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Flower Boy Next Door Episode 2 Recap

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

Flower Boy Next Door has such a dichotomy between the two leads. Park Shin Hye as Go Dok Mi has barely any dialogue whereas Yoon Si Yoon as Enrique can’t seem to shut up and natters on a mile a minute. It’s going to be a pleasure seeing these two warm to each other. I already ship these two characters like mad, even if second male lead Jin Rok is playing the quiet protector role to the T with a dash of insouciance. What clicks in this story is about making connections in a bustling world filled with people of all colors and shapes. If Dok Mi is closeted because of a past trauma, which is looking more like the after effects of being severely bullied, then I appreciate how the story is taking a very real modern crisis and handling it with sincerity and a dash of humor.

Dok Mi may be paralyzed from going on, but she still does it when she has to, and in those moments she is capable of interacting with people. Her world is tiny but her life is rich with her own inner thoughts and capable self-sufficient ways. She’s not like Goldilocks locked in a tower dreaming of getting out, she is content with her solitude while longing to make little connections outside of it, such as her crush on Tae Joon. What makes Enrique’s intrusion into her life precious is that it’s so natural to him to want to connect with this oddball girl. He breathes talking to people while she shrinks from human contact. The drama allows the characters breathing room to reveal themselves and take solid steps forward towards a more interesting world as they all get to know each other.

Episode 1 recap:

Jin Rok opens Dok Mi’s note which explains her frugality methods – she lives as though its judgment day tomorrow. To save on heat she keeps hot water in a bottle wrapped in a towel and uses the water later for washing, cleaning, and even flushing the toilet. She wears giant coats indoors and unplugs unused appliances and blocks openings and crevices. At the end of the note she asks Jin Rok if he can be the protest leader in her stead today?

Jin Rok compliments Dok Mi as being transparent, she is completely upfront about being frugal. Jin Rok is about to go talk with her when Watanabe knocks on the door and introduces himself as the new neighbor to Jin Rok and Dong Hoon. The boys check out cheerful fashionably dressed Watanabe.

Enrique catches Dok Mi peeking into the apartment and he rushes over to confront her, wearing nothing but his panda cap around his neck, his boxers, and a trench coat. Good one. Dok Mi cowers and frets in her apartment while Enrique bangs on the door and takes to kick it, all the while demanding she open up because he knows she’s in there!

Dok Mi has a flashback to laying on the psychiatrist chair being asked questions about what she dislikes – doorbells ringing, people calling, hearing her name. All of those sounds indicate someone wants to connect with her. The doctor asks if she’s been this way since the incident, which causes tears to fall from Dok Mi’s eyes.

Back to the present, the commotion causes Jin Rok, Dong Hoon, and Watanabe to peek out the door and they witness Enrique trying to bust down the door of unit 402. They go out to stop him which is when the security guard arrives. Enrique tries to play the victim and says the person in 402 was peeping at him. The guard looks at Enrique and calls him a flasher pervert because of the way he’s dressed and tries to drag him off.

Dok Mi realizes things are getting out of hand and gets up her courage to open the door. She gapes at the assembled guys in the hallway and quietly mumbles that Enrique is here because of her.

Enrique recognizes her as the girl who was pressed up against the door of Tae Joon’s apartment yesterday. Jin Rok tells her to go back inside, he’ll take care of things. He also tells Dok Mi that he will take her place today as protest leader. He manages to explain that it’s all a misunderstanding since the two buildings are so close. The guard lets Enrique go.

Jin Rok and Dong Hoon discuss what just happened, with Dong Hoon suggesting maybe that the girl in unit 402 was spying on Enrique Geum. Jin Rok dismisses that and says the girl stepped forward to help Enrique because she’s a kind person. He can see it in her eyes. She’s transparent.

Enrique goes back to the apartment and says his stay in Korea won’t be as boring as he thought. He sits down facing the window and grabs a paintbrush and gets to work.

