I’ve broken down what Dr. Ye did wrong in Episode 10 but I didn’t go over what MinHo did right. As I said before MinHo is like the jerk JH of Reply 1988, only spruced up. Unlike JH, MinHo realized early on that he liked Deoksun…err… BoYoung and he began treating her better while JH remained a jerk all the way to the end.
lol. If Dr. Ye “won” BoYoung in the end, it would be like JH 2.0 lost to Taec 2.0 all over again.
So what did MinHo do right?
1. It was pouring rain, and he picked her up in a white car. It’s a kinda cheesy but don’t knight come in white horses to save the damsel? Of course, we all know that this is the second time he picked her up when she was in trouble.
2. The sad music: he wanted to change it.
NW: Hey, it’s “In the Rain.” This is the perfect song.
MH: (glances at the rear view mirror and sees BY about to tear up.) I don’t like this song.
radio: Did you have to leave my heart like that? You left me out in the rain.
NW: Everybody sing it!
radio: My tears…
NW: Hey, why are you tearing up? Why are you crying?
BY: What? It’s nothing.
NW: You still have Dr. Ye. You may have lost the full-time job but you can be his full-time woman.
MH: Key, Kim Nam Woo. Be quiet. (I like it that he didn’t blurt out BY’s secret.)
NW: Why? Am I wrong? It could work out between them.
BY: It didn’t.
NW: What?
BY: I was rejected by Dr. Ye last night.
MinHo gives him a dirty look.
3. The food.
MH: Here. Eat what you like. You said you didn’t have breakfast.
BY: That’s okay. I’m not hungry.
NW: Why? MinHo bought these for you.
MH: Well, I wouldn’t say that. I just picked up a few more things since we were there already. (He’s downplaying it so she won’t feel “burdened” by his gesture.) Anyway, try to eat something.
BY: Thanks, Minho. But I’m really not hungry.
…
(after she gobbles up the bread and nearly chokes on it.)
MH: Hey. Wipe off your face.
BY: Thanks. I don’t want Dr. Ye to see me having a hard time. I decided to act like nothing happened. Imagine how hard it’d be for him if he knew that I was struggling.
3. The beach outing.
NW: This is your chance, Shin MinHo. Cheer her up. Take her to the beach and appeal to her by being a nice guy.
MH: Nah.
Dumb and Dumber squabble. He tries to break their fight.
MH: Ugh Stop it! Why do you guys fight every time?
Dumb and Dumber: (pleading with him like little boys pleading with their dad. We won’t fight if we go to the beach in your car….Yeah, let’s go. My head hurts from always being at the hospital.)
MH: Alright Alright. Let’s go to the beach.
Dumb and Dumber: Really?
MH: I’m kidding. If you want to go, go without me.
(seeing BY pass by.)
NW: Wow, she looks so depressed. What will we do with her?
Very subtle, right? She’s wearing a jacket with the words, “Another” on it. On the one hand, it can be interpreted that she’s the “another” man’s wife in that song that NamWon was singing the other day to tease MinHo. “When I first laid my eyes on her, she was another man’s wife…”
But on the other hand, I choose to interpret as a foreshadowing. “Another” means ” a different one.” In context of what Dr. Ye did to her, she’s going to fall for ANOTHER man this time. And this time, it’s going to be the Right Man. lol.
MH: Hey, I was kidding again. Let’s go to the beach Cry Baby Bo Young. I can’t stand to look at her being so pitiful. Let’s go.
I’m relieved that he’s so unlike Dr. Ye.
Who KNEW that he was the cause of her sadness yet did NOT lift a finger to console her. But heyyyy. Don’t get me wrong! I’m not calling HIM a jerk, okay? Dr. Jerk… I mean Dr. Ye is only hurting her because he really really really loves her. He’s not a selfish bastard like MinHo and he only wants to protect their image at the hospital so they can avoid all that hospital rumors that he hates. Plus, he doesn’t date people in the same field and same hospital as he is. You know? He’s totally not a jerk; he’s hurting her for her own good. One day she’ll thank him for this. Trust me…..
pffttt.
4. At the beach.
BY: Thanks for bringing me with you.
MH: No problem. Aren’t you glad?
BY: Yeah.
He’s not bringing it up that he did this for her. He’s letting her think that she’s a “stowaway.”
5. Food choice
NW: Since we’re at the beach should we eat roasted clams?
