Ah, no. It’s fine. I am just that type of person who hates conflicts and confrontations, so I must have overreacted a bit. INFP here. 😛

I’m an INFP too! It actually totally makes sense that because you hate confrontation, you can’t identify with Sorim… You know, since she’s the type to not be afraid to speak up and confront. She’s gentle and kind, but no pushover or afraid to speak her mind or express herself. She’s an open book. You know when she’s happy or unhappy because she lets you know.
I’m more like you… For me, there have been so many times when I wanted to say something, or felt something, but was too chicken to speak up, and just preferred to “let things go over” if you know what I mean. If I felt something was wrong, I’m more likely than not to not speak up and take the hit, sometimes, even if it goes against my principles. I appear a lot more tolerant than I truly am, because I don’t speak out when I disagree. Or not even when I feel happy. I could never be as open as Sorim about how much I like something, or how it makes me happy. If my boyfriend showed up to my place, I would play it cool even if I’m ecstatic inside. Hahaha. People often say I’m a close book, so I’m almost the opposite of Sorim in that regard. But I guess unlike you, I admire that about her. I really envy her ability to lay heart bare, even if it opens herself to hurt. On a level, I can understand Sorim’s rationale that there is happiness in being able to express yourself freely. But I have trouble applying that on instinct. I guess I am just too scared to get hurt or disliked to be like that. I’m so glad someone posted your comment on the recap. All of this was really interesting to read. I love reading about how people think and view things based on their experiences like you said. See, I share the same personality type with you, but somehow, we can still feel differently about Sorim. Isn’t it interesting?

and I wholly relate with you about how it isn’t always a good thing. I’ve lost count of the number of times I ended up doing something else instead of what I wanted because I didn’t want to say “no.” It’s funny how I’m willing to make it hard on myself just to avoid a confrontation, or end up eating something else at restaurants because I didn’t want to go against someone else’s choice and say what I wanted. It’s so much of a pain but I can’t help it.

I feel bad for inserting myself into this heart-to-heart between two INFP, (I was assigned two different personalities when I took it at different times, ESFP and ENTP, not that anyone asked ^___^”””), but hearing you talk about how you know how it feels to be scared of being disliked reminded me of my own-heart-to-heart moment with Sorim & so I wanted to share it and talk about it. ^__^ It was very early on, when Hangyul was confronting Sorim about omitting to tell him that she was still in school and asking her why she lied. And my heart just could totally relate with her reason. You know, because I have the same insecurities as Sorim too, the same fear that people whom I like will dislike me, the same desire to please them. T___T So I could feel her when she was so insecure about herself when she looked at Yuna, or how much the hate comments hurt her, or how she was afraid the public wouldn’t like her before her debut and buy her CDs T___T (yes I would buy them! ^__-), and the night before the Sketchbook performance when she was nervous. I could identify with her, but at the same time, I had the satisfaction of living vicariously through her. Because while she’s like me with her fears and insecurities, she brings herself to overcome them and fight to be above them. So it’s a Mansae! moment for me to see her rise up above that. It’s not that she’s bright because she doesn’t have those insecurities just like me, it’s that she’s bright despite those fears of the judging glances. I still struggle with stage fright sometimes, even if it’s mostly gone now. So she’s like a version of me that manages to be victorious. The one who fight to be honest with oneself and doesn’t let her insecurities win over her or cripple her. ^___^ I guess that’s what makes me feel so satisfied to identify with her and to live vicariously with her ^____^”””””” Anyhowww…. I’ll walk myself out now. Sorry for interrupting. ^__^” Just seeing the two of you pour yourself out just makes me want to do it too.

And also, when she cried like a baby walking back home with her earplugs in T__T after Hangyul yelled at her about the song, that’s when my heart broke for her little young heart and embraced her fully. I just KNEW how painful it felt to be so excited about meeting someone you liked and doing your best to prepare something good for them… but have those feelings unreciprocated and rejected. T___T It hurts to be disliked by those who like you. It was a George Knightley scolding Emma moment for me. T___T Lizzie is my favorite JA heroine, but that scene in Emma was the most emotional JA scene from all her books to me.