Dok Mi gets paid a pittance for her editing work but she’s too meek to confront the editor about it. She realizes her food supplies are low but she doesn’t want to go shopping or have food delivered. She hears the guard calling on the loudspeaker for all the residents to congregate outside for the protest rally of the day.

She opens the curtains and sees Enrique drinking some wine and waving at her. She quickly closes the curtains but then peeks out again and Enrique is pointing to his right. She peeks out the right side and sees that he’s drawn her a note telling that he will be back.

Jin Rok and Dong Hoon meet with his editor and he fleshes out his Flower Boy Next Door manhwa – the introverted girl slowly comes out of her shell because of her neighbor, who has been keeping watch over her for the past 3 years since she moved in. Editor thinks its because of THE POWER OF LOVE and wants the guy to confess in episode 1. Jin Rok explains that he hesitates to tell her his feelings because he doesn’t want her to reject him because it’s too much for her to handle. The editor loves it and tells them to keep going and send her a first draft.

Dok Mi ventures out of her apartment and heads to the protest rally, which is gathered inside a tent to keep warm. She shuffles in and immediately face plants, which causes everyone to look at her. She gets up and goes to sit down while awkwardly acknowledging everyone. Watanabe is introduced as the new neighbor and he’s here to learn more about cooking. Despite grumbles about these daily protests, the guard keeps saying the residents will get money if they win so they have to keep going.

Enrique gets ready to leave the house. He picks up his camcorder and trains it out the window on Dok Mi’s apartment building.

When Dok Mi is assigned the protest leader, Jin Rok steps up and says he’ll do it instead. Dok Mi nods her head gratefully at him. After everyone disperses to prepare, Jin Rok cautiously tells Dok Mi to go home now and not attend the protest. After he rejoins Dong Hoon, the latter grumbles about Dok Mi getting Jin Rok to do things for her. Jin Rok worries that Dok Mi may have overheard, and chides him for saying that about Dok Mi since she must really be hurt to behave this way. Enrique overhears this.

When Dok Mi leaves the protest tent, Enrique is outside waiting for her. He smiles and walks over and starts talking to her. He knows she was the one who called the cops about the possible injured dog and plays her the recording he got from the cops. So she was spying on the dog and not Enrique? He calls her ahjumma and during this entire conversation Dok Mi just stares at Enrique and says nothing.

While Dok Mi says nothing, Enrique appears to read her mind in his responses which freaks her out. Enrique says overreacted this morning when he felt someone spying on him and he’s here to start over with her. She starts nodding and he pokes her cutely in the forehead and tells her one nod is enough. He suggests they talk in the tent since its so cold and goes inside first, but then Dok Mi runs off.

When Dok Mi gets back to her apartment, Enrique is there already waiting for her. He makes an analogy of her life to soccer – she is the goalie playing the most powerful position but it’s lonely because she is keeping people from entering her world. He tells her to be strong and leaves.

Dok Mi goes into her apartment and remembers Enrique touching her forehead. She wonders why he talks that way to an ahjumma with respect before realizes she’s actually not an ahjumma. Enrique is also pondering why she doesn’t talk at all.

Enrique walks around Seoul and attends a meeting for the gaming company. Reporters and fanboys are following him around snapping pictures which get uploaded to the interwebs immediately and folks comment on Enrique. He gets a text from Seo Young and thinks back to asking if she liked Tae Joon. He sighs that he shouldn’t have come to Korea.

Tae Joon, who unsurprisingly is a doctor (zzzzz, boring even in his perfection), is at work and gets a text from Seo Young asking to meet.

Dok Mi runs errands outside, including paying her rent and grocery shopping, though she makes an effort to avoid Enrique when she spots him in the same supermarket.

A girl dressed like a cross between a flamingo and a polar bear is sitting in a car outside Dok Mi’s building. She is Cha Do Hwi, Dok Mi’s former classmate. Do Hwi looks around and remarks that this place is such a dump.

The protest starts as Dok Mi comes back with the groceries. She puts them away and returns to the protest, where this time Jin Rok leads the chant with more enthusiasm. He spots her and their eyes meet and she gingerly raises her hands in the chant.