MH: Forget that. BoYoung what do you want to eat? (Notice this: he stops calling her by HIS nickname, “Cry Baby BoYoung.” In Reply 1988, JH called Deoksun derogatory names like stupid, all the way till the last couple of episodes.)
BY: I wanted roasted clams (lol. Dumb and Dumber really looked funny playing Charades with her, opening and closing their hands like clams.)
MH: Really?
BY: Really.
MH: Then let’s go. It’s on me!
6. Eating Abalone
Dumb and Dumber: This is delicious.
MH: Hey, give that to me. I’ll grill them. You eat.
BY: That’s okay. I ate lots already. It’s your turn. (her fantasy)
*Nearsea, I think this is what Oli meant about BY seeing Dr. Ye in MH’s place:
There were three guys with her on the beach that day. If she was to project this fantasy of Dr. Ye, she chose MH because she was subconsciously seeing in MH the same solicitude that Dr. Ye showed her at that restaurant. Remember? Dr. Ye was putting food on her plate. MH hadn’t shown that tender side of him until now.
Dumb and dumber fight again. Clam spits hot clam juice on her.
BY: Ouch. It’s hot.
MH: Hey, are you okay? (hands her tissues again). Geez, seriously (guys!) Eat your food quietly. If you don’t this food is gone.
I’ve explained all this “cleansing” part in another post. So I’ll mention instead how MH acts like a grown-up here. lol. The “jerk” is finally growing up.
7. Making sure the boys follow with the plan to cheer BoYoung up.
After BY gets slapped by seaweed and goes off to wash her face, he takes this time to reprimand Dumb and Dumber.
MH: Do you want me to kill you both? You two better make up. If not, I’ll just leave you here.
Dumb and Dumber still fight.
MH: Hey, are you really going to fool around. Make up already.
He tries to make them shake hands together when BY reappears.
MH: Are you okay?
BY: Yeah.
The two boys apologize nicely to Boyoung, and she tells them the same thing MinHo did, “Just make up already.” They notice the missing alligator and they search for it. BoYoung falls into the sea, and goes to get changed. He lectures them.
MH: You crazy bastards. We came here to cheer her up so how could you make her fall into the water. Way to go.
Dumb and Dumber: To be frank, we didn’t make her fall in…. That’s true. Bo Young fell in on her own.
MH: Do you want to say that again?
Notice this: he’s stopped laughing at her body gags. Previously, he would have laughed at her situation because she looked ridiculous with the seaweed slap and the water plunge. But now he stops laughing at her accidents, and dares his friend to blame BY’s clumsiness.
BoYoung returns dressed in their clothes.
MH: What do we do? Those are the only clothes we have.
BY: That’s okay. It’s nice and warm.
Dumb and Dumber: Our club uniform suits you.
BY: Really
This reminds me of a scene in Reply 1988 when Deokson went to China with Taec and she borrowed Taec’s pink sweater without him realizing it. She was dressed in Taec’ clothes. Just like BY was dressed in the boys’ clothes.
Dumb and Dumber: Should be we get some fireworks?…
MH: Why not? (distractedly)
Dumb and Dumber: Whoa!
MH: I’m kidding. Are we at a festival? Why would we set off fireworks?
BY: Why? I like fireworks.
MH: Let’s get some fireworks.
He immediately runs and buys the fireworks.
The rest I’ve already explained in my other posts.
Now, the tricky question is this: Doesn’t all of MinHo’s actions indicate that he’s the second lead?Usually, the second lead is the one doing everything for the girl while that jerk-of-a-male lead ignores and leaves her be.
Sure.
I think half of this episode is spent on a goodbye and closure. Or if we want to use a musical analogy since the episode began with a song, half of the episode is REQUIEM. The plot is about the repose of the dead. In this case, the death is her “crush” on Dr. Ye, and she’s burying it.
And the other half of the episode is spent on new beginnings. And the new beginnings are with MinHo.
Why do I say this?
First, there’s the poem, “It Only Rained After You Left.” She left and he didn’t go after her.
Second, the crocodile finally detaches itself.
Third, she had on a sweater that said, “Another.” She’s moving on to another chapter in her life.
Fourth, DefCon finally meet his match in Dr. Kim. lol. His funny story actually parallels MinHo and BoYoung’s. Did you notice? I’ll be brief –
To me, Episode 5 was about false impressions. His hospital colleagues, especially Dr. Park, thought that DefCon’s Great Love was Dr. Kim. But it turned out Dr. Kim had only been the “matchmaker.” He and Dr. Kim actually avoided each other because they hated each other guts. Now, in Episode 10, he falls in love with Dr. Kim.
