I just rewatched the first episode. It really was art, so beautifully done. Looking at it again, I guess the petal…
I think the first 6 episodes were well done.
When SDM and NDS kissed in Ep.7 it ruined it for me. They pretty much had no reason to continue the love triangle at that point, but they did anyway.
After Ep. 7, they started cutting off most of HJP's screen time, and make the love triangle heavily biased. But still pretended as if SDM was still undecided.
I am shook... I re-watched the last scene of the show, and I realize that SDM is crying out for help. Let me explain.
Keep in mind what we know about NDS. Violent, possessive, easily jealous, and highly insecure.
With this in mind, I saw the ending in a different light.
In the post scene credit. We see two alarming things. First, we see that the desk of NDS and SDM are very close to each other.
It is clear that NDS is a very jealous husband, and doesn't want his wife to have her own office, or be far away from him. He wants her close so he can keep tabs on her.
Also, notice that none of the pictures has HJP in them? Coincidence? I think not. NDS insecurity towards HJP persist that he doesn't allow HJP to be in any of the company photos or the family photos.
SDM is Trapped.
On her side of the table, she attempts to show some semblance of power as she post her side of the table with pictures of only her and her family, Who is missing from the family picture? You guessed it, NDS.
But once NDS figured out SDM's scheme, he forces her to place multiple wedding photos of the two of them, even forcing her to place not one, not two, but three wedding photos, that appear to be be taken within minutes apart.. And he forces SDM to place a picture showing how big his hands is (the hands of NDS looks to be HEAVILY photoshopped in size as well!) The monster!
Then the elevator scene. Notice how tight NDS is gripping SDM's hands. NDS obvious insecurities are here in full bloom. He smiles at SDM, prompting her to smile. This is the charade that they perpetuate every time they leave the elevator to convince everyone that they are still in love, and not in a loveless marriage, where SDM is trapped by NDS insecurities, and jealousness.
This revelation blew my mind. I think Polo749 is up to something. This is PHR's cry for help, a reminder to us astute fans of how she is a prisoner in her own drama..
Then, the most important part? As the four of them are walking, we see HJP's forced smile, and his loving glance towards SDM. He knows the marriage is a sham!
I think JP felt something special about her, maybe someone familiar of the past, so he followed her from distance.…
It's not a simple fight, her world literally crumbled around her, and she didn't know who NDS or HJP were anymore.
And that is why HJP did it in the calmest voice possible, and applied as little pressure to her with his words. HJP knew that having her mind so confused before demo day would be disastrous for SDM, so he in fact clarifies certain things to hopefully help clear her mind.
HJP doesn't say anything to confuse SDM further. Look at SDM after, HJP tells her I have feelings for you. No emotions, as if she already knew. He even tells her, he just wanted to be honest and clear the air, and not to make her feel uncomfortable. And further tells her, even if she doesn't' reciprocate then it's fine with him, and it would be weird for them to avoid each other over such a small thing. Everything he says is to help defuse the tornado in SDM's mind. And also, does this sound familiar?
Yes it does, because SDM just told NDS, it is hard for her to stay professional and see HJP and NDS after the truth is revealed. And yet here is HJP, telling her calmly, let's not avoid each other just because of this situation, as if he knows what she is feeling, he knows the truth is straining her professional responsibilities, and he is assuring her it should not. Once again, HJP knows what SDM is feeling without needing to be told this. As compared to NDS who needed to be told this directly by SDM. Big diff here.
NDS words to SDM on the other hand, filled head head with hopes and dreams again, something she realizes were nothing more than fluff.
don't mean to start a war .... but HJP also stalked SDM lol in ep1. what's worse is that they weren't even friends…
When you see someone you haven't seen in a long time, and in fact, are not even sure what she looks like, because you have only probably seen her a handful of times 15 years ago and probably not sure what she would look like as an adult, there are only three things you can do:
1. Either you approach them, and say "hey, you probably don't know me, but I wrote you those letters 15 years ago, your grandma lied to you all this time."
or
2. You ignore her, because you don't care.
or
3. You approach her, and hide the truth on who you are. To rekindle a long lost friendship, or start a new one. Ironically, the same thing NDS ends up doing.
