Whatta fantastic episode of Cheongdamdong Alice! Episode 9 revived my flagging interest for this drama not a minute too soon, and really helped smooth over the decidedly lackluster episode 8. The narrative was back to speeding ahead at full steam with a combination of humor and heart. I totally understand Se Kyung’s considerations, issues, and hesitation now, and boy is she in a conundrum. She likes Seung Jo for real, and she got to know him without pretext. But she was intending to use the President of Artemis, and she did learn Seung Jo was the President before he confessed to her. So she’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. Tell him the truth about her decision to marry into Cheongdamdong and she risks hurting him unnecessarily since her feelings for him are real. Not tell him and she risks him finding out the truth and never believing that her feelings for him are real. Ottoke? In the mix comes turd bucket Tommy Hong, intent on painting Se Kyung into the blackest of gold diggers when we know she is not. His philosophy on life isn’t wrong, and he has every right to get rid of impediments to his own career advancement, but boy do I loath his slimy presence in this drama.
Seung Jo continues to be that weird combination of kooky and serious, but thankfully the kooky was kept to a minimum in this episode. I do laugh whenever Seung Jo does something funny, but I confess to finding his schtick wearing a bit thin. It works when he’s alone with Se Kyung, not as much when he’s in a more public place and still appears to march to the beat of his own drummer. I’m loving Team Seung Jo, which is seriously the largest back up team I have ever seen trying to get an OTP together. Consisting of Dong Wook, Secretary Moon, Driver Kim, Ah Jung, and Se Jin (not to mention the Han parents), how could Tommy and his side ever hope to compete with decent people wanting the best for Se Kyung and Seung Jo. This alleviates my worry on future unnecessary conflicts, because I hope these cool friends and family could step in and always talk some sense into either Seung Jo and Se Kyung. This episode was important for us to see Se Kyung struggling and finally deciding to fight for her right to love Seung Jo back. I was thrilled to see the return of spunky Se Kyung (who has been way too mopey lately for my tastes), and Tommy better watch out because this girl isn’t going down without a fight.
Episode 9 recap:
Seung Jo finds Se Kyung in the rooftop parking lot and confesses his real identity to her, not knowing that she already knows. Se Kyung’s eyes widen and she acts confused. Tommy watches from his car (when did he drive it over there?) and rolls his eyes at Se Kyung’s duplicity. Yeah, you and me both, Tommy.
He asks if she’s shocked and apologizes for lying to her. Se Kyung thinks to herself the same thing towards him. He calls himself a bad guy and she thinks to herself that she is a bad woman. He wishes that he told her earlier, and she thinks the same herself. He couldn’t because he didn’t trust people, and she asks herself if he can believe her now. Seung Jo confesses that he likes Se Kyung and she thinks the same thing herself, that she really likes him.
Seung Jo was so happy to receive the letter from her that said she liked Secretary Kim, but Se Kyung thinks to herself that she is very sorry to him. Se Kyung finally speaks up and says that her distance is very far from President Cha and then walks away. Seung Jo grabs her hand but she shakes him off and leaves. At the end of the parking lot she stops and looks back once.
Se Kyung passes by a church and walks inside to pray when she hears the bells tolling. She sits down in a pew in the empty church and remembers her kiss with Seung Jo and all their interactions, as well as Ah Jung telling her to keep being a Candy. Se Kyung prays for God to forgive her this once. This is the first time she’s done something wrong, but she promises never to let that person be hurt. The things she did wrong to him, she will work doubly hard to make it up. So please will God let her continue to like him. Se Kyung cries as she prays.
Secretary Moon tells Seung Jo about the upcoming launch party with GN Fashion held at the Royal department store. Seung Jo goes back to work and finds Dong Wook waiting for him, wondering how the confession went. Seung Jo says Se Kyung feels conflicted because of her class difference with President Cha. Se Kyung seemed really sad, which Seung Jo is happy about because it means he knows what he needs to do. The same thing happened when Yoon Joo dumped him and he realized that he needed to succeed so he could get revenge on her. Back then his emotions felt like a nightmare but now its not. He takes a drink of water and says he feels like drinking soju.
Seung Jo buys snacks and soju at the corner market and heads over to Se Kyung’s house. Seung Jo walks into the Han house and politely greets Se Kyung’s parents and younger sister, who are shocked to see him there. He puts the snacks down and gets on his knees to bow respectfully, which leaves Se Kyung’s family awkwardly accepting his bow. Seung Jo calls them Mother and Father and then states that he likes Se Kyung. He reveals that he’s not Secretary Kim, in fact his last name isn’t even Kim but is instead Cha, and he’s actually the President of Artemis Jean Thierry Cha. The Han family is shocked into silence.
Se Kyung remembers Seung Jo saying he likes her, and she thinks to herself that she likes him, too, and she promises to do right to him going forward. Se Kyung arrives back home when she is confronted outside by Tommy Hong who hands over her phone.
