I’ll get straight to the point because I need to catch up with the backlog of dramas to write about.

Things that I like:

1. The floral title

This kind of extra attention to details makes me inclined to like this writer.

Since the story is about the Joseon flower crew, the writer uses flower to present the subject of the episode. Now, I still don’t know if the theme is supposed to experienced by ALL three main characters, or if the theme is relevant only to the male lead Hoon’s emotional development.

In Episode 3, the title is “Longing: Garden Zinnia.”

I think the theme of longing was shown during wedding procession witnessed by Lee Soo and Gaedong.  As she watched the procession, she remembered Soo’s words when he proposed. “Gaedong, do you know why there are two in a couple? So that they can carry each other’s baggage. If one of them tries to carry it alone, it’s too burdensome. Let’s live together.”

She roused herself from daydreaming and promised to find her “orabeoni” and Soo. “I’ll find both of you and return things to how they were. So please return to me.” This is obviously the “longing” mentioned in the title.

Releasing her dark thoughts, she yelled, “Kim Soo, you bad guy!”  As luck would have it, Kim Soo heard her, and moved to look for her. But his father/the Royal Guard suddenly appeared and pulled him away. His father warned him that his rash action would have them all killed. These words reminded Soo that he was powerless to act and remedy his “longing” for Gaedong. That’s the second instance of longing in the episode.

The third example of longing would be the scholar and his true love. He longed for her from a distance, but resigned himself to marrying a woman of his mother’s choice as filial son.

As for fourth example, Hoon’s, his longing isn’t easily perceptible.

To me, he longs for somebody or something to believe in. So far, all the marriage matches he arranged, have tested his ability NOT to be deceived by his his clients. I find it very interesting that he approaches his job with cynical eyes. He’s always in search of physical evidence and body language to prove that his clients are telling him the truth and aren’t concealing a dark secret.

So, in this sense, he’s longing for honesty and trustworthiness.

And to me, that’s one reason he finds Gaedong attractive. Unlike other people around him, she has absolutely zero filters; she says bluntly what’s on her mind without thinking of repercussions; and she isn’t manipulative. Sure, she schemes to earn money, but she isn’t conniving.

Of course, it helps, too, that he considers Gaedong pretty.

2. Hoon’s residence

lol. Did you notice it?

Hoon’s manor and his rooms have greater visual impact than Kim Soo’s new residence and rooms.

Also, Hoon’s residence is better smelling.

Gaedong mentioned this first in Episode 2. For someone who worked in the market and must be used to odd odors, she was disgusted by the stench coming from within the palace walls. Hoon explained that it was the horse-oil lamp only used in the palace.

In contrast, Hoon’s place must smell of fragrant flowers.

Gaedong couldn’t help gushing over the lovely interior decorations of his home.

I personally love the wall paneling

and the library. There’s an old-world charm to it that makes you want to linger and browse around.

Now, compare Hoon’s rooms to Kim Soo’s chambers. Soo’s room looks small, spartan and character-less.

And he sleeps on the floor while Hoon has a bed.

That’s a bed, right?

Gaedong couldn’t stop chattering about Hoon’s residence. Although Hoon didn’t say a word, it’s clear that he shares her pleasure in the beauty of his home.

It’s not surprising that the elegance of the Hoon’s house matches his refined taste, and Soo’s chambers looks like a temporary abode. Soo’s heart isn’t at home.

3. Marriage ritual

One of the things I like about this drama is the snippets of information about a wedding in Korea. lol. I’ve a vested interest: my son has been dating a Korean-American for a very long time now.

This is me.

Hoon explained to Gaedong that marriage is once in a lifetime. He and the crew do their due diligence to prepare for a marriage since it’s too last forever. For them, their job is a serious undertaking.

There are four steps involved in getting married:

The bride or groom sends a matchmaker to the other party to discuss the marriage. This is Eun Hon. (marriage discussion)
The groom’s family sends wedding presents to the bride’s house. This is Nap Chae. (wedding gifts)
The groom sends blue and red silks to the bride’s house. This Nap Pye.
The groom and his family go to meet the bride in person. This is Chin Yeong.
Joo Ja Sa Rye. (Four rituals of marriage) Only after these four processes are completed successfully can a couple become married.

