LA_Drama Fan

Thank you. My main experience has been with historical dramas, so after only about a half-dozen family/dailys I'm no authority on the matter. But I've never seen any character go against type so much as I have here. Given the level of intelligence the writers have shown, and thier seeming understanding of the characters, I am struggling with what to do with YD and TK as if they were my kids as well, given I'm their parents age.
I find it ironic that the actress who plays BongNim was in a similar situation in IBN, where her youngest son & his girlfriend faked a relationship for monetary gain - a clear case of fraud. She was (just like InOk) very fond of the girl who reminded her of herself. While she was outraged and she did force them apart, she never lost concern for the girl and after a few months, eventually she went to her to reconcile as best they could. This scenario was in keeping with her character. What we're seeing here in this series for InOk is not like that.
And I do think that BN & YD will reconcile, but they need a long talk before doing so. We know BN loves her daughter, and she's hurting as much as TK, just in a different way; she has trouble explaining her emotions because her temper gets in the way.

Just occurred to me: Friday coming up, and that means a 'big' cliffhanger? What can it be?
-DH is ready to meet MR?
-Dongie confronts MR again with KS in attendance for the "ALTERCATION at the ACADEMY"? (sorry it doesn't have the cachet as 'rumble in the jungle')
- Pregnant YuJin de-planes at Incheon airport?
-JD & JP caught dating?

I will be VERY disappointed in CR if she doesn't arrange for a place for MR to go. He duty is to her child, adopted or not. She can keep it on the down-low and have a hotel room waiting for her. I can't believe she'll just stand there and watch her kid be tossed on the street. If so, should MR give up on that "family'?

JUST. PUNCH. HIM. OUT.

The biggest mistake for him what that he told her that things should go back to how they were. He doesn't realize that they can't because things aren't the same as they were before. He's single now, and SJ is not hanging over his head. Angelwg is right, the only way to handle this sensibly is that he needs to talk to HR very clearly. Otherwise his mixed messages will continue and someone is going to get very hurt. HR isn't dumb, she knows that he's a good man, and she'll keep trying to attract him until he makes her stop. Love is blind.

I've often wondered why YJ isn't dating? She's a pretty girl. Why can't she find a company man to hook up with? That whole family dynamic is so messed up.

Thing that stands out in my mind the most was my alarm that:
KS WAS USING A METAL SPATULA ON A NON-STICK FRYPAN!!!!!

Other than that, Atta Girl to MR for standing her ground to the Big Dong! KS should file assault charges against Tiny Dong. Where is his Atty Bro-in-Law when we need him????

Oh and that Hair-Tie scene was great. DH showed much more restraint that I think he should. I wanted him to stagger a bit, or bulge his eyes.

I thought there was a difference between a "Family Drama" like this and a "Soap Opera" (like the daily shows)?

thank you. that is the word I've been searching for: CLOSURE.

Kathyrn that is very interesting. (I admit I haven't watched a soap opera since ALL MY CHILDREN back when I was in college - Luke & Laura era)

I just can't get out of my mind, her voice saying "I don't owe you ANYTHING!", although that was never said. It's just what fits the way she left.

I forgot to mention that scene at her rental place where she is happily rocking the baby and talking on the phone to her T/A (before she comes to Seoul). She appeared to be at peace and TK seemed like the last thing on her mind. I can't help but think that was the future she wanted for herself, and she got it, albeit at a great personal cost for her loved ones.

The marriage registration is an interesting point. TK would have pushed for it, obviously. But he didn't and I can't help but think that he'd be afraid of her pushback against it. And I don't think she would have rushed to get registered either.
Maybe she has commitment issues too?

(I’m going to disregard the deceptive previews we’ve been getting lately and also the common wisdom that family dramas dictate a happy ending for the leads; because I’m not so certain this show will follow that pattern. I had intended to post this after things here died down, but it looks like this weekend's eps has everyone still riled up!)

This weekend’s shows have left me scratching my head over the behavior of our leads, their mothers, and the writers/production team, especially regarding Ep 34. We’ve analyzed this to death below so I don’t want to rehash what we’re all sick of hearing by now. We need a satisfactory Ep 35 to reassure us that the writers know what they are doing and they have a plan going forward.

All that being said, 2 things still bug me. Since it’s quieted down here now, I’ll mention them.

#1*** Did YD ever love TK?
Her actions here in 34 have brought considerable doubt to my mind. Before anyone starts, I understand why she felt she had to run away: She was being menaced by JH, was being screamed at by a hysterical IO, and didn’t want to come between TK and his Mom, because she knew it would come to that. You can call it Noble Idiocy, or Martyr Complex, or whatever, but in thinking she put their needs before hers, she ended up hurting the man who loved her most and brought great pain to her own family.

So now what? I don’t understand her well enough to know why she so coolly left TK holding the bag on their last day together. Maybe it’s a gender thing, so I ask the forum here: If she loved him, how could she leave that way, with not even so much as a note? Just that ring, dropped in an envelope and stuffed in his car’s console. Her demeanor on the drive back to her house surely tipped all of us off that something was up: she couldn’t wait to get out of the car. She was curt to him, and refused to return his ‘I love you’ and the only thing we got was ‘bye, TK’ instead of ‘good night’. She was ready to take off and he was delaying her, it seemed. I really don’t want to re-watch that scene, but my impression is that she didn’t make much eye contact with him either. Was your conscience troubling you, YD? We know (as do they) that TK loved her more that she did (if at all?) and theirs was an unusual and asymmetrical relationship, at best. She is a reserved person, and yes, she wears a lot of armor to protect herself. But since the camping trip when she admitted to herself that she couldn’t live without him, followed on to where she admitted her feelings to him and ultimately that he would be by their side forever, we’ve seen her feelings grow seemingly stronger for him.

