even though the entire reveal about the middle brother being the culprit is totally anti-climatic (we’ve all guessed that a mile away), and the resolution of it even more so (yeah, just tell a bad guy not to commit crimes, and he will just agree to it, how neat), at least it gave good fodder for some great acting from Park Hyung Shik. My heart hurt because he was hurt, our poor puppy. But even better was the fact that he readily admitted to Bong Soon that he wasn’t okay when she asked. That’s quite a stride in their relationship, the fact that he felt comfortable enough showing her his vulnerable side, compared to the him who previously hid himself in his closet-room all by himself with only a painting on the wall to keep company. Then there’s Bong Soon who went all out trying to cheer him up in her clumsy ways (ahey, I will never say no to them being on a cute date). She had voiced her concern about his physical well-being before, partly due to her bodyguard job, but now she is starting to care about his emotional well-being too.

Then there’s the whole training bit, gah I loved every moment of it and laughed and squealed through it all. (I also re-watched it a few times but who’s looking?)
Bong Soon’s speech to her brother and Hee Ji was really really great. I still wish the show didn’t go down this path of trying to develop a relationship out of a doctor and patient, boyfriend’s friend and a girlfriend, but at least they gave us some good confrontational moments in return. Hee Ji telling Gook Du about her wavering feelings was one. Honest communication between a couple? Sign me up. (Though why they didn’t break up right away after that was beyond me.) Bong Soon’s speech was delivered perfectly, neither accusatory or condescending. Although their feelings are their own, their actions were wrong, and she was right in calling them out for it. I’m glad she didn’t start to call Hee Ji names or whatever either.

The scene between Min Hyuk and Bong Soon’s dad was also well-done. This wasn’t the kind of scene where a boy sneakily goes to ask for the girl’s dad’s permission to date, nor was it the kind where the dad begrudgingly gives his permission. Nothing is more patriarchal than having the men talk about giving a daughter away behind her back, as if her opinion on the matter is of no consequence. No, this was just an awkward boy visiting the girl’s family bakery because he likes the food (and maybe hoping to see her), and a concerned father asking him to look after his daughter. Dad is well aware of Bong Soon’s superpower, but she is a rather bubble head when it comes to other things, so just look after her a bit, yeah? That’s the undertone of his statement. And Min Hyuk admitting that he also cherishes her? Ah, swoony~

Will I continue watching this show to the end? Probably, if only for our OTP, but the rest of the show is just one choppy mess that sometimes I just want to pull my hair out, or hit the fast-forward...

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Finally! A like mind. I was wondering why no one was commenting on the choppy mess this episode was. It was seriously all over the place.

First we have the grandmother, mother, daughter bonding moment (which felt too long and confusing), then we have the daughter blow up at he mother so suddenly?? I mean I understand the mother has favoritism issues but I didn't see a reason for such a long tearful rant out of nowhere.

I skipped the evil goons on the blanket too, it was too long (Why does the talisman need so much explaining?) and not funny enough. I know some people find the useless evil goons funny but I find them annoying and a waste of time (skip skip).

The kidnapper's story felt a bit forced, suddenly getting a bluebeard background. I expected the villain to be more slick (Maybe I'm spoilt after so many awesome villains like in IRY). I am not interested in the police storyline either because they seem incompetent and unlikely to catch the kidnapper anyway.

The amusement park date and the training were kind of so-so too. Gook Doo was almost non-existent in this episode and honestly, I didn't miss him all that much either.

I had been such a fan of this show from the beginning but to my disappointment, in this episode all I can remember liking in was AMH's crying scene and the dad, son-in-law scene (a bit).

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I don't think the spell-induced blanket is trying to trivialize homosexuality.

The fact that the talisman that was meant for Bong-soon and Min-hyuk, a woman and a man, also worked for two thugs, both men, shows that it's non-discriminatory. It's a love spell that'll work on ANYONE, regardless of their gender preference.

The notion that Strong Woman Do Bong Soon is making fun of homosexuality has got to stop. The show isn't doing that. In fact, there's not ONE scene that shows the characters being repulsed or judgmental of homosexuality (aside from Osung Group's stocks declining, which, as CandidClown said, is more of a reflection of Korean society than an attack on homosexuality).