I shouldn’t say most emotional… (not with Sense & Sensibility and Persuasion). But most emotionally impactful for me personally. It was something I could identify with the most, having been scolded many times in my life. ^_____^”””””””

You couldn’t find any flaws? I thought you didn’t like it that she cried or was friendly with Chanyoung? 🙂
To me, I saw her flaws, but they were something I could identify with, or at least understand, so it only made me like her more. She’s very perceptive and instinctual in certain things, but fairly oblivious about Jinwoo’s feelings for her, since it’s probably not an idea she thinks is possible. I’ve had a few experiences like that, where it never occurred to me that someone could like me, and only knew about it afterwards. I also could relate to how she pettishly disliked and was wary about Yoona the moment she found out about their past. They had that adversarial tension and I believe Sorim started it? I know the feeling of disliking someone even if they didn’t do anything to you yet to justify it, just this rivalry you feel. I especially feel it with girls, which is extremely un-feminist of me, I know. I just don’t feel it at all with guys.
It’s a smaller flaw, but I liked the fact that she was a bit the whiny girlfriend who walked out of bad dates, and called her boyfriend stupid because he got drunk before a date. I don’t know, it’s cute even though it’s childish? I don’t know, I just like the fact that she wasn’t the always perfectly nice girl. She had moments where she snapped too, like how she lashed out at her grandmother (I never lashed out at my grandmother, but I’m guilty of having done so too many times with my parents, especially my father, because he’s the nicest to me. I’m more intimidated by mother).

I guess I just saw her flaws the same way I saw Hangyul and Chanyoung, and Jinhyuk and CEO Yoo’s flaws. As something that’s relatable even if they’re unlikable moments, and as something they could grow out from. What I liked about this drama, is that even in their flaws, no one behaved like a crazy person, like you see in so many dramas. They all had a reason and understandable grievances/problems that led them to make their mistakes. So they were flawed, but realistically and understandably so. I liked that the characters in this drama are so self-aware of their flaws, and were all willing to 1. acknowledge that they have a problem. 2. work on improving themselves and mature 3. work on fixing themselves and their mistakes and the problems it caused. Once they see that there was a problem, they were willing to apologize and walk back, instead of letting their pride dig themselves deeper. There was no such thing as “I’ve gone too far to walk back” in this drama.
So to me, Sorim, Hangyul, Chanyoung, Jinhyuk, etc. were all people I liked in their flaws, if I make sense? And Sorim, in particular, I liked her, because she was someone I would love to have as a friend. I thought of a her as a friend and lovable younger sister I wanted to protect when I watched the drama. I liked how the drama gave her all these detailed mannerism that made her feel “imperfect” and unpolished, but also down-to-earth, like her hearty laughter when she

was excited (I’ve replayed the moment when she smashed Hangyul and Chanyoung’s with the ball too many times), or when she tends to lightly punch people she’s close to (what does it say about me that I like those “violent” moments…), when she dances up and down her bed, or when she laughs psychotically while scribbling on K’s picture, or teases and jokingly mocks her friends, or feels giddy and giggly at meeting her idols, and getting touched by the man she likes, but then also talks to him like a noona to a baby when he says he wanted her to use more affectionate language. Sorim, Hangyul, Chanyoung, Jinwoo, Gyusun, Sooyeon, Crude Play all had personalities and charms I could find in real life and would want to keep in my life if I could. Maybe not Shihyun, he’s a bit too star-like, but the others, yes.

What are your favorite female characters? It’d be interesting for me to see what kind of flaws you’re looking for. I admit I don’t like my characters too flawed, or I start getting alienated to them. Does it work in reverse with you?

About procrastination, I can relate SO MUCH. I procrastinate with everything. It gets worse too over the years too, not better. I swear it’s going to ruin my life one of these times. I procrastinate about deadlines, that’s a given. I procrastinate about telling someone something and bothering them (but delaying it only makes the problem bigger that it will bother them even more), I procrastinate about solving a problem in my life, and yes, I run away from problems too. If there’s a problem, I try to pretend it’s not there for as long as possible. It’s terrible, but a hard habit to kill.

Just fyi, tagging me doesn’t make me see any notifications… So if I didn’t go back to the recap on a whim because of new comments, and decided on a second whim to click on the link to your comment again, I would have missed your reply :/

And yes, you make sense about the arguments. It’s too much mental effort to form your point and reasoning coherently and eloquently, even when you have a vague sense and outline about what you want to say to the other person. So I just let the idea be nebulous in my head instead of saying it out.

Oh, and btw, you absolutely don’t need to reply to my comment. I won’t feel offended, because 1. It’s way too long 2. I’m not sure I’ll remember to go back to it the next time I log in (which is not often) 3. I don’t have a third point, but it’s weird just to have 2. 🙂

@julane
One more comment for you, if you’ll ever check this out.
About procrastination, I don’t know if you’ve ever read this, but it is quite useful. It’s a fun way to explain what’s going on in a procrastinator’s brain: http://waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html
That’s it. 🙂

Also, perhaps I should clarify that this drama isn’t mainly about the romance, which is only one part of the character’s story, so it might bring you a new light to become interested in the other non-romance storyline, but I don’t have to worry about that, you will come to that naturally 🙂

Thank you. I’ll try to be generous. I am generally fed up with second leads, way too often they are used only as a way to create plot. At least this one has some real issues and an interesting backstory. 🙂
The same with Yuna, I do not even hate her. Which is really nice.

