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16 Comments On “Yumi’s Cells 2: Eps 5 & 6 Open Thread”
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Hi all!
Episode 5 was such a strong episode – the show doing what it does best.
You will enjoy – I found it gripping.
I am trying to avoid anything spoilerish but what was striking to me was how well we know Woong from Season 1 and how well he is fleshed out as a character. We are very familiar too with his cells. They feel like old friends in this episode.
Ba Bi as a character has not been drawn, yet, with anything like the same level of detail.
Kalispera,
Mostly tomorrow I will be up to date!
It’s time to savor episode 5!
Wong is sad that Yumi is gone.
A shot insists on his hand with the coins: although he has a new job in an IT company, he seems to have financial problems.
Ah, I forgot about that! The telephone negotiation. Happily summarized here, which highlights something big: Wong will know that Yumi is unemployed.
The fact that it’s Christmas Eve makes it seem like they’re both as miserable as each other for doing a second-hand sale transaction rather than having a warm New Year’s Eve.
It makes me think that Yumi may have a deeper and unknown reason (even by her) why she so easily resigns. What if it was a failed act to get away from BaBi?
Yumi: “Such a chance is like a miracle”. This will give him serious hope…
We don’t see the end of the scene at the cafe. Hey hey… common SJJ method. Hook first, explain later.
We see Wong slumped over his desk with the rice cooker.
Aha!!! That was an imaginary scene. Just what he would have liked to have happened. The line “Such luck is like a miracle” never existed.
As a symbol I have trouble interpreting: she returns the 5k yen (a paltry sum). Put the ticket on the box because he doesn’t want to take it. The bill flies away and ends up on the ground.
It’s like “our relationship is not worth more than this to me today”.
“Reason” cell used, for short.
Yumi’s “love” cell seems Ok for Christmas Eve with BaBi. Did I miss a step? She looks positive now.
Babi puts cheese on the pasta and then puts it in the oven. But his timing seems off to me because Yumi isn’t here yet. As he proceeds, the cooking will be over before they eat it. And he’ll have to reheat it a bit in the microwave.
Voilà, just a little culinary note because I always put cheese on the pasta.
There are only four cells left for Christmas Eve, 🙂
However, the most important ones!!!
First “love”, then “sexy” and finally “reason” and the guard.
Ah!!! The girl who lusted after Wong now has a boyfriend! She looks radiant (prettier than before!).
Yumi gets a phone call. I was expecting Wong, but… ahaha, it’s her father! But finally, TWIST! No, it’s Wong! aaaah!!!
Next::::: This is the surgical unraveling of the situation with all the characters (including BaBi) and their cells. So of course, it’s quite long to tell!
It also allows for a flashback on BaBi’s side, when he met Wong in the past (but he also met him on other occasions).
With such a detailed decryption all around, the love triangle with an intensity rarely seen before!
Yumi goes out!!!!! ARGH!!!! Poor BaBi!
Yumi is not decent! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
BaBi’s calculated reaction though.
The drama does not spare any character ^^
Visual trick: the decision choice logigrams overlaying the real image.
The end… So this episode was there to make Wong suffer!!! The writer is getting back at herself!!! After lots of dramas where she systematically makes the female lead suffer (for sentimental reasons), she can finally make a male lead suffer, ahahahahaahaha!!!!
Episode 6
I am typing while watching, so I don’t know what happens the next minute. 😉
Visual trick: stars of satisfaction in superimposition. Looks like a rating (movie, restaurant, etc).
******************************************
Yumi types 2000 words a day during the afternoon. Assuming it’s a first draft, that’s a good pace. I’m assuming she also knows what she’s going to type (has a structure to her story, or writes without structure).
Yumi words/day: 2k.
Word count of some novels:
– Fahrenheit 451: 46k.
– Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: 77k.
– The Hobbit: 95k.
– Gullivers Travels: 107k.
– Crime and Punishment: 211k.
– War and Peace: 561k.
Let’s compare this with what the scriptwriter of Yumi does!
An episode of W has on average 11000 words.
– W episode: 11k. (60 minutes screentime)
– W drama: 187k.
183 words/screentime minute.
If Yumi writes 5 days a week, she can:
– Write a one-hour drama episode in one week.
– Write the first Harry Potter book in two months.
I compare that to my maximum pace for a poorly written first draft, once I already have the structure and a significant amount of content in draft. The kind of pace I can’t keep indefinitely. I don’t write on a regular basis, as most writers do. I like to be fully focused, and other life pursuits don’t allow for that.
