I’ve officially given up on Cheongdamdong Alice, though I’ll probably recap to the end since it’s almost done. Episode 13 confirmed for me that this drama has completely lost its marbles and I’m going to have to approach it like its some delusional fantasy rom-com otherwise I’ll go crazy. At this point I’m shipping Se Kyung with Tommy. I’m not joking – he knows who Se Kyung really is, warts and all, and appreciates and admires her. When I look at Seung Jo, I see this guy with the EQ of a child and the inability to live in the real world. I used to pity him for dealing with an overbearing father and a very traumatic failed relationship with the first woman he loved. But now the entire universe of the drama appears to treat him like a fragile glass doll that needs to be handled with care to the point that even Seung Jo’s dad is begging Se Kyung and In Hwa to keep up the pretense. DA FUQ? Does the writers of this drama fail to understand that they are heightening the issues surrounding Seung Jo when if you reduce it to its barest minimum we are talking about a man WHO HAD A REALLY BAD BREAK UP. That is it.
We are now three episodes into “let’s keep the truth from Seung Jo” when really Seung Jo needs the truth because otherwise he will never ever grow up. EVER. He will continue to be shielded from the vagaries and disappointments of life and cling onto his belief that women are either bad golddiggers or super good saints. I’m so fed up with this drama’s bullshit, especially in light of how fantastic it was initially. All the tension is gone, especially the sizzling romantic frisson between Seung Jo and Se Kyung. Now he resembles a little boy being led around by a leash held by his very insincere older sister. It doesn’t matter that Se Kyung loves Seung Jo for real (though I now longer feel that either), what matters is that this drama is being disingenuous and tiresome in trying to sustain a love story where neither the love nor the story feels remotely real. I’ve actually reached the point where I just want to see where this crazy train is headed. I’m sure its somewhere with a happy ending but one that doesn’t remotely resonate with me or say anything meaningful to ponder over.
Episode 13 recap:
In Hwa sends Seung Jo the incriminating video of Yoon Joo and Se Kyung but he’s distracted by Se Kyung modeling her wedding dress that he doesn’t watch it. Talk about a split second save. Tommy rushes to the wedding dress shop and calms himself before walking into the changing room. He notices the phone on the table and the video playing. I’m confused why there was no sound on the video, other than that would make it impossible for the drama to continue keeping the truth from Seung Jo. Tommy trades a pointed look with Se Kyung while Seung Jo notices his presence and asks why he is here? Tommy makes the excuse that he wants to congratulate them on the upcoming marriage. Se Kyung gets the hint and distracts Seung Jo long enough for Tommy to swipe his cell phone. Tommy may have a third career as a cell phone thief.
Tommy rushes out with the cell phone and deletes the video. He then heads back in with the excuse that as a fashion designer he would like to help with the wedding. Seung Jo says hells no and Se Kyung once again distracts him so Tommy can put the phone back. Ugh, can this pointlessness end and get to Seung Jo finding out Se Kyung isn’t rainbows and unicorn and learning to deal with it.
Elsewhere, In Hwa goes to see her brother and is surprised and he and Yoon Joo seem perfectly fine. Yoon Joo rushes off and In Hwa gets the clue that her video bombing got thwarted.
Se Kyung and Seung Jo finish wedding dress shopping and she excuses him from driving her home, saying she needs to do something. Seung Jo cluelessly is fine with it and raises his hand for a high five. Okay Seung Jo, can you please stop acting like a clueless kid. Please. It’s driving me nuts.
Yoon Joo rushes to Tommy’s store and is furious and scared to death about In Hwa possessing the video. Tommy says In Hwa stole it before he got around the deleting it. They discuss whether to hack into In Hwa’s tablet to delete it but Se Kyung arrives and says In Hwa probably has it stored in a hard drive elsewhere.
Which is when In Hwa also arrives and the party is officially underway. Yoon Joo decides to beg for clemency and gets down on her knees to ask In Hwa to let her go this time. Even Tommy bows his head and begs In Hwa to please not reveal this. In Hwa says she is merely bringing justice down upon them for their wrongdoings. What will happen when everyone finds out is that both gold diggers will go back to their original form, having nothing. Se Kyung just stands there quietly watching.
In Hwa sneers and calls Yoon Joo and Se Kyung snakes who thought they could come into their world and take what doesn’t belong to them. Ugh, what a hypocrite and a snob. When In Hwa is about to leave, Se Kyung stops her and asks why In Hwa thinks she is any better than them? She wanted to make a business marriage with Seung Jo herself to increase her wealth and power. How is that any different than what Se Kyung and Yoon Joo are doing? All that is different is that In Hwa had money to start with while Se Kyung doesn’t. But their motivations are the same. To In Hwa, Seung Jo is merely one of many business marriage prospects, but to Se Kyung he is everything.
Se Kyung points out that In Hwa sent the video anonymously to her brother and Seung Jo so that she doesn’t need to take responsibility for ruining what they have. What motivates In Hwa isn’t a sense of justice, she’s just angry that even with money and background she still lost Seung Jo to Se Kyung. In Hwa says that if she fails, she hasn’t lost anything. But if Se Kyung and Yoon Joo fails, their entire world is over.
After In Hwa huffs off, Yoon Joo yells at Se Kyung for riling In Hwa up. Yoon Joo says the only way is to beg. Se Kyung begs to differ, begging will only make In Hwa want to crush them more. She might toy with them until she gets tired but eventually the truth will come out. Yoon Joo blames Se Kyung’s appearance in her life for ruining everything.
Tommy goes to talk with Se Kyung after Yoon Joo leaves. He asks if she is planning to confess before In Hwa reveals all? Se Kyung says no, she will have to admit she’ll only telling the truth now ahead of In Hwa, so if Seung Jo hears it from In Hwa, at least he can decide on his own whether to forgive Se Kyung or forsake her. Se Kyung asks if Tommy regrets picking her side? He admits being scared but realizes that’s just the way the dice rolls. Se Kyung gets a call from Seung Jo, revealing he still is clueless, and she heads home.
The foursome of In Hwa, Se Kyung, Yoon Joo, and Tommy go back to their respective abodes and ponder the next steps. Witness Seung Jo is not involved in this adult brooding and plotting session, as he’s probably off blissfully playing with his rabbits and planning his dream wedding. Se Kyung’s family sees the news report on President Robert visiting Korea and think that President Cha might like Se Kyung now and change his mind about the marriage.
President Cha goes to the bakery and asks to speak with Se Kyung’s dad, confessing that he now approves of Se Kyung as a daughter-in-law and asking Se Kyung’s dad to consent to the marriage of their kids. Wow, winning over Seung Jo’s dad was easy peasy. Too bad Yoon Joo never got a chance to try since Seung Jo went all commando in cutting off ties with his dad first. President Cha promises to fix his issues with Seung Jo so that Se Kyung’s dad will have nothing to object to.
Seung Jo presents a present to Se Kyung from President Robert, happily planning already to hang it in their newlywed home. My god, Seung Jo seriously runs before he walks, doesn’t he? He registers Se Kyung’s less than enthused expression and assumes she’s worried about her dad’s objection to the wedding. He vows to win her dad’s support. They both gets calls from their respective dad’s to come out.
Se Kyung and Seung Jo separately go meet with their own dads, only to realize they are arriving at the same place, a noraebang. They enter to find the dads singing together, and both dads are drunk and happy. The four of them sit down to drink and sing some more.
Seung Jo drives his dad home later and his dad asks him to bring Se Kyung home for dinner tomorrow night for a simple family meal. Se Kyung tells her dad about the dinner tomorrow and her dad supportively tells her that she will need to work hard to help that lonely family feel loved.
