By all that is holy in dramaland I freaking love love LOVE this drama! Prime Minister and I ended this week on a rousing high note for episode 9 which was every bit as funny, touching, nerve-wracking, and totally satisfying as every episode before it all wrapped into one delicious treat. Why oh why is this drama only two episodes a week? I should thank my lucky stars PM got an extension because it just means one more episode of Yul and Da Jung goodness plus a side of cute kids for an extra kick. This drama shows us how to construct the most fanciful of plot devices like a contract marriage but make it so believable by tossing aside any misunderstandings and always letting two people talk. Sometimes Yul pulls away and says mean things he probably doesn’t mean, but Da Jung is no idiot and she always can see through it and realize he’s struggling. This episode gave us ramyun slurping cuteness, ice-skating bonding time, and a hotel room confrontation that ends with a completely pent up hug. Joon Ki continues to be the epitome of a loser with a grudge and now he ups his own inferiority complex over being less of a man than Yul with a completely unwarranted anger that Yul has moved on from his sister Na Young. Dude, she’s been dead for the past 7 years!

I get that he makes a believable antagonist but its a little sad that he’s motivated by such petty stirrings. He may be a head taller than Yul but he’s infinitesimally a lesser man. Yul’s struggle over falling for Da Jung is truly commendable because he feels like he doesn’t have a right to like her. Theirs is a contract marriage and he doesn’t feel like he has a right to turn it in to the real deal despite Da Jung pretty much living it like its the real deal to her. I also understood why he tried to keep a distance from her because he explained why to her and she didn’t accept that reason without a fight. When they brood and mope over each other it’s as sweet as when they bicker and get all up in each other’s face. This rom-com continues to perfectly deliver both the romance and comedy as well as unexpected interactions. I appreciate that In Ho’s interest is Da Jung is completely open now to Yul, Hye Joo, and Da Jung because better it out there sooner rather than later so he can get over it faster. What’s the most satisfying of all is that none of the obstacles in Da Jung’s path deters her from being herself around Yul, not Hye Joo’s warning, not Yul pushing her away, and not In Ho throwing himself before her. I love this OTP so much I’m starting to build a throne to worship their winning courtship and utterly sweet old-fashioned romance.

Episode 9 recap:

The staff at the Prime Minister’s mansion is setting up for the upcoming press conference. In Ho is supervising and he looks at the empty seat that Da Jung will sit in and thinks back to his confession to her last night. Hye Joo comes by and hears the preparations are ready and In Ho asks where Da Jung and Yul are?

Da Jung is in bed nursing a hangover and Yul is trying to get her out of bed. She tries but falls back clutching her raging headache. She tries to beg off today’s activities but its not possible and Yul orders her out of bed. Da Jung still can’t so he pulls the covers off her and gives her 5 minutes to get ready. Yul walks out of their bedroom and then peeks inside again looking concerned and wondering if Da Jung is alright?

The reporters arrive at the mansion for the press conference and Reporter Byun is ready with his sneak pictures of In Ho and Da Jung ready to pull a fast one. The Scandal News duo arrives and notices the envelope in his hand and hears he’s got something up his sleeve that will prove who is the real “reporter”. Hee Chul worries about what he’s got planned and then hears his editor is also planning something.

Da Jung is dressed but staggering around the mansion trying to compose herself. In Ho sees her and she’s all awkward and nervous, refusing to meet his eyes. He walks up and asks if she’s alright after drinking too much? Da Jung says she’s fine. In Ho keeps the conversation all business and tells her to just answer today’s questions directly and signal Hye Joo if she needs anything. He wants to bring up yesterday but she cuts him off and hurries away.

Da Jung runs outside and she’s still feeling ill. Yul walks up and asks if she’s still sick? He puts his hand on her forehead to take her temperature and tells her to not attend the press conference and go rest if she’s that sick. Da Jung smiles at his concern and assures him she’s fine and since she’s the main character at this conference she can’t miss it.

The Scandal News duo is preparing for the conference and the editor has prepared a diarrhea medicine to spike Da Jung’s drink if she dares ignore them again. LOL, he’s so petty and like a scorned lover. The press conference starts and Yul walks in arm-in-arm with Da Jung. The editor tries to shake hands with Da Jung but she and Yul just walk right past them. The editor spikes the drink and gets ready to offer it to Da Jung. We see Reporter Byun drinking as well.