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Exactly! Wish I'd seen this before I typed out a mini-book below.

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+10
thanks for saying this

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This is what I want to say but you just word it better.

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Word.

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This comment needs to be framed up, really! I wish I had seen this too before typing out a novel reply to Cooler's comment below, LOL!

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+10000000

i mean come on. we have to accept it, just because one place celebrate LGBTQ, doesn't mean other place is the same.
in some other parts in the world, LGBTQ society is uncommon (not that it is unacceptable, it is just that that notion is something that is rarely heard of or encounter. thats all)
for example; like a war, just because our village or town is peaceful with crime is almost unheard of or happen, doesn't mean, at the other parts of the world is peaceful and not having a war.

that's the reality of life. things are different. two states in a country could already have different laws or norms, why won't it occur to you that the norms and values in two different continents would be vastly different.

that's why we have the value of toleration.
you don't have to accept the differences, but acknowledge that different place will have their own differences.

i'm just saying this because i saw how some comments regarding homophobic are quite harsh if i may say.
i mean, i never saw any scenes that put down gay or showing distaste.

i'm glad some people like Myka, Cooler and Lezah are able to say it well.

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Thank you for saying it so beautifully.
For me, who live in a country that is even more conservative than South Korea, where LGBT is almost a no-concept here, I also felt like the comments sometimes a bit harsh. I feel like the story never degraded or mocked someone for being gay. And actually it's like the drama tried to raise the awareness and open a discussion about this very topic.

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Thank you. I couldn't agree more.

But watch the same commenters (and recapper) complain about the same issues next episode.lol

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PHS is such a good actor in this episode, some people in the previous recap said he's just a very charming and likeable person (like LJS or whatever), in my opinion he actually has some serious acting chops too, and in addition to that he's still young, it's a serious matter when a second lead keep overshadowing the lead actor and stole the spotlight in the drama which he does before this drama (all the drama comments was filled with him in Hwarang and High Society), also in this drama Ji Soo's second lead syndrome magic somehow doesn't work on me, PHS is just too charming and awesome lol.

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Park Hyung Shik was made for acting; it's a shame people don't give him enough credit. I don't even want to imagine what he would've done had he not become an actor, or if ZE:A had not failed.

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I am very happy to see PHS getting recognized by the audience as an actor through this project. Acting-wise, there is still room for improvement but I do see the potential there. I really like his subtle expressions here in this drama and he is just so charming and irresistible.

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Min Hyuk clarified his sexuality to the shareholders because--per the show--the rumors regarding his sexuality were having an effect on the company's stock. While there are many countries that are accepting of homosexuality, I'm not clear why people pretend that's the case everywhere and act shocked every time it's presented as anything other than "normal." Offended, fine. But shocked, nope.

The show is actually pushing acceptance and normalization of homosexuality. Even the two gangstas canoodling on the blanket with obvious sexual interest normalizes the concept for people. And notice, except for a "what am I looking at here" face, Bong Sooh doesn't act particularly shocked about their behavior at all. The fact the majority of the characters don't care that Min Hyuk is supposedly gay and some do is testament that the writers actually live in the real world.

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Min Hyuk clarified his sexuality to the shareholders because–per the show–the rumors regarding his sexuality were having an effect on the company’s stock. While there are many countries that are accepting of homosexuality, I’m not clear why people pretend that’s the case everywhere and act shocked every time it’s presented as anything other than “normal.” Offended, fine. But shocked, nope.

Agree with you! While homosexuality may be accepted in some parts of the world, it really isn't the case in many countries, especially in the more conservative Asian ones. I just feel like there are a lot of comments about how offensive and disgusting the show is in the way it portrays homosexuality, but I really don't see anything that's rude or offensive? It may be because I live in such a culture myself. People can be offended by how the show is portraying it, but if you look at it from the POV of a lot of Asian cultures, it really isn't meant to be rude or offensive.

