Man, I feel it’s the Playful Kiss days all over again. This time with a whole new group of friends to spazz with (including some PKissers who’ve found a new drama plaything). Bringing you a Mary Stayed Out All Night update. Nothing terribly spazz-worthy – it’s a slow news day, which only means the cast and crew are knee deep in filming.
First off, some spoilery pictures of Mu Gyul and Mae Ri. It’s hard to spot them, but Mu Gyul’s van is a dead giveaway that our OTP is nearby. Apparently these BTS shots were taken on Nami Island, where M3 is currently filming.
Speculation abounds that our cutie pies are taking that four day, three night getaway which Jung In earlier agreed to. I’m not so sure. Unless they find a way to continue the 100 day arrangement even knowing that Mae Ri and Mu Gyul are not officially married, there would be no reason for that trip to happen.
I doubt they are eloping. Too early for that. My guess is that the drama production has taken them to Nami Island, and since both are still involved in the drama, that brings them there. But I really don’t know.
Random association:
So I was staring at emo Jung In when I was taking screenshots, and my brain could not let go of this niggling sensation that I was missing some startling epiphany. Until later in the night, when I suddenly put two and two together. Remember how I wrote that I wanted to see Kim Jae Wook and Jang Geun Seok change roles and clothes once? Kim Jae Wook would suit the indie rocker look to the T, and Jang Geun Seok as a cold, repressed rich dude was something I would love to see.
When I saw emo Jung In with the bangs covering half his face, I realized that Jang Geun Seok has in fact played the cold, repressed rich dude before! O. M. G. Jung In is simply Prince Chang Hwe’s modern incarnation, replete with childhood trauma, first love that falls in love with someone else (a rebel/outsider type of character) while he is away in Japan (China for the Princey), polite indifference to our heroine in the beginning, slowly melted by her cheerful ways. Take a look, peeps, and tell me if emo Jung In isn’t the carbon copy of emo Prince Chang Hwe, with the same hair and less guyliner.
If anyone is curious, go check out Hong Gil Dong, which was Jang Geun Seok’s last time playing a second lead role. Sigh, HGD, it just may be my favorite Hong Sister’s drama (and just recently dropped off my Top 10 list). For the first ten episodes of You’re Beautiful, I thought YB would win out, but the last half was a huge disappointment for me. Whereas HGD got better, IMO. And no, I don’t want to debate the ending of HGD. But if Jung In pulls a Chang Hwe in M3, he and I are going to cross swords. HGD probably has one of the best episode endings in any drama EVAR, so I simply must post the pics here. It would take me too long to explain the whys and huhs, but trust me, it was an amazing moment.
Gil Dong, Yi Nok, and Chang Hwe – I will always remember that scene in the marketplace. I think I scream, cried, cheered, and seethed all at the same time. Never did I feel so many conflicting emotions all at once. Sigh, time has mellowed me out, and while I haven’t forgiven Chang Hwe, I have long accepted that Gil Dong bears equal responsibility for the rocks fall down ending in HGD. Reminder to Jang Geun Seok – make a sageuk again!
Jang Geun Seok as Prince Chang Hwe in Hong Gil Dong:
More musings from a koala:
How hot is this upcoming scene from M3 episode 8 going to be? Let me see – face-to-face, both of them angry and upset as all hell but they can’t fully articulate why, stuck between a wall and a hard place, handcuffed, he’s got her arm pined against the wall. Yup, the steam factor will be through the roof. Thank you K-drama gods.
I have been a good koala this year, haven’t I? Have I not brought peace and joy recaps and previews to my brethren the dramaverse over? So you will keep giving me the good stuffs in M3, right? I am almost too invested in this drama for me to survive a second half collapse, which has happened all too frequently in dramas I watch that I dare not get my hopes up.
Going back to episode 7 for a minute to discuss Jung In, who I really haven’t given him his due partially because the writer’s have been shafting him until recently as well. For all intents and purposes, I like Jung In, and I love Kim Jae Wook (for those of you who don’t understand the appeal of Kim Jae Wook, I highly suggest you watch Bad Guy, where he stole the show as a second lead from none other than Kim Nam Gil). But what happened in that apartment in episode 7 has got to weigh heavily on him.
