Mary Stayed Out All Night Episode 13 Recap

Those concert pictures yesterday really resurrected my flagging enthusiasm big time. Too bad the concert scene wasn’t in today’s episode 13 of Mary Stayed Out All Night (Marry Me, Mary!), but I am forever a patient Koala and will gird myself for the onslaught of Jang Geun Seok performing on stage as Kang Mu Gyul hotness in the upcoming episode. *Fans self*.

Today’s episode had all the hallmarks of the new writer’s juggling act of (increasingly ridiculous) forward plot movement, as well as continued steady emotional development for Mae Ri and Mu Gyul. Too bad the forward part came at the expense of plot sanity, including unearthing the double dose of career-inhibiting-injury and critical-juncture-kidnapping (the latter of which I called out many recaps ago as likely to happen). Eh, this is nothing new. This year alone, M3 was not even the worst offender in drama plot going to the wolves, WUAS (Wish Upon A Star) takes the cake and the coffee in this category.

What really struck me today is how it’s become impossible for anyone, including Seo Jun and especially Jung In, to not acknowledge that Mae Ri and Mu Gyul are totally 100% in love with each other! It’s so obvious how genuine their affection is for each other that there is no justification in the world for anyone to get between the two of them.

I think Jung In discovering his dad’s sick ulterior insistence on having Mae Ri as a daughter-in-law gives his character the excuse he needed to stop pursuing Mae Ri, especially since he has not fallen in love with her just yet. Jung In will get his logical ending, and hopefully some real friends in Mae Ri and Mu Gyul going forward.

M3 is really a story constructed around a premise (wacky dual marriage) and a central love story (Mae Ri and Mu Gyul). It’s like someone writing a novel not based on telling a gripping story, but writing scenes first and then linking the scenes together into a logical progression of how and whys. There is no story beyond how Mae Ri met Mu Gyul, two random people who randomly meet, fall in love and discover soul mates in each other. This premise was only ever going to appeal to a small group of people who absolutely love this couple, and are willing to overlook everything else lacking.

I am one of those folks, and can’t blame others for not feeling the same adoration of Mu Gyul and Mae Ri’s love story. I don’t feel particularly pissed off that M3 had a great cast who deserved a better script, because I’ve enjoyed what I’ve been given. We’re turning the corner and heading into the final stretch, and I just have a wish for the writer to resolve the external conflicts quickly, and allow my OTP to work through their own developmental hurdles, both individually and as a couple. I’m calling it right now – we’re getting a wedding at the end, whether right away, or after a time jump.

Episode 13 Recap:

Our lovebirds are running around like headless chickens, scrambling for a way out of the impending loser daddy predicament. Loser daddy opens the gate and rushes into Mu Gyul’s apartment, and comes face-to-face with the rocker-girly-guy his daughter loves. Mae Ri is nowhere in sight. Loser daddy berates Mu Gyul for swindling his darling daughter, emotionally and financially, and tries to drag him to the police station. Someone needs to hog tie loser daddy and then nudge him not-so-gently off a hillside.

Loser daddy pauses when he sees Mu Gyul’s bed, divided by a familiar curtain, next to a familiar bed spread. He further spies female toiletries on the table next to the bed. He talks to himself – it must be a coincidence, there are many similar things in this world, and his Mae Ri is safely living with Jung In now.

Mu Gyul wisely books it as loser daddy puts two and two together, running outside with Mae Ri’s giant orange suitcase in hand. He jumps into a taxi with the suitcase, which contains his Merry Christmas, all battered and shook up from being shoved into a suitcase and forcibly transported from Mu Gyul’s apartment to a taxi.

Loser daddy hurries to Jung In’s house, and barges into Mae Ri’s room to find her sleeping on the bed, feigning exhaustion and illness. Jung In is playing along, as usual, trying to stall loser daddy since he thinks Mae Ri is with Mu Gyul tonite. Jung In understands what likely transpired tonight when loser daddy accuses Mae Ri of playacting and being hidden in the suitcase that Mu Gyul was dragging around earlier.

Loser daddy drags Mae Ri outside to talk, and Jung In skims the room with his eyes as he heads out behind them, clearly wondering where the heck Mu Gyul is hiding. Turns out the errant boyfriend is hiding behind the wardrobe, and he slowly steps out after the coast is clear.

Loser daddy immediately asks Jung In for help, to save his Mae Ri from being swindled by Mu Gyul. Jung In plays along, while Mae Ri hacks away with her pretend cold. Loser daddy asks Mae Ri how her blankets and other household items ended up at Mu Gyul’s apartment. Mae Ri lies that she threw those things away because she doesn’t need it at Jung In’s house. Loser daddy warns Mae Ri – the day he sees her at Mu Gyul’s house, its’ the end of the road for them as family. Way to keep threatening the person you supposedly love, loser daddy!

Mu Gyul’s waiting to leave the room, and he takes a look around Mae Ri’s plush digs. He remarks that its like a princess barfed up a fantasy room, and is so lame. He sees a book on the table, and opens it to read Jung In’s handwritten post it about the story and its meaning. Mu Gyul is not impressed, calling it an old-fashion way to woo a girl.

Mu Gyul walks outside to hear Jung In tell Mae Ri that he will buy the ring back, and that she should have asked him for help if she needed money. Mu Gyul tells Jung In that he will handle it, and grabs Mae Ri to leave. She notes that her dad is likely camped out at Mu Gyul’s apartment waiting for him still. Jung In suggests that Mu Gyul also move in temporarily since loser daddy is so suspicious recently. Mu Gyul says that there is no spare room, and Jung In offers to let Mu Gyul crash in the small living room.

The trio walk into the living room, and Mu Gyul finds his new digs too cold and drafty. He thinks he should just sleep in Mae Ri’s room. Jung In repeats “Mae Ri’s room?”, and Mu Gyul ups the ante by explaining that they slept in the same bed when Mae Ri stays with him. Kim Jae Wook looks like he about to crack up during this entire scene, which is so adorable of him to accept the silliness and have fun with it. Jung In repeats “slept in the same bed?”, and Mae Ri taps Mu Gyul and reminds him that there was a curtain dividing the bed.

Jung In tells Mu Gyul to do as he says, since it’s his house. He walks out to grab some bedding for Mu Gyul, who gripes that he wants to just leave since being here totally ruins his mood. Mae Ri does her usual Mu Gyul OPW and totally gets him to relent. Jung In walks back to his room, and immediately starts imagining Mu Gyul and Mae Ri sleeping together, and making out. Oh you two boys, this constant fantasizing about the other couple is really bad for your self-esteem.

Mu Gyul wakes up thirsty, and toddles off to Mae Ri’s room to ask her to get him some water because he can’t find the fridge. He pounces on Mae Ri and muffles her scream with his hand, mumbling about needing water and being thirsty. She hands him a glass of juice, and spills it over his shirt. She’s super bossy and tells him to take it off right now, she needs to wash it for him.

Jung In hears water running and noise from outside, leading him to investigate. He hears Mae Ri and Mu Gyul having a conversation in the bathroom, along the lines of “I can do it”, “no, let me do it”, “I’m doing my best”, etc. He barges in to find Mu Gyul leaning over Mae Ri, with a towel wrapped around him, and Mae Ri washing his top. Jung In tells them to not make so much noise in the middle of the night, and grumpily goes back to bed.

Mu Gyul’s mom comes to his apartment and is ambushed by loser daddy. Seo Jun is recording “Hello, Hello” with Mu Gyul at the studio, and he stops her for singing it with too much emotion. It should be a faster song, and he ends up singing it to demonstrate for her. Jung In walks in to hear Mu Gyul’s rendition, and he suggests that Mu Gyul sing this song for the OST, as its more suited for the man in the relationship to sing. Seo Jun agrees and walks out, a little bit pouty but not her usual level of bitchiness.

Jung In sits in his office and broods over the implications of his dad carrying around Mae Ri’s mom’s picture in his wallet. Devil daddy calls Jung In to prod him about wedding preparations, and Jung In works up the courage to ask his dad about what his real relationship was with Mae Ri’s mom. Devil daddy tells Jung In that he doesn’t want to talk about it right yet, and walks away leaving Jung In more disturbed than ever about this fixation that he marry Mae Ri.

The wedding planners are at Jung In’s house to have Mae Ri try on wedding dresses. Jung In confronts the housekeeper lady and asks her about his father’s relationship with Mae Ri’s mom. She refuses to divulge anything, other than a confirmation that devil daddy has been carrying around Mae Ri’s mom’s picture in his wallet for thirty years. Damn, that is one obsessed dude.