Before we further analyze this, we must first use our understanding of HJP, that we have garnered from 16 episodes. We know that HJP is confident and an outspoken person. But whenever it comes to SDM, he always seem to wear a mask, as if to place some distance between them. We see this in one of the episodes where he gets updates about SDM through Grandma, rather than asking SDM himself. He cares deeply about SDM, but often uses an intermediary to show this. In fact, in many ways, NDS was HJP's intermediary towards SDM as well.
You could even say, when it comes to SDM, HJP is not very confident, NDS is the opposite as he gains confidence when he is with SDM.
We know that when HJP hears SDM name, instant recognition crosses his face. He knows that name, but for the first time, he is associating a face with the person he wrote those letters to 15 years ago.
Knowing this, we know option 1 is out of the question, because SDM doesn't know who HJP is, and he would not risk exposing the truth, not knowing all the facts. This fits HJP investor profile, he is not impulsive, he just doesn't act on emotion. As much as he wanted to reveal the truth, it's not his lie to reveal.
Option 2 is also off the table, because HJP WAS interested, and he also probably wanted to seek out Halmoni as well, since it's been fifteen years. And as if he was a young HJP again, the link and the past he has thought long forgotten, has begun to spring up again.
That leaves Option 3. Let us keep in mind HJP doesn't follow SDM from the meeting place. Prior to SDM at the bus stop, she was meeting with WIJ, and her last meeting was with WIJ, when there was still daylight. By the time SDM is at the bus stop, it is already night time. So what we see is HJP on his way home, when he sees SDM, who he recognizes from the Q&A, looking crazy.
There is a moment of hesitation on HJP's face, then he decides to follow the bus. Then parallel walk along with SDM. The question is why doesn't HJP just approach SDM at this time? Because HJP is a man who seeks the perfect situation. Just like in ep. 10 when SDM finds out the truth he says "I want her to look at me, but not with those eyes". He may have wanted to meet her in better circumstances, not when she had been banging her head for God knows how long. Keep in mind he doesn't know why SDM seems depressed. Then he sees Grandma.
I see this scene in two ways. Either HJP is looking to find a way to talk to SDM, the person who comforted him 15 years ago or he is following SDM to hopefully find Halmoni. There is also the possible reason, that after seeing her depressed, he just wanted to make sure she was ok.
Keep note of one more thing, the distance between HJP and SDM are filled with many people. When he was in the car, he was in a far enough distance from SDM, with a bus full of people separating them. And when he parallel walks along SDM, there are approximately 10 steps in between them, as well as multiple people, even a couple in between them. He appears more as a protector than anything here, he doesn't hide his presence, nor skulks.
HJP may have been a stranger to SDM, but SDM was not a stranger to HJP. After seeing the scenes with the letters and HJP backstory, this scene is just a reminder of how, HJP has always been there for SDM even if he can never reveal the truth.
Now, let us look at NDS side of things.
SDM and NDS just had a HUGE fight, when she learns about the deception the night before. That all her time with NDS was a fake. She says before she storms out, "The person I want, I don't know who that is." then she walks out. That is girl speak for I need time alone, i'm hurting.
Ok, but let's excuse NDS, because he's bad with girls. So the next day we see him waiting for SDM outside her home, for who knows how long. SDM sees this, and instead of seeing this and going awwwww!, she basically ignores him. BUT then he starts following her, and we see that look on her face of pure annoyance, she stops and says "You know what torments me the most, I don't understand what's going on, and it PAINS me to see you" So this right here, we know exactly how she would react to NDS stalking her, she spells it out to him. And yet, she's prepared to be professional and keep on trudging along due to demo day.