Now that Jung In knows the other marriage is a fake, all the male posturing and shit that Mu Gyul has been pulling in front of Jung In recently must make it clear to him that Mu Gyul likes Mae Ri. There is no other reason at all. It was all emotion and instinct driving Mu Gyul, especially that last punch in the rain when he caught Jung In kissing Mae Ri. This means Jung In knows that he really has a rival, regardless of whether there is a marriage or not.
The marriage was always just a plot device, but the emotional connection that has developed between Mae Ri and Mu Gyul is real. Jung In has to confront it in the future, moreso when Mae Ri realizes that she loves Mu Gyul. Will Jung In back down in the face of two people who he really knows loves each other, or will he forge on with fulfilling his father’s sick wish. This is the moment when a second lead wins my undying appreciation or joins the trash pile of forgettable characters. I actually think there is no way our OTP can be together unless Jung In helps them.
Right now, I believe that Jung In genuinely cares about Mae Ri. He may even be attracted to her as a woman. Her warmth and sincerity touches him, and that is so very poignant to see. This wounded and closed off man, opening himself up and having it reciprocated, I loved watching that. But one has to have blinders on to see that Jung In has no discernable effect on Mae Ri other than mild discomfort in his presence as a man, and her natural empathy for his emotional scars. Whereas Mu Gyul and Mae Ri push each other’s buttons so well – their emotional ups and downs ebbing and flowing depending on the situation they weather together.
Which is why Mu Gyul pushing Mae Ri away privately, and Mae Ri letting Mu Gyul go publicly, was so painful for me to watch. It’s what a person does when the shit hits the fan that reveals their true character. Mu Gyul was willing to be berated for the sake of Mae Ri rather than reveal the truth of the fake marriage which he previously had intended to end, and Mae Ri revealed the truth of the fake marriage which she had so painstakingly constructed for the sake of Mu Gyul. They are like two flip sides of a coin, emotions which so clearly articulate but one undeniable fact – somewhere along the way, they developed a genuine concern for each other. They care more about the other person than themselves, and that is what love is.
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Koala, you leave me speechless once more. Well done yet again.
I'm in terrible pain waiting for episode 8 and 9. Thanks to you though I think I'll be able to cope. :) TY!!
I think Kim Jae Wook would have fit the indie rocker role to the T also especially since it's totally his real life story. Okay not totally but extremely similar. Kim Jae Wook use to be in an indie group and he was approached by a majory record label who wanted to put him in a idol group but he said "No". He's still in an indie group now. In real life, he is actually living as Mu Gyul.
KJW is indeed the real-life Mu-gyul. If you (and by "you", I mean the plural nonspecific one) haven't yet, I suggest you check out this post over at Dramabeans: http://www.dramabeans.com/2010/07/triple-threat-kim-jae-wook. It talks a little about his band and music.
WANT.
Thank you again for putting into words what I am thinking. I read a blog that was kind of negative to this drama and its actors and I got angry. So I waited for something from you and now I am better.
1. Moon Geun Young, in my opinion, is a top notch actress. She has me believing Mae Ri is real and I care what happens to her. She is beautiful.
2.I like Rock and Roll and the indie world. Jang Keun Suk has me believing he is MG.
This is a great story.
I hope they up the ante with Jung-in. I'd love to see KJW get the chance to really show off his magic. As much as I unequivocally love and adore the Geun-Geuns and savor every moment they have together...I want a little KJW in on the action, too. That kiss was hot, and they weren't even really kissing. *brain bursts into flame contemplating what would happen if they really kissed*
I agree with you. KJW is hot and I wish he ends with Mae-Ri but if not, it's ok, as long as he gets more projects.
Thank you for the recaps! Now to watch episodes 6 & 7. Had to get SG episodes in first! This is nuts, what has PK done to me?!
I have to admit that I wasn't all that excited with episodes 1-4. I found your recaps to be way more exciting and funny than the episodes themselves. But I found myself grinning like an idiot through most of episode 5!
