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Strongest Deliveryman: Episode 10

It feels redundant to keep declaring that each new episode is my favorite, but every week this show just keeps getting better and better. Kang-soo’s business plan is put into action, and the delivery guys (plus Dan-ah) get their chance to shine. Everything is so pleasant and charming and wonderful that there’s no possible way it can last, but at least a recapper can hope.

 
EPISODE 10 RECAP

Decked out in their suits, Kang-soo and his “Strongest Deliverymen” visit the struggling neighborhood restaurants offering the use of their services for 2,000 won each delivery, instead of having to pay a monthly rate for a dedicated delivery guy. At each restaurant that agrees to work with them, Kang-soo puts up a little decal showing the restaurant is affiliated with “Strongest Deliveryman.”

Of course Grandma agrees to work with Strongest Deliveryman (henceforth SD for short), although the guys hilariously and awkwardly run way when Grandma says that starting tomorrow, she’ll be paying them for their services. Aw, I guess they still want to help Grandma without causing her any hardship.

 

Soon-ae and Chef Jang tell Dan-ah she’s fired. Lucky Noodles has also become affiliated with Kang-soo’s company, at a discount of 1,000 won since Chef Jang has allowed the guys to use one of the storerooms as the SD office.

Kang-soo hands over his business card, telling Dan-ah that he’s looking for new delivery drivers. She stands up to kick him in the shins, but the other delivery guys surround and protect their new and beloved CEO. Dan-ah yells at the guys to get out, but Chef Jang says that she’s the one who should leave — after all, she no longer works there.

 

Dan-ah doesn’t have much choice but to become one of the SD workers, although her body language during the first official business meeting makes it clear she thinks it’s all a joke. The guys take it very seriously, however, even giving themselves corporate-sounding titles.

Min-chan begins the meeting by declaring that there are 381 drivers that are a part of SD (the Deliverymen Army has grown!). All of the drivers have chipped in 100,000 won each to help fund the company, which makes everyone a part-owner. Even though Dan-ah balks at the idea of parting with some of her precious savings, Min-chan says they can just deduct it from her first paycheck.

Kang-soo’s first speech as the CEO is to thank everyone for helping make his dream come true. He points out that even though everyone looks down on delivery drivers, they actually work very hard with little reward. That’s why he wanted to give everyone a chance to dream and plan for a future, even while making deliveries. Aw, I love that SD’s primary motto is “Be a good person.”

Then Kang-soo closes the meeting, saying they should return their borrowed clothes. Hahaha! I guess snazzy suits aren’t made for delivering jajangmyun.

Dan-ah still seems unimpressed, but keeps her opinions to herself. However, when Kang-soo informs her that he’s on his way to meet Ji-yoon, Dan-ah grumbles that he shouldn’t tell her outright that he’s meeting another woman.

 

When Kang-soo meets up with Ji-yoon, he apologizes that he’s treated Ji-yoon like a little kid, even though she’s a grown woman. She hesitantly asks if Kang-soo likes Dan-ah, and he honestly answers that he does. Ji-yoon’s voice quavers as she says that she really shouldn’t have asked.

Ji-yoon admits that it’s not his fault she feels the way she does, and it’s not his place to worry about how she feels. She’ll deal with her emotional turmoil on her own. But she’s pleased that he’s distressed by the situation as well, so now he can understand what she feels. Oh, and she won’t give up on him just yet.

At “their” bench, Ji-yoon tells Jin-gyu that she’s going to find a way to make Kang-soo hers no matter what. Jin-gyu doesn’t think Ji-yoon’s willpower will be able to overcome unrequited love, and warns her that there will be some heartbreak ahead.

Ji-yoon finds it odd that it sounds like Jin-gyu is speaking from the voice of experience, despite having previously told her he’d never liked anyone before. Jin-gyu grumbles that he’ll just keep his mouth shut then. They banter a little more, and he pulls out a bottle of lemonade so she can have something to drink with her kimbap.

When he leaves, Jin-gyu nonchalantly says he’s going to meet with her father and ask for Ji-yoon’s hand in marriage. As he drives away, he calls out, “I love yooouuuuu!” Ha! The idea of Jin-gyu visiting her father gets a rise out of Ji-yoon, and with a distressed look on her face, she tries to chase after Jin-gyu’s car to get him to stop.

 

Jin-gyu does meet with Ji-yoon’s father, but his primary goal is to understand how Jung Family obtains and distributes its supplies. Dad still sits him down for a chat about Ji-yoon, though. Jin-gyu politely agrees with everything Dad says, although somehow I don’t think Jin-gyu really wants to hug Ji-yoon every time he sees her or try to nibble on her because she’s so dang cute.

Dad then hands over a stack of photos of Jin-gyu and Ji-yoon, taken secretly during their “dates.” It’s a warning to Jin-gyu that Dad is always watching (“If you hurt her, you’re dead!”). But Jin-gyu pulls out a photo and points out that it’s not him — it’s a picture of Ji-yoon and Kang-soo. Dad: “Pretend you didn’t see this.” Pfffft.

