LA_Drama Fan

But she (Granny) has power over the dad. He won't defy her, and if she says TK is out, he'll just limp away. After all, she prohibited his wife and stepson from appearing in the family portraits for 20 years and he complied (something that is unthinkable to me).
Once Granny is dead, then Dad can rearrange the family as he sees fit. And SJ gets her place in the household.
That's my only guess right now.

For me, IBN is one of my favorites of all time. At least up about ep 37, when it went off the rails with the adoption & cancer story. But, I was able to relate to one of the couples and it really hit home for me. If the oldest couple was not in it, I probably would have felt as you did. They also were so good about all the little details too, and it had a great OST.

Nam Sang-Ji was really terrific in BML as the FL. The show was about her story, raising her adopted nephew from a baby when she was a teenager. And she was written so well, that you ended up caring about her. I couldn't ask more from a drama.

I've wondered that too. She told JH in ep 1 that she wants to be part of a powerful family. But Granny specifically told her in 19 to bring TK to get him to sign a waiver to not ask for anything from the family. So she KNOWS he's on the outs with them. I think, that SJ is in for the long-term. Granny will pay her to keep TK "under control", of course, but that's not what she wants. I'm thinking she's waiting for Granny to croak and TK's step-dad to take over. She figures he won't be cold to TK and bring him into the family and empower her too.

Otherwise, she's just become obsessed with TK at this point and has forgotten about WHY she wanted him in the first place.

Bravo My Life was really, really good. Both in writing and acting, the FL was really terrific and great chemistry between the leads. No amnesia plot, a few tropes (it WAS a daytime serial) but very entertaining. The 2FL was a nasty piece of work, but she eventually got a redemption arc (kinda); the actress was seen in the opening episode of THRC as TK's news-caster girlfriend. Those who committed a crime got punishment as well. Terrific OST too. They did a great job of keeping us involved over 100+ eps. Some episodes were absolute golden. I still go back and watch them from time to time. They also gave us a complete wind-down of the show over the last 3 episodes of what the leads married life would be like, which was terrific.

Love in your Eyes was good, but not as much as BML. It borrowed too many themes from BML, there was little chemistry between leads, they only really kissed once, at the end of the show. The FL really annoyed me for she created most of her own problems she endured. 2FL was very much like SJ from THRC. Plot did keep moving, but not as entertaining as BML, forgettable OST too. Best thing about that show was the little girl who played FL daughter.

The best way for me to desrcibe it, is I really CARED for the characters in BML. I don't really care about anyone in Apple yet. Maybe his sister in law. Otherwise, MEH.

I just can't imagine how this show was pitched to the network? What were the producers thinking? At this point, just pair him with his sister in law. She seems like a good person, they get alone, and she does care for him. And she's feisty, unlike MR. The more I see of this show, I keep thinking that KS +MR is a mistake....a pair of doormats would not make for an interesting couple.
I've been spoiled by Bravo My Life and Love in Your Eyes, I guess.
SIGH

OHHHH, "secondary growth", the euphemism once used for puberty here.

They couldn't even let her get a job? SERIOUSLY? The writers won't give us ANY movement in this stupid show???? What about the guy that hit on her at the interview...was that just to tease us for no reason? SHEESH

I mean, I get it, I used to do recruiting and interviews before I retired. And yes, when you see a resume with no employment activity for an extended period from getting your degree, it's something that has to be asked about. But she sounded prepared and eager. Plus, its for AN INTERN position. Entry-level people are expected. And her lawyer BIL sounded like he vetted her well. She's bright, eager, good personality, has a degree. I'd have taken a flyer on her and we could see if she'd pass probation.

I don't know how much longer I can take this show. 40+ episodes in, and what's different from the beginning?
=KS a caregiver (in addition to the 43 jobs he already has)
=Bakery opens, hires MR's dad who has added nothing yet
=punk and his sidepiece show up
That's about it, right??? I think I need a break

They should have made accident lady JD's mom. At least that would have done SOMETHING. But of course, then KS would have his 45th job, in caring for her.

his "second disease has started"????

the Father leaves for a 'long business trip' to the US in Ep 15. He returns (a changed man - literally) in Ep 17. We haven't seen a date check since. If Real is due mid November and the series ends in September, it sounds like another jump(s) is coming?

Episode 19 (which has been overshadowed by the epic Ep20) has an important point in her character. At the 1:04 mark, after YD kicks her out of TK's apartment, she's beside herself in her car. And she says "As if I'd let the likes of you take Tae Kyung from me!" So, to use BT's term, she's now gone fully delulu.