Se Kyung sits down with Tommy who immediately cuts to the chase. Her phone had a lot of missed calls from Secretary Kim, who is really President Cha. He asks if Se Kyung doesn’t feel the deja vu, having Tommy see right through her again. Since she knows his real identity, but wrote him a letter that she likes Secretary Kim and acted like she was running away, she is clearly pretending she doesn’t know. Should he forward the text to Seung Jo, the one telling Se Kyung his real identity? Or Se Kyung can come clean with him herself, that she knew his real identity and is acting like an innocent Candy. Tommy can see in Se Kyung’s eyes her rage and impotence. But not all is lost, there is a way for her to keep going before her ruse is burst. He knows Se Kyung is playing Seung Jo and he wants her out of the game. Tommy hands over a document.
Seung Jo reveals that he studied in the US, then went to Paris to study art which is when he broke ties with his dad who didn’t approve. Her family asks why Se Kyung rejected him and Seung Jo says she thinks they are too far apart. He admits that he is not some perfect guy and really likes her. Seung Jo asks her family to help him. Dad doesn’t know what to say, so instead he tells Seung Jo to drink. Dad then proceeds to down drink after drink with Seung Jo as the rest of the family watches.
Tommy offers her compensation for leaving the country (LOL, Tommy is like the disapproving evil mother-in-law here), with an acceptance letter to a design school in Paris. Tommy needs to arrange Seung Jo’s marriage and Se Kyung is in the way. It’s Tommy’s duty to get rid of impediments to the marriage. Once Se Kyung returns, he will be her backing. If Se Kyung leaves now, Seung Jo will become a good memory. And when she returns from Paris, she’ll meet other good men. Tommy says that when he was in design school, he was always in first place. But that had no impact on his success, but it took him 5 years to accept that reality. Yet Se Kyung accepted her limitations overnight, which makes Se Kyung very formidable. He knows she will succeed.
Se Kyung goes home, but not before crouching down just outside the door as she contemplates her situation. When she walks in, she finds her drunken Dad and equally drunk Seung Jo belting out a supremely off-key rendition of “My Way” on karaoke, with the rest of the family plus Ah Jung drunkenly cheering them on.
Seung Jo spots Se Kyung and asks if he really is too far from her? He then asks her parents and they both drunkenly say he’s not. Seung Jo tells Se Kyung that he loves to sing and is not far from her.
Se Kyung goes to her room as the carousing continues downstairs. The next morning everyone wakes up and Dad tells Se Jin not to pressure Se Kyung before she makes up her mind, which Se Kyung overhears. Dad knows Se Kyung puts a lot of thought into things.
At work the next day, In Hwa finally confronts Se Kyung about why she was invited to the Artemis party and how she knows President Jean Thierry Cha. Se Kyung explains that her ex-boyfriend did something wrong to the company and she wrote a letter to the President to explain and that is the extent of their connection with each other. In Hwa hears about the handwritten note and files that away as something she can use to win Seung Jo’s interest. In Hwa says President Cha is very traditional and that is sexy. She asks if Se Kyung’s handwriting is pretty and can she show her? She then flounces off back to her office to look for writing paper and Se Kyung watches her.
Yoon Joo goes to meet her husband at work who tells her to attend tonight’s event. Once In Hwa is married, these events need more of her presence. Yoon Joo tries to say she’s not feeling well but Min Hyuk says he really needs her tonight at the event held at Royal Department Store. She confirms that President Cha is coming as well and agrees to go.
Seung Jo arrives at the Club A launch event. He walks in and sees In Hwa handwriting notes to all their VVIPs, which impresses him with her sincerity. They pose for pictures together and In Hwa grabs his arm and steps closer. President Cha arrives and sees Seung Jo and In Hwa posing for pictures and he smiles.
Min Hyuk arrives with Yoon Joo and introduces her as his wife. Both President Cha and Yoon Joo act like they are meeting for the first time. Yoon Joo sees Seung Jo standing next to In Hwa and she saunters over to greet him (as if they last met at the dinner party). Seung Jo looks disconcerted and returns her greeting.
When In Hwa walks away to talk with other guests, Seung Jo whispers to Yoon Joo about why she’s doing this. Yoon Joo whispers back and reminds him that his father is intending him to marry In Hwa. Seung Jo spits out a reminder that he’s not interested and it won’t happen. Yoon Joo looks relieved, while In Hwa looks over and looks alarmed at why Yoon Joo is continuing to talk to Seung Jo.
President Cha stares unhappily at Yoon Joo talking to Seung Jo. Yoon Joo thinks back to talking with President Cha, reminding him that Seung Jo will not be happy to be part of this business marriage. No wonder President Cha’s relationship is bad with Seung Jo, why Seung Jo ran from the US to Paris. Yoon Joo brings up Seung Jo’s mom, and how Seung Jo refuses to do what his dad wants. If the truth came out, it isn’t just Yoon Joo who will fall, President Cha’s relationship will forever be over with Seung Jo. President Cha says everything will be fine as long as Yoon Joo leaves the Shin family.
After the launch party ends, Se Kyung arrives to pack up the clothes for GN Fashion as everyone else leaves. Seung Jo whispers at her from behind a banner, asking if she’s not leaving? Se Kyung dismisses Seung Jo, saying she has work to do. She checks her phone and sees text from Seung Jo, who actually is lurking over her shoulder. When she turns around, they accidentally kiss.