 

During a break from their busy schedules, the SD drivers hang out by the river, enjoying a sausage snack. Kang-soo points out to Dan-ah that he’s wearing the shoes she bought him, but Dan-ah, annoyed, just elbows him away. The other delivery guys pretend they didn’t see anything between their CEO and his girlfriend, but it’s mostly so that they can avoid Dan-ah’s glare.

After their first full day of deliveries, the guys are thrilled to be working for a “real” company, bragging to their families that they now get health insurance and other benefits. Min-chan gets a call from his father, asking about the results of his interview. Min-chan’s family is disappointed he didn’t get the job, especially since they spent so much money to send Min-chan to a good college.

Min-chan’s father is still confident that Min-chan will be able to get a good job, though. Min-chan has to, really, since his father believes that the only way to live an honorable life is to get hired at a big company. Min-chan’s father has no hope for anyone who can’t achieve that.

 

Poor hopeless Min-chan goes to the convenience store to buy a can of beer, only to end up next to a tipsy Yeon-ji who’s buying a bottle of water. When she accidentally drops her bottle, they both bend down to pick it up and bump heads, which causes Yeon-ji to yelp in pain.

She’s suspicious as Min-chan follows behind her, since both are headed to their respective homes. He offers to walk in front instead, but she realizes that she recognizes him — she’s just not sure from where. Min-chan vaguely says she must have seen him around the neighborhood, but she insists that she has a good memory.

They have a pleasant chat until Yeon-ji realizes that he’s the guy from the karaoke room. Embarrassed, she quickly walks away while Min-chan tries to reassuringly call after her that he doesn’t remember anything.

 

Dan-ah worries about how viable Kang-soo’s business will be. She points out that the big corporations don’t let small companies survive for very long. She also doesn’t think SD will be able to make enough to pay for the employee benefits and guaranteed monthly salary.

Kang-soo’s confident that he’ll get investors, though. Dan-ah realizes he must be using his own money to help fund it, and asks how much he’s put into the business. Her jaw drops when he tells her he’s put in 115,000,000 won. But Kang-soo points out that it’s not like he’s needed to spend much money on himself, especially when he gets his room and board for free, and he’s been saving it for this purpose, anyway.

Dan-ah’s surprised that he hasn’t given that money away to his family, considering how he’s always trying to help everyone else. Kang-soo matter-of-factly tells her that he doesn’t have any family. His father passed way, and as for his mother, well, he simply tells Dan-ah that he doesn’t have a mother. His friends are his family.

 

Later, Dan-ah muses over the fact that she’s often wished she was an orphan. But now that she’s met someone who is actually without a family, it makes her wonder what it’s like to have no one. She thinks Kang-soo must be lonely.

Yeon-ji’s also lost in thought in her own little world until she suddenly asks Dan-ah if they should move. Yeon-ji says she’s getting sick of the neighborhood, but Dan-ah says Yeon-ji can wait to move until after Dan-ah emigrates.

Dan-ah finds it odd that Yeon-ji would want to move since Dan-ah knows Yeon-ji enjoys the attention from the neighborhood guys. But Yeon-ji snaps at Dan-ah, insisting she doesn’t like it when guys stare at her.

Kang-soo’s fallen asleep in the SD office, but wakes up with a start when his alarm goes off at an ungodly early hour of the morning. He’s startled out of skin when he sees Dan-ah standing in the doorway. She accurately assumes that he was going to go to the center to help her clean, and he sleepily insists that it’s fun for him.

She literally twists his arm to get him to go to bed, and forces him to go to sleep with a quick hand-chop to the back of his neck. After Dan-ah tucks him, she wonders if she hit him too hard and bends down to listen to his heart beating. Whew, he’s still alive.

But then she also takes a moment to rest against him, her head pillowed on his chest, a smile on her face. As she heads to work, she tells the little bear keychain that she wishes Kang-soo would leave all his friends behind and go with her when she emigrates.

 

Jin-gyu is early to the center as well, surprised to find Dan-ah there alone. Jin-gyu assumes Kang-soo must be resting after starting his new business.

Dan-ah is in turn surprised that Jin-gyu knows about Kang-soo’s delivery business, but Jin-gyu explains he saw the affiliate sign in Grandma’s window and asked her about it. Dan-ah’s thinks it strange that he talks to Grandma, but Jin-gyu points out that he and Grandma are in the same industry.

Jin-gyu then pulls out a gift for Dan-ah, explaining that it’s something to help block the sun’s rays while she’s outside. Dan-ah refuses to accept it, and Jin-gyu tries to hide his sadness as he tells her that she can at least accept this much. It’s not like anything will happen because of it.

Dan-ah agrees, but also doesn’t want to make Jin-gyu become more pitiful by accepting his gift. Jin-gyu wonders if it will be more cruel to not let him be pitiful. He then asks about Kang-soo — when Dan-ah leaves, won’t that make Kang-soo pitiful, too? Why did she decide to date Kang-soo if she’s just going to leave him?

