When it comes to developing memorable fantasy-romcom characters, I find that nobody can beat the Hong sisters.

They’re a perfect example of why two heads are better than one. Give them an ordinary tale or legend, and they can twist it into something unpredictable, unexpected, and unforgettable. I’ve always credited their sisterhood for creating a script that neither one could have accomplished individually. They have each other to bounce off ideas, to set counter-points, and to rehearse the quick banter of their characters.

I like it when their storytelling focuses on fantastical people, like a Gumiho and a ghost-seeing insomniac, struggling to survive and blend in with normal people. To me, the Hong sisters’ wit shines best in zippy dialogues that simultaneously sound logical and absurd. Episode 3 is a perfect example. One of the lines I found funny was OhGong’s comment after SunMi called him, “Nutcase!” He said, “Even after you offended me by calling me a nut case, I’m still tagging along. Think about how I feel!”

lol. He realized that he couldn’t protest SunMi’s insult because he was indeed a nut for following her. And that realization, too, was driving him nuts.  See the circular reasoning?

Throughout this episode OhGong, the Monkey King, vacillated between professing to love SunMi and nagging her to release him.

Remember that famous sonnet by Elizabeth Barrett Browning? How do I love thee, let me count the ways. It reminded me of OhGong. However, instead of describing his love for her, he’d enumerate the reasons she should unclasp the bracelet. Like this:

Why should you release me, let me count the ways.

First, because I should be going after PK instead of sitting in this pojangmacha, lovesick
Second, because you tricked me by activating the bracelet with a kiss
Third, because you cannot withstand me loving you even you’re glaring right at me.
Fourth, because our situation is a heavy burden for both of us
Five, because loving you to bits is annoying me to madness
Sixth, because it hurts my heart whenever you get angry at me
Seventh, because I’ll drive you crazy with my cheesiness
Eighth, because you shouldn’t get accustomed to hearing me say I love you
Ninth, because you’re grateful for the popcorn I sent to your grandmother’s memorial
Tenth, because I would save human lives if you only remove the bracelet

Ten times, OhGong coaxed, threatened, wheedled, and coerced her to remove her bonds on him. He made his arguments sound so altruistic, as if her welfare was of primary concern for him, when actually he only wanted his freedom back.

And ten times, SunMi refused him. She refused him because she didn’t trust him to come to her aide and to spare her life. I’m glad she learned from her mistake, and that she had a sense of self-preservation.

The other thing I find interesting in Episode 3 is the clever use of the butterflies to get the demons away from SunMi. The butterflies fit the surroundings. OG and SM were in a field of illuminated glass flowers so conjuring those fairy butterflies made sense.

I also liked the use of butterflies because it reminded me of the Greek myth of Pandora’s box. When SunMi put the Geumganggo (GGG) on OhGong, she caused misfortune to happen.

Right now, the story isn’t precise on which specific misfortune is attributed to the GGG. To OhGong, of course, the misfortune could only refer to his love for SM. But it’s also possible that the misfortune tied with the GGG was the annihilation of the world which SM saw in Episode 4.

SM thought that putting the bracelet on OG was a small and harmless act meant only to protect her from getting eating by him. She didn’t know that her action would have a harmful effect on OG and a far-reaching consequence to life on earth.

In this sense, the GGG is the equivalent of a Pandora’s box. In Greek mythology, Pandora was a young female who opened a box (it was actually a jar), not knowing that it contained all the evils of the world. All the wickedness flew out, like butterflies, and only one thing remained inside the box — and that was Hope.

To open Pandora’s box then means to unwittingly start off a world of problems – just like what SM did when she gave the bracelet for OG to wear. “Hope” could be the butterfly that landed on the dead girl/zombie and gave her new life with the blood of SM.

The third thing I like about Episode 3 is the Hong sisters’ adaptation of the Monkey King’s crown. I think their version is more philosophical and profound.

In the original version, the method of subduing the Monkey King was by pain – to be precise, PHYSICAL pain. But as the Guardian explained, there was a limit to how much a person (like the monk) could control or subdue the Monkey King with the use of pain. As OhGong said himself, the average pain for humans was comparable to a tickle to him because he wasn’t human. In other words, he could TOLERATE pain well.

In the Hong sisters’ version, the GGG’s method of subjugating the MK was through love. MK felt emotional pain or distress whenever SM was hurt, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Moreover, with love, OG would learn to bind himself to SM and to accept willingly being enslaved by her.

The last thing I like about this episode is OG’s “neediness” to be called by SM. He insisted on her calling him, and he showed up at her side even when she didn’t call on him.

I think it’s karma. lol. He took away her memory so she wouldn’t call him whenever she was in trouble. Now, he was the one who insisted on being called on, in her hour of need. It was a good thing SM has enough pride and independence to turn down his offer.

All in all, I’m glad that Hong sisters have honed their heroine SunMi to be stronger than the ones in My Boyfriend is a Gumiho and Master’s Sun. Previously, the female leads were clinging limpets until they finally discovered, midway through the drama, that they had backbones and could stand up on their own.

In Master’s Sun particularly, I remembered Gong Hyo-Jin simpering whenever she touched the arm of the SoJiSub’s character because his touch dispelled the demons and ghosts. I also remembered feeling bitchy and rolling my eyes whenever she did aegyo.  To me, aegyo should have an expiration date. Like 30 years old.

I’m just glad that SM had her own weapon. Sure, it was a flimsy one, but it was still a weapon which she could wield on her own. To hell with SoJiSub’s arm! 

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Note to self:

1. Why does OhGong like to eat ice cream at Frosty’s outdoor ice cream truck even on a cold day when he hates the cold?

2. Why is it that OhGong knew that the uncle lived in a “house in Buamdong with a black front gate and persimmon trees” but didn’t know that the gift of the popcorn was rejected by the uncle? Was he or wasn’t he there when she dropped off the money?

3. What is this flower? lol It’s definitely not edelweiss.