Ha! You didn’t think I forgot Ep 6, did you? I’ll combine my review and my trope-recap here.

1. The tsundere hero

Jung Hyuk’s cold rejection of Seri’s request for a souvenir photo must hurt her badly. But we knew that it was all for her own good. He didn’t want to show any affections for her so she could cut ties with him cleanly.

We know that Jung Hyuk was acting tsundere here and a tsundere male is a kdrama trope.

2. The badass bodyguard, Mister Ri

He saw that she wasn’t resisting SungJoon’s hold on her hand,

but he still jumped on the poor SungJoon, spoiling for a fight.

To be honest, when she called him a bodyguard, the image of Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston popped in my head with Ms. Houston belting out, “And IIIII will always love youuuuu.” The bodyguard trope is nothing new. Its other versions are the protector trope as seen in “Extra-ordinary You,” and guardian angel trope as seen in “Angel’s Last Mission.”

Of course, we shouldn’t miss how Jung Hyuk looked at her when she called him her “bodyguard.” He didn’t like his demotion from her “fiancé” to her “bodyguard.”

3. Bowl haircut

I’m bound to forget to mention this so I might as well post this now.

Take a note of Jung Hyuk’s bowl haircut. This is what I call his pre-“saranghae” hairdo. In kdrama, after the guy realizes that he can’t live without the girl, he’ll have a  hairstyle make-over. 🙂

As previewed here:

So, to those people who wonder whether they’ll end up in Switzerland… I think so.

4. They’re in a “some” relationship — or because I’m learning Hanggul, a “ssum” or 썸

For all intents and purposes, Seri and Jung Hyuk are in a “ssum” relationship. Ssum comes from the English word “something”. It refers to that ambiguous, undefined, and amorphous stage in a relationship when the two people begin to have feelings for each other but aren’t ready to confess and admit to them.

Trivia for kdrama newbies: the word “some” was popularized by this hit song in 2014.

Anyway to get back on topic…

JH: Bodyguard?
Seri: What can I say? I can’t tell him that I’m engaged in North Korea.

Did you see that? He wasn’t protesting. He actually expected her to introduce him as her “fiancé.”

Seri: (continuing) And it’s not like I lied. You’re protecting me right now, Jung Hyuk.
JH: Not protecting. But keeping my eyes on you.
Seri: What’s the difference?
JH: They’re clearly different. I’m not the person who follows you around to protect you.

He blocked a falling luggage. Seri watched him.

JH: (continuing) Like what I said, I’m doing is strict supervision.

He removed her from the path of tourists. Seri eyed him.

JH: (continuing) I’m, so to speak, like your superior. How could you call me your bodyguard? You should never say that.

He trapped a rolling soccer ball. Seri broke her silence.

Seri: Mr. Ri Jung Hyuk. That is what a bodyguard does.

5. Coincidence or Fate?

Frankly, I don’t even know why they’re fighting over this. They’re obviously fated.

Seri: But just like SungJoon said, the fact that we met here again could be because of a peculiar fate.
JH: (scoffing) Do you think fate is that simple?
Seri: I almost got married to him and I met him again here. It’s not that common.
JH: Then, for instance… I mean, this is just an example. You fell from the sky all of a sudden and I found you. You ran away and but ended up in front of my house.

Did you notice that he didn’t bring up their encounter in Switzerland? That’s a secret he’s probably going to keep from her till the end.

Seri: It’s just a coincidence.
JH: What? That’s not it! What YOU said is a coincidence.
Seri: Why are you so aggrieved over something like this?
JH: That’s not what I meant. I was merely clarifying the distinction.
Seri: Why? Jung Hyuk, do you want to be my destiny?
JH: It’s not like that.
Seri: Fine. Let’s say that fate brought us together. Let’s put it that way.
JH: You don’t have to do that.
Seri: After all, this is a cross-border encounter. Let’s go with that.
JH: I said you don’t have to.

I already told you that I suspect that Jung Hyuk recognized Seri. Now, I’m going to tell you that I believe Seri also recognized him. At first, it was easy for me to excuse her not remembering him. She could be suffering from some sort of selective post-traumatic amnesia.

However, she knew he looked familiar. In Episode 2, at 1:01:22, she thought his face looked familiar when she studied his recital brochure that she’d dropped.

