Jealousy is running rampant this week as our OTP and their friends try to adjust to the new normal. Come join me as I look at what is and what might be for these layered characters.
Cutting the leash
We left off with Moon Young getting a new hairstyle, and with the loss of her hair, we see a new side to Moon Young. She seems to be greatly less overwhelmed by the past if the shining smiles she shares are anything to go by. The only blip to her happiness comes when Sang Tae informs her that he doesn’t like her new hairstyle. Ha! In fact, his favorite thing about Moon Young is her long hair that went to her waist. Even his brother kicking Sang Tae’s leg under the breakfast table couldn’t get him to say differently.
Conspiracy Theories
Kang Tae finds out that Moon Young’s father had an incident where he collapsed in a fit. Upon questioning the father, he shakenly says, “That woman is here” Uhm…anyone else feeling that mommy dearest might not really be dead? Dad mumbles that he heard the song “Oh My Darling Clementine,” an old song about a gold miner’s daughter who drowned. Mommy Dearest used to hum that song before she disappeared. Oh, and it turns out that we don’t know if she is dead or not. She just disappeared and was presumed dead. Now we just have to try and figure out which female at the asylum is leading a double life.
Jjamppong
Moon Young joins the Tang brothers for a trip down memory lane. They walk to the restaurant that their mother used to bring them to back in the day. Where they would eat Jjamppong since it was Kang Tae’s favorite meal. We witness that Kang Tae seems to come to terms with some of his mommy issues and I love that Moon Young distracts him from his sadness. The three leave the restaurant in the middle of a summer shower and I love how we get a juxtaposition of the three walking together in the rain, just as they used to walk with their mother twenty years earlier.
Jealous?
Kang Tae and Moon Young are out on a coffee date when Kang Tae notices that Moon Young is intently staring at a handsome man sitting nearby. Hello cameo by the always handsome Choi Daniel. Who wouldn’t be attracted to Choi Daniel (Dramagods, can we please get him in a new drama?) His character turns out to be a fanboy of the talented writer , and he comes over and gushes about her talent and beauty. Kang Tae is forced to sit across from the two, fuming at how easy Moon Young falls for a pretty face. He is even forced to take photos of the two and watch as she gives the fanboy her number. Poor Kang Tae shouts that she shouldn’t be so fickle with her attention. It turns out; it wasn’t the man that Moon Young found attractive but his fancy ballpoint pen he had been using at his table. A pen that she stole while doing all those selfies.
Moving in
It looks like we have a side romance brewing between writer CEO and the whiny second lead girl. For some reason, he finds her absolutely delightful and wants her to keep her sweet girl next door ways. So much so that he tells her, “Don’t be a bitch. You are sweet and kind and should marry someone who will love you for who you are” when she questions whether Kang Tae would love her if she was a jerk. Whether she likes it or not, CEO is determined to woo the whiny nice girl and finagles himself a spot in her mother’s house. Hello, new stalker boarder.
Jealousy take two
Sang Tae has started to notice that he is no longer the only thing Kang Tae focuses on, and a bit of jealousy is brewing. It comes to a head when he discovers that Kang Tae had given his nightmare doll to Moon Young. Being the mature adults that they are, the discovery developed into a full fight where the little doll ends up torn in half. Kang Tae discovers the ruckus and tries to have a heart to heart with his brother. He explains that Mang Tae was a forgotten toe, and when you don’t need something, it is nice to offer it to someone else. Sang Tae tells his brother that she can have Mang Tae but not Kang Tae. Poor Kang Tae fakes a smile, but his eyes show his worry over the situation.
Dude, where’s my mustache?
We get a humorous moment when our writing CEO wakes up to find that his mustache had been shaved off by Pizza Bestie (aka, his roommate). Turned out there was a very unfortunate gum in facial hair incident and the mustache is no longer. He seems ok with the fact after whiny girls mom tells him he looks very handsome. I for one will miss his facial hair.
Beauty and the Beast
Thanks to some finagling, Moon Young is allowed to teach her class again. This week she teaches the patients about Beauty and the Beas,t which she informs them is simply Stockholm syndrome wrapped up in a pretty bow. Our high-strung patient gets very upset at this and informs Moon Young that it isn’t horrible like that. It is because of the beauty of Belle’s love that the beast was able to change and become a better person. Hmmm. I wonder who this is supposed to represent. Sure enough, Moon Young suddenly has an epiphany that she is the beast, and Kang Tae loves her. And judging from her expression that love is changing something inside of her.
Letting go
The whole episode revolved around Kang Tae, repressing his feelings so that he only shows a fake facade to the world. Moon Young asks him how he does this and can he teach her since she can’t control her anger. Kang Tae just looks sad, probably thinking of the trials of his brother and his burgeoning feelings for Moon Young.
Out on the grounds of the hospital, an ex-boyfriend of one of the patients is causing a scene. Moon Young tells him to shut up, and he hits her. Before he can follow through with another punch, Kang Tae attacks. He hits the man and straddles him on the ground, going in for another punch. It takes multiple people screaming to get him off the man. He is suspended because of the attack but doesn’t seem to upset. He smiles and runs to Moon Young then says, “I got suspended, without pay, will probably get sued; let’s go on vacation.”
Final thoughts
I feel so much for all these characters. It isn’t as easy as choosing one way over the other or making some kind of compromise. All three of our leads (Sang Tae included) have limitations when it comes to emotions and compromise. I’m dreading what is going to happen since I want everyone to get their happy ever after and I’m not sure they will. And that doesn’t even take into account that Moon Young’s psychopath of a mother might still be alive.
Until the next story,
Kmuse
Dramas With a Side of Kimchi
