Wow. Well, the recent trend of Saturday episodes being slower and more of a set-up for the following episode went right out the window with 31. This episode ranks as one of the most emotional of the entire series, to date.
Many of us here have credited AJH's expressive acting ability before, as he does not need speaking lines in many of his scenes to make us understand how he feels. Episode 31 was his tour-de-force and he blew me away with just how good of an actor he was. There’s a lot to cover, so forgive me for being verbose.
HITS: -TK opens the gift box with the bracelets: After the hysterics of getting YD to the clinic and tested, he sees the gift box in her purse. With only a 30-second scene, he sees the 3 sets of matching bracelets and his emotionless demeanor is betrayed as he is moved to tears. BRAVO!
-TK & the Chairman (Round 1): At the clinic, the chairman expresses his relief (?) that she is OK, but again demands TK breakup or he’ll tell his mother ‘the shocking news’. TK’s response? A clear and forceful “I’d rather think of you as a stranger than a son” and tells him to leave the clinic and never return (Yay!!!). The Chairman closes his eyes and face palms in disbelief.
-TK & YD – the sonogram: This rather long set of scenes begins back at the clinic when he asks her about what the Chairman told her that triggered her episode. Just watch the expressions on his face in this scene. He brings her to tears and us too. We then transition back to the Gong House where their communal shock and relief is in contrast to the Chairman who must sit there and realize he’s the cause for all the commotion. Although the actions of the Chairman are objectionable in this episode, SWJD also excels in this episode portraying the discomfort at what he feels he must quickly do. The scene finally ends back at the clinic with TK tucking YD in for the night, while the scene with his stepdad replays in his mind.
-TK & the Chairman (Round 2): After tucking YD in bed, TK must have rushed back home to call the chairman to the steps of the house. There, the two of them deliver the Highlight of the Episode – TK’s opening his heart and begging for forgiveness for what has happened and again appealing to the Chairman who is resolute and continues to criticize him. This has been discussed in depth below, so I’ll skip it, except for the following observation. While the Chairman was not moved, this is EXACTLY what TK needs to tell his mom. Given the guilt she has for everything she’s put him through since marrying into the Gong family TK’s words will move his mother (see the abortive ‘family meeting’ scene at the beginning of episode 10). Any anger she may feel towards them for being lied to will be overwhelmed by her son’s love for YD and desire to be a father. The scene ends with the chairman’s look of anger, exasperation, disgust, sorrow and guilt at TK on his knees.
-TK& YD – the Morning After. After narrowly missing creepy JH at the clinic, she awakes and notices TK’s puffy eyes from the events with his stepdad. After he brushes it off, she sweetly invites him to lay down next to her in the small bed so he can rest too.
-HW & YD – He informs her of the circumstances of when she was brought in by TK and how frantic he was. After hearing the whole story she tells him she won’t upset TK again (foreshadowing for what’s coming next for them).
-HW & JM – steeping away from our leads, HW asks her to restart the divorce proceedings again, citing their lack of communication and trust. I presume they have to restart the cooling-off period again? No mention of marriage counseling either. He wants out and makes valid points…some couples just aren’t meant to be? She returns home realizing she’ll be a single mother, while he tells TK about it at the clinic. This was a really heart-wrenching scene and well acted by all.
-YD gifts TK – When TK returns to her that evening, she softly chides him for staying by her side. She gives him the bracelets and tells him she’ll never leave him and he’d better be ready for it. This time, it’s his turn to cry and AJH is terrific. I WISH THEY HAD KISSED!!!!! But, they do embrace and he puts her back to bed. I’m beginning to accept they may not kiss for their relationship is more on an emotional level and not romantic.
MISSES -Anything with SJ/JH, who have sunk into new levels of creepiness. He realizes just how scary a satisfied JH is, and has put together a timeline in his mind that proves to him that TK is not the father and he is. But frankly, I’m so done with those 2…..And WHERE is the security in that office and building???? Have they turned off the alarm and locks because HW is sleeping there????
-Hee’s conspiracy. This just disgusts me. The only redeeming part in her scenes was Uncle’s reminding her of what is important in life and to concentrate on being a mom. Did it hit a nerve? It certainly made her think. If not, her plan proceeds….
Welcome to another round on the never ending carousel of me bullshitting my way thru an episode of TRHC without…
for the first time, I think I need to see this Ep, before reading your review, since it's going to be so emotional and surprising (?). I need happy surprises today.
Damn Jinjja is actually 21 weeks (top of ultrasound pic in todays episode), my estimates were really off. this…
Did they give a date stamp on the ultrasound pic? They've been fudging the timeline I bet to keep the show kind of up-to-date with the current date. (Haven't seen the Ep yet).