Do Hwi hears Jin Rok leading the protest and goes googly-eyed at his hotness. She spots Dok Mi and takes off her sunglasses and walks up to talk with her.

Do Hwi calls her Go Dok Mi and pulls her in for a hug, while Dok Mi’s eyes are wide open and she recalls Do Hwi bullying her when they were in school for no reason.

Enrique arrives and hears Do Hwi call Dok Mi’s name and now he knows her full name. Do Hwi eyes the hottie that is Enrique and mutters that Dok Mi has all the luck. Enrique teases that he and Dok Mi are like Romeo and Juliet while the two buildings are the feuding parents.

The protest moves elsewhere and Do Hwi tags along after hottie Jin Rok. Dok Mi suddenly grabs Enrique’s arm and with tears in her eyes, she starts to beg him to….and then she faints.

Dok Mi dreams about writing in her room about her experience with Do Hwi, who always has the upper hand and Dok Mi never has the strength to stand up to her.

Dok Mi wakes up in Tae Joon’s apartment and sees Enrique cooking dinner. She tries to leave but he stops her, asking if she shouldn’t thank him first. He explains that she fainted and he brought her here because his hyung is a doctor and can check her out.

Dok Mi thanks him and still tries to leave but he grabs her arm. He tells her that soon he will need to do something very difficult, so will the ahjumma stay here with him? The door opens then and Tae Joon walks in. Both Enrique and Dok Mi turn and stare at him.

Thoughts of Mine:

I can’t quite capture the feeling of FBND. It’s melancholy without being sad, humorous without being hilarious. There is a quiet mood that permeates the drama and grounds the story in a feeling of filtered reality. I can’t say the story is all that interesting but some of the characters are endlessly fascinating to me. The writer gives her characters room to breath so we don’t need to always see them doing things. We saw a bit of Dok Mi editing, some of Jin Rok illustrating, but by and large we see them going about the daily routines of their lives. Some happen to live in an older building currently partaking in a protest rally for compensation money from the new high rise that blocked their view. No one stands out as wacky for the sake of being the comic relief, at the same time the angst doesn’t feel overwrought at all. Park Shin Hye is doing a brilliant job as Dok Mi, her silence matters not because she conveys the world of emotions through her eyes. No wonder Enrique gets her even though they have barely spoken to each other.

It’s only two episodes in and normally I would say this story moves so slowly since other than introducing all the leads and getting them into each other’s orbit, nothing else has happened. But that’s the point of it all, things don’t need to happen for people to grow or get to know each other. I’m curious if Jin Rok has known of Dok Mi’s presence since she moved in and has been harboring a sympathy for her since then? What is his own backstory? It’s clear that Do Hwi has a tormented history with Dok Mi, but why is she back looking for Dok Mi on purpose, and acting all happy to see her? Of course its easy to hate Park Soo Jin since her character immediately comes across as vain and vapid, but I have to give her kudos for throwing herself into pink furry Do Hwi with aplomb. While I like that Dok Mi has a protector in Jin Rok, I’m not feeling any emotional connection between them other than as potential friends. Perhaps its my love for chipmunk Enrique speaking – he’s just so endearing and delightful in his interactions with Dok Mi that there isn’t any room to second lead ship here.

When watching FBND I don’t have any urge to find out what’s going to happen and the episode endings don’t leave me with any particular need to skip a week to keep going. I rather like how this drama conveys a sense of normalcy within the unique people populating its world, almost like peeping at the lives of denizens of an interesting compound. Well, other than Tae Joon, who can be replaced with a department store mannequin and I wouldn’t notice the difference. The writer has done a remarkable job in fleshing out the important characters and all that is left is to build on the pieces. I’m looking forward to watching Dok Mi overcome her fears, Enrique to do some growing up, and Jin Rok to figure out his career future as an illustrator. Along the way some folks will fall in love, learn some lessons in life, and hopefully experience all the laughter and tears that will only mean each is living life to the fullest extent. I have a feeling this drama will end up being fulfilling with the characters finding the simplest of happiness.