But Gaedong still didn’t get the full import of his words. Later, she’d asked him why he studied so had when arranging the marriages of Lady Oh, the scholar Lee Hyung Ggu, and even her aborted marriage to Lee Soo.

Hoon: Hey, apprentice. In this country Joseon, once you marry someone, the binding is almost impossible to unbind. Despite this, most people get married without knowing what their spouses look like.

He means that most couples still marry without having met their spouses even once. In essence, they’re binding themselves to spend a lifetime with complete strangers. To Hoon then, it’s the responsibility of the matchmaker to “vet” these spouses very well to ensure a successful and long-lasting marriage.

Hoon: (continuing) So we must look into, listen, and inquire thoroughly in order to find them good matches. (he paused to let his words sink in.) However, we couldn’t do that with your wedding.

Wellll…the reasons the Flower Crew couldn’t research on Gaedong and Lee Soo’s nuptials were a) Lee Soo insisted on the match, b) Crewmember #2 insisted on taking the case because they were losing clients due to Gaedong’s unfair accusation, and c) he was outvoted.

GD: Matchmaker.

lol. For a moment there, she was moved by his words. She thought that he was apologizing for making a hash of her marriage. Instead, he turned accusatory.

Hoon: Thus, you’re my flaw.

There’s a double meaning here. On one level, he’s saying that he made his first and only mistake with her canceled wedding and runaway groom. She’s a blemish on his otherwise perfect record.

But on another level, she’ll definitely become his flaw in the near future. Meaning, she’ll be the exemption to his well-ordered and rule-based life. He doesn’t know it yet but she’s going to be his weak spot.

Hoon: My flawless matchmaking career is wrecked by you, over and over.
GD: I’m truly sorry for wrecking your perfectly flawless life.
Hoon: So, I’d like to leave my room as soon as possible. Got it, just-an-apprentice-who-could-get-fired-anytime?
GD: I’ll move out. I told you that my brother will come back soon.

lol. It’s easy to tell by the nicknames that he creates for her that she’s getting under his skin.

He called her “Stonehead” then “intern” and now he’s reminding her that she’s only there working for them on sufferance.

4. Good dialogues between the two main leads

It’s quite unfortunate that I find Gong Seung Yeon to be a terrible actress. Go ahead, fangirls, bite me.

I often blame directors when actors do a lousy job. But in this kdrama, I blame Gong Seung Yeon. I get it that this is comedic fusion sageuk and she’s supposed to ham it up a bit. But when she does her silly and exaggerated scenes, she only looks self-conscious on camera. She should learn from Oh YeonSeo.

Then, there are her angry scenes. Her facial gestures appear the same and her voice sounds the same, although she should have been expressing different nuances of anger: enraged, indignant, seething, irritated, resentful, sullen, outrageous, bitter, furious, goading and childish.

She’s just going through the motions: knitted eyebrows, clenched jaw, loud voice. But her eyes don’t widen, dilate, or blink. She doesn’t flare her nostrils. She doesn’t purse, tighten or bite her lips.

She’s lacking.

That’s why some dialogues come out corny and insipid although they’re supposed to be a key point in the episode. I like the dialogues because it shows two people getting to know each other’s faults, and liking them in spite of the faults, instead falling madly in love at first sight.

Take for example their argument after Hoon decided to take on the scholar’s wedding arrangement. He and Gaedong discovered that the scholar was in love with someone, but he was willing to forego the love of his life to please his mother.

Hoon said he understood and left. Gaedong chased after him to make him change his mind.

GD: Are you really going like this?
Hoon: He said he’s fine with it.
GD: Do you really think he’s fine? You told me to be the eyes and ears of our clients.
Hoon: So I’m being eyes and ears for him to find a nice lady.
GD: Thus, what must that lady do?
Hoon: It’s none of our business.
GD: Then, why did you try to find the lady?
Hoon: I just want to confirm whether it’ll cause any problems or not. I’ve already told you that marriage cannot be undone in this country, Joseon.

Gaedong thought they were looking for the lady to match her with the scholar and have a happily ever after marriage. But all Hoon wanted was full disclosure from his client. He confronted the scholar about the girl to know if the girl was going to be an impediment to a matchmaking. The scholar replied no so he was going to proceed.

GD: Is this what you meant? I thought that even though it may be difficult, bothersome, and unprofitable, being a good matchmaker is trying to find the best destiny for his clients. They are in love with each other.