Se Kyung gets a call from Tommy who is worried since she was MIA all day. Se Kyung confesses all is going super swell – Seung Jo still doesn’t know, and their two dads have suddenly become BFFs and they all spent the night carousing happily at the noraebang. Tommy chides her for not telling him earlier since he was worried all day, supposedly because his future is tied to hers. Liar, you totally like her and want her to not get hurt. Despite how well things are going, he can tell from her voice that Se Kyung isn’t happy about it.
Se Kyung meets with Yoon Joo and wants to know what happened in Paris after she left Seung Jo? Yoon Joo says he used revenge as a motivation to survive the break up. But if he breaks up with Se Kyung, that motivation won’t work again. She suggests Se Kyung talk with Dong Wook, who knows all about what Seung Jo went through in Paris.
Yoon Joo finds Min Hyuk at work and he warmly asks if she has a problem and can he help her? He can tell something has been bothering her lately, assuming that its her brother. He wants to help and doesn’t like seeing her so worried and stressed. Yoon Joo suddenly asks if he loves her? Yoon Joo is about to come clean when In Hwa enters and asks to speak with Yoon Joo about an urgent matter.
In Hwa won’t let Yoon Joo confess and use her tears and feminine wiles to win her brother’s forgiveness. She is actually grateful Yoon Joo interrupted her plan to send the video to her brother. She agrees that revealing the video anonymously is cowardly and that is not Shin In Hwa’s style. Yoon Joo realizes that business is still In Hwa’s top priority and if the truth comes out, the business arrangement between the three companies will be kaput. Yoon Joo is impressed with how calculating In Hwa is.
Min Hyuk finds Yoon Joo and tells her that he does love her. He hugs her and asks her to come to him if she has anything that is bothering her. Se Kyung calls Dong Wook and schedules time to meet with him.
In Hwa goes to see President Cha to discuss business but then ends with showing him the video. Yoon Joo is now the Shin family’s problem, but she wants to save President Cha from taking Se Kyung as a daughter-in-law. President Cha asks her as a business partner to keep this secret. Seung Jo will not be able to handle the truth and if he finds out, the entire business arrangement will be over.
In Hwa staggers out of that meeting in shock that President Cha is willing to accept Se Kyung as a daughter-in-law. I’m in shock that President Cha’s reason is to keep Seung Jo from facing reality, however ill-equipped he is to handle it. Seung Jo is surrounded by enablers up the wazoo. His dad sits in his office and says “poor chap” about Seung Jo.
Seung Jo drives Se Kyung to dinner and tells her not to worry. Se Kyung isn’t worried since she gets along with his dad now. During dinner, Seung Jo happily reveals Se Kyung’s dad has selected wedding dates and his dad wonders why so soon? Seung Jo says he would get married right away if he had a choice since his heart knows what he wants. After dinner Seung Jo wants to show Se Kyung around his childhood home but his dad offers and Se Kyung agrees to go with him.
Seung Jo’s dad takes her to a room filled with Seung Jo’s old toys and revealed that Seung Jo once ran away to bring back all the toys his dad threw out. Since then he realized that Seung Jo cannot deal with being abandoned or losing something he loves. Seung Jo lacks love so he found something else to put his love into. The doctors told him to talk with Seung Jo every day but he couldn’t do that.
Seung Jo’s dad asks if she can do that every day going forward with Seung Jo? If she can stay beside Seung Jo for the rest of his life? Se Kyung says yes. He then asks if she can keep the secret from Seung Jo for the rest of his life? He reveals In Hwa came to him with the video but he cannot use his own wishes to kick Se Kyung out because that will destroy Seung Jo. Se Kyung wants to respond but he tells her to shut up! If it was up to him he’d tell her to get lost and not see Seung Jo get hoodwinked. He tells Se Kyung to keep this secret forever and use the rest of her life to make it up to Seung Jo. Seung Jo’s dad says he will never forgive her if she becomes weak willed and tells him the truth. Se Kyung cries and agrees to do just that.
In Hwa is trashing her desk in her fury at Se Kyung winning over her and how even President Cha is willing to let it go all for Seung Jo’s sake.
Se Kyung goes to see Tommy and reveals that even President Cha knows but wants to continue everything and accept her. Se Kyung says she did it, there is nothing else for her to worry about anymore. Tommy suddenly asks if she wants to go to Paris? He will pay for everything and clean up the mess left here? He points out that because of desire and failure and poverty she set off on this path. But now she doesn’t seem to be living like that now. She’s supposed to be merely a tool yet she still retains her pride. Everything she says right now is the genuine truth about her intentions, so what will happen to her if it all comes crumbling down?
Se Kyung looks lost while Tommy stares at her with concern. She asks if he’s scared of her failing? She brings up 2009, at that coffee shop, the incident Tommy told her about when he failed. She refuses to think about failure because when it arrives there is nothing she can do about it. Tommy smiles ruefully and asks if she had him investigated about that incident. Se Kyung says she won’t consider failure and takes her leave. Tommy sits down and realizes that this is the first time he’s considered what will happen if there is failure.
President Cha asks Seung Jo to stay home tonight and Se Kyung encourages him to do so. Father and son have a drink and Seung Jo’s dad asks if he really likes Se Kyung. Seung Jo says yes, she has a lot to give to people like them (lonely distant people) and asks his dad to please like and accept her. Seung Jo later tucks his drunk dad in bed. Dad cries that his mom left not because of not loving Seung Jo, it was because Dad was too cruel to her. He apologizes to Seung Jo and both guys cry. It’s like suddenly Dad and Son are talking for the first time miraculously because of Se Kyung’s arrival into their life, but its all so easy one wonders why it never happened before?
Se Kyung sits at home and gets a text from Seung Jo in his old bedroom and responds back saying he did a good job. In Hwa slowly puts her office in order and looks determined.
In Hwa asks Min Hyuk to send her to the meeting with Artemis. Yoon Joo gets called by Tommy to meet. Se Kyung meets with Dong Wook, who congratulates her on the upcoming marriage. He wants to thank her because he never imagined Seung Jo would be getting married and would be reconciling with his dad. Se Kyung asks him about what happened in Paris after he broke up with his ex-girlfriend?
Tommy tells In Hwa that even President Cha knows but intends to keep quiet about it and asks In Hwa to bury the truth. But he knows In Hwa will have a hard time stomaching the thought of Se Kyung becoming the daughter-in-law to Royal Group. Tommy gets a call that In Hwa is headed to a meeting at Artemis and Yoon Joo reveals that the meeting was supposed to be attended by Min Hyuk. Yoon Joo realizes that In Hwa may be a businesswoman, but first and foremost she is a woman. Yoon Joo says they have failed because they didn’t take into account that In Hwa’s base jealous as a woman would trump her business acumen.
Seung Jo is reading news articles about him and Se Kyung happily. He meets with In Hwa for the meeting and apologizes for any discomfort caused by their failed marriage prospect. In Hwa brushes it off as no big deal.
Dong Wook tells Se Kyung that Seung Jo dealt with the break up by pretending it never ever happened. They went on vacation and he acted like everything was fine, but he had actually broken up with Yoon Joo a few weeks before. Dong Wook says that by pretending nothing ever happened, that was how he was able to survive.
In Hwa projects the video of Yoon Joo and Se Kyung on the screen during the meeting and Seung Jo watches intently. When the video ends, In Hwa looks expectantly towards him but he smiles and asks what that was? It’s so strange that there are two people on screen who look so much like people he knows.