Mae Ri is forced to try on a wedding dress, and she pulls Jung In outside to once again remind him that she will not be choosing him at the end. He understands, but tells her that this is necessary to keep up the ruse. They are about to walk inside when Mu Gyul walks up to the house and sees Mae Ri in a wedding dress. He asks if they are planning to take wedding pictures, and when Mae Ri says this is not what he thinks, Mu Gyul stalks off and Mae Ri chases after him in the bitter cold clad in only a strapless wedding dress.

She loses him, and Jung In comes to drape his suit jacket over her, and her eyes rimed with tears. None of these three are happy with this situation, and it’s becoming increasing harder emotionally to handle. Mu Gyul gets a text from Seo Jun to meet at a restaurant. Mae Ri goes to Mu Gyul’s apartment and runs into his mom.

Mom, who is in no position to lecture ANYBODY, tells Mae Ri that since she is married to another man and living there, she shouldn’t be coming by here anymore. Mae Ri honestly tells her that she only has Mu Gyul in her heart. Though circumstances require that she live there for now, she’ll be moving out in two weeks. His mom is so wack in the head that she says being with Mae Ri would be hard for Mu Gyul, who needs a loving woman and a warm in-law family. Damn, I want to wack her like a wack-a-mole. She asks Mae Ri not to see Mu Gyul anymore. Bitch, the only person who should never see Mu Gyul again is YOU.

Seo Jun actually does something constructive for a change, having called the entire band together, asking them to drink and work out their differences. The band mates apologize for their early diss, and tell Mu Gyul that he’s always their leader.

Devil daddy goes to see loser daddy, informing him that he knows that the paste ring is not of Jung In’s doing, and that he has been keeping tabs on Mae Ri and Mu Gyul’s secret relationship. He delivers a threat that if Mae Ri continues to see Mu Gyul, then loser daddy is going to be in deep shit. See the complete boredom on my face, that is how much I do not care about whatever happens to loser daddy.

Back at the restaurant, the band mates are passed out drunk, and Seo Jun and Mu Gyul finally talk about their failed relationship. He apologizes for not understanding her feelings more back then, and she confesses that she contributed to the problem by trying to play it too cool. Which is why she’s letting all her now unrequited feelings hang out, because it’s now or never for her to express how she really feels, no matter how childish it may seem. Wow, Seo Jun has a non-woe-is-me conversation with Mu Gyul that is somewhat mature and poignant.

Too bad the band mates drunkenly let slip to Seo Jun that Mae Ri is sleeping at Jung In’s house tonight, and Mu Gyul needn’t have left so early. Mu Gyul wanders home, talking to an imaginary Wi Mae Ri, asking if she liked wearing a wedding dress today. Boy, you are so in love with her, I feel for you, because this insanity you are putting up with can only be handled if you are emotionally committed. He looks at the lump on the sofa, and pulls the blanket off to reveal his mom. She chides him for coming home and the first thing out of his mouth is his Merry Christmas. What, did you think it would be you, you horrible excuse of a mother?

Mom confesses that she told Mae Ri to leave, but then asks him to find another woman and not let this relationship ruin his life. He snaps back at her that he would never be like her, letting love dictate his entire life. Mu Gyul leaves and heads to Jung In’s place. He stands outside and composes a text, but doesn’t end up sending it. Mae Ri sits in her room, composing basically the same text, but she doesn’t send it either.

She walks to the kitchen to get some water, and finds Jung In sitting in the dark and drinking. He struggles to walk upright back to his room, yet brushes off Mae Ri’s helping him. He tells her that right now, he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place, can’t go forward, and can’t retreat. He has never once disobeyed his father’s command, accepting what his father says as the right thing to do. Except now, he doesn’t think so anymore.

He tells Mae Ri that once the showcase for the drama is done filming, he’s planning to return his father’s investment money, and then Mae Ri can be free. He walks off, and she hurries after him, except both trip and Jung In lands on top of Mae Ri.

He’s struggling in his drunken state to get off her, which is when Mu Gyul comes home. He pulls Jung In off and starts to get pissed, until he realizes that Jung In is passed out drunk and it was just a mishap that landed him on top of Mae Ri.

Mu Gyul deposits Jung In in his bed, and he and Mae Ri walk outside. He tells Mae Ri that he would demonstrate at the drama showcase how suitable he is for Mae Ri, so he can ask her dad to give her to him. That is a roundabout proposal if I’ve ever heard one. Before he heads back to his place to prepare for the showcase, he tells Mae Ri that if a drunken Jung In tries to paw her, she should just poke his eyes out. LOL, you two are so cute!

Mu Gyul works all night on his music. His mom at least has the decency to feel bad that she may have tried to split up two kids in love. She tells loser daddy if they can’t split them up, he should be accepting of their relationship. Loser daddy refuses to budge.

Lee An has agreed to film the Wonderful Day MV, and brushes off the screeching of the bitchy manager for daring to make a decision about his career without her consent. Everyone prepares to film, and there is a lot of mutual watching going on, as Seo Jun sees Mae Ri talking with both Jung In and Mu Gyul, and later Mae Ri watches as Mu Gyul films a scene where he lovingly teaches Seo Jun how to strum a guitar.

The filming is halted when the bitchy manager comes storming in, demanding to talk with Lee An. During the ensuing verbal altercation, Lee An knocks over a prop screen display just as Mae Ri walks underneath, which causes Mu Gyul to grab her in his arms to protect her as the screen falls on him. [Btw, this screen looks about 10 pounds, made out of plywood and cardboard, and simply fails the “it can injure a person if it fell” test, but I’ll give it the suspension of disbelief that it might scratch Mu Gyul’s perfect face.]

Mu Gyul gets dragged to the hospital, and Mae Ri worries what will happen if the injury means Mu Gyul can’t play the guitar anymore. Mu Gyul walks out with a cast on, saying that it’s alright, he just needs to set it for a day and he should be fine to play the showcase tomorrow. He notices Mae Ri’s glum face as she apologizes for being the cause of his injury.

He smiles at her, and tells her that she should just be his right hand then. She nods, and Mu Gyul drapes his arm around her shoulders in an effortlessly affectionate way, and they leave, mindless of Seo Jun and Jung In looking at them.

If Seo Jun and Jung In watched this intimate moment and still can’t accept or understand that MM is truly in love with each other, then they need cornea transplants right about it.

Mae Ri deposits Mu Gyul into his bed, telling him that he needs to rest now. He tells her “my right hand, get over here” and points to the other side of the bed. She smiles and plops right beside him on the bed, gazing at him adoringly. He tells her “right hand, my head itches” and she immediately scratches him. He asks her to wash his hair for him when he wakes up, and she agrees to make sure each strand is perfectly clean and silky.

Mu Gyul tells Mae Ri that he wishes she was always before his eyes during his every waking moment. Damn boy, you are making me melt alongside Mae Ri! She promises to be by his side when he wakes, but worries that he’s downplaying the injury for everyone’s sake. He shakes his head, saying that he plans to make a declaration at tomorrow’s showcase before he performs. She asks him what, and he tells her to anticipate it.

Too bad loser daddy comes right in and ruins the moment. Mu Gyul kneels before loser daddy, promising that he will bring Mae Ri happiness. He will become a successful musician and take good care of Mae Ri. Loser daddy says that he already has one son-in-law, and it isn’t ever going to be Mu Gyul. He drags Mae Ri out of there and locks her in her room.

The drama production sets up the outdoor showcase in Hongdae, attracting a sizeable crowd of spectators. Mu Gyul prepares to head to the showcase, and it’s clear his injured hand is not fully healed and still hurts when he zips up his guitar. Mae Ri pretends she has a belly ache and lures her dad to open the door, whereby she promptly rushes out.

Mu Gyul is headed to the showcase venue when a black car screeches to a stop, blocking his way. Three guys get out and grab him, shoving him into the car. Mae Ri arrives just in time to see this, trying valiantly to stop the guys from kidnapping Mu Gyul. The car speeds off, and she’s left behind, shocked and worried for Mu Gyul’s safety.

Thoughts of Mine:

There is such a thing as drama fatigue. Even for a sixteen-episode trendy, typically towards the end I always find my initial enthusiasm waning and the story plodding towards a predictable conclusion. Very few dramas leave me as crazy about it from start to finish. I was starting to feel the fatigue with M3, which also coincided with a flood of criticism of the drama that may have been valid, but lost me with the vitriol and sentiments akin to M3 throwing their puppy out of a moving car. People taking the time to write paragraphs about how much this drama sucks boggles my mind. Why bother?