Seung Jo stammers out that they are not far apart, they are really close. He then happily walks away and vows that he won’t give up. He does the most ridiculous moon walk-butt wiggle-head tilt-finger guns dance to demonstrate his glee to Se Kyung, who I cannot believe is watching this calmly as opposed to breaking out in laughter. Seung Jo does his dance all the way to the elevator, which opens to reveal it packed with Artemis employees. Seung Jo composes himself and gets into the elevator.
As Se Kyung walks out carrying boxes, she runs into Yoon Joo in the lobby and the two ladies go out for drinks. Yoon Joo cries and asks what they did wrong? Yes, they lied, and used people, and caused people to cry blood tears. But they also cried blood tears, how could they not? So why is it only they feel such guilt?
Se Kyung steps outside and calls Tommy Hong and asks if he can’t let her go this once. Didn’t he say that she reminded him of how he used to be? So shouldn’t he know exactly how she feels right now? Once, just once….. Tommy knows how she feels and also once asked another to let him go. But that doesn’t work, and this time he gave her an easy way out. Tommy tells her to be smart and take it.
Se Kyung goes back inside and starts drinking heavily. Yoon Joo asks if something is going wrong for Se Kyung? She doesn’t answer and keeps drinking so Yoon Joo follows suit. Se Kyung gets wasted and passes out. Yoon Joo is the less drunk one and tries to wake Se Kyung up but can’t. Seung Jo texts Se Kyung and Yoon Joo reads the text from “Secretary Kim” asking what Se Kyung is up to. She texts back Se Kyung’s location and being drunk and needing him to take her home. Seung Jo rushes out and texts that he’ll be there in a few minutes.
Yoon Joo goes to the bathroom to wash up and when she walks out, she sees in horror Seung Jo rushing in and piggybacking Se Kyung out. She connects the dots and realizes that Seung Jo is the “secretary” person Se Kyung has been referring to, and remembers Se Kyung saying that he likes her.
Seung Jo happily piggybacks Se Kyung home while Yoon Joo watches with tears in her eyes as he fairly hops with joy down the street. He says Se Kyung can’t escape him and she’s not heavy at all. Seung Jo brings Se Kyung home to her worried parents, explaining he didn’t get her drunk since she refuses to see him recently and he is merely bringing her home. Seung Jo puts Se Kyung to bed and then sits down and talks with her. He says again that she’s not heavy at all, whereas the last time he piggybacked Ah Jung he almost collapsed from exhaustion.
Seung Jo says that if Se Kyung is awake now, can she still pretend she’s asleep and listen to him? He holds her hand to his heart to show her how fast its beating every time he sees her. She is straight forward, opinionated, and courageous. But he is foolish and fearful, yet this time he said out loud that he likes her. After he leaves we see Se Kyung open her eyes and cry. Seung Jo runs into Se Jin on his way out and asks for her help.
The next morning, Se Jin and Ah Jung partner together to invite Se Kyung to an art gallery event that night, supposedly for one of their classmates. Se Kyung sees right through them and says she’ll go.
President Cha arrives at the bakery where Se Kyung’s dad is working to pose for promotional pictures. He sees Se Kyung’s dad with Se Kyung outside. Dad compliments Seung Jo as a good guy, even if he’s from a different world. Being loved is a good thing and Se Kyung shouldn’t over think it. Dad is very happy for her so why is she so depressed. Se Kyung brings up her team leader who is very beautiful and elegant and is trying to get married. Se Kyung sees her effort and thinks its good. If Se Kyung did it, its not cute. She thinks to herself that a rich person loving another rich person is considered cute, but a poor person loving a rich person is to be derided. She helps fix her dad’s outfit and gives him a hug before leaving. President Cha sadly stares at that tableau.
The two Dads pose for pictures and Seung Jo asks Se Kyung’s dad if that is his daughter? What were they talking about since they appeared to get along, don’t kids not get along with their parents these days. Dad says they discussed a guy who likes his daughter and recently came to the house. He suggests Dad have more meals with his offspring.
Seung Jo gets ready for his big wooing session of Se Kyung. Secretary Moon and Dong Wook arrive with the props and accessories and everyone checks if everything is ready. Dong Wook asks if Seung Jo shouldn’t first check to make sure Se Kyung is coming.
Se Kyung goes to meet Tommy who hands her documents to sign. If she wants to enter this world, she needs to get use to signing contracts. The contract reads that Han Se Kyung will forever renounce all connection with Cha Seung Jo. She hesitates and tells Tommy that she really likes Seung Jo, even if Tommy doesn’t believe her or think she’s foolish. Tommy cuts her off and says she’s so disgusting. He knows how she calculated and approached Seung Jo. If Se Kyung wants to call her feelings love, then go ahead, but don’t say it in front of him.
Tommy asks why she is doing this? They are old hands at this, no? Se Kyung says In Hwa is also trying hard to win Seung Jo’s heart. So why is what Se Kyung did disgusting, but what In Hwa did acceptable. In Hwa also wants a contract marriage, so why is Se Kyung the only bad guy? Why is she the only one being raked over the coals? Tommy asks why he needs to be doing this? It’s understood so Se Kyung should stop asking questions if she already knows the answer.