She saw that he was visiting Switzerland as a student. His academic year 2007-2008 was clearly written on the form. And she would have known that it coincided with the time that she visited the country.

Thus, when she muttered, “I’ve seen this face from somewhere,” I interpreted this  comment of hers to mean that she was curious to know where she’d seen him in Switzerland. She was trying to place him. Thus, when she mentioned seeing his music pieces in Episode 3, and chatted nonstop, she was actually attempting to sort things out in her mind.

Ep 3 at 13:03

Seri:  By the way, have you been to Switzerland? Well, I wasn’t trying to be nosy. But I happened to see your book collection. One’s book collection usually reveals a lot about one’s personality, character, taste, and so on, you know. But I have to say, you have a lot of books that deal with dark subjects. Also, I saw something that doesn’t suit you at all. Piano sheets. I also saw a concert brochure. And what was it? The City of Basel Music Academy? (see that? She read it and memorize it) I can play the piano quite well myself. I don’t even need the sheet music to play Für Elise. (he chuckled) You used to play the piano too?

Of course, she knew the answer since she saw his picture on the recital brochure.  But she was chattering because she was looking for confirmation. But meanwhile, back in his bedroom, he simply listened to her and didn’t respond to her questions. He looked at his hand.

Seri: If that’s not the case, do you have a girlfriend who plays the piano? (no answer) Maybe he actually does.

My take here is that she sensed that his reluctance to share any information about his stay in Switzerland, so she didn’t press him further.

Then in Ep 4 at 48:30, she tried to see again if he would open up about his stay in Switzerland.

Seri: (seeing the coffeemaker) Wait, you had this?!
JH: Yes. During my study abroad.
Seri: Did you study abroad? Where? Is it in Switzerland? What did you major in?

To me, she’d be a very stupid sort of CEO if she couldn’t connect these simple dots. Of course, he studied piano.

Piano sheets + recital brochure + piano application form ≠ PhD program in thermonuclear physics

My take here again is that she was giving him an opening to discuss his study abroad. She didn’t want to pry if he didn’t want to volunteer the information first. Of all people, she understood the need for privacy because she too was withholding from him. She’d been to Switzerland for assisted-suicide and that moment in time for her was also something she wanted to keep private.

She only disclosed her ordeal in Ep 5 at 1:07:38. She didn’t go through the details, and she used the euphemism “jump off the train” for her suicidal thoughts.

Seri: …There is an Indian proverb that goes, “Sometimes the wrong train takes you to the right station.” It was like that for me, too. Throughout my life, I always felt like I was on the wrong train. One time, I wanted to give up. I didn’t want to go anywhere. So I thought about jumping off the train. Look where I am now. (laughing) I took the wrong train again, and a very wrong one at that. It even got me across the 38th parallel. (he sighed) Nevertheless, you should think about the future even if things don’t always go as you wish. I wish you could be happy even after I leave, Jung Hyuk. I want you to arrive at the right station no matter which train you took.

That’s why this whole conversation about coincidence and fate was very interesting to me. They were both skirting their first encounter. I’m sure that, by now, both of them already remembered their first meetings but were pretending ignorance. Both of them thought the other person didn’t remember their chance encounter in Switzerland so neither of them wanted to mention it first.

Edits. I’m going to re-post a response I wrote to BeachyGene in the Crash Landing on You: On Proust, Updated because I know I’m going to lose track of this comment.

Yes, it’s totally possible that she hasn’t remembered him at all BUT that will definitely bug me. 🙂

There was this fusion sageuk we watched here two years ago…”My Prince for 100 Days.” IIRC, the whole focus of the show was the prince’s amnesia. I could understand him not recognizing the girl because of his amnesia, but what was the girl’s excuse? Why couldn’t SHE recognize him? If “true” love was predicated upon the hero’s ability to remember her, then why wasn’t the same standard applied to the heroine? When the prince apologized for not remembering her, I was wondering when would she apologize in turn. lol.

But in the end, I had to make allowances for the screenwriter because it was apparently her/his *FIRST* work. (shrug emoji)

With this drama, I’m still trying to find out if there are any indications that she remembered him. I’m just going with my expectations of her as the astute businesswoman/future CEO of a conglomerate: she SHOULD remember him. She already thought he looked familiar when she saw the brochures.