Which made me think critically about its strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately realizing that balancing a taut well-written story with a meaningful romance is very tough. Since M3 is a rom-com, I find that I’m way more invested if the romance is more convincing to me rather than the story is more substantive and concrete. Yes, it would be ideal if I can have both, no question about it. But You’re Beautiful, taking a page from the Jang Geun Seok playbook, was the opposite situation from M3 for me. My general views on YB are pretty clear, so no need to repeat again, only to say that as a whole I love M3 much much more than YB.

Back to what happened in this episode! I like it, it was funny, things happened, and our Mae Ri and Mu Gyul took steps forward in their relationship development. At this point, it’s a given that everyone else is a throwaway character, so the new writer has to salvage whatever she can of the only redeeming thing left in the story, poor shafted Jung In and poor wasted Seo Jun nothwithstanding. It was and always will be the MM show, and the only viewers still watching M3 are fully invested in getting a satisfying conclusion to their romance.

Actually, I think the story is dragging a bit, in the sense that the writer really could wrap up the devil daddy-loser daddy marry the kids to each other gambit really quickly. But it’s a choice to leave this flimsy premise intact to create nonsensical detours such as kidnappings and god knows what other obstacles. I much prefer organic conflicts, such as Mae Ri and Mu Gyul’s relationship pitfalls living an ordinary life together.

If the new writer is smart, she will just double dose us on the moments where MM strengthen their relationship through the clichéd adversity, rather than let the increasingly nonsensical plot device derail our interest in the couple. There wasn’t much story to begin with, and now we’ve got even less story to tell. But Mae Ri and Mu Gyul still have lot of emotional richness to mine, and that is something I will happily tune in anytime to watch.

I’ve been racking my brain for a drama, ANY drama, where the substantive quality of the story has been as sorely missing as in M3 (which I’ve seen plenty of), yet the romance has been so satisfying that I loved the drama regardless. I couldn’t come up with any that fit both these criteria, leaving me no choice but to bow down to the awesome acting and that indefinable thing called chemistry between Jang Geun Seok and Moon Geun Young.

Without them, I would have definitely checked out of M3, and never looked back. It takes quite a lot of charisma to make something that seem boring on paper come alive onscreen. When people just read M3 recaps without watching the drama, the story is so thin they can’t quite grasp why a small minority love this little drama so much. It’s the onscreen talent of the Geun-Guens that make this drama worthwhile, however slight it may be. The two of them made M3 come alive for me, and I pretty much will always adore them for making me feel like I’m living a fantasy young love all over again.


Comments

Mary Stayed Out All Night Episode 13 Recap — 109 Comments

  1. Thanks a lot Ockoala for the wonderful recap…Keep up the good work…

    I am quite sad because M3 is about to end…For sure, all of us will miss the Geun-Geun couple come January 2011…

  2. Once again, thank you sooo much Ockoala! I just couldn’t leave the house without reading this. I just couldn’t function on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings without my dose of your M3 recaps! So love yah!!!

    • hahaha it’s a routine to check AKP everyday. I couldn’t even remember how many times i open AKP. In the office, during traffic jam, at home… etc etc… oh god.. the geun geun chemistry is really natural and sweet. Just can’t help but fall in love… sigh…

      One more week to go and we’ll be missing uri OTP.

  3. Thanks much for the recap; regardless of how the story goes, I’m so loving it to the fullest, because I know that both the actor and the actress are good, and you, too. You made this drama more interesting. Again, thank you! We have only 3 more episodes and i will hold on till the end. 🙂

  4. “I’m calling it right now – we’re getting a wedding at the end, whether right away, or after a time jump.”
    I’m with you!!!
    Great recap, again!!!
    I really like the last 2 paragraphs. The story is nothing more than passable, however, the way JGS and MGY have brought life to it is simply awe worthy. I’m not ignorant of the loopholes in the story but I’m so addicted to MG&MR couple that they are simply necessary means to watch the heart-tugging romance between those two people.
    Can’t wait for episode 14!!!

  5. I really love your comments on the drama. You manage to put into words exactly what I was thinking. I am glad to watch the young romance btwn the OTP and all the extraneous dribble from all other parties could fall to the wayside. Looking forward to how this will end. I’m happier watching MSOAN than SG.

  6. i sooo loved ur recaps and previews. keep it up! i’ll be missing the geun-geuns once the show is over. btw, i agree that M3 is a whole lot better than YB. the story of M3 is hilarious. JGS and MGY are the best for giving life to mu gyul and mae ri. i hope there’ll be more projects for them. fighting!!!!

  7. i don’t really get M3 ..

    just because maeri and mugyul relationship is really teenie-popsicle love…

    i dont even think that their relationship will last if jung in and crazy dad interfere in the picture..
    mugyul doesnt even have house deposit if not for maeri paid for it WITH THE MONEY JUNG IN GAVE HER…

    how mess up is that?
    because if there’s no jung in …maeri will have no job so is mu gyul…
    let’s get real here…
    they both good at what they doing but we can see clearly that they’re not going anywhere with their own potential……
    ===== is it really even possible for you to carry on relationship when you’re both have no stable job,no house to live, have to pay off your parent’s dept?

    without the marriage contract out of the picture..
    would you think maeri have that much potential to help with the screenwriter?
    without jung in? i don’t think so..

    would mugyul and the bands get any decent job? i dont think so..

    what makes me annoyed is that maeri and mugyul both benefit from jung in …

    all the money that they use to live since episode 3 up till to now.. are from jung in or work that they get from jung in…

    can they even survive,if not because of the arranged marriage?
    why is it all about reality?when all i see is they’ve given too many opportunities to begin with…..

    • But MG did pay MR back the money from the job at the music school, so can’t say he’s jobless (or depending on JI in that sense). He was idealistic about making a living from his band at first (with rejecting all those contracts that only want him but not his band mates), but when he had to, we’re shown that he could find other job. And it’s not like JI didn’t get his money worth by hiring them… ^^

      MuGyul and MaeRi have been living on their own hard work since the start. So no, I’m not concerned about how they would manage to scrape by.

      It’s JI that’s concerned me. If devil daddy cut off the line, would he be able to stand on his own feet? Because all the luxury that he came with came from the daddy, and he has never done without.

      • I agree with your comment 150%.

        Mugyul and Maeri are both survivors. Just because we saw Mugyul being harassed by his landlord and Maeri paying his rent at that time, doesn’t mean that he is unable to take care of himself. Where the has he been living for the past 6 years (I’m assuming he’d move away from his relative’s house after 18)? He had a home before he sold it to pay back Manager Bang.

        Like you said, Jung In has more to be worried about if his father decided to cut him out of the inheritance. Maybe then he can move into Maeri and Mugyul’s house and they can be an awesome threesome together again.

    • Considering the fact that MG will be an overnight idol sensation in ep. 14, I think that money will be no problem for him at all.

      In fact, with JI going against his dad, he will probably be going to MG for a job.

      MG and MR will survive juuuust fine.

    • anyone who is wishing for a story portraying real life, i suggest you watch a documentary, a biography, or a home video. M3 is a drama and a cute one at that, so, if you cant stand it, then leave it alone

      • yep agree..if you want a realistic story go watch documentary channel..MG earns money and it’s not just because of JI, JI wont survive if his dad withdraw all his money that’s why he never disobey him..so you can see whose money talking and if it’s not because of evil dad twisted mind all this mess wont happen and MG and MR will have a peacefull life..it’s bound to happen and this two love bird try to fix it with their own power and ways…

      • LOL Word.

        It always makes me laugh how people go into a DRAMA of all things expecting realism and logic. Seriously how many times have you been piggy-backed by your boyfriend?

    • Maybe is my dissatisfaction with the position they had put Jung In in, that I completely agree with you.
      MooKyul got the job at the school. I think that’s the only kind of job he would be able to get (in regards to music). If he’s lucky, there would be a talent agency that will actually sign his whole band under a good contract. But considering that his bandmates are only riding on his tail, he would either have to go solo, or sign under a not-so-good contract… maybe even another slave contract. And as for Mary, she would’ve been pretty much jobless. I don’t think she’s done much for work that required actual skills (like her job in the beginning). Maybe if she finished college, she could become a writer or something. But even so, she would still have to help dad escape from loan sharks and pay off his debt. She would pretty much be dependent on MooKyul and his income… they might even have to run with dad, away from the loan sharks. Can they survive? with loan sharks after dad (and possibly them as well), if they do survive, it would be a crappy life.
      oh yeah, not to mention his mom’s men and money problems. that’s one bad life ahead of ya.

