There are new lurkers coming to the blog daily so I’ll repeat what I said before. This blog is a safe space for Flower Gardeners.
If you’re a FGer without a password, please email @nrllee and @miracle23 at bodflowergarden at gmail.com.
If you aren’t a FGer, then please exit this thread. DO NOT duplicate, broadcast, publish, or redistribute any material from this blog without my permission. DO NOT use my blog to agitate your fans and increase your views on your social media.
These Throwback Thursday write-ups were posted last year during Season 1. Reviving these posts serves four functions.
First, it gets us ready for Season 2.
Second, it allows viewers who just discovered HP Season 1 know that there’s an alternative choice to WG and SW+IJ, and that our reasons are sound, reasonable, and deductive. Unlike fangirls, I like a character based NOT on looks, “feels” or “relatability.” I’m too old and bitchy to relate to most of these characters, anyway.
I like a character based on his/her laudable qualities…as I interpret them, of course.
Third, it provides HP newcomers and lurkers in this blog with a forum to express their opinions. Based on my experience, if they cannot find anything – not even a single one? – to comment on in the last sixteen (and counting) Throwback Thursday posts, then I highly doubt that they’ll suddenly alter their passive mode, and find something to contribute in the Rewatch.
Fourth, it gives me the opportunity to gauge whether newcomers are legit FG. I’m sorry to do this screening, but WG have pretended to be FG or “neutral posters” to try to get in the protected threads. They’re the Trojan Horse… kdrama version.
So, I say this to all newcomers and lurkers to the blog —
Most of my HP Season 2 reviews will be password-protected. If you want to read them, please start joining the discussions in the Throwback Thursday posts or any open HP threads. Participation will determine access to Season 2 reviews.
🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
***warning: lots of pics***
If you’re a psychic (snort) Reply series viewer like me, then this Episode is sending telepathic waves.
“Look, folks! I can read their thoughts! pwahahahaha.”
I didn’t want to write this because I didn’t want to rub salt in the IJ fans’ wounds but these have to be said.
These episodes are the same:
Reply 1994 Episode 4 = Reply 1988 Episode 2 = Hospital Playlist Episode 10
I’ll tell you why in a bit. First, let’s discuss the highlight scene of this episode. And nope! It wasn’t Ikjung’s Con Artist’s Proposal.
Songhwa received a text saying that her package arrived.
Songhwa: Why did it go to the medical office? Jeong-won, can you come with me? This package is quite big.
JW: Sure.
IJ: Go. I’ll clean up.
If you noticed, two guys were there with Songhwa. But without hesitation, she chose JW. She was reading her text, and as soon as she looked up, her eyes latched onto JW. She didn’t even spare IJ a glance.
That’s a clue, Husband Hunters!
IJ: (asking) Hey, what did you buy this time?
I already pointed out how demeaning his behavior was when he MADE Songhwa recite that Eat Slowly “pledge,” right? I say NO thinking Bitch should accept that kinda crap from her man.
Well, this comment of his is also unacceptable. His question is fault-finding. He could have simply asked her, “Oh, did you buy anything interesting?” But when he questioned her “Hey! what did you but THIS TIME?” that additional “THIS TIME” showed the difference between ACCEPTANCE of a financially independent, grown woman’s buying habits and HYPER-CRITICISM of her said habits.
This question “What did you buy this time?” implied that she’d been buying a lot of non-essential things and this purchase must be another one of her self-indulgent purchases. That was a passive-aggressive question.
Songhwa: A wood stove.
IJ: A wood stove?
Again, what did it matter to him? Last time I checked doctors have separate paychecks so why did it matter to him if she bought a wood stove? Was she starving him?
Songhwa’s face fell and she instinctively turned towards JW for comfort.
At the same time, JW looked at her to gauge her reaction to IJ’s answer. He immediately grabbed her shoulders, wrapped an arm around her, patted her, and tucked her to his side. He walked her out of the room, and she leaned her head on his chest.
JW: Good choice. Do everything you want to do to stay healthy. Great purchase. Well done. Well done. Well done.
This was a significant milestone. One, this was the first time Songhwa had ever sought physical comfort from one of them.
And two, this was another way JW protected her. Remember? I told you his verse in the featured band song of this episode mentioned “protection.”
You’re my loved one.
I will make a silent promise
That I will protect you until your tears run dry.
In the distant future, when we reminisce about this day,
If we can give each other a kiss
In the whole wide world, for a very long time
Out of all the people, I will only love you.
In the whole wide world, for a very long time
Out of all the people
I am grateful that I met you.
Then, on the way back, JW lugged the big box and followed her. She was on the phone and didn’t notice that he had stopped to talk to a child. When she turned around, he was already on his knees chatting a former patient.
Songhwa was smiling at his interaction with the child.
lol. When a girl looks at a guy like this, she’s wondering how he’ll be like as the father of her children.
He was talking still about the child as they walked back to her room.
Then, out of the blue, she told him, “Jeongwon, get married.” Jeongwon, let’s get married.”