Contrast this with the expression on her face at the end of Ep20, where she has to watch YD defend TK before the family. It will be interesting to see how they reconcile these two things.

TK = Totally Klueless

I'm sure you're right. As we discussed earlier, he hates the character more than we do. And I don't know why redemption arcs are so popular in kdramas.
Case in point for something similar: In the recently completed 'love in your eyes' the 2nd female lead was delusional that she had a prior relationship to the ML lead, and that the FL lead had taken her man (sound familiar?) It got to the point where the 2FL would publicly humiliate and physically abuse the FL. The 2FL finally saw the light and gave up, and ended up helping the main couple be together. This redemption arc infuriated the online fans who refused to believe it, given the 2FL's actions. So there's precedent (so far).

But, I just can't figure this writer (in a good way). I find him impossible to predict, so who knows?

In the event you're really bored, it's interesting to watch if you're into train-wrecks. The show got out of control when the leads had zero chemistry between them, something noted over and over in the MDL discussion. The writers/producers tried to come up with scenarios to overcome/bypass this (including a poorly-received amnesia subplot) and get around any romance between them. In the mean time the 2nd & 3rd couples chemistry went off the charts (esp the 2nd couple, which wound up winning the KBS Best Couple award) and they began to dominate the reviews in social media, etc. It really seemed the show got away from the writers and was out of control. Instead of a logical plot progression, the show started circling around and not getting anywhere. I'm not sure what the original premise/theme of the show was, but it ended up being about couples in love who have significant age differences (which applied to the 2nd & 3rd couple - NOT the main leads). If you watch it with a jaundiced eye, it's an interesting study of how NOT to write a series.

Traditionally, for her to get a redemption arc, a few things would have to happen:
1. She stops her campaign against TK/YD
2. She announces her support for them
3. She does something genuinely & significantly good for them

In the unlikely event that all 3 occur, she'd be on her way to redemption. We've seen some pretty rotten characters redeemed in other k-dramas, so it's not impossible. EXCEPT - this writer is not "traditional" and he really has it out for her (as BT noted above).

All this being said, we still have over 3 months to go, so who knows what lurks ahead?

SJAF - EP 19 = .22
SJAF - EP 20 = .16

the recurring theme in the story is that the ML had an illegitimate son that was adopted by his cousin's family to keep it quiet. But there were recurring questions if the kid was really his, and there was an endless loop of DNA tests that proved he was the father of that person. It got to be ridiculous and was widely mocked by the commentators in that forum here on MDL. I wont spoil the backstory behind this. That could have been a really good series, but IMO the writer was too busy playing with the characters to keep the show on track, and the plot wandered around.

Tip of my hat to the poster below who suggested watching this one week's worth at a time on the weekend. It does make it more palatable, and now I just ask myself, "well another week has passes with little movement". And we're over 1/3 in now.

FWIW, I was thinking they blew a Golden Opportunity to inject some drama and tension into the show just now. If I was writer, I would use that ever-hated trope of Amnesia to shake up this series. Here goes:

The punk's case of exposure/hypothermia was worse than thought. He eventually wakes up, thinking its 5 years in the past and his mother hasn't committed suicide (yet). It takes a few episodes to bring him up to speed and he seems to have no ill will towards MR's family or Mother as he doesn't know the reason for his mom's death. He remembers being fond of MR and they restore their relationship eventually. There is no further talk of him plotting anything, and we are left to wonder: Is he for real, and he really loves her, or is this a further part of his deception to punish the Hwang family and take over the business? We'll be left guessing until the end of the series.

I'm no writer, but that's what I would have done to try to spice up this moribund mess.

I think she was going to have Granny or, more likely, JH demand a DNA/paternity test. This is why she was so frantic to get hold of JH.

As someone who endured all of 3 Bold SIblings, just the thought of a DNA test makes me ill.

Episode 20 was so complete and satisfying that it leaves me to just appreciate it and have nothing to question.
Except for one thing....

After InOk's panicked call to YD, YD hangs up, stands up and stares at the sculpture in the park for 5 seconds, before leaving. I thought this was a really powerful scene and the shot from behind her staring was really gripping, as if she was lost in thought.

Why did she hesitate briefly? What was she thinking?
I'm curious if anyone else was touched by that, and what was running thru her mind in that instant?

Does YD know that SJ was JH's ex? She saw them in the car in the parking structure, but does she realize who that was with him?