      • I don’t really care about the money issues, because like everyone else, I treat this as a drama, not a microcosm of the real world. That aside, I still disagree with you regarding MG’s future potential. It has been shown repeatedly since the first episode that MG had many chances to become a big star. He just chose not to, initially for his band buddies and then later because he didn’t want to betray his own musical style. As we see later, he chose to become a little more mainstream because it was necessary. The reason was Mary. With Mary as his motivation, he will succeed, with or without a contract with JI, because we’ve already been told he has the talent and looks to make it big. Please also remember that JI’s company is a brand new one and this is their first project. It’s not as if signing that contract was going to guarantee his success. He becomes a hit in ep 14 because he’s good, not because of JI.

      • Ahem please, I love JI, but he IS a daddy’s boy!! He probably never worked FOR REAL, never earned a dime by himself, he doesn’t even know where to get money for his drama; so where is he better than MG?

        And maybe that’s my age, but I’m quite shocked by girl/women saying MR should just go for JI because she’ll have an “easy life”, yes she will, I guess that’s the Hollywood trucked up way of life! (When they get a divorce she can have half of his things lol) What happened to the 90s girl power??!! I know that it’s naive to think one can lives just with love, but chosing a husband just over that jeeez THAT’s a bad life ahead for sure!

    • LOL, 100% agree with zure.

      The drama is not reality – why be so fixated on the money part, who pays the bills, do they have enough $$ to have a future together, who is going to pay for the house, kids and their parents’ scrapes etc etc …. Excuse me, i have enough reality problems in my life without adding more. I need a drama escape, I need to see the cuteness of the MM couple : )

      Without MG and MR, do u think there will even be a story??
      Ya, perhaps another director can take JI and give him his own drama with his own female lead.
      I’m sure all the $$ concerns will be satisfactorily resolved in the new drama since JI is so wealthy anyway, but where’s the heartbreaking romance if love is all about having enough money to live life??

  8. I completely agree. Had the OTP been played by less capable actors or actors with less natural chemistry I would of checked out a long time ago because lets face it the story for this drama is a bit ridiculous and a waste of the dream cast that they were given. BUT since the Geuns are not only talented actors but also have chemistry in spades (which is something you either have or you don’t) has kept me interested. Although I will not lie because I did go into this drama with a huge softspot for the Geuns and Kim Jae Wook so I think it would of taken a lot to actually make me completely give up this drama.

    • You spoke out what I thought about this drama. The story got more ridiculous when I watched MG got kidnapped. Anyway, I still invest in this drama because of the OTP. Hope the Guens will get pairing together again in a great project, even though it’ll be slim chance. Let just hope.

  9. To MM: You’re right. But I think Ockoala is saying the same thing. We are in love with the love story that JGS and MGY have been acting out and all the rest is throw away stuff. Mu Gyul was making a living with his gigs and Mae Ri was employed and could still earn money just not be rich. Jung In hasn’t given much, cause it’s not his to give. Evil daddy is the only one throwing money in peoples faces. It’s a love story that went amuck.

  10. ‘It’s the onscreen talent of the Geun-Guens that make this drama worthwhile’ ……

    and makes me come back for more. Love your recap, Koala!

  11. Thank u for sharing with us here especially me who loves to hear from JGS. Even I still can’t see the whole drama from dvd or youtube at least I read the story. Pls don’t give up Ockoala 🙂 u work hard for this recap and yes if it will be 3 more for ends ehmmmm make me sad. But big thank for u to written here 🙂 thank u again. If I can comment a bit, M3 is the reality in anywhere even here at Indonesia, but YB is true in dedication of Love 🙂 so both are good, just how we accepted in mind. I believe every. Writer has a clear vision for script and filming will be succeed when the director can arrange the artists 🙂

  12. The cycle has come again….so much like SKKS, PK….coming to an end and eagerly waiting the end…despite we know the predictable ending of the drama….despite some may have negative remarks on M3 … the plot, storyline, characters, but being true to myself….I am hopelessly in love with this drama …likewise….much better than YB … probably because this is a little more natural to me as oppose to YB where JGS was a little robotic (but still he played well for such character…and in no way saying that I do not like JGS) and MGY since Autumn In My Heart…that child actresss…..has always been a favourite of mine….

    No matter what…I shall stand by M3 till the end…never giving up….

    Lovely recaps…..and I am heading to watch the raw w/out subs so that I can understand better….this episode….

  13. RIGHT! I really love MSOAN much more than YB, Forgive me YB fans but the second half of that story turns out to be draggy, not to mention the emotionless kisses and I get same acting all over (predictable), no expansion of character. I pledged my love M3 4-ever. Great acting from MGY and JGS, once you have a great actor/actress in sight everything follows, it definitely encourages those around them to do their best.
    Thank You ockoala…You are the best, you really complete my week!!!

    • If I have to choose between YB and M3, it would be like to choose between which of my puppies I like best ;P Because I just love them both.
      YB is my first drama addiction where I caught the streaming and watched the eps raw… then went to look for recaps and translation, etc week after week.
      M3 is the second time I go through the same process ^.^
      But to be honest, I like M3 a little bit better because 1)I love MM couple chemistry, 2)JKS’s acting is more honed as MuGyul, and 3)KJW is a much better actor than JYH *hides from SukHye shippers ;P*

      • Jung Yon Hwa?!? Is. Not. An. Actor.

        Is a good singer. But is not an actor. Lee Hon Ki, on the other hand, is a passable idol-turned-actor.

        But JYH’s acting was about alive as one of the marble statutes in the statuary at the end of episode 1 of YB. And the statutes probably had more of a personality than Shin Woo.

        I LOVED YB until episode 10. LOVED it. Hadn’t loved any drama as quickly as I loved that sucker. So when the story went nowhere and the romance was about as “romantic” as a root canal (I allow you to love me, I just want to be your fan, UGH *stabs myself in eye*), I simply had to concede not everything worked for me in YB. But I happily rewatch the first 10 episodes on occasion. Still the best crack drama around.

        JGS’s acting in M3 is natural and effortless. He still was trying a little too hard in YB. And I personally think his acting was too stiff in HGD, even though he did the best he could with a character that was written very douchebaggy by the Hong Sisters.

        M3 shows absolute growth for him as an actor, bc the real him is nothing like Mu Gyul. Moon Geun Young is sleepwalking through the role, in the sense that she is doing great bc she’s that awesome of an actress, but acting-wise this is not a challenge for her.

        But the chemistry is off the charts, baby!

      • I do think so, this is better than YAB, for me,..here JGS act more naturally, he show his best acting and I can’t see the difference between him as MG and him as JGS..as for MGY, she a rock actress and I do think the same as ockoala, this is not a big challenge role for her because I still think her role in CS more challenging but here you can see how big actress she is because she nail it easily and bring us the best chemistry so far I see in Kdrama ( it’s in my own opinion)

      • Shiro, I have to agree with u there…having to choose between YB and M3 is like having to choose a favorite between two cute puppies…I just don’t think I can do it! I love them both and I will treasure this little drama for a very, very long time. I actually cannot wait for the DVD to come out and hope they pack it full of BTS and special features =)
        I also agree…JYH is cute and a good singer..but actor he is not. But even with a weak 2nd lead, I still loved YB because the other supporting actors were funny and cute (i.e LHK)
        M3 may have a slight lead in the cuteness factor and also with the relationship development…but there are quite a few scene in YB that make my heart flutter too and are actually too many to enumerate right now =) I think I will just have to call it a draw, lol!

      • You’re my favorite koala for spreading the HOLIDAY LOVE, but I will always have a soft spot in my heart for YAB. I don’t care that the plot was sometimes silly, I loved every minute of it. I also think that JSG was stiff in that because it was part of his character. You can disagree with me, but I’ll still defend him until my death. heehee I do agree though that he has improved and playing opposite a good actress has a lot to do with it. They’re both “acting” effortlessly here and it’s such a joy to see.

        I would also like to add that if JSG would come over and stand behind me with both arms around my side, leaning in, and with his face stuffed into my hair, I’d gladly hand-wash ALL the clothes belonging to every single person on this forum even if it takes until after New Year’s.

      • Hey Koala, re JKS – ‘M3 shows absolute growth for him as an actor, bc the real him is nothing like Mu Gyul.’

