A Quickie Plot Only Recap of Episodes 10-11 of Mary Stayed Out All Night

Today’s recap will be later than usual, because I am going to be combining episode 10-11 of Mary Stayed Out All Night into one recap. It makes narrative sense, since it’s really one very long episode anyways. I can safely say that the writer change was 100% a win. Episode 10 was terrible (aside from the Mae Ri and Mu Gyul cute moments). I was shaking my head, rolling my eyes, and bored out of my mind. But then episode 11 hit, and it was like I was watching an early episode of M3, with all the cute and funny moments, plus the newly added intensity and emotional beats.

I’m back to being excited about the upcoming episodes of M3, and hoping that the floundering ship will right itself and we can get a story that heads into its conclusion with focus and substantive narrative progression. It’s kinda hard to undo a lot of the original writer’s handiwork (I blame the plot direction at the end of episode 10 on her), but the new writer is gamely doing her best and making it feel rather palatable, not to mention rather intriguing.

All you Jung In lovers out there – I LOVED Jung In in episode 11. Loved, loved, loved the man, and feel terrible his character was so very shafted by the original writer because the potential is there, and OMG is Kim Jae Wook oh so fine. But I’m still firmly on the M&M ship, but just wanted you guys to know that for the first time, I’m totally liking Jung In.

Quickie plot points only recap of episode 10-11 (very cursory, so don’t ask for clarification on anything, I’ll explain in detail in the recap):

Mae Ri and Mu Gyul go and relive her childhood bad memories, making good new memories together in the process.

Seo Jun holds a press conference, and announces Mu Gyul is the man she loves (Jung In tries to end the press con before Seo Jun can answer that question and she ignores him and does it).

Mae Ri is sad that Mu Gyul is embroiled in Seo Jun’s tabloid gossip. She goes to see Seo Jun to ask Seo Jun to stop doing things that end up hurting Mu Gyul.

Jung In is so stressed about all these events, and finds Mae Ri and has a lovely conversation with her (these two fully convince me they would be such awesome functional good friends in the future).

Mu Gyul runs around trying to find Mae Ri for half the episode, since Mae Ri is upset with his situation (not necessarily at him).

Devil daddy tries to rescind the investment, and Mae Ri blames the marriage contract failure on herself, and asks to be given one more chance to do the contract again.
Jung In and Mu Gyul agree to make this marriage a reality for both sides – Mae Ri will move in with Jung In and Mu Gyul, alternating days. End of ep 10.

Mae Ri moves in with Jung In, and he’s as polite and considerate as always. He makes it clear he wants to help Mae Ri and Mu Gyul, because he wants to repay her for childhood memories together.

Mae Ri toggles between her two guys, but for once she’s comfortable around Jung In and treating him with casual friendship.

Mu Gyul gets adorably jealous of sharing Mae Ri, but he blows up at her when it appears that she gave a valuable ring to his mom, who cannot go to Paris anymore until she pays back some debt she owes.

Mu Gyul and Mae Ri’s make up at the skating rink, and continue to be the world’s most adorable couple in every way. He asks her to write the lyrics for the new song he composed for the Wonderful Life OST.

The foursome meet at the production office, and Seo Jun is asked to record the new song. She reads the lyrics and realizes it’s about Mae Ri and Mu Gyul’s love story, and refuses to sing it.

Quickie thoughts:

Once again, episode 10 sucked donkey balls, but episode 11 rocked my socks off (within the context of episode 10 being so moronic and spinning in circles). For the first time, in episode 11, all four main characters feel like possible flesh and blood human beings, their behavior and reactions all are grounded in pseudo-realistic beats. This should have happened like, 4 episodes ago, but alas, I’ll take what I’m served when I’m served.