Thoughts of Mine:
Okay, is anyone else sensing that this drama has devolved into Much Ado About Nothing? The entire narrative spins around “Seung Jo cannot deal with being disappointed in love so he must be shielded from any hard truths no matter what.” Seriously? Wow, this drama has completely lost its way now. What happened to the zippy humor? Where did all the interesting side characters go? Dong Wook is now trotted out 3 minutes an episode to play the exposition fairy? And Tommy has taken a sharp left turn and clearly has a crush on Se Kyung (totally understandable but should have been there like 6 episodes ago) and wants to protect her. Seung Jo has turned into a total pointless plot device, the reason for which people act a certain way but completely devoid of any semblance to reality. He is like the Bubble Boy and the world revolves around keeping him germ free. I have rarely seen a leading man I find less worthy to be a lead. What happened to his personality? Where did his smarts go? How could all those people know that Seung Jo is freaking DELUSIONAL in order to function think that he doesn’t need dedicated therapy? How could Dong Wook be happy that Seung Jo is getting married when nothing about his personality and emotional hang ups are ever addressed or fixed. It’s like sticking a bandaid on a hacked off limb. Except the limb was hacked off simply by Seung Jo tripping. Nothing about his severity of emotional trauma makes sense, so the reaction of everyone around him dealing with it makes less sense. PTSD for a bad break up? PTSD is horrible shit that happens about getting deployed to Afghanistan, after seeing your entire family murdered before your eyes, after losing a limb in an industrial accident. It’s not what happens after your girlfriend dumps you.
I wish this drama could have understood its central purpose before delving into creating the world of characters. Seung Jo was written as such a far-out character that now the story revolves around his idiosyncrasies without any basis in reality. I can hardly be made to care for whether Seung Jo and Se Kyung get together and overcome all odds because nothing they say or do make any sense to me anymore. I don’t think Se Kyung needs to tell Seung Jo because she needs to “come clean” with him or that she “owes him”. That’s romanticized hog wash. A person does not need to bare their soul to their significant other and there are lots of things that couples keep from each other but that doesn’t mean they don’t love each other genuinely. This idea of candor to the max is something young folks idealize but in reality marriage and a lifetime requires so much more than that. On top of love, it requires compromise, it requires consideration, it requires loyalty. I know Se Kyung has all of that towards Seung Jo, so I want her to come clean because that is better for Seung Jo than to have him continue to live in his ridiculous dream bubble. As his future spouse she needs to work to heal him from inside as opposed to continuing the charade that he has constructed himself.
Noooo! Thanks for the recap!
And I really really hope you continue! Please!
I’m no doctor, so I can’t say if PTSD is the right thing to give up…other than it deals with anxiety and the ability to cope. The guy has obvious emotional and mental issues and I don’t think he can just get over what happened even if it was just a simple breakup. That being said… he’ll probably get over it before the end of the show.
Se Kyung and Tommy actually work better since they know each other truthfully. And not I’m not a fan of the devil pimp. Seung Jo needs therapy, not to get married. Se Kyung is more SJ’s babysitter than his girlfriend and everyone in the cast seems perfectly fine with that. What happens with him if she dies..or changes her mind? I guess he ignores it.
That they are even going down this route is just annoying to me. Sj should have found out ages ago and took control of his life. I can’t believe how quickly I fell out of love with this show.
The story would have been much better if it turned out that SJ knew about SK all along and that he was helping her to redeem her self worth and restore her belief in love and in doing so heal himself. He was trying to find the perfect love -she believed in loving someone wholeheartedly even in poverty. She is materially poor while he is emotionally poor – each lacked something that the other could give – I don’t understand why the writers would term SK’s love as evil at all. She wasn’t doing it out of greed -she believed in love but like SJ she was betrayed by a person she was willing to walk till the very end with no matter their circumstances and she was coerced by all around her that her simple faith would not work. She was never comfortable not telling SJ but again she was coerced by those around him that’d she had to pay for her deceit and that her confession would destroy him. This again puts her in a dilemma as she is truly doing it out if love for him.
The drama had so much potential to be great…..too bad.
I was hoping for that plot “twist” until about two episodes ago. But, alas … It makes me really sad, what they’ve done to this drama. And mind you: I didn’t have ANY expectations. Then, I was blown away … and now, I’m disappointed. duh.
I wish for that twist too, how SJ find out the “truth” about SK and still try to love her and understand her and help her redeem herself…this prolly will wow us as viewers
Where the **** is this show going? I totally agree it’s gone off the rails, they could have spun this differently and made it alot of exciting. I am left confused and annoyed! , wow I shipped this drama SO hard at the start…I actually don’t want to watch the next ep. First time posting here but thank you for always recapping!
I now think the show would have been more interesting if SK had taken TH’s first offer to go to Paris a few episodes ago, and then returned after a time skip. The idea that SK is going to do penance the rest of her life for lying to SJ is just really distasteful to me.
Thank you Koala for still enduring and providing us this recap.
Though in the minority, I still love the show!
Because of this episode, I now understand why I found Seung Jo’s behavior (e.g. laughing by himself inside the car while listening to his recording of his conversation with his Dad, and replaying his recorded conversation with Yoon Jo) in episode 1 a bit bizzare. So, in fairness to the writers, they did give us a clue that Seung Jo is not well, not emotionally well since episode 1. But I agree with you, how could Dr. Dong Wook let Seung Jo continue to live that way – not accept reality as a self-preservation? Is Seung Jo schizophrenic? Paging, paging the psychologists in this playground! What’s your diagnosis? What’s your recommended treatment for Seung Jo? (^__^)
I think people are still enjoying the show. they r not just iterested in posting their opinons here. I still love this drama n I don’t think I belong to the minority.
Nado Nado ! Just the minority who are speakin’ up.
Actually , in life there are lotsa unspokened Alices , Yoon Joos & since , time immemorial, over-over-over protective parents/bestie frens that are blind-sided by their love that they’re irrationally ready to block out potential bad stuff affecting their loved ones.
Its kinda all out there.Probly its my age & my pressure-pot society that avails me to such real life ‘drama’.
Thats the reason why I find this show kinda real & therefore ,interesting . I keep coming back for more.
Crazy manic & weirdly-wired CEOs like Seung Jo ? Erm , I assure you there are.I met a few round the dinner table.
Geniuses but weirdness & hang-ups by the bucket-scoops!!
Any exactly like Seung Jo? No but they have their brand of eye-popping childlikeness one minute , weird ideas the next & amazing biz savvy another minute. So this show is really not unreal to me.
I LIKE this show. 3.5 Hours to watching it live !!
I can accept being a minority. I ship Se Kyung and Tommy too. The only reason why Sr.Cha is accepting Se Kyung is because he cannot cut ties with Seung Jo anymore in order to control him. He doesn’t have a choice but to give in….
uhhhh.
its just a drama..
im not trying to sound mean, and i hope this doesnt sound mean o,o;
buttt some people do actually enjoy it, and i completely understand that this is your own opinion but i do hope you keep in mind that anything can happen in dramas. i have to admit i started shipping tommy and sekyung ><' and am i the only one that thinks tommy is likeeee super attractive? idk. i hate inhwa so much doee. i wish she stayed like the cool character she was in the beginging, and if i could change the story i would make it that tommy and seungjo became rivals for sekyungs love hehehehehe. i cant wait to watch the next ep.. xD i know many of you are probs gonna stop watching, but imma keep watching!
Amen to that! Me too…
AMEN INDEED….
i hope you don’t go and watch the next ep of cheongdamdong alice and then decide to do another recap, saying hateful things. im just saying, since you said your done with cheongdamdong alice so yeh. dont watch it anymore. thanks.