Updated 5/20/20
According to new poster, jjaein11:
Hwa originally said ” 정원아 결혼 하자” which the actual meaning is “Jeongwon, let’s get married”. Soooo, i don’t think the writer made her said that just for nothing.
He stopped and looked at her.
There was no close-up shot. But his face had a surprised expression.
She then said, “Find yourself a nice lady and get married soon. Or have a baby first. Think about how adorable your own kids will be.”
He returned the compliment. “You hurry up and get married. You love kids too.”
She denied it, “I don’t love kids that much. But I love my nieces and nephews. Uju is so cute. I haven’t seen Uju in a while.”
Now, here’s why I said that::
Reply 1994 Episode 4 = Reply 1988 Episode 2 = Hospital Playlist Episode 10
All these scenes have two things in common:
One, a package. All the episodes referred to a package that the endgame couple had to carry or bring.
In Reply 1994, Episode 4, the heroine received a package for her husband. She had to go to the lobby and pick it up from the concierge. Back in time, she also had to wait on a package from him. She didn’t know that the package actually contained a present for her.
In the past, Trash told her to wait for the delivery. This is when I knew that Trash was the husband and I dropped the show. lol.
Reply 1988 was more subtle.
In Episode 2, Deoksun had sent Taek to pick up some comic books for her at the library. The mothers teased her because she had the guts to order Taek around, like he was her personal slave, when Taek was worshiped like a “god” by the nation because of his baduk talent.
Two, a proposal was made. And the proposal wasn’t “flashy.” It was said as a joke and taken as a joke.
In Reply 1994, Trash asked her to marry him.
In Reply 1988, Deoksun teased Taek to grow up so he could marry her.
His reaction afterwards.
Incidentally, in Reply 1994, there was one guy who always played with a baseball. Chilbong.
Just saying…. 🙂
There’s a other few camping links I found.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BP3j_Y7qXzvE8rf0PwIrwWy5K9h1n0CUcrMUXgjxXdo/
Thanks @pkml3. I don’t think I feel drawn towards Reply 1994. I’ve yet to finish Reply 1997.
We know that it’s quite normal for human beings to re-work, re-hash and recycle ideas/methods/styles, but never have I come across a PD-Writer team who do it in such an in-you-face kind of way, and who are proud of it!!!
Hello there everyone! I’m looking forward to HP S2 soon!!
@pm3 – thank you for these Throwback Thursday posts. This particular post (and episode) was definitely one of my favourites, because IMO it sealed the deal for FG. The way I see it, it’s just a matter of time before everyone figures out the right thing for themselves and each other.
@nrllee thank you also for the camping links – so many clues and unsubtle refererences there. It’s a lot of fun to unpack!
Welcome back @pickleddragon! So good to see everyone popping back in after a long hiatus. 🙂
@GB haha! I suppose I like to order my favourite meals repeatedly, so I guess the writer doesn’t mind repeating the “favourite dish” for the viewers. Although I think HP presented it in a more subtle way. I only have Reply 1988 to compare with. In 1988 Taek and Jung Hwan interests in Deoksun are articulated so it was a lot more obvious. In here Chi Hong and IJ have confessed so I can imagine it will be a surprise later to some viewers when they find out that JW is the true love.
@nrllee thanks for the Ji Won reference. I didn’t pick that up at all!
I’m so ready for Season 2.
Yes @packmule
I remember the package scene from R94. It was important and hinted us about the end game.
And I believe it is too in HP!!
I don’t know why but I was happy when SHwa smiled looking at JWon talking to his patient. And when she told him to get married. I remembered when I first watched that scene my heart skipped a beat.. 😅😅
Made me imagine about what kind of expression that JW would show if SHwa didn’t continue the sentence with “find yourself a nice lady …”
haa..
Thank you @nrllee for capturing the camping link. I would never realized It’s the same Jiwon.. if it’s not because of you.
Hi all. I almost get impostor syndrome sometimes since I go on silent mode, and feel like a lurker every time I come back :).
It took me your posts on the rewatch to get a jump start on HP, and boy am I glad I did. I am not up to date due to a high season at work, but getting there before the start of Season 2.There has not been one episode where I haven’t at least cried or sincerely reflected on our own blessings. What a wholesome watch!
With that said, and without full knowledge of what being a Flower Gardener means (other than a specific preference for what apparently is not the couple of great popular demand), can I join the club? Will email separatedly with a formal request.
@packmule all these throwback posts are really making me gain interest back in the show again. Thanks for taking the time to make these posts every week.
@nrllee you’re so impressive! I have no idea how you manage to notice all those little details every time.
I agree with you packmule about songhwa choosing jeongwon over ikjun to help her with the package. Normally when I like a guy, he’s the first one I ask for help when I can’t do a task. Also can we talk about how jeongwon went to help songhwa collect something she loves and songhwa witnessed him doing something he loves on their way back? The marriage talk? Then him asking her to take over ddl something which he loves. This too right after she asked for his help for something she loves? Idk this interaction just felt like they’re both choosing each other as the first person they trust with the things they love.