And so, she brings him more pain than he’s ever known in his life. Yet she can’t even be bothered to call him and tell him that her baby is a girl and they’re OK. Even Hee can see she is thinking of him on that day, but YD does nothing but be a Martyr. Being a martyr is one thing, but how can she be so blind to his suffering too? If she loved him, wouldn’t she feel that pain as well? To me, her actions scream of “I don’t owe you anything!” – it’s the only way I can explain it. “Here’s the ring, I don’t need to give you any reasons”.

What should have happened? If as his lover, she felt she had to flee at least because of JH and InOk, she should have told him her plan, have him expose JH and SJ to his folks and tell him that she’ll keep in touch with him so he knows where she is and they can meet clandestinely. She does NOT disconnect her phone. (YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO LOVE HIM. YOU CAN DO THIS MUCH AT LEAST.)

But she doesn’t do any of this and sneaks off into the night like a thief, breaking his heart and stepping all over it on the way out. And I’m troubled that from the beginning of her pregnancy, she held to the belief that “I will raise this child on my own”. So, is that why she really just walked out? She had a little fun, got some free healthcare, but when push came to shove, she held to her original plan all along and left to live with a nefarious roommate and raise her child ‘alone’.

YD, if you can’t make it work with this man who loves you and your child so much, you might as well give up all hope with men. You have royally screwed-up and I’m not sure if begging his forgiveness will cover it. If you even want his forgiveness.

So, did she really love him? I’m sorry to say, her actions say ‘no’.

#2***Should he take her back?

I am so conflicted about this. There she is, one year later, clutching their baby, in the shrine he made to the child he protected and that she kept from him. In the apartment that was to be their home, no less. What should he do? She has a lot to answer for, to say the least. We can see the fearful look on her face and we KNOW she’s trying to figure a way out of there, to run away again to her safe place. Hell, the first thing I’d do if I was TK is move to my left and block that doorway!

I’m not sure if any explanation she can give him would be sufficient? He understands her and her situation. But how could she be so cavalier and cold and just leave him without even the slightest excuse, just a few days after telling him they will be a family forever? Even a bad reason would be better than what she left him with. Instinctively, he would want to hug her and reassure her to calm her down. He wants to see and hold their child. Is that called for here? I dunno. She needs to start talking and not leave until he says she can go. And give him her phone number. But can he trust her to not change it in a few days once she’s gone? Can he trust her to do anything? Are they now back to square one, but even worse because of the baggage between them brought by her behavior? Should he take her back, he doesn’t need to be his old, cold self to her, but he needs to make her understand the harm she’s done to everyone who loves her, especially him.

TK cannot love her again unless he can trust her. And only he can decide if that’s possible. But he has to be rational and not let his feelings for her color his view. Because she could do it all over again and how would he survive being hurt like this twice? There are other issues too. If they even sort-of "reconcile" and he has her platonically stay with him, the specter of SeJin and JH will hover over her since they will find out where she is. Then what? Sure, they can live together and give his family the finger, and try to reconcile with her family - but she’ll still be at risk from those two. They have to be cognizant of that.

Bong Min told him in the restaurant that he was a good man and could find a much better woman than YD. And it hurts to say it, but it’s true. And frankly, although she was harsh, and we understand her tough love was for his benefit and everything she said was probably right. But he’s so heart-broken that he can’t even think straight and his reflex now is to avoid anything further that could cause this pain to happen again, so he swears off women.

TK, I’m sorry, I don’t know if you should take her back or not. But after all is said and done, if you honestly feel you still can’t trust her to keep her word then I’m afraid you need to let her go. And move on with your life and let her be the single mom she said she wanted to be all along.

YeonDoo has her work cut out for her. Is she up to it? I have no idea. I don’t even know if she cares at this point. He still loves her, but that love is covered in scars from the pain she left him with.

She tends to speak first without engaging brain. The difference between her and InOk is that she knows that is a horrible thing to say.

OK, Hang on a sec. I saw the YT clips and did Dongie punch KS or was it a backhand slap? I couldn't tell on my iphone display. That fool is playing with fire, if KS has a mind to it, he'd knock him unconscious. I thought he pulled his punch when he hit him last time, if he loses his temper, it's lights out for Tiny Dong.
Isnt that the 2nd time we've seen KS block someone's punch? Dude has good reflexes in addition to strength.

Kitten in with the Cougar? Maybe she could convince HR to lay off KS? LOL Or use it as a means to get the inside track to his heart? Have a good night!

Youre reading my mind. I'll post tomorrow my take on that very question. It's one of the 2 things that have been bugging me.

No room at the inn? Maybe at HoRang's? Kick HoSik out on the couch again and she can have his room. Might make for some interesting conversations!

Would they have a place for her to stay? I would think her mom will set her up with a hotel room for the time being, CR has the money.

Yeah, good point. If she's disowned (no legal ties to family) they she'd fall off the Dong's radar.

Well, rats. I guess I was asking for too much when i hoped for 3 great eps in a row. Oh well. We're back to normal:
MIL committed to keeping KS, no matter what
MR not being assertive with her own family
Grandpa being clueless and bossy

And KS, if you sprained your wrist punching out Tiny Dong, STOP SHAKING IT. I've never heard of any therapeutic treatment that involved agitating a sprain injury. This guy has a caregiver's certificate?

Best part: when SD & HR first started talking in the classroom about getting her back in the saddle and pursuing KS, the look on MiRae's face was priceless.

MiRae, would it be too much to ask you to pull your mother and Grandfather aside and tell them the truth? Huh?
OPPA!!!!!

I thought: Was she drunk when she said that?