        — really? I actually thought that MG may be more similar to what JKS may be like IRL compared to HTK. possible to share what you think the real JKS is like? I haven’t been a fan for eons like others here, only since YAB. Thanks

      • lizzyd, if he were to do so to some of us here (I’m sure there are several of us who would like that hand-wash chance too ^O^) we would run out of laundry to do and have to run to the neighbors for more… lolz… *now I can’t get that image out of my head… ^^;; *

        One of the things that detract my enjoyment from YB is Shinwoo 😛 The character itself was bland, but JYH’s acting really made it worse for me. All through 16 eps, I kept thinking what if this character was acted by a stronger actor, because it’s not much of a competition the way it was. I couldn’t sympathize even a bit with the character, because he just stood there looking pretty with only 3 expressions and empty eyes. On the other hand, I enjoyed Jeremy ^.^ And Manager Ma. And Prez Ahn ^o^ *maybe this is why YB could compete with M3 in my book. The other characters were attractive, while I’m ready to kill the three parents in M3 and banish the friends to the land-of-no-return*
        But what racked the points in M3 favor is and always will be the acting and chemistry of the MM couple.
        I Just Couldn’t Get Enough.
        Scary to think what kind of withdrawal awaiting me after next week…

      • my two cents’ worth on whether MG and JGS are one and the same …. well, i think there are similarities as well as differences

        —-
        Similarities:
        1. passion for music
        2. characteristics i.e. sweet, considerate
        3. both don’t really care about what the world thinks of them (JGS does to a certain extent, in terms of media reports on him) – but they won’t let negative comments get them down or stop them from doing what they want.
        4. both are childish in some ways, but have their mature side too

        Differences:
        1. family background is what made MG the person he initially was, distrusting of love and unable to commit. JGS, having grown up in a relatively happy family to the extent that he happily returned to live with his parents after a brief 3-month independent stint, has no major family “issues” that we know of

        2. not to say that MG is not responsible (he is), MG is too carefree a character and places much importance on freedom, so sometimes he gets scolded by MR for doing things on a whim i.e. announcing to the company that they got married.
        while JGS equally likes freedom to do what he likes in terms of his career, i think JGS is a more responsible person and more committed to his work.

        3. MG is a person who does get bogged down by all the crappy problems in his life – he frowns, feels despondent etc. But from all media sources/reports etc, I’ve never seen JGS being down. Yes, tired / sleepy / sick etc but never in a bad mood or down (at least in public). He’s always cheerful or smiling or being dorky or playing around with friends n colleagues.

        YAB was my 1st time being acquainted with JGS. the success of Hwang Tae Kyung made me think that JGS’ personality was perhaps similar to HTK, so imagine my shock when I saw JGS in YAB BTS almost always sporting a wide (or goofy) smile … : p

        ——
        in the end, i feel that JGS has created a MG distinct from the actor’s own personality – a MG that truly belongs to the indie rock world and beneath all that glamour, a man who is truly in dire need of warm love from MR.

      • i want to add:

        Difference:
        4. MG may be sweet and bring happiness to MR, but he’s coolly indifferent to others. Whereas JGS is a fun guy who can really up the party atmosphere, and JGS brings happiness to everyone!!!

      • Thanks Ivy for sharing abt JKS.. really illuminating 🙂
        yeah, JKS always seems to be clowning around and livening up the atmosphere, whereever he is.. actually, it was watching the BTS of YAB, the comraderie of the cast and the fun they seem to share that really got me interested in kdrama and JKS.

        Just sharing something from my reading abt him- I get the feeling JKS is likely a very stressed out individual as he pushes himself REALLY hard.. all those punishing Japan fan meetings amidst M3 filming.. and the Lounge H events..I’ve read that his management company is owned by his parents so I guess he has the sole reponsibility to make it or break it kinda thing.. that is prob why he drinks, smokes and parties so hard.. I have also read that he often drinks as he has difficulty sleeping.. that makes me, a ‘noona/ahjumma’ fan kinda worried for him.. I just hope that he holds up under all this pressure and does not go the way of some of the korean actors of recent times.. shudder..

      • hi moom,

        as a highly successful actor/celebrity and wannabe singer, i guess JGS has his fair share of stress. he’s also pretty ambitious, from wanting to be no. 1 in Asia to making his name known in the world for his acting.

        as for the Japan FMs, they were planned a long time ago and the clash in schedule was unexpected. The co suggested cancelling the FMs, but JGS himself wanted to proceed because he wanted to meet his Japan fans… (~so sweet)

        i feel that he knows how to manage himself, his work and his feelings. he may get tired but he wants to succeed and is pretty positive about everything, and he has much support from his friends/family/manager/fans, so we can only wish him the best and support him all the way.

        i didn’t know that his management company is owned by his parents??

      • hi Ivy,

        abt his management company.. I read abt it from the chinese fans.. they were speculating abt it cos he is the only artiste under the company and he seems to be single-handedly involved in everybit part of his own activities and planning the FM etc, also the name of the company ( taken from his own name).. apparently, they did some digging with FM organisers in china and looking at the adminstrative papers etc, Tree-J is owned by his folks.. so i can guess this is where the ambition and need to succeed is coming from.. after all, the family did go through hard times previously.. he has been out in the entertainment field for so long, so i’m glad he is finally getting recognition and rewards for his perserverance 🙂

  14. Thanks for the recap, Koala… so happy to wake up to your excellent writing ^.^

    So you’re predicting we would have boating and wedding in future episodes? I’m game… and I love your prediction ^O^

    I’m not pissed off at the writer, because yes, I also enjoyed what we’ve been given. But with such great cast and talent, from time to time, I may have wished for a better writer from the start so that others could enjoy it too. But then there’s no guarantee I would enjoy it as much as I do now, is there? *ok, I’m contradicting myself ^^;; *
    Anyway, I’m so glad JKS and MGY are in this drama together, because without the both of them, I don’t think I would have loved MM couple this much.

    Looking forward to tonight episode… Kang Mu Gyul’s performance!! WHEEEEEEE!!! (^O^)/

    • yehaaa…can’t wait to listen to the Hello Hello….lucky Hongdae citizens gets to see and listen to the filming! Wish I was in Hongdaeeeeee…………..

      • I’m also loving his other song I Will Promise You. His voice is just… *sigh* Had a good dream last night listening to it before sleep LOL

        I wish I were in Hongdae too. Everybody just raved about it… and Suk actually said thanks in a video message to international fans (from Japan, Taiwan and Singapore) who applied through the fanclub and went there to support the filming… *so envious*

      • Me too!!! and i so would like to see again Mugyul’s wink towards the end of Hello hello 🙂 I just listened to I will Promise You and it’s a soothing song! Really loved his voice when he is singing song like this…

      • I want to dream JGS tooooooooooo…………
        Wow! Lucky fans…how come malaysians didn’t know about it ehh? I must setup a fan base here…LOL! Hey I love that song too! you know singers when they sing…they have this other voice that you not know/heard of when they speak…it’s like some other person’s voice…but I have to say that JGS maintains his husky voice when he speaks and sings…. and I am sooo in love with his voice…. *I am like a 13 yo girl in a 40 yo body going crazy like this…but like McD says….I’m loving it!*

  15. Everyone’s already touched on most of the things I was thinking about, so I don’t have much to add. I just want to say a good word on behalf of KJW’s portrayal of Jung In. Despite the fact that I am 100% MR-MG, he made me almost jump ship – again! – in the drinking scene. I know that this revelation of the history between his father and MR’s mother is going to push him to stand on his own two feet, and I’m glad to see it, but man, in that moment when JI looks so lost and lonely I admit I was silently chanting at MR “Kiss him kiss him kiss him!” That would have been out of character for both of them, but darn it, I kinda want to see them kiss again. Is that so wrong? I wish there were two Mae-ris. I think they would be very happy with each other in an alternate universe with no MG. (That would be a sad universe, though — no “Take Care of My Bus” hotness!)

  16. thanks so much for the recaps!!! really appreciate them esp when i am so late watching the raw due to holiday errands!! i am so in with the wedding ending since i am with this drama for the lovestory of MG and MR (and yes, because of JKS hehehe and the OST). When that happens, I will be a goeey, weepy, squee-ey. muddle right there on the floor!! Yay, looking forward to episode 14!!

  17. “leaving me no choice but to bow down to the awesome acting and that indefinable thing called chemistry between Jang Geun Seok and Moon Geun Young. Without them, I would have definitely checked out of M3, and never looked back. It takes quite a lot of charisma to make something that seem boring on paper come alive onscreen.”

