I can’t believe Flower Boy Next Door is nearing its end. It started right at the beginning of 2013 and once again time has gotten away from me and it’s already mid-February. When can someone invent a time freezing device? Watching Dok Mi choose a solitary life of routine and writing makes me wonder if one can slow down and appreciate the moments more when there is less distraction? I’m not sure I’m feeling this new panda hat fangirl storyline, not because it can’t happen to Enrique, but because it feels rather extreme to introduce into Dok Mi’s world when the girl used to crack open her door an inch just to get her morning milk. It’s like telling a baby to run before it can crawl. Do Hwi’s conflict with Dok Mi remains the most compelling bit of conflict in this initially uneventful drama, which seems to want to inject extra doses of tension to make up for the tension seeping out of the OTP relationship now that they’ve confirmed their feelings for each other.
What feels disjointed is how the events are unfolding outside of the normal ordinariness that this drama initially conveyed, and now it’s death scrawls and near-fatal accidents. I actually want Dok Mi to decide on her own life and future outside of Enrique. She should move because she wants to, regardless of being near him. I think she’s lived in statis for so long, it’s time she stepped up as Go Dok Mi and evaluated her own life without any consideration for the events happening around her. Does she want to stay and write her book? Move and write her book? Stay and edit and date Enrique? Have weekly cooking classes with the apartment denizens? Enrique and Jin Rok have their own goals in life, I want Dok Mi to find herself before she even dives into a relationship fully with Enrique to become part of a duo, however cute and healthy that new coupling is.
Written preview for episode 13:
Can a new dream begin? Seeing the threatening words written on Dok Mi’s door, everyone is thrown into a state of stunned shock. Enrique goes in search of Dok Mi, who he is afraid will disappear if she gets hurt. On the other hand, Jin Rok’s real identity wasn’t revealed by Dong Hoon, but…. Enrique is very worried that Dok Mi might have gotten hurt because of him.
Preview for episode 13:
Jin Rok: Do you have any idea what this is?
Do Hwi: Even I don’t stoop that low.
Dong Hoon: I wrote on 402’s door for her to read the webtoon.
Jin Rok: What?
Dok Mi: Go Dok Mi, stop thinking about it!
Panda hat fangirl: Oppa needs to return to Spain to work on the matter he’s prepared for a long time.
Dok Mi: I don’t love myself, and I don’t love others.
Enrique: Ahjumma, can you please stop running away!
You’re right, unni. I think Dok Mi should find herself first b4 going into a relationship and the obsessed panda hat girl plot is really out of context for this sweet story. Its three eps to go and we still don’t have an idea how it all really ends. Bt i do want Dong Hoon and our sleep starved PD to have something more for each other, it’ll be cute with or without dark circles under her eyes. Overall, a really good drama, feeling all the characters and want them to be happy, except for Do Hwi – well, maybe jst a little happy for her.
i’m not sure about ‘finding herself’ it’s not like she lost her way or that she is not sure what she wants to do with herself. she already knows she wants to be a writer. there is not confusion there.
my reading of dol mi is that she is just afraid of being hurt. instead, i think she needs to explore her strengths and realize that she can take as much pain and still survive. life comes with pain but it also brings about other stuff…. joy, fun and laughter as well as love. you need to take the good with the bad. when she shuts herself off from the world to hide from being hurt, she shuts out the good stuff as well.
When the drama is following the webtoon then Dok Mi will choose her own path AND will end up with Enrique (of course!!). 🙂
What’s the ending for the webtoon version? I got to view the first episodes but the last three ones are not for free viewing. It may not be the same with the drama coz in the webtoon series Tae Joon played a larger role and Dok Mi is a Manhwa artist not a writer. Even though I cannot read hangul just viewing the drawings kinda made me understood what was going on LOL.
I am looking forward on how they will end this series. What a great drama to start the year with. 🙂
SPOILER:
Enrique leaves for Spain… Dok Mi lives her own life for a year or so – learning to play guitar, taking dance classes etc. But then leaves Korea to look for Enrique (note: they didn’t break up before Enrique left) and the webtoon ends with Enrique and Dok Mi together in Spain. 🙂
*nods* missed you!
Thanks for your recaps and comments. I never really considered watching this until a couple of days ag,o inspired by your comments. Really loving it – the characters are endearing (most of them anyway) and Park Shin Hye is a discovery for me. She is wonderful in her portrayal of Dok Mi’s vulnerability. Love how different the OTPs are and how they somehow gel.
Thanks Jillia. That’s a good ending. But whoa if that happens in the drama as well it would be awesome! Though I don’t think they have the time to film in spain? fake spain setting perhaps? I can’t wait for the ending!
Do hwi’s webtoon version is really funny looking!
Hi, guys!! Where can I get to read the webtoon?? Somebody knows?? please??
thanks for the post koala sis!