Wow…this sucked. Why not you don’t come and read the recaps then? Thanks, koala, for all your dedication 🙂
Er, did you actually read what I wrote? I’m done with hoping this drama will be good or make any sense, but I never said I wasn’t planning to keep watching or recapping. And the thought that you consider what I wrote in my recap “hateful things” just makes me giggle. Ooookay.
I know you would ignore her. I was just told this morning as well that ” your channel sucks ” and we’re a “sucking group ” a subber who subbed badly and texted me with all the abbreviations like a teen who can’t spell. She is ” never gonna sub agian for a sucking group “.
Please note all the great vocabulary here.
Oh yeah and that I am a loser as well. And yes people all because I am the channel manager for Alice and we only asked for good translations. No no don’t need sympathy am a big girl.
* All the better to squash you with * Hehe in my Big Mama Bear voice.
But some people on the Internet these days needs to be taught some etiquette. Goodness. But what I really want to say is this.
If I have to express an opinion online, at least I try to be respectful of the other person’s opinion. Plus don’t go around calling people names. And actually know what a personal blog means.
It didn’t sound hateful to me.
I’m glad you’re still recapping it, because I’ve lost half of my interest.
I stopped watching this episode before In Hwa entered Tommy’s office… Still I wanted to know what was happening.
What bothers me, besides the “he’s totally gonna die if he knows!!”, is the slow pace of the last episodes. Less fun, more bore.
I’m now only interested in In Hwa, actually 😀
@letshavesomefun009 I hope you don’t come and leave a comment on this blog again, saying hateful things. thanks. oh did I mention that you have to do whatever I say, because you know “I” said it?
Seriously people…
Wonder why I understand everything. I do this a couple of times, supress the things to protect my own self esteem. I want Seu Kyeung to be free from her lies, she doesn’t intend to keep it going. It just that she was caught red handed by Tommy right from the start. fighting.
Seung Jo should go on Zoloft or some other meds ppali. Se kyung needs a partner not be caretaker but I still like this show. I hope there are no extensions because this walking on glass around SJ is dragging. From the preview, SK will tell him at the alter.
LOL! on your mention of “Zoloft”. 😀
Seriously, I also saw the preview…Did I see an angry looking SJ there? **scared**
In the preview of episode 14….why at the altar of all places! but then again it is a trend these days to say promises/pledges other than the usual/standard lines “…for better or worse, in sickness and in health till death do us part…”.
I hope what Han Se Kyung will say is… not only the truth [but also repeat the promise she made to him]. And that this time he will listen and let her finish what she is saying (He always seems stops her when she starts to tell him the truth). Only the parents seem to be present no other guests. Is this for real or a dream scene. Since CSJ refuses to accept reality he obviously sees but refuses to digest what he sees. He is crazy dense. He needs to get angry, to release whatever he feels at the moment. That would help him face reality. He is now able to cry.. he needs to release his anger and despair.
I agree that seung jo needs to grow up like NOW, but I disagree that he is just getting over a break up. What we are dealing with is a man whose mother abandoned him when he was young and from his point of view she traded him for money and THAT will result in some severe abandonment issues. The reason that Yoon Joo leaving him the way she did affected him in that way was because of those deep seated issues he already had prior to her. The problem is that noone prior to Yoon Joo or after her leaving has forced him to address and deal with those deep seated issues. i really wish they had him find out everything much earlier and truly force him to address these issues and have a healthy relationship with his dad and se kyung but unfortunate they have dragged this for so long that I don’t think they will touvh upon any of these issues with any depth which is unfortunate. Also would it kill for a little romance in this drama. I know if I was marrying someone the last thing I would be doing is high diving him all of the time,
fiving*
Hi hapacalgirl! 🙂
The lack of or decline in romance in the show is so noticeable that the conspiracy theorist in me thinks that there maybe some audience negative reaction(why? how could they?) to the early episodes’s squee-inducing scenes, that the show intentionally tone them down. Or, maybe this is the writers’ way of showing that Seung Jo does know something about the Se Kyung’s secret and so he is holding back.
Amen! They need kiss
No, the drama posits that Seung Jo’s mommy abandonment issues coupled with Yoon Joo’s bad breakup caused something like a schism with reality so much so that he lives in denial of the truth. People like that get committed. To a mental institution because they just suffered a psychotic break. They do not wander around running companies and people around them going “oh, just keep the truth from him and then everything will be alright.” Because fundamentally HE IS NOT ALRIGHT. At all. He needs treatment aside from anything related to Se Kyung’s deception. This is the crux of the problem – the characters running circles around a feint where the central problem is something else altogether.
Seung Jo just gave a very scary freakish grin when watching that video and saying those people in it look so much like people he knows. Anyone else freaking out here? This is me —–> O____O All the inherent romance in this drama went down the drain for me. There is nothing romantic in Seung Jo’s fixation with the ideal Se Kyung and wanting to marry her IMMEDIATELY or Se Kyung’s mothering and lying around Seung Jo. Both sides rather skeeve me out at this point.
He was committed to a mental hospital for some time, wasn’t he?
Actually IRL, a great number of people totally do choose to hide, ignore or deny problem in themselves or those around them, rather than deal with them. So I don’t see a problem in depicting that in fiction. I haven’t been looking at this as a rom-com, so maybe that’s why this dark side of the story hasn’t bothered me much( also maybe I’ve been watching too much American Horror Story 🙂 ). I do have plenty of other issues with the show though as I stated in my other post.
PTSD is diagnosed because it happens after an initial trauma and has really specific criterias. They wrote him as being in St Anne Hospital which is a psychiatry centre.
However if they had followed it up well, the writers with him being advised on coping techniques or tablets- that would make it more realistic. But hey this is K drama.
It deals a blow though to the big leading man image. A bit hard to gun for a leading couple when the male lead has a selective reality or has no coping mechanisms. I guess love and abandonment are his trigger points and otherwise, he is a functional human businessman. Ep 13 is a difficult episode to swallow.
What bothers me about this drama is how SJ’s traumatic experience, and his subsequent behavior, is portrayed. I am not an expert, but it’s not realistic. The way this part of his character is written is not at all relatable. Yes, coping with trauma makes someone’s behavior erratic and, maybe, nonsensical; but the process does not happen quite in an on-off fashion as SJ plays it. While his trauma is made out as the reason for treating him gently (more like he is stupid, really), the audience is not made to understand just why it needs to be so. Obviously, the writer needs a better understanding of PTSD.
:: giggles ::
Glad to know I’m not the only one waiting for fiancé skinship… Hi five? Little smackaroos? C’mon, the audience need to be tickled to the max with some sweetness SMH
Tyvm Koalaness for holding on, because we still are, too 🙂
it’s good that i already dropped this show…..seriously it’s “much ado about nothing” here….se kyung didn’t go that far with her lies or schemes that she cannot come back or tell him the truth….
The funny thing is her supposed lies aren’t really the problem now and actually weren’t ever the problem judging by the end of the episode. He would have just rationalized what she said away. So, she couldn’t have ever told him even if she wanted it. It’s the fact that he’s got real mental issues that’s the issue. Her telling the truth to him won’t solve much since he needs medical help more than the truth.
I think you’re really over-simplifying it. It’s not just a single break up. Considering that he was nothing but a bargaining chip even to his own mother, and how his father made him feel never good enough, that’s enough to screw a person for life, but then the woman he loves turns out to be using him for money too. I mean I totally can see a person going off the rails after that. That can give anyone a huge mental complex.
I do enjoy your recaps, but sometimes you seem to filter out huge parts of character history, personality and motivation and then declaring that the writer doesn’t know how to write.