Dan-ah cooly tells Jin-gyu that Kang-soo will get over it. As she walks away, Jin-gyu wonders: “Is it really that easy?”

 

Dan-ah pauses in her cleaning to check her D-Day counter: only 215 more days to go. But then Kang-soo surprises her by popping into the room, a big smile on his face as he tells her they should clean together (and he’s apparently forgiven her for knocking him out for a few hours).

The loan shark stops Chef Jang on his way to the restaurant, wondering if Chef Jang has considered Viper’s offer. Viper needs Chef Jang’s answer by the end of the day.

Kang-soo tells the SD guys that their next step is to create a delivery app. That way, customers can order, get their delivery, and pay — all at the touch of a button. Min-chan’s worried about the cost and time that it will take to build a viable app, but Kang-soo has already thought of that.

 

In walks the beautiful and flirtatious (but technological and marketing savvy) Yoon Hwa-young. Dan-ah, previously uninterested in the app, sits up and takes notice as Hwa-young greets Kang-soo with a kiss on the cheek. The guys practically fall over themselves to introduce themselves, and Hwa-young explains that she met Kang-soo when he saved her from a mugger.

Gong-gi says they should get their guest a cup coffee, and the guys keep handing down the job to the lower-ranking “officer” until someone tells Dan-ah to get it. Ooooooh. Kang-soo immediately offers to get the coffee himself, but Dan-ah slams her hands on the table and growls that she’ll do it.

At least Kang-soo knows they’re all probably gonna die at Dan-ah’s hands later, even though Hwa-young has no idea why the guys are acting so awkward. Dan-ah just barely restrains herself from spitting into Hwa-young’s cup.

Jin-gyu introduces a new business plan to his restaurant team. Instead of opening at 9am, now they’ll be opening at 6:30am in order to get the breakfast customers before Grandma’s restaurant opens. He knows it’s a lot to ask for his employees to come in that early, and offers a respectable compensation to make up for it.

 

He gets enough volunteers, and says that he’ll oversee the kitchen himself, as well as all the marketing promoting the new hours. The restaurant manager thinks he’s doing too much, but Jin-gyu cheerfully tells everyone he has plenty of stamina. He proves it by doing push-ups in front of his staff, who giggle in delight. As do I.

Kang-soo spends the morning persuading more places to join SD as an affiliate, and as he does so, he sees Jin-gyu handing out flyers for Jung Family. Kang-soo notes that Jin-gyu is opening early now, and Jin-gyu sighs that if he had it his way, the restaurant would be open twenty-four hours.

Kang-soo warns Jin-gyu that he’s going to do all he can keep Grandma’s restaurant open. Jin-gyu admits that he never wanted to force Grandma to close down her restaurant — he’s just doing what he has to do in order to complete the mission of bringing more people to Jung Family’s restaurant.

Jin-gyu muses that this is the first real chance at victory he’s had in his life — it’s an even better feeling than street racing. Kang-soo wishes there was a way both of them could succeed. Jin-gyu agrees, but points out that in this capitalistic society, it seems unlikely to happen. They amicably wish each other well, though.

True to his word, Jin-gyu watches over the kitchen (while studying his English). He may have been trained in the kitchen, but his novice skills mean he ends up burning his hands with hot soup.

 

Meanwhle, Hwa-young explains to the SD team how the app will work. The guys are enraptured, but Dan-ah can barely hide her irritation at Hwa-young’s overly-friendly manner towards Kang-soo.

The SD team hits the street to spread the word about their app, and Kang-soo smiles proudly as he watches Dan-ah explain how it works to a prospective client. Meanwhile, Jin-gyu tirelessly continues to hand out flyers.

Kang-soo offers to make Dan-ah dinner after their long day, bust Dan-ah insists she’s not hungry — Kang-soo should have dinner with HWa-young, instead. Kang-soo laughs at Dan-ah’s jealousy, and cutely begs her to stay for dinner. Dan-ah’s stubbornness melts at Kang-soo’s adorable face, and she laughs as she agrees to stay.

 

Kang-soo says it’s pointless to fight over silly things when they don’t have much time left together. Aw, Kang-soo serves the jajangmyun with a little vegetable smiley face.

After dinner, Dan-ah gets ready to leave, warning Kang-soo not to wake up early in the morning to help her clean the English center. Kang-soo watches her drive away, quietly wishing she didn’t have to leave.

When Dan-ah arrives home, she sees her landlord with Ji-yoon. The landlord quickly skedaddles when she spots Dan-ah, but Ji-yoon’s delighted to see her “unni” again. Ji-yoon asks if Dan-ah lives there, and Dan-ah straight up tells her that she doesn’t want to live in the same building as Ji-yoon.

Ji-yoon promises to look elsewhere. Still, she’s envious when Dan-ah admits she lives on the rooftop. Ji-yoon marvels that Dan-ah really has everything — enough money for her own place, her own scooter, plus good fighting skills.