It's like you said about connecting with the characters somehow. For the first four episodes, I didn't really see Mu Gyul as a man. I could never in a million years like a guy like that...starting with the apartment decor that looks like the opening credits for Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Ugh.
The OTP has wormed their way into my heart though, and I want to see them happy. Away from those crack ass parents! Mu Gyul's crankiness is fun and Mae Ri reminds me of good friends of mine. Living simple, happy lives without all the nonsense of brand names and looking cute all the time. I feel that Mae Ri's character has way more indie cred than Mu Gyul's.
As for Jung In, he's my main squeeze, again that connection thing. NO ONE can guilt trip me like my mother. Rationally, I know that she isn't always right. Emotionally it's so hard to be a disappointment. However, my mom is actually quite proud even if I have pretty much always done the opposite of what she wanted since I was 19. I guess I want to see Jung In get to the point where he can stand up to his dad and prove himself. I have no interest in his character's love life, really. And I don't care if he ends up alone, least not yet.
And, of course, there's the cheekbones. Can't forget those.
Ockoala - thank you for a great recap as usual. :) I found this interview of our beloved Min Min.
I'm still missing Hyunmin. Just in case anybody misses them to. This is what she has to said and she did mentioned Jung In. :)
Since your partner/costar is Kim Hyun Joong, do you feel pressure?
“When I was young, I have learned dancing, I just started acting thinking that it might be useful/helpful for dancing. Anyway … “, if tell by emotion, like a late autumn day, when walking on the famous street full of falling golden/yellow leaves, I suddenly caught/saw it. Like in the drama Playful Kiss, when Oh Ha Ni, with those lovely smiling eyes, jump out playfully and said, “Nice to meet you (Happy to meet you).”
As a girl with excellent high school achievement, personal goal and good results/achievements are preparations for her to take the first step (she was accepted to study at the Korea University of Arts in acting).
“Actually, I’m quite lucky (laughs), study/learning also brings happiness, when I first started acting, I feel that this job is right for me. Until now I’ve achieve pretty good results. When first appeared in the drama Bad Guy, I was loved by many and considered as the second Yoon Eun Hye, and recently I even collaborated/worked with Kim Hyun Joong.”
Indeed, Bad Guy can be considered as a successful shot, opening the way for a new actress to enter the world of entertainment. Then, with Playful Kiss, she has successfully emerged as a leading actress. In fact, for Jung So Min, Playful Kiss is a gift.
“When I first heard I was chosen, I was really surprised … I know there are many candidates … The director has think highly of me, hahaha … So, to reach/to fulfill/to repay everyone’s expectations, I have tried all my best.”
As a costar of Kim Hyun Joong, who is not only famous in Korea but recently has also become a Hallyu star (became famous) throughout Asia, do you feel a lot of pressure?
“I just want to do my best as an actress. Kim Hyun Joong has helped me a lot throughout the filming process. Maybe he doesn’t want me to feel too much pressure/stress. After completing 16 episodes, I still feel sorry/regretful about some things, but with the Youtube special, that feeling has disappeared.”
Although the TV version of Playful Kiss doesn’t receive high ratings, but the special edition on Youtube, after the first episode has received 360,000 views, and after the 2nd day, all around the world has receiced a total of over 520,000 views.
For many actors, it’s hard for them to forget/leave (escape) their characters after the drama is over, especially for new actors taking on leading roles for the first time. Jung So Min said Oh Ha Ni is really special character for her. When saying goodbye Oh Ha Ni, how does Jung So Min feels?
“Yes … To me, Hani is a very special character. So I need more time (to adjust when filming is over), now I still feel familiar/close to Oh Ha Ni. There’s still a feeling that we will continue filming (filming will continue) tomorrow… During the time we film together, even Kim Hyun Joong said that he’s used to calling me Oh Ha Ni, so when he called me Jung So Min it feels a little unfamiliar (different/not used to it). Anyway it has ended, how to say goodbye to Oh Ha Ni will take time and will sadden me (give me a headache) for a while,” she shares her sympathy and feelings about this. Feelings of regret and sadness had clearly shown in her. Clearly, Oh Ha Ni will forever be a shadow/character that can never be easily erased/forgotten for Jung So Min.