Da Jung goes to greet her Scandal News colleagues and her editor pretends to be fine. He wants Hee Chul to hand the spiked drink to her but Da Jung is still sick from all the drinking last night and she can’t drink anymore. Yul walks up and extricates Da Jung, explaining she doesn’t drink at all. He takes the drink and downs it to the horror of the Scandal News duo. After they walk away, the editor turns to Hee Chul and wonders what will happen.

The press conference starts and the Scandal News editor wonders why Da Jung looks more ill than Yul. The first question comes to Da Jung about how Yul is as a husband. She says he’s picky and has a bad sense of humor but he is the best husband to her. Reporter Byun asks a question about their looking lovey dovey as the biggest fraud in the country. Isn’t their marriage a contract marriage? Yul asks what evidence he has? Reporter Byun shows them the pictures of Da Jung and In Ho frolicking in the snow and then says Da Jung’s dad knew nothing about their dating so this has to be a contract marriage!

Yul gets up and kneels to beg Reporter Byun to not reveal this fraud. He yells at Da Jung to come and beg as well and both of them grab Reporter Byun’s legs as he cackles maniacally about his own crack reporting skills. Of course this is just his fantasy and the press conference is still continuing.

Reporter Byun gets up to ask his question and then gets hit with the worst case of the runs EVER. He starts grimacing and can barely get out his question. The editor wonders what is happening to him and Hee Chul reveals that he gave the spiked drink to Reporter Byun instead. Reporter Byun screams out asking where the bathroom is and then rushes out to go poop. The editor remembers Reporter Byun trying to ask something about a “contract” and then gets up and actually asks the question about whether Yul and Da Jung’s marriage is a contract marriage?

Yul answers that their marriage is a contract, it is based on a promise and they promised each other to be a husband and wife when they got married. He’ll never let her off that easily in this marriage. He concludes that their marriage is a contract for life.

Da Jung starts to retch right on stage and everyone assumes she’s pregnant. LOL! Yul and Hye Joo head back to his office and he confirms Hye Joo told all the reporters that Da Jung is just not feeling well. Hye Joo points out Yul never says something he doesn’t mean so why did he say he wouldn’t let Da Jung get off that easily. She doesn’t believe he means it but she thinks what he said was a great answer.

Da Jung goes to rinse her mouth and then smiles when she thinks of what Yul said at the press conference. She giggles like a moony-eyed girl but then has to retch again.

Da Jung runs into In Ho outside and quickly turns around but he walks up to her so she has no choice but to laugh and pretend to be normal. In Ho grabs her hand and asks to talk. He didn’t sleep a wink last night and asks if maybe he should have stayed her guardian angel and friend and not confessed? But he doesn’t regret confessing because he really likes her and would have told her eventually. He knows she’s awkward around him but he would rather she be awkward around him then not to know how he feels. In Ho walks away leaving Da Jung looking uncomfortable.

Poopy Reporter Byun comes back to his briefcase and finds his In Ho-Da Jung pictures gone. He runs back to the toilet and we see that Hee Chul swiped the pictures. He doesn’t share it with his editor but keeps it safe. I knew he was on his noona’s side.

Yul walks by the kitchen table and remembers Da Jung sprawled sleep on it last night. He sits down across from the now empty chair and thinks about what he should do with her going forward because she’s his homework. Da Jung comes by and she cooks a snack while he sits there and grumbles about why he has to keep her company. Da Jung doesn’t want to eat alone and asks to read to him afterwards. She notices he seems stressed and hears he is thinking about his own homework. She doesn’t know what it is but gives him the advice that he has to do his homework eventually so don’t procrastinate.

But before he does his homework he can delay it a bit in the face of such delicious ramyun. She cooked three bags thinking he could eat it all. Yul grumbles about the lack of egg in it and Da Jung chides him for not eating it right since they have to eat the original flavor. Da Jung watches Yul take a bit and asks if he thinks it’s delicious. Yul reluctantly says its edible and the two of them lean in to wolf down the noodles. They end up biting into the same strand and Yul loses the battle and Da Jung slurps it up.

Yul notices Da Jung has something on her face and they lean in so he can wipe her mouth clean. Man Se and Na Ra walk up and start singing that they are kissing.

Man Se tells the bodyguards about Yul and Da Jung kissing last night. The ahjumma says that kissing is nothing, she’s seen way hotter stuff between them, involving rolling around. The bodyguards adorably chase her to get more gossip.