Ji-yoon adds that Dan-ah also has a really good body, wondering if Dan-ah has had plastic surgery. Bewildered, Dan-ah asks if Ji-yoon is really childlike or is instead knowingly ingenuous. Ji-yoon pouts that she was always asked those kind of questions in school, and it’s made her life difficult.

Dan-ah says that it’s the people around Ji-yoon that have the most difficulty. Ji-yoon wonders if she could visit Kang-soo, but Dan-ah says that he’s tired and needs his sleep. Ji-yoon pouts as she says under her breath that Kang-soo apparently really does belong to Dan-ah.

 

Chef Jang has agreed to help Viper, and Viper fills him in on the other gang that refuses to relinquish their rights to a mall that Viper has his sights on. Chef Jang seems to recognize the name of the other head gangster, Chul-gyu, but when Chef Jang arrives at the mall that’s protected by the other gang, they refuse to let him through.

The other gang members may be younger and have sticks as weapons, but Chef Jang holds his own against them as he beats them up. Chul-gyu arrives to break up the fight, and has a tête-a-tête with Chef Jang, apologizing that his guys are too young to remember Chef Jang’s honorable gangster name.

Chul-gyu agrees to give up the mall for a price, adding that he’s repaying his past debts to Chef Jang. He then warns Chef Jang to be careful — whatever payment Viper has offered him for this job is metaphorically poisoned.

Dan-ah arrives at the English center and it’s her turn to nearly have a heart attack when she sees Kang-soo already waiting for her. They have fun as they clean together, making games out of each of the tasks. Dan-ah’s D-Day counter continues to get smaller and smaller.

Grandma serves the SD team dinner as a way to thank them for all their hard work. She tells them that it’s all due to them that she feels so encouraged about the future. Aw, then she tells Kang-soo and Dan-ah that they should go out on a date since tomorrow’s Sunday. Even though the mood around the table is jovial, the guys know better than to tease them, though, since Dan-ah would (and could) probably kill them.

Late that night, Grandma slips money into envelopes labeled with each of the delivery drivers’ names. She smiles as she writes Kang-soo’s name, whispering her thanks, but the smile doesn’t last.

 

Jung Family’s restaurant manager reports to Hye-ran, revealing that Jin-gyu has done well this past month, but the profits still won’t be over 20,000,000 won. The difficulty is Grandma’s restaurant, which has only survived because of the delivery guys.

Even if they open the entire Jung Family complex, they still likely won’t see the profits they’re expecting due to so many neighborhood restaurants being SD affiliates. Hye-ran realizes Grandma’s restaurant is at the epicenter of all this.

 

Ji-yoon is surprised that Jin-gyu doesn’t want to go out on a date tomorrow. Jin-gyu explains he’s busy with work, and even though Ji-yoon seems disappointed, she points out it’s not like she’s ever enjoyed dating him before. Yep, because why go through the effort of straightening your hair to spend time with a guy you don’t even like? Mmm-hmmm.

Ji-yoon says he’s just working hard to raise sales in order to not get fired, but Jin-gyu insists that this is something he really wants to achieve on his own. She accuses him of being money-hungry, and he just sighs, telling her she can think whatever she wants.

Despite what she says, Ji-yoon seems sad to realize that her usual Sunday plans have now fallen through.

 

Dan-ah secretly borrows Yeon-ji’s lipstick, and when Yeon-ji notices Dan-ah stubbornly lies that it’s just kimchi sauce. Uh-huh. Her big “date” is just to study with Kang-soo — this time at the SD office.

Kang-soo shushes her when Dan-ah keeps pestering him about getting something to eat, but he can’t stay annoyed for long, and cheerfully offers to buy her whatever she wants. But before they can grab some dinner, they get a call from Gong-gi informing them that Grandma is being evicted.

Dan-ah and Kang-soo rush over, watching as moving guys pack up all of Grandma’s stuff. Gong-gi reveals that it’s because of Jung Family, and Kang-soo blames Jin-gyu, who also hurries over to find out what’s happening. Everyone watches as Grandma silently and sadly walks away from the building that used to be her restaurant.

 

COMMENTS

If this show hadn’t already taught me that it moves from plot-point to plot-point in the blink of an eye, I might be feeling disappointed that yet again Kang-soo will be blaming Jin-gyu for something that isn’t directly Jin-gyu’s fault. There’s still a chance it could go that way, but I’m really hoping that the “it’s not personal, it’s just business” camaraderie between them will survive this next hurdle. I want somehow for everyone to win. It may not be realistic (or “capitalistic,” as Jin-gyu might say), but this is a feel-good drama — I need the happy ending! Surely there’s a way for Jin-gyu to prove himself worthwhile to Hye-ran, while also allowing the neighborhood restaurants to continue to thrive as best they can. He’s been doing so well with coming up with ideas for the restaurant — maybe he’ll be able to think outside the box and find a working solution (with the help of Kang-soo, of course).