Not long ago during the press conference for the Youtube special edition, you have received many compliments about your dress (style), when you read the news, how do you feel about it?
“To everyone who compliment me, I’m very grateful, I also have that side to me? A very new feeling (laughter)”
Now is the time to select your next project, have you select any good project?
“I had just finished the drama, I want to take a little break. About the new role I still haven’t consider any yet … (laughs). Recently, I have been watching/following the drama “Mary stay out all night” of Kim Jae Wook, a cast member from Bad Guy, I think that the drama will succeed. I will continue to watch it. I had just seen the movie “Eternal Sunshine of the spotless Mind”, it is excellent, the acting has also deeply impressed me. Hopefully I can act like Kate Winslet, have both soft and cool qualities, but also can pull people in.”
Who are your idols?
“I don’t have any special idols. No matter who the senior actors (sunbaes) are, if I can learn from them, I’m not going to set any limits for myself.”
When looking at this new actress talk about her own progress, her future plans, or about her image, we can see that she, an actress with strong expression, clearly show her stand/point of view, to the audience/others, how should I say this … I have the feeling that in the future she will become a big star. Isn’t it enough evidence for us to love/care for Jung So Min now?
thanx for this kate :D
U R Welcome. :)
I just cannot completely move away from PK just yet. :)).
Been looking at KHJ news about going to Singapore and cannot wait until the news about our Hyunmin trip to Taiwan on Dec 26th.
thanks kate for sharing updates on dear min min. she's a love! ditto, i'm still somewhat stranded in PK wonderland. i'm homesick and frequents ockoala's pk playground --- my happy place. i did venture out and have been watching MSOAL and SG. the leads in both dramas have been my favorites for some time, way before i stumbled into the hold of KHJ & JSM. i'm enjoying MSOAL but i swear SG is casting its spell on me!
Thanks Kate.
I am glad that still seeing some of our PK friends are around here.
I love JSM form PK. I am still visiting KHJ fans blog and I read that interview u repost.
I miss PK, HJ&SM couple and same time our joyful PK moments at Ockoala's playground.
I feel sad for JSM some comments about her were so means and blashing her alot.
But I am sure that she is a big girl and she receives or she may feels a lots of love from her PK fans including us.
I am very glad that all of us here love her so much and willing to support her future career.
Same as u, I am waiting for PK promotion time. Hopefully to see HJ&SM together again.....
Thanks again Kate for reposting this and hope to see you around in this playground.
I miss PK and KHJ badly. YT has some new vids of him in Singapore and it's HILARIOUS hearing some of the strange questions posed to him.
Q: What do you look for in a girlfriend, do you go for looks?
HJ: What else is there to look for?
MC: I....I sooo want to touch his face actually....cos it looks so smooooth I want to try...... (btw MC's a GUY)
HJ: *stunned into silence....smiles awkwardly*
MC (sniggering coyly): I'll do it laterrrrr.....
I can guess poor HJ's thoughts here: Omg...HELPPPP!!!!I need to get outta here quick!!!!"
I'm all caught up with M3. Well, sorta. I've watched up to ep 5 so I skipped part of this article, but OMG how cute it this drama? I'm SO torn about the OTP, my friend. I adoooooore Mu-gyul/Mae-ri, but I don't want Jung in to be left alone. :/// Can't they form a happy family together?
And yes, yes, JGS in HGD! Fuuuu, now I feel like finishing that drama which I dropped because...wait, why? There was a sensible reason why I did that but huh, I don't remember anymore. THE POWER OF JGS, SEE IT, FEEL IT, LET ME SHOW IT TO YOU! *g*
Incidentally, yesterday I started PK. Better late, than never, huh? It's absolutely adorable.
SERE!!!!
Okay, housekeeping stufts first:
PK = adorable through the roof, exasperating and choppy at times, but ultimately the sweet outweighs the sour.