After telling NDS, seeing you is painful, she makes it even more clear by telling him "Let us not meet each other outside work" This is clear as day.
Just to interject, Alex is following NDS on his scooter, are we going to say that Alex is also stalking NDS then as well? No we don't, because Alex and NDS have never met, and this is just Alex following NDS to talk to him. Similar to HJP following SDM to talk to her, or at least meet her.
Now let's begin our look into NDS stalking SDM. SDM goes back to SST, and ask everyone their coffee order, then she meets NDS in the doorway. She sees NDS and averts her gaze, NDS sees this. This clearly shows, SDM Is STILL not OK. Notice she ask NDS coffee order, but not once makes eye contact, which brings us back to the fact that she says, If I see you, I feel pained because I remember all the lies and deception.
Now SST people are readying to go home, and SDM tells them she is meeting someone later, during which NDS just looks at her sadly. Cheul San and Yong San talk about I wonder if it's Mr. Han who SDM is meeting. You bet NDS is also thinking this, let's not forget they have a rivalry. HJP afterwards tells NDS, "I have told SDM about my feelings, so I can't be a brother anymore"
Keep in mind the emotions that NDS feels here. His jealousy of HJP is at an all time here, so he probably follows SDM initially because he wants to see if she is planning on meeting HJP. Something that even the other two san's thought would happen. And so NDS starts to follow SDM, forgetting her plea for space, and not to meet up after work. I guess in NDS mind, if your drunk, and you don't remember, then it doesn't count as meeting up? Who knows...
First NDS keeps a respectable distance, across the road, similar to HJP, with cars and the bus separating them. Then he gets closer, just outside where she is playing the claw machine, nothing separates them but empty air. He turns around as SDM comes out, because obviously he knows what he is doing is wrong since SDM already told him , she didn't want to see him. Otherwise, he would not bother hiding.
And then at the restaurant, he moves even closer, with only a few tables separating them. Yet he is still hiding behind a wall, then he starts to move towards SDM, even after she told him, she did not want to meet. When the ancestor girl comes, he loses his nerve, and hides again. At this point, he is close enough to eavesdrop on SDM inner thoughts, and he is doing this without SDM knowing that he is spying.
I don't know SDM's alcohol tolerance, but there are 3 bottles of Soju on the table. Ancestor girls tactic is simple, get the "Mark" drunk enough so it will be easier to scam her. I'm guessing this whole thing has happened in the span of at least 30 minutes. This is how much time I think it would take to go through 3 bottles of Soju. So for 30ish minutes, NDS was getting information about SDM covertly.
Once again, we don't know SDM alcohol tolerance. But she is clearly drunk here, NDS even says, "I'm sure you will not be able to remember any of this". I want to give NDS the benefit of the doubt and say he only showed himself to SDM to protect her from ancestor girl, and not because he knew SDM was too drunk to remember anyway. But his line about "You probably don't remember because your drunk" has me a bit bothered, because he has shown to have manipulative tendencies.
I'll stop this analysis here, because the park scene is a whole bottle of works on his own.
This scene makes me think, if I don't tell my BF something, or there is something I don't tell my husband, there is a reason for this. Maybe our relationship is not that great that I can tell them these things, or it's something I don't feel comfortable telling them. For them to find out my inner thoughts, or find out things I didn't feel comfortable telling them via subterfuge, while I am drunk, is such a betrayal IMO.
"At least when NDS stalked SDM, they were actually friends"
Friends don't stalk other friends
Friends respect other friend's words
And lastly Friends don't listen in to other friends covertly, while a friend is drunk and vulnerable.
Bonus: Friends don't leave other friends drunk and alone in a park at night for God knows how long.
In conclusion, I explain I don't see what HJP did as stalking, but I saw what NDS did as not only stalking, but a betrayal of trust as well.
News 
When SDM and NDS kissed in Ep.7 it ruined it for me. They pretty much had no reason to continue the love triangle at that point, but they did anyway.