Then again, I could totally see Hye-ran making an effort to “invest” in Kang-soo’s company with the result that she somehow forces everyone to stop making deliveries — or only deliver for Jung Family. Not that I think Kang-soo would allow that to happen, but Hye-ran is a shrewd business woman. I’m sure she could see the potential for SD’s growth, if she wasn’t so focused on her own empire.

But enough business talk! Let’s focus on the important things, like how cute everyone is. I keep holding my breath, wondering when the angst is going to kick in again, but I love how real and relatable everyone is in their relationships. It’s so much fun watching Ji-yoon slowly realize that Jin-gyu is becoming important to her, and how easily they can discuss their problems with each other. Those lunch-time bench “dates” may seem trivial, but it’s probably bringing them closer than a month’s worth of official Sunday dates ever could. I hope the banter never stops, though, since I think one of Ji-yoon’s and Jin-gyu’s strengths is that they’re equally matched when it comes to teasing each other. There’s no uncomfortable power imbalance between them, and they both have thick enough skin to not take each other too seriously (although they also have paper thin skin, at least where it matters).

The same holds true for Kang-soo and Dan-ah. I love that they’re equally matched, and that their strengths and weaknesses balance each other out. Dan-ah can stubbornly insist she’s fine on her own all she wants, but Kang-soo will continue to pop-up (with that adorable grin!) and remind her that teamwork is pretty awesome. In the same way, Dan-ah keeps the idealistic Kang-soo grounded. Maybe knocking him out wasn’t the best way to make sure he got some sleep, but she also knows that he can be too generous and needs take care of himself, too.

Then again, when they both know that there’s only about 200 days left for them to be together, why waste precious time sleeping? There’s just something so wonderful about the way Kang-soo calmly accepts that Dan-ah will leave — I never get the feeling he’s trying to manipulate her into rethinking her decision to move away, even if he wishes she could stay. He’s just being himself, wanting to enjoy what time they have, even when it’s working side-by-side. I don’t know if I’ve been watching all the wrong dramas, but it’s refreshing to see potential Big Misunderstandings over Small Incidents become quickly diffused when both parties are honest and admit that their knee-jerk reactions are kind of stupid. That’s not to say those knee-jerk reactions aren’t valid (hey, who would want the guy they’re dating to suddenly have some new girl fawning all over him?), but the instinctive fears and suspicions aren’t allowed to linger longer than necessary.

All the relationships, despite some trope-filled beginnings (chaebol double-fake dating is maybe still my favorite thing), feel so grounded that for once I don’t question how long each couple could last (even knowing that Dan-ah’s determined to break things off in a few months). Which is a far cry, I know, from my bewildered “wait, what, how?” puzzlement just a few weeks ago, when I wasn’t sure how believable Dan-ah and Kang-soo’s love-line would be. But now I’ve seen the light — or at least the adorable cuteness — and I can’t imagine it any other way.

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I haven't watched this episode. is that Lee Yuri as Hwa-young?

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I asked also and was told that it was☺

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Yes! I read somewhere that she'll cameo in episode 11 too!

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Dan Ah and Kang Soo are cute, but I can't help shipping our adorable second leads couple: Jin Gyu x Ji Yoon so hard. The sudden "I love you" from Jin Gyu made me squeed so bad! ? I burst into laughter when Ji Yoon's dad warned Jin Gyu not to lay a finger on Ji Yoon. HAHAHA

Anyway, my third ship is sailing: Yeon Ji and Min Chan. ?

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I ship them so bad, they are so cute, I just want to keep watching them, on "their" bench with that back and forth banter!

I laughed when Jin-kyu took out Kang-soo pic and was like "that's not me"

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But how will he hug Ji Yoon without laying a finger on her???

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Are you referring to those pushup enabling fingers?

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Yes! Yeon Ji and Min Chan. ? Let this happen.

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I'm so confused...when exactly did dan ah agree to date kang soo? or see him as her boyfriend? did i miss a moment in the previous episodes?

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It was more of an unspoken agreement really. They never really discussed dating, more like they knew they were attracted to each other, but Dan-ha never wanted to get close to him. However, its implied later on that Kang So's insistence that they don't worry about the future and his assurance he won't hold her back, kind of won her over. Suddenly their outings turned into dates and their morning chores into excuses to spend time together.

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Yeah, I was wondering about that too. Then, realized maybe they think or feel that way but never had said it out loud.

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Yes I think for Dan-ha specially saying it out loud would make everything more real. And then maybe she wouldn't be able to leave like she originally planned. And I guess Kang So understands that about her and so they just had an unspoken agreement to date without ever speaking the words.

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I'm really enjoying this show. It just keeps getting better and better! Its the show I most look forward to watching every week :) Although, there's still 6? episodes left, I'm sure there will be trouble with SD :(

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I love how much space Kang So gives Dan-ha to just be herself and do what she wants. Usually guys in dramaland (and real life) would try to get her to change her mind about leaving, or call her selfish for not considering a future for them. But Kang So is so sweet in his approach. Giving her plenty of space to breathe and take their dating slow, while not letting her close herself off from caring about others. I really love their relationship so much.