Seen other dramas where leads doesnt even have a kiss. Daily/weekend drama. Just look at SR and MY from TBS. So…
Excellent point, and I've been thinking about that too. SR/MY even won as a Best Couple @ KBS Awards, and the most we got was a peck on the cheek (Although I think part of this was Kim Seung Soo's discomfort with the role).
After watching the YouTube previews this morning, I'm beginning to wonder if theirs will be a "comfortable/supportive" relationship rather than romantic? We might not get a kiss until they sign their marriage registration.
😂😂 I’ve noticed that with his eyes too. Maybe he’s light sensitive and the lights hurt his eyes or like…
Now that you mention it, I had the same exact thing happen to me (photo-phobia) when I was initially fitted with contacts with too-tight of a curvature. Maybe that's it. It would also explain the excessive blinking.
😂😂 I’ve noticed that with his eyes too. Maybe he’s light sensitive and the lights hurt his eyes or like…
I've often wondered about how Ms Yoon perceives her role and the lines she's given. It reminds me so much of what happened to Bae DaBin in her portrayal of another "MiRae" in Its Beautiful Now, where the character was marginalized throughout the series.
As far as Aunty/DH, I'm not sure big dong will let them be. I don't mind her ditzi-ness and she's been oppressed by her jerk of a brother all of her adult life it seems. I'd like to see her have some happiness. DH & CR would be way too much of a cliche for me vis-a-vis MR's Dad marrying her adoptive mom. But it would screw big dong over hugely, so maybe? It would serve him right for keeping DH from Aunty.
Well, I'm at Ep 30 and am not dropping it. LOL. I forgot to mention one scene when giving my .02 on high and low-lights for Ep 30, so I'll correct that while it's quiet here again between episodes:
The scene between TK and Uncle at the chicken store was really well done. In this brief scene (about 1.5 minutes long) TK confides to Uncle his inner fears and concerns about being a father to Real and seeks Uncle's guidance. One the one hand, it's rather funny that he's asking an childless bachelor for input on this, but then again, Uncle is the only one that knows the secret that he can go to. What makes this scene so memorable for me is how the writers are keeping his character so consistent: As part of the lie he must put on a bravado about being a husband and father for YD, but this man, who recoiled at the thought of marriage and parenthood at the beginning of the series is now tiptoeing there but getting the appropriate cold feet while doing so. He reaches out to who he can for advice on being a father(his brother in law, in episode 28) because the concept eludes him. I'm glad they are keeping him true to form, rather than having him unrealistically suddenly jumping in with both feet as we've see in other shows where characters turn a 180.
Uncle gives him his heartfelt advice and my other favorite part of this scene is that it sets us up for the next one where TK goes home and gathers the courage to hug YD and ask her to not move out and let him stay with her and Real so that he can try to be father. This is one of the most emotionally-laden scenes in the series yet, and her acceptance is accompanied not by the kiss we long for, but by the swelling soundtrack in the background. It ends as if it should have been the episode finale, yet oddly it's placed halfway thru this one (because of you-know-how they decided to end this Episode).
So, there you go. If not for the ending, this would have been a episode full of heart-warming scenes. Prepare yourself for 31, it's going to be a wild ride I think.
Is it just me, or does the little dong have something going with his eyes? Half the time he acts like there's something in his contacts and the other half he's squinting?
I'm not worried for him, MR will believe him, toss in a few "Oppa's" and all will be the same.
I am shipping Auntie & DH though...why not???? Loved her reaction when DH told SD he's her boyfriend. That was really cute.
God help us, we've been reduced to thinking about feet with this series......SIGH
I watched it while waiting for the laundry. What I want to say won't be popular here....I know this sounds crazy,…
My issue is that she left him without any means to contact her. It was deliberate on her part. If she had given him contact info (celfone, etc) and didn't ever answer, then OK, I guess "missing". But she didn't. So, there's that. I will admit that the part about the baker lady & MR dad was cute, and I guess she knows about his background. So at least there is some movement there. That would be worth watching.
NGL today’s episode has me bawling like a baby. The scene with KS and JD and then kS asking chairman to put…
I watched it while waiting for the laundry. What I want to say won't be popular here....
I know this sounds crazy, but I feel so bad for SD. Watching his son waste the prime of his life like this would kill me too. And to see him be manipulated by his in-laws no less thru guilt would make me want to scream. I know SD's a dirtbag, but still, this resonates with me. KS is so blind to what is going on and he doesn't realize his scheming MIL isn't any better than this Dad.
And I'll admit, I also feel for HoRang, although I know it's not appreciated by most. She's been honest with him and the only person she's fooling is herself. So why does he keep hanging around the academy, knowing her feelings? Man, really???? Stay away from her if you are not interested. Dating HoRang > waiting for the woman who left you.