@GB same here. Now I understand why people said Reply 1988 is the best among the Replies. I am still in EP 2 on both 1994 / 97.
@IcedFireAngel, I empathize with your confusion about the term Flower Gardner. There are those who have contributed a lot to the discussions about Hospital Playlist during the hiatus between seasons, and others like me who took time away to delve into other dramas. The ingroup has developed a language that they understand well because they’ve been speaking it amongst themselves without a break. My time away from watching and discussing Hospital Playlist nudged me into the outgroup; I admit to sometimes being mystified by terms others comprehend, and I previously comprehended but have now forgotten. A translation guide would be helpful to us outgroup folk who are trying to claw our way back into the ingroup.
I remember that Winter Gardeners are those who root for the JWon + Jang pairing. Is it because Jang’s full name refers to winter?
Flower Gardeners refer to those rooting for SHwa to end up with JWon. If I recall correctly, SongHwa’s name refers to a kind of flower.
Where the Gardener part of the terms comes from has completely slipped my mind. Does it have something to do with Ahn JeongWon’s name?
How did JWon become PG? I vaguely remember the moniker developed from some derogatory words describing his behavior with Jang in Episode 12.
@Near I wouldn’t have been able to do it if not for all the added insights and eyes here at BoD. They act as springboards to go hunt so more and dig even deeper 😂. Not just for this drama but for other dramas too eg Doom At Your Service where we have a resident Greek with great insights into mythology and philosophy. It all serves to stretch the mind.
@IceFireAngel send a request to the email BoDFlowerGarden and we will take it from there. 🙂.
@Viva I thought it was just odd what JWon said to the little boy. How many little boys do you know who like camping? They are usually holed up playing video games? Anyway, that’s what set it off and then I went searching for a link back to SHwa who is our camping Queen.
@BulmaGoku IKR! Yes Reply 1988’s interactions on both generation’s levels were the sweetest. And I find Reply 1997’s couple trajectory the clearest to follow, with the most revealed early on. I guess that’s because it was Shin-Lee’s first ‘show’ with the guess-the-husband theme. By the time they come to HP, they’ve honed their skills to hide and deceive/troll as much as to reveal. So as for HP, I need all the help I can get from this blog, LOL.
So much is hidden in plain sight, or deliberately hidden by editing and camera work, so we need to keep our eyes and ears peeled and play the guessing game.
@GB I don’t think it’s usually running so much in the background. With all the other Reply series, it was clear there was a hunt going on and the potential couples are there in the “open” for you to pick from. The difference with HP is the band theme. I think that’s why FG as a couple isn’t overt. I keep getting taunts from other shippers saying we’re dreaming this all up. But it’s the band theme. Most will only hear the melody. The rhythm section plays in the background, often unnoticed. As soon as I read that LeeShin picked specific instruments for each character to play and they wouldn’t budge from it, I knew it was something that was critical to the plot line. Then someone here mentioned that there was an instrumental in R88 named FlowerGarden which I then picked up as the actual rhythm segment incorporated in the song that they play after every ep? And it is the actual OST (they got someone to write a whole song around that FG instrumental) released at Ep10 (which is THE ep where the casual marriage proposal happened between JWon and SHwa)? It can only mean one thing. It had to have been deliberately woven in there. It’s too much deliberate effort otherwise? How can it possibly be pure coincidence? 😂
Like Shwa, Shinlee create their own coincidences.🤭🤭🤭
How do the Koreans exclaim … it sounds like “hweowl!” LOL. Thanks @nrllee … I don’t have a great ear for recognising melodies, however it’s one piece of homework I don’t mind doing. I found the Flower Garden Instrumental of R88, now trying to hear where it is in Ep 10 of HP.
♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪ ♫꒰･‿･๑꒱ ₊⚛⁺(ؔ꒨◡ؔ꒨)ᵌ
@GB the OST for Ep10
https://youtu.be/oksNjjNb7UU Beyond the Rainbow Forest. It plays at the end of every episode in HP1…just the jingle.
https://youtu.be/NFgcV9CJWdE Flower Garden from R88.
It’s not hard to pick up. Only because as an OST it’s oddly rhythmic and steady right through? Most OSTs have this very distinct crescendos and lyrical/melodic style. This particular OST was just very odd musically. It almost seems bland and boring 😂
And to hide it more they totally write a different title in English. The korean title is 넌 따뜻해 which means You are warm. 🤭
when SHwa uttered to JWon, “Let’s get married”, Jwon heart must have skipped a beat and he kept glaring at her, she must have not been able to deal with his emotional change and hence she changed her next sentence. You can see there is a pause there, and then he catches a breath. It was nice to see them flirting in a non flashy way.