Besides - the rumours of a homosexual man accepting the position of CEO might have negative impacts on a family-owned company because in a sense, he would have no "heirs" to take over the company in the future. I believe that is a legitimate concern in many Asian family-owned conglomerates/companies. It makes perfect sense that MH would have to reassure shareholders about it.

I really agree with what you said about how the show is normalizing it. Bongsoon wasn't looking at them with disgust - her reaction would be normal given that she had just tied up two people the night before after beating them up, and then come to look at them in the morning only to find them snuggling up to each other like lovebirds. She would probably have had the same expression if they had been of opposite genders too. And nobody has been shocked or ostracized MH because he's supposedly "gay". They're only using it as a plot device to make BS think that he would never be interested in her anyway.

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i agree with both of the comments above.

+10000000000000000000000 for each comment!

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One word: AHN-SEOBANG!

- Does BS's dream about him as her Romeo say something?? Hmm? *insert smirk face*

- Honestly I wonder if MH already had this suspicion that it was his second brother? He was so hesitant to plug in the USB, as though he really didn't want it to confirm his suspicions.

- Thanks to Korean dramas I now have this stereotype that chaebols like to go to amusement parks. (Yes I'm looking at you, Chang Soo...).

- I think there might be comments about how the mom is horrible but I honestly think it's a very good representation? I'm sure not all mothers are like that, but I tend to have this very Asian mother stereotype where mothers are especially hard on the kids who don't do as well. The conversation BS had with her mum - I'm pretty sure I had it with my mum before as well. I raged about how I was always the one who got scolded while my sister never did, etc. But I don't think she loves me any less, if you know what I mean?

It's really human nature to be biased, and mothers aren't saints. They're all still human. Besides, I think BS's mum is worried about her daughter and her future. If she can't control her strength, if she loses it in the future, etc. After all, she herself lost her powers after bullying others.

- God bless Bong Ki and his rejection for GD's ex.

- Ok, so I have this question. Do I feel annoyed with GD for tearing into BS at the hospital, or do I feel glad that he was very concerned about her? On one hand, he does have the tendency to shout and only care about his own opinions and be very chauvinistic, and on the other hand, in his POV BS is a little peanut-sized girl who just went chasing after a very dangerous criminal. (Though argh GD, why do you say it's hard to send her to another man's house seriously she isn't yours to send around).

- And damn, MH, do you have to be so friggin' sweet? I know a few ep back, I read someone's comment that he's so sweet because he really doesn't get angry with BS. And argh, he is. (She just broke his display screen, for pete's sake and ruined his furniture, LOL). He puts such effort into "training" her, holding the sandbag even though he saw what she did to the first one.

But more importantly, he forgave his brother and decided not to humiliate him in front of the shareholders. He's such a sentimental sweetheart honestly and I think that speaks bounds about his character. AND when he went to her family's shop alone and told the father he cares for her... *bam* Be still my heart. Now, where can I find my own Minhyuk?

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Min Hyuk standing behind the punching bag even though he is obviously scared ( adorable!)
I can write an essay on how sweet & how deep it means to me (it is my shipping heart talking). But lets just say he trust Bong Soon enough & her super strength will never make him back-out be it in the training or in falling in love.

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Yeah, honey. This is how some of us like to remain single???. You don't find such guys in the real life.
I used to be crazy for the heroes mostly in British literature: not completely Darcy, but George Knightly, Henry Tilney, Edmund Bertrand, Capitan Wentworth (all of them from Jane Austen), then guys like Jervis Pendleton (from Jean Webster) and even David Copper field (Charles Dickens).
But since I watch korean dramas, it is guys like MH who steals my heart at every time???

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I love BS's dream. It is so freaking great. The European setting - MH has been pushing her to learn English; Romeo and Juliet - MH's "gay" issue is the huge wall she has to cross over to get to him; the opulence of the scene - MH's wealth, and Romeo running away after BS steps on his shoe - BS's insecurity about men running away because of her strength.

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i do hope Ji Soo softens his acting a bit. I've seen straightlaced cops still show they're not robotic so it is possible.