Wouldn’t it be more strange if he didn’t fight for So-rim and made way for Han-kyul (again)? He was pretty fed up by that point with being stuck in a fake band. So-rim and her band+special voice was probably the first time he had hope of escaping that situation. It’s no wonder he’s clinging on to it so desperately.
Han-kyul always got his way with everything before. After all, Chan-young scouted her very early on and wanted to take her on before he knew about Han-kyul. He was pretty quick and excited about everything. And quick to accept Mush & Co too. On the other Han-kyul was the slowpoke who took his sweet time, and didn’t even have a concrete idea to make So-rim sing as a career. He just had this vague idea that he wanted to make a song for her, and never had her band Mush & Co in mind. lol. I’m not excusing all of Chan-young’s doings, but I think he’s not that bad. He’s too tunnel-focused on his problems right now to see much outside of it but he’s always taken So-rim into consideration. For example, he “outed” K’s secret a little bit early just a few minutes before the song came out (Han-kyul waited last minute… again. lol.) just thinking about how K has deceived So-rim and to “open her eyes.” When he realized So-rim was hurt from the revelation, he instantly regretted having hurt her.

Sorry for the long reply. Haha. I wished you could have been part of the discussions in the recap, then I wouldn’t feel so bad about my reply then, because everybody else too had long comments. Now that it’s over, I can no longer write like that without feeling long-winded. lol. Bad habits are hard to die I guess. 🙂

Also about his possessiveness, I find it excessive too, but understandable, given how early on he was invested with the band. Han-kyul, after all, missed his opportunity by lying about being K (also understandable). I would say Han-kyul was pretty lucky that no one outed him before that (though I’m pretty sure Chan-young wanted to spoil Han-kyul lies many times but had to refrain himself from opening his mouth. He still broke the bros code in the end though, but he gave a good fight. lol.) Don’t get me wrong, I love Han-kyul a lot more than Chan-young, but Chan-young’s maturing process as a producer is nearly or equally as compelling as Han-kyul’s also as person/boyfriend and producer.
And oh no.. another long comment. It’s my cue to log off dramabeans before I chat about this drama for too long. 😀

@lorisix
Hey, I love long comments. I often write long comments. If you write a long comment, I won’t feel bad about making mine long. Lol. So thank you. And thank you for discussing this with me like this off recap. I don’t usually watch shows live but I love a good discussion. 🙂

Yes, it would be weird if he didn’t fight for her. But it doesn’t make it any less annoying for me. I guess I just dislike second leads.
Maybe what is even more annoying than him fighting for her is So Rim herself. I get Chan Young is her producer and mentor and idol but it still seems to me she should be a bit more decisive about their relationship. It feels just off. I know she didn’t really do anything wrong and she thinks of him just as a friend and she is young, but… Anyways, it is hard for me to connect with her character in general, so.
The main reason why I dislike this situation is because I know Chan Young will get hurt again. This helplessness when I know he is the second lead and he will fall for the main girl. Yes, she’s keeping her promise about working with him, but romantically, she has already chosen Han Kyul. I am just sad for him because he has fallen for the same girl as Han Kyul and he will feel defeated again. And not good enough. I just hate it because I feel for him.

About Han Kyul’s lying at the beginning. That scene when Chan Young revealed it made me extremely mad. I felt like Chan Young is again butting in because he is jealous! But I guess I never grasped the situation fully. If Chan Young didn’t tell her, she would find out from the song release. Which way would be less painful? Who knows.

And more about Chan Young… I know well he was desperate to finally find himself outside of his Crude Play member persona, to do something on his own, without Han Kyul. However, the way he made So Rim promise to work with him was still not okay. And he even fooled Han Kyul. I know Han Kyul is a liar too, so I should probably be more generous. I might be too hard on him just because he’s the second lead here. But still…
What I am looking forward to is seeing Chan Young confident and not comparing himself to Han Kyul. Is that even possible though? He needs to find himself apart from Crude Play and I’m okay with him doing that through producing Mush & Co (even though we’re missing out on Han Kyul and So Rim working together), but I guess I don’t want to see him even more hurt by So Rim – Han Kyul relationship.

Hah, is my comment long enough? 🙂

@lorisix
Okay, maybe too long. Sorry. And thanks for reading my thoughts.