With thinking while writing. In a very busy day (> 12 hours of work), for a short episode (hard estimate, 20-30 minutes):
– Me: 4500. (25 minute screentime)
This is the high average reported by some scriptwriters. On a subject can we write a movie in two weeks (1h30, 16k words). Experienced screenwriters said: YES. A first draft, 4 days of hard work. But the worry is rather the time to have the ideas, to prepare and to structure. Then the huge time that the corrections take.
For novelists now, number of words per day:
– Hemingway: 500. Works 6 hours a day.
– Graham Greene: 500. But only works 2 hours a day.
– Charles Dickens: 2000. For 5 hours a day.
– Stephen King: 2000.
– Anne Rice: 3000. With some free time.
– Arthur Conan Doyle: 3000.
– Michael Crichton: 10000. !!!
With all these statistics, and imagining that Yumi’s afternoon is 4 hours…
It seems that screenwriter Song Jae-Jung lent Yumi her own writing speed… which she probably lowered to try to be more realistic. But even then, it’s just amazing.
*** Yumi has an amazing writing speed! ***
******************************************
Yumi meets Ruby, they go to a bistro.
I would be very curious to know Ruby’s cells. 🙂
Ruby’s hunches about BaBi’s girlfriend… (silly chuckles)
She leaves saying “when BaBi’s girlfriend is revealed, I’ll tell you”… I sense a twist to this, when Ruby is convinced that she has found this girlfriend and makes Yumi angst over BaBi cheating and seeing another girl. But probably, Yumi will have to get suspicious first. ^^
Yumi’s anxiety cell about the instability of her life and finances (she has to win a contest). Yumi is handling this quite well. I often see wannabe posts on a screenwriting forum. A field where the success rate is infinitesimal. They go crazy, a perpetual suffering leading to “writer block” or systematic depreciation of what they do, then finally… they lose the taste for what they do. A negative spiral. An artistic career is hard on morale, and willpower certainly counts as much as talent.
Yumi’s satisfaction stars seem to me to be more: the satisfaction stars of having chosen this new life. I suppose that when the satisfaction stars will decrease, Yumi’s number of words per day will also decrease!
Several small scenes, but each one has a purpose, and when one scene says “Yumi is static in her life, everyone else now has promotions”… This is followed by a scene where Yumi meets an old friend, who of course has just been promoted and is going on a business trip. Giving it an idyllic feel.
Always lots of little details to press where it hurts. The friend gives her business card! The situations are exploited to the full with a lot of irony. 😬
The friend recalls the phrase “everyone is promoted these days”. aaaahahhahh!!!
Then as an evidence that Yumi can’t be unemployed, she asks Yumi “you should also have a promotion in your company”, again to press on the injury. 😅
Another obvious question for the friend… “Did you change companies?”
Music with CLAVECIN, while the friend reminds Yumi of the realities of life. In fact, the friend is a kind of alter-ego for the audience, after Yumi’s decision.
One less star!
From the point of view of the scenario: let’s put Yumi in an uncomfortable and difficult to explain situation giving rise to various tasty scenes. Then through the cells… as if she hadn’t really thought about it before.
The friend transmits to Yumi her own anxiety (or rather the anxiety she would have if she had to live this situation).
One less star!
This is followed by dark clouds over the moon… quite a symbol!
I see the moon as the idea of something lunatic. Whimsical decision.
In French, there is the expression “être dans la lune”… being in the moon. Meaning that one is having a daydream without paying attention to the reality around.
Yumi tries to change the subject, but it’s impossible! Her friend is too into it. Excellent!
A series of testimonies of failed writers of his entourage, ending up in the hospital or miserable.
This scene is dynamite!
One star less! The last one…
More irony, as she leaves the friend is happy “we should see each other more often”. lololol, regular star destroying sessions. 😆
PLOT TWIST!!! 😮
Star Retrieval… No Monday! Oh, it’s so cold tomorrow!!!
We then see the friend’s stars! She only had three and loses them all. Going to work is no fun. She is less patient with Yumi because she immediately “doesn’t talk about it anymore”.
But Yumi gets a little revenge! 😩
Motivated, Yumi writes in the middle of the night.
WHAT????!!!!!
What a surreal scene. He brings a pig as a present in the middle of the night?!