Yul and Da Jung watch all this gossiping and he’s upset to have to deal with this. Da Jung corners Yul and says he wiped her mouth and she never asked him to so why is he blaming her now. Yul looks all scared of her being so close and Da Jung tells him to say it if he blames her for such gossip. Yul says its all her fault and then uses a finger to push her away while reminding her to stay a meter away from him unless absolutely necessary.Yul goes back to the bedroom and decides he needs to stay away from her for the time being. He can’t believe his heart is beating fast even in such a random closeness. Da Jung is in the living room and hears from the ahjumma that Yul took the kids out ice skating and she is fuming they left her behind.

Reporter Byun meets with Joon Ki who is disappointed in his reporting skills. He shows Joon Ki the pictures on his cellphone of In Ho in the snow with Da Jung and Joon Ki realizes now why In Ho told him Da Jung was off limits. He orders Reporter Byun to hold his story for the time being. Hye Joo witnesses this meeting of Reporter Byun and Joon Ki at the golf course. She calls In Ho to tell him that Reporter Byun met with Joon Ki and seems to be planning something. In Ho can sense someone following him and confronts the guy who turns out to be Hee Chul who has something to talk to him about.

Yoon Hee and her cronies run into Hye Joo at the golf course and hears that Yul is out ice-skating which upsets her even more that Hye Joo could be here to see Joon Ki. Hye Joo claims not to know Joon Ki is here and Yoon Hee is incensed she’s still a trying to steal her husband. Hye Joo tells Yoon Hee one more time that she never saw Joon Ki here and has no interest in a married man and it’s such a insult to be accused of such. She pushes past Yoon Hee and storms off.

Joon Ki talks with his aide and says that the pictures are not enough and they need to be caught in the act. He hears from the aide who says recent rumors are the Prime Minister is very close to his wife. Yoon Hee comes by with lunch and Joon Ki brushes her off. Yoon Hee cries that she just wants to spend time with him and other couples even go ice-skating together.

Woo Ri, Na Ra, and Man Se are at the ice-skating rink when Da Jung arrives. Man Se gives her a hug and she wonders where Yul is? She sees him skating effortlessly around the rink and realizes her hubby really can do anything. Yul skates up to the kids and asks why Da Jung is here? Da Jung doesn’t like being excluded since they are a family. Yul says he has a good reason for not bringing her and she asks what it is? He doesn’t tell her and just asks if she’s ready to skate. She is so he lets her stay.

Yul shows everyone how to skate and then sends all of them off. Da Jung is easily the worst of the lot and he ends up having to coach her one-on-one. She almost slips and he catches her. Everyone skates happily as Yul watches with a smile on his face. Finally Man Se can’t take it anymore and says he’s hungry. Yul is about to make them keep practicing when they notice Joon Ki and Yoon Hee arriving with their son.

Yul asks why Joon Ki is here and Joon Ki is sad he can’t even pretend to be happy to see him. Dude, you are a backstabbing ass, why should he even pretend. Joon Ki notes that Yul put on a loving show at the press conference and he’s here to confirm whether Yul has changed. He’s surprised Yul brought the kids here since it was a place Na Young brought the kids before but Yul was always too busy to come. Yul looks shocked and Joon Ki confirms he didn’t know.

Da Jung and Man Se sit with Yoon Hee and she asks if Yoon Hee is working on the frog stuffed animals. Yoon Hee claims she’s too busy to work on it and Man Se pipes up that Yul is busy but he’s making the stuffed animals as well. Yoon Hee thinks Da Jung is so close to Yul and Man Se further pipes up that of course they are close since he saw them kissing in the kitchen last night. Da Jung drags Man Se away and Yoon Hee rages that Da Jung is showing off her romance in front of her.

Yul gathers the family to leave but Man Se wants more time to skate. Da Jung slips and Yul quickly runs over to help her up. Yoon Hee and Joon Ki see Yul helping to fix Da Jung’s helmet and jacket and he even cracks a smile. Joon Ki does not look happy.

Hee Chul hands the snow pictures to In Ho and says they need to be on the look out for Reporter Byun. Hye Joo comes by to talk with In Ho about how to handle Reporter Byun and Joon Ki. Hye Joo asks In Ho if he told Da Jung how he feels and In Ho’s tacit silence confirms he confessed to Da Jung. Hye Joo is impressed and says she admits defeat, asking where he got his courage from? After In Ho leaves Hye Joo, he calls Joon Ki asking to meet.

