For Throwback Thursday, I’m retrieving another long post from my “Warm and Cozy” days. I’m posting it here for two reasons:

One, to show how chemistry between actors sometimes involve the imagination of the viewers, and

two, to show that even after four years, @agdr03 and I haven’t changed much. I’m posting her reaction to my post, too.

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And thank you, kilaalaa. I felt like one of JJ’s text messages yesterday after I posted: caught in a timewarp. lol. I was stuck in soompi’s version of limbo because I couldn’t post again without my new post being swallowed up and merged onto that already long comment.

The problem with wanting a boyfriend after watching Warm and Cozy is that the guy might not live up to high bar of expectation set by Geunwoo and/or YYS. But I understand how you feel. I’m still laughing at the antics of my girlfriends when they fell in love with Mr. Darcy (I forgot the actor’s name) in Pride and Prejudice. We had a business trip in London not long after the BBC show was televised here in the US, and every time, a passably-handsome chap with an Eton English accent spoke to us, they would blush and get all fidgety beside me. It was hard to stay focused on tough negotiations, when most of girls on your team are already predisposed to fall in love with the opponents. lol.

But speaking of boyfriends, here let me talk about the “Fantasy Prince” theme for a bit.

Re. Fantasy Prince and the glass slipper

One of the things I like about the Episode 15 is how the elevator encounter fulfilled the requisites of a reunion as set by our OTP in Episode 1. Remember, JJ had told him to live recklessly, so SHE would fall in love with him. That part of the deal was already satisfied; she said so when she confessed over porridge in the restaurant.

But GW has yet to fulfill his side of the bargain. He’s supposed to recognize her and fall for her “greatness”. This is how JJ fantasized about their reunion, back in Episode 1. She had just left the fancy restaurant where she saw him dining with his equestrian teammates.

But this was JJ’s reality at that time —

When they met at airport to Jejudo, he technically didn’t recognize her at first sight. It was her name of the stand-by list that alerted him to her, and even then he took his sweet time staring at her and biting his nails before he identified her. He was totally wrong about JJ being a “cool” person. In fact, she was at the end of her tether at that time with all her problems. She was about to lose her cool. lol.

Notice how they were able to get onboard together because of a baby. I guess, babies play an important part in their past, present (Hanbyul), and future (the three kids) lol.

However, his “promise” to fall for her at first sight only comes true in Episode 15, at the elevator encounter.

But the Hong sisters being the Hong sisters, the “promise” is executed in a TWISTED WAY. (Plot twist!) Instead of just recognizing her, he’s absolutely SHOCKED to see when the elevator opens. He recounts to the town Ahjussi, “I thought I’d go crazy when I saw her holding the baby.” lol. I like that idea. Him, going silently insane, because when you look at his face, his shock doesn’t register on it. He has a stoic face, but deep down inside he’s screaming.

Then, instead of just assessing about her “cool” appearance, GW is studying her appearance for any resemblance to the cute baby because he’s trying to determine the baby’s parentage. He’s skirting around the issue of the baby, though. He doesn’t ask direct questions.

 

JJ: (talking to baby) Let’s go see your Papa.
GW: It’s been a long time.
JJ: Yes…When did you get here?
GW: Today.
GW: What about the baby?
JJ: Yeah. He’s not feeling well. Might be the shot he got today.
GW: Really… (elevator opens) Get in.
JJ: Okay. (he pushes stroller in). Thank you.
GW: Which floor are you headed to?
JJ: Third floor.
GW: The baby’s cute. Does he…look like you?
JJ: Yes, he looks like me, doesn’t he? (door closes)

If you read the dialogue as is, nothing seemed to be going on. It sounded like a conversation between strangers who happened to cross paths at the elevators. But since we know the history of the couple, we are mentally filling in the dialogue. Like this:

The bold words in blue are the words we WOULD imagine them thinking in their heads.