After Ep. 7, they started cutting off most of HJP's screen time, and make the love triangle heavily biased. But still pretended as if SDM was still undecided.
I just like writing :)
I'll probably move on to a new live airing pretty soon, still deciding what that will be.
For now, let us have fun with our words :) If your last few words to me, you want it to be negative, then that is your right... :)))
I would rather end things on a positive note, have a good day!
I write essays, you ridicule them.
Together, we make a strong team!
I was wondering how long it would take for you to respond.
Your slacking a bit :)
Keep in mind what we know about NDS. Violent, possessive, easily jealous, and highly insecure.
With this in mind, I saw the ending in a different light.
In the post scene credit. We see two alarming things. First, we see that the desk of NDS and SDM are very close to each other.
It is clear that NDS is a very jealous husband, and doesn't want his wife to have her own office, or be far away from him. He wants her close so he can keep tabs on her.
Also, notice that none of the pictures has HJP in them? Coincidence? I think not. NDS insecurity towards HJP persist that he doesn't allow HJP to be in any of the company photos or the family photos.
SDM is Trapped.
On her side of the table, she attempts to show some semblance of power as she post her side of the table with pictures of only her and her family, Who is missing from the family picture? You guessed it, NDS.
But once NDS figured out SDM's scheme, he forces her to place multiple wedding photos of the two of them, even forcing her to place not one, not two, but three wedding photos, that appear to be be taken within minutes apart.. And he forces SDM to place a picture showing how big his hands is (the hands of NDS looks to be HEAVILY photoshopped in size as well!) The monster!
Then the elevator scene. Notice how tight NDS is gripping SDM's hands. NDS obvious insecurities are here in full bloom. He smiles at SDM, prompting her to smile. This is the charade that they perpetuate every time they leave the elevator to convince everyone that they are still in love, and not in a loveless marriage, where SDM is trapped by NDS insecurities, and jealousness.
This revelation blew my mind. I think Polo749 is up to something. This is PHR's cry for help, a reminder to us astute fans of how she is a prisoner in her own drama..
Then, the most important part? As the four of them are walking, we see HJP's forced smile, and his loving glance towards SDM. He knows the marriage is a sham!
Sure, it's possible.
You point out that SDM shows no feelings for HJP because he calls him Mr. Han.
I point out that other dramas that have even more skin ship, which include sleeping together, hugging and kissing, still call their SO Mr. .
I'm trying to point out in Kdrama, calling someone Mr. does not mean there are no feelings.
Gotta keep up bruh...
I've got a team of Ghost writers at the ready, waiting for my signals.
But first, how are we going to get past the guard dogs at PHR house? There are rumors that galbi-jim will do it? What do you think?
You answered your own question :))))
And that is why HJP did it in the calmest voice possible, and applied as little pressure to her with his words. HJP knew that having her mind so confused before demo day would be disastrous for SDM, so he in fact clarifies certain things to hopefully help clear her mind.
HJP doesn't say anything to confuse SDM further. Look at SDM after, HJP tells her I have feelings for you. No emotions, as if she already knew. He even tells her, he just wanted to be honest and clear the air, and not to make her feel uncomfortable. And further tells her, even if she doesn't' reciprocate then it's fine with him, and it would be weird for them to avoid each other over such a small thing. Everything he says is to help defuse the tornado in SDM's mind. And also, does this sound familiar?
Yes it does, because SDM just told NDS, it is hard for her to stay professional and see HJP and NDS after the truth is revealed. And yet here is HJP, telling her calmly, let's not avoid each other just because of this situation, as if he knows what she is feeling, he knows the truth is straining her professional responsibilities, and he is assuring her it should not. Once again, HJP knows what SDM is feeling without needing to be told this. As compared to NDS who needed to be told this directly by SDM. Big diff here.
NDS words to SDM on the other hand, filled head head with hopes and dreams again, something she realizes were nothing more than fluff.