Seung Jo arrives at the art gallery where he has prepared a romantic dinner, completed with rose petals forming a heart around the table. Secretary Moon and Dong Wook help him finalize the preparations when Ah Jung and Se Jin come running in to say that they can’t reach Se Kyung. Suddenly Seung Jo gets a call from her stating that she won’t be going to meet him. She cannot be together with him and she is sorry.
Seung Jo’s back up team look on in worry and asks what happened? Seung Jo tells them that Se Kyung rejected him, saying they cannot be together. Driver Kim runs in happily with the flowers and Secretary Moon tries to shoo him away. Dong Wook tells Seung Jo not to give up, especially with all the preparation that went into today. Seung Jo realizes that everything he did for Se Kyung, nothing went according to plan. Dong Wook tells him to find Se Kyung and show her what he wanted to do today, and if she still says no, then he can give up. Everyone encourages him to find Se Kyung first. Ah Jung says they can use Se Kyung’s cell phone to track her GPS location.
Team Seung Jo rushes out of the art gallery and all 6 of them squeeze into the car. Driver Kim speeds off and tells everyone to hold on tight. They track Se Kyung’s location to the banks of the Han River. Seung Jo runs around and finally locates Se Kyung. He rushes down and grabs her for a hug. He asks her not to leave him.
Seung Jo initially had all these romantic movie lines to tell her today. Se Kyung tries to leave his embrace but he pulls her in tighter. He had no idea that love could be so deep and heartbreaking. If there was an expiration date, he wishes his love could go on for a thousand years. Is she willing to love him until he leaves this world, or he will love her until his life ends, that is what cheesy lines he had in store for her today. But this is not him.
He is a coward, afraid of the person who loves him leaving him. He is so afraid. When he was small, his mother let go of his hand and left. His lover packed her bags and left. He still has nightmares about this today. At night sometimes he sleeps with the light on because he is scared. He is not a cool President, not a prince who can save Se Kyung, he is just a weak man who deeply loves Se Kyung.
Can she accept a man like him? It is up to her, but please will she not leave him? Will she save him? Se Kyung says nothing and listens to his entire confession. Team Seung Jo stands above the steps and watches this entire exchange, looking anxious and happy. Se Kyung asks if he can wait an hour for her? Seung Jo nods and she runs off.
Se Kyung rushes into Tommy’s office and asks if he thinks people can call anything they want love? If so, then yes, her love for Seung Jo is ugly. But it is still love. From now on, she will love Seung Jo with her ugly heart. She will never give up this ugly love. She slaps his contract on the table and stares him down. Tommy stares back at her.
Seung Jo waits by the freezing Han River for Se Kyung to return.
absolutely loved it! so happy ^^
awesome! awesome! awesome! pure awesomeness! and i love park shi hoo dancing hahaha! 🙂
I am addicted to his dancing….super, no words to express my happiness
yayy!! Thanks koala <3
Wooh! First comment! (everrr!!!) I love this drama! I can’t wait till sunday!
i soooooooooo love the TEAM Seung Jo too!! :))
http://www.facebook.com/KoalasPlayground
koala’s dedicated facebook fanpage 🙂
Hooraaay for the return of spunky se kyung! Mopey se kyung was starting to get on my nerves, I’m glad she’s back to her brave fighting spirit, ugly love be damned!
Hehe… I am too tired to write what I’d like to say so it will have to wait until tomorrow. But the easy stuff is that our OTP is just super adorable esp the CSJ part of the OTP. Team SJ is totally awesome. Dr Heo is a very refreshing voice of reason. I loved all the OTP parts… I could rewind and watch them forever.
Thank you so much ms. Koala! Been refereshing your website since I woke up.
Can’t get enough of Cheongdamdong Alice. This episode is DAEBAK! ^^
SeCha COUPLE is <3!
same here, me too 🙂 🙂 from the morning to the evening! Still thinking CDDA eventhough i am in church ! Plz forgive me God ! I love you and i love SECHA too. 🙂 CDDA fighting .
like and love choengdamdong alice
I seriously spend most the episode in either tears or holding my heart. I went for completely hating Se Kyung to wanting her to figure it out so that her and Seung Jo can be happy. Tommy I want to hurt you!!! How could you and your super human hearing be so evil. Then there was Yoon Joo I literally felt her pain when she realized that Se Kyung’s white rabbit was Seung Jo. Poor woman, I feels for her. She really did give up her love for security. I’m still hoping that they somehow show that her husband and her really do have a good relationship. Otherwise it just seems that she did all that work, lost the man she loved, got the security she wanted but is still not happy.