I felt the same way when reading your opinion about IMY. I mean these are k-dramas, so a ton of plot issues and inconsistencies is a given, and I do think this show has been losing most of its magic in the last several episodes, but I think that part of it actually makes sense.
I think people are still enjoying the show. they r not just iterested in posting their opinons here. I still love this drama n I don’t think I belong to the minority.
I still enjoyed watching it. For me, it’s not like a rom-com any more. This drama has discussed many other interesting opinions about marriages and the differences between social classes.
SJ really does need help….I’m praying that SK would spill the beans even though she promised father Cha she won’t…I hate to see her living a life protecting SJ. She basically didn’t do anything wrong, she shouldn’t suffer such a consequence.
How did the story become twisted like this, though I still enjoy it…it had potential to be so much better…sighhhhh.
Thank you for recapping 🙂
This is the first time that i comment here and im totally agree with you. This drama lost its way. They have good actor and actress but the screenplay and story line is very poor. The developing in the charactors didnt make sense. I didnt watch the Korean drama for a while, and has a expectation with this drama so much. About “Alice” didnt mention anymore, what’s the point of this drama?
So disappointed with story! I love all the actors and actresses 🙂
Thanks for the recap!… I also like Se Kyung with Tommy because like what you said Tommy really knows her intentions and feelings.. I’m planning to not watch the episode 14 but i felt like i need to continue watching to feed my curiosity on how they will end up the story.. Is the episode extension approved already or not? I hope not, i guess 16 episodes will be enough for this drama… but still hoping the next episodes will bring justice to the storyline and will turn out not that bad..
Up until recently, I loved everything about this show. But we’re getting closer to the end, and I feel that no one has grown-up or changed themselves for the better. We should at least be seeing hints of that. But there are no hints in sight. It’s going to be one of those “wrapped up with a neat little bow in the last episode” dramas.
I still like this show. I will still rewatch a few episodes from time to time. But it’s not solid enough for me to love it anymore.
This is K-drama which at the end of the day, will need to thrive on audience ratings for it to be classified as successful. It is a short rom-com which does not allow much time for too deep a character and plot development. The fact that it has attempted to deviate from the standard K-drama formula for success and built in more real life portrayal of the Korean society does not mean it is no longer a K drama. So those who had different expectations due to earlier episodes had been setting themselves for disappointment in the first place. To cry foul because it fell short and reverted back to standard K drama is not quite fair. If expectations were not set out of line in the first place, it would have been an enjoyable series like any other light hearted rom-com.
I dont think it right to say that those who like it falls in minority, not when ratings went up in Korea, which is measured by e number of people watching. I happen to fall into this category of people who enjoy it and CDDA’s appeal has not diminished but grown.
Totally agreed.
The reason why people are disappointed is because they had high expectations, or wrong expectations.
The higher your expectations, the bigger the disappointment when it doesn’t happen according to what you thought would’ve happened.
Just relax and enjoy the show 🙂
Agree with both of you !
I-AM-SO-DISAPPOINTED. Where did the great story telling on the first few episodes go? I had hoped that after its decline, it would reclaim its former excitement. What happened? Much as I love Moon Geun Young, my faith in her getting good projects is waning. I hope she starts doing movies again. Then move on to a completely good written project, not one that’s written as the drama is being filmed. 3 episodes to go. Oh boy… I wish they’ll at least give us something that will make our hearts giddy.
I don’t know I am kinda rooting for tommy and se-kyung but I doubt they will be able to pitch that twist in 3 episodes left..
I just don’t know what if we find out seung-Jo knew all along the whole time? He may just be playing stupid. I don’t think anyone can be that delusional. He may have his own tricks up his sleeve after all this is a “version” of “alice in wonderland”
As far as the comment on PTSD goes..unfortunately it can happen to anyone even over a bad breakup people who have experienced trauma related incidents before are more prone to it. So I guess that’s where him being abandoned by his mom comes in and whatever happened in his life afterwards before Yoon Ju which was his breaking point obv.
I personally like this drama. It is light and refreshing with an equal balance between funny and serious. True that there are a lot of loopholes but that is a given since the drama is only 16 episodes. Plus, being totally dependent on the English subtitling which may or may not be complete and exactly what the Korean writer wrote it. The latest episode 13 left me speechless. I was unable to react much because the events were not what I expected. It seems that he never got treatment for emotional and psychological traumas he experienced. It is only when Han Se Kyung came into the picture that somehow he was able to heal bit by bit and sadly the selfish Shin In Hwa is destroying that. But I do hope that Cha Seung Jo will accept reality and look at things as they really are for only in doing that will he realize that Han Se Kyung did like him for who he is and not for what he has. As she said her business is protecting CSJ’s love. She will protect her ugly love for him. She cares for him but CSJ will really have to step up otherwise he won’t be able to protect her in the end. HSK will ultimately burn out in the end. Even if she has so much to give the time will come when she can’t give anymore but will not be able to leave. She made a promice to CSJ. Her current relationship is the reverse of her relationship with So In Chan wherein the latter was the one giving and HSK taking. In the end when HSK was the one giving SIC didn’t have anything left in him to give so he took what HSK could give him and left.
I still enjoy CDDA but yeah..I thought it was about Se kyung entering Cheongdamdong and not about “how to deal with a man with bad parents and bad break up”…huhu. Nevermind.
By the way..I love MGY style, make up and hair in this episode. She looks vey “pwetttty’..
Watching this drama till the end for MGY. Aja aja fighting!!!
I’m with you 🙂 MGY Fighting! She delivered and did her part regardless of what people have been saying about this drama.
I think that promotion of this drama as ‘rom-com’ has led to different expectations of its storyline.
In actual fact, the writers are dealing with real issues ‘PTSD’ and ‘gold-diggers’. They have been pretty consistent with “CSJ” charaterization…he was crazy and hilarious because he has some pyschological issues. While we enjoy the humor and hilarious JTC, why is it so difficult to accept that ‘he has to come to terms with his previous hang ups… abandonment and lack of parental love’ issues. His suffering from PTSD due to break up is believable as ‘what he thought was a new found home’ came crumbling down when YJ left him suddenly…
Are we ‘experts’ of PTSD that you think it cannot happen to CSJ?
I believe the writers want to realistically portray main leads with flaws and show their growth and development i.e. basically how they will have to deal with these flaws… it wont go away overnight… it might take a lifetime.. so does that mean these people cannot fall in love in the meantime.
I am sure married couples or dating couples are dealing with ‘partner’ issues in their lives… so why is it so difficult to accept it depicted in kdramas..or is because kdramas is a form of escapism from real living… “that is where we have ideal romantic notions’ through the ‘perfect romance’? Thus, we cannot accept the ‘realistic protrayal of lead hero and heroine’ in kdramas..
If so, we are the ones who are inconsistent in our views and expectations … we dont want to face up to ‘real life truths’ in kdramas… it must be protrayed in ‘idealistic characters’ bec that is the only time we run away from our ‘day to day’ living with real characters in our lives..
Realism is the beauty of this drama, unlike others. So perhaps, that is why it is so difficult to accept and there are so many divergent views and emotions from viewers.
🙂
I did not even bother watching ep 13 yet. Enough said. I am still watching it and accepting of it and will eventually enjoy it again. But my frustrations with seung Jo have been ongoing since the beginning and it is now episode 13 and they still haven’t resolved his personal issues. Really?! I really wanted them to be my favorite otp of the year and it is not looking good. Why oh why??? I am not a happy viewer. I want mature, smart and fun sj… Where is he? I feel like a broken record as I have said the same thing every week bout him and every week, there is still not a hint of progress. Why can’t these two solve their problems, unite, show us some good romancing and advancement in business? All the cuteness and hotness has been zapped out??? Sigh… 3 episodes of waste not getting this out in the open.