Butting in :PPPP to say… in SR’s defense, she’s treating CY just like how she’d treat her male friends, close oppa, or people she cares about in general. Giving support, being friendly, etc. She has way more skinship with JW & GS. She just has a natural friendly disposition. Skinship and more doesn’t always have a physical connotation, or be about romance. It could just be comfort (like the hug Chanyoung gave when she cried. It’s a hug to give comfort to someone who is down).
SR has always been the kind of person who cares for people first and foremost. Who nurtured all her cherished relationships preciously. It’s how she’s so loyal to Mush & Co and stayed friends with them, got them into the company. It’s how she won over HG by always caring about his feelings and his state of being, giving him support when he was isolated by everyone else, etc.
CY knows her feelings for HG very clearly, she has always confided to CY that she liked HG from the very first, and repeatedly ever since. So she hasn’t done anything to give him a wrong idea. He’s just falling for her anyway, knowing from very early on that she likes someone else. He’s falling anw because well, who wouldn’t? 😛

@beodimellodi
As I said, I’m not saying she did anything wrong. I do realize all that.
I think this situation bothers me for two main reasons.
Firstly, I don’t really understand her behaviour, because I would never behave like this. To me, it feels like she is leading him on and I know she is not, because he clearly knows she likes Han Kyul. And she is just being friendly. But being like that will make him fall in love anyways because – as you said – who wouldn’t, when she is so caring and loving. My reasoning doesn’t make sense, right? Not even to me, when I read it. 😛
Secondly, I hate that he is falling anyways because it will hurt him, it is hurting him and I hate it. I want him to be happy.

Lol. That’s ok. I understand you. 🙂 They’re all puppies and we all want to protect them 🙂

Uh, I just wanted to ask something to make sure I understood you properly… so when you said you had a problem with SR, is it really because of how friendly she is (for example, did you have problem with how Sooyeon talked to hangyul over a can of coffee or always calls him), or is it just the fact that CY is falling for her that’s the problem? 😀
(And you don’t have to answer this, but are you from a conservative culture by any chance where it’s frowned upon for girls to be friends with guys, and if yes, where is it? I’m just curious if it’s a cultural thing. It’s cool to hear how different cultures take things.)

@beodimellodi
I think my main problem with So Rim is that she is so young and naive. (I know, it’s a coming of age drama, right.) I dislike how easily she gets hurt. How she is so open with her feelings – which is admirable – but then she is hurt and cries. I don’t have a problem with how friendly she is, probably just that Chan Young is falling for her and she seems not to notice. And that it just happens.

And no, I’m not from a conservative culture, more like from a conservative family where it is frowned upon to date casually. And by nature, I tend to take relationships seriously, I couldn’t stand the feeling that I hurt someone like this, so I guess I am overly careful with boys.
Huh, I feel like I’m baring my soul here. The power of internet chatting. 🙂

oh boy would you hate me. My definition of casual dating and yours is totally incompatible. I talk about anything under the sun and moon with my guy friends. Our group of friends always go have dinner, then chat over drinks. We’re all like bosom buddies. Their girlfriends/fiancees get included into our group too. We accept them as soon as the relationship gets serious. So they don’t get jealous.
To me, I’m totally annoyed with guys who think I lead them on just because I smile at them and am friendly. Like it’s ok for them to move on me and be pushy when I tell them I’m not interested. I don’t understand why a girl has to refrain herself from being friendly not to cause misunderstandings. The fault is on them -____- and I make it clear to them and they hate me afterwards. Maybe that makes me self-centered -_-“”” I just don’t feel bad for hurting them, honestly.

(it’s not really a spoiler, but you’ll be happy to know that Sorim only cried a lot in the beginning because she’s naive like you said, and hasn’t experience many things. So every time she first experiences something, especially something hurtful, it’s a huge shock for her. The first time hurts the most XD Now that there’s less first times for her, more like second times, she’ll cry less. ^_____^””””)

You think like me. I just see how i felt when i was watching this drama or watch regularly whenever i miss the drama. Happy watching.

and thanks for not hating me 😀

Ah, I know it is. This is not a melo, so it has to have a happy ending. Knowing it doesn’t really help though. But thanks.
Currently, I’m taking a break by watching White Christmas. After an episode or two of that, all the drama in TLAHL seems actually like a fluffy fairytale!

Welcome. Happy not to hate you! 🙂

Thank you. I am fine with So Rim now, but I watch mainly for Kang Han Kyul and Crude Play. Oh, and Jin Woo! I love his jealous faces. 🙂
By the way, it’s interesting how people perceive things differently based on their life experience…

yes it is. happy viewing 🙂 And everyone agrees with you that Crude Play are the main dish. It’s not called THE liar and his lover for nothing 🙂