    YES . i love the GeunGuen couple :]
    one more week .

  18. Thank you oh so much for the lovely recap!
    My happy place/thing that I think of to calm down when I’m upset is a dark lit room where Mu Gyul’s mom is chained up and I get to stab her repeatedly. She just needs to be written out of the show entirely!

  19. I’m in 40’s but I do adore a love story/comedy/musical drama with performers who are really believable and have such great chemistry together on screen. Both JGS and MGY did really great doing there parts and perhaps by any chance, they could be translating what they may be experiencing in real life right now. I believe it wouldn’t have come out the way it did so far, if both of these young ones weren’t as close or having meaningful relationship with each other. Right? Squeeee! Anyways, wouldn’t that be great?! LoL

    And the OST are so addictive too. It’s been playing constantly in my ipod now for awhile. JGS’ rich, deep voice comes across as fresh, raw and honest. He is really gifted. And MGY ever since she was but a wee thing, I have been her no.1 fan.

    So, thank you ockoala. Your effort and love for MSOAN is deeply appraciated. God bless you and have a Merry Christmas!

  20. Thanks much ockoala for the recap of ep 13! I’m really so grateful I discovered your blog site because your recaps have been so early, entertaining and educating.

    I too share your views in the last 2 paragraphs, summarizing your thoughts. The excellent portrayal of MG and MR by JGS and MGY are quite enough for me to continue following this drama. But I’ve also continued to follow this drama because despite all its flaws, I find the story (at least some parts of it) relatable. Who as a young person not fallen in love? Who as a young and not-so-young person not fallen in love with a starving and hot musician? 🙂 Who has not have a conflict with a parent? Who at one time have not felt their friends have abandoned them? Who did not dream of living in a nice house with lots of books? Who has not dreamed of producing their own dramas (and hire the best script writer)? Last but not the least, I’m still watching MSOAN because it makes me laugh! 🙂

    Thank you again for your recaps and offering your site to share our thoughts as well.
    Until your next recap…
    Cheers!

  21. Thanks for the wonderful recap!
    I cannot agree more. The geuns keep this drama from falling apart. We could wish for a better writer and story for these two talented artists but I guess that’s what their magic is all about… they can turn a not so brilliantly written plot into an addictive drama that can hooked people so badly.

    I cannot choose between YB and MSOAN. YB will always be special – it’s the drama that introduced me to JKS 🙂 And I will forever be in love with Hwang Tae-Kyung! But I guess the only difference is, Mu-Gyul is low key and more realistic (and better looking I must say, it’s the hair I think hehe). Chemistry wise, let’s see.. I want Hwang Tae-Kyung and Go Mi Nam to end up together.. with Mu-Gyul.. haay… I almost want him for myself hehehe!

    • ais me too, can’t decide what i love best, yab or m3… i have to wait until m3 ends, but i think they will be top one together… i love jgs because tae kyung, but this love is growing so much because mu gyul, and the two of them look so wonderful…. can’t decide about wich one looks better 😉
      and yes in real life i rather have a mu gyul for myself, please heaven send me one!!!!

  22. No doubt, MGY and JSG are excellent actor/actress. Without them, I wouldn’t even watched the show at all. I came in liking them as individual actors and loving them now as a couple, no other couple in the dramas I watched in years have the kind of natural chemistry and charisma they have with each together. I’m going to be so depress when this show ends…sigh..

  23. what i love about AKP is the freedom to write how you feel about the drama that is being recapped. it is full of positive people that would have something nice, witty, funny or even crazy thing to say about the drama that we love.. so i have to agree with ockoala when she said ” People taking the time to write paragraphs about how much this drama sucks boggles my mind. Why bother? ” … yep.. it’s one thing to leave a constructive criticism but it’s another to just plain diss something .. and diss it in an environment where people are really loving it. and that can be a little irritating. why not just go somewhere where you can be in company of people who agree with you. 🙂
    and i sincerely hope that we’ll maintain the level of respect that we all have here in this playground. 🙂 and for goodness sake.. it’s just a drama.. it can get away with a nutty-crazy plot because it exists in a world where it can and things that are impossible can be possible.. and everybody here who loves it knows that it has its shorcomings, but still loves it anywyas.. ( ok, now i need to stop because i’m ranting a bit. )

    ok.. so much for taking that off my chest.. sheesshh.. 🙂
    hmmnn.. got carried away just because i love the cuteness of our OTP.. can’t wait for the next episode!

    • kittykat sweetie, some ppl are just mean….don’t let them get you down; these annoying partyspoilers get a kick out of dampening your enthusiasm cos they can’t bear to see you happy. Keep smiling miaow miaow!

  24. Thanks for the recap..Yeah it is the power of great act by JGS and MGY that makes this drama alive and adorable. their chemistry is so great from the start and that what makes me love it so much…
    this episode is still giving so much cute jealous fight between MG and JI but what I like is somehow MG learns not to fall deep into his misunderstood mind and crack it up with MR although at first he did when he see MR wearing that weds dress.
    I still do think that they should extend the episode abit because The problem with 2 dads and with MG’s mom, really can they handle it in 1/2 episode???because I want at least 2 last episode is full of lovely and cute date between MG and MR…oh well I guess I have to see episode 14..

  25. “The two of them made M3 come alive for me, and I pretty much will always adore them for making me feel like I’m living a fantasy young love all over again.”

    i feel just the same. I don’t care about plot, or other characters in this drama. as much as i’m enjoying ji lately, I only have eyes and heart for our mm couple, I love them to pieces, i’m always smiling like a fool when they are together, they’re so wonderful actors they make me forget they’re acting- this drama mae ri and mu gyul, are so deep in my heart, making me feel warm and happy, i’m enjoying it’s crazyness and regreting it will end so soon. thankfully i can and will rewatch it soon

    awesome recap as always koala, is so nice to read a recap written by someone who feels the same love as i do for the show 🙂
    and tomorrow mu gyul’s hot show!!! can’t ask for anything more 😉

  26. I guess that the writer added that kidnapping (more likely ordered by the devil dad) with some further plans. Probably discovering how much his dad’s got overboard will lead JI (and MR) to stand against the dad. Just a guess…

  27. “M3 is really a story constructed around a premise (wacky dual marriage) and a central love story (Mae Ri and Mu Gyul). It’s like someone writing a novel not based on telling a gripping story, but writing scenes first and then linking the scenes together into a logical progression of how and whys. ”

    SIGH. I totally agree on this.
    And honestly, I’m getting to my breaking point. I guess I’m in the very MINOR minority here. I actually can’t care less for Mary and Mookyul. In the beginning when they were barking and meowing at each other, I thought they were the cutest pairing ever and that they should be together in the end. But really, the romance is just too much for me now. I want a drama with more conflict, more angst, a drama with more than just romance (and very little bits of comedy. a drama with more of a storyline).
    I wanted a drama with more character development. I’m more focused on the development of JungIn and SeoJoon. They have been developed somewhat, but it’s lacking a lot for them (more so SeoJoon). The JI and SJ characters could’ve been written so much better (SJ could’ve been different from the usual female second lead with her bold, direct personality. the writer could’ve dug more into JI’s past and his relationship with his father and their conflicts), but I guess there’s only a central love story, a central couple. sigh.

    I love Kim Jae Wook, and I wanted his character to be so much better. His Hong Tae Sung character in Bad Guy was written so well, I’m disappointed JI didn’t turn half as good as Hong Tae Sung. But even though I’m disappointed in how they wrote JI, I still love him the most in the drama. He’s the most realistic, the most relatable. Maybe that combined with KJW’s charms and talents is why I love JI the most (I’m always happy and giddy when he does something cute). I’ve been on the edge of my seat, screaming for Mary to give Jung In a chance. Really, I just hope they end this soon. It’s getting me all fired up that for this reason alone, and I can’t take much more of it. (The writer is even making me doubt his interest in Mary, with his passive attitude. NOOOOOOOO! and for some reason, the writer gives me false hope of Mary and her attitude and actions towards JI in this episode. I should just dismiss any thought of Mary swaying in order to not be more frustrated.)
    If Jung In won’t end up with Mary, just end it here T.T please…..

    sorry for the long rant LOL

    • Please don’t shoot me but I’m kind of glad they wrote it so that JI’s warm towards Mary but not totally in love with her. While all the JI+Mary shippers out there are convinced that he’s madly into her, I just don’t see that and I truly don’t think we’re meant to. I think he went from disinterest, to like, and now genuinely care about and could’ve fallen in love with. But it’s never been a passionately head-over-heels I’m going to change my whole life for you feeling. I’m glad because I am still not fully recovered (and possibly never will be) from my one and only 2nd lead heartbreak (S. Scandal). I like this actor a lot and I think he improved after ep 11, when he was given more to work with. I hope he’ll get a 1st lead part and the girl in his next series.