Oh my new drama crack is my old drama crack.,, only you 🙂 haha… So I am betting that in 6 yrs time I will be rewatching Cdda and forgetting the current head banging that I want to do right now.
meh. I’m gonna watch to the end just to amuse myself at the crazy writing.
The train-wreck of this show– doesnt bother me as much as say…Rooftop Prince…when the bumbling evil-baddies took over about 70% of the screen time.
This show pretty much only has InHwa as the focus for *all that is evil-warped* ….and I kinda enjoy the actress’ability to show both snobbish-distain AND ‘oops did I screw up?’ face.
I think she’s doing a pretty good job of carrying a poorly-written character — who had such potential to be great. (le sigh)
…guess I’m feeling the same for all the actors. The material is completely stifling what appears to be a very talented veteran cast.
So anyway…3 more. I can do that ….just please give me more gratuitous Doctor scenes. ~
I find it rather baffling the ability of viewers to project what I say to mean something else. That’s outside my prerogative since my words put out there is open to any interpretation. But some clarification here might be worth a few minutes of my time.
1. I watch dramas the way I watch. You can watch it as amusement, as escapism, as devoid of analysis. There is no wrong way or right way, and my way is not the only way. Hardly worth mentioning.
2. Dramas plot rarely make sense all the way through, and some gaping holes are more egregious than others. Is CA’s narrative collapse worse or better? I can’t say. But here is the kicker for me. I’ve loved dramas way worse written – say Big, or Mary Stayed Our All Night – and here’s the reason why. Those dramas had compelling OTPs (for me). The guy with the girl made sense, their journey was riveting for me, I rooted for them to be together. Ergo, the plot holes in those dramas were annoying but didn’t tank the romance. Here the problem is that the romance is ALL GONE. There is no romantic tension left between the OTP – she’s like his caretaker, he’s like an overeager child. Their relationship makes no sense to me – how can I root for a relationship that will involve the girl keeping vital truths from the guy, and the guy living in a delusional bubble and jumping the gun in order to construct his fairytale marriage. How is no one freaked out by Seung Jo proposing to Se Kyung within weeks of meeting her, within days of dating her, and then “surprising” her in the next episode with a wedding at the church. Excuse me? If Se Kyung was my friend, I would tell her this guy is a crazy freak and to run the other way as fast as she can, regardless of how much dough he has. This is not a healthy OTP and the drama is continuing to drag this out to the point its sapped away any romance left in the narrative. The only remotely plausible healthy relationship I see is for Se Kyung to take Tommy up on his offer and go to Paris. Study design, pick the guy who accepts her for all her flaws and strengths, get away from the crazy world of GN Fashion, Artemis, and Royal. Until Seung Jo gets over his issues and heals (and he needs to do this by the strength inside him because no one else can heal him, especially not Se Kyung), he is not a viable future spouse for Se Kyung. So this drama not only has plot holes, it also has no OTP to root for at this juncture.
3. And finally, just because I take issues with the drama doesn’t mean I don’t want others to enjoy it. Be my guest and love it all you want, totally cool with me. I’ve never censored a dissenting opinion here so I don’t know why my opinion would ever need to align with any one else’s in order to be voiced.
Hey there. I find it a bit sad that you are caused, over and over again, to let readers know that “It’s just my opinion”.
…been reading here for a least a year, probably more…and you never censure what others post — even seriously insulting ones. I’m sure I DO NOT have the will-power and decorum you do in this matter. So, I SALUTE you for your fortitude.
I’m so used to Kdramas riding-off-the-rails these days, that I almost don’t even expect a show to be …um….good …anymore. And YES, the early promise of romance in this drama makes the lack of it now even MORE glaring.
I still cannot believe I watched ALL of Wild Romance..ONLY for the Robot Couple — which is testament to what an intriguing set of lovers can accomplish.
In all….no beef from me. I agree that the main reason to watch this show has petered-out ~ but I’m thus-far invested, so I’m, at the very least, watching to see InHwa’s fall. (surely they’ll give us that, huh?) 🙂
Ditto.
I don’t really comment a lot in your blog but I just wanted to let you know that
I really love your blog dear and you’ve given so much a reader could’ve asked for. It may sound cheesy but I’ve learned so much from reading your blog. The time you always spent on sharing your thoughts, giving us ent news and recapping dramas, I really thank you for all of that.
Oh and about the nasty comments, I’m amazed on how you handle them and it’s quite funny how people overreact, this is just a DRAMA why others make a big fuzz and bash? I really respect you koala for that. >:D<
Anyone can voice out their own opinions, may it be good or bad, others shouldn't make a big deal about it. Let's just do what we want either to continue loving this drama or not to our fullest content without harming others. 🙂
fuss*
Koala, i love your recaps and it’s sad that some people can’t understand the meaning of the word “opinion” and the concept of “free speech”. Until ep. 12 i thought you were a little hard on the show and had faith in the writers but after watching ep. 13 i’m totally with you when you say that the charm is long gone. SJ is a freak and has terrible issues, SK has the necessity to be with messed up boys, can’t she pick a normal guy instead? (well, she said she wanted to help poor and flawed boys after getting the money, right?) and everyone else is treating SJ like a bubble boy when he should learn how to deal with real life and hardship… Also, i used to like In Hwa in the beginning but the writers just destroyed the independent, smart, strong and capable proffesional woman she was and turned her into a jealous b****.
I’m still going to watch CA because i also wanna know how is this trainwreck going to end, i’m not expecting anything grand but at least something that might make sense (i know it’s a drama, but a girl can dream, right?).
BTW, i’m going to be updating your page until you post the recap for ep. 14. thank you for all your hard work! 🙂
all characters in this drama is totally underestimating SeungJo’s ability to cope. Like okay, he was hurt when Yoon Joo broke up with him, but he is still kicking and alive and I think people are forgetting that he got over Yoon Joo.
I think Seungjo can act like an adult if he needs to, its just that he is so mesmerized by the thing called love that he is all happy-go-lucky Seungjo.
Most of the characters in Alice is almost annoying to me. I used to think they are cute, but now I feel like they are all digging their own graves by going deeper into their lies especially Saekyung. She doesnt seem happy anymore, how could she when she’s marrying Seungjo with so much secrets behind her back.
This drama is just like Missing You, half of its run just went wild!
Thank god I’m not the only one that’s not interested anymore! The drama has totally lost its touched! What happened to being a rom-com?! I’ve been dealing with depressed these past 2 episodes…I really don’t feel the love between SJ and SK anymore…I totally like SK for TOmmy now to be honest…they understand each other so much more in my opinion…
I’m totally loving THai-drama (lakorn) these days…b/c frankly K-dramas are getting too repetitive! I hate them shooting live shot dramas because they do not have time to edit their scripts or to think of ways where it could be fixed to be better because of time constraint…Anyways, if anyone is intersted…you guys should watch Raeng Pradtana (Kim and Nadech new lakorn)! The main couple is HOT!!! And the story is awesome!!! if you guys wants sub, you can visit anonyblue1 @ YT. She is currently subbing the lakorn!
Dealing with people with psychological issues requires much much more from his loved ones… understanding, sensitivity, tact, care-giving, and lots of love.
Have you come across ‘depressed people’ in life? It’s very difficult to talk them out of their depressions and their self engrossed world. If depressed people can sort themselves out they would have come out of their depression and lead normal lives..
But it’s easier said than done… believe me because I have seen it depressed people around me.