Is Yumi dreaming? …. ah… yes.
Writing competition results… heartbeat.
Mmmh, I’m trying to guess… she’s last. ^^
This makes the script spicier. But on the other hand, a success for a better good feeling?
No no, I choose trouble, there’s always something to do with it. More hassle for Yumi!
Organ music when she says a prayer…
🤐
Hey hey, she lost.
But at the same time, good feeling through a series of famous quotes, encouraging not to give in to the easy way and the need for perseverance. Writer cell had a good preparation for avoiding to be buried.
However BaBi seems to lose confidence quickly when he sees the result of the contest.
Or maybe he is just disappointed and sad for her?
On the other hand he lies and pretends that he didn’t see the result of the contest. Mwah.
He seems to encourage her, but… grey area.
The joke made by Yumi before comes true (it was foreshadowing lol!)
Daddy arrives! And sees BaBi.
Yumi “Ai-goo”.
Then, when Yumi talks to her father… We don’t see the cells, but we guess that it is “reaction #1”.
Visual hint: description of “the fist of fury”, like a fighting manga.
Yumi doesn’t want to show her “girl mode”, but I guess she’ll break down later.
BaBi’s cells fear a fight with the father. Vision of a TV screen with free-fight in front of the cells… Transition… a real TV screen with BaBi and the father, showing that he likes free-fighting on TV.
The gags continue… listing BaBi’s sporting achievements.
Opening a box by REFUSING to use scissors. So ridiculous. 🤪 With the reactions of Yumi and her mother. 🙂
There is a strong cohesion of scene and use of elements in an almost magical way.
– Box with food… Allowing to hold BaBi for dinner.
– Comparison with who is more muscular between father and BaBi.
– Use of the box for a sporting feat.
Fight at mealtime, father is desperate to find something BaBi won’t eat!
Then, a craft… that ends up in the hospital.
BaBi in a cheabolic situation.
The yogurt test.
Once Yumi understands that BaBi is an heir and asks him…
Typical Makjang music with violins! Example with this nice composition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y0xqvGri-4
The cells are shooting a drama with the famous “scene of the envelope”.
Reversal of perspective, this time it is not the cells that illustrate the situation of Yumi.
It is an imaginary situation of Yumi that illustrates the drama of the cells.
The cell writer works very hard, but rather in the cliché.
The space adventures of “right hand”.
The next morning, they are in bed (admittedly with white underwear), but we guess what happened.
To check her face, she reaches for his smartphone and activate the “mirror” app.
And then I feel that something will happen!!! She’s going to see a message she shouldn’t have.
…
Suspense
…
And no!!
No cliffhanger, this is a 5 star morning.
A very dense episode.
Wow, appreciate the breakdown of her writing speed WE!
This drama continues to wow. No scenes is wasted. Some striking moments:
Spoilers ahead!
Woong’s payment:
I thought this symbolized how Woong would give the minimum effort to Yumi (in his replies, in sharing his life). So when Yumi relents and gives up on trying to get more from him, he suddenly realizes this and agrees to give her more. I thought the amount was pretty symbolic too – it was just the extra 5 bucks but Woong would only give it when he realized it was too late.
The concept of stars:
This was another great device to say that though her happiness will fluctuate, Yumi was happy about her situation on the whole. She had a lot of anxiety but she was doing what she wanted. Of course, it seems like this balance will change in the upcoming episodes given the teasers but it at least tells us that she was happy during this short time.
I really enjoyed these episodes!
Her relationship with Woong made a full circle and closed and her relationship with Yu BaBi is based in trust…
I laughed so much with Yumi’s dad…LOL
@Exwriter – not a scene wasted indeed in Ep 5! I found it very poignant. Interesting what you wrote re the money exchange.
I am very sad about all the efforts made by Woong’s cells to tackle the impact of his Primary Cell. They were all so excited to see Yumi! Oh dear!
Re Ep 6
Enjoyed your comments and reflections @WE. I agree too re the extra value brought with all the background info Yumi’s writing speed.
The moon… hmmmm… so clever!
@GB pointed out that Ba Bi is Malaysian for pig – I think. Is this of any relevance???