The kicker for me was his asking that the picture be included in the packaging. She is NOT missing!!! She ABANDONED YOU and left you with HER kid! She made that VERY clear! She is hiding from you, you dummy!
This show makes me SMH so much I'll wind up with scrambled brains. I want to tear my hair out, but I'm spending too much on Minoxidil as it is!!!
KBS1 daily arent commented that much. Also this drama is way too slow-paced. So i understand why.
I don't' need to watch the show, the comments here are more entertaining and faster paced. LOL.
Seriously, though. If they had been honest and dropped the whole KS/MR/JD angle in the initial run up, and simply billed it as "A story of a single father struggling to raise his rebellious teenage daughter while still living with his in-laws" it would have been MUCH more honest and I would not have bothered to watch it. And in fact, the current promos on the show from KBS America are this way....no mention of MR or anything else for him.
OTOH, they could have made this an interesting 60-episode drama and cut out all of this filler. But, dailys are 120 episodes, so it is, what it is. When you manage to make "Love in Your Eyes" more entertaining, you're doing something wrong.
Wow. Well, the recent trend of Saturday episodes being slower and more of a set-up for the following episode went right out the window with 31. This episode ranks as one of the most emotional of the entire series, to date.
Many of us here have credited AJH's expressive acting ability before, as he does not need speaking lines in many of his scenes to make us understand how he feels. Episode 31 was his tour-de-force and he blew me away with just how good of an actor he was. There’s a lot to cover, so forgive me for being verbose.
HITS:
-TK opens the gift box with the bracelets: After the hysterics of getting YD to the clinic and tested, he sees the gift box in her purse. With only a 30-second scene, he sees the 3 sets of matching bracelets and his emotionless demeanor is betrayed as he is moved to tears. BRAVO!
-TK & the Chairman (Round 1): At the clinic, the chairman expresses his relief (?) that she is OK, but again demands TK breakup or he’ll tell his mother ‘the shocking news’. TK’s response? A clear and forceful “I’d rather think of you as a stranger than a son” and tells him to leave the clinic and never return (Yay!!!). The Chairman closes his eyes and face palms in disbelief.
-TK & YD – the sonogram: This rather long set of scenes begins back at the clinic when he asks her about what the Chairman told her that triggered her episode. Just watch the expressions on his face in this scene. He brings her to tears and us too. We then transition back to the Gong House where their communal shock and relief is in contrast to the Chairman who must sit there and realize he’s the cause for all the commotion. Although the actions of the Chairman are objectionable in this episode, SWJD also excels in this episode portraying the discomfort at what he feels he must quickly do. The scene finally ends back at the clinic with TK tucking YD in for the night, while the scene with his stepdad replays in his mind.
-TK & the Chairman (Round 2): After tucking YD in bed, TK must have rushed back home to call the chairman to the steps of the house. There, the two of them deliver the Highlight of the Episode – TK’s opening his heart and begging for forgiveness for what has happened and again appealing to the Chairman who is resolute and continues to criticize him. This has been discussed in depth below, so I’ll skip it, except for the following observation. While the Chairman was not moved, this is EXACTLY what TK needs to tell his mom. Given the guilt she has for everything she’s put him through since marrying into the Gong family TK’s words will move his mother (see the abortive ‘family meeting’ scene at the beginning of episode 10). Any anger she may feel towards them for being lied to will be overwhelmed by her son’s love for YD and desire to be a father. The scene ends with the chairman’s look of anger, exasperation, disgust, sorrow and guilt at TK on his knees.
-TK& YD – the Morning After. After narrowly missing creepy JH at the clinic, she awakes and notices TK’s puffy eyes from the events with his stepdad. After he brushes it off, she sweetly invites him to lay down next to her in the small bed so he can rest too.
-HW & YD – He informs her of the circumstances of when she was brought in by TK and how frantic he was. After hearing the whole story she tells him she won’t upset TK again (foreshadowing for what’s coming next for them).
-HW & JM – steeping away from our leads, HW asks her to restart the divorce proceedings again, citing their lack of communication and trust. I presume they have to restart the cooling-off period again? No mention of marriage counseling either. He wants out and makes valid points…some couples just aren’t meant to be? She returns home realizing she’ll be a single mother, while he tells TK about it at the clinic. This was a really heart-wrenching scene and well acted by all.
-YD gifts TK – When TK returns to her that evening, she softly chides him for staying by her side. She gives him the bracelets and tells him she’ll never leave him and he’d better be ready for it. This time, it’s his turn to cry and AJH is terrific. I WISH THEY HAD KISSED!!!!! But, they do embrace and he puts her back to bed. I’m beginning to accept they may not kiss for their relationship is more on an emotional level and not romantic.