Tommy I have seriously ugly words for you if I wasn’t afraid to be sent of the site …
Thanks Captain for this wonderful recap! Love this episode too. I’m glad the good and fighter Se Kyung is back. The church scene was moving; it showed me the good Se Kyung is still there despite what happened in ep 8. The dialogue between Se Kyung and Yoon Jo was moving too. Both did pray and asked for forgiveness; I didn’t expect that from Yoon Jo. But the drama writers have effectively shown us these past few episodes that she is a person with conscience too. Good job writers! On the other hand, I disliked Seung Jo’s Dad when he asked Yoon Jo to leave the GN family. Poor Yoon Jo, she’s being asked to make another sacrifice! I hope she and Se Kyung will fight off Seung Jo’s Dad and that evil Tommy Hong. Maybe Team Seung Jo can help them. 🙂 Last but not the least, I love the dialogue wherein Se Kyung’s Dad tells Seung Jo’s Dad how he interacts with his daughers. It is a good reminder that even in smallest or simplest act, we can see, feel or show parental love…Looking forward to tomorrow’s episode!!! 🙂
One of the cheesy lines he wanted to say to her, about if his love had an expiration date, it’ll be a thousand years – that is from Chungking Express, I think. /cries so hard because ;________;
Really glad our Alice has her spunk back, and Seung Jo, you perfect, perfect man. I cried so hard when you expressed your love for her.
Ah perfect is right, his dancing I adore LOL all night long
pm for episode 9, Heart breaking scene= Sj visit to Sk house and the time Sk come back.( oh oo..two feeling appear on my mind..really want to laugh so badly Sj acting at the same time my heart can’t stand and a ton of tear drop from my eye for Sk :’( ) The funniest and sweetest scene= their soft kiss and Sj crazy cute dance 🙂
Mgy and Psh, i’m really adore you two. You two acting so great eventhough it’s bitter cold winter fighting CDDA team. But don’t worry CDDA TEAM. Because i pray for CDDA and do believe this year Baeksang Arts Awards and SBS Awards night are for CDDA.
Oh man i cant wait
I hope that i get to see this being filmed
I freaking loved this episode! I loved all the OTP moments and team SeCha.
Finally SK is fighting back. It’s about time that she slapped Tommy.
Second that 🙂
What a nice episode… love PSH dance…can’t wait for tomorrow…
Me, too!
Love how completely free uninhibited he is with her family. It is so obvious that living that stuffed up life was killing him slowly.
Seriously the VERY BEST confession ever, I have never seen such moving, loving, beautiful confession ever…He rocks my world and I think she must have drank Pacific ocean with all of those tears pouring out… I felt I need a 12 pack of softest tissues while watching her cry…oh and her message to Tommy … loved it ! and did you see they are going to Paris next episode, oh my heart be still
you got it right when you said that Tommy is like the disapproving evil mother-in-law.. still LOL bcoz of that..
I really love this episode and am glad to see Se Kyung feeling so guilty. The church scene does help to redeem her character that she is a Candy girl at heart and has not really change. Felt so sympathetic and start to root for her again when she said that she will stop hurting SJ from now onwards and when she pleaded unsuccessfully to TH to give her a chance.
We get so many sweet and wonderful moments between our OTPs and really love the accidental kiss and SJ’ s crazy dance. The best scene in my view is SJ’s confession at the end of ep- so very moving and sincere that could even move a mountain.
Really dislike TH – there is no way viewers will suffer Second Lead Syndrome in this drama with such hateful character.
Love this drama, especially Park Shi Hoo! ^^
DAEBAK!!! to Ms Koala & CDDA.
Phew~ I was squealing nosebleed gaHhhh at the cutest accidental kiss eburrrrr! Haha For once I’m grateful my snoring husband isn’t a light sleeper 🙂 I am so excited for epi 9 & feeling much better for a weekend without my CDDA fix. I lost track of why day it was bc of the holidays & no airing….
Any thots on YJ? I like their friendship now… I don’t want her to be against SK bec she represents a part if who she used to be. Instead, I hope she tells her to not give up on love. There’s a bit of weirdness re: SK getting SJ after YJ, but one muss kiss a frog to get a prince(ss). ;P
I love how the story makes the secondary characters so important as well. I LOVE team Seung Jo too!
I love how this episodes addresses all the dilemmas that Se Kyung faces and how each person has their own story. How double standards exist for the rich. It is such a great and well rounded story. Makes you think that maybe gold-diggers actually do have a heart.
But of course, Se Kyung isn’t a gold digger (technically) cos she was lucky enough to fall in love with the real deal.
I can feel Yoon Joo feeling so jealous that Seung Jo loves Se Kyung so much. But I think when she thinks about it, she will try put them together so that she doesn’t need to see Seung Jo all the time.
This writer is fantastic so far. Hopefully she will write out a satisfying ending.
Finally, I LOVE Park Shi HOo! I watch his adorable dance over and over again and I can’t stop laughing. : ) He made my day : )
Absolutely hilarious! He is a really good actor!
She SK is really the sugar and spice girl ..I like when the writer write such stories even its all in book…and I think TH is evil..hope that love bite him back..he need to be taught lesson..not everyone is greedy. MGY and PSH OTP has been quite convincing here..I cried too, watching this episode.Love team SJ..Thanks Ockoala can’t wait for episode 10.