To me, that night when she was asking him about his days in Switzerland, she chattered nonstop but she was asking leading questions to encourage and prompt him to be more forthcoming. She was trying to find out where they could have crossed each other’s path while they were in Switzerland, without revealing that she’d been there at the same time. She was still jogging her memory.

She must have been curious about him…I would have, if I were in her shoes.

Then, during the breakfast coffee scene, I thought she feigned ignorance. If she could READ SungJoon’s motive for taking her out on a lunch date, then how come she couldn’t add one plus one, and deduce that Jung Hyuk was in Switzerland to study music? Why did ask him, “Did you study abroad? Where? Is it in Switzerland? What did you major in?” with that wide-eyed innocent look on her face?

To me, she was lying then…but in a good way. She was trying to ferret information because she STILL knew next to nothing about this guy. He knew more about her than she did about him.

That’s why I think she’s hiding the fact that she remembers him. Perhaps, when he appeared in the market with the scented candle, she finally remembered their meeting in Switzerland.

6. Love parallelogram

Veteran kdrama watchers can spot this a mile away. If Jung Hyuk has Dan, then Seri has SungJoon. And Dan and SungJoon will end up together.

7. Elevator scene

I like this scene in the elevator. They both expressed their concern for each other because of the partners they were abroad to meet.

Seri thought that Dan looked fierce enough to kill Jung Hyun in a fit of jealous rage.

Seri: You look fine though.
JH: Why wouldn’t I be fine?
Seri: I though you’d get shot. She was shooting the laser bean from her eyes.

On the other hand, JH thought that SungJoon was a good-for-nothing conman.

JH: Are you sure you’ll be okay by yourself?
Seri: I’ll be fine. He’s someone I already know. I can’t say that he’s a really good man, but he’s not that bad.
JH: You should get rid of pincers even when you eat a cooked crab.

Meaning, she should still be vigilant. A leopard doesn’t change its spot and she could still get herself hurt.

Seri: What about a cooked crab?

She was implying that she could handle SungJoon because SungJoon was on the run from her family. SungJoon was “dead meat.”

JH: A clumsy person like you should be careful of everything. Someone you trust is the first one to stab you in the back.

Seri: (suddenly changing topic) That’s dangerous.
JH: What?
Seri: Your eyes. Those I’m-in-love-and-I’m-worried eyes.

JH: (confused) What eyes?
Seri: Don’t fall for me, Jung Hyuk. It’ll only make things weird.

This is projection on her part. She was actually the one in danger of falling for him.

JH: (checking her forehead) You’re not running a fever.

This is another trope, you know, checking the forehead for fever. But kudos to JH for doing it the right way. He checked her temp with the back of his hand, not his palm.

Seri: (swatting his hand away) Stop touching me. Don’t have a crush on me. I can’t do anything for you.

Again, she’s projecting. She’s actually the one who’s badly crushing on him.

JH: I don’t understand why she keeps talking nonsense.

8. Bad mothers-in-law

She’s scary.

But I must admit, THAT was the signature power hairdo in 1990’s. Many women here in Washington DC styled their hair in that bouffant bob. My hair was done up like that (although mine was less voluminous).

9. Coffee culture

When Dan and Seri met in the ladies’ room, they had a very dust-up without hair-pulling.

Dan: You go to a hotel with one man and have coffee with another. I must say you’re very sociable or are you just slutty?
Seri: Why? I already had coffee with the guy I came to a hotel with. Earlier today.

From what I know about Korean dating, lunches and dinners are still paid for by men during dates. But the women, if they enjoyed the company, will spring for coffee after the meal.

That’s why, to me, when Seri let Dan know that she had coffee with two guys that day — and one Dan’s fiance! — she was telling her that yes, she was shameless hussy, and she’s proud of it.

10. “Best wishes!” to the bride

There’s a reason that the proper etiquette at weddings here in the US is to congratulate the groom and to offer best wishes to the bride.

You congratulate the groom because he won the lady’s hand in marriage.

But you never EVER congratulate the bride unless you want to insinuate that she chased after him and worked hard to trap him as her mate. You say, “Best wishes!”

Now, this is what Dan’s uncle said.