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--In a low voice he orders her to stay put, and she mumbles in agreement as her eyes search his face for an answer to the unfamiliar feelings churning inside her. He then tells her not to tell anyone about her powers, and about “us.”--

Y'all for a moment there, I thought I was reading some Strong Woman Do Bong-soon fan fiction. lol!

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I need to commend murasakimi for making a swoony scene even more swoony. Oh my heart.

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I love all these hints he keeps dropping BS of his heart. So sweet. Alas! BS is too dense to read between the lines, or beyond it for that matter.

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Bong Soon and Min Hyuk are going to have twin daughters. I can feel it! How CUTE would that be though?

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LOL! ?? Maybe they can be just half super strong!

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I am ok with MH clarifying his sexuality at the board meeting because he was doing this for the sake of the company and he had every right to do it. I did find the blanket scene and the follow-up hospital scene involving these two burglars quite offensive. I hope that was the end of gay jokes in this drama.

I am not interested in the mystery part of this drama because it is not mysterious at all. After they revealed the face of the culprit I no longer pay any attention to the kidnapping case. I know they will eventually catch the bad guy and I just don't care how they will do it. Same as the MH's stalker case, I feel that it was finished in a rush and MH's story-line has been in the fastforward mode. On the other hand, we are getting every detail in what the gangsters are up to, which isn't funny at all to me. The editing is terrible as always. It keeps jumping from scenes to scenes which makes it very hard for the audience to get emotionally involved. There were two sad moments for both the main leads in this episode. I think the acting was decent there but because of the sudden transitions between scenes, I felt that we were forced to feel sad for them.

This show has its flaws and it is far from perfect. Still, I am counting days every week to wait for new episodes. I just love the puppy couple and I wish the best for them.

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Me too. I am not very interested in how the police is going about in circles, trying to solve the case, especially after I know the culprit's face. I just fast forward those scenes now because I find them draggy, and they slow down the entire episode.

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I love Ji soo, but I was also very upset with GD shouting at BS. And yet, I told myself (and him), keep on acting like this, that is why you will never get the girl! You silly dumb... he he ?

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hahaha! +10^10 for your comment Javinne :D

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I don't know if this has been said, even in earlier comments, but i am finding the way sexual orientation and gender being treated here way too old school. I saw this kind of treatment in the entertainment industry maybe in the 80s and thought that the world has evolved. Apparently not so in some places. S Korea is a conservative society as in much of Asia. Change takes time. Education brings the change. Openness too. I grew up in that conservative setting; but having lived in other parts of the world, i have been educated and i have learned. Never has this change more apparent to me than in the way my children behave towards those whom i find different growing up. From the comments here, i think there is enough goodwill here for S Korea to be moving forward in equality. Murasakimi, thank you for an enjoyable read. You had me at that..getting the paperwork done.

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I also agree that Minhyuk setting the record straight regarding his sexual orientation is the right thing to do in his position. Although he doesn't want the position, he also doesn't want to see the company fail. The fact that he bothered to show up means that he actually cares for the company therefore he must do what needs to be done to keep the shareholder's trust in him. We have to remember that in SK reputation is everything.

As for Gookdo, I actually understand him because I know guys who are like him. Brusque, tough, they really care but they don't know how to express themselves in a gentler manner. It doesn't mean that I want to be treated that way. I will never be in a relationship with someone like that but our heroine sees something in him and I can also respect that. The heart want what it wants.

I squealed during dad & Minhyuk's scene. I kept thinking of Pa-oh & Jidwi especially when Pa-oh became JD's "servant" insisting he is 20 years old. Fast forward many centuries lates, he is entrusting his precious daughter to Minhyuk.

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yeah! i like that twist. he adores jinheung so much that he entrusted his precious daughter to jinheung's reincarnation aka minhyuk. he protected jinheung's life and now he asked for minhyk to protect his 'life'.

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Perhaps it has something to do with GD being brought up by a single mom maybe he has hang ups or preconception on man-woman relationships. i hope the show will shed more light on his backstory. :)

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I don't think GD's mother is a single mom...because BS' s mom and friends were talking about who was the most good looking husband in their neighborhood and mom's friends squealed for GD's dad!