SEcond that EXACTLY my sentiment
Loved it. Also LOVE the “what Se Kyung did disgusting, but what In Hwa did acceptable” because it’s true and something in my mind the whole episode. Also love her saying it was okay for a rich person to love poor person, but not a poor person to love a rich person. It kind of made me cringe when she said that, but it really was true. This episode also did a great job of making Se Kyung’s issue really relatable and believable. Before I was confused what the issue with loving him even was. Love Team Seung Jo!
I’m really surprised how much I feel for Yoon Joo considering how her character was portrayed to start with. The only thing I want now is just SJ to be in the loop as far as what is going on. He’s keeping his innocence, but is removed from everything around him for the most part.
THAT was THE GREATEST!
Tommy had no response, really, to her. Nothing that made sense.
The whole show turned on that point.
Han se kyung did exactly wat i expected her to do and that was to recant and fight for her love,unfortunately i think this is gonna make tommy hong like her -_-
I have no words for my feelings.. I’m happy happy happy…got to stay up again tonite for the raw version of episode 10……
Btw, can somebody tell me what OTP means?
OTP = One True Pairing
It specify who the the first leads are.
Sometimes the stories are written so there is only evidence of who the OTP is, meaning the second lead is so strong it is difficult to guess.
Sometimes, we have the Park Shi Hoo effect, which means the OTP starts out as one male lead, and ends up another.
I would love it in AC if the second lead were strong enough to have a go at creating a PSH upset, you know, because it would be IRONIC.
Although I don’t think there is a second lead male here.
Ladies anyeong!! It was the longest two weeks ever! And it’s finally here! I’ve missed this sooo much it’s not even funny at all!
This episode is so much love!!! I just love the whole message of this drama so far. Things will get uglier when Shin In Hwa finds out about Se Kyung’s initial motive! So imma just gonna enjoy our OTP cute moment together from now on.
Hey, are they going to Paris for real???? Ooh la la! And just the two of them! Heh heh hehhhhhh!
Yes! Been waiting for your recap thanks!
Loved this episode! Can’t wait to watch today’s. After the last 2 episodes I was starting to worry about CA but Episode 9 was awesome. I still love cute Seung Jo and his crazy antics and I love Team Seung Jo/Se Kyung, including Driver Kim haha.
This episode is such a feel good one. I love the funny antics of Seung Joo..the guy is pure adorable! And of course it’s awesome to see Se Kyung fight those people who look down on her.
Thanks Captain and nice reading you’re back enjoying the drama. 🙂
Thanks for the recap.
Lessons learned from this episode, from last episode really, LOCK YOUR CELLPHONE.
i am also very happy with ep 9. thanks so much for the recap. i agree with you that loopy seung jo is wearing thin. i love psh, i really do, but i think his confession was a bit over-acted. that being said, i’m so excited for the rest of the drama with yet another person (yoon joo), and a key one at that, finding out the truth.
OK, I haven’t finished watching this episode and I haven’t read the recap yet, but I’m 30 minutes in and I just had to stop and give a big YOU GO GIRL to Yoon-Joo. Way to handle yourself and put people in their place (looking at you, Daddy Cha). That could all change by the end of the episode but I’m so proud of her right now. If she’d only come clean to her husband, I would be even prouder.
Ok, what is that thing Seung Jo is wearing at the end?? LOL
Great episode!!!
I know, it is SO Funny
Thanks for the recap!
I can’t add much to what everyone has said except:
@%&* you, Tommy! You big fat JERK!
Aaaah I can’t wait to watch this episode! I just got back from vacation and watched episodes 7 & 8 (finally!), and in spite of being really worried that I would hate them because of all of the negative reactions I’ve read, I LOVED them just as much as the previous epis. I totally felt Se Kyung’s guilt and apprehension over fully embracing “the dark side,” and her actions & emotions made perfect sense to me. She’d fully committed to going down the “rabbit hole,” so turning back wasn’t really an option for her. The problem that she had to face was dealing with the fact that love and business had become muddled. I think she could deal with approaching marriage as a business as long as she didn’t care about the guy…but she clearly has feelings for Seung Jo, so she had to come to terms with the fact that she was manipulating the man she loves. And really, apart from telling him the truth (which would probably ruin her chances of ever entering Cheongdamdong, since the main reason SJ fell for her is that she’s ‘different’ from all the greedy women in CD, so this is clearly not an option for her), there was no way for her to *not* manipulate him in some way.
It’s not that she was struggling with pretending to be a candy (as we saw at the dinner party that ended with a soy sauce bath)–she is ambitious and can be devious when she needs to be. It’s that she has real feelings for SJ that (ironically) she will have to put aside if she wants to date him. Frankly, I LOVE this conflict and I think that the writers are nailing the situation on the head.
I find it funny that everyone was all gung-ho about having a kdrama heroine who wasn’t your typical happy-go-lucky candy, but the second she actually started being…well…not your typical happy-go-lucky candy, fans were up in arms. We’re a fickle bunch, LOL.
Anyway, I don’t mean to vent all over your blog, I just needed to react to episodes 7 & 8 somewhere :). THANK YOU for your lovely recap, I can’t wait to watch the episode!
OMG! What am I going to do? Just finished ep. 10 and an unexpected ending (another clift hanger). I can’t wait till next week.