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Yes! Dramaland heroes should all seriously considering following SD's motto "Be a good person." I am so happy about the trend of writers embracing the idea that conflicts don't necessarily have to come from jerk leads. Life gives us plenty to work with already!

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I really like how Kang-soo is opening Dan-ah up to making more connections with people and taking a softer less antagonist approach to her life in Korea. He isn't doing to to just benefit himself but because he wants Dan-ah to enjoy her life.

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I'm shipping Min-chan and Yeon-ji! ?

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I'll go down with this ship, I love the way Min chan keeps saying he doesn't remember where he and Yeon-ji met seeing as Yeon-ji is clearly uncomfortable with her part time job.

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Yes, that's what I like about Min-chan. And I hope he will help Yeon-ji or any excuse just to see them together back on my screen.

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Yes! Me too!

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Best episode yet for me. Well, like I said it to my self every episode.

I like the relationship between Jin gyu and Ji yoon. They might not noticed it yet but they are becoming closer and closer with their banters. The disappointment in Ji yoon's expression when she learned that their Sunday Date was cancelled.. Ohhww.

And the super cute "Pleaseee.." from Kang Soo and the bright smile from Dan Ah is too adorable that I have been pausing and staring at them every now and then.. hahahaha.. Can't wait for the next episode. The angst is on the way folks!!!

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yeah! the part where she's like "what am i gonna do now?" when Jingyu cancelled the date gave me hope for their relationship! They don't realize it much yet, but they're becoming comfortable and accustomed to talking to each other~

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It looked like although Kang Soo automatically blamed Jin gyu in the heat of anger it seemed to me he realized in the next moment he was mistaken. I might have misread but I guess I want him to remember that despite his shallow seeming exterior, Jin gyu is a nice guy.

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I read the moment in pretty much the same way. He looked accusingly at Jin-Gyu but when JG clarifies he didn't do it, Kang So believes him.

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Yes, I think he trusts JG now. I wish they became partners.

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Watching these grown men in suits gallivanting on the city streets of Seoul was precious. My non-drama watching husband’s WTF expression who happened upon the scene was priceless. My continuous stream of whole-body giggles added much to his confusion.

What a charming episode! Now the show is lacing my jajangmyun with flavor-boosting SD and I want moarrrrrr! I love how the table now has turned and Kang-soo has power over Dan-ah (at least on paper). Dan-ah-ah, stop jeopardizing the life of our hero by using your foot and elbows. Those of us who are older than 3 use our words, and if you cannot, just walk away.

How cute is it that all the delivery guys rush to protect the boss from Dan-ah! I know an organization or two that has more people in management than employees they manage and a task just gets handed down the food chain. It is just sooooo surreally funny. Also, SD’s motto of “Be a good person” is a positive spin of Google’s “Don’t’ be evil” Kang-soo is really going to take SD to places.

I wasn’t sure about the haircut, but now I am so glad that my eyes have full access to Go Kyung-pyo’s adorable face. If Kim Suh-oh is my newly discovered pet, I am glad to be reunited with my old Kyung-pyo puppy. Oh Show, keep giving me all the dimples and smiles and I will swear my allegiance to you until the very end. And more frolicking men, yes, please.

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Lmao that slow mo walk was the best!

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There should be a drama about the husbands of drama fans.

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Oh lordy it is quite a tale of suffering and neglect, compounded by continuous incredulity of witnessing grown women squeeing over all the cloying cuteness induced by endless supplies of puppies.

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redfox, IKR, I know this girl [an avid kdrama fan too], who jokingly said, she married the guy she married, since he looks so much Korean, things we do from our love of kdramas. :D

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LOL! ?????

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i'm rooting for all the couples in this drama

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It is delightful to get our 4th couple Yeon-ji and
Min-chan this week. I want Gong-gi (the hyung of SD) to get some love too, if just to reward all the laughs he has given us throughout the show....maybe the manager of Jin-gyu's restaurant? Her no non-sense style will be great counterbalance to all of Gong-gi's shenanigans!

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ooh that's a great idea, I'd like him to have his own love line too!!!

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Thank you for the recap, Odilettante!

This show keeps getting better and better and I'm loving it a lot!

I know I said this before but Kang-soo is so adorable with the new hairstyle, especially when he's walking around with that grin! I really loved his short speech, he knows how everyone of those guys is struggling and bringing them together was really so sweet of him, it was meant for those guys to hear, no matter how small their jobs are, they are still important and have all the right to dream big!

I like how Dan-ah is slowly opening up to Kang-soo and giving him a chance, I wished Kang-soo would say something about her knocking him out for sleep, even jokingly, but he didn't, I like Dan-ah but I just don't like the way of showing Kang-soo that she cares for him and likes him, I still found her head resting on his chest scene cute though!