I know you did not cover about IS and Jwan (or may be I missed it). How do you feel their relationship is? To me it felt very toxic. Her first is not JWan and that was like a red tape to me. The minute JWan had to find out about her going abroad from Ahn, you can see the disappointment in his voice and facial expressions. But he tries to cover it then at the lunch table with Songhwa and IJ and Ahn. Later when Jwan was on the phone with IS , he skirted it out too. To me that felt like he lost something. If the two are paired up, it will be just like his first girlfriend drunk and driving. I would like to hear from you folks what you thought of that kind of behavior. Is it normal in a marriage or a relationship?
IJ and his attitude towards SongHwa really p*sses me off. He reminds me of someone near and dear. I feel that his behavior is pretty abrasive and inconsiderate of him without thinking about her feelings. I am surprised that she did not put him in his place when he was instructing her in the dining hall or when he was cynical about her buying a camping stove. There are few other instances – which I have forgotten but – such a partnership is doomed too. It might have been intriguing and a learning experience at 20, but definitely not 40. I hope Shwa realizes she deserves better than how IJ treats her – more like a child than a partner.
Thanks so much @nrllee. I get what you’re referring to now. So by adding in the rhythm and bass that is similar to that of the Flower Garden OST, Shin is very quietly inserting the phrase ‘flower garden’ into all the episodes of HP. And he has insisted that it is SHwa and JW who play the rhythm and bass. I am in awe of the hidden-ness and subtlety once again!!!
@nrllee now I understand what you mean about rhythm section in a band. They always overshadowed by melodic section, specially the main guitar. In many cases, the guitarist always tend to belittle the bassist because the bass is considered easiest intrument to learn and to play. This is very much applied on IJ’s attitude towards SHwa. We tend to forget that bass sound is the one sound that we recognize since we were born because it is the sound of a pulsing heart.
Hello! I was waiting for this Throwback. I remember this post specifically because it was also the turning point for me as an FG supporter. This made me realize I need to rewatch the whole show several times since I apparently missed a lot of the clues. 😂
But even at the start, I didn’t feel strongly about the obvious pairings. I couldn’t rewatch any of IJ’s confession to SW. She looked awkward and uncomfortable in all of it. And I also didn’t like how he always looked down on or mocked her for the things she enjoyed. JWon and Jang on the other hand felt so forced and rushed. Not much was planted throughout the episodes to warrant that payoff at the end, even with the flashbacks. So even as a casual viewer then, it felt like it was unearned and out of nowhere. It was so obviously one-sided until it wasn’t.
And just to add, the director’s reaction in the latest bts of HP S01 (ep 12-1) was very telling and it gives away how he feels about Jang’s version of “love”. From the subtitles, Shin PD was cringing when she said that she liked JWon the moment she first met him. He said, “Oh gosh I can’t stand that” and I felt the same way. The concept of “love” at first sight is not cute or romantic. It’s just naive.
I also watched Reply 1988 because of the comparisons to HP and I really liked it. It felt so much like HP with the comfort and warmth of friendship and genuinely good people. And I don’t know if this makes sense, but I see JWon handing over DLL to SW (also in ep 10!) being somehow similar to Taek giving his Fujitsu Cup trophy to DS as her souvenir. Both of them handed over something that gives them honor and pride without making a huge fuss. And I think I prefer this quiet type of love. Confession is not flashy and all that jazz.
So there, hi everyone! Excited for Season 2! 😊
Aha! So you were one of the lurkers, @vkat.
Welcome to the blog. Thanks for reminding me about the Fujitsu Cup.
I remember now that Taek’s dad wanted to give the bananas to Sunwoo’s sister, and Taek asked him if he could get one banana to give to Deoksun. The father said something like, “of course, you can have as many bananas as you want because the fruit basket was his prize anyway from some tournament.
And here we have JWon giving DLL to SW. That’s his prize possession, he worked hard for it. You just have to be a special sort of stupid not to see the implication there. He wasn’t merely being kind. Kind is when he was handing out ketchup packets to Jwan or chocopies to that deplorable Jang. The DDL was his secret project all those years, and his sacrifice…and he gave it to Songhwa.
And yes, Jang’s version of “love” is nauseatingly infantile. I didn’t know that the director himself couldn’t stand it. lol. Thanks for sharing that tidbit about the BTS.
@vkat that was telling wasn’t it? Shin’s reaction to that scene when Jang confessed “love at first sight” to IJ. He said it was cringeworthy. And he even got IJ to film a second version (for the DVD) where IJ pretended to throw up in disgust? 😂. Now why would Shin think it was cringey? Instead of saying, “aww…so cute.”?
Yes @packmule3, it was only revealed in this week’s BTS. Shin actually edited out IJ saying, “You’re making me cringe”? 😂
https://i.ibb.co/2yngNZD/A251-EB8-D-670-D-4-EBB-AF7-E-AE901-F7-F15-E4.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/HGtzS39/C63160-F5-0-F36-4-FD2-83-E1-C9-F06-DCD5614.png
https://i.ibb.co/TKLRK1N/2-F9-CCDFB-5271-4-FD5-A7-A8-CE3701527-BA3.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/XCyHZMS/A481344-E-B0-A2-4-EB9-9-F9-E-F6-E91-F7-DEDDF.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/ZWXs55N/4-D7-D1-BCB-5-CAA-4-EB4-AEF5-CCE58233-C433.jpg
Thanks @vkat and @nrllee. Straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.
On the one hand this should silence some of those more reasonable of viewers who think WG is endgame. But on the other hand, hardliners will want to fight all the harder. They may say the BTS was staged as well LOL.
PS @miracle23 I remember you mentioned that it was customary for the person who “liked” someone else to do an aborted confession (in all the Reply series)?
Like when SHwa aborted hers when she said, “JWon-ah”… he looked at her, “yes?” and then she aborted… “O it’s nothing”.
Jang did the same with IJ in the courtyard scene. Packmule and I had already surmised that her feelings towards JWon had changed after he refused her by lying outright. So Jang was ready to confess to IJ in the courtyard… and she did the same thing… aborted.
https://i.ibb.co/QN4DhZN/5-FE028-CC-CFB4-41-BE-AFB8-72-A7-CB452-D4-E.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/DbFygW7/450570-C0-9776-4626-BF60-57030-D26-F215.png
https://i.ibb.co/7RWYH3G/FA5-CF677-56-BA-4909-B4-EF-A5-C172-A409-F4.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/MBY67dp/C38-F557-F-AF58-42-D2-8029-3521-D8970-E51.jpg
Welcome @vkat! That is a good catch on the bts. I skipped that part cos I don’t waste time watching idiot be idiot. 🤪
Yes, @nrllee. Kanaya made a post at tumblr about this. In reply series this line is used to indicate endgame to designated couples i.e. najung x trash (R94), taek’s dad x Sw’s mom (R88).
Similar to R97, the script used for Taek x Deoksun is slightly different. It was a conversation they had the morning after the dream kiss. Deok Sun asked was he dreaming of her, & what dream? He answered, “Nothing it was nonsense”. In reality, Deok Sun knew it was not a dream but she let Taek thought it as such. She was avoiding the fact that the kiss actually happened😅
Meanwhile, Deok Sun had same moment with Junhwan in Ep. 10. However, instead of avoiding it with “it’s nothing”, she told him right away that she was going to a blind date. 😂
In R97, Siwon was dozzing off when Yoon Jae said to her not to get close to Jun Hee because it bothers him. She asked him when she woke up, “Did you say something?”. He replied, “No.”
I told Kanaya about these two, prof-resident. They had the same line. Here, we knew she wanna confess about either:
1. rosa’s request and how should she go about it, or
2. if it’s ok to confess to PG, or
3. if PG really is leaving, or
4. about her current feelings, or
5. all of the above.
The thing to note is her line when Ikjun asked whether he should call PG. She said, “안돼요, 그럼 다치세요!” which literally translate, “Don’t, then he is going to get hurt!” Why would PG got hurt? One would wonder. That is for S2 to explain.
Anyway, this girl needs to pick a struggle. Focus on improving in herself in her work or lives up to her delusion. Her residency story and her crush are the lamest out of all residents. It’s not even cute, pfft! It made her looks dense and stupid. And no, it’s not even a reasonable development of a love story. She does not know a thing or even care about him, what he wants and what his passion is. Her objective is set in stone from Ep. 3 i.e. to be his girlfriend, makes him leaves priesthood 🙄. Who is she trying to fool? She was shown to easily quit on her patients 3 times, one of which she suggested to PG. PG has always been shown to do his best to save his patients. Not a quitter. If she cares to understand him (after those hours of following his tail), to get to know him inside out, she won’t even say that. By Jwan’s definition, she is not a doctor. 😏
She is just like Ikjun. They both just focus on what they want out of Shwa x PG.
Thanks @miracle23 👍
Hi! Yes, I have been lurking for some time now. 😅 But since HP 2 is starting, I didn’t want to miss out on the discussion so I decided to join in. Thank you for the welcome, @packmule3! 😊
Also, just to add on what DLL means to JWon, I remember that time when they were in the tteokbokki place (ep 8) and JWon, with pride, shared that his late father did pass something down to him. The others were probably expecting money or property, but it was actually a monthly donation to an orphanage. This is the kind of thing he cares about. So it would make sense that he’d want to entrust his DLL program to someone who he thinks would care as much as he does and capable of handling the responsibility that comes with it. That was SW for him. He believes in her that much. That’s not a small, simple thing by any means.
@nrllee, yes! That instruction from Shin PD to throw up was funny but it has to mean something, right? If he is that opposed to the idea, I don’t see this working out for Jang if she’s still pining after JWon.
@vkat yup! He didn’t do that with JWan and IS scenes? Why would he be so affronted by this scene when Jang was telling IJ about her falling in love at first sight? Or say it’s cringey? He didn’t do it for SHyeong/MinHa scenes either? When they ate ramyeon together? It’s the WG love arc that he doesn’t like. 😂. Enough for him to tell IJ to pretend to throw up. I have high hopes that the kiss is a dream sequence. And it never happened. It happened in IJ’s romantic mind.
If you send an email to BODFlowerGarden (gmail account), I can send you links to more articles (mine and other FGrs) to read if you want. I don’t know how long you’ve already read them before or not.
Hello fellow Flower Gardeners! I’ve been a ghostreader all through 2020 when Season 1 was first released, and when the password-encrypted posts were first introduced, I became too busy with school work to come up with a proper introductory post to join this lovely community.
To be honest, for the first half of season 1, I had been watching the drama half-heartedly. I began watching because of PD Shin, since I had enjoyed his Reply series immensely. However, because I watched those long after they were aired, their endings were spoiled for me before I even started. So watching them lacked the thrill of the guessing-game and hint-hunting like it does now with HP.
Like most half-hearted watchers, I thought the romantic interest would be Jun Wan at first. After all, he seemed to possess the traits of most k-drama leads – protective of SH, having tsundere qualities, and the lighting of the drama seemed to change whenever he was onscreen. But when it was revealed that he would go on to pursue IJ’s sister, while I didn’t completely see it coming, it didn’t feel so much of a loss. It makes sense now why I would have felt that way – no matter how much PD Shin used cliche cinematography to fool us, no matter how half-heartedly you paid attention to the drama, you can tell when two characters have chemistry – and not even of the actor’s performances, but in the way the script is written. It didn’t make sense, and so it doesn’t.
To be continued…
Posting April’s comment. –pm3
***************
Hello fellow Flower Gardeners! I’ve been a ghostreader all through 2020 when Season 1 was first released, and when the password-encrypted posts were first introduced, I became too busy with school work to come up with a proper introductory post to join this lovely community.
To be honest, for the first half of season 1, I had been watching the drama half-heartedly. I began watching because of PD Shin, since I had enjoyed his Reply series immensely. However, because I watched those long after they were aired, their endings were spoiled for me before I even started. So watching them lacked the thrill of the guessing-game and hint-hunting like it does now with HP.
Like most half-hearted watchers, I thought the romantic interest would be Jun Wan at first. After all, he seemed to possess the traits of most k-drama leads – protective of SH, having tsundere qualities, and the lighting of the drama seemed to change whenever he was onscreen. But when it was revealed that he would go on to pursue IJ’s sister, while I didn’t completely see it coming, it didn’t feel so much of a loss. It makes sense now why I would have felt that way – no matter how much PD Shin used cliche cinematography to fool us, no matter how half-heartedly you paid attention to the drama, you can tell when two characters have chemistry – and not even of the actor’s performances, but in the way the script is written. It didn’t make sense, and so it doesn’t.
Then I stumbled on a YouTube channel that analysed IK/SH and WG. It was about lines and line-crossing and it got me interested in blocking hints PD Shin could be giving us. Alas, I’m not well-versed in film theory so I could never get immersed in their theories and sometimes felt like they were taking subtleties to an extreme and seeing line-crossing where there was none (off the top of my head, I can think of the rain + coffee scene at IJ’s house). Still, it gave me the push to see if anyone else was publishing similar theories. Theories that would make sense to me.
That’s where BOD comes in. The in-depth analyses, each “point”/theme having recurring so much in individual episodes or across the character arc that it fills an entire post effortlessly. My favourite observations are in those which point out the character goal and shifts, and theories stemming from hard facts. Examples include: IJ’s sudden interest to find a maternal figure for UJ after his divorce, IJ’s disregard of SH’s wishes for anyone to accompany her for her biopsy results showing his distrust in her ability to take care of herself (my favourite observation, honestly), or IJ make her recite her “spell” before eating as if she’s a child, honestly just felt like an annoying friend. Definitely not husband material LMAO. There’s a fine line between banter and patronising and although I appreciate IJ as a character and he’s definitely entertaining and a great father, that didn’t rub off well if he was pursuing SH.
And most IMPORTANTLY – the first snow theory. Seriously, it blows my mind how in-depth you guys go and how thoughtful you guys are when watching each scene. Now, whenever I rewatch the last episode, I honestly feel like I’m in on a secret, seeing SH gaze out the window. What incredible attention to detail – on the PDs, and on you guys.
I can’t wait for Season 2, but I’d be lying if I wasn’t equally waiting for the hot discussions and theories to binge after each episode as recovery. This blog has single-handedly made HP my top-2 favourite k-dramas to date, here’s to pulling through the waiting game with you guys, my fav dramatic, entertaining, yet insightful and attentive bunch!
Welcome to the blog, @April.
Your post had an emoticon that wordpress doesn’t recognize so it kept blocking your post. It’s the emoticon with the colon-quotation mark-close parenthesis.
Come to think of it, we didn’t discuss the biopsy here. If I were Songhwa, I wouldn’t want anybody to come with me because it’s a private matter. Don’t you just bring a partner, a spouse, parent/daughter, or very close friend to that kind of thing?
But Songhwa said no to the guys. And JWan, JW and SH respected her wish.
But IK invited himself to that doctor’s meeting, and then after that, he swanned into her office and dropped off coffee as if he had the every “right” to do that for her. Yuck.
If Songhwa had felt anything more than friendship for him, then she would have used this new development/this new closeness to further their relationship. Remember this was Songhwa: she brought her camera to that Freshman Night Orientation to take a photo of the guys, AND she brazened it out and said she could simg, AND she was famous in her church for her “entertaining” song/dance-and-praise routines.
But no, she kept her distance with Ikjung. She kept him at arm’s length whenever he initiated familiarity and closeness.
And what snow theory did you mean? We have so many theories I honestly can’t remember which snow theory you meant. I’ll have to repost that when the time comes.
@packmule3 I think the snow theory was the “being together at first snow” theory. Which is consistent through all the Reply series.
It was interesting wasn’t it? When JWan mentioned that something was up with IJ (with his divorce), SHwa didn’t involve herself. She stayed away. She had no such qualms showing up in Ep1 with SH in the basement when he first got back from the US. Or when SH’s dad died – she showed up first without any of the boys (who came later). She feels safe with SH because their relationship boundaries were clear. She was happy to entertain all the others on one on one occasions. Even IJ. Until he started to make her feel awkward. Like ChiHong did. For all those who say IkSong should sail? Shippers never asked SHwa. They are just telling her that they would make a “cute family” or that she’d be a “great mom”. Marrying her off without asking for her opinion. 🙄. That was what that whole domestic scene with them sharing a table sipping coffee after looking after a sick child was trying to portray? It was a “wouldn’t it be nice” setting. The IJ there was nothing like the real IJ. Plenty of marriages have failed when the parties only see what they want to see. It takes more than just “wouldn’t it be nice” for a marriage to last a lifetime.
Yes, when IJ said nothing would give more pleasure than to eat with her at the breakfast table and have coffee with her, I would have rated that lie three rolling eyes 🙄🙄🙄 out of 5.
@packmule3 moms pick it up real fast 😂. The shifty eyes. The out of character talk and mannerisms 😂. Nice try buddy. Trying to pull a fast one? Try harder. 😂
@Packmule3, speaking of eye rolls: JWon did a big one in the box carrying scene with SHwa. He faces her directly after her “Let’s get married” and for a silent pause, but turns away from her with a big eye roll when she goes into her “find a nice girl” spiel. I assumed he reacted so because she sounded like his mother, nagging him to get married instead of becoming a priest. But could his reaction have been sparked because he knows SHwa so well as to recognize she was backpedaling and no longer speaking sincerely? Do you have a favorite translation of that eye roll?
@nrllee That kiss really was odd, wasn’t it? It’s one of those scenes I couldn’t rewatch even before I found out about FG. Maybe because it wasn’t what I was used to watching in HP? It felt out-of-place. These tearful dramatic confessions that end in kisses I expect from other shows but not here. I also felt like I wasn’t watching JWon in th
But yeah, from how bothered IJ was when Jang didn’t tell her anything when they were talking in the garden, he could easily have made a whole scenario in his head.
*I also felt like I wasn’t watching JWon in that scene.
@vkat exactly. There was NO lead up. He barely spoke a word to her before that? He didn’t take her out to dinner like he promised during her first surgery. He made zero effort to get to know her outside of work. Never asked her about the guy who drove her into work (IJ did though? 😂. That’s what you do when you like someone. Scout out if they’re available. Who the competition is 😂). JWon didn’t care? And then the kiss happened. He took advantage of her in that office when she was at her most vulnerable? She was downright groveling? No woman should need to do that to get her man? It’s not romantic. It was demeaning? If you want to kiss a girl, you treat her well. You show her how much you value her AS A PERSON (an interesting one you want to get to know) before you get physical. She’s NOT just a body. She has a brain, and likes, and hobbies etc. That’s why you couldn’t rewatch the kiss. It’s not a resolution of a long awaited build up. It felt sleazy and predatory.
Not sure if you’ve already read my takes on it but here it is
The kiss and the Background music
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y0Zv7vqKajXUDHdCTHaxspP_hFWb67ZVl8t8lokWCsI/
How to cook up a dream
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1htvji22S9TB8FQkHAPB9GpmVEi6S9p8XUoI6ZoC3sdI/
Cinderella
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ue0ikmEGnWXSdUVrWjhO6zarWQ9oGLyo7WhQZSAEXHU/
Thanks for the articles, @nrllee! How can you track down the music? That’s amazing! Some of them just sound the same to me, especially the instrumental ones 😂.
On the theory that it’s a dream, the evidence really piled up upon rewatch as you’ve listed. I’m curious to see how they’re going to address it in season 2, whether or not it really happened.