Even though Se-Kyung’s pondering is understandable and even the final choices she makes can be undestood considering her character, I feel no sympathy for her here. Her decisions are simply stupid and serve no one, not even her. Seung-jo says he’s a coward but that really isn’t the case. HE had the balls to confess his deception while Se-Kyung is ready to rather dump him than take the risk of telling him and him dumping her.
The worst is that of course this is gonna come and bite her in the ass. These kind of things should just be told and be done with because people ALWAYS find out. And it so much worse to hear it from somebody else instead of the person who should’ve told it. Especially since I have myself decided to tell the truth to my bf even facing the possible rejection (though matters have been different but possibility of rejection has been real), my sympathy for Se-Kyung is null. She’s a coward and she doesn’t deserve Seung-Jo unless she tells him.
It would also nice to see this trope handled differently because this has been seen SO many times. A person does something wrong, a person does not tell to the person wronged out of the fear to be rejected, the wronger one finds it out from somewhere and hell breaks loose. I wish that someday wrongdoer WOULD tell her/himself and then it would be dealt accordingly.
super episode.. this was amazing!!!
1.If she was to fess up. The drama would end… Boo
2. I think most of you are wrongly judging SK because you think you know she’s deceitful (POST knowing SJ is president). If she really was a bitch… She could definitely go ahead and seduce the guy and not hide and run away…but rather marry him straight off… Even he finds out.. Share the money!
3. Has SK actually lied she didn’t know he was president? SJ.. Most of the time SJ put words in her mouth.. She did the really subtle ‘shock’ look, then SJ worded it for her. Not saying she’s lying with her actions. Mind.
4. Before the whole chaotic family planning of YJs sister in law’s marriage with SJ, didn’t we think YJ had what she wanted? Love and marriage with money? They are not the centre of attention so not much interaction is shown onscreen, but at the end of the day.. Relationships all strt with not knowing and then realising.. Doesn’t it? YEH SK wanted to marry in to cheongdamdong, but then she found her way out by falling in love with a chaebol. Don’t some relationships start with hatin that one person and then it’s like…. O! I think I love you (Bridget jones diary anyone??!) it’s … Not nice.. But it’s what NOW is what matters.
In the end I think the point is for SJ To grow new balls and move on… It has been harvesting wel I reckon and no spoiler intended.. But ep 10 definitely wowed me with 3 x shock shock horror horror confessions to a big crowd.. Which became THE cliffhanger of the new year. Old SJ wouldn’t have done most of anything these past 4 episodes.. So I’m proud of him. But crying cos he’s so happy…… HMMMMMM.
I hope SK doesn’t fess until she’s paid her price for not telling the truth to SJ, i.e. reconcile SJ with his father, help with his company, make SJ happy. Truly love SJ And let him know he is loved. And then when he finds out… he should throw a huge tantrum … In front of everyone … Be crazy .. As in screaming and crying… Then next day… Realise… U know what… “She did use me in the beginning but we’ve changed eachother. I was able to change her motivation… And she’s saved me from myself” TADAAA.
People this is drama… If everyone’s so honest with eachother it’s not much fun if there’s lies to be told. If there are no obstacles to overcome, there’s no way towards a stronger love. Some of u are totally judging SK because u think u kno! You don’t! Even if you think you’ve been in a similar situation. It’s not about what u think! It’s about Cha Seung Jo and Se Kyung Shi!
Hi Queenie! Thanks for your comment. You raise many good points…I agree that if SK confesses now, then the drama is over.the end.goodbye. But thanks to the writers, it is not yet over, leading us to ep 10 which I really like. All I could say at the end of that ep is “IN YOUR FACE TOMMY HONG!!!” with a big fist pump. 😀 Can’t wait for Captain’s recap of ep 10.
Yes, SK DID lie that she didn’t know even though she already knew the truth. It’s the that letter that will damn her, letter that she send to the president claiming that she likes sec. Moon. Ok, essentially there are no lies in the letter but as she KNOWS that sec. Kim and Jean Thierry Cha are a same person, letter will look like a classic gold digger operation to get to the money.
You do realize that there are other possible obstacles in the world, too, than this? I simply dislike this trope very much to begin with and so it makes no impression on me in this drama. I consider people acting like this stupid. Not only they are withholding important information from the very people they claim to care and cherish but they are planting the seeds of their own doom. Truth WILL come out and as I said, it is always worse to hear it from somebody else instead of the culprit him/herself. It totally destroys the trust and trust is essential to have a good relationship.
So yes, I am judging Se-Kyung. She’s a coward and Seung-Jo’s courage only illustrates it further. She does not deserve him unless she tells him the truth. We have NO right to decide for other people whether they are ready/capable/willing/whatever to hear the truth. Only person him/herself has this right. This is the reasoning of the cheater.
Yeah, SK may be coward in not revealing the truth is because she is afraid of hurting SJ. What courage on SJ are you talking about? He did not have the courage to tell her face to face about his past via the video and did not have the courage to let her speak because he is afraid of hearing what he did not want to hear.