Comments

Flower Boy Next Door Episode 2 Recap — 57 Comments

  4. Dok-mi is my twin sister switched at birth. And she’s luckier than me with guys. 🙁 Enrique deciphers people’s emotions without even wanting to and the preview for ep 3 seems to indicate than he will practice his favorite hobby: Matchmaking. With DM & the Doc as his “clients”. Can’t wait for the plan to backfire on him.
    Flamingo girl is going to have a hard time winning me on her side: Her plastic face rubs me the wrong way already. And I hate bullies… So despicable.

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    • really ?? i too thought the same thing about Dok-Mi, she is so much like me. I hate when people call my name from far, or try to notice or connect with me. I have the same fears like her and am as frugal as her. So its good to know that they are more in the league.

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  8. Thank you for the recap I am in love with this series already its simple but nice and the guys aren’t too bad on the eyes. Thank you again.

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  9. sorry as i take a moment to say something that’s been bugging me. people find it easy to hate on actors like park su jin bc they’re always playing these annoying 2nd leads but IMO it shouldn’t lead to bashing her, such as describing her as plastic and fake. yoon shi yoon’s been modifying his face for a while and most would probably continue to find him endearing because his roles are adorable. while i personally don’t feel like plastic surgery is necessary in most cases, people aren’t committing a grave sin, nor are they hurting anyone when they choose to have plastic surgery. if it makes them feel better about themselves, then good for them.

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    • Hi Kay! I don’t think yoon shi yoon went under a knife. For me his face looks the same when he was in Baker King Kim Tak Goo. It’s just his hair color is different now and he has makeup in FBND maybe a bronzer to make him look a bit darker? 🙂 idk it’s just what I think.

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      • Second that! He don’t look different from his highkick2 days also, highkick was before baker king.. I don’t understand why people find his face different from before, it’s just because of the styling.

        Soojin always play these type of character which make people hate the character but I don’t think most of these people are against the actress. But you have to praise her for becoming an entertaining villain, it means she got some acting chops, it makes people easy to hate her character.

  10. I wish the drama would have eng subbing soon. I do not want to miss out on the complete enjoyment of each episode by watching it twice. Once in raw and next in recaps and back to raw. This is the first time I am unable to wait. All the credit or blame goes to PSH, rest of the cast and the superb and exceptional buildup to the drama for the longet of times. Love what I have seen of the two episodes and cannot wait for the next one.
    Dramafever finally has it. 🙂

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  11. I agree. Usually my drama preference is 90% is different with you but with I Miss You, I can’t deny it is an utter mess.

    I never loath a drama this much. A drama I want to love and watch so much at the begininng. The way it is written, manipulation the emotions, such a waste of the three main leads talents.

    Btw Koala, you had an avid anti-fans now in soompi. They really dislike you and said something so childish that I can’t stand to read.

    Those people…..

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  18. If this drama airing in 3 big station broadcast, then the meeting between Dokmi-Geum-Taejoon will be dragging~~ into episode 10 😛 😛

    And the meeting between Dokmi-Jinrak in tent is just too hilarious #ROFL
    How they change their tone,,awkward but cute

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  19. I utterly love how the writer depicts how perceptive the OTP are. I love the “conversation” that the two have, I love how he actually sees her for what she is (the goalkeeper analogy is absolute gold). Jin Rak sees her as a litle lamb who deserves to be protected and left where she is, whereas Enrique wants to bring her out of her shell and show her the world.
    Shi Yoon plays Enrique really well. He is so bubbly and adorable yet sad (he tries to hard to cover that up). I love this OTP. They are utterly adorable!!!
    Thank you Koala for all your updates and the super fast recaps!

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    • You are spot on with your comment.
      “Jin Rok tells her to go back inside, he’ll take care of things.”
      He pushes the door shut on her!!

      No no no no no, Mr. Second Lead!
      Girls don’t want to be protected, they want to go out into the light and be appreciated.