Yul’s kids say goodbye to their Uncle Joon Ki while Yul stays behind to chat with him. Joon Ki asks if he can invite the kids over to his place sometime and Yul says of course since he is their uncle. Joon Ki brings up Yul forgetting Na Young so easily and isn’t that not right? Dude, it’s been 7 years! It’s not only right its healthy!

Yul broods at home later that night out in the courtyard before realizing its stupid to brood in the cold and goes inside the brood some more. He can’t even brood since wifey Da Jung left him some strawberry ice-cream with an encouraging note. He remembers Joon Ki accusing him of forgetting Na Young and he leaves the ice-cream untouched.

Yul comes out to morning kendo practice and asks why Da Jung is here? He wants her to learn at a kendo studio and says he never agreed to teach her. Poor Da Jung tries to stay and practice but Yul barks at her some more. Later Da Jung calls him to breakfast but he brushes her off. Poor Da Jung leaves disappointed. Don’t be a meanie, Yul!

Da Jung sits with Na Ra in the living room and she wonders what’s gotten into Yul? Na Ra asks if she has any worries and wants her to share. Da Jung won’t share so Na Ra tells her to stop sighing and distracting her since she has so much homework. Man Se comes by on the cellphone with question about hwatu and Da Jung takes the phone from Man Se and answers his question about the card points. Dad says he had a dream about Da Jung, she was wearing all white and being chased by wolves with red eyes. He thinks its a bad omen but Da Jung assures him that she’s fine and asks him to take care of himself. Turns out Dad dementia is getting worse and he’s playing all by himself but talking as if he’s playing with other guys. Sigh.

Yul is back outside brooding some more and this time Da Jung comes out to talk with him. She asks if he’s got something on his mind and asks to share in his worries. If he tells her, maybe she can help. He tries to brush her off again and she asks if he’s mad at her because she did something wrong. He assures her its no such thing but then she asks why he is avoiding her and so cold to her? Yul says the truth is that he’s not comfortable around her. Initially he was grateful about how good she was to him and his kids. But now he feels pressure since theirs is just a contract marriage. He wants her to watch her boundaries but she flatly says no.

Da Jung wants to do her best since she is the wife of the Prime Minister. She grabs his arm and tells him not to say things like she makes him uncomfortable. He shakes her hand off and asks if he thinks this is a fun playing house as fake husband and fake wife? He doesn’t want to play along.

Yul goes back to his study and takes out the kiddie hair clip he bought for Da Jung but clearly he is thinking very non-kiddie thoughts about staying away from his wonderful and gorgeous wife. Da Jung sits in the kitchen table all sad. Poor baby’s nose is all red. Yul sits in his study and just stares at the hair clip. Can you two just go make out and make babies and stop hurting my heart.

In Ho arrives at the mansion in the morning and sees Da Jung standing outside. She notices him and makes a slight acknowledgment before heading inside. In Ho notices something on his phone. Yul is working at his desk and sees his hand bandage with the note scribbled by Da Jung on it. He takes out his phone and wants to call but doesn’t.

In Ho arrives with a report on the people in the port construction re-assessment team. In Ho asks for two hours off today to handle some personal matters. Yul tells him to take the time and also grab dinner before coming back. Da Jung is sewing frogs when she gets a text.

In Ho walks into a hotel and Reporter Byun is there and calling someone to assure that everything is going as planned. Hee Chul notices Reporter Byun’s shady behavior and worries something bad is about to happen. In Ho gets into an elevator and rings the doorbell of a hotel room. Da Jung opens the hotel room door and In Ho is shocked to see her.

In Ho asks why she is here and hears he called her here. In Ho pushes her into the room and shuts the door. Da Jung shows him a text saying that there is an emergency involving Yul and she needs to to go to the hotel room. In Ho confirms he didn’t send the text and they likely fell into a trap. Joon Ki hears the reporters have gathered and his aide asks why Joon Ki is throwing the In Ho trump card away. Joon Ki says he just felt like it and then he angrily thinks that Yul dared to forget Na Young and he will never forgive him for this.

Reporter Byun gathers all the reporters in the lobby and they head upstairs. In Ho and Da Jung try to sneak out but find the staircase door locked, though Yoon Hee and her cronies walk past them but In Ho shields Da Jung so they don’t recognize her. Da Jung wants to split up but In Ho won’t leave her to do this alone. The reporters arrive and corner them with cameras flashing and accusations.