She thought that matchmaking was about love. Hoon’s matchmaking was about matching two compatible people. Whether love developed or not, it wasn’t up to him; it was up to the couple doing their best.

Hoon: (his voice raised) People’s heart can change instantly. How could I process a marriage with only love when it isn’t even tangible?

What he meant here was he couldn’t arrange a marriage using only LOVE as a requirement when (based on his experience) love isn’t real and concrete. It’s unreliable basis for marriage he sets up, because he can’t see it.

GD: You only believe in things you can see? Or maybe you only see things you want to believe. I thought you’re just ill-tempered. But it turns out that you’re heartless. (poking heart)

She’s laboring under the misapprehension that he was heartless. She didn’t know that he took pity on her when heard her crying secretly. The man whom she had paid for to look for her missing orabeoni absconded with her money so he kindly gave her a few coins in payment for a (nonessential) job to comfort her. Listening to her crying, he said to himself, “Living like a stone head does not mean that the heart is also stone. You can cry.”

So, no, he isn’t missing a heart. In fact, he has a vulnerable and susceptible heart and that’s why he insists on protecting it by believing on only real and tangible things.

Lol. He doesn’t want his heart broken.

Hoon: (warning her) You’re just an apprentice who can be fired at any time. Thus don’t cross the line. (turning to walk away)
GD: Yes, I’m an apprentice who can be fired anytime. But let me just say one thing before you fire me. One day, you’ll be taught a serious lesson due to your heartlessness (thumps his chest). Don’t regret at that time. I can’t stand this. I quit.

To me, Gaedong’s behavior here proves exactly Hoon’s point. She’d been so eager to set up a love-match, but if things don’t go her way, she quits and bails out on him.

She continued to mutter as she walked away, “Who cares if you’re the best in Hanyang. You’re not yet a human.” Then she turned around to yell at him one more time, “I hope Flower Crew is ruined!” She kicked a stone out of her way.

Hoon looked pensive after she was gone.

If you watch this moment, you’ll see that the actor Kim MinJae’s silence is more compelling than Gong Seung Yeon’s outburst.

5. Ma Hoon

Let me see why I like this guy:

He protects Gaedong from his crew. He tells the Make-up Artist crewmate to stop insulting GD, and he butts in when the Tall Spy Guy crewmate, DoJoon, makes a move on Gaedong.

lol. Elbowing DoJoon and taking away the token Dojoon’s given GD,

and swatting DoJoon’s hand away from GD’s face

were two not-so-subtle signs of the beginnings of jealousy.

I like that he learns from his mistake. He made an embarrassing mistake of opening Gaedong’s room without knocking and caught her undressing. He quickly closed the doors again.

GD: Please make your presence known!
Hoon: (flustered) You should do, too.

lol. Does that make sense? Why would she notify him that she was inside her room and undressing?

But the next time he had to talk to her, he knocked on her door. Quick learner!

Moreover, Hoon thoughtfully arranged a step tool outside GD’s bed so she could step down easily. That was sweet — and timely. She was wearing a dress that morning so she did need a step-stool.

But what’s most remarkable is that he declares himself as her husband.

Obviously, the writer is trying to compare his declaration with Kim Soo’s declaration. He too had claimed to be her (fake) husband to get her away from the slavehunter. lol. I know which one I like better: Hoon’s.

Duh. It’s three against one. Hoon faced off against three guys – and one had a knife – while Kim Soo only had one dude to deal with.

And more importantly, he’s asserting himself as HER husband, instead of claiming her as his wife. Do you see the subtle difference?

Again, it’s more proactive and decisive. He’s saying that if the men have any problems, he’s THE husband.

GD: Sir!
Hoon: Let’s go.
Man1: She’s showing us some ladies so we’re so happy. Why are you interrupting?
Man2: This isn’t very well-mannered.
Man3: We asked you. What’s your business?
Hoon: I’m her husband.

Do you see it? To say “she’s my wife,” like Lee Soo did, sounds weak in this instance. However, “I’m her husband” is directly challenging the men to go ahead and fight him for her. He’s the husband.

I know I’m too old to swoon over such things, but they’re gems for people like me who like Jane Austen-y type of romance.

Next up, Episode 4 (hopefully).