      KJH normally doesn’t play the unsure, shy one. It is good, I guess, that he is doing something different. I just hope, really really hope the writer doesn’t make him completely unable to reach her and makes it so JR doesn’t really try. That was one thing that drove me nuts with FBRS and Pillar.

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      • Well, I’m looking forward to the day she gets upon that box as the representative and shouts their demands…..

  20. Hi Koala, could you check the rating for this ep for us?
    It’s been really confusing because of different report (First they reported in .84 in Enews then Nate said it was 1.5)
    I usually don’t care about the rating, but I’ll take the drama’s seriously lol, because I want THAT KISS to happen
    Thank in advance Koala

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  22. This ep consolidated my first impressions: Dok Min is sweet and adorable, Enrique is awesome, Jin Rak is great but forever 2nd lead, Seo Young is annoying (thank God she only got 15 sec screen time… already dreading her love line with the cousin), and Tae Joon is b-o-r-i-n-g. LOLed because we had the same reaction: Riiiight, he had to be a doctor, obviously. Wich is pretty ironic, since that’s what I do for a living too, kekeke. We’re not the most exciting people, for sure. 😀

    Loved today’s episode. Wish I had waited a little bit to start the dra

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    • Oh I know few most interesting, huMorous, broad based people who are doctors. They are great company and are the first people to make fun of themselves…….:)

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      • Oh I know! IRL I also have some awesome colleagues who are hilarious to have around and masters in self-deprecation :D. But in the context of the drama the profession was clearly used to emphasize what a perfect catch the TJ guy is, wich ZzZzzzZz, lol. Handsome, nice, rich, thoughtful, smart and a doctor? Where’s the spice? XD

    • Yes, I agree. He fits the bill here. But against the popular opinion, I actually like the softness in him as shown the way he looked and smiled as he handled Hippo 🙂 the dog and when he met Enrique. His patients would like it too. Another big plus in his favour is that he enjoys nature. Personally, I think he is good looking too and dresses well.

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      • Yes, he’s really handsome and stylish! I may prefer Enrique as a fictional character, but in real life I’d have a huge crush on TJ. Good guys FTW! (:

  23. Thanks for the recap.

    “She…goes googly-eyed at his hotness.”
    She is not the only one!
    I know. I know. The purpose of the show is NOT to provide me with hundreds of frameable KJH stills, I think…

    I was thinking about this on the way to work.
    People who are bruised or wounded emotionally need to be brought out into the world and connect to several types of people. Establishing life lines that can comfort and save them.

    The typical love story – where the sad lonely person finds the ONE to love passionately and obsessively – is actually causing the sadlonelyperson to retreat more from the world. Falling in love with one person is dangerous.

    ** Oh my! Did I just remember why I hated the Twilight books so much?!**

    Unless the one person is a bridge who holds her hand and walks her back into the world. I think we will see that Enrique can do that for her, so I love him.

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    • You’re absolutely right: The unsecure person tends to put all her hopes in her “savior” and an unhealthy unbalanced relationship develops (friend, father, brother and namja chingu. A massive deception waiting to happen for both the protagonists…

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  24. Our poor maiden Dok Min. I hope she courageously goes along with Enrique since he’s only around for a few months and begins to open to her community. This and being a heroine of a manhwa….Three cheers!

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  27. i just finished watching ep1 and ep 2 @ dramacrazynet and i would say i’m so in, on this one.i like the three main leads and much more so the drama itself.there is a little bit of dokmi on each of us.i got too many frame of references to connect with her character.i really really feel for her.she is lucky to have enrique to pull her out from her little world so she would be able to experience life in a different mode to gain a better perspective of the world she lives in.there are people who will hurt you as much as there are people who will love you.there is always a check and balance in everything.i’m now excited to watch the next episode.hurray to park shin hye believable performance.i think this the best role she got ever because it showcases her acting prowess as an actress..kudos to yoon shi yoon ,he never fail to amaze me.he is incredibly awesome in this drama.there is a certain sadness in him too which he hides so perfectly as enrique.