HGD = uh, maybe you dropped it for the sake of your own tear ducts? I dunno, never has a drama been so polar opposites from first episode to last, and yet I loved it all. JB's recaps for HGD might be my absolute favorite recap she did for ANY drama, even better than for SOAM or QSS. Yes, JGS as Prince Chang Hwe, man, so many of my friends hated his emo-ness and the hell he wrought. I actually secretly adored him bc he was....well, emo JGS in disguise is all. Heh. HGD isn't even my favorite KJH role (though he KILLED it in episodes 19-21), my fave KJH role is hands down BSGS. If you had 48 hrs in a day, I would encourage you to finish HGD. I can still hear that last refrain.....
Now that we're done with the oldies - M3~ Episode 7 I have now watched, in its entirety (skipping all devil parent scenes), 6 times. Yup, it's that awesome an episode. You MUST catch up so we can spazz live next week. I shit you not, if episode 8 is anything like episode 7, watch out for that recap imma going to churn out.
Re: PK. Dude, I kid you not, I've watched 6 eps and I started this thing yesterday. It's 6 am, I haven't gone to sleep YET and I'm debating whether to start ep 7 now. Fail? Win? You tell me. I just know that all the parts I HATED about ISWAK/TKA (the repetitiveness, the ridiculous amount of Mary Sue, etc) simply aren't there in PK and I'm all o/ I knew that if ISWAK/TKA were reduced to 20 eps tops, I'd LOVE it and there you go, I have proof now.
HGD, *sighs* I will. You guys are bad for my health, baaad. XD I may have dropped it for the slapstick comedy, which I just don't like or if I can stand it, I need to take it in very small doses. I think they lost me right about ep 6-7? I know the pee-soaked candy kind of contributed to the decision. It certainly didn't help witnessing the fallout from the finale. What? I was young, naive and maybe HGD was a liiiiiitttlle to much to handle for a newbie? I do love KJW and you already know about my noona crush on JGS so...*sighs again* I'll finish it.
RE: M3 But I feel like I'm betraying WISHS2 and the people I know that are part of that group? But...but...6 times? SIX? OMO OMO OMO! *bites nails, torn* Oh hey, so you like M3 more than SG? Just wondering
I don't know whether to hug you or tuck you into bed. I can and cannot believe you marathoned PK all night. I would if I didn't watch it live, TBH, but I need my Sere sweetie to be well-rested. My vote is to NOT watch ep 7. Ep 6 is the perfect episode to end on anyways. 7 transitions into college and a whole new bag of tricks and treats for our OTP.
Yup, what I've been saying all along. PK is ISWAK/TKA without all the filler and headdesking stuff. Except.....it's also ISWAK/TKA without Ariel and Joe, who had that special connection that even JSM and KHJ do not have. But at the end of the day, my love for PK totally overwhelms how I feel about ISWAK/TKA.
HGD - I can't believe you watched the ending as a newb. Totally not cool for anyone not to warn you beforehand. HGD to me is like two dramas put together. The first half is like the ridiculousness of a BBF with poop and pee and zombies and emo JGS wearing guyliner. The second half is Damo....and an even more emo JSG wearing guyliner.
The dichotomy is enough to give any drama watcher the shakes. I firmly believe one Hong sister wrote up to episode 14, and the other Hong sister took over starting there and ended it with a grand flourish at episode.
M3 v. SG - hard one to call. Objectively SG is the MUCH better drama. But I cannot lie and pretend that M3 isn't gripping me much harder. That's subjectivity for ya. I think M3 keeps getting better. As is SG, but SG at 20 eps is a much longer haul, and KES throws out the big guns in the second half anyways. Right now SG is all fun and games. And M3 has taken a turn for the serious and angtsy, and I slurp that stuff up and ask for more,
See I KNOW that objectively SG is supposed to be the much better drama. Don't get me wrong, I tune in during the weekends to watch it... But it just doesn't CAPTURE me as M3 does. I find myself waiting VERY impatiently for Monday to arrive just so I can see another episode of M3. Who the hell impatiently waits for MONDAY to arrive?! That's the dreaded start of the week, but knowing that an episode of M3 is waiting for me as soon as I get home for work, helps soften the blow. The acting between the two main leads are PHENOMENAL and my heart is just invested in this drama that I actually CARE about what happens to the two leads. Koala, you've said before that if the drama could prove that Jung In deserves the girl, you could still possibly jump ship right? (or has your opinion changed?) Cause for me, I think I'd literally curl up and die if Mu Gyul doesn't get Mae Ri. He NEEDS her. Although I think you've might have already decided that it's MG that needs MR since the last episode?
