Jin Hyuk Convinces Soo Hyun to Take Another Step Forward in Episode 5 of tvN Drama Encounter

Episode 5 of tvN Wed-Thurs drama Encounter (Boyfriend) dropped in ratings down to 8.513%, which totally makes sense for me! Honestly I want this drama to drop in ratings so that it stops getting scrutinized as a success or failure and diehards like me can just savor the beautifully written and directed throwback perfection. Not much happened in episode 5 other than really soft meaningful emotional beats, in fact narratively it’s just one whole day in the life of Soo Hyun and Jin Hyuk. I love how she’s surrounded by people who love her dearly, Driver Nam is the world’s most stalwart cupid and poor Secretary Jang is adorably fighting against gravity to keep Soo Hyuk and Jin Hyuk apart. The OTP romance is spurred by sparks of attraction and interest but grounded by friendship and consideration, the most solid of foundations. Episode 5 reaffirmed for me why I love this drama so, Park Bo Gum is owning the sunshine boy character with depth and nuance while Song Hye Kyo is the heart and soul of this drama, no matter what happens I’m invested in her happy ending.


Comments

Jin Hyuk Convinces Soo Hyun to Take Another Step Forward in Episode 5 of tvN Drama Encounter — 25 Comments

  1. Love your posts on this drama and I can really feel that you really love it Ms Koala. I wish that you would have the time to have a post like this for each episode (I know you’re too busy to do recaps)

  2. SHK’s crying scenes were so good I could totally feel how helpless and lonely she was. I also love how they decided to take the romance step by step. Surely there’ll be a lot of challenges ahead but I hope the writer will let them be happy for now..at least for a couple more eps.

  3. Weakest roll played by kyo in her entire career.. dont know why she choose this role for her comeback… m just flustered by rating driping day by day of this drama..

  4. Am I only one that noticed that kdrams ratings tend to be higher when the later episode is aired that week compared to the earlier episode

  5. i like the scene where he says what kind of life u living. that moment touched my heart. the show is foreshadowing their separation in this episode. which i dont like it.

  6. Loved this drama. SHK crying scene made me cry and admired Admired both Bogummy and Kyo’s acting and kudos to the PD and production crew for making this drama so beautiful

  7. I agree how you said this romance is grounded by friendship and consideration and it is the strongest of a love foundation. 5 episodes on and I feel this drama has gradually (contrary to comments about it being too quick a romance story) portrayed a romance which will stand the test of time. Even if the ending means a separation, this kinda love will never be separated in the minds and hearts of these two lovers. I truly enjoy watching Encounter for its scriptwriting, production and the nuanced acting of PBG and SHK!

  8. I love love it, for me SHK second best drama in her entire dramalogue for now.the ratings is still high for a weekday drama and for that matter its early days yet let’s see where it’s lands when it’s finish broadcasting.

  9. So far, I love this drama and liked that the pacing is slow and unhurried.

    SHK’s character is someone who had repressed her innermost feelings for so long, but after meeting PBG’s character she’s now finally wavering. Slowly, bit by bit, she’s now opening up and it is truly a joy to see her smile openly.

    Honestly, I’m truly hating the former monster (mother) in law. Her actions are quite baffling. She said shecwants Soo Hyun to crawl back to them, but I feel that it’s because Soo Hyun managed to make a success out of an almost bankrupt hotel which is proof that she’s smart and capable, a worthy asset.

    I’m now waiting for the backstory to unfold. The synopsis I saw posted before mentioned that SH had a child. But there is no reference about the child in the drama. I also wanted to see why the former husband let her go. He obviously likes her then, even more now.

  10. I LOVE this show so much! The soft emotional pull between these two, their facial expressions, the directing. It all hits the right rom-com note for me!!!!
    I feel soooo bad for Soo Hyun, agree with her secretary that I would not want to live even one day as Soo Hyun. To have to avoid your own mother because she’s so horrible and emotional hurting her (I still go to my mum as an adult whenever I need emotional support). No child should feel so emotionally abused.

  11. My issue with this drama is the characters. Jin Hyuk is too perfect, it makes him a kind of surreal and at the end I will find him boring. For Soo Hyun, I find her character pretty inconsistent.

    I found the secretary and the restaurant owner pretty funny together 😀 I prefer their scenes.