1. Either you approach them, and say "hey, you probably don't know me, but I wrote you those letters 15 years ago, your grandma lied to you all this time."
or
2. You ignore her, because you don't care.
or
3. You approach her, and hide the truth on who you are. To rekindle a long lost friendship, or start a new one. Ironically, the same thing NDS ends up doing.
Before we further analyze this, we must first use our understanding of HJP, that we have garnered from 16 episodes. We know that HJP is confident and an outspoken person. But whenever it comes to SDM, he always seem to wear a mask, as if to place some distance between them. We see this in one of the episodes where he gets updates about SDM through Grandma, rather than asking SDM himself. He cares deeply about SDM, but often uses an intermediary to show this. In fact, in many ways, NDS was HJP's intermediary towards SDM as well.
You could even say, when it comes to SDM, HJP is not very confident, NDS is the opposite as he gains confidence when he is with SDM.
We know that when HJP hears SDM name, instant recognition crosses his face. He knows that name, but for the first time, he is associating a face with the person he wrote those letters to 15 years ago.
Knowing this, we know option 1 is out of the question, because SDM doesn't know who HJP is, and he would not risk exposing the truth, not knowing all the facts. This fits HJP investor profile, he is not impulsive, he just doesn't act on emotion. As much as he wanted to reveal the truth, it's not his lie to reveal.
Option 2 is also off the table, because HJP WAS interested, and he also probably wanted to seek out Halmoni as well, since it's been fifteen years. And as if he was a young HJP again, the link and the past he has thought long forgotten, has begun to spring up again.
That leaves Option 3. Let us keep in mind HJP doesn't follow SDM from the meeting place. Prior to SDM at the bus stop, she was meeting with WIJ, and her last meeting was with WIJ, when there was still daylight. By the time SDM is at the bus stop, it is already night time. So what we see is HJP on his way home, when he sees SDM, who he recognizes from the Q&A, looking crazy.
There is a moment of hesitation on HJP's face, then he decides to follow the bus. Then parallel walk along with SDM. The question is why doesn't HJP just approach SDM at this time? Because HJP is a man who seeks the perfect situation. Just like in ep. 10 when SDM finds out the truth he says "I want her to look at me, but not with those eyes". He may have wanted to meet her in better circumstances, not when she had been banging her head for God knows how long. Keep in mind he doesn't know why SDM seems depressed. Then he sees Grandma.
I see this scene in two ways. Either HJP is looking to find a way to talk to SDM, the person who comforted him 15 years ago or he is following SDM to hopefully find Halmoni. There is also the possible reason, that after seeing her depressed, he just wanted to make sure she was ok.
Keep note of one more thing, the distance between HJP and SDM are filled with many people. When he was in the car, he was in a far enough distance from SDM, with a bus full of people separating them. And when he parallel walks along SDM, there are approximately 10 steps in between them, as well as multiple people, even a couple in between them. He appears more as a protector than anything here, he doesn't hide his presence, nor skulks.
HJP may have been a stranger to SDM, but SDM was not a stranger to HJP. After seeing the scenes with the letters and HJP backstory, this scene is just a reminder of how, HJP has always been there for SDM even if he can never reveal the truth.
Now, let us look at NDS side of things.
SDM and NDS just had a HUGE fight, when she learns about the deception the night before. That all her time with NDS was a fake. She says before she storms out, "The person I want, I don't know who that is." then she walks out. That is girl speak for I need time alone, i'm hurting.
Ok, but let's excuse NDS, because he's bad with girls. So the next day we see him waiting for SDM outside her home, for who knows how long. SDM sees this, and instead of seeing this and going awwwww!, she basically ignores him. BUT then he starts following her, and we see that look on her face of pure annoyance, she stops and says "You know what torments me the most, I don't understand what's going on, and it PAINS me to see you" So this right here, we know exactly how she would react to NDS stalking her, she spells it out to him. And yet, she's prepared to be professional and keep on trudging along due to demo day.