The reporters wonder what they are doing at a hotel so late at night. In Ho reveals he is bringing the Prime Minister’s wife to meet someone here. Reporter Byun asks who Da Jung is meeting and she tries to answer but In Ho tells her not to say anything. In Ho tries to stare down Reporter Byun who asks again the person Da Jung is meeting so late at night at a hotel? In Ho looks up and sees someone and then answers that she is meeting Kwon Yul, the Prime Minister.

The reporters open up and we see Yul is right there. He walks up to Da Jung and asks if the reporters even need to be told about two newlyweds celebrating a wedding milestone day? He thanks In Ho for bringing Da Jung and then walks into the hotel room with Da Jung, leaving In Ho looking totally sad. The reporters chew Reporter Byun out for turning them into scandal hounds and leave him stewing. Yul and Da Jung enter the hotel room and he asks her what happened?

In Ho leaves the hotel and runs into Hye Joo who reveals they came because Hee Chul tipped them off. She asks In Ho how he came to be here but In Ho just storms into his car and drives off clearly with a destination in mind. In Ho keeps thinking about Yul and Da Jung walking into the hotel room together. Dude, they are married!

Da Jung explains that she came because she got a text from In Ho that there is an emergency with Yul. He doesn’t want to hear anymore since he can figure out what happened. Da Jung worries that she is causing more trouble for him. Yul admits he’s just tired by this current situation. Da Jung looks really hurt and says when she was surrounded by reporters all she could worry about was the trouble she was going to bring to Yul.

Yert all Yul can think about is how tired and fed up he is with their situation. He asks her to stop talking but she doesn’t want to and says she’s tired of him calling all the shots. If he doesn’t like her and is annoyed by her…….which is when Yul pulls her in for a tight hug and OMG I’m seriously squeeing sooooo hard.

Thoughts of Mine:

I’m so relieved at how amazing the writing continues to be for this drama, allowing every obstacle before the OTP to be used to bring them closer together. Their contract marriage threatens to be revealed? Yul answers candidly that every marriage is based on a promise and he’ll hold Da Jung to it, making her realize he does take her seriously in his life. In Ho’s confession causes nary a blip in their normal everyday interactions and instead its Yul’s own fear of falling for Da Jung that makes him pull back. But the beauty of being married and living together is that he can’t avoid her and Da Jung does her darndest to keep herself involved in his life. She really tries so hard and cares not for the trappings of power but instead gives her all to be a good wife and mother. Yul can see that and he’s totally melting for her. Perhaps I should thank Joon Ki and Reporter Byun for their repeated tricks and traps to foil Yul and Da Jung because it only leads them to confront their issues and open more up. I’m probably jumping to gun in thinking that Yul and Da Jung have a hotel room for the night and should take advantage of it, but since everyone in the Prime Minister’s mansion think they can’t keep their hands off each other, they might as well give them even more gossip to talk about. I love how Da Jung even has the ahjumma on her side now, and Man Se is one great loudspeaker to trumpet his dad and stepmom’s affection for the world to hear.

I’m a bit relieved Hye Joo has stopped interfering but that’s probably because she’s too busy watching Yul’s back. I was rather impressed with her conversation with In Ho when she admired his courage in confessing which rather admitted that she’s been too afraid of a direct rejection that she would rather nurse a 20 year old crush on Yul. I think In Ho’s attempt to join Joon Ki’s evil plans early on was to have Joon Ki turn on him and perhaps bring him back to Team Yul. Hopefully he’ll learn the truth about what happened with his brother and Na Young 7 years ago and the car accident so he can let go of his grudge against Yul. He’s clearly a tormented guy and I’m starting to feel bad for his puppy dog looks of longing at Da Jung. I can’t help it, In Ho is still my darling Yoon Si Yoon and goodness I’m putty when he opens his mouth to talk and looks all forlorn. The OTP continue to stew in one romantic interaction after another even if it’s family activity time or just snack time. Da Jung is so candid with Yul he doesn’t stand a chance against her, not when she admits all her own weaknesses and reveals her feelings so openly. How can he not want to hug her when she looks so raw with hurt before his eyes and he knows that it’s hopeless to keep his distance and he doesn’t even want to. The preview for episode 10 shows that Yul is going to ask her to be his girl and I hope its for real because Joon Ki isn’t giving up and I need their marriage to become a reality so he doesn’t have any ammunition to use against Yul in that respect.

Click here to watch Prime Minister and I.