(door opens)
JJ: Let’s go see your Papa.
(he hears her first, and then they she sees him)
JJ and GW: This isn’t happening. Oh god, tell me this isn’t happening.
GW: It’s been a long time.
GW: But it’s been only a year. How can this be? Have I waited too long?
JJ: Yes.
JJ: Long time? Yes, waiting has been long. But why didn’t you tell me you were coming?
JJ: When did you get here?
JJ: I could have met you at the airport. I have so many things to say to you. Things you didn’t get to hear. I’m sorry.
GW: Today.
GW: Who’s the baby? Oh god, I thought you’d wait for me. I don’t want this.
GW: What about the baby?
GW: Who’s the baby? I didn’t know you got married. Who’s the father? Is the baby yours? It’s not possible you could have forgotten me so quickly. Tell me about the baby.
JJ: Yeah. He’s not feeling well. Might be the shot he got today.
JJ: The baby? Oh yes, this baby in my arms. You think I had a baby with somebody else?!! Believe what you want to believe.
GW: Really… (elevator opens) Get in.
GW: OMG. You better leave fast while I can still hold all in. I’m not breaking down now in front of you
JJ: Okay. (GW pushes stroller in). Thank you.
JJ: OMG. I have to leave now before I start bawling.
GW: Which floor are you headed to?
GW: Let me send you off. This is the least that I can do.
JJ: Third floor.
JJ: Door closing…door closing…hurry. Don’t look at him anymore.
GW: The baby’s cute. Does he…look like you?
GW: Waaait, JeongJoo. I need to know. Is the baby yours? I’m sure the baby isn’t yours. There’s no way the baby can be yours. But I want to hear it from you. Say it.
JJ: Yes, he looks like me, doesn’t he? (door closes)
JJ: (exhales)
GW: (sighs)

See? The sparsity of their words can be so eloquent. That’s why the actors are critical to this rom-com. They have to emote what’s not being expressed in words. With a makjang, the big action (like splashing the water into the heroine’s face, lol) communicates the message. But here, we have to rely on YYS’s eye movements, and Kang Sora’s averted gaze to tell us how devastated they must have felt at this brief encounter. I think they did superb.

The other interesting thing about the elevator encounter is the Fantasy Prince theme. In Episode 1, her friend teased her about crushing on her Fantasy Prince Baek GunWoo, who rides on a black horse. BTW, did anybody notice how GW is often dressed up in white pants, and those stylish jackets with the collar raised up? He was wearing a brocade jacket in this episode. Very subtle, but look at how a Disney prince looks like…

Hidden Content

(sorry, folks, I can’t remember what I hid under spoilers and soompi ate it already) 

The Hong sisters and the director played around this Fantasy Prince plot in a TWISTED WAY, too. The glass slipper is the baby rattle.

BTW @nonski, this is purely speculation, but I think the reason we had TWO different shots —

one, with JJ coming out of the elevator with the baby rattle, while GW’s running down the stairs to catch up with her — this was in the preview
AND the other one, with JJ getting in the elevator with the baby, GW finding the rattle, and running up the stairs to catch her – this was the one in the show

is because they made last-minute script revision. The second scene fits better with the Fantasy Prince storyline. Like this:

JJ is like Cinderella who drops a glass slipper (baby rattle). The Prince finds it (GW almost stepped on it), and chases after the fleeing Cinderella down the castle staircase but she disappears in the night. (GW chased JeongJoo UP – not down. It’s a plot twist! — three flights of steps but she’s already disappeared down the corridor.)

Later, when GW cannot control his curiosity and anxiety any longer, he goes to find out the identity of the baby’s father. He searches the entire the third floor and uses the return of the rattle as an excuse to find out the real parents of the baby. This is similar to the Prince using the glass slipper to seek out the real princess in his kingdom.

It’s kinda fitting then that, as GW is kneeling down to give the baby the rattle, the mother discloses JJ’s secret crush on him and calls him “Fantasy Prince”.

Kneel down, Prince!

Which kinda reminds me of this warning joke to boyfriends NEVER to suddenly KNEEL DOWN and tie their shoelaces in front of their girlfriends, especially when the Eiffel Tower is behind them.

You see, this poor girl thought she was about to receive a marriage proposal when the guy  just tied his shoelaces. ouch.

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My good friend’s @agdr03’s response. hahaha.

I want to compile ALL of your posts @‌packmule3

I did notice GW’s collar and white pants. but before reading your posts, I just thought he looked HOT in them hahaha now I know better! and as usual, you are soooo right! he was the Fantasy Prince 🙂 I wonder if YYS and KSR were told about all of the underlying meaning of it while they were filming? one thing is for sure, if not for your posts, I would have missed most of the connection and I would only have been half full 🙂 Thank you soooo much for making it more meaningful and wonderful at that! :wub: