The thread is now open for analyses. If there’s enough interest in this drama, I’ll open a new thread.
Source: yesdramas’ tumblr
Enjoy the show.
105 Comments On “Our Beloved Summer: Open Thread”
Comments are closed.
The thread is now open for analyses. If there’s enough interest in this drama, I’ll open a new thread.
Source: yesdramas’ tumblr
Enjoy the show.
Comments are closed.
Yay! Thank you for this thread @pkml3. I agree… let’s just keep it to one thread for now and if interest spills over, we’ll ask for more threads.
I’ll leave off adding my Ep 3 notes here until we’ve discussed Episodes 1 and 2.
I eagerly watched ep1 and 2 back to back but alas, That probably was not a good idea because I slept thru ep2. LOL!!! Will keep an eye on this thread to see if it’s going to trigger me to rewatch and continue.
the actors make convincing high schoolers! They looked young! But I can’t believe that they are still that immature after all these years (although the spraying of water and sprinkling of salt was funny). I guess it’s the absence of closure on their relationship and how it ended.
@Janey, I’m thinking that perhaps they are more mature generally, but once the 2 of them get together, petty, childish hell breaks loose. LOL.
They will certainly need to bring their past to proper closure before they continue into whatever relationship they choose to. The lack of understanding of the past, and their entrenched ‘wrong’ conception of the other are going to be huge hurdles to surmount.
Thank you @Packmule3 for this thread!
Let us see what will happen this week.
Ung feels betrayed by YS, Yeon Su is devastated by his accusations.
But in a way the Director was messing with them. As I have written in the December thread, business like he did a hell of a move, but as person to person he should have discussed it first with the agency and then with the artist Koo-K if he would accept that.
So in a way, Director is more childish than those two.
Watching this too! I had a lot to say about episode 3.
Up to episode 3, I knew the titles relate to movie titles but I can’t figure out episode 4 title and if it is even related to a movie at all.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXfpHCnpzR-/?utm_medium=copy_link
This series reminds me of Yumi cells, the nitty gritty details about relationships, family origins, values etc affects their self value and how they relate to others.
Yeay! The drama that makes my Monday bearable. Thank you, packmule3!
I am really enjoying this one. I love how they try to show us the different perspectives of each character. Every sequence is up to different interpretations.
Anyway, there’s a theory going around on twitter about Yeonsoo’s grandma being an illusion, which I think is plausible and very heartbreaking. I don’t know what kind of emotional wreck I will become if this turns out to be true.
Here’s the link if anyone wants to read it. I am excited to read your thoughts on this:
https://twitter.com/heynideas/status/1470645666405707780?t=o7BxLMwh-Ot6dLOtnMz2Og&s=19
@goldenashes97 Thanks for this link. I will go back and check on the shoes by the door. I did think it weird that granny was always lying down in the living room next to the table and not with food ready for YS.
The other thing I noted was the change to a strange overexposed sepia tone that in YS’s home and in some other scenes too. Yes, there is a blurriness ie not as clear as other shots. It adds a dimension of unreality to those scenes. So this suggestion that YS is actually imagining what goes on at home, is possible.
If true, then we have the two main symptoms that show us, that neither YS nor Choi Ung are okay (maybe more so after their breakup). YS may be living with an imaginary granny, and CU has had insomnia for years.
@GB Unnie,
I have read about it myself, but I have asked in December thread, if you all want to learn about it.
Yes if that is true, them she needs medical help.
:O :O :O
Shocking! Insomnia or the blurring between imaginary and reality.
The big question we are all asking, including Ung is why YS initiated the break up.
IF granny passed away,
– does that mean YS’s only way to cope was to break up with him so she does not lose another person. Logically it doesn’t make sense to me.
– or did she break up with him because she knew she had a condition and didn’t want to reveal that to him, also doesn’t make sense because on the outside, at least, she seems like she is functionally ok. But she did feel like an empty shell, cutting out all emotions so she doesn’t feel them but it comes back and hit her really hard at times.
Another thing that frustrates me is how these two seem to not reveal important intentions to one another. Neither do they pour out their woes to their faithful friends who know them only too well. These friends they have are a gem!
ahh finally the thread.. thank you so much packmule!
@goldenashes97, I just informed like a couple days ago about those theory. And I was like, OMG.. if the granny is indeed imaginary, it must be that YS need help.
Also there are several things that makes me wonder about:
1) Why did YS said that Ung is the only thing that she can throw away?
It might seems that YS hold the other things she had close to her, but how if, she actually doesn’t have “anything else” beside her relationship Ung.. Because probably her grandma is only her illusion. And we don’t really know about her parents (or did we? but I missed the info about this). It might seems too early for me to think about this, but I see a hint that YS has avoidant attachment style, and it probably because of her unclear relationship with her parents. Therefore, she think that it is better to her to break her relationship with Ung.
Yes, if it is the case, she needs help from the expert.
2) YS house and how YS and Ung running to each other lately
Ung said that YS has moved, but it seems that YS move back again to her old house recently. That is why they kept running to each other to the point of, like Ung said, being weird. If the theory of grandma has passed away true, I wonder when was that happen. Does YS decision to move back again to her old house related to this.
3) The other Ung
Did he have feelings for YS back when they were still in high school/uni? He said he was just an observer, but why do I think that it might more than that. However, I think his subordinate has a feeling for him and maybe they have a potential cute relationship, lol..
p.s: I also heard that many of KNetz don’t really like the sepia tone of this drama..Many people hate because it is blurry.. but I actually like the tone, it reminds me of a drama “A piece of your mind” that I like also. Hahaha..
@grace @moonstar512 @Cleo
You mention points that came to my mind as well.
This OTP has a problem in saying some things plainly. The only time Choi Ung was clear was when he first said “I think I like you.” But after that, Yeon Su could never just come out with the question: “Do you like/love me?” and CU could never admit that he did.
However we can see from CU’s concern that she was going to give him a wedding invitation, and from how he was very alert when he overheard that Jang might like YS, that he’s got a whole lot of emotional attachment still, that he’s not admitting.
As to ‘Why did YS said that Ung is the only thing that she can throw away?’ – I agree that CU probably interpreted it too narrowly. At first I did too. But there is another interpretation… she has nothing left, only CU who can leave her so he’s the only one she can throw away. The big boo-boo here is that she should have made it clear what she meant so that it wouldn’t sound so hurtful.
We have yet to see if YS has any parents or siblings. Usually if a person lives with their grandparents, it’s because the parents have passed away or abandoned them.
I too wonder if Ji Ung may have wanted to get closer to YS, but he saw that CU was faster than him and that YS seemed to be happy with CU. Yes about Ji Ung’s colleague… she (Chae Ran) may end up in relationship with Ji Ung. The other couple are NJ and Eun Ho. Or we might mix and match and perhaps Chae Ran ends up with Eun Ho instead.
Sepia tone: whenever I see a Show suddenly change the look of the scene, I think it’s a clue to something. In this case, because of the conjecture that when YS comes home, she imagines that her granny is there, then it could be the clue to this. The washed out, blurry shots are YS’s imagination.
I thought it was smart and devious of Ji Ung to use CU’s willingness to suffer, as long as he can get the person he wants to take revenge on to suffer too. CU plays into Ji Ung’s plan to get the documentary going without realising that he’s been manipulated.
CU’s reactions after the breakup were actually quite scary. I agree with whomever said it that his friends were wonderful. Without them creating the safe environment for him to act up, it would have been dangerous for him to continue recklessly defying his ex-girlfriend in his irresponsible behaviour. The most scary was him not coming out of his room for maybe days? which scared his mum. Fortunately he indulged in excessive drawing rather than in something that caused physiological harm.
I’m glad YS has at least 1 friend she might talk to. The back and forth comments/arguments in support of either CU or YS posted by Sol Yi and Eun Ho, over social media also opens up the possibility that these 2 might meet and become either a couple or frenemies. This will be interesting to observe.
Whatever the case both our OTP kids either should talk their feelings out honestly and in detail (without fighting) or they need help from experts/therapists. A relationship counsellor would be good. 😉
I liked Episode 5. The start of the growing up I hope, and a surprise at the end… well almost a surprise. We guessed it already. The surprise was before the Epilogue. 🙂
And i love ep 5.. when he asked her to sleep at his place? 😚
And in preview, she accepted her request to stay. Though both are crying at least he has good sleep at night while holding her hand❤️
So curious about yeonsu condition? If she is really has illusion about her grandma.. do this happened since beginning or it was after her broke up with ung?!
What was the reason she is broke up with him?
Was it bcs she afraid of losing another precious person in her life?!
Or she want certainty ? That why she asked him so many times if he really like her?
I haven’t finished the episode yet so I look forward to the surprise. I like how the confusion over the name “Ung” formed the basis for the two Ungs friendship. I was wondering why the screenwriter gave the two MLS similar names and now we know.
Anneyong!
I really liked Episode 5. I don’t think that Grandma is an illusion.
As for Mr. Jang I think that he gave some good advice to Ung…
Hi BOD. As much as I would like to join Our Beloved Summer discussion, I can’t 😭. As you may or may not know, the Philippines was recently hit by Category 5 super typhoon Rai. My place (Surigao del Norte) is severely affected. Power, water and telecommunication lines are down. Properties are also damaged. Fortunately our house is fine. I have to find a higher place like 4 storey bldg just to get phone and internet signal.
I don’t like to beg for money but 😥 if you’d like to help you can send money through my paypal. My email is blessiedale15@gmail.com. [edited by packmule3]
Prayers and help are deeply appreciated. Until then BoD. LeeDale9198
Sending you lots of prayers @LeeDale9198, and everyone that’s affected by the onslaught of Typhoon Rai. It’s heartbreaking to see the damages done by the typhoon. 🙁
My thoughts and prayers go out to you and to those affected too, @Leedale9198. 🙏 😔
Dear @LeeDale919, I’m sending lots of prayer for you and your loved ones. Hope the condition over there gets better soon.
I am still suspicious about the existence of YS’s grandma. She only shows up whenever YS is going through emotional hurdles. Especially in Ep 5 when YS comes home feeling dejected by CU’s harsh words, thinking that she needs to apologize to him, grandma just happens to have the same situation where she needs to apologize to her friend. And then later after CU apologized to YS, grandma is shown to have also made up with her friend.
The title was “The secret that cannot be told”(yet). I’ve got three so far –
1. That he still loves her
2. That she still loves him
3. That Ji-Ung is also in love with her
If grandma is a figment than that would be a 4th secret – but I think she is real.
Ji-Ung has a sad backstory himself growing up lonely with an absent parent.
I like that the artist event is going to happen already – I thought it might drive the narrative for the whole series.
@LeeDale919 wishing you well during a terrible time!
@goldenashes 97 – really good point about YS and grandma storylines mirroring each other. I hope she is real and we are not in “A Beautiful Mind” territory!
Episode 5 is my favorite one, too.. so far.. At first, I thought what could have made Choi Ung like YS when she seems self-centered and always determined to get her way. We get glimpses on episodes 3 and 4 of how YS has a side of her that only Choi Ung knows, but I’m really warming up to her now. I like that she stood up to Director Jang and demanded he apologize to Choi Ung for disrespecting him.
Now I’m really curious as to the reason of their final breakup and how they’ll handle their conflicts this time around. They’re older and they have experienced living without each other. For Choi Ung, it seems obvious to most people that he still has feelings for YS. As for YS, I guess we’ll see in the next episodes.
It’s great to learn the backstory of Ji Ung and Choi Ung’s friendship as well. It looks like Ji Ung liked YS too when they were in high school but he chose to step aside. This time, Ji Ung decides to be more upfront and say what he thinks about Choi Ung’s interactions with YS.
As for the grandma, I think (or I hope?) she’s still alive and YS is not imagining her. Otherwise, our OTP will be hurdling much more than their differences in personality.
@LeeDale9198 – sending prayers to you and your family…
Watched Episode 6. This Show really gets me feeling so much with the OTP and even Ji Ung. So much melancholy wistfulness. And the music is spot on in bringing on or strengthening the feels.
We get to know the backstory of Yeon Su and the reason for the breakup. Some crucial stuff gets revealed that both of them needed to know. I felt such a relief that some info came to light. Now I’m hoping this will make a difference in how these young people go forward in their lives, not so soullessly, anymore, but with lively joy.
Kudos to all the actors and crew for working their craft so well!
I noticed that in the past, CU let YS go whenever she took it into her head to leave or break up. However now that YS moved back to the neighbourhood and they keep running into each other, CU ends up holding on to her more often than before. It made a difference in Episode 5, that he held her arm and asked her to stay. Might it have made a difference in the past, if he’d done something like that, instead of letting YS go?
@GB agree with everything you said! She explained her Pride – what was his Prejudice? I can understand her frustration with him when he says he wants a relaxed life – especially when she needs to work so hard. He can say such things from a place of privilege because his family is much more financially secure than hers. But it seems too that he was masking his own insecurities about his future. I thought there was some noble idiocy too when they broke up because she heard him giving up the opportunity to study abroad.
His attitude towards her changed dramatically from Episode 4 when he was mad about the art competition and Episode 5 when he accepted it. The conversation with Mr Jang didn’t seem substantial enough to account for the entirety of this change in attitude. I wonder if we will see more in a flashback? Also after all that build up – we didn’t get to see the final art pieces or whether the other artist was exposed as a copier. I hope there is some resolution of this storyline.
I managed to finishe episode 6. The story is getting better and better!
I am glad we got an explanation about their break up. Also, Halmeoni is real and not an illusion.
She has an inferiority complex among other things. She felt she was lacking towards Ung, when he in reality he didn’t treat her in a weird way. She had to work hard to pay a debt her Uncle left them and instead of talking about it with him, she broke up with Ung.
I am glad that she realized that it was her Pride that did all the talking. Still, we need to see how they are going to move on from now on.
Are they going to be honest about their feelings?
Ung is holding the maturity keys from Episode 5 and onwards. It is time for Yeon Su to let herself be honest about what she really wants in her life and how she is going to go there.
To ***** [edited by packmule3], thank you so much for the help. Telecomm lines are slowly being brought back and I just recently opened my emails and received such great help. We will be able to buy food and water and other immediate needs with the amount received. I can’t thank you enough.
Everyone thank you for the prayers too.
@Packmule3, I believe I posted a comment here, but see no evidence of it. I wasn’t even notified it awaited moderation. Could it be I accidentally deleted it before posting?
@LeeDale9198,
You have my thoughts and prayers…
Just saw on Reddit that the titles to episodes 4 and 5 refer to well-known Taiwanese coming of age dramas. So all the titles so far refer to rom com/ romance/ classic literature! I have crush on the writers of this drama. I feel a little like Ji-Ung (aka ji-woong) who envied Ung. I’m envious of the easy?/natural talents of the writers. So beautifully written – love the narration and how vulnerable the characters are when they tell their stories.
I find it intriguing watching the relationship play out through the Documentary format. I’ve watched Lovestruck, where the OTP relationship was also played out during and in between the documentary interviews, but we never get to see the cameraman or PD. I prefer the way it’s done in this drama, where not only are the protagonists speaking to the camera (to us) directly, but we also get to hear the thoughts of some of the characters, and the PD himself is part of the story.
I notice that in Episodes 1-5, we get to hear the thoughts of YS and JU, but can anyone recall if we’ve ever heard CU’s thoughts? I’m not surprised if we haven’t. As his closest friends and family say, he keeps his feelings to himself. However that does not mean that they can’t read him.
It is in Episode 6 that we finally hear CU’s thoughts and they only turn up in the presence of YS. But there is only 1 sentence of them!!!. I’ve put YS’s thoughts in [ ] and CU’s thoughts in double [[ ]] brackets.
Watching While They Sleep
There are several parallels in this Show. The recent and obvious one is that YS had watched CU sleep on his sofa the previous night, and the next day, he watched her sleep on the sofa in the green room. I liked how he closed the door so that her colleagues would not disturb her, and how he pretended that he’d just come in as she woke up, so that she wouldn’t be embarrassed. We finally hear his thoughts as he watched her: [[She always looked mad in front of me. I think I finally appreciate Yeon Su for who she is.]]
I’m not sure if he meant that she looked ‘angry’ or ‘crazy’, but I’ll go with ‘angry’. She was often disapproving of him. He might have been thinking about how his only answers to the interview questions were that he had no plans for his work as an artist and there was no story to tell in how he got into art. Eun Ho had worried that he’d sounded like an airhead. In the light of this, he might have found YS’s disapproval of him was understandable now, and he appreciated that she had stayed with him despite that.
@ Grace, you mentioned the blurring between the reality and the imaginary. My thoughts…
Reality and the Dream for Yeon Su – She had felt humiliated that she could not reciprocate with gifts for friends because she was poor, and she did not want her friends to know this, out of pride. She was hurt when they bad-mouthed her for not buying them food. To avoid further hurt and risk of embarrassment, she acted nonchalant and kept aloof, so that no one would be able to get close to her. (This is actually relatable).
This way she had no one’s expectations to worry about, and she could avoid humiliation. This would be the same pattern or thought process that led her to the breakup.
Her reality was to appear as if she didn’t need or want anyone. But this was the falseness in her reality, because she wasn’t really anti-social. She would have loved to have had friends, (we see her with Sol Yi), but she denied herself this. Choi Ung, however, broke through this protective barrier. She admits to herself: [The only person who has allowed me to escape from reality was Ung.]
I feel there was a misconception here on her part. YS spoke of reality coming to bite her, when she spent time with CU and forgot her reality for a while. She seemed to consider her dating life as a dream that she was not really entitled to. If she indulged in it, she said that reality would come back to bite even harder. But I feel that she should have seen her time with CU as reality too. However she thought it (or he) was the ‘dream’ that she had to/could throw away.
I agree that there was noble idiocy in her decision too. It was complicated by her feeling bad that he wanted to stay by her side, while perhaps even giving up on his dreams. Her pride would not let her keep him close, if it meant he failed to reach his potential. Her pride also told her that she would be able to live just fine, without him. In truth she knew that she was insecure and had low self esteem, and she did not want him to find this out. She broke up with him so that he would not find out, that she was really the pathetic one in their relationship. In just the way she distanced herself from her friends, she cut ties with CU to avoid humiliation.
When it came to life generally, she too had no actual dreams (this is so sad) except to live an average life where she could make ends meet and her granny could stop working. There was nothing to look forward to, no great joy in her life. By avoiding deep connections, she had condemned herself to a lifetime of emptiness. Sol Yi said the dead fish had more soul in their eyes than YS, LOL.
YS mistook the reality of being vulnerable in relationship as weakness, and she mistakenly treated it as a dream that could be discarded.
Reality and the Dream for Choi Ung – In the past CU could just lie down to sleep anywhere. That was his dream: to avoid all stress, to just rest peacefully under a shade by day or under a light by night. However after the breakup, his reality was so painful that he could no longer sleep well. He had lost his dream. Taking sleeping pills resulted in him being half asleep, during which time he could not differentiate between reality and dreams. He said he’d have hundreds of what he thought were dreams in his half wakeful state. Yeon Su happened to come upon him 2 times when he was in this state.
The first time he touched her face and then was horrified when she was real. It is when he is half awake, that he shows what is really in his heart. He would never admit how he felt in public to his friends, but half awake, he showed how he cherished YS still.
The second time he had taken sleeping pills, opened the door to YS and ended up resting on her shoulder and holding on to her before he slept. He was able to express the truth again when he said to YS (whom he thought was a figment of his dreams) that he was in great pain.
If YS had not been with CU while he was half awake and ‘dreaming’, she would never have seen his reality. It was double confirmed by his Mum who told YS that CU had not taken the breakup too well.
Why CU was able to sleep well – I guess it was the combination of the sleeping pills and of being able to speak with YS, even if he thought she was not really there. He needed to articulate to her that he was still in pain. Judging from YS’s sleepiness the next day, it was likely that she’d stayed awake most of the night, perhaps holding or letting CU hold her hand, as a source of comfort. She must also have felt bad that he suffered so much.
The next day, when CU remembered that it wasn’t a dream, it occurred to him that if he had suffered so much and she had stayed to comfort him, then she must have suffered too. As his friends had said of him, he never faltered. At first he had wanted to speak with her but she was asleep in the green room and then was called away. He had again wanted to speak with her after he completed drawing but NJ waylaid him with flowers and publicity. But he still went straight to her that night to clear the air. I liked that he asked her how she had been.
The ending scene is below:
Outside YS’s home she tries to beg off chatting at the present with CU, saying she’s tired, but she walks unsteadily and bumps into CU who holds on to her. (again)
This triggers her memory of how she had put a blanket over him the previous night. She had watched him and seeing him frown in his sleep, she’d tried to smoothen his brow. He’d opened his eyes and took her hand to keep her from leaving, so that she ended up sitting on the couch face to face with him. He thought she was a dream.
CU : “It’s you again. I must be dreaming again. I won’t fall for it. Yeon Su, I’m in so much pain.” He closes his eyes but a tear leaks from his eye.
In the present, they step back from each other.
[I remembered it again.]
She admits that the thermos bottle at his house was hers.
[I’m relieved that CU does not remember.]
CU : “Did I fall asleep after you left.?”
YS : “I think so.”
CU : “Oh, I see.” (His expression shows that he knows she’s lying and he’s disappointed).
YS : “Did you come here to ask me that? You could have just called.”
[I keep that memory to myself. That’s how it should be.]
She tries to say goodbye again and walks away.
CU : “Then you can pretend like you don’t remember tomorrow.” (Meaning that what he was about to say to her, she should answer him now and then pretend that nothing happened the next day, in just the same way as she was now pretending not to remember what happened the previous night.)
YS stops short.
CU : “It wasn’t a dream. Why are you acting as if it was. Why are you lying? Yeon Su, Yeon Su.”
She turns to face him with tears starting up in her eyes.
CU : “Is this right? Is it right for us to be like this? It’s us of all people. Our love wasn’t just lukewarm and neither was our breakup. (Yeon Su looks deeply sad). Now that we’ve reunited/met again, we can say, ‘Have you been well?’ ‘How have you been?’ (YS’s tears stream down her face) ‘Was it tough for you?’ ‘It was tough for me.’ Can’t we tell each other these things?”
[The reason why we broke up …]
CU has tears gleaming in his eyes : “How have you been?” (I’m crying too.)
[…was because of my pride.]
CU : “Answer me. How have you been?”
[It was my pride that told me that I could live without you.]
She bows her head.
CU has managed to break through his half waking dreams to confront his reality. I hope that he can bring YS to confront hers. Although he’s the one accused of hiding himself in a cave, it’s news to him. A misconception of which there are a few in this Show.
Rather it’s YS who has been running and hiding from her reality, by breaking off with friends to hide her pathetic self from everyone. She has ended up ‘dead inside’ but was not able to see it. She even mistook a reality with CU as a dream.
We look forward to these 2 souls healing each other at Christmas (the show has a Christmas song “Our Summer (Christmas Tree)) 🙂
Hi @Good Twin, I was noticing that there’s lots of both pride and prejudice in YS, but I can’t find any evidence of either in CU.
Can anyone tell if Choi Ung also had pride or prejudice?
@GB Unnie,
Thank you for trascribing and writing your thoughts on those scenes!
I really liked the ending. Mostly because we got to see that Ung can be super mature when he has to. Yeon Su is the one who acts childish for the moment and it’s all thanks to her insecurities.
I was impressed by what he told her.
CU : “Is this right? Is it right for us to be like this? It’s us of all people. Our love wasn’t just lukewarm and neither was our breakup. (Yeon Su looks deeply sad). Now that we’ve reunited/met again, we can say, ‘Have you been well?’ ‘How have you been?’ (YS’s tears stream down her face) ‘Was it tough for you?’ ‘It was tough for me.’ Can’t we tell each other these things?”
They could talk and they don’t. They could have said some things to each other and they haven’t. This part of Ung’s speech shows not only his is in deep pain but he takes again the first step to initiate the basis of their relationship from now on.
I like Ung. He is so easy going and others seems to be jealous of him, like his best friend Kim Ji-Ung. Yeon Su seems to feel and believe that she is lacking, that’s why she broke up with him.
The thing is that none of the above realized that all Ung ever wanted is to be surrounded by his loved ones. That is his idea of happiness and bliss.
Sorry, @Welmaris. I didn’t find it in my pending, spam or trashed box. 😕
@GB Unnie and @GoodTwin,
Regarding what you are talking about:
IMO, Pride has to do with Yeon Su, but Prejudice has to do with how people thought she was like.
Hi @Cleo, this little drama has grabbed my heart. I feel so much for the 3 main protagonists. All three are so unhappy and the only truly happy ending for a drama like this is if all 3 can find their peace and happiness.
As you say: ‘They could talk and they don’t.’ It’s like all of them consider their feelings/fears/insecurities to be like the other title ‘Secrets that cannot be told’.
We can of course understand Ji Ung, since telling his secret would affect his relationship with CU. It was so sad knowing his backstory where his mother is practically missing in his daily life, and how he knew he only had a semblance of happiness when he shared CU’s family and company.
As for CU, I fancy that he does not see the need to verbalise how he feels, except now, with YS (at last). In the past, it never occurred to him to say that he loved her. But in the end of this episode, he admits that their love was not lukewarm.
You say “This part of Ung’s speech shows not only his is in deep pain but he takes again the first step to initiate the basis of their relationship from now on.” Yes, I was very happy that he didn’t just let it continue to fester. After finally seeing that YS cared enough for him to stay the night, he didn’t let it go but initiated the conversation. I really hope she will continue the conversation. If she clams up I’ll be so frustrated!!!
Yes, I also think that now that CU has started to ask YS questions, and since he is no longer childish or petty, that he will continue to initiate in their relationship. He realises that she also feels something and she’s also hurting. He will not want her to continue to be in pain, without trying to help her.
I loved that image of him walking her to school and lifting her backpack so that he shared the weight of it. That’s what I’d like to believe will be the case going forward. He’ll share the burden with her, if she’ll let him.
You say “I like Ung. He is so easy going and others seems to be jealous of him, like his best friend Kim Ji-Ung.” Yes, I like him too. I believe that he’s very uncomplicated and honest. When he said that drawing was just his hobby, it was true. When he was depressed over the breakup, he locked himself away to de-stress by drawing endlessly. He didn’t actually intend to make it his career. That’s why he had nothing to say to JU’s interview questions. JU had already noted that he had no interest in the world. His only interest was in YS and his closest friends.
CU was so uncomplicated that he could never bear YS’s ‘What if…’ questions. All his answers pertained to how he’d still be by her side no matter what (which already showed his devotion). But she was so insecure, that she wanted him to say that he loved her.
It’s a pity that JU is and maybe always will be jealous. CU has the most important things that JU would love to have. It broke my heart when JU said he never thought he’d be the main player in anything. He was always prepared to take a step back.
There’s a parallel between him and YS. Neither of them are aware of others who are interested in them. I hope that Chae Ran can get under his defenses and get his attention, and that he won’t take a step back with her. I noticed that NJ, although she has a big crush on CU, also was interested in chatting with JU. She might make a nice friend.
You say “Yeon Su seems to feel and believe that she is lacking, that’s why she broke up with him.” Yes, that is so. I’ve watched other shows where one party (A) tells the other (B) that they will just drag them down if they continue in relationship, and therefore they (A) breaks up. YS was too protective of her pride. She could barely apologise, she did not ever want to lose or appear pathetic. That was why she hated pathetic people,… it was because she hated herself.
YS needs to learn how to love herself with all her pathetic insecurities before she can get into a proper, lasting relationship.
All the music is so pensive, suiting the mood of these early episodes. I wonder if the later OSTs will be more cheerful for Christmas, and for a healing, happily ever after. 🙂
My agapimeni @GB Unnie,
I really like this story as well. It gives us a lot to ponder.
Yes, they need to find their peace by admitting that they didn’t do anything wrong and it was not their fault about their past situations, I am talking mostly about Ji Ung and Yeon Su.
Ji Ung should be grateful that Ung’s folks treated him as their own, that he received so much love from a family that raised him the best way they could.
Ung’s parents perceive him to be their adopted son. Ung loves him dearly as well.
So, he has to learn that he needs to find his own story to be the main lead and not Ung’s and find his happiness in another person as you suggested with Chae Ran and why not having as a friend NJ.
Yeon Su needs to treat her inferiority complex that she has a poor background.
She also needs to learn to love herself and let her true self come out in the open. She is too reserved and rigid and doesn’t know how to break out of her shell! She also has to forgive eveof what she could. She is successful.
Yeon Su also has the martyr syndrome, along with her Pride that makes her super competitive and eager to succeed, but also at the same time, she sabotages herself and her happiness.
It is a paradox that she has such a big pride, don’t you think?
She hates herself and mirrors that hate into other people and mostly to Ung. When they were younger, she repeatedly hurt Ung and he let her do it, because he loved her. In a way, he was trying to help her, but in reality he couldn’t. That’s why Ung also broke down so very hard after their seperation.
As for Ung, I like his simplicity. He enjoys Life as it is. He is a happy man because he is not thinking that much. He isn’t that complex as the others, but he surely has a unique drive that makes him enjoying moments and capturing them in his drawings. I truly believe that as long the drama is progressing, he is going to draw more than mere buildings.
Here is one of the songs I am enjoying from OBS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDcTZwovnkw
Thanks Parkmule3 for this thread! Started this Show with zero expectation. Was drawn in in Ep 1 by the aesthetics and CU’s profession – building illustrator. Something about the Show kept me going back. It’s probably the cinematography, the way the stories of the main characters are unfold, or how on point the OST is at just the right moment. I can’t put it into many words the reasons yet. I’ll do so when I could.
In Ep 6, we are finally told the reasons YS broke up with CU. Turned me from being frustrated at her to seeing her with understanding. Kim Da Mi’s YS makes my heart breaks for her. She seems to be slowly coming to realisation of her state. Looking forward to her growth and many more visual treats!
I just saw that a phrase of mine is messed up.
Here is what I wrote about Yeon Su:
Yeon Su needs to treat her inferiority complex that she has a poor background.
She also needs to learn to love herself and let her true self come out in the open. She is too reserved and rigid and doesn’t know how to break out of her shell!
Correction: She also has to forgive herself and accept that she did the best what she could. She is successful.
Hi @Coffee&Tea, I’m glad you’re enjoying this show. I too almost didn’t care to start watching this, but after 4 episodes, I knew I was hooked.
I feel the pathos of these young characters and relate to some of their experiences. Broken youngsters are always catnip for me. I want to see tht they can grow and heal themselves and each other, with or without the romance. Of course having the romance as well gives us loads of cherries on top!! 🙂
Of course, since this is mainly a romance, the happy ending will probably be the expected reunion of the OTP with a better understanding on how to make their relationship sustainable. We just need Ji Ung and maybe even NJ, to be not so lonely as well.
Hi @GB! I’d like Ji Ung and NJ to find their peace at the end of the show as well. In spite of her wealth and fame, NJ seems hollow inside. Maybe Ji Ung felt it would be betrayal if he should pursue YS, after the kindness CU and family had shown him.
One more thing I’ve learnt is how different shots and editing made the difference in perceiving the message. When we see the breakup scene in Ep 6, YS’ eyes wavered when she said, “you are the only thing I can throw away.” It felt different from what I remembered of Ep 2. Rewatched the scene in Ep 2 and it had a different feel. In Ep 2, the camera angle only showed her side profile when she said the line. And her walking away resolutely. It made her look cold and heartless. Maybe that’s to show CU’s pov. In Ep 6, the camera showed the anguish on her face as she walked away from CU.
@Packmule3, thanks for checking. I’ll try to resurrect my thoughts. I suddenly had a change in plans last night and dashed away from my computer. I thought I’d posted my comment. Apparently not.
Another question, @Packmule: are you continuing to watch Uncle? After you mentioned it on another thread, I gave it a try and will keep watching. South Korea should designate Oh Jung Se a national treasure. That man can act! If others are watching and want to discuss it, would you please open a thread?
@Coffee@Tea
I see you’ve become like several of us in going back to rewatch and to check scenes LOL.
Yes, that’s true. The story told with the editing and camera work is a very big thing. The same scene watched through different cameras and after editing shots, can tell a slightly different tale each time. In this case as in many cases, it gives us another perspective. Another way to interpret the scene.
I believe you are right. We were meant to empathise more with Choi Ung than with Yeon Su to begin with. And now we are given YS’s perspective to balance our views.
As in many Shows, this one too has as one of its major themes: ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover’. YS herself says this in Ep 6 about how she had judged CU from the beginning and been so fixed in her views that now she was stunned by the side of him she’d never seen.
There were several instances of misconceptions throughout the series so far. More had to do with YS’s rash judgment of CU, but there were also occasions where it is shown YS does not know herself. She can’t even judge her own self!!! So how dare she judge CU, right? LOL.
In Episode 1, she coincidentally meets Jang when she goes for her blind date. She tells him that she’s more human than him and that she can hold her liquor well and that she used to be so childish. After being rejected by her blind date, she gets herself embarrassingly drunk. She thought she was always cool and professional, but Jang lets her remember later on that she’d made a fool of herself while drunk. She thinks she’s all grown up, but she’s still immature in how she chooses not to confront her anguish at being pathetic, …at how she refuses to communicate clearly with CU.
Her main misconception over CU was because he was not like her in the ways that she thought he should be. Because he didn’t study the way she did, she judged him as lazy. In their youth, she nagged and controlled him, and if things didn’t go her way, she broke up with CU. But there were instances, JU noted, CU and YS were like twins in how they responded to the interview questions.
In Episode 3, we are shown both CU and YS watching the video of themselves and their reactions are similar. They both smile over their young antics.
Comments :
“It’s been ten years already, I wonder what they’re up to.”
“This is what being young is all about.”
“They are so young and innocent like summer.”
These words seem to strike both of them although they are watching the video separately.
This seems to show, that despite how they keep thinking that they are so different from each other and that they don’t match, in actual fact, perhaps in sentiments over their past, in how they cared for each other; they were/are more similar than they want to admit. So CU and YS seem to have had misconceptions about their relationship and each other.
In Episode 4 YS visits CU’s studio. She’s impressed by his work.
YS : “This is really unexpected.”
CU : “What do you mean?”
YS : “Back then, when you were always drawing, I thought you just didn’t want to study.” (She’s finding out that not all her interpretations are right. She’d been too arrogant in judging and condemning him from the beginning.)
CU : “Hey, everyone has their own forte. Yet you nagged me to study day in, day out. do you finally realise how sadistic you are?”
YS : “Thanks to my nagging, you attended university.”
(YS needs to realise that in order to get on together, it is not essential that they match each other, but rather that they can embrace their differences to complement each other.)
I mentioned before that CU’s quietness and desire to just be by himself to draw (as a hobby), to de-stress was taken by his family and friends as him hiding himself away in a cave. He might never have wanted to be in the spotlight or to be seen in public, because he never saw his drawing as anything other than him just playing at his hobby.
We are shown Nu-A who comes up front to draw attention to himself and to ‘talk big’ about how great his show would be before he starts, and we are shown CU who quietly gets to work and only greets everyone and introduces himself after he has completed his 5 hours’ work. He’s not a noisy person. He lets his actions speak for themselves. By saying nothing much but by focusing on his drawing, he debunked the plagiarism charges.
His actions with YS when they were dating, where he was focused on her, often turning up to eat with her, to meet her after class, etc… showed that he was devoted to her. But again, YS had her own insecurities and needs, and failed to interpret his not saying what she wanted to hear correctly.
As we continue into the second half of the series, I hope to see more different camera views and edited scenes of the backstories. We are fortunate as viewers to get both sides of the story. The characters are not so fortunate. If they refuse to communicate with each other, they will only ever have just their rigid, prejudiced point of view.
Okay, I am glad that grandma is real. Thank God we don’t need to deal with mental issues. This drama is already emotionally draining as it is. The fact that they tried to sell this drama as a romcom. We were clowned guys 🤡
Wow thank you for sharing these @GrowingBeautifully and the others. They’re great reads. The dialogues do make you feel many different emotions, especially the ending scene of episode 6.
For episode 6, pride definitely pertains to YS and as for prejudice, I read somewhere it could be pertaining to Choi Ung. Does anyone else think so?
This seems to have a point as Choi Ung assumed that YS was OK after their breakup. Because she initiated the breakup and she’s always been strong, indifferent and nonchalant, Ung thought that YS has been working and living well.
Looking back at the scene in episode 4 when they went to CU’s basement studio and CU blurted “You also ruined my life.” YS asked him to explain and when he didn’t, YS said that “You think you’re the only victim here since I’m not saying anything.”
CU doesn’t explain his outburst in episode 4, but in episode 6, I liked that CU came forward and asked YS directly why she is not admitting what happened the night before, that he knows it was not a dream. I liked that CU reminded her that their love was not the lukewarm kind and that they should be able to tell each other what they feel now that they’ve reunited. I interpret this to mean C U is willing to overcome his prejudice and listen to what YS has to say. So he asks YS how she has been, if things have been tough for her as it was for him. I hope in the next episodes we’ll see YS overcome her pride and learn to share her insecurities with CU. It’s far from the last episode though so I guess we’ll be going through more rollercoaster of emotions.
Hi @Laura zZZz. I’m glad you’ve come to read us and add your thoughts!
Yup, prejudice could pertain to Choi Ung. I think the word he used himself was that he hated YS. JU notes that hate and love are pretty close – they are two sides of the same coin. In other words, one can slip from love to hate and back again. I noticed that the synopsis for this show says it’s about a love-hate relationship. As I mentioned, I feel that YS, too, was prejudiced against CU. 😉
I was just going over Episode 2 again and the image she gave was one who was cool and who tried to be professional. She approached him because of work. He was unhappy that she did not care to look him up before this, and that it took work to bring her to his doorstep.
Without even reading her proposal, he turned her down, until Eun Ho got him to go for the soft launch to see the building that he’d been asked to draw.
This is their conversation in the lift that halted for a while.
CU : “What’s going on?”
YS is calm : “Right. They said they were inspecting the elevators.”
She uses the Emergency Call button.
YS : “It won’t take long.”
CU : “Why aren’t you surprised?” (I’m wondering if it’s because YS used to be the type to get worked up, that he’s surprised she is so calm.)
YS : “Why should I be?”
CU says nothing.
YS : “You said you weren’t interested. Why are you here?”
CU : “I read the proposal today.”
YS : “I knew it. You didn’t even read it that day.”…”How are you still so immature? I heard you rehearsed spraying water and salt.”
CU : “Did Ji Ung tell you that?”
YS : “Grow up, will you? Was that all you could think up?”
CU : “What about you? Was work the only excuse for you to come see me?”
She looks a bit surprised : “Then what excuse did you expect to hear when you saw me?”
He says nothing. (I imagine that he’d hoped she missed him as much as he missed her, and that she’d come and see him for no particular reason.)
YS : “I didn’t plan on acting immature like you did. It’s been five years after all.” (She considers herself mature and is prejudiced already into thinking that there’s nothing to CU except childishness.)
CU : “What if I was serious and didn’t act childish? Would you have managed? (I’m not sure what he is referring to, but perhaps he is asking her if she’d taken him seriously, would she have gotten him to agree to her proposal.)”
YS : “If you were sincere, what would you have done?” (I interpret this to mean, ‘Would you have given me a fair chance?’ We know she feels his prejudice against her and this led into her approaching Nu-A to be the artist.)
The lift door opens and CU walks out first.
He admits to himself that [I am childish. I just ran away.]
Their earlier conversation when she had gone to pitch the job proposal to him:
CU : “Why are you here, Kook Yeon Su?”
YS : “What?”
CU : “I told you I won’t ever see you again.”
YS : “I wouldn’t have come to see you if it wasn’t for this.”
CU : “So you’re here for work?”
YS : “This is very important to me.”
CU : “Well, it doesn’t see important enough to come find me after five years.”
YS : “How are you still so upset after five years?”
CU : “How are you so indifferent after only five years?”
He became more prejudiced against YS because she acted like the last 5 years were nothing to her, while he had suffered.
She had kept her feelings to herself. I like the part you @Laura quoted: YS said that “You think you’re the only victim here since I’m not saying anything.” She had been too proud to admit how she really felt. She had been the one asking CU to say if he liked her ‘that much’, but I’m not sure she ever confessed her feelings. She certainly never showed him that she, too, had been quite devastated by their breakup.
Interestingly, she felt the same way about him not saying what he thought. They were more similar in some ways than they were aware of. In Episode 6, she is being interviewed and this time she happily rambled on about CU of the past and it showed that she too had a prejudiced view of CU.
YS to the camera : “Of course, everything was a nuisance. As you know, he and I are very different people. He’s kind of slow. He should have shared his progress during the project to make things more efficient. But he’d never talk about it. He always keeps his thoughts to himself. He was always like that. I’d ask what was on his mind. ‘I don’t know. I’m not sure. Nothing.’ It was one of these three. … I’m getting annoyed just thinking about it.”
YS : “He used to draw back then too, but he never looked that serious. I don’t know what’s gotten into him, but he’s completely focused. He seems different. But you know what? He was always serious about drawing. I think it was in episode five. I ruined his drawings once, and he threw a huge fit. Honestly, I felt bad about that. but seeing him all worked up was entertaining. He rarely gets upset. I admit that I teased him a few more times for fun.” YS smiles as she reminisces. . . . It feels like he has changed. I thought he’d never change.” (Her judgment and her prejudice).
I agree that Episode 6’s ending conversation could be interpreted to mean that he was willing to stop being prejudiced. In addition, I feel that he was asking her to also let go of her prejudices against him. 🙂
The ‘What if’ Questions from Episode 4
My ‘What If’ question: What if Yeon Su had never asked the last ‘What if’ question… would it have made a difference to what happened when they broke up?
CU had said that he’d always return to her. All she had to do was apologise. He was also one to keep his word. He’d stick to what he had agreed. For eg. he went to the party because he had said he would, he’d kept his appointments even when not really willing, as with NJ.
In the scenarios YS painted by her What if questions, she always considered their separation, but at first, these were not by choice. But as she asked each new ‘What if’ question, the distance/challenge of each separation escalated. If they had to end up in different schools because one of them failed, or in different countries because of work, CU was willing to overcome all distances by going to YS.
When she suggested the scenario where he’d break up, he said he never would. But then she changed it to ask, what he would do if she broke up. Once he had to verbalise an answer to that, it pretty much sealed what would happen. He did keep to his word, even when he said he’d spray water and throw salt at her, (and kick her out) if she returned. He literally kept his word.
Knowing this, YS still made the decision to break up, although she had other considerations for her decision, besides her pride.
If CU had never been made to say what he’d do, might he have done something different? Might he have been like before, when an apology would have been sufficient? Might he have gone back to her instead of standing firm, because of the answer he had given?
Linked to this I was thinking of the metaphor of the drawing.
The Metaphor of the Broken Building Drawing in Episode 4
Yeon Su goes through CU’s sketch book and comes across his drawing of their school with its tower that looks separated from the rest of the building, levitating over the school.
She’d accidentally caused him to mess it up, then she’d made it worse by trying to erase the mess. In the end she’d used correction fluid to cover the mistake, which ‘decapitated’ the tower in the drawing.
In the present YS says : “You said you threw it away.”
CU : “I thought I did. Why was this in there?” (Despite claiming to have thrown it away, CU had not only kept it, but he had coloured in the drawing, leaving the correction fluid and error there. This showed that he valued the imperfect drawing.)
YS : “You caused a scene and blamed me for ruining it. See? If you just glance at it, you can’t even tell.” (The correction fluid was not obvious but the building did look weird!)
CU : “It’s true that you ruined it. And it does show if you look closely.”
YS : “Come on. That’s not too bad. Yet you were so petty and sulked for days.”
CU : “This isn’t the only thing you ruined.”
YS : “Hey, I only messed up your drawing once, no, twice. That’s all.”
CU : “You also ruined my life. You caused havoc.”
He regrets saying this at once. He thinks [[I shouldn’t have said that.]]
YS : “Hey. That was a bit harsh. What did I ruin?”
He’s almost pouting [[Why did I say that?]] (It is on his mind all the time, that’s why.)
YS : “What is this? Are you not going to explain yourself?”
CU : “It’s true though.”
CU [[Why do I get so upset like this at times?]]
YS : “How long will you keep this up? How badly did I ruin your life? Look at this. You’re doing very well. Where’s the havoc?”
CU : “Maybe it’s hard to tell at a glance just like this drawing.”
YS sighs : “How long are you going to keep guilt-tripping me? We agreed to do this documentary so can’t we please just get along?”
His thoughts [[That was my intention too.]]
CU to YS : “I’m sorry, I can’t be as nonchalant as you.”
CU [[So why am I being so pathetic?]]
YS : “You think you’re the only victim here since I’m not saying anything. You’re ridiculous.”
CU : “Then speak your mind.”
YS : “Do you think I’m solely to blame for our breakup?”
He stares at her in some surprise.
Some thoughts came to me over this metaphor
1) The obvious one is that just as to him YS looked fine, and to the world CU might look successful, they both, (and we ourselves too), carried the wounds of their broken relationship that are not immediately visible. But not only that, they were not healed over scars but still open wounds, in the same way that the drawn building was still in 2 parts. CU had not attempted to draw in the parts covered by the correction fluid.
2) CU was so overwhelmed by his own pain and so used to thinking that it was YS’s fault, that it had never occurred to him, that he could have had any part to play in the breakup. Just because it was YS who’d initiated the breakup – just like because it was she who had ruined the drawing – CU thought he was absolved of all guilt. However, even in the case of the drawing, it was he who was holding the pen. In every relationship, both parties bear some responsibility in whether they proceed or end. To her credit, YS did try to minimise the mess made to the drawing, although she would never be able to eradicate the correction fluid.
Might she also do her part to lessen/minimise the hurt CU still suffers?
3) When YS first tried to erase the mistake, the ink of the pen was wet and she used the wrong tool ie an eraser, that made the mess bigger. However, over time, when the ink had dried, and she used the correct tool, the correction fluid, to erase the mistake, the drawing looked much better.
If CU or YS had tried immediately to mend their relationship, it might have been the wrong ‘time’: the ink might still have been wet. However in the present, when both of them had established themselves in the world, this may have changed.
4) In the same way that CU coloured the spoilt drawing and kept it, CU still cherished the ruined relationship. He was the one prepared to spray water and throw salt upon YS’s return, ie he had prepared for her to come back, even if it was just to express his great displeasure.
Since it was YS who had initiated the breakup, she had to be the one to return, before any changes could take place between them. I’m reminded of how fed up CU was when her return was only because of work.
YS : “I heard you rehearsed spraying water and salt.”
CU : “Did Ji Ung tell you that?”
YS : “Grow up, will you? Was that all you could think up?”
CU : “What about you? Was work the only excuse for you to come see me?”
She looks a bit surprised : “Then what excuse did you expect to hear when you saw me?”
If she’d returned just to see him, to find out if he was OK, we could have had a different story. From this conversation, it sounds like CU felt that YS was the immature one for staying away.
The drawing had been spoilt, but both of them had still added value to it, and it wasn’t a totally lost cause. The mistake would still be visible if one looked more closely at it, as scars would be visible in most of our experiences. But for the scars to lighten, the wounds would need to heal properly first.
Kalimera! Merry Christmas to everyone!
V’s song is out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj8TV9q59P4
P.S. @GB Unnie, I will read you laters… <3
Thanks @Cleo! I was just playing V’s song a few times before coming here. 🙂
Happy xmas everyone!! Have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones 🌷🌷🌷
And @Leedale, I wish you and the people in your country gets stronger to go through all the disasters. My thoughts and prayers with you..
Thank you so much GB for transcribing and sharing your thoughts from the important scenes.. I really love them. Especially when you transcribe the episode 2 again because after watchinf eps.6 that’s exactly what crossed my mind..
One of the reasons I watch this drama is because the webtoon writer of this drama is one my all time favorites. I believe that this show will be a heartwarming one!
*fingers crossed*
@Cleo, V’s song is really great! I searched that song right after watching episode 6, but couldn’t find it. It makes more sense to me that they released the song on xmas night.
I think I will like all the soundtracks of this drama. 😍😍😍
1. Squabble – Ha Sung Woon
2. What if – BIBI
3. Drawer – 10cm
4. There For You – Kim Na Young
5. Christmas Tree – V
To add the amazing thoughts and reviews above.. here are some of my highlight from eps 5 and 6
1. I really love CU’s mom!
The way she greet YS when they meet at the live drawing event. Her eyes showed that she cares for YS sincerely. I felt warm when the mom told her that she knows it must be hard for her too. Maybe for the first time, YS realized that at least there is one person who understand her complicated feelings and thoughts. And I got where CU’s good personality came from. He lives with his parents who love him sincerely, their love for him is built in a solid foundation. So that he feels secured with himself. The love he got from his parents also what made him realized that he already got enough (I understand now why he didn’t have so much ambition, he didn’t need to “run”, he enjoy the slow living that their parents gave him through their love). I noted from JU pov when he told us the viewers, about the story when they got close together for the first time. CU shared his parents with JU without the anxiety of being “unloved” by his parents. CU also didn’t worry that his parent would prefer JU or whatsoever. In short, CU’s already feel secured enough with all the love he got, that is why he always the one who approach the others, he was also the one who give love for the ones who needed them (JU and YS).
Everything was so easy and so peacefyl for CU until his relationship with YS. I bet, He didn’t expect that YS would left him that soon.. He thought that he could tolerate the coldness of YS because he would be the one that “make” her feelings melted. I remember the scene where he kinda taught YS on how to apologize. He said that he would keep coming back to her, because in the end, he is the one who gives in anyway. He might feel too confident back then. That’s why he was breaking down. And I think, CU’s mom realized this too.
2. What still puzzled me: the elevator conversation.
GB also not sure about what CU mean what if he was serious and didn’t act childish. I also am not sure. But I wonder about the time when he specifically meant his statement. Was it when they were breaking up? I am start to wondering, if CU has thought that he probably could still be together with YS if he was not childish. As much as he convinced himself that he was the one who give in anyway, but when YS asked to break up, that’s the point where CU thought that he already gave so much to YS. Maybe he just wanted YS to come to him that time and apologize while he was sulking at that time, just like a kid. And then YS asked him back what would he has done if he was sincere. Maybe she knew that CU was still childish, so that she know that CU hasn’t been mature enough and handle YS in the way that it should have been done back then.
3. I like that actually YS and CU is completed each other.
I always have this thought about the relationship curve in almost every drama. We started from the indifferent feelings from each other, or even the anger between the OTP. But later developed to a warmer state where they care about each other and learn about each other. Right when they thought they are inseparable, there would be something between them that pushed them to stay away. To end the relationship. But if the OTP is meant to be together the phase of them being separated was the important phase of them to learn about themselves, to care and to love themselves. And after they filled their own “cups”, their next encounter will be elevated to the next level because they have transformed.
In this drama, I am curious on how far or how much YS and CU have been transformed in 5 years of their break up. The pain and the unfinished business they had are still there, but will they handle them differently from before.
In my opinion, YS most important lesson would be: how to be brave to show the world about her vulnerabilities. Until she could jump from her insecurities, she hasn’t really completed her transformation.
As for CU, I think his most important lesson would be on how to love sincerely regardless on how he was treated by the other party. He loves YS still. We know that. But he still doesn’t know how to handle his own feeling when he thought it is not reciprocated. He feels anger because he thought everyone who is loved by him will not leave him. They will be there always. CU also have to patiently peel each layer of YS personality, until he could finally see the real her. So that he would understand her point of view, emphatize with her, and understand her just like what his mom does to her.
4. JU’s point of view
I believe that JU is the important person here in this story. He is the one who agreed to film the documentary after all. But more than that as a person who is behind the scenes, he could see what the “actors” couldn’t see themselves. Maybe it is one of the ways of JU to handle his feeling, to learn about himself too, either to prove his own thoughts or just simply answering his unspoken questions that have been buried in his mind all along.
JU already knows that CU and YS still love each other and we know that he confirmed this with both of them. However, I am curious what would he do about his own feeling. If he decided to move on, he has to settle them first, right.
I can’t wait on the next episodes, and see where the story will bring us.. also, I can’t wait for the next soundtracks.. haha I hope they would be as nice as we have heard so far. It would be a great album to listen back to back from time to time.
Have a great holiday all!!
Stay healthy!
🥂🥂🥂 cheeerss
Can’t wait for Monday’s episode 7.
Thank you again @GB for sharing your thoughts.
About the elevator scene in episode 4 when they had this conversation:
CU: What if I was serious and didn’t act childish? Would you have managed?
YS: If you were sincere, what would you have done?
Same as @moonstar512, I think that CU was pertaining to their breakup when he asked this question. That if he was serious and didn’t act childish, would YS have managed and not broken up with him?
I love the OSTs of this drama as well. Can’t help getting a bit anxious when I hear the one by BIBI. It seems to signal some heart-rending memory or conversation.
First parts of the song goes:
Maybe if I
Woke up in the morning
Hearing your voice
May if I was with you
Maybe if we spent our diffcult days together
what would we have been?
The distance between you and me
It never seems to disappear
You and your words were frozen on me
Let’s say, by chance
If we meet again,
If I were to do something for you,
Will it change a little…
Thanks for the lyrics of the OST, @Laura zZZz. Yes, the OSTs have that pensive, heart-tugging quality in all of them. They make me feel so much.
The one by BIBI is OST Part 2, “Maybe If” 🙂
Thanks for your thoughts, @Moonstar512, yes, I’m dying to see what happens with these 2. Are they going to complement each other or keep up the push-push. They need to do push-pull in order for their interactions to work.
Yes, JU is definitely important. Whether he remains in observer role and decides to become a protagonist remains to be seen. 🙂
This drama grabbed me by the heart as well. Though I wanted to check it out because of the cast, I am enjoying it much more than I expected.
Though it is not explicitly stated, I feel I understand why YS broke up with CU. As mentioned, he seemed to live a life of relative privilege, whereas she only knew financial struggle. She was, at the time, still in college yet facing having to support herself and her grandmother, plus pay off her uncle’s debt (for someone she didn’t even know!) She had to work, and did not really have the choice to be idle (or her perception of him being idle) like CU did. When she tried to talk to CU about making a career as an artist, he brushed it off with her and said that drawing was just a hobby and he wanted to just lay in the sun. She saw that he did not really take much interest in his family’s business, either, and worked there only when prompted to (& not very hard, either.) And then when an opportunity came his way to study seriously in France, he also just brushed it off (probably because he did not want to leave her, though she did not really know that.) I can fully understand why she would feel like she should not stay with him long-term, because it would lead to unhappiness. She may have also felt like she would have to eventually financially support him, too.
Plus, it seems like though he did like to spend time with her and supported her in many ways (which she may not have recognized as such at the time) he did not really express his love for her verbally to her…which seemed to be something she needed from him, given how she questioned him. That, coupled with his reluctance to plan for or discuss the future, clashed with her desire and her need (due to financial demands) to work and plan for her future.
I think it is only after they broke up that she realized how he did emotionally support him, and only very recently with the store launch (& him drawing 20 hours per day) that she realized how serious and dedicated he was to his art. It is unclear if he had that level of dedication to it when they dated; it is implied that he did not, but it may have been something that he hid from her.
Really, both were bad at communicating with each other when they were in college. Both failed to share some pretty key parts of themselves, as well as explicitly state what they needed or wanted, and why. Both have matured, so if they can correct those bad habits with each other, rekindling their relationship may work.
Episode 7 – Catch Me If You Can.
It’s a great title for the theme of avoidance and running away. Everyone is subject to doing it, even NJ, but that’s after she confronts her haters/detractors.
I can’t wait for tomorrow’s episode now that our 7 protagonists (or 6 plus 1 intern) are holed up together for 3 days!!!
Episode 7 – Random Thoughts
We began with CU saying that in the Art of War it states, ‘Attack is the secret of defense” but he disagreed and believed the best defense was to run away. This episode explores the recurrence of the running away of both YS and CU.
I’ve considered misconceptions before by both YS and CU.
It becomes clear that Yeon Su has the misconception about herself, that she’s not cowardly, because she thinks she never runs away. However what was all the breaking up about to protect her pride, if it was not running away? She is as much a coward as Choi Ung, but more clever at covering it up under the guise of being angry, or being nonchalant. She continues to pretend to be fine in front of CU, which is still her way of running away from revealing herself.
Show suggests how similar they are that they run away at the same time, when they are uncomfortable about seeing each other. Not only are they similar, they both haven’t changed all that much from when they were kids. It happened both in school and now again. They both have no other friends than the ones at CU’s home, and nowhere to go except to the library, where they inevitably bump into each other. In the past YS suggested that they go eat, and in the present it is CU who does so.
EPILOGUE
In school, they run away from meeting each other but still end up awkwardly together in the library.
CU : “Hi.”
She thinks he cannot understand the book he’s chosen : “Well, it might be a bit difficult for you. Are you sure you can? It won’t be easy to understand Nietzsche’s philosophical ideology.”
The book was ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’.
YS : “So just give it to me. It’ll be better if I read it.”
CU : “Eternal return. It’s the concept that the universe is recurring infinitely. And in its eternal recurrence, our existence also recurs infinitely and continues to do so. I got curious about the eternity of time. So I’m reading it again.”
So this is another misconception of YS’s about CU. He is not as dumb as he looks. Not only does he understand the book but he finds it interesting enough to read again. LOL.
He acknowledges that he was harsh the previous day. She asks if that was why he ran away.
CU : “Yes. I thought you’d be uncomfortable.” (He does not say that he was avoiding her because he would be uncomfortable too.)
When they each separately run away as adults – I like the visual suggestion of how close YS and CU are in space and in emotional development when we are shown the family cycling in the park past CU only to have them cycling by YS a moment later.
Show gives us the more mature example of NJ who has learnt to weather criticism, false accusations and unreasonable fans, not by running away, but by confronting them with their faults. Only when the situation was going to be beyond control, did she make a strategic withdrawal.
By contrast, CU’s running away was childish most of the time, regardless of his justifications. He too did not reveal or confront his emotional upsets. He merely avoided dealing with them. It was strangely out of character for him then, to have gone to YS’s home the night of the live drawing, to state that all was not well with them and to ask her how she was. Unfortunately, she ran away instead of answering.
The next day when they had lunch at his parent’s restaurant, he again asks for her answer but she only gives the broadest answer without revealing her struggles, and ran off by leaving quickly. Again it was interesting that he was able to be angry enough to say that he recalled how he felt when they were dating. That he was always waiting and watching her take steps away from him without knowing why. That he was always forced to accept whatever reason she gave, when that was not likely the truth.
CU : “This is how I felt while dating you. I was just waiting like an idiot, watching you walk away, step by step. It was always like that.”
YS : “What do you mean?”
CU : “When you said you were okay, I had to just accept it. When you said nothing was wrong, I had to say I worried for no reason. And when you wanted to break up, I had to accept it without knowing the reason. And when I met you again, I didn’t know how you’d been or what you were thinking, but I had to just accept things without knowing anything. It really feels like you’re back, Yeon Su.”
YS : “Choi Ung.”
CU : “I’m really sick of this.”
This time it is he who walks away, with YS looking after him.
So the misconception that CU never changed, was wrong. He was ready to attack as well as run away in defense.
CU’s thoughts [[Attack is the secret of defense. I guess that’s what I’m doing right now. But this wasn’t my choice.]] His choice would have been to run away or avoid it again, perhaps. However he has taken an action now and should be responsible for it.
@GrowingBeautifully(GB), Oh I did not realize their actions at present mirrored their actions 10 years before – that they ended up meeting again in a library LOL.
My favorite scene in this episode is the conversation you’ve transcribed where CU shared what he felt while dating her. At the end when CU said “I’m really sick of this,” I was thinking, “Oh no, is CU giving up already?” But just a few minutes later and he seems to be having second thoughts and thinking “What did I say now?”
I think it’s great that CU decided to take action now instead of waiting and watching as he’s done before when they dated. Their relationship failed the first time. If they follow the same pattern, they’re bound to fail again. So it’s good that CU speaks his mind now instead of just accepting things as YS presented.
@Wreckgirl
Hi! Glad you’re in the ‘heart-grabbed boat’ with me LOL.
Reading what you say about how CU was from YS’s point of view, I feel that it was probably not the right time for them to have dated. YS was right, when in Episode 5 she said that they broke up because they were in two different realities. She also admitted that she saw being with him as an escape from her difficult reality. It’s easier to see and say this from hindsight, but it would have been great if they could have just been close, bickering or bantering friends then, rather than to have gone through so many breakups and the final very bad one.
Those multiple breakups were already a sign that they were not ready for the kind of relationship that dating and marriage would require. It’s a pity that they were not mature enough to break up in a way that was not so hurting.
If they had reached at least the maturity of NJ in the present, when she could ask her questions and express her thoughts clearly without fear, as she does with CU, they could have had an amicable breakup, with the possibility of getting back together.
I like that by Episode 7, while they are still flip-flopping between being mature and immature, CU has started to show that he is more willing to communicate, to ask questions, to initiate the talk about how they feel. It’s now YS who’s the one who appears to be immature and unwilling to stop running away. She was probably right when she noted that while CU had been changing, she’d just continued to make ends meet and had remained stagnant.
Now that 5 years have gone by:
– YS’s situation is no longer desperate
– at least CU has changed somewhat
– YS has become aware that she does not know everything about CU as she arrogantly once thought she did
– YS knows that CU was not fine after the breakup
– they are both established in their careers
…can we hope that YS becomes more willing to be empathetic and vulnerable? CU has already tried twice to initiate a conversation,… should she not do the same or at least respond more honestly?
With all that lies behind them, this, I feel, is a far better time for them to try at being a couple, than when they were kids.
Reading With Understanding
Just as YS mistook CU’s ability to understand Nietzsche’s philosophical ideology in ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’. She mistook that she was able to interpret herself or the people around her well.
YS didn’t even know that her grandma (whom she thought was just like her) was close to Ji Ung. She was stumped to see him hug granny and sit down comfortably with granny for a chat, like they were old friends. YS had been blind to the relationship of those closest to her. She was also blind towards herself.
What she accused CU of, she was also guilty of. She said he frustrated her because he had no answers to give about his plans or thoughts. But she had also always given pat, false answers to those questions, which stopped CU from enquiring further.
YS was surprised that JU could give advice on dating since it appeared he’d never dated. However he was right.
JU to YS : “Did you fight with Choi Ung again?”
YS : “We didn’t really fight. He just got angry at me. When did he become so short-tempered?”
JU : “When do you think?” (He gives her a meaningful look, as if to say, since she broke up with CU.)
YS : “Fine. Everything’s my fault.”
JU : “Not everything. Maybe about half. Half and half with Ung”
YS : “Half and half?”
JU : “Breaking up isn’t usually just one person’s fault. It’s the same for both sides.”
YS : “You seem to know a lot about dating.”
Perhaps YS had been wracked by guilt all along, thinking that she was solely at fault for the breakup, because of her pride and insecurities, but JU was unexpectedly the person to give her a more balanced point of view. She had not read her breakup with full understanding.
Her guilt had also probably been the reason that she never tried to see CU again after the breakup.
We can contrast the conversations of YS and CU with the conversation that NJ had with CU. We have to admit, that CU was frustratingly dense and slow. But YS probably was too, over how she interpreted CU’s point of view.
What does one do when a person is dense? One gives them information and time to understand the situation. Something both of them failed to do.
NJ and CU
NJ and CU sit on swings at the playground. CU has another ice-cream in hand, having first dropped one when waving hello to NJ.
NJ : “Let’s have lunch together.”
CU : “Well, I just ate.” (He totally misses the cue!)
NJ is again taken aback by his direct honesty instead of the expected false politeness, but is nice about it. (Unlike YS, she does not get annoyed.)
NJ : “Mr Choi, I really didn’t want to say this myself, but I’m introverted and sensitive even though I might not seem so. … I wrote something in my heart diary.”
CU : “What diary?” (Of course poor CU would not understand.)
NJ : “First: Mr Choi got famous because I bought one of his works, why doesn’t he want to buy me a meal?” (CU opens his mouth like a goldfish. He looks like the thought never occurred to him).
NJ : “Second: I commissioned him to draw my building but why doesn’t he even contact me?” (Again CU opens his mouth but does not manage to speak.)
NJ : “Third: I made him even more popular by going to his drawing show when I wasn’t even invited, but why is it that he still won’t buy me a meal?” (CU is not able to say anything really.)
NJ : “Those are the three debts you have. How will you repay me?” (NJ is so clear in her explanation. Something that CU needed but didn’t get from YS?)
He cannot respond and just buries himself in his ice-cream. (YS would probably have given up on his for his silence, and walked away.)
These are the kinds of conversations that he and YS should have had. They should have been able to tell each other what each wanted.
NJ : “Anyway, I thought everyone would pretend not to have eaten if I asked to have a meal together.” (She admits to believing how others would consider being with her to be a privilege. She does not mind admitting her mistake.) “You’re so difficult.”
CU : “NJ you keep contacting me and finding me, I’ve been pretty clueless haven’t I?”
NJ : “Weren’t you just pretending to be clueless?” (She is asking if he is honestly as clueless as he appears. She has to know by now that he is.)
CU : “I guess it’s true … I’m sorry. I should have brought it up first.”
NJ : “I know, right? It’s embarrassing to have to say it myself.”
CU : “Well since you bought three drawings, I’ll give you one for free.” (LOLOL. The only reason he can come up with is that she wants his work for free.)
NJ continues to laugh instead of being angry. (Again, this is so unlike how uptight and upset YS would have been, if misunderstood.)
CU : “I don’t usually do this, but since you’re NJ, if there’s anything….”
NJ : “Mr Choi, I have a lot of money. Do you think I’m doing this just to get a free drawing?”
CU : “What? Then why are you being so nice to me?”
NJ : “So I don’t have a reason.”
CU : “No, that’s not what I meant. Why would someone like you…”
NJ : “Because I like you.”
CU : “What?” (And he drops his ice-cream again LOL)
NJ : “Oh my! Gosh! Why do you keep dropping your ice-cream?” (There was a scene where he and Yeon Su had ice-cream on sticks, and those didn’t drop. Is that a sign of whom he’ll end up with?)
CU : “What do you mean?”
NJ : “I had a really tough day today. I don’t want to whine about it because it’s normal for me. But I feel better when I see you. At first, I felt better when I saw your drawings. But now, I feel it with you too. That’s my reason for seeing you. So stop getting so startled whenever you see me. And don’t look so shocked. I’m not saying I love you and I’m not asking you out. I’m just saying that I like you.” (This kind of clear communication was lacking between YS and CU). “Maybe it’s just because you look like Tofu.” (Her dog! LOLOL)
Now, can CU actually misunderstand that? 🙂
Hi @Laura zZZz, I like the epilogues in this show. They could have been inserted elsewhere, but they are placed in the epilogue to make an end statement to the episode,or to explain something or to point to something to come. In Episode 7, it was to show that they practically repeated what they did as kids, ie, they are not as grown up as they think. They still run away, and they end up not being able to avoid each other anyway. They are given repeated opportunities to be together, even without the documentary that forced them to sit together, but they still could not make use of those chances to grow their relationship.
Kalimera,
I have read our comments @GB unnie, there are up to the point as always.
Although I enjoy watching those two, at the same time I feel they need to move on from their shared past, in order to be present to what is happening right now.
I don’t know how healthy is for them to be together. They both have issues and since it is so many years after their broke up, they both should go to a specialist.
Yes, they both have feelings for each other, but they are not in a place where there is common ground. YS continues to hide and hurts Ung in the process, like she did when they were eating to his parents’s restaurant. She has to realize what she does wrong and that takes time. So far she doesn’t admit it to herself.
On the contrary NJ is more mature from YS. She can have a conversation without blowing it out of proportion with Ung. I believe that NJ will help Ung to be himself more openly.
As for JU, he knows both. Ung is his best friend. JU still likes YS, it is obvious. I don’t like that pairing because it will bring havoc to his relationship with Ung.
Their past has given them such a luggage that it is dragging them down.
That’s why in such cases it is for the best, these two not to end up together.
So far they continue their past ways and they will continue to hurt each other, if they don’t accept their mistakes, talk about it, forgive and heal.
Dear @Packmule3 kalimera!
I wrote something and it didn’t show up. Can you check if it went into spam?
Done, @Cleopatra. 🙂
My Agapimeni @Cleo, Kalimera! Or should I say Kaló apógevma from my part of the world,
How are you? I know you’ve been busy. I’m, myself recovering from a bout of alimentary trouble, but I’m fine. The pain comes less often and is mild, and so I’m up and catching up on shows.
I read what you say and it is wise. When 2 people still don’t really know themselves or each other well, and cannot be truthful or communicate, getting together is really asking for more pain.
I don’t know how the Show is going to play out their growth. Maybe this is one of those series that needs a few years time jump so that they have the chance to grow up.
I’d like to get invested in JU and his relationships actually. And of course there’s the funny side pairing of Sol Yi and Eun Ho that was hinted from when they exchanged comments in support of their respective friends.
The other ‘main’ character is actually NJ. I did wonder if NJ instead of Chae Ran, might end up with JU. For one thing, we are not given any backstory for Chae Ran who remains a side character. I think NJ and JU, both being more mature, would make an ok couple.
The most ideal couple (about the most ideal in kdramaland for me!) is CU’s Dad and Mum. They are amazing in how they agree so well. They do everything in common, they have the same level of concern for CU, they see eye-to-eye on everything that matters and they hardly nag each other LOL. They are the model to follow but a really hard standard to reach. Couples seldom agree as much as they do.
You are right that the OTP have too much baggage. I expect this Show to be a ‘healing’ Show, in which baggage can be allowed to fall away. I expect that by the end of this series, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel for them, and at least hope for their becoming more alive and joyful in themselves, if not together, then at least as individuals first.
What was so melancholy about the first few episodes was that they were both so unhappy, so soulless and life was almost meaningless. At least for CU his drawing brought a degree of life to him but when he asked YS what she’d been doing and she said work… he was shocked that that was all.
Show will need to help the proud YS discover that it’s not so bad to ‘lose’. There are some things that are better off being lost (like mistaken pride) in order that better things can be gained. This is something YS still hasn’t figured out yet.
Once our OTP can ‘find themselves’, then they will have a better chance to accept each other, and be happy together, faults and all. 🙂
EPILOGUES
For fun, I wanted to see what the epilogues add to the episodes.
Epilogue of Episode 1: I Know What You Did Last Summer
The episode starts in 2011, where YS and CU did not get along but were forced to sit together. He found her overly competitive. She found him lazy.
– JU rejects his boss’ offer to do another documentary on his friends.
– CU keeps rejecting offers of work if he has to draw live.
– CU almost rejects NJ’s offer to meet up.
– YS is forced to go on a blind date but the date insults and rejects her in the presence of Jang.
– CU finds his drawing of the amusement park castle, in front of which the OTP had their breakup.
– JU tells his boss that CU and YS had a bad breakup and the documentary shouldn’t even be considered.
– CU’s doorbell rings and YS is unexpectedly (and unwillingly) at CU’s home. He gets his water spray and sprays her with it.
The epilogue showed us YS and CU’s 5th breakup, where what should have been a happy trip to the amusement park ended up with her throwing the yellow jumper at him and leaving, without giving a reason. She claimed that of the 5 breakups, 2 were by CU, which means he fights back. The epilogue suggests the nature of the summer we’ll see in 2021. Their summer(s) of fights were about to resume. One threw a jumper and the other sprayed water, so we know it’s going to be a great battle without either party rolling over to play dead.
Epilogue of Episode 2: 1792 Days of Summer
Episode 2 showed us the OTP’s difficult relationship where YS’s insecurities got her to ask him multiple ‘What if’ questions. CU has a strange suspicion [[I think Yeon Su enjoys watching me suffer]] (This implies that summer included days of suffering.)
At the last ‘What if’ question, he warned her that she’d better not leave him or he’d not see her again, and that if she did return, he’d treat her like a demon to be exorcised.
As adults CU does indeed treat YS like anathema and refuses to cooperate with her work. JU, sees something in the old documentary that makes him decide to take on the new documentary project. YS and CU do not agree at the end of Episode 2, to do the documentary, but the epilogue gives us a teaser on what will happen in Episode 3.
Epilogue: We anticipate that all will not go well for the documentary, since during the first interview, CU smirks as he introduces himself, while YS is mutinous and protesting. CU adds insult to injury by whistling LOL.
Epilogue of Episode 3: 10 Things I Hate About You
We hear from CU on why he hates YS. CU asks for more work to help him take his mind off things. He has been having worse insomnia. He says to himself : “I guess it’s still summer”
The 1,792 days of Summer signify not just the days of dating, but the days of suffering for CU. When he says: “I guess it’s still summer” he seems to be admitting that he suffered still for another 5 years. The biggest hate for him was that YS got over the breakup without any apparent suffering. “She erased him from her life so quickly.” To make her suffer, CU has coerced YS into doing the documentary with him.
The epilogue shows us YS lying to herself, lying to JU, and lying for the camera as she says she’s fine after the breakup, although in the privacy of her bathroom, she’d cried bitterly. So the thing CU hated most about YS, ie her lack of suffering, did not exist. We start to understand the lack of communication, the lack of understanding and the prejudice that is being perpetuated in the present time.
Epilogue of Episode 4: The Boy, or The Girl I Liked Then
YS and CU do not agree on how they got together. Their memories are imperfect. We find out that CU’s parents were worried because CU was no longer as lively as he’d been when YS was in his life. CU accuses YS of ruining his life and we see CU’s anger at YS during the party. The epilogue was of how they first started dating. The real circumstances as opposed to their faulty memories.
Epilogue: At the end of the school documentary, YS returns the shirt to CU. They bicker about it and she nags about his health. She tries to put the shirt on him and he says “Come on. I take back what I said about not disliking you.”
She had the shirt around his head LOL.
YS thinks [The person who made things weird was Ung.]
YS : “Does that mean you hate me?”
[Or was it because of the weather?]
CU : “No.”
CU’s thoughts [[Or was it because of my fever?]]
YS : “Then?”
[Or was I running a fever as well?]
[[‘I’m certain that it was because of the unpredictable weather.]]
CU to YS : “This isn’t good. I think I like you.”
A relationship called ‘not good’ and attributed to the weather or a fever was inauspicious, regardless that the boy and the girl liked each other! The clues were given and the pattern was set for failure from the beginning, and we are asked to see if the pattern would perpetuate itself in their adult life.
Epilogue of Episode 5: The Secret That Can’t Be Told
We get the backstory of Ji Ung and how CU could share everything with him but of course, when YS came into the picture, she was not something that could be shared.
At the Art Gallery JU speaks to CU after his blow up at YS at the party.
JU’s thoughts [[[I shouldn’t have butted in.]]]
JU : “You’re avoiding her because you’re sorry. You weren’t that bothered by what happened yesterday. You’re not the kind of person who gets upset over things like that.”
CU : “What do you mean?”
JU : “You were mad at her, and it had nothing to do with work. You also know that Yeon Su wouldn’t have done that on purpose. You were taking it out on her for what happened in the past.”
[[[I didn’t have to say that.]]]
JU : “I can tell you still have feelings for her.” (JU knows and CU does not deny it.)
[[[What did I expect him to tell me?]]]
CU : “Why are you so interested in us all of a sudden?
[[[It wasn’t because of the shoot.]]]
JU : “I don’t think this is out of the blue.”
CU : “What do you know?”
JU : “What don’t I know?”
[[[What was it that I wanted to check?]]]
The epilogue was the conversation of Jang and CU, where he makes it clear that everyone except CU knows, that CU has feelings for YS. It also confirms what we know already, that it’s not Jang but JU who might want to be a contender for YS’s heart. The secret that can’t be told, was known by Jang and presumably told to CU.
However from JU’s dialogue with CU, we see that he does not try to be a rival when it comes to YS. In fact, it’s possible that seeing the alive-ness in CU in the old documentary, made JU decide to take on the new documentary to bring the friends together. We watch to see if knowing the secret has any impact on CU’s friendship with JU.
Epilogue for Episode 6: Pride and Prejudice
This episode gives us YS’s backstory and explains why she behaves the way she does. It had to do with her pride, her fear of ‘losing’, her continual battle to never be looked down upon. This is partly her granny’s fault for instilling it into her, but also something that YS seems to have in spades. Together with this was her great prejudice against pathetic, lazy people.
YS liked CU for being the person who broke through her barrier of self-preservation, but this was complicated or beaten, rather, by her fear of him finding out her insecurities. His getting close to her and knowing her weakness was such anathema to her that she preferred to deny herself his love, and she deliberately hurt him badly, so that he wouldn’t return.
In the present, CU wakes up from sleeping well, after not having remembered that YS was with him. He goes to the live drawing and tries to ask YS about the previous night but she avoids his questions. She gets drunk and is brought back to consciousness by JU who asks her if she still likes CU. We never hear the answer.
At CU’s place, he is about to sleep but the phone rings. We do not know who called him. We next see him outside YS’s home. (My guess is that JU called CU.) His attempt to get YS to communicate her true state of being to him shows that he wants to break through her barriers (her pride and prejudice) again, but she runs away.
Epilogue: While they were dating, CU had told YS : “Drawing is just going to be a hobby. You know my dream. It’s to bask in the sun during the day and to lie underneath a lamp at night. A stressful life is not for me.” (Was there a smidgeon of pride in this that CU could afford to have little ambition? Was there prejudice against work as a source of stress… work that poor YS felt obligated to do no matter what?)
YS had stepped out for a while and CU had wondered to himself : “Did I sound too pathetic?” He had checked for jobs for design majors. (He had perhaps intended to have some ambition and to make use of his artistic talent. One wonders if this last statement of his made YS decide to break up.)
Next we skip to 4 months after the breakup. CU had been sitting in his room. He looked at a photo of a foreign building. Then he locked his door and started drawing without a break, until his mother had panicked and his friends had threatened to break down his door. (We get to know this part later.)
He started out by drawing a long line horizontally across the paper, like he was marking off an end, cutting off something or denoting a change. Maybe he was breaking through his own pride and prejudice against drawing as the means to his independence and livelihood, and starting afresh alone.
Episode 8 – Before Sundown/Before Sunset
While there are developments it will of course, get complicated. Loved, loved the scenery and the OSTs. I kind of fell in love with this episode.
I love this cozy, and decent ( no yelling scene, no amnesia, no hysteria acting, no car accident, no bully ) drama and was hooked right away. The main storyline is good, and the 2 lead actor is amazing, but the supporting actor JU caught my eyes.
In EP#8 when 2 passersby told him the sight spot that he can go with his girlfriend, the way he smiled is beaming. He seldom shows his feeling in the show, I am not sure, but I think it is the first time he smiles happily in the drama, but it was heartbreaking. Rooting for the second lead!
@GrowingBeautifully (GB), I love episode 8 too! The ending scene had me happily screaming (silently because of my sleeping kids LOL).
Your rundowns of the previous episodes highlighting the epilogues are great!
For me, the ending scenes are also gems – they leave me either laughing out loud or sad and crying.
Episode 1 (I Know What You Did Last Summer) ending scene:
Five years after their breakup, YS visits CU at his house. CU was shocked at first and closes the door, but later comes out again to spray water on YS.
(Me: What? Why? LOL)
Episode 2 (1792 Days of Summer) ending scene:
Ji Ung tells CU of his intention to work on another documentary featuring both YS and CU. CU vehemently disagrees but we see in the following scene that CU and YS are filming for the new documentary.
(Me: Filming the new documentary means YS and CU gets to spend more time with each other! LOL)
Episode 3 (10 Things I Hate About You) ending scene:
YS visits CU to confirm if he really agreed to work on her company’s project just so he can make YS film the documentary. As Ji Ung predicted, CU isn’t afraid to be in pain if he can make YS suffer as well.
(Me: LOL at the image of YS fuming while CU is smirking)
Episode 4 (The Boy, or the Girl, We Liked Then) ending scene:
CU finds out that another artist will be joining them in the project and confronts YS and tells her “See? You’re always the one who ruins me.”
(Me: What? Playing the scene again and feeling sad.)
Episode 5 (A Secret That Can’t Be Told) ending scene:
YS visits CU at this house to bring tea to help with his insomnia. When YS was leaving, CU held her hand and asked “Do you want to sleep over?”
(Me: What did he say? I was so surprised. I can’t believe CU would say that but very happy he did!)
Episode 6 (Pride and Prejudice) ending scene:
CU goes to YS’ house and asks about the previous night. When YS pretends
nothing happened, CU surprises YS by saying “Then you can pretend like you don’t remember tomorrow. It wasn’t a dream. Why are you acting as if it was. Why are you lying? Yeon-su-ah. Yeon-su-ah. Is this right? Is it right for us to be like this? It’s us of all people. Our love wasn’t just lukewarm… and neither was our breakup. (YS is silently crying) Now that we’ve reunited we can say, ‘Have you been well?’ ‘How have you been?’ ‘Was it tough for you?’ ‘It was tough for me.’ Can’t we tell each other these things? How have you been? Answer me. How have you been?”
(Me: Crying with YS and feeling so sad for both of them)
Episode 7 (Catch Me If You Can) ending scene:
CU and YS are “kidnapped” and brought to a scenic vacation house.
(Me: LOL at the look on CU’s face when he realizes YS is joining them)
Episode 8 (Before Sunset) ending scene:
In a somewhat replay of the rainy day 10 years ago when they started dating, CU and YS comes face to face and makes a turning point in their relationship. CU’s voiceover (with OST by V in the background): “Or maybe.. I knew all along.. (shows the times they’ve kissed in the past) that this would happen from the very moment we met again.” They kissed!
(Me: Silently screaming, they kissed! The episode had not just one kissing scene but four!)
Hi @Kuroshio I like the actor, Kim Sung-Cheol, too. I haven’t noticed him before although he was in Hospital Playlist and To. Jenny which I watched. He must have been one of the interns or doctors in HP.
He’s got an understated, undemanding style about him and makes us feel so sad for his character.
As for this episode 8, I’ll be scouring YT for videos of the rain scene BTS LOL you know the one I mean. It can’t have been easy in the rain and all. 😉
Thank you @Packmule3! 😀
Hi @Laura zzZZzz
I’m glad you enjoyed the episode and the epilogues.
I was thinking about the ending scene and if we might interpret the signs that Show gives.
SPOILER
A note on the rain and the Epilogue in the bus station. Although it ended with a kiss, the signs remain that YS and CU haven’t changed, and they are probably still not on the same page, ie we’ve got loads more conflict to fill the next 8 episodes LOL.
Let me start with the last thing… the Epilogue.
In the ending epilogue of sorts, we see that CU smiles after YS tells him she’ll grab him and won’t let go, however the camera zooms out and we see the shot of them from the outside of the bus station. The camera could have chosen any number of angles for the shot but it chose to give a visual clue to tell us whether YS and CU were ‘divided’ or ‘united’. Visually when characters are in agreement they are shown to be together within the same frame, but we see from the outside that there is still the window bar dividing them, (arrowed in red) so that they appear to be in different frames/cells.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RWBsrnkC2XwZd2gM0OPjZ92au0LpqiKs/view?usp=sharing
We know that they have once again not resolved their differences in understanding, despite the kiss and the smiles.
The first thing… standing in the rain, when there’s both an umbrella and a shelter within reach is crazy, LOL. Dramatically, if rain signifies the difficulties of life, the fact that they had both to get equally drenched shows they are going into tough times again. Why I suggest this is that the PD could have gotten CU to come under the shelter to speak with YS, so that both of them could be relatively dry … but no. *Eyeroll*
First or 1) YS had to come out to join him in the rain and CU let her stand there getting soaked, before he did anything. (We know he thinks slowly LOL). She had to accept taking on the rain as well, even without his help.
2) CU decides to cover her with the umbrella, I guess signifying that he still wanted to take care of her. However he didn’t come close to her to share the umbrella. They were still distant. He was still wary and chary of getting too close to her, but at the same time, he didn’t want her to suffer alone.
CU’s getting soaked as well was perhaps a sign that he was taking on a share of the pain/blame/guilt, etc.
3) YS decides as usual to take matters into her own hands, and tries to take the umbrella he offered. My guess is that she’d have taken it and walked off, because CU was unresponsive and had said he was still sick of ‘it’.
4) CU blocks her attempt to take control by letting the umbrella go, and taking her hand instead. The same hand that held hers that morning and let her go. This time, it’s not YS who grabs and won’t let go (as she’d promised on their first trip), it’s CU again who comes back to her, and does not let go.
YS does not protest against being kissed, even when it’s still pouring cats and dogs on them LOL (I would have!!!). At least they share the same rain this time. I’d like to have thought that this augered some hope since they were prepared to take on the rain together instead of separately. But then we get the epilogue with that ending scene *sigh* so maybe it’ll turn out well only after much wringing of clothes and hands LOL.
Then there is the Déjà vu thing. We see that in the past, their getting together when the PD went off to get a battery in the rain spelled them getting into a relationship which they were not yet ready for. Essentially, we know the 2 of them haven’t changed (as confirmed by Sol Yi). This situation was only slightly different than their first kiss, and if parallels are supposed to end the same way, the conclusion will be dire.
Any signs of hope? In their past, they’d both not been in the rain. Only YS had let the rain fall on her hand like in the present. They had not experienced the pain yet, but now 10 years later, they are jaded adults who know the pain of heartbreak too well. So if they choose to go ahead with a relationship again, they are doing so with eyes open and not as callow kids.
It’s no wonder that the preview of the next episode, CU has not called YS after the kiss. He’s probably in 2 or 3 minds about what he has once again gotten himself into LOL.
I’m watching the BTS now of the rain scene and am laughing. Poor actors, they had to dry off and do more than one take LOLOL.
SPOILERS so don’t click unless you don’t mind them.
Kalimera my agapimeni @GB!
I am okay, a bit tired but okay. Are you feeling okay? Are you in pain today?
I do hope you take it easy…
Thank you for your Epilogue notes. I really liked them. I wish I could contribute more, but I cannot at the moment.
I agree with you that the only couple with a healthy relationship is Ung’s parents.
I think that is another reason that Ung feels frustrated by Yeon Su.
She doesn’t communicate with him, as he has learned and wants to. Subconsciouly his relationship role model is of his own parents, like mostly children do.
I also watched Episode 8 and it was cute. The dynamics are spreading though…
We got to see JU excited because an Ajhumma told him about his “girlfriend”, while YS heard it all.
NJ gets disappointed that Ung doesn’t think of her as a friend.
YS gets jealous and sad.
Eun Ho is getting along with Sol-Yi.
Lastly, we got to see the “rain” kiss and all the past ones.
In the preview :
Chae Ran realizes that JU has feelings for YS.
Ung is going MIA and YS doesn’t know what to do.
So, does she become a bit brave?
Let us see…
P.S. I am glad they are using as names of the episodes, the titles of several movies…
@GB Kim Sung-Cheol was also in the Prison Playbook, in where I think he is okay. And I also watched “Do you like Brahms” in where he is one of the main cast, but sadly, I have no memories about his character.
JU and YS have many in common: they both have a very difficult time in their childhood, they keep themselves from others, they are kind of distant. but they are a match. But romance is never about the match. It seems to me that YS and CU are gonna fight with each other for the rest of their life. I am too old for that, but good for them though.
@GB @Cleopatra yeay! Finellysome people who can appreciate NJ. People on twitter are so harsh on her character. Is it because they just don’t want her to get in the way betweenout OTP? Or because she’s a successful female who knows her worth and doesn’t hesitate to chase her guy? I have no idea.
So it’s Episode 8 and the main couple are still not communicating. Gah. I guess I shall continue to wait until the day they do. I am so close to dropping this show, but Choi Wooshik is way too cute to be missed. Let me sail to the infamous Shallow Island. Is anyone there?
Agapimeni Cleo, I’m only getting mild twinges of pain so it’s not a big deal. It will be better by tomorrow or so. It certainly does not stop me from analysing what I watch, so I’m enjoying myself.
Yes the interesting dynamics of the rest of the ‘friends’. You’ve reminded me that I noted something about the direction of the gazes given.
When NJ suddenly popped into the phone screen, a big shift in gaze took place. At first all were directed at the phone and to whomever was speaking over it. But when NJ took over, and CU took off to speak to her, the direction of the gaze changed:
– At the appearance of NJ, YS is shocked and unhappy, but tries to hide it by eating.
– Sol Yi looks anxiously at YS who pretends to be unaffected. She knows that YS is more bothered by CU than she admits. She likely thinks YS will be hurt by CU again.
– JU first watches CU go then watches YS with a look of awareness. As a PD he wants to catch her reaction, but as a friend, he is concerned.
– Chae Ran also first watches CU running off then turns to look at JU with unease. She already caught on that he possibly likes YS himself, by the easy way he had of speaking with her and smiling. JU seldom smiled. CR who sort of admitted to liking JU herself, is obviously affected.
– While SY continues to watch YS, YS stares ahead still chewing, seeming to be miles away, then she looks down at her food, so as not to catch anyone’s eye. She’s upset that NJ has entered CU’s life.
YS has seen NJ in connection with CU 3 times. Once at home when she first got sprayed with water, a second time at the live drawing, a third time at the playground, and once again NJ was directly calling CU, appearing before him on video.
Knowing YS’s insecurities, like her fear of losing to anyone and how even her granny had admired NJ on the TV ad, YS will have a hard time believing that CU will prefer her over the ever popular and much loved NJ.
@goldenashes97, does watching the kiss scenes multiple times for purely research purposes count as being on Shallow Island? LOL.
Plus watching the actors discuss the technicalities of doing the different kiss scenes in the BTS video. Most educational! 😉
I feel that at one time (long, long ago) I might have been like those who don’t like the 3rd wheel character to come and add obstacles to the path of the OTP’s reunion. Fortunately one can grow to appreciate the side characters (maybe not all but those) who add a great deal to the Show, especially by acting as the foils for the main characters, and for giving us the parallels or contrasts to the main plot to help us along in appreciating the Show more.
NJ is an interesting standalone character. Even without others to aid her, she stands out as someone who’s accepted the price of fame as well as the rewards. She does not go in for false humility, acknowledging her popularity when necessary and yet she’s not got a prima donna complex. She’s polite to her staff, is willing to speak up for them and within reason, takes steps to do what makes herself happy.
She knows how to take care of herself as well as of others.
YS has been too self-sacrificing for so long, that it’s hard for her to break the habit. She continues to live and to work to care for her granny, with little thought for her own happiness. Now that she’s more established, she needs to live a more mentally healthy life.
I feel the problem lies in the fact that she knew CU when they were too young and she was too bossy. If she’d only met CU in the present time, she’d have been more respectful of him, less dismissive of his feelings, etc. Their relationship might have gone on well if they’d only met as adults.
Now there’s so much past in the way of them having a free and healthy relationship. It’s going to be so angsty! But I love it. 🙂
Anyway, I like NJ as a foil and a character, and a means to wake YS up into acknowledging that she is not OK with CU having another girl in his life. It remains to be seen if NJ’s character is written to remain calm and reasonable, above-board and mature, or if she will become the mean, jealous 3rd wheel. I somehow don’t think so, unless the writing is inconsistent.
@GB Unnie,
I do hope you will be feeling better soon!
I noticed those gazes as well. I think it is about time, things to be out and about for all those who was in the trip, except the intern!
I think that YS is not afraid that much of NJ but the way NJ and Ung are.
I mean he can be silly like when he dropped his icecream and NJ is accepting him as he is.
No yelling or stomping feet, making pouts and vanishing from the scene.
I agree that YS should take NJ as a good example of how she could be. Obviously she doesn’t know NJ as a person, but she can notice those things that make Ung enjoying her company.
I like NJ and I do hope they won’t change her persona as you have implied. That would be a big NO NO. She is the most mature one, along with Chae Ran in the series.
If I could add a maturity list, for me, it would be the following:
1. NJ
2. Chae Ran
3. Tae-Hun (the intern)
4. Ung
5. Ji-Ung
6. Sol-Yi
7. Yeon-Su
8. Eun-Ho
before watching ep 7-8, I was wondering what would be the plot for the remaining 8 episodes. it has been a slow build up to the ending in ep 8, yet they continue to frustrate me. I’d hope they would start to have some open communication and confront each other’s insecurities. start the healing and see if each other would be on the same page and future together. hope we don’t have to wait for it to be drawn out further.
we already see CU is a man of his word and he follows through them (except completing the half marathon, ha). maybe that’s why he rely so much on the spoken words. e.g. wants to hear the words of affirmation (that YS love him) from YS to believe them to be real. wants YS to verbally say she is not doing fine to believe that is the case. made me reflect if I have also acted out in this way in my relationships.
ep 7 was light hearted and had some comical scenes. a light reprieve from the earlier episodes. been trying to see where the comedy part of the Show was. delighted that the title for ep 8 was from one of my favourite movies – Before Sunset. I was so captivated by the cinematography in this episode. so beautiful.
have been wondering what did JU and CJ see in the first documentary footages and why the first PD chose to edit the documentary in the way he did.
What the First Trip Told Us
Choi Ung remembers his first trip when interviewed by JU.
Choi Ung had such a great attachment towards YS, and was so clingy, that he had not wanted to go for the 6-month trip to France. He really had hardly any ambition except to lie in the sun and have his family and YS next to him. He had not thought about his future, or how he would cope should any ill-fortune fall upon him or his family.
CU and YS must have had a big fight over his going to France, and the end of it was that CU thought that they had had a breakup. For the whole trip, although he kept asking YS for reassurance that it was not their farewell trip before a proper breakup, YS never thought he was serious and did not answer his questions. He felt like he was talking to the wall.
YS cared enough about CU to take on extra work, maybe to pay for the trip, as a time to be together before he left for 6 months. She had wanted to take the morning off to spend more time with him, but was only able to get the afternoon and evening free. Without consulting CU, she bought bus tickets and dragged CU to the beach. Although she sincerely cared about him, she didn’t know the right way to show this.
CU : “Didn’t we break up?”
YS : “Really? Did we? When?” (They are on different pages again.)
CU : “How could you tell me to just go so easily?”
YS : “Because you should. the school is covering the costs.” (She has to be the mature, practical one here, because CU is childishly clingy.)
CU : “Are you fine with being apart for 6 months?”
YS : “This is a great opportunity for you to learn many new things. Of course you should go.” (The problem is in what she is not saying. She should be saying, ‘I’ll miss you like crazy but because I care for you and trust you, and want the best for you, I want you to go and take this opportunity. I’ll wait for you.’ Stuff like that. My guess as to why – maybe it’s because saying this will make her look weak and clingy, like him and perhaps she just never saw his need to be assured.)
We see that because CU was rather passive (until provoked), YS took on the more aggressive role, in fact, she became downright controlling. She made all the decisions and she did not consult CU.
Because she’s been in control most of the time in the relationship, and had initiated the last breakup, YS has taken on the guilt and burden of being the ‘bad gal’ who hurt CU. In everything where blame was to be laid, she assumes that it’s her fault.