@Cleo – Yumi’s dad behaved so absurdly! I was laughing too…
I want to echo the appreciation to @WEnchanteur for his breakdown of famous writer’s word speed. It does give us some perspective on how seriously Yumi takes this opportunity she’s given herself. She sets a schedule and sticks with it. Here’s a look at some other writers’ daily schedules. https://nadinebrandes.com/2017/03/08/daily-routines-great-writers/
@Exwriter, I appreciate the points you made about Woong and money. His Primary Cell, Pride, made him hide his financial struggles from Yumi, and in doing that he lost transparency. He also misjudged her, because she wanted to be there to support him during his most difficult time. She would not have rejected him because of his business failure.
I don’t think Woong knew Yumi was the one selling the rice cooker, unless she reused an online nickname with which he was familiar. She didn’t recognize his online nickname as the buyer. We saw that negotiating down the price was part of Woong’s motivation to get that particular rice cooker. If he got it even a little less than the asking price, he would consider it a win.
I, too, have conflicted feelings about Yumi leaving Ba Bi and the dinner he’d been working hard to prepare to go back to Woong. I understand that she worried Woong, with his personality, would stay out in the cold waiting for her if she didn’t do anything after reading and ignoring his text. She did want to tell BaBi who she was going to meet at such short notice on Christmas Eve, interrupting the dinner they’d planned, but BaBi stopped her from talking. His cutting her off didn’t sit well with me either. Yes, he was showing he trusted her unconditionally, but by not letting her express herself, he shut down an opportunity to learn more about her. And since they both, in actuality, knew who she was meeting, they could have cleared the air by talking it out. BaBi could have supported her openly, rather than silently.
I’m impressed that Show gave us more depth in Yumi’s and Woong’s breakup. We see how Woong wished things had gone between them, and we see how they did transpire. Yumi was able to say goodbye to Woong with kindness, but finality. She made it clear to Woong that she cared for him, but it was too late for their romance to be rekindled.
@Kate,
Yumi’s dad was antagonizing Babi in extremes…that had us laughing so very much!
Since I am watching other ongoing shows, I am watching Yumi for the laughter and the subtle messages…
@Cleo – yes! I am only watching Yumi + some Chinese dramas. I would want some light relief in my watching portfolio if I had taken all those shows on!
I watched Ep 6 again last night – too funny! Ba-bi really earned his boyfriend medal with Yumi’s Dad!
I loved the scene played out between Yumi and BaBi’s “chaebol” father as imagined by her cells. The two actors in profile against the glass wall, Yumi’s rigid posture…evocative! The thick envelop pushed across the table toward Yumi, her refusal to break up with BaBi, followed by a glass of water splashed in her face…a delicious tropefest! Reason says, “It’s my first time seeing Writer work so hard. Detective observes, “I think she seems more of a writer for dramas than for novels.” Is this foreshadowing, or Writernim being self-referential?
Yumi’s fears that their relationship would be burdensome, followed by relief on learning that BaBi and she are of similar economic background, led to Yumi’s inhibitions being relaxed. The great adventure of Right Hand was the funniest skinship I’ve seen in a Kdrama, but I do wonder how he escaped the Octopus Hug. And Naughty ending up with a bloody nose: that’s Kdrama code for passion spent.
Episode 6 wraps up with Yumi and BaBi in bed together in bright sunshine. In accordance with Kdrama modesty, they’re clothed, but I feel confident they progressed beyond butt grabbing the previous night. And then Show ruins, for me, what could have been a beautiful moment–a languid wake up in the arms of a lover–by having Yumi focus on her looks. Really? I’d think the proper mindset at such a moment would lead her to gaze on BaBi’s face rather than worry about her own. Despite their growing intimacy, Yumi is not trusting BaBi to love her, warts and all. At such a time and place, her petty concern (in my opinion) about her appearance convinces me Yumi’s feelings for BaBi lack depth.
With episode 5 I have now joined the Ba Bi fan club! A man who is kind and can cook is a winning combination in my experience (as someone married to such a man for 32 years!). I had said in an earlier post that I found Ba Bi bland, but I think that’s because he always seemed so gentlemanly and formal with Yumi. We finally see them laughing together and fooling around while making the pizza on Xmas Eve. I wanted to see her laugh with him before I could decide if he was good for her.
I appreciated seeing everything from Woong’s viewpoint and being able to observe his growth as a character in finally(!) realizing what he did wrong–or didn’t do–in his relationship with Yumi.