Anyways. Thank you for the update and associated musings. I LOVE hearing about your thoughts and opinions! I'd write more but I'm delaying on a research paper that is due for my grad program in....oh....t-6 hours. CRAP!
See now that I've delurked myself, I may have to continue to stay and play.
Welllllll, I didn't marathon PK all night. Just 3 eps + 2 eps of M3. I started watching PK the day before and btw, I went to bed right after leaving my previous comment. I figure 6am was a little too late. ^^' I'm going to watch more PK tonight. >_>
That's EXACTLY what I was thinking. *high-fives* I'm so glad we agree on this. I felt the odd man out because while I do Arien/Joe a lot and can't deny their chemistry on screen, the ISWAK/TKA wasn't exactly a favorite. I knew I'd love it if it was cut down some...I mean, that kind of storyline works well in manga form, but if you keep repeating the same storyline, Mary Sueing left and right in the process, I get boooored, which is why I fast-forwarded through most of TKA cos I.Just.Couldn't.Take.It.Anymore.
Anyway, MinMin is awesomesauce. I couldn't believe when people said she looked liek YEH (I watched Bad Guy, the whole thing, and I couldn't see it), but omg, I see the resemblance now.
Re: HGD. No, no, I haven't watched the finale yet. I'm spoiled...was spoiled back then and I know I'm not going to like it. Still, I'll finish it, promise. Cos it sounds good, all things considered.
M3 vs SG. I'm still waiting for the subs of ep 3-4 for SG so I can't judge yet (5 eps of M3 vs 2 of SG? Sounds unfair), but yeah, that sounds about my first impressions. The fact that we're getting two good dramas at the same time is oh so great, don't you think?
Hello ockoala, I learn of your recaps from Playful Kiss times and i couldn't stop lurking here whenever i feel 'empty' and needed some new juice. This is one of the BEST place so far and i gotta tell you, you did a marvelous job on recapping M3. The reason why is that i do not understand hangul and your recaps are like confetti cannon that helps me see all the colours and what to celebrate about in each episode! *no kidding!*
And sharing your thoughts with your readers (a.k.a me) makes me feel that i'm are not alone in spazzing over the drama more than we should have like a teenager experiencing their first love. Oh the sweetness~ hehehee...
Thanks a lot Ockoala~ I am forever grateful! <3 m3!
Now that you mentioned it...
Chang Hwe is the only time I have 2nd lead syndrome... ^.^ Well, actually not really, since I loved Gil Dong too (the reason I watched HGD is because of Kang Ji Hwan actually, fresh after I watched Geum-soon) and I had a hard time picking which sides I want to be on. And I remember clearly that market scene. OMG, I was shouting and squeeing at the same time ;P
The thing is, I can connect with Chang Hwe, but not with Jung In. I have trouble respecting a 28-y.o guy who's so meek in front of his father. He couldn't even say his mind in front of him, and what I heard was always "yes, aboji". Maybe it's because I have different dynamics with my parents, but... *sigh* I hope he's growing some backbone when faced with his father soon, so I can start liking this character...
And here's seconding your motion: Keun Suk a, please don the wig (and not the M3 wig please) and do saeguk again.
Gah! It really is a shame that finals week comes just as M3 is finally getting really good, but such is life, I suppose. At least I'll get to marathon a good four episodes after all the cramming and paper-writing is good and done :)
Also, a request--I'm heading out to India and then to Dubai for a cousin's engagement in a few weeks and I need 1-2 dramas to occupy me while I'm airborne. Which ones would you all recommend?
Return of Iljimae if you like historical dramas. Oh My Lady if you like sweet fluffy nothing (and a sizzling Choi Siwon, who no joke took off his shirt four times in one episode, I think). Time Between Dog and Wolf for spy/thriller thrills. The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry because hey, who doesn't love watching Bummie? ^^