SK is NOT a cheater. She made a clean break with her ex-boyfriend and the next man she loved is SJ. So who else is the third party?
Frankly speaking SJ do not deserve SK. She is smart, spunky, sensitive and forward looking girl. She thinks before she acts unlike SJ.
I didn’t say SK is a cheater. I said that people here are applying the same logic cheaters apply: better not tell the truth because telling would HURT the other party. So if you all think that SK should keep silent to spare SJ’s feelings then yes, you are thinking like cheaters often do.
SJ had courage to confess his deceit, to confess his feelings to her face at the Han-river and to ask her to be with her EVEN though she had rejected her. That does take up a lot of courage even from a normal person not to mention from a person like SJ who has some mental issues. And come on, he did give her a chance to speak. He waited for her answer which was “give me an hour”.
SJ might be all that yous say, but she is also a deceitful, lying coward. SJ has mental issues but he is honest.
And come on. i don’t buy it even for a second that she’s not telling the truth because she’s afraid of hurting his feelings. While that may have something to with it, biggest reason is that she’s dead scared that he will be so hurt and angry that he will kick her sorry ass up until Western Indies. And won’t take her back.
Also, she is stupid. Her not telling will backfire and VERY painfully. Tommy knows about the whole things and only an idiot would think that he will keep silent. And whatever SK is, she’s not a total dummy. If she doesn’t tell, Tommy WILL spill the beans and SJ will be even more hurt than if she had told him herself. So if she DOES put his feelings first, she should come clean and not wait until somebody else does it. If she doesn’t tell him, it’s clear that she’s protecting herself.
What if Sekyung doesn’t show up by the river bank, end up Seungjo dies of cold. I do hope they get together but there will be another 10 more episodes, so they have to face more troubles for their love to grow stronger. Please…happy ending 🙂
@ Arawan, the really stupid person is SJ himself. He is so self absorbed in himself or so idiotically guillible not being able to read SK’s body language – her pained expressions. Being so in love, he just wanted to unload his past on SK to make himself feel better not taking into SK’s feelings into considerations. SK did make attempts to tell him but SJ did not give her chance.
As in all human contact, tere is verbal and non verbal communication. You have to read between the lines of spoken communication as well as to read the body language.
Sorry to say this. I really think SJ do not deserve SK at all in terms of intellectual development. Though TH appears to be slimmy, he is emotionally and intectually on par with SK.
@ARawn…
I see your comment in other site and your sentiment is like in here..its clearly your PSH fans..
YOur judging SK so much..many people say here that she actually did try to confess not once,not twice..when she run to SJ after she watch his video she’s so determined to confess but YJ saw her..and literally stop her by telling who she was in SJ life in the past..who suffers the worst after their breakup..upon hearing that do you think she still have a heart to confess right at that moment..if she only think herself at that time yeah she will tell the truth right away but that is not the case.she consider SJ’s feeling..she is the one who carrying the burden..so i understand why she cannot tell him now,not dropping the bomb after hearing a confession from YJ like that is understable especially when you considering that person’s feeling..its not easy to live with guilt feelings..
ANd try to put your shoes on SK..not only on SJ so that you can understand her..
ANd im agree to fiesty_gl…coward to thus people who cannot confess personally..
Jen:
For one thing, I’m not a PSH fan. I like him, yes, but I am not a fan of anybody. Secondly, as this comment section is for the episode 9, I hadn’t properly seen episode 10 yet when I made my comments. So yes, I do take back most of my criticism about her – she did try to confess + YJ did a lousy trick on her putting all the weight of SJ’s happiness and sanity on SJ’s shoulders which is totally unfair and unjust.
However, I still cannot agree with people saying that she shouldn’t tell to spare SJ’s feelings. That is a logic I cannot accept as I do not believe another person has a right to decide whether to “spare” someones feelings in matters concerning him/her or not. Like it or not, that is a same logic cheaters use when they don’t tell their spouses or parents use with their children. For me it’s simply wrong. I can understand and accept withholding the truth momentarily if other party is clearly mentally unstable at the time but if we’re talking about the average human being, then he/she should be told.
But even if we set aside my moral and ethical views on this matter, fact is that SK is not facing the choice between “should I tell vs. should I not tell”. Her choice is between “should I tell or should I wait until somebody else does”. Too many people know about her gimmicks and so the beans will be spilled. If she does it herself, she has a chance to explain it for the better but if somebody else does it, not only will the whole matter itself look worse than it is but also her not telling will basically conform to SJ that she was, in fact, only after his money.
SJ definitely has some issues there but I wouldn’t say that one of them is him not being able to read SK at all. He asks her several times what is wrong but she always says “nothing”. He’s not a psychic you know, he cannot understand and know if SK won’t tell him. However, the trick he pulled in the end of the episode 10… Now that was low. He’s basically doing the same as he did to YJ, using SK against his father. So here we have these two messed up people in dysfunctional relationship. At this point I don’t think issue is who deserves/doesn’t deserve whom. Neither of them are capable nor ready for a healthy loving relationship at the moment either because of the mental issues or because of the surrounding pressure and some choices they have made.
But since this is a romcom, I trust they will work out their issues eventually.