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Tbh, like many of the comments, I think it was important for Minhyuk to declare his sexuality as straight so as to protect Ohsung Group because even though he has no intentions of taking over the company, his rumours caused the stocks to plummet. Just because you don't want to inherit the company doesn't mean you want it to fail. Plus it's not like he hates Ohsung, he doesn't really like his family for a whole different reason. And I think that he still doesn't really care about what others think of him as because his "I'm-straight-suck-it-up" announcement was a by-the-way sort of thing. The meeting was literally to confirm if Minhyuk is taking over the company and to clarify his sexuality, but the first thing Minhyuk did was to expose the threats that he has been facing. Only when he was leaving he was like "oh yeah I'm straight k thanks bye". He still doesn't give a hoot about what people thinks of him, but he clarified for the sake of the company's stocks (which is super important in business??).

And is no one talking about the dream in the beginning? Like THAT'S PROGRESS. Probably just two days ago Bong-soon would be dreaming of Guk-doo but not anymore! That's a good sign.

Also I missed Jinheung and Pa-oh interactions hahaha. Hwarang was a mess but these two are so freaking adorable. I really loved how Dad is so protective of his daughter and doesn't seem to show any form of discrimination between his two children. I'm sure he loves Bong-ki just as much as he loves Bong-soon and is proud that they grew up to be such wonderful adults in their own ways. Reminds me a lot about my parents. I hope Mom learns from Dad a bit. Bong-soon is Bong-soon, not a younger version of Mom!

After watching Voice I don't really care much about the kidnapper story thread anymore. He's not as creepy as Tae-gu is, and probably never will be. Kim Jae Wook has set my bar high for handsome but cruel murderers/villains.

The drama's editing is horrible and parts of the writing (maybe directing?) is questionable. But still gonna watch for more Minhyuk (or Hyungshik...) gazes and our cute OTP!

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Thanks for the recap murasakimi.

I can't wait till Bong-soon realizes what a stick in the mud Guk-doo is and goes to Min-hyuk!

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Just dropping by to say how much I love Park Hyungshik. I would not have said he was my type but I was intrigued by his performance in Hwarang. He's even better in this drama because he gets to be the hero. His sadness in this episode was spot on and I love all the side looks he sends to Park Bo Young in every episode. It's refreshing to find a hero who unapologetically just likes the heroine. What a concept.

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Hwarang wasted PHS. I'm glad he really shines in this drama.
Can GD tone down his voice a little bit?she maybe his friend but he have no right to shout at another person,it's so disrespectful. Also,she just met the villain again and if that was me i would be shaking like a leaf.

Why are people pressed that MH stated that he isn't gay in the stockholders meeting? He may not want the chairmanship,but because of his gay rumor, stock is falling down and affecting his father's business. I would have been dissappointed in him if he didn't address the issue because surely it would mean he didn't give a shit about their family business and i would have think of him as selfish since lots of people were also relying on the company for a living.

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I don't have much time to comment or read all your comments which I enjoy the most after I watch the episode, because of duties! !!! ?

But thanks Murasakimi, for your recap and comments. ☺
About this chapter I loved MH the most, like I Crazy LOVE him! ???
And he also made me she a tear with his acting. I was interesting because, except for the creepy kidnapper, this show is always making me laugh, always. But in this episode it made me cry, not only MH but also BS when confronting her mom. I felt like it was real life what they were going through and I cried with them?. It makes me love the characters so much I wish they were real...
anyway, we are almost in the half of this show, so I am glad to enjoy the journey. ?

You, guys stay put!
Fighting!

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Guyzzzzzzzz... guyz.

I've never been obsessed (fantasized lol) about an actor/idol, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT PARK HYUNG-SIK!!!!! OMG, wow he is soooo boooootiful. Those eyez.

When he found out his favorite bro being the one threatening him, and he was tearing up, I JUST WANTED TO HUG HIM and give him ice cream, and protect him from this scary, scary world. Thank goodness our adorable Bong-soon is there to make him feel better!

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