That is why loved ones of CSJ tend to protect him from the truth because they will not be able to live with their guilt and themselves if they are the ones who cause his suicide…
That is why I can understand why CSJ’s father wants SK to embrace the truth herself… he already explained the reason why in the same scene.
CSJ’s father was advised by Doctors that CSJ has abandonment issues from young and yet he was not able to deal with it. In fact, CSJ’s father is responsible for what became of CSJ because he was harsh with CSJ’s mum and CSJ…
So the writer has crafted IW to be the catalyst for revealing the ‘ugly truth’ to SJ and not SK nor his father.
CSJ’s Dr friend can only counsel CSJ but the facing up of reality has to come from CSJ himself when he wants it. I can believe what Dr said… CSJ chose to hide from the ugly truth because that was the only way he could live at that time..
Being cynical, we often belittle the ‘powers of love’. Romantic love can do wonders especially for people with ‘love hang ups’.
Commitment is love and ability to see through and live with your imperfect partner is love…
‘Lovey dovey’ OTPs are just at initial stage of relationship… the couple relationship has to evolve and contend with real ‘partner’ issues and move away from the initial ‘infactuation stage’…
The commitment made by SK is her way to express her love for CSJ, fully knowing what has happened to him with his parents and with JY and fully acknowledging his insecurities from his experiences.
We will see how CSJ deal with ‘the ugly truth’ in EP14…. so let’s not jump the gun to say he is not worthy to be a lead… and here I hope we are talking about CSJ charaterisation in the drama and not the actor.
*nods* totally agree with you..
yeah..so true..Talking from experience. Depressed people are not Normal people and some simply can’t become normal after having a depression for a long time no matter what type of depression he or she suffered from. Take for instance my mother. She was admitted to a mental hospital for two times and yeah..we all suffer but everyone agree that we have no choice but to protect her from every single truth that might hurts her and of course it is given that we have no choice but to protect her that way for the rest of our lives. You see..not every thing can be solved by “bla bla bla bla” or so called “therapy”. In reality, people are just dealing with things the best way they can. Depression is not something that suddenly one day you wake up and amazingly healed.That happens in “drama” I think. Once it is there..it is always there. In fact the possibility of relapse is higher if you have suffered from depression before.
thank you Koala Unni for the recap. I stopped watching this drama long time ago. Since, now I am watching A Hundred Year Inheritance which I want to slap B***** MIL as she is the worst of all evil MIL, not to mention mama’s boy is a whole new level with the obsessive SIL. I like Eugene but HOMG she need to get out of that hell house in law and recover amnesia and the male lead is creepy still loving his dead fiancé. Therefore, I hope next episode should be better as it is family drama and about noodles which is one of my favorite dish and is does my two boys love it too.
Wow. My long reply jst got deleted by iPhone. Sux 🙁
First, yes certified crazy MIL is now another reason why i watch Eugene’s new show. Over-the-top-totally-classic-Kdrama-goodness 🙂
On CA, I am concentrating on:
1. SJ & dad repaired relationship. Dad doesn’t want a repeat; so at least one is growing up from childlike competitions they were ridiculously having.
2. SK’s father is awesome. So endearing, he makes me bawl like a baby. That love is amazing & so “Asian” I want to show others “hey, this is what our society needs!!!” A real role model who will not sell off his kid to the highest bidder or allow a fast engagement.
3. YJ & her clueless husband plot thickens? Fizzles?
For all our info, PTSD isn’t just post rape, war, abuse… I’ve treated young girls & guys from break ups they thot made their world end 🙁 it’s a sad reality. When I watch dramas, I love the normal interactions bec I’ve seen some of the crazy sh*t most people think belong in tv land. At work, they think I’m a bit jaded when drama-Rama-Oscars-Kdrama-auditions come in bec I’ve heard/seen them all. Have gotten those claiming time travel, amnesia, abduction, gang beat ups & rolled bodies at the ambulance bay, abandoned babies & more. I don’t however; have ever seen/used a cool air or warm mister blowing… started IV’s on anyone fainting from “impending plot twists doom,” or constant CT/radiology exposures.
Sorry, I digressed, SJ’s denial & reaction is real. Dong Wok’s lack of resp as his MD intervention isn’t. Keeping my fingers crossed SIH doesn’t storm in the chapel & scream I object bc then I will def stop watching lol
I don’t watch kdrama that often, because every time i tried i’d drop it after 3-4 episodes… but Cheongdamdong Alice made me stick to it this long, and i’m still enjoying it. I think it’s a unique drama with very flawed and realistic characters, and I love all the twists and turns.
I have read Alice in Wonderland, I couldn’t comprehend it.
The same thing with Alice K drama, I still enjoy it, and it does make sense how I can’t understand it thoroughly nor it should make sense, it is Alice in WonderCheongdamdongLand afterall.
I personally think that it is possible for SeungJo to have PTSD, he have been shielded his whole life. Someone can be crazy or depressed, but that doesn’t mean his intelligence is sacrificed. So my personal opinion is of course SeungJo can still run big companies, why can’t he?
As much as you think how illogical the drama is, I totally can follow how the writer make sense in my own head.
Of course, I still love reading your recaps 🙂 Always love to see how others view this drama too, especially yours 🙂 You never bashed other readers so hopefully other can be mature about yournpersonal blog too
Agree with you, Lisa6.
Anyway, Only 3 episodes left, I’m putting my bets on Seung Jo. I think he orchestrated the whole ‘hoopla'(remember Se Kyung’s list). Though he may not know exactly every step the others take or will take but he knows what he is doing. Maybe this explains why he rushed the relationship, to clear out the falsity.
Yoon Joo said already if Seung Jo were to find out about Se Kyung’s mis-step, he wouldn’t choose revenge as a pay-off because it didn’t work out as he hoped for with them.
So, this may be his latest method. To help Se Kyung see the truth, abandon her ‘black’ ways and come back to her true self. His way of protecting her instead?
If this is not the case, for the relationship to work after the devastation, we probably will get the ‘after 5 years or whatever’ plot line again to tie this drama up. Personally, I hope the writers won’t do this to us.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Seung Jo is suppose to be the ‘Mad Hatter” right? That would mean he’s unpredictable and quick with his wits. 🙂
Just started to watch the drama but after episode two I felt that the show is not pulling me in. I just don’t see the main couple being together romantically. And I felt that it was out of character for her to go right away and just give up and decide to marry for money. And then the writer makes this big deal out of how things will be discover but then the pay off isn’t that great.
Thanks for the recap.
i’ll continue watching it, cuz in real life something like this happen.. some people try to protect their beloved ones by keeping the secret.. so human being..
thanks for the recap.. and pleaseeeee continue until the end.. thank you!
ps : i thought this is much better than MY, no offense..
My uncle know his gf secret before their wedding day. His gf ran away with one guy on her high school day. She(my uncle’s gf) is so young and didn’t have experience with love. She loved that guy so much. Actually that guy used her. He hated her father that’s why he revenge to her daughter. After two months later, he left her. She finally came back her home. Ten years later, she met with my uncle. They loved each other and planned to marry after three yrs later. But, the secret come out 🙁
My opinion, we all know that the truth can’t hide. But in reality, most of the people did the same as SK. They still try to hide the truth. Because of their own reason. My uncle gf said she have a plan to keep her secret until her last time! Yes, reality, reality, REALITY, REALITY….Life!
I think that’s why i am stick with this drama. Reality show !
Thanks for you recap, as usual.
I think too that SK & Tommy would be a great couple. Tommy knows so well every aspect of SK, in a very rational but also emotional way.