Similarly, in Episode 5, MinHo’s friends all thought BoYoung was in love with him. However, as it turned out, BY was beginning to delude herself that she was romantically attached to Dr. Ye. because MinHo “hated” her. Now, in Episode 10, MH and BY are “rekindling” the old flame.
See that? lol. I told you I’ve been observing DefCon and the minor characters because their plot development ENHANCE the major story arc of the major characters.
Fifth, BoYoung’s imaginary conversations. A sad song, as NamWon hinted at, is cathartic because emotions need to be released before before moving on. BoYoung’s imaginary conversation with Dr. Ye is her CLOSURE. She was saying goodbye to her Imaginary Loveby what else? imagining that he was right beside her. A fitting method, don’t you think?
Sixth, the cleaning scenes. All her conversations were interrupted by a distraction followed by a cleaning scene, and the final one being a dunk in the ocean. I’ll already posted about this…
Seventh, the settings. The rain in the first half of the episode is actually a big cleanser. It washes away her pain. And the beach in the second half of the episode is also a big healer. It washes away her pain, too.
Eight, the poem, “Old Flame.”
I’m thankful for everything you’ve done for me.
As well as everything you haven’t done for me.
To repeat myself:
She’s thankful for everything Dr. Ye’s done to her. The kindness, the Ye Line, the approval, the special attention.
And she’s also thankful for everything he’s NOT done for her… specifically, that he did NOT LOVE HER. That’s why he’s an OLD flame because he didn’t reciprocate her love. And she’s okay with that; she’s at peace with that. Just like in the book, “It’s Okay If You Don’t Love.”
Furthermore, although MinHo does seem to be an Old Flame at first glance, it’s obvious that he doesn’t fit the last line of the poem.
As I’ve carefully enumerated here in this post, MinHo DID everything he could for her. Thus, BoYoung couldn’t technically thank him for “everything you haven’t done.” He’s done all that he possibly could.
By virtue of doing everything he did for BoYoung, he isn’t an Old Flame, but the NEW Flame.
Last but not the least, the JH’s revenge. As much as I poke fun at JH, I do feel sorry for him losing in the end to Taec. He realized too late that his jerk tactics wouldn’t work anymore when pursuing the girl. So, in this story, I want him to get his happy ending, too. Or at least his revised and improved version, MinHo.
Like MinHo, JH was the master of “Just kidding!” After he proposed to Deoksun, he PRETENDED that it was all a joke – “Just kidding!” – when he sensed that DS wasn’t interested in him.
This time, when JH 2.0 proposes, I hope he gets the girl. 🙂
Thank you for the post! Both this one and ‘Bo Young’s beach chimera’ have been phenomenal!
– Ah I realize now what Oli meant about seeing Min Ho in Dr. Ye’s place. That was a really clever find.
– And also the word ‘another’ on Bo Young’s jacket haha. The production team has been quite subtle with all the hints, and if Min Ho ‘is’ end game, then I must say I’m impressed with how they prepared the layout for this whole period, like you explained, part 1 goes to requiem/repose of the dead and part 2 goes to a new start with min ho.
– Erm, honestly when you mentioned JH’s revenge I thought you were going to talk about what Dr. Ye will do next since he saw that photo of Min Ho with Bo Young on his profile picture. I thought JH’s journey of confessing to Deok Sun could parallel how Dr. Ye will confess to Bo Young. But I don’t want to think too much about it at present. Since previews are soo misleading, so we never know how that’s going to unfold.
I didn’t even include the jacket trope. Lovebangwon mentioned it here too.
The “Another” was clever. Another man’s wife. But in the end, she wore (was it Minho’s?) gym clothes and his jacket. And she was ready for “another” go at love and romance. Boyoung is perceptive. She was thankful that Minho was there to help her AND she accepted his help even though she shouted at him to leave him alone and that she’ll handle her own pain and rejection. I guess, she couldn’t handle her own pain and rejection on her own, could she?