One thing that struck me this time, which perhaps someone has noted in a previous post this season or last: Woong doesn’t seem to have any feminine cells–at least in the group that gathered to cheer him on with his second meeting that night with Yumi. Only the (computer?) voice that shares the algorithms seems like a woman’s. Contrast this to both Yumi and Ba Bi, who have feminine and masculine cells–e.g., Yumi’s Reason and Writer cells are referred to with masculine pronouns and sound like males. I assume this shows a better balance as human beings. The only other cell(?) that I can think of that Woong has that doesn’t present as a male “person” (if that’s what cells are) is his naughty Nautisourus(sp?) cell!] So that’s Woong’s real weakness in a relationship. Not only is his Pride cell his primary cell, but he always wants to present himself as strong/masculine and not vulnerable, which is why he doesn’t open up and share what’s really going on in his life.
Annyeong 🌼 Bod’erz,
another roller coaster ride from Ep 5 and 6, folks. i am happy to read all your insightful comments.
@WEnchaunter – thanks for your breakdown of this episode and yumi’s writing speed analysis ⭐ the struggle is real. i think that Yumi’s love cell had a turn around on Ep 4 when Babi gave her the “term of endearment” Yumi-ya 💗 Love cell fluttered ❤ yea, who wants to have a monthly star destroying session with that gf of yumi’s omg. good thing, yumi had the revenge in the end with that NO MONDAY twist to her star retrieval ⭐ oh, if only we don’t have Manic Mondays either LOL that would be so fun haha.
i love that they gave us Woong’s perspective on the breakup and an update on his life. yes, it was great to see Woong’s cells and that algorithm of his again. @Exwriter, indeed, that extra 5 bucks that Woong bargained for is symbolic. tragedy. we get a role reversal. now it’s Woong watching Yumi walk away. @Cleo & @Welmaris, we also get a closure/finality in their relationship. i like that Yumi gave Woong the Babi approach – did you see that FASTBALL? thanks also to reason’s motto: keep it short. Go Yumi! she’s grown a bit.
@Welmaris, i agree that Woong misjudged Yumi and she didn’t get to share his pain because of his pride. even though BAbi stopped Yumi from mentioning who she was meeting… i don’t mind coz he supported her nonetheless, even though silently… but strong… so glad to see Yumi get a closure – including the poster also. i was like, OOh, so she had a purpose. pretty perfect!
@kate Babi did earn that BF medal from the dad. oh my. what a predicament babi was able to wiggle out of. oh my! Yumi’s dad was too much. that “handshake of fury” haha. poor Babi. funny how he’s so protective – maybe coz this is probably the first BF of yumi he’s ever met. hmmm and maybe the last?? ahhh that piggy back ride. good job Babi.
@Welmaris, the “tropefest” was fun to watch because it didn’t happen in real life, but in yumi’s mind and cell village. that yogurt test was new though. haha. so Babi is not a licker and not a biter! alright. i also wonder if yumi will end up being a drama writer than a novel writer haha – but good question – foreshadowing or self-referential. both. haha. regarding the right hand, it was while yumi was in the octopus hug that opened the way for the PLANET H2 landing. this is hilarious. the right hand adventure that started with turning the lights out beforehand. oh, right hand! go go go. i think what made the right hand adventure the funniest skinship in kdrama were the cells and it being portrayed as a space mission. love love this! when Yumi checked her looks the morning after – i felt that also symbolizes her feelings for babi lacking depth… but i think it also shows the beginnings of all relationship… that stage where we want to impress our mate. i still like how babi didn’t let her leave and held her close to her to his chest. that was a sweet ending. ⭐
@BethB, y know i didn’t realize that Woong does not have female cells. how weird. i guess that just goes to show you how masculine his world is. smh on his primary cell -that pride cell tsk tsk. Woong’s love cell needed to have taken control before the break up. sigh. i hope Woong will be a better man for the next girl he will meet. lessons learned.
HK-Lady – I enjoyed reading your comments and reflections! They made me smile at the end of a long working day and brought back some of the fun of the show.
BTW, agreed re Yumi not having much depth with Ba Bi because they are just starting out – agreed – she’s at the ‘impress him’ stage. In fact, I think it would be rather odd if she was letting it all hang out at this stage as if they were a long married couple.
The point that people may be making of course is that they’ve got together ‘in bed mate’ terms at least- sooner than with Woong at least – and have jumped a few stages ahead of her actual comfort level with this level of un-primped, first thing in the morning intimacy with him.
I also loved the way he hugged her as she attempted to sneak off and do up her face and hair! He’s an affectionate type.