Since CU had not received any assurance as to the reason for the trip, he was despondent, unenthusiastic, more passive than ever. He felt that YS just wanted everything to go her way, and allowed himself to be pulled along to wherever, to be fed, etc. It was more like a mother bringing her child out than a dating couple going on a trip. However it was also the trip in which YS declared that he only had to come to her and she’d hold on to him forever, and during which she discovered that she loved CU.
YS : “I think I love you.”
CU’s thoughts [[At times she feels distant. Other times, she’d pull me closer…and makes time stop]]
YS : “Did you know that?”
CU : “No.” He takes her hand, “I don’t. So remind me every time.” He kisses her.
[[So how could I forget that moment?]]
Back in the present, CU sees that YS is sitting on the railing above, her back towards him and JU. He assumes she can hear him.
He answers JU’s question : “I’m not sure. I don’t really enjoy going on trips.”
[[I had no idea then that the promises you make on a trip are all lies.]]
(However, this time he is lying.)
CU : “There’s nothing memorable.”
YS does hear him and we later find out that she’s hurt by this.
So this OTP has a pattern of hurting each other by lies or by omitting to say something, so much so that not only does YS continue in her own insecurities, but CU has become insecure over their relationship as well. It’s a sadly unhealthy relationship, and no wonder they had multiple breakups.
Sol Yi’s summary of their relationship says a lot. “To be honest, they haven’t changed one bit. They were a headache back then, and they still are. They are a nuisance to everyone around them.” A truly good relationship would be life-giving to the couple and to those around them, but CU and YS together had the opposite effect.
So while on the drama level viewers want ‘true love’ to reign, in reality, a lot of work is needed before these two should be a couple again.
What the Second Trip Told Us
CU and YS are aware of another unhealthy pattern they have. YS remembers what CU had said to her that day. [“Isn’t it the same for you? You must be sick of this too. We fight, avoid each other, and run away. That’s what we do. And now here we are. What can we do though?”] There is a suggestion that they are not only trapped in the mountains, but that they are trapped in their unhappy way of dealing with each other.
Both YS and CU are ambivalent about their emotions towards the other. They are so much in two minds about liking or leaving each other that those observing them are confused as well. CU remembers JU’s words [[“It confuses me the more I film you two. Your feelings towards YS. Whether it’s because of your past relationship, or …”]] (JU probably wanted to say ‘or because you still like each other now.’)
CU’s thoughts [[Is it the past that makes me uncomfortable? That’s exactly what it is. But here’s the problem. Despite being in the past … ] He recalls how the conclusion of the first trip with YS ended with a kiss.
[It’s all too vivid.] It could be that his past is so vivid, because he lives the hurt and the memories in the present.
YS still cares about CU, and still considered herself as having the right to enter his room while he slept. Her thoughts when seeing the drawing on his table [Did he have trouble sleeping again?] Seeing his frown, she automatically touches his forehead to smoothen his brow. We saw in the past, that this tended to wake him. This time his eyes remained closed, however his free hand moved to cover her hand. She did not withdraw her hand immediately. When she did start to withdraw her hand, he seemed to hold on to her fingers for a while. He only opened his eyes when she left the room.
When they were not both awake and at loggerheads, they had a deeper connection than met the eye. Her touch on his brow, enabled him to sleep soundly.
It might have been because YS had bothered to touch his brow that morning, and had not flinched when he covered her hand, that before sunset, CU went to her with an umbrella. The umbrella usually signifies protection, care, maybe in his case, self-preservation.
I felt that his big issue was that he knew, (without even admitting to himself that he knew) that he would slide once again into the pit, once YS came on the scene. His friends had given us hints of this earlier when they said nothing shook him, except YS.
In the end, neither one of them had the umbrella in their possession. CU had thrown self-preservation to the winds by taking YS’s hand instead.
YS to CU : “What are you doing there?”
CU : “Thinking.”
YS : “About what?”
CU : “About why I’ve come to you once again.”
[[How can I explain this?]
CU : “I must be cursed.” He looks at YS “You shouldn’t have said that then.” (I believe he was remembering that YS promised [[“We’re not going to break up. If we fight or break up again, just come to me like you did today.”]] (He was literally taking her at her word of 5 year’s previously, by coming again.)
YS : “Is it me again? Is it my fault?” (She did not know what he was referring to, but by default assumes it’s her fault.)
CU : “Yes. It’s you again. I’m sick of it, but it’s you again.” (He meant that he was returning to her again, but she may have thought he meant that her being there or something else was her fault again.)
YS looks fed up : “Then just go. Don’t just stand there.”
[[Am I really cursed?]] CU does not budge.
YS : “Then I’ll go.”
He blocks her way. Then holds the umbrella over her so that he gets wet.
[[Or has this ridiculous trip bewitched me?]]
Because he is sheltering her, she changes from leaving/running away to asking him “Should I leave or stay?”
He says nothing.
YS repeats : “Should I leave or stay?”
She moves to take the umbrella from him but he lets it go and pulls her in for a long awaited kiss.
[[Or maybe… I knew all along that this would happen from the very moment we met again.]]
My guess is that CU had behaved coldly from the beginning because he wanted to prevent this moment from happening. He wanted to push her away because he would succumb once again. His extreme, petty measures like throwing salt were a sign that he already suspected that he was ‘cursed’ to always be attached to ‘demon’ YS, who seemed to have power over him. He knew she would continually break his heart, but he couldn’t help himself. His bad behaviour had been a means of self-preservation.
Once again this is great for a romantic tale, but not recommended for real life!!!
@Coffee&Tea
With the interest of JU and NJ being displayed, the double triangle plotline is starting to show up LOL. I’m not sure there’ll be enough time for growth but at least there are still 8 more episodes to go.
What you say about needing to hear the words… again this shows that both of them are similar and yet, neither seems to understand this nor speaks to the other, the needed words. YS needed to hear him tell her that he loved her with all those ‘What if’ questions. CU does not know what to believe without YS telling him clearly that she loves him. They both continue to send each other and everyone else mixed signals, and they are confused by themselves.
What was in the early documentary footage is an interesting question. Chae Ran gives us a clue. The parts that showed them as best and worst student was aired, but this may have already given some indications of a more interesting relationship away from the camera. The parts where they were just together as kids, when they were most themselves, and when they fell in love had been hidden. Maybe the PDs wanted to see if CU and YS would reveal the hidden side of their relationship by putting them together for another month.
Imagine watching a show where the romantic leads fail to communicate in any substantive way for more than 8 hour long episodes – sounds boring and frustrating doesn’t it? Somehow this show is not and I credit to the actors and the writing. And their internal dialogues that serve to communicate what they are not expressing to each other. Sample of great writing – I am paraphrasing – YS to JU – “you were always running in the sun but I went to CU laying in the shade.” Frankly, I’ve lost the plot a bit regarding who is running from whom and why. I’m also confused by the study abroad trip he took as I thought his turning down that trip lead to their FINAL break up as shown in the Pride and Prejudice episode. I will definitely be rewatching to piece together the plot once all episodes are released. In the meantime – I continue to enjoy the show and the really great commentary from @GB @Cleopatra and the BODs.
@moonstar512,
I just saw that you sent me a message, but I missed it somehow!
Happy New Year sweets! I do hope you had a great time during Christmas!
Be safe as well! :*
Yes, all the ost for “Our Beloved Summer” is pretty good.
I was listening to it today and I was impressed. I like it when the production gives us a great soundtrack that complements the series!
Hey @GoodTwin!
I am glad you are here with us! The script is well written and it the internal monologues are giving us a lot of information so it makes things interesting.
It’s okay, I think that we will going to find out when the break up did happen and why.
Although I haven’t voice it before, as it seems every episode pays homage to all every movie (or tv series) it has as its title.
Look what I have found! @GB Unnie has posted the titles, I am adding the links of the movies:
1. “I Know What You Did Last Summer”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119345/
2. “1792 Days of Summer”
3. “10 Things I Hate About You”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0147800/
4. “The Boy, or the Girl, I Liked Then”
5. “A Secret That Can’t Be Told”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1037850/
6. “Pride and Prejudice”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414387/
7. “Catch Me If You Can”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264464/
8. “Before Sunset”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381681/
As it seems my latest comment awaits moderation @Packmule3!
Can you check it please? 😀
@Cleopatra, these links are great. Let me add one more: 1792 Days of Summer is a reference to “500 Days of Summer” – which may be a clue that our OTP will not end up together but will develop a greater understanding of love and what they need in a relationship. Here’s the IMDB link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1022603/. Frankly the reference to “our beloved summer” also suggests a moment in the past not an ongoing relationship. I hope they’ll end up together because I like happy endings (but if their communication doesn’t improve staying together will likely not make anyone happy) but frankly am satisfied to go wherever this writer leads.
I read that the Boy or Girl I Liked Then is a reference to a well knownAsian romantic drama. I will try to find the reference and post.
Found it! It’s a Taiwanese drama called “You Are the Apple of My Eye”. The literal title is “Those Years, the Girl We Went After Together”. Here is Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Are_the_Apple_of_My_Eye
Hey @GoodTwin,
Thank you for finding it! I wasn’t sure so I didn’t post anything!
I wanted to say, that “Before Sunset” is the second movie of a trilogy.
The first one is “Before Sunrise” and the third one is “Before Midnight”. The last one, it was filmed also in Greece and you can also hear some greek songs in its OST, the couple ends up together and they have kids!
So, it might be a sign that they will end up together!
I do hope they will manage to solve their problems first. Only then that is plausible and realistic for me!
P.S. Here is the song I really love from the Soundtrack.
Haris Alexiou – Για Ένα Τανγκό / Gia Ena Tango. (For one single tango)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbetuPP4qmE
Here is the translated lyrics: https://lyricstranslate.com/en/gia-ena-tango-one-single-tango.html#songtranslation
I just want to pipe in that I love the “Before Trilogy”. They are dialogue/repartee driven movies, no CGI just conversations. It needs a rewatch though especially the 3rd one as I missed some details like what @Cleo mentioned – location in Greece and the beautiful Tango music.
I’m glad it was used as reference for this show – potential time jump and OTP ending up together. Although I am not actively watching this, it’s always a pleasure to read thru the posts and the sharing. Cheers!!!
Hi @Good Twin,
You said:
Yeah, losing the plot becomes understandable when the protagonists are so busy doing a mixture of one step forward, 1 or 2 steps back. As for the reasons why, it’s always the same reason with YS… she didn’t want to appear weak, to be humiliated, etc. With CU, he seems to be trying on and off, but without success, so my guess is that when he runs away, he’s just plain fed up or embarrassed.
Summary of Steps Ep 7-8:
Forward: CU asks YS how she’s been.
Backward: YS pretends she’s too drunk to answer, runs into her home.
Backward: Next day both avoid the congratulatory party
Forward: They bump into each other and have lunch. CU asks again how YS is.
Backward: YS runs off after giving ‘false’ happy answers.
Backward: CU expresses anger that the always ‘not knowing but having to accept’ situation with Yeon Su is sickening. They separate instead of talking it out.
Forward: YS decides that she too wants to tell CU off, but NJ pops up and shocks her into realising that she never expected CU to possibly be with someone else other than her.
Backward: They are forced into ‘cohabitation’ in the mountain lodge but avoid each other. The documentary interview does not go well. CU articulates that they have the habit of fighting and running away but again, YS decides to leave, so they separate instead of talking it out.
Neutral: In the same way that NJ’s presence sparked awareness in YS that she was not happy to have a 3rd wheel in their ‘non-relationship’, CU finds that he’s not happy when YS is alone with JU for a long time or that they were mistaken to be a couple.
Backward: CU and YS argue over whether it’s okay to nap outdoors. CU’s dad calls and NJ inserts herself again. YS is jealous. Now not only is her place with CU threatened, but with his parents as well, since they are happy and excited to have NJ with them. She avoids him again that night.
Forward: YS looks in on CU and touches him. He almost holds her hand to keep her with him, but lets her go.
Backward: Instead of waking CU up to chat, YS leaves. Instead of getting up, CU keeps his eyes closed.
Forward: CU goes to YS with an umbrella. But he’s still in two minds and chiding himself for his giving in to the ‘curse’.
Backward: YS does not understand what she is supposed to do, since he still says something is her fault. He does not explain what. She tries to leave.
Neutral: He stops her from leaving and offers her the umbrella (but does not offer to hold it for her). Exhausted by the ambivalence of the situation, YS wants to take the umbrella and leave, but he stops her with the kiss.
The reason we are stuck in neutral territory is because the kiss is not moving anything forward/backward until the OTP explain it to themselves and to us.
While both of them do run away, YS is doing more running than CU.
My understanding of the situation was that events took place in this chronological order:
1) YS and CU went for their trip to the beach.
2) 2 days later CU went to France for 6 months.
3) Some time after CU has returned from France, CU rejects the offer to return to France to continue being trained there.
4) After overhearing CU’s refusal to leave the country alone (ie she can guess he wants her to go with him or else he’d stay put) YS initiates the breakup.
@GB – thanks for the two step analysis of CU and YS! It reminds me of the lyric from “One Step Up” by Bruce Springsteen “ We’ve given each other some hard lessons lately
But we ain’t learnin’
We’re the same sad story, that’s a fact
One step up and two steps back”
@Janey @Cleopatra – love the Before Sunrise movies – I am “around” the same age as the characters so the movie (especially the first one) was so relatable having done a summer traveling throughout Europe just a couple of years earlier.
Hi @pkml3, since we’ve reached 100 comments on this thread, please open a new thread for the 2nd half of this Show. Thanks in advance. 😇 😄
🍪 🥛 🍪 🥛 🍪 🥛 🍇 🍷 🍪 🥛 🍪 🥛 🍪 🥛
I’m awake, @GB. 😝 I’ll open a new thread for “Our Beloved Summer” in an hour.
Happy New Year’s morning @pkml3. Thanks!
What shows are you managing to watch, this busy festive period?
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