I love Jin-kyu! I love that he is giving his best to make everything work out, how committed he is to the job and how hard he is trying to prove himself, it's impossible not to root for him! I didn't like Kang-soo blaming him for grandma losing her restaurant because Jin-kyu's told him that he didn't actually want her to be forced to close her restaurant, I just don't want them to go back to that again, I want my bromance, don't take it away from me SHOW!

And yes, Jin-kyu and Ji-yoon are so cute together, I love how he brought her something to drink to go with her Kimbap (he cares, Aw!) and I love how she was actually disappointed that he couldn't go on their fake date, she even straightened her hair (she cares, too ❤)

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Humor is like sushi in this drama, small portions with an abundance of wasabi. I'm in tears. JiYoon-e appa you are too funny!
The preview of this episode was scary but it looks like it was a fake-out. This better not come between Jin Gyu & Kang Soo.

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All I ask for is some progress on Jin-gyu and Ji-yoon's romance this weekend. Please, writer-nim!! We're getting there, but I just want MOARRRR...

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Ditto! The development of their romance does feel pretty organic so far and they have the most adorable bickering dynamic! What I really really want is Dan-ah to at least start to show the softening and deepening of her feeling toward Kang-soo by just being nicer to him physically and verbally.

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"I don’t know if I’ve been watching all the wrong dramas, but it’s refreshing to see potential Big Misunderstandings over Small Incidents become quickly diffused when both parties are honest and admit that their knee-jerk reactions are kind of stupid."

This! Thanks @odilettante for the recap and these words. It helped me realize that SD is really a unique drama in its own way! Can;t wait for the next episode. Can't imagine too that there's only 6 episodes left. Kyaaaaah. ???

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I love Kang Soo's scene where he is just being treated adorably by Hwa-young, is it too late to ask of a new drama where Kang Soo will be paired with an older woman because I can totally see him working the role of a noona killer.

Oh and still rooting for the progress in Jin Gyu and Ji Yoon's relationship, Go Team Unrequited Love. :)

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Hehe, there is almost always a Team Unrequited Love in every Kdrama, isn't there?

Go Kyung-pyo will totally slay as a noona killer. I ship him and Gong Hyo-jin hard in the beginning of Jealousy Incarnate even though I don't think in the story his character is written as younger even though in real life he is about a decade younger than her. How about casting him in another food-centric show in the upcoming Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food?

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I'm also waiting for Pretty Noona who buys me food, I'm out of noona romance to watch these days...

and lol, if Go Kung-Pyo is also written as a noona killer in Jealousy Incarnate, he'd pretty much overshadow the main lead, not that he haven't already for me :)

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i noticed go kyung pyo for the first time in reply 1988 and he's marrying his friend's older sister there. the way he woo that noona there is so manly ??? he's a noona killer indeed..

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omg yeah, part of the reason why I couldn't finish jealousy incarnate is because, GKP was so swoon-worthy and had amazing chemistry with gong hyo jin. I would be over the moon if these two get cast in any drama together in future.

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The scene where Kang-soo shows off his shoes to Dan-ah was so cute, even if Dan-ah didn't think so lol. I appreciate how the characters are now all aware, for the most part, about how each other feel romantically. Dan-ah and Jingyu had that moment where they talk about it vaguely with the present, I feel so bad for Jingyu >_<, will he come to like Jiyoon or will it always remain as friendly banter?

Dan-ah's assumption that Kang-soo is strong enough to get over her leaving in the future seems like a temporary solution to a major issue that she doesn't want to address yet, but the days are ticking down... I don't want either of them to give up their dreams. Also, I hope all 4 of our MCs work together to help the grandmother instead of turning on each other. Kang-soo and Jingyu both owe her a lot (after she takes the time to understand and forgive Jingyu and help Kang-soo turn his dream into reality) so I hope Jingyu steps up to help her too.

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Like @odilettante said, this show gets better and better?, and hey! I have loved it from the beginning?.
I enjoy so much it is not all about romantic love, but about friendship and loyalty and respect. Everyone feel so real, even the crazy delivery guys who want to learn from KS so that they can find girls! LOL!???? They were willing to steal his motorcycle but since they learned to respect him, they are willing to do whatever for him, learning in the process to be better. I admire so much people who know how to improve, without envying anybody.
This show is really refreshing. ☺
I will repeat all the episodes over and over for a long time.
Does it sound like a surprise that those scenes that made me cry at the beginning, make me cry again when I watch them again?
And what made me laugh, make me laugh again!
I call this: "the Jane Austen effect" ?. For me, it doesn't matter how many times I re-read Jane Austen's novels, they always make me laugh and cry the same (mostly laugh, of course), and that is for me what a masterpiece means. You can always come back for more of the same, when it is never the same, I don't know if you get what I mean. My literature teachers used to say: we never read the same book? twice, because we are always changing ourselves.
With a drama, I feel it is kind of different, because for me literature is a more complex and profound type of art, but some drama have the Jane Austen's effect to a certain degree, and I am 100% sure this is the case here.
congratulation's to the production, writer and actors in this drama! They are doing a wonderful job! ???