SJ needs to solve his personal emotional issues all by himself and then get to know someone, fall in love, deeper the relationship, get married… People around him need to stop to treat him like a new born, come on. He is the president of an important company but acts like a freaking 6 years old emotionnaly speaking.
In the show, SJ just goes from the “revenge plan against his dad”, “I-don’t-trust-anyone”, “I’ll-never-ever-trust-women”, “women are all golddiggers”… to lalaland world where everyone is great, my dad is great, YJ is not so bad, SK is the greatest woman in the world and I will marry her because that has been 1 month that I know her. Come on, how ridiculous is that!
Trying to solve his emotional issues and getting rid of his manicheist attitude and “welcome to lalaland” by getting married is the wrong decision. I don’t think it could ever work. Maybe the screenwriter will come to this conclusion too, becoz, it’s obvious that SJ needs time to deepen his relationship with SK to talk things through, now he seems so anable to cope with “the real word”.
Well I was so enthusiastic for the first episodes, last week was a little so so but this episode was for me so disapointing…
I don’t even ship SJ and SK anymore…I’d much rather she end up with Tommy Hong.In Hwa…can’t you just revert back to your business-like self and not let jealousy take over because of a marriage failure?? SK what happened to your resolve in front of Daddy Cha to not reveal anything?!?!? I agree with the rest of you that say SJ needs to stop being protected and I agree that PTSD was kind of a stretch in reality…
hi koala,
firstly, thank you so much for continuing to recap the drama! really appreciate your efforts 🙂 i am still enjoying the drama for what it is although i recognise the flaws in it and am frustrated at how everyone is protecting seungjo too. but… what can i say, kdrama crack. haha. anyway, sorry that you have to endure criticisms from others despite taking the time to write such excellent recaps!! 🙂
I agree!
Lol. I agree with Ms K a little too much these days. Something’s wrong with me. ^^
I don’t mind strange eccentric guys in KD but yes, here… The relationship between the OTP gives me the image of a miscarriage. Totally unhealthy and UNromantic. I loved Tommy from the beginning & never thought he was a bad guy. Not a second.
Since the story has flown by the window, just give me 4 mins of fun with Handsome Doc for the last 3 eps. Can I say I don’t get why they use so many characters in dramas if it’s to dump them on the way: Secretary Kim, sister & Doc… I would take them over EVIL witch anytime. Oh well.
I guess… because this drama is actually different from other dramas we’ve watched, we’re left baffled and shocked? Like… maybe because we know this drama only has 3 more episodes left and heyyyy where the heck is the lovey dovey sceeeneee??? I feel this drama needs to be longer, or faster pace in earlier episodes, but that wouldn’t be enough to dig deeper on how is SJ’s personality and problem..
I guess we can put it this way; SK wants to marry a rich guy, she gets one, she loves one, but then it’s revealed that the said guy isn’t mentally stable.
I love how the writers actually put something like his sickness, in which we normal people are not familiar with, and stick with it.
I think the whole point of this drama isn’t about SJ being with SK, but them healing each other. I won’t even be surprised if in the end they don’t end up together, I think they will have to come clean from the very first, and restart everything…
so far, I’m still loving this drama
THanks for recapping this episode.
I agree with you that PTSD is abused in this drama. Just last month I read about soldiers who served our army having PTSD after losing their friends in wars. It’s a very solemn issue so I cannot quite comprehend with the fact that this drama has used it on a childish person who cannot get over relationships…
Anyway, like you, I have chosen to watch Ep. 13 of this drama. I thought it would surprise me with some unprecedented happenings.. but nope… I’m truly disappointed.
And no offence but wassup with SJ’s silly face whenever he’s smiling while texting SK? looks retarded…
ㅋㅋㅋ relaaaax….. well, since the beginning i didn’t expect any reality in this drama, even from the beginning it looks unrealistic to me, so yeah, because i just want to have fun, and like the actors, want to get new good quotes, and because i love romantic-comedy drama. i keep watching cheongdamdong alice. i’m not taking this drama so seriously, so i have no disaponited in this ep.
but believe me, i…………………. secretly ship tommyhong and hanse too.
Prediction: They will break up; SK will go to Paris, insert a traditional one-year or two-year leap and they meet at SJ’s favorite cafe on Montmartre, Paris. SJ will be holding a rabbit with a happy face.
Ahhh!!! CA is still one of the most exciting series that I’ve ever seen. The characters’ dialogues always surprise me. Can’t wait to watch the next three episodes. Go Se Kyung!!
Btw, would just like to point out that not all leading men have strong personality. For me, it’s unfair to badly criticize SJ’s character. That’s the way he is and it’s up to the writers how they will make the story become more interesting by carrying on all the characters’ attitudes throughout the story. For me, it’s somehow “UNREALISTIC” to expect that all leading men should be strong and should overcome something that is so tragic and difficult. Even in real life, we all have our own ways to cope up with reality. So, for me, there’s nothing wrong on how SJ’s character is written.
I was about to give up on this entirely too. But then I watched episode 14. Persevere to the end! No spoilers, but this drama actually manages to redeem itself in the last five minutes of the episode.
I just want to say that despite them being enablers, that most of the people in Seung Jo ‘s life really care deeply for him. That really warms my heart and is a big reason I still love the show.
I have a childhood friend that was coddled by everyone he knew ( including me sometimes). He was adopted and has chronic illness that coincided with depression. He got married and outsiders wonder why she would knowingly get into a relationship with someone she’ll have to take extra care of. Even though the circumstances are bad, I don’t think their love is any less. That kind of relationship isn’t my ideal because I am a romantic but when I watch this show I’m reminded of them.
Mental illness isn’t the kind of thing that institutionalization just corrects and the result is a sane person that is ready to take on the world with no problems. It is a lifelong battle/ struggle for people. The show’s treatment of his psychoses doesn’t mess with my sense of reality. You would be surprised at the coping mechanisms of people. It is my strong belief that everyone is a little crazy to start and then a few people get extra doses. Its up to us to find out what brand of crazy we carry and channel it into something productive.
It seems that CDA will not be having any extensions as they have already included a preview in episode 14 of CDA of the next drama to be shown on February 2. So sad I like this drama a lot. It would have been nice if there was at least 2 extra episodes but I guess they are unable to make additional quality scripts for extension episodes. (They lost 2 screening days last December to give way to the awards night. These 2 days would have actually allowed them to have an additional 2 episode extensions).
I understand you Koala . Thanks for sharing your thought and feeling about this show .
From episode 12 until now, I fast forward this show just to pick up some leftover and see how the story drag .
Too Baaddd ! Sigh!
I thought it was a good show , now it leaves me empty!
Oh well ! It’s Kdrama trend nowadays, they let hot, pretty Manager, CEO guys
have mental problems to call out the empathy of the women audiences .
Women always have the maternal instinct to protect the hot, childish, problematic men .
It recall me the popular drama “Protect the boss” and other high rating drama of Korean Sweetheart Jang dong gun ” a gentleman dignity”
Sigh!
We just have to accept this is the trend .
This feel like material queen. The first half was amazing, the second half make me feel like I turn in the wrong channel. I had so much hope for sj and sk. Hoping that sk grows up from her idealistic world, accept that reality can be cruel but ultimately raise above it and still have her integrity in tact, just wiser and more tactful. While sj find love in him and not by looking for girlfriend. He learns and overcome the trauma of being abandoned, reunite with his mom to heal, and learn to live with trust and heart. And maybe these two will get together because they have been supportive of each other on this journey to become their better self.
A girl can only hope….
watched ep. 14 and could not help but notice Tommy’s concern for Se Kyung…seemed to me that he’s starting to fall for her.