MISSES
-Anything with SJ/JH, who have sunk into new levels of creepiness. He realizes just how scary a satisfied JH is, and has put together a timeline in his mind that proves to him that TK is not the father and he is. But frankly, I’m so done with those 2…..And WHERE is the security in that office and building???? Have they turned off the alarm and locks because HW is sleeping there????
-Hee’s conspiracy. This just disgusts me. The only redeeming part in her scenes was Uncle’s reminding her of what is important in life and to concentrate on being a mom. Did it hit a nerve? It certainly made her think. If not, her plan proceeds….
After watching the YouTube previews this morning, I'm beginning to wonder if theirs will be a "comfortable/supportive" relationship rather than romantic? We might not get a kiss until they sign their marriage registration.
As far as Aunty/DH, I'm not sure big dong will let them be. I don't mind her ditzi-ness and she's been oppressed by her jerk of a brother all of her adult life it seems. I'd like to see her have some happiness.
DH & CR would be way too much of a cliche for me vis-a-vis MR's Dad marrying her adoptive mom. But it would screw big dong over hugely, so maybe? It would serve him right for keeping DH from Aunty.
I forgot to mention one scene when giving my .02 on high and low-lights for Ep 30, so I'll correct that while it's quiet here again between episodes:
The scene between TK and Uncle at the chicken store was really well done. In this brief scene (about 1.5 minutes long) TK confides to Uncle his inner fears and concerns about being a father to Real and seeks Uncle's guidance. One the one hand, it's rather funny that he's asking an childless bachelor for input on this, but then again, Uncle is the only one that knows the secret that he can go to. What makes this scene so memorable for me is how the writers are keeping his character so consistent: As part of the lie he must put on a bravado about being a husband and father for YD, but this man, who recoiled at the thought of marriage and parenthood at the beginning of the series is now tiptoeing there but getting the appropriate cold feet while doing so. He reaches out to who he can for advice on being a father(his brother in law, in episode 28) because the concept eludes him. I'm glad they are keeping him true to form, rather than having him unrealistically suddenly jumping in with both feet as we've see in other shows where characters turn a 180.
Uncle gives him his heartfelt advice and my other favorite part of this scene is that it sets us up for the next one where TK goes home and gathers the courage to hug YD and ask her to not move out and let him stay with her and Real so that he can try to be father. This is one of the most emotionally-laden scenes in the series yet, and her acceptance is accompanied not by the kiss we long for, but by the swelling soundtrack in the background. It ends as if it should have been the episode finale, yet oddly it's placed halfway thru this one (because of you-know-how they decided to end this Episode).
So, there you go. If not for the ending, this would have been a episode full of heart-warming scenes. Prepare yourself for 31, it's going to be a wild ride I think.
I'm not worried for him, MR will believe him, toss in a few "Oppa's" and all will be the same.
I am shipping Auntie & DH though...why not???? Loved her reaction when DH told SD he's her boyfriend. That was really cute.
God help us, we've been reduced to thinking about feet with this series......SIGH
I will admit that the part about the baker lady & MR dad was cute, and I guess she knows about his background. So at least there is some movement there. That would be worth watching.
I know this sounds crazy, but I feel so bad for SD. Watching his son waste the prime of his life like this would kill me too. And to see him be manipulated by his in-laws no less thru guilt would make me want to scream. I know SD's a dirtbag, but still, this resonates with me. KS is so blind to what is going on and he doesn't realize his scheming MIL isn't any better than this Dad.
And I'll admit, I also feel for HoRang, although I know it's not appreciated by most. She's been honest with him and the only person she's fooling is herself. So why does he keep hanging around the academy, knowing her feelings? Man, really???? Stay away from her if you are not interested. Dating HoRang > waiting for the woman who left you.
The kicker for me was his asking that the picture be included in the packaging. She is NOT missing!!! She ABANDONED YOU and left you with HER kid! She made that VERY clear! She is hiding from you, you dummy!
This show makes me SMH so much I'll wind up with scrambled brains. I want to tear my hair out, but I'm spending too much on Minoxidil as it is!!!
Seriously, though. If they had been honest and dropped the whole KS/MR/JD angle in the initial run up, and simply billed it as "A story of a single father struggling to raise his rebellious teenage daughter while still living with his in-laws" it would have been MUCH more honest and I would not have bothered to watch it. And in fact, the current promos on the show from KBS America are this way....no mention of MR or anything else for him.
OTOH, they could have made this an interesting 60-episode drama and cut out all of this filler. But, dailys are 120 episodes, so it is, what it is. When you manage to make "Love in Your Eyes" more entertaining, you're doing something wrong.
(And no, I didn't post the negative review.)