Uncle: What did you do on your face?
Mom: Ya! You should know that this face made Dan fix her wedding date. (chuckling like that villainess in the “Little Mermaid.”)
Uncle: I guess there’s nothing she can’t do with that face. I’m happy for you Dan. You’re getting married.
Dan: Is it a good thing only for me?
Uncle: Of course not. Your mom must be happy too. So you and your mom has finally realized your wishes.

Ouch. Do you see what I mean? He should have told Jung Hyuk that he was the lucky one to have a beautiful girl like his niece Dan agree to marry him. Instead, he only made it embarrassingly obvious that Jung Hyuk was coerced into the marriage.

To Dan’s credit, she just let her clueless uncle be.

11. First Snow

I discussed this already.

But here’s another trivia. The first Korean melodrama I watched was “A Millionaire’s First Love” (2006), starring … can you guess who?

Hyun Bin.

It featured first snow and death. So for the longest time, I thought first snow was an ill omen. It was during Reply 1988 when I learned that first snow was a good omen for a relationship.

And here’s another trivia. In Hyun Bin’s last kdrama, “Memories of the Alhambra,” the first snow trope also figured. He reappeared on the day of the first snow.

12. Misunderstanding Trope

Seri: Is my head heavy?
JH: Yes.
Seri: Hold on. If this small face of mind is heavy for you, your shoulders…why do you bother carry around your broad shoulders? You should get rid of your muscles here. Just put up with me for a little while more. My head is heavy because I have a lot on my mind.
JH: Why do you have a lot on your mind? You’re going back soon. Shouldn’t you be liking it?
Seri: I’m liking it. It’s the liking part that’s giving me a headache. Because I like it. You don’t know anything.

For me, there are two ways to interpret this (there’s more, but I’m limiting myself to two because I’m sleepy now, lol).

The first interpretation is the obvious one. Most viewers understood it this way, too. They immediately sensed that Seri wasn’t really referring to going home when she said that she liked “it.”

By “it”, she meant staying in North Korea. She’d begun to like living in North Korea,  because of him, the squad, and the village ahjummas. Therefore, to leave the country was giving her a headache.

Jung Hyuk got it wrong when he assumed that she wanted to go home soon.

The second interpretation is more convoluted…but stick with me, okay?

The second interpretation connects to their first goodbye on the boat in Episode 3. Remember their conversation? She was thinking of the family strife that awaited here.

From Ep 3:

SR: Although it has only been a few days, it feels like I’m returning after a few years.
JH: I’m sure it feels the same for those who await you. A second feels like an eternity when you don’t know if your family member is alive.
SR: I don’t know… (then she decided) I doubt that. (meaning she doubted that they were eager to see that she’s alive) I will know once I return if my safe return makes them happy or flustered. I’m quite loose-lipped today. I simply told you because I know I won’t see you again.

Back in Episode 3, Seri already expressed her skepticism that her family would be relieved to see her return. She doubted that they would be happy to see her alive. She knew that her homecoming might not at all be good news to her siblings.

But now, in Episode 6, she had changed her mind.

She told Jung Hyuk, “I’m liking it. It’s the liking part that’s giving me a headache. Because I like it.”

Meaning, She was, in fact, looking forward to returning back to Seoul. Despite all the uncertainties waiting for her back home — from the uncertain homecoming, the renewed sibling rivalry, to the open hostility as they fight over the company’s leadership —  she actually preferred returning home to staying in North Korea.

Why was that? 🙂

It was this realization that she was “liking” the idea of returning home that was causing her headache.

You see, she was running back to South Korea and leaving North Korea because she was afraid of staying *with him.* It dawned on her that Jung Hyuk posed a much bigger threat to her happiness and her mental/emotional stability than her family could ever be. She could handle her family issues with a poker face. She could compartmentalize her feelings when she dealt with them.

But she couldn’t deal with feelings with Jung Hyuk. She would become vulnerable.

So she was going to run away — exactly what her Ex #3 once accused of her doing. Remember?

She was hightailing it out of North Korea before she found herself deeply attached to him.

That’s why she grumbled, “You don’t know anything.” She meant that HE didn’t know that he was the cause of her headache.

Will edit this tomorrow when I have time. 🙂