Let me confess. The truth is im team junghwan but i never involve in shipwar haha im not one of crazy fangirl don’t worry 😂
“lol. If Dr. Ye “won” BoYoung in the end, it would be like JH 2.0 lost to Taec 2.0 all over again”
I don’t think im ready for this but.. Im well prepare compare to before in junghwan case lol & i love that minho take action way earlier than junghwan while junghwan keep being a coward. What im worried about is that boyoung can’t see it or minho being friendzone 😢
Wow that “another” jacket explaination 👍👍
😂😈😂 a JH fan!! It’s a good thing you didn’t know me back then (or did you?). Every time I posted, I gave the JH fans anxiety and stress. But I tried to warn them that since Episode 1, the show was already leaning towards the Baduk Guy, Taec.
You see, JH played Chinese Checkers. 😱I said there was no way the props director would accidentally put that board game out there.
Baduk is a game beloved by the Koreans, and the character Taec was patterned from a real Korean Baduk top player.
In contrast, Chinese Checkers is a fake game. It’s not even Chinese. It’s a board game made by an American/German company which marketed it as a Chinese game. 😈🤣
So between a Baduk-playing character and a Chinese Checkers-playing character, who do you think would win? The baduk guy, of course.
I didn’t even have to fall in love with the actors. 😆 I was just looking at who was given more relevance in the script.
But yes, here if MinHo “loses,” it’ll be like JH getting turned down again.
About that jacket, it says “Another” and I did say there are two explanations. A Ye Liner can say “hey! That’s a clue for us.” (Lol. Are they looking for clues? I think they’re so confident that they’re main lead.)
And it is a clue for Ye Liners because she’s “another man’s girl” just like in the song that NamWon was singing.
But I can counter the Ye Liners and say that she was looking for 👉👉”another man to love” instead. 👈👈
And as I said, NamWon was spoofing that song all day long to tease MinHo. To me, that was like an inside joke for Boyoung and the way SHE was peeking. MinHo never did that. He didn’t peek through windows or curtains. As a matter of fact, he only looked up BoYoung’s window and said nope! Let dr Ye take care of her tears. He immediately changed his mind, when he imagined her passed out somewhere drunk and went looking for her. See that? He took action RIGHT AWAY.
But back to the sweatshirt…
Boyoung didn’t wear that “another” outfit to the beach and at the end of the day she exchanged her wet clothes into borrowed clothes from MinHo and company. I thought that was symbolic.,
More importantly, MinHo draped his jacket on her shoulders just like Taec did in Reply 1988. In EXACTLY the same way Taec did. Even their conversation was the same, that it’s uncanny.
Both of Taec and MinHo just put it on their girls. Deoksun and Boyoung protested. The guys knew that the girls really wanted the jackets but the girls were shy to admit that. So Taec said he was feeling hot and MinHo pointed out that she got wet so she’d catch a cold. The girls HAPPILY wore the jackets.
Read my post on Throwback Tuesday: Taec and Forrest Gump. I think I mentioned it there.
As for being friend-zoned. I don’t think so. Not as of Episode 8: the point of return.
Her breaking point was MinHo’s refusal to admit that he loved her. That was HER point of no return. She got mad bec MinHo wouldn’t admit and her “rebound” was Dr Ye. MinHo’s point of no return was BoYoung’s happiness.
Rebound = Dr Ye
I guess its my fault i was too focused on junghwan that i don’t realized or ignore the other clues haha. I wish i knew you earlier or read more about taek team reviews xD
Will i be okay if minho “loses”? Okay? Not okay? Okay? Lol i will try to be okay. Lesson learned 😂 yeah ye liner are so confident that he’s the main lead
I love that “another” explaination really hope thats what writer means. Im waiting for the day boyoung realize who she really loves. Minho need to do something that can open her heart again. If only hes the end game. Even if he’s not the end game im still glad I found your blog ♡
The writer was trolling HARD with that “Another” sweatshirt. 😂🤣😆
There’s also another explanation, too. Sure, BY’s a taken woman – like what NW said. But she wasn’t “taken” by Dr Ye but by Minho. She only fancied herself to be in love with Dr Ye. She was kidding (just kidding!) around when she sang on the stairs about “My love for Dr Ye has no limits.” But when Dr Ye happened to overhear her, she just went for it. She just said so herself during lunch. She told him that she loved him OUT OF CURIOSITY. 😂 I have to write about that whole staircase incident and accidental confession, too.
I’ve to blog about so many things but my time is limited. 😣 Grrr.
I’m excited about this post! Haha.
Take your time 😊
Just finished a long post on clothes. HA! Have you ever seen another blog do a commentary on freaking clothes? (I’m shaking my head… why??)
My OCD is plain to see. lol.