    • Which part of the drama that make you think SH character is inconsistent? Are you referring to the part that SH was saved by JH instead of fighting for herself against those “snakes” at the end of episode 4?
      If so, lemme share with you my thought why I think it’s perfectly well written to describe psychological reaction toward the situation that csh was facing at the moment.
      She is a CEO and the head of the company, and she knows those people who slut sham her are the one working for the MIL. At the moment they tried to corner her to humiliate her in front of the employees, CSH decided to ignore and walk instead of explaining to them because if she explained that mean she was below them. Those people were her SUBORDINATE , if she explained to them in front of the staff that meant she is INFERIOR.
      Second, CSH decided to stay quiet because she doesn’t want to put JH into a spot light of gossip, rumors and criticism. CSH is public figure so she is immuned but not JH. That’s why she walked away.
      The plot is even more understandable in episode 5 , you see how calmly CSH handled the situation while JH was overwhelmed by people’s gossip and starring.
      CSH is soft outside but strong inside , that is how her character portrayed.

      • Except she didn’t leave, she stayed at listening without saying anything. She looked weak. She said she was used to handle things like that, but I couldn’t see it… She handled nothing.

        My problem is with her, she’s an ice princess who isn’t cold, she’s a very capable CEO but she can’t handle things herself. For she’s inconsistent. Yeah she’s sad because her family stuff, but we see only this side of her for now. Sadness and passivity…

  12. Right now it’s losing out to The Last Empress in both viewership and hype. Ratings for people in the 20-49 age range has been plummeting, so it WILL drop. Tbh, I’m surprised it’s receiving this much love here, because by all accounts from my Korean friends it’s bloody boring.

    • Shame jang nara was better actress than song hye kyo even last empress already hit rating 11 and 12%. I’m sure next week this drama will get 7% rating and will down little by little because this drama boring as hell. The writer number please make soo hyun back with her ex-husband.

      • Hey blah…blah…blah…i hate Song Hye Kyo and Hyun Bin what are you doing here. Go talk gibberish somewhere else. This drama will flop or will win is non of your business.

    • Having seen Last Empress to weigh the hype, the 2 drama couldn’t be further apart!

      Last Empress is an ridiculous dumb soap opera of blatant overwrought exaggerating panto full of ridiculous plotting, everybody might as well all appear in a Jim Carrey does the Crown. Subtlety, Nuaunces, believability are not among the adjectives. It may work well as a sell out brain dead tv show for ajummas, I doubt it would work internationally to a more sophisticated audience.

    • You are commenting on a blog post catered to the fans of the drama so ofc you will see many positive reviews.
      And tbh The Last Empress has a more experienced screenwriter. If you google Kim Soon-ok you can see that she wrote many hit makjangs dramas, so not surprised audience will also eat up her latest drama.

    • It’s okay, some people just simply refuse to understand the concept hence. We should “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him”

  13. My interest in music and dramas has always been different than the norm. I think I may be a pretty sentimental person. I enjoy soft music and when such nice music starts to play at the right moment in a scene, I love it so much.

    I cant describe the feeling when I watch each episode of this drama.. I hope the rating remains strong and there will always be enough positive reviews to boost the spirit of the team behind this. I wish they know that this is such a wonderful piece of work that I truly enjoy and appreciate. I can see why it can be boring to others but to me this drama has been wonderfully executed that my heart is always full, contented and looking forward for more by the end of each episode. I hope there are enough cult following for this drama to motivate the team to continue making this kind of work in the future.

    Many people are bothered by how perfect the male lead character is. I don’t know why, but it did not occur to me until I read the comments. Have you never met a single person in your life that seems perfect or makes you feel envious of even a little bit? That they seem like they have it all and their life seems so perfect. Sometimes its not that these people have no shortcomings, its just how they deal with it, and how you look at them.

    I have a friend who seems like she has no problem at all. Even when she got problem, she always smiles and remain calm. So she seems like she’s having a perfect life but I’m sure she’s not. Jin Hyuk is like that to me. And while PBG’s acting seems awkward sometimes with the childlike behavior, that seems to give one negative aspect for the character, so the hero does not seem to be that perfect to me. There are actually quite a few people around me who have such nice, romantic, perfect husbands. These kind of men exist eventhough maybe one in a million. While other people have so many problems and trials, they seem like such blissful couple. But one day, the husband dies. I know a few people who experienced this. With how Soo Hyun has been going through in her life so far, she deserves such man now right? The ending of episode 6 made me teared up.

  14. What a beautiful drama.. The actings from the leads are so on point. I specially like cha soo hyun character the most..song hye kyo is unbelievable..great acting and really beautiful..I can’t help but grinning like an idiot everytime she appears with park bo gum..

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