      • I like that about JI, too. It’s nice to have the triangle be not-so-much a triangle, but still, JI and MR both respect and like each other. I’m glad we’re forgoing the relationship angst in this one case, because I like JI’s character too much to have him be hurt at the end because MR ends up with MG.

        That being said, I still think that MR is acting as a catalyst for change in his personality, and I love it. I said in an earlier post that I thought that JI really needed to learn to stand on his own before he could really fall in love, and I stand by that. I see that the most clearly in the scene where he drinks and talks to Mae-ri; JI has to sort through who he is without his father calling the shots.

    • To Sheng Her,

      well, you may be in the minority here, but for all that you look forward to in a drama, perhaps the Korean audience feel the same way you do and thus the low ratings and criticisms.

      as for me, i steer clear of heavy-duty drama…. LOL
      M3 could do with more story plot and character development but less angst please. i usually prefer light-hearted stuff that is enjoyable n brightens my day.
      Am watching M3 purely because JGS is in it, ha~

  28. I think that it is because the drama is romancetic comedy, so that the chemistry between two people will different from drama. I like romancetic comedy and enjoy laughable chemistry. I like to watch MGY and JGS ‘s performances in MSOAN. They are very cute and make me smile all day. I don’t care about the plot alot because I won’t understand what they say untill I read the recap. However with MSOAN I don’t need to read the recap, i can understand and feel from just their actings and voices. I like MGY’s voice very much. Sometime, i talk like her automatically because I watched her too many times. JGS makes me smile all day and think of his cutiest faces when he talked to MGY.

    I admire and like MGY before this drama. I just know JGS from MSOAN. He is a good actor and makes the statement in the drama.

  29. Thank u for ur wonderful recap! I hope ur right and they at least give us a wedding if not a boating scene. I will keep chanting and maybe, just maybe it will happen. Actually I was a bit disappointed that MG only spent one night at JI’s place…I was hoping it would last longer than that! And instead of sleeping in the living room, JI should have insisted that MG share the bed with HIM! LOL That would have totally made my week =D Oh well, maybe i’ll get a bit more MG/JI action in the last 2 episodes.

    • I totally agree with you! His bed is huge and they’ve already done it once in ep2! hahaha Plus we’d be making JSG’s dream ending for the drama come true! AND increase ratings! So many birds killed with one stone.

  30. I am going to miss these M3 recaps so much when this drama ends :<

    Seriously, it might sound odd but I always look forward to reading your recaps after I finish watching an episode. Since my friends absolutely refuse to watch this drama XD , it's like listening to someone else's shared opinion.

    Eeee Thank you :3 ♡

  31. i am seriously bracing myself when MSOAN ends coz i will surely have withdrawal symptoms. however will i survive not being able to see what happens next week after week…

    just have a silly question… i always wonder why MG’s place is never locked. seems like anyone can just come and go as they please, from MR, to the bandmates, MR’s dad, MG’s mom… i vaguely remember SJ say once that she knows where MG hides the spare key… so now i wonder why bother to hide a spare key when the place is never locked anyway. and they never seem to learn their lesson about not locking the place when they don’t want anyone to just walk in on them, specially MR’s dad… like i said, silly question. just thought i’d send it out there.

    • Not just his. Apparently JI doesn’t lock his door either, based on how MG walked in on his drunken antics with Mary. I doubt JI gave him a key when he just stayed for one night. There are no locked doors in this drama. There are also no pajamas. It is a huge waste of “natural assets” to hire two cuties and make them wear 8 layers of clothes even to bed. Where are all the gratuitous shower and clothes changing scenes I ask? Every drama I watch has many of those. Very disappointed viewer. 😛 And yes, a post about locks deteriorates into a plea for more nekkid-ness, my mind lives in the gutter.

      • Lol I understand why MG and MR sleep with jackets on at his house (cuz he has no heat).
        But at JI’s house, was he wearing some black jeans to bed or what? Lol

      • lizzyd, thanks for making me laugh!!
        No locked doors, no pyjamas! I couldn’t stop laughing!

        and yes, these are all the nitty-gritty practical things our minds pick up while we are lapping up the cuteness of the MM couple.

        …. just to add 1 more nitty gritty, when MG’s right hand is injured and he’s in bed with MR and telling MR his head itches, and MR scratches his head. Didn’t MR scratch the left side of his head and he could have done it with his left hand? Ha!

      • Ivy- I had to think long and hard to come up with an excuse for that. MG has trouble with left and right, as demonstrated when he couldn’t properly hang the curtain. But seriously, if JSG tells you to come scratch for him, would you ask questions? I thought not. Actually, if I had been present, he wouldn’t need to ask bc I’d be ON TOP of it already. hahahah

      • OMG, lizzyD and ivy.. you ladies gonna make me split my side and kill me..don’t stop please…

      • thanks, lizzy, for racking your brain, this reason is perfectly plausible : D

        the head-scratching part is a bit yucky, but i wouldn’t mind doing other things like patting him! and not on the head! haha

  32. Thank you for another great recap! =) I was keeping up with M3 and got really into it. But now, I’m not as eager to watch. Maybe I’ll watch the last few episodes in one big batch when the subs are out. I’ll keep up with your recaps, though. =)

  33. I still can’t figure out what’s evil dada’s obsession with Mae Ri. I have a couple of theories.

    1. Evil dad’s is Mae Ri’ uncle ( His sister die) So technically Jung In is not his real son so they are not related by blood.
    2. Evil dad’s is really marry’s father. Maybe he had an affair or he was dating her before she met Mae Ri”s loser dad.
    3. Maybe behind the scene there is some inheritance money hidden somewhere and evil dad’s know that if nice son get’s marry, he could have control of company?

    that’s my 2 cents

  34. I’m a Jung In shipper all the way, and it’s really tough shipping for the 2nd lead cos you know it’s going to end in heartbreak. But I didn’t intentionally start out that way….I was neutral in the beginning but along the way, Jae Wook just won me over with his charm and charisma. I guess a lot of it has to do with the fact that in real life, given a choice between the two guys, I would opt for JI cos he spells security, peace and charm….I’m a romantic at heart but a practical realist when it boils down to real life LOL

    Talking about second leads, it’s sad how in korean dramas, they never get the girl….Taiwan dramas though are a different kettle of fish though, you never know who’s going to get the girl until the very end! And that’s quite refreshing cos you never know what to expect. Like the current romantic drama Love Buffet, nobody knows who’s going to get the girl….and that element of uncertainty is what makes it so FUN! Korean dramas though always follow the set formula, no surprises at all….I remember watching this kor drama Prince’s First Love, the girl was so crazy about the second lead throughout (he was a JI clone….rich, cold and always dressed in suits) I started to harbour hopes that for once, the second lead would get the girl, but no! In the last ep she did a complete turnabout and chose the main lead! So true to the formula, in the end, the second lead still lost out.

    So what am I rambling about here anyway? I guess it’s about the predictability of Korean dramas, and the bemoaning of poor Jae Wook’s disastrous fortunes when it comes to romances….oh, and a piece of advice to anyone who roots for the second lead – it’s so much easier if you root for the lead from the beginning, you’ll spare yourself a ton of heartbreak in the end. Oh well, that’s life, you win some, you lose some….I’m sure of one thing though – my next outing, My Princess, I’m rooting for the 2 leads; that way, I’ll be smiling all the eay to the end! Woohoo!

    • hmmnn… second leads..
      i actually feel for Jung In especially after watching the raw episode 14.. great acting really!! i just got carried away on the ending scene.. but you know, even if i know that the second lead has a bigger probability of ending up alone, there is still something in me that actually roots for them. 🙂 i guess i am happy in a way for Jung In in this case because he did gain a backbone after this fiasco. he might not get the girl but he gained something else too. 🙂 and i was also happy to see him try in his own way to win Mae Ri. 🙂 the boy knows how to give Mu gyul a run for his money.