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    • I also think PSH is doing her best here. Have always liked her, but I can understand why some people dislike her performance in YB (although, IMO, the blame is more on the character development rather than the actress). But here? There`s no arguing: she`s doing an amazing job. Dok Mi is such a complex role – quirky and quiet and subdued and vulnerable – that could easily pale in front of the bubbling hurricane that is Enrique and even the 2nd characters. But no: she’s by far the most compelling and interesting of them all. So well-played you can’t help but relate to and root for her and just want to have more of her on your screen. It takes some acting skills to pull that off.

      And YSY is amazing as always. His Enrique is adorable. I’m looking forward for the development of his friendship with DM. So much better than love at first sight or the classic and silly childhood first love story line! 🙂

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  28. 🙁 I’m disappointed with this drama so far… It’s almost that same feeling I had when I saw the 1st epi of Full House 2. So much build up, turning to be lack luster. Thank you for recaps bec I couldn’t bare I watch past half of epi 1 even w/ the eye candy cast. 🙁 part of me is expecting a faster catch my breath with lots of squeee & nosebleeds like CDDAlice…

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  29. when in the preview Enrique says he’s going to spend his time with her before going back to Spain, my heart broke </3 Now i know i'm totally hooked!!!

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  30. This drama is developing so well with interesting characters all around from the main leads to the security guard. The good part for me is the balance of light and dark moments, pace, no forced humour, promising characterization, storyline and buildup of relationships. The actors are really so well casted for their particular roles with PSH in her best role upto date. I do hope with so many good supportive characters the writer and director keep the basic story line in focus by giving it adequate time and developing it more. But, right now I am happy with the wonderful job the whole team is doing in making this a drama worth watching.

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    • Another thing I like about the drama is that It makes me think……..the cast really did an excellent portrayal of their roles…..:) . I feel that all will play an important role in bringing Dok Mi out of her shell to varying degrees with Enrique starting the ball on the roll. That is why none of them are superfluous to the story. ….Even Do Hwi so necessary if DM has to put the scars related to her at rest. They all bring such an interesting mix to the table . After watching 2episodes twice I feel that the cast, writer and the director has been successful in creating an immensely uncommon romantic comedy ….one with many layers that will be interesting to watch as they unfold in the coming episodes.
      PS: I am so happy to hear that PSH is singing one of the ost’s……. love her voice, so suitable for DM. 🙂

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      • She is?! Great news! She has a lovely voice! Hope YSY sings as well, because he did a really good job in the Baker King OST.

  32. Late to party but I finally watched episode 2. Maybe it’s the lighting in Dok-mi’s apartment or Dok-mi herself but this drama is just so quiet and melancholy. Not at all what I was expecting. It’s more like SUFBB but even less toned down. It’s nice.

    I love all the characters and YSY never fails to blow me away (ugh, that smile at the end). Can’t to see episode 3 and watch as Enrique takes her out of her shell.

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  33. I’m in hook, line, and sinker. Finally watched both episodes and loving the interaction of the leads. They did perform their respective characters beautifully. PSH’s eyes were so expressive and the show of emotions on her face is spot on. YSY is also great as Enrique. At first I was concerned that he was another Seung Jo with the craziness but actually the writer has shown him to be more abstract, talkative yet introspective, extrovert yet discerning. I think I’m really going to enjoy the different shades of the leads. The story as you said has a certain calmness not too fast that one is out of breath from watching, not too slow it puts one to sleep. It certainly hooks me to anticipate the next episode none the less. That reference of the 2nd female lead “dressed like a cross between a flamingo and a polar bear” made me totally laugh out loud I

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  34. I am finally caught up as well. My daughter and I laughed and laughed, rewinding several scenes. I cannot say how much I love the editor; she is hilarious. Unforuntately, I love all the characters (even the boarder officer and the trainee) except for the two second female leads. I hope they make them as interesting as the guys. Also, it would be nice to see a female lead have a true female friend rather than rival or frenemy. Wouldn’t it be great if Jin Rok introduces Dok Mi to his editor?!?! Oh no, what if she is her editor, too?

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