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Oh wow "the Jane Austen effect" is a great way to describe your idea. It actually doesn't matter if I read her books, or the films based on her books or the books/films vaguely connected to her books I still enjoy it and get meaning from it every time.
"we never read the same book? twice, because we are always changing ourselves." This is so true. I think that can extend to films, dramas, and studio art.
I do know that SD makes me really happy. That refreshing quality you mentioned is the biggest draw. You Strongest Deliveryman are a cool drink of water on a hot day.

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When on vacation, or a quite time of your life, give it a go to Jane Austen's works. They are only six. And you will never regret.
If you dont like her too much, i could tell the same about George Eliot, Charles Dickens, Frances Hogson Burnett and Louise May Alcott. ?????

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Quiet time*

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Haha sorry if I was confusing. I have read her books...well half of them. I love them. ? So anything to do with them I'll watch or read because she made such compelling worlds and characters.
But I really should read them all. Ive read Charles Dickens who drove me crazy with all his descriptions but I really appreciated afterwards. Louise did little women I think. That one has been a while. I haven't read George Elliot or Frances Burnett yet! I've heard their names before and I was just lamenting this week that I haven't been reading so I'm excited for the recommendations. Thank you!

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Oh, i see! Wow! Cool...
Well, from George Eliot (who is actually a woman: Mary Anne Evans) I would recommend first to read her novel "Daniel Deronda", because it is her most known masterpiece. Long book, sometimes heavy to read, but I feel it has a compelling message, and it is absolutely well written.
Frances Hodgson Burnett has at least three classics which will make you laugh and cry with joy: Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886), A Little Princess (1905) and The Secret Garden (1911).
And yes, Louise Alcott wrote Little women, which are in total three novels, all of them very cute.
I hope you will have time to read this ones, and if after that you still have some time left (I forgot totally, but she is in the same tone, probably more romantic), than read also Jean Webster. Her best novels: Daddy long legs and Jerry...
Jerry will only make you laugh.
Have fun!!!!!

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@javinne
OOoo Thanks!

I think I'll start with F. Burnett. I think I might have only read abridge versions so it will be good to read the full versions. Ohhh Daddy long legs. Is that the one everyone keeps mentioning in kdrama? Something about a benefactor? I'll read that one too so that reference makes sense. Then move down the list. :)

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Give us a Jin-gyu and Ji-yoon spin-off please :) I'll watch it even if it's a web series :)

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Oh I was just about to say that!

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Ah,i want a Kang Soo as well!!!

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Thanks for the recap , odilettante! Just like you, i wasn't sure about the dan ah -kang soo love line a few weeks back. But, now every scene i see them together, i just chant in my head, "kiss! kiss!", Lol. Oh, you two, just kiss already. Hope we get to see it this week. Also, can't wait to see ji yoon and jin guy realize that they actually might like each other!

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Any bets on whether Jin-gyu eventually starts delivering via SD, thus becoming the most profitable store in the chain and meeting Hye-Ran's demands??

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it won´t help granny, unless Jin Gyu hires her as his chef.

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I'm not very worried about granny.

Likeliest thing is that Kang-soo & friends demand that Jin-gyu help get her store back as a condition for delivering for him. He wouldn't be too hard to persuade.

Less likely but possible: she could move in with Lucky Noodles and it becomes a shop with two specialty dishes.

Or, they could spoil the tone of the show and have Granny die tragically (haven't seen Truck of Doom for a while). Then Kang-soo can meet his mother at the funeral....

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Likely but nooooooooooo show, please do not go makjang on us! Hwaiting rom-com, down with melo.

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or ... the loan sharks she borrowed money from get addicted to her soup and get her the house back.
or ... wait, can it be a a shared space with two restaurants sort of and when you add up the profits it will work for Jin Gyu as well

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I'm hoping that Dan Ah will go abroad together with Kang Soo since it's her dream to be out of the country.. :)

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this really is a creeper of a drama. I wasn't that into it but kept watching for Jin Gyus dimples and that restaurant ladys awesome style. Now I can't wait for the weekend to see how that motley crew will save their neighborhood and the 4 couples find together (I root for all of them :)

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I LOVE Kang-Soo's first speech as CEO. I got teary because it was so beautiful. Everyone deserves to live a good life with health insurance, savings and retirement. All work/workers have challenges and should be respected. Aww their motto. <3 As much as i love all the cute moments I also like when they focus on economic issues like corporations vs small mom and pop business or the hierarchy of employment status.

Favorite cute moments:
Kang-soo and his shoes
Dan-ah resting on Kang-soo chest
Jin-gyu push ups
Kang-soo using his english! <3

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This episode is my favorite. <3 Gahh kang soo and jin gyu are both so freaking adorable. Hope this week's episode don't disappoint!

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