  35. Now that we are into the final 2-3 legs of the drama, I would attempt a daring assumption at how the final legs might pan out

    – The 2nd leads are shoved aside as threats to the relationship of MG/MR. JI seems to have chosen to back out slowly out of the relationshipas he realises his father’s true motive of wanting MR as a daughter in law. SJ seems to have finally come to terms that MG’s heart is totally with MR and she stands no chance with MG at all
    – Which leaves the parents as the only major external obstacles to the OTP. In this instance, I believe what we will be getting is the returning of the full cycle. It was MR’s dad irresponsibility that set the motion going on the double contract marriages, I might predict that at the end of the day, he will be the one who will make the call to end the official marriage to JI, thus giving the OTP the happy ending they need. Since JI is already in the know of his father’s obsession over MR’s mom, I will go with the tangent that MR’s dad will sooner or later discover of his supposedly good friend’s obsession with his wife. And if he truly loves and cares for his wife and daughter, it should come to his mind that marrying his daughter off to his family (and with JI’s dad’s obsession to her splitting image to his unrequited love) will only cause her harm and hurt at the end of the day. MG’s mom has never really been a major obstacle to the relationship from the start except being the catalyst to some of the conflicts faced by the OTP. She did try a lame attempt (under instruction to MR’s dad), but even she also knows it’s futile to try. JI’s dad is the mojor mystery here, how far will he go to achieve his goal? I predict (and I hope) that we can see everyone involved coming out to confront this issue (majorly between the 2 dads) and achieve (at least what I feel personally) a more satisfying closure to the relationships.
    – JI, MR and MG becomes good friends, and they help each other out professionally at work. JI will finally achieve his dream of having his own production company, all without financial help from his father
    – MR will finally have a chance to fulfill her wish to be able to complete her studies as she had always wanted
    – MG’s mom finally wise up and work in MR’s dad’s shop to earn her living. The two will still continue to bicker till no end, but all for the fun and maybe potential blossoming romance?
    – Because of the success of the production, SJ’s career take off, and she gets a lot more positive media coverage and more assignments to keep her busy. She’s still cool friends with MG, and stay as that.
    – MG finally proposes to MR formally (say it is so, please!) 🙂
    – JI’s dad … what kind of ending shall I predict for him? A good one? Or a sad one? Hmmmm, being nice, I would think while he breaks down after the whole saga unfolds, he still manages to gain forgiveness from all involved, and slowly, rebuilds his father-son relationship with JI.

  36. Thanks so much for recap of eip 13. As usual I enjoy reading your thoughts and writing. When I read the words that “loser daddy and devil daddy” make me lol….
    u are very good with giving the characters’ nick names, which perfect match with the roles that they are portraying.

    I watch M3 because of I like JGS, I thinks his acting is quiet good (quiet natural) in this drama.
    This epi 13 make me smile a lot as I was watching when MI in the suitcase as she has to ran away due to her loser dad and when MG with towel wrapped around his underarm…. that was so cute and LOL,,,,, hahaha
    In YB he acted as a mean guy. But I like YB too.
    (Cos, he has long hair in this drama make me really unhappy) but what I can do.
    For me M3 ending is hard to guess.

    I would like to say sorry to Ockoala, about my comment on M3 Wonderful Day post…..
    I did read in rush and thought that M3 ending will be similar to YB, I did not see might be seen on 21.12.2010, which will be on tonight epi 14.

  37. Thanks for the recap! I used to watch the raw before reading your recap, now I just can’t wait: I read the recap first lol;

    For the 1st time though, I disagree with you Ockola! I don’t see M3 > YAB, BUT totally different drama where on some points M3 wins and YAB on others; what I like about M3 is that we get to see MG/MR interact as a couple (declaration of love at episode 8? How good is that?!), in YAB the biggest part of the relationship will be (to my deepest regret *sobs*) offscreen (we’ve seen just the starting point of how both character will change so the relationship can work). Yet, as much as I enjoy M3, it doesn’t compare to watching YAB: the characters are so enjoyable, I mean all of them (ahem beside the annoying paparazzi ugh); in M3 beside MG/MR and the 2nd leads, everybody’s annoying!

    I don’t know, maybe because YAB was my first kdrama, or because it was my first encounter with JGS *swoons*… I still watch my Director’s cut sometime, on the contrary, I’m not sure I’d buy M3’s DC though I really enjoy it if they were to make some… Just don’t know… And I have this feeling that HTK (well the guy was special lol) will be more remembered than KMG.

    Now for actors/actress’ chemistry, I wouldn’t touch the JGS/MGY vs JGS/PSH debate with a ten foot pole lol I think that both actresses had great chemistry with him, and both blew me away at some point so I wouldn’t mind seeing either couple in other projects!

    • Yes, that’s a good idea if you want to live to see Christmas and the New Year. I am a big fan of being greedy- why do I have to choose one over the other? I loved him with both ladies and will be forever grateful that he’s been so lucky with costars. I look forward to seeing him with other, equally lovely actresses in the very very near future (hopefully).

      • LOL, I can’t wait for “Kimi wa petto” (You’re my pet) I really enjoyed the manga, I don’t know who he’s paired with yet, it will allow me to verify my theory that JGs has chemistry with every actress lol!

    • I was just about to give my two cents about the MSOAN Vs. YAB debacle, but it’s like you just write down the words straight from my mind. I have truthfully just seen like 4 Kdramas; three of them are JGS’s dramas and the other is Boys over Flowers. I enjoyed BOF when I watched it, but I’m not even going to get into that. I really enjoyed YAB, and I’m not even going to go into comparison between the two dramas because I loved both for entirely different reasons despite their flaws.

      When I heard that JGS was going to play yet another musician I foresaw my own comparison between the character he would be playing and Taekyung (whom I loved) but when I watch Mary and I watch Mugyul, there’s nothing there than can make me go ‘oh that part, Taekyung was so much better doing that’ because their are just two completely different characters. I don’t see Mugyul when I watch YAB and I don’t see Taekyung when I watch Mary.

      YAB and Mary both have their flaws, some more than others, but like your said, YAB had a more…well written plot in comparison and better secondary characters. Mary has Mugyul and Maeri and even though it’s enough to keep the drama lovable to me, it could have been so much better.

  38. I love you!

    &

    Thank you!

    (anyone wants to tell me what in the hell happens at the end of 14? I am jumping up and down in anticipation for Koala’s recap. I honestly haven’t a clue to what happened but my jaw dropped none the less from the back hug [I totally wanted to be in MaeRi’s place right then, the man looked so sexy crying into her hair.])

  39. I love this drama and am totally invested, but I have to admit that there are a few things starting to bother me. **** Spoiler alert for Ep 14 *****
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    1. Mary’s dad dragging her away/chasing them. How many times have we done this!? As funny as the dad is and as cute as these two are, it’s getting really old. She’s 24! Why the heck would she let him keep doing that? 2. Jung In causing misunderstandings. I lost count. Why did he nag her to see him on a holiday when she’s in love with someone else? It’s a stupid ploy and also is inconsistent with his character. And then the backhug is the same as the random kiss. Totally just used to make MG jealous and then never followed up on. 3. Everyone showing up at other ppl’s homes randomly. Dad at MG’s house. Dad at JI’s house. SJ at MG’s house etc. etc. All just to create the 5 sec misunderstanding that does nothing to further their relationship.

    I love the holiday couple and I just wish they’d focus on their relationship and how it develops organically. I don’t need all this crap from the annoying people in their lives. Ditch them all and go on the overnight trip to “find what is precious to each other” (in MG terms – boat night hahahah).

    • Agree.why would they go round in circle again and not focusing on our main otp?and here I am starting to think that new writter have done something nice at ep11.guess not all true.I hope last 2ep no more drama just lovey dovey romantic date and wedding on top?

  40. Hi there Koala! It seems that you are really into this Kdrama stuffs. Thanks for this post. I just want to ask one thing, I have watched a lot of Kdramas and movies already and I just noticed that there is always a scene where they could just freely get to drink soju in the street. Is that really the case in South Korea? I mean, is it normal for youngster/adults to get drunk or they just love drinking alcohol that much and being drunk is not a big deal to them?

  41. Thanks for the recap Ockoala! I watched JKS’ You’re Beautiful in just 2 days, MGY’s Cinderella’s Sister, KJW’s Bad Guy & Coffee Prince in 3 days through DVD. Yeah, I’m addicted to Korean dramas! I must say this is my first time to watch a drama on a weekly basis and the waiting is torture. So this is how it feels…The only consolation I have from the weekly anticipation is that I came across your blog and find people who share the same fondness I have on MSOAN! I love it when people think of this and that and the imagination goes wild!!!

    I like JKS and MGY individually and I never thought that there will be overwhelming chemistry between the two! Just like the others, how I wish they’ll have another project together or better yet, be a real-life couple.

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