After telling NDS, seeing you is painful, she makes it even more clear by telling him "Let us not meet each other outside work" This is clear as day.
Just to interject, Alex is following NDS on his scooter, are we going to say that Alex is also stalking NDS then as well? No we don't, because Alex and NDS have never met, and this is just Alex following NDS to talk to him. Similar to HJP following SDM to talk to her, or at least meet her.
Now let's begin our look into NDS stalking SDM. SDM goes back to SST, and ask everyone their coffee order, then she meets NDS in the doorway. She sees NDS and averts her gaze, NDS sees this. This clearly shows, SDM Is STILL not OK. Notice she ask NDS coffee order, but not once makes eye contact, which brings us back to the fact that she says, If I see you, I feel pained because I remember all the lies and deception.
Now SST people are readying to go home, and SDM tells them she is meeting someone later, during which NDS just looks at her sadly. Cheul San and Yong San talk about I wonder if it's Mr. Han who SDM is meeting. You bet NDS is also thinking this, let's not forget they have a rivalry. HJP afterwards tells NDS, "I have told SDM about my feelings, so I can't be a brother anymore"
Keep in mind the emotions that NDS feels here. His jealousy of HJP is at an all time here, so he probably follows SDM initially because he wants to see if she is planning on meeting HJP. Something that even the other two san's thought would happen. And so NDS starts to follow SDM, forgetting her plea for space, and not to meet up after work. I guess in NDS mind, if your drunk, and you don't remember, then it doesn't count as meeting up? Who knows...
First NDS keeps a respectable distance, across the road, similar to HJP, with cars and the bus separating them. Then he gets closer, just outside where she is playing the claw machine, nothing separates them but empty air. He turns around as SDM comes out, because obviously he knows what he is doing is wrong since SDM already told him , she didn't want to see him. Otherwise, he would not bother hiding.
And then at the restaurant, he moves even closer, with only a few tables separating them. Yet he is still hiding behind a wall, then he starts to move towards SDM, even after she told him, she did not want to meet. When the ancestor girl comes, he loses his nerve, and hides again. At this point, he is close enough to eavesdrop on SDM inner thoughts, and he is doing this without SDM knowing that he is spying.
I don't know SDM's alcohol tolerance, but there are 3 bottles of Soju on the table. Ancestor girls tactic is simple, get the "Mark" drunk enough so it will be easier to scam her. I'm guessing this whole thing has happened in the span of at least 30 minutes. This is how much time I think it would take to go through 3 bottles of Soju. So for 30ish minutes, NDS was getting information about SDM covertly.
Once again, we don't know SDM alcohol tolerance. But she is clearly drunk here, NDS even says, "I'm sure you will not be able to remember any of this". I want to give NDS the benefit of the doubt and say he only showed himself to SDM to protect her from ancestor girl, and not because he knew SDM was too drunk to remember anyway. But his line about "You probably don't remember because your drunk" has me a bit bothered, because he has shown to have manipulative tendencies.
I'll stop this analysis here, because the park scene is a whole bottle of works on his own.
This scene makes me think, if I don't tell my BF something, or there is something I don't tell my husband, there is a reason for this. Maybe our relationship is not that great that I can tell them these things, or it's something I don't feel comfortable telling them. For them to find out my inner thoughts, or find out things I didn't feel comfortable telling them via subterfuge, while I am drunk, is such a betrayal IMO.
"At least when NDS stalked SDM, they were actually friends"
Friends don't stalk other friends
Friends respect other friend's words
And lastly Friends don't listen in to other friends covertly, while a friend is drunk and vulnerable.
Bonus:
Friends don't leave other friends drunk and alone in a park at night for God knows how long.
In conclusion, I explain I don't see what HJP did as stalking, but I saw what NDS did as not only stalking, but a betrayal of trust as well.