And on IJ being set up for Jang, did you see the BTS clip of him and JWon talking in the smoking area? The subtitle was interesting. When he said Jang was looking for him, it said there: “My Gyeowool is looking for me.” He also refers to Ik-sun this way I think so maybe he really just uses it as endearment, but still… Seems oddly intimate for someone not family (and also sounds like something a fairy tale prince would say, if I may add to your point 😅). Seok-min was also teased earlier that episode when he referred to Seon-bin this way during their lunch out, so it has that connotation. So it is a little sus that he’s using it for Jang. He also called her this when he asked her to have coffee with him in ep 9.
This episode when I realized JW and SH together it’s like magic, I instantly forgot about the other “love-line” possibilities . I’m pretty sure FG will happen. their chemistry on screen (BTS especially Camping Life) is undeniable, it would be a waste not to use it in the drama. Can’t wait for S2.
Thank you for the GIFs @packmule ❤️ It cure me after watching ep 12 bts last night 😂 this blog is my medicine
Hi everyone! First time poster here. I have discovered this blog during CLOY days and ever since, I’ve been reading around here for the group’s drama analysis. It amazed me how observant the people are in this blog to the point that some of you can predict something that will happen episodes later. I also check on the “What Shall We Watch” posts to see any other interesting recommendations from the group. Though I have been lurking in this blog for a while now, I never got the chance to comment since I feel like there’s nothing I can say that hadn’t been said yet. With HP2 approaching though, I can’t imagine myself not being able to read the group’s discussions since there are plans to make the posts protected. So here I am, mustering up my courage to share my thoughts. Some of these might had already been mentioned but these were things that I had noticed while watching the show.
When I began watching Hospital Playlist, I always thought that SW will end up with one of her four friends. That always seems to be the case when you know she’s the female lead. As early as Ep 2, during the dinner scene, I narrowed down the likely pair to only either JWan or Jwon. Jwan and SW showed a close relationship even in the earlier episodes. As for Jwon, he was so attentive to SW during dinner which left me the impression that the two of them are closer than the other guys. At this time, IJ was married so I ruled him out. Nothing also stood out in both SK and IJ’s interactions with SW.
By the end of Ep 3, when Ik-Soon showed up, I had the feeling that she will be Jwan’s loveline. This is because in the previous episodes, there were several times when Ik-Soon became a topic of Jwan and IJ. So when the injured IS finally showed up in front of JWan, all those topics felt like a build up to that moment. This then left the likely pair to only JWon.
In the next episodes however, there was not much shown development between SW and Jwon’s relationship. It also made me wonder if I though wrong. In Ep 6 however, I was once again given hope. During the previous episodes, it was obvious that SW and JWan are close. When SW asked the boys to dinner (to tell them about her biopsy), she called JWon and not JWan even if the two share the same office. This makes me think that she feels closer to JWon than JWan. Also, after the phone call ended, JWon was quick to judge that something is up with SW. From a phone call alone, he can deduce that something is off about SW even if she acted that she was alright. For me, this showed that JWon knows SW well enough and he is closer to her than what is shown on the screen.
But of course, after that, there was not much development once again until Ep 10. JWon was having a headache and when he drank medicine, it seemed like he was going to SW for advice regarding his headaches. Also, between IJ and JWon, SW asked JWon for help to carry her package – the guy who just had a headache. For me, it seemed like SW sees JWon as someone she can rely on. And this is the same case for JWon when he passed on his DLL project to SW. Among all his best friends, SW was the one he can rely on to entrust with his major project (and to think that he was thinking about this since Ep 1).
In the last episodes, there were several interactions between SW and JWon and I was not at all surprised with these. Since the beginning of the series, I had the impression that they were closer than shown onscreen and this was confirmed with the last episodes. For me, their really close relationship was not at all a surprise since it had been there all along. Even since Ep 1.
This is why I can compare their relationship with that of JWon and Jang. Ep 12 was really good until the last like 15 minutes. Jang asking JWon to choose between his faith and her was such a big turn off for me. It was also insulting to JWon’s faith and it is really disappointing if JWon actually responded to her romantically. All throughout the series, their relationship simply looked like a one-sided love. And for a man of faith like JWon, his faith and beliefs must be one of the non-negotiable things even when it came to relationships. The way JWon acted towards Jang is the same way one acts around you if they don’t share your romantic feelings. I really can’t imagine how the two of them could be the endgame.
This is why I truly value this space. I am so glad that there are people who share the same sentiments as I between the relationship of SW and JWon, and JWon and Jang. It makes me realize that I am not at all crazy not to ship WG. Lol. Hope I can be with you all as we continue paddling in our canoe through season 2!
Hey,I just discovered this blog after watching hp season1 and btw i am a flower gardner 😁.
When i saw this scene for the first time, i was like –” don’t say get married girl,say LET’S GET MARRIED” and then when i finished the season,i was surfing through reddit to know if there was someone like me who shipped these two, thats when i got to know about this blog and literally my life changed 😂 this blog just has so much information that i didn’t knew was there, right on the screen and after reading that they will be the endgame. I really thought that i could die in peace 😭.
Thank